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Development:
1. How will you ensure that
the inevitable growth south of 50 doesn’t have an adverse
impact on those of us north of 50?
I support the binding protections that were included in Measure
W to ensure that all future growth south of 50 has no adverse
impact on existing residents north of 50. Water, transportation,
open space, and schools are among the issues Measure W
addresses:
- No development may occur south of 50 until new sources of
water are secured. Water supplies south of 50 cannot reduce
water supplies north of 50. Citizens north of 50 will not pay
for new water supplies that serve south of 50.
- A sound plan for roadways and transportation improvements is
required to negate impacts from any development south of 50.
Citizens north of 50 will not pay increased fees for these
improvements. My view of a sound transportation plan also
includes alternative transportation choices that include public
transit, bicycling and walking.
- In addition to active public park sites and landscaped areas,
30 percent of the land south of 50 will remain natural open
space.
- Schools north of 50 cannot be overcrowded as a result of any
development south of 50. A plan to fund new schools must be
submitted to the Folsom Cordova Unified School District for
approval. Citizens north of 50 will not pay for the new schools
needed south of 50.
Public safety south of 50 will be a top priority. We need to
plan for expanded police and fire services well in advance of
any development. Adding police and fire resources should not be
at the expense of citizens north of 50, either in terms of cost
or quality of service. The same goes for other city services,
including recreation al activities for youth as well as our adult
and senior citizen populations to avoid adverse impacts to
programs and amenities that we currently enjoy.
Future development south of 50 is a major undertaking that
demands careful planning and phasing over many years. It
presents challenges as well as opportunities, and the city and
its elected officials must be held accountable for adhering to
stringent guidelines. Our planning efforts need to reflect the
principles of smart growth outlined in the Blueprint Project
developed by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG)
so that we can shape future growth in our city. Listening to
citizens and engaging the entire community in this long-term
process is essential.
2.
What is your position on future housing and commercial
development in Folsom?
Our focus must be on incorporating a balanced mix of housing and
commercial development in Folsom now and in the future.
Commercial development results in property tax and sales
revenues which keep our city fiscally healthy and able to
provide quality services and amenities. Commercial development
also provides job opportunities. When there is a good balance
between jobs and housing, people - including our children - have
more opportunity to live and work in the same community. That
means less commuting, less traffic congestion, reduced emissions
and better air quality. This kind of balance is needed not only
in Folsom, but throughout the region.
As we move forward, more attention must be placed on targeting
commercial developments in the clean and green technology
sectors. We must ensure commercial developments offer attractive
new job opportunities.
We are fortunate to have an existing commercial business base in
Folsom that is very community minded, and business leaders that
believe strongly in giving back to our community in many ways –
from supporting school programs and sponsoring youth activities
to providing free primary healthcare to the underserved.
3.
Do you believe in keeping open space for future generations?
I absolutely believe in maintaining open space for future
generations. It should be a goal for every community. We need to
preserve natural and scenic open space, as well as natural
streams and water supplies, historic sites, parks and trails,
and public recreational facilities.
4.
Would you support or oppose the annexation of the Aerojet
Property into the City of
Folsom?
The Aerojet property is a Superfund site, and the company is
actively involved in land and groundwater remediation efforts,
working with US EPA as well as state and regional regulatory
agencies. I would oppose annexing a Superfund site into Folsom.
I also think it is unlikely that Aerojet would desire to change
jurisdictions under its current remediation agreements. The EPA
has approved the removal of over 1,000 acres of Aerojet land
from the Superfund designation. This land was demonstrated to be
clean. Whether or not it would make sense to annex clean Aerojet
property into Folsom would need to be carefully studied, and
only considered if it could be self-sustaining and contribute to
our quality of life.
5.
Many of the older neighborhoods (50 years and older) in Folsom
were neglected in terms of street paving, sewer and water
pipeline maintenance, and the like while the building
boom was going on. What will you do to not only correct that
situation, but also make
sure it doesn’t happen to existing Folsom neighborhoods as they
age and building begins
south of 50?
Development south of 50 is intended to enhance our city’s
long-term financial health and viability, and provide additional
revenues to fund these types of needed infrastructure
improvements. I would not support it otherwise. In the meantime,
we must move forward with the city’s five year (2005-2010)
capital plan for street pavement, which addresses a number of
the needed street renovations in our older neighborhoods.
Deferring street maintenance would lead to costlier repairs
later. It is equally important that we move forward with
pipeline projects such as the one that began in September in the
Orange Grove area as part of the city’s pipeline maintenance and
infrastructure rehabilitation program. This project is replacing
and rehabilitating water systems on Orange Grove Way, as well as
along Mormon, Sibley and Oakdale streets. Our older
neighborhoods are as important as our new ones and maintaining
their infrastructure is essential.
6.
Would you support the placement on the ballot for a proposition
– with a very simple
language and no gimmicks – around people voting on development
south of 50?
There has already been one proposition on the ballot that
addressed development south of 50. I would want to better
understand the reasoning behind the desire for a second ballot.
Measure W set firm parameters for development south of 50 that
protect residents north of 50 against negative impacts and
increased costs. The city and its elected representatives have a
duty to make sure any development south of 50 adheres to these
parameters, and that citizens have the opportunity to be
involved in every step of the process along the way.
Johnny Cash Bridge:
7.
What’s your take on the Johnny Cash Bridge situation?
The situation has certainly generated a lot of mixed feelings in
the community. I personally think that for the sake of tourism
we may have missed an opportunity in selecting the Folsom Lake
Crossing name. By whatever name, the bridge was desperately
needed to alleviate the horrendous traffic problems caused by
the closure of Folsom Dam Road. The closure of this road forced
approximately 20,000 or more vehicles into our city a day. I
look forward to the day the new bridge opens.
8.
Would you consider renaming the bridge to the Johnny Cash
Memorial Bridge?
This subject has come up quite often in the neighborhood coffees
I have been holding over the past several weeks. Residents at
these coffees opposed to renaming the bridge, and those in favor
have been equally split. I would not consider renaming the
bridge at this time unless a majority of citizens came forward
in a united front to advocate for it. If you want a good laugh
over this whole issue, visit the new “John and June” restroom at
the Folsom History Museum.
9.
Would you consider a city wide vote to change the name of the
new bridge?
A city wide vote would certainly settle the issue, but the
process would be extremely costly. In these economic times, it
would be fiscally irresponsible for a city representative to
consider a city wide vote. The more pressing issue is to come up
with the approximate $5 to $6 million needed to pay for the new
bridge.
Priorities:
10.
What do you think are Folsom’s 3 priorities that you plan to
address as a member of
the city council?
Folsom’s top three priorities are and always should be safety,
service and quality of life. The immediate challenge is to stay
fiscally healthy while we weather the economic downturn so that
we can maintain the highest standards for all three. This will
require that we stay within our means through prudent fiscal
planning, and find ways to reduce expenditures by simplifying
and streamlining processes to become more efficient. We will
need to incorporate more definitive performance measures in
every city department that are aligned with the fiscal
constraints we face. We should consider taking advantage of the
leadership capability in our community to form a blue ribbon
commission to review city operations, offer fresh ideas and make
recommendations on how we might reduce costs and improve
efficiency. I volunteer to be involved in this effort.
Importantly, we must take better care of our existing business
community, especially during the downturn. Our fiscal health
depends on it. We have a number of businesses, particularly
small businesses that are either struggling or closing their
doors. There is a need to strengthen our economic development
activities to help retain our businesses by linking them with
the information and support services they need to succeed.
Refining the efforts of the city, the Folsom Chamber of Commerce
and the Folsom Economic Development Corporation (Fed Corp) would
enhance this effort, and make us more competitive in attracting
desirable new business. Folsom Lake College could serve as a
valuable asset in this partnership, offering the added elements
of business education, workforce development and job
recruitment.
There are more than three priorities. Water is one of them, and
has become intensified by drought conditions. Immediate steps
must continue to focus on conservation, but we must also seek
ways to use reclaimed water for landscaping and ensure that we
have long-term viable water solutions for the future.
Traffic congestion is a priority in Folsom and across the
region. Locally we must move forward with improvements to
mitigate traffic and strengthen our infrastructure. We must plan
appropriately to avoid future traffic congestion. Importantly,
we must help drive region-wide efforts to implement
transportation solutions that improve mobility and reduce
emissions.
Importantly, we must begin to address changing demographics.
Over the next five years, we will see dramatic increases in our
senior citizen population in Folsom. We must plan now to ensure
we are prepared to meet the needs of our senior citizens.
The California Prison Health Care Receiver’s plan to build a
medical facility at Folsom Prison is an issue that requires
immediate attention. This facility is not a hospital and
provides no acute care and treatment to patients. It is geared
primarily toward providing more beds for inmates who need
assisted care and have mental health problems. The magnitude of
this facility will have major impacts to our community hospital,
city police and fire first responders, possibly our water and
sewer capacity, and will significantly add to traffic
congestion.
11.
What is your vision for the city of Folsom? How do you picture
Folsom five years from
now? Ten years from now?
I want Folsom to be seen as the center of excellence for the
greater region – a city we are proud of, and a city that
effectively plans and manages growth to blend a rich heritage
with an unmatched quality of life. Quality of life means that
our neighborhoods are safe, that we enjoy high levels of
services at affordable prices and great amenities, and that our
business community is vibrant.
12.
Why are you running for City Council?
It’s time to add a fresh perspective, and broaden the breadth of
experience that leads to new ideas and creative solutions.
That’s what I can bring to the city council. I have 30 years of
business and leadership experience in the private and nonprofit
sectors. I have an equal number of years of community
involvement; the majority here in Folsom. I understand what
business and civic organizations bring to a community. I
understand the role government plays in a community. I have been
successful in bringing all of them together in partnerships to
raise funds for important projects and improvements that have
added to our quality of life. I am also a mom whose first
priority is safety and quality of life for her children. I am
committed to our community. I have watched it grow since I was a
child and I want to play a role in shaping our future.
13.
Do you think the mayor should be elected?
I don’t think it is necessary to conduct a public vote to elect
a mayor under our current city government structure. The duties
of a mayor in Folsom do not include authority to approve or veto
decisions that come before the council independently of other
council members. The role is more symbolic and practical in
nature. The mayor presides over city council meetings and is the
recognized representative of the council at most civic and
ceremonial occasions.
14) What would you do to improve Folsom and make it nicer for
the community?
(no response)
Etc.
15.
Do you support the arts in Folsom? (art, music, events)
Yes - one hundred percent. The arts are an important aspect of
our community’s overall vitality and add to the quality of life
we value. They help bring our community together. One example is
the city’s partnership with the community to build the new
senior and arts center. Another is Mercy’s new arts and healing
program, which is bringing artists throughout our community and
as far away as Laguna Beach together to provide a more aesthetic
and soothing environment for patients. The new performing arts
center at Folsom Lake College that broke ground last month will
be a shining example. I am very supportive of these and other
arts programs; we should find ways to foster more of them for
our kids and adults.
16.
Which is smarter – keeping within a given budget by reducing
expenses, or raising
utility rates/city taxes to help with budget overruns?
We must stay within our given budget. That is why right now,
especially given the economy, we need to make sure there are
definitive performance measures in our city departments that are
aligned with the fiscal constraints we have. We must also find
ways to simplify and streamline processes to reduce expenditures
and improve efficiency.
Utility rates cannot be increased to make up for budget
overruns. You cannot charge more for utility rates than what it
costs to provide utilities. I do not support tax increases.
17.
What would you do to promote bringing more jobs to Folsom?
New jobs depend on continued economic development. We need to
place more emphasis on a strategy that outlines the types of job
opportunities our community wants to create and targets new
businesses that offer them. We need to create a more
business-friendly environment and review business regulations
and requirements that may be restrictive. As I mentioned
previously, refining the efforts of the city, the Folsom Chamber
of Commerce and the Folsom Economic Development Corporation (Fed
Corp) to develop a stronger, more cohesive partnership would
enhance this effort, and leverage our ability to be more
competitive. Folsom Lake College could add value in the areas of
workforce development and job recruitment.
18.
As the city continues to grow and more schools are built it will
become difficult to keep
a large portion of Folsom’s youth in sports and Park and Rec.
activities; especially
during non school periods. What would like to see promoted for
our youth in the
future?
We need to promote and foster youth sports and recreational
programs at equal or better levels than what we now have
currently as we grow. Growth should result in additional
revenues for funding opportunities to expand not limit these
important programs for our youth.
19.
There has been some speculation that the Folsom Police
Department and Folsom Fire
Department have not been able to stay funded and manned with the
ratio of city
development and growth. Can you give us an example of what types
of ideas you
would propose or support to ensure the safety of our quickly
growing city?
The Folsom Police Department and Folsom Fire Department have
grown proportionately with development and growth over the
years. For example, the Folsom Police Department has increased
positions from about 50 to about 90 since 2002. The department
has a solid record for suppressing rising crime and reducing
response time. Both police and fire, like all city departments
are facing some budget constraints during an economically
troubling 2008-2009 fiscal year. We must constantly assess
whether these budget constraints are impacting the level of
service in our community, and do something about it if they are.
We cannot jeopardize public safety.
Making sure both the Folsom Police and Fire departments maintain
and enhance their service capability as growth occurs is a
number one priority. The Law Enforcement Service Delivery Plan
for 2008-2011 completed this past January provides the vision
for what police services will be required over the next four
years and will allow the city to anticipate and plan for needed
services. A similar plan is being developed by the Folsom Fire
Department.
20.
Besides basic safety and health what would you consider a
priority to services most
needing attention to our fair city?
I have already talked about many of them – conserving water and
finding long-term viable water solutions; improving traffic flow
and mobility in Folsom and within the region that impacts us;
improving and maintaining our infrastructure; maintaining and
enhancing our youth sports and recreation activities;
cultivating the arts in our community; and carefully planning to
meet the needs of changing demographics in the future. All of
these play a vital role in Folsom’s quality of life.
21.
How will the city mitigate the huge increase in traffic once the
new Mall is operational?
While several years out, there several major transportation
projects planned in that section of the city. A new Oak Avenue
Parkway/US 50 interchange is specifically intended to mitigate
traffic in the area of the new mall. Another new freeway
interchange planned includes Empire Ranch Road/US 50. Also
planned is a new overcrossing at Rowberry Drive.
22.
We waste a lot of water in this city. As a city council member,
what would you do to see
that our parks start using recycled water?
We would need to first determine the cost, and with the state of
our economy it likely would not be feasible at this point in
time, but should be planned for the future. I support the use of
reclaimed water for landscaping of any new park, and all new
developments moving forward, housing and business. Folsom does
not have a groundwater source. It would be necessary to partner
with our water servers to the east or to the west for
non-potable water. Is it doable? I believe it is and would like
to find out.
 Rosemary Younts
www.rosemaryyounts.org
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