Item 41, the SMRF application on the Elsik tract, ranks as my next-most-interesting item, primarily because of the absurd about-face by the mayor and four councilmembers since the July meeting.
The issue at hand is that SMRF is applying for county funding and benefits from having the city endorse its application. Council endorsed the application at the July meeting, but in a fit of persnickety pique, struck the sentence, “City supports the possible transfer of the land to the city, including development, management, and maintenance.” (Struck by Mayor Hughson, supported by Gleason, Garza, Scott, and Gonzalez.)
The idea has always been that SMRF would get county money to buy the Elsik tract, thus completing the ring of parks encircling the city. SMRF would give it to the city. The problem is that it is expensive to develop and maintain trails and parklands, and Hughson et al did not want to be on the hook for those costs. However, the motion to strike that sentence was exasperating because it weakened the application and changed nothing. The city was not committing to accept the land, nor to develop it into trails and maintain it. It was merely supporting the possible transfer.
Now in August, somehow it is back on the agenda, just adding that one clause back in. This suggests to me that Council got an earful from the community about not being idiotic dipshits on this one clause.
During the conversation:
- Derrick begins by reminding everyone that there is no obligation to develop parkland on any predetermined time schedule, and in fact the Bouie tract has sat undeveloped for 10 years with no outcry. You can’t make more land and we should acquire it when we have the chance.
- Gleason has a long ramble about the lack of parkland on the East side, and seems to imply that it’s a zero-sum game where the Elsik tract will compete with hypothetical applications for parks on the east. City Manager Bert Lumbreras clarifies that there are also applications for parks on the east side and that there is funding available for them.
- Shane Scott has the most absurd about-face, claiming he thought that the city would have to BUY the Elsik tract, not BE GIVEN it. Now that he understands, everything is rainbows! The problem is that after the vote at the last meeting, he went off on an unhinged rant about SMRF being a bunch of untrustworthy jerks.
- Nevertheless, Derrick proposes a face-saving amendment for the benefit of Hughson, Gleason, and Scott, which clarifies that the “transfer” will be free.
The whole thing passes 7-0 and it’s all fine.
I will say that Commissioner Garza has issues she understands well and those she doesn’t. When she doesn’t understand, her instincts are terrible. Or rather, naive. She is easily swayed by dumb, superficial arguments or believes people to be sincere when there is a profit motive.
The San Marxist 