Ryan Hagen, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/21/2013 08:37:44 PM PDT
GRAND TERRACE — With “draconian” cuts and the specter of possibly disincorporating as a city looming, the City Council will meet Tuesday to make some tough choices.
Deep cuts now, or deeper cuts later.
Let the residents decide whether preserving already-minimal service levels is worth a new tax, or pass a balanced budget that would mean the closure of parks and the city’s senior center as well as cutting two sheriff’s deputies.
The dilemmas confront a city that, by all accounts, has limped along since the statewide elimination of redevelopment agencies — a tool the city had relied on even more than most until the Legislature cut it to balance the state budget — became effective in February 2012.
It’s a city that was considered a risky venture when it incorporated in 1978 because it had so little revenue available, as the council was recently reminded by the head of the agency that would be responsible for overseeing the potential process of going from a city to unincorporated land — a process California hasn’t seen since the early 1970s — but Grand Terrace needs to consider, said Kathleen Rollings-McDonald, executive director of the Local Agency Formation Commission of San Bernardino County.
And perhaps nothing has changed, said Ken Henderson, who led a 12-person committee tasked with recommending some path to viability for the city.
So add more revenue — a $1.5 million utility user tax — the committee recommended in an 11-1 vote.
“There’s one area where there was absolute unanimity,” Henderson, the former town manager of Apple Valley, said. “We wished to remain an incorporated community. That was a unanimous vote, all the committee members were there, and it was made in the strongest possible terms.”
In a 13,000-person city with few businesses that in the last two years has cut more than half of a work force that started at 29 full-time equivalents, officials and residents who’ve studied the budget agree that can only be done through some sort of tax.
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“Councilwoman Darcy McNaboe says she won’t vote to declare a fiscal emergency unless the city does everything it can to balance the budget. That would include closing Rollins and Pico parks, reducing contract services for finances, a city attorney and law enforcement — cutting two deputies — and eliminating $27,000 to the senior center that the center’s president says is vital.”
YES! Darcy needs to stand firm!
>>>>> DARCY’S heart is in the overall LONG TERM good of Grand Terrace, NOT in pleasing this person or that! >>>>>
Is it not odd that Darcy’s common sense approach NEVER occurred to the “city manager”?
Maybe not, Adams’ heart has NEVER been in it…the money IS good, other than that… it’s just “a job” she “lucked out with” and HALF shows up to- mentally and emotionally- then goes HOME elsewhere!
>>> Betsy Adams has opted to delegate or outsource HER DUTIES at the BURDEN and EXPENSE of the city taxpayers by way of unproductive social WORKSHOPS and a STUPID SURVEY asking the OBVIOUS.
Why a survey??? Adams already gets paid an INSANE amount to STEER our city… seems now her INEXPERIENCE AND LACK OF QUALIFICATIONS finds her AT A LOSS so she is BURNING more of the city’s money asking others to help her manage and steer the city.
Adams, NOT the city residents, gets paid to overlook and “manage” the city, and if she doesn’t have the “answers” then her OUTRAGEOUS salary should be INCENTIVE enough to GO GET THE ANSWERS via getting off her behind and doing research, phone calls, meetings, gather information etc… NOT by OUTSOURCING her job duties and costing the city MORE money!
How much has Betsy Adams’ NEGLIGENCE, indifference and carelessness COST the city?
This past week ALONE Adams has demonstrated her negligence and lack of concern for the city’s tax dollars by requesting a survey and mailing THE SAME LETTER MULTIPLE TIMES, some receiving up to seven duplicates addressed to people NOT living at that household!!
>>> BUT WHY is the “City Manager” spending THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS the city DOES NOT HAVE on (unnecessary) POSTAGE, SURVEY, STAFF TO “REVIEW” THE SURVEY AND, AHHH, CONTRACTING TO A RESEARCH COMPANY TO “INTERPRET” THE SURVEY …. that money would have been better spent to keep the Senior Center open…
… Adams had the common sense OPTION to mail ONE LETTER and announce in the local paper of the upcoming council meeting to discuss the city’s concerns and options and in addition inform them if they could not attend they could SIMPLY (and FREE of charge) call or e-mail her or any council member!
MANY GRAND TERRACE RESIDENTS ORIGINALLY EXPRESSED MUCH MUCH CONCERN AND OPPOSITION ABOUT THE HIRING ( AND SALARY) OF “CITY MANAGER” BETSY ADAMS BECAUSE OF HER LACK OF QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE… was she not a good friend and Steve Berry recruit from Moreno Valley- hmmm was GT ALMOST sucked into MV’s shady business deals?)
Bottom line…DARCY needs to not give in! (And Darcy does NOT need a survey to do her job and see what is BEST for the city in the long run)