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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07.0- Public Comment Entered Into Rec. at MCC Mtg. G If A by: G Agenda Item No: by: W: \cmkpers\city. 11 10 Pages - Notes City Clerk Meeting - Office of Mayor CareeitfafiSan BernardinO Thursday, November 19, 2015 I began a dialogue with Mayor Carey Davis in June, 2014 . I was happy to see an accountant and a person who is not a politician get elected as Mayor of this City. It was good news to be rid of our former group of "Good Old Boys" and bring fresh perspectives to a dying city. As an accountant, Mayor Davis could work effectively to get this City through its bankruptcy status and he can interpret financial reports correctly and has an expertise in budgeting and fiancnial matters . In the late 1980 ' s thru mid 1990 , my office was located in the downtown area, on N. Arrowhead Avenue - originally at the 505, then at the 565 building, and lastly, at the 688 building. All three offices were burglarized. Thanks to a good security system and monitoring company, I was never vandalized, although at the 565 building, during a Route 66 event, I was almost abducted. If my boyfriend had not been waiting at curbside, parked behind my vehicle, I would have been abducted. I would never have made it to my vehicle; I was able to make it to the passenger side of his vehicle where the door was unlocked. At the 688 building, just a block from the Police Dept, I hired a security guard to watch me leave the building when I worked into the evening hours, and get into my vehicle . The guard would stay until I was out of the parking lot . The City of San Bernardino lost the Bankruptcy Court to Riverside . Most of the bankruptcy attorneys relocated their offices closer to the court . That was the beginning of the decline of the downtown area of San Bernardino. As I recently communicated to Mayor Davis, we are on a Zero Tolerance No More Status Quo campaign to take back our neighborhood and Highland Avenue . We are going to work with the business owners and the owners of the commercial property on Highland Avenue to accomplish this goal . We 've already talked to several business owners and they are on board with us . I have listed and discussed several major problems that plague the citizens and business owners in San Bernardino. Until the City of San Bernardino effectively resolves these problems, any other efforts the leaders attempt will be a waste of time, effort, and tax dollars . If you don' t resolve these problems immediately, the City of San Bernardino is going to experience a massive migration of existing business owners and residents . What ' s going to happen when a massive number of people leave the City, and the City loses those tax revenues? How is it that the City Council, Mayor, City Manager, and Chief of Police and Planning Dept . in San Bernardino can publicly announce your positions in this City government, knowing that you are not effectively doing your jobs and duties to your constituents? How can you not be embarassed to acknowledge your positions in this City when there are so many problems that could have been resolved - into which, you are not putting the effort to create a better City for the residents of this City and to attract businesses to this City? How can you as leaders sit still, watching all of the areas around us thrive and prosper while this City remains less than stagnant? Your answer is always - "Bankruptcy - no money" . Well, you are going to have less money when businesses relocate out of this city and you lose tax paying residents . There will come a time that people will cut their losses, take less than the property values could and should be to get out of this hell hole . How is it that a beautiful City failed to grow and has turned into such decay? Don' t give me the bullshit, repeated answer about Bankruptcy, the loss of Norton Air Force Base, and the closing of Kaiser Steel . The latter two are a decades old problem. The bankruptcy issue involves a lot of things, including corruption and the unionized contracts which the City cannot afford to maintain. How is it that this City has continued to spiral downward and the leaders can' t think outside the box to see the immediate problems and resolve these problems? As leaders, whether elected, appointed, or hired, you have placed yourselves in a position to get this City back on its feet . Hopefully, you are visionary and have the expertise to make this City thrive . If you don' t, quite simply, you need to immediately resign your positions, admit your shortcomings, and be willing to help find the person (s) who can attain this level of growth. If you decide that you are that person, then you need to work nonstop, long, laborous, hours and make it happen - immediately. There is no time to waste . The City of San Bernardino will never be able to attract new businesses, thus generating tax revenues, until its leaders resolve these issues : 1) Vagrancy - Homelessness Problem The City Council, City Attorney, City Manager and Mayor, Chief of Police all need to work together to pass and enact vagrancy laws that prohibit anyone from loitering, panhadling, or living on the streets in this City. There are many more vagrants, societial dropouts, and drug and alcohol addicts on the street than there are true homeless people . A truly homeless person would seek help and abide by any and all rules to live in a civilized manner. These people choose to live "Free" in an uncivilized manner. These laws must encompass a health code with regards to public urination and defacation; this poses a health problem to all of the citizens of San Bernardino. These laws must be put into effect immediately. Time and time again, I have heard from the police officers that all they can do is cite and have them leave the areas . And, what is this 72 hour bullshit? The County of San Bernardino Sheriff ' s Dept . does not have this restriction. Time and time again, I 've been told by Police Dispatchers that homelessness is not a crime . That ' s because the City of San Bernardino allows it not to be a crime; the City Council, City Attorney, Mayor, Planning Department , and Chief of Police allow this problem to exist and grow. To resolve the problem our neighborhood encounters, I 've often stated that my neighbors and I would rent a truck and trailer, collect money from various citizens who want them out of our area and move them to the strets in front of the homes of the Mayor, City Manager, Chief of Police, and all of the Council members . That is still a possibility. We should let you live with them for a while and see how fast you enact laws . In talking with several officers of The Police Dept, police officers in this City are weary of the bullshit with which they must contend - us calling them to complain, and no laws to give them any means to get rid of the problem. The City must give the Police Department laws . Currently, the Police can only move these people from their illegal encampments . I know the State of California is not assisting local municipalities . There is a State of California statute that allows the local governments to turn its vacant buildings into shelters for the homeless . I read this statute in detail several months ago, This statute allows the City to turn its vacant public buildings into homeless shelters if it can prove that the homeless people are at risk or in a dangerous position. Your City Attorney and City Council can research this statute and apply it to the situation in the City of San Bernardino. Mayor Carey Davis, in one of our earlier dialogues, stated that the homeless situation costs the City of San Bernardino $27 million per year. How exactly is that money spent? What is entailed in this number? 2) Enact and Enforce Panhandling Ordinances You should pass and enforce panhandling ordinances . Just as you are now arresting the johns, along with the prostitutes, panhandling should be a two point focus - the person giving money or food to panhandlers should be cited as well . 3) Enlist the Assistance of Churches and Charitable Organizations While enacting and enforcing laws against panhandling and vagrancy, the City of San Bernardino should also enact laws that forbid charitable organizations, including churches to act alone in assisting the vagrants and homeless people . The City of San Bernardino should set up a Special Task Force/Department to rid the City of its vagrancy and homeless population. This special department should set up programs and maintain locations and centers that will administer to the needs of these people, including providing housing for this population of people . This Dept would administer the programs that would also be responsible for providing shelters for these people . The ordinance should state that all charitable donations are to be coordinated within the City' s Special Dept . Rather than acting on their own accord, these organizations could provide food and all of the other services they are currently providing through the City programs . Volunteers could serve in various capacities . Within the program, rehabilitation could occur over an extended period of time . 4) Crime Crime is rampant . Drug dealing on public streets, in shopping plazas, etc . is happening in broad daylight . No one is stopping this . Gang violence and drug related crimes are outrageous . Home burglaries and vandalism is at a frightening level . If the problem of crime cannot be contained and eliminated, then bring in the National Guard and let the gangs know it ' s time to play with the Big Boys . The City officials must put pressure on the District Attorney' s office to stop being soft on their cases . We just had a case in which a person was charged with attempted burglary and assault with force, both felonies, get reduced to a misdemeanor charge of only the assault charge, the person was given a fine, placed on a non- monotired probation, and put back on the streets . The DA' s office knew the person was homeless . Beth Houser was the prosecutor on this case . We are still going to call for her job. The only way this person, Eric Fischer, is going to pay the fine, is to continue his criminal activity to generate the money to pay the fine . This is ludricous . That day in Superior Court opened my eyes to another level of ineffective and laxness that affects this City. Why isn' t the Court system forbidding these people to return to the streets? Why isn' t the Court ordering these people to reside in a homeless shelter as part of their probation, enter rehabilitation if deemed necessry, and find a job or do community service to pay their fines? Unbelievable ! ! ! ! ! 5) Lack of Police Protection The City has cut back its Police officers or has not replaced the 100+ that it lost at the onset of the bankruptcy. This is not acceptable . The City needs to increase its Police Dept . The City needs to review the unionization of its Police Dept . If it cannot afford the current force or the hiring of new officers within this union, it needs to outsource all or portions of the Department . If it cannot negotiate a new contract, or cannot find an outsourced agency to expand its present force, perhaps the City of San Bernardino should negotiate with the State of California, declare and emergency and bring in the National Guard to patrol the streets and bring the crime under control . Are you people stupid? Do you not know that the criminals know the Police Department cannot handle the load? San Bernardino is a sitting target . I 'm surprised the Citizens have not revolted against this City in a major way - The City of San Bernardino is not protecting its citizens . This in itself is criminal . I read a statement that the Chief of Police made when he initially took this position - something to the effect that his vision would be revitalize the downtown area. Revitalization will and can be achieved once these other issues are resolved. Until these other issues, he can kiss his vision good-bye, along with the residents and businesses that will be leaving this city. 6) Regulation of Marijuana Dispensaries In a very recent dialogue with the Mayor, I addressed the issue of Marijuana Dispensaries in the City. These entities should be regulated. We should have a cap on the number of dispenaries we allow to open here . The City should pass very strict regulations as to the number of dispensaries allowed to open, and the locations of these entities . Surely, these are suppose to be "Medical Marijuana Dispensaries" . As such, shouldn' t they be located near hospitals or medical clinics, and not in areas where there is a mix of commercial property and residential neighborhoods, or near schools or churches? This is strictly within the jurisdiction of the City of San Bernardino. We have a dispensary on Del Rosa Ave, beside the Fire Dept, that is within a residential/commerical neighborhood. This is ludricous . This City Council, City Attorney, City Manager, and Chief of Police should be working very closely together to regulate these entities and enforce the laws they pass and put into effect . 7) Get Rid of City Contracts - If you were the CEO' s of a corporation, publicly held or privately held, you would be forced to make cuts . You are essentially the elected officials of a City Government - it is your responsibility to use the existing tax revenues wisely and to create an environment that will attract and promote viable businesses that will ultimately increase the revenues of the City of San Bernardino. If you cannot do this, all of you need to resign. You are not earning your salaries and benefit packages . Get Rid of all City Employees who belong to a union. Outsourse the services; hire non-unionized employees, start fresh. The City of San Bernardino cannot afford these existing contracts . Enlist the services of the Probation Dept for the people on probation and parole, to engage these people into Community Service projects . Work with the State of California Welfare Dept to enlist the services of recipients into Community Service projects . No Free Rides in the City of San Bernardino. It ' s difficult to cut out long term personnel , however, the City cannot afford these payrolls and benefits and pensions, plus the cost of the personnel to replace the retirees . 8) Children Residing in Homeless Encampments Enact a law that will make it illegal for a child to be living on the streets or in a homeless encampment . This is child endangerment, abuse and neglect . Sgt . Gates, the homeless advocate, stated to my neighbor that a child living in a homeless camp is not illegal and in the particular incident about which we had called would not be investigated for another 3 or 4 day period, even with a CPS file being sent to the SBPD. This is ludricous . 9) Engage the County of San Bernardino Mental Health Dept If a homeless person is mentally ill or lacks the mental capacity to function and make rational decisions, then the Mental Health Dept should take charge and provide proper care, including housing that should be mandatory for those individuals . I 'm sure there are statues in efffect that would provide guideliness and ordinances could be enacted. 10) Take back the Public Parks Due to the City' s lack of law enforcement, this City has allowed its public parks to be inhabited by vagrants and drug dealers . Again, this calls for law enforcement - take care of the earlier issue and you can accomplish this . 11) Finish the Development of the Airport When is the International Terminal with Customs going to be implemented? Have international flights begun landing here? I read an article that stated the new bus lanes were in conjunction with the International Airport linking with the Metrolink for the convenience of the travellers . Well, the bus lanes have made a negative impact on the restaurants and other businesses on Hospitality Lane . I can provide you with the names of several business managers who will tell you their establishments have suffered due to the sheer stupidity and inconvenience of these lanes . 12) Placing a Moratorium on the Number and Locations of Recyling Entities . Any area that has recycling entities is a magnet for vagrants . These should be limited and their locations should not be in any commercial zone that is within a certain proximity of residential neighborhoods . 13) Harsh Enforcement & Moratorium on Low Income Housing The City of San Bernardino needs to monitor the low income housing markets, utilizing the Police Dept and Code Enforcement to close some of these complexes . Who ' s keeping track of the number of police calls to these areas? 14) City Wide Sweep of Crime & Vagrants You have to be able to target all areas at once. If you don ' t, all you do is hit one area and they flee to another. You create a cycle that cannot be completed. 15) Arrowhead Springs Resort What happened with the development of the Resort - not quite sure of the exact name? It was suppose to generate revenes for the City of San Bernardino. Monte Vista Drive, along with several other pockets of incorporated areas, were illegally annexed into the City of San Bernardino, as part of this deal . Thanks to an enterprising lady and her brilliant attorney, she had this annexation reversed. Otherwise, we would be living in the city limits of San Bernardino. What are the plans for this Resort? Is it productive and generating revenues yet? Is it money squandered that could be recouped? 16) Availabiltiy The City Council needs to make itself avaialble to the residents and business owners within their areas . According to the map listed on the City Council website, we 've called a couple of the Council members . . . .we ' re still waiting for that return phone call . The City Council members need to be visiting the reidents and business owners within their districts . You need to be more available and visible . You need to look at other cities and municipalities and learn from their progress . Once these issues have been combatted, then you can start a Revitalization Program to attract businesses to San Bernardino. This is not an impossible task. It ' s going to involve long hours and hard work. It ' s going to require thinking outside the box, and your involvement within your districts and the City as a Whole . It may even entail a Task Force or multiple Task Forces to work on various problems; it may even require volunteers . It ' s going to require the leaders of San Bernardino reaching its citizens in a very publie manner, making a declaration and being held accountable to that declaration. It could entail the enlistment of some of the colleges and universities in the area, utilizing their Urban Planning students and other specializations, in creating projects for which they earn credits, to develop and implement programs that will align with helping to get this City back on its feet . 17) Raising Immediate Capital It could entail creating special bonds, from which these investments, could fund programs . These funds must be monitored closely to ensure strict adherence to the purpose for which these bonds were created. Special events could be promoted thru the National Orange Show that would generate funding for the City. Sell real property owned by the City of San Bernardino . Unload the inventory and turn it into immediate cash. 18) Recruit Reputable, Financially Stable Trade Schools Recruit trade schools to the City of San Bernadino. Get the general population that can' t afford or qualify at community college or university levels trained into a skilled area. Work with the local Welfare Dept and any other entitlement programs in this area, whether it be at the State, County or City level and get all recipients into training for a skilled job. 19) San Bernardino has become a Drug Haven Mandate drug testing for the recipients of anyone receiving taxpayer funded benefits . Enact ordinances that stipulates drug testing for all recipients of entitlement programs . Enact ordinances that stipulates the drug testing via hair folicles of children living in the City of San Bernardino. This could be administered thru the School Districts . If these children test positive, this means they are endangered children. They are being exposed to certain drugs and chemicals and need to be removed from that environment . We need to break the generational continuation and we need to give our children a chance to thrive . They deserve better than this and it is our responsibility to ensure their safety.