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TurlockNow: Live from the City Council meeting

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 18:55.
Hello from downtown Turlock. Tonight's agenda isn't particularly hefty, though it does include the RDA project list. At a couple of minutes before 7, the room is less than half full.
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Activist1's picture

Interesting so far.

Submitted by Activist1 on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:02.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt

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A bigger crowd

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:06.
Lots of folks came in during the last few minutes, bringing us to about a two-thirds-full house. Gil Ogden, director of student services for the Turlock Unified School District, is giving the council an update on its "Just Say Go" campaign.
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New planning commissioner

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:16.
They were supposed to appoint one, but could not agree on a nominee. So the item will be put over until the next meeting, Mayor John Lazar says.
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Activist1's picture

Gil Ogden

Submitted by Activist1 on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:21.
needs to spend some time enforcing the anti bullying program at Turlock High. Bullying on and off campus is escalating.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt

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BMX park work day Saturday

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:22.
The city is looking for folks - anyone 12 and older (those under 18 need a parent to sign a waiver) to pitch in on a work day for the BMX Park on Panorama Avenue near Walnut school. Work starts at 8 a.m.
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Upswing in burglaries

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:32.
Police Chief Gary Hampton says that officers are seeing a correlation in the kinds of items being stolen in home burglaries and the stuff sold at second-hand shops. Hampton says he doesn't believe retailers selling used sporting goods and video games, for instance, are taking part in illegal activity. But his department wants to make sure all of them are keeping logs of the people from whom they buy and sharing them with police, as required by law. He says only about 20 percent of businesses that deal in used goods do this know.
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Public hearing on day care regulations

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 19:55.
The council is again considering charging large family day care facilities (those operated in homes that care for eight to 14 children) a business license fee and imposing other regulations, including prohibiting them from operating within 300 feet of one another.
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Another sign of the economyic downturn

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 20:06.
When this process started in August, 25 large family day cares operated in Turlock. Now it's down to 17.
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Water rates

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 20:26.
Municipal Services Director Dan Madden is discussing potential water rate increases to pay for the water treatment facility planned in a joint project with Modesto, Ceres, Hughson and the Turlock Irrigation District. The council tonight is considering scheduling a public hearing in March on the rates. Here's a bit from Madden's report: "Under such a scenario, the typical residential water bill would be $96.67 by 2014-15." That bill is now $34.53.
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Water rates tabled for now

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 21:31.
We're in a break.
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Unfunded mandates

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 22:08.
The council heard reports from department heads on policies and procedures the state and federal governments require but don't pay for. Not surprisingly, there are several.
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Council is now sitting as the RDA

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 22:08.
and going over the list of proposed projects to fund.
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Everything was passed, except the Joe Debely Stadium

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 22:21.
project - which calls for the city contributing $2.8 million for a new all-weather track and field at Turlock High. That was removed for separate consideration because Mayor John Lazar has a conflict of interest - he owns a nearby rental property. A couple of speakers have urged the RDA not to fund the project.
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Passed 4-0

Submitted by pguerra on Tue, 2009-11-10 22:32.
Joe Debely remains on the list. And at 10:30 p.m., the council is adjourning to closed session.
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Unfortunate that the Mayor must step down on the RDA funding

Submitted by dmcgarry on Thu, 2009-11-12 10:28.

because he owns a rental property in the vicinity of THS.  If you think about the rationale for stepping down from a vote, you see that its to avoid manipulating the results for one's own gain.  Installing a new field at Debley would have no positive financial gain for the area neighbors.  Thus, I don't see how the Mayor's vote would have served him personally. 

I do, however, see how Ted Howze's vote would serve him personally.  He may not own property in the vicinity and has already received such clearance from the FPPC.  As a Board member of TYF and a coach and clearly a politician, he is using the City's RDA funds as a way to influence people in the voting booth. 

The point of recusing one's self from voting, in this context, is to avoid the 'appearance' of a conflict.  This is often the most important aspect of the conflict of interest codes, as it helps a community's constituency see where influence is being directed, even without an elected officials direct financial interest.

Isn't it more important to be completely free of conflicts?

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Unfortunate?

Submitted by JoeMcCarthy on Thu, 2009-11-12 11:42.

I wish both Ridenour and Howzes would step down permanently

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