LBReport.com

Editorial

End LB's Transparency-Mocking Mushroom Treatment As Council's "I-710 Oversight Committee" (Austin, Uranga, Richardson) Prepares To Receive Publicly-Hidden Update And Select "Locally Preferred Alternative" To I-710 Expansion Project


LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. Support independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.
(Jan. 30, 2018, 12:05 p.m.) -- While LB city officials tout transparency, LB residents (and nosy reporters) continue to experience LB City Hall's legendary "mushroom treatment" (operative principle: "keep 'em in the dark and fed manure.") Below is the document visible online at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 30 prior to today's (Jan 30) 3:00 p.m. meeting of the City Council's "I-710 Oversight Committee" (chair: Uranga; vice-chair: Richardson; member: Austin) agendized to "receive an update and select locally preferred alternative for the I-710 Project," a multi-billion project with long term impacts for neighborhoods, the City and the region. (The ultimate decision will be made by other government bodies.)

[Scroll down for further.]


This should really should be unacceptable, and it's up to the Committee today to show they don't accept it.

We acknowledge that there's multiple information available documents available online about the project, discussing issues and alternatives as they developed over the years. We know there were recent "community meetings" held where officials displayed the alternatives. But that's not the same as having the record visible to the public who deserve to know what's before a governing body taking a voted action.

Unfortunately, the Council's current I-710 Oversight Committee is following the practice of its predecessors under previous Mayors, letting the project's proponents and/or consultants keep "updates" from reaching city agendas reasonably in advance of public meetings. A useless "no attachment" page conceals from the public (and the press) what's being updated in advance of the meeting...which would enable the public to prepare and present informed testimony, pro or con..

Most recently on Sept. 12, 2017, the Council's I-710 Oversight Committee agendized a "Recommendation to receive and file an update on the I-710 Project" accompanied by a useless "no attachment" page until a Power Point materialized for the meeting.

Several years ago, LBREPORT.com infuriated some of the project's paid consultants by obtaining some of their Power Point graphics and publishing them (what a concept) before an agendized meeting.

The I-710 project has gone through various iterations. Based on choices being made now and in the coming months, a new draft EIR/EIS will be prepared and circulated for public comment. On September 12, 2017, Committee met to "receive and file an update" on the I-710 project. Minutes reflect that discussion took place at which Ernesto Chavez, Director of Metro's Highway Program spoke and provided a PowerPoint presentation, City Engineer Sean Crumby spoke and all three Councilmembers spoke before Councilman Austin made a motion, seconded by Richardson, to receive and file (take no immediate action) on the item.

Today's (Jan. 30, 2018) agendized item is different because it's to receive an update and select a locally preferred alternative for the I-710 Project. The Committee's choice today (Jan. 30) on a "locally preferred alternative" won't decide the issue but it is obviously an important step.

LBREPORT.com is told that the Wrigley Area Neighborhood Alliance (WANA) has voted to support a "no build" option.

In LBREPORT.com's opinion, the Council's I-710 Oversight Committee should refuse to further enable this "mushroom treatment" by declining to vote on a preferred local alternative today and instead re-agendize the item -- with publicly available written materials showing what information is being updated prior to a re-agendized meeting. This is the minimum that taxpayers should expect when public officials vote on locally preferred alternative for the magnitude of this publicly funded, public impacting project.


Opinions expressed by LBREPORT.com, our contributors and/or our readers are not necessarily those of our advertisers. We welcome our readers' comments/opinions 24/7 via Disqus, Facebook and moderate length letters and longer-form op-ed pieces submitted to us at mail@LBReport.com.

Sponsor

Sponsor

Developing.

Sponsor


Sponsor

Sponsor



blog comments powered by Disqus

Recommend LBREPORT.com to your Facebook friends:


Follow LBReport.com with:

Twitter

Facebook

RSS

Return To Front Page

Contact us: mail@LBReport.com



Adoptable pet of the week:





Carter Wood Floors
Hardwood Floor Specialists
Call (562) 422-2800 or (714) 836-7050


Copyright © 2018 LBReport.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of Use/Legal policy, click here. Privacy Policy, click here