Stop, Drop and Roll

19 December 2006 | Alameda Community Development Forum | John Knox White

 

 

Stepping out of the house this morning, I couldn’t wrap my head around the day head. Too much to do (shopping, work, mouse cages to clean) and too much to think about (Alameda Point developers, Alameda Landing transportation issues, racist phone calls to a 6^th grade basketball coaches in Alameda).

I left the house on foot for the bus stop, usually I bike either all the way to work, or to the bus, so I was out of step with my routine already.

A block and a half from the house, I slipped on ice (ICE!) on the sidewalk. I didn’t spread-eagle on the pavement, but I looked pretty goofy. Three blocks later, while looking down as I adjusted the volume on my Ipod, I bonked my head on a tree that was growing crookedly over the sidewalk. And then it hit me, today is the swearing in of the new council. It’s going to be a good day.

With Frank Matarrese returning and Lena Tam joining the council, along with Beverly Johnson returning as mayor, the city is in good hands as it moves forward through some upcoming fiscal and developmental turmoil.

In the coming years, this council will have to wrestle with budget shortfalls, diminishing sales tax revenues from a number of high generating businesses, contract negotiations with our first-responders, and the development of not only Alameda Point, but the northern waterfront, Alameda Landing, Towne Centre, and Harbor Bay.

It’s not going to be easy, but the voters sent a team capable of looking at issues from many important viewpoints who are going to be up to the task.

Here’s to less back of the envelope math and more looking out for our fiduciary responsibility before decisions are made, more vision as to what can be done, and less “let’s do nothing” attitude. These two tradeoffs aren’t going to be easy to bring together. It is easy to be visionary when the bankroll isn’t factored in.

In the coming months, the new council should set its sights on clarifying the process for public involvement in big decisions. They need to layout a framework for getting information out to citizens in a more user-friendly manner (I’d suggest what the Transportation Commission has implemented). Joint meetings with key commissions and boards should be scheduled before the month of January is over. And lastly (and largely), a public process on Alameda Point should be undertaken before the discussion of which developer is chosen to take the point forward.

Best of luck to the new council (and to Alamedans whom they serve). Don’t bang your head on tree!