City Council Meeting – 12/16/2008
The Dublin City Council will be meeting on Tuesday night at 7pm (12/16/08) in the City Council Chambers at 100 Civic Plaza. Tuesday night’s agenda is not as chock-full as most meetings; however, there will be many important items discussed.
Commission and Council Appointments
The Council will be discussing Mayor Sbranti’s recommended appointments for the various open commission seats:
- Planning – Don Biddle, Eric Swalwell, Bill Schaub, Doreen Wehrenberg
- Parks and Recreation – Steven Jones and Anthony Totaro
- Heritage and Cultural Arts – Kim Halket, Dayna Tutino, and Steve Minniear
- Senior Advisory – Albert Edge (2 remaining seats to be filled by 1/7/09).
The Council will also be reviewing the applications submitted for the vacant City Council seat, interviewing applicants, and most likely appointing an applicant to the vacant seat.
Toyota of Dublin Signage at New Site
The Council will be reviewing Toyota of Dublin’s proposal to add 3 new signs near their new site next to Hacienda Crossings (the former Ford of Dublin site):
- 24 foot sign at the corner of Dublin Blvd. and Toyota Drive (formerly Myrtle Drive).
- 42 foot internal sign within the Toyota of Dublin site.
- 78 foot sign along the I-580 freeway (where the former Ford of Dublin sign structure is located). For Comparison, the Hacienda Crossings sign along I-580 is 75 feet tall.
Toyota of Dublin has stated that they will not move into the former Ford of Dublin site until the proposed signage has been approved and installed because it is vital to the visibility and success of the auto center. Former Dublin mayor (and California State Assemblyman) Guy Houston is representing Toyota of Dublin.
10:57 AM on December 17th, 2008
We don’t need more signs along 580, we need less. They will have plenty visibility at that location and I’m sure will move in regardless (they have way outgrown their current location). Please do not allow this signage to go through, call their bluff. And will someone please make Guy Houston go away for once and for all?
12:55 PM on December 18th, 2008
Any word on when and if they have decided on the planning commission appointments?
Just curious as we have 5 of our neighbor’s submit applications for the positiosn just to test the integrity of this process. Lets see how many of us five unknown, unaffiliated actually even gets an interview before they select one of their cozy friends. Chances are our applications fell through the cracks somewhere already and have gone through the schredder.
We had some send their apps into the City Clerk “only” as directed and some sent their app to both Sbranti and the City Clerk. Lets see how things unfold. Lets see how many of us not into the circle people got our app through the front desk.
Will these applicants need to do the same toe kissing, city hall worshipping chirade that Council candidates had to do last Tuesday?
Just curious.
4:20 PM on December 18th, 2008
The 5 of you should move to the land of Oz where you can stand behind the curtain and really pull the levers.
Why really get your hands dirty with real involvement.
5:09 PM on December 18th, 2008
Hey if any of us five somehow gets an interview it would be a miracle. If we somehow even get one appointed given that we are literally unknowns and not in the click we’ll be ready to get down and dirty with the rest of them.
There will be no more curtains to hide behind as you pointed out. We’ll be up and in front with the rest of them, whether we like it or not.
This is already the land of OZ as people from behind curtains do actually pull the lever in the name of City Hall. Developers, landowners, former Mayor/s, we can go on and on. Whether it is dirty business or not we won’t ever know for sure until an outsider somehow cracks the glass door and gets into the circle of the chosen.
6:36 PM on December 18th, 2008
The point is that you 5 are applying not for the purpose to actually serve the community but to “just to test the integrity of this process” (your words). Never once did you mention a true desire to serve and hence your application. How many council or commission meetings have you attended in preparation for your “run” for the commission?
There are no “outsiders” or insiders, but just those involved and uninvolved. You seem to be the latter.
5:38 PM on December 19th, 2008
Between the five of us we’ve been to more council, planning commission meetings than you can ever boast unless you are a Commissioner or Council Member yourself.
If we did not care about the community that we live in and not worry about the direction in which it may be going, why would we even waste our time to fill out detailed applications for the position? Why would we be concerned about the integrity of City Hall. Why would we even bother?
I cannot speak for the other applicants but for myself, I’ve written in my application as to why I want to serve my community and my desire to be involved and hopefully make a difference. Instead of discouraging people to get inlvolved you should join in. I don’t see you either.
Yes, my words you are correct “to test the integrity of the application process”. If there were 1500 applicants then I could understand some not getting even an interview. But with a couple dozen at best I don’t see why not. Unless decisions have already been made with ones that are in the click and all the ones without internal contacts disregarded.
We’ll know when the appointments go out. Whether or not anyone gets invited to share their vision, views in person with the decision makers.
5:40 PM on December 19th, 2008
One more thing, I guess you enjoyed the circus the other night then didn’t you? You are one of a minority who thought that it was a professional way to conduct business.
6:49 PM on December 20th, 2008
We live in a democratic country ruled by laws and I shall add secondary is “common sense”. Testing the process is like testing the law. You can test the law of over-speeding in our freeways and you may get a ticket. Testing the process of applying to become one of our city council members may not get you a ticket or wind up in jail. You either wish to become one to lead our city or be a follower. The process of selection was legitimate and within the law. I supported and endorsed John Zukoski for city council. Disappointed? Yes… I am accepting the mandate for Don Biddle and will support him 100% as a Dublin resident. I will continue to express my view and opinion in front of the council to influence their vote to my wishes. As that is the law and that is how the process works. We were all disappointed that John Zukoski did not get the seat. It does not mean that I will no longer be part of the process. I just wished that Kevin Hart decision against selecting John was not because of his involvement in the blog. Part of the process of voting for an issue as a council member is all about listening and making the best judgment for the welfare of Dublin residents. Listening to different sides of the issue is what John wants in championing this blog. I would like Kevin just be a reader or listener to the blog. Ignore the Anonymous negative and baseless attacks. Just like John Ledahl does.
10:49 AM on December 21st, 2008
Good point Jing. The five of us really do believe the process is and will be legitimate, with integrity. In the end we really do think and hope City Hall will prove our theory wrong. The reason we wanted to test the waters was in response to all the noise the past few months about what City Hall really stood for. Who it really represents and is it really open to non friend/affiliates/special interest. Is there a glass wall? Can ordinary people just as ourselves become part of the process/team instead of just readers of this blog, a speaker at the Council/Commission meeting every now and then, an email or two to a Council Member or a Commissioner every now and then. We wanted an opportunity to be even more involved and take some responsibility for what happens to the City. Take the good and the bad that comes with such an honor. Instead of just sitting here and criticizing the ones that are in the seat already or trying to gain such a seat and not do anything about it other than showing up and sending emails/letters that may or may not be read or even considered. We want to be in one of those actual seats. Seem though the odds are stacked against us if you believe every entry on this blog the past few months. But we have faith thus we will test the waters to be proven wrong “hopefully”, that City Hall does have integrity as it really does represent the Citizens of Dublin.
10:54 AM on December 21st, 2008
One more thing Jing. We agree and feel the same that John did not get the nod. That does not mean we don’t believe that Don was not qualified. We believe from what We’ve heard and read that he is more than qualified and deserving.
We commend John L. for opening up and listening, adding value to the dialogs on this blog. We just hope other politicians could show thick skins also and join in. Win some of us over like John L. has, regardless of disagreement or different points of view.
Like you said, just ignore the baseless attacks such as the one directed at us for testing the waters. Ignore which we now will.
We believe Tim and the gang will do it right with this new administration.
1:05 PM on September 9th, 2009
The Around Dublin Team cannot find any corroborating documentation to support these claims made on 2009/09/08 at 9:18pm.
1:05 PM on September 9th, 2009
The Around Dublin Team cannot find any corroborating documentation to support these claims made on 2009/09/08 at 9:16pm.
1:06 PM on September 9th, 2009
The Around Dublin Team cannot find any corroborating documentation to support these claims made on 2009/09/08 at 9:12pm.
1:06 PM on September 9th, 2009
The Around Dublin Team cannot find any corroborating documentation to support these claims made on 2009/09/08 at 9:10pm.