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This information is provided by the candidate
Our first and foremost issue is dealing with our local needs in Arcata. This isn't to say that national issues don't affect us and need to be addressed in some way, but if we don't look at our own infrastructure first, no one else is going to do it for us. There are a lot of ways that we can be effective as a group of individuals, maybe more than the City Council.
Resolutions can be put on the consent calendar. Not everyone in the community feels the same way. Focusing so much attention on these issues is divisive and not the best use of the Council's time.
- Additional affordable housing
Arcata's been working on affordable housing for ages, yet we still need more. We need a variety of housing: mixed senior income level housing, condominiums and Single Residential Occupancies. SROs are small units that allow individuals a safe place to live. They can be for students, homeless, seniors and individuals on fixed income. They are a way to find housing for people in need. We should also explore manufactured homes.
I encourage people to not turn houses into commercial properties. I support residential homes in commercial areas because they involve the eyes and ears of the community so that commercial areas are not like ghost towns after 6 p.m. + and they're safer.
- Safe public streets, parks and trails
You should be able to go where you want to go and do what you want to do and not be harassed for food, drugs or money. There was a time these activities were limited to Redwood Park and the Plaza, but now we can experience it in many other parts of the City. And it's not Pete asking to marry you and calling you a silly monkey. Our real homeless are accepted and our citizens want to help them regardless of their life situation.
We need to bring the county's expertise in social services and mental health into Arcata to determine how we should be supporting our homeless and the urban traveler.
- Increased road maintenance for bicycle, car and pedestrian use
The City needs to focus on a street improvement program. We need to make streets a budget priority. That's the only way it will get done.
- Partnerships with HSU in research and pilot projects
We need to engage the university in a partnership to solve some of the issues that confront Arcata + our involvement in global warming, energy conservation and many yet-to-be-seen issues. HSU staff and faculty already serve on committees and commissions and provide research reports. We need to maximize their expertise and work closely with HSU faculty for solving issues in Arcata. We also need to support the university as the City's largest employer in ways such as improving the availability of affordable housing and providing internships.
This issue is important because global warming is breathing down our neck. Turn off our lights, look at solar, change to on-demand water heaters and look at the many other little things we can do can make a difference. It would be great to have an educational campaign about this, with a list of all these things that people and businesses can do to see where they can help, and where the rebates are, so that they can be a part of the solution. We need to become more aware of how we use energy and where we can conserve. HSU's Applied Technology department could be a partner in working on this task.
- Ombudsperson for City Hall
We get our living wage jobs from entrepreneurial businesses, not from big box stores. We need to encourage our local businesses to expand, and seek new entrepreneurs to do business in Arcata. It is important to make it as easy as possible to navigate the City's regulatory process.
One way to help expedite the process is to provide an ombudsperson at City Hall who can coordinate and work between the individual and multiple departments, committees, and commissions.
This ombudsperson can also help all citizens with City Hall issues, such as the process involved in doing home improvements. Working with the City should be one thought process. When you have a new project, you're excited about going as fast as you can, not realizing the many steps involved and how much time it can possibly take. We need a system that explains issues up front to our citizens so that no steps are missed.
I'd like to explore municipal wireless Internet service. It can be a good economic tool for business development, tourism and for residents if it can be provided cheaper and as reliably as commercial options.
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