GRAND TERRACE: Country Fair brings community together
10:00 PM PST on Friday, November 12,2010
By MARINA ROJAS Special to The Press-Enterprise
The Grand Terrace Historical and Cultural Activities Committee recently hosted its 29th annual Country Fair at the Lions Club Community Center.
A longtime tradition in Grand Terrace, the purpose of the fair is to bring together residents in a showcase of their talents, Marlene Grant, committee chairwoman, said. "This began 29 years ago with local arts and crafts. Today, it's open to anyone who lives, works or goes to school in Grand Terrace."
Thirty-two booths were set up with items such as home-grown produce, paintings, plants, ceramics, hand-sewn aprons and knitted apparel.
One vendor, Dianne Tolbert of Rialto, who owns Creations by Dianne, was selling handcrafted wall hangings and purses she designed and made. "I really enjoy doing this," she said, "and coming here to the fair lets me share my artwork with others." Tolbert, like other vendors at the fair, had set her prices low because of the economic situation.
The Grand Terrace Seed Bank had a booth offering free seed packets and provided residents with plenty of good information about starting their own gardens.
Community-based organizations such as the Grand Terrace Friends of the Library were offering a used book sale, and the Community Emergency Response Team handed out information from FEMA about earthquake safety. Friends of Blue Mountain were there to encourage everyone to get ready
for the annual walk up Blue Mountain in March.
The Historical and Cultural Committee also held baking and chili recipe competitions. Residents brought many different kinds of baked goodies including cakes, pies, cookies and brownies.
Chili enthusiasts brought their favorite secret recipes to vie for the coveted winning title. Debbie Earle, president of the Grand Terrace Women's Club and one of the contest judges, was enjoying the sights and smells of the offerings as Masako Gifford a member of the Grand Terrace Historical and Cultural Committee readied the food displays.
"This is great," said Grand Terrace resident Janet Wilson. "The prices are reasonable and the workmanship is really outstanding. I look forward to coming to this fair every year."
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Stater Bros. in Grand Terrace moves ahead after scare
Posted: 11/10/2010 05:25:00 PM PST
GRAND TERRACE - Stater Bros. Markets' goal of opening a new store for its 75th anniversary appeared to be in jeopardy Tuesday night, when a development agreement with the city failed to gain the three votes needed for passage. As Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia voted to abstain because she said she felt rushed, representatives from Stater Bros. and another party to the agreement left abruptly. Council members interpreted that as a sign the project could be delayed a month or more, as developers often choose not to build without the guarantees contained in a development agreement.
Discussion continued after the vote, and Garcia eventually moved to pass the agreement, which will go into effect if the City Council confirms it at a second reading on Dec. 14.
The law required unanimous support from those present because Councilwoman Bea Cortes was absent.
The agreement was modified slightly to incorporate comments by the Planning Commission, which approved the agreement with a rare 3-2 vote, then given to council members last Wednesday.
Soon afterward, Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz, voting on the project for the first time since the Fair Political Practices Commission ruled that his nearby business did not constitute a conflict of interest, worked with the city and developers to suggest additional requirements: giving up two parcels for public use and tying inducements to the project being completed within five years.
That was too much new information, Garcia said initially.
"I need a lot more time to process and digest, because I think a councilman is speaking to staff on his own and I don't appreciate being in the dark," she said.
Stanckiewitz said he was just doing his homework and that the agreement offered leverage. Unsure whether Stater Bros. would accept the changes, the City Council passed the agreement without them and sent a letter asking for the additional concessions.
Jack Brown, chairman and chief executive officer of Stater Bros., said Wednesday he could not comment on those concessions without personally reviewing them.
But the grocery store would be opened in time for the chain's 75th anniversary in September, he said, and he continued to trust the city.
"I work for my customers, not for the elected officials of Grand Terrace," Brown said. "(Citizens) are excited and thrilled that they can stay home rather than going to another city or another store."
A group of about a dozen residents have raised concerns with the store at City Council meetings.
Stater Bros. had already been approved - it broke ground ground Oct. 21 - but the agreement exempts the developer from certain fees and prohibits the city from changing its rules.
Could Walt Stanckiewitz been more transparent regarding the amendments he proposed?
In getting ready for the City Council Meeting Walt Stanckiewits watched the prior meetings on the subject of the Development Agreement and other prior agreements leading up to the Development Agreement. He also reviewed the most recent Planning Commission Minutes to try to be informed as to why there were two no votes regarding the Approval. He asked the question, how could the concerns of Planning Commissioners voting no be addressed in a way that is fair to the city and the developers.
He had this discussion with CITY STAFF in the Planning Department. The two amendments were written, one to give back to the city the two lots on the east side of the Development, and to put a must build date on the 1.2 Million RDA/City inducements provided to Stater Brothers and Jacobsen. He did not ask for the Fee Waivers to be adjusted.
Was this transparent? Well, let's start off by pointing out that Walt is prohibited to discuss with the other Council Members an issue that is on the agenda prior to the meeting. This would be in violation of the Brown Act in some way. He does have the right to question staff, and make requests of staff to take the negotiation action taken to resolve the preliminary foot work needed in making an amendment to the Development Agreement. The proper disclosure of the amendment proposed is at the City Council Meeting. It may be nice if an Amendment package for City Council Members and the Public is available prior to the meeting say 24 hours prior. These added documents would represent paragraphs or sentences not bulk reading. BUT, to do this is up to the STAFF not Mr. Stanckiewitz.
It would have been appropriate for Ms Garcia or Ms Ferre to make amendments if they desired any. Both Garcia and Ferre have made amendments to ordinances after talking with the affected people. What is important and transparent about this process is that Stanckiewitz said who he spoke with, on the staff. He identified the process of his decision making, and he proposed a change that would have been memorialized in writing and legally enforceable.
Unlike the deal making in the past that was not documented and failed to be in the best interest of the city. The proposed changes to the Staff Provided Development Agreement were to be included in writing, and agreed upon by the City and the Developers.
Do I think the amendments should have gone further. YES. The Parks Fees should have been collected on the Stater's/Jacobsen Development. The justification to waive them is not sound in my opinion. In addition to then turn around and demand the fee from an individual house builder is patently unfair and unequal treatment under the law. I hold Ferre, Garcia and Stankiewitz responsible for this unfair application of Fees as they all were party to the same conclusion.
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Well folks that was an interesting RDA City Council Meeting:
Not in order of events
The Check Register was questioned by D Hurst. The reply was her questions will be answered by staff, then the register was approved by Ferre, Garcia and Stanckiewitz, Cortes absent.
The Base Ball Field was approved
The Senior Kitchen was approved (The Architect should not be hired for another estimate)
Hilkey's change in Council Benefit Not Approved (reason for the request- avoid paying taxes)
LeeAnn Garcia asked that the fund to pay for these and future items like this be given showing the current balance of the fund and the impact the expenditure will have on the specific fund.
Note, one of the justifications for spending RDA Money on the Base Ball Field was that no other funds were available.
After long debate over procedure and a Stanckiewitz proposed amendment the Development Agreement between the City and Jacobsen/Stater's was approved as staff presented without the amendments providing a greater level of assurance of performance, and a statement of agreement that the two most easterly plots will be removed from the Development Project, as the current General Plan shows those lots as a PUBLIC PARK. Ms Garcia's objection was that Stanckiewitz made this motion after having met with staff who contacted both parties and got tentative approval if the Development Agreement was so amended.
When Ms. Garcia abstained from voting, the representatives from Jacobsen and Stater's left the council meeting. A Development Agreement is needed in the process to obtain financing to move forward. Ms. Garcia put the development at risk because she had an issue with Mr. Stanckiewitz doing a complete job in preparation for the meeting and attempting to ask and answer problems that were not addressed in the Development Agreement as written by staff. He did not exceed his rights or responsibilities as a Council Member in his investigation of the agenda item and the proposal of an amendment to the Staff Written Agreement.
Ms. Garcia who often adds a phrase here or there in other ordinances or motions or staff recommendations was not objecting to the amendments, she was objecting that the source was Mr Stanckiewitz. Eventually she voted to approve the staff written agreement with a provision that the staff put in writing the agreed 2 additional stipulations to be approved of prior to the second reading and final approval of the Development Agreement December 14th. Now it is going to be interesting to see if the Permits are Pulled for the start of earth moving next week or will Jacobsen/Staters get cold feet due to Ms. Garcia's angst about the Stanckiewitz amendments that Stanckiewitz proposed to staff and staff got pre meeting approval of by the Developers Jacobsen/Staters. Most frustrating for them must be the fact that in their presentations prior to the vote on the Development Agreement both Staters/Jacobsen representatives agreed to the added conditions, but Ms. Garcia rejected the new information.
Gramps was in the opinion that the Documents provided to council did not address the reality of the justification for the Development Fee Waivers included in the Development Agreement. The added detail about how the drainage would be handled helped justify some of the fee waiver. However, the waiver for additional sewage lines, and the park fee waiver seems to be still under justified. To compare the Commercial Use with Residential use does not seem like sound planning or economics. The park fee explanation that Commercial Use does not increase Park Use is improper justification for a waiver. The fee is not assessed because you will or won't use a park, it is assessed because parks need to be built. Added congestion along Barton Road removes empty fields and large lots that children and dare I say it adults used to play in. The conversion of this property will or should increase the need for additional park space.
Why on earth is it ok to waive Park Development Fees for Staters/Jacobsen when the home builder on the same agenda was told no. The City Council can't adjust downward or waive the fees for a private builder of a single home, it would be a slippery slope, cause a default justification to remove or lower all park fees.
Following that tortured logic, Mr Stanckiewitz gets disapproval from Gramps. Don't Waive Fees for Staters if you don't waive them for an individual home builder. Or is it now policy of the slippery slope the policy of the City of Grand Terrace to waive all Development Fees for all Commercial Development? The Park Fees if collected for the Jacobsen/Staters Project could have offset a significant part of the Base Ball Field or the Phase 1 of the Dog Park, or Phase 1 of the Blue Mt. Park.
Mr. Stanckiewitz an individual house builder, should not be suffering under a burden greater than a large commercial developer. That is not justice. Mark tonight as your first strike on the issue of Development Fees being applied in a just and fair way by the city council. Make that a base hit for being ready to amend the Development Agreement to include the proposed park, and the 5 year performance deadline tied to the 1.2 million dollars of city/rda giveaways.
So for all those who think Stanckiewitz is not going to be held to criticism your now proven wrong. Perhaps the home builder should have asked for a full fee waiver like Staters/Jacobsen did. The council has already set the slope, it is all or nothing in regard to fees.
Note to Mr Doug Wilson. Thank you for speaking to the City Council in regards to the issue you had as an individual on the Planning Commission regarding the proposed Development Agreement. This is exactly how the Planning Commission should communicate with the City Council. It is important to give them and the public a heads up to problems you see. Thanks
Mr. Stanckiewitz's past statements should have given Ms Garcia the impression that he was for the completion of the Jacobsen Development. He made several such statements prior to the Miller Arrest. He only went mute on the development until he was assured that he would not be in a situation of a conflict of interest. Given recent events a logical step to take. No one paying attention to the council actions should have been surprised that he approved the Development Agreement. I am disappointed that he allowed the Park Development Fees to be waived for Jacobsen/Staters, and not the individual home builder. I'll say it again, that is not good fair governance. I also have to fault Ferre and Garcia for not being fair with Park Fees.
The meeting closed in remembrance of Joann Carlstrom. Her passing was due to aggressive Cancer. Grand Terrace has a high rate of cancer so folks with all respect to those who have fallen to this disease in its many forms please checked for early signs. The county hospital hosts free screenings every quarter. If you don't have insurance please go to a free screening.
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Grand Terrace senior center kitchen remodel OK'd
Posted: 11/09/2010 05:29:55 PM PST
GRAND TERRACE - Seniors will soon be able to enjoy hot, fresh meals at the Senior Center, after the City Council agreed Tuesday to remodel the center's kitchen and bring it in line with health code.
When the center opened in June 2009, its kitchens turned out to fall below health requirements for a commercial kitchen.
As a result, seniors have eaten food with disposable tableware and caterers have not been permitted to cook on-site, according to JoAnn Johnson, the center's director of senior services.
Johnson said it was exciting that the center would soon reach its intended potential.
"The seniors will appreciate it a lot more, and it probably will lead to a lot more seniors coming for lunch," she said. "It's much more appetizing to have the food served on a tray with real silverware then the way it is, with plastic silverware and so forth."
In addition, Johnson said, the city will be able to host more events at the site and raise money by renting out the facility.
But she said she was concerned by the $137,391 price tag, which was the only bid submitted after seven companies attended a bid meeting.
The architect had estimated remodels would cost $80,000.
Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz said the cost to the city was not as high as it seemed, because $80,000 of the project would be funded through a state Community Development Block Grant.
The proposed fixes are common-sense and overdue, he said.
"We need to get that project rolling," he said. "We've spent in excess of a year trying to bring that kitchen up to health department standards. We're so close now to getting it going now, we need to finish."
Family Service Association will continue to bring food to the center, as it does at more than 20 other sites in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, but the company's director of senior nutrition said quality would improve.
"Even if we didn't cook out of there and we brought the food in hot pans, the food is already higher quality just because it's fresher," said Dave Renno. "The (kitchen changes) are going to make it better for a lifetime."
GRAND TERRACE: Council awards contract for ball field
10:00 PM PST on Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Press-Enterprise The Grand Terrace City Council has hit a home run with Little League officials, voting this week to award a contract for construction of a new baseball field northwest of Pico Park.
"I realize you are being asked to clean up somebody else's mess, but it's time" to get moving on construction of a new ball field, former Grand Terrace Little League president Ken Boardman told the council Tuesday night.
Boardman and other Little League officials had been critical of the city's 2006 sale of land to the Colton Joint Unified School District for the construction of a new high school that included two of the league's three ball fields.
Little League participation dropped sharply when youngsters had to play their home games in Colton, Bloomington and Loma Linda. But careful scheduling and the promise of new fields boosted the number of participants this past season, Boardman said.
The council awarded a $372,179.50 contract to Bakersfield-based Rock Bottom Inc. to construct the new field just north of the new Grand Terrace High School and catty corner from an existing ball field in Pico Park.
The award is contingent on the school district agreeing to allow players, coaches and fans to cross a corner of the school grounds to get to the new ball field.
The council agreed to install a water fountain at the entrance to the field and to install electrical conduit under a walkway. When Little League organizers raise enough money to install lighting, the city will construct lighting fixtures in the walkway as well.
Reach Darrell R. Santschi at 951-368-9484 or dsantschi@PE.com
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Pre Meeting Thoughts
If we build it will they use it? Can we afford it, even if we have debt funded dollars available for that use? Could we, YES, SHOULD WE is another question all together. Well believe it or not Gramps supports publicly funded sports facilities and parks that are used. Base Ball fields are used for at least the ball season. Gramps would support added funds made available to CJUSD to aid in the care and upkeep of the ball fields at GT Elm and TV Elm. Making best use of facilities for both student and after school activities.
REMINDER:There is a City Council and RDA Meeting Tuesday... go early to fill out your request to speak forms. Lots on the agenda including the Waiver of Development Fees for Jacobsen's Development and one for a single home builder, see who gets their request for a waiver. See if Doug Wilson brings to the attention the financial risk of approving the fee waiver the Planning Comission passed without his and Addington's vote. The WHY is important for the City Council Members to consider prior to their approval.
In addition the lack of proper oversight and inspection of plans may contribute to added financial burden for the city when things go wrong or aren't engineered properly. Our Planning Commission does not inspect the plans in that detail, and the current in house method of checks has not worked in the past. Have these plans been run through say the County as a back up check?
Were Citizens Concerns really delt with in the best possible way?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QfBs8e87r0&feature=relatedHerman Hilkey asking for an insurance benefit to be changed to a medical benefit seems a bit of double dipping. He is employed by a School District that pays his medical insurance. Is he presenting his co-pay bills for reimbursement. Or is he just asking for the lump sum he feels he is owed? If he is asking for a lump sum he feels he is owed and he has not actually spent that amount in co-pays that excess of money should either not be paid or be considered taxable income.
Are citizens able to sign up with the Grand Terrace City Medical Insurance Plan? Are local Small Businesses and or their employees offered an option to join in the plan at the same level of service and cost to the City Council members? For some businesses and individuals this would be helpful.
Steve Berry and COBRA appear again on the check ledger. This too shall pass in time.
The city gave Stater's 1.6 Million, and there is no Calculation of the value of the Developer Fees being waived. The Mega Staters and what else will be there? If it were a LOWES it may well be like the 2 that have only 60 days left and they will be big empty buildings, one in Highland and one in Antelope Valley. RDA development..... look at Colton K Mart anytime the answer is all cities compete by giving inducements and waiving fees, with the promise of future added sales tax and increased property value. Artificially stimulated Development results in Inflated Unsustainable Property Values, and failing business. Caution GT, Caution.
