Davis, Detrick Called Out - Politics as Usual, Hypocrisy, or Both
June 27, 2017 | At the Wednesday night Elk Grove City Council meeting, Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis and Council Member Steve Detrick were ...
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2014/06/elk-grove-city-council-davis-detrick-called-out-politics-as.html
June 27, 2017 |
At the Wednesday night Elk Grove City Council meeting, Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis and Council Member Steve Detrick were called out by two Elk Grove residents. The call-outs were part of the Silverado project planning item on that night's agenda.
Detrick was called out by Nikki Carpenter for his role in the Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning (EGCAPP) prior to his election to the city council. Detrick was part of a successful organizing effort to stop the construction of a Walmart Super Center on the northeast corner of Sheldon and Power Inn roads.
Detrick was called out by Nikki Carpenter for his role in the Elk Grove Coalition Advocating Proper Planning (EGCAPP) prior to his election to the city council. Detrick was part of a successful organizing effort to stop the construction of a Walmart Super Center on the northeast corner of Sheldon and Power Inn roads.
Elk Grove City Council on Silverado project: The power of the general plan compels us! |
What was the reason for strict adherence to the general plan in this case? Was it, as Carpenter suggested, the money?
Politicians, including our city council members, will strenuously assert that money received from contributors in no way influences their votes. But really, do they honestly think we are buying it?
As for Davis, he was slammed by Elk Grove resident Rachelle Reinwald, who noted the mayor's own empty words of being "laser focused" on correcting the city's jobs to housing imbalance while failing to do something about it.
Davis has made the creation of jobs one of the minarets of his agenda since becoming mayor, and yet, as Reinwald pointed out, last year the city issued building permits for over a million square feet of residential units and only about 70,000 square feet for all classifications of commercial use. Of the 70,000 square feet of commercial use, none was for the industrial zoning classification which is crucial in attracting well-paying jobs.
So is the mayor spinning his desire to appear to be doing something about the city's lack of well-paying jobs with one hand while the palms of his other hand are being lined with the money from housing developers?
So is this hypocrisy, politics as usual, or both?
Politicians, including our city council members, will strenuously assert that money received from contributors in no way influences their votes. But really, do they honestly think we are buying it?
As for Davis, he was slammed by Elk Grove resident Rachelle Reinwald, who noted the mayor's own empty words of being "laser focused" on correcting the city's jobs to housing imbalance while failing to do something about it.
Davis has made the creation of jobs one of the minarets of his agenda since becoming mayor, and yet, as Reinwald pointed out, last year the city issued building permits for over a million square feet of residential units and only about 70,000 square feet for all classifications of commercial use. Of the 70,000 square feet of commercial use, none was for the industrial zoning classification which is crucial in attracting well-paying jobs.
So is the mayor spinning his desire to appear to be doing something about the city's lack of well-paying jobs with one hand while the palms of his other hand are being lined with the money from housing developers?
So is this hypocrisy, politics as usual, or both?
22 comments
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Elk Grove is laser focused on becoming South Sacramento, south or North Stockton, north.
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Rachelle Reinwald is the kind of person we need for mayor, smart, well spoken and truly cares for this city. She'd be better than any one on that dais. Please consider running, you have my vote.
I really don't know Rachelle, but from what I can see she has the common sense about how things should be governed in this city. Why keep building houses. What will happen if the economy heats up again? More houses? Those men on the council are just so short sighted. We need a smart woman on the council and please, no Nancy Chaires, much less Steve Ly - they are just clones of the other dolts serving now.
I'm with Anon 15;11 and Patty. In fact Rachelle's brother, Jeff would be a welcomed sight on that dais as well. He made a lot of sense at the meeting, too bad no one on the dais was listening to either of them.
- Nothing new, citizens ignored.
I couldn't believe they glossed over the potential contamination problems and passed that environmental report. God help those people who buy those lots!
The contamination problems have to be addressed and cleared up with further testing, leaving no doubt what so ever that the land is free of contaminates and safe for families & the elderly to live there. Until that is done, this project will never be free of public scrutiny, a never ending process of inquiry open to all.
Ms. Reinwald's comments were very telling and exposed Gary Davis as a complete and total hypocrite that speaks to whatever current agenda he is paid to support at that time. He has spoken out of both sides of his mouth for years, but until last week, as best I can recall, no one called him on it on the record. Well now it's out there and it's very ugly. - a complete contradiction of policy.
Gary Davis has been swallowed up by greed, and local notoriety. He's turned into Robert Louis Stevenson's Mr. Hyde. The only difference is Dr. Jekyll realized the transformation, while our mayor can't seem to see the obvious.
- Hat's off to Ms. Reinwald.
Of course Detrick didn't take Carpenter's bait and explain his change of heart on the matter. Could it be once he was succeeded in getting the Walmart super center across from his gate community, that all of his needs were met?
As for "former Davis supporter" above, don't feel bad, a lot of us in the community were fooled by the mayor. Just remember Mayor Davis, you can't fool all the people all the time. People are on to you.
Sounds like all the above were written by one person - the author of this blog.
FYI - I'm not the author of this blog and I have only met the author in passing on few occasions.
Fact is that Gary Davis's words are regularly inconsistent. Not everyone drinks the Davis Kool-Aid (or coffee).
Gary's words consistently change depending upon his audience. He's not true to anything but himself.
Anon at 10:28. Detrick "succeeded" in the Walmart effort. Give me a break! Those who were actually involved know that Detrick was not the brains behind that effort. He just read scripts written for him.
This is amusing, man.
The Elk Grove Cow Elks sure have an AX to Grind on the City Council. Pretty Sad they cannot use that negative energy for something good for Elk Grove.
Mayor Davis stated in a e-mail during the SOI process that unless the SOI was approved that he was concerned that the Sheldon area could be rezoned - not so; next he stated in Jan 2013 that he would not stand for the low job to housing ratio 0.58. He has none nothing to improve the job to housing ratio and yet he approved over 1,000,000 housing. Come on wake up folks vote theses council members out.
To Don and Anonymous 08:45. Instead of putting the people down on these news forums or who speak out against the cities actions, let me hear what you think of the direction our town is heading or your assessment of our Council Members? I'm truly interested in hearing all perspectives and opinions.
We are lucky to have the vocal members of our community who do their homework and voice their take on things. If you construe it as negative leaning, well I can only say you'd probably begin to take a negative spin if your views were usually ignored in favor of special interests and political maneuvering. I encourage you to let your voice be heard, the more involvement the better.
Take a look at campaign donations and how council votes when donor's items come up on the agenda. Look at who is standing with them at their political functions.
Having been to and watched council meetings, to see the direction that the city is heading and the actions it takes, I don't believe the citizens have a representative up there that takes our opinions, perspectives and best interests into consideration. If so you wouldn't see more homes approved, a plan to increase our SOI, a $120 million soccer stadium, an empty civic center, crazy RFP for an aquatic park, so on and so on...
So if someone has an opposing view point or accolades to heap please do so.
Like Pat Hume said to Randy Starbuck, the city council needs to do a better job of promoting themselves.
Jeff O, interesting that you mention Pat Hume's comment to Randy Starbuck... self promotion for the individual council members.
What I have learned in running for office and making an effort to make the campaign about issues instead of sound bites...well most individuals vote sound bites...and very few are paying attention to the issues. Those that have kept a close watch on the issues, attend council meetings and express opinions differing from council or staff sometime are noted as complainers. Also, developers have many minutes to discuss their projects and answer council questions, residents who will be most impacted with the outcome of developments are allowed 3 minutes to comment and this is called democracy. What have I learned over the years? It is very necessary to meet with council members before "public hearings" because more often than not the decisions have been made by council before a hearing. This is democracy....Really?? I know so many individuals who gave so much of their own time without any monetary gain to make this a better a community...I no longer see them at meetings. How very sad. And Why?? Why do the individuals no longer participate?
I am a recovering "cow elk".
Great comments by JeffO. I wish I had said that. He's absolutely right.
I'd like to hear these malcontents say what direction we are headed and why that's good for any of us.
The citizens don't have a voice on the dais. Both Detrick and Davis were elected based on their promises to carry that torch and both have been swallowed up by greed and some feeling of power.
Thanks Jeff, for saying what I was thinking.
The comments Jeff expressed so well have been said to our leaders. They may not have been articulated as well, bur indeed they have been said. Unfortunately the energy of the individuals has languished. The health of the individuals was compromised. So, the individuals have removed themselves from active participation. The only avenue for expressing disappointment, frustration and the sense it is not getting better is through the blogs. The community identity is disjointed. Understandable, with what I describe above, I do not blame the individuals for moving away or choosing no longer to actively engage in the process. Jeff I encourage you to run for council. Your speaking skills, charisma are what people need and are seeking.
Anon. 7:41 I totally agree and am "Dissatisfied with the Satisfied." I'm dissatisfied with our city council, its complacency and lack of urgency regarding reining in the out-of town builders who build and run with just a few dollars dropped in their political pockets. They have in fact sold the community out to the highest biddder. Even more amazing is that big selling point...Eskaton! Will they even build there? Nothing firm that's for sure, just a selling point for the city councils benefit and they bought it.
I have found that there are typically three groups that form around any problematic issue: the deniers, a large group of satisfied “don’t carers,” and the few dissatisfied. They are the ones who spend hours doing their homework and in this case, layed the groundwork for what could become a hugh problem for the city in the future...contamination! Wouldn't you know, the city council didn't even get what the history of this land is and how sufficent testing has not been done... with the exception of possibly Mr. Hume. Bet the city attorney picked on it though..of course they didn't ask for his advice.
All we can do at this stage is hope and pray that no one who might occupy this land will have any ill effects. Seems the best we can hope for at this point. EIR has been stamped & sealed with city councils approval! JMHO....
What a coincidence.. The same property owner has more than 40 charges pending against him for contaminating other properties, in fact, the same owner, owned the property next to AM/PM on Grantline Road now called Special Waste Collection Center. The City of Elk Grove bought this property knowing it was contaminated. The City of Elk Grove was cited by OSHA for allowing the construction workers to work onsite without notification of the presence of contaminates and hazardous materials. It would seem some Council Members may have been compensated, personally, because prior to purchase the City hired a consulting firm to give an analaysis of 1/2 dozen properties as to which would be best to purchase. The site the City purchased was ranked the lowest of the 6th because of the presence of contamination unknown and documented throughout the years. But yet the City bought it anyway, even though they had been advised in the past by 3 other consulting firms not to purchase it because of contamination onsite. The City did not get a discount because the site was contaminated, so why would they go against the advise of the consultants they hired to evaluate the multiple parcels and still pay full value to the property owner. The same site owner who owned the Special Waste Collection Center is also the same owner of the Silverado Property.Go figure????
To Anon at 22:45 above: I consider myself pretty informed but this is the first I have read about the land on which the Special Recycling Waste Center sits was contaminated and the city of Elk Grove was cited by Cal OSHA. If true, this is serious stuff!
Therefore, I sent an email to City Manager Laura Gill asking several questions, copying a portion of the comment for reference. I included the owner of this site, among others, on the email asking for "reply all" answers.
Here are a few of the questions:
Is that comment true?
Did the city of Elk Grove know the site was contaminated when it was purchased?
If so, why wasn't this brought up at a council meeting when the property was purchased?
Was the city of Elk Grove cited and/or fined by Cal OSHA?
And if so, how much was the fine and did the workers know the city was putting them at risk here?
And if so, what exactly was the city cited on?
Will there be any future repercussions of any of the workers become ill?
Did the workers file a lawsuit against the city of Elk Grove?
And lastly, because they haven't been informed in the past by staff: Did any members of the Elk Grove City Council know about any of this?
I think the public, as we paid for this property, should have some answers here.
Anon at 22:45..The Silverado Property is owned by the Sewer District. In reviewing records for this site I did not find that it was privately owned. What year was it owned by the person you refer to.
I am most interested.
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