The Santee Magazine - V07.3 - Fall 2018

VOTE HERE

District Lines Drawn in Santee

Meet the Candidates: City Council Candidates Districts 1, 2 & 3

Staff Notepad...

Santee has broken some serious ground this year, although, I’m not talking about Karl Strauss yet!

Earlier this year, Santee City Council approved an ordinance which takes our town from what was an atlarge election system into our first ever district-based election this fall. As a Chamber of Commerce, we are paying full attention! This issue focuses on some public education pieces that we are excited to share as we navigate through these changes together. The more insight we have, the more educated we become, making our votes more powerful than ever.

For starters, each state has different rights for voters; we chose 5 for Californians that we think are worth knowing (page 8). Next, we’ve provided a 7-page spread of information on candidates running for City Council (pages 9-15). We understand that our statements are more business focused, so for those

of you who still want more, we invite you to join us at our Candidates Forum to be hosted on October 4th at Carlton Oaks Golf Club or on October 9th at PRIDE Academy School (see Page 32 for more details).

Our four new districts had met state requirements to become newly sanctioned voting areas, but we wanted to look a little deeper at what each of these districts represents and what this will look like for the next set of elected officials in town (check out the official district map on page 6 and our more in depth look at them in the “Santee Scoop” on page 33).

Please take the time to get to know your district, who currently represents you, and who is seeking that opportunity either again, or for the first time. Register to vote (if needed) and I hope to see you all at the Candidates Forum and then again at the voting polls on November 6th.

Melissa Dombo and Darcy Fagerwold invite you to do your Civic Duty!

If the Santee Library isn’t your polling place, call the Registrar of Voters to find yours:

(858) 565-5800

Santee CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Jennae Gonzalez Sydnee Cable Liz Shank

Kristen Dare

Darlene Fenn 2018 Chairperson of the Board Santee Chamber of Commerce

I’ll never forget the first time I was able to vote. Newly 18, I had no knowledge of most measures on the ballot. How I wished I had a place to go to find out more!

Several years later, I now walk confidently into the voting booth. Being an active participant in the Santee Chamber of Commerce, I hear concerns first hand from our government affairs committee and city representatives, oftentimes in the early stages of an initiative. I love that being involved in discussions with fellow business owners and community leaders offers many differing perspectives. I also love that we can bring this information to you, our members, and be a platform that allows our members’ voices to be heard. We, as the Chamber of Commerce, are advocates for business and try our best to support efforts that will positively impact our collective businesses. Of course, the stronger the membership, the louder our voice!

As we step into this coming season of elections and voting, we hope you will find much benefit in the information provided in this edition. As a small community we oftentimes have a crossover in political candidates and members of the Chamber. While we embrace this participation, we have taken great measures to ensure the information provided is unbiased and free from influence, even to the point that we excused any political candidates or participants from having any involvement in the creation of our questionnaire.

As always, if you have a desire to learn more about the Chamber and how you can become more involved, whether through membership, volunteering, or Chamber events, please contact our amazing staff at info@santeechamber.com.

Many have sacrificed so that we might have the right to vote. It is my hope we will all take advantage of that right at the polls this November. Let our voices be heard … and remember to shop Santee!

2018 Officers

Darlene Fenn, Chairperson of the Board COHR Consulting – 858.518.3702

Bobbie Jo Lewis, Chair Elect Walmart – 619.449.7900

Tim Staump, 1st Vice Chair Elect Staump Productions – 619.888.7445

Joe Mackey, Treasurer XL Staffing – 619.247.4918

Kristine Costa, Secretary Waste Management Inc. – 619.596.5100

Mike Clinkenbeard, Past Chairman Farmers Insurance – 619.442.0415

2018 Directors

Travis Alegria Sharp Business Systems – 619.258.1400x1104

Melissa Dombo Raceway Electric – 619.596.1918

Darcy Fagerwold Expressions Dance & Movement Center – 619.596.3362

Allison Hinton U.S. Bank – 619.258.2443

Laura Koval

Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve – 619.258.4617

Ailen Lloyd

Lloyd’s Collision & Paint Center – 619.448.8768

Erick Lundy Lundy Insurance – 858.408.1404

Dan O’Brien

O’Brien Insurance – 619.449.9075

James Peasley

Padre Dam Municipal Water District – 619.448.3111

Barbara Ryan

Santee School District – 619.701.5751

Warren Savage

U.S. Naval Sea Cadets – 619.249.2282

Kyle Whissel Whissel Realty – 858.699.3895

Pamela White

City of Santee – 619.258.4100 Ext 223

Doug Whitney Whitney Promotions – 858.735.6128

Office Staff

Kristen Dare General Manager

Jennae Gonzalez Sydnee Cable Membership Director Administrative Ass’t Administrative Ass’t

Liz Shank

Joh n Minto Mayor City of Santee

Editor

Kristen Dare

Graphic Design

Arli Wolfson of Graphic Resources

Contributing Editors

Terry Rodgers

Liz Shank

Arli Wolfson

Ken Zuorro

Committee Members

Kristen Dare

Melissa Dombo

Jaye Lee Goodin

Marc Paksima

Terry Rodgers

Eddie Wall

Kristopher Shannon

Arli Wolfson

Contributing Writers

Kristen Dare

Melissa Dombo

Rick Griffin

John Minto

Marc Paksima

Terry Rodgers

Liz Shank

Eddie Wall

Contributing Photographers

Elana Levens-Craig

Melissa Dombo

Terry Rodgers

Printer

Advanced Web Offset

The “Highway 52 Coalition”, traffic, growth and Economic prosperity. The cost of doing business in California is going up. I have yet to find anyone to argue prices are skyrocketing everywhere and for everything. City government is not immune to the same challenges and the City of Santee must grow our economy to keep pace.

The dilemma is growing without slowing transportation or nearly stopping it completely. The City of Santee continues leading the region pushing for the development and improvement of SR 52. The City’s General Plan has long identified SR 52 as a critical component of both the regional and local transportation network, and through a variety of actions, including significant local fiscal investment, the City has worked with its regional partners to cause the construction of SR 52 and its various connections to important regional systems. When SR 52 functions well, residents of both Santee and the region benefit.

As the next step, I have proposed the Highway 52 Coalition. A public/private partnership that gathers local and regional stakeholders interested in helping address conditions on SR 52. Coalition members will help finance efforts to highlight the need for immediate action on SR 52, to work with decision-makers to influence the process and seek federal, state and local funding for improvements. Santee will serve as the clearinghouse for the Coalition, including organizing resources, strategic messaging, searching out funding, retaining a federal lobbyist as necessary and assisting the Coalition to manage special purpose donations.

We have already started the process, talking with representatives from Caltrans and the San Diego Association of Governments, the organization that is responsible to update the regional transportation plan.

This is going to be an uphill battle. However, our council agreed at the last council meeting to join me in the fight to fix 52.

As always, have a great Santee day.

Mayor John Minto

Publisher Santee Chamber of Commerce

City of Santee Proposed City Council By-District Election

Adopted Map "B"

Map

Santee will now Have District-Based Elections

On April 25, 2018, the Santee City Council adopted an Ordinance approving a map that divides the City into four election districts.

By a 3-2 vote, the Council selected what had been labeled “Map B,” (see opposite page) which was one of six maps under consideration that met state requirements for equitable distribution of the City’s population based on the 2010 Census.

The Ordinance went into effect April 25. This means those running for a City Council seat must run in the district where they reside. The Mayor may reside anywhere in the City because that office will still be elected by voters citywide.

Map B was designed by Mayor John Minto. It places all the current City Council Members in different districts, except for District 2, where both Council Members Ronn Hall and Brian W. Jones live.

Districts 1, 2 and 3 will be up for election in 2018. The next term for District 3 will be for just two years, instead of four, and will be filled again in 2020. District 4, which is currently held by Council Member Stephen Houlahan, will be up for election in 2020.

Santee has had at-large, citywide voting for Council seats

since incorporating in 1980. However, cities throughout the state have been switching to by-district voting since the adoption of the California Voting Rights Act of 2001.

The California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA) establishes criteria in state law through which the validity of atlarge election systems can be challenged in court. Atlarge election systems are the most common method of electing council members. With at-large election systems, voters of the entire jurisdiction elect the members. With a by-district election system, only the voters in a given district vote to choose the council member to represent that specific district. Candidates must live in the district in which they are running for office.

The CVRA was enacted with the specific intent of eliminating several key burden of proof requirements that exist under the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. The constitutionality of this act has been challenged and upheld — and since then attorneys have begun filing legal action against cities across the state compelling conversion to by-district systems.

Visit the City of Santee’s website to view the adopted ordinance and use an interactive map to find your district.

Source: http://cityofsanteeca.gov/government/city-clerk/district-based-voting

Established in 1955, the Santee Chamber of Commerce is a coalition of people dedicated to the promotion and advancement of commercial, industrial, professional, and civic interests. As well as providing efficient, courteous assistance to visitors, residents and businesses, the Chamber is also an advocate for a well-planned, balanced community, supported by a healthy, expanding business community.

Operating under the guidance of a volunteer Board of Directors, the Chamber’s staff carries out numerous programs, all designed to encourage economic development, small business education, governmental policy analysis, and positive community relations. Our Public Policy guide supports a comprehensive, nonpartisan, federal, state, county and local political tone which contributes towards a favorable business climate in Santee, the East San Diego region and San Diego County.

In an effort to provide all Santee voters with information about the candidates running for local office, we asked the candidates in Districts 1-3 of City Council and the candidates for Area 1 of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board for their ratings and responses to five very specific statements.

The Santee Chamber of Commerce has answered these

same statements with the same requirements. Each answer was taken directly from the candidate responses; there was no editing, checking for spelling or grammar by The Santee Magazine staff. We followed the rules and regulations that govern the Candidates’ Ballot Statements as issued by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters. The Chamber of Commerce’s responses were drafted by our Political Task Force and approved by our Board of Directors. All responses were kept private to candidates and the public until now, and the Chamber Board and Political Task Force have not yet seen candidate responses. This double-blind approach was to keep a level playing field for each candidate to respond without influence of our business organization.

Please take the time to know your district and who your vote will be representing this fall. The next eight pages of content give a unique overview on each candidate, and as said in the Staff’s Notepad (see page 3), we invite you all to our 2018 Candidates Forum which will be free for the public to attend (see page 32) for more information). Contact our office with any questions you may have.

Growth and development provide jobs and these jobs increase our local tax base. Managing the right growth and development is key to higher paying jobs. Attracting high paying jobs to Santee will help relieve traffic congestion and provide better city services to our residents, improving our local quality of life.

SANDAG reports approximately 70,000 people drive SR-52 to Sorrento Valley to work daily. Recruiting these jobs to Santee is one of the best ways to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard/SR52. Additional benefits of having these jobs in Santee are higher levels of local services and better maintenance of our assets.

District 1

Growth and development are important and benefit both local businesses and residents of the city. With that said we still need to protect Santee from overdevelopment and increased traffic congestion. It’s essential that we have an infrastructure in place that considers these issues before increasing density.

We need a holistic approach that considers a variety of solutions to reduce traffic. In addition to recruiting high paying jobs, we should explore adding lanes to gridlocked areas, using smart city technology to improve the timing of traffic signals, and building new streets/paths to re-route congested areas.

It will provide opportunity for new and small businesses to thrive even after the “Newness” of the business is gone. This also provides more choice for our residents to spend their hard earned dollars locally and help make up for sales tax revenues lost to online shopping.

It is definitely one of the ways to mitigate the traffic impacts on both Mast and Hwy 52 while also adding to the quality of life of those that can work and live in Santee. We also need to invest in smart signals throughout town to better facilitate traffic flow.

Growth and development in Santee will provide multiple benefits to local businesses and the residents of our city.

The best way to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard and SR-52 is to recruit high paying, high technology jobs to Santee.

Evlyn AndradeHeymsfield

Rob McNelis

Santee CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Strongly Disagree Agree Agree

Increasing regulations and taxes on businesses that provide employment and services to the citizens of Santee is the wrong solution. We should be attracting businesses that provide high-paying jobs to the area. Increasing the tax base will provide higher levels of revenue providing higher levels of services to citizens.

We live in a representative democracy. We the people get to elect our leaders, who are best equipped to make these vital decisions. The public does not always have all the information necessary to make these high-level decisions. Leaders must make decisions based on what is best for the city.

History and research shows that a No-Growth policy doesn’t work successfully in any community. A smaller tax base would need to support all of the services that our current tax base once did. In order to maintain city services and municipal retirement pension funds, taxes would need to be increased.

Neutral

Santee businesses provide many benefits to the city and we should find ways to incentivize more to come here, especially small businesses. I think businesses should bear some costs of City services especially if their development has negative impacts such as adding to traffic congestion or harming our environment.

Strongly Agree Neutral

Making land use and infrastructure decisions is an important responsibility of the City Council. Residents rely on the City Council to work on their behalf to make decisions based on facts that consider the voice of the people, business needs, and environmental impact, among other factors.

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

It is impossible for any city to tax itself into prosperity. That is why we have maintained a cost neutral approach (they pay only the actual cost for services provided)when it comes to fees charged to any business. This allows more small businesses to afford to open in Santee.

As technology changes and laws are sent down from Sacramento, it’s important for City Council to be able to quickly adapt to those changes to ensure compliance of new laws and to take advantage of changing trends. This is why every city makes changes to their general plan as needed.

A no-growth policy could increase local taxes and has more drawbacks than benefits but we need to ensure we have the infrastructure in place before increasing density. Santee has grown, but why hasn’t it gotten out of its budget shortfalls? We need common sense and innovative solutions to increase revenue.

Strongly Agree

On top of all other escalating costs, we have a CalPERS unfunded liability of $38,900,000 with annual payments doubling to over $4,000,000 over the next 5 years, public safety costs increasing an additional $2,000,000 over the same period (even after staff reductions), a no growth philosophy is not fiscally feasible.

Santee businesses should bear more of the cost of City services, because they are making all the profits.

A primary responsibility of City Council is to make land use and infrastructure decisions.

A No-Growth policy for Santee would increase local taxes to maintain and support services.

Santee

District 2

Strongly Agree Agree

Growth and development provide jobs and these jobs increase our local tax base. Managing the right growth and development is key to higher paying jobs. Attracting high paying jobs to Santee will help relieve traffic congestion and provide better city services to our residents, improving our local quality of life.

SANDAG reports approximately 70,000 people drive SR-52 to Sorrento Valley to work daily. Recruiting these jobs to Santee is one of the best ways to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard/SR52. Additional benefits of having these jobs in Santee are higher levels of local services and better maintenance of our assets.

RonnHallCityCouncil.com

Rudy Reyes

While growth is good, Santee is only 16 sq. miles. We must make sure any new growth is beneficial, specifically supporting infrastructure, police and fire, while protecting property rights. Development helps pay for many improvements and services in the city. However, too much of anything may not be beneficial.

While increasing higher paying jobs is a goal of the council, high-tech businesses are not currently relocating. Until then, we need a “Real Fix to the 52” including working with SANDAG, CAL TRANS, and other agencies. The Mayor and I have teamed up to push changes to the onramps and freeway.

ElectRudyReyes.com

Agree

Federal and State laws mandate a minimum growth rates, we cannot just stop development. The issue is excessive growth and development causing current problems; such as excessive traffic and impacted housing. Santee Citizens have put on ballot the Santee General Plan Protection Initiative which could possibly curve/ reduce impacts.

Disagree

This comment recommends reducing traffic by bringing more traffic without addressing any of the causes. I believe solutions are in the concept of a “Smart City”, A smart city grid uses information and communications technologies to enhance its livability, workability and sustainability creating a smarter safer Santee infrastructure system.

Ronn Hall

Strongly Agree Agree

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Growth and development in Santee will provide multiple benefits to local businesses and the residents of our city.

The best way to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard and SR-52 is to recruit high paying, high technology jobs to Santee.

Strongly Disagree Agree Agree

Increasing regulations and taxes on businesses that provide employment and services to the citizens of Santee is the wrong solution. We should be attracting businesses that provide high-paying jobs to the area. Increasing the tax base will provide higher levels of revenue providing higher levels of services to citizens.

We live in a representative democracy. We the people get to elect our leaders, who are best equipped to make these vital decisions. The public does not always have all the information necessary to make these high-level decisions. Leaders must make decisions based on what is best for the city.

History and research shows that a No-Growth policy doesn’t work successfully in any community. A smaller tax base would need to support all of the services that our current tax base once did. In order to maintain city services and municipal retirement pension funds, taxes would need to be increased.

Strongly Disagree

Businesses can help the City financially, but I’m opposed to excessive fees and taxes on businesses, usually leading to the loss of businesses which the State of California has demonstrated time and again. Let’s continue to work with business to promote Santee Events and improve our Lifestyle. It benefits everyone!

Strongly Agree

That is how the City of Santee is structured and it should remain.

Strongly Agree

Growth is beneficial to ensure new and ongoing projects are properly funded. Police, Fire, Parks, infrastructure and traffic control benefit from developer fees. A policy of No-Growth would prevent critical services from being provided forcing local government to find other means to pay; most likely, higher taxes on everyone.

Disagree Agree Neutral

Santee businesses should pay their fair share for the the cost of city services.

I Agree in general a primary responsibility of a city council is to make land use and infrastructure decisions. Although the main responsibility of a city council is to follow its city charter and listen to the will of its citizens.

The City of Santee is awaiting a report on the Santee General Plan Protection Initiative which is supposed to provide the necessary statistics and data to answer this question within the next couple weeks. To make an assumption beforehand would be irresponsible as a city leader.

Santee businesses should bear more of the cost of City services, because they are making all the profits.

A primary responsibility of City Council is to make land use and infrastructure decisions.

A No-Growth policy for Santee would increase local taxes to maintain and support services.

Santee

District 3

Strongly Agree Agree

Growth and development provide jobs and these jobs increase our local tax base. Managing the right growth and development is key to higher paying jobs. Attracting high paying jobs to Santee will help relieve traffic congestion and provide better city services to our residents, improving our local quality of life.

SANDAG reports approximately 70,000 people drive SR-52 to Sorrento Valley to work daily. Recruiting these jobs to Santee is one of the best ways to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard/SR52. Additional benefits of having these jobs in Santee are higher levels of local services and better maintenance of our assets.

What type of growth? Thoughtful development that creates a sense-ofplace? Pedestrian-oriented encouraging community ties? Sprawl encouraging anti-social behavior? Haphazard growth in flood plains or fire corridors? Economic or population growth? Until we understand type of growth and know if impacts are accounted for, the question is not answerable.

Establishing high paying jobs in Santee is beneficial, but the affects on traffic congestion depend upon where employees originate. Can people walk to those jobs or work from home? A balanced approach creating jobs in the Town Center and rejecting ill-suited over-development of our golden hillsides is a rational approach.

I am interested in local growth strategies similar to ‘Economic Gardening’. This model of economic development seeks to create jobs by supporting existing companies in a community. The results include increased revenues for the City, something Santee needs urgently to meet budget shortfalls.

Studies show 176K people live in East County and work someplace outside our region. If we want to provide relief on our local freeways, we need to redirect the flow of traffic. Desirable jobs in East County will help even traffic flow during rush hours.

Development on the commercial side I believe is important to the community on many different levels but building more homes in Santee in unsafe fire zones will add to the cities issues and will also add more traffic to our already congested road systems.

LMarrokal.wixsite.com/

Bringing in high tech jobs will not help with the traffic on Mast and SR52. Unless they only hire candidates from the local area this which will not be the case therefore it will only bring more traffic to the area.

Zach Gianino

Linda Marrokal

Growth and development in Santee will provide multiple benefits to local businesses and the residents of our city.

The best way to reduce traffic on Mast Boulevard and SR-52 is to recruit high paying, high technology jobs to Santee.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Santee businesses should bear more of the cost of City services, because they are making all the profits.

A primary responsibility of City Council is to make land use and infrastructure decisions.

A No-Growth policy for Santee would increase local taxes to maintain and support services.

Strongly Disagree Agree Agree

Increasing regulations and taxes on businesses that provide employment and services to the citizens of Santee is the wrong solution. We should be attracting businesses that provide high-paying jobs to the area. Increasing the tax base will provide higher levels of revenue providing higher levels of services to citizens.

We live in a representative democracy. We the people get to elect our leaders, who are best equipped to make these vital decisions. The public does not always have all the information necessary to make these high-level decisions. Leaders must make decisions based on what is best for the city.

Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree

Local residents and business shouldn’t pay more taxes to subsidize growth. Water rates rise to build capacity for developers. SDG&E raises rates because our council won’t allow competition. National tax reform is needed. To establish a fair tax system, elect individuals that put people first and refuse to sell policy.

Council decisions should be lawful. It’s the people’s responsibility to check for abuses of power and recognize when policy has been captured by special interests. Appropriate oversight includes referendum (reversal of a council decision) or citizen’s Initiatives (i.e., General Plan Protection Initiative) that can prevent the granting of exemption favors.

History and research shows that a No-Growth policy doesn’t work successfully in any community. A smaller tax base would need to support all of the services that our current tax base once did. In order to maintain city services and municipal retirement pension funds, taxes would need to be increased.

Neutral

A cat only briefly catches its tail, yet the City deludes itself into chasing its tail of residential development revenues that aren’t sufficient to cover costs. Traffic circulation deteriorates under this model. Significant impacts of growth must be identified and accounted for at project approval. Nobody wants cancerous growth.

Disagree

As Park Director at Santee Lakes, I am very aware of the financial strains to keep a business healthy. Santee must remain capable of sustaining and remaining attractive to the businesses we desire. Penalizing the Santee community through more taxation should not be the first option to balance a budget.

Councilmembers are elected to make informed decisions. In fact, the recent unanimous decision of City Council to reclassify 10 acres of the Walker property from Office/Professional to Residential is a prime example of how the Council addresses outdated segments of the General Plan to better serve the citizens in Santee.

Neutral Agree

Making this change could hurt small businesses in Santee, however if we could create change in this arena and still protect small business owners this change could help bear the costs of city services.

Elected officials have many duties including ; Adopting ordinances, resolutions, policies and regulations for the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Santee, including citizen advisory committees necessary for the effective operation of the city, community strategic and long-range planning, zoning changes, and more.

No growth means businesses like Hooky’s Bar could still be the watering hole in District 3. Attracting businesses like Walgreen’s, Cazadores, and Sprouts (to name a few!) is better for the Santee economy and community. I don’t advocate for unbridled development. I believe in smart growth. Oh, and Where’s Karl?

Agree

The result of a no growth policy in a community like ours can create a decline in new residential housing investments, job loss would occur, and retail spending would also decline.

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College

Area 1 Governing Board Member

The Governing Board should focus their resources on employer needs and job skills training that fulfill the growing gap between needs and skills.

Strongly Agree

About 24% of Community College students attend a four-year university. District resources should be spent accordingly. With three-quarters of the students going directly into the job market, the focus should be on those students and getting them prepared to enter the workforce. All students deserve an equal opportunity for success.

The Governing Board should work closely with employers to increase leadership training and mentorship courses.

Strongly Agree

Employers are better in tune with current needs in the workforce and better equipped to provide mentorships to students. An emphasis on leadership training would give students more value upon entering the job market. Community colleges should respond to employers needs and produce students capable of filling those needs.

Strongly Agree

The District should play a larger role in building and maintaining a strong economy in the East County by focusing on workforce education. Companies with higher paying jobs will be attracted to the East County, reducing traffic and improving the quality of life for everyone in the region.

Vote4JohnOlsen.com

Strongly Agree

The GCCCD Board of Trustees has the responsibility to foster a culture of collaboration between the District and employers in the region. Leadership training, mentorship courses and internships are great ways for students to gain valuable experience that will help them become the region’s next generation of leaders.

This concludes our candidate feature for the Santee area. Candidates from each race were contacted with the same response allowance as their opponents. Candidates not responding in the designated time were not included in this feature. We followed the rules and regulations that govern the Candidates’ Ballot Statements as issued by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

Jonathan ‘John’ Olsen

Santee CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

vendors and contractors

union labor.

There is significant value in having competitive bidding for obtaining contracts for services, supplies, and construction. Discriminating against non-union employers also increases costs. The Chamber believes that no individual should be compelled to join and pay dues to any political organization such as a labor union.

The District should have programs that develop business leaders for the future. Business management, entrepreneurship, and leadership should be an area of focus at the community college level. Well-trained management is necessary in many areas of employment in East County. Students should be trained to be future leaders.

While community college is valuable to those students desiring to go on to higher education, it should not be the primary focus of the system. Preparing students for successful careers should be the priority of the District, whether they are going to a four-year college or directly into the workforce.

According to District Policy & Procedures, Duties and Responsibilities of the District include;

• Represent the Public Interest

• Assure fiscal health and stability

• Advocate to protect the District These guidelines do not support a blanket policy that is weighted to favor union labor as the most responsible solution in every case.

Having a Community College Business Program that teaches both contemporary and advanced business operations and management philosophies is vital to keeping the region’s economy competitive and sustainable.

Along with workforce education and job skills training, the District should provide a quality and affordable path to higher education.

Head to SDvote.com

to find information on YOUR polling place, registration, upcoming elections, candidates, becoming a poll worker, and more!

Strongly Disagree

The Governing Board should exclusively use

that use only

The Governing Board should increase and enhance management programs that develop knowledge and skills in business operations and ownership requirements.

The Governing Board should increase and enhance management programs that develop knowledge and skills in business operations and ownership requirements.

–

Melissa Dombo, Santee Chamber

Director

Strongly

MEASURE S

SANTEE SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS FOR SANTEE’S FUTURE

In November 2006, voters in the Santee School District approved Proposition R authorizing $60 million in bond sales to make major facilities improvements throughout the district.

In 2008, property values dramatically declined due to the recession and the District was forced to delay the issuance of $15.37 million of Proposition R bonds.

The District has placed Measure S on the November 2018 ballot to reauthorize the previously approved but unissued Proposition R bonds. This funding would allow the District to continue improving the schools without increasing the District’s total authorized debt.

November 2006

Proposition R

Approved by Voters

March 2008 –

May 2012

95% of Construction and Modernization Projects Completed

November 2018

Measure S to Continue Construction and Modernization Projects

New two-story junior high building construction

New learning resource center

QR Code to Our District Website Modernization Page

Updated science classroom

Santee’s High School Standouts

Achievements Winning my election, making honor roll, winning class treasurer election, elected as HOWL and Unity day leaders.

Extra Curricular Activity & Achievements:

I am apart of Class of 2019 and hold the treasurer position. I am also involved with ASB and have done things such as HOWL which is a program that introduces the Freshmen into the new school year and I will be participating in Unity Day this year.

Q: What motivates you?

My best friend Olivia is 19 and about to start her second year of college at University of Oregon. Since I’ve known her, I’ve looked up to her in every way possible. She motivates me to stay on top of my college preparations like applying for scholarships, doing community service and starting my college apps as soon as possible.

Q: Who influences you to be better?

If I had to pick one person who influences me to be a better person I would have to pick my ASB advisor, Ardy Riego. My first year of ASB I never would’ve imagined building such a strong bond with my advisor. As my first year went by and I started working more with him, I started realizing how much he truly cares for each one of his students. He is so invested with making the campus a better environment for students, and I can only hope that one day I can find something that I am that passionate about.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of Key Club?

The most rewarding part about ASB is that I am constantly surrounded by students who are all goaloriented and work together for something bigger than themselves. Seeing our impact around campus is so humbling and knowing that we have influenced students’ perspective on school is something that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Achievements:

Water Polo Captain, All League, All CIF, PACE and Brick Awards, Honor Roll

Extra Curricular Activities:

Water Polo, Soccer,Swim,Volleyball, National Honor Society, ASB, Feeding America

Q: What motivates you?

I am motivated to be the best person I can be. Setting goals and working hard to achieve those goals. As a freshman I joined the water polo program in part to rehab a soccer injury. I knew nothing about water polo and didn’t particularly like to swim, but I quickly realized I really liked the game but had a lot to learn! I continued to play year round while balancing soccer, swim, ASB, volunteering and my school work. It isn’t always easy but it takes commitment to achieve a goal! I agree with Vince Lombardi’s saying, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”

Q: Who influences you to do better?

My mom has influenced me to be a better person throughout my whole life. My mom sacrificed her career and dedicated her time, effort, and love to take care of me. Growing up my mom made sure I never had to worry about having food or a warm place to sleep. She has always encouraged me to do my best, and to be honest no matter what. When I have faced tough times she is always there to help me work through it and to find something positive. Not only is she my mom, she is my hero.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of being in Key Club? As president of ASB I believe that having a positive school atmosphere is important. My main goal as ASB president is to encourage all students to get involved with school activities. When students participate in school activities they are more likely to succeed in school. As a member of ASB I have a direct communication with school administration and I can promote the changes that the student body wants. We have a great class of leaders with enthusiasm, new ideas and we are excited to make our mark! WE ARE SULTAN STRONG!

Natalia Toni Nasrawi West Hills High School Class of 2019

G.P.A: 3.7

Samuel Odenkirk Santana High School Class of 2019

G.P.A: 3.8

Annual Academic Achievement Winner

The Santee School District Board of Education recognizes students who achieve academic excellence during the school year and were chosen to participate in their Academic Achievement Award Competition. The Academic Achievement Award Competition focuses on the areas of writing, speech and mathematics; students are required to write a literature response essay, give a speech, and take a comprehensive algebra test.

The student who excels in these areas is selected as the Academic Achievement Competition winner. The Santee School District Board of Education proudly announces the 2017-2018 Academic Achievement Award recipient is John Youhanna of Carlton Hills School.

On June 5, 2018, the Santee School District Board of Education proclaimed John Youhanna as the 201718 Eighth Grade Academic Student of the Year and the City of Santee proclaimed June 6, 2018 as John Youhanna Day! Kristen Dare, General Manager of the Santee Chamber of Commerce presented John with a $100 scholarship check on behalf of the Santee Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations, John! TSM

Opening doors for those who serve

At Union Bank®, we strive to make the dream of homeownership possible for service members and Veterans who have bravely served our country. For information on VA loans, please contact:

Danielle Royal Mortgage Consultant 619-977-3907

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Ayesha Kleinjan Mortgage Consultant 619-846-1162

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Loans subject to credit and collateral approval. Financing available for collateral located in CA, OR, or WA. Restrictions may apply. Terms and conditions subject to change. 9am-2pm

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6am-6pm

My Hometown: Fifty-Two East Neighborhood Eatery

What is it like opening a widely anticipated family eatery in your own hometown?

Adam, a Santee-born resident shares stories of growing up just down the road from his newly opened Fifty-Two East Eatery. He reminisces about cooking from a very young age in his grandmother’s kitchen. Adam’s love for cooking led him to be the passionate Chef he is today. He admits he never dreamed of owning his own restaurant. It is easy to hear his passion for good food, the art of cooking and the science behind it as he talks about his recipes. He shares in detail the simplicity in elevating everyday foods through made-fromscratch, locally sourced, fresh ingredients.

As he speaks about what he defines as quality food and quality cooking, Adam points to the only freezer in his restaurant (It’s about the size of a home refrigerator) “That is the only freezer in this place, we tore the big one out when we remodeled. It only holds our icecream and French fries, that’s it.”

“With the exception of our bread, every single food item we serve we make in house… I can tell you exactly where our food comes from down to the farm. Our food is non GMO and has no growth hormones.” He says through a proud smile with conviction in his tone.

Adam and his wife Kylie chatted about food and their favorite details about their new restaurant. “Our bacon is smoked right here… our wings are cold smoked before we fry them… the lobster Mac N Cheese is a recipe always requested by my family as a Thanksgiving dish.”

We discuss their labor of love as we sit at the large liveedge wood bar top custom made for the space. As we talked some hungry customers would try to enter the restaurant to find that they were arriving before open hours. Adam excused himself and ran up to greet every customer that tried to open the locked door. He would say hello and invite them to come back. Every. Single. Person. Clearly this Chef is as hospitable as he is passionate in the kitchen.

I asked Kylie about their experience this far. She shared the ups and downs and ultimately got tears in her eyes as she talked about all the help and support they have received

from friends, family and Adam’s restaurant industry peers. “We needed a small army and every soldier has stepped up to help. It’s been such a blessing to have amazing people in our lives, we couldn’t do this without them.” She talks about keeping her kids involved in the process. “It gives them a visual that running your own business is hard work and rewarding. Including them is important to me. I feel the timing of this restaurant is such a blessing for us… our kids are old enough to learn from this experience.”

“She’s (Kylie) the glue that keeps this working. She keeps me sane and keeps the normal cogs of life rolling so I can be here and do the work. She’s the anchor that brings it all home for me…” says Adam. Clearly the pair make a great team.

“Our food is elevated-everyday-food. It’s crafted to be familiar yet new and exciting. I like to encourage my guests to try something they may not have liked before. It may not be that you don’t like Brussels sprouts, it may be that you haven’t met the right one. As much as I like to start a conversation with my guests about good food I like to talk about good craft beer.”

With an enthusiasm for a pristine kitchen alongside some of the cleanest taps in town, Adam’s great relationships with local brewers allow Fifty-Two East access to very limited local beer offerings. “We know that Santee is largely a community that commutes to work so our happy hour times are adjusted so these hard working folks can actually make it in for happy hour.”

Speaking about their customers, the pair explains how they love to see people walk in and smile as they see someone they know, a common reaction by their guests. “They get up from their seat and head back to the restrooms and stop to say hi to people along the way.”

Adam and Kylie have crafted a delicious family-friendly restaurant right here in our hometown. There are lots of exciting things Fifty-Two East has cooking… beer dinner collaborations, new menu items, rotating craft beer taps and more, you can follow them on social media to get the latest scoop. TSM

– Melissa Dombo, Santee Chamber Director

In keeping with this issue’s election theme, one of Santee’s most important elections was the vote to incorporate as a city.

In 1968 the County Board of Supervisors was petitioned to allow the preparation of a Santee community plan, which was eventually adopted in 1974. It was decided then that perhaps it was time for Santee to become its own city.

In 1976, due to controversy, the first vote for incorporation failed. In 1979, the committee went back to work on drafting a new proposal.

In 1980, Santee voted again... this time with a favorable majority. The official date of Santee’s incorporation as a city was December 1, 1980.

Jan Claussen, Jim Bartell, Gene Ainsworth, Woodie Miller and Roy Woodward being sworn in as Santee’s first City Council, December 2, 1980

Special Thanks to Everyone Who Made This Fundraiser Possible! Funds helped support People, Parks, & Programs.

Santee Holiday Lighting Celebration

Friday, November 16, 2018 5:30PM – 8:30PM

Thank you to Republic Services for participating as the Advocate for Appetites Sponsor for the 2018 Santee Bluegrass Festival. Your participation ensured a successful festival. And a special thank you to all the food & beverage vendors that participate in this festival year after year. The festival wouldn’t be possible without you.

Supporting People, Parks & Prog rams

Grossmont Healthcare District’s Herrick Community Health Care Library Serves East County Residents

The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a public agency that supports many non-profit, health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County region, operates the Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a comprehensive consumer health library that is open to the public and specializes in providing access to reliable health information on-site and online.

The Herrick Library, which opened in 2002, is located at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa. The library’s collection totals about 3,000 items including books, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets, DVDs, computer databases, and its website with extensive links covering all major health topics. Ten computers are available for public use. The library also offers two small meeting rooms that are available to community-based, nonprofit organizations for health-related workshops and meetings.

“The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Herrick Library is a tremendous community asset that is available to anyone who wants to access a broad array of healthcare resources and to gain a greater understanding of medical conditions and options,” said Nancy Greengold, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Sharp Grossmont Hospital. “For hospital patients and their families, the library is a valuable resource that provides current health information and research.”

Numerous surveys report that a majority of American adults use the internet to search for health information for themselves or a loved one. With thousands of sites offering free health information, it can be difficult for people to know which resources are accurate and reliable. To this end, the library staff provides patrons with reference and research assistance for their health or medical questions.

Regular library hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information about the library, phone (619) 825-5010 or visit www. herricklibrary.org. Like us on Facebook, www.facebook. com/HerrickLibrary, or follow us on Twitter, https:// twitter.com/HerrickHlthLib.

The Grossmont Healthcare District, formed in 1952 to build and operate Grossmont Hospital, is governed by a five-member board of directors, each elected to four-year terms, who represent more than 500,000 people residing within the District’s 750 square miles in the East County. The District serves as landlord of the hospital, including ownership of the property and buildings on behalf of East County taxpayers.

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Money Matters - The Future of Commerce Big Box vs e-Commerce vs Brick & Mortar

Does it still matter how money flows through our local economy? Is it better through our local ‘brick & mortar’ locations or through our favorite e-commerce sites?

Maybe for convenience there are large online sites that get us what we want within a day or two without leaving home. Do the products purchased come from and support our local economy? Is that even important now; why should anyone care in this day and age of convenience? If one were to order groceries through a local grocery store, is that local grocery store going to benefit? Will local employees be put to work, will our local tax dollars be circulated where we prefer them to go, back into our community?

Currently Walmart has approximately 4,700 stores in the US, and 90% of the American population lives within 15 miles of a Walmart store. Walmart also has roughly 6,300 international stores which provides Walmart a substantial local outreach in other countries. Those locations provide local jobs, local taxes are collected from consumers and distributed, also those jobs & income flow money back into the community. Also think of all the traditional small businesses we value in our community that provide value and service. All of those businesses create jobs, pay taxes, and have a positive financial impact in our community. And, those business owners are creating their American Dream. They brought their thoughts into reality!

Let’s take a quick look into the future, shall we? If we only buy for convenience and disregard say a ‘balance’, could we see a shift in the landscape of retail locations? If a big box or traditional retail store closes to save overhead for a lack of foot traffic, rightly they will close or move to industrial areas, and just ship product. Then we need to fill those empty locations. Some business model will eventually fill them, such as gyms or bounce houses filling empty department store locations. But what will our streets look like? Will we have only service-oriented locations such as car repair, coffee shops, dentists, gas stations, gyms, restaurants, etc.?

You generally get two radically different outlooks on how people support businesses. Some are very adamant about

local brick & mortar locations, others don’t really care. I am more of a ‘support the local business’ individual; however, I think small businesses need to find that niche that separates them from big box locations. There is a large coffee chain that has a significant line at interesting hours of the day, but Santee has some AMAZING coffee shops that offer unique items and even roast their own beans! That’s an example of small business finding and thriving with an advantage!

At one point, history was the future. We can hold onto those moments or reflect the nice thoughts of it, but was it better? It was actually evolution in process! If people want to shop online, will the landscape of Main Street America change? One could argue yes; but, it may just be different, not better or worse. Stephen Covey said synergy is not ignoring differences but learning to work with them.

“Do you truly value the mental, emotional, and psychological differences among people? Or do you wish everyone would just agree with you so you could all get along? People mistake uniformity for unity; sameness for oneness. Differences should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses.” Upon reflection we can all agree with that. That is a free society that works together.

Santee, or any town for that matter, will always change; it will always evolve. It may have started small, but it isn’t anymore. It has an amazing growing economy, with some amazingly talented businesses that will continue to evolve.

We can create a life that is our own that we are grateful to live! One that we surround ourselves with people we love, one that we choose to work how and where we want to, to earn and keep the income we desire, one where we go in the lane of traffic at 5 pm we choose to, and one that we may click to order and have delivered, or head out to interact with other people and enjoy that experience.

Why? Because we can have BOTH... we choose to, and that is always the right answer.

– Eddie Wall, Santee Magazine Committee Member

Humane Society Officer Answers Call of the Wild

Her approach to the job starts with confidence and compassion. That’s the case whether she’s rescuing a wayward skunk or explaining why you shouldn’t leave your dog inside a vehicle on a 100-degree day.

Humane Society Law Enforcement officer Sgt. Regina Price strives to be consistent in a job where every day is unpredictable.

“You cannot plan your day. You just never know what will come up,” said Sgt. Price, who previously was a bartender before finding her true calling as a Humane Officer.

When Santee contracted for animal control services with the Humane Society beginning July 1, 2018, she jumped at the chance to oversee patrols in her home town. She has deep roots in the community. Her child attends school here and her husband is a county sheriff’s deputy who works out of the Santee substation. She’s a graduate of Grossmont Community College and studied zoology for a while at the University of Hawaii before landing a job at the Humane Society in 2012.

She’s convinced that, like herself, those who are dedicated to protecting animals probably have that desire programmed in their DNA.

Since being assigned to Santee, Sgt. Price has met with city officials, including the code enforcement division, to learn about the most common animal-related issues and how the city wants to approach enforcement. In regard to leash laws, the city has asked the Humane Society to focus on educating pet owners and gaining voluntary compliance. However, repeat offenders run the risk of being ticketed.

Santee is especially dog-friendly, having provided space for three large, off-leash dog parks at Big Rock, Woodglen Vista and Mast parks. During a recent visit to one of those dog parks, residents told Sgt. Price that self-policing is usually effective.

“We humans police each other pretty well,” said local resident and dog owner Anna Kelly. If someone brings an aggressive dog that repeatedly fights with other dogs, they’re told to leave. “Nobody’s bashful,” she noted.

Breaking up a dog fight can be risky to both pets and humans. A spray bottle with water or an air horn can be effective, but experts say another technique is to grab a dog by its hind legs and lift.

Dogs that bite humans (and skin is broken) are subject to a 10-day health and safety quarantine in which the dog is required to be confined, usually at the owner’s home.

So far, Sgt. Price has had several adventurous rescues. She’s gathered a rattlesnake into a bucket and rescued a disoriented skunk that was cowering under a car. Both were relocated back to the wild without injury. However, the skunk did share its pungent perfume with Sgt. Price. Humane Society law enforcement officers will respond to any animal-related emergency or concern whether it’s a bird or a boa constrictor. Being situated in the urbanwildland interface, residents here may encounter coyotes, rabbits and other creatures native to the chaparral.

“We’re not just dogs and cats. We’re a full animal-control service,” Price said.

As the Humane Society this year expands to serve new cities throughout the county, Sgt. Price will be training some of the newly hired animal control officers. Expect to see them in pairs while they are on patrol. County Animal Control is still providing service to unincorporated areas. For top priority calls–any involving an injured animal—the Humane Society normally responds within 30 minutes. Animal cruelty cases are rated on a scale of 1 to 4 based on severity.

Barking dogs are always a thorny issue and not easy to resolve. Humane Society protocol starts with sending a letter to the dog’s owner. If complaints persist, a Humane Society Officer will visit the residence to make sure the dog is being properly confined and cared for. Neighbors with chronic noise issues can sometimes resolve the problem with the help of an arbitrator.

The Humane Society usually can respond to calls from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Officers respond to Priority One calls 24 hours a day. They can be reached via the Sheriff’s Department dispatch phone number. Beyond those hours routine barking dog complaints can be reported via the nonemergency number for the Sheriff’s Department. TSM

More information is available on the City of Santee website at: http://santeeca6.visioninternet.net/ government/departments/city-manager/animal-control

Key Phone Numbers

Humane Society General Information: (619) 299-7012

Animal Related Emergencies: (619) 243-3466

Sheriff’s Dept. non-emergency dispatch: (858) 565-5200

The

map on their website. There you can see details about each district and view them in various basemaps.

Statistics: 2010 Census California Statewide Database  City of Santee United States Postal Service

Fall 2018 Community Events