Opinion: Mayor should know better than to make empty promises
To the community,
She said it. The mayor, Claire Fortier, actually said it: The ice rink will be the hub. The hub of what isn’t quite clear. Well, the town has heard wild claims before. For example, the Embassy Suites was supposed to be the Crown Jewel of Lake Tahoe. That was prior to its bankruptcy. And, of course, the convention center was to be the town’s economic savior.
Bill Crawford
It’s a worn out story. The town has endured promises of “hubs” galore. But the public knows the score. And as a former editor the Tahoe Daily Tribune, Mayor Fortier ought to know. And presently, the ice rink is a large question mark. We have to wait to see if the city’ partnership with a private party to manage the ice rink will work for the tax paying public that financed the ice rink. Right now the hub’s wheel isn’t turning.
Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe
Same old stuff. PLEASE contribute some constructive suggestions versus the usual same old criticisms.
Suggestion-LTVA should think of ideas to induce local business to clean up their facade before renaming us Tahoe South. Business owners of the Nickolodian and other rundown joints don’t want to spend a penny on themselves. They think their business appearance looks just fine. Until then LTVA is just throwing money away on the same old South Lake Tahoe. You can’t fool us Carol or the visitors with a new town slogan.
Past failures examined may prevent future boondoggles. Thanks for keeping the citizens informed.
No action by the politicians is better than acting out of desperation.
Hub? How about just filling up some of the vacant businesses to start? Tahoe is going South.
There is actually a much bigger issue; the city wants to turn the ice arena over to private business to make money to help relieve it current budget crises. Recreations is one of the core services that government is suppose to provide use for our tax dollars. We already have private prisons next will be private schools and like the military we can bring in Halliburton to take over law enforcement. No the cities, government at al levels needs to relook at what I the real priorities of the tax paying pubic and to realign itself to provide the services that can not only best be provided by the whole but are essential to be publicly provided instead they continue to try to save money in order to keep their jobs with little regard for true public service.
Do we get a new zip code with Tahoe South? Does this mean Stateline will be known as Tahoe East? These names are as bad as calling a Tahoe Olympics, Reno/Tahoe, that makes me want to throw up.
Ted, The ice rink is already being run by private individuals. As grand jury foreman, you should know this — especially considering the grand jury is looking into it. The city was founded on public safety and snow removal — not recreation. As a former councilman, you should know that, too. And considering you as foreman of the grand jury have sent letters to the city saying it should consolidate services with the county, it would seem like you would be advocating for loss of city jobs. You can’t say one thing publicly and another privately and expect anyone to believe you.
Wow! With enthusiasm like this it is no wonder SLT struggles. The reason there is no center to this city is logistic…there is a highway running through the middle.
If you want to get picky about it; one of the worst decisions ever made was to move “the hub” to the airport. Maybe wise financially but a poor social move.
I believe we have 2 hubs:
1. Al Tahoe Blvd & Lake Tahoe Blvd
2. The “Y”
It doesn’t hurt anything to have 2 main hubs, actually it gives the opportunity to hold different style events at each, also at the same time, and decreases heavier traffic if you only had one.
Who the hell appointed Ted Long Grand Jury Foreman.
He should know enough to keep a low profile,smile and keep quiet.
Teddy must be a darling of the local machine.
His Judge is reminicent of non-superior court Judge Tom Freckles Smith. Freckles was appointed Presiding Judge over Superior Court Judges, in order to appoint Hal Barker GJ Foreman. Who knows what will be covered up ala Barker.
Ski Run turned out OK. Too bad parking in this town is a four letter word.
Would be great if the businesses along Sandy Way did the same thing and connected to the beach and Safeway area.
I SEE THAT THE CITY AFTER “RIGHT SIZING” AND FIRING ALMOST 44 PEOPLE, HAS DECIDED TO START HIRING AGAIN.
Job Title: Construction Engineer
Closing Date/Time: Thu. 02/23/12 5:00 PM Pacific Time
Salary: $35.44 – $43.07 Hourly
$6,142.22 – $7,466.04 Monthly
$73,706.67 – $89,592.46 Annually
Job Type: Full time regular
Location: South Lake Tahoe California
NICE SALARY !! AND THEN THERE ARE THE BENEFITS !! i THINK THEY JUST FIRED A COUPLE OF ENGINEERS DIDN’T THEY ?
Forgot about Ski Run, so that’s 3 :)
The new Construction Engineer position is a merging of two other positions and was included in the fall reorganization, 2011/2012 budget and the updated five-year financial plan.
Was up visiting in South Lake this past week.
Went skating at B. Crawford’s South Shore ice house of horrors. Had a fantastic time, the owners couldn’t have been nicer. Will definitely go back, regularly.
Got out skiing too. Great fun on some blue sky days. Snow not the best ever, but it worked out well.
Spent some time around Embassy and Heavenly Village as well. Enjoyed the festivities.
Go ahead and wring your hands and moan. I’ll have a great time in your backyard anyway. Always do.
Not Bayou, thanks for your constructive comment. The rest of the comments are trite and won’t help us at all. Yours says a lot.
I haven’t seen anyone comment about the hub that Claire is commenting on. I’m totally excited about the plans for the 56 acre project around the Ice Arena, Lakeview Commons was the beginning, then the plans go over to the library/ice area area with walking paths and a nice area for locals and visitors alike to gather.
This town has always suffered from a Y hub and a Stateline hub with other areas in between. Many other cities are successful when they have one downtown but we can’t have that with such a drawn out town along a highway. With the center being a place where people can gather will be a great benefit and I can’t wait! I hope they can start soon.
This is from 2009: http://issuu.com/dimitri_/docs/56-acre_brochure so I hope what they actually get done resembles the hard work put into this plan.
Not Born on the Bayou and 30yrlocal:
Thank you for your positive comments. They are very much appreciated.
is’nt the 56 acre project dead?
since the city does not own the campground
the Ice Rink who is going to pay to keep the floor cold? thats why the place does not make a profit, Tom Davis told me that it cost $750,000.00 per year!
I would have to agree with Bill that nobody knows what the Hub is
Bill, there’s no mayor in this town, it’s a title on the toilet paper you use daily, flush.
You obtain this title by being the last one to eat at Taco Bell.
Tahoe South is just like that big cruise ship that hit the rocks, the only difference is, instead the captain being the first to reach shore ,it’s the council,chamber, that beat all the drowning business to shore first.