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2/19/13 -- With Vallejo in the middle of negotiations with it's police union, it is interesting to get perspective from police contract negotiator Ron York. York has provided advice and contract negotiation services to some of the largest police departments in the US. And while he is an advocate for police pay and benefits, he has also been a moderate voice in the broader realm of negotiating tactics.
Link to York's article: Lessons from Vallejo http://rjynegotiator.blogspot.com/2012/09/lessons-from-vallejo
You can find other interesting and insightful articles on York's website: http://rjynegotiator.blogspot.com/
Ron York Vista Vallejo residents get Reprieve
Blighted Trailer Park puts residents at risk of homelessness, creates eyesore
By Marc Garman 2/15/13
The decay along Benicia Road in unincorporated Vallejo nearly caused the residents of the Vista Vallejo Trailer Park to be displaced today on short notice. Building inspectors from Solano County arrived at 1 pm to inspect for major electrical code violations and possibly shut off power to the entire facility. Without power, residents would be required by law to leave a premises deemed uninhabitable.
The Vista Vallejo park is home to families, low income, handicapped and elderly residents with few options. Fortunately for the residents, county officials did not deem it necessary to discontinue electrical service...for now. A reprieve that is likely to be temporary.
The park, located at 1161 Benicia Road has long been an eyesore. Aging trailer homes, crumbling wood frame structures and numerous code violations have caused the California State Department of Codes and Standards to suspend operating permits for Vista Vallejo. Residents have not paid rent for months; no permit to operate makes it illegal for landlord Ray Barnes to collect rent. But where has Barnes been as his property crumbles into dust leaving his tenants in peril? Nowhere to be found apparently. Barnes was not present today, and has been unreachable according to residents; although, two legal representatives were present today.
Where are you Ray Barnes? Do you care? The horrible condition of YOUR property has put residents in a bind, cost the taxpayers who knows how much money as county, city and state officials run around trying to figure out what to do.
According to a letter (given to VIB by tenants) dated December 4, 2012 a new property manager Michael Gong has been hired to “improve conditions.” An attempt to reach Gong via telephone yields a recorded message from the law offices of Gong and Castillo. The prompt instructs the caller to press zero to leave a message, which results in the message being played again followed by the recommendation that the caller press zero to leave a message...and so on, and so on ad infinitim.
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