Jim's Musings

Working in real estate, you just never know where a day's work will lead...

On August 15, I participated in my RE/MAX Parkside's annual Up With Kids event, where agents and many other "Shopperones" take local kids shopping for new school clothes at Target.

Click here for the press article on this wonderful and important event.

If you’ve ever tried to walk through a field of mature yellowstar thistle I know you already share my feelings! Even cows I’ve seen eat the sawtooth leaves of pampas grass, or the spiky heads of Russian thistle, will not touch mature yellowstar. This non-native plant has invaded over 15 million acres of California which makes it one of the most expensive invasive pests in the state. It is estimated to cause over $136 billion in losses per year nationally!

It consumes 50% more water than native annual grasses and is easily spread by animals, vehicles, and birds. Once introduced to your land it can quickly take over and crowd out the native grasses as well as make it unpleasantly painful for you to use or walk through it. And it can be toxic to horses!

If you’ve been fighting this weed on your property by mowing you know that is a lost cause… so to learn the latest techniques on how to contain and eliminate the weed, come to a free workshop at the Templeton Community Center on February 25 from 6-8 PM. 

One of the most sobering issues, frightening actually, is the way we haven’t started to address the reality of our groundwater depletion here in Paso Robles.

Last week I learned that the City’s two “Thunderbird” wells, which account for nearly half of the City’s water supply, are showing signs of considerable stress.  In fact, they are currently producing half of what is typical for this time of year and one has even been shut down.  And this during the time when they should be at their best!

It is estimated that Paso Robles uses approximately 13 million gallons of water each day at the peak of the summer months.  Unless the situation changes soon, City engineers estimate that our wells will only be able to produce 10 millions gallons a day this summer.  So we are facing a 30% shortfall, and this is not one that the government can solve by passing a stimulus bill!

Paso Robles residents need to understand that if we don’t change our ways while we still can, it won’t be just higher water bills we’ll be looking at…it will be the “water police” who will be watching for excessive uses.

Perhaps it’s time for the City Council to start looking at what other communities in the Central Coast have done for years…low flow fixtures, xeri-scaping, etc.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the end of the world, we aren’t going to dry up and blow away anytime soon.  The Nacimiento Water project will help us tremendously, but it won’t solve everything. It’s just time for a change in our thinking! And perhaps in our way of living! 

The Public was not well represented last Wednesday night when the Paso Robles City Council had a special workshop to set goals to help them through the upcoming budgetary process later this Spring.

After a review of where the accomplishments of the last 8 years by City Staff, Meg Williamson and Ron Whisenand, City Manager Jim App gave a sobering reviewing of the City’s financial condition.  Although the City is looking at a cumulative $9 million in negative expenses over income over the next three fiscal years, thanks to several years of careful budgeting and accumulating reserves, Jim is hopeful that the actual negative can be held to a cumulative of $4.638 million.  How the City will have to address that negative will be at the heart of the future budget hearings.

Although many suggested goals were sent in via email from the public, only about a dozen members of the audience addressed the Council.  Anne Laddon (my wife) president of the new nonprofit Studios on the Park asked the Council to keep the encouragement of the visual arts as a “positive path” for the City to follow.
I spoke on the need for the City to use the spirit of Paso Robles, which has always depended on its volunteers in hard times, to help get through the difficult financial times ahead.  My remarks were amplified by others such as Field Gibson speaking for the Paso Robles Youth Sports Council.  Field said that the City has made it difficult in the past for volunteers to take on such tasks as the maintenance of the playing fields.  He advocated for an “Adopt-a-Park” program or other ways to foster community participation.

Others spoke on the need to use the planning process to work toward creating the environment that will speed the creation of head of household jobs when the economy eventually improves.

I could go on, but the real message to get out is to be active in our community.  There will be a meeting on Saturday February 21st at 9 AM to evaluate all the suggestions that have been made and help the Council determine their tentative goals which will be adopted during the March 3rd Council meeting.