Editor:
Over the past decade, a strong partnership between the city council and a highly competent City Manager produced numerous projects that Blue Lake residents enjoy today. This success stemmed from a clear understanding of governance — councils respected staff roles and did not interfere in day-to-day operations. This collaboration led to progress, including plans to replace the defunct power plant with a commercial RV park, develop a 43-unit mixed-use project for families and businesses, and attract renewable energy firms.
The current council began with four new members. One of their first actions was to delay adoption of the city’s long-overdue Housing Element, despite it having been approved by the planning commission and the state Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). The stated reason for the delay was to review it further with staff. However, the Council did not follow through, resulting in two missed state deadlines.
The HCD has now given the city until July 28 to develop a milestone schedule or face serious penalties. Meanwhile, during this period of inaction and uncertainty, the city manager — widely regarded as one of the most capable in Blue Lake’s history — resigned under pressure, despite strong public support. This prompted community protests and initiated the current recall effort.
The council has also begun scrutinizing the city budget, which had previously passed all audits. Under their leadership, Blue Lake is now facing a growing deficit for the first time in years. The result has been a loss of trust, with resignations from the city manager, a council member and the chair of the Planning Commission.
The recall seeks to replace current council members with experienced, forward-thinking leaders who will work collaboratively with staff and prioritize the public’s interest.
Dennis Whitcomb, Blue Lake
This article appears in A Saturday at the Rodeo.
The “strong partnership” alleged by Dennis between the council and the City Manager was entirely reliant on the previous council being compliant to the desires of the former City Manager, rather than a “clear understanding of governance” by same.
An actual clear understanding of the roles and relationship between the City Council and City Manager is that the City Manager enacts the goals and directives of the City Council, who represent Blue Lake citizens. This isn’t an opinion; this is in the City Statutes. This was absent with the prior council, which is why they were voted out of office.
DEVELOPMENT
The plan for the RV park was a bought and paid for presentation by an outside company with zero financial backers. While it was very pretty and looked really cool, it holds no realistic chance of success, unless someone with 20 million dollar laying around steps in and makes it happen.
The 43 unit housing project is another DANCO affordable housing boondoggle. While affordable housing is important, DANCOs problems regarding management and upkeep are well known and deserve scrutiny and skepticism as to the projects long term success. This council is also not necessarily against this project.
HOUSING ELEMENT
There was never any doubt that this council would pass the housing element once they had a chance to review it. They asked the former city manager to help facilitate a review with the planning commission prior to approving it. The former city manager refused to do so and then sabotaged the council by putting it on the agenda for a final vote, despite being directed by the Mayor to not do so. The new council in turn chose to not be manipulated and did not pass it until the Manager had done what she was directed to do.
Its not the council that failed to follow through: it was the City Manager and the people that founded the recall that tried to use the housing element vote to injure the council with negative publicity and scare people into thinking that the City would be fined over that one vote.
It is notable that prior council people, which includes people on this Recall Committee, didn’t pass the same housing element in December and there was no outcry. No running to the press with sensationalist claims. In fact, the housing element had been out of compliance for a decade, including 8 years under the former City Manager. The attempt to blame the new council for this issue is not factual.
As far as past budgets being balances or passing audit. You can balance any budget if you leave expenditures out of it. Start with $120,000 owed to companies that worked on the new bike park that was recently uncovered that was not funded, nor authorized by the prior council. Based on that, it’s good that the new council is scrutinizing the budget.
The Recall seeks to overturn an election that was in large part about the Council establishing proper authority and oversight of City Hall, all because the recallers no longer run the show.
That the previous City Manager was unable to accept direction and actively attempted to thwart and sabotage the new council shows that change was needed.
Thanks, Dennis for your input.
The few anti-recall signs I see around town are indicative of the issues we have — they call for Truth and Progress, yet the new council members were not truthful during their campaigning and are not for true progress.