The city has received numerous applications applying for the position to replace former Council member Charles Slert. Here are a list of questions I think should be asked:
Budget Questions:
1. Should the Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce continue to be funded by the City?
2. Should the pool continue to operate at a deficit?
3. Should the Cultural Center (also operating at a deficit) be closed and sold?
4. Should payroll/benefit cuts be made for city employees?
Sewer System:
1. Should the sewer rates be lowered and tied to water usage rather than set at a flat rate per household making the pricing more equitable to the consumer?
This means that right now a 1 person household pays the same amount as a 6 person household.
Solid Waste:
1. Can garbage rates be lowered to the consumer?
Be aware that our transfer station charges $134/ton as a tipping fee – AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE OF CALIF.
Oregon charges substantially less.
That’s one of the big target areas that need to be addressed along with payroll, and how to utilize the 5 acres owned free and clear.
A building can be put up (assuming financing is created) as all the utilities are already available. Can we create a manufacturing facility by recycling plastics for example and thus create jobs for locals? One idea, make kayaks.
FSA:
The latest initiative due to go to the November, ‘12 ballot calls for a moratorium to halt the use of hydrofluosilicic acid (FSA) added to our water until such time that the supplier of FSA can prove it is safe and effective. FSA is a toxic industrial waste product. There is no way the supplier can prove it is safe and effective.
Katherine Kelly, the proponent of the latest initiative to create a moratorium on injecting “fluoride” into our water states the following:
"In the list of questions, in your info about FSA, you stated that in 1968 the voters voted for fluoridation. This is patently false and should never be claimed. Actually, the voters voted against fluoridation at first. The city council of the time decided to go against the will of the people and fluoridate anyway. After they had already begun the fluoridation program and began their propaganda campaign, it was put to a vote to "continue" the program. But the voters did not vote it in originally. People should know that in the context of the current city council’s refusal to do anything against fluoridation because it’s up to the voters. Our past shows that they can indeed go against the will of the people if they so choose."
In 1968, the city voters voted it in. Then they used Sodium Floride. In 1980, the city switched to FSA and as far as I know, this was done without a vote and without notifying the public. I do not know who made the decision, or why the decision was made.
I do know that the price went up from $10,000/year in 2009 to $17,000 to purchase this poison in 2010 or 2011. In addition, the city spends another $13,000/year to have an employee test the water daily = nearly $30,000/year.
99% of our $30,000 goes down the drain because it’s used to wash clothes, dishes, bathe etc. Only about 1% is consumed.
Last year the CDC (Center for Disease Control) announced that 41% of our 12-15 yr olds were OVER FLUORIDATED. This allowed me to garner enough votes to reduce the amount of fluoride from 1 milligrams per liter down to .7 milligrams per liter.
However, we are still drinking toxic industrial waste and the only way to stop it is by either 1) the city council removing it due to claiming it to be a health hazard which they probably won’t do with the current board because most of them believe it is (a) Safe and (b) effective, or 2) vote it out in Nov. ’12.
At tonight’s council meeting, this topic is listed as Agenda Item #15, the last item on the agenda. The public is
is encouraged to attend.
WHERE: County Building at 9th and H Streets in the BOS room
WHEN: Jauary 17, 2012: 6:00 p.m.
