Contact: Marty Weybret, Lodi Tokay Rotary club service chairman
Lodi’s brand new city manager thinks his “five bosses” might prioritize more housing, boost downtown, seek out more jobs for young Lodians and reduce Lodi’s homeless population.
In fact, an “anti-camping” ordinance could be on a city council agenda within weeks.
On Monday (August 12), Scott Carney told the Lodi Tokay Rotary Club those are the priorities he’s going to ask the Lodi City Council to consider in the coming months.
Carney was introduced at the meeting by Rotarian Lisa Craig. As mayor and a member of the Lodi City Council, she’s one of those five bosses Carney referred to. During his two months on the job, Carney has been listening to council members and the citizens of Lodi, and he’s learned that people here are uncommonly proud of their community. By contrast, he said, he’s seen a survey of people in Stockton that found they are more critical of Stockton than even the average non-Stocktononian. That sad fact is not the case in Lodi.
Generally, Lodians are proud of their town, starting with downtown. In addition, Carney said he has talked to many young people who grew up in Lodi and who want to raise their children here. But some have moved on, discouraged by the difficulty of finding a job here that will let them afford a home.
More jobs and more plentiful housing would be a step in the right direction. Lodi, said Carney, was among the first city’s in the state to complete an updated housing plan. But before adding that housing and those jobs, the city has to do more listening. City leaders need to understand “what sort of growth” city residents want in the future.
When asked what the “Grants Pass decision” will mean to Lodi, Carney turned his attention to homelessness. “Grants Pass” is shorthand for a recent Supreme Court decision that allows city police to enforce ordinances against camping on public property. Carney said the decision might be helpful but added, “We’re not going to police our way out of (the homeless problem).” He thinks the council may well ask the city staff to present options for an anti-camping ordinance in late September or early October.
Improvements to downtown Lodi might also come before the council. On that topic, Carney said the question might be asked: “Do we need to redefine downtown?”
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