Editor’s note: As part of The Sentinel’s mission to serve as a public forum for discussion of local issues, we have begun publishing full transcriptions of public comments made during City Council meetings.
Comments submitted by members of the public for the Citrus Heights City Council’s May 28 meeting addressed a range of topics, including marijuana sales, whether planning commissioners should be allowed to speak to media, and homelessness.
As the meeting was conducted remotely via teleconference and streamed online, public comments were required to be submitted to the City Clerk via email and were limited to 250 words. Each comment was read out loud during the meeting.
Below is a transcription of each comment. A recording of the two-hour meeting can also be viewed on the city’s YouTube page.
James A. Crisamore:
I along with other citizens in my neighborhood feel that the city should institute a process to call in or outbound calls be made by the city clerk for the purpose of public comment, at least for future meetings, as long as they stay virtual.
Regarding the main concern for my public comment. I have seen a decline in the city regarding the homeless not only due to the COVID-19 issue but much like a virus they are spreading the mess throughout the city. I along with many others are fed up with the health and safety concerns associated with the homeless population, and clean up is needed on the properties they occupy, including city, county, and state properties.
A joint effort with border communities like Roseville, state property (Interstate 80), Sacramento and Placer counties is necessary for cleaning up the drugs (needles), human waste, aggressive dogs that block citizens from daily activities. Citrus Heights has a beautiful community that needs protecting from this Health and Safety matter, Please help make it safer to live here.
Brandon Bolton/United CORE Alliance
On behalf of the undersigned organizations and community partners, we write to express the need for action from the City of Citrus Heights to sanction the opening and establishment of legal cannabis businesses pursuant to the California Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) and the Adult-Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA). Establishing ordinances and evidence-based policy with community support will foster an environment where social goals can be best served and ensure an equitable industry where qualifying cannabis businesses are able to thrive under the state’s legal cannabis structure.
Mark Mabutas
CORE Program — The equity program has allowed me a opportunity that would not be possible if the program had not been started. It has allowed me to network with individuals in the industry and given me hope that I am on a path that will allow me (to) build generational wealth for family as well as give back to the community that I am from.
Bill Van Duker
I support the modification of the Planning Commission rules that will limit the ability of the commissioners to comment to the press on matters that are or have been before the commission. As one who has served a total of 12 years on Planning Commissions (city and county), it was always clear to me that the time for commissioner’s comments was during the hearing process. It seems inappropriate for a commissioner to expand his/her views on the results of a hearing outside of the formal hearing process.
