Join the Committee for a New La Quinta
The Concerned Citizens of La Quinta Organization has formed the new "Committee for a New La Quinta" and invites people who are interested in discussing our city and are deeply concerned with our future to join.
The problems facing La Quinta have spurred people to register to vote, people who will work toward creating a new and vibrant city through the Committee for a New La Quinta, which is tasked with bringing La Quinta into the 21st century.
Our mission is to create a core group of people who understand the complexities of public service and will have a voice in city government.
Our vision is to empower citizens to carefully review, scrutinize and evaluate existing projects and those planned for the future. Members will read budgets and appropriations already paid and challenge existing laws and declarations made by the incumbents. Recommended changes can take the form of letter writing, flyers and all legal avenues available to finally create a better city for all.
Current council members are reactive, not proactive, which contributes to ineffective leadership. It is apparent that problems are not addressed as they occur, but only after they become serious enough to affect the entire population. These concerns have lasted years and the only effort made is extension and retooling.
Take the Talus disaster as an example. In 2019, the city issued a notice of default and requested a cure. In 2022, not much had been advanced. The developer first agreed to have the project completed by 2020. Why did it take two years to issue a formal letter to him as very little had been accomplished? Money spent has been astronomical and the cost to the city keeps rising. Interest rates, labor availability and material costs change and developers need to expect the fluctuations and plan accordingly. In this case, it appears this has not been done. The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior or past performance in a similar situation.
Remember the Wave and the short-term vaction rental issue and all the unfavorable publicity it created? Residents came forward clearly indicating to the city council and the mayor that they had serious reservations about this project. The concerns were about the lighting, noise and the transient visitors it would attract. To make a giant wave a priority over the issue of low water reserves is unconscionable.
The way the planning commission and the council dragged hundreds of residents through the mud for two years leaves little doubt as to their caring. To even consider building a wave park simply for recreation goes against the very meaning of common sense.
These and other issues clearly indicate that the current administration is not in contact with the people of La Quinta. The continuous barrage of unpopular projects proves beyond a reasonable doubt that drastic change has to occur.
This committee will review past projects (SilverRock, STVRs) and present concerns such as the 48th Street bike path continued conflict. We are driven by the economy — once upon a time, new businesses came to La Quinta — but no longer. Why? For starters, our city’s reputation is unfriendly to businesses. Changing the incentives is the beginning to entice small and large businesses to return to our city. We are here to help promote those changes.
The time is now for more people to become involved and run for office — our new organization will help to inspire growth.
By now, most in La Quinta are aware that something has gone terribly wrong. If you are one of those people, please come to our first meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 2 p.m. We will meet at the La Quinta Embassy Suites at 50-777 Santa Rosa Plaza across from City Hall.
Remember, we can only accomplish great things if we stand together.
Residents will always love the city but elected officials have to love it first.
Anyone who wants to join this effort, please contact Robert Sylk at [email protected]. Your participation will go a long way to making La Quinta a better city with a more responsive city council and mayor. We are just getting started and will begin forming committees at our inaugural meeting.
Robert F. Sylk is a former La Quinta city commissioner and is the current selective service system representative director for Riverside County. His email is [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Join the Committee for a New La Quinta: We will make change now
