Recently I heard that the Board of Directors for GVRD approved an appropriation for $1 million to remodel the kitchen in the Vallejo Community Center. Where do I start? First, do we need another kitchen for more crab feeds? No, an emphatic NO! What we need are diversionary recreation programs for our youth. What we need is a new sports center. In my many communications with the Mayor and Council members, the topic of more recreation programs keeps coming up, along with the question of a new sports center. These are things that we know exert a positive influence on our little town of Vallejo.
If I recall correctly, the kitchen remodel was the brainchild of Board Member Gary Salvadori. Now granted this idea was brought up when GVRD had a working sports center and before it was closed by Southern Lands and the Nimitz Group, before GVRD spent $2 million to upgrade Cunningham Pool, and before the pandemic. But the appropriation decision was made AFTER all of these happened. How? Why? Has the GM and the Board forgotten what we hired them to do?
What am I asking of you? Turn up the heat and get GVRD out of the kitchen. Reach out to the Board members directly and ask them to halt any contract negotiations for this project, and to place it back on the agenda so that our Council members and the public can voice their concerns. We are not a resource rich community and spending a million dollars on anything, especially a kitchen remodel, is a big thing.
Oh! I almost forgot. Council member Mina Diaz, I heard that GVRD really appreciated the $17,000 in discretionary monies you gave to them. I am sure it went to something important . . . like stock pots.
Until Next Time,
Tommy Judt