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City ignores its own policies
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Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
The general plan flood safety policy according to the Bulletin shows how much emphasis this city places on human lives by ignoring the policy they set to safeguard residents from becoming flood victims. Building on piers that are anchored on bedrock or on dirt berms is definitely a lot safer than building at the level of the flood plain.
This is a clear-cut example of how this council and councils of the past let developers off the hook in compliance with the city’s safety measures being adhered to. Mayor Steve DeBrum played a part in letting developers off the hook in ignoring the building safety measure. There are a number of homes in the floodplain south of the city with have smart owners, for they hauled in dirt to elevate their homes in the flood plain.
DeBrum is controlled by special interest that donates mounds of money to keep him in office. This campaign money is an insurance policy to let them off the hook for things they don’t want to comply with.
DeBrum encouraged everyone to rip out their grass to save water or just let it die in compliance to the city’s water policy. He passed rebates for stingy water using toilets and washing machines. He passed an ordinance requiring developers to plant vegetation that requires less water and to rock some of the lawn to reduce water usage. Since then developers were allowed to ignore this policy by installing full lawns and sprinkler systems.
No one complies with the parking of large campers in front of their homes for extended periods. Building in the floodplain, drought regulations and large camper parking are part of the “no” enforcement of policies by the council.

Fleenor Richards
Manteca