City of Davis Archives - Page 428 of 473

Heystek Reconsiders Decision In Light of Community Efforts

By David GreenwaldMarch 10, 201061 comments

In October of last year, Councilmember Lamar Heystek stunned many in the community and many of his closest supporters by announcing he would not seek a second term to the Davis City Council. As it turned out that would not be the end of the story for Mr. Heystek who has distinguished himself during his first term as a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility in the city of Davis while at the same time he remains graceful and civil on the dais.

Last week, the Vanguard reported that community members and supporters of Mr. Heystek had launched a “Draft Lamar” petition located at draftlamar.com that urged him to reconsider his decision not to run. Apparently those efforts have had a great impact on Mr. Heystek.

Rochelle Swanson Officially Throws Hat into Council Race

By David GreenwaldMarch 10, 20109 comments

And then there were three again. There was a brief period of time when it looked like candidates Sydney Vergis and Joe Krovoza would be anointed rather than elected to the Davis City Council. That was in a period where everyone believed that Mayor Ruth Asmundson would not run for a third term on City Council.

However, at the same time that the Mayor publicly announced that she would not run, a third candidate entered the race, Rochelle Swanson. She told the Vanguard last night that she now filed her paperwork and is officially a candidate for the Davis City Council. She did not send out a formal press release and she will not have an official announcement party.

New Path Argues For Preliminary Injunction to Be Able to Proceed With Cell Towers in Davis

By David GreenwaldMarch 9, 201017 comments

In November it was suddenly discovered that the city had issued 37 permits in the city of Davis allowing NewPath to construct a telecommunications network in the city. However, when residents caught wind of this, it was discovered that the permits were improperly issued based on the city’s Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance.

City Manager Bill Emlen and the City Council appeared to be caught unaware by these developments, but the City Manager quickly issued a stop work notice and revoked the Permits. NewPath appealed that decision, but the City Council on January 19, 2010 denied the appeal and upheld Mr. Emlen’s decision. NewPath as we reported a few weeks ago has filed a lawsuit against the City of Davis including a motion for a preliminary injunction.

Review of Letter From HCD Shows Staff Proposed Changes to Housing Element Go Too Far

By David GreenwaldMarch 8, 20106 comments

Last week we ran a story that examined proposed changes to the city’s Housing element Update that was apparently reviewed by the State Department of Housing and Community Develop (HCD).

The HCD reviewed the city’s Housing Element Update, a process that began back in 2007 and was completed in 2008. They made a large number of suggested revisions and apparently they need to approve the document before it is finalized.

Commentary: Time To Let Go of the Idea of Sanctions For Incivility

By David GreenwaldMarch 7, 201015 comments

In case you missed it last week, TV cameras and the news were ready to swoop back down on Davis to watch the expected carnage that would ensue if the council proceeded to attempt to implement new rules sanctioning a councilmember who got out of line in a serious way as we saw back in January. The problem with the rules is that they threatened to bring the police into the political process which invokes images of un-Americanism.

The good news is that the authors of the sanction provision have pulled back for now. The bad news is that at least one of the members of the dynamic duo do not seem to get what all of the uproar was about.

Davis Hires Interim Fire Chief

By David GreenwaldMarch 6, 20104 comments

Two weeks after Chief Rose Conroy abruptly retired, Davis has announced that they have hired William (Bill) Weisgerber, Jr. to serve in an interim capacity for the next several months.

Back in November at the same time the Davis City Council gave the fire department a 400,000 battalion chief leadership model, the city had announced that Fire Chief Rose Conroy would be retiring. In fact, she officially retired in November, but had agreed to stay on as the acting fire chief in order to allow for continuity and participate in some pending matters.

Water Rate Increase Just the Tip of the Iceberg

By David GreenwaldMarch 4, 20100 comments

On January 26, 2010, the Vanguard reported that the Natural Resources Commission had approved a water rate hike of 18% for next year. That increase was pending approval by the Davis City Council, but on Tuesday the City Council was asked to approve the noticing of a much more modest increase of 5% for water and 6% for sewer.

That is the good news. The bad news is that just means that water rates will have to go up much faster in the future to make up for the smaller increase now. When asked why that was, staff was unable to provide an adequate answer. However, as we learned on Tuesday, the residents of Davis are facing increases of 23% for next year, and 20% for the following three years as the result of the smaller increase starting in September.

Citizens Urge Councilmember Heystek to Consider Reentering Council Race

By David GreenwaldMarch 3, 201036 comments

Last October Councilmember Lamar Heystek announced that he would not seek a second term as Councilmember. The move stunned many in the community who had grown to respect him for both his principles and demeanor on the dais.

As time has gone on since that point, a small number of candidates has emerged Sydney Vergis, Joe Krovoza, and the most recent Rochelle Swanson. Meanwhile as we reported yesterday afternoon, Mayor Ruth Asmundson will not seek a third term.

Mayor Asmundson To Not Seek Re-Election; Rochelle Swanson Enters the Field

By David GreenwaldMarch 3, 201015 comments

Mayor Ruth Asmundson made official what many have speculated in the weeks following the January 26, 2010 City Council Meeting she will not seek a third term to the Davis City Council. Her decision is just one of several changes to what was shaping up to be a rather mundane council race. Right now her decision means that neither incumbent will seek re-election. Last October Councilmember Lamar Heystek announced that he would not seek re-election siting personal reasons in his decision. However, as we report above, a group of citizens is mobilizing to get him to possibly reconsider that decision.

The Mayor’s decision comes as little surprise. There was the well-publicized blow up on the dais between herself and colleague, Councilmember Sue Greenwald. Both have expressed regret for the incident, however at the time the confrontation left the Mayor badly shaken. She was rushed to the hospital, transferred to Woodland, where she remained overnight. She then spent a couple of weeks in the Phillipines, resting and recovering from the incident.

Updated Housing Element Guidelines Revise Language To Review Key Land Use Policies

By David GreenwaldMarch 2, 201022 comments

City Staff Argues Changes Are Needed for HCD Approval –

The City of Davis underwent a lengthy Housing Element Update process back in 2007 that was eventually adopted in 2008. While it was certainly a diverse committee, the work that they produced was commendable and seemed agreeable or at least tolerable to most.

What has apparently now happened is that the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has reviewed the document and has made some recommended changes.

Commentary: Proposed Sanction Provision Goes Too Far

By David GreenwaldMarch 2, 20108 comments

On Saturday the Vanguard covered an item that was submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor and Councilmember Stephen Souza that attempted to add language to the council rules in part to amplify on existing rules in order to avoid a repeat of what happened in January that drew regional attention to the Davis City Council, but also in part to add language that could be used to sanction a member of the Davis City Council.

The Vanguard supports efforts to run meeting more effectively that would enable the council to avoid some of the problems that not only occurred on the night in question, but helped to precipitate an escalation of hostilities. However, ultimately the language in the sanction provision goes too far and would like actually incite what it hopes to avoid.

Staff Report Pushes For Willowbank Park Project Despite Neighborhood Opposition

By David GreenwaldMarch 1, 201014 comments

As the Vanguard reported on Thursday, February 25, 2010, the City Staff is bringing back the Willowbank Development after only small modifications despite the fact that the neighbors still have considerable concerns and they believe that they should be allowed time to work with the neighbors to reach an agreement most are willing to accept.

City Staff believes that the “after further neighborhood outreach it is clear that there is not universal support for this proposal or residential development of this site in general” however they believe “the proposed project presents a balance of fiscal neutrality, neighborhood compatibility, and marketability.”

Council Set To Approve Mailing of Notice of Water Rate Increases

By David GreenwaldFebruary 28, 201010 comments

The eventual more than doubling of Davis residents water and sewer rates will begin with a rather modest 5% increase in the water rate and 6% increase in the sewer rate. For the average ratepayer, the city staff argues this will be tantamount to a little over four dollars a month or less than fifty dollars per year in a rate increase.

The actual rate approval will not occur until May 4. However, this is just the first step among many that will see most people’s water and sewer rates at least double in order to pay for what might be a half billion dollars combined in a water supply project and a wastewater treatment project. The city has already taken the step of forming a joint powers authority with Woodland, making the water supply project a done deal without ever having final approval.

Council To Consider Measures To Sanction Council Members When Grounds Rules and Procedures Violated

By David GreenwaldFebruary 27, 201045 comments

In light of the fallout that occurred at the end of January during a Davis City Council Meeting that has attracted a lot of attention, Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor and Councilmember Stephen Souza have submitted an item that would add language to “Council Meeting Ground Rules” and the “Procedures Manual for Council Members” to address circumstances when Ground Rules and Procedures are not adhered to and the range of possible sanctions that may be applied in the event of violation.

The Council will consider this item on Tuesday night.

Vanguard Firefighter Brochure Hits Davis Mailboxes

By David GreenwaldFebruary 27, 201043 comments

The Vanguard mailed out a brochure that informed citizens about issues involving the Davis Fire Department and the fiscal challenges facing the city as a the result of overly generous fire contracts and the purchase of influence by the Davis Firefighters Union, Local 3499.

Here is the brochure broken into panels below. Click on them to expand them to full size.

Staff To Bring Back Willowbank Development with only Small Modifications

By David GreenwaldFebruary 25, 201020 comments

Back in November, the City Council unanimously told the developers to go back and work with neighbors to resolve differences over the features of a 27-unit project.

The most controversial portion of the project was the reduction of he long-established 50-foot riparian buffer zone along the Putah Creek Parkway down to 30 feet. This went against the recommendation of the Open Space and Habitat commission and was seen by the council as going too far.

Was Fire Chief Conroy Forced Out?

By David GreenwaldFebruary 22, 20105 comments

That arrangement ended abruptly last week, as she sent out a farewell email to the department.

The Davis Co-op Membership Intiative Process

By David GreenwaldFebruary 19, 201014 comments

by Gene B. –

We have often discussed the issue of process here on this blog with regard to city governance. Currently, an issue at the Davis Coop is raising some troubling considerations of process. The necessary signatures appear to have been gathered. to meet the Coop bylaw requirements to put a membership-generated measure on the upcoming Spring Coop membership ballot that would call for instituting a Coop boycott of Israeli products and potential Coop divestment of any investments in Israel. On Feb 7, the Coop board decided to deny the initiative a place on the ballot because it was “illegal”.

It is not my intention to have a highly charged “debate” on reasons to support or oppose a Coop boycott of Israeli products and divestment. I want to speak here only of process.

Word To The Wise: It’s All About Process, Or Lack Thereof

By Elaine Roberts MusserFebruary 18, 201014 comments

By E. Roberts Musser –

Lately, I have heard the following criticisms from various sources:

City Staff is incompetent, so managers and department heads need to be fired.
The Davis Senior Citizens Commission ignored a certain segment of the senior population.
City labor negotiations should have been transparent and not completely behind closed doors.

Can the City Pass Along Sales Tax Revenue To School and County?

By David GreenwaldFebruary 17, 201011 comments

What began as a public comment that I delivered before the Davis City Council grew into a bit of discussion about possibilities. The city is poised to place an of extension half-cent sales tax measure on the ballot in June. That measure would continue the generation of three million in tax revenue to the city. However, people like me have come out against the sales tax in part because it was used to help expand city employee compensation over the last five years rather than expand services.

Moreover, as I argued last night, while the city of Davis faces a long-term fiscal crisis that has serious ramifications, the short term forecast is not bad. As City Manager Bill Emlen pointed out, even the bad news from last night, falling short of revenue projections measures in the hundreds of thousands rather than the millions.

City Staff Argues Changes Are Needed for HCD Approval –

by Gene B. –

By E. Roberts Musser –

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