On Sept. 12, the Portola Valley Town Council passed a motion three to one with one abstention to make available $400,000 from the town’s general fund to finance engineering, architectural and landscaping design work to open Sausal Creek, which flows through a culvert under the Town Center property.
It was said the $400,000 would be considered a loan but nothing was said about interest, period of the loan or who is responsible for repayment. This is hardly a loan that would be approved by a proper loan officer. The estimate given for the cost of the total project, including earth removal, landscaping, bridges, and so on was $1 million to $1.2 million.
There was much discussion that these costs would be repaid from donations and grants with much giggling and laughter about the wealth in Portola Valley and that “the money is out there.” However, it was also said that an affluent city would stand no chance of receiving grants to open a creek when so many poor regions have much dire needs.
It has been stated many times that the town’s general fund is to be used for operating expenses. It was never intended to finance the projects of special-interest groups. Statements made during the meeting that kids would wade through the open creek are pure fantasy when you consider that in the summer the creek is only a trickle and that random pools would be treated with mosquito abatement materials.
The work on the creek was voted to run concurrently with the ongoing work for the new Town Center, requiring the project manager to institute time-keeping procedures that ensure creek work is not commingled with the new Town Center work. This is an obligation of honor to the donors for the new Town Center, since opening the creek is not part of that project.
I recommended that the Town Council rescind the motion passed Sept. 12 on the grounds that the authorization to spend $400,000 from the general fund is not prudent and that there is no viable plan to obtain funds for repayment.
Bernard F. Bayuk
Paloma Road, Portola Valley
