(Last UPDATED 8/15/2023) Description of the East Sacramento Improvement Association (ESIA) General Membership Meeting held on April 18, 2018 at the Clunie Center in McKinley Park.
The ESIA held a General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, April 18. Approximately 40 ESIA members and non-members attended the meeting.
Note Added: ESIA has a contemporary new name – the East Sacramento Community Association and a new website! Check it out.
ESIA Vice-President Nick Kufasimes opened the meeting with a few brief comments. He then introduced the first speaker, Assistant Sacramento District Attorney Steve Grippi. Mr. Grippi was substituting for Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert who had been scheduled to speak to the ESIA membership.
Assistant Sacramento District Attorney Steve Grippi
Mr. Grippi explained to the audience the responsibilities of the office of the Sacramento District Attorney and the culture of the office. He made the distinction between the responsibilities of the DA’s office i.e. to prosecute crimes/cases and that of law enforcement.
The DA’s office currently has approximately 170 lawyers. About 35,000 cases a year are referred to the office, and Mr. Grippi noted that in the neighborhood of 70% of cases result in charges.
Mr. Grippi also discussed the various collaborative courts that are designed to provide services and avoid incarceration:
- Re-Entry Court
- Drug Court
- Mental Health Court
- Veteran’s Treatment Court
- RESET Court (Reducing Sexually Exploited and Trafficked)
- DUI Treatment Court
- CSEC (Commercial Sexually Exploited Children) Court
The courts involve partnerships with the DA’s Office, Probation, Public Defender, the Court and various community-based organizations.
Also discussed were task forces and programs created to increase community engagement including the Citizens Academy; Youth Academy; and, Internet, Social Media Awareness, Resources and Training.
Members of the audience asked Mr. Grippi questions on a variety of topics including petty theft and crime in the East Sacramento, human trafficking, and homelessness.
District 3 Councilmember Jeff Harris
Councilmember Jeff Harris discussed a wide variety of topics of interest to residents of East Sacramento.
Among other things Harris mentioned that a mixed use development that includes student housing will be built at 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard – a location long considered an eyesore. Other improvements in the area are also planned.
Harris also updated the attendees on McKinley Village, Sutter Park, the Central City Specific Plan and Sutter Landing Park.
Proposition 68, which will be before voters on the statewide June ballot, includes $10 million for the Lower American River Conservancy Program.
Road repairs (slurry seals) are scheduled for a swath of East Sacramento streets.
The McKinley Water Vault draft EIR will be released for public comment on April 20. The public comment period ends on June 6.
In the meantime, the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities has scheduled a bus tour of two of the three existing underground wastewater vaults on Saturday, April 28.
Meeting attendees asked Harris a variety of questions and expressed some specific concerns including Union Pacific (UP) trains blasting their horns in the late night/early morning hours. Harris indicated that he had received a number of complaints and was in discussions with UP.
East Lawn Children’s Park – Playground Improvements
Cindy Leathers, a neighborhood volunteer, discussed the current effort to renovate the East Lawn Park.
Among other things, Leathers invited community members interested in the effort to a meeting on April 21. The meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the East Lawn Park. Additional information about the East Lawn Park Renovation can be accessed on the ESIA website. Questions on how you can assist in the effort can also be sent directly to Leathers at www.cindy.leathers@cbnorcal.com.
ESIA General Meeting Conclusion
After the last speaker, Kufasimes closed the meeting by reminding ESIA members to send in their nomination ballots for the annual ESIA Orchid and Onion Awards.
Comments on the ESIA April General Meeting?
There was so much covered at the meeting – if you were in attendance – what would you add?
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