Category: Uncategorized

Open Letter to Colton District 4 Constituents By Councilman John Echevarria When first elected, I promised you my integrity, earnest engagement, and advocacy on your behalf. As I sought your support, I advocated, “City employees should be assertive and inclined to help all our residents, visitors, and business owners. In order to be effective, we must make ourselves approachable and available at any time. Community issues and concerns should be our top priority.” Recently, I’ve received numerous complaints from you regarding two specific matters affecting us. 1. Senior Discount Rate for Disposal Services On July 16, 2024, Council Members Toro, Chastain, and I (the majority) approved an extension of our Disposal Services Contractor’s (CR&R) contract over the strenuous objections of opposing members. Among other demands, we insisted on the inclusion of reduced senior rates and a Community Services Officer (CSO) position to supplement disposal-related resident/contractor complaints and issues. CR&R, without hesitation, readily agreed to both. Those who opposed the measure then contacted the press and viciously attacked me and my family—just for fighting for seniors. While I was visibly upset, in the end, I shielded

 The City of San Bernardino has announced that it will be receiving $2,946,150 from Caltrans to construct raised street medians on a 3.5 mile stretch of E Street between Fairway Drive and 10th Street. The competitive grant, awarded to the City in partnership with Omnitrans, is part of the State’s Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). “This median project will directly improve vehicle, bus, and pedestrian safety along E Street in San Bernardino,” said Mayor Helen Tran, who also sits on the Omnitrans Board. The E Street corridor has been identified as high-risk using accident data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System.  Between March 2019 and March 2024, the E Street corridor from Fairway Drive from 10th Street experienced 110 accidents, including two fatalities. The Federal Highway Administration found the installation of a raised median is effective in reducing the overall crash frequency by about 25% and reducing pedestrian-related crashes by 36% by physically separating opposing directions of traffic and restricting dangerous turning maneuvers, which are both prevalent on E Street. A similar City of San Bernardino project installed in 2019 along Hospitality Lane