This is a glaring example of a missed opportunity to reach beyond the City borders and to encompass the entire Santa Clarita Valley. After all, much of the City of Santa Clarita’s leadership envisions only one large City for the Santa Clarita Valley. Most, if not all, of the current City leadership is vehemently against any attempt or even a discussion of a second City being formed in the Valley.
That makes it even more puzzling as to why that leadership continues to have a selfish, myopic view of the Santa Clarita Valley. This has been evidenced by Santa Clarita City Council member’s publicly stating that they only care about their “own constituents”.
In other words the current City leadership does not care whatsoever about the neighboring unincorporated communities; they are not interested in building any kind of unity or even acting in a neighborly manner.
This has been a common theme for many years. This can be seen recently in the City’s failed attempt to name the shop local campaign “THiNK Santa Clarita” instead of being inclusive and calling it “THiNK Santa Clarita Valley”. Ultimately the inclusion of “Valley” was overwhelmingly supported by the majority of those attending the planning meeting.
That was a seminal moment; to see the City not get its’ way in the THiNK Santa Clarita Valley campaign meeting. You could sense that the City’s lack of control over the naming of the shop local campaign actually weakened its’ grip. Some of those attending were and are starting to see that City has not been exercising very good judgment when it comes to unifying the Santa Clarita Valley.
The latest example is not making the City Arts Commission a Valley-wide organization that is inclusive of its neighbors. This would have been a very smart thing for the City to do in an effort to build a better, more neighborly relationship with the unincorporated communities. It also would have been more beneficial to the entire Santa Clarita Valley arts community to have one valley-wide Arts Commission.
Any procedural obstacles to having a Valley-wide Arts Commission would have been surmountable if the City was willing to do so.
Instead, the new City Arts Commission will be filled by one appointment from each of the five Santa Clarita City Council members. The press release, “City accepting apps for Arts Commission Positions”, announcing that the City was accepting applications for the Arts commission positions was merely to feign a fair process; get a bunch of applications then pick the person you were going to appoint all along!
There is no doubt that those chosen will be for political reasons only and not whether they actually care about the arts or not. Sure, a few will have some legitimate art background, but the appointments will be thanks for political support and nothing more. The appointees will be told what outcome the City leadership wants on various issues and the local charade goes on.
Note to self: Stop trying to be an idealist! This is how commissions are filled all over the country. If everyone else is doing it than the neophyte-politicians in SCV need to follow suit. There is no reason why they should be trailblazers or visionaries!!!
Okay, smart guy, what would you do? Well, if I put on my Burger King crown, here is what I would have done with the Arts Commission. First and foremost, I would have partnered with the County to create an Arts Commission for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. The Arts Commission would have seven (7) members; five members appointed by the City of Santa Clarita and two members appointed by the County. The Arts Commission would still be left as part of the City because that would make complete sense to have local control.
As I stated earlier, any procedural obstacles to having a Valley-wide Arts Commission would have been completely surmountable if there was a willingness to do so.
If the Arts Commission was created this way it would have been a tremendous benefit for the entire Santa Clarita Valley. It would have reduced duplication of efforts; it would have focused even more resources, which is much more efficient; and it would have gone a long way in building better relations across the political spectrum of our Valley.
Note to self: Stop dreaming! A joint valley-wide Arts Commission was suggested early on to several City Council members and it fell on deaf ears. That is further evidence that there needs to be new leadership elected into the City of Santa Clarita.
Instead it is just another missed opportunity by the City of Santa Clarita.
Dave Bossert- Commentary
Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.