Voice of the People: My Donation to the Lions' 5K Freedom Walk/Run

Thank you to the Grand Terrace Lions club for recognizing my sponsorship of their 5K Freedom Walk/Run. I am writing this to set the record straight about this donation. In Grand Terrace, council members receive a monthly stipend, health insurance reimbursement and a car allowance as part of their benefits package. When the city was faced with cuts to public safety, parks and staffing in 2013, I pledged that if residents had to make these sacrifices, I was willing to sacrifice as well and stopped receiving health insurance reimbursement and car allowance. For me this was a sum of approximately $500 each month. The Lions Club 5K event is envisioned as an annual event to bring together the community as well as drawing others to the community and has the potential to become a significant community event. I learned that the estimated cost for Public Safety for the event was approximately $2,500 for additional law enforcement required to ensure the safety of the runners and walkers. Since the council identified the desire to partner with organizations in the community, as part of the strategic plan, and the expected budget cuts had been adverted, I asked if the amount equal to my car allowance ($2,400) had been otherwise allocated for the year and suggested that perhaps it could be used to defray the cost of the public safety requirement. The answer was that since the City was not an official sponsor, the proper thing to do was write the check to me and I could then do with it as I wished. I requested the car allowance for the year and I signed over this check to the Grand Terrace Lions club as a donation for public safety for the 5K and accompanied by a personal check to make up the difference needed for a total donation of $2,500. I appreciate the Lions' recognition of my contribution at the Aug. 13 council meeting and look forward to the 5K walk/run on Sunday, September 14. It will be a fun event for all ages and fitness levels.