Bruce Obbink on the issues

By Bruce J. Obbink

Bruce Obbink identifies the issues. Financial crisis, business opprotunities, streamline business applications, partnering of city services, sewer problems, quality people to serve and affordable housing.

Pacific Grove business and community leaders reviewed the economic condition of the city ten years ago. The resulting plan is revisited from time to time to insure that its objectives are being pursued. The city council and the business community need to be keenly aware of business opportunities that will enhance the character of our community while bringing much needed revenue to the city budget. There still seems to be a frustrating conflict between state, county and city rules and regulations that is unfriendly to the business community. Last year city officials pledged to streamline business applications. That process is not moving forward at a positive pace. A priority list should be developed jointly by the city and the business community to determine what changes can be made. Any changes to business rules and regulations must insure the maintenance of the character of Pacific Grove.

Positive change can be found in the partnering of city services thereby saving precious dollars. All city department heads should be challenged to seek out possible partnering with neighboring cities. We certainly can be of help to others and by sharing the load we keep essential services current and effective.

Our sewer problems are not over. We still have a long way to go before our system is totally modernized. We can't do it all overnight but we can pursue a well-designed plan. That plan has now been developed; dollars are set aside in an Enterprise Fund. We need to make certain focus is kept on all elements of the plan. We all want good city employees and our best qualified citizen on the City Council and commissions. But we won't get quality people if we continue to demean our elected representatives and city staff in public forums. Debating issues is part of the democratic process, but courtesy and reasonableness must prevail. We must live together after the issues are decided.

Affordable housing is still difficult in Pacific Grove. The new ordinance for secondary and illegal housing offers residents their best opportunity. The city must adopt an aggressive promotional program encouraging the owners of secondary and illegal units to come forward and get their housing into the main stream of occupancy. The process has started and some have registered, but there is a lot of work to be done before one can say we are doing our part.