Lincoln Ct

The League of Women Voters has posted information about Measure L, including arguments for and against, and impartial analysis from the city attorney:

http://smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/scl/meas/L/

Parking lot to be replaced by Fire Station 37

Note that Mayor Reed is in favor of cannibalizing park land; Vice-Mayor Cortese is against it.

SanJoseCA.gov > City Departments > Clerk’s Office > City Election Information > November 4, 2008 > Ballots Measures

Fire Station Construction – Lincoln Glen Park

To improve fire suppression, emergency medical services and increase essential emergency facilities available for disaster response within the Willow Glen area, shall the City be authorized to construct a single-company fire station on up to 3/4 of an acre on a portion of the Lincoln Glen Park parking lot?

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association had its monthly Board meeting at last week.

Discussion went well into the evening about Firestations 6 and 37, and if/how WGNA should respond to the forthcoming ballot measure.

Simply stated:

• San Jose City Council wants to build Fire Station #37 on parkland at Lincoln near Curtner.  After that, Fire Station #6 would probably be closed.
• WGNA wants to keep Fire Station #6 open and save the parkland.  If Fire Station #6 is to remain operational, then the city would do better to build Fire Station #37 at Foxworthy near Cherry.

It was decided that the WGNA should respond with a rebuttal to the measure. A prepared statement, crafted by Jean Dresden and read aloud by Harvey Darnell, was agreed to and applauded.

The final statement was (supposed to be) turned in before Tuesday at 4:59 PM. It was (soon to be) released to non-board members and posted to the WGNA website.

District-2 Councilman Forrest Williams voted in June to place on the upcoming ballot a measure allowing the use of District-6 parkland for the new Fire Station #37.  At the August City Council meeting a motion was made to repeal the measure because the future Fire Station #37 is somehow connected to the closing of the current Fire Station #6.  Here he is defending his stance not to repeal the ballot measure:

04.20.46 – start excerpt from City Council Meeting – 8/5/2008

>> Councilmember Williams: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I’m going to try one more time.

It doesn’t matter, there are no absolutes. They’re totally separate.

And the way to get the council bound is to have the matter come before the council, regarding 6. If one were to have reconsideration, bring it forth for reconsideration, but don’t hold up.

We need the work that’s been done by the fire department in terms of locating the fire station, its serviceability, the range and all of those things. I mean, they’re telling us their idea. I’m not a professional fire person so I rely on their expertise to say, we’re – and especially for councilman Chirco. Let’s do that and then let’s talk about 6.

So, can you consider it in your heart and ask – discuss this to say let’s do 37 and let’s come back, let’s have staff come back to us in regards to 6? And I think we can achieve what we want to achieve, but we can move forward, as well. Because it takes a couple of years, and a couple of years and cost and all these things come up, and then we’re struggling. Right now we’re struggling for dollars. And if we postpone it a couple of years then that’s going to compound the matter. So I believe that we can get to where you want to go. But just let 37 go.

04.22.28 – end of excerpt

From the San Jose Mercury News Website

Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio voted against placing a measure on the November ballot to convert parkland in his district into a site to build a new fire station.

Oliverio believed that building a new Fire Station 37 on part of a parking lot, next to the Willow Glen Senior Center at 2175 Lincoln Ave., would result in the closing of the existing Fire Station 6, less than two miles away.

Several residents were under the impression that the council was set on closing Fire Station 6, even though the city said the station will remain open indefinitely. Any future decision to close the station would have to go before the council.

Some council members were puzzled with Oliverio’s attempts to link the ballot measure with a closing of Fire Station 6.

“I think it is reasonable to get Fire Station 37 done and I am encouraging Councilman Oliverio to just be reasonable and logical about this,” said Councilman Forrest Williams.

Oliverio was attempting to get the council to undo its vote in June, when the council first voted to place the issue on the November ballot. Building the station requires voter approval because the site would be used for reasons other than park purposes.

Oliverio’s motion went down 6-5, with Reed and council members Williams, Madison Nguyen, Judy Chirco, Sam Liccardo and Nancy Pyle opposing, which keeps the issue on the ballot.