Brea residents have sought to be heard and to have their recommendations about fracking and other environmental issues considered for over a year. Until just recently little progress has been made and Council’s engagement with the public has been limited to a couple of meetings with a handful of grassroots advocates.
Here’s quick bit of history to put this into perspective.
At the study session on July 15, 2014, Council member Simonoff asked for the Linn Energy presentation to be pulled from the agenda because equal time had not been extended to the resident’s group to put their counterpoint and concerns on the table. Mayor Murdock dismissed Simonoff’s request.
Addressing Council during the general session, Brea resident Jennifer Hefner pointed out, “Mayor Murdock, admitting he knows little about fracking, decided to use this meeting to let Linn Energy representatives offer the oil and gas industry’s spin on the growing debate over health, safety, environmental and possible seismic risks.”
Shortly after, in an attempt on the part of several cities including Brea to assuage public concerns, a symposium was held at CSUF on the process and effects of fracking. By all accounts the symposium was dominated by pro oil and gas interests and little more was learned about the potential risks to public health and safety.
Seven months and a lot of lobbying later, on February 17, 2015 a group of concerned residents were finally given equal time to share the product of almost a year’s deep research on the subject of local fracking and the concern’s they have as a result of their findings. You can watch the presentation here: Fracking Presentation.
The conclusion was simple and reasonable.
All that was asked was for Council to consider creating an Environmental Advisory Board of citizens whose education, professional experience and interests in environmental issues would expand the city’s ability to address such issues in a more robust way than is currently possible. And without the burden on the General Fund typical of the many consultant firms feeding at the Brea trough.
The request asked Council to hold a public session, like they did for the downtown parking structure and tiered water rates, so the public could wade in and make their interests and opinions known.
A couple of months ago Mayor Simonoff asked staff to prepare a report on best practices for committees such as this and the report, fifty pages, was shared with members of Council last week. It is clear that many cities have implemented some form of citizen support or oversight. The question isn’t, “Should Brea create an Environmental Advisory Board?” The question is, “Why didn’t Brea do this decades ago?”
I don’t care what you think.
What you think is as meaningful to the discussion and equally important to hear as any other opinion including… mine. In that case, maybe even more so. If your opinion is 180° out from mine… so what! It’s your opinion and I think you’re obligated to share it.
If all sides are not heard the majority cannot rule. Special interests will continue to have free rein… or is it reign?
What I do care about is motivating you to share your thoughts and opinions, preferably in the setting of a public forum, but via email to your favorite council member is good too.
Just don’t sit back and say nothing. If you’re hesitant to speak publically, then write! Encourage Council to make transparency and public engagement more than just another campaign promise.
As Yoda so eloquently said, “There is no try, only do!”
If the hair on the back of your neck stood up when you read I don’t care what you think… then you probably have strong thoughts on this and we need to hear them! It’s time to move away from special interest lobbying, progressing to public engagement.
The reason we need to come full circle on this can be summed up in this brief statement. Where there is risk, there needs to be choice. If you have no voice in the process, you have no choice in the matter.
I AGREE. Government bodies on the local, state and federal levels have too often become inclusive to only what the politicians think or want. All government bodies need to remember that they are elected BY the people and work FOR the people. When the City, State or Federal government bodies quit allowing the people to voice their opinion, the process is limited to only what the politicians think.
I agree with Rick that “motivating you to share your thoughts and opinions, preferably in the setting of a public forum, but via email to your favorite council member is good too. Just don’t sit back and say nothing. If you’re hesitant to speak publicly, then write! Encourage Council to make transparency and public engagement more than just another campaign promise”.
My business is to run promotional events. And when I assemble a team to run the events, I encourage them all to take feedback from everyone. I always emphasize that we don’t know it all and there are alot of people out there that have great ideas.
When Brea was redeveloping the downtown area years ago, they always encouraged city residents to participate in the “Brea Charrette” (Defined as a meeting in which all stakeholders in a project attempt to resolve conflicts and map solutions). These meetings were helpful to the city and residents in trying to develop a downtown area that would be pleasing, inviting and profitable for the City of Brea. These meetings were great. Not all ideas were implemented, but a good basis was formed and discussed thoroughly.
This is what Brea needs to start up again. Save the money from hiring consultant groups and marketing companies and just form Resident Community Groups that care about the well-being and future of Brea. I’d bet it would save alot of time at council meetings and this group would be able to offer a variety of good ideas and suggestions to City Staff.
Craig… Thanks for wading in and for the support! It can’t be stressed enough that folks need to make their ideas and opinions known. Ditto Council and staff providing real, meaningful opportunities for public engagement.
The Downtown Charrette was considered by many to be the first (and only) successful attempt to gather public opinion. We’ll soon embark upon Envision Brea, a long range planning process that id designed by Council to be of the people, for the people and by the people. Applications for the Core Committee to facilitate and oversee the project closed last week but the larger Envision Committee is still taking applications.
Interested? Here’s the application: Envision Brea Application
Rick, do you know if Envision Brea will include people who work/have worked in Brea? We have ideas also!
Zhani…
I believe there is a category for folks who work in Brea but don’t live here. They have a FAQ document Envision FAQ but it isn’t clear. You can also call the Planning Department at (714) 990-7674.
Hi Rick,
I don’t see a spot on the City of Brea website to address the environment. Can you help make that happen?
Parks and Recs should also include a request for input for trail connectivity from Brea to Chino Hills as part of an environmental study… before it’s too late!
Duane… On the Brea home page there is a link to the Green Life, Green Brea programs but they’re little more than a remnant of Schweitzer’s mayoral theme – a weak attempt at greenwashing. This is one the many reasons why I’m advocating for an Environmental Advisory Board.
I can’t make it happen… not alone. It’s going to take a good many Breans contacting Council with their thoughts on the matter too. Parks & Rec could ask Council to look into another environmental study… but on what? Before it’s too late for what? Grant money?
The city has deluded themselves for too long now that grant money is like free money. It isn’t. That black hole in your wallet, in my wallet… that’s where grant money comes from.