Betty Winholtz
Morro Bay City Council
| Website: | www.winholtzforcouncil2020.com |
| Facebook: | Betty Winholtz |
| Other: | votersedge.org |
| Why are you running for office?: | The City of Morro Bay is in dire need of a new direction and a new attitude if we are to remain a city. I have experience that can be of service to residents and businesses at this time. I have been involved in many volunteer positions within the community over the 34 years I have lived here. I am aware of the various smaller communities within the larger community called Morro Bay. I believe it is timely for me to step forward. |
| What makes you qualified for the job?: | I was a Morro Bay City Council Member 2002-2010. During that time the city council had to address the local effects of the Great Recession of 2007, the anticipated closing of the power plant, and the initiation of a new sewer plant. In 2020, the city is facing similar issues: a budget balanced on emergency reserve funds and the consequences of building a new sewer plant that has become a money pit. I know the city's institutional history as well as its workings. This background knowledge along with a will to uphold Morro Bay's community values should save time, so we do not have to "re-invent the wheel." |
| What are your two main priorities if you win?: | 1. Getting the General Fund budget in the black without relying on emergency reserve funds while preserving our local First Responders. 2. Putting a financial lid on the excessive spending for the sewer plant, revealing its current and anticipated costs to the residents, and implementing a less expensive way to have a sewer plant. |
| How will you interact with other governments?: | Cooperatively. I have served on the SLO County Water Resource Advisory Committee (WRAC), SLOCOG (SLO Council of Governments), and the Housing Trust Fund of SLO. Sharing stories and solving problems together is valuable. I have attended numerous CA Coastal Commission meetings as well as other State agencies' meetings. I lobbied our former Congresswoman Lois Capps on a few occasions. |
| What are your plans to help overcome COVID-19?: | The residents of Morro Bay feel strongly about the enforcement of masking and distancing. Half of our population is older to elder. I would continue to add to the openings as the governor allows with appropriate safety measures in place. |
| Which two issues are most important to you?: | Resolving and implementing the Vacation Rental ordinance sooner rather than later is important to all residential neighborhoods, as well as me. Resolving the vehicular congestion at the intersection of Hwy 41/Hwy 1/ Main Street in a safe way for pedestrians is crucial to me. |
