274 replies to this topic

[folsom500]

Links for us lazy folks, please!

Try this http://www.folsomtel...pinion/letters/

I especially loved Kerri's final lines-

"r. Baker suggests that we need people with vision and leadership on the council, yet he wants five council members who think the same way. If that is what he wants, we should select a Monarch, as the other four opinions are redundant. "

Love it !

That is exactly why we need to keep Kerri on the council -
We need independent and rational thought - and Kerri has shown that she can provide that- for the betterment of Folsom...

Cheers
Ken

[Robert Giacometti]

Robert, I don't want to speak for anyone else, but I think the reason that people are responding as they are to your posts is because you are blaming Kerri for all of this! You act like she is the only one on the council making all these decisions, then you say that she is the only one on the council not "going with the flow". I obviously don't know as much as you do about the innerworkings of the Folsom City Council, nor do I really want to. I edumacate myself in city politics to a certain degree.

I do commend you for your passion and love of our city. These replies to you aren't personal - at least from my perspective. But I think that people, myself included, genuinely like Kerri and the decisions that she's made for the City and feel they need to respond to your posts as such.

Barb

Barb,

I enjoyed reading your post and civil tone you demonstrated. It really doesn't matter wether the replies back to me are personal or not, the only thing I can control are my replies. I completely understand that when I start asking questions I'm going get responses from some who don't want their agenda exposed.

Please understand I am NOT Blaming Kerri for all of this. I am challenging the things she has said and written. It would be natural for supporters of her to feel I'm unfairly targeting her and I understand their feelings. When one challenges a candidate, in a sense one is also challenging the supporters also.

If we all could remove all of our bias and emotions from this...you would see that when I ask Kerri specific questions she rarely answers them, tries to imply I have an agenda, belittles the questions, then attacks me personally. Kerri is very good at it! As long as politicians can get their supporters to question the person asking the question they will never have to answer the question.

I am confidant that patience, tolerance and perservance will eventually sway enough people to make changes that Folsom needs. Despite her trying to imply my motives are evil, talking about my personal life and challenging my intestinenal fortitude...I refuse to stoop to her level. I'm optimistic that you and others understand it takes more guts to take the personal attacks and still travel on the high road than it does to enter into namecalling.

Lets look specifically at the library, Kerri was against the site because of wanting to save Farley Field. She said/posted something to the effect of chaining herself to the fences when the bulldozers were starting. if someone is that passionate about saving the park why didn't she look into the site next to the HS. That site wasn't even on any list! I've asked her about this and look at her response...she claims I'm on a tirade, I'm bringing up old issues the library is almost built, when am I going to move on....but she never answered the question. Its been 2 1/2 years and I have never gotten an answer

The other council members supported the Farley site for the library, so they don't need to explain anything. I know what her motives were in trying to relocate the library and they weren't to save the Farley Field as she claims, she knows that I know what it was and most importantly her 4 colleagues all know what her motive was. Maybe this helps explain why all 4 are endorsing Michael Gordon. Eventually the truth always comes out!

I don't know how to say this without being blunt...but you are being misled. I too listened to Kerri for years so I know how easy it is to fall into this trap!

Again, my compliments on well written post and thanks for reaching out! It speaks highly of your character!

[camay2327]

Robert, I thought that the new library should have been in a central location, if possible. The location of the new library is not central to Folsom. The High School would not have been either.

I don't know where, if any land was available in central Folsom. Somewhere equal distance to everyone.

Probabally wasn't possible.

[tessieca]

Sure, all they had to do was draw the target, find the center, and then condemn all of the properties in their way.

[ducky]

Robert, I thought that the new library should have been in a central location, if possible. The location of the new library is not central to Folsom. The High School would not have been either.

I don't know where, if any land was available in central Folsom. Somewhere equal distance to everyone.

Probabally wasn't possible.

Actually there was a site near East Bidwell and Blue Ravine being considered prior to the fire station site being picked. There was a meeting at city hall with all the library people and the public was invited. They were dismissing that site because of the concern for the middle schoolers crossing the busy street. I asked why a pedestrian bridge couldn't be built over East Bidwell to allow access and my idea was immediately shot down because it was too costly to build an overcrossing.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a pedestrian/bicycle overcrossing plan in the works right now to do that very thing in that very spot? 20/20 hindsight I guess.

My problem with Robert's reasoning is why he isn't asking the other council members the same questions about the high school location. If he has, where are the answers? I'm just curious because I posed the same questions to them and suggested that site and never got a response.

[camay2327]

Ducky, Robert knows that none of the other council members will come on the boards and give answers. Kerri is the only one that will. Sometimes she pays dearly for coming on the boards but that does not stop her. That is one of the reasons that my wife and I are backing her.

You are right about the pedestrian bridge, but now it is being build with grant funds, if I am not mistaken, for the bike trail.

Vote Kerri folks.

[ducky]

I know that they won't respond in this forum, camay. That was kind of my point. They're afraid to put anything in writing. Kerri isn't and that's why she has my support. She and I don't agree on everything, but I know she's not going to hide anything either.

I don't feel I'm being misled because I don't depend solely upon Kerri to form my opinions. I can't speak for anyone else, but I prefer to take the pointillism approach to politics and use everything I know to see the bigger picture and make an informed choice. Apparently, some people think being a soccer mom precludes me from doing so.

[Redone]

Robert, I thought that the new library should have been in a central location, if possible. The location of the new library is not central to Folsom. The High School would not have been either.

I don't know where, if any land was available in central Folsom. Somewhere equal distance to everyone.

Probabally wasn't possible.

How more central can you get?? Close to Rainbow Bridge, Folsom Crossing, and new bridge. 3 stop signs away from the "Central Business District"..... It's one thing to stand up for a candidate but sheez... The sad thing is that everyone who was against this site because of the memorial never pulled weeds in front of the Farley memorial or told kids not to climb on it during music in the park.

[ducky]

You are right, Redone. What's done is done. The site is now moot. Of course, once South of 50 is built out it won't seem quite so central.

Also, I make a point of never disciplining other people's children.

And you're right I've never pulled weeds in the memorial. Of course if the city is maintaining the park in the manner it should, I shouldn't have to.

[Robert Giacometti]

Actually there was a site near East Bidwell and Blue Ravine being considered prior to the fire station site being picked. There was a meeting at city hall with all the library people and the public was invited. They were dismissing that site because of the concern for the middle schoolers crossing the busy street. I asked why a pedestrian bridge couldn't be built over East Bidwell to allow access and my idea was immediately shot down because it was too costly to build an overcrossing.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a pedestrian/bicycle overcrossing plan in the works right now to do that very thing in that very spot? 20/20 hindsight I guess.

My problem with Robert's reasoning is why he isn't asking the other council members the same questions about the high school location. If he has, where are the answers? I'm just curious because I posed the same questions to them and suggested that site and never got a response.

Ducky,

You are so right about the site that was originally selected off Creekside down from the Hospital ( I think we are talking about the same location) Some of you may remember that the landowner was willing to donate the land. The library commission worked hard to find this site....but it was City Hall ( Not the council & NOT Kerri) who intervened and said they needed to do a complete search and took it out of the hands of the commission. They ( City Hall) also effectively restructured the role of the library commission at the same time and reduced their input. I suspect the library staff would concur that this was probably the beginings of their concerns!

Please recall that it was Kerri who said she would have done anything to save Farley Field. Jeff, Eric, Andy & Steve were all comfortable with locating the library on Farley Field. They weren't the one who was claiming they would do anything to locate the library anywhere else, it was Kerri. If someone is making claims that they would do anything to relocate the library somewhere else, then that person needs to explain why they didn't ask questions about a site that wasn't considered.

Since the person knew there was another site out there and they didn't ask questions about its suitability it proves to me they weren't really truly motivated to find another site. Therefore one can only assume they were opposed to the library for other reasons.

If other council members took Kerri's position, I would be writing letters to the editor challenging them the same way. I was doing that long before this site came along.

[Redone]

You are right, Redone. What's done is done. The site is now moot. Of course, once South of 50 is built out it won't seem quite so central.

Also, I make a point of never disciplining other people's children.

And you're right I've never pulled weeds in the memorial. Of course if the city is maintaining the park in the manner it should, I shouldn't have to.

South of 50=2nd library

[ducky]

South of 50=2nd library

I believe you mean 3rd library, don't you? Don't forget the one at the new high school.

[tessieca]

My problem with Robert's reasoning is why he isn't asking the other council members the same questions about the high school location. If he has, where are the answers? I'm just curious because I posed the same questions to them and suggested that site and never got a response.

The city doesn't have anything to do with where schools are built. They were simply smart enough to combine efforts with the district to add another branch to their library system. It's a more efficient use of tax dollars, and leverages both money and library services.

[melloguy]

Lets look specifically at the library, Kerri was against the site because of wanting to save Farley Field. She said/posted something to the effect of chaining herself to the fences when the bulldozers were starting. if someone is that passionate about saving the park why didn't she look into the site next to the HS. That site wasn't even on any list! I've asked her about this and look at her response...she claims I'm on a tirade, I'm bringing up old issues the library is almost built, when am I going to move on....but she never answered the question. Its been 2 1/2 years and I have never gotten an answer

Kerri did not have anything to do with the site selection process except to vote as a member of the Council on what the Library Commission recommended. I was Vice Chair of the Library Commission at the time and we were presented with a list of more than 20 possible sites prepared by City staff, some near Folsom HS including the subject property, and the City complex area (fire station) is what the Commission recommended. It was later changed to Farley Field. The property next to the HS did not even make the first cut because of some major flaws (do not recall, but can go back through my notes if necessary and time permitting). Individual council members did not have input into this property's early elimination from the selection process.

While Kerri and I did not agree with the final library proposal, we opposed it for different reasons. I did not delve into her reasons because I felt very strongly about my reasons. Once all was said and done, I swore I would support the final library project as the council saw fit and I do support the project as has been built under the direction of the current council. Where other councils had failed, this one, but most prominently Kerri, Steve, Eric, and Andy, was actually able to get a library worthy of this city built. For that, I applaud the four aforementioned members.

[Barb J]

Please recall that it was Kerri who said she would have done anything to save Farley Field. Jeff, Eric, Andy & Steve were all comfortable with locating the library on Farley Field.

Robert:

4:1

At that point, what are Kerri's options? If 4 council members vote yes to locate the library at Farley Field and only 1 votes no, what can she do to change the outcome????? I'm not sure what you expect from Kerri, but from what I've read on this forum, it's way more than you expect from the other 4.

Barb J