SB Mayor Carey Davis gives residents update on city affairs

San Bernardino City Mayor Carey Davis met informally with residents on Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Fifth Ward’s Verdemont Community Center and Library to provide an update on the city’s bankruptcy proceedings, development at Carousel Mall and initiatives regarding medical marijuana dispensaries.

The city’s bankruptcy status is currently past the disclosure statement awaiting a third amendment regarding language. Ballots were sent out July 29 to creditors that will be voted on this Friday. This hopes to be the final path to exit bankruptcy.

According to Davis, the budget, which has been balanced for the last two years, has been realigned to reflect priorities highlighted by residents in the form of efficiency improvements. Those include contracting trash removal to Burrtec, saving $5 million a year; annexing the fire department to the County, that freed up nearly $8 million of the General Fund; and reallocating $54 million to the police department that enabled hiring of additional officers.

According to Davis development of the 43-acre Carousel Mall is moving forward after officials from the city’s Community Development Department recently traveled to Madrid, Spain to hold a meeting with the owner of the Harris Building, El Corte Ingles. The meeting, Davis said, was productive, and the first phase of development would entail commercial, retail and residential use.

In the upcoming election there will be three initiatives that would replace the city’s long-standing ban on medical marijuana dispensaries. There are city officials who want to continue with the ban, but prefer to regulate it on the city’s terms. The city-written initiative, Measure P, would restrict marijuana sales to industrial zones, and could not be within 600 feet of a school, park, library or recreation center.

Measures N and O, known as the “Redmon” and “Guzman” initiatives respectfully, are less restrictive. Supporters of Measure N would throw their support behind the city’s initiative if minor changes were adopted; and Measure O would allow dispensaries at commercial corridors throughout the city.

Park Maintenance Manager Jim Tickemyer and SBPD Lt. Richard Lawhead discussed the efforts of the year-old Quality of Life team responsible for the city’s upkeep by removing trash and blight, and deterring health hazards by clearing out homeless encampments that pose a risk to public safety.

“If it looks bad, it is bad,” said Lawhead, a 25-year veteran of the police department. They encouraged residents to report illegal dumping and voiced their commitment to actively combat those issues that affect residents’ quality of life issues.

Davis concluded the meeting with a reminder of a community clean-up and free dump day at Fiscalini Park on September 24. “If we can get more residents involved it will create more city buy-in and perpetuate growth around the city.”