Councilwomen Suzanne Tucker and Evelyn Tolbert, who did not defend their up-for-election seats this campaign season, will be succeeded by Robert Rickman and Robert Elliott. The pair will be sworn in at the regular Tuesday meeting, according to Carole Fleischmann of the city clerk’s office.
Following a closed session Tuesday, there will be a special meeting starting at about 6 p.m. that day, during which the old council will take care of several items before adjourning to a reception for Tolbert and Tucker.
The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m., during which Elliott and Rickman will be sworn in and council business will continue as normal.
Among the items the new councilmen will consider are:
• To award GSE Construction $3,867,000 for work to upgrade the Tracy wastewater treatment plant. GSE of Livermore beat out 13 other companies’ bids to demolish, replace and improve several items of hardware and the treatment facility. The money for the project, if it is approved as expected, will come from various capital improvement funds and not the city’s general fund.
• Approve “improvements” to the 11th Street median that will cost $212,000 of capital improvement fund money.
• Buy security cameras for 15 vehicles that are part of the city’s Tracer bus system, a decision that could cost $80,000 that will come from previously approved transit fund budgets and from Proposition 1B.
• Approve an expansion of the San Joaquin County Enterprise Zone to include the West Valley Mall and Gateway areas. Enterprise zones provide employers in them certain benefits and tax incentives to hire workers, including up to $37,000 to employ someone who lives in a low-income area or who has recently been laid off. Businesses would also be eligible for certain tax credits to buy hardware or produce certain items.
The city manager is a nice guy, but that's all. He's certainly not "the guy' to turn Tracy around.
We need to get one business that has corporate backing that can weather the storm of economy and bad decisions (like spending money on a damned statue!)...and can draw in boutiques and eateries and destinations. I'm sorry, but 9000 salons are just NOT destinations, nor are the plethora of ethnic groceries.
We need businesses with hours that cater to the commuter base in town...and who offer services and goods that are unique and different...and needed. Macy's is great, but do we really need a department store so we can all wear the same clothes? Let's put some energy and money into the HEART of this town...not just in building more and more vacant office spaces and mini malls...and not just in freeway facing properties...
I hope that our new councilmen can help out here, but I think there are a lot of changes to PAID staff that need to occur that probably won't.
With our city offices being right downtown...and the average city salary being six figures...you'd think they'd wander downtown at lunch or after work...and SUPPORT THE TOWN THEY WORK FOR!!!!!
Let's show some civic pride people...shop local in addition to shopping for price...both count...if you only have Wal-Mart and Costco, you have no variety and no town to speak of...only a series of strip malls.