Warning: I am only writing about one portion of the evening…the meeting on a whole was fantastic and if anyone wants more details…please shoot me an e-mail and we can get together to discuss!

After 10 pages of notes and three hours of discussion, Mayor Lisa Swarthout wrapped up the [...]]]>

Warning: I am only writing about one portion of the evening…the meeting on a whole was fantastic and if anyone wants more details…please shoot me an e-mail and we can get together to discuss!

After 10 pages of notes and three hours of discussion, Mayor Lisa Swarthout wrapped up the Economic Development Town Hall Meeting on a cold and rainy Tuesday evening. Approximately forty community and staff members gathered in Fire Station 2 to talk about and identify the following:

• The City’s vision for economic development;
• The City’s role in field of economic development; and
• The City’s strategies or actions steps to facilitate economic development.

The full Staff Report is awesome and can be found here.

Some great insights were shared concerning individuals’ ideas of what is economic development and what the City’s role is in the process. The Mayor asked each City Councilmember to share their thoughts. I began the process by describing the City of Winters and a recent experience I enjoyed with Vice Mayor Jan Arbuckle during a California League of Cities-Sacramento Valley Division event. I shared how alive and “pumping” the community felt. Needless to say, the word “pumping” caught on throughout the remainder of the meeting. I was surprised by the reaction of some the participants of the description of my experience, because my intent was not put down Grass Valley, but to show an example of what I really enjoyed in a sister community. On a Friday night, in a city with a population of 7,000, Winters had an energy running through it that I have only experienced during special events in Grass Valley (thankfully we have many).

As a thirty something, I want to be able to go and have dinner at 6:00, then maybe walk around and shop, perhaps do some wine tasting or have a drink at local bar, and check out a band that is not from an era before I was born.

Am I the only one?

Tuesday was a first for me as a city council member. I was one of the main topics [...]]]> Life is interesting. I am a strong believer in being thankful for what God gives you. Admittedly so, sometimes it takes me a couple of days to come to this realization, but nevertheless eventually the virtue takes hold.

Tuesday was a first for me as a city council member. I was one of the main topics of an individual’s public comment period. Sitting there and listening to your name be repeated several times with respect to some strong charges, is never fun, but it does come with the territory. During my campaign, many times I was asked if I was “ready” and “was my skin thick enough” for politics. Now, I understand. This morning The Union published a story in regard to the allegations, it can be found here.

One thing I refuse to let go of is me. Over the last couple of days I have heard a range of different comments, some who choose to say mean spirited remarks and others who offer words of encouragement. At the end of the day, I am who I am and the person I am is thankful for former City Councilmember Steve Enos. I am thankful of his public acknowledgement of my not having ill intent. As a community we should be thankful to have individuals such as himself to look out for us. He has a passion for Grass Valley and a strong conviction of the process. I am honored to be on his radar.

The process is a wonderful tool we have to keep one another accountable. Accountability is never a bad thing and if properly digested can be a useful instrument of serving a greater good.