Jimmie Yee's Record and Goals

By Jimmie R. Yee

District 4 accomplishments related to parks, infrastructure and public facilities, savings and benefits to taxpayers, and future goals for the city and district.

During my two terms on the council, above all other considerations, I have endeavored to respect the will of my constituents. It has been my mission to provide an effective voice and pro-active representation related to the interests, issues, and concerns District 4 residents have conveyed to me.

PARKS:

I have listened to and acted upon residents' requests to repair, renovate, and improve our parks, and obtained funding for projects that include:

• replacement of children's playgrond equipment in neighborhood parks throughout the district;
• renovation of tot wading pools in William Land and Southside Parks (estimated completion 2000);
• replacement and addition of hundreds of trees in William Land and neighborhood parks;
• replacement of deteriorated walkways in Seymour Park and adjacent to two elementary schools to improve safety;
• acquisition of park acreage for public use at Chicory Bend on the Sacramento River;
• complete renovation of Fremont Park, including children's playground, walkways, fencing, fountain, and public restrooms;
• installation of a jogging trail in William Land Park (estimated completion 2000) and sidewalks by Holy Spirit School;
• installation of an irrigation system in William Land Park's rock garden;
• complete renovation and improvements at William Land Park's duck ponds;
• renovation of William Land Park Golf Clubhouse, and implementation of youth golf program (SAY GOLF);
• construction of a 75-100 seat community clubhouse in Southside Park (estimated completion 2001);
• re-surface of Southside Park tennis courts (estimated completion 2000);
• addition of a new "tot lot" children's play area, walkways, and landscaping of cherry trees at Belle Cooledge Library;
• construction of city's first off-leash dog park at Belle Cooledge Community Center (estimated completion 2000);
• sponsorship and support of numerous children's activities (bi-annual stocking of fish in park ponds, fishing derbies and prizes, Easter Egg Hunts, contests and prizes, Halloween activities, contests and prizes, etc.); and
• Summer concerts for residents.

In terms of District 4's infrastructure, I have responded to constituents' concerns regarding traffic issues, street lighting, parking, extension of light rail, Old City Cemetery, combined sewer and storm drainage system, and need for street repair/repaving and streetscape improvements. Specifically, I have supported and/or secured funding as required for:

• Measures to mitigate sound and loss of privacy of homeowners who will be impacted by the extension of light rail along the South Corridor;
• Traffic signal/intersection improvements added to ease congestion and improve pedestrian safety on Sutterville Road, Land Park Drive and Freeport Boulevard;
• Construction of a parking lot for Freeport Boulevard business employees;
• A parking lot at Sacramento City College to alleviate parking problems in William Land Park;
• Street lighting improvements in Land Park neighborhood and within William Land Park;
• Implementation of restricted, limited-term, residential parking at residents' request in various areas throughout the district to ease parking congestion;
• Phased refurbishment of historic street lighting in Land Park neighborhood;
• Additional traffic controls and street improvements, striping of pedestrian crosswalks and bikepaths, street repair, seals and repaving, and installation of other traffic calming devices (turn lanes, bulbs, stop signs, speed humps, signage, etc.) throughout the district;
• Safety improvements at Miller Park Marina, including replacement of boat docks, renovation of launch ramp, and adjacent dredging of Sacramento River;
• Enhanced security fencing and lighting, repair and restoration of historic monuments, and total repaving of roads and pathways in Old City Cemetery;
• Major water, sewer and storm drainage improvement projects in William Land and Z'Berg Parks, along Broadway, on Sharon Way, and portions of various neighborhoods;
• Addition of landscaping on 43rd Avenue medians and Gloria Drive overpass;
• Preservation and restoration of E.K. McClatchy Library (phased capitol improvements); and
• Expansion of hours, staffing, collection and services in public libraries.

As District 4's representative, I have made it a personal priority to ensure taxpayers dollars were used wisely to produce cost efficiencies in local government, while at the same time making city departmental operations more customer friendly and improving the quality of city services delivered to residents. I believe significant progress and results have been achieved that include:

• Hundreds of thousands of dollars of General Fund subsidies saved from my recommendations to privatize the Sacramento Zoo, Fairytale Town and William Land Park Golf Course, which resulted in improved operations and additional thousands of non-taxpayers dollars in improvements made;
• Chaired Mayor's Task Force to re-engineer the City's Building Department and made recommendations for increased cost efficiency, improved operations, and customer-friendly services, district and city-wide;
• Made recommendations on financial management of city funds, e.g., Workman's Comp, that resulted in almost a million dollars of savings of taypayers funds.
• Supported increased funding for police, fire, and code enforcement personnel, upgrades in equipment, and implemention of community-oriented policing (Neighborhood Police Officers) and Neighborhood Watch Programs, resulting in substantially reduced crime, illegal activities, and property code violations and enhanced safety and viability of District 4 neighborhoods and residents;
• Supported decentralization of city departments and services, including construction of a new Department of Utilities Administration Building, and relocation to a Freeport Square Public Safety Administration Building of police and fire headquarters that will save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in long-term lease and operational costs; and
• Provided professional expertise to staff in the evaluation and negotiation of major city projects and contracts, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars of city subsidies.

While Sacramento's economy is growing and a window of economic opportunity exists, the council needs to focus on planned growth and economic development that will bring high-paying jobs into Sacramento in the new millennium. Without the infusion of new businesses, we cannot hope to ensure our residents and youth the future employment opportunities and quality of life they deserve.

Economic growth will provide the city the additional revenues it needs to make infrastructure improvements necessary in our neighborhoods, and to revitalize our older commercial corridors in order to add retail and other services necessary to maintain and preserve adjacent neighborhoods. In District 4, it is my goal to work with community leaders and neighborhood representatives to implement design/development standards and streetscape improvement guidelines in the Broadway and Freeport Commercial Corridors. I will work to encourage the development of new businesses and retail/commercial centers in support of neighborhoods; the rehabilitation of problematic and deteriorated multi-family housing complexes; and the construction of new residential housing to meet the diverse needs of District 4 residents. As CIP funds become available, future plans include seeking council approval for the re-conversion to two-way traffic of 21st Street/Freeport Boulevard and expansion plans of both Belle Cooledge Library and Community Center.

Because they are the source of our strength and the foundation on which we build the future, we need to provide our children a quality education. I supported and will continue to support school district efforts to repair and upgrade school facilities. Currently, city government is working to develop partnerships with school districts for joint use of schools as community centers in neighborhoods; and to provide additional child care, recreational, enrichment and academic support activities. In my role on the council, I will seek other opportunities to improve the overall quality of our K-12 educational delivery system. I will work to strengthen our relationships with our post-secondary institutions to ensure the needs of employers coming to our region, and the aspirations of our students, can be met.

In the overall picture, Sacramento is facing a number of larger, regional issues that impact our quality of life. We need to work cooperatively with neighboring jurisdictions to secure funding necessary to implement authorized improvements to increase our level of flood protection, and to implement measures to improve management of our air quality, water resources, and transportation system, among others. It is my goal to ensure we make progress in these efforts, and specifically, as these issues impact District 4 residents.