Newest comments on The Sacramento Press written by Shawn Eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "Red Lotus space might be filled by January"

2011-12-11T01:36:19Z

happy to have the space occupied ( vs the option of it being another empty business space) stoked to have new up and comers enter into restaurant ownership here in midtown sounds like the business model will provide a nice relaxing environment with great food at affordable prices ... I wish them great success and cant wait for it to open

Shawn Eldredge on "Light Up Midtown 2011"

2011-11-29T05:26:06Z

ok well cant help myself but chime in .... lets addres the heart of the article the lighting up of midtown for the holidays has been spoken of for many years amongst the midtown board members ( sorry amber not really her idea) however its a great idea to bring folks down to check out the storefronts all dolled up for christmas along with other holiday light tours throughout our region that being said the mba has been poorly run by the leadership of kerth / zeff and enabled by mr cohn and some other high profile officers however midtown business owners and property owners are strong dynamic people and will conitnue to make midotwn one of the coolest places in the region depsite poor leadership by others

Shawn Eldredge on "Davis and Sacramento: How do they stack up for new business owners? "

2011-11-01T02:07:55Z

having done business in every county and city in the region over thte past couple years I have found they all have their odd little individual positive and negative nuances for sure . I have found one common thread amongst them all and especially during the plan review / entitlement period is that the city of sacramento seems to have very high castle walls and thus it is hard to have dialogue with those actually making decisions vs its neighboring cities and counties ( affecting your project and its timely approval) most other cities and counties give customers better access to those decision makers.. (In all fairness, in a conversation with Ed Short of the city of Sac community development dept. those changes are being made as we converse..). Also mentioned in this article is a small business liason i feel this person whether a chamber member or a city staffer not only makes a new business owner more prepared as they enter into the city departmental maze they also make the city staffers job easier now dealing with a business owner that has a little more knowledge than one entering in blind & un prepared .. i believe a small business liason would save the city money as well as make it seem more business friendly ... and to add to Dales comments toward the neighbors this liason would also guide a new business owner to those neighbor groups etc benefitting all .... sorry for the lack of spell chk etc my .02$

Shawn Eldredge on "Labor council starts 2012 campaign endorsement process early"

2011-10-08T03:43:36Z

Bill Camp is the most powerful man in sacramento politics.. for now.. btw ,, how has that been working for you all? Dont get me wrong I kinda like brother Bill but with the state of sacramento politics today it is definitely time for something different

Shawn Eldredge on "McCarty, Johnson urge utilities audit"

2010-10-17T18:03:04Z

rich, you got it exaclty right, us lunatics ( republicans , independants or otherwise) dont mind paying taxes if they're levied failry and spent responsibly. Hell, I'd be happy to pay more for better teachers, schools, roads, public transportation, street cleaning, senior and youth services, etc. if the money was handled responsibly and with some minor sense of accountability.. Trust must be re established first !! The departmental audits not only should be a regular part of doing business but should have been done by now as the mayor stated in his campaign promises..

Shawn Eldredge on "Golden Bear gets its 15 minutes"

2010-08-27T00:01:31Z

dave , i thought the same thing, wtf? the juicy ,is the bomb

Shawn Eldredge on "Golden Bear gets its 15 minutes"

2010-08-25T04:02:18Z

ok honesty, i did some work in goldenbear and at the new phonoselect store two doors down and otherwise would not have eaten at goldenbear .to my pleasant suprise .. the food at Golden bear is off the hook.. lunch is awsome. I tell folks and they all say they had no idea.. Im tellin you its beyond good they will quickly be one of THE spots to eat. go now while you can say youve already eaten there.. big congrats to all the golden bear staff ..

Shawn Eldredge on "My experience building the Bulls downtown"

2010-07-10T07:57:37Z

there is alot of work to this process which you are embarking... and i would be happy to assist, i also think that now that you have mentioned it online it will be interesting to watch it unfold in or on a public forum . you have my numbers & emails introduce your self to Mr Kooyman if you do not already know him

Shawn Eldredge on "My experience building the Bulls downtown"

2010-07-05T23:20:26Z

i will stop by Sean thanks, i truly enjoy my trade. ( as you may know i made an attempt at running for public office) I have a great passion for assisting small business owners and one of my priorities was to help create a small business advocate department in the city of Sacramento . With the ultimate goal of eliminating the need for a small business owner to not only be a master at his business but a master of maneuvering through the labrynth that is city hall. A check list would be great or an office that could look at your business plan and location then tell you all that would be required to make it happen and the estimated costs associated etc. . DSD does attempt but often seems to be overwhelmed with the particular task in front of them and unaware or unable to see ( or understand) the whole landscape ahead of the human sitting in the chair in front of them . One of the intentions of writing this article ( obviously ia m not a writer) is to bring attention to the stress and difficulty of doing business in our fine city without putting blame on a good group of folks in the DSD

Shawn Eldredge on "Alley restaurant row stalled"

2010-06-27T22:31:41Z

Mr Zeff aside, alley businesses are going to be a part of our future . While in europe last month i was in awe with all the alley shops, restaraunts etc. .Most outdoor seating ( or cafes) were set out and removed daily allowing for trash and even loading and unloading during non peak business hours . During business hours they were still open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. ( btw creating a great series of roadways for bikes and pedestrians free of automobiles) We will be activating alleys throughout the inner city over time and like all "change" we just need to learn to accept and adapt. Additonally while overseas i noticed that the business owners were responsible for their own streetscapes ( litter pick up & overall cleanliness) It was so refreshing to see the shop owners out there everyday sweeping cleaning etc. almost like a regular neighborhood or community with members who truly cared about the appearance of thier home or place of business... imagine .

Shawn Eldredge on "Cultivating a healthy comment ecosystem"

2010-06-25T00:30:25Z

i want to say thank you for TOS change I amongst many others did not feel safe commenting on the site after being abused by bbbmer (election season or not )all should be allowed to comment respectfully and without fear of attack . Discourse is wonderful and the intelligent discourse on this site is to be commended. I expect bbbmer to return under a different ID and look fwd to more of his comments under the new TOS and hope this will encourage more to participate in the discourse of our cities issues. ( and thank you for the spell check) shawn eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "Supply, Demand and Midtown Parking"

2010-06-21T02:42:25Z

did i miss the part about after hours enforcement etc. that prevents the invasion into neighborhoods. i am all in for the direction of parking funds to amenities etc. ( downtown partnership already gets a sliver of parking funds to be directed back into the district and its improvements) Additionally based on MBA previous record of taking care of neighbors it will be critical to keep an eye on what happens to ensure the funds are leveraged for maximum benefit to all stakeholders I also agree with Mr Julian my suburban friends whine about parking as they are amateurs. However, with improved amenities and educational signage etc.that funding would create. They will stil come (midtown /dowtown kicks ass)

Shawn Eldredge on "District 3 candidates discuss top priority topics"

2010-05-23T17:47:37Z

yes, i assume they know who i am as i have stated it multiple times on my replys. I avoid writing on sac press as it seems many who write here cant express their opinons politely thus it becomes unsafe to share personal opinons. The Sac High , no dwntwn highschool issue has been discussed randomly . The feeling is that John Raymond has a clue and we will give him a chance to make it right. Additonally, there is a chance there will be some schools consolidated thus we want to see where things shake out before making plans to take back Sac High ( which would be my thought transferring st hope to a smaller campus) or use a newly emptied property for a inner city highschool. ( I as do many rightfully upset parents, know it is way overdue, and there are alot of political forces involved who do not have the best interest of the inner city kids at heart).. I am a student of campaigns obvioulsy. It is my experience that most voters do not read much nor do they attempt to educate themselves beyond their fixed beliefs.. so i would say no to your question/statement. There are many ghost writers out there pumping up their candidate or issue. I feel the Bee is a joke they educate themselves yet make endorsements of politicians who obviously represent special interests or have proven themselves to be ( non truthful). Even many of our resident activists who are regulars here did not attend forums or hear candidates discuss issues with other candidates At this point I am sad to state the voters will get what they deserve. I dont know when or what it will take to change the political landscape.. It is very dificult for anyone who has to work a regular job to eat to run a competetive campaign in todays poltical environment.. I do believe there are some real , well intentioned candidates on this ballot , I dont think they will win but i am hopeful. I will end this note with one statement. Governance is not a strategic game of who can raise the most money or place the most signs, it is about human lives and every decision made by our leaders affects us all , thus our decisions in the polling booth are imperative to all human kind . ... Shawn Eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "District 3 candidates discuss top priority topics"

2010-05-23T00:15:08Z

Marion, the forums ( four of them to date) have all had education related questions and i have mentioned in all of them that there is no public highschool for east sac and midtown children .Additonally, the topic of education and the importance of our youth is typically a question to be addressed by all the candidates in the forums. It is a shame more of the active residents have not attended the forums. They are always the best place to see and hear how a candidate handles him or herself on the spot. The League of Women Voters does a great job in facilitating them. The LOWV had one televised forum and it was probably the toughest as they restrict the response time the most which makes it difficult to express an opinion or thought but none the less they were all good . I do not know of any remaining. It is a shame that voters will be making their decisions based on mailers ( mostly produced with lots of oversight etc.) and other not very or detailed facts ( i.e. lawn signs or prepared comments by phone bankers)

Shawn Eldredge on "Ashby and Eldredge Ready for the Rigors of Serving on City Council"

2010-05-13T01:17:20Z

I appreciate Ms Connors words. I hope unlike some of the other commenter’s here that all readers etc. on sac press have had the chance to speak with me or attend one of the few candidate forums I have spoken at ( check out my website www.shawneldredge.com or even contact me for coffee etc.). I am very much looking forward to the next version of a charter review commissions suggestions or SMI proposal . I also assume it will be a better chosen group then the last politically biased group last assembled. I have attended the charter review committee meetings of the past and heard several strong mayors speak from around the country . Both Mr Hickenlooper of Denver , Willie Brown and the now ex strong mayors of New Mexico & Fresno were quite convincing . I like the idea of being able to choose the best and brightest of the private industry to head departments and kill the era of consensus without action in city hall that has plagued our city for many years. I also like the idea ( as I am a self employed human and have been all my life as well as my father ) of being able to hire and fire as needed when I am the accountable one in charge. As much as I love sac press for its great coverage of so many different subject matters. I struggle with the abuse of others opinions (if you cant say something nice don’t say anything at all ) I know there will be bashing, thus I don’t participate often in dialogue on Sac Press. I did want to clarify I was not a supporter of the original SMI , especially the way for which it was subversively forced down the throats of voters or attempted to be . However, I do feel a strong mayor type governing body is the best for moving Sacramento forward and have high hopes for a version we can all rally behind. May I also suggest that if you do not agree with me which is your prerogative , that in lieu of bashing my opinion that you just not vote for me. And I will promise not to bash on your opinion either.

Shawn Eldredge on "Lite Brite shows shine"

2010-05-01T15:46:34Z

these guys are one of the best in town right now without a doubt their stage presence is huge , their sets are tight , The music kicks ass. I can see them playin to huge audiences soon thanks for the article i wish them safe travels on thier upcoming tour and i know we will be seeing lots more of them in the near future if youve never seen them you gotta catch them live the bigger the stage the better these guys are definitely keeping rock n roll alive and well!

Shawn Eldredge on "Press release: Chief of Police in running for Seattle job"

2010-04-27T01:05:20Z

I was saddened by the news he may be leaving . The chief has been a pleasre to work with and is a great representative of hte bright young officers working under him. I wish him the best and yet hope he stays

Shawn Eldredge on "Fine-tuning underway for Second Saturdays"

2010-04-04T17:17:37Z

whatever it has become,it is a good event for our city and one of the iconic events for residents and visitors . I agree it is imperative to focus on enforcement of parking, public intoxication laws and traffic mitigation. However, I do think it is imperative we do not attempt to do much more or control what it looks like . Its organically evolved into what its attendees want it to look like,and based on the popularity of the event, it is good .We as a city need to be better at enabling street festivals in general i.e. New Years eve, cinco de mayo , st pattys day , Amgen and the like, especially in this unstable economy . I believe strong city leadership and fair enforcement of existing laws, mitigating the negative impacts on residents. Will result in the growth and promotion of Sacramento as a city of festivals. I d love to see the Heritage music festival return to our city as well as the old open air markets of the past.Including the additon of more sporting events in the streets of our city . We can have both, quality of living for our residents and an exciting vibrant city . It just takes work . Work, well worth doing.

Shawn Eldredge on "Sheedy, McCarty ask if city can collect unpaid developer fees"

2010-04-02T00:35:55Z

i think you should check who the campaign contributors are . You will see they are unions more so then developers . Yes,there are both. However, I believe you will find the union interests are greater contributors and in more control then the developer interests. I believe the balance is the opposite of your 5/9ths description.. Either way, neither have the best interests of the people in mind and our council needs to remember that the unions nor the developers actually vote. On my soap box ; we have to retain the power ourselves by voting out those members who are only out to get re elected vs doing what is right for our city and its people. ( i believe they all need time back in civilian life to remember what its like out here)

Shawn Eldredge on "Marine Corps Veteran Enters District 9 Assembly Race "

2010-03-21T02:58:26Z

i have met & met with, Mr Redding and found him to be a great representative of his community , works in the education system of the neighborhood he and his family grew up in , he has a passion for the school and the students he works with and in his community. .. its a shame there are those that will put his political affiliation in front of their good judgement. www.shawneldredge.com

Shawn Eldredge on "The Picture of Change"

2010-03-11T00:12:44Z

very nice thanks rhonda

Shawn Eldredge on "Building industry balks at city's fee proposal"

2010-03-08T18:50:14Z

tamie, the fees are also on infill development as well it will hurt all development not just suburban crap.. additionally other cities are waving fees to stimulate development ( read my first post) i do not disagree with funding transportation through development.. however ,lets be sure we are implementing with the return of the economy.. Additionally lets be sure we are funding the right projects(i.e. transit before highways) and not just putting cal trans workers to work concernin tattoo parlors, marijuana dispenseries or bars . the market determines all that (hell, yogurt shops) the market will determine what survives or doesnt.. please dont attempt to control retail or small business through govt regulation or all small business will disappear

Shawn Eldredge on "Thousands of jobs coming soon to the Railyards"

2010-03-06T17:09:59Z

Dale if I remember correctly the tracks had to be moved to facilitate frieght lines as the current track bend was too sharp and didnt facilitate large trains/ cars etc. ??? & if we were to increase or even continue use of the heavy tracks that it was a "have to" . I am sure someone else on this thread remembers this during the many stakeholder meetings of the past..?

Shawn Eldredge on "United Football League Bringing Professional Football to Sacramento"

2010-03-05T02:25:34Z

jim the teams may have failed financially but the games were sold out ,fans packed the stadium/arena ( the canadian "surge" as well the arena "attack") the games were good family fun . I am thrilled to have another option besides the high priced ( for good seats) Kings and river cats baseball both of which i love .. I will be there for sure ... see you in the hot dog line!!

Shawn Eldredge on "Kerridge says goodbye to development commission, comments on Bill Thomas' resignation"

2010-03-04T08:01:04Z

william it is critical the DOC is filled with folks who have a clue about development ( duh ) who else could be on a "development " over sight commission . this group is far from "developers" ( except maybe brian :-) additionally, i said nothing about staff breaking rules or the acts that happend in the natomas or even nestle it makes me sad you do not understand the DSD environment i would love to let you spend a week with me ( a little baby builder of things) to truly feel the effects of a polarized staff on a small business person or builder etc. your defensiveness and accusatory tone towards this group saddens me as you are a great mind in our city yet this group of folks from DOC , DSD staff and those that use DSD are not the enemy and they need help to get things built or improved etc. not hinder. i would like to have more conversation with you offline ( definitely a less combative feeling conversation) about this issue

Shawn Eldredge on "Kerridge says goodbye to development commission, comments on Bill Thomas' resignation"

2010-03-04T00:50:03Z

amen brother rich (punn intended) just check the contribution logs & see who is running this town today

Shawn Eldredge on "Kerridge says goodbye to development commission, comments on Bill Thomas' resignation"

2010-03-03T21:52:53Z

william my friend the lay offs are not the reason it is so dificult to get permits from DSD DSD staff is terrified to make a decision on their own after what has transpired at city hall ask someone who actually pulls permits and vivian, my friend as well (savemidtown) the DOC is not made up of developers ( some are , most are not ) agreed their affectiveness has varied but there are some great folks there ( as well your neighbors) that made the right recommendations to council and council chose their path your anger should be directed at council for not doing its job , council knew what was going on ...

Shawn Eldredge on "Building industry balks at city's fee proposal"

2010-03-02T14:56:17Z

This is going to take a lot of stakeholder discussion before it can go forward. Issues such as the actual projects the funds are earmarked for i.e. there are HOV lanes in there, new interchanges etc. ( highway projects traditionally not funded by city funds) Additionally, there will need to be a phasing in of the new fees as there aren’t any projects being built as there is no money to build anything . Other cities whose fees on paper are higher yet they are scrambling to lower them and add incentives to assist in economic recovery. I heard of attempting to find a matrix or economic indicator to tie the fees to. ( as the economy slowly recovers the fees could be slowly phased in ) Additionally the some of comments from the BIA were valid . Shouldn’t we look at all the fees to determine if they are appropriate as some of the fees were established pre economic melt down and some are outdated . I personally would like to see the percentages adjusted . With less money going to highway funds and more to transit. I asked the question and from DOT got a" they cant be any lower , we are already pushing the percentages now" . But during the presentation there was mention of San Francisco looking to implement such a plan where the percentages were almost reversed nearly 75% going to transit and the balance to highways just wanted to start the flurry this morning ( the full report is on the city site ( sorry for not attaching it )

Shawn Eldredge on "MAAP executes plan to enter court protected bankruptcy. Reorganization fosters plan to rebuild after Clinic investment challenges MAAP’s finances"

2010-02-20T20:26:52Z

MAAP is a great organization in its mission and i hope this reorganization will allow it to continue in its altruistic mission

Shawn Eldredge on "Hard Rock Cafe To Close Next Month"

2010-02-20T20:16:41Z

Any business leaving the city, especially in our most desperately in need K street, is a bad thing . I find it interesting that we didnt know it was coming . Subsequently concerns me that there wasnt a better relationship with the corporate mother ship of Hardrock. William, i saw many shows there throughout the years and like many live venues there hasnt been a turnout to justify the security expenses that accompany the current entertainment permit requirements. I agree with the comments above that there is never a problem only opprtunities, yet, I also believe there is a lesson to be learned about the urgency or importance of retaining our current businesses as well.

Shawn Eldredge on "How Much Would You Shave To Save A Life? St. Baldrick's Day 2010 in Sacramento"

2010-02-14T19:12:08Z

Ditto Henry we applaud you and your famlies efforts here . Not only is the St patircks day event you have created a wonderful event for sacramento . You are continuing & expanding your families tradition of giving back to those in need . It is a priveledge to participate in this years event & i have high hopes for our fundraising efforts as well !!!!! hey sonny i bet i raise more than you.. I am expecting to get some big develpoer money out there the day of so you better get working on raising them funds young man

Shawn Eldredge on "Signs of Soul in Oak Park halted "

2010-02-12T22:54:29Z

I am always leary of posting my opinon on sac press afraid of being attacked by my own neighbors. Especially while I am running for city council . However, I am not sure why this was even news worthy. Everyday in the city of sacramento small business owners have to jump through hoops or (comply with well intended codes and regulations) that many business owners are either unware of or not expertise enough in that arena to deal with properly and additionally already financially stressed to the point that they cannot afford to pay someone who does know how to navigate the waters of city hall efficiently. Deanna has spoken to me about the need for a small business advocate position that should be a non partial entity in the city to assist with such matters ( yes the old soul folks have friends in the city and political environment that do assist them when they run into an issue like this sign event) but daily there are many well intending small business owners with no help at all and despite popular belief there is a "guess again & gotcha" feeling one gets while dealing with the city ( especially as of late ) rather then a "lets help you through this process" . The guess again feeling actually drives business owners to want to do things illegally knowing that it will cost them lots of money and time to attempt to navigate the difficult city hall waters alone .. This is a huge issue for us all, as us as residents dont benefit from the dollars generated by projects and businesses. As owners would rather do business elsewhere (folsom roseville etc. due the the difficulty of doing business here. There is so much more to be discussed here but as someone who does business with and works with many others attempting to do business in the city they all need to be recognized for the pain they go through to do business in our city. I ask all of those contributing here to work on solutions for the common good of all rather then to just poke from the sidelines . we need small business to flourish and feel welcomed in our city ( kinda like "it takes a village to raise a child" ) It takes village to make a city whole and complete

Shawn Eldredge on "Thank you City Manager Ray Kerridge"

2010-02-02T18:06:24Z

I am so glad you met with him rhonda ( and he with you ) i also find him an insightful human and value his presence in our city

Shawn Eldredge on "The Midtown Holiday Ice RInk"

2009-12-21T03:17:48Z

the place has been off the hook fun all weekend great stuff ( ok i admit it , i love watching people be goofy and the falling is fun too )

Shawn Eldredge on "2010--A transitional year upward for our economy "

2009-12-21T03:15:13Z

i have spoken with many developers from outside the area ( LA area, Bay area, and even our locals who also build in Folsom Roseville etc.) and they all have said prior to fpp program Sacramento has been the hardest to get through the system from initial plan submission to permit issuance ( they all have to meet the same building codes in the end). As well as design review , zoning admin hearings etc. Then there is our lack of commitment in the city as as general direction ( or that cheesy word " vision" ) is concerned , How many K street mtgs. have been held without action , arena , I-5, Broadway ,bus depot, river front ,Mo Mohanna ,towers , etc, etc, with no action. Honestly I don’t know all the details on why other cities are " more business friendly " than Sacramento. especially in the development services area. ( i am looking into the details of their development services departments vs ours ) I do know that clear & honest communication within our various departments ( EDD, SHRA, Mayor & Council, etc) .is critical. Political posturing & self interest cannot be more important than the good of the city ever ! It is clear that political self interest and posturing has crippled our city . Its in these tough times that we have no choice but to demand better & the best tool is our vote Shawn Eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "Pet Photos with Santa - in Midtown"

2009-12-19T19:50:37Z

yay !!!! love this i dont think my shepherd will fit on santas lap but im willing to try if santa is great stuff Christa thanks

Shawn Eldredge on "City seeks completion of partially build homes in flood zone "

2009-12-19T06:16:28Z

Thank you so much for the follow up, on this issue. do we have any update on the status of Dan Waters & Bill Thomas who were placed on leave as a result of this issue?

Shawn Eldredge on "City Council votes to challenge 2nd Amendment"

2009-12-16T18:57:22Z

I was very disappointed in the councils decision last night . I am sure we have better things to be focused on.. maybe a guns for toys/or cash drive..?

Shawn Eldredge on "Council District 3 $100,000 Christmas Giveaway"

2009-12-16T00:36:47Z

i will be at council tonight for this item

Shawn Eldredge on "City's ill-conceived utility code encourages scavenging, marginalizes Homeless."

2009-12-06T02:43:46Z

i am thrilled with this article ( mostly with the positive discourse that has taken place , by far one of the best i have ever read on sacpress !!!) my two cents .. i also agree with eliminating the crv in the inner city or totally.. this was my belief from the start ( we as humans seem to be good recyclers now after years of training) then as i read the comments i saw natalies conclusion and was happy to see some concurrence.. Jessica could you elaborate on how the money recieved from selling recyclables offsets rates.. is the money recieved based on crv or raw materials??? thanks , (still in need of sp.chk) Shawn Eldredge ( jessica i will probably be asking you more ??'s concerning this subject as i despise the scavenging )

Shawn Eldredge on "PART I - Sacramento City “Green” Waste Proposal Selectively Punishes Central City Residents "

2009-12-06T02:15:31Z

Bill , Shawn here , Your referrence to me and Mr cohn in this note is inappropriate. I am sure Mr Cohn would be as offended by your comment as I. This forum is for productive commentary . The personal attacks against individuals are not productive and will create division rather than solutions. Dale has obviously taken great care in the preparation of this article , both he and the subject matter deserves real discourse as it affects all residents of the city . I personally agree with Dale on this subject.As an inner city resident i love the ability to pile my green waste in the street as well, shutter at thought of the cities falling leaves going un collected ( as many residents will not voluntarily pick them up) I also agree that there are parts of the city that do not deserve to have to pay for street pick up / cleaning etc. when they dont need or recieve the services . There needs to be a comprehensive study on individual neighborhoods, additionally the Utility department , who wants to raise our rates further ,needs to be audited & overhauled (publicly) so we as rate payers can decide what services we are either willing to pay for or live without. Dale who or how was this comittee created ? I heard nothing of a comittee ? did they ask or consult with you or anyone you know ?... lots of questions & i will see you @ council (still in need of sp. chk.) sincerely Shawn Eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "Holiday decorations at Winn Park"

2009-11-23T03:01:25Z

there was a time when all midtown poles got decorated ,, maybe sometime soon this can happen again. thanks to the work of many winn park neighborhood association members throughout the past 6 or 7 years these poles have been decorated ..its a very nice tradition to see continued... it was a nice time with my neighbors..

Shawn Eldredge on "Midtown ice rink opens "

2009-11-20T21:16:20Z

yes the Midtown Business Association and its members plus sponsors are footing the bill. We expect to bring 30+ thousand people down to midtown throughout the holdiay period to enjoy the rink as well as our great retail establishments that surround it ...please come and bring a friend

Shawn Eldredge on "City Council informed of permit program in 2006"

2009-11-17T18:02:49Z

fallacious?? (are you saying i am lying?) The two build outs under the program were at the marrs bulding ( top culture yogurt and ash yoga) ( also if you watch the council presentation from april 2006 , Mr Nunan gave a detailed description of the program..) also there was a news letter sent out by the DOC (every two months) to all staff and council i am looking at one dated august and september of 2007,which has a detailed article about the FPP program. I dont know why this is considerd a secret .. If anyone is building things in this city or involved in building things in this city they know about the FPP program .. This discussiomn should be about how the city staff and its electeds communicate about things happening in thier district etc. Attacking a program that is working does not address the issue surrounding the Nestle project. Now the discussion should be about how our electeds behave when faced with doing their jobs. When permits arent issued , or work is prevented from starting, people arent working ,things arent being built & we all suffer.. ( this has nothing to do with the environmental impact of bottling plants for which there are many here in sacramento) bbbmer have you ever stated your name ? still in need of spell chk Shawn

Shawn Eldredge on "Cohn, Hammond, Fong say they didn't know about permit program"

2009-11-14T03:47:56Z

april 25th 2006 it was prensented to council in the annual doc report and to truthbtold below panatonni who ishte contractor has a record with the city

Shawn Eldredge on "McCarty: Questions must be answered"

2009-11-14T03:41:07Z

bbbbmer dude check out april 25th 2006 in black and white

Shawn Eldredge on "Cohn, Hammond, Fong say they didn't know about permit program"

2009-11-12T05:13:36Z

I was told by a member of the Develpoment Oversight Comittee that they briefed the council on the FPP almost 18 mos ago . I wil do some research to confirm.

Shawn Eldredge on "City staff seek building code changes"

2009-11-12T04:21:16Z

so many topics mentioned above,, i am sorry i havent checked back on this thread sooner. I assume everyone knows who i am ( should never assume) I also do not see where i have taken a shot at a candidate (being one myself) . I have built two small projects myself under the FPP program . It allows builders to proceed without waiting for the long plan review process which if youve been to city hall recently you would know is taking forever . Under the fpp project you still have to meet state code requirements , you still fall under normal inspection schedules and the city bills you not only based on standard permit fees but also for inspector and plan review time .If it is a long project with lots of changes etc. the builder pays .If you build something that the city decides through their wisdom is outside code limits then you have to fix it at your expense etc. ( it is an "at risk process" to proceed prior to final plan review). I also know the city actually gleans their records and will re bill if they find hours they may have missed etc. . I also know staff notified Mr Mc Carty of the project early on .(months prior to the council mtg) This is mostly politics goin on here not developer & staff corruption.! please see this. I am not aware of projects too large slipping through (facilities permit program is intended for large projects with on going smaller projects within them ). All the projects i am aware of have had to meet all state building codes and have to pay all the many appropriate fees. I want all of you to know that when a permit is not issued or the city drags a project through weeks of beauracracy . People are not working . Money is not being spent but lost. Peoples lives are affected. Our city was getting people to success as the sign says . This is not the case today. Today people are getting angry and losing precious dollars. The staff is short handed (thus,my wanting dan and bill to get back to work ,they are getting paid they should be working) and afraid to make a decision . We need to make things happen (nothing to do with nestle) in this city not find ways to stop things . What we need to do is stop playing politics and start running the city !! Politicians are playing games at the expense of the city .. Shawn ( still in need of spell check) Eldredge

Shawn Eldredge on "City Council likes idea of Capitol Mall makeover"

2009-11-12T03:05:03Z

I do believe there is a lack of focus and priotization here. Lets be sure we are focusing our efforts effectively . This is a great project and looking at it is appropriate . Obvioulsy we have more pressing issues.

Shawn Eldredge on "City staff seek building code changes"

2009-11-10T19:54:42Z

As someone who has built projects under the FPP program i hope it is re instated quickly . Its not as if anyone gets to subvert code or fees under the FPP program . It just assists in avoiding long expensive delays during the plan review process. As well I agree Stella we need Dan and Mr. Thomas back on the job. Additionally the council was briefed on the FPP program by the Development Oversight Commission aprox two years ago. ( were hey not paying attention then ?) Also it is my understanding staff brought the nestle project to the attention of Kevin Mc Carty months ago.. (must be an election cycle). I hope any future developers or other fortune 500 companies arent running away from sacramento as we speak.. We have to get better. Please dont mis construe.. Sacramento should also implement a bottling company ordinace of some sort to protect both our city resources as well our environmnet. However , it should not be handled as poorly as this event was.

Shawn Eldredge on "Change is in the wind for your lawn piles"

2009-11-07T17:24:06Z

AS one who is working to initiate a PBID funded street sweeping program and keep our Midtown streets cleaner ,it is so true that folks seem to think it is ok to throw garbage into the green waste pile .If we were to elimante them all together it would leave our streets cleaner throughout the city .. .. But i am spolied and i love putting my green waste in the streets... id be willing to pay the city a little more ( a little more) to pick it up and pick it up properly.. good morning dale ..

Shawn Eldredge on "City Council 2010: How to follow the money"

2009-11-07T17:19:28Z

This should be offline jim & the beholding factor does vary amongst council members some worse than others but there is a woman in the south area that has done a great job being integris with her district. and her contributors. ( i cannot say she is the only one as that would be inappropriate & possibly not true )..

Shawn Eldredge on "Change is in the wind for your lawn piles"

2009-11-07T17:12:15Z

this is so complicated, lets talk about this ..1st did you know that every city resident pays a fee for street sweeping even if there particular lot isnt swept for which there are many . ( its a small fee of $1.35 up to 2.something) still, thats not fair .. Then there is the parking issue they arent sweeping in all areas and now they arent sweeping as often depending on the routes and yet there is still a parking restriction for which they are enforcing ( handing out expensive tickets) Then there is the safety issue for bicyclists who have to negotiate the tree & lawn clipping hazards for longer periods ( on those streets that actually have bicycle lanes)... Then there is me .. I think the ability to put my lawn clippings in the street is one of those little sacramento things i love, kinda like a sacramento exclusive novelty of sorts( i would say, like our ,,no water meters in the city for ever,, ordinance that no longer exists) .. Now lets talk about the money .. the department of utilities if you ask them will tell you they needed a 16% increase in rates to maintain services not the 10 that was just approved.. thus a debate over whether or not they are good stewards of the money to begin with ( do we trust that they needed the 16% or do we think they are just another wasteful poorly run city department?? thoughts on this ?) so . i love the ability to put my waste on the streets, However if they cant afford to pick it up efficiently then we better put it in a container ( bigger more efficient space savers for apartments) and remove all the dam parking restrictions and the sweeping fees ...hmmm does that mean the utility dept will still need more money if we eliminate the fees,parking revenue and the service or can we raise the fee a small amount and regain the service? as an elected official i woudl like to offer the choice we raise the fees ( and possibly the rates)a small anmount and keep the services and improve them or we raise the rates to comphensate for the fees and parking revenues disappearing and lose the service.? what did i miss..as i am sure i missed something..:-) cheers & yes i know ,i desperately need spell check here

Shawn Eldredge on "A Fabolous night at Azukar"

2009-11-07T16:48:34Z

thank you so much for this article , honestly azukar has been a little off my radar . not to mention avalon ( although i know & like jason and ernesto, the owners ) I concisder myself a sac music fan and yet have not seen a show at either location ... I believe its now time to stretch my music adventure to include these shows it sounds like it was a good one.. & snoop dog ???? really ? Is sacramento reaching some higher level of prominence amongst this genre?

Shawn Eldredge on "City Council 2010: How to follow the money"

2009-11-07T04:20:05Z

contribuitons can be deceiving. btw PACS can give 5k , individuals max @ 1500. Pacs can give to multiple candidates as well as individuals. So you will see an individual give to multiple candidates in the same race to hedge their bets or cover themeselves. In some cases they may like an underdog but have to support the favorite. Also it is very early and many things can and will happen btwn the first reporting and the primary . The saying in old school political circles " if you cant take their money and vote against them you shouldnt be in politics" is very true . In the same breath many contributors have long memories and wont give to a candiate if their life depends on it .. many Unions have multiple secs and are divided, one candidate will get some and one will get another.. the true test is how the candidate behaves in office not who they take money from, i could give you examples but that would be inappropriate ( especially for a candidate like myself) :-) Just to say that there are politicians in your city that take money from all sides and arent beholding to anyone .. as well there are those that are truly are beholding to their contributors ( getting re elected is the most importand thing vs doing whats right .) term limits!!!! campaign reform needs to happen in our lifetime , instant runoff voting, no "paid for" signature gatherers , reforming public campaign financing laws... more folks need to read & vote.. voting ,is our check and balance system.

Shawn Eldredge on "Old Ironsides 75th Anniversary celebration"

2009-11-04T02:55:00Z

As a sacramento music scene addict i loved seeing out of town and local band photos in the press with the old ironsides neon in the background... i miss magnolia thunderfingers skid jones truckin acorss the bar with shit on fire.. packed sex 66 shows okra pickles and kai kln seems like yesterday happy birthday & thank you OLD I .. & thanks for the article recognizing one of sacramentos finest landmarks

Shawn Eldredge on "City halts Nestlé work "

2009-10-27T15:19:59Z

i spend alot of time in the building department (save midtown ) & your statement is misinformed good morning

Shawn Eldredge on "Stepping Out In Midtown: Beyond the Valet of the Dilettante"

2009-10-27T03:42:45Z

some tidbits or food for thought . many of the private lots that are bieng under used do not meet proper standards(city surface parking lot ordinance) to be used by the public , ( less restrictive for valets use ) & the cost is prohibitive to make them meet the ordinacne ( lighting , landscaping , water drainage etc... as far as the crime comment , i believe marion and you mentioned the solutions along the way (as did MBA's hospitality zone study) make it safe !! light it , increased directional signage , increase patron knowledge, If it is percieved to be safe there will be mroe market driven alternative activities in the inner city , theatre , arts family oriented retail etc. clean and safe is the best marketing tool ever... & on a truly environmental note if we continue to enable cars people will never take public transit, nor invest in it... ( btw i am a big advocate of creating free inner city transportation as in other similar cities. I believe this will help business & its employees, lower dui arrests, free up valuable parking,keep loud patrons out of the neighborhoods etc. etc. )

Shawn Eldredge on "Discussion grows over Nestle water bottling plant"

2009-10-27T03:19:27Z

is there an option that would keep nestle and its economic impact in sacramento?. & as Kevin said above, could there be some requirements put on them that will limit the impact on our water supply ( gallonage limit as mentioned and increased water rates for resale purposes) How about a bottle charge to assist in the recycling efforts or the develpoment of biodegradable bottles? And may i say this should have been dealt with well prior to Nestle spending millions on building improvements.No wonder businesses go to rancho cordova. We need to act quickly on these types of issues or business growth will continue to happen elsewhere. Iam sure we are not the only city to have this conversation..

Shawn Eldredge on "A 10-Step Plan To Fix K Street, Or: The Legend of the Skyscraper Fairy"

2009-10-12T05:41:10Z

there is a lot of good stuff here william... & obviously alot of time put into the article. I walked down K street thursday eve from (9th towards midtown) and was pleasantly surprised how nice and alive it was.. thinkin that the need is from 9th west more so than east.(dominated by greyhound and westfield). Another thought or reminder is that all business and development is market driven and as long as the market is better somewhere else then investors ( business owners) will go somewhere else ..unless motivated by subsidies ( not all are a bad thing & investment by the city could be considerd good economic development practices)... Keep writing william ,, all good things start with a conversation

Shawn Eldredge on "Police respond to weapons incident"

2009-10-12T01:55:01Z

Rhonda thank you for the response i would like to echo her comments it was a great second saturday in the city.. I do empathize with any resident who has a negative experience with a stupid person no matter the location. I can ussure you the PD has no desire to eliminate the entertainment venues in the city . ( Just the irresponsible humans, for which there are many laws in place to enable that to happen)

Shawn Eldredge on "A CITY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE"

2008-12-27T03:48:44Z

hi yall i am glad to see Mr. Johnson is actively engaging the community . I am concerned that a large protion of his staff ( i have read the list) are attorneys. Not as many actual normal everyday worker types as i would like .. I am also concerned about the rest of council as they seem to be almost disengaged as if they dont feel a part of the new machine running the city . Note< I am not a real fan of how council has run in the past. Yet it is still the basis for how our city governement works , ( we vote for a representative & he or she in turn makes sure our ( community ) needs are met. Kevin , Please see that our council is engaged as much as you and your staff is ( as they are who we elected) not your staff... thnx S

Shawn Eldredge on "Midtown "Night Life" Issues Meeting: Tough Questions Untouched"

2008-12-15T17:50:10Z

i must agree that residents are the cure for K street and downtown. Thus equally that is why midtown has done so well , ( thanks to the hard working long time midtown residents who made it a better place to live) oddly enough these are now the same residents who are having so many issues with the success that midtown now has. I read somewhere above about an assesment dist. should be formed... It has been formed and the fruits of those dollars have yet to be seen but they will come . Added (private )security on the streets, navigator programs for the homeless, future lighting deals with the Sutter folks ( comitted to 24 new acorn lights ) possible matching programs for more from the two assesmant districts & the city. all these things will happen. Our councilman didnt communicate these things well (at the mtg.)but they are coming.. I believe more evening entertainment venues with and without alchohol will come as demand increases. these things take time .. if we start to squash the little life midtown has ( yes, i mean current alchohol /entertainment venues) making it even more dificult to open a busines in the city due to neihgborhood resistance, it will never happen and business owners will continue to go to suburbia where there is no resistance to anything ( except hooters).. in the early 1950's over 50% of retail sales in a six county area came from downtown sacramento. today less than 5% ... suburbia has it all.. we need all we can get as far as commercial development and residential development to keep us healthy.. it needs to be easier to do business in the city not harder....

Shawn Eldredge on "Waste-to-energy: Too good to be true?"

2008-11-20T04:41:06Z

I am not sure how much is bad about the proposed , building of a plant ,unique to itself , & never done in california,, the torching of all our trash to nothing with little or no recycing of elements, etc.proposal on the desks of our city leaders. As i am not an expert in the field by any means, However, i am more concerned about the level of financial commitment on the part of the city of sacramento. Committting to give someone anything for a long period of time is scary. let alone having a financial penalty attached to the breaking of this commitment , it almost feels as though we are selling our garbage short ..:-) I am also concerned that the state of california is going to force us to go greener in various ways without consulting us first.. I feel we need to plan ahead , while making improvements in our waste policies,also staying fluid enough in our policies to allow for future regulations and improvements in technologies. Maybe we can commit half our garbage . Letting them create additional waste and revenue flows to support their plant . while maintaining our freedom to be flexible