Saving money and controlling the outcome of the lawsuit is essential, said Jim Procter: About 95 percent of all civil lawsuits are settled, and “it’s not a matter of cutting and running. . .it’s a matter of seeking a negotiated resolution.”An advisory task force should be formed to tackle economic development through a developed plan, said Rodney Fernandez. And smart growth should be addressed to stimulate the local economy through core development in the downtown, which should added as a plank in the General Plan.State and federal funding should be utilized to provide housing for farm workers, said Joyce Carlson, and Flo Zakrajshek said housing is becoming a crisis for many segments of the community.Revitalizing Santa Paula by taking advantage of its positives through smart growth is ideal, said Michael Miller: “New urbanism creates high-quality housing for a wide variety of incomes,” by expanding the use of existing properties - such as constructing apartments above Main Street businesses - to create a “mixed-use, pedestrian friendly,” city. “There’s a major opportunity here in Santa Paula,” as there is a high demand for traditional town living.The Brookings Institute is “Putting together a work on smart growth, investing in people instead of things,” noted Ken Chapman.Graffiti must be eliminated, said Casey Salas, as it lowers home values and is “really getting to be a problem. . .”Redevelopment Agency financing must be explored, said Peter Wright, and Julie Tovias read a letter from Martha Harris that noted “I am concerned that you, the council, do not know the extent of the misallocations in the RDA budget. . .I would like you to set a goal of determining an exact and honest public accounting,” of all funds and categories, so that “plans based on reality” can by made by citizens.Attorney Eileen McCarthy and several residents of the Pepper Tree Mobile Home Park, which is being converted for industrial use, asked that the council tackle their future needs as one of their goals.
Council: DOJ settlement, televising meetings, housing balance top citizen goals
May 11, 2001
Santa Paula City Council
A negotiated settlement for the Department of Justice lawsuit on Latino elected representation, televising municipal meetings, tackling balanced housing and smart growth as well as opening the books on the Redevelopment Agency were at the top of the list for citizens who offered their input for goals to the City Council at the May 7 meeting.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesA negotiated settlement for the Department of Justice lawsuit on Latino elected representation, televising municipal meetings, tackling balanced housing and smart growth as well as opening the books on the Redevelopment Agency were at the top of the list for citizens who offered their input for goals to the City Council at the May 7 meeting.Citizen input is just the first step in the goals process the council will present their own during a rescheduled facilitated workshop session.Televising council and planning commission meetings was a common theme with several citizens urging that such broadcasts would benefit citizens through more education on what local government is doing.“We must move to televise city council and planning commission meetings,” bilingually, said Jesse Ornelas.The last time the council visited the issue of televising meetings it was “given the poison pill. . .too big, too expensive,” to accomplish, said John Wisda. Even through newspapers and radio citizens can’t always access all local news, resulting in “incorrect information” being passed along by those hearing it second-hand. “. . .I think it’s caused a lot of division in town,” not helped by letters to the editor that cannot be judged for accuracy due to a lack of knowledge, he added. Taping a recent council meeting using minimal equipment proved “very simple and very inexpensive. . .”Ornelas had other goals for council consideration including that goals “must be in collaboration with the community. . .” His list included housing balance, jobs that pay a living wage and rehabilitation of existing housing to eliminate blight and overcrowding. But, “none of this can be accomplished without settling the lawsuit with the DOJ,” freeing up city energy and funding to move forward.Gabino Aguirre said housing, jobs, public safety and settling the DOJ lawsuit are priorities, with the latter helping to eliminate lawsuit costs that have cost other cities millions of dollars.
