'Careful Consideration of Candidates is Imperative': The Redlands Conservancy

The Redlands Conservancy, the non-profit group that bills itself as dedicated to protection and enhancement of community assets that have historical, architectural, and cultural significance, is hosting the next City Council candidates forum on Monday.

Six candidates are in the running for two slots on the council, and they are all expected to attend.

"Because the Redlands Conservancy works so closely with the city council and city staff on our projects, careful consideration of the candidates is imperative," Sherli Leonard, the conservancy's executive director, said Friday.

The council candidates forum is scheduled 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday Oct. 15 at Mission Gables Bowl House, just south of the Redlands Bowl, Leonard said. The forum is free and open to the public.

"The facility will hold 120 people," Leonard said in an email. "All six candidates have agreed to attend. The Conservancy moderator, Donn Grenda, will explain the process and present the questions. We will not take questions from the floor.

"We have alerted the candidates that we will ask them about specifics including the Mills Act, Certified Local Government, Transfer of Development Rights, the proposed Downtown Specific Plan, and the Parks and Open Space Plan (aka Emerald Necklace Plan) and the Open Space Element of the city's General Plan," Leonard said. "We have not sent the candidates the questions in advance."

Every registered Redlands voter will be able to vote for two council candidates on Nov. 6, according to the San Bernardino County Elections Office.

The candidates for Redlands City Council listed on the registrar's sample ballots are:

- Councilmember/business owner Pete Aguilar

- Small business owner Lane Schneider

- Fiscal analyst/businessman Mike Saifie

- Minister/businessman Don Wallace

- Retired accountant Pat Gilbreath

- Business owner Michael Layne

All six candidates took part in a forum Thursday night presented by the Redlands Chamber of Commerce.

The forum was held 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in council chambers at 35 Cajon St. It was raining Thursday night and the nationally-televised vice presidential debate overlapped with the council forum. Fewer than 50 people attended.

The Redlands Conservancy was founded in 1994. The group has maintained membership of more than 180 people since then, according to their website.

For more information about the Redlands Conservancy, visit www.redlandsconservancy.org. For more information about the Mission Gables Bowl House, visit www.redlandsbowl.com/mission-gables.

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