Month: March 2020

from the city of Davis

The City of Davis Human Relations Commission annually seeks nominations for the Thong Hy Huynh (“tong hi win”) Awards. The awards are presented once each year in memory of the stabbing death of Davis High School student Thong Hy Huynh on May 4, 1983. The award was established to raise awareness about and to honor community members whose actions exemplify the goals of diversity, community, social justice and equal rights. The Thong Hy Huynh Award was first presented in 1986.

What are the categories for this award?

Lifetime Achievement: Awarded for significant civil rights efforts over a long period of time while improving the quality of life in Davis. The recipients may be an individual or community organization that has promoted positive human relations in the community.

Young Humanitarian: Awarded to an individual in grades K-16 (elementary though undergraduate or equivalent) for significant efforts in improving the quality of life in Davis. Nominees have directly addressed the needs of specific groups within the community in the areas of human or civil rights or education.

Civil Rights Advocacy: Awarded to an individual or organization for significant efforts and achievement in any of the following areas:

• Speaking on behalf or, and giving voice to, the disadvantaged and disempowered.
• Promoting positive human relations, civil rights, cultural awareness, or peaceful means of conflict resolution.
• Improving the quality of life for Davis residents through the areas of health, human services, housing, education, or employment.

Excellence in Community Involvement: Generally awarded to a business or non-profit organization, and occasionally a community individual, that has a record of significant efforts improving the quality of life for Davis residents through the areas of health, human services, housing, education, or employment.

Public Servant of the Year: Awarded to a local public servant who has promoted positive human relations in our multicultural and diverse community.

Guidelines for Nomination and Selection of Recipients

The Thong Hy Huynh Award process is designed to be as inclusive and as transparent as possible in order to protect the integrity of the award.

Nomination Process:

1. Nominations may be submitted by anyone, including Human Relations commissioners or City Council members. Current Commission members or elected officials may not be nominated for an award. Commissioners cannot nominate a family member, partner or spouse.
2. Nominees should be residents of Davis or have been active in work that has impacted the Davis community.
3. Nominations must be submitted via the nomination form.
4. Each nomination form should be for only one category, however, a nominee may be nominated for more than one category.

Selection Process:

1. Any Huynh award winner in the previous 10 years is not eligible for nomination in the same category. Current voting commissioners are not eligible to receive an award. If a current commissioner is on the board of an organization, that organization is not eligible to be nominated for an award that year.
2. Any commissioner who has a conflict of interest with a nomination (i.e. a family member, partner or spouse nominated or an organization nominated for which Commissioner is employed or holds a leadership position) for an award must recuse him/herself from participation in deliberations and voting for that award.
3. If the Commission determines no nominations received in a particular category are appropriate, no award will be presented in that category.

NOMINATION DEADLINE:
Nominations are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday March 13, 2020.

Download the Nomination Form (PDF).

By Colin Walsh

The Yolo County elections office website states, “What you cannot do at any Yolo County polling place… Campaign or discuss your vote (The state ban on electioneering within 100 feet of any polling place also applies to apparel).” This clearly includes election signs.

But these photos taken at 7:10 this morning – shortly after the polling place was open – show electioneering happening at the Tandem Properties Polling Place. A Vote Here sign has even been placed practically on top of a Yes on Q sign.

There is also a Yes on G sign prominently displayed in front of the Tandem Properties this morning.

Only a  few days ago a Linda Deos sign was displayed by the Yes on G sign, but that appears to have been moved either to the far corner of the property or to the public right of way. Signs are not allowed to be placed in the public right of way either, so this sign may still be a problem, either being on the same property as a polling place, or placed in the right of way near a polling place.

John Whitcombe one of the primary owners of Tandem Property, and the Nishi project gave Linda Deos $1,000 in this election.  Tandem is one of the largest apartment owners in Davis owning 13 complexes in Davis and on the UCD Campus including: Adobe at Evergreen, Anderson Place, Arlington Farm, Atrium at La Rue Park, Casitas, Chaparral, Chautauqua, Russell Park, Sundance, Suntree, The Colleges at La Rue, and The Willows. Measure G, Q and Linda Deos signs are also prominently placed the Tandem apartment complexes.

In a quick unscientific survey of a few other nearby polling places, no other location seemed to have signs placed as close as Tandem does.

At 8:30 am, the Yolo County Election office phone is ringing through to voice mail and a message stating the office opens at 8:00 am.

This photo taken 2/26/2020 (week before election) shows a Deos sign was moved.

This photo taken 3/3/2020 – election day – seems to have been moved from directly in front of the Tandem office to either the corner of the property or the public right of way.

The same Deos sign as above seen from the other side. Is this on Tandem Properties or in the public right of way?

[Edit 3:50pm  3/3/2020]

Jesse Salinas the Assessor / Clerk-Recorder / Chief Election Official indicated 3 signs where removed from the Tandem properties by election officials, but the Deos sign is in the public right of way and that is a City issue.

This map shows where the Deos sign has been placed in the public right of way. Jennifer Rindahl a paid staffer for the Deos campaign commented below indicating the Deos campaign placed this sign in this improper location themselves.

[edit 5:50pm the City of Davis has just informed me that they do not have anyone on call to address the issue of the sign improperly placed in the right of way.]

 

[edit 3/5 the sign on this dumpster fire illustration is the current sign in front of the Pacifico buildings]

Letter to City Council on Febuary 26, 2020

Hello Mayor Lee and Council Members,                       

You may have heard that on Monday 2/3/20, there was a fire in the dumpster that belongs to Sharps and Flats apartments. This fire was directly on the other side of our back yard fence and was 20 feet from our home. 

The smoke filtered into our home making it difficult to breath. Other residents in the area noted smoke as far as Pole Line and Drew Ave north of Cowell. Others said they stayed indoors and did not let their children go outside.

Since the fence has gone up round Pacifico separating it from the bike path, much of the activity that has historically take place on the bike path and Evergreen Court and surrounding areas, is now highly concentrated in the shared parking lot between Pacifico and Sharps and Flats. 

The video cameras are contributing by pushing many Pacifico residents and affiliates to do their drug deals and threatening arguments and dangerous activity in the shared parking lot where they are off Pacifico cameras. The parking lot is behind my house and I have heard arguments and contentious drug deals, individuals being coerced into doing things they don’t want to do, gun shots and now we have fires. 

In his State of the City address, Mayor Lee indicated that as a whole, “we want to become more resident focused “ and “as we make mistakes we own up to them.”These are fine words and nice goals, but they have yet to be matched with serious actions. 

If there is an area where the City’s past mistakes have negatively impacted residents, it is in South Davis. Residents near Pacifico specifically, have  lived with serious problems caused by the City’s mismanagement and neglect of their  property and tenants on a regular basis for over 8 years resulting in a host of  inappropriate problems.

The burden has been heavy to bear for a very long time. Residents and renters have been more than patient and accepting. We have been heartfelt and helpful, accommodating, understanding and forgiving, but evidently that is not what helps or improves people's lives in a tangible way. We need meaningful action now that will address these dangerous situations for everyone involved.  

Owning up to mistakes has to involve more than just acknowledging those mistakes, it requires actually fixing them. 

 At a minimum, I would ask that you:

• Demolish the existing Pacifico buildings now (don’t wait until you have an alternative project in hand; that could take forever and meanwhile the problems continue).
• Move the individuals currently living at Pacifico. Those with mental illness and drug addiction need a facility with wrap-around services, such as Creekside. Low-income working families would benefit tremendously by living in an affordable apartment such a Sterlilng where it will be a healthier and safer environment.
• Sell or give the Pacifico property to a developer who will develop appropriately scaled mixed income housing, predominately market rate, on the site (if necessary with financial assistance from the City).  
• Address the safety hazards and basic functioning issues on Drew/Cowell, Valdora/Cowell and Pole Line Road/Cowell. 
• Reconsider the Respite Center location. The community is still dealing with Pacifico issues. To compound the situation by inviting others with similar drug habits, friends, and shenanigans into the surrounding area will only intensify existing problems. Safeway, as you know, is just on the other side of the bridge/5th street where the proposed Respite Center is suppose to be located. Safeway already has problems with needles in the parking lot and well established urine locations in between Safeway and Rite Aid that creates an abominable stench.  The monies used for the Respite Center should go to established and trusted organizations with years of experience and knowledge working with 'homeless' in the area. Those who are addicted to meth and/or other drugs and/or who may have some form of mental illness need more intense services.

This community that I love and care about, cannot afford to be neglected  any longer. Considering what the community in South Davis has endured and is still enduring, the City should have compassion and do all that’s necessary to bring peace, functionality, neighborly trust and safety back to our residents.

Thank you,

Tracy De Wit

[edit 3/5/2020]
at the request of a reader here is more context to the word co-op on the dumpster fire graphic

Yolo County Supervisor Jim Provenza has a stellar record of accomplishment and acts based on values in support of us all. One of his best qualities is serving people when no one is looking, serving those who can’t offer anything in return, and doing what’s right — not necessarily what’s easy.

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