Commentary by Samuel Strait – August 21, 2022 Yes, the City's Pool is open for business, and a few driveways on H Street and East Harding Street have been replaced. The Crescent Fire and Rescue is set to be a hybrid fire department with new fire captains and the Crescent City police got some new toys, patrol cars, and two future patrol officers. But what does that all really mean? This is the City Council's idea of how to spend Measure "S" money on "vital" services for the benefit of all that live within its boundaries. What a bargain. The City's pool is scheduled to lose $380,000 and increasing every year for as long as they can swindle the City's voters into believing that the pool is a "vital" service to the community. The Council has also invested over $1,000,000.00 in current refurbishments with others to follow, if possible. The complaint by the City is that if the Measure "S" money is repealed in November, the City will only be able to open the pool part time. What's wrong with that? Two things, how in the world has the City kept the pool open in the past without the Measure "S" funding? And second, how in the world is the City going to keep its promises in the future if the community pool financial drain is continuous? There is constant reference to former Fire Chief Steve Wakefield, his dedication to the City's fire departments, and his subsequent loss. It seems as though in order to replace an irreplaceable man, the City's solution is to hire four men and create an on going expense in the form of paid fire captains. What happened to aging equipment, an increasing number of calls, and fewer vehicles? No mention of the fact that Crescent Fire and Rescue is largely a rescue outfit these days with very few fire related calls. If there was to be any additional money directed to the fire department perhaps this should be taken into account before considering the need for a hybrid and very expensive new agency. It is not as though Crescent City is a huge metropolitan area; hence, the need for a huge police force seems a bit over wrought. Hiring a couple of new police trainees and a part time detective somehow misses the point of more police. Yet, how is it that Crescent City was ever able to function within the confines of the General Fund for years without any need to supplement its fire and police departments. After all those "vital" services must have been front and center whenever the new budget year rolled around. Then there are roads and streets. Looks to me like a little political theater performed by our City Fathers. H Street and East Harding are hardly the hot bed of street repair imperatives, and as such, the road surfaces were left untouched. Funny thing about that, where there is need to repair and resurface most of the City's streets. Tearing up driveways not needing repair and replacing them with new makes a mockery of the $7,000 of Measure "S" money spent on signs advertising the expense as Measure "S" funding. Say what? Seems the grand two block Front Street boondoggle is on hold until the cost can increase and materials be found. Next year maybe? So what have we from the $2.1 million in Measure "S" money that constitutes "vital" services? Not much. The claim by Lord Eric Wier, City Manager, is somewhat of a spin as the City's "need " for money for "general services", the fire department, policing, and the community pool can all be easily handled by the space created in the General Fund by Measure "S" now being employed to give city employees a 3% raise, spend $750,000 on two blocks of Front Street, and open a community pool that would be far more practical as a luxury on reduced hours and expense. If it is true that the Citizen's Oversight Committee is indeed calling the shot for how Measure "S" funding is spent, they need to be fired for incompetence. The terms "Need, and Vital" are sorely missing from the recommendations thus far. The "signage" on H Street should be retired post haste, surely a joke. The notion that Crescent City "needs" money for any kind of service with the current budget closing on $90,000,000 and Measure "S" money a paltry $2 million. What a charade! The City Council needs to quit whining and join the rest of the entire County that is faced with far more difficult financial challenges. Stop comparing sales taxes to larger areas and live within the means of much of the County's residents. It may not represent "excellent " service, but it is all we can afford. Vote "YES" on Measure "T" for a more stream lined and efficient government, if that is even possible under the direction of the current City Council.