Why Become a City, Why Now?

I have been asked many times the question; What motivates me to have EDH become a city?  First I will tell you why. I have been involved with local jurisdiction issues for many years having served on the City of San Jose’s Housing Task Force and their Water Task Force and then the EDC Housing Task Force in 2004 and on to working on the General Plan Update until 2013 when our work was confirmed by the EDC Board of Supervisors.

Now we have a moment to create a city and I want everyone to know that I am not doing this to promote myself. In fact I will not run for Mayor or for the City Council. I only want to create this city and watch it be the City on the Hill.  Knowing as much as I do, or as little, I have been able to watch the county struggle through its governmental responsibilities.  EDC as it applies to EDH is broken. Here are a few examples of its shortcomings.

1. Costco is coming and we have to be on the ballot by November 2024 so that the tax revenue accrues to the new city.  
2. EDH roads are in bad shape and a great percentage of our roads are maintained by our HOA’s which should leave plenty of money to take care of our roads but those funds go east to Tahoe.  
3. EDC does not stand responsible for damage to our cars because of their failure to maintain our roads.
4. Check out the Hwy 50 EDH Blvd Interchange. No Landscaping because the county did not put landscaping in the bid. The only way to get landscaping is to create a city.
5. Let’s go to the EDHCSD, a county agency, and their $43,000,000 reserve. Tell me about the last parks they built, or gymnasium or pool.
6. The CSD is also involved in the Austin vs EDC Mitigation Fee lawsuit and has already lost in Superior Court and in the Court of Appeal.   The CSD’s liability is about $5,500,000 and the EDH Fire department is in for another $2,000,000+ although they have a legitimate claim about their filing.
7. How about the Sheriff’s coverage of EDH. Do you feel it is adequate?
8. The citizens around Marina View and Lake Forest Schools asked for changes to a crosswalk pattern. Five years went by before the Board of Supervisors, after contact with the District Attorney, finally sand blasted one crosswalk, painted in two more crosswalks and built three ADA compliant curbs. The third curb has no sidewalk leading into the neighborhood (see picture). And the bill for this was $300,000+, a job that could have been done for $60,000.
9. I brought an agency to the county about 10 years ago to bid on a county provided service. Savings, $800,000 per year. County said NO….

That is a look at what was/is and now I will layout a plan to do better. I encourage any citizen of El Dorado Hills to analyze and add to or take away from these thoughts.
1. Home Rule because then we can govern ourselves like the forefathers intended.
2. Charter City so that what we create cannot be changed easily. It will take a public vote to change the City Charter.
3. We want a fully contracted city including “Job Order Contracting”. This will include the City Manager on down.
4. We have already created an Ad Hoc Board to move us forward.
6. We will create the borders for our city including our “Sphere of Influence”.
7. We will establish that the EDH Fire Department will stay independent of the city and
retain their present share of the Prop 13 tax base.
8. We will acquire the EDHCSD and contract for parks and recreation services.
9. A major project is coming to EDH. The Silva Valley EDH 52 Development (Costco).  We do not want this included in our Revenue Neutrality Agreement with the county.

Steve Ferry for CSD Board