January 24, 2006 > Letter to the editor: Bay Street Revisited

I really enjoy your Opinion piece. Thank you for taking the time to construct such well thought out work. Inarguably, the balanced clarity you shine upon the key issues facing Fremont helps all of its citizens to understand the most pressing topics void of common political positioning.

Your most recent Opinion piece made me wonder why, after three downtown development plans, we still do not have a constructed downtown. Fremont gets an "A" in planning and a "F" in execution. There's a management saying that goes something like, "You lead people and manage things." Can anyone recall the last time Fremont had leadership that stood up and said, "Here are the top three major things we will focus on and accomplish over the next four years in the City of Fremont and this City Council is going to make it happen?"

In life, individuals tend to not set goals for themselves because they are afraid they will not achieve them. However, should we expect, and accept, this non-committal attitude from our city "leaders?" Don't we deserve leadership that will take on the proverbial big challenge and deliver it to fruition? I think the answer is obvious.

Even if the city identified three top priorities every four years and we only achieved one out of the three, I would be pleased. At this point I would prefer that the city fail itself to success over time, rather than just failing its citizens in general.

Steve Ornellas