Candidate for
Council Member; City of Galt

• BRIDGE

  Bridge is a group of elected officials from this multi-county region. It includes Supervisors from several counties in our region, as well as representitive from all city councils. I joined in the beggining to represent Galt.

  We meet on a regular basis to discuss regional and local issues related to pending state legislation, growth control and open space issues, and any topic that may have an impact on our local ares of responsibility.

  These proffesional people have given me a vast amount of knowledge to help me make decisions on the Galt City Council. And, I have built strong relationships with these officials, so I can call upon any of them for advice on any problems the City of Galt may have.

• ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

  Planned and controlled growth have always been important to me. This was a priorty issue for me when I ran in 1998. Soon after I was elected, I met with the City Planning Director, and I asked him how we could control what gets developed in Galt. Initially he said nothing. I gave him an example of some property my parents owned in San Joaquin County that was rezoned from ten - one acre parcels to one - ten acre parcel. I asked him how San joaquin County could control growth, but we couldn't do it in Galt.

  We discussed some possibilities, but he said it would take four of the five council mebers to pass a special ordinance. I told him that I was certain I could convince four, and most likely all five.

  A few months later every parcel of vacant land in the city of Galt was rezoned to 10,000 square foot lots. The first step to stopping Galt from being nicknamed the "Starter Home Capital of California.

  Realizing the need for a varity of lot sizes, it was never our intent to have every future home in Galt built on a 10,000 square foot lot. So we created the "Architectural Review Committee"

  This committee, which I have been on since it was created in 1999, reviews and approves any new residential development in Galt. We approve the style of home and any re-zone the developer wants before it is sent to the planning commission.

  So, if a developer want to build on 8,000 square foot lots, the city now has the leverage to ask them to make any changes we feel are needed to keep quality in new projects. This is an example of how I believe we need to plan and control growth.

• FIREWORKS AD HOC COMMITTEE

  I also chaired an ad-hoc committee to resolve the on going fireworks lottery situation. For years Galt had struggled with how to allocate permits to non profit groups, and where to locate them. Every year was a battle, and then the "Millenium" rolled around, and we allowed fireworks to be sold during the Christmas holidays.

  It was a disaster for most groups. The council had decided to kick them off city property after 40 years, an the was a free for all to find a spot for booths. After three attempts to get council approval to have this ad hoc group, members in the audience started shouting that they would work with me on this issue.

  Three of the other council members mocked me, and reluctantly allowed me to pursue this. After two meetings with every non profit group in Galt, the City Clerk and I presented an ordinance to the other council members, and after significant pressure from the groups, the ordinance was adopted.

  We have had no complaints or problems since this ordinance was adopted in the spring of 2000. It taught me what could be accomplished when you worked together with the citizens and listened to their input seriously.

• GALT AREA CRIME STOPPERS

  Soon after I was elected to the council, we had some bomb threats at the local schools. The citizens were upset and came to the council for help. Bluntly speaking, they were told that this was a school issue, not a council issue.

  I had a problem with that, because the majority of students are residents of the City of Galt. A citizen called me and told me about Crime Stopppers, and asked if the city would help. Again, with enough public pressure, I convinced the council to help with start up funding. As an elected official, I could not hold a regular director seat, but I served as a honorary director until they were up and running.

  They are today a very successful group, and I am very proud to have been a part of the founding process.