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City of Davis

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

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?

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.

What Will Be the Impact on Davis of Losing Gottschalks?

In the last week, the news has come forward that the Gottschalks department store chain, which filed for bankruptcy in January will be headed for liquidation.

Last week the Davis Enterprise quoted Sarah Worley, the economic development coordinator with the City of Davis saying:

Commentary: Somebody is Going To Get Hurt

My irritation with this city continues to grow with regards to Fifth Street between B and L.  The city knows it is a problem, they have known it is a problem.  It has one of the highest accident rates in the city.  And yet, the city has not done anything.

The city actually had some grant money at one point from SACOG but squandered it through inaction.

Council’s Commitment to Open Government Needs Improvement

Last week from March 15-21, 2009 marked "Sunshine Week" across the country.  This is the celebration and a reminder of the need to advance the cause of "open government."  Since the foundation of the People’s Vanguard of Davis, we have strived to uphold a very simple principle–notion that the public has the right to know what the government is doing and the duty to hold the government accountable.  Our focus has primarily been on the city of Davis with extensions into Yolo County, the region, and even the State of California from time to time.

Vanguard Analysis: Four Person Engine Teams Not the Rule

Last week, it was the Davis Enterprise leading the way on reforming city expenditures on staff.  First, the Davis Enterprise in a front page story followed up on the Vanguard’s August 2008 report on the 100K Club of Davis finding the number of employees who received over $100K in salary and overtime increased from 61 to 72 in 2008.  Then Rich Rifkin’s column looked at Fire Department expenditures.  Finally the Davis Enterprise’s editorial staff recommended on Sunday that the fire department scale back from the current staffing level of four person per engine to three.

City of Davis Acknowledges Use of Pesticide in Sewers

IPM Coordinator Calls For Cessation of Usage

During the Integrated Pest Management program’s 2008 annual report at the Natural Resources Commission meeting Monday night, IPM Coordinator Martin Guerena acknowledged that the city had been using the product vaporooter containing metam sodium to remove root intrusion in the sewer lines.  At the time, the chemical was not recognized as a pesticide but has since been reclassified.  According to the report, the city has been using this for at least five years.  John McNerney, the city’s wildlife resource specialist, told the commission that it was not reportable as a pesticide.

Further Examination into Total Compensation for City Employees

On Thursday, the Vanguard followed up on its story from last year on the number of 100K employees in the City of Davis.  As the Davis Enterprise reported on Wednesday, the number has risen from 61 to 72 this year.  As useful as these data are however, they only tell part of the story.  In many ways, in fact, they overstate the magnitude of the problem.  We now follow up on Thursday’s story and examine total compensation by department.

 

Commentary: Council Finally Recognizes That Now Was Not the Time

Council Backs Off New Tobacco Ordinance

A Bombshell Was Dropped – What Next?

 

A Bombshell Was Dropped – What’s Next?

By E. Roberts Musser

In our Davis Senior Citizens Commission meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2009, our City Council liaison Sue Greenwald dropped a bombshell. At least it felt that way to some of us on our commission. Councilmember Greenwald said there was a “cost saving” move afoot to consolidate the city’s commissions – yet again. The rationale behind this move is supposedly to cut down on city staff expense.

Lewis Withdraws Application to Develop Cannery Park

The Vanguard learned yesterday evening that Lewis Properties has withdrawn their application to re-zone the 100-acre empty site that used to occupy the Hunt Wesson Cannery in Davis as well as to the sale of an additional 60-acre site located next to the land fill in Yolo County.  Citing increasing costs and lack of clear opportunity for success, the developers have dropped their application to change the zoning from light industrial to residential for the purposes of developing a mixed-use site that would support 610 residential units and additional business.

In a letter that Mayor Pro Tem Saylor read aloud at last night’s council meeting, Lewis Properties told the city:

City Pares Down Costs of Proposed General Plan, But Still Doesn’t Get it

Noise Ordinance Exemption Aimed At Political Favoritism

At last week’s City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor placed an item on the agenda that would exempt from the City’s Noise Ordinance, Schools and Day Care centers.  It seemed like a strange item at the time.  Mayor Pro Tem Saylor described the noise as the natural and delightful noise of children.  He openly wondered who could object to the sounds of children, implying that those who did were simply being selfish and insensitive.

However, what Mr. Saylor did not discuss was the ongoing problems that a specific group of neighbors have had with a specific facility whose noise and other problems has been anything but delightful.

Vanguard Reports: Should Davis Go To In-House City Attorney Services?

 

Will Davis Get Rid of Its Ombudsman?

There is little doubt that Davis faces a very serious economic downturn.  However, it is also equally apparent to many that observe the process and support the current oversight role of the city’s Ombudsman, Bob Aaronson, that the proposed budget cut of his position is less about the budget and more about getting rid of someone who has been a thorn in the side of the most powerful employee group in the city.

Remember, the firefighters pumped in $30,000 into the last campaign to reelection Councilmembers Don Saylor and Stephen Souza.

Council Looks At Making Deep Cuts to Budget–But is it Enough?

Grocer Backs Out of Westlake Project

In a communication to the owners of the Westlake Plaza Shopping Center, Davis Advocates for Neighborhood Groceries (DANG) strongly admonished the owners of the Westlake Shopping Center for reneging on a previous agreement which has resulted in their failure to secure the Delanos in an effort to bring a viable Grocery Store to West Davis.

As the Vanguard reported two weeks ago, DANG along with consultants for the owners had found a grocer willing to move a grocery store into the spot vacated by Food Fair in May of 2006.  However, when the majority owner, Farrokh Hosseinyoun pulled his promised $250,000 in capital, the deal fell through.