Many Scotts Valley residents take the headline on the developer’s website seriously- “The chance to build a Town Green in Scotts Valley is a once in many generations opportunity.” Reactions were many and varied to two, conceptual project plans presented at the second community workshop for the massive Town Center project being planned on the former SkyPark Airport.
As news of the devastating Camp Fire dominated the media this week, several residents in Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley felt compelled to help in any way possible.
Santa Cruz County sent a strike team on Thursday to the Camp Fire in Butte County. Five engines were sent with a leader and an assistant leader. The agencies participating are Scotts Valley, Branciforte, Santa Cruz, Central and Aptos/La Selva. The Strike Team leader is from Central and the Assistant Leader is from Aptos/La Selva. Four people are assigned to each engine.
Campaign contributions matter in political campaigns, both large and small. In the three-way race for two seats on the Scotts Valley City Council, Stephany Aguilar received the most money for her campaign- a total of $17,786, with Jim Reed coming in a close second at $17,516. Derek Timm reported receiving a total of $10,438 for his campaign, all according to the most recent campaign disclosure statements, covering the period to Oct. 20, filed with the city clerk.
The housing affordability crisis across the state has inspired several measures on the Nov. 6 ballot. A local response is Measure H, which if approved will authorize the county to issue up to $140 million in general obligation bonds, generating an estimated $8.6 million annually to fund affordable housing throughout the county. The total price tag for the principal and interest of these 35 year bonds is estimated at about $274 million-almost double the face value of the proposed bond issue.
For one local Scotts Valley resident the desire to provide community service and keep recreational boaters safe has proven to be a life-fulfilling career dedicated to volunteerism.
Wm. “Bill” Ekwall is the only non-incumbent running for one of the three contested seats for the Board of Directors of the Scotts Valley Water District in the November election. With three incumbents seeking re-election, Ekwall is running as the only “outsider” to the existing board, in his first bid for an elected office his campaign is mostly as a concerned customer, concerned about previously approved rate hikes and concerned about adequate water supply in the event of a catastrophic wildfire.
In a contested race for three seats on the Scotts Valley Water District Board of Directors, Dave Hodgin is the longest serving incumbent running for his fourth term on the board. Initially appointed to the board in 2003, Hodgin has seen the district through rate increases, drought and a collapsed well.
Running for his third full term as a member of the Scotts Valley City Council, Jim Reed says the city is “right on the cusp” of realizing some major long term goals, particularly the Town Center Project, and after all these years of planning and preparation, Reed wants to be part of getting it built.