Residents Meet the Candidates at Forum

GRAND TERRACE>> Some community members decided to skip the final presidential debate to attend the Grand Terrace City Council candidate forum Wed. Oct. 19 at Cal Skate in Grand Terrace. The four candidates running for city council, including incumbents Sylvia Robles and Bill Hussey, and candidates Becky Giroux and Brian Reinarz, answered questions to help the residents get a better understanding of what they would do if elected. Kacy Carlsen, board member for the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce and owner of Cal Skate, helped coordinate the event. "It's important for all the residents to know who all their city council members are, what they stand for, what their goals are and how they are involved in the community," Carlsen said. "It's important they get to know them that way they are able to make a qualified decision when it comes to voting time." Residents had the opportunity to write their questions for the candidates and four were chosen at random for the candidates to answer. Candidates then had two minutes to respond to each question. Ted Holt, a Grand Terrace resident, moderated the forum while Mayor Darcy McNaboe kept the time to ensure candidates stayed within the allowed time. The first question of the evening was asked by long-time Grand Terrace resident Jeffrey McConnell, in which he asked the candidates what qualifications or experience from their job history could they bring to the council that would help the city. Robles, current mayor pro tem, said her previous experience with the San Bernardino County Special Districts as a staff analyst, budget analyst and supervisor gave her a deep understanding of how government works. She said she has the knowledge of how taxes work and that it is important to have conversations about how the tax dollars are spent. Hussey, a corrections officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and current city council member, said knowing the communities wants, needs and desires is important. He said he has respect for the community and through his experience as a corrections officer, he knows how to talk to people and listen to what they have to say. Giroux, a county analyst for the Department of Aging and Adult Services, spoke about her experience of working as a general manager of a restaurant for 14 years and learning the social aspects of diverse groups through her work with the county. Reinarz, a criminalist and crime scene responder for the California Department of Justice, spoke about what he has learned throughout his career including having respect for others, being organized, knowing how to multitask, having thick skin and how to help people even if there are disagreements. When asked about each candidate's plan to fix the parks and increase safety for children, Robles spoke about her previous experience on the parks and recreation commission when the city had one. She said there is a culture of soccer, baseball and football but there is not a youth recreation services or the infrastructure to support it. Robles said there is a desire there but because of limited funds, the council is looking for grants and that residents can help be a part of the change by pressing the issue to the city council. Hussey said the safety of children is a first priority. He spoke about his experience on the CJUSD Oversight Committee and said he would continue working with the school district. He said although there are many guidelines the city must follow, the city is already taking the steps to bring more to the city for kids and residents. Giroux said she would collaborate with the school district to make sure kids are safe. She suggested youth be a part of programs such as the Grand Terrace High School Leo Club and said there should be a parenting network for parents to be a part of. Reinarz recognized the plans that the council has in progress and said he would work with the council and school district to ensure the efforts are continued. He said there has to be a reason for children to want to stay in the city and eventually raise there families in Grand Terrace. As the forum continued, candidates were asked about their plan for decreasing crime in the city as it continues to grow. All candidates agreed that safety is a No. 1 priority. Robles stressed the importance of growing the property tax base to help fund the local city government. Hussey said it is helpful that sheriffs have access to security cameras to help add to the protection of the city and that a big part of the council’s budget is for maintaining the number of sheriff’s. Giroux and Reinarz both agreed that a highly-involved neighborhood watch program would be beneficial for the city, while Reinarz added that the city should have a city-specific citizen’s patrol. Randall Ceniceros, Colton Unified School District Board of Trustees Clerk, asked the final question of how the candidate would address the traffic at Terrace View Middle School. Robles said although there is a long way to go as far as funding, the city can collaborate to see what the council can spend. Hussey spoke about the recent Operation Safe Passage, a project in Grand Terrace designed to educate parents, staff and students regarding California Vehicle Codes in school zones. He said it is important for drivers to follow the traffic laws and respect each other. He also said moving the crosswalk up the street instead of the main traffic area could be beneficial for their safety. Giroux said opening up the other side of the school on Mt. Vernon to alleviate the traffic congestion would be beneficial. Reinarz said a different infrastructure or a different setup for picking up students would be helpful and there should always be someone from the school, city or sheriff department to help keep the traffic moving in a proper flow.