Meet the Candidate: Cody Bass says trust and unity must be found in City Council

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

Today is the ninth and final candidate. Cody Bass gives his responses as he makes his first bid for 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. Absolutely. The handling of the recent changes in the city administration have been withheld from the public, Tom Watson, City Attorney and Nancy Kerry, City Manager. Irresponsible and wrong, against the intent of the Brown Act in my opinion. Why it may not rise to the level of a prosecutable crime, withholding the reason and keeping hearings in closed session is clearly wrong and shines light as to why the city leadership seriously needs to change. At the same time, I could see the real need for change within city administration, however the handling by the council has created more mis trust from our community to the City of South Lake Tahoe. When all sides want nothing exposed, it makes it seem that all are guilty, and with so many problems, most people have come to that conclusion.

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? My view is clear that mistrust of the current city is rampant. This comes from a common trend of a culture within the city of enforcement rather then embracement. The leadership has allowed a culture within the city that chooses winners and losers, rather than allowing a free market of innovative ideas to thrive, embracing those ideas and writing good policy to help them thrive while protecting our community. I would support a new culture within the city that embraces our local businesses and citizens, bringing community together of the people that raise family and live and work here day to day, instead of reaching outside of the basin as the city has commonly done over the past decade.

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? Money is not hidden, its been prioritized outside of the goals of the city that has always been presented to the people. The increases in the City Administration; City Manager, City Attorney, and Development Services from 2015 through today are unprecedented. We have allowed the agenda of a few to prioritize redevelopment before our roads and fire stations. This is wrong and another clear failure, these cuts back to 2015 levels would free up the 3 million dollars for our public works director that he has stated is needed to adequately fix the roads.

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 believe that is the number one priority for a new council, and for each individual member of the council. We must find unity, we should fully understand that we won't agree on everything, however we must move on after disagreements and leave personal grudges behind, we must vote with our conscious belief not tied to personal agendas or grudges.

5. Tell us why you should be elected. I should be elected because I put my community first and will bring a fresh new perspective to the council. I have a genuine love for the land and the people that make up South Lake Tahoe. I will always give my best thought with the highest integrity, never bought by any outside interest.

6. What qualifications do you have to win a seat on City Council?
My character and the values I live by; creativity, honesty, and compassion. I have successfully opened and continue to operate multiple businesses throughout my business career, managing hundreds of people at times. As the executive I have been responsible for most every business aspect along with advocacy effort, this experience gives me a perspective from a business owner’s view and will help me throughout my decision making process to ensure the council is supporting local business owners. I have been elected twice to serve on The National Cannabis Industry Association. I have been involved thoroughly with the council over the past decade and understand the issues along with the history of the events that brought us here over the past decade.

7. If elected, what would you like to see in the City over the next four years? Unified leadership would be the first priority and most immediate need of the council in my opinion. Once a council accomplishes common respect between one another we will accomplish great things together. We must prioritize our budget to align with the priorities of the city, Public Safety and Roads. Directing the increases in City Administration over to Public Works. I would like to see an overall shift in the Culture of the city, were the city works with existing businesses and properties rather than court corporations to build businesses where the corporate headquarters exist outside our City. Work to bring world class Music, Film, Food and Wine, and Gem and Mineral festivals to South Lake Tahoe, along with the creation of an Olympic Committee to support bringing the next Winter Olympics brought to the United States, happen in our region.

8. Does the City need an economic and/or housing development department? Why? Not until we have fully funded our public works and fire department. We then must analyze what the full time position could accomplish. I believe policy must be created on the issues so the position would have a direction and goals to focus on. We should work with the TRPA and see if they have the capacity to help as they would need to approve any new housing projects this position would be working on.

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. At this point the voters will decide, and I believe that is due to the failure of the current council to find compromise between both sides. The job of the council is to bring both sides together and find middle ground, it should have never gotten this far. I believe that the vote will be close, and if so that calls for the real need of the council to find the compromise and quite picking winners and losers around the issue. If close to half the voters say they would like it to be limited that calls the council’s attention to find the compromise. I don’t believe more rules on our local people, especially those that have outrageous fines, or requirements that cost substantial amounts of money, should not be mandated on our local citizens, especially outrageously high fines.

10. Do you favor a strong mayor city? Why? Yes I do favor switching the city charter to a Strong Mayor. Why is so the executor of our city has accountability to the people. This would allow an elected mayor that the voters decide. That has the ability to hire and fire all department heads. This would allow that person to build the city staff from the perspective of a local person with roots in our community. With the current charter our city hires a city manager who has zero accountability to the people, the top boss of the city, only has to appease three council members and she is free to rule the city. Strong Mayor would allow the character of the elected Mayor to spread throughout the culture of the city. I have faith in my fellow citizens that we would have many qualified candidates for the Mayor’s office and would have far more integrity within the city staff with this form of government. There are great examples in other small mountains towns with great results such as Park City.

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...

Devin Middlebrook - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/02/2018/meet-candidate-devin-middlebrook-says-transparency-and-tru...

Bruce Grego - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/03/2018/meet-candidate-bruce-grego-bring-fairness-and-honesty-council

Tamara Wallace - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/04/2018/meet-candidate-tamara-wallace-wants-city-concentrate-basic...

Tom Davis - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/05/2018/meet-candidate-tom-davis-promises-continue-be-fair-open-an...

Hal Cole - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/06/2018/meet-candidate-hal-cole-says-his-experience-and-calm-leade...

Make sure you get out and vote in the November 6 elections!