Elections are coming fast
Elections are almost here. Next Tuesday is the big day. From what I understand it is quite the battle. Just my perception but it looks like Victoria has had awhole lot of money to run her campaign and Russ has been out there hitting the streets. It's really an interesting thing to me which of these two tactics will win out. I'm of the opinion that most people who vote do so based upon what I call the dumb vote. Decisions are based upon how many signs they've seen making them familiar with the name. I think the majority of people are basically uneducated as far as who they vote for. I'd like to think I'm wrong.
So prove me wrong. Get involved with the process. This is a good place to do just that. Do you have questions for those running? Are you unsure of their positions? Well let's clarify them. Ask questions. It's really easy, just ask here.
Here goes mine. I hope I get a response from the candidates.
Candidates
I've been a resident here for 20 years next month. In those twenty years I've seen the path of growth. What I have seen is a good ole boy network getting small subdivisions approved in sometimes illegal ways. This used to be called a 4 x 4 split. Because a property could be split into 4 pieces without submitting extensive reports and paying road fees and such this was typically the method used to create a subdivision. A developer would come in and split a piece into four pieces and then put each of those pieces into someone elses name. The subsequent pieces were then split again into 4 pieces and wallaaa a 16 lot subdivision appears without the developer paying the associated fees or taking care of any mitigation or road improvements. While I would assume that this no longer goes on (I hope not) I do know that it was common practice in this area and as obvious as it was the county let it go on. Perhaps this is a sign of a deeply entrenched good ole boy network.
It is my opinion that although the 4 x 4 splits no longer occur that without a very definite general plan in place we are still moving down the path of unorganized growth. This unorganized growth is the root of our infrastructure problems.
While growth is immenent (and in my opinion not a bad thing) decisions need to be made on how this growth occurs. So my question is, do you support the concepts of "Smart Growth". Smart growth would entail planned high density housing which would actually allow for more open spaces than the random growth we now experience. But because it is a foreign concept for the area I think there is a negative stigma attached to it. People don't think out the argument that if you put everything in one place this will actually leave more open space.
What are your opinions on this?
Thank you very much for your replies.
Phil Weaver
Elections
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of response we get to Phil's questions from the candidates, and I hope that the answers might help those who are not already familiar with the candidates and their positions on the issues to get a better understanding of them. I agree with Phil that elections are all too often determined by factors that are relatively unimportant in the overall scheme of things. When uninformed voters make uninformed decisions, we get the government that we deserve. Electing a supervisor should be taken as seriously as hiring an employee. This is somebody who you will be paying to do a job for you. No smart employer would make a hire of this importance without looking at education, experience, references and past performance, so don't make a choice simply based on the fact that you've seen their signs all over the place or because they seem like a nice person or because they live down the street or because they sing at fund-raisers or because they served in the armed forces. Look at their experience. Look at their record of service. Look at their endorsements. Look at where their campaign money is coming from and look at verifiable performance in positions of public trust, not simply good intentions. Look beyond the banners and vague promises, and vote for the person that you judge to be most capable of making District 5 a better place to live.
Phil's Questions for the Candidates
I agree that in the past there have been some planning issues in this county that have been less than desirable. I believe that our top priority is the up-date of the General Plan, that is why I supported the first step in that process of a General Plan review so than we can begin that process as soon as possible. I also support starting a Valley Springs Community Plan as soon as we can possibly do so. I do believe in the true meaning of Smart Growth and I think it is important that we incorporate Smart Growth initiatives into these planning tools. It is important for the community to feel comfortable with the way their community will grow and for developors to understand what is expected of them when they come to our county to develop. It is possible for us to maintain our rural character and to grow at the same time, it just takes careful planning.
Calaveras County Public Access
BTW Election coverage will be held live by the hard working folks at Calaveras County Television. They are a great group that works hard to keep residents informed. I believe the event will be covered by Cathy Mazzaferro (sp). That's channel 7 if you have cable.
Big thanks to the great folks like Ed and Cathy who keep cctv going
"If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it." --Albert Einstein
A candidate's response
With the election concluding tomorrow at 8:00PM, these words are certainly not intended to influence any undecided voters, I'm just hoping there will be future value in having my opinions known.
"Smart Growth"
While this term means different things to different people, I believe that it is unfortunate that land-use decisions in Calaveras County are currently being made on a project by project basis --without sufficient regard to the long-range local and/or regional impacts of these decisions. Clearly, that must change.
I'd be very much in favor of the Board of Supervisors re-writing our General Plan so that our future decision makers will be able to stand firm on enforcing rules that will allow our county grow without sacrificing the wonderful rural and historical characteristics that we currently enjoy.
OK, but what does that mean? Well, what it means to me is that I would start by producing a grading ordinance that would restrict mass grading. If our intent here is to prevent the unfortunate appearance of seas of rooftops, then requiring future developments to stay within reasonable limits of the existing topography would (in my opinion) result in better preserving the look and feel of our environment.
Of course, this immediately begins to get complicated, because there is almost always a direct relationship between the number of units that can be built on a parcel and the selling price of the units. Therefore, restrictions on mass grading might adversly effect the availability of affordable housing. To combat this problem, I'd provide exceptions that would over-ride the general grading rules when a logical case could be appropriately argued.
Another fundamental element of Smart Growth is to attempt to create new jobs to go along with increases in housing units. And, since one of the limiting factors in opening a new business in Calaveras County is the lack of commercially developed facilities, I would favor immediate new rules that would offer advantages to development proposals featuring a reasonable combination of commercial and residential uses. Having these uses relatively close together, would be a plus, however, I'd allow reasonable flexibility on that rule too. The important thing is just to create the jobs in the county.
Certainly, Smart Growth should also include provisions for parks and recreation, walking trails, and bicycle-friendly road design. I'd also work to expand public transit, making sure that bus shelters are designed into all new applications and I'd work hard to expand the availability of buses and routes.
Time and space considerations prevent a more complete response on this subject, but I'd like the voters of District 5 to know that I will make every effort to make sure that future land-use decisions are based upon sound principles of growth management, always with an eye toward how these decisions will effect our environment over the next 20 to 50 years. To do otherwise is not very smart.
In closing, I'd just like to say that by this time tomorrow night, we'll know whether all the months of campaigning have paid off. I sincerely hope that I've earned the privilege to represent the citizens of the 5th district. I'm very enthusiastic about the exciting opportunities we have. Whether I win or not, I'll continue to do my part to assure that Calaveras County stays the way we like it!
Sincerely,
Russ Thomas
Thanks for the great responses
Thanks for the Great Responses From Russ Thomas and Victoria Erickson. Unfortunately we have not heard from Michael Mcdaniels, we did e-mail him and let him know about the discussion. For those interested in the concepts of smart growth you can find it defined here Smart Growth It's nice to hear Russ talk about growth with environmental responsibility. These two things do not have to be in conflict. It's also nice to hear Victoria talk about letting the developers know what is expected of them. The environmental movements use the saying "Think globally, Act Locally" I'm sure everyone has heard this. If you think on a global scale Calaveras is a great place for communities. I don't know what the number is that it can support, Russ gives a number of never exceeding 40K on the west end. But it can support a fair number of houses without a terrible environmental impact. Just a few miles away from us I see what is a disgusting case of urbal sprawl taking over a sensitive environment. The central valley is a highly sensitive environmental area which cannot be replaced. It has been said that it could feed the world. Yet developers like Spanos and Grupe are covering it in concrete. We can't do a lot about that I guess, but what we can do is look at our own community and what effect it has on the whole. Calaveras is a great place for recreation and housing to the extent that it can support it. If this is done in a smart growth manner with mixed use planning then we can acheive a place we can all be proud of. A place where businesses can thrive, housing is affordable, young people can find jobs, recreation abounds, and the environment is left mostly untouched. Maybe we can become a self sustaining community rather than a commuter area. There was a poll taken several years back that claimed that 75% of the residents of Rancho came to Valley springs less than once per month. They work in the valley, shop in the valley, do everything in the valley but live in Rancho. They come to live in the country yet commute every day burning how much gas in their little cars. They enjoy the country but are they environmentally friendly? They live here but do they contribute to the community in any way? By creating a community that more people can find employment and all that they need within their own community maybe we can dissuade this non environmentally friendly non community friendly type of living that exists here. Maybe we can keep the dollars generated by these people within the community and thereby help our community become more prosperous. So when you see someone galavanting around as an environmentalist ask yourself "are they?". Are they thinking on a global scale and acting locally. Or are they a NIMBY (not in my back yard) pretending to support an environmental cause to lend credibility to their cause. A cursory glance at how they live their life will tell you. Following the Nimby's is a sure way to maintaining the non planned sporadic growth we have seen in years past. It's just more of the same. Without getting that community plan in place and fast it'll be to late. The damage will be done. I encourage you to vote for someone who cares. Whoever you think that may be. Vote for someone who attacks problems with a positive outlook, someone who is solution oriented, not blame oriented. Blaming and name calling gets us nowhere. Vote for someone who you think will get the job done. And be educated when you do. Let's hope today is an effective day in our history. Phil Weaver
A close one
Well how many of you are checking the election results. I've been keeping tabs on it and it's amazing how it's jumped around. I checked 30 minutes ago and Russ was ahead by a substantial 60 votes. A few moments ago I checked again and he was ahead by 4. Truly a testament to the importance of a single vote. I guess we really won't know until the official results are in. It's so close. I'm not informed on the subject, does anyone know if it takes a certain percentage to win? Or will one vote do it.
Election results
Wow
Phil
Election results - interpretation
None of the candidates in district 5 were able to amass the 50% necessary to win outright, but it is interesting that almost 2/3rds of those voting chose to vote against the incumbent. It was also interesting to note the respective votes earned/dollars raised ratios of Supervisor Erickson and Michael McDaniel. I wonder how Spinovations will try to spin that.
Candidate's Forums - impressions?
Could anybody who was able to attend any of the District 5 Candidate's Forums held during the past couple of weeks please share some thoughts and impressions regarding the event with those of us who were not able to be there? Thanks in advance.
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