The meeting began with a warm welcome to attendees, followed by a discussion about candidates for the County Supervisor role. Community updates, including plans for a new warehouse, Starbucks, and Panera Bread on Alessandro, were discussed. Opposition to a large warehouse project (Grove Warehouses) was voiced, and attendees were informed about ballot collection and pertinent tax proposals. The need to balance the logistic industry's environmental impact with its economic value was underscored, along with addressing local issues such as homelessness and mental healthcare. The challenge of handling the county's pension debt was highlighted, with potential solutions including using federal and state funding reserves and increasing the county's reserves. The four candidates for County Supervisor who spoke were State Senator Richard Roth, Former State Assembly representative Jose Medina, Western Municipal Water District 2 Director Gracie Torres, and local businesswoman Debbie Walsh. The meeting also mentioned a scheduled Mayor's breakfast meeting and a tour, along with other general discussions.

 

Topics discussed

1. General (00:00:16 - 00:07:24)
   No summary is available for this section of the meeting.

2. Accounting Supervisor Candidates, Meeting, Distinguished Guests, Housekeeping (00:07:24 - 00:08:02)
   The meeting began with a welcome to all attendees, including new members and some distinguished visitors. The primary agenda for the evening was the presentation of candidates for the Accounting Supervisor role. However, prior to that, there were a few housekeeping matters to attend to.

3. Mission Grove Neighborhood Meeting,  Warehouses Opposition, New Developments (Starbucks, Panera, Warehouse), Election and Ballot Collection (00:08:02 - 00:21:09)
   In a recent Mission Grove Neighborhood meeting led by Lewis Allen and Brian Kerr, several community updates and ongoing projects were addressed. Sponsors from Canyon Crest were thanked, and attendees were urged to sign in and respect one another effectively during discussions. Questions for the candidates would be taken over email or in person. A new warehouse in Alessandro was discussed, along with a new Starbucks and Panera Bread locations. Opposition to a 4.7 million square feet proposed warehouse project was expressed and a preformatted template to oppose this project was recommended. Ballot collection, a planned tour of the register of voters, and information about selecting primary ballots for no party preference voters were shared. A tax proposal for cannabis stores, a fruit-fly problem affecting local farmers, and a safety tour being organized by the mayor were also discussed. Information about a new warehouse and other businesses on Alessandro and in Mission Grove Plaza was shared. The attendees were also informed about the Economic Development Summit, a city council 2024 work survey, and a project in Mission Grove Plaza. They were urged to review draft bylaws and provide feedback. Plans were in place to enhance communication within the neighborhood through a new member drive.

4. Mayor's meetings, Elections and voting discrepancies, Homelessness, Manufacturing and Tech Companies (00:21:10 - 01:16:51)
   In a local community meeting, several county supervisor candidates discussed key issues, including local election management, extensive warehouse growth, land use, and zoning. The urgent need for proper reporting and accountability in local voting was brought up, as well as the need to balance the logistics industry's value against its environmental impacts. They proposed greater economic diversity by attracting healthcare and technology jobs. The meeting also touched on other relevant issues like homelessness, insufficient mental healthcare, and resource management. The idea of creating more high-paying jobs through collaboration with reputable medical institutions was suggested, alongside establishing regional partnerships for better management of issues like homelessness.

5. County Debt, Pension Plan, Economic Development, Property Taxes (01:16:51 - 01:26:12)
   During the meeting, Harrison, who recently moved to the Mission Grove area and takes part in the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee, raised the question about handling the county's pension debt. A response highlighted that land use and income generation through selling land or raising property taxes was a challenge. It was proposed that there needs to be an appropriate funding level where the plan is sustainable by itself, through the payments of current employees, and that pension debt may be covered by building reserves. While some believe there are reasons to be worried about a reported billion dollars in pension debt, others point out some cities have managed to eliminate their debt and the situation can be handled. Measures such as using unused reserves from federal and state funding, plus increasing the county's reserves, were suggested as methods to reduce the debt. 

6. Warehouses and Truck Traffic, Homelessness in Riverside, Veterans Facilities, Job Creation in Riverside County (01:26:18 - 01:30:36)
   The speaker expressed concern over the negative impacts of warehouses and illegal trucking facilities in Moreno Valley, with purported repercussions also seen in Perris. They identified the rising homelessness in Riverside as a significant issue, urging for more evenly distributed aid programs and better infrastructure. The speaker also raised their concerns about the state of the veterans' facility in the area and the perceived threat posed by increasing development projects near the March Reserve Air Base. They emphasized the need for more real job opportunities, specifically in manufacturing. Another individual, who has represented the community for nearly 12 years, responded by highlighting their past successes in securing $1 billion in resources and their dedication to improving transportation, health, housing, and managing the homelessness crisis. They also mentioned their bid for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, stating their desire to bring their management skills from their Air Force and law practice to the position.

7. "Community group", "Elected officials", "Western municipal water district", "Water advisory committee" (01:30:36 - 01:31:48)
   The speaker expressed gratitude for being involved with a diverse and special group that formed to express their community concerns. They also recognized the group's formation as a response to feeling unheard by elected officials. They then conveyed their commitment to changing this pattern based on their previous experience on the Western Municipal Water District Board. They highlighted their past initiative of forming a water advisory committee constituted by community representatives, despite facing opposition from fellow board members. In their new role as a Board Supervisor, they promised to maintain an open door policy for community members.

8. "members meeting", "community advocacy", "workforce development", and "election campaign" (01:31:48 - 01:42:25)
   The speaker addressed a group, discussing his/her role in helping the community by advocating for important issues and setting up initiatives such as a scholarship and workforce development funding. The speaker mentioned previous experience in elected office, promising to achieve more in the next four years if re-elected. Emphasizing his/her strong community ties, the speaker requested votes on March 5th. There were mentions of a planned Mayor's breakfast meeting and a tour for which attendees could sign up. The rest of the discussion was largely inconsequential and included general chatter and acknowledgments.

Potential Actions

• Sign up to voice opposition against the R-Now Warehouses project using the template at tiny url.com/r. [1][2][3]

• If you are interested in visiting the voter registration center, wait for an email to express interest, as there are limited spots for the tour. [4][5]

• If no party preference voters did not receive a card in the mail to choose their primary ballot, they should visit the register of voters and inform them. [6][7]

• Consider attending the potential safety and security tour set up by the mayor in cooperation with Canyon Crest. [8][9][10]

• Provide feedback on the drafted bylaws for the Mission Grove Neighborhood either in person or via email. [11][12][13]

• Gather a list of neighborhood groups from the city and work towards establishing a Riverside neighborhood council. [14][15][16]

• Prepare for Sheriff Chad Bianco's visit and plan food for the event. [17]

• Compile a directory of different groups and associations in Riverside. [18][19][20]

• Investigate and address concerns regarding voting discrepancies and integrity in upcoming elections. [21][22][23]

• Develop strategies to manage the growth of warehouses in Riverside, considering environmental impacts, infrastructure, and job creation. [24][25][26]

• Build and conserve a county "rainy day fund" to help pay down the pension debt. [27][28][29]

• Aim to decrease the $1.8 billion debt in the County through efficient land use and potentially raising property taxes. [30][31][32]

• Work on ensuring the sustainability of the pension plan through maintaining adequate funding levels. [33][34][35]

• Increase county reserves to ensure stability in case of economic downturn. [36][37]

• Implement strategies that have worked for other cities in reducing debt. [38][39][40]

• Address and cease illegal trucking facilities in Me Valley and possibly Paris. [41]

• Develop a comprehensive program to address and alleviate homelessness in the Riverside area. [42][43]

• Improve the resources and conditions of the veterans facility on Orange Street. [44]

• Halt warehouse projects near the March Reserve Air Force base to protect its operations. [45]

• Initiate efforts to bring manufacturing jobs to Riverside County and manage zoning to prevent inappropriate land use. [46][47]

• Attend the upcoming mayor's breakfast meeting. [48]

• Monitor emails for information about the mayor's breakfast meeting. [49]

• The candidates will be available for a few minutes to answer questions. [50]

• Interested parties should sign up for the tour of the ROV by writing their names on a piece of paper. [51]

• Vote on March 5th. [52]