Opinion
Many questions surround this project:
The 2007 Clearlake Vision Task Force Report laid out a clear road map for the revitalization of the city: emphasize the waterfront, preserve natural assets, and improve Lakeshore Drive. How does a new formula-retail shopping complex on the fringe of town fulfill that mission? Will any funding be left for the urban core after providing this massive subsidy to an out-of-county developer?
Substantial gains to the city in the form of property taxes and sales taxes are predicted, but how much of this money would represent a transfer of existing tax revenues rather than a new source of income? How much would be offset by the closure of existing businesses? How many more storefronts can be boarded up on Lakeshore Drive before the pall of blight becomes too deep for reversal?
What will be the impacts on truly LOCAL businesses countywide? Effects of a project like this are guaranteed to extend beyond the city limits, but no economic study has been undertaken.
It is proposed to invest $2.5 million of redevelopment bonds funds (that is to say, borrowed money) in sewer upgrades that would result in some 3,000 new connections, but the necessity for an expansion of the existing system has not yet been examined in a comprehensive way. Doing something to correct intermittent overflows that threaten public health and the integrity of Clear Lake is unquestionably necessary, but is this approach the best way to address a problem that appears to originate in storm water infiltration rather than insufficient capacity?
Additional redevelopment funding would be invested in "site improvements," primarily to remove what is said to be uncompacted and possibly hazardous fill on the site. These costs would result in the "sale" of the property producing a net loss to the Agency. Is this action wise or necessary?
Most disquieting of all, the intention seems to be to push forward without requiring an environmental impact report, thus leaving all these questions unanswered (along with many more) and also minimizing opportunities for public awareness and participation.
Surely prudence and a decent consideration for the welfare of the citizenry whose lives will be affected demand a careful step backward and the judicious evaluation of the entire proposal in the comprehensive manner that nothing but an EIR can offer.
A hearing is expected at a joint session of the Redevelopment Agency and City Council to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 7, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive (at the corner of Lakeshore and Olympic).
Everyone who has concerns and questions should make every effort to take part, and in the meantime to read the negative declaration on the project (available at City Hall, and online at https://theclearlakevisiontaskforce.wikispaces.com/Airport+Sale+as+Redevelopment ) and if possible to submit written comments by the Dec. 31 deadline.
Contacting Clearlake City Council members individually to urge them to override staff recommendations by requiring an EIR on this project would be a good idea too.
Victoria Brandon is chair of the Sierra Club Lake Group.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Others liked to characterize the Episcopal Church as “the country club at prayer” and even assert that we are “not really a Christian church.”
All kidding aside, those of us who are active and devout members of the Episcopal Church know just how untrue those popular perceptions are yet, as an organization and as individuals, we have frankly done little to counter these misconceptions.
For the past quarter century or so it seems that the only time our church get any press is when the word “sex” can be coupled in the headline with the word “church”: “women priests” then “women bishops” and now a woman presiding bishop, along with talk of blessing “same sex marriages,” priests and even a bishop in a “same sex relationships.” (The word “gender” would be more correct, but let’s face it, “sex” sells papers, “gender” doesn’t.)
Except for the 2.4 million active Episcopalians who know better, the rest of the population is left to believe that the Episcopal Church is like a “singles bar” except that it is open on Sunday mornings!
The media coverage of our General Convention this past July was, of course, no exception. If you happened to miss the screeching headline, “Episcopal Church unanimously passes orthodox statement of belief in Jesus Christ,” it was because it never appeared, but none the less the convention did pass such a statement!
The Rt. Rev. Pierre Welte Whalon D.D., the bishop of the Convocation of American Episcopal Churches in Europe (who I had the privilege of meeting at a theological conference in Germany three years ago), noted this in a reflection on the wrap up of General Convention. I’d like to share his words with you all:
“Finally, a very significant theological statement on interreligious dialogue passed the bishops unanimously, and by a large majority in the House of Deputies (with 888 voting deputies, unanimity is extremely rare). For those who wonder about the orthodoxy of our church, here are some excerpts:
“We affirm the foundational Gospel proclamation that 'Jesus is Lord' (I Corinthians 12:3 NRSV here and hereafter), and therefore Jesus’ Summary of God's Law: 'Love the Lord your God with all your hearts, with all your souls, and with all your minds, and to love your neighbor as yourself' (Mark 12:29-31; BCP, Catechism, page 851).
For this reason we reach out in love and genuine openness to know and to understand those of other religion traditions.” (Introduction)
And these paragraphs from Section V are worth quoting in full:
“24. The Christian scriptures proclaim that Jesus is 'the Word made flesh' (John 1:14) and as such he is 'the Way and the Truth and the Life' (John 14:6). As stated in our creeds (Apostles', and Nicene) and liturgy, Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God. Since God has chosen to share our life, we affirm that God is intensely concerned about every human life.
Among Christians, Episcopalians have a particular appreciation of this teaching, in that we believe that the coming of God in Christ has already begun to transform all of creation.
“25. The human response to God's incarnate love was 'to crucify the Lord of Glory' (1 Corinthians 2:8). The cross is the Christian symbol and act of self-emptying, humility, redemptive suffering, sacrificial self-giving and unvanquished love. We believe that we have been reconciled to God through the cross.
“26. In the resurrection we believe 'Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and giving life to those in the tomb' (BCP, p. 483). By our baptism into Christ's death and resurrection we enjoy new life as members of the Body of Christ, called therefore to become ourselves ambassadors of reconciliation (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:14-20).
“27. Professing salvation in Christ is not a matter of competing with other religious traditions with the imperative of converting one another. Each tradition brings its own understanding of the goal of human life to the interreligious conversation. Christians bring their particular profession of confidence in God's intentions as they are seen in and through the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Please note, gentle reader, that this is now the official teaching of the Episcopal Church, since it has the approval of the General Convention. The purpose of these passages is to reiterate in basic language who we are as Christians, since clarity of identity is as important in interreligious dialogue as clarity of intent. Precisely because we are followers of Jesus, we must engage people of other religious traditions in conversation, not to proselytize but rather to build common ground in the world in which we live.”
Thank you, Bishop Whalon!
I hope we can get this message out to the folks around us not just to correct the misconceptions about our church, but to make known the unique manifestation of God’s love in Christ that the Episcopal Church is to the church catholic and to whole world.
As we celebrate Christ’s Epiphany on Jan. 6, remember that in 2010 YOU are the epiphany of God’s love in our world.
Fr. Leo M. Joseph O.S.F., is parish priest of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lakeport.
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- Written by: Fr. Leo M. Joseph O.S.F.
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