I would like to respond to Linda MacKay's letter regarding her experience on the MAC, Ray Watson's public statements regarding setting up the MAC during his Fall 2010 meeting at our Community Center, and a few other matters regarding growth in our community.
I was invited to attend Supervisor Watson's MAC strategy planning meeting by Fred Rose, wherein upon arrival Fred handed me info on the MAC in Ridgecrest. I was curious as to why we even needed a MAC and what purpose it might serve as I felt and still feel that Supervisor Ray Watson has the pulse of our communities needs which are blatantly obvious. I learned during this meeting directly from "listening" to Supervisor Watson, that the MAC was to be hand picked, was to be on a trial basis, and had a sole function or purpose of namely observing and reporting back to Supervisor Watson's office the concerns and needs of the Mountain Communities for one year.
So, basically, the MAC was to be a reporting mechanism on a trial basis with no authority whatsoever.
Anyone who took a different meaning from the intent of the MAC from this meeting either wasn't listening very closely or thought they could persuade Supervisor Watson into making the MAC into something it isn't...at least at this juncture.
I am aware of Linda's anti-growth campaign having listened to her at several Kern County Board of Supervisor's meetings regarding Tejon Mountain Village and Frazier Park Estates. Linda's adverse statements whether at a TMV or a FPE meeting are basically the same...no growth. Eric Anderson and Marion Lockhart amongst a couple of others whom I believe are also Watch Dog members have voiced their same "anti-growth" "not in my back yard" opinions at both of these development meetings too. Ie: Native plant destruction, dark skies, lack of water, increased traffic congestion and polution concerns. As co-founder of the Tri County Watchdogs, Linda should have known well in advance that by going into her volunteer "observe and reporting" position on the MAC that she wasn't going to be allowed to do anything other than observe and report back to Supervisor Watson's office.
Personally, I don't think Supervisor Watson is going to listen to anymore anti-growth diatribe. To suggest that Supervisor Watson doesn't care about this community or doesn't have the best interest of this community at heart is laughable. I have been a resident of this community for over 17 years and during Watson's tenure have seen multiple projects he has been very instrumental in supporting that have helped and will help this community in a variety of ways. We have experienced more positive growth and support under Watson's tenure than under any leadership in the last 17 years. Examples can be found in the Frazier Park Beautification project, the new library project, the two elementary school development projects, future TMV and FPE projects and recently Supervisor Watson donated $250.00 in support of replacing the Girl Scout's Christmas tree that died and was replaced in a community joint effort between our local Girl Scouts, Veterans for Trees, VFW Post 9791 members and other volunteers.
Furthermore, the misreporting of facts has a long history in our beautiful community, and this is especially the case in Lebec with the misreporting of "water facts" relating to the future development of Frank Arciero's property also known as the Frazier Park Estates. I acknowledged this misreporting during a recent visit to a BOS meeting where this project was voted in favor by all five county supervisor's. The biggest "fact" misnomer relating to the water in Lebec being misreported is that Arciero doesn't have enough water to build his development. Fact: Arciero must drill a second well prior to building his project and that this well must prove sufficient enought to meet the water requirements set forth by the County. Meaning, the County voted in favor of the Frazier Park Estates project "contingent" on Arciero meeting the burden of proving sufficient water. If Arciero can't prove there is sufficient water with the second well, then no development or perhaps a significantly smaller development. These are the facts my fellow mountain residents. Try calling the Loreli Oviatt at the County Planning Department if you don't believe me.
It needs to be said, "our Mountain Communities are literally dying economically on the Grapevine." No pun intended, but we need new tax revenues to increase our public services, we need to hire more teachers, we need to increase employment, but even more so we need to grow responsibly with a well thought out plan. Both TMV and FPE are well thought out and responsible projects that will help our communities in many different ways for decades to come. I have spoken and listened to many of the business owner's in our mountain communities and the concensus is that we would all need more business not to just to survive but to sustain and grow our way of life. If we don't see the kind of growth predicted to be constructed by both TMV and FPE soon, you will see more businesses fail, more families move off the hill, less teachers, more youth problems, less public services, fewer employment opportunities and we may in fact die on the grapevine economically.
Another fact not reported by most is that the FPE will generate approx an additional 4-5 mil tax revenue for the high school. Another fact not reported is Frank Arciero is going to direct his contractors to use local businesses in the construction and development of his project. Meaning, Arciero has committed to buying everything he can locally to construct his project. Arciero has also already started giving back to our community by donating to both Shelter on the Hill and Veterans for Trees.
So, in conclusion, try not to believe everything you hear or read as there is always another side to the story. Please try to develope an educated opinion based on facts and not hype. Those of us who claim to be guardians of this community should try to find balance in our decisions and not be pursuaded to lean to far to the left or right.
