Political Issues

YOUR CHANCE TO WEIGH IN!

On Monday, Oct. 8, 2008 there will be a special meeting of the City Council at 6pm at the Veteran’s Hall on

If you never attend another Council meeting in your lifetime, this is the one you should not miss. This decision will affect us all for generations to come.

Stand up and SPEAK! Robert’s Rules of Order, of which the Council abides, states that a person who wishes to speak must remain seated until someone at the speaker’s podium has finished and then walk swiftly to the podium and speak INTO the microphone. The entire proceeding is being audio recorded and disks are available at City Hall at no charge for anyone who wishes to have them for later replay.

Only by citizen participation can we ensure that this City Council will vote for the will of the PEOPLE and not their own private agenda’s.

Bring your kids and grandma and anyone else you need to but….

BE THERE!

Jim Richards

The Tehachapi “Mayorship” is more than just a photo-op ceremonial position. He/She bangs the gavel at the Council meetings and as the 5th. person in this august body can be the swing vote and/or tie breaker. The “Mayor” also controls the meetings. I shudder at the though of D. Hand being the Mayor-Pro Tem, don’t you?

I wonder how many times Phil Smith, in his 20+ years on the Council has been “Mayor”?

This revolving door to the Mayorship has got to be closed. They just get in line for it and serve their term and go back to the Council when it expires and wait to get “appointed” again. (And again.) If term limits and an election are good enough for the president of the United States it is certainly good enough for the City Council and the Mayor of Tehachapi and if I am elected next year you can be sure these two issues will be high on my priority list. Term limits and elections are what America is all about. That’s called a citizen legislature and precludes the sitting officials from scratching each other’s backs to maintain the status quo.

Jim Richards

It’s very early but I’m taking a tip from the current presidential candidates. I just hope that people will remember me when it comes to voting time (November, 2008) but I’m trying to show the voting citizens the difference between RUNNING for office and STANDING for re-election. Two City Council seats are up for expiration at that time and I respectfully request your vote. It’s time to stop the good old boys/girls from advancing their own personal agenda’s for many YEARS. Let’s let them know who is going to start taking charge of the future of Tehachapi. THE ELECTORATE, that’s who.

I urge everyone to check out my website and click on all the buttons underneath my handsome picture (yeah, right) and see what I have to say about representing YOU and YOUR interest and concerns. And, if you want to help, there is even a Volunteer button!

www.jim-richards-for-city-council.com

Many thanks.

On October 8th the City of Tehachapi is holding a public workshop regarding building sites for a new city hall and community center. My first thought about this is why move city hall? Tehachapi just finished remodeling downtown, including Robinson St. where the city hall building stands. Many towns keep their city hall in the original buildings they have been in because there are so many other better things to do with city money when the town is growing. If they move city hall what will become of the old building….will it just sit vacant?

As far as a community center, why are they proposing to build the community center in conjuction with the new city hall building? With the future growth of Tehachapi looking exponentially larger over the coming decades (walmart is coming, home depot is already here, the Orchard shopping center plus another off of 202/Woodford), maybe the community center should be a stand alone building of its own. Although I am excited to hear about a community center, I’m nervous to see what the city has in mind since it seems they have some odd design ideas.

Once again, the city employees have scheduled this meeting for a Monday night at 6p.m. Probably the most inconvenient time for the general population of the United States. But I am definitely going to this workshop and I’m taking my children with me. If comments will be heard about this, I’d like to first here what the city is proposing and be prepared to share my concerns.

The City Council meeting of Sept. 17th. promises to produce a lot of fireworks with Councilmember Stan Beckham’s 3 Resolution proposals. They are listed as Item #17 on the Agenda and are:

#1. Councilmember term limits.

#2. Commission Appoinments.

#3. Hiring Policies.

It is the latter that addresses nepotism and cronyism in City hiring positions.

This will be heated, for sure. Everyone who can put aside an hour or so should attend and participate. Council meetings are every 1st. and 3rd. Monday of the month at 6pm at the Veterans Hall on F. Street. I’ll be there! Will you?

Jim Richards

YOUR OPINION IS REQUESTED!

I was recently asked by a sitting Councilmember why, in my opinion, more people do not turn out to attend the Council meetings. We both came to different conclusions. Read more…