Writing Solutions

   July 18, 2008

 Let the building of the new Banning police station begin

 

It is nice to see that the policy makers of the City of Banning have fulfilled their promise to build a new police station. For one, the old one has been demolished, 2) it was part of the bond issued on the assets of the water/wastewater treatment plant when the Banning Utility Authority (a JPA) was created in, I believe, 2005.

Now you simply cannot go through the work, expense and legality of issuing bonds and tell those in charge you will fill in the intended use later. To oversimplify, if I am obligated to order six vegetable pizzas, I cannot change my mind and order 6 pepperoni pizzas. As I said… oversimplified.

 With a net $37 million to spend, the City chose to: Improve wastewater treatment facility, retire the old bond debt, construct water storage facility, replace several major water transmission lines, complete swimming pool, implement one-stop permitting center, replace air conditioners at city hall…. and oh yes, construct a new police station.

 I have no idea whether the one-stop permitting center has been completed but I believe the others listed are done; except for the police station. I believe the groundbreaking for the police station will be 08.08.08. I would have liked to see it scheduled for: 8:08.08.08.08 but I certainly have no authority over what happens at city hall.

 I have gotten the impression that a council member or two and some senior staff would like to withdraw the funding for the police station and use it for other things; heaven knows what. No, I have no intention of naming names; it’s yours to think about.

 I frequented many council meetings and workshops when the allocation of where the bond funds would go was being discussed. I frequently asked, “If we are mortgaging the assets of the water/wastewater treatment plant, wouldn’t it make sense to apportion enough to bring long overdue recycled water to Banning?”

 Those words would usually solicit what I call staff ‘staring-at-their-shoes-syndrome.’ A council member or two might show some interest . . . just not enough to have staff build it into the bonding mechanism.

 As I have mentioned in previous columns and during countless conversations, people in Sun Lakes have expended in excess of $2 million in fees (probably $ 3million with interest) to bring in the purple pipe (conveyor of recycled water) to Sun Lakes and the rest of Banning. To date, nothing has happened.

 The reality is the writers of the bonds intentionally or unintentionally never left enough money to do a water project that should have been done years ago when the cost would have been several million rather than the 40-or-so million it now stands at.

 Just like campaign promises are not enforceable (and heaven knows they should be), we, the people are left to bare the brunt of bad policy decisions and poor implementation from councils and staff of the past. I say we should look to the future and leave the past alone; save, of course for what happened to the money that should have been paid into CFD-86-1, a/k/a the Highland Springs Underpass.

 Before I go on about the impending new police station, I am drawn to how many people think bonds get paid for? Aaaaa…. I believe we the people pay and I will admit I’m really wondering about how I am going to pay for all the things we will be asked to vote for in November. I believe in paying my fair share, including taxes and insurance but if I don’t have it; I don’t have it.

 Well, I believe the money was going to be paid back through the bonding as well as something that was created called Developer Impact Fees (DIF). It was probably construed to be a bit of financial genius. I believe it was a bit of gambling with policy making.

 The City of Banning, by exhibiting a plethora of action or inaction seemed to have missed the residential and commercial real estate boom of a couple of years ago. How can we expect to pay back the debt with Developer Impact Fees when there is no development in the immediate future?

 There have been two senior city staff members who have been waiting to get started on the construction of the police station for several years. One is Public Works Director Duane Burk. The other is our affable Police Chief Leonard Purvis.

 Burk & Purvis have expended a great deal of time and effort to pare the building down to the proposed $14 million. If I recall, a former chief could have run the costs up to nearly $30 million and frankly, if we don’t get at it soon, we could be awash in change orders.

 

The fact that our economy is in free fall, materials are going up as fast as the price of gasoline cannot go unnoticed. Unfortunately, many people in the construction industry have lost their jobs. The good news is; there should be a qualified pool of professionals to draw from.

 

I caught up with Chief Purvis recently and congratulated him and getting the final go ahead from council. He was understandably pleased. The always polite and understated Purvis said, “I would not propose and promote something if there wasn’t a need and that’s why I’ve been involved with this project for several years.”

 

Purvis has been the poster child for bringing respectability back to the Banning Police Department and their presence in and around the community has been noticed. “This PD has been radically changed,” Purvis said. Purvis has set a very high standard for the men and women who serve in the Banning PD. Purvis said, “we have a commitment to this community where we will continue to be visible and accountable.”

 

I have long been concerned about our current and future state of water. It is not looking any brighter and only becomes more expensive, complex and competitive. I can only hope that Banning Utilities Director Jim Earhart can work some financial wizardry in the form of State Revolving Funds (SRF), other loans or grants.

 

The assets of the City of Banning have all been mortgaged. Now it’s time to start earning some money to pay some of the city’s bills. Meanwhile, I applaud the coming of the new police facility and plan to be at the groundbreaking.

 

I’m writing this column over the weekend, knowing by the time you read this, the filing period (July 14^th) for candidates will have opened. All applications must be in by August 8^th.

 

While I regularly remind people that I write an opinion column, I have years of abiding by my high standards as well as journalistic integrity. If you do not like my opinion (sometimes I don’t either), I encourage you to write a letter to the editor.

 

I will not show favoritism to any candidate for the city council of Banning or Beaumont on an endorsement basis or in this column. If a candidate chooses to contact me and indicate that he/she is running, I will be happy to make that information available to the readers of this column. I continue to encourage qualified candidates to run. It can only be better for our two cities.

 

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