Happy Halloween, Sacramento!Looks like it’s going to be a damp one. May the make-up run and the candy stay dry! Answer to the best of your knowledge. Ghoul luck!
1. Before they joined the illustrious ranks of the city council, South Natomas neighbors Heather Fargo and Ray Truthaway successfully sued the city of Sacramento on behalf of their neighborhood association to stop urban sprawl in their community. Trick or Truth?
2. Ray Truthaway is the executive director for the Sacramento Tree Foundation and–in bold defiance of the city charter’s explicit verbiage forbidding city employees to have business ties to the city–has accepted hundreds upon thousands of taxpayer dollars from the city on Sac Tree’s behalf, by simply recusing himself from council votes related to such matters? Trick or Truth?
3. When North Sac resident John Dahilig Sr. went to the city council and complained about the multiple code violations in his neighborhood, and the city’s refusal to act despite his many formal complaints, and recommended the city began proactively citing people rather than only responding to calls, councilperson Bonnie Pannell abruptly told him “.. the system can’t be changed unless we get more money..” Trick or Truth?
4. Heather Fargo, worked behind the scenes with community activists to draw attention the horrific gang violence problems in Sacramento, and sponsored a summer employment program that gave some at-risk teens an opportunity to work and gain new job skills, as well as with Hammond, Pannell and documentary filmmaker Orthello Johnson to expose the crime problem in South Sacramento–yet never once called a press conference to make Sacramento residents aware of the violent crime rate which by 2006 had DOUBLED since she took office, surpassing that of even Los Angeles. Trick or Truth?
5. Natomas area councilman Ray Trethaway has worked his tail off to gain the volunteer services of around 2,000 South Natomas residents and personally spent an untold numbers of hours champioining the construction of a $1,000,000++ video survelliance-equipped playground in his neghborhood, while at the same the area high school (Natomas High) has one of the worst truancy rates in the region and violent crime in the area is amongst the highest in all of Sacramento? Trick or Truth?
6. In a dramatic city council meeting in which members of the community pleaded with the city to prioritize public safety in response to drastic budget cuts Chief of Police Rick Braziel will be making to our already tiny police department (which is amongst the smallest for a city our size in the U.S.), councilman Kevin McCarty placed a microscopic spreadsheet on the overhead projector and touted the city’s “72%” spending on public safety , and then sarcastically invited representatives of the police union help him shape the city’s budget. Trick or Truth?
7. A small band of exasperated North Natomas residents have become so frustrated with Ray Trethaway and the city’s irresponsible stewardship of the North Natomas plan, that they (the residents) have given up on Tretheway completely, and are now meeting directly with developers and their attorneys in hopes of reversing the city’s upcoming vote on Truthaway’s proposal to de-fund $60 million in promised North Natomas infrastructure projects (including the promised regional park) to build a new fire station in West Natomas. Trick or Truth?
8. Greg Thatch is one of Sacramento’s most prominent and successful development attorneys, and is so loved by North Natomas sprawl developers that they named a street after him in Regency Park called Greg Thatch Circle. Trick or Truth?
9. Kevin Johnson did not attend/speak at the recent city council meeting on Chief Braziel’s crime cuts, and recently told News10 that he has “never had any business at city hall” Trick or Truth?
Ok time to tally. How did you do? Answers:
1-9: All true as far as I know. Feel free to correct me.
Happy Halloween!
Sources:
1. http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_product=NewsBank&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%200EB0D7A18636E330%20)&p_docid=0EB0D7A18636E330&p_theme=aggregated5&p_queryname=0EB0D7A18636E330&f_openurl=yes&p_nbid=R61P4CDBMTIyNTQ3NzQwNi4zMDM3MDQ6MToxMzpyZi1zYWNyYW1lbnRv&&p_multi=SCBB
2. Sacramento City Code:
2.16.010 Prohibition on city employee interest in city contract.
A. No city employee shall engage in any employment, activity, or enterprise from which the employee receives compensation or in which the employee has a financial interest and which is funded, all or in part, by the city or any city department through or by a city contract unless the employment, activity, or enterprise is required as a condition of the employee’s regular city employment. No city employee shall contract on his or her own individual behalf as an independent contractor with the city or any city department to provide services or goods.
2.16.050 Violation—Penalty.
Any employee who violates this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to discipline by the city manager or other official in whom is vested the disciplinary power. (Ord. 2007-043 § 1 (part))
3. Oct 14 city council meeting: http://sacramento.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=8
4. South Sacramento community activist Rhonda Erwin
5. http://www.fortnatomas.org/
6. Oct 21 city council meeting: http://sacramento.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=8
7. Email exchanges among Natomas residents.
8. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=greg%20thatch%20circle&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl
9. I was at the meeting and I didn’t see him. Also News10 video archive from yesterday’s interview with him.
Joe….it looks like Tretheway has a loophole in the law… I wrote about this loophole…
http://www.thesacramentoinsider.com/home/2008/10/20/tretheway-exploits-loophole-for-financial-gain.html
While it is true that all of our elected officials get paid very well and enjoy handsome retirement and benefit packages of the likes NO one in the private sector will ever see, they fall under a separate law due to being elected to their position.
So in essence… what Tretheway and Fargo are saying is that what Ray does would be a crime if it was done by an employee of the City…Our elected officials should be held to a HIGHER standard than the employees of the City… what Ray does is simply unconscionable.
BTW.. from what I can see doing research.. the Tree Foundation was started by developers..or those who made money off development…working on this.
Back then…neither Fargo or Ray could get paid directly by the City for being on the Council… Well it looks like they may have devised a way to get paid in a round about way… through public NO BID contracts through the Tree Foundation…gee wonder if being on the City Council will get you any favors? I wonder if developers will give you large sums of money and donations to your political campaign or private foundation in exchange for any favors like rezoning or approval of projects? oh nooooo…
Also as an aside note… the Secretary of the Tree Foundation’s Board of Directors, Rick LaMantain…owns Valley Crest Landscaping and other related companies.. and HE also contracts with the City…. nice and cozy huh?
Re: #4: It wasn’t to draw attention to the horrific gang problems. The attention was already drawn—not due to the police or public safety- but the Sac Bee ran numerous articles of teen suspects. The Bee had a forum section in Nov 2006 where the DA, myself and a psychologist spoke of the teen violence… Prior to the meeting you make reference to their was a Special night city hall session which the Mayor and the Council members not only spoke of the crime but sought solutions. The Bee and SN&R did numerous articles informing the public as well. Their was a 2005 meeting written in the Bee also informing the public of the violence…in which City representatives were present. The forums were not to expose the crime –it was already exposed—it was to seek solutions….
The city held a special forum at City hall in 2006, it was in the SacBee prior to the forum and many were in attendance–full house and in 2007 the city continued to work with community members. The city (Hammond, Pannel sought out community members who they knew were addressing the crime. I saw members in attendance who addressed youth violence 15yrs ago who came to the forum to assist again) At the 2006 publicized special city session it wasn’t the Mayor or council members who didn’t know of the crime it was former Police Chief Najera who scratched his head and said, “I didn’t see this coming” when Mayor Fargo and the councilmember’s asked him for information on a growing trend of youth and/or gang violence.
The behind the scenes forum you refer to was not actually behind the scenes it just wasn’t highly publicized. Anyone who followed up on the prior city hall meetings were in attendance and flyers were distributed…. What I met in my email to you was I don’t know why the mayor doesn’t express all that she had done to address the violence. I never met to suggest they were secret “meetings”. The outreach was common….the summer jobs….. is the same outreach Assemblyman Dave Jones and Senator Steinberg does annually. Unfortunately not all youth were knowledgeable of the Senator and Assemblyman forums so the city did outreach to all youth to assist all youth with job skills, development, employment…
It is my impression the Mayor helped sponsor the forum. Council members Sheedy, Hammond and Pannell all took part in addressing at risk youth within the forum you make reference to. But their were many different forums the city participated in including the Hmong, Mien and Lao Task force which also developed to address youth violence in the So area and the Valley Hi Youth and Adult Coalition. The Mayor (City of Sac), Councilmember Fong, Assemblyman Dave Jones, former Police Chief Najera as well as others within the community also addressed the crime problem in another largely attended forum (about 700 community members) in South Sac in 2006. I guess you can say behind the scenes - but publicized- with Sacramento Area Congregations Together to also alert the community regarding youth violence and sought solutions. Their was a follow up meeting for that forum this year “Youth Speak Out” which also had a documentary of South area youth speaking of what they’d like to see the mayor do…. It was shown at the publicized debate which every candidate attended except Johnson
When I sent the email I didn’t elaborate and I wish I would have. Othello’s documentary was not to expose the crime problem. Othello has filmed many documentaries around Sac where he ask youth what will it take to stop the violence, how can city leaders help them, what are their goals, dreams and nightmares… and has gone to areas within So Sac with me where homicide crime scenes occurred.. The city knew of his connection with at-risk youth because Othello attend the special publicized session with many youth. His documentary is not to expose the crime problem it is in fact very much like the one you did recently. I apologize if I did not mention the press conference… but I didn’t think to elaborate further. The press conference was aired on Fox 40, the breaking news story was in the SacBee… and other local news cast prior to the event. That’s how I learned of it and attended. From the city’s publicized press conference many different groups who developed programs or had pre-existing programs scheduled/ attended sessions and meetings with the Mayor and Councilmember’s….The city hired a youth czar, youth development….it was all publicized. I apologize if It appear I suggested otherwise but I give credit to the city and the outreach to ensure all youth are reached with resources. Too many want to prevent some from identifying with others. The city went after the others as well. I commend them.
Rhonda, thanks for the clarification. Let me clarify. I think my point got totally lost if you interpreted it like that an I apologize. I think we are talking semantics here. I was only attributing these two points to you:
1. That the mayor has been supportive of crime fighting efforts & a friend to activists
2. That the mayor supported the efforts of an activist documentary filmmaker
And i am adding this one I am attributing to my own informed opinion:
She knew there was a major problem right? She knew the problem had grown to epic proportions –especially given the feedback she was getting from Pannell and Hammond and you and others at the time right? She probably saw Orthello’s videos right? Sounds like she was getting a LOT of feedback yes?
Yet STILL knowing all those things and seeing all those tears and drama, she did not IMPLORE the city to reprioritize right? In other words, she kept sending money to Sac Tree, she kept approving beautification projects, she kept traveling around the entire world on global warming trips, and in 2008 when the Bee asked her if there was a crime problem she said:
“Residents have not told me they are concerned about crime. I hear we are tracking the same as other cities.”
In fact she did not believe we were second to only Oakland in violent crime when KJ told her that and actually has to call the chief to verify
She may give the lip service, but our state high crime rate proves public safety is NOT her priority and never has been
I respect your opinion. I just don’t agree and I don’t want to get into a long drawn out explanation. Tonight I was riding in the city of trees and a tree fell down. Many of us were stuck on the light rail. They turned off the lights, after a while they told us “Get off.” We stood in the rain, with no explanations of how or when we’d leave…. It was frustrating, cold, and rainy and finally after quite some time a charter bus came to get us and it was full before getting to where our light rail was stalled…. Then we were taken to another station where we waited forever it seemed in the rain…. I started out at 7pm to head home and didn’t get home till nearly 10pm. I don’t know what the heck is going on but the city of trees has some fallen trees which block the light rail and the light rail has some rude employees who aren’t considerate enough to tell passengers what is going on, just “GET OUT, GET OUT” TO stand in the rain with no where to stand to shield us from getting soaked. I’m wet and frustrated with the light rail system….The supervisor didn’t know what was going on and how we’d get picked up and if he did he failed to share it and became somewhat agitated when I asked…. We stood in the rain waiting and waiting…. I appreciate your continued discussion on this matter but I’m tired and through with it. I still love ya