Updated 11:14pm - Oct 31. ‘08
I had today off. I ended up working anyways. I headed over the freeway to South Natomas with three South Natomas residents, including District 1 city council hopeful John Dahilig. We spent a good three hours video-interviewing anyone who would talk to us, from the Natomas High area to the Bel Air Shopping Center, and everywhere in between… including the South Natomas Community Center, where efforts are well underway to build the $1,000,000+ play structure intended to replace the one that was burned to the ground in Jefferson Park.
This may have been one of the most eye-opening days I have spent in Sacramento since I moved here in 1989. I can not even begin to tell you how inspirational and educational it is to be out in the community listening to the views of residents who have lived here their whole lives. We talked to kids who have dropped out of Natomas High, homeless people, old folks, young folks, gangsters, security guards, business owners, and those representing a myriad of ethnic backgrounds. And man do they have some stuff to tell the city! But more on this later.
Interestingly enough, the most spirited conversation I had all day was with an organizer of the Rebuild Fort Natomas effort in South Natomas. I had heard through others that she was angry with me for questioning the timing of the rebuild effort (given the police shortages and other public service shortcomings), and posing what she considered a misleading question to residents: “IF the city gave you choice of how to spend a million dollars, how would you vote to spend it?” She also told people she had invited me to come talk to her, but I had only blown her off. So on my way home after an amazing day of conversation with South Natomas residents, I went and met with her to clear the air.
I introduced myself, and John and I sat down on a stack of cement beams to talk with her. Another lady with a City of Sacramento badge joined us, but I didn’t get her name. Before I could even say why i was there, I received a huge helping of good old fashioned, home cooked, South Natomas pride, replete with:
-A scolding on how my over-focus on the funding of the play structure was threatening their progress
-How I should have come down to city hall and pleaded my case when the city was voting on it
-How Fargo and Tretheway had “good hearts” and were excellent community leaders
-How sick and tired she was of North Natomas residents whining and crying about their needs
-How I acted like South natomas was the “hood” and that they didn’t have crime like I said they did
-How I was dead wrong about the importance of the play structure to city of Sacramento residents
Good thing I hadn’t come to volunteer.
Goes without saying to people who bother to read my articles, but I supported the volunteer effort from day one, and I still support it. What I (and many, other residents) do not support is how the city of Sacramento is spending our money OVERALL. And specific to this Fort Natomas effort, I question the hardcore, relentless devotion to it on Ray Tretheway’s part, when I have never seen him put that kind of effort and energy and extraordinary excitement and enthusiasm into far more important things to the vitality of our community such as public safety, youth development, or job training efforts in his district–not mention amenities needed in “New Sacramento” North Natomas.
But allow me to be clear. If, as the result of my criticism of Ray Tretheway and Heather Fargo, and what I believe has been the DEPRIORITIZATION of youth development and public safety and education CITY WIDE, I have somehow created the perception that I started this blog to blast the play structure and attack residents for helping build it, somewhere I went terribly wrong and man, I apologize from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has sacrificed so much of their time and resources to building this. Truly. I am not mad at residents. I am disappointed with Heather Fargo and Ray Tretheway.
I will reiterate: I didn’t start the site to criticize residents. I started it to criticize local government. In the course of doing that, I didn’t know I could anger residents too because I thought we were all on the same page about public safety, youth development and job training. I thought the average Joe knew how important those fundamentals were to building a safe and thriving community. I’m finding I was wrong. Apparently people are not as informed as I had idealized they were.
Allow me to share Maslow’s ladder of needs again:
PUBLIC SAFETY IS SECOND TO ONLY BREATHING!!!!
But let’s put that aside for a minute. I am not trying to divide people. I am trying to bring them together on what’s important. In that spirit, I have made a commitment to the Rebuild Fort organizer and the city employee that I will NOT show the many interviews we did with South Natomas residents until after the build has been completed.
Again, we’re not trying to pit residents against residents. That is not our mission, and never has been and it’s totally unfair to imply it is. We just have a lot of questions like: why do they (the city of Sacramento) keep building playgrounds, and setting aside money for parks and trees and other amenities, when our police department is shrinking and our crime is nearly double what it was when Heather Fargo first took office? So what if a million bucks was set aside for parks. Why not ask the residents if they want it used for something else because priorities have changed??
The organizer told me 100 people came out and showed solidarity and the city council voted on it! 2,000 people have volunteered, she said. How dare I question the majority! Hmmm. But that misses the much BIG PICTURE doesn’t it? Sorry, but I don’t think 2,100 people trump the desires and opinions of the other 440,000 who didn’t show up to the city council meeting, nor do I agree that Fort Natomas is a “symbol of pride” for residents city-wide as Ray Tretheway personally told me it was, nor do I think Tretheway and Fargo’s trigger happy support for the rebuild was responsible at this point in time.
Where is the love for the kids? Where are the big 2,000+ volunteer events for youth day? Where is gun amenesty day? Where is Meet a Mentor Day? The organizer told me I should come out to the build and get people to help me organize such a day. But should I have to? Shouldn’t our PAID elected officials and youth development czars be leading those charges and rallying our residents as they have led other charges like Green Challenges and Play Structure volunteerism and Celebrate Natomas festivals and Police Department barbecues?
Either way, I may have relented this time to keep the peace (I love peace), but I am not going to back down. I will take the abuse and the angry tirades and whatever else people want to throw at me because I am sick and tired of high crime, youth violence, and city officials and their pet projects and beautification efforts (talking about midtown now–go ahead midtown, start taking shots , get in line) at the expense of our safety and the development of our youth.
This is a free country, and I will exercise my RIGHT of free speech to blast my local government until I have burned a hole in my video camera, worn out the joints in my fingers, or simply packed up a U-Haul and screeched out of here for good. And you can’t stop me.
Much love and respect to all the residents who are volunteering their time and efforts and blood, sweat and tears to build this iconic play structure for the little ones 50 feet away from a very nice playground already built. Hopefully someone somewhere some day will be able to inspire the same kind of devotion and passion and energy to stopping the violence in our streets and ignorance about it in our city hall.
Stay tuned. This channel runs 24/7, and it’s completely independent.
Email me to join the revolution. Time to take our city back.
Good for you Joe. I am admiring you for having dialog with people. don’t stop what you’re doing. Many people back you
I think it was a nice gesture to hold the videos back. But I do not think you should. This site is Joe Sacramento, not Joe Natomas. Do you think South Sacramento residents care about this play park? Also Joe can you get us more info on the million Tretheway and Fargo put up for this? I hear it was developer fees and that it could not be used for anything else but has anyone produced any laws or ordinances that show that the money absolutely could not have been spent on anything else, even if it had been put up for a vote?
Next time you guys are in So Natomas holla at me and I will come out there and help any way I can. Yall are gangsta!
…so put that in your pipe and smoke it!!! Holy cow, Joe, I was just a babe in the woods with our particular discussion. Thanks for being easy on me.
Show the tape! Show the tape! Show the tape! Don’t let these people tell you what to think. That is one of the biggest freakin problems in this country right now. People don’t want their neighbors voices to be heard so they try to make them feel bad for having an opinion..
Don’t like low income housing apartments in your backyard? You’re a racist!!
Don’t like gay marriage? You’re a bigot!
Think they spent too much on the fort? You’re trying to divide the community!
Joe take it from a Joe. People will always put you down when you go after what is near and dear to their heart. That is their nature you see.
Don’t let them run you down. Don’t let them silence you. Don’t let them silence the voices of those in the same neighborhood. This is an election season for the sake of Mary and Joseph.
Play the tape!
It does not amaze me that the South Natomas Fargonian droids think us North Natomas folks are cry babies and whiners. How do you think they got that opinion? Fargo! She has said the same thing!
Let’s not lose the focus people. Fargo and Tretheway are the problem! Had they been good leaders they would have told those people to think about spending that money another way maybe even on another park or structure in another part of South Natomas or maybe even asked them if they wanted to spend it on a truancy program instead. But no it’s election season and they want votes and that was a no brainer! Ok so whoopty doo people come out in the droves to rebuild the fort to show their community pride and work together on their symbol of uniy of whatever but yet still South Natomas has the worst crime rate of all the Sacramento neighborhoods and this f’g playground is not going to make it any better!
Unbelievable how the blind are leading the blind over there. But 5000 people don’t lie righjt!? Hoe could 5000 people be wrong! Well they are wrong! And they Joe they are never going to like your blog anyways! They don’t act like good neighbors for North NAtomas residents like us! They detest us and call us whiners and cry babies because we want their queen and prince out of office! Screw them! I want to hear the other voices they have apparently drowned out over there
You’re entitled to your opinion. I don’t agree with it because I think the play fort will definitely be a symbol of community pride and make people think twice about the commitment in the community before they commit crimes in our South Natomas neighborhood but I also support free speech and do not think under any circumstances you should let people bully you into not sharing something on the grounds that it might be bad for business, which it sounds like what has happened here. But you are not just a removed blogger you have to live in the community too and your kids go to school there. Well no one ever said this political stuff would be easy.
Just last night, I was in South Natomas for a stabbing, a shooting, a gang member cracked over the head with a beer bottle, and a simple fight. Good thing there isn’t crime there. And this was just the medic I was on (a downtown medic, running into Natomas because the closer units were already on other calls, which left the downtown empty of medics, except medics from the south area had to run into the downtown, which then left the south area empty….except that medics from the county had to run into the city…..blah, blah, blah). Oh yeah, and all the vehicle accidents, structure fires, regular medical aides, etc, etc. Good thing the city has closed one engine company a day, and wants to close another one or two this January. But wait, the call volume will go down, right? (SARCASM)
Regarding public safety and allocating more money to it, people seem to be against it because that means that more firemen will get jobs, more policemen will get jobs, and the Unions will get what they want. It is a game of politics, and those that don’t support fire and police think that we just collect paychecks and milk the system. After all, firemen are lazy and sit around all day long and don’t do anything. And police get all those great take-home cars with free gas…what a scam! (SARCASM)
The unfortunate fact is that the powers that be in Sacramento think so little about police and fire that they would rather build a park, any park, than hire one more cop or keep an engine open. Except of course, if their home is threatened in a fire, or they actually have a medical emergency and need help from the fire department/paramedics. It is truly sad. In my short career in the fire service and in Sacramento, I have had direct or indirect contact with 3 different council members on medical calls. One would think that they would support public safety more than they do…
Are you nuts!? Did you not read what the lady said!? There was $1,000,000 in developer fees set aside for South natomas park projects ONLY. They can not be used for ANYTHING but building parks and park projects! Apparently there is some LAW or ORDINANCE that states that money can NOT be reallocated. It is not your job to question this money! (SARCASM)
I hear you City Firemen. And let me add something else. Residents and security guards and business owners in the community are telling me many crimes don’t even get reported. There are many altercations, guns shots, disturbances, and even shoplifting that often go unreported. One guy told us, “We gave up calling the police. They take 50 minutes to get here”
So the crime stats do not tell the whole story, nor do the residents who barricade themselves in their homes at night and cuddle up to soothing sound of a CSI Miami episode
We support you guys all the way. 100%. We are fighting the good fight and we’ll keep fighting it, As i wrote in the Bee today about what’s REALLY going on out there:
This article only shows a subset of views on the candidates and the issues. The majority of people don’t even vote. That doesn’t mean their attitudes and opinions and needs don’t count. We as a community need to start looking at the bigger picture. Neighborhood associations are only one small piece of the puzzle. Most people avoid them. But that doesn’t mean their opinions should be discounted. I am out talking to people in Sacramento frequently and I am finding many of them aren’t even registered to vote or know there is an election. Hello. What does that tell you? Are they lazy? Are they losers? OR do we have a city government that only works for those who show up to city council meetings and get quoted for Bee articles? IMO I am finding Sac is still has a “small town” mentality, because people aren’t looking at the BIG picture… yet.
Show the video
Joe,
That lady you talked to.. Well she was in a Fargonian/Tree-the-way Trance…..holy cow…
…they attack you for even thinking of questioning them… screw them Joe… and if you won’t post the video…give it to me I will..
The Gadfly
I say hold off on the video as you committed to them. Fair is fair.
South Natomas attitudes about North Natomas people speaks directly to what dividing leaders Tretheway and Fargo are. But wtf they are both neighborhood association activists that got elected by suing the city for their neighborhood! Joe you wrote in another article before that Fargo built her career on activism and that was the reason she was such a poor mayor because she only was an activist for a small cause and never saw the 30,000 foot view of the city. This is the problem city wide. I love what you put in your Bee comment today! You could not be more right. Neighborhood associations are only a tiny part of the puzzle. Well of course because this is a big city and neighborhood associations only care about their own neighborhoods! They aren’t fighting for the city! They are fighting for their neighborhoods! But this will never change because my nature people are selfish and only fight for what is theirs and what is in front of them. I thought you were the same about North Natomas for a while but it has become clear to me that your view is wider than just North Natomas and I say big kudos for venturing downtown and into South Natomas to check their pulse. I am looking forward to learning more about true resident attitudes on this site. I really appreciate what you are doing here. Keep learning, keep growing
You Rock, Joe!!! I’m with you all the way. I agree with those who commented that you should SHOW THE VIDEO. One thing I’d like to know, is if the “community” can get money & people & tools & food together to build a playground for the THIRD time (& as you so right-on mentioned, in a location where THERE IS ALREADY a playground!!!!!), why the City Council can’t get the community excited & rev’d up to bring together money, people, tools & food to build the new fire station???? (Or is that against the law?) Anyway, this is just one playground in a small part of a “big” city that’s falling apart. Why hold back the video? It will show people in other neighborhoods who need more basic needs met (like, food, after-school programs, mentoring, etc. etc.) what kind of dumbclucks (I imagine we’re not supposed to use the eff-word on here) are running this town. ( i.e. SPECIAL INTERESTS.)
As, always, enlightening, multiply attacked, and thorough.
I’m just thinking though - most of us just go on our merry way, worrying about our own stuff. Sometimes it takes a burned down play structure to get us up and going. Sometimes it takes our neighbors saying other neighbors don’t deserve equal rights. Sometimes it takes being victimized by crime. We focus on the things that affect us the most - it’s that combined passion - this person does this and that person does that - that helps build community. I don’t think we can look to our city officials to do it all -and I’m not saying you did - but a lot of people think they shoudl - what’s been done with police and fire funding is ridiculous and we need to make the appropriate changes - absolutely. But, I want to perpetually laud ANYONE who bothers to do ANYTHING to help their community. Because, frankly, most don’t and won’t. One cause no better than another - they all need doing. So, yeah, if you want to spearhead change, I would have hung around and started doing it - you would have had an pre-empassioned audience and your persuasive skills are clearly extraordinary.
Gotta’ love ya’ Joe - keep it up!
Great comments. And to think someone recently told me this site only appeals to “one group of people” . Funny.
Gupta - wow thanks!
Lawless Jane - thank you. Great point about building a fire station! Let’s do it! Ready everyone? Picture that. I have a funny feeling a lot of folks in South Natomas don’t like their neighbors across the street. I am hearing some entertaining names for North Natomas. One thing’s for sure though, there is a perception that everyone in North Natomas is white. I guess I am not helping it. But that it not true! North Natomas is every bit as diverse as South Natomas. right North Natomas? Speak up!
Lori - thanks, you make great points as always. I respectfully disagree with them. All the examples you cited are reactive. That is the prob with our city hall. They wait until something happens to do something. That is why Sac is at least 10 years behind where it should be. That is how we became 2nd most violent city in CA. That’s how our school quality eroded. I could go on and on. Maybe we need to define what qualities a council person or mayor should have. My first is leadership. I think they need to be good leaders. That means they should keep the community focused on the right things… even if the community is lulled to sleep to go on its merry way (other people call this having one’s “head in the sand”) when things are quiet for a while.
South Natomas has demonstrated the most extraordinary community pride around this structure (three times!), and yet it still has some of the worst crime rates in Sac and many many people who live there say it has gone downhill and will “be like Oakland soon” if nothing is done for youth development, public safety, etc etc. The writing is on the wall. At some point doesn’t someone say, “Hey, maybe we should try something else?”
I believe our city leaders should be raising awareness about the kids being shot, stabbed, and so forth. They need to stand up and say THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE and rally the community… just as Johnson has. Now we need a councilman that does the same… because this “merrily rolling along” thing is killing us… literally..
Lori, your comments are always thought-provoking and I appreciate them. They really make me think and expand. So thank YOU!
Good looking out Joe! Way to not follow status quo over the cliff. Every victim of violent crime and every kid who is being left behind due to frivolous expenditures and feel-good community projects that build pride but not peace thanks you for giving a shit. I sure do. Hey and maybe you should put a form up here with a complaint forum. So every person who rips you gets their comments sent to their council man. I love how people rip you for voicing your opinion. What a joke. Joe you should at least get a salary if you have to do Tretheways job for him
A big fan,
R
Joe - You aren’t going to change people - they can only choose to change and some won’t. I don’t disagree with you on the need for new leadership. I think I was addressing the “average joe” citizen’s lack of motivation - no public servant telling them they should is going to help - there will be those who will get involved and those who don’t. But, every time a citizen steps up to the plate and his/her neighbor sees it, it may inspire. Let’s hope so, because as you say, we’re in some deep ka-ka here.
I wonder how many of your readers volunteer in their children’s classroom, stand guard so kids can cross the street, keep watch on their neighbor’s houses, volunteer to causes that inspire their passion, go meet the police at their barbeques, and so on. I spend about 10% of my waking time volunteering. In all kinds of ways. But, I don’t need the government to tell me to do it.
P.S. I left So Natomas for the very reason of crime. It’s not much different here, but at least I can sleep without the police helicopters.
And, as always, a pleasure doing conversation. Keep on fighting! L
Lori, well, I see your points for sure. I just think we have not had inspirational, impassioned leadership for so long that we may have forgotten what it was like.
Side note: if you want to bring the wayward youth out of the cracks to engage them in conversation, it’s probably best to hold the bbq somewhere other than the police station–unless it’s amnesty day or something where they can, e.g., get free Kings tickets for turning in a gun. That would be a bbq I could support!
Also, about readers here volunteering and so forth. You might be surprised at who tunes in and what they are doing. I am seeing change already as the result of this blog. I may not be able to change PEOPLE, but I think I may be able to change a few MINDS–and that’s all I can hope to do.. even if on a small scale
The good news is that we are talking about this stuff. I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I am going to keep asking the questions. And I thank you for tuning in
Joe are you coming out to help us build? I have no issues whatsoever about your views or your site. Post your video if you want. Whoever you talked to out there at the site does not represent everyone’s attitudes about your site and I complete disagree that your site or your sharp opinions or interviews with residents would stop people from coming out. I would also not treat anyone who came out how you were treated. Everyone’s opinion counts. That’s what community is all about! If anything your site would stregthen their resolve and remind them we have a lot of work to do to make our community safe again. I invite you to come out and help Joe. Bring all your friends. You’re all welcome!
Hi Phyllis and thank you for posting. I think this will be a great show of solidarity for the South Natomas community and i wish you all luck with it. At this time I am putting all of my time and efforts into working, leading my family, and raising awareness around: public safety, code enforcement, youth development and education, job training, homelessness, and victim assistance. I am committed to staying focused on those issues and haven’t any extra time outside of those activities.
If you guys do a Youth Development day, Gun Amnesty Day, Stop the Violence Day, or anything of that order, please contact me as I will be happy assist in any way possible.
I will come help build the play structure when South Natomas people come help build the West Natomas fire department or the community center or our regional park that is still a hole in the ground. It’s been 10 years and our community only has warehouses, offices and big box stores - oh and low income housing.
Oh nice going Jen’s mom…keep up the hate… you obvious animosity is misplaced…you need to put Blame where the blame is deserved for all of your complaints towards Ray Tretheway, Heather Fargo and Gregg Thatch….
And BTW I live in South Natomas… and I would volunteer to help build a fire department or a community center in North Natomas…or anywhere else in the City for that matter, If I felt my skills where needed to help the community…even though in reality..the particular projects you cite could never be worked on by volunteers for many reasons…
If the divisiveness continues between the North and South…the entire District will pay the price… show some love and get together and throw out Ray Tretheway…and Heather Fargo
Right now it looks as though our next council person will be either John Dahilig or Lisa Kaplan, either one of them would be a HUGE improvement over Ray… but if y’all keep fighting amongst ya’selves… Ray will win again in 2010…
Ray will not be re-elected. He will be lucky if he can make it through his term without being recalled.
Sac Inside: ok hate is a strong word. To strong for this topic I think. I was responding in defense of Joe- rhetorically. The point I was trying to make was that So Natomas people are saying No Natomas people are “whiners” yet they expect us to come help them build play forts when we are still missing a fire station and sub station and all that stuff.
Fireman are starting to sound as whiny as teachers-a major playground was destroyed and the community is uniting to rebuild it, this is a positive development for the entire community, to say that the park should not be built because we need more fireman is stupid. There is plently of waste that should eliminated in our public service agencies before being critical of this worthwhile park, a good place to start is there bloated pay and pensions and overtime.
I don’t consider voicing one’s opinion “whining” at all. In fact I think that is a dialog-killer..to call someone a whiner.
For some of the community yes, for all of the community no. Many in the community don’t agree with it. But that is ok. They are entitled to their opinions. Just because they disagree with it does not make them enemies of the state or whiners. Many in the community don’t even know what Fort Natomas is, even some people who live within a block of it as my team can attest.
It is not stupid. It may differ from your opinion, but that doesn’t make it stupid.
Anyways, it is approved and it is underway and it doesn’t matter what we say about it at this point. Most of us are only citing it as an example of how local officials and some residents get more excited about—and are more willing to donate their time and money to– parks and play structures than public safety and education. THAT is why we ever broached the topic in the first place.
I am a volunteer and I think this is wonderful for our community. This structure is symbolic of the pride in South Natomas and the resolve of residents to stand united hand in hand to ensure our children are not deprived of the recreation they are entitled to. A lot of people have said there is a lot of crime in South Natomas but that is not true. I have never heard a helicopter here at night. I don’t know what people are talking about. This is a very safe place to raise a family and I will argue with anyone who says it is not.
Saying all those things, I do not dislike this web site and I do not dislike Joe or the people who support him. I think we need more Joes in our community to question absolutely everything, including parks and play forts and whatever they want to question. The next question they ask might be one I am really interested in. So Joe please keep doing what you’re doing. I never thought for a moment that you were trying to divide residents
Garbage! Are these people kidding? Heatheray Fargeway have comandeered city hall and they get everything they want because there is major back room handshaking with the Sac Tree organization. Go read Sac Insider’s site. Look at who is on their board. How the hell is Tretheway making $55,000 as councilman and $65,000 a year with Sac Tree claiming he is a full time employe for both organizations?? Get a grip. Don’t even try to argue with as Joe calls them the Fargonian Droids because they are exactly that.
ANYONE BUT FARGO!!!!!!
Sorry, but you must not live in South Natomas if you don’t hear police helicopters at night. Either that or you are deaf or literally have your head deep in the sand. Have lived here for 16 years and hear them at least twice a week.
“There is plently of waste that should eliminated in our public service agencies before being critical of this worthwhile park, a good place to start is there bloated pay and pensions and overtime.” -Fort Natomas Park
Fort Natomas Park, I agree with you on this. For years Councilmember Tretheway has ignored calls from the people of District 1. What can you say about someone who allows most of the calls from the public to go to the answering machine instead of picking them up? It’s not too much to ask someone who gets paid $64,000 a year to answer the phones instead of running from the public. What’s even more amazing is the same people who won’t take the public’s phone calls (the people who feed from the trough paid by the taxpayers) are now saying they want to run for office in District 1.
There are a LOT of helicopters in the area of So. Natomas that I live in. AND the endless sound of sirens on Truxel Blvd.
We used to live in South Natomas and I’ve worked on the Natomas high school campus. You either live in a bubble of denial or you can’t hear. Have you read the crime report? Nobody is saying that South Natomas is the worst place in the city, but don’t you deserve better? I’d expect the South Natomas folks who’ve been around long enough to know that what happened there in the 80s is now happening in North Natomas. We’re all in the same disastrous boat and Fargo is paddling.
Who will put out the next fire at Fort Natomas when the firestation is on rotational blackout? I have a kid, I’ve been to Fort Natomas. Yeah for the community. But seriously, this is not a community project this time around. Support and supplies have dwindled. People just aren’t as interested. They’re busy worrying that their houses will flood, burn down or be robbed. That their kids go to school but there aren’t enough supplies to go around and the teachers are tired and frustrated. That there’s no money left to send them to college anyway so what difference does it make.
For a service that essentially is for children 1-7, I’d rather see that money put into free preschool, greater community services and mentoring, or yes… fire safety.
When I worked Engine 15 in South Natomas, we would respond to violent crime assaults at least 5 times per 24 hour shift, EVERY SINGLE SHIFT. The place is crawling with violence, in virtually every corner of the district. In fact, there is a great deal of increasing violence in North Natomas as well.
To state that South Natomas is safe is naive. I guess if you compare it to some areas of West Oakland, it is safe, but for Sacramento, South Natomas is filled with crime. Just take a stroll down the street after the sun goes down, or walk through one of the “beautiful” apartment complexes that seem to be on every corner these days.
Whiny firemen, huh? That’s great, nice attitude. I guess the four guys I work with that got burned the other day are whiners, since I am sure they wanted a new firehouse in West Natomas prior to that fire that almost killed them. While I support the rebuilding of this park, it is amazing to me that the priority is placed on a park over a firehouse once again.
One other thing, Fort Natomas Park (or should I say Heather Fargo), how about treating your employees as a valuable resource instead of a black hole of money. God forbid that firemen, police, etc actually get paid real money, since it is tax payer money. In fact, why not just have all volunteers, that would save all sorts of money. I am sure these dedicated volunteers would provide the same level of service and devote their lives to the fire service or police service like the professionals have. I am sure the volunteers would respond to your house burning at 3 AM, after responding to 23 prior calls since 0800 hours, with the same zest as the professionals.
SacBlog the rebuttal of course is that the million dollars used for it was apparently “So Natomas park only” money that couldn’t be used for anything else. I sent Ray Tretheway an email a ways back asking where the money was coming from and he said it was coming from the South Natomas Capital Improvement Fund and under no circumstances can it be used for anything else. Here is what he said:
Here is another statement Tretheway made to me, which is what impelled me to pick up a video camera and go ask people if they agree with him:
“Elements that desire to destroy or dismantle the quality of life of our neighborhoods”?? Last I heard the fire-starter was some kid trying to stay warm. Doesn’t sound like he was the kind of devil worshiper Ray is fighting against..? Is it just me?
Priceless treasure? Symbol of city wide pride? Really? Not where I live. Not to my family and I. Not to a lot of people I have been talking to. Insurance funds covered the fire. If it was really a symbol of “pride and determination” why not just rebuild it on the same site with even more security features ? Why use $1,000,000 in developer fees to move it somewhere else (days before an election mind you) and plop it down right next to a brand new play structure in the same lot? And who says that residents can’t decide what the SNCIF funds are used for?
According to Ray the funds can’t be used for “operational expenses” or “police and fire” or “anything outside the South Natomas Community Center” (I had asked him if they could be used to help fund more police or fire in the city), but does that mean they can’t be used for youth development? Job training? Truancy prevention? School supplies? Other projects the community would be interested in? So a 100 people came out to the meeting. Was that good enough for Ray and the council? 100 people? we didn’t even have that many residents come out to the Public Safety council meeting recently.
Ray said he and I would have to agree to disagree about the value of the thrice built structure. That was about the only rational thing he wrote in his email
What a bunch of hypocrisy. So funds are golden for a park in South Natomas and cannot be touched but those in North Natomas for parks, levees and fire stations are somehow exempt from this magical declaration? Really? I highly doubt it. It only takes the vote of the city council to redesignate funds in most cases. We’re not talking about federal grant money from a specific pot. They have CHOSEN not to do anything about it…
The value of the structure was high in the time of high housing prices and when we were all living large. We have to live within our means… that includes not moving a park to a new location where there is already a park, community center and library. I’d be more willing to support it on the old location than the new one. I can’t even go to the library there with my son because half the time there’s a bunch of fake gangster kids hanging out front swearing, smoking and causing trouble. So we won’t be using that park either.
Capital funds can only be used for one-time expenses- so at least Ray got that right. You can’t use a capital fund to pay for salaries, maintenance or other ongoing expenses. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t better uses of capital funds in South Natomas. I don’t think that cash was just sitting there waiting for Fort Natomas to burn down again. There had to be a plan for it before last spring.
It’s a crock. We all know it’s a crock. Even someone from the Fort Natomas rebuild team told me it’s a bunch of crap but she couldn’t change her mind once the new location was determined.
Last time I baked 40 dozen cookies for volunteers, collected them from my neighbors and delivered nearly 200 dozen. I’m not baking or collecting this time.
Tretheway is on meds! Watch him zone out at the council meetings! Start the recall efforts. I support it 100%. Joe I get what you are saying 100% and I think you’re too damn nice of a guy to say it so I’ll say it for you:
Our councilman and mayor are getting people excited about the wrong things! They are organizing people for the wrong reasons! They are building structures to idolize while kids are dropping out at alarming rates and holding up pregnant women in their garages! Our source of community “pride” should be in our schools and the safety of our neighborhoods not our play structures for tots and toddlers! Our **children** should be our “priceless treasures” ! Get a grip Sacramento!
These messages remind me more and more that we have to stand up to people who attempt to oppress the opinions of others. The reason we have become the second most dangerous city in CA is because –as I told Eric Hogue on his radio show–resident participation is discouraged in Sacramento–unless you are going with the status quo. God forbid you go against status quo. I can not agree more with what The Ghost of Joe Serna wrote above:
I’ll add another one from today: you think money should be spent on a fire station instead of a fort, “That is stupid”
This is why people don’t participate.. because they get ATTACKED for having an opinion. And you know what enables this type of dismissive, bullying behavior? Poor leadership. Biased leadership. Dividing leadership. Fargo’s unwillingness to repudiate the 447’s hit campaign against Johnson is irrefutable evidence to support my point. Fargo blasts her own colleagues in the press. Ask Chief Braziel and the City Manager. What kind of example is she setting for residents? A horrible one. And this is why I don’t support her for mayor. Her “style” does not promote cooperation or teamwork or open dialog. It discourages by the horrible example she sets.
Despite what Fargo and Tretheway say, we haven’t even scratched the surface as to the degree of pride we could have as a community if we had unifying leadership that invited EVERYONE into the mix. But no, we have leaders who don’t even respond to emails, and when they do they attack the residents as Tretheway did me when he called my email to him “bombastic” Nice leadership Ray. As I replied to him, “My commentary would have never become bombastic if you had replied to me back in 2001.”
For a while I thought I might move. I underestimated the number of people who felt the same as I did. I am glad I decided to stay in Sacramento. Thank you to every person who emailed me and said “Don’t go, we can turn this around.”
Blessings on this beautiful, cool Sunday
I have to admit I was getting nervous last night with that rain. I pray every day this isn’t the year of the 100 year flood.. gulp.. good thing Fargo says our levees are “as strong as they’ve ever been..” we sleep so much better with her endorsement ..
i am a teen living in north natomas. there is nothing here to do. the only thing that may be comparable to fun is the movie theaters. and that’s 10 bucks a pop and cops are parked out front becuase if they dont kids will shoot each other. i think people should not help build this playground for little 7-year-olds who can keep themselves busy in their backyards with some chalk, but should be building a rec center for teens. or a bowling alley. or a skating rink. or finish the sonic burger that was supposed to be done 3 years ago. my friends and i have nowhere to go, we end up walking to jamba juice or carl’s jr after school, and, unintentionally, end up annoying adults. c’mon, now! this is ridiculous! we have enough parks. who cares about a wooden playground!? its been built twice now! we need to focus on things that matter. people complain because kids overrun the raley’s shopping center after school, but there isnt anywhere else to go! THERE IS NOTHING FOR TEENS TO DO IN NATOMAS!
Joe, The South Natomas Capital Improvement Funds could have gone to pay for the community center… instead, the funds to build the South Natomas community center came from swapping developer funds that would have built a new fire station in North Natomas…This information comes from Greg Thatch, the developers attorney…
Ray and Heather have been bending over backwards to build anything and everything in South Natomas before the election…to buy votes..it’s that simple…they know that the North is a lost cause in the election so they are focusing on winning South Natomas votes…
But those in the North should not be upset with the South Natomas residents…they had nothing to do with all of the financial shenanigans between the North/South or City/Developers…it was ALL Ray & Heathers political maneuvering to shore up political support in South Natomas which is Heather and Rays neighborhood.
I agree. Let’s focus as much as possible on root causes: the politicians that have made our city one of the most dangerous in the state and broken promise after promise to homeowners in growth areas that are paying for their pet project lunches.
I love rain, but I have to agree that the flood possibility takes away a bit of the joy of it.
Check out this response I got from a Ray Trethaway supporter, political guy in response to me slamming Ray about the lack of a firehouse in West Natomas:
######,
My name is Bob Moreno and I have lived in Natomas for 25 years.
It’s late and I do not know how this email finally got around to me but I just need to let you know about Ray. Ray Tretheway is not the enemy. There were a couple of community members that helped make Station 30 happen, I hope I was one of them. You can check out who I am with the leadership of Firefighter’s Local 522. At the time we pushed for Station 30, I worked with 522 President Brian Rice, Vice President Keith Gault, and Jay Coons. You can also check with current 522 Board Member Jaymes Butler at Station 18.
Ray was always on our side with regard to Station 30. For crying out loud, his house here in Natomas burnt down. Public enemy # 1 was the Former City Manager and his Henchman. They were dead set against spending any money in Natomas. I do not know how many meetings I attended with those arrogant idiots, where Ray and I were pushing the need for the station and they could not give a —-!
Things are different now. Ray is still there for us on this Fire Station. The new City Manager has public safety as his priority.
The Former City Manager wanted to hoard funds at the expense of public safety.
Station 43, will be built on the west side of I-5. The City is looking at a couple of sites for the station. Ray Tretheway sent me an email about building the new fire station, the day after the fire near San Juan. I live two blocks from that house. “Last Saturday I asked Ray, directly, where we stood with the fire station and he told me “the funds will be allocated, as he is moving forward with a City Council Resolution within the next month.” The New City Manager and Assistant City Manager were at the same event. I asked them separately about the fire station and they told me the same thing. The Assistant City Manager also lives on the west side of I-5.
I have to deal with City, County, State and Federal agencies for my job, and every one of them seem like it takes too long to do the obvious. We are on track and in spite of these tough economic times it is going to get done right away.
If you would like to meet for coffee sometime, I will gladly tell you everything I know. I would also ask you, if you can think of anything we can do to get Station 43 built even faster.
Bob Moreno
(916) 628 - 3877
Managing Director
Brookhurst Development Corp
1500 W El Camino Ave. #487
Sacramento, CA 95833
Holy cow! A developer praising Ray Tretheway. Who knew!
Well, I don’t think we have any doubts about it getting done now, do we? We know there is literally a fire under Mr. Tretheway’s behind now, and he has made it very clear that he will get it built. No one has a clue how he will staff it as far as I know, but it will get built. Way to go Ray! Way to take the bull by the horns!
So, as far as I know, the problem is not whether it will get done, but HOW it will get it done. And rumor has it through reliable sources that Ray and whomever else at the city has cut a deal with developers to DE-FUND something like $97 MILLION in already-approved North Natomas infrastructure projects to get the fire station built. This from the letter North Natomas residents fired off to city hall:
Those are the types of serious questions being leveled at Ray right now. His answers might be actionable. In fact he probably knows that because he has said he will be bringing “city staff” with him to the meeting with residents on Nov 15.
@Fort Natomas Park
How can you compare a fireman to a teacher? How can you say they are whining?
I had an opportunity to sit down with a few firemen from different stations over the past week for a story I am working on and it is certainly anything but roses for these folks. Less and less support from a city who expects the fire departments to protect them.
Joe, shoot me an email when you have a minute, I want to run something past you.
Great site…
NR
Hey JOE!!!
Before there can be any new Videos posted…. I think you need to buy a new battery!
I have a really simple question: How is it that the City came up with the North Natomas Finance Plan (NNFP) in the first place? How is this legal? What state statues authorize separate financing for a specific neighborhood? I smell a rat.
I have been actively involved in local political issues for years in many city’s. I have never heard of such a way to finance public infrastructure…for one particular neighborhood.
Why is it that the North Natomas residents are forced to be beholden to the very developers that pulled hundreds of millions of dollars in profits out of North Natomas. Those same developers obviously have a strong influence over the NNFP as is proven by their ability to get Tretheway/Fargo et al.. to cap future development fees, cap the yearly cost indexing, and to de-fund 97 million dollars in planned projects….The developers get what they want and when they want. But that is no real surprise since the developers attorney, Gregg Thatch, is the guy who helped Fargo and Tretheway into office many years back.
I also note that the city passed a city wide park development fee program, which basically dissolved all the parks and rec requirements in the NNFP… so the developers were off the hook for all of the parks and community centers that were originally planned in the NNFP…. Gee wonder if the Thatch & the developers wrote that ordinance? OH COURSE THEY DID!
I agree with John Dahilig when he says that NNFP SHOULD BE DISSOLVED! It is meaningless anyways…they have proven that time and time again.
Hi John. Battery. Yeah. No doubt.
Repub.. ty … will connect w/ you
city fireman- one thing bob moreno is right about is bob thomas hated the fire department that is true. He has been a natomas political supporter I have seen him at NUSD functions and variuos fundraising type events in the community.
I think that firefighters in this city and police for that matter are misunderstood in this city. I really don’t think people understand that you make squat and work triple of what other departments do and get paid so much less. I think Ray is supportive but only as much as he can be becasue he is a crony of Fargos and we all know SHE HATES YOU. Ray just doesn’t have enough backbone for Natomas anymore. When natomas was a small quiet community he was fine but once it grew he was overwelmed. Nice man but not a city council person for us anymore. When Fargo is gone tomorrow he will be lost.
Joe- I don’t know if people in south natomas are just used to crime or what but I won’t do anything that way unless I have no choice. . In regards to the city not being able to spedn money on anything else but the playground. That seems very strange I would like to see the document and whos brilliant plan was that? Why would you set up an arrangement so strict?
Rachel I hear you, and I agree with your observations and questions.
Hey Republicrat,
That would be easy, both have powerful unions and seem to have a bottomless appitite for our resources, and are never happy with the budgets they are afforded, both professions are noble and need courge, but they don’t need to bankrupt our cities, look at Vallejo. Our Fire Dept just received a pay raise, and like teachers, the retirement benefits are profound. If you looked at an average fireman’s pay, most are not struggling. Many retire in their 50’s and can receive 30 or 40 years of benefits that are causing cities problems. How many fireman have second incomes because of the free hours they have? Where is the balance, cities used to provide adequate fire and police services, and now there is constant fighting between unions, cities and residents. Why don’t you do a story on the station near the airport, how needed is it, and try not to just hear it from a fire union rep., the station could be consolidated with the new one in W. Natomas, what a novel idea, saving the city some needed cash. The fire personnel will of course contest it, the thought of saving money is distant from their minds.
fort natomas park you might be right about station 3 (the one near the airport) there are 4 people there and they could maybe consolidate but I don’t know if the airport would go for that. I think that metro should take over the station by the airport since the airport is technically county and then the city could close that station, I am not sure if they can do that though. I don’t think many firefighters would complain. Just remember the union doesn’t always speak for the fireman someitmes they have their own agenda just like any other political force. I do want you to know the firefighters of sacramento don’t have second jobs because they have so much free time its because they get paid crap. They also have the worst retirement benifits of any fire department in the area and the life expectancy of a firefighter after ritirement is about 10 years so they don’t on average get 30 or 40 years but it is possible, Vallejo for example made about 2000.00 more a month than our city firefighters not to say we should pay ours that much but being the busiest they should be compensated Galt firedepartment pays about 1200.00 more a month. GALT PEOPLE. Can you at least see why they would be angry that the city seems to disregard them??? Oh by the way I am not a firefighter