“SPOTLIGHT” with Ed Scott on the Elections & the Open Council Seat

15 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Nieghborhood Watch, Rialto, Shawn O'Connell, Target, Uncategorized, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com Tags: climate, current-events, politics, transportation

Hello Rialto so you thought the elections were over right?

Wrong we still have an open council seat!!!!!!!

Ok so maybe the thought of more election pandering doesn’t excite you, if that’s the case this is right up your alley.

The city council has chosen to make an appointment verses spending money on an election. They gave candidates 3 days to get their letters of interest into the city clerk’s office (Friday 5pm) and now they have the task of choosing one of these people to fill the vacant seat for the remainder of the term (1.5 years).

Rumors are already circling that the 3 seated council members have already made up their minds? Is it simply rumor? Or is there something it?

There is no way to know what another person is thinking until you ask them to put it to writing. Here is the Interview from Ed Scott enjoy.

Ed Scott is seeking the open council seat

*What are your thoughts on how the local elections played out for citizens of Rialto?

I am happy with the two Councilmembers who were voted in. Obviously I am disappointed voters didn’t do more research on the Mayoral candidates as I feel the outcome would of been different. Having said that I am in full support of our new Mayor and wish her the best.

*In what ways will you try and remain a part of the work to make a better Rialto now that you’re no longer on the Council?

For 23 years I’ve been active in this community and will continue to do so in any way I can. I may run again sometime down the road.

*Are you seeking the appointed seat left vacant by your opponent for Mayor Deborah Robertson?

Yes I am I feel I would be a good asset to the new Council especially in business development and perchlorate.

*How do you thing this spot should be filled?

The Council should review applicants and pick a person qualified.

*What is the value of having it done now verses waiting till June in a special election?

We need leadership, there are major financial issues facing this city and a person with knowledge of these issues would be helpful.

*Can you explain the importance of having an odd number of people voting?

You certainly don’t want tied votes and if the council cannot come up with a consensus then a 3 – 2 votes is helpful. In a perfect situation if staff and the council are doing their homework a unanimous vote should take place. Voting on issues is not about one’s personal agenda it’s about what is good and right for the community.

*What was your greatest accomplishment & failure as a council member?

I think my hard work to bring new businesses into our community was important. i.e. Coco’s, Wal-Mart, Target, In & Out multiple distribution centers bringing job to Rialto and my work in bringing the perchlorate law suit to an end. But my greatest pleasure was when I could help a resident of small business with a problem and could leave them with the feeling that an elected official cared about them. There is no better feeling. As far as failures I don’t really look at anything that way. Would I have of done something’s different yes, hind sight is always important.

*There is talk of putting Measure “V” on the ballot again any thoughts on this? Why in your opinion did it fail in November?

It failed because people didn’t understand why the City was doing it and we let big oil companies come into our city and flat out lie to our residents. I worked for big oil companies for over twenty years and I tried to warn the city how ruthless they can be but my concerns fell on deaf ears.

*What in your opinion is the greatest hurdle in the community’s path between now and the next election?

Having enough money to keep the City solvent and at the same time maintain our necessary levels of service for public safety.

*Veolia will be the operator of both the Water and Waste Water for Rialto for the next 30 years, what are your thoughts on this? Can they handle both with minimal errors? Did you have a choice you wish was there instead?

Yes I am confident they can handle it my choice to run the water department was West Valley it just didn’t happen

*As a small business owner what can Rialto do to make this an attractive home for our local small businesses?

Make the permitting and government interaction easier. The City needs to understand that when a small business loses business because of safety concerns or because government is difficult to do business with it is devastating. Most small business people are not rich people they are hardworking residents.

*Residents of the country club area came out to the Coffee with the Chief in December commenting on the way the Golf Course has become a mess and attracts criminals and the wild life is moving in as well. What was done wrong there in your opinion?

The golf course was losing 20,000 a month the owners had a right to close it. The residents should have worked with the owners instead of suing them. No one won in that situation but lawyers. The best thing now is to support the new development at the golf course so it can be reopened and become prosperous.

“SPOTLIGHT” interview with Assembly Member Cheryl Brown

14 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Assemblymember-Elect Cheryl Brown, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Nieghborhood Watch, Public Safety, Rialto, Small Business, Taxes, youth

Hello Rialto Now readers we come to you today with another “SPOTLIGHT” this one comes from our newest Assembly Member Cheryl Brown. I have been working with Assembly woman Brown and her staff on this interview for the past couple weeks and I am super excited to finally see it complete.

I find it important and vital to our local community that we know our elected leaders as to see them as more human and less like people that are on a pedestal so high we fear asking them questions or interacting with them at all. I found it exciting to know where Mrs. Brown went to school and that it was right here in the Inland Empire. I think that shows our youth that a local education doesn’t mean you can’t still be GREAT.

What excited me the most is this was the first time readers went the extra step and submitted questions and were willing to put their name behind them. It is our goal here to bring the most information to the people seeking it. We created relationships with the people that matter to you in hopes that your voice will reach their ears.

Enjoy!!!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/cheryl.brown.988711

Assemblywoman Brown, how long have you lived in the Inland Empire? Where did you attend High School?

I have lived in the Inland Empire since the late 50’s. I attended San Bernardino High School, Class of 1961.

Are you a college graduate? If so, where from?

Yes, I completed my BA degree in Geography (urban planning) at California State University, San Bernardino, Class of 1974.

What did you enjoy most about working with the Black Voice Newspaper?

I enjoyed writing stories of major interest to our community.

Do you have any connection to the Black Chamber of Commerce? What is the biggest value you see in supporting our African American business owners?

I’m a founding member of the Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce. Our biggest value is investing in African American businesses to build stronger communities.

How involved do you think a local Assembly Member should be in local politics that fall in those members boundaries?

It’s imperative for local elected officials to have a close working relationship with their Assemblymember. We have to work together as a community to effect change.

I was in attendance when the outgoing San Bernardino city manager, Charles McNeely, was a guest speaker at the African American Chamber meeting. He spoke about how local and regional leaders coming together have shown to make strong resilient communities. What are your thoughts on city councils and school boards with strong connections with state elected officials making for better unified communities?

I support the notion of working with our district’s leaders to unify our communities. In fact, over the past month, I met with educational, local political, legislative, and community leaders in our district to discuss how we can work together to support one another and resolve our district’s most critical issues. We’re working together to generate new ideas and draft legislation and/or seek administrative solutions that will promote educational opportunities and economic growth.

What are the biggest hurdles you see in your districts future? Do all cities share the same hurdles or does one city have a hurdle that currently isn’t affecting others?

The biggest hurdle I see for our district is creating and sustaining economic growth and stability. This issue affects every city in the district. In order to get over this hurdle, we’re going to have to address the district’s economic uncertainty, high unemployment rates, school dropout rates and public safety issues.

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Join us and help Rialto Rid itself of dangerous thugs and tagging crews by attacking their markings go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rid-Rialto-of-Graffitti/216882198324244

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Unemployment is a massive issue here in the Inland Empire. What are the greatest tools we can give our young people to allow them to succeed in today’s job market?

Academic, technical and vocational education and training are the greatest tools that we can give our young people. In order to increase our economic growth, we need to make sure that our students are successfully completing their education. We must look at job training programs to prepare our youth for work.

Although reports show the Inland Empire communities are experiencing a small growth trend economically, one thing that stands out to people in your district are the empty buildings. Where once we had a business, it is gone and we lack the ability to sell new businesses to fill existing spots. This makes the economic rebound of our area hard to see. What are your thoughts on this and is there a solution?

I’m currently evaluating the issue of blighted buildings that depreciate our district’s cities economic property values. As it stands, there’s no legislation that supports cities in forcing property owners, who personally allow a building to become blighted, to comply with current building standards. There’s a need for legislative and administrative solutions. It is my desire to establish a special select committee to address the issue of blighted city buildings.

READER QUESTIONS:

Trisha Vincent, small business owner:

Under new legislation directed by President Obama, is there any way to justify or stop skyrocketing health care premiums before the legislation takes effect?

We can help stabilize health care premiums by covering the uninsured. Californians who cannot afford health insurance or lose their coverage due to a job loss, are usually forced to access our health care system at the hospital emergency room. This is a costly practice. By ensuring that Californians have access to affordable health care through Covered California insurance exchange and the expanded Medi-Cal program, we can reduce the high use of emergency room services and help curb health care premiums costs.

Jorge Acosta, general construction worker:

I have a young family, what can be done to make sure the Rialto area remains a safe place to live? How can we help you, help us support our local police?

Local residents can help support their local police by personally engaging their community’s safety. Community activities such as neighborhood watches and community meetings are necessary to help neighbors look out for one another. Keeping your neighborhood safe could mean asking for a street light on a particular corner or speed bumps on busy residential streets, therefore it is important that you and your neighbors communicate regularly with each other and with your elected officials about your safety needs. It’s also important to establish a good working relationship with your local police department so that residents feel comfortable reporting crimes and coming forward when they witness a crime.

Rick York, school teacher:

Not every child is going to go to college and those that do are finding it hard to find spaces in our UC system. What can you do to help support our Regional Occupation Program (ROP) and Adult Studies classes?

Funding for our state’s Regional Occupational Programs and adult education programs have been subject to categorical program flexibility, which means our local school districts can spend the money that was once specifically set aside for these programs for any purpose. I will work with the leaders in our local districts to help ensure that these programs remain a priority and receive the funding they need to continue their work. I will also work with my colleagues in the Legislature to improve our state’s education funding system and make sure that our curriculum prepares students for both college and career.

Statement of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown on Governor Brown’s 2013-2014 Proposed Budget

13 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Assemblymember-Elect Cheryl Brown, Budget, Ca Tags: business, climate, economy, government, politics

Statement of Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown on Governor Brown’s 2013-2014 Proposed Budget

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown (D-San Bernardino) issued the following statement today after the release of Governor Brown’s 2013 – 2014 proposed budget:

“The Governor’s budget gives us a blueprint for fiscal responsibility and provides more funding and local control to K-12 and community colleges where the students will reap the benefits. In keeping with the Affordable Health Care Act, the budget also sets a framework for health care reform while paying down our debt. I look forward to working with my colleagues as we move forward in the budget process.”

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Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown represents the 47th Assembly District, which includes Colton, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Rialto, San Bernardino, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.

In Response to the San Bernardino Sun Editorial Board

04 Jan 2013 2 Comments

by rialto-now in Andy Carrizales, Budget, Chief Mat Fratus, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Flores Park, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Megan Matson, Mike Story, mmatson@t-rockcap.com, Rialto, Ron Pharris, Shawn O'Connell, Table Rock Capital, youth Tags: politics

merchantcircle.com

Sun Editorial Staff:

The problems with Rialto and its budget are as follows.

We refuse to make the right cuts, the needed cuts. We have attacked employee units that actually work for Rialto and ones that the community needs to function as a city. The city has sold off our water and waste water systems, attacked our fire and police & shut down city offices so much it virtually impossible to get anything done in a timely fashion. They changed graffiti contractors leaving residents in the lurch and at the mercy of resident gangs allowing them to re root in Rialto and add their tags to our walls and electric boxes. City hall refuses to tell the residents what our Mayor, City Clerk, City Attorney and other dept heads make. Our new mayor has already failed to reach out and be open with the public there are rumors swirling that she has ordered new paint and carpet for her office and is asking the city to waste tax dollars on sending her to Washington DC for a Mayors conference and to attend President Obama’s second swearing in, REALLY.
The city became extremely way to comfortable with RDA funding which led to lazy council members ignoring the ugly business culture that is Rialto. We attract 99 cent stores, Walgreens, smoke shops, liquor stores, indoor swap meets and cash for gold businesses. It was an act of God to get our In&Out moving forward which according to In&Out is still in limbo. Fresh and Easy opened here but the latest word is that the company is abandoning the store concept which means yet another empty store front coming our way.
Wasting time on failed projects that have further damaged our city:
1. The city allowed Ron Phariss and his Lytle Creek Project to take up valuable council time, run our golf course and country club into ruin and create a riff between residents of the city and county areas. If Ron Phariss wants to build his development he needs to get going or get out.
2. Wal-Mart claims they want a super center here in Rialto but they refuse to show the people of Rialto that they can operate a clean professional retail business in the Inland Empire. Wal-Mart hires lazy sloppy security for their parking lots and their staff remains rude and not helpful. Why would we welcome the super center if they can’t even offer Rialto residents a quality retail establishment at their current location? Also what happens to the old store once the super center is open, one more ugly vacant building for the homeless to destroy and gangs to tag up.
3. The corner of Cactus and Foothill we have yet another gas station/carwash opening up even though there is a vacant falling apart carwash just east of this location. Where was the city leadership allowing another business to fall apart and become an ugly scar on our city and approve the same business to make a similar mistake just down the street?

Current council members and Mayor Robertson need to show us they are serious about working for the community and not just their own personal agendas. Joe Baca Jr. needs to focus on all areas of the cities not just parks. Mayor Robertson needs to figure out what she is doing and get back out into the community like she did when running for Mayor. She played a lot of us for fools by allowing us to think we would have an open line of communication with our Mayor if she was elected. Lets all hope that Councilman Elect Shawn O’Connell has the mental stamina to work in this council and see some positive forward progress. He is a man of strong character and has shown he wants to know and do the WILL OF THE PEOPLE. He has offered his home phone number 909-429-1138 his email address Shawn4Rialto@hotmail.com and he is even learning to use twitter to reach out to residents in every way possible Twitter.com/Shawn4Rialto. We must extend the Utility Users Tax in March, bring in new business to rialto, finish off half done projects and better utilize people in the community that have a desire to help make Rialto a better place to live.

The SB SUn article is below:

Editorial: Rialto must fight financial crisis by taking action

Posted: 01/03/2013 04:31:11 PM PST

OUR VIEW: Talks to rein in costs in Rialto need to give way to action, and the sooner the better.

It’s been almost three years since the Rialto City Council was warned that the city was facing its own serious financial crisis, potentially on par with the disaster that led to San Bernardino’s bankruptcy.

But rather than begin an aggressive campaign to trim costs and address a current $7.6 million budget deficit, the city seems more focused on convincing voters to approve extending a utility user tax set to expire in June.

Meanwhile, the city continues to spend its reserves to maintain services at current levels.

That sounds all too much like the scenario that played out in San Bernardino, where city officials depleted reserves and began borrowing from restricted funds to keep up with costs rather than make necessary cuts.

The situation in Rialto is dire – with its reserves expected to drop to $7 million by July, the budget stands to take an $11 million hit next year if voters reject the utility users tax during a special election in March.

Extending the utility tax in Rialto, keep in mind, won’t resolve the city’s ongoing structural deficit, the result of a sluggish economy and escalating personnel costs. The utility tax is a stop-gap that for now prevents the city from digging a deeper hole.

To be fair, Rialto has found some ways to cut costs, such as leaving vacancies unfilled and partnering with nearby
police agencies on some special services such as SWAT and helicopter patrols.

Such cost-savings measures have not been enough to balance the city’s books, however. And, if voters refuse to continue paying an 8 percent tax on their utility bills, the city’s General Fund will take a huge hit. The $11 million in revenue generated by the tax accounts for 22 percent of the General Fund, the city says.

Leaders at City Hall have said they expect to begin negotiating with labor groups to further reduce personnel costs, and there is some talk about restructuring the organization.

Those talks need to give way to action, and the sooner the better.

Those who live and work in Rialto need look no further than nearby San Bernardino for a cautionary tale about leaders who wait too long to take action. Residents who will be asked to continue paying an 8 percent tax on their utility bills deserve to know how the city is going to cut costs before handing over anymore of their own money.

Rialto PD Community Liason Cpl. Cameron Nelson shops with kids

22 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Burglury, Ca, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Family, Family Sports, Fontana PD, Fun, Holidays, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Poor, Public Safety, Redlands PD, Rialto, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, San Bernardino PD, San Bernardino Police, SCAT, Steven's Hope for Children, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT, Target, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, youth

Rialto police Cpl. Cameron Nelson shops for Christmas presents with brothers Nicholas and Kristian Mingl for the Police Department’s second annual Shop With a Cop event. Nicholas might have been disappointed that he didn’t get a sleigh ride but he did get a much brighter holiday. (Melissa Pinion-Whitt Staff

RIALTO – The lights and siren on Rialto police Cpl. Cameron Nelson’s patrol car left 5-year-old Nicholas Mingl doubting it had anything to do with Christmas.

“This ain’t a Santa sleigh,” the Rialto boy said.

But thanks to Rialto police officers who took needy children on a Christmas shopping spree Wednesday, the boy’s outlook on the police and the holidays grew brighter.

Law enforcement and fire agencies around the Inland Empire have been holding gift-giveaways for disadvantaged families the last few weeks. Many police departments participated in Shop With a Cop-style events, using donations to take children to stores for presents.

“These kids would not have a Christmas if it wasn’t for this,” said Karen Huerta, Nicholas’ grandmother.

Rialto police took 14 children to Walmart in Rialto, buying each child $50 in presents and another $40 for their parents or guardians. Families filled out applications and were selected by officers based on need.

“Hopefully it gives them a better outlook on police officers – that we’re not just enforcers,” Nelson said.

The Kiwanis Club, Rialto’s Police Officer Benefit Association and other donors pitched in for the gift money.

Rialto Officer Cheri Schaffer walked the aisles with 6-year-old Julina Castro, who picked a few dolls and some clothes off the shelves. She also used some of her $50 to buy her mother a present.

“It makes you feel good to come out with the kids and see their faces light up,” Schaffer said.

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Visit their website and Childrens Boutique.
http://stevenshope.org/
Steven’s Hope for Children, Inc.
1014 W. Foothill Blvd. Suite #B, Upland, CA 91786

_____________________________________________________________________

San Bernardino police used a different method to select children for their Shop With a Cop event. Police detectives picked children who were victims in physical abuse cases.

Detectives, along with officers in uniform, accompanied nine children ranging from 5 to about 12-years-old, for a shopping spree. The department received $1,500 in donations from the Walmart Foundation.

“It lets them know that your case is done, but we didn’t forget you,” said police Lt. Paul Williams.

In Redlands, police took 27 children to Target, where they bought $1,800 in presents through police and community donations.

Other agencies may not call their events “Shop With a Cop,” but it’s the same concept.

Fontana police, who call their shopping spree “Heroes and Helpers” took 50 children shopping at Target on Dec. 15. They were selected by school district officials who recognized the children had a need for holiday help.

But it wasn’t just police officers who took children on shopping sprees.

Colton firefighters, along with the Colton Unified School District and Walmart donated money so 50 needy children could each receive $100 Christmas presents.

Perchlorate Settlement News

10 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in American Cancer Society, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Inland Empire, perchlorate, perchlorate cleanup settlements, Rialto, Uncategorized, Water Tags: city documents, climate, ed scott, environment, science, water basin

In response to this article below by Ryan Hagen I reached out to now former Councilman Ed Scott that has been the lead person for Rialto on the perchlorate cleanup settlements. Here is his email statement on this issue:

The settlement announced by the US EPA is important for several reasons not discussed in the Sun Newspaper. The 50 million announced is just part of the overall settlement. This settlement will bring 4.7 million directly to Rialto along with the $500,000 in the PSI settlement and end the appeals against the County. Rialto settlement bring another 4 million In total this brings 9.2 million dollars which will used by Rialto to refund perchlorate surcharges to Rialto’s water users who have been bay the surcharge for the last 10 years. For my household for example this would mean up to an $879.00 refund to my family. Additionally with this settlement in December the City Council will be able to end the perchlorate surcharge on your water bill.

More importantly this will bring a clean up of our water basin to be paid for by responsible parties. The combination of the County clean up system and the Emhart system will cost the parties over 110 million dollars.

This is a huge victory for Rialto and its residents as the council member who has dedicated a great deal of my time on these settlements I thank the Council for having the faith in me to accomplish these settlements. Their persistence and courage is something the residents should be proud of.

As I say good bye to the City Council and its residents I Am proud to be able to say we are done with the perchlorate litigation.

Ed Scott

Mayor Pro Tem

What came out in the Sun Newspaper today has the possibility to be troubling due to the current fears over revenues in a city struggling to remain afloat. Here are the apparent comments from city staff according to the SUN:

According to city documents, the elimination of the surcharge will reduce the scheduled Jan. 1 monthly water rate from $46.59 to $35.54, for the “typical single family residence.”

The surcharge elimination will cut revenues by roughly $892,000 for the remainder of fiscal 2012-13, according to city staff.

Whatever the case NOW is the time to get involved in the issues plaguing our city, the time of sitting idly by not getting involved are gone. If Rialto is REALLY your home and you want to see it succeed YOU must get involved. There are many ways to get involved if you don’t know how contact us here by emailing rialtonw@aol.com and we will help you plug in.

EPA, companies reach agreement over contaminated water at Rialto Superfund site

Ryan Hagen, Staff Writersbsun.com

Posted: 12/05/2012 12:23:18 PM PST

RIALTO – Nine companies and the Defense Department have agreed to pay about $50million to clean 160 acres of contaminated water, a milestone in a lawsuit with decades-long roots.The Environmental Protection Agency, one of the parties in the suit to clean the B.F. Goodrich Superfund Site, announced Wednesday that it had made an agreement with Emhart Industries, Pyro Spectaculars and others it considers responsible for perchlorate and trichloroethylene that caused the closure of drinking wells in Rialto and Colton.

“We now have a commitment from companies to fund the cleanup and the companies – the parties – rather than the residents of Rialto or Colton or the federal government are paying for cleanup work at the site,” said Wayne Praskins, the EPA’s project manager for the site. “It also helps ensure a safe, dependable supply of drinking water for residents in the area.”

The agreement, filed Tuesday, gives responsibility for the first portion of cleanup to Emhart Industries, which bought a company that reportedly released perchlorate – a chemical that may disrupt the thyroid’s ability to produce hormones needed for normal growth – as it manufactured flares and other pyrotechnics during the 1950s at the Rialto site.

Emhart and other settling parties – the Defense Department and more than six companies – will pay whatever that costs, estimated at $43million. Rialto and Colton will split $8million, with Rialto getting slightly more, according to attorney Danielle Sakai of Best Best & Krieger in Riverside, who represents Colton in the suit.

That will cover 30 years of designing, building and operating groundwater wells, treatment systems and other equipment that will first stop the spread of perchlorate and trichloroethylene – TCE, an industrial cleaning solvent that may damage the nervous system, liver and lungs if ingested or breathed, according to the agreement.

“The cleanup will probably continue for decades because the science of groundwater is once pollutants get into the groundwater, it takes a long time to get them out,” Praskins said. “Once the cleanup facilities are built and start operating, at that point we will have stopped any further spread.

“That’s our short-term goal. The goal is to clean it up to the point that water can be used at some point in the future without having to clean it further.”

Rialto and Colton, which had sued the companies in 2004, joined the agreement and called it a large victory that would lead to others.

“This is a long, hard fight that was all about getting clean drinking water for Colton residents,” said Sakai. “This is something that has been going on for a long time, and we’re pleased that we’re working our way toward a resolution.”

The agreement follows another in March that requires payment of a combined $4.3million to the EPA by Pyro Spectaculars Inc. and other companies.

The EPA initially listed five parties – Emhart, PSI, Ken Thompson Inc., Chung Ming Wong and B.F. Goodrich – as responsible for decades of potentially hazardous waste dumped at the site when it made it eligible for federal funding by adding it to the EPA National Priorities List in 2009.

B.F. Goodrich is the largest company that still has not made an agreement, but negotiations are in the “details” phase and should be finalized within months, Praskins said.

ryan.hagen@inlandnewspapers.com, 909-386-3916, @sbcitynow

Swearing in & Reception Ceremony City of Rialto

06 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Andy Carrizales, Assemblymember-Elect Cheryl Brown, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Inland Empire, Party, Rialto, rialto unified school district, Shawn O'Connell, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, youth Tags: entertainment

Below is a invitation from the newest member of Rialto’s City Council Shawn O’Connell. If you can’t make the reception and meeting watch the council meeting its somthing I know you will enjoy.

Councilman Elect Shawn O’Connell

Good morning,
I just wanted to extend an invitation to my swearing in ceremony that will take place on December 11, 2012.

Reception (food/drink);

When: Dec 11, 2012 4-6pm

Where: Rialto Library

251 W 1st St

Rialto, 92376

Swearing In;

When: Dec 11, 2012 6pm

Where: Rialto City Council

150 S Palm Ave

Rialto, 92376

(Note: walking distance from Library. Both events are open to the public).

If you are available, I would love to share this moment with you.

Sincerely,

Shawn O’Connell

Press Release from Rialto Water Services (WasteWater)

05 Dec 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Inland Empire, June Hayes, Megan Matson, Mike Story, mmatson@t-rockcap.com, Rialto, Sheet Metal Workers Union, Sonia Axter, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Table Rock Capital, Ullico, Uncategorized, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com Tags: climate, environment, transportation, water

Rialto Water Services selects Veolia Water

to upgrade and operate City of Rialto’s water, wastewater services

Partnership will focus on updating City’s infrastructure and adding efficiencies

RIALTO, Calif., December 3, 2012 – Rialto Water Services has selected Veolia Water West Operating Services (Veolia) to improve, operate and maintain the City’s water and wastewater services.

Under a public-private concession agreement signed between the City and RWS in March of 2012, RWS will manage the Veolia contract and oversee a $41 million capital improvements program improving the cost efficiency, compliance, water quality, and reliability of the City’s wastewater and water systems for the 30-year life of the concession. The capital improvements program produces 445 construction jobs, and all affected City employees have accepted jobs at Veolia.

The RWS concession refinances the City’s aging water and wastewater systems, and provides the capital necessary to fix and replace water and sewer lines, develop necessary new infrastructure and seismic upgrades, improve cost efficiencies, and provide lease payments back to the City supporting additional economic development and jobs locally. Rialto retains full ownership of the water and wastewater systems, control and ownership of the water supply and water rights, and transparent public authority over all rate setting.

For RWS, Veolia was a natural choice as Operator, considering Veolia’s 40-year history in California and 9 years providing environmental services and employment to Rialto residents as operator of the City’s wastewater plant and collection system.

Neighboring West Valley Water District will take an expanded leadership role on the City’s water supply side, heading up the perchlorate remediation to ensure the continued safety of the water supply, and expansion of the City’s water capacity. West Valley will continue to serve the balance of Rialto’s residents, and to innovate with the City on the 2013 debut of the nation’s first bioremediation plant approved for drinking water.

“The RWS partnership ensures that the City’s water and wastewater infrastructure is upgraded and run in the most cost-efficient manner, while also laying the groundwork for new economic development,” says City Administrator Mike Story. “We’ve worked with Veolia for years in the community, and with West Valley on water supply and treatment, and this arrangement allows for both continuity and improvement in the water resource and wastewater service, and assures us that the total commitment to the residents of the City of Rialto is met.”

Under the contract, Veolia Water will operate and manage (O&M) a sewer collection system consisting of more than 260 miles of pipeline, six lift stations, and a wastewater treatment plant currently operating at approximately eight million gallons per day. Veolia Water will also provide O&M services for the City’s water system, with a total user population estimated to be approximately 50,000. The water system includes five water reservoirs, distribution, eight groundwater wells, and related pumping infrastructure.

“We’ve worked with Rialto for almost 10 years and have established a relationship of trust that supports the community’s economic vitality,” said Laurent Auguste, president and CEO, Veolia Water Americas. “Rialto is taking the right step in restoring and improving its infrastructure, and we’re excited for the opportunity to help them through our new and expanded role.”

The financial backing and structuring of Rialto’s groundbreaking public-private concession was provided by San Francisco-based Table Rock Capital, led by Peter Luchetti. RWS is jointly owned with an affiliate of the labor-owned financial services company, Ullico Inc.

“With the loss of redevelopment financing, creative partnerships such as these are increasingly critical to communities who want to restore infrastructure, gain efficiencies, and get a competitive edge when it comes to creating jobs and economic growth,” said Luchetti.

Story praised all of the partners in the deal: “Table Rock has worked hard to back and structure this and get it right for Rialto, and we’re glad to see Veolia stepping in to take a supportive, expanded role in our community. Then the expertise West Valley brings to the City to manage the perchlorate remediation and ensure our water quality and supply is invaluable.”

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Contact:

Steve Lambert, The 20/20 Network for Veolia/RWS, 909.841.7527, steve@the2020network.com

Mike Story, City of Rialto, 909.820.2525, mstory@rialtoca.gov

Megan Matson, Table Rock Capital, 415.497.2320, mmatson@t-rockcap.com

Sonia Axter, Ullico, 917.293.6754, saxter@ullico.com

Deborah Robertson & the Utility Users Tax

02 Dec 2012 4 Comments

by rialto-now in Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, SCAT, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT, Uncategorized, youth

So on Tuesdays Council Meeting we had some serious shenanigans going on.

Pshing our police into the brink of disaster

Pushing our police into the brink of disaster

Council Woman Robertson had made statements prior to Tuesdays meeting that she was demanding that Rialto PD pay their full 9% pension costs or she would be the one to vote no on placing the extension of the UUT on the march ballot. So what did the Police do? They did what was in the best interest of the citizens and agreed to pay their full pensions.

So since she got what she wanted the she voted yes, right? Nope she clearly wanted more. She still voted no citing that she wants the police to do more.

After her no vote the council went straight into another closed session. While in the closed session Rialto Police Benefit Association President Richard Royce debunked the notion the police offer was anything more than their way of helping the city and Community and had no conditions as stated by George Harris with city staff. When asked what more does she want Royce said he had no idea.

Our police have given massive concessions over the years from loosing uniform allowances, cost if living, pay reduction and now paying their full retirement.

So after closed session they decided to go with our wishy washy city attorney Jimmy Gutierrez new interpretation of the law regarding just when this vote must happen. For the longest time they have said this vote must be done by the end of November. Jimmy stated that it’s his offices interpretation that they have until December 8th. Why it changed is indicative of what we saw Tuesday.

First off we saw council woman Robertson and city attorney Gutierrez having a dozen side conversations.

Second we saw council woman Robertson bring up the opportunity to delay this vote prior to rejecting it with her no vote.

So now they postponed the vote or finalizing the vote till Monday it leads us to ask what more does she want? Whatever it was she got it and its big, so big no one will speak if it. Not even off record!

The good part is in a message from Deborah Robertson she has been satisfied with the pound of flesh and blood she let from our police to vote with the fellow council members on Monday.

Here is what she said to me:

The changes have already been resolved. RPBA met with me and we appear to be good on my end and they indicated they are good as well. It was a good meeting!

These are 2 text messages she sent to me.

Everyone watch this council meeting Monday and let’s see if she finally lets the residents have a say.

Also check back Wednesday to hear how Deborah Robertson and George Harris plan to raise your trash bill……..