BACKGROUND: I am Greg
Watkins running to be your representative on the City of Shasta lake
Council. I bring common sense and
intelligence to this council. I also
know the history and legacy of our city having been born here and graduated
from Central Valley High School.
I pride myself in researching and understanding each issue to
be voted on by the council. If you ever
need help resolving an issue in our city, I will take the time to hear your
input, and do what I can to support you.
My wife Lani and I are committed Christians and attend St.
Michaels Catholic church. My faith helps
to form a moral basis for how I approach each issue before the council.
I was first elected to the Council in November 2008 after
organizing a measure to require two-acre parcels in the western portion of our
city. This effort was an attempt to stop
the Mountain Properties subdivision near Yellow Pine from developing a
subdivision with small ¼ acre parcels abutting existing homes on two acres. The measure failed to pass by a small margin,
but I proved myself to be a supporter for wise growth in our city.
During the 12 years I have been on the Council, I have served
as your mayor three times, and am respected for my sound decision making. Examples of efforts I supported include:
FISCAL POLICY: Our
City is in sound financial shape and I have never voted to fund projects beyond
the ability of our city. We have a minimum
of city Staff and workers who are hard working and an asset to our city. Our unpaid liability for pensions is one of
the smallest in the State.
CITY HALL: A new City
Hall was constructed on the 11 acres of the abandoned Central Valley
Intermediate School, and 2/3 of the $5 MM cost were funded with cash and the
entire project will be soon be paid off.
CANABIS IN OUR CITY: I
supported stringent controls over the Canabis dispensaries, which the State
prop 64 really forced upon us. We also
developed limits on outdoor grows, and have hired a code enforcement officer
and one additional sheriff deputy with the 6% tax from dispensary sales.
CITY WATER: I have
worked with our City Manager and the Bureau of Reclamation to finally secure a water delivery contract in
perpetuity for water from Shasta Lake.
This is very important as all of our drinking water comes through the
Dam, 100 ft or so below the surface and is pumped to our treatment plant above
Fishermens Point, where it flow by gravity though out our city.
FIRE SAFETY; During
and following the Carr Fire emergency, I worked to develop fire response
contracts with CalFire in addition to wider fire breaks along our main roadways.
However during the evacuation of our City
we discovered our city needed additional water storage above the Centimudi boat
ramp to safely meet a future firestorm. I will work to bring an additional 2.5
million gallons of water storage in addition to our existing 5 water tanks throughout the city.
In addition the city is now funding half the salary of a fire
safety marshal with the Shasta lake Fire Protection District.
ESSENTIAL WORKERS: The
essential workers in our city were never shut down. I realize that teachers are also essential
workers and have supported the full time opening of our K through 12 schools. A community can not exist without essential
utilities or with schools closed.
During the Covid shutdown our essential workers such as
Linemen, water treatment operators and city maintenance workers were available
24/7. In addition I realized early that
the Virus is not spread outdoors so I pushed for our city parks and skate board
park to be re opened long before out cities took similar actions. Ours were opened which some cities were still
dumping sand in their skate board parks.
PANDEMIC SHUTDOWNS; I
believe the government shutdowns from Sacramento are largely not needed nor
constitutional. Shasta County has
flattened the curve of hospitalizations, and now it is up to each resident to
be responsible for their own well being.
I believe history will show that this pandemic is dangerous, but
is more akin to a bad flu season. In
addition, the closing of schools is worse than the virus its self. Kids are the least vulnerable to the Covid 19
virus. Nation wide only 30 school age
kids have died from Covid. Compare this
to the 60+ students which die each year from the annual flu. We have never closed our schools for the flu
and unless some new facts surface, our schools should be open.
OUR CONSTITUTION: Never
in the history of our Nation have we quarantined the healthy and closed churches
and let criminals out of jail. While
there are promising signs a vaccine may be developed, it is important to
develop herd immunity. We must allow the
young and the healthy to return to school and to work.
BILL OF RIGHTS: Restaurants
and Churches should not be closed, but rather be treated the same as big box
stores. Our constitution guarantee’s that
religious services shall not be infringed upon by the government. Our entire constitution is intended to restrain
the Government, not the citizens.
If you want to observe me in action at any council meeting
during the past few years, go to www.cityofshastalake.org and click on view city council meetings.
I appreciate
your vote on November 2, 2020.