A Better Future
Citizens of Santa Rosa
Many of you do not know me, I came to Santa Rosa on January 8, 2017 after spending several years in Barnesville Georgia, my Mother was getting on in years and I wanted to spend some time with her before she passed. Had decided to return to Salt Lake City, in late 2016, and as soon as I got there, realized this was just not possible, after spending 30 years in Salt Lake City.. The traffic, the people, its a large city and it was too big for me, after Barnesville. So I left and came to Santa Rosa, a small town with a big city feel, but it was mostly the rural setting that attracted me, and was a good place to call home. The weather is mild and winters are comfortable, the people friendly with a nice standard of living with reasonable expenses. It's a good place to retire to.
It is my belief we are about to see a golden age unfold in our economy, that has been held back by needless government interference, taxation and bad policies. Business is wanting to be let loose; so we need to be prepared to participate in this growth. My background and engineering career have given me the ability to be innovative as an engineer and inventor, since I look at problems differently than most others. Which has allowed me to develop novel approaches to problem solving, as they arise. It is my time to give back to my community and leave a legacy to be proud of; as we build a new paradigm for a more prosperous Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa can participate in this coming growth; or stagnate as we have seen for the last eight years. And I make one solemn promise to the people of Santa Rosa, that I will work to the best of my ability for a better economy, and reduce costs for that prosperity. More bang for the buck; as we move forward into the future together. Will you join with me, to make Santa Rosa a better place for our children's future, and our posterity...
My Story
Retired Medical Device Design and Project Engineer, with a modest Patent Portfolio, that comprise Disposables, Venous therapy and Enteral Feeding Pumps, in compliance with 21 USC, and cGMP of 21 USC. As portable devices, along with the design of tooling, jigs and assembly lines and machinery for their manufacture. With development of business and quality processes for their assembly and production, working for large and small Medical Device companies. With Bard Medical, the Largest as a consultant, and Sorenson Medical as the smallest. Grew up in Anchorage Alaska, graduated High School from East Anchorage High School and began a career with Western and Delta Airlines as my first career. Took an early retirement in 1993, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering. I would later earn a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Western Governors University with the CMBA Distinction, in 2007.
My engineering career came to an abrupt end in 2010, with the advent of Obama Care, which placed onerous 5% tax on profits on medical devices, and in essence sent all the work over to China for medical device design and manufacturing. The few companies that were left in America could hire a PhD for the salary I use to make, went from a six figure salary to a meager $900 dollars a month, lost my house and sold most everything I had and hit the road in 2013. And moved to Barnesville as mentioned above. Learned to live frugally, and the funny thing my desire for things, was gone, and I live a richer life with less. I now look for quality, not quantity, and know the meaning of hard work, and the reward of patience. My engineering career, allowed me to make a difference in peoples lives, as the devices I made and developed was rewarding to see it improve the human condition and peoples lives directly.
We are now at a point that our situation in Santa Rosa needs a course change, as we simply cannot keep going in the same direction, when prosperity is just around the corner, we can change course and court businesses to Santa Rosa, that will bring more revenue to the economy, and better paying jobs, and still have the the venues for summer traffic, but need a new plan. The west side of Santa Rosa off I-40 is in dire need of renewal. Tucumcari is that same way their western corridor is just as ravaged as our city. We also need a Master Plan to guide this renewal and it it will be one of the first large projects that should be considered. Since we need to plan for this coming prosperity. The future is ours with the right planning, and economic development we can have a rich vibrant business climate that can provide good salaries and jobs, and turn back the clock for ourselves and our coming generations, the time is now to catch the rising tide of prosperity, as we work for a better future.
Failure To Mitigate Hazards
Failures to mitigate hazards, in this case both of these photos are considered catastrophic hazards, and the most serious class of any known hazards since death or serious injury could occur. Both of these runoff channel hazards should have been identified after a site inspection for the proposed Dog Park by whoever was responsible for the site plan and its development. These two hazards in one area were not only overlooked but ignored demonstrates that whoever the Project Leader was does not have the requisite qualifications for this type of work. As this type of oversight is nothing short of nonfeasance, and indicates that project was not overseen and developed by a qualified engineer. Modern engineering practice has at its core Hazard Mitigation, no mater the field the engineer studies, and has come about by the investigation of disasters that have previously occurred so it is drilled into each field of study that this important part of resource or product development requires a Hazard Mitigation study. Without belaboring the point modern engineering practices for this type of development would understand the nature of animal behavior, as Dogs are prone to reacting to sight dangers that cross their paths. Modern legal practice have declared that canines are Domesticated animals so their owners are legally liable for damages these wonderful creatures would or could create. That also means that any venues created for the enjoyment of canines and their owners are also liable for any actions or harm that could occur to these creatures and their owners.
Bottom line the City had a legal duty to create a safe environment for the People who would or could use this venue, as it stands not all hazards can be mitigated, and other methods must be employed as is the case for the Skate Ramps off of Route 66, by the sign on its entrance. In this case as it stands now all it would take is a child who has the leash for a large Dog of questionable training and sees a Squirrel or other Dog on the other side of the channels and a tragedy could occur. As they are consider sight animals and can on a moments notice react to these conditions which could lead to tragic consequences. As an engineer with over 20 years experience I will put into place a Harvard Mitigation study be performed in the planning stages and updated as it goes through a gated process for resource or venue development to final release to the public to eliminate any known or foreseen hazard. Mayor Kotiar needs to answer for this, placing such hazards onto the public is most definitely malfeasance... That is the very least that the City should be doing for the safe development of venues for the Public's Use, and sign this statement to stand behind any project I as Mayor could be responsible for during my tenure.
Skate Park at Route 66
This is an example of a hazard that is inherently dangerous and the appropriate signage has been displayed at the entrance to this venue. However there may be hidden dangers as the above photo is about two months old and is where I had tested the compaction of the soil since I am familiar with this type of construction. Its used in places where sedimentary soil is the predominate type subsoil in a given area, and is also subject to earthquakes and other types of disturbance, which leads to liquefaction. It is imperative that this type of construction is done properly and require an analysis of the soil type and height it is piled up to as the compaction is a slow process and requires a certain amount of time dependent on the height of the mound. As it is left to weathering process of freeze, thaw, rain, wind and gravity which will compact the soil over time.
The photo is where I had pushed my fist into the soil about two months ago, the exact date is unknown, I did not make a record of this test. Though it was done slightly after the finished surface was placed on the venue. If you notice the soil is not compacted as it is just loose soil which means that weathering has not substantially occurred and looks as if it is loose grains that have fallen into the depression my fist made.
This indicates that the foundation, the soil where it touches the undisturbed soil this structure is built upon is not completely compacted and will continues to compact over time which could disturb the finished surface and have that compacted surface deteriorate. When movement is added to this equation it could accelerate the process of deterioration and lead to surface failure. When your factor in the design of a skateboard it is rigid wheels ar made mostly of a hard vinyl or similar material and is quite rigid. The wheel are no more than 2 to inches in diameter, so the bearing surface is quite small. This then leads to a large amount unit of force per area upon the pavement since the bearing is such a small area a hundred pound rider, could exert several thousands of pounds in force per unit area. Not only that but the movement will exert extra forces and if the soil in the substrate is not compacted properly and lead to surface erosion and failure, as vibrations will move through the material, and accelerate this process.
Again this is only a initial and preliminary finding,, but I would need to review the building of this venue with the project documentation and any consultation with the builder and the city engineer for the safety of this venue, as my experience with this type of construction, the soil mounds may not have been left to the elements for enough time to have significant compaction at the subsoil where it meets undisturbed soil. This is not by any means definitive, only the question remains to be resolved for my satisfaction, as it is at the current time unknown.
Conclusion
Both of these projects appear to have been rushed into services, the water section of the Dog Park clearly has Catastrophic Hazards and should be closed with pad locks placed upon the Gates to restrict entry. So city personnel can begin mitigation and reconstruction can occur, with buried culverts would be the cheapest and quickest method to mitigate these hazards. With the head gate moved close to Park Lake, and with a chain link fence around it to secure it. The open channel for this should also be enclosed into a culvert above and below the Dog Park as it empties in the creek below. The Skate Park may or may not have been constructed to the proper methods, and will require a review to the project documentation and the contract with the builder to ascertain, whether or not this has happened, but the rush to put these venues into the public's hands as quickly as happened give me the impression corners were cut to rush both of these into use, by our city government, without due regard to safety.
Contact
A Better Future
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575-781-7068