Month: April 2009

Reality Hits Home with Davis Schools

Reality Hits Home with Davis Schools

By David GreenwaldApril 4, 200923 comments

There Will Like Be No Last Second DSF Miracle –

The Vanguard has been saying this for at least a month, maybe longer.  Some in this community have been frankly in denial about it.  And things are not going to get better, they are going to get worse.

As Superintendent Hammond opined on Thursday, every time the district gets out of the budget hole, the hole gets deeper from the state.  The state is facing another $8 billion hole which could grow to $14 billion if the propositions fail in May, as they are going down right now in the polls.

Davis High School Stadium Goes Forward

Davis High School Stadium Goes Forward

By David GreenwaldApril 3, 200935 comments
Last night, the Davis School Board unanimously approved the Certificate of Participation (COP) to would provide the funding for the new Davis High School Stadium.  The school district will receive roughly $4.4 to $4.9 million from the COP.

The board spent considerable time clarifying a number of issues and concerns.

Noise Issues Persist With Little Help From City

Noise Issues Persist With Little Help From City

By David GreenwaldApril 3, 200932 comments

The Vanguard has acquired records dating back to 1994 that show that the neighbors living on Cezanne Court in Davis have had to put up with an inordinant amount of noise from their neighbor, the privately owned, for profit, Montessori Day Care business located at 1811 Renoir Avenue in Davis.

Frankly, the Vanguard should have raised the community’s awareness of this problem long before it has.  However, the event that served as inspiration was Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor’s move to place an exemption to the noise ordinance on the Council Agenda as an item submitted by a councilmember.  The council has agreed to hear it as a full item, but the item was pulled from the last agenda.

Commentary: No Faith That Davis Can Enact the Change We Need

Commentary: No Faith That Davis Can Enact the Change We Need

By David GreenwaldApril 2, 200959 comments
In yesterday evening’s Davis Enterprise, Rich Rifkin had an interesting article about 10 necessary reforms the council needs to make with regards to employee contracts.  While I think this is a good start, I would probably recommend something somewhat different.

This column starts with an evaluation of Mr. Rifkin’s suggestions, and then goes on to make some of its own suggestions and overall comments.  My hope is really not to provide definitive answers but start a community conversation about how to approach our contract negotiations.

Can the City Do More To Bring A Grocer to Westlake?

Can the City Do More To Bring A Grocer to Westlake?

By David GreenwaldApril 1, 200924 comments
westlakeThat has long been a topic of conversation both in West Davis and throughout the community.  The city has consistently maintained that they have an interest in bringing a grocery store to Westlake, but there is little the city can do other than encourage it.

The argument from the owners until recently has been that they have tried to find a suitable grocer to come into the space, but there has been no interest.  However that excuse has been discredited recently with revelations that there were several grocers expressing interest in the spot, however, the owners have reneged on verbal promises.

Open Government Concept Appears Lacking at Office of Court Construction and Management

Open Government Concept Appears Lacking at Office of Court Construction and Management

By David GreenwaldApril 1, 200910 comments

Senior Manager of Planning Directs Another Employee to Ignore Request for Information –

The Woodland Record is an alternative on-line newspaper in Woodland and in many ways is the Vanguard’s counterpart up in Woodland, looking into many of the same sorts of issues involving local government.  They have been looking into the Yolo County’s property bordered by Court, Third, North, and Fourth Streets in Woodland.