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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Mayor clashes with city staff over Nestlé decision-making
by Kathleen Haley, published on October 27, 2009 at 1:12PM
Storyline: Sacramento City Government/Politics
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Mayor Kevin Johnson said the city’s order to halt construction work at the plant Nestlé plans to use for a water-bottling operation is bad for business in Sacramento.
Johnson has praised the jobs that Nestlé will bring to Sacramento, while Councilman Kevin McCarty opposes the plant's plan to bottle and sell water from the American River. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond has also raised concerns about Nestlé's plans.
The city’s Community Development Department placed a stop-work order on Friday on two phases of construction at 8670 Younger Creek Drive, the plant’s site. The city is checking to see whether Nestlé broke any of the city’s permitting and building laws. Nestlé said it has not violated any laws. In fact, Nestlé is saying the city may be taking illegal action with its stop-work order.
Read staff reporter Suzanne Hurt's Oct. 26 story to learn more about the details of the stop-work order.
Johnson told reporters at his Tuesday press conference that he was concerned that the city is “changing the rules” with Nestlé as it carries out plans to set up the plant.
“What concerns me is we can’t create an environment where we do not look like a city that’s friendly to business,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to create a business climate that makes sense."
Johnson pointed out that he was not informed of the Community Development Department’s decision to release a stop-work order. “I didn’t get briefed on this work order that was stopped,” Johnson said. “I didn’t hear about it until sometime yesterday.”
Photo by Anthony Bento.
Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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The item, which includes a staff report and the council's options regarding the ordinance, can be found here:
http://sacramento.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=8&event_id=94&meta_id=186263
A business climate that makes cents and dollars, by sidestepping the public permitting process.
Kevin Johnson didn't bring that climate of cronyism and corruption -- he's in office because of, and working to perpetuate it.
But Kevin, what part of WE PROTECT OUR RIVERS don't you understand?
in the spirit of halloween I'd say our mayor has no problem with --TRICKS FOR TREATS - overlooking the fact some of the treats can contain poison/ not be good for us. And perhaps the mayor would have known of the plans to stop the process IF his special assistants, volunteers, spokesperson's spent more time on looking into city business, permits... verses spreading propaganda on news sites... and if the Mayor spent more time on Sacramento business verses traveling to 13 cities.... learning of a SMP.....
October, 2009 Mayor Johnson's strong mayor website and blog says the Mayor and his staff did not get to review the proposal or ensure a public, transparent and accountable process because we don't have a strong mayor system.
Soooooooo, the Mayor had not seen (nor anlalyzed the costs and benefits of) the proposal but supported it in July? Hmmmm. The problem with the business climate in Sacramento is not the rules, it is the unpredictable and oft contradictory Mayor
Revolving door: One of the Mayor's top advisors goes to work for Nestle SNR 10.28.09
by Cosmo Gavin
"Michelle Smira, one of Kevin Johnson’s top volunteer advisors, is leaving city hall, and going to work as a consultant for Nestle."
"She told SN&R that she’s giving up her role as an official volunteer advisor to the mayor in order to work on Johnson’s strong mayor initiative. She also said that she was not leaving her City Hall role because of any legal conflict of interest, but because she would not otherwise have time to run her public relations business, MMS Strategies. "
Read it all at:
http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/snog/blogs