Coastal voices: Council thoughts on first week in office

It's Monday afternoon, Nov. 17, and we're driving back from a visit with family in Washington.

Getting to play and bake with the grandkids is always fun. But, we didn't have time to window shop in beautiful Leavenworth; a town that faced a severe depression back in the 60's due to their dying logging business. Their city leaders came up with a Bavarian Village Theme.

Today, that little town of 2,000-3,000 full-time residents is bustling with activity; hotels are filled months in advance; their restaurants are busy; their shops are active. We need a theme for Crescent City to duplicate their success.

It's 6 pm. We're being sworn to uphold the California Constitution which I've never read. One more thing to put on my "to do" list. As the meeting progresses, I notice that it's difficult to raise the issues that came up during our campaign. The process is slow, daunting, structured. How to get the fluoride out of our water and save $10,000 a year? When can we waive the license application fees for vets, what's the process? How do we go about creating a theme for our city?

The fact that we don't have financials at our fingertips seems totally unreasonable.

We learn that there are about 30 committees, and we'll each be assigned to several. This is all new and a surprise; I don't even know what the initials stand for, like LAFCO and IGRC.

By Wednesday, I've been given 3 more pounds of paperwork. A 4-inch-thick binder on the City General Plan and Planning Commission. Reading materials on the Brown Act, how to conduct a meeting, etc. Meanwhile, I've got questions. Not just on the materials I've been presented; but on the checks that were written that week. I start dashing off e-mails questioning some of the expenditures and gratefully get prompt responses.

Walking around downtown, people point out that trees were cut down years ago and have never been replanted. I dash off an e-mail to our City Planner, Will Caplinger, to find out when trees will be planted.

In an effort to show unity and change, we discussed painting the "Welcome to Crescent City" sign with brighter colors at the "S" curve by past and present Council Members. It would be eye-candy to have redwood sculptures there as well. I stop and chat with one redwood carver on Highway 101 and discuss how to prevent theft even if we get permission to put the sculptures out on the lawn. Just those two things would liven up and bring immediate attention to visitors that our city is special.

Meanwhile, every place I go and every new person I meet, I ask two questions:

What businesses would you like to see in our city, preferably downtown? What industries would you like to see open up? We've already assembled quite a list: Fresh fish market, shoe repair, yogurt shop, chocolate and candy shop, children's clothing and consignment shop, and a book store. The problem? Where do we find the people to open these businesses? We certainly have enough empty spaces to put them in.

I attend a new meeting and find out that there are folks seriously discussing the creation of a wind farm. I learned that electricity causes more damage to our environment than auto emissions. So little by little I've been planting seeds with others in the community to find out who wants to be part of a core group to make wind turbines a reality.

Organizing and creating new volunteer groups to physically clean up the city resulted in some back and forth communications. Things like CalTrans giving permission, wearing vests, and workman's comp. I learn of existing groups in the city that already have volunteers like RSVP; along with setting up a meeting with the Probation Department to learn about its Community Service program and how it works.

On Friday morning, we finally get permission to start cleaning up the parking lot at the RHS building on M Street. I pack all of my gardening tools into my car and drive over. Three of us don gloves and start weeding, chatting and having a great time. We're only there for an hour. Here's the thing. When one volunteers for something like this; this is not the time to ask; why aren't they (the property owners or managers) maintaining the place themselves? It's not time to judge people. It's time to get to know what's what. Like the reason they don't have a trash receptacle is because they get stolen.

What's the long-term plan? Let's not go in one time, clean and forget them. Let's try to meet with the owner. See about some new design ideas to solve problems and then hand it off to their maintenance and landscaping people; or maybe connect them with gardeners to take up the slack. Maybe some of the volunteers will want to become gardeners? Sometimes, we just need a little infusion of extra energy and creativity to spark interest in getting back that pride of ownership that will make our city sparkle.

When we finish, we go across the street to meet some of the neighbors. We met one couple from New Zealand who have been here since the '90's. I love New Zealand. Back in 1987, I spent 6 weeks there and got to meet the prime minister at a cocktail party. It's one of the places on this Earth that I would enjoy living. I visited a working sheep ranch, saw the sheep sheared and then toured a yarn mill. I'm wondering why we don't have sheep farms here and around Crescent City. It would be a wonderful source of wool and meat. And, what can we do to act friendlier?

Here it is Saturday and it's time to interview candidates for the city manager position. That was thoroughly enjoyable.

Lastly, some thoughts about cleaning up City Hall. It's hard to dislike anyone in City Hall or on the Council. From the brief glimpses I've seen so far, everyone works really hard. I've enjoyed laughing with them and learning about them. As a reminder, it took the sewer rate increase fiasco to get me involved in politics.

When constituents come to me and point out what appears to be unlawful or improper practices, I will do my best to try to remedy these; just like I will try to get trees planted, businesses started up, etc. People are looking for transparency in government. People ask questions. They are entitled to answers. Stonewalling and sidestepping only serves to frustrate. I'm hopeful that I can make some headway in this area.

With that, I've come to the end of my first week on the City Council. We look out at our front yard and notice the weeds and figure it's time to clean up our own garden.