Candidate for
Council Member; City of Arcata

Priorities

• Arcata Ridge Trail and more

Today, we are creating another amazing community resource. The Arcata Ridge Trail will be a 4.5 mile trail running from West End Road in Valley West to Buttermilk Lane in Sunny Brae, crossing the mountain ridges bordering Arcata and running through the Arcata Community Forest and Sunny Brae Forest. Its creation requires extensive funding to purchase the relevant properties.

I championed the cause of Bat 'N' Rouge, a fundraising event held at the Arcata Ball Park in September. Organized by the Eureka Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, I worked as a negotiator between the Arcata Forest Fund Committee and city manager to use the ball park for this unprecedented activity. At the event, I served as one of ten 'pom pom queens' performing a dance routine during baseball game.

The Ridge Trail is a high priority for me, a legacy to give future generations. Nothing warms me more than to think of my grandchildren grown, walking with their own families along the still-forested ridge and through our still thriving forests. There is talk of one day connecting the trail to the Jacoby Creek Forest and even making it part of the Pacific Coast Trail. Dream big.

• Save the Arcata Marsh

One matter of public record is how the Marine Life Protection Act may affect our treated sewage outflow into Arcata Bay. If we are unable to continue this practice, the city may have to pipe waste to the ocean, at great expense to Arcata citizens to pay for the planning, environmental impact reports, land acquisitions or easements and so forth.

A new state law may need to be written and passed to address our unique situation. I will use my legislative experience on this issue. From 1976 to 1980 I served as a commissioner on the State Water Commission. In the 1980s, I lobbied statewide for the passage of California Main Street legislation - a law that supports independent businesses and historic preservation - by meeting with legislators, speaking at conferences and talking with leaders in cities and counties to explain the legislation's importance. The same effort may be necessary to fight for Arcata's innovative marsh and for the right of other cities in California to follow Arcata's example.

• Ensure vibrant neighborhoods

The first issue on peoples' minds is grow houses in subdivisions and dispensaries in commercial districts. Our management and policing of them is governed by laws, and what leeway the law allows is governed by community sensibilities. The city currently has standards for legal indoor growing operations and dispensaries.

If Proposition 19 is approved in November, the task will be to find a balance that allows marijuana to be grown in a safe environment free from fire and crime risk.

A second issue is a pressing need to survey the city's housing stock. The survey will be a critical planning tool to determine the housing types present in the city and where improvements need to be made to assist residents of all income levels.

The third issue is infrastructure and its maintenance. Every neighborhood needs improvement, from repaired roads and sidewalks to better policing, and better management of student rentals.

Every neighborhood has its defining characteristics and varying needs that require ongoing attention and the support of the city council.

• Ensure a vibrant business community

In 2010, our zoning and civic vision (by way of the city's recently revised Economic Development Plan) are in order and our city staff support business retention and development. Infill of vacant parcels is being pursued, such as the city's support of Plaza Point, a 24 unit housing project set for Ninth and I Streets for low and moderate income residents.

We can always do better. Four years ago, I identified the need for an ombudsperson to assist business owners frustrated by the task of navigating the city's many departments. I explored the position during the city's goal planning sessions, but after deliberation it was determined to be unfeasible because of the depth of knowledge required for every city department.

A positive result of those talks, supported by our city manager, was that every city employee has received customer service training, from the city clerk to waste water treatment operators. Customer service has been pushed to the forefront of city hall.

But we must not be complacent. The community development director is working with the Planning Commission and Design Review Committee to find ways to move business issues along in an expeditious manner.

Beyond my council role in supporting positive change for businesses, I continue to offer myself as a resource for business owners. Every week, I provide advice and information to new and seasoned business owners about how to navigate municipal regulations and departments. I endeavor to be accessible, only a phone call away.

• Multi-Modal Transportation