This statement is a collective consensus of the Vision Task Force Steering Committee. It is not an individual opinion.

We understand that between $1.5 million and $6 million in redevelopment funds will be spent on the city of Clearlake's airport property as part of the negotiating process in selling said property. If these numbers are accurate, the steering committee questions the soundness of this allocation as well as the authority to allocate these funds without the transparency and public input required by the redevelopment agency, which is furnishing these funds.

This steering committee wants to see final decisions on the allocation of redevelopment funds based on more than one man's opinion. Rather, such profound and important decisions should be based on the inspiration and advice of official redevelopment agency input (the City Council), advisory committee input (which does extensive background research) and especially the public's input.

Allocating any money without critical input by these various segments of the community would be against the established processes set up by the redevelopment agency. Any other attempt to circumvent this process by trickery could be illegal and against the best interests of the community. The history of redevelopment funding in Clearlake has been misappropriation, misuse and poorly planned appropriations. Let's not create an environment that allows this history to continue.

In conclusion we advise the redevelopment agency/Clearlake City Council to insist on transparency and critical input of any allocations having to do with redevelopment funding by having a public hearing on this matter.

Clearlake Vision Task Force Steering Committee members include Vince Metzger, Melinda Young, Allen Markowski, Jim Scholz, Robert Riggs, Tony Morales and Alice Reece.

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