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| West Park overcomes bond hurdle |
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| Written by Jonathan Partridge / Patterson Irrigator / | |
| Saturday, 17 November 2007 | |
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“StanCOG’s vote sends a signal to the rest of the state that policy makers in the San Joaquin Valley are ready to work together to make sure the valley gets its fair share of state bond funding to generate jobs and improve air quality.” — Gerry Kamilos West Park lead developer MODESTO — A proposed short-haul rail project connecting the Crows Landing Air Facility and the Port of Oakland is a contender for state bond money following a decision by the Stanislaus County Council of Governments policy board Wednesday. The policy board, which consists of elected leaders from each of the county’s cities and from the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, voted 10-4 in favor of seeking bond money for the project, after listening to citizens stump for and against the project.
 Pi Photo File “If it were a software firm, it would be known as ‘vaporware,’” he said. Farmers Norman Crow and Ed Maring questioned where the inland port would get water. Crow said West Side aquifers are dropping faster than expected and that access to surface water has become increasingly unreliable. Local developer J.P. Smith questioned the legality of the county moving forward on West Park’s proposal. He noted that the county’s initial request for proposals said the project had to stay within the confines of the airfield, and West Park’s proposal exceeds those boundaries. County CEO Rick Robinson said after the meeting that he thought the selection process would “withstand any scrutiny.” “We worked with our legal counsel, who I view as exceptionally competent,” he said. Garnering support Several supporters said West Park would bring much-needed jobs to the area, as the county is expected to grow dramatically in the coming decades. They said many fellow project supporters could not attend the meeting because they were still commuting from their Bay Area jobs. Newman resident Laroy McDonald, a consultant for West Park, used biblical imagery to sum up his feelings, comparing the state of the West Side to the valley of dry bones described in the book of Ezekiel. West Park could change that, he said. He said he had gathered more than 400 signatures on a petition in support of the project. Patterson resident Donna Worley said people who got jobs at West Park would be able to work closer to home, improving family relationships. She also described the recent slew of foreclosures, saying many people could not afford to live in their homes and that West Park could be a possible remedy. Bill Bassitt, CEO of the Alliance, an agency that serves the economic development interests of Stanislaus County and its cities, suggested that West Park’s proposal has international appeal. “There was and is interest in this project from throughout the world,” he said. Meanwhile, Seyed Sadredin, executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, said the project could reduce overall air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley. “We see inland ports as an air quality mitigation measure in the valley,” he said. Sticking to the bond issue Despite all the talk about the project itself, county Chief Executive Officer Robinson stressed that bond money was the issue at stake. The developer and size of the project were irrelevant to the conversation, he said. That didn’t sit well with everyone. Jackson, Oakdale’s mayor, noted that city government leaders throughout the county would not have a chance to vote on the overall project later on. Jackson said there were still a lot of unanswered questions, such as the legality of the request for proposal and how the project would change local air quality. Campo said the project would hurt the city of Patterson’s quality of life. On the other hand, Monteith and Harris said they did not want to see bond money go to Southern California interests when it could go to Stanislaus County. Kirk Lindsey, a commissioner with the California Transportation Commission, and Harris both stressed that an agency like StanCOG would need to support the project to make it eligible for bond funding. “If you’re not on the list, you’re not going to get any money, period, end of report,” Lindsey said. In the end, even Supervisor Bill O’Brien, who said he still questions West Park’s overall plans, supported the resolution. O’Brien said most county supervisors had agreed to give West Park a year to prove its project’s worth, and giving it access to bond money would be necessary to give the plan a chance at success. Looking ahead Now that the resolution has been approved, StanCOG’s request will be forwarded to the CTC and ARB for approval. For the county to get bond money for the project, matching funds eventually must be in place, and work on the project needs to be ready to begin by 2013. West Park lead developer Gerry Kamilos attended Wednesday’s meeting, but did not speak. However, in an e-mail sent Friday, he decribed the policy board’s decision as an “important milestone.” “StanCOG’s vote sends a signal to the rest of the state that policy makers in the San Joaquin Valley are ready to work together to make sure the valley gets its fair share of state bond funding to generate jobs and improve air quality,” he wrote, “funding that has traditionally gone to Southern California.” Meanwhile, project critics used the old adage about losing the battle, but not the war, and rifts continue to exist between some project supporters and detractors. “The county has a long way to go to repair the damage,” Patterson Councilwoman Annette Smith said after the meeting. To reach Jonathan Partridge at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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