CITY COUNCIL WRITTEN TRANSCRIPTS – APR. 18-19 HEARINGS
Today, after a lengthy delay, the City of Benicia posted written transcripts of the City Council’s April hearings on Valero Crude by Rail: April 18 transcript and April 19 transcript. (Note that Valero was in possession of these transcripts before they were released to the public. See Valero’s May 31 petition to the Surface Transportation Board, Exhibit 6, pp. 93-96.)
The documents are fully indexed and searchable. Unlike earlier Planning Commission transcripts, which were released in two formats (full and condensed/indexed), these documents are full, unindexed transcripts.
The April 18 meeting includes final public comments, Valero’s 5-minute closing comment, and the first portion of Councilmember questions of city staff.
The April 19 meeting continues Council questions of staff, and concludes with the Council’s decision to grant Valero’s request for a delay in proceedings until September 20 so that Valero can petition the Surface Transportation Board for a declarative judgement on preemption issues that could prohibit Benicia from denying Valero’s project.
I helped elect Elizabeth Patterson for Mayor of Benicia in 2007 and 2011. I co-chaired her campaign in 2011 and I’d be hard at work on her campaign again this year, but I am juggling too many other responsibilities.
My endorsement of Elizabeth Patterson could not be stronger or more heart-felt. She has led our community and taught us all about environmental sustainability, stewardship of water, the importance of diversification in our local economy, how to get things done in local government and much more.
Elizabeth has served the entire state of California as a water expert, and has contacts throughout the state that work to Benicia’s advantage.
As her campaign slogan puts it, she has “Experience You Can Trust.”
Please vote for Elizabeth Patterson for Mayor in November!
I am running for reelection because I want Benicia to thrive. I have been on the council since 2003 and as Mayor since 2007. I saw us through the Great Recession by working with the city manager and council to avoid cutting city services and ensuring sound fiscal policies.
The greatest job growth in California is clean tech. We need to double our efforts to diversify our economic activity to transition from too much dependence on the refinery and gas stations and more clean tech companies. We need to protect the businesses we have and upgrade the Business and Industrial Park with fiber optics, and repurposing “warehouse” buildings for more revenue generating businesses. We need to invest and modernize this economic engine that provides the revenue for city services – parks, police and fire, human services, arts and culture and a livable, walkable historic town.
The General Plan is our “constitution” and its overarching goal is to be a sustainable city. We are the little city that can – we have a public energy provider with 50 or 100% renewable energy sources; we exceeded the Governor’s emergency 25% water savings by averaging about 33%; we defied two governors from closing our State Parks; we are at the top as one of the best places to raise children with great schools, safe community and small town place.
This was made possible by forward thinking leadership knowing the community’s values, staying focused on our goals and being bold and forthright.
I have even stood up to City Hall when they tried to stop my sending information about Crude by Rail safety issues and seeking state action on providing greater safety to our town. I will continue to be vocal and not gamble with Benicia’s safety.
I work for you from the annual delivering Meals on Wheels, supporting our historic preservation community and arts community, collaborating with Vallejo and the County to keep our State Parks, promoting biking to work and school, energy and water conservation, and not gambling on clean air and water and a healthy Benicia.
Experience you can trust . . . another four years!
Planning Commissioner Steve Young will make bid for City Council
by Nick Sestanovich Planning Commissioner Steve Young will be running for City Council. Among the biggest issues in his campaign are opposing Valero’s Crude-By-Rail Project, diversifying the city’s economic base, modernizing the water and sewer system, improving the roads and maintaining the parks. (Courtesy photo)
Steve Young, a current member of Benicia’s Planning Commission, is looking to make the leap to City Council.
Young’s decision to run was partly influenced by the Council’s decision to delay Valero’s Crude-By-Rail Project rather than deny the refinery a permit to have its crude oil delivered by railroad rather than by boat.
The project was announced in 2013 and drew concerns from residents over its environmental impacts. On Feb. 11, the Planning Commission unanimously rejected a permit from Valero, but the company sent a letter of appeal to the city. City Council held hearings in April, and in a 3-2 decision, the hearings were delayed until September as Valero asks the Surface Transportation Board for a decision on the issue of federal pre-emption.
That was the final straw for Young, who had been considering a bid for City Council.
“I had a lot of people approaching me after the Planning Commission meetings, urging me to run,” he said. “I put off making a decision until I knew which way the Council was leaning, and once it became obvious which was the Council was leaning, I felt it was important for me to throw my hat in the ring and give people who were anxious about this project an alternative way to express their opposition.”
Young does not feel the project is necessary and proposes that the refinery just keep its delivery operation as is.
“Tankers, to me, are much safer, much less polluting and doesn’t require massive potential traffic problems that we already see happening down in the Industrial Park,” he said.
Young acknowledges the economic benefits of the project but feels the environmental risks are far greater.
“It increases their profits, but I think the tradeoff is too great to justify,” he said.
Young has a long history with politics, dating back to his tenure as student body president at his high school in Burbank. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley in 1973 and a master’s in urban policy and administration from San Francisco State. He served in various government management positions in California and Virginia and was also the community development director for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency from 1999 to 2008. After his retirement from that position, he and his wife Marty moved to Costa Rica so that their daughter Cora could attend high school in a different culture. After Cora graduated in 2012, the Youngs moved back to Benicia where Steve was appointed to the Planning Commission that year. He says that being retired gave him a lot more time to research documents for the Crude-By-Rail Project.
“I had the time to dig through all those documents and do three years of research on it,” he said. “When the Planning Commission started on the Final Environmental Impact Report, I was well-prepared and I had three years’ worth of questions to ask.”
Young also proposes examining the Seeno project, which would construct a 528-acre business park development by East Second Street and Lake Herman Road.
“The idea of straight suburban-type development on that property is problematic for a lot of reasons,” he said. “I’d like to give that a close look.”
Young also supports transparency regarding the recent water and sewer rate increases, diversifying the Industrial Park and turning the Majestic Theatre on First Street into a live music venue to generate revenue for the city.
“Overall there is a challenge that the city is a full-service city, but it doesn’t have a lot of different ways to raise revenue,” he said. “They’re trying to serve a lot of functions with a limited source of money, and I think that’s something that’s going to have to be looked at going forward. Either raise your money or limit your cost, because it’s not sustainable the way it’s going.”
More information on Young’s campaign can be found at SteveYoungForCityCouncil.org. There will also be a campaign kickoff event from 5:50 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday, May 27 at Ruszel Woodworks, located at 2980 Bayshore Road. Food, drinks and live music will be provided. If you go, please RSVP to SteveYoungForCityCouncil@gmail.com.
City Council elections – we’ve got a great new candidate!
By Roger Straw, Benicia Independent, May 20, 2016
Benicia Planning Commissioner Steve Young, candidate for Benicia City Council
No, this is not me with a “new look.” This is Planning Commissioner Steve Young. Steve is running for City Council this fall. I’m happy to endorse him, and I wholeheartedly recommend him to you.
Steve was thorough and critical in his study of the massive documents associated with Valero’s crude by rail proposal over the last 3 years. He doggedly questioned City staff and consultants as the Planning Commission made its way to a unanimous decision to turn down Valero’s proposal in February. He continues to monitor Valero’s appeal to the City Council. If the issue has not been settled by November, we need Steve there with a strong no vote.
We are all invited to Steve’s Campaign Kickoff party on Friday, May 27, 5:30-9:30pm at Ruszel Woodworks – 2980 Bayshore Road, Benicia, CA 94510. Come meet the candidate and enjoy the company of others who are supporting Steve. Please RSVP here. (NOTE CORRECTION: PARTY STARTS AT 5:30PM, not 4:30pm as previously posted here.)
Today, after a lengthy delay, the City of Benicia posted written transcripts of the City Council’s April hearings on Valero Crude by Rail: April 18 transcript and April 19 transcript. (Note that Valero was in possession of these transcripts before they were released to the public. See Valero’s May 31 petition to the Surface Transportation Board, Exhibit 6, pp. 93-96.)
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