Colusa, Williams mayors will run, again

As a global recession poses new challenges to distressed cities everywhere, two local mayors remain optimistic that progress can be made despite the economic storm.

Colusa Mayor Donna Critchfield and Williams Mayor Angela Plachek-Fulcher are determined to finish the jobs they started when they were elected to their city councils in 2006.

Both have announced plans to seek re-election in November.

"I am pleased with progress of the council and the city in the last three years," Critchfield said. "I am hoping to be successful in my re-election bid to continue progress that has been made."

When Critchfield was selected to serve as mayor in January, she first set about building teamwork and communication between council members — something she praises in the current panel.

"Members of the council have varied backgrounds and skills, and although we don't always agree, I believe we are working well together," she said.

For Plachek-Fulcher, her first few years in office were bumpier, as four new members were seated to the Williams panel in just two years, shifting the balance of power to those with little government experience.

"It was definitely a learning experience," Plachek-Fulcher said.

Following criticism from the grand jury for not adequately providing financial oversight, the Williams City Council buckled down to get its financial house in order, implementing sweeping changes and hiring newer, better qualified management staff, Plachek-Fulcher said, including City Administrator Chuck Bergson and a finance director.

The mayor said she couldn't be happier with the changes.

"Everyone is doing a terrific job and it makes all the difference in the world," Plachek-Fulcher said.

After being selected mayor in January, Plachek-Fulcher held two strategic planning sessions to establish goals and priorities, some of which have already been accomplished.

Williams has set into motion a plan to update service and impact fees, has begun a lengthy general plan update, and is preparing a review of all master plans.

Plans are also needed for parks, pavement, the Sacramento Valley Museum site and city-owned facilities, Plachek-Fulcher said.

Williams is also in the process of re-establishing a Parks and Recreation Department to provide more opportunities to both youth and adults.

"We have really moved forward," Plachek-Fulcher said. "We have to stay motivated so we can keep moving in the right direction."

Colusa was also plagued with a high turnover of management staff, but found recompense in City Manger Jan McClintock, as well as new finance, public works and human resource directors, Critchfield said.

The mayor said she believes the city found staff that enjoys working in a small community and plans to stay in those positions awhile.

"I believe they are doing well," Critchfield said. "I am encouraged that we are planning for the future, rather than reacting to situations, and pleased that department heads are in Colusa full-time and available to residents as needed."

As mayor, Critchfield's goals were to prevent the city from overspending and for the city to establish reserves for capital expenditures.

The city frequently came under fire for using so many outside consultants, which has been curtailed in the past year as new staff take on more in-house responsibilities, Critchfield said.

Critchfield also sought the best use of the city's funds and the value for the dollars spent, while encouraging more discussion and decision making in full public view.

"The council consistently makes decisions that reflect their concern for the best long term benefit to our city," Critchfield said. "We have been successful in maintaining a balanced budget."

In addition, the city has made some hard decisions to contract waste collection to eliminate deficit spending in that department, and have adopted new water rates that will allow the city to reduce the negative cost it was incurring for those operations, over a period of four years.

The new sewer and water rates provide allowance to be set aside for future capital expenditures, as does those for Williams, with a new wastewater treatment facility under construction.

Critchfield said the new rates also include designated funds to improve the quality of the Colusa's drinking water by 2013, which will be needed to meet tough state and federal requirements, and to create a capital improvement fund for future needs.

The mayor has held multiple town hall meetings, and continues to encourage public participation in committees and commissions.

"Colusa is a beautiful small city with many talented and capable residents," Critchfield said. "I hoped to draw on those talents by involving community members in city activities, while recognizing outstanding accomplishments."

For both cities, the mayors are adamant that survival of the fitness will prove to be true only if downtown development and revitalization is achieved, which will increase property tax revenue, improve blighted areas and fill closed-up storefronts.

Critchfield said it means concentrating less on residential development and more on economic development, and both city councils recently authorized studies to create redevelopment agencies.

"The importance of the redevelopment agency is that it creates an increased tax base that provides income that can then be used for infrastructure needs, lessening the impact on city general funds," Critchfield said. "A successful RDA contributes to retail business, which creates added sales tax revenue and provides more employment."

Without it, both mayors believe the cities may see a reduction in city services, possible layoffs and further deterioration of the downtown.

"We have to make this happen," Plachek-Fulcher said. "Williams has a lot of blight and we have to take care of it, not only for the safety and health of the residents, but for our businesses to be successful."

With or without Williams, Colusa is banking on implementing a joint economic development plan with the county, something Critchfield said is important to provide a guideline and framework for successful creation of jobs in the county.

"When there are more jobs, there are more people circulating money in the cities, which tends to increase revenue for small business growth," Critchfield said. "That growth leads to more income for the city."

Although both cities are looking at redevelopment as a tool for economic recovery, both mayors say they will continue using every tool they have at their disposal to weather the economic storm, which by some is predicted to get worse before it gets better.

Contact Susan Meeker at 458-2121 or smeeker@tcnpress.com.