Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "lauren hammond"

City officials here today, gone tomorrow

2010-12-23T22:18:39Z

The past year was a big one for resignations, promotions and elections of Sacramento city officials. Twelve personnel changes took place at City Hall involving elected and appointed leaders and city staffers in 2010.

A major change was in the city manager position, which was replete with drama and press conferences.

When former City Manager Ray Kerridge resigned in March, the city was wrestling with a host of issues. The Sacramento County Grand Jury had released a report in January saying the city may have broken state law Proposition 218. Utilities fees from ratepayers must correspond to the costs of delivering the utilities services, the law states.

At the same time, the city was dealing with a sticky situation over building permits that a staffer in the Community Development Department gave to a housing developer. The feds had barred the city from giving out permits in that area.

On top of that headache, more concerns with the development department had cropped up, such as claims that the department didn’t collect developer fees and even accusations of “potential quid pro quo,” according to a Jan. 26 report from the offices of the city manager and city attorney.

There were controversies surrounding Kerridge’s decision to resign. Mayor Kevin Johnson said a negative attitude among other council members in part caused Kerridge to pack his bags. Johnson held a press conference in which he described Kerridge as a “great talent.” Councilman Robbie Waters voiced support for Kerridge at Johnson’s press conference. Kerridge was also popular among businesspeople, who said he created a customer-service environment at the development department.

When Kerridge left Sacramento City Hall, he said he intended to take a job in the private sector. But he was picked up by Roseville in May to be its next city manager.

Shortly before Kerridge resigned, former development department director Bill Thomas resigned. Thomas and Kerridge had worked together in both the cities of Portland and Sacramento.

Responding to Kerridge’s resignation, the City Council promoted Gus Vina, who was an assistant city manager, to be interim city manager in March.

Max Fernandez, the former head of code enforcement for the city, was promoted to be the director of the development department in early July. With Vina and Fernandez in charge, the development department is undergoing a remodel to tighten its procedures.

The city auditor’s office faced a year of changes, as well. The City Council hired Jorge Oseguera to be the new city auditor in March, after that spot had been vacant for almost one year.

Oseguera hired deputy auditor Gerald Silva in March, but Silva resigned in July. Silva resigned after The Sacramento Press asked him to comment on a sexual harassment dispute that involved him when he served as the city auditor of San Jose.

It wasn’t just the city manager and development director positions that were in upheaval in 2010 – a big shake-up also occurred on the City Council.

Council incumbents Ray Tretheway and Robbie Waters both lost to newcomers in June, while Councilwoman Lauren Hammond didn’t run for reelection.

New councilwoman Angelique Ashby took Ray Tretheway’s District 1 seat in June, but two runoffs were required for the District 5 and District 7 seats. The runoffs featured newbies in both cases – the incumbents had already lost in June.

Darrell Fong won his District 7 runoff battle against candidate Ryan Chin, while Jay Schenirer beat opponent Patrick Kennedy in the November runoff for District 5.

Photos of Tretheway, Vina and Fernandez by Kathleen Haley. Photo of Kerridge by Anthony Bento. Photo of Ashby by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Hammond, Tretheway and Waters say goodbye

2010-11-17T04:02:56Z

The three outgoing Sacramento City Council members were swarmed by a crowd of city staffers and well-wishers Tuesday night.

The City Hall lobby was abuzz with chatter as roughly 100 people turned out to say goodbye to Council members Ray Tretheway, Lauren Hammond and Robbie Waters, who are all leaving their seats later this month.

Waters and Tretheway lost their re-election bids in June, while Hammond did not run for re-election.

Angelique Ashby, who won the District 1 City Council race, will replace Tretheway starting next Tuesday, according to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno. Waters’ District 7 seat will likely be transferred later this month to Darrell Fong, the frontrunner in a November runoff election.

Jay Schenirer will take Hammond’s seat at City Hall. November runoffs for both the District 5 and 7 elections extended the city’s swearing-in schedule, so Fong and Schenirer are expected to be sworn into office on Nov. 30, one week after Ashby.

Tretheway, a nine-year City Councilman, will continue to work as the executive director of the Sacramento Tree Foundation once he leaves City Hall. While he was on the City Council, Tretheway served as a part-time executive director of the foundation. He will now work full-time for the group, he said.

“Honestly, we have a great city that continues to get better and improve,” Tretheway said.

In an interview last week, Tretheway said he was proud of his work to help develop the North Natomas neighborhood, including a library, nearly 50 new parks, an off-street walking path and two fire stations.

“We built the community from scratch,” Tretheway said.

The staffers for each of the outgoing council members will need to find new jobs, too. Dan Roth, Tretheway’s district director since 2005, said last week that he is a finalist for a couple of jobs, but added that it would be inappropriate right now to comment on them.

He said he took pride in numerous projects that he worked on with others, including the opening of a teen center in the Garden/Northgate area last year and the creation of a rose garden at the South Natomas Community Center.

Roth may be known to some residents because he was covered extensively by the local media last April, during Tretheway’s campaign against Ashby. The local media reported on a YouTube video that showed Roth watching Tretheway campaign manager Corin Choppin remove Ashby signs.

“Never has standing on a sidewalk with my hands in my pocket caused me so much drama,” Roth said.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Lauren Hammond intends to make a big life change after she leaves the City Council: retirement. She served 13 years on the City Council and spent more than two decades working as an telecommunications contract administrator for the California Senate.

“That’s enough to retire,” she said at the reception on Tuesday.

However, she did not rule out the possibility of remaining in politics in some way. “I want to leave all my options open,” she said, in response to a KFBK reporter’s question about her political plans.

She said she was proud of her efforts on youth programs and her work to help bring a grocery store to Oak Park.

“This is a great city and a great region,” Hammond said. “We all just need to take a breath and learn how to work together.”

Helen Hewitt, who worked as Hammond’s district director for 13 years, is also retiring. She said she made efforts to “build a bridge between the community, the constituents and the city.”

Over in District 7, Waters said he is in interested in working part time in a position “without a boss.” Waters, 74, served 16 years on the City Council. “It’s been a long time, and I’ve really enjoyed every minute of it,” he said.

Waters is a former Sacramento County sheriff and had a long career at the Sacramento Police Department. He said he is most proud of the opening of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library, a project he said he worked on since 1994. Waters said it was “very humbling” to have the library named after him.

Pat Clark, Waters’ district director, sent out a statement to say goodbye to Waters’ constituents. “I thank Councilman Robbie Waters for entrusting this responsibility to me for 16 years,” Clark wrote. “After founding Pocket News in 1992 and watching and writing about local government, I was fortunate to have a chance to put my own stamp on trying to make local government work well – and for that chance I was grateful every day.”

Tuesday night marked the end of the official goodbyes for the outgoing council members. The changing of the guard officially begins next Tuesday, when Ashby is sworn in to the City Council.

Photo of Hammond by Anthony Bento. Roth provided the photo of himself. Photos of Tretheway, Waters and Clark by Kathleen Haley.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilman walks out of chicken discussion

2010-11-17T02:14:52Z

The fate of chicken keeping in Sacramento is still undecided after Tuesday’s Law and Legislation Committee meeting when Councilman Steve Cohn walked out and prevented Sandy Sheedy and Lauren Hammond from voting down the ordinance advocated by CLUCK (Campaign to Legalize Urban Chicken Keeping).

Cohn was the only supportive voice on the committee. “What I’d like to do,” he said, “is allow more work to be done and have an actual ordinance be drafted.”

Hammond said, “I have never been enthusiastic about the idea.”

Cohn replied, “If you wanna kill it, kill it, but I’ll bring it back when you’re gone.”

This was a disappointing finale for CLUCK as supporters were left puzzled by Cohn’s abrupt departure and left wondering if their efforts had been wasted.

Members of CLUCK discussed principles they’d written for proper chicken keeping, which address health concerns, zoning plans, enforcement costs and license fees.

Reina Schwartz, director of the Sacramento's Department of General Services, said the cost of enforcement for proper chicken keeping would be about $30,000 annually.

“There is no evidence of how this will change if chicken keeping was made legal,” Schwartz said. “It will shift the nature of complaints, but not the volume.”

Sheedy, however, said she couldn’t understand how allowing chicken keeping wouldn’t make a difference in complaints if keeping were to be legalized and the backyard chicken population in Sacramento increased.

“We don’t have the staff to support this,” Sheedy said. “Our animal control staff is pushed to its limit already.”

Some residents agree.

“My neighbors have illegal chickens, and it’s a big problem,” said Todd Harlan. “When the wind blows, you smell them. When they fly up on the fence, the dogs get them.”

Those opposed to chicken keeping in Sacramento were concerned about avian flu, which Placerville veterinarian Jeanie Smith claimed was unwarranted.

“There are more deaths by traffic accidents in Sacramento annually than by avian flu worldwide,” she said. “There have been six historical outbreaks, and none in the western hemisphere.”

Community supporters encouraged the council to consider the educational benefits of teaching children how to raise animals for food. Some claimed chicken keeping would create an economic boost. Supporters said the same city ordinances used for cats and dogs could be applied to chickens.

“Sacramento is behind the times,” State Director of Pesticide Watch Paul Towers said, “and we urge Sacramento to see the value of backyard chickens.”

“Eight of the 10 Forbes ‘Most Livable Cities’ allow chicken keeping,” CLUCK supporter Joseph Calavita said. “All different kinds of communities already allow it.”

With no progress made by this meeting, members of CLUCK will have to wait until January to bring the ordinance back before the new council.

“It seems that enforcement is their biggest concern,” CLUCK member Susan Ballew said after the meeting was adjourned. “There just aren’t enough city resources.”

Development department investigations continue

2010-10-13T05:53:37Z

The Sacramento City Council’s Tuesday-night discussion made it clear that the investigations of the city’s development department are not over.

Seven council members spoke at length about the Oct. 6 audit, which found that the Community Development Department broke city and state laws. Council members also indicated that they want to claim the money that the department failed to charge developers – a sum of more than $2.3 million, according to the audit.

Councilman Steve Cohn was absent from the meeting, and Councilman Robbie Waters recused himself from the discussion of the audit’s findings. Waters’ son, Dan, is a former employee of the department who was involved in an earlier investigation of the department.

The subject of the audit was the department’s work from fiscal years 2007 through 2010. Sacramento firm Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting, Inc. conducted the audit.

“I’m most concerned with making sure this won’t happen again,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said.

The City Council’s auditor, Jorge Oseguera, told the council members that the city attorney’s office will explore whether some of the $2.3 million can be collected. He said he would follow up with the council on that issue.

Councilman Rob Fong said collecting the money is “my No. 1 priority.”

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond said city rules need to apply to all developers equally. The department should not have a culture that allows a “good ol’ boy network,” she also said.

Interim City Manager Gus Vina indicated that disciplinary measures for department employees may be on the table. “As I look at the audit in great detail, I will take whatever disciplinary actions are necessary,” he told the council.

The City Council and city staff also discussed investigations of the department that are still under way.

Sandra Talbott, an attorney with City Attorney Eileen Teichert’s office, said the investigation into allegations of quid pro quo in the department is ongoing. The quid pro quo investigation is distinct from the audit, Talbott said. “It has not been concluded at this point.”

In response to a question from Councilman Ray Tretheway about continuing investigations, Vina said that the California Fair Political Practices Commission has concerns about the department.

In addition, Fong said the City Council should lead its own investigation into the department. He said he considered the audit to be “an important piece” of a City Council investigation.

Fong also said he wanted to explore the role of top managers in the past problems at the department. He did not specify names of current or former city officials in his comment.

“I’d certainly like to know what recourse we have against them, if any,” he said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor releases Nov. 2 endorsements

2010-10-12T00:56:32Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson released his endorsements for several Nov. 2 political races on Friday. He named his candidates in local, state and federal elections in a post on his blog.

In the Sacramento City Council runoff in District 5, Johnson endorsed education policy consultant Jay Schenirer. He had endorsed Schenirer for the first time in May, when the City Council candidate was running against four other candidates. Schenirer is competing against attorney Patrick Kennedy in the November runoff.

The winning candidate will replace current City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond.

Johnson decided not to endorse a candidate in the District 7 runoff. Ryan Chin, a communications director at Sacramento State is running against retired Sacramento police captain Darrell Fong for the seat. Outgoing City Councilman Robbie Waters lost the seat in the June election.

“Either candidate will serve the best interests of Greenhaven, the Pocket and Valley Hi,” Johnson wrote about the District 7 race.

By contrast, the mayor did not take a position on Measure B, one of the most controversial measures on the ballot. Measure B would halt a 9.2 percent utilities rate increase and restructure how the Utilities Department manages utilities rates.

“I voted against the last rate hike, have concerns about utilities operations, and am still gathering information,” Johnson wrote on his blog.

Johnson did not respond to a request for further comment Monday.

Councilman Kevin McCarty, a leader in the No on Measure B campaign, said the good news is that Johnson is still studying the issues relating to the measure. The position of the No on B campaign is that it would harm the city’s budget.

McCarty noted that every other member of the City Council opposes the measure.

Craig Powell, chairman of the campaign supporting Measure B, said he respects Johnson for “taking the time” to learn about the facts. The text of Measure B claims that utilities rates in Sacramento are unaffordable.

While Johnson has released endorsements for many races, he wrote that he will endorse education races in a separate announcement. Here is the list of endorsements Johnson released Friday:

U.S. Senate: Barbara Boxer
U.S. House of Representatives: Doris Matsui

Governor: Jerry Brown
Lt. Governor: Gavin Newsom
Attorney General: Kamala Harris
Secretary of State: Debra Bowen
Controller: John Chiang
Treasurer: Bill Lockyer

State Senate District 1: Roger Niello
State Senate District 6: Darrell Steinberg
Assembly District 5: Dr. Richard Pan

Sacramento County

Sheriff: Jim Cooper

City of Sacramento

District 5: Jay Schenirer
District 7: No preference.

Roseville City Council

Dr. Tim Herman

State Propositions

Prop. 22: Yes
Prop. 23: No
Prop. 25: Yes

City Measures

Measure B: “Still gathering information.”

Measure C: “Yes, but only if statewide initiative Prop. 19 passes.”

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council gives final approval to Curtis Park Village

2010-09-29T05:32:29Z

The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday night unanimously gave final approval to the contentious Curtis Park Village project, which had drawn criticism from many Curtis Park neighbors.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, who represents Curtis Park in District 5, expressed her satisfaction with the project’s conclusion by singing the words: “This is it.”

Developer Paul Petrovich’s Curtis Park Village has raised concerns among neighbors because it involves the cleanup and development of a contaminated area.

A Sept. 28 report from city staff noted that the project could include 259,000 square feet of commercial and office space, 527 residences and a 6.8-acre park.

Rosanna Herber, president of the Sierra Curtis Park Neighborhood Association, said earlier in the meeting that the association may weigh whether to sue over the project. However, she appeared to be satisfied with the City Council’s final legal language regarding the project and said after the hearing that the association is not planning to sue.

“I think it’s very unlikely that we will sue with the added amendments,” Herber said after the hearing. She noted that the project is acceptable as long as there will be no toxins under the project’s proposed park.

Herber said she will be paying close attention to upcoming findings from the state Department of Toxic Substances Control on toxins that are found at the site. She said she is “still holding her breath” until DTSC makes its determination on the toxins.

Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Should city set up a whistle-blower hotline?

2010-09-16T00:56:03Z

Sacramento’s city auditor is exploring the idea of creating a whistle-blower hotline for City Hall.

City Auditor Jorge Oseguera told the city’s audit committee on Tuesday that he was talking to City Attorney Eileen Teichert’s office about the idea. The audit committee is composed of City Council members Lauren Hammond, Robbie Waters, Ray Tretheway and Steve Cohn.

Whistle-blower hotlines are “a common topic right now in the auditing community,” Oseguera said on Wednesday.

The plan is in its early stages, Oseguera said, and no details have been established yet on how the hotline would work or when it would start operating.

In a Tuesday e-mail, Teichert said she could say only that the plan is “in the early discussion stage.”

Oseguera is not the first to suggest a whistle-blower hotline for the city of Sacramento: Councilman Kevin McCarty mentioned the idea on Jan. 26, when the City Council was discussing an investigation that involved the city’s Community Development Department.

However, Oseguera said his work on a whistle-blower hotline was not directed by McCarty.

Other California cities that use whistle-blower hotlines include San Diego, San Jose and Oakland, according to their websites.

Photo of Oseguera by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Fashion by Fong

2010-08-27T00:59:00Z

A green tie with white polka dots atop a pink dress shirt. White nubuck leather shoes, green pants and an orange leather belt. A purple tie with orange stripes paired with a mint-green shirt.

These combinations represent three wardrobe choices in three days for Rob Fong.

The Sacramento city councilman and legislative consultant doesn’t get dressed in the dark — the bright colors and jazzy details are all intentional.

Fong, 51, shared his fashion philosophy with The Sacramento Press this week.

“The way I started to express my sort of ‘Inner Rob,’ was I decided that my shirts and my ties can be my signature,” he said.

He said his 16-year-old daughter, Rebecca, has noticed that he tends to favor greens and oranges.

His style has not gone unnoticed at City Hall.

“He’s a very fashionable gentleman,” Councilwoman Lauren Hammond said.

Councilman Kevin McCarty said one of Fong’s coats reminds him of Ron Burgundy, the 1970s television newscaster character played by Will Ferrell in the 2004 movie “Anchorman.”

McCarty observed that Fong has “calmed down a lot” in his fashion. But, like Hammond, McCarty had kind words for his council colleague. Even though his wardrobe is constantly changing, “he never really looks bad,” McCarty said.

Councilman Steve Cohn was less tolerant. “He looks like he’s always ready to be out on the golf course,” Cohn said. And his style is more in line with “country club” golf courses, not the municipal ones, Cohn added.

That may be the last time Cohn burns Fong. In response to Cohn’s criticism, Fong alleged that Cohn wears bike pants and owns a mesh tank top.

The Sacramento Press asked Fong if he’s actually seen Cohn wear the bike pants. “Oh, everyone has,” Fong said. “Unfortunately, yeah, I still have a vivid memory of that.”

R.E. Graswich, the former Sacramento Bee journalist who is now Mayor Kevin Johnson’s special assistant, said Fong needs to go all-out with his style. “He’s like a guy who’s trying to get somewhere, but he just can’t quite break through,” Graswich said. “I think he should just give it up with the pink and the green, and just go ‘the full Cleveland,’ as we call it.”

Graswich defined “the full Cleveland” as a style consisting of white shoes, white belt, white pants and Hawaiian shirt.

Now that he’s working for the mayor, Graswich wears a suit to work. But the suit is not “Graswich’s style.”

“I’m the man with 243 Hawaiian shirts, give or take,” Graswich said.

Fong hates Hawaiian shirts.

“I think Hawaiian shirts are like a sign that says: I know I’m way past middle age, and I give up,” Fong said. “I think that Hawaiian shirts are this millennium's leisure suit.”

Fong does, however, give kudos to R.E. for creating a style. “On the other hand, I have nothing but love and respect for any man who has some idea about what he’s doing. Even if I don’t like the idea.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Safe Ground opposes City Council vote on public comments

2010-08-25T05:39:44Z

A group that presses for a designated camping space for homeless people in Sacramento opposed on Tuesday the City Council’s decision to move the open public comment section of council meetings to the end of the meeting.

About 18 supporters of Safe Ground Sacramento stayed until the end of Tuesday’s City Council meeting to oppose the controversial decision the body made last week.

Before last week’s decision, open public comment was heard by the City Council at the beginning of weekly council meetings.

During the open public comment part of council meetings, Safe Ground Sacramento supporters regularly urge the city to reserve a space in which homeless residents can camp. The city enforces its anti-camping ban.

“You guys feel like our comments don’t mean nothing,” Safe Ground supporter Shane Eck told the City Council Tuesday.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond said last week that she hoped moving the public comment session to the end of meetings would quicken the meetings. She also said that “special interests” dominate the open public comment time period.

Judging from comments from council members Tuesday night, it appears that the City Council may take another look its decision.

Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said Tuesday that she now likes the idea of holding it at the beginning of the meeting as long as there is a half-hour time limit on the public comment session.

Council members Sandy Sheedy, Rob Fong, Bonnie Pannell, Robbie Waters and Lauren Hammond last week voted in favor of moving the open public comment session to the end of council meetings.

Mayor Kevin Johnson and council members Kevin McCarty and Ray Tretheway voted against the move and wanted to keep the session at the beginning of meetings.

Councilman Steve Cohn was absent from last week’s meeting. He said Tuesday that he missed last week’s vote because he was attending a family reunion. Cohn expressed support for moving open public comment back to the beginning of meetings, and putting a time limit on that segment of the meeting.

Photo: Safe Ground leader John Kraintz speaks at a July rally in Sacramento.

Photo by Dunia Hamza.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council to hear public comment later at night

2010-08-18T04:54:06Z

Residents will need to attend Sacramento City Council meetings later in the evening if they want to speak about issues that are not on the weekly council agenda.

The City Council changed its meeting rules Tuesday night to move the open public comment section to the end of the weekly meeting. Currently, the public can speak at the beginning of the meeting on any issue that is not related to the City Council agenda.

Council members were split on the issue and voted 5-3 to alter the time of the open public comment section. Mayor Kevin Johnson and council members Kevin McCarty and Ray Tretheway opposed the change. Councilman Steve Cohn was absent from the meeting.

Johnson and Tretheway said it benefits the public to keep the open public comment period earlier in the evening. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, meanwhile, strongly supported the move.

“I think moving public comment to the end hurts transparency and council access, and I think it’s disrespectful to the public,” Johnson said.

City Council meetings start at 6 p.m., and citizens often participate in open public comment period before 7 p.m. Now, citizens who want to speak on off-topic issues will need to wait until the end of the meeting. City Council meetings vary in length; some meetings have run for several hours.

Tretheway said public access to the open comment section of the council meetings would be limited because of Regional Transit’s cuts to light rail night routes.

Tracie Rice-Bailey, an advocate for the homeless population, said moving the comment period would be “so very inconvenient for our people.”

Rice-Bailey is an activist with Safe Ground Sacramento, a group that lobbies city leaders to designate a public space in which homeless people could legally camp.

Safe Ground supporters regularly advocate for their cause during the open public comment period of City Council meetings.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, meanwhile, said that moving the section to the end of meeting could make the meetings quicker. “My hope is that our meetings won’t be as long,” she said.

Hammond also said that “special interests” dominate the current open public comment time period. She did not identify the groups.

“It might be one group this month; it might be a neighborhood group another month,” Hammond said.

***
Council leaders also decided Tuesday to hold a monthly afternoon City Council meeting.

The council voted 7-1 to meet monthly at 2 p.m. Johnson opposed the idea of an afternoon meeting, saying that adding a meeting to the council’s plate would be inefficient.

Councilman Rob Fong said the afternoon meeting would enable to council to hold workshops and better manage its agenda. The council did not choose a day of the week for the monthly meeting.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Eleven city workers laid off Friday, 80 jobs saved

2010-08-07T00:43:08Z

While the city and Stationary Engineers Local 39 saved 80 jobs with an agreement Friday, the city laid off 11 workers represented by the local plumbers’ union.

The city did not find common ground with Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 447 by Friday, the city’s deadline for layoffs.

Harry Rotz, business manager for Local 447, did not return phone messages earlier this week. No one answered the phone at 4:45 p.m. Friday at the union’s office.

Interim City Manager Gus Vina said the city would continue to negotiate with Local 447.

“There’s 80 people in the city of Sacramento that were packing up and were planning on going home to tell their son or daughter — their family members — that they’re no longer going to be working,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said at a Friday press conference. “And that is not the case. They’ll be coming back to work on Monday.”

Council members Sandy Sheedy, Kevin McCarty and Lauren Hammond also made remarks praising the agreement with Local 39. The union includes 1,600 full-time city employees.

Joan Bryant, director of public employees for Stationary Engineers Local 39, also spoke at the press conference.

“We are pleased that we were able to avert the layoffs that were scheduled for today,” Bryant said. “And we are looking forward to ratification with our members.”

Local 39 and the city worked out a tentative two-year agreement, according to Vina and Bryant. The agreement would include no pay cuts, Bryant said. The contract also includes 11 furlough days for the 2010/2011 fiscal year, she said. In the 2011/2012 fiscal year, there would be 12 furlough days.

Local 39 is guaranteed no layoffs for 2010/2011, she said, with one exception. If the City Council determines there is a fiscal emergency in the Utilities Department, the guarantee is off.

The tentative contract also would give each employee 40 hours of personal leave time each year of the two-year period, Bryant said.

Under the tentative contract, the city would freeze employees’ salaries for two years, Vina said.

The union’s members will need to vote on the tentative agreement before it can go into effect.

Photo: City Manager Gus Vina.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City considers large water user permits

2010-08-06T05:17:36Z

Sacramento officials should consider requiring special use permits for large water users, including water and beverage bottling companies such as Nestlé, a City Council committee decided Thursday.

The council's Law & Legislation Committee passed a recommendation that the City Council approve a working group to explore whether the city's biggest water users should be subject to conditional use permits that would help give the city more ability to monitor and regulate their water use.

The recommendation was approved unanimously Thursday afternoon by the committee's three present members, Chair Sandy Sheedy and councilmen Steve Cohn and Robbie Waters.

"We have a scarce resource that we don't seem to have any regulation on, other than you pay for the amount you use," Cohn said. "It almost sounds like we need to think about if you use above a certain amount of water...there ought to be a permit. The city ought to have some way to review that, rather than just be forced to sell it at whatever our rate is."

The committee also heard about the city's plans to consider creating tiered water rates that could take effect in 2012 or sooner. The city "may actually be subsidizing" water consumption by the biggest users, Cohn said, adding that water use should also be regulated to encourage conservation and sustainability.

The committee's decision was made despite a recommendation by the city's Community Development Department against requiring special use permits for water and beverage bottling companies. Bottling plants are permitted industrial land uses in zones approved for light industrial, heavy commercial and heavy industrial businesses in Sacramento.

However, the committee's proposal would not be limited to such companies.

The fourth committee member, Lauren Hammond, was absent. Last fall, Councilman Kevin McCarty, who is not a committee member, proposed an emergency ordinance to amend the city's zoning code to immediately require a special permit, and thus, environmental review and City Council oversight, for bottling companies to operate in the city. He made the proposal after city staff approved Nestlé Waters North America opening a water-bottling plant in his South Sacramento district.

Nestlé bottles and sells the most bottled water in this country. Globally, the Swiss multinational company used 10.82 billion gallons of water in 2006 and sold $10 billion of water under different brand names in 2007, according to a report from Food and Water Watch in Washington, D.C.

Nestlé told the city about 250 acre feet — or nearly 82 million gallons — of city-treated American River water would be bottled each year. Nestlé Project Manager Chris Kemp also said the company expected to bottle 30 million gallons of Sacramento tap water in 2010, while future use would be determined by sales. Existing water pipes could bring 250 acre feet of water to the warehouse if operations were run 24 hours a day all year, but that was only expected during peak months, he said.

The city did not seek public input or perform an environmental analysis of the plant's expected impact before it began operation last winter after a failed, six-year battle to bottle spring water in McCloud near Mt. Shasta.

The city does not regulate how much water industrial water customers use except to impose drought restrictions at times. There are no current drought restrictions on industrial users, although there are drought restrictions for outdoor irrigation use by residential users.

On Thursday, Sheedy agreed with Cohn's proposal, including the need to look at all of the biggest water consumers, regardless of whether the water is bottled and sold, used to make soup or to crush cement. Nestlé shouldn't be "singled out," she said.

"I think we have to look at what else is coming here," Sheedy said. "We are going to be losing that commodity if we don't start looking at it."

No more than 20 people turned out for the meeting. Some said they only found out about the meeting this week.

Representatives from Nestlé, Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and the Sacramento Metro Chamber spoke out against requiring a special permit for bottling companies. After the meeting, Dave Palais, Nestlé Water's natural resource manager for Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, said the company wouldn't oppose an "overall evaluation" of water use by all users.

Sacramento Coca-Cola, which has been operating since 1927, "would be very disappointed if there would be new hurdles that were put in our way" for opening a big, new plant in North Natomas, the company's executive vice president, Bob Brown, said.

Several people spoke out in support of a special permit, including members of grassroots group Save Our Water Sacramento, which brought Nestlé's plans to open a Sacramento plant to light.

"I'm wondering what our children will do for water — and our grandchildren — once it's all contractually committed to others?" said Maxine Clark, a member of the Save the American River Association. "The word is out now: Nestlé got their way. When will we say no? Will we say no, ever?"

Bill Allayud, California Director of Government Affairs for the Environmental Working Group, said other cities held public forums so people could weigh in before water bottling plants were opened. Large water consumption by such plants can have "multiple impacts," he said.

"Water is not scarce in the city right now," he said. "But in the future, it could well become scarce."

McCarty later applauded the committee's decision.

"This is an important step toward going where we're trying to go," he said. "This issue isn't going away."

Photo by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Arizona: Groups continue to protest Sac City Council

2010-08-03T03:05:01Z

Two local groups continue to protest the Sacramento City Council more than one month after the council decided to boycott Arizona companies.

One of the groups, Boycott Sacramento, is intentionally avoiding local businesses in response to the council’s sanctions on Arizona businesses.

Another group, Recall Sacramento, is saying it will attempt to remove certain council members from office. However, Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said the group has not yet officially started the recall process.

The groups formed after the City Council decided June 15 to dispute Arizona’s new immigration laws by boycotting that state’s companies. The council passed the boycott in a 6-1 vote, with council members Steve Cohn and Lauren Hammond absent, and Robbie Waters voting in opposition.

The City Council stepped outside the court system when it decided to boycott Arizona, said Gerald Klaas, organizer of Boycott Sacramento.

“It’s a step toward mob rule,” Klaas said.

Arizona’s new law states that police officers must investigate a person’s immigration status if they think he or she is an undocumented immigrant. Officers must examine immigration status during “enforcement of any law or ordinance of a county, city or town” in Arizona, the law also states.

But a new federal court ruling on Arizona’s law could complicate the Sacramento City Council’s protest. Parts of Arizona’s law were stalled last week by a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton, who deemed them to be unconstitutional, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The implications of the ruling on Sacramento’s boycott of Arizona are unclear at this point. Matt Ruyak, a supervising deputy city attorney in Sacramento, said the city attorney’s office is now analyzing Bolton’s ruling.

At the same time, city staff is still assessing the dollar amount of the business it does with Arizona companies, said city spokeswoman Amy Williams.

Meanwhile, Klaas, a Sacramento County resident, said he estimates that Boycott Sacramento has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost business to companies within the city limits. He said he based his estimate on e-mails from people who said they did not buy large-ticket items in Sacramento because of the city’s boycott of Arizona.

The Boycott Sacramento Facebook page has 3,474 fans, but groups of three and four people showed up at July protests at City Hall, according to the Meetup.com website.

Klaas said he and his wife estimate they are not spending about $400 per month at Sacramento businesses.

Boycott Sacramento is not related to Recall Sacramento, a group organized by Republican congressional candidate Paul Smith.

The Sacramento City Council is not “pro-business, pro-jobs in any stretch of the imagination,” Smith said. “When they elected to sanction another state, it was none of their business to do that considering the mess the city’s in.”

Asked if his effort was a self-serving move for his congressional campaign, Smith said it is “imperative” that he show the community in his district that he is concerned about Sacramento businesses.

“I don’t want to take over a district in December that’s all boarded-up downtown because all the business was driven out,” he said.

Smith said the group aims to recall council members Rob Fong and Steve Cohn first, but that his group may also try to kick out Mayor Kevin Johnson and council members Bonnie Pannell, Sandy Sheedy and Kevin McCarty. Supporters of an effort to recall the Sacramento City Council are upset with Fong and Cohn more than the other members, Smith said. Fong is ignoring voters, Smith claimed, and Cohn did not vote on the Arizona issue.

The group will not try to recall council members Ray Tretheway, Lauren Hammond or Robbie Waters because they are leaving office, he said.

Mark Williams, the Tea Party Express’ former controversial spokesman, made remarks at a recent Recall Sacramento protest, Smith said, but Williams has “baggage,” and the group does not consider him to be a member. Williams’ statements on a July blog drew widespread media attention.

Smith said about 2,000 people have signed up on the Recall Sacramento website.

Cohn said Smith’s Recall Sacramento group was a publicity campaign. “In my case, he can’t do it legally until next June,” Cohn said. “It’s a waste of time to even talk about it.”

RE Graswich, Johnson’s spokesman, said there is nothing to comment on until the group provides documentation of its recall.

Councilman Rob Fong did not return phone calls Monday afternoon.

Mizuno said Recall Sacramento’s campaign has not begun the recall process. “Right now, there’s a lot of talk, but no one seems to be doing anything,” Mizuno said.

The Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce opposed the boycott of Arizona companies. In a June 1 letter to Mayor Kevin Johnson, Chamber President Matt Mahood raised concerns that a boycott on Sacramento businesses could take place if the City Council boycotts Arizona. Read the Chamber’s letter here.

Photo of Paul Smith by Kathleen Haley. Photos of Sacramento City Council members by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Bottling water: City report Thursday

2010-08-03T00:39:36Z

On Thursday, Sacramento planning department staff will recommend against requiring a special land use permit for water and beverage bottling companies.

However, city officials and staff will continue to consider creating tiered water rates that could take effect in 2012 or sooner.

Staff from the city's Community Development Department will report to the City Council's Law & Legislation Committee, in response to requests made by council members Kevin McCarty and Lauren Hammond involving Nestlé Waters North America last October.

Bottling plants are permitted in zones approved for light industrial, heavy commercial and heavy industrial businesses in Sacramento. A staff survey found that conditional use permits, which are subject to approval from planning commissions and city councils, aren't required by 28 other California cities with at least one bottling operation. Nestlé operates in only one other city on the list.

"Planning staff finds that a beverage bottling facility is not unique in its water consumption when compared to other commercial and industrial uses and the land use impacts of the use in an industrial zone do not warrant the need for a special permit," staff wrote in a report to the committee.

Officials with the city's Department of Utilities have indicated they'd like to collect water-use data and hire a water rate consultant to help develop a tiered water rate fee structure.

Such data could be available by 2012 as 45,000 residential water customers — about 36 percent of residential clients — transition to metered water rates, according to the report.

McCarty said he will press to implement a tiered structure before 2012 when he soon meets with the city manager's office and utilities department.

"The real issue is what do we charge for our water?" McCarty said Monday. "Water is an increasingly valuable and diminishing commodity, and we ought to be making smart decisions on what we do with our municipal water."

The City Council was not involved in the decision to approve Nestlé opening a plant in McCarty's district in South Sacramento.

The council discussed the plant for the first time Oct. 27 after McCarty and Hammond proposed an emergency ordinance to consider amending the city's zoning code to immediately require a special permit and thus, environmental review, for bottling companies to operate in the city. McCarty also recommended the council consider tiered water rates for such companies.

City Attorney Eileen Teichert told the council that night Nestlé's plant was legal under the city's zoning codes and that a special permit requirement wouldn't apply. At the same time, the Community Development Department's Facilities Permit Program was suspended after the council and city officials learned work had started on the Nestlé plant without a formal building permit or a start-work authorization.

Save Our Water Sacramento, a group formed to oppose the plant, had sought a temporary City Council moratorium on beverage bottling plants in Sacramento at that time.

Hammond, who is on the committee, could not be reached for comment Monday.

The City Council's Law & Legislation Committee meeting will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 915 I St.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor, three council members say they were unaware of Silva's past

2010-07-28T01:14:58Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson and three City Council members said Tuesday they were not aware that Sacramento’s new deputy city auditor had been fired from his previous auditor job.

Gerald Silva, a deputy city auditor in Sacramento, resigned from his position Monday after The Sacramento Press asked him to comment on a case that ended his career in San Jose.

Silva worked as the city auditor for San Jose for 22 years. The San Jose City Council unanimously fired him in 2007 in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit.

Asked about the past allegations Monday, Silva said he didn’t want to be a source of embarrassment to Jorge Oseguera, the city auditor.

Oseguera hired Silva in March; the two had worked together in San Jose.

“This is an unfortunate situation,” Johnson said at his Tuesday press conference, adding that he was not aware of all the details in the San Jose case.

Johnson also noted that the City Council voted last year to change the city auditor’s boss. The council decided last year that the council and mayor should supervise the auditor. That was a change from the former system, in which the city auditor reported to the city manager.

As he commented on Silva’s resignation, Johnson mentioned that he voted against the idea of moving authority over the auditor to the council and mayor. The auditor would be more accountable to one city manager, than to a larger group of council members, he said.

“That was not something I voted in favor of,” Johnson said. “I believe that the internal auditor should report to the city manager.”

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond also said she did not know about Silva’s past. “I didn’t have any information on Silva,” she said.

Hammond added that she asked Oseguera about hiring a diverse staff, in terms of race and gender. Oseguera hired three males to work as auditors.

“There are a lot of women who know how to audit,” Hammond said. “I don’t know why he couldn’t find one.”

Meanwhile, Councilman Steve Cohn, the chair of the City Council’s audit committee, said he did not know about allegations in Silva’s former career. The city auditor hires people independently, Cohn said.

“I think the only thing I regret at this point, is frankly that (Silva) decided to leave at this point,”
Cohn said. “But I guess he didn’t want to go through a public hearing of this again.”

Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy was not aware of Silva’s background in San Jose, said Joann Cummins, district director for the councilwoman.

Sheedy and Councilman Kevin McCarty declined to comment.

Three years ago, an auditor for the city of San Jose made sexual harassment allegations in a lawsuit against Deputy City Auditor David Moreno and the city of San Jose, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

The city of San Jose contracted a consultant who examined the case and “found evidence Silva and others had acted inappropriately in the workplace,” the Mercury News reported in a Jan. 30, 2008, story.

The San Jose Business Journal reported in September 2007 that San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said Silva’s work for the city resulted in $300 million in savings from “wasteful or unnecessary spending.”

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City leaders approve Arizona boycott

2010-06-16T04:55:10Z

Sacramento’s elected leaders agreed to boycott Arizona companies in protest of the state’s new immigration laws.

The City Council passed the boycott Tuesday with a 6-1 vote. Mayor Kevin Johnson and council members Rob Fong, Bonnie Pannell, Ray Tretheway, Sandy Sheedy and Kevin McCarty voted to approve the boycott.

Councilman Robbie Waters opposed the move.

Council members Steve Cohn and Lauren Hammond were absent.

Hammond was absent from the entire City Council meeting, but Cohn appeared at City Hall to discuss a separate issue after the hearing on the Arizona law.

Arizona’s new law says that an individual’s immigration status should be addressed by police officers in certain circumstances. If police officers think an individual is an illegal immigrant, then they must review the individual’s immigration status, the law states. The police must account for immigration status during “enforcement of any law or ordinance of a county, city or town” in Arizona, the law also states.

Read the details of the resolution approved by the City Council here.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Waiting game: Dickinson, McCarty divided by 33 votes in Assembly race

2010-06-10T02:34:34Z

Thirty-three votes divide the two local politicians fighting for a state Assembly seat in the Democratic primary.

Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson currently has a tiny lead of 33 votes over City Councilman Kevin McCarty in the race for the District 9 Assembly seat.

Dickinson has 35.05 percent of the vote, while McCarty has 34.93 percent. With all precincts reporting, McCarty had 9,634 votes to Dickinson’s 9,667.

Jill LaVine, Sacramento County’s top election official, estimated that more than 86,000 remaining ballots still need to be counted. That total is comprised of unprocessed ballots that came to the elections office before Tuesday night, vote-by-mail ballots delivered to polls, and ballots that need to be studied further, according to a news release from the elections office.

The competitor who will run in the general election will be the one with the most votes.

“It can come down to one vote,” said Shannan Velayas, spokeswoman for the California Secretary of State’s office.

Gabriel Medina, campaign manager for Dickinson, said that the supervisor’s supporters were “cautiously optimistic.” Dickinson’s campaign was pleased with the vote tally, Medina said, and supporters celebrated late into the night on Wednesday.

McCarty also has an upbeat attitude about the contest.

“I’m feeling good,” McCarty said Wednesday afternoon. “I think we ran a very strong campaign. We ran a really positive campaign.”

After the precincts were reported, City Councilwoman and Assembly candidate Lauren Hammond was in third place with 18.8 percent of the District 9 vote.

The district includes most of the city of Sacramento.

Hammond’s City Council seat was up for grabs in this election cycle. She did not run in the City Council election. There will likely be a runoff between candidates Jay Schenirer and Patrick Kennedy for Hammond’s seat, Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said Wednesday morning.

The city staggers the years of its City Council races: McCarty’s City Council seat was not part of the June election.

Wendy Klock-Johnson of the Sacramento City Clerk’s office said Tuesday that if McCarty wins the Assembly seat in both the primary election and the November general election, the city will need to hold a special election for his City Council seat.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council wrestling with rules for medical pot clubs

2010-06-03T04:56:52Z

The city’s elected officials are still sorting out how to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries nearly a year after they set a rule blocking new pot clubs.

At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, council members added another year to the existing ban on new medical pot dispensaries.

However, Michelle Heppner, the city staffer who is working on ideas for regulation, said Wednesday that she would like to have an ordinance ready before the end of the year. Heppner, a special projects manager, said the time frame for setting up a medical pot ordinance would depend on the City Council’s decision-making process.

The city currently has 39 medical pot clubs, Heppner said.

Speakers in support of medical marijuana establishments said they liked the idea of lengthening the moratorium.

Jeanne Larsson, who represents the Sacramento Alliance of Collectives, told the City Council that the clubs in her group are responsible business owners. She said her group consists of 15 Sacramento dispensaries.

The lengthened moratorium gives representatives from medical pot dispensaries more time to work with the city on an ordinance, she said.

“This shows that the city is willing to explore the issue of dispensary regulation in greater depth and we would like to be part of a working group modeled to create our ordinance,” she said.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said she was concerned about a medical pot club that had moved from a previous location to a site on Center Parkway located across the street from North Laguna Creek Park. The dispensary is near a park, a movie theater and houses, she said, adding that she has heard complaints about it.

“If I’d have known, I would have said no (to the club's move)” Pannell said. “Too close to the park, theater and residential.”

Heppner said she would bring options for regulation to the City Council in late July. A final decision will not be made at that meeting, Heppner said, noting that the city will take additional steps in the process of creating a final ordinance.

One of the ideas for potential regulation is to cut the number of dispensaries from 39 to 12.

“There are issues about whether the arbitrary number of 12 is the number of dispensaries we need to have, when we know that there are 39 operating right now,” Councilwoman Lauren Hammond said.

All of the council members voted on Tuesday to lengthen the timeline except Councilman Rob Fong, who was absent from the meeting.

Photos by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor backs candidates Ashby, Cohn, Schenirer and Waters

2010-05-19T03:43:09Z

In a statement Tuesday on his blog, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson made his endorsements for candidates competing in the June 8 primary election.

A KCRA reporter asked Johnson at a Monday press conference if Johnson would endorse candidates who oppose a “strong mayor” form of government. Johnson is leading an effort to bring more authority to the mayor’s office.

In response to the reporter’s question, Johnson said: “I think that’s not really the issue before people. I don’t think that people have had to make a decision on that. So, there’s not a litmus, in general, for that right now.”

Johnson said the candidates he is supporting are not content with the status quo. He explained that he backed candidates with energy, problem-solving skills, “a sense of urgency to get things done,” and a vision for the “new Sacramento.”

However, the Sacramento Bee reported Tuesday that Councilman Ray Tretheway claimed he was pressured by unnamed Johnson supporters to back a strong mayor plan. Johnson is endorsing the following candidates:

Sacramento City Council

City Council District 1: Angelique Ashby

City Council District 3: Steve Cohn

City Council District 5: Jay Schenirer

City Council District 7: Robbie Waters

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors:

Board of Supervisors 1: Phil Serna

Board of Supervisors 2: Jimmie Yee

Board of Supervisors 5: Don Nottoli

Other County Races

Sacramento County Sheriff: Jim Cooper

Sacramento District Attorney: Jan Scully

Assessor: Kathleen Kelleher

State Legislature

Assembly District 9: Lauren Hammond

Assembly District 5: Richard Pan

State Senate District 6: Darrell Steinberg

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sac State College Democrats receive contributions from PG&E

2010-05-14T05:20:26Z

A student Democratic group at California State University, Sacramento, is more than just a club of like-minded young people — it’s a major political player that attracts thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.

The College Democrats group at Sacramento State both receives financial contributions from various interests and contributes to political candidates.

A few months ago, the student club received a hefty sum: Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation contributed $10,000 to the group Dec. 22, according to campaign records.

The student group is also a political player in advance of the upcoming June 8 primary: Just a few days after receiving the $10,000, the College Democrats contributed $7,800 to Chris Garland’s Assembly District 9 campaign on Dec. 28, according to campaign reports.

Garland is running against fellow Democrats Adam Sartain, Lauren Hammond, Kevin McCarty and Roger Dickinson. McCarty and Hammond are members of the Sacramento City Council; Dickinson is a county supervisor. The sole Republican candidate is Rick Redding.

PG&E spokeswoman Cynthia Pollard responded to the question of why the company donated $10,000 to the student group.

“PG&E’s contribution to the College Democrats of Sacramento State was for general support of the organization’s goals,” Pollard wrote in an e-mail Thursday. “It was not earmarked for any specific initiative or candidate. It is ultimately the recipient organization’s decision as to how to spend the funds.”

PG&E made the contribution to the College Democrats after the student group endorsed Garland Dec. 10. The student group's endorsement is online.

Pollard responded to a question asking if the company contributed to the College Democrats with the expectation that the College Democrats would give to Garland’s campaign.

“No,” Pollard said. “PG&E contributes to hundreds of committees and organizations throughout the state based on their programs and goals. Like many individuals and businesses, PG&E participates in the political process.”

Phil Giarrizzo, a political consultant for Garland’s campaign, said questions about PG&E contributions to the College Democrats after the students endorsed Garland assumes a “ridiculous nexus.”

There is no relevancy to the question, Giarrizzo said.

PG&E’s Pollard said that PG&E’s political contributions do not come from utility bills paid by the public.

“As an additional note, I would like to point out that PG&E holds itself to the highest standards of public disclosure and compliance with applicable laws and regulations and that our political contributions are paid for with shareholder funds, not utility customer dollars,” she said.

PG&E has put millions toward Proposition 16, which would establish that two-thirds of a local body's voting public must sign off on certain electricity service decisions made by a local government.

PG&E contributed money to numerous groups last year, including the California Democratic Party, the California Republican Party and an array of political candidates, according to campaign records filed with the California Secretary of State’s Office. Many of the contributions dwarf the size of the $10,000 contribution to the College Democrats.

However, the $10,000 contribution is a big one for the College Democrats at Sacramento State.

By contrast, Senate President Darrell Steinberg contributed $250 to the student group in February 2009. The next month, a sheet metal workers union gave $1,000 to the student club.

John Ryan, president of the College Democrats at Sacramento State, said the group endorsed Garland because he focused on higher education issues. “And that really resonated with us,” Ryan said.

In response to a question about PG&E’s $10,000 contribution, Ryan said: “We wouldn’t begin to have a kind of quid pro quo with anyone that donates to the campaign. There’s isn’t any kind of implied strings attached.”

See PG&E’s campaign contributions for last year here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Draft Budget Receives Criticism

2010-05-12T04:54:46Z

City Council members had a variety of reactions to the draft budget presented by Interim City Manager Gus Vina Tuesday night.

The draft was first released April 30, when Vina proposed layoffs of as many as 200 city employees in an effort to balance the city budget and reduce the $43 million gap. Among other things, the draft budget aims to make $14.6 million through cuts to programs and services and $19.6 million by removing all vacant city positions and possible labor union concessions. The draft also proposes to apply $8.8 million in other funds to the budget.

While Vina said layoffs were unlikely at Tuesday’s meeting, council members found issues with other aspects of the draft.

Lauren Hammond, for one, was curious as to why the city needs the Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority after it refused to make a bid for commercial waste collection in Sacramento.

Hammond also raised a complaint about a proposal to reduce the city service hours to four days a week. She claimed that city services like loose-in-the-street green waste pickup are already struggling to operate within a five-day workweek. Reducing the hours could become even more problematic. “We need to be cognitive that there are things that should be done in a certain order,” Hammond said.

Sandy Sheedy found issues with the draft itself. Sheedy felt that neither the council nor the public was given enough information about the budget. “I want this to be as transparent as possible,” she said. “I’m a little disappointed in what I see.”

Mayor Kevin Johnson stressed the importance of protecting the police force from budget cuts. “All of us are eager to dive a little bit deeper a little bit quicker,” Johnson said. “I want to reiterate our commitment to public safety. We want to be a full-service city.”

Yet another opinion offered on the draft budget came from Bonnie Pannell. “I’m disappointed in at least one of the recommendations,” Pannell said, who found issue with the fact that one of the programs proposed to be cut was the city's racial profiling committee.

Betty Williams, president of the Sacramento chapter of NAACP , also objected to cutting that committee. “It’s imperative that we maintain investment in our city,” Williams said. “I would like NAACP to be a part of the partnership in the discussion of cutting programs.” Fearing that similar programs will be put on the chopping block, she expressed interest in seeing the list of services that were not considered mandatory by the city manager and budgeting staff.

The next budget hearing is scheduled for May 25 in the City Council Chambers located at 915 I Street.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Redding and Dickinson Trade Jabs in AD 9 Candidate Forum

2010-04-26T02:00:11Z

In what will more than likely be a glimpse of the general election season this coming fall, County Supervisor Roger Dickinson (D) and public school teacher Rick Redding (R) wasted no time in hurling critcisms at one another's respective positions on the issues. The candidate forum, sponsored by the River Park Neighborhood Association and the American Women Federated, highlighted seven candidates all vying for the Assembly District 9 seat being vacated by Dave Jones.

Aside from Dickinson and Redding, Democratic candidates Lauren Hammond, Kevin McCarty, Adam Sartain and Chris Garland as well as Peace and Freedom candidate Daniel Acosta all partipated in the forum.

Dickinson wasted no time in going on the offensive. In his opening statement he made an indirect reference to Redding's position on AB 32. Dickinson claimed that "anyone in support of suspending or repealing AB 32 is a neanderthal." When it came time for his opening statement, Redding, seemingly bemused by Dickinson's comment claimed, " I guess I'm one of those darned neanderthals!" This exchange seemed to enliven a quiet crowd. On the very next question which pertained to education, Dickinson opened with "I didn't mean neaderthal, Rick, I meant Luddite." Redding did not address the slight until his closing argument.

The questions posed to the candidates included: education, Proposition 14, funding for Child Protective Services and what they would do to assist in balancing the state budget. The forum lasted for approximately one hour. Due to the short length of the forum, all of the candidates encouraged the audience members to visit their websites to become more acquainted with their campaigns.

Redding, in his closing statement, quoted Albert Einstein and said "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result." Redding was surely referencing that fact that the Assembly District 9 seat has never been held by anyone other than a Democrat and that the current condition of the district can only be attributed to poor Democratic leadership. Redding further stated that "the folks are tired of career politicians like Roger [Dickinson] talking out of both sides of their mouth and I find it odd that Roger claims that his top priority is creating jobs, yet he supports legislation like AB 32 that has eliminated 1.1 million jobs in California."

The AD 9 campaign just woke up.

Former school board member competes for City Council seat

2010-04-08T05:12:43Z

Jay Schenirer’s City Council campaign has brought him face-to-face with Sacramento’s unemployed population.

Joblessness in District 5, which includes Oak Park and Colonial Heights, is “horrific,” Schenirer said.

The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election.

Schenirer (sha-NEER-ur), 53, is competing against four other candidates for Councilwoman Lauren Hammond’s seat. Hammond is running for Assemblyman Dave Jones' seat against Kevin McCarty, her colleague on the City Council. Roger Dickinson, a Sacramento County Supervisor, is also running for the seat.

Schenirer is an education policy consultant who has lived in Sacramento since 1981. He has made his home in Curtis Park for 20 of his 29 years in the city. The Curtis Park and Tahoe Park West neighborhoods are located in District 5.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego. Schenirer also holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas, Austin.

Big names in the philanthropy world, such as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, are some of Schenirer’s clients.

Schenirer’s experience also includes the eight years he served as a local school board member. From 1996 to 2004, he was a member of the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees. During four of the eight years, he was the board’s president.

He also worked in former Governor Gray Davis’ administration. From 2001 to 2003, he held the position of Assistant Secretary for Development and Planning at the Education Secretary’s office.

If elected, he said he wants to address unemployment in the district by creating working groups of small-business professionals. Schenirer said he would ask businesspeople how the city is helping or hindering their success. He said he would also approach small-business professionals for ideas on how to bring more small business to the city.

“I think as a council person, you have to be the No. 1 salesperson for your district,” he said.

Another of his goals on the City Council would be to focus on youth programs. He said he wants to see more “safe places” for young people to go after school and on weekends. Schenirer also said the city could connect young people with community-oriented activities and help them gain employment opportunities.

"And I think there's just huge potential for what the city could be doing to support young people's success," he said.

Relations between neighborhood leaders and city government are also on Schenirer’s agenda. “We are a city that’s really built on a rich history of neighborhood engagement at City Hall.”

He said he would work with neighborhood groups on a structured level through meetings, and informally. Schenirer said he wants to be a councilman who would be available on his cell phone to talk to neighbors.

Schenirer said he wants to create relationships with neighbors and listen to neighborhood concerns to "ensure that the people who are impacted most by the policies we make have a voice in those policies."

Recent campaign fund records show that Schenirer has raised $82,712. He is second in fundraising to Patrick Kennedy, who has raised $109,684. Terrence Johnson has raised $9,430. Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said candidate Leticia Hilbert has raised less than $1,000. Henry Harry has $808 in his campaign.

District 1:
A story on District 1 candidate Angelique Ashby can be read here.
Learn about District 1 candidate Efren Guttierrez here.

District 3:
Read an article on District 3 candidate Shawn Eldredge here.
District 3 candidate Chris Little’s plans are outlined here.

District 5:
Candidate Terrence Johnson’s campaign is explained here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Oak Park business leader runs for District 5 seat

2010-04-03T03:18:37Z

Terrence Johnson said he wants Oak Park and surrounding South Sacramento neighborhoods to have more clout in City Council decision-making.

“I felt as though the (District 5) neighborhoods didn’t have a voice,” he said.

Johnson, 58, is one of five candidates competing for the seat held by Councilwoman Lauren Hammond. In addition to Oak Park, District 5 includes the neighborhoods of Curtis Park, Colonial Heights and Tahoe Park West.

The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election.

Johnson is a 20-year Sacramento resident and the executive director of the Oak Park Business Association and the Stockton Boulevard Partnership. He is chairman of the Redevelopment Advisory Committee of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. Johnson is also a window installation contractor.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento, in 1975.

Jobs and the economy are the most pressing issues in District 5, he said.

Johnson acknowledged the city’s budget gap — about $40 million — but said the district still needs to bring ideas for projects to the City Council. That way, when the city distributes funds, those projects can be considered.

He noted the city is focusing on some projects outside District 5, such as the planned downtown arena and entertainment center.

Johnson said he would continue to push for economic development in the district even if he does not win the City Council seat. The district has few job openings and has suffered because of the subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis, he added.

“The secondary mortgage market was like a bomb in the South Area,” Johnson said, adding that training for green jobs would help neighborhoods.

He has raised $9,430 for his campaign. Of District 5 candidates, Patrick Kennedy has raised the most money, $109, 684.

Jay Schenirer’s campaign has $82, 712, Henry Harry has $808 and Leticia Hilbert has raised less than $1,000, according to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno.

An article about District 1 candidate Angelique Ashby can be found here. Information about District 1 candidate Efren Guttierrez's campaign is here. District 3 candidate Chris Little is profiled here. Read about District 1 candidate Shawn Eldredge here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Council certifies Curtis Park Village report

2010-04-02T06:33:49Z

An overflow crowd packed Sacramento City Hall Thursday night for a public hearing on the environmental impact report for the proposed Curtis Park Village development.

With a unanimous vote, the City Council certified the report following four hours of testimony, staff reports and council discussion on the expected impact of developer Paul Petrovich's $211 million plan to construct housing and businesses on an old Western Pacific railyard near Sacramento City College.

More than 400 people filled the council chamber and an upstairs overflow room. Saying they don't oppose the infill project, some nearby residents sought to postpone a decision by asking for an environmental impact report (EIR) they consider to be inadequate to be recirculated and revised.

"We've been accused of being emotional about this issue. And we are," said Gary Weinberg, a Sixth Avenue resident. "We are because we live in a neighborhood that we adore, and we want it to stay that way."

Petrovich has proposed turning 72 acres of vacant, toxic land into a development containing 527 homes and apartments, 259,000 square feet of retail and office space, and a 6.8-acre park between the college, Curtis Park and Land Park. On Friday, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control halted Petrovich's remediation efforts at the site until the council's vote.

In an 11th-hour surprise just before the vote, City Council member Lauren Hammond unveiled a five-point compromise she helped hammer out in recent days to address issues raised by neighbors.

"The plan before us tonight reflects a lot of hard work on the part of the residents, as well as the developer," said Hammond, whose district includes the site. "In the end, it will be worth it."

Petrovich said he has spent $25 million cleaning up 150,000 tons of contaminants at the site. He asked the council to certify the EIR so he can take the next step — working with DTSC to determine how to handle the remaining 350,000 tons that has since been discovered. At the meeting, he said he hopes to fit all remaining toxins under a mixed-use commercial area. But some may need to go under hardscape or a containment cell in the park, he added.

Residents who belong to the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association remain opposed to the latter. Hammond identified that as the only sticking point.

"We strongly believe there should be no toxins under the park," said Rosanna Herber, the group's president. Other concerns were submitted to the council in a 28-page letter. She challenged Mayor Kevin Johnson to ask federal and state agencies for funds to remove toxins that would otherwise be encapsulated in the park.

Hammond said the decision about whether the park can be used to contain the contaminants is out of the council's hands.

"That decision rests with the Department of Toxic Substance Control. That is state law," she said.

However, Council Member Bonnie Pannell said she will not support a containment cell in the park. Following applause from residents, Pannell led a discussion with staff until she was assured the council would consider that issue at a later date.

The site is being cleaned to commercial and mixed-use standards in some areas, and residential in others, said Jennifer Hageman, a senior planner.

A majority in the crowd identified themselves as Curtis Park residents. Early in the hearing, about half the people in council chambers stood in support Petrovich. He identified them as people who live or work or want jobs in the neighborhood. Some wore "YIMBY" or "Yes In My Backyard" buttons.

Petrovich also asked the council to consider the project's economic impact via impact and building permit fees, public improvements, property taxes and jobs.

"This will provide $1 billion in stimulus funds to this local economy," he said.

Members of the neighborhood group say the plan is too suburban for the area. They've said they would prefer commercial space being decreased to 150,000 square feet in the hope that would reduce traffic and the possibility of a strip mall being built there.

Petrovich said he now plans to use 10 building styles found in the original Curtis Park blueprint from the 1930s and 1940s, as well as traditional duplexes and four-plexes, to "knit this together" with existing neighborhoods.

The project fits nearby uses and the neighborhood, as well as the city's General Plan for 2030, said Heather Forest, an associate planner with the city's Community Development Department. In a report to the council, staff also said the project is "pedestrian-friendly" and was designed to decrease use of cars through its walkability and its location near public transit.

"We've got a great project before us," said Mayor Kevin Johnson.

Petrovich asked the council to consider adopting CEQA findings and other matters at another meeting. City staff asked the council to postpone a decision on zoning changes.

Despite all the compromises, Hammond said she feared a lawsuit may be filed in the future.

"Somebody is going to sue us: Either the neighbors, or Paul," she said. "But I think this is as close as we're gonna go."

We want your questions for new interim city manager

2010-03-18T04:23:20Z

The Sacramento Press wants your neighborhood-related questions for Interim City Manager Gus Vina, the city’s highest-ranking official.

What issues or concerns do you have about your neighborhood? What do you think the city government should do to improve your neighborhood?

Write your questions in the comments section at the bottom of this article. Questions for Vina can also be e-mailed to kathleen@sacramentopress.com.

The Sacramento Press will choose several questions from community members for Vina to answer.

Vina was chosen as interim city manager by Mayor Kevin Johnson and the eight City Council members and will serve for nine to 12 months. He replaced Ray Kerridge, who resigned from the city manager position Friday. Vina told The Sacramento Press last week that he plans to apply for the permanent city manager position.

Vina leads a city government with about 4,300 employees. He will draft the city’s budget, which faces a gap of $35 million-$40 million for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. The City Council is in charge of reviewing and approving Vina’s draft budget.

Johnson spokesman Joaquin McPeek said Vina was asked to serve for a nine- to 12-month period so he could work continuously on the city's budget. In addition, the nine- to 12-month timeline allows any new City Council members to have a voice on the selection of a new city manager, McPeek said. Depending on the results of the June 8 City Council election, new members could replace current members.

One incumbent is not running for re-election. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond is not returning to the City Council — her District 5 seat will be filled by a new member.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Jorge Oseguera becomes the new city auditor

2010-03-10T05:58:17Z

The city auditor’s office — vacant for nearly a year — has been brought back to life.

Mayor Kevin Johnson and three council members announced at a Tuesday morning press conference that Jorge Oseguera is the city's new internal auditor.

Most recently, Oseguera was a senior program performance auditor for the city of San Jose. He began work at the city of Sacramento Monday.

“I think the audit function is an essential element of the public’s accountability, and I look forward to meeting my objectives in meeting the public’s accountability,” Oseguera said.

He also said he would participate in preparations for an upcoming audit of the Community Development Department. The investigation will be conducted by an outside auditing firm.

The three council members — Robbie Waters, Lauren Hammond and Steve Cohn — joined Johnson to praise Oseguera.

Waters explained that the city received applications from about 12 people for the auditor position. After an interview process, the committee selected three candidates for in-depth consideration. At that point, the committee asked the entire City Council to weigh in on the three candidates, according to Waters.

Oseguera was "hands above all the candidates," Waters said.

Cohn, chair of the City Council’s audit committee, pointed out that Oseguera will be the first auditor for the city of Sacramento to be supervised by the City Council. The former auditor, Marty Kolkin, reported to the city manager.

Kolkin resigned from his position in May to accept a new job in Santa Monica.

Council members decided last year that the City Council — not the city manager — should supervise the city auditor. During a meeting in April, council members said that it would be a more transparent process for an auditor to report to the City Council, rather than the city manager.

“We look forward to working with Jorge to make sure we have the most efficient operations possible and that our citizens -- our taxpayers -- can have confidence that we are running a tight ship,” Cohn said.

At San Jose, Oseguera investigated building security, grant oversight and debt management, among other areas, according to that city’s website.

Oseguera earned his master’s degree in public administration at Syracuse University and his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Stanislaus.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell explains 2010 goals

2010-01-30T21:46:40Z

Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said she plans to concentrate on key issues facing her South Sacramento district this year, including flood protection, a beautification effort on Meadowview Road and youth services.

Pannell’s goals are explained as part of a series of articles on council members’ plans for 2010. Links to the articles are at the end of this story.

The Sacramento Press made repeated request for interviews with two council members, Rob Fong and Ray Tretheway, but they were unavailable.

Pannell represents District 8, which includes the Meadowview, North Laguna Creek and 63rd Street/Cromwell neighborhoods.
Her primary focus this year is on 100-year flood protection for areas in her district affected by South Sacramento streams. Pannell said Rep. Doris Matsui, (D-Sacramento), “has been working hard to get federal funds not only for North Natomas, but for South Sacramento stream levees."

Progress on the South Sacramento stream levees will depend on Matsui obtaining federal dollars, she said. Funding for the project also would come from local taxes, Pannell added.

Her second goal for the year is to complete a beautification effort involving a fence on Meadowview Road. Pannell said she expects a new fence along that road to be set up by mid- to late spring. The project, which costs about $670,000, involves removing the existing wooden fence and installing a fence made of masonry wall.

“I think it will change the look, the appearance of the community,” Pannell said.

The councilwoman’s third priority will be to work with youth. She noted that she is backs an initiative to fund jobs and other services for young people in Sacramento. Programs offered through the initiative, the Youth Jobs and Opportunity Act, would be paid for by a $29 annual tax on parcels of property.

Pannell also wants new services for youth who live in apartment complexes on Mack Road, citing problems with some young people in the area. She said she wants youth in the the apartment complexes to be involved in sports and after-school programs. Youth programs keep kids in school, off the streets and away from trouble, Pannell said.

The services would be funded by property fees from homes financed through the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

Pannell has set many other goals for the period of 2010 to 2012. The goals are listed on her website under the heading of "council district information." Read about them here.

Learn about Councilman Steve Cohn's goals here. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond's priorities are outlined here. Read about Councilman Kevin McCarty's plans here. Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy's objectives are explained here. Read about Councilman Robbie Waters' goals here. Mayor Kevin Johnson's announces his goal for a green initiative here. Johnson discusses a goal relating to the building moratorium in Natomas.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. 

News Analysis: Council members display anger, confront city staff

2010-01-28T03:13:50Z

News Analysis

It’s a fact: Certain Sacramento city council members are angry with high-level city staffers about their role in current city scandals. The council members’ tense relationship with city staffers was apparent in several harsh remarks made at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond directed critical comments toward Utilities Director Marty Hanneman during a debate over issues outlined in a grand jury report. The Jan. 6 report claims the city may not be adhering to Proposition 218, a state law that mandates how city funds are to be used.

“I have to tell you: I have no confidence in your cost allocations,” Hammond told Hanneman. “It’s not personal — I just don’t believe you.”

Hammond expressed the view that annual increases in utilities rates have been higher than the costs of delivering the service. She said she has been raising concerns “for years” that the rate increases have been improper.

Prop. 218 requires utilities fee increases and service delivery costs to be proportional. Fee increases have a single use: to cover the costs of delivering the service, according to the law.

Sacramento residents have been “tricked,” she said.

“I don’t usually get personal with staff because I know everybody’s trying to do their job,” Hammond said. “But something is seriously wrong here and we have not fixed it. And management has not fixed it.”

Hanneman did not make any statements in response to Hammond’s criticism.

He explained Wednesday in an interview that the city’s protocol is for staffers not to debate with council members at City Council meetings. To debate with council members is disrespectful, Hanneman said.

“I just listen and take it in,” Hanneman said.

He pointed out that elected officials sometimes vent their frustrations.

“That’s part of doing business at the city,” Hanneman said. “I don’t take it personally. I take everything they say seriously and move on.”

Councilman Rob Fong faulted both the City Council and city staffers for the Prop. 218 situation. He said council members learned about Prop. 218 concerns during summer 2008 but did not address them.

“We need to do better; it’s just unacceptable,” Fong said.

Council members need to acknowledge that they are part of the problem, he said. However, he added that each council member has a small two-member staff. Plus, several council members have other jobs outside of their City Council position.

“We rely so heavily upon you all to collectively give us the information we need to make the decisions that we need to make at a policy level,” Fong said, addressing city staffers.

Fong said that the City Council finds out after the fact that legal memos from the city attorney’s office have been sent to top city staffers but not to council members.

He suggested that the City Council adopt a rule to require that all legal opinions being shown to top staff officials also be sent to council members.

Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said staff did not inform council members about the possible Prop. 218 violations.

“We say we didn’t know about it,” Sheedy said. “We really truly didn’t know about it. And it makes us look like fools.”

Sheedy echoed Fong’s idea, saying the council should receive all legal findings that come out of the city attorney’s office.

“I have a real problem with being left out in the dark and then getting all the blame,” she said.

Read the grand jury report here.

Hanneman’s report can be read here.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council holds tense discussion on utilities funds

2010-01-27T07:05:25Z

The City Council held a contentious discussion Tuesday night about a recent Sacramento County grand jury report that claims the city may have broken state law. The Jan. 6 grand jury report states that the city is not adhering to Proposition 218, a state law regulating city funds.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond made tough remarks to Marty Hanneman, director of the Utilities Department.

“I have no confidence in your cost allocations,” Hammond said.

She expressed the view that utilities monies over the years have not been managed properly.

“We need to come clean and start over,” she said.

Utilites Department spokeswoman Jessica Hess notes that the department will address 10 possible Prop. 218 issues during upcoming budget discussions. A report from Hanneman notes that staff will address the Grand Jury report in March.

Read the Sacramento County grand jury's report on the city’s financing here.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Council reacts to investigation of Natomas building permits

2010-01-27T06:54:39Z

A Sacramento city councilwoman said Sacramento’s municipal government has “gone wrong.” A second councilwoman blamed high-level city staff. And a councilman suggested that the city consider setting up a whistleblower hotline.

During an intense meeting Tuesday night, the Sacramento City Council grappled with an investigation involving the city’s community development department.

Council members wrestled with findings from an investigation into the department’s approval last year of 35 permits in a Natomas flood zone. The investigation was carried out by City Attorney Eileen Teichert’s office and a third-party law firm, Renee Sloan Holtzman Sakai.

In a recent report, the offices of the city attorney and city manager note that the department broke federal rules by approving the permits.

The report also points out several new issues with the building services division of the department. The issues include “potential quid pro quo,” “demolition without CEQA review,” “non-compliance with city’s planning requirements” and “non-compliance with fee-deferral program.”

The City Council unanimously decided Tuesday to move quickly to hire an external auditor to investigate the department.

“This council needs to find out what has gone wrong with city government, and we need to fix it,” Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond blamed the department’s management.

“The problem is the management of the department,” she said.

Councilman Kevin McCarty raised the idea of a whisteblower hotline for the city.

Courtney McAlister, an attorney for K. Hovnanian Homes, the company that received the 35 permits, said there was no “quid pro quo” involving the company and the city. Assistant City Manager John Dangberg made the same comment.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilman Robbie Waters' plans for 2010

2010-01-14T04:36:27Z

Sacramento City Councilman Robbie Waters wants to advance public safety in his district by bolstering neighborhood associations and watch groups. Waters, a former Sacramento County sheriff, said that public safety is his top priority for the year.

The Sacramento Press is publishing a series on the 2010 goals of members of the City Council. Links to stories on other councilmembers’ goals can be found at the end of this story.

Waters represents District 7, which includes the Greenhaven, Pocket and Valley Hi neighborhoods. He is running for re-election in June. His opponents in the race are Darrell Fong, who had a longtime career as a Sacramento police officer, and Ryan Chin, the strategic communications director at California State University, Sacramento.

Patricia Clark, Waters’ district director, spoke on behalf of the councilman in a phone interview Wednesday. Clark said Waters has been working hard to build up neighborhood associations and watch groups. He wants to help make the groups stronger and expand their numbers, she said.

While the district already has many neighborhood groups, there are still parts of the district that are not covered by an association and do not have a neighborhood watch, she said.

Building up neighborhood associations and watch groups “can contribute to making our district a strong community so that criminals will know they will not succeed in our neighborhoods,” according to Clark, who said she was quoting Waters.

Waters’ second highest priority will be the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library, Clark said. The councilman’s office plans to open the library’s doors in September, according to Clark. The 15,000-square-foot library will be part of the Sacramento Public Library system.

Pocket-Greenhaven Library will be located at Sacramento City Unified School District’s School of Engineering and Sciences. It will serve the school as well as the community, Clark said.

She added that efforts are underway to pursue “silver certification” for the library under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

Waters’ third focus of the year will be communicating with residents about programs, resources and events, according to Clark. The councilman’s office frequently updates Waters’ website and communicates with residents through an e-mail list, Clark said. Waters wants to continue those efforts and increase the level of communication with residents, she added.

“We really want all residents to be well-informed of all the resources that are available to them,” Clark said.

Read Councilman Kevin McCarty’s priorities here. Learn about Councilwoman Lauren Hammond’s plans for the year here. Councilman Steve Cohn’s plans for 2010 can be read here.

Photo of Waters by Anthony Bento.
Drawing of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library courtesy of the city of Sacramento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City officials back measure to fight state

2010-01-13T05:38:46Z

City officials are supporting a proposed ballot initiative that aims to ban the state from taking or borrowing local government monies. Mayor Kevin Johnson stood with three city councilmembers and local public safety officials outside City Hall to publicize the initiative in a press conference Tuesday morning.

California is in the process of borrowing $12 million of the city’s tax funds as part of last year’s state budget crisis, according to city finance director Leyne Milstein. By the end of the month, the city will have given that total amount to the state, she said.

Don Cavier, finance director for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, said that the state plans to take $19.6 million from the agency in May and another $4 million next year. SHRA did not give funds to the state last year, Cavier said.

“We’re here basically to say very resoundingly to the state, enough is enough,” Johnson said.

Councilmembers Lauren Hammond, Bonnie Pannell and Steve Cohn appeared with Johnson at the press conference.

Cohn expressed concern that the state might take gas tax funds from the city. State politicians have been saying they may use local gas taxes for non-transportation uses, Cohn said.

“It’s just plain common sense that the gas taxes we pay at the pump should be used to improve road safety by fixing potholes and crumbling roads to relieve traffic congestion and to fund mass transit, such as buses and commuter rail," he said.

Brent Meyer, president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association, urged residents to sign the petition to place the proposal on the November ballot.

“It’s critical for the services that you see every day,” he said. 

Brandon Castillo, a campaign consultant for the group Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services, noted that the proposed initiative would be an amendment to the California Constitution. A constitutional amendment is “the strongest protection” voters can make, he said.

Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, did not respond to a message seeking comment on the proposed initiative by press time.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilman Kevin McCarty's 2010 priorities

2010-01-13T05:21:07Z

Councilman Kevin McCarty wants the city government to make it easier for residents to be environmentally conscious. Environmental programs — one program focused on energy efficiency measures and another on water conservation — are among his top three priorities for the year.

At the same time, McCarty is emphasizing the importance of the city’s looming budget gap. He said the city budget will be his first priority for 2010. City leaders made major cuts to local services when they closed out last year’s $50 million budget deficit.

“The budget is probably the single most important act that we do every year that affects ... the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” McCarty said.

The city should examine possible ways to increase revenues and set up efficiencies and consolidations in order to save money, he said.

While the city should keep public safety as its top budget priority, “we also can’t eviscerate other programs,” he said.

McCarty represents neighborhoods that include Fruitridge Manor, Tahoe Park and Colonial Village. He is running for Assemblyman Dave Jones’ seat against his colleague, Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, and Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson.

McCarty’s second priority for the year will be to advance two of his environmental programs. One of his programs, which received $740,000 in federal stimulus funds in November, would let homeowners and businesses fund energy efficiency improvements at their properties over a period of years. The cost of the upgrades would be charged to participants through their property taxes. McCarty plans to start the program this spring.

In addition, he said he is starting work on a plan to provide residents with incentives to lessen the amount of water they use for landscaping.

“I think that we as a city ought to be helping people do their part,” McCarty said. He noted that he believes in Mahatma Gandhi’s sentiment that people can “be the change” they hope will occur.

McCarty’s third priority will be programs at parks. The San Francisco Giants selected a park in his district, the George Sim Community Center, to receive grant funding, he said. The baseball team is providing money to upgrade the park’s baseball fields, according to McCarty. Sacramento’s Junior Giants play at the baseball fields at the park.

“We’re going to really have these top-notch, brand new baseball fields for a league that I created out there about five years ago,” he said.

McCarty is also working to set up a community garden at Tahoe Elementary School. The community garden could be used by the public when school is not in session, he said. He plans to put funds from cell towers toward the community garden project.

McCarty mentioned that he’s also working to set up parks at the Fruitridge Manor and East Tahoe Park neighborhoods.

The Sacramento Press is publishing a series on the 2010 goals of City Council members. Read about Councilwoman Lauren Hammond’s goals for the year here. Steve Cohn’s 2010 goals can be read here.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond outlines goals for the city

2010-01-10T00:09:54Z

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond has the local economy on her mind. Two of her top three goals for 2010 relate to jobs and business.

Hammond said her top goal for the year will be to seek passage of her initiative to give local companies an advantage over non-local companies when bidding for city contracts. Her other goal related to the economy is to save city jobs and services, which will be her third-highest priority of the year.

Hammond, who represents several neighborhoods including Curtis Park, Hollywood Park and Oak Park, is running for Assemblyman Dave Jones’ seat against her City Council colleague Kevin McCarty. Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson is also running for the seat.

Hammond’s proposal would provide bidding preferences on city contracts for businesses located in the city and county. Under her proposal, businesses located in the city would receive a 5 percent discount on their bids; those in the county would have a discount of 2.5 percent. She said her plan is expected to be discussed later this month at a meeting of the city’s Law and Legislation Committee.

Hammond, as well as councilmembers Sandy Sheedy, Robbie Waters and Kevin McCarty sit on the committee, which examines proposed ordinances. The committee will decide if Hammond’s proposal will be considered by the City Council.

Hammond said she’s making the proposal a priority “because our businesses here in Sacramento aren’t getting business from the city of Sacramento.”

“I just think that is patently unfair,” she said.

Asked if she thinks there are challenges to getting her proposal approved, Hammond said, “I’m sure. This is an election year.” She declined to elaborate.

Hammond said her second priority in 2010 will involve a controversial development proposal in Curtis Park. “I’d like a final resolution on the Curtis Park Village proposal,” she said. “And I don’t know what means: a project that’s completed, or a project that doesn’t get done.”

The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association has frequently objected to the details of developer Paul Petrovich’s plan to build a residential and commercial project in the neighborhood.

The debate over the proposal has gone on for years, Hammond said. A second mediation process over the proposed development will begin soon, she said. “And my hope is, in the end, there will be a product that everyone can support.”

Hammond’s third goal will be to preserve city jobs and services in a harsh budget year. She noted that the city doesn’t have any more revenue than it did last year. “My goal this year is to keep as many jobs as we possibly can," she said, "which will maintain those programs and services that the citizens of Sacramento have grown accustomed to."

She said maintaining public safety will the top priority. “Well, of course, we have to look at public safety first, but all of the jobs in the city of Sacramento are important,” she said.

The Sacramento Press is publishing a series on the 2010 goals of city councilmembers. Read about Councilman Steve Cohn’s 2010 goals here.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Full time City Council? Members weigh in on idea

2009-11-20T06:22:27Z

Two members like the idea. Two are opposed. A fifth thinks it’s not a high priority.

These five members of the Sacramento City Council gave their views Thursday on a recommendation from an advisory group to make the council positions full time. The City Council has nine members because it includes the mayor. Currently, eight City Council positions are part time, while the mayor serves full time.

Councilmembers earn $52,000 per year.

The full-time recommendation comes from the city’s Charter Review Committee. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond asked the committee to study the topic.

Council positions are “full-time work,” Hammond said. Sacramento has become a big city and councilmembers should be able to concentrate full-time on their their jobs, she noted.

And it’s difficult “to go back and forth from one job to the other,” she said.

Hammond’s sole job now is councilmember. She worked for more than two decades as a telecommunications contract administrator for the state Senate.

Hammond said she doesn’t think the idea should be put into effect now because a salary adjustment would be involved.

“I think when the economy gets better -- I think that would be a better time to discuss it,” Hammond said.

Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell also favors the idea, echoing Hammond’s comments that Sacramento’s growth makes being a councilmember a more difficult job. “Several of us already work more than forty hours a week,” she said. Pannell’s sole employment is with the City Council.

Councilmembers Rob Fong and Steve Cohn are opposed to the full-time councilmember idea. “I think for someone like myself, it’s certainly important to be able to have another career,” Fong said. “It’s tough to raise a family on a councilman’s salary.”

He noted, though, that the committee recommends that full-time councilmembers could have outside incomes.

Fong works as a consultant for clients that include the California Democratic Party.

Cohn said he thought it was unnecessary to make the post a full-time job. He said he doesn’t see why there would be a need to “preclude people from having outside interests.” Cohn is an attorney for the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District. In response to a question he said he is SMUD’s “No. 2” attorney.

Councilman Ray Tretheway said the committee’s idea of a full-time City Council is a second-tier issue following other pressing key issues such as the city’s governance structure. He is the executive director of the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Cohn, Hammond, Fong say they didn't know about permit program

2009-11-12T04:53:10Z

Some members of the City Council said Wednesday they were unaware of the permitting program that played a key role in the recent controversy over the Nestlé company’s efforts to set up a water bottling plant in Sacramento.

The city closed down its Facilities Permit Program Oct. 27 during the public debate over Nestlé’s plans. Nestlé’s project was greenlighted through the FPP.

With the FPP, businesses that work with the city on an ongoing basis can receive quick approval for tenant improvements or remodeling of commercial and industrial buildings, said David Kwong, the city’s planning division director.

In the case of Nestlé, the company and its contractors received verbal approval from the city to start construction work. But the company and its contractors did not have a city building permit or “start-work authorization.”

Nestlé has said it followed city laws.

The city attorney’s office recently declared that it is illegal for the city to approve the start of construction for projects that do not have building permits, Kwong said.

Now, Kwong plans to ask the City Council to weigh in on the FPP program. Kwong said city staff will ask the council to let businesses begin work on their FPP construction projects before they receive building permits. However, businesses would need to obtain a written start-work order from the city before they begin work, he said.

He expects to bring the issue to the council in a few weeks.

When city staffers approach the City Council, they will be addressing at least three members who told The Sacramento Press they did not know about the FPP before the Nestlé controversy.

“I definitely am looking forward to this coming back to council,” Councilman Rob Fong said Wednesday. “We’ve not been briefed on this. We didn’t know there was such a program.”

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond had a similar comment. “I knew nothing about it,” she said.

Councilman Steve Cohn said that while he didn’t know about the FPP specifically, he knew the city was taking actions to streamline the building permit process.

While Hammond said she “wasn’t happy” that she was not informed about the FPP, she said she does not believe the mayor and City Council need to know about “every single thing” the city does. She suggested that it would be impossible for the city’s elected officials to know about every item in the municipal government, asking: “How could we possibly [know everything the city government does]?”

She noted that the city has monetary thresholds. If a program exceeds $100,000, it needs to come before the City Council, she said.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this week that the results of the audit of the Community Development Department will be key to his views of the FPP. Johnson, who said the FPP program has been effective, has talked about resuming it, with possible changes.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Sacramento Press staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this story. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council 2010: How to follow the money

2009-11-06T04:53:29Z

It’s election season in Sacramento — do you know how to follow the money in the 2010 City Council campaigns? You can get the scoop on campaign contributions through the city of Sacramento’s Online Campaign Statement System.

The system, which is free and open to the public, provides information on contributions to City Council candidates.

Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno gave tips Thursday on navigating the online system.

In the past, Mizuno said, the public would have to appear in person to request campaign information. “In this case, you can do it at home, at your computer.”

There is a link to the online system at the city clerk’s website under the heading “Elections & Campaigns.” Click on the link titled “Online Campaign Statement System.”

That goes to a page with the following heading: “Welcome to the City of Sacramento Electronic Filing System.” Here, is the “Public Access Portal.”

Click on the “Get Started Now” link at the Public Access Portal.

This will take you to a page with a heading that reads: “Welcome to the City of Sacramento Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure.”At the bottom of this page is a heading titled “Browse Candidates & Measures by Election.”

To learn about campaign contributions for the June 8, 2010 election, click on the plus sign for the heading titled “06/08/2010 Primary Election.” Then, click on the plus sign next to the heading titled “Candidates.” You can now click on plus signs for the four City Council districts.

You’ll see the following candidates for City Council District 1: Angelique Ashby, Lisa Kaplan and Ray Tretheway. The candidates under the “City Council D3” heading are Steve Cohn and Shawn Eldredge.

City Council District District 5 shows seven candidates: Kasey Cotulla, Lauren Hammond, Henry Harry, Terrence Johnson, Patrick Kennedy, Jameel Pugh and Jay Schenirer.

The four candidates listed under the heading for City Council District 7 are Ryan Chin, Darrell Fong, John Puente and Robbie Waters.

You can click on the names of each candidate to learn about their campaign contributions.

For example, if you click on "Angelique Ashby," you’ll arrive at a page that shows the forms Ashby has filed. Ashby is a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with government agencies and businesses.

Click on the word “View” for Ashby’s Form 460. You’ll be taken to a 10-page PDF document that lists her contributors and the amounts they gave. For example, you can read that retired Davis resident Patricia Grafton contributed $1,500 to Ashby’s campaign.

The 460 forms “are the ones you want to watch for,” Mizuno said. “Those are the ones that have detail in them.”

Other critical information on Form 460 includes the candidate’s contributions, expenditures, current cash statement, cash equivalents and debts. For example, Ashby received $10,274 in contributions from Jan. 1 to June 30. Her ending cash balance for that period was $9,220.26.

Five of the candidates don’t have 460 forms in the online system. Mizuno explained that those candidates opened their campaign committee after July 1, which means their deadline for the 460 forms is Jan. 31. Look for 460 forms in January from Darrell Fong, Jameel Pugh, Steve Cohn, Shawn Eldredge and Henry Harry.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor, councilmembers clash over charter committee

2009-11-04T07:11:35Z

Councilmembers clashed with Mayor Kevin Johnson over the usefulness of the Charter Review Committee’s work after the committee presented its final recommendations on city governance Tuesday. Johnson and Councilwoman Lauren Hammond questioned the value of the charter’s work, while Councilmembers Ray Tretheway, Kevin McCarty and Sandy Sheedy called for the 11-member committee to keep working past its deadline so that it can address additional issues.

The 11-member committee is advising the City Council to keep the city’s current council/manager form of government. The committee’s recommendations oppose the strong mayor form of government that would be established if voters approve an initiative in June.

The City Council listened to the committee’s presentation but did not take any actions. After Tuesday’s discussion, it remains unclear if the City Council will decide to try to create an initiative to place before voters.

The committee’s work is planned to sunset in late January, according to Supervising Deputy City Attorney Matt Ruyak.

The City Council had earlier moved up the committee’s deadline for its work on issues relating to the strong mayor issue.

Johnson said the committee’s recommendations offered no substantial policy change. Community members “don’t want to wait” for the committee to continue working on city governance issues. “This is an extension of business as usual from my perspective,” he said.

Hammond also criticized the committee’s recommendations. “It’s basically the status quo with a little tweak,” she said.

Committee chair William Edgar said the committee was willing to stand behind its recommendations even though it did not have enough time to examine further issues including outdated and obsolete provisions of the charter, or topics such at-large city council seats.

Sheedy said the committee should have more time. “I think this is half-done,” she said. “I think you need some more time.” Tretheway also said the committee’s work was incomplete. “It’s just like we opened the book and read the first sentence,” he said.

While the committee supports the current government system, it recommends making two changes. One recommended change would enable the mayor to appoint and fire the city manager. The mayor’s choice for city manager would need to be approved by a majority of the City Council, according to the committee’s recommendation.

The majority of councilmembers must approve the mayor’s decision to fire a city manager, the committee recommends. In addition, a City Council majority would have the power to fire a city manager, according to the committee.

The city manager is appointed by the City Council under the current structure. The City Council currently has the power to fire the city manager.

Another change recommended by the committee would empower the mayor to make policy recommendations for the city’s budget. The City Council would have the power to review the mayor’s policy recommendations, the committee’s recommendation states. Currently, the city manager delivers budget recommendations to the City Council. The committee recommends that the city manager continue to create the budget recommendations that go before the City Council.

Read the committee’s final report here.

By contrast, an initiative will placed before voters in June that would give the mayor much more power than the committee recommends.

Mayor Kevin Johnson and Sacramentans for Accountable Government organized the campaign to put the strong mayor initiative on the ballot.

While the Charter Review Committee made recommendations and Sacramentans for Accountable Government developed an initiative, Sacramento citizens will have the power to decide whether the city changes its government system. That’s because changes to Sacramento’s city charter must be placed before voters.

If Sacramento voters approve the initiative, the mayor would take over the city manager’s duties. He or she would gain many other new powers, including the ability to create the budget and hire hundreds of city staffers.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Mayor clashes with city staff over Nestlé decision-making

2009-10-27T20:12:53Z

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.

Mayor in favor of Nestlé water bottling plant

2009-10-07T16:34:52Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson spoke favorably about the Nestlé company’s planned water-bottling plant and addressed other local issues at his weekly meeting with reporters on Tuesday.

Nestlé water bottling plant

Johnson praised Nestlé’s plan to set up a plant to bottle and sell water from the American River, saying the plant will create jobs.

“I knew that this would bring about 40 to 60 jobs in our community and that’s a good thing,” he said.

Johnson also said he wished he could have been more involved in the process of bringing the plant to Sacramento, but noted that the city manager’s office has jurisdiction on the issue.

But Councilmembers Kevin McCarty and Lauren Hammond disagree. They said they want the City Council to get involved in the issue. McCarty has called Nestlé’s plan “a sweetheart deal.”

Mayor praises “the soup guy”

Johnson had sympathetic comments for Daniel Pont, the owner of downtown’s La Bonne Soupe, who became ill and was hospitalized following the county’s closure of his restaurant. Sacramento County health inspectors cited cockroaches as the reason Pont’s soup and sandwich shop was shut down last week.

Pont plans to reschedule another county health inspection and then open the shop again early nex´t week, Johnson said. “If you have not been [to La Bonne Soupe], I would encourage everyone to go,” Johnson said, referring to Pont as “a treasure in our community.”

Seattle’s public transportation

When Johnson attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Seattle last week, he scoped out the city’s downtown scene. Johnson is observing the downtowns of various cities to gain ideas for revamping Sacramento’s downtown.

He said he admired Seattle’s use of public transportation in its downtown. Johnson pointed out that Seattle’s downtown features buses, a monorail, light rail, a subway system, Amtrak and other transportation methods.

“It just shows you when cities do it right, how pivotal public transportation is and the role of pedestrians,” Johnson said.

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Councilmembers voice concerns over Nestle bottling plant

2009-10-01T03:47:35Z

Two Sacramento city councilmembers are raising concerns and voicing skepticism about the Nestle company’s plan to set up a plant to bottle and sell water from the American River.

Councilmembers Kevin McCarty and Lauren Hammond are advocating for the City Council to get involved in the city’s negotiations with Nestle, which so far have been managed by city staffers.

Nestle Waters North America’s plan to set up shop in Sacramento early next year is drawing attention. A group of citizens created "Save Our Water Sacramento" to oppose Nestle’s plans. The group is calling for the City Council to set a moratorium on beverage bottling plants in Sacramento.

The company noted in a statement that it plans to start operations by bottling 30 million gallons of Sacramento water annually at a Florin/Fruitridge industrial park site. Nestle would buy the water from the city on a yearly basis. But a city staff memo dated Sept. 14 points out a different figure — it says the Nestle plant would use 81 million gallons, or 250-acre-feet of water annually.

McCarty said he is concerned about the project’s environmental impacts and said the proposal sounds like a “sweetheart deal.” He criticized city staff for giving him a “weak response” on the project’s details. He said he’s now going to engage in “further exploration to get to the bottom of this,” adding that he wants to have a thoughtful discussion on whether the project makes sense.

Hammond has also entered the debate, saying that city staffers need to look to the City Council for public policy direction before entering into an agreement with Nestle.

Hammond and McCarty are running against each other for Assemblyman Dave Jones’ seat in 2010.

A Sept. 14 memo from Utilities Department Director Marty Hanneman notes that Nestle’s planned use of 81 million gallons per year is “less than .2 percent of the city’s current demands.” Hanneman said the project does not fall under California Environmental Quality Act requirements.

Assistant City Manager John Dangberg responded to McCarty's criticism, saying that Nestle is not obtaining special water rates from the city. The company would pay the same water rates as any other water user in Sacramento, he said. The company is also going through the permitting process with the same requirements that other entities face, and is not receiving special incentives, Dangberg noted.

The company's proposal meets conditions under city requirements that allow it to apply for a building permit without going through the City Council or the Planning Commission, he said.

Meanwhile, Chris Kemp, Sacramento Plant Manager for Nestle Waters North America, said the company is taking all legally required steps in setting up its plant.

“We look forward to working with the members of the city council to provide them with information about our company and operations as we become an employer and neighbor in the Sacramento community,” Kemp said. "We are complying fully with the permitting requirements of the appropriate city, state and federal governmental authorities.”

Kemp said the public is invited to ask questions about the project at the “Ask Us” section on its website.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Staff Reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report.

Clear Channel may work with city on digital billboards

2009-08-26T05:01:03Z

New digital billboards from Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc., may be placed at city-owned locations if negotiations between the company and the city are successful. The city is pursuing talks with Clear Channel as a way to earn revenue for the cash-strapped city government.

The City Council unanimously decided Tuesday to start negotiations with Clear Channel for digital billboard placement. The city is undergoing severe economic problems and recently laid off 135 employees.

The digital billboards would be placed at the following three spots: the area following the south side of Interstate 80 and east of Northgate Boulevard; the area of Interstate 5 and Richards Boulevard; and near Haggin Oaks Golf Course at Fulton Avenue and north of Business 80 freeway.

Tom Zeidner, a senior project manager with the city’s economic development department, said the city is proposing that for every digital billboard set up by Clear Channel, a minimum of three traditional, non-digital billboards would be removed.

Councilwoman Lauren Hammond suggested that one-half of the revenue from the billboards should be split evenly among the eight council districts, and the other half should go to the city’s general fund.

Details were not finalized Tuesday.

Mel Rapton Honda now leases the location at Fulton Avenue from the city. Clear Channel has talked with both Rapton and city staffers about the proposal.

Two companies responded to the city’s request for proposals for the contract for digital billboard placement. The city selected Clear Channel over CBS Outdoor Inc. Zeidner noted in a staff report that Clear Channel met the city’s requirements more closely than CBS.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City cracks down on code violations

2009-08-19T05:13:07Z

Sacramento City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond did not like what she read on the list.

At Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, Hammond was scanning a list of property owners that owe the city money for fees and fines related to housing code violations.

“There are so many bank-owned properties on this list,” Hammond said.

Banks that have not paid the city for violations at properties include heavy-hitters such as Wells Fargo Bank, Wachovia Bank and Bank of New York. Many properties owned by individuals are also on the city's list.

The city needs to examine how it can require banks to take care of properties in the same way that real estate agents do, she said.

The City Council approved liens on 250 properties for code violations Tuesday. The total amount of the liens is about $500,000.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Hammond wants bid preferences for local companies

2009-08-06T04:04:59Z

Local small businesses may be able to gain an advantage when bidding for contracts with the city of Sacramento if a new proposal by City Councilwoman Lauren Hammond is eventually approved by the City Council.

Hammond is proposing a program in which local small businesses would be eligible for a 5 percent bid preference with the city. The purpose of the 5 percent discount would be to give local businesses a boost in the city's bidding process.

Hammond told The Sacramento Press she would like to create the program because "there aren't enough companies getting contracts with the city of Sacramento." The city's other efforts to bring in more local companies have not worked because city staffers have not reached out of their "comfort zone," she said.

City staffers usually choose the lowest bid for contracts, Hammond said. The 5 percent bid preference would lower a local company's bid, which would make the local company more likely to be selected by the city, she noted.

Under Hammond's proposal, the city would decrease by 5 percent a local company's quote when the company competes for a contract, according to Trevor Walton, a program manager with the city's Economic Development Department.

Right now, Walton is crafting Hammond's proposal. An idea being discussed right now is to use the 5 percent bid preference for bids under $100,000, according to Walton. He expects that the city's Law and Legislation Committee will weigh in on the proposal in September.

The plan will need to be approved by the City Council before it can be established. A date for the City Council to consider the proposal has not yet been selected, Walton said.

The city currently provides a 5 percent bid evaluation preference now to small businesses located in the state, Walton explained. A small business that is also a local business could possibly be eligible for a bid discount of up to 10 percent, but those details have not yet [been] decided, he said.

The city has had bid evaluation preferences for many years, Walton said, noting that the City Council is "very supportive of small businesses." Bid preferences are used in various cities, he noted.

Ingrid Foster, vice president of communications for the Sacramento Metro Chamber, said the chamber had no comment on Hammond's proposal at this point. The Chamber's chief executive Matthew Mahood, as well as a Chamber spokesperson, were not available for comment Wednesday afternoon, Foster said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Firefighters say they will sue city for "unfair bargaining"

2009-06-24T22:16:48Z

Local firefighters are now saying they will sue the city, a day after the City Council decided to lay off 68 firefighters.

The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out a press release Wednesday alleging that city officials have engaged in “unfair bargaining practices.”

The city has "not received or been served with any litigation documents," said acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. " Until such time [that] we are and they are reviewed by the City Attorney we are unable to comment."

Local 522 firefighter and spokesman Chris Harvey expressed frustration with the city’s decision to throw out the latest tentative deal between the two parties. The most recent agreement featured a 5 percent salary cut for firefighters during the 2009/2010 fiscal year. The deal would have also required city officials to not lay off firefighters for one year.

"The city’s rejection of the firefighters' fair and reasonable deal supported by Councilmembers Lauren Hammond and Steve Cohn to take pay-cuts in return for no layoffs clearly shows that the city’s intent all along was to lay off firefighters,” Harvey said in a statement.

An earlier deal between the two groups failed. It included a five-year agreement with pay raises that totaled 11 percent by 2014. In another doomed deal, firefighters would have received small raises in 2010 and 2011, and would have skipped their planned five percent cost-of-living increase.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Vice Mayor questions plan to combine design, planning commissions

2009-05-01T06:52:16Z

Sacramento’s vice mayor questioned the Development Oversight Commission (DOC) Thursday over its plan to combine the city’s design and planning commissions.

The plan has drawn criticism from residents who say that joining the design and planning commissions would put a damper on public involvement. The DOC is an advisory group to the city’s Development Services Department.

At Thursday’s City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond asked DOC members pointed questions about their plan.

She criticized the way the DOC had presented its proposal. “I don’t know if you’ve changed your recommendation completely, but do you feel better knowing that you’ve talked to some of the neighbors? Instead of it coming directly to council without ever having a hearing?” Hammond asked.

Responding to the question, DOC member Darryl Chinn noted that he was one of the commissioners who suggested that the commission meet with neighborhood groups. He said DOC met with many neighborhood associations in the central city and in outlying areas. Each part of the city has a different perspective on how the DOC is doing its job, Chinn said.

“So, with that recent knowledge that we’ve gained, we wanted to take a step back (and) share that knowledge” with the Development Services Department and the City Council, he said.

Hammond said she appreciated the DOC’s decision to take a step back in its process for the proposal.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy praised the DOC, saying it has done a “terrific job of looking at every issue on its own basis.”

DOC members appeared before City Council to discuss the commission’s annual report.

The Development Services Department won an honor last year from the Sacramento Business Journal, the annual report notes.

“Since the DOC’s inception in 2002, DSD has gone through significant organization and cultural change,” the report states. “These positive developments led to 2008’s well deserved recognition by the Sacramento Business Journal as the premier department amongst all local agencies.”

Earlier this week, the DOC addressed its controversial proposal, and its new plan to work with other commissions to brainstorm ideas for efficient city planning. Read the DOC’s April 27 letter to Mayor Kevin Johnson here.

Saving the Oak Park Starbucks

2009-04-22T17:41:53Z

When the Seattle-based Starbucks Corporation decided to shutter its Oak Park store on Stockton Boulevard, it sent shock waves throughout the neighborhood.

The Oak Park coffee shop is more than just a place to grab a cup of Joe; it's a community hang out. Civic groups meet there, art lovers visiting the 40 Acres gallery next door linger during Second Saturday, and it's one of the few places in North Oak Park where neighbors can get together.

Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond, Mayor Johnson, and community activists have been in touch with Starbucks to ask the company to reverse its decision. So far, the corporation isn't budging, saying it needed to close the store (along with more than 400 nationwide) to help its bottom line.

But neighbors aren't giving up. A new effort is being launched today to convince Starbucks to change its mind. Neighbors are hoping to gather 1,000 signatures in the next 24 hours.

Here's the link: http://www.inmycommunity.com/imc_joomla/.

Your Two Cents Matters

2009-03-19T02:59:26Z

On Thursday, I'll be holding my third Town Hall meeting since being elected Mayor a little over 100 days ago. These sessions are designed to let you weigh in directly on the issues facing our city -- whether it's the city budget, the economy, homelessness, or a problem in your neighborhood.

The first two Town Halls each attracted more than 300 neighbors -- an enthusiastic turnout. And while I do some talking, I'm mainly there to listen to you. Yes, your opinion really does matter.

So join me:

Thursday, March 19th
7 - 8 p.m.
Msgr. Kavanagh Community Center (formerly St. Rose Social Hall)
5905 Franklin Blvd.

I will be joined by Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond, who represents District 5.