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Jake Ours
By KEVIN McCALLUM
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
The committee charged with recommending changes to how Santa Rosa’s government operates will not be expanded to increase its diversity.
A majority of City Council members on Tuesday said they were comfortable with their appointments and didn’t want to tinker with the makeup of the 21-member body just two days before its first meeting.
“I don’t see any need for change,” said Vice Mayor Jake Ours, noting that he selected people not for their diversity but for their credentials and knowledge of city government.
But other council members said they were disappointed that the Charter Review Committee, which meets every 10 years, didn’t better reflect the demographics of the community, which is 40 percent minority.
“The council I think deserves some criticism for not being more inventive and reaching out for a more diverse committee to consider the charter,” Councilwoman Susan Gorin said.
The council took up the issue after a Press Democrat story noted the 21-member committee — which will consider issues including how to make city government more diverse — wasn’t terribly diverse itself.
Ninety percent of the committee’s members are white, 75 percent are from the city’s northeast quadrant, the median age is 61, and most are City Hall insiders.
Gorin noted that the same issue came up a decade ago, and then the council reacted by adding seven members to expand the group’s diversity.
But Mayor Ernesto Olivares, the city’s first Latino mayor, said diversity is more than just who sits on a particular committee, and shouldn’t be something the city agonizes over once every 10 years.
“That’s not OK with me,” Olivares said. “It’s something we need to be concerned with every day.”
But Olivares said he also wanted to make sure those appointed to the committee had a strong working knowledge of the city, and that the committee was not a “training ground” or a course in “City 101” for those inexperienced with city operations.
Councilwoman Marsha Vas Dupre, who appointed the only two apparent minorities on the panel, took exception to the suggestion that a diverse group wouldn’t also be an experienced one.
“I did not have a difficult time finding qualified people just because they were an obvious representative of diversity,” she said.
Several pointed out the difficulty of coming up with a diverse committee when each council member appoints three people without consulting with other council members.
Olivares said the issue may be a “wake up call” that the council needs to do better job regarding diversity. But he said perhaps future councils would handle their appointments differently.
The council, on a 4-3 vote, also rejected having alternates serve when regular committee members are not able to attend. Council members Gorin, Vas Dupre and Gary Wysocky were outvoted.
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I was just travelling in Washington State and they ELECT Charter Review Committee members. Out City Charter appoints but the makeup must be ‘geographically and ethnically diverse’. Why isn’t it? They violated our City Charter before they even get started reviewing it! What are the consequences of this violation? Can the City be sued over it? Probably. Why do they have this rule, Article 11, if it isn’t enforced? City Attorney? City manager?
There should be at least 6 members of Hispanic descent from the southwest quadrant to come close to complying with the Charter’s requoirements. There aren’t any. Mayor? Why aren’t you objecting, of all people? No wonder this City Council rarely represents the will of its constituency.
The whites in the northeast quadrant rule the city, no question about it.Will someone please press charges for this agregious violation of our City’s Charter?
The Charter Committee met in the new utilities [ water and sewer - W&S ] department building. The cost for using this room is not being paid from committee [ general ] funds.
This is another example of the City of Santa Rosa misusing W&S funds: the money we pay each month for W&S.
For using this room they ought pay into the W&S fund $200 per hour with a four hour minimum, in my opinion.
City of Santa Rosa please stop misappropriating our W&S funds. It is a violation of law to do so, so there.
@ Not A Chance, I agree,the councils dismiss the applicants because they already have their mind up on who they want on the committee’s, and it is outrageous to say the least. And your two friends should have at least gotten an interview. I had a friend who put in an application and was dissed as well. It’s shameful the way these games are played.
As for what I said about it being a shame that more people of “Color” and different ethnic backgrounds are not interested in our political system…I stand by that statement. I would love to see more people of different ethnic backgrounds and young people getting inspired to engage in our political system.
I just received a letter from Councilmember Wysocky thanking me for submitting an application for the Charter Review Committee. It was dated 9/26, a day before the discussion in the council chambers. I appreciate his courtesy. He was the member who most encouraged public participation and apparently chose his three members of the committee from the applicants. He went to the trouble of interviewing some, not all, who submitted applications too. That shows more of an effort to seek new participants than the others on the council.
Remember, 11 out of the 21 on the committee did not bother to fill our applications at all. The mayor already had one firm choice made before he even brought up the charter review the first time in council. Councilmember Vas Dupre chose people she had known a long time, as did others. That narrowness might be a comfort zone for them, but it doesn’t foster confidence out here in the public.
The mayor’s contention at last Tuesday’s meeting — that they needed to appoint insiders because those were the only people qualified to make decision about the charter — was outrageous. Does he really think that in a city of over 150,000, there aren’t literally hundreds (many more really!) of people who are intelligent enough and knowledgeable enough to sit on this committee? Nonsense. Of course there are!
It is not necessary to know every little nuance about city government to sit on a charter committee. It can help. But it can also hurt if said “expert” is too invested in the status quo. Our city needs stability but it also needs a fresh look and people who are not so much a part of the system that they cannot analyze objectively and wisely.
Shame on most of the council for the way they chose the members of this committee. And by that I do not mean to show any disrespect for the people who were chosen. What this does demonstrate though is that we need new city council members who aren’t, by and large, so intent on protecting their turf and are far more interested in a much more representative and participatory government.
What Councilman Ours really means is that this town’s government needs more people with gray hair, moustaches, and glasses. You know, just like us.
Yay olds! Boo Gen X!
@Joyce
Sorry but I have to disagree with it being the dis-interest of minorities to get involved in city politics. They’d be more than happy to I’m sure, but the city council, with the exception of Marsh Vas Dupre, decided it was better that they throw their friends a bone.
And what bugs me even more is that the council had the option of amending it because minorities and young people asked for a spot at the table and it was refused.
So please Ms. Garcia don’t feed me that line, I have two friends both Hispanic both under the age of 35 who wanted to be on the charter and they were denied. Its not as if minorities in our community have no interest, its there, they just aren’t allowed a chance to play.
It’s a shame that more people of “Color” and different ethnic backgrounds are not interested in our political system. The only way to change that is to get them involved locally, inform them on local issues, reaching out to them and encouraging them to do so. No one can force them to be engaged….kinda like, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. This is no fault but to those who choose not to be engaged.
The real problem is continuing to choose the insiders who already are cued into how to go along with the status quo. Liz is absolutely right….why do these “Good Ol Boys” (and I see nothing good about their politics as usual) even ask for apps to be filled out? Following procedure on paper doesn’t matter if you are not following moral conscious. Vetting applicants honestly would have expected from honest politicians….it’s a sad thing that honesty is a rarity in our government officials!
We get what we vote for….my suggestion is to look for some new people to fill the void that is missing in our local governments….people who wants real change, honest change and who will call out their colleagues on their political shortcomings.
@Dan Delgado
I’m so so so sorry I hurt you feelings! (Not to mention, the folks you tend to caucus with on here have used the term Nazi and several other offensive terms, I wanted to get in the sewers with you guys for a change)
Now that we’ve moved past that, how about you address the actual story, Its a problem that you seem to be ok with ignoring.
Santa Rosa is now made up of 40% Hispanics, and the vast majority of the housed population in Santa Rosa exist outside of Rincon Valley. The Charter, as stated in the above story, is 90% white and live in Northeast Santa Rosa.
This is just another case of Olivares and his cronies putting their own ideology first, then the rich whites in fountain grove, then the police and fire, then only caring about Small Businesses that exist in the downtown sector, then MAYBE they have time to address how to get rid of public schools and add about 7 more charter schools, no Mexicans allowed outside of Roseland University Prep Im sure.
Once you’re in elected office, no matter if you’re Business or Progressive, you represent everyone in the city. Don’t you think they should have even pretended to give a crap about the make up of their city? Maybe the real question is this, do you think they even know the make up of their city?
So I spoke up during public comment on this item at city council and found myself confused and surprised that I was agreeing with council members I don’t usually agree with.
The quote conservative council members are all business and good old boys network and that to me is almost as bad as socialist left thinking.
Members of the community in SR filled out applications because they asked the citizens to apply for this job. Members of the community that own businesses and members of the community that attend city council meetings on a regular basis. But I guess that is not good enough for the council, because the only people who could have any idea on how to review the city charter are insiders. The mayor saying he does not want it to be a “training ground” or a course in “City 101” for those inexperienced with city operations upsets me a bit. What about the people who have opened businesses and worked with the planning commission and who have attended city council meetings on a regular basis? I guess this is not enough qualifications. I guess you have to work on the inside to have a clue. I respectfully disagree, it’s time for some knowledgable new fresh ideas in city government.
Why did you even ask us to submit applications Mr. Wisocky and council if you had no intentions on selecting others.
It almost becomes what is the point, or why do I even bother attending city council weekly when they are not even going to listen to the people they serve, the people who gave them this job in the first place.
It’s time for some new representation on the city council. I thought I was going to get it last election with my vote but I guess not.
Time to elect a real citizen onto the council that will really listen to the people, someone who is the people and not an insider. The days of the good ol’ boy network need to end! The days of spend spend spend need to end!
“Big Fat white guys like Ours”
Sounds like someone could use a little diversity training of his own. Why is it OK to use derogatory slurs to decribe whites, but God help you if you use the same slur while describing someone of color?
Sandy, you spoke correctly. Its the ‘good old boys’ network in Sonoma County that refuses to release its grip on the public well being.
As for GreedBreeds comment, sorry, I gave you a thumbs down. Its not anything about “rich” which smacks of jealousy and envy. Its all about the “good old boys” and their hunger for continuing power despite the vast changes within Sonoma County over the recent years.
Wow, that’s a big surprise.
They like things just the way they are.
Just placate and appease us ’till One Bay Area happens, then we’re screwed.
Then it’ll be one big icky ICLEI fest.
If you think there’s a disconnect now.
Vote out Smart on Sat..
Get involved, hook up with the Santa Rosa Neighborhood Coalition. Or start
your own group. I think between the Repeal Smart list, and SRNC list you have a good head start.
Things are not ‘gonna change ’till we
force change. It’ll only get worse.
Wait ’till you try to break up the fascist fan club, sparks will fly.
I think we need some fireworks.
“I don’t see any need for change,” said Vice Mayor Jake Ours
What a stupidly inadvisable and ignorant thing to say, not only is it poor political judgement but it just goes to show that Big Fat white guys like Ours are ignoring the fact that Hispanics are becoming the largest identified group in California.
As far as Olvares goes, allow me to translate his message for you: “That’s not OK with me,” Olivares said. “It’s something we need to be concerned with every day.” Translation “Guys if we diversify the charter we’ll have to do it every day, unacceptable!”.
As someone above my pay grade said, “Democracy is not a spectator sport.” That is, we get the government we elect.
I’m not a fan of current city policy, either. Yet, whining that the majority don’t like them ignores the obvious: voters elected them.
I believe that the place that diversity is needed most is on the City Council. Perhaps this can be accomplished by replacing the ENTIRE City Council in the next election.
Maybe then the politicians will learn to listen to the citizens.
I don’t even know how these people sleep at night knowing that the majority disapproves of their antics.
But this goes to show that all they need is a few rich friends whose rings they are willing to kiss and all their problems seem to go away.
And they will because there should have been an uprising long ago in this city given the fact that they sold us off bit by bit.
Stay dormant my friends.
Mr. Ours “doesn’t see any need for change” because he is part of the Good Old Boys who have run this town for decades and that means no diversity of geography, age, or even opinion, let alone racial and cultural backgrounds. Despite the slick “got jobs” campaign organizing from Ours, Bartley and Olivares and Sawyer (advertising that fizzled into NOTHING by the way-has even one job been created by these clowns?) the “Business Friendly” City Council has always been about enriching their business friends (Sharon Wrght, Doug Bosco?) and making the city safe for them to do whatever they want. Who cares that Latinos are barely represented? Who cares that none of their appointees are under 50? Who cares that there is no one from the west side of the city? I hope the voters see through the hoodwinking they got from Herb Williams and his Good Old Boy Crew and I hope they remember it when their Good Old Boy John Sawyer runs for Supervisor. I hope he doesn’t try to run on “Got Jobs” again because only a fool would believe that lie now.(Unless you want a job at WalMart!)