Yesenia Sarahi De La Rosa
Please explain your ideas on how a small city can address the costs to upgrade its aging infrastructure?
We can make smart infrastructure upgrades by managing our municipality’s assets, with the support of our community. It is vital that we identify the right process for these upgrades, versus choosing a quick fix.
We cannot allow small problems to grow into big, expensive problems putting our community’s growth and economic development at risk. I’d like to continue to learn, research and consult with individuals in this field to strategize and create a plan that fits our town’s specific needs.
Lisa Lavelle
Please explain your ideas on how the city can address the costs to upgrade its aging infrastructure?
Infrastructure and the ability to build new while upgrading the current systems – sewer, water, electrical, communications including cable and internet, roads, harbor, safety, and more – is probably the biggest challenge facing our community. The city is currently working on Development Impact Fees to make sure that new builds will pay for their share of new infrastructure projects. I’m encouraged by the dialogue that is taking place and hope that equitable fees can be agreed upon soon.
Our biggest best solution on how to address the aging infrastructure – mimic the octopus. Reach for everything we can with all the arms we can. Be open to and foster public-private partnerships. Search out grants as city staff has been doing to gain access to government and private funds. Continue to build relationships with other cities and entities who are dealing with similar issues and give city staff the funding they need to make those relationships produce viable solutions. Partner with the federal government and military as the Conservancy did on the runway reconstruction at the airport for major projects that could be fantastic training opportunities. Remember to leverage volunteers, residents, visitors, and non-profits in the community for smaller passion projects that impact everyone. Continue to wisely make use of bonds, loans, and other common government lines of funding that we’re already using and more.
Most of all I’d like to see Avalon smartly go after the new technology sector. We live within line of sight of some of the most amazing technology firms and future-thinking colleges & universities in the world. Let’s start and/or continue conversations with their teams about how they can use the “island factor” to test out new products. If something can be tested and proven successful here, we know it can make it pretty much anywhere. While they test, they can also improve the infrastructure and quality of life for our city’s inhabitants.
By looking for opportunities everywhere while shoring up funding for preventative maintenance that comes from reliable and steady sources, I believe we will be able to maintain and develop a program that can support our city for decades to come.
Oley Olsen
Please explain your ideas on how the city can address the costs to upgrade its aging infrastructure?
The City of Avalon maintains a 10-year Capital Improvement Plan that has over 50 projects at a projected cost of over $50 million spread over the next 10 years. The plan assumes that the costs will be covered by City revenues and grants.
These projects cover most of our infrastructure needs except for the Sewer Treatment Plant and the Land Fill. We must continue to look for grants for the Sewer Plant. And we need to continue to look at new technology for ways to extend the life of the Land Fill.
When we begin to upgrade the Sewer Plant we need to keep the door open for a reclaimed water system to replace our old salt water system. We need to keep in mind that the existing salt water system will require the expansion of water storage to cover both our needs for toilet flushing and fire protection.
The Land Fill needs to utilize 21th century technology such an Anaerobic Digester to cut down on green waste and continue to look for ways to harvest the existing land fill. I have seen a prototype machine that takes 100 lbs. of land fill material and produces more energy than it uses and reduces the 100 lbs. down to 1 lbs. of material. Using this machine we could mine the existing land fill and extend the life for hundreds of years.
I would also propose that in November election that we ask the voters of Avalon to bond the new sales tax for Capital Projects to lessen the impact on the general fund.
Yolanda “Yoli” Montano
Please explain your ideas on how the city can address the costs to upgrade its aging infrastructure?
As we all know, our roads, sewer systems and all of our other essential infrastructure support on the island, have and will continue to erode. In my opinion, this erosion will continue, regardless of the number of visitors, which is our only economy. Without an economically sustainable revenue stream, our infrastructure costs will not be adequately covered. Our City staff do a good job in trying to keep our fragile network operational on a day-to-day basis. But we need to avoid future major system failures.
The aging of and sustainability of our infrastructure systems require ongoing capital investment, large amounts of time, cost and often depend on our ability to successfully obtain appropriate technical personnel and equipment, here on the island.
I recognize that there are many elements in our Quality of Life here on the Island. If elected, I commit to considering all of them in making any decisions as to future funding sources.
Elements in Our Island Quality of Life
1. Economics (Job opportunities year-round, visitor population to cover costs to avoid local tax increases, other revenue sources such as fees)
2. Education from pre-school through high school
3. Housing for all residents
4. Health Care Services (Medical Clinic and Hospital and Drug Stores)
5. Safety and Security (Law Enforcement, Fire, Paramedics and Other Support)
6. Transportation services to and from Over town and Within the City via Ferry, Helicopters for Air Medivac and Other Helicopter Services
7. Environmental, (air quality, beaches, hazardous waste)
8. Neighborhoods (maintaining a sense of community, parking)
9. Water and Electricity
10. Roads, Parking for residents/visitors, Sewer System, Mole Transportation Center Improvements, Pebbly Beach Road, Traffic Circulation
11. Other Essential Services (Grocery, Hardware, and other stores on island)
I believe, that funding for our needs is a challenge with a solution.
First, the implementation of Development Impact Fees should help cover part of the cost for infrastructure. However, this will not be sufficient in my opinion for all our island needs.
Second, many organizations and individuals are reviewing or seeking increases in visitors which support more year-round employment and revenue to the island, but also in consideration of our community. I support this, but would add that if elected, I would consider the impact on the community in terms of the elements affecting our quality of life. In other words, I would listen to our community about their beliefs concerning possible impacts of different strategies and would support monitoring and assessment of the actual impacts, in order to be responsive to the community and take necessary action if warranted.
Third, I support the City continuing to pursue grants for our island needs, as we are considered a rural area.
Fourth, I support increasing the cruise ship wharfage fees to cover additional costs associated with the cruise ships
As always, I would be glad to hear your views. Please email me at yoli@catalinaisp.com if you want to meet with me.
Joe Sampson
Please explain your ideas on how the city can address the costs to upgrade its aging infrastructure?
FIRST, our Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau (CICVB) receives about $1.5 million annually from our City Treasury. Serious reconsideration of that subsidy is urgent.
Most in Avalon conclude that while promoting commerce and tourism with cruise ships, CICVB has ignored the negative impact on infrastructure in Avalon for locals, visitors and boaters. This negative impact also effects the experience of actual cruise ship passengers brought in.
One ominous impact example is our intermittently effective wireless communications infrastructure caused by cruise ships. The cell phones and portable laptops of ALL people in Avalon on cruise ship days are impacted by this outdated system. As a City Councilman I addressed this issue with the CICVB President and CEO three years ago.
In the CEO’s Islander Letter to the Editor 1/31/20 regarding wireless communications CEO states he doesn’t “take direction from the City Council except for matters related directly to Tourism Promotion.”
This is directly related to “Tourism Promotion”! Why didn’t CEO promote personal and business tourism (AND HARMONY WITH RESIDENTS) in Avalon by helping facilitate a functioning wireless network infrastructure for everyone’s use on cruise ship days?
In some emergencies Avalon is in SERIOUS TROUBLE!
Making things worse, it took a concerned citizen to directly question CEO at a Council meeting concerning rumors of another cruise ship! The City Council was flabbergasted after learning and confirming these discussions! (See Avalon City website: 08/06/19 Council Meeting: Oral Communications.)
CEO’s Islander 1/31/20 letter implies he had no legal responsibility to inform City Council about communications regarding another cruise ship. However, CICVB CEO has at minimum, an absolute fiduciary duty of trust, to inform City Council and concerned people of Avalon.
Due to Chamber’s neglect, at least $750,000 of approximately $1.5 million paid to the Chamber requires reallocation to other direct infrastructure needs promoting tourism. At least $250,000 annually must go to professional independent cruise ship consultants. This, to correct and heal the injured harmony between the cruise ship experience and the quality of life infrastructures for all people when in Avalon. About $500,000 to the restoration of South Beach, an absolute necessity for locals and hotel tourism.
SECOND, develop more creative revenue ideas. The Bud Light “Up for Whatever” promotion brought Avalon well over $500,000 revitalizing infrastructure at Joe Machado Field!
THIRD, attract investors’ money to construct to their business requirements Avalon’s stagnant infrastructure assets like Casino Dock.
FOURTH, $10.4 million granted the City of Avalon toward water infrastructure must go toward diversifying and protecting our water system to benefit our whole community, not just the Island Company. I’ll hold City Staff to the highest level of accountability and oversight for the prudent allocation of these funds.
FIFTH, many Avalon homes have ancient drinking water pipe infrastructure. (Not Edison’s fault) I’ll have investors install purified drinking water vending machines (dispenser style) throughout Avalon. REDUCE PLASTIC!
WHY INCREASE TAXES? TOGETHER WE CAN BE SMART, CREATIVE AND LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS!!!
See you at CPAC FORUM 2/11/20 @6:00-8:30pm! City Hall!
Contact email: pedicabcatalina@gmail.com
