Berry out as Grand Terrace acting city manager
In closed session, the Grand Terrace City Council voted to terminate Steve Berry's employment as acting city manager. The vote was 4-0, with Jim Miller abstaining from the vote for legal reasons.
The council also voted to name city finance director Bernie Simon as the new acting city manager until a permanent one is selected in the fall.
In a read statement, Mayor Maryetta Ferre stated that the council's decision "is not intended to reflect on Steve Berry's integrity or skills."
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
{The Sun}
Grand Terrace City Council eliminates Berry as city manager candidate
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/15/2009 04:31:55 PM PDT
GRAND TERRACE - After more than three hours of closed-door discussions, the City Council on Tuesday night decided that Steve Berry will remain as the acting city manager until the city concludes its recruitment for a permanent city manager.
Berry, however, will not be hired as the permanent city manager, the council said.
"The council believes it is in the best interest of the city to limit the recruitment to outside candidates only to give a fresh perspective to the organization," according to a motion approved by the council.
The motion passed 4-0, with Councilwoman Bea Cortes abstaining.
"I had difficulties with the motion," Cortes said Wednesday. "Therefore, I felt I couldn't make a decision. That's all I can say."
Other council members said they could not elaborate on the reasons for their decision because of legal issues related to employee confidentiality.
Allegations recently surfaced that Berry embezzled city funds and filed false records in connection with a window-tinting arrangement involving a county jail inmate in 2002, according to sheriff's reports.
The inmate, John Carranza, was doing landscaping work for the city as part of his work release.
Berry is suspected of having Carranza and employees from his window-tinting business tint the windows of city buildings and Berry's personal vehicle in 2002 for profit when Carranza was supposed to be performing community service.
Berry said Carranza did not profit from his work for the city and did not tint the windows of his car. No criminal charges were filed against Berry and he was not disciplined at the time. Former City Manager Tom Schwab said he chose not to discipline Berry, who was then assistant city manager, to avoid bringing embarrassment to the city.
Berry became acting city manager in June 2008 after Schwab was hospitalized with a brain injury.Berry declined to comment on the council's decision to not consider him for the permanent city manager's job.
At Tuesday's meeting, he noted several accomplishments in the city over the past year, including the opening of the new senior housing complex and approval of a balanced budget.
"I've devoted the last eight years of my life to Grand Terrace," said Berry, who was hired as assistant city manager in 2001. "I look forward to the opportunity to move this city forward."
The city has received applications from nine candidates for the city manager's job, City Attorney John Harper said Tuesday. Applications are due Aug. 17. The council is expected to appoint a city manager in the fall.
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 07/15/2009 04:31:55 PM PDT
GRAND TERRACE - After more than three hours of closed-door discussions, the City Council on Tuesday night decided that Steve Berry will remain as the acting city manager until the city concludes its recruitment for a permanent city manager.
Berry, however, will not be hired as the permanent city manager, the council said.
"The council believes it is in the best interest of the city to limit the recruitment to outside candidates only to give a fresh perspective to the organization," according to a motion approved by the council.
The motion passed 4-0, with Councilwoman Bea Cortes abstaining.
"I had difficulties with the motion," Cortes said Wednesday. "Therefore, I felt I couldn't make a decision. That's all I can say."
Other council members said they could not elaborate on the reasons for their decision because of legal issues related to employee confidentiality.
Allegations recently surfaced that Berry embezzled city funds and filed false records in connection with a window-tinting arrangement involving a county jail inmate in 2002, according to sheriff's reports.
The inmate, John Carranza, was doing landscaping work for the city as part of his work release.
Berry is suspected of having Carranza and employees from his window-tinting business tint the windows of city buildings and Berry's personal vehicle in 2002 for profit when Carranza was supposed to be performing community service.
Berry said Carranza did not profit from his work for the city and did not tint the windows of his car. No criminal charges were filed against Berry and he was not disciplined at the time. Former City Manager Tom Schwab said he chose not to discipline Berry, who was then assistant city manager, to avoid bringing embarrassment to the city.
Berry became acting city manager in June 2008 after Schwab was hospitalized with a brain injury.Berry declined to comment on the council's decision to not consider him for the permanent city manager's job.
At Tuesday's meeting, he noted several accomplishments in the city over the past year, including the opening of the new senior housing complex and approval of a balanced budget.
"I've devoted the last eight years of my life to Grand Terrace," said Berry, who was hired as assistant city manager in 2001. "I look forward to the opportunity to move this city forward."
The city has received applications from nine candidates for the city manager's job, City Attorney John Harper said Tuesday. Applications are due Aug. 17. The council is expected to appoint a city manager in the fall.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
{The Sun 6/30/2009}
Grand Terrace launches radio station
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - Tired of talk shows and Top-40 hits?
Residents and people driving through the city can get a break from regular radio fare by tuning into "GT Radio AM 1640."
The city's radio station made its debut Tuesday with a recorded message telling listeners it is in the "testing phase."
In the near future, the message says, the station will broadcast information about street closures, road work and public events in Grand Terrace.
Licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, the station is operated out of the city's Emergency Operations Center behind City Hall.
The station can broadcast recorded and live noncommercial messages over a three to five-mile radius, allowing it to be heard throughout Grand Terrace and in parts of neighboring cities.
Acting City Manager Steve Berry said he got the idea for the station about three years ago when he attended a meeting with public officials from other cities regarding emergency services.
He found out Victorville set up its own AM radio system and presented the concept to the city's Emergency Operations Committee, which was receptive.
Berry said it cost $6,500 to get the station up and running.
The city got a $5,000 grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security. The Foundation of Grand Terrace donated another $1,500 to the Community Emergency Response Team, which gave the money to the city for the the station.
The station will offer digital recordings that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In the event of an earthquake or other emergency, the city can provide live programming for people to find out the location of evacuation centers and other important information.
"For a city our size, we are prepared for almost any type of emergency," Berry said.
The city also plans to post signs at city entrances promoting the station.
"I think it's a fantastic addition to our wonderful little city," said longtime resident JoAnn Johnson, a volunteer in the Emergency Operations Center.
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - Tired of talk shows and Top-40 hits?
Residents and people driving through the city can get a break from regular radio fare by tuning into "GT Radio AM 1640."
The city's radio station made its debut Tuesday with a recorded message telling listeners it is in the "testing phase."
In the near future, the message says, the station will broadcast information about street closures, road work and public events in Grand Terrace.
Licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, the station is operated out of the city's Emergency Operations Center behind City Hall.
The station can broadcast recorded and live noncommercial messages over a three to five-mile radius, allowing it to be heard throughout Grand Terrace and in parts of neighboring cities.
Acting City Manager Steve Berry said he got the idea for the station about three years ago when he attended a meeting with public officials from other cities regarding emergency services.
He found out Victorville set up its own AM radio system and presented the concept to the city's Emergency Operations Committee, which was receptive.
Berry said it cost $6,500 to get the station up and running.
The city got a $5,000 grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security. The Foundation of Grand Terrace donated another $1,500 to the Community Emergency Response Team, which gave the money to the city for the the station.
The station will offer digital recordings that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
In the event of an earthquake or other emergency, the city can provide live programming for people to find out the location of evacuation centers and other important information.
"For a city our size, we are prepared for almost any type of emergency," Berry said.
The city also plans to post signs at city entrances promoting the station.
"I think it's a fantastic addition to our wonderful little city," said longtime resident JoAnn Johnson, a volunteer in the Emergency Operations Center.
{The Sun}
Former Grand Terrace city manager admits he covered up embezzlement investigation in 2003
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - Former City Manager Tom Schwab says he covered up a potential scandal in 2003 by quashing a criminal investigation against then assistant city manager Steve Berry, who was suspected of embezzling city funds and filing false records.
Schwab said he declined to pursue criminal charges against Berry and work release inmate John Carranza in January 2003 because he wanted to avoid embarrassment to the city. Furthermore, he said, the investigation occurred during the 2002 municipal election.
"We have never had even one hint of scandal in our city's history, and to have our assistant city manager charged with embezzlement and falsification of documents, which is what they were recommending we charge him with, would have embarrassed the city," said Schwab. "I basically asked the sheriff's department not to pursue it. As it turns out, I think it was a mistake."
According to sheriff's reports, Berry was suspected of having Carranza and employees from his window tinting business tint the windows of city buildings and Berry's personal vehicle in 2002 for profit when Carranza was supposed to be performing community service.
Berry, however, said Carranza did not profit from his work for the city and did not tint the windows of his car. He said he offered to pay one of Carranza's employees to tint his car windows separately from the work being done for the city, but wound up getting the job done at a San Bernardino auto repair shop after Carranza's employee broke one of his windows.
Berry said he did not inform the Sheriff's Department, which administers the inmate work release program from the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, of what he and Carranza were doing.
"It was something we were doing internally. This was a painful lesson, and I learned not to repeat it," Berry said in an interview last week.
Investigation
A criminal investigation was launched in November 2002 when city officials suspected Carranza had been purchasing excess window tinting materials and tools on an open purchase order to benefit his window tinting business, Schwab said.
Berry was also suspected of defrauding the county by relaxing Carranza's work schedule and falsely marking his attendance sheets to indicate he had shown up for work on days he hadn't.
Berry said Carranza, who had been doing landscaping work for the city as part of his work release, learned the city was looking to have its windows tinted and offered to do the job at cost. He said Carranza complained that his talents were being wasted and that tinting the city's windows would better serve himself and the city.
Berry said he took Carranza up on the offer.
A purchase order account was opened in the city's name at a wholesale window tint company in Anaheim, where Carranza would travel to pick up supplies for the job.
Berry said he relaxed Carranza's work schedule because Carranza needed the flexibility in his schedule to do the job.
City maintenance worker Ruben Montano told sheriff's Detective Robert Morris in November 2002 that Carranza repeatedly failed to show up for work, but Berry falsely documented that Carranza had been showing up for work, according to one of Morris's reports.
Montano told Morris that other work release inmates had complained that Carranza had bragged to them that "he was being paid for his work in Grand Terrace."
Carranza told Morris he didn't profit one penny from his work for the city, and that he did it because he was a "nice person."
Carranza couldn't be reached for comment for this story.
In a Nov. 12, 2002 interview, Sandi Ah Sue, director of the city's child care center, told Morris that Berry had advised her that Carranza was going to tint the windows of the child care center, but Berry did not disclose Carranza was a work release inmate.
Carranza told Ah Sue that "he had tinted the windows in Tom Schwab's house and had tinted the windows on Berry's vehicle," according to Morris's reports.
Schwab said Carranza never tinted the windows of his home. He said an offer was made, but was declined.
In January 2003, Morris had county prosecutor Gary Bailey review the evidence to see what charges, if any, were warranted against Berry and Carranza. Morris did not provide the names of Berry and Carranza to Bailey, just the case information.
Bailey determined the evidence warranted charges of embezzlement, offering false instrument for record and corruption of record for Berry and a charge of receiving stolen property for Carranza.
Despite the evidence, Schwab, acting on behalf of the city, declined to pursue criminal charges, and the case was noted in Morris's report as "cleared by exceptional means."
Schwab said he never informed the City Council at the time of the investigation.
"I would imagine the City Council may have insisted that I fire (Berry) if the thing came to light, and I didn't want that to happen," Schwab said.
Schwab said his inclination at the time was to fire Berry, but Berry seemed genuinely remorseful and pleaded with him for a second chance.
City Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia, who was mayor in 2003, did not return repeated telephone calls seeking comment.
Political feud
Berry, who Schwab hired in September 2001, has been running the city since Schwab suffered a brain ailment - a subdural hematoma - in June 2008. Berry is now vying for a permanent appointment to the city manager's position.
But Schwab said he has fully recovered from his ailment and wants his old job back. He is accusing Berry of underhandedly maneuvering for the city manager's job while he was holed up in the hospital and at home.
"I found that Steve severely lacks a sense of ethics and integrity," said Schwab. "And I guess it should have been clear to me after he had done that, that he really doesn't have an ethical boundary that he's not willing to cross."
Berry says Schwab is being vindictive and indecisive, and has already negotiated an exit package with the city, which includes $177,000 in severance pay in addition to his retirement package.
"The ink isn't even dry on his $177,000 payout, and he's now decided to come clean about a mistake he made eight years ago," Berry said.
Berry believes the recent unearthing of the 7-year-old sheriff's investigation is an obvious attempt at assassinating his character. He said the alleged incidents that occurred in 2002 were a terrible mistake and a learning experience.
"I think the sheriff's report is not evidence of guilt. They do not determine guilt or innocence, the District Attorney makes that determination," Berry said.
Last year, Schwab doubted whether he could serve full time as city manager. In November, he told Berry he supported his bid for city manager. A month later, Berry moved into Schwab's office.
In December, Schwab entered into a six-month contract with the city as a part-time consultant for the city's 2009-10 budget.
In January, Schwab had a change of heart, and asked Berry to wait until his contract ended before taking over the city manager's position.
Schwab's contract with the city ends today.
But Schwab would rather continue his role as city manager, a position he held since 1989. The city has encouraged him to apply for the position and join a pool of candidates, including Berry, in a recruitment process now under way.
"What can I tell them in an hour interview that my 20 years of experience (as city manager) hasn't already shown?" Schwab said.
The deadline for filing applications is Aug. 17. Interviews will take place shortly thereafter, and the city should announce who its permanent city manager will be sometime in the fall, city attorney John Harper said.
If Berry isn't appointed permanent city manager, he may not have an old job to return to. He eliminated the assistant city manager job in order to balance the city's 2009-2010 budget.
Schwab, however, said that can be reversed.
"The City Council can reinstate that position just as quickly as they eliminated it," he said.
Meanwhile, Berry said he has to relive a 7-year-old nightmare he wishes would have stayed buried. He worries it will cost him his job and his reputation, and questions why it had to come to pass.
"I was never even charged. There is nothing in my employee file on it," said Berry. "I believe his (Schwab's) true motivation is to damage my reputation."
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - Former City Manager Tom Schwab says he covered up a potential scandal in 2003 by quashing a criminal investigation against then assistant city manager Steve Berry, who was suspected of embezzling city funds and filing false records.
Schwab said he declined to pursue criminal charges against Berry and work release inmate John Carranza in January 2003 because he wanted to avoid embarrassment to the city. Furthermore, he said, the investigation occurred during the 2002 municipal election.
"We have never had even one hint of scandal in our city's history, and to have our assistant city manager charged with embezzlement and falsification of documents, which is what they were recommending we charge him with, would have embarrassed the city," said Schwab. "I basically asked the sheriff's department not to pursue it. As it turns out, I think it was a mistake."
According to sheriff's reports, Berry was suspected of having Carranza and employees from his window tinting business tint the windows of city buildings and Berry's personal vehicle in 2002 for profit when Carranza was supposed to be performing community service.
Berry, however, said Carranza did not profit from his work for the city and did not tint the windows of his car. He said he offered to pay one of Carranza's employees to tint his car windows separately from the work being done for the city, but wound up getting the job done at a San Bernardino auto repair shop after Carranza's employee broke one of his windows.
Berry said he did not inform the Sheriff's Department, which administers the inmate work release program from the Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center, of what he and Carranza were doing.
"It was something we were doing internally. This was a painful lesson, and I learned not to repeat it," Berry said in an interview last week.
Investigation
A criminal investigation was launched in November 2002 when city officials suspected Carranza had been purchasing excess window tinting materials and tools on an open purchase order to benefit his window tinting business, Schwab said.
Berry was also suspected of defrauding the county by relaxing Carranza's work schedule and falsely marking his attendance sheets to indicate he had shown up for work on days he hadn't.
Berry said Carranza, who had been doing landscaping work for the city as part of his work release, learned the city was looking to have its windows tinted and offered to do the job at cost. He said Carranza complained that his talents were being wasted and that tinting the city's windows would better serve himself and the city.
Berry said he took Carranza up on the offer.
A purchase order account was opened in the city's name at a wholesale window tint company in Anaheim, where Carranza would travel to pick up supplies for the job.
Berry said he relaxed Carranza's work schedule because Carranza needed the flexibility in his schedule to do the job.
City maintenance worker Ruben Montano told sheriff's Detective Robert Morris in November 2002 that Carranza repeatedly failed to show up for work, but Berry falsely documented that Carranza had been showing up for work, according to one of Morris's reports.
Montano told Morris that other work release inmates had complained that Carranza had bragged to them that "he was being paid for his work in Grand Terrace."
Carranza told Morris he didn't profit one penny from his work for the city, and that he did it because he was a "nice person."
Carranza couldn't be reached for comment for this story.
In a Nov. 12, 2002 interview, Sandi Ah Sue, director of the city's child care center, told Morris that Berry had advised her that Carranza was going to tint the windows of the child care center, but Berry did not disclose Carranza was a work release inmate.
Carranza told Ah Sue that "he had tinted the windows in Tom Schwab's house and had tinted the windows on Berry's vehicle," according to Morris's reports.
Schwab said Carranza never tinted the windows of his home. He said an offer was made, but was declined.
In January 2003, Morris had county prosecutor Gary Bailey review the evidence to see what charges, if any, were warranted against Berry and Carranza. Morris did not provide the names of Berry and Carranza to Bailey, just the case information.
Bailey determined the evidence warranted charges of embezzlement, offering false instrument for record and corruption of record for Berry and a charge of receiving stolen property for Carranza.
Despite the evidence, Schwab, acting on behalf of the city, declined to pursue criminal charges, and the case was noted in Morris's report as "cleared by exceptional means."
Schwab said he never informed the City Council at the time of the investigation.
"I would imagine the City Council may have insisted that I fire (Berry) if the thing came to light, and I didn't want that to happen," Schwab said.
Schwab said his inclination at the time was to fire Berry, but Berry seemed genuinely remorseful and pleaded with him for a second chance.
City Councilwoman Lee Ann Garcia, who was mayor in 2003, did not return repeated telephone calls seeking comment.
Political feud
Berry, who Schwab hired in September 2001, has been running the city since Schwab suffered a brain ailment - a subdural hematoma - in June 2008. Berry is now vying for a permanent appointment to the city manager's position.
But Schwab said he has fully recovered from his ailment and wants his old job back. He is accusing Berry of underhandedly maneuvering for the city manager's job while he was holed up in the hospital and at home.
"I found that Steve severely lacks a sense of ethics and integrity," said Schwab. "And I guess it should have been clear to me after he had done that, that he really doesn't have an ethical boundary that he's not willing to cross."
Berry says Schwab is being vindictive and indecisive, and has already negotiated an exit package with the city, which includes $177,000 in severance pay in addition to his retirement package.
"The ink isn't even dry on his $177,000 payout, and he's now decided to come clean about a mistake he made eight years ago," Berry said.
Berry believes the recent unearthing of the 7-year-old sheriff's investigation is an obvious attempt at assassinating his character. He said the alleged incidents that occurred in 2002 were a terrible mistake and a learning experience.
"I think the sheriff's report is not evidence of guilt. They do not determine guilt or innocence, the District Attorney makes that determination," Berry said.
Last year, Schwab doubted whether he could serve full time as city manager. In November, he told Berry he supported his bid for city manager. A month later, Berry moved into Schwab's office.
In December, Schwab entered into a six-month contract with the city as a part-time consultant for the city's 2009-10 budget.
In January, Schwab had a change of heart, and asked Berry to wait until his contract ended before taking over the city manager's position.
Schwab's contract with the city ends today.
But Schwab would rather continue his role as city manager, a position he held since 1989. The city has encouraged him to apply for the position and join a pool of candidates, including Berry, in a recruitment process now under way.
"What can I tell them in an hour interview that my 20 years of experience (as city manager) hasn't already shown?" Schwab said.
The deadline for filing applications is Aug. 17. Interviews will take place shortly thereafter, and the city should announce who its permanent city manager will be sometime in the fall, city attorney John Harper said.
If Berry isn't appointed permanent city manager, he may not have an old job to return to. He eliminated the assistant city manager job in order to balance the city's 2009-2010 budget.
Schwab, however, said that can be reversed.
"The City Council can reinstate that position just as quickly as they eliminated it," he said.
Meanwhile, Berry said he has to relive a 7-year-old nightmare he wishes would have stayed buried. He worries it will cost him his job and his reputation, and questions why it had to come to pass.
"I was never even charged. There is nothing in my employee file on it," said Berry. "I believe his (Schwab's) true motivation is to damage my reputation."
{The Sun}
Grand Terrace Little League seeks field space
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - The city wants to step up to the plate for Grand Terrace Little League.
The City Council tonight will consider a proposal to let the league use city-owned land for two temporary playing fields.
If the council approves the idea, city staff members will come back at a later date with a formal plan, timeline and cost to build the temporary fields.
The Little League, which serves about 350 children ages 6 to 14, lost two of its three fields this spring.
In 2006, the city sold the two western fields of Pico Park to Colton Joint Unified School District. The fields sat on land that was part of the 67 acres needed for a new high school.
Construction started in April on the campus, called Grand Terrace High School at the Ray Abril Jr. Educational Complex. The school is expected to open in fall 2011.
The two fields at Pico Park were closed and demolished, forcing the league to finding other places to play.
"We want the city to help us acquire the fields to replace the fields we lost," said Russ Sulzmann, the league's softball representative. "We don't have a whole lot of resources as far as money and everything."
The city's Community Redevelopment Agency owns about five acres of vacant land directly north of the former Pico fields that could be used for playing fields on a temporary basis.
The city hopes the league can use the fields at the new high school once it opens. The earliest the Little League could play on the high school fields would be the 2012 season, city officials said.
Acting City Manager Steve Berry said the league has offered to help the city with donations of field equipment, temporary lighting and other services.
"This is a project that we're trying to involve the whole community and the league in," Berry said. "People need to step up and see what they can do to help create this field of dreams."
stephen.wall@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 386-3916
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - The city wants to step up to the plate for Grand Terrace Little League.
The City Council tonight will consider a proposal to let the league use city-owned land for two temporary playing fields.
If the council approves the idea, city staff members will come back at a later date with a formal plan, timeline and cost to build the temporary fields.
The Little League, which serves about 350 children ages 6 to 14, lost two of its three fields this spring.
In 2006, the city sold the two western fields of Pico Park to Colton Joint Unified School District. The fields sat on land that was part of the 67 acres needed for a new high school.
Construction started in April on the campus, called Grand Terrace High School at the Ray Abril Jr. Educational Complex. The school is expected to open in fall 2011.
The two fields at Pico Park were closed and demolished, forcing the league to finding other places to play.
"We want the city to help us acquire the fields to replace the fields we lost," said Russ Sulzmann, the league's softball representative. "We don't have a whole lot of resources as far as money and everything."
The city's Community Redevelopment Agency owns about five acres of vacant land directly north of the former Pico fields that could be used for playing fields on a temporary basis.
The city hopes the league can use the fields at the new high school once it opens. The earliest the Little League could play on the high school fields would be the 2012 season, city officials said.
Acting City Manager Steve Berry said the league has offered to help the city with donations of field equipment, temporary lighting and other services.
"This is a project that we're trying to involve the whole community and the league in," Berry said. "People need to step up and see what they can do to help create this field of dreams."
stephen.wall@inlandnewspapers.com (909) 386-3916
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
{last chance for soccer sign ups}
June 6th 9am to noonJune 15th 6pm to 8pm
$75
Both are at Pico Park.
There will be no Grand Terrace Days this year so these will be the last dates to sign up your kids.
If you have any questions please visit our website at gtsoccer.org
{movie in the park}
Friday June 26th
6:30pm
Richard Rollins Park
Seating is on a first come first serve basis so get there early.
Bring chairs, blankets and have a picnic. There will be booths open selling things as well.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
{City Manager?}
Tuesday May 26th
5:30pm
This Tuesday the City Council will be voting on whether or not Tom Schwab will be eligible to be in the running for City Manager. If you would like to show your support come to the meeting this Tuesday.
As many of you know Tom would like his job back but it is up to the city council members to decide whether or not he can have it or not.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
{City Cancels Grand Terrace Days}
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
GRAND TERRACE - The city's signature community event has been canceled this year, a casualty of the economic crisis.Grand Terrace Days parade and festival had been held every June since 1984.But the corporate sponsorships the city relies on to put on the event dried up this year, officials said."If this was subsidized by the city, we could still have gone forward with it," said acting City Manager Steve Berry."Unfortunately, it was not something that was funded in the budget."The city has an events committee made up of service groups and community leaders that decided to cut back on major events because of the economy."This is a one-time thing, we hope," Mayor Maryetta Ferre said."Hopefully when the economy picks up, we can do it again."Grand Terrace Days, which celebrated the city's 30th anniversary, cost about $40,000 last year, Berry said.While the city doesn't budget any money for the event, employees who work that day get overtime pay, Berry said.He said the city is working with community groups to put on a smaller-scale event Sept. 12 at Richard Rollins Community Park.Officials are planning a pancake breakfast, car show, concert in the park and possibly a parade that day.
GRAND TERRACE - The city's signature community event has been canceled this year, a casualty of the economic crisis.Grand Terrace Days parade and festival had been held every June since 1984.But the corporate sponsorships the city relies on to put on the event dried up this year, officials said."If this was subsidized by the city, we could still have gone forward with it," said acting City Manager Steve Berry."Unfortunately, it was not something that was funded in the budget."The city has an events committee made up of service groups and community leaders that decided to cut back on major events because of the economy."This is a one-time thing, we hope," Mayor Maryetta Ferre said."Hopefully when the economy picks up, we can do it again."Grand Terrace Days, which celebrated the city's 30th anniversary, cost about $40,000 last year, Berry said.While the city doesn't budget any money for the event, employees who work that day get overtime pay, Berry said.He said the city is working with community groups to put on a smaller-scale event Sept. 12 at Richard Rollins Community Park.Officials are planning a pancake breakfast, car show, concert in the park and possibly a parade that day.
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