He is The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread! - Why Elk Grove Should Thank Gil Moore For Outing EGCC

October 19, 2013 | Even since the public first learned of the proposed de facto approved Moore Sheldon Center project by developer Gil M...

October 19, 2013 |

Even since the public first learned of the proposed de facto approved Moore Sheldon Center project by developer Gil Moore last year, there has been a steady drumbeat of criticism.

This drumbeat focused on the highway sign ordinance the Elk Grove City Council gutted for Moore's and McDonald's needs, the taxpayer-paid so-called workshop to modify the sign ordinance held for Moore's benefit, the cart-before-the horse approach the city council took that essentially approved the project before it even went through the formal process and most recently the broad power the city council granted the city manager to sell real property.
Gil Moore - a symptom of a corrupt political system.

Perhaps the last part of the puzzle, or final insult, was put in place yesterday when next week's closed session city council agenda revealed that the city would be entering negotiations to sell surplus property by Highway 99 to the company Moore works with to place billboards. Amazingly the groundwork has been laid for a project that has not gone through the entire process, but then again, city council members have told Moore in open session they supported it.

Then there is Moore, who at almost every turn has elevated his personal visibility to promote his project. Be it mugging for a TV camera or engaging in shouting matches in the lobby of city hall, Moore has been his own worst enemy.

And just for good measure, in yesterday's Sacramento Business Journal Moore said this of himself, no kidding, “once I open and start doing fundraisers for schools, everyone’s going to think I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

Moore's in-your-face self-promotion rubs people the wrong way. Conversely, most people who closely follow Elk Grove politics would be hard-pressed to identify real people of influence in Elk Grove like William Nieme or Angelo Tsakopoulos in a police line-up.

Think about it - Moore's project is less than five-acres, yet if Nieme or  Tsakopoulus were to show up at a city council meeting, which is unlikely, they would be wallflowers and let their attorneys from white shoe law firms do all the talking over some project that has or will greatly shape the development of Elk Grove. Moore, on the other hand travels with entourage that Turtle would be envious of and, just to make sure he is easily identified, wears colorful Hawaiian shirts. 

Of course this is America and we are all free to express ourselves in whatever manner we choose and this is simply Moore's way of rolling. But if you think about it, we really should be thankful for Moore's flamboyance.

Compared to other projects, aside from the gutting of the sign ordinance, this one is small in the grand scale of future projects that will come when the city annexes the 12 square miles in the sphere of influence area. Really, so we have one more fast food joint and liquor store? One less liquor store won't decrease the number of people killed by drunk drivers so why worry.

What Moore's flamboyance has done though is to expose how business is really conducted in our city. Simply put, we have long had a pay-to-play system in this city (and for that matter on just about every level of American politics) and Moore, in his own ham-handed way, has shown exactly how our Mayor and city council members are bought and sold.

So yes, let's all give Moore a Bronx cheer  - his project shows exactly how some well-placed payoffs donations can get exactly what you want.  

 

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6 comments

Belinda said...

That's stating what needs to be said. It's all true and it is how our elected leaders and our city manager conduct business that affects all of us despite the actual viability of a project.

Good article, Dan. At least someone has the "cajones" (Moore's term) to call it as it is.

The fix is in, and everyone knows it.

ABC Store said...

Wonder Bread builds healthy bodies.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Moore seems quite the liar. The Sac Bus Journal quotes him telling big fairytale lies all in furtherance of his project.
Let's start with his most repeated lie: I live in Elk Grove. Nope, you live in Wilton. Check you your voter registration document. Next, "“You have 17,000 homes within three miles, and there’s no gas, no groceries,”. Nope. Try again....Winco is less than 3/4 miles and has pizza, gas, groceries, nail salons, robberies, assaults, domestic violence and a host of other elements. Next: "Those who worry about a freeway sign causing visual blight in Sheldon have legitimate concerns, Moore said, though he thinks what he’d establish would be both aesthetically pleasing". How "pleasing" can a McDonald's sign be? Next: "Thursday, the Elk Grove planning commission had a public hearing on the environmental impact report for his project, and he said no one commented". Mr. Moore, were you sleeping through this meeting? Yes, there was an objection. Remember the guy who spoke to the lack of connectivity with your project to the rural area through the use of trails? I guess he doesn't count??
Mr. Moore is what is wrong with America. Greed and dishonesty. Mr. Moore only cares about his bottom line and I guess, that's fine. We all look to take care of our own financial needs, but I would never lie, dishonor my family name, and prostitute myself with the council all in the name of money. I have self-respect. Too bad Mr. Moore does not.

Anonymous said...

AMEN!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Anonymous...That objector was me. I think I'll be back at the real hearing just so he remembers me.

Jill said...

The sad fact is that once Moore's center goes in, it will probably be successful. As much as we moan about the adverse effects of fast food not only on our health, but also how they are a drain on taxpayers, people eat the cr#p.

The more troubling aspect of this is once Moore gets his sign, any chance of Elk Grove bringing a skoach of class along our little stretch of Highway 99 will dissipate. We are just going to be another gas and fast food stop along 99. So much for being a destination city. Hope the money you got was worth it fellas!

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