MAYOR WELLS STATE OF CITY ADDRESSS CITES ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CHALLENGES IN EL CAJON

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By Janis Russell

December 12, 2015 (El Cajon)- El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells delivered his State of the City address last Tuesday, listing El Cajon’s accomplishments and improvements, as well as the outlook for the city’s future.

Mayor Wells began by noting that El Cajon was a farming community a hundred years ago. “Now it’s the largest city in East County…There are over 100,000 residents,” he observed. “We also have new friends who have gathered thousands of miles away,” he added, referring to the city’s large immigrant and refugee population. “There’s a multitude of stories that bind El Cajon.”

He was proud to say that the city had a balanced budget in 2015. “I’ve been able to say that every time I’m on city council,” Wells stated. He also emphasized how the city needs to provide the residents with public safety, parks and recreation services—and has brought in revenues to help meet the community’s needs.

“We’ve been very blessed to have robust auto dealerships,”  the Mayor noted. Valley of Cars was started 12 years ago, where many dealerships work together. He noted that Mercedes Benz opened up a facility here this past year, and plans to build a new one next year. BMW has built a $12 million facility. Other dealerships, like Ford and Kia, have been upgrading their facilities.

At the parking lot leading to City Hall, there’s construction going on for the Marriott Hotel, which will have 110 rooms. Wells said that this wil be the first four-star hotel in East County. It is expected to be open in 2017.

Other businesses are also doing well, such as Urbn Brewing which opened last year. Parkway Plaza has been doing upgrading. “Businesses continue to thrive in the city,” Wells added, listing more jobs have been made available throughout the city. Panera Bread, Chipotle, and Dunkin Donuts will soon have locations in El Cajon.

The East County Performing Arts Center has been closed for four years now. The city authorized funds for renovations and is going through the bidding process currently in hopes of reopening the theater next year.

“There’s a boom in the residential development. We are in the process of approving over 300 new homes,” Wells said. There’s also a new city website for residents.

 Wells said the City Council in 2013 implemented a pension reform program which has been doing well. “Proposition O was a huge success,” he added. The city has a new fire and police station, and a new animal shelter is expected to be completed next year.

“On a personal note, I could not have been more proud of our police and fire safety departments,” Wells exclaimed. He added that crime decreased by 24% in the last four years. The City has also been able to get a safe route to schools grant, and the police department has been active in many programs. One such program is the Crime Free Multi-housing program. “Heartland Fire and Rescue continues to educate the public” through community and residential forums, the Mayor observed.  They’ve also been awarded a Class 1o rating, which is a PPC (Public Protection Classification) rating. Class 1 means exemplary fire protection (according to http://www.insure.com/home-insurance/fire-departments-ratings.html).

Wells also brought up the deemed approved ordinance (DAO), which a court recently upheld. It gives the City the ability to regulate single-serve alcohol sales. “There’s been a significant decrease in the problems associated with the sales of alcohol,” Wells said of the ordinance, adding that  El Cajon is the only city in the county to enact the ordinance. “The drunken public is almost gone to zero.”, Wells added.

An ongoing challenge has been the fight against marijuana dispensaries, which are now illegal in El Cajon. However, marijuana still pops up every day, but the police have been working to shut  down operations.

Another challenge is the “proliferation of homeless.” Over the last six months, there has been a large rise in the number of homeless people in El Cajon, and the City is still working on this problem.

El Cajon has been re-branded and when visitors come back to El Cajon who haven’t visited in a while, they’re amazed at how nice El Cajon is, the Mayor noted. Now, the city is doing activities almost every quarter and is working to expand those. There’s the St Patricks Day half marathon and America on Main Street. The 4th of July picnic and fireworks show was free to the public, meaning residents didn’t have to go to  the Del Mar Fair to see fireworks. HauntFest this past October drew 40,000 visitors. There’s also been the Mother Goose Parade, car shows, dinner and a concert series, and Farmers Markets. Also, this year, El Cajon hosted 200 athletes in the Special Olympics. In addition, for the first time El Cajon held  a Christmas tree lighting, where Mayor Wells dressed up as Santa and 111,000 people came. The latter event also included an outdoor ice rink and holiday lighting along Main Street.

Wells wanted to give credit to the police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, the leadership of the city manager Doug Williford, the commission members, and city council. “El Cajon is a great place to work and play,” the Mayor concluded proudly.


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