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| Written by PI Editorial Staff | |
| Saturday, 10 November 2007 | |
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Speak out at StanCOG meeting The process of review for PCCP West Park’s proposal for the Crows Landing Air Facility has been like a rollercoaster ride during the past year. One of the more thrilling portions might happen Wednesday — at a Stanislaus Council of Governments policy board meeting, of all places, not typically the most thrilling of venues. The policy board, made up of elected leaders from Stanislaus County and its cities, will decide whether to request infrastructure bond and environmental-quality bond money to support West Park’s plans to build a 4,800-acre industrial park. West Park’s proposal for Crows Landing’s former naval airfield includes a rail link from the Port of Oakland to an inland port at the air facility, where containers filled with goods and farm products could be shipped back and forth. Lead developer Gerry Kamilos has made clear his intentions to pay for as much as half of the project through bond funds. No contingency plan has been described, though the developer said West Park will put together a financing plan that would show various funding options. Supporters of West Park’s plan say the project would provide thousands of much-needed jobs for the area and would cut down on air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley by shipping goods to and from the Bay Area by train rather than by trucks. They say the Central Valley is due for state bond money, which typically goes to Southern California interests, and they hope it will be used to create the biggest employer Stanislaus County has ever seen. Critics say the project is too large for the area, would lead to increased pollution and gridlock on the West Side and would add unwanted train traffic through Patterson. Some critics also have advocated that state bond money be used for other rail projects, and Supervisor Jim DeMartini has maintained that environmental bond money should be spent on equipment retrofits, not infrastructure. Wednesday’s meeting likely will be critical for West Park’s project. West Side residents should show up en masse to the meeting and let the policy board know how they feel. This is our future. Any project developed at the air facility will be in our backyard, and the policy board needs to hear from local residents to make an informed decision. Show up and make your voices heard. It’s essential that West Side views are not left out of the equation as officials consider whether to seek state money for the biggest project ever proposed for our region. PATTERSON’S PAST 25 years ago — Nov. 11, 1982 John V. Azevedo has been honored with the Outstanding Citizen of the Year award by the Chamber of Commerce. The rain continued to fall this week, making it the wettest season to date since local record-keeping began more than 50 years ago. 50 years ago — Nov. 7, 1957 A headline in the Irrigator proclaims that Patterson’s population is up to an “amazing 2,897 persons.” A special census was recently completed. Claud Hembry has filed an application with the city to operate a local taxi service. West Side civic leaders and physicians are in agreement that an ambulance service is badly needed in this area of the county. 75 years ago — Nov. 11, 1932 Police Chief Carl Lindgren has ordered that all local dogs must be muzzled, because rabies has been detected in the community. Three dogs and five cows have died of the disease. Patterson Irrigator archives.
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