Meet the Candidate: Devin Middlebrook says transparency and trust are his key pillars

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Each of the nine candidates for City Council answered the same ten questions that were given to them by South Tahoe Now. For nine consecutive days the candidate's responses will be shared in the order received.

Today, the first-time candidate Devin Middlebrook gives his responses as he seeks a seat on the South Lake Tahoe City Council:

1. With recent changes in Senior Management at the City, is there anything you would have done differently, knowing what you know now? Please explain. As a council candidate, I was not in the closed session meetings that led to the departure of former city manager Nancy Kerry. Unfortunately, the voters will never know what happened in those meetings. The El Dorado County District Attorney found that “there were a few possible Brown Act violations in late 2017 and early 2018…” related to how the current City Council handled the situation with Nancy Kerry. One thing is clear, the current City Council failed to be open and transparent with the community about its actions.

This is only one recent example of the lack of trust the community has with the city. Transparency and trust are key pillars of my personal ethics. I am running for City Council to represent the community and will be upfront and honest about the decisions I make.

2. Do you feel there is some mistrust in local government? Why do you feel this way? Does this need to be changed and how do you suggest that change is made? There is a great amount of distrust with our current City Council due to their recent actions. The current City Council has failed to lead our community in a positive direction and have let personal agendas get in the way of progress. It is clear the community needs new leaders and diverse representatives that will work together and build bridges, not tear them down.

If elected I would work tirelessly to rebuild this lost trust with the community. I will be open, honest, and available for all community members. Rebuilding trust with the community will take time, concrete actions, and kept promises.

3. Many people say there is money hidden in the City budget that can be spent on roads. What is your budget experience and where will you find money for roads? City Council approved the 2018-2019 budget and it does not include any direct funding for reconstruction of our roads. To fully repair our roads, we would need around $3 million per year over the next 15-20 years.

The first step is to allocate existing funding to roads. City Council should put their money where their mouth is and fund roads. This is a step in the right direction but will not fully fund our present need. We need a long-term sustainable funding source to truly fix our roads.

Funding for our roads needs to come from three sources:
1. Allocating existing city funds to roads
2. Applying for state and federal grants
3. Creating a dedicated funding source for roads

If elected I would make funding our roads and transportation system a top priority, something the current council has failed to do. I believe if the city dedicates existing funding to roads and efficiently delivers needed road improvements, voters would be more open to approving additional funding sources. We must also look beyond our roads and fund our entire transportation system including transit and bike paths.

My personal budget experience includes managing projects with budgets of over $200,000.

4. Do you think you must trust your fellow councilmembers? If yes, what will you do to keep trust levels in tact? If no, please explain why. I think it is essential that all council members are open and honest with each other and put personal differences aside. Trust goes both ways and is something that must be earned. It takes all council members working together to build trust. As a councilmember, I will be professional, honest, hardworking, and transparent with the council, city staff, and community members. At the end of the day each councilmember is representing the community.

5. Tell us why you should be elected. Seven of the nine candidates have either served on council or run for council in the past. We need new ideas and diverse leaders to create a better future for Lake Tahoe. I am running for City Council because I love this community and want to see us thrive economically and socially.

The voters of South Lake Tahoe should elect me because I will bring new ideas, fresh leadership, professionalism, and diversity to the council. My vision for South Lake Tahoe is built on outdoor recreation and entrepreneurship. Creating a vibrant community with a diverse economy, year-round jobs, and housing for all. We need leaders with vision and passion to carry Tahoe forward, and that is what I bring to the table. Finally, for too long the city has been a barrier to progress, development, and the community. We need a council and city that promotes the great things happening in our community.

6. What qualifications do you have to win a seat on City Council?
Since moving back to Tahoe five years ago I have been very involved in the community. I am the sustainability program coordinator for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. In this role I have worked across the lake with many partners to support local communities and preserve our environment. I am also executive director of the Tahoe Regional Young Professionals. We have fostered a community of young professionals that are becoming the next generation of leaders.

Directly related to the city, I participated on the city's cannabis sub-committee. As a member of this group, we developed recommendations for the city’s cannabis ordinance. We developed our recommendations with the community in mind. The City Council adopted most of the recommendations. I also helped push the City Council to update their food truck regulations. City staff is now working to update this policy.

7. If elected, what would you like to see in the City over the next four years? If elected, I would like to make significant progress toward the following over the next four years;

• Support development of affordable housing projects
• Secure long-term funding for our roads and transportation system
• Invest in economic development and job creation
• Oversee the safe development of a local cannabis industry
• Support local arts, music, recreation, and entertainment
• Rebuild trust and transparency with City Council and community

To see more details about my goals for the next four years, visit www.middlebrookforcouncil.com

8. Does the City need an economic and/or housing development department? Why? Promoting economic development and supporting local housing should be at the core of everything the city does.

The city should have dedicated staff working to address economic development and housing in our community. I do not think the city needs a new department to accomplish this goal. This should be overseen by the existing Development Services Department. It also takes working across the region with a variety of partners to solve the complex challenges we face.

9. What should be done with VHRs? If they stay, do you support a cap and occupancy cap? Do you think VHRs fit residential zoning? Should some rules of VHRs go to full-time residents too, including bear box and no parking on dirt requirements? It is disappointing that the current City Council failed to reach a compromise and implement VHR regulations that protected our neighborhoods and supported our economy. The council also failed to make a decision when it was needed the most. The voters will now decide what happens with vacation rentals.

If Measure T does not pass, the City Council must re-evaluate their VHR ordinance. There needs to be stricter regulations, enforcement, and updated zoning to ensure residents aren’t negatively impacted and to preserve our tourist driven economy.

10. Do you favor a strong mayor city? Why? Five dedicated and passionate council members are needed to create a vibrant community and robust economy. A strong mayor system could potentially bring more accountability to our city leaders by having the voters directly elect a mayor that would have more control over day to day operations of the city. The goal of a strong mayor system would be to give voters more accountability over city leaders and attract more qualified candidates to run for office.

I think we can work within our current system to achieve these goals. If elected to council I would work to make council meetings more accessible for community members. I will bring critical issues forward and be held accountable for doing so. As a councilmember I would be open to any ideas to make our city work better and reflect the needs of the community.

For a look at the previous candidate replies:

Wendy David - http://southtahoenow.com/story/09/29/2018/meet-candidate-wendy-david-seeks-second-term-south-lake-ta...

Patrick Jarrett - http://southtahoenow.com/story/09/30/2018/meet-candidate-patrick-jarrett-would-see-south-lake-tahoe-...

Austin Sass - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/01/2018/meet-candidate-austin-sass-says-experience-key-serving-com...

On Wednesday, look for replies from Bruce Grego.