Accountability, Opportunity, and Community Impact

Service takes many forms in Elk Grove. This episode includes updates on Measure E fiscal oversight, efforts to evaluate sites for a permanent homeless shelter, and programs designed to empower residents—from CPR training to civic education through Elk Grove 101. We’ll also share how you can support local businesses and help celebrate outstanding volunteers by submitting Stars of Service nominations.

Rate, review and subscribe to the Elk Grove CityCast to get more information about the people, programs, and services shaping the City. 

Transcript

Kristyn Nelson: Thanks for tuning into the Elk Grove CityCast, the podcast about Elk Grove, California. I'm Kristyn Nelson, Elk Grove’s Public Affairs and Communications Manager. And with the help of artificial intelligence, we're rolling out new episodes that dive into the relevant topics, events, and happenings within our city.

We're using technology to provide you with new resources that will help you to stay informed and connect with the community at the time and with the tools that you prefer. So whether you have a passion for podcasts or print material, subscribe to social media or dig into digital. We want to be a source for local information that's valuable to you.

Now, without further ado, let me turn it over to our AI friends for a deeper dive into this week's topics. 

AI-leen: I wanna start today with a concept that's been kind of rattling around in my head since we got this source material. It's this phrase that just popped out at me. Civic hygiene. 

AI-den: Civic hygiene. Oh, that's, that's an interesting term. I mean, when you think hygiene, you're thinking, you know, brushing your teeth, washing your hands. Daily stuff. 

AI-leen: Exactly. It's the daily, the weekly, the, you know, the maintenance that keeps a body healthy. If you stop doing it, things just fall apart. So I wanna apply that to a city. We think of cities as these like static things, buildings, roads, just concrete. But really a city is a living organism and it needs hygiene.

AI-den: Okay. I see where you're going with this. It needs transparency to stay, you know? Clean, it needs blood flow, which would be the budget. 

AI-leen: Yes. 

AI-den: And it needs antibodies, which are the safety measures. 

AI-leen: And if I can stretch the metaphor a little bit more, it needs a conscious brain. It needs residents who aren't just living in the body like passive cells, but are like actively taking care of it. 

AI-den: That's a really strong framework. 

AI-leen: Yeah. 

AI-den: And it fits perfectly with what we're looking at today. We are doing a deep dive into the Elk Grove update. Mm-hmm. Now to a casual observer, this might look like, you know, a standard city PDF. It's got dates, some clip art meeting times, but when you actually read it, which is our job. It's basically a manual for how this community keeps its heart beating. 

AI-leen: It really is. We're gonna try and uncover the mechanisms of local governance in Elk Grove, right? We're not just reading a newsletter here. We're looking at transparency, specifically how money is watched. We're looking at social support systems for the most vulnerable, and maybe most interestingly, we're looking at how you, the listener, can stop just, you know, watching the city function and actually get your hands on the controls.

AI-den: That's the key. It's about moving from being a resident to being a citizen in the well, in the active sense of the word. 

AI-leen: I love that distinction. We're peeking behind the curtain of city hall because let's be honest, most of us just pay our taxes, hope the potholes get filled and you know, complain when the traffic's bad. But this update shows there is so much more going on, 

AI-den: So much more, and it really starts with the most fundamental thing between a government and its people. The money. 

AI-leen: Okay, let's get into it. Segment one, the money. Or I guess who is watching the money. The update talks a lot about Measure E, 

AI-den: Right. Measure E. So this is Elk Grove's general sales tax measure. Now, usually when people hear sales tax, they just think of the receipt and move on. Sure. But there's a nuance here that's really important. This is a general tax. 

AI-leen: Why does that distinction matter? I mean, a tax is a tax, right? 

AI-den: Well, not exactly. A lot of times cities pass special taxes and those are like legally locked boxes. If you pass a special tax for libraries, it can only be used for books and library roofs. You can't use it for police cars. But a general sales tax? Yeah, it goes into the big pot, the general fund, it relies on trust. The city promises to spend it wisely on essential services, but legally they have a lot of flexibility.

AI-leen: Which sounds a little scary. You know, if I give you 20 bucks and say, buy lunch, I know you're eating. If I give you 20 bucks and say, use this, generally, you might come back with a yo-yo or something. 

AI-den: Precisely. And that is why the oversight mechanism in this update is so critical to that civic hygiene you were talking about. It's called the Measure E Citizens Oversight Committee. 

AI-leen: Okay. But tell me, this isn't just a room full of bureaucrats staring at spreadsheets and stamping things approved. 

AI-den: It's actually not, and that's the really cool detail here. This committee. It isn't some faceless government bureau. It's made up of seven dedicated volunteers.

AI-leen: Seven. Just seven people. 

AI-den: Yep. They're appointed by the Mayor, sure. But they are residents. They are your neighbors effectively.

AI-leen: Wow. That feels surprisingly small for a whole city's tax measure. 

AI-den: It is, but it allows them to be focused. Their job is super specific. They review revenues, so how much money came in? They review expenditures where to go and. This is the part I think is most crucial. They evaluate the proposed budgets to make sure the spending matches community priorities. 

AI-leen: That's the civic hygiene part right there. It's scrubbing the budget to make sure it's clean and that it aligns with what people actually want.

AI-den: Exactly. It's the accountability loop, and they meet at least twice a year to do this. In fact, our source says this group just met like on Monday 

AI-leen: So this is hot off the press. 

AI-den: It is. They meant to review the draft annual report for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. So they are looking at the books like right now.

AI-leen: So what does that mean for me, the listener? Do we just, I don't know, trust they had a good meeting. 

AI-den: No, and that's the transparency part. They don't just meet in secret. Their work leads to an annual report that goes to the city council and then, and this the timeline you need to know, it goes public. 

AI-leen: Okay. So when do we get to see the report card? 

AI-den: March. We're on March 1st. The update says the report will be in the March April issue of the Citywide Newsletter. So if you live in Elk Grove, this isn't something you have to go hunting for on some, you know, obscure government website. It's gonna hit your actual mailbox.

AI-leen: That's actionable March 1st. Check the mail. It's basically the receipt for the city's shopping spree 

AI-den: In a way. Yeah, it's how a city builds accountability. It's easy to be cynical about taxes, but when you have a volunteer committee reviewing an independent audit and then mailing the results to your house. That's a system designed to build trust. 

AI-leen: Speaking of trust and moving to something, uh, a lot more tangible and frankly more sensitive. The update really dives into a major social issue, homelessness and the search for a permanent shelter location. 

AI-den: Yeah. This is where the rubber really meets the road for local government. It's one thing to talk budget lines, it's another to talk about a physical building for vulnerable people.  The context here is that Elk Grove is moving forward on this. They wanna develop a permanent shelter. 

AI-leen: And this has been a long process, I take it. This isn't something they just decided on yesterday.

AI-den: Oh, extensive. They've been searching for months. You have to balance zoning, you know, proximity to services, cost, community impact. All of it. And the update says they have finally narrowed it down to three possible locations, 

AI-leen: Three spots. Okay. Now, usually this is the part where people start yelling at each other on Facebook, the whole not in my backyard thing, 

AI-den: NIMBY Yeah, it kicks in hard, 

AI-leen: But the city is trying to get ahead of that, right? 

AI-den: They are. They're asking for feedback before they break ground, and that is so critical. You can't just drop a facility into a neighborhood without talking to people. That's how you destroy trust, and there's a major deadline coming up for that conversation.

AI-leen: Okay. Here's where it gets really important for you, the listener, if you have an opinion on this. And let's be real, everyone does. You need to mark your calendar for Tuesday, January 27th. 

AI-den: That's the last round of community meetings, Tuesday, January 27th. 

AI-leen: And where is this happening? 

AI-den: It's at District 56. That's at 8230 Civic Center Drive. It's their community hub and they've set it up to be pretty accessible, so they're two different times. 3 PM and 6 PM 

AI-leen: And I don't need to go to both, right? It's not a part one, part two. 

AI-den: No, no. The update is clear.  Each meeting has the same content. You just pick whichever one fits your schedule.

AI-leen: And what are they actually talking about? Is it just, here's the map, deal with it. 

AI-den: No. The point is to learn about the sites, yes. But also about shelter operations. How will it be run? Who is managing it? And, you know, how the project supports the whole community's needs. 

AI-leen: That focus on operations is key, I think because people aren't usually afraid of the building itself. Bricks don't do anything. They're worried about how it's managed. 

AI-den: Exactly. It's a chance to understand the how and the why, not just the where. It takes the mystery out of it, 

AI-leen: but what if I can't make it? You know, life happens, kid gets sick. I have to work late. Am I just out of luck? 

AI-den: Nope. And this is another great thing for accessibility. You can see all the info online and they have a shelter location survey you can take, so your voice can still be heard even if you can't be in the room. 

AI-leen: That's good to know. It feels like the city's really trying to open the doors on this. 

AI-den: It's pretty significant. I mean, so much frustration with local government comes from feeling like decisions are just made in a black box.

This is the opposite. This is, here are the three options. Please tell us what you think. 

AI-leen: Transparency, again, it's a theme. 

AI-den: It is the theme. 

AI-leen: Okay, so we've got the money, we've got the shelter. But let's say the listener is thinking, you know what? I wanna know even more. I wanna know how the whole machine works.

AI-den: Then this next bit is for them. It's basically a deep dive within our deep dive. 

AI-leen: It's called Elk Grove 101. I love that name. It sounds like a college course 

AI-den: Because it basically is, it's an immersive nine session course, 

AI-leen: Nine sessions. Whoa. That's a commitment. This is not a one-hour seminar with free coffee. 

AI-den: No. This is for people who really wanna move from being, you know, a passive observer to an informed participant. The goal is to engage, empower and enlighten. 

AI-leen: Engage, empower and enlighten. I like it. So what are they actually learning? 

AI-den: Pretty much everything. How the police department functions. Public works. So why are the roads designed that the way? Waste management. Code enforcement. Basically, if you've ever driven past something in your city and just wondered why. This course probably answers that. 

AI-leen: So who can sign up for this? Do I need a degree in public administration? 

AI-den: Not at all. The target is anyone 18 or older who lives or works in Elk Grove. That's it. 

AI-leen: Okay. Lay out the logistics. When does City Hall School start? 

AI-den: Classes? Start March 24th. And they run weekly on Tuesday mornings from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM 

AI-leen: Tuesday mornings. Okay, so that's, that is a bit of a hurdle if you work a traditional nine to five. 

AI-den: It is. It's definitely a commitment. But for retirees, students, business owners, people with flexible schedules. It's a really rare opportunity. It's also at District56, by the way, 

AI-leen: And I'm guessing I can't just show up on the first day. 

AI-den: No, there's a deadline. Space is limited. You have to register through the city's website, elk grove city.org, and you have to do it before February 8th.

AI-leen: February 8th, okay. That is coming up fast. 

AI-den: It is, but think about what you get. We complained about the city doing this or the city doing that. Elk Grove 101 is the city saying, come inside, see how it works. Understand the constraints we're under. 

AI-leen: It's kind of putting your time where your mouth is. If you're gonna critique the game, you should probably learn the rules first. 

AI-den: Precisely. Knowledge is the precursor to effective action. You can't fix a system you don't understand. 

AI-leen: Speaking of fixing things and shifting gears from civic health to actual physical health, this next part of the update, it just stopped me in my tracks.

AI-den: The CPR clinics? Yes. 

AI-leen: The Cosumnes Fire Department is running them. But before we get to the details, can we just talk about the statistic they use? It's, it's terrifying. 

AI-den: It is really sobering. According to the American Heart Association, nearly seven out of 10 US adults. They lack the confidence to act during a cardiac emergency.

AI-leen: Seven outta 10. So if I drop right now here in the studio, there's a 70% chance you're just gonna stand there and panic. 

AI-den: Well, I'd like to think I'd be okay, but statistically whoa. Yes. And that hesitation is what's so fatal. That gap between when someone collapses and when the paramedics arrive. That five or 10 minute window, that's where lines are lost.

AI-leen: That's the bystander effect, right. Everyone waits for someone else because they're afraid they'll mess it up. 

AI-den: Exactly. They're afraid of doing it wrong, or they think they have to do mouth to mouth, which you know, makes people uncomfortable. 

AI-leen: So what's the solution? How is the fire department breaking that fear?

AI-den: They're teaching hands-only CPR 

AI-leen: Hands-only. So no mouth to mouth. 

AI-den: No mouth to mouth. The science has evolved. Compressions are the most important part, just keeping that blood flowing to the brain. When you remove the breathing part, it just simplifies the whole process 

AI-leen: And the most amazing part of this, the update says it takes just 10 minutes to learn.

AI-den: 10 minutes. You can learn to save a life in less time than it takes to brew a pot of coffee. 

AI-leen: That's that low barrier to entry, high impact thing we're always looking for. The whole goal is to bridge that gap in those first critical minutes. 

AI-den: It empowers the community. Suddenly, you're not just a bystander, you're a potential first responder.

AI-leen: So where can people get this training? Is it expensive? 

AI-den: It's free. And it's drop-in, no appointment needed. 

AI-leen: I love free and drop-in. 

AI-den: They hold them on the last Saturday of the month from January all the way through May. And the next one is this coming Saturday, January 31st. 

AI-leen: January 31st. Where do we go? 

AI-den: Fire Station 73. That's at 9607 Bond Road and the time is from 10:00 AM to noon. 

AI-leen: 10 to noon. Fire Station, 73 Bond Road. Honestly, if you have 10 minutes this Saturday, there's really no good reason not to do this. 

AI-den: It's one of those skills you hope you never, ever have to use, but if you need it, it's the most valuable thing you'll ever know. It's another form of that community support we've been talking about. 

AI-leen: It really is. It's neighbor, helping neighbor literally stay alive. And speaking of neighbors, supporting neighbors. Let's talk about the local economy. The update pivots to something a little lighter. Still vital Valentine's Day. 

AI-den: Yes.

Economic health is part of civic hygiene too. If local businesses fail, the city loses its pulse, so the city is promoting the Elk Grove local E-gift card. 

AI-leen: Now I'm usually kind of skeptical of gift cards. Mm-hmm. They can feel a little impersonal, but this one's interesting because of the scope. 

AI-den: It covers over 110 participating businesses. We're talking restaurants, breweries, wineries, little boutiques. 

AI-leen: That's a huge network. So you buy one card and it works at over a hundred local spots. 

AI-den: Correct? You can find it at supportlocaleg.org. The whole idea is to keep those Valentine's dollars circulating inside the community instead of sending them off to some massive online retailer.

AI-leen: There’s an economic term for that, isn't there?

AI-den: The multiplier effect if you spend a dollar at a big online store. If that dollar's gone, it leaves the ecosystem. But if you spend it at a local brewery, the owner pays a local server who then buys lunch at a local sandwich shop. The money stays in the city's body.

AI-leen: It keeps the blood flowing. 

AI-den: Exactly. It's loving your city financially. 

AI-leen: And there's one final way to love your city mentioned in the source, which kind of brings us full circle to that idea of volunteering 

AI-den: The stars of service. 

AI-leen: Yes. The 2026 Stars of Service Volunteer Awards. 

AI-den: Now the source says 2026. Which sounds like we're planning way, way ahead, but the nomination window is actually open right now. 

AI-leen: Why are we talking about 2026 then? 

AI-den: Well, these award cycles are often long to make sure they capture a full year or two of service. But the action is now, the purpose is to celebrate volunteers who improve the community's quality of life. Maybe it's someone you know from that Measure E committee or someone who helps out at the shelter, or 

AI-leen: Maybe someone who learns CPR and saved a neighbor's life. 

AI-den: Exactly. It's all connected. If you know someone, an individual, or a group, you can nominate them online, but you gotta watch the deadline. It's February 25th. 

AI-leen: February 25th. So don't wait until 2026 to nominate them. Do it now. 

AI-den: Correct. Do it while the good deed is fresh in your mind. 

AI-leen: Okay, let's zoom out. We have covered a lot of ground here. We've gone from tax audits to homeless shelters to CPR to gift cards. 

AI-den: It seems disconnected when you just list them like that, but it's not.

It's the whole ecosystem of a city. 

AI-leen: So let's just recap the to-do list for the listener because we promised actionable insights. 

AI-den: Alright, here is your civic hygiene checklist. 

AI-leen: Watch your mailbox around March 1st for that Measure E Tax report. Read it. It's your money. 

AI-den: Tuesday, January 27th, District56. Go to the shelter meeting, or at least take the survey online. That one's urgent. Third, if you are really curious, you have to register for Elk Grove 101 by February 8th, 

AI-leen: this Saturday, January 301st. Fire Station 73 Learn CPR. It takes 10 minutes. 

AI-den: Nominate a volunteer, you know, by February 25th. 

AI-leen: That is a solid concrete list. It's not just be a good citizen, it's specific steps you can take.

AI-den: And that's why this all matters. A city isn't just buildings, it's the sum of its informed, safe and engaged, reside. This Elk Grove update isn't just a newsletter, it's an invitation to participate in that sum. 

AI-leen: I love that. And here's the thought. I wanna leave you with something that hit me when we were talking about the 101 course and the Stars of Service Awards.

AI-den: Okay. What's that? 

AI-leen: We tend to think of heroes or volunteers as these special people who are just, you know, born that way, like they have a service gene. But I wonder if you took the time to do that Elk Grove 101 course, if you actually learned how the machinery works, would you be more likely to become the kind of person who wins a star of service award later?

AI-den: So, is knowledge the precursor to action? 

AI-leen: Exactly. Maybe the first step to saving the world, or at least your neighborhood, is just understanding how it all works. 

AI-den: I think that's a very safe bet. You can't fix the engine if you've never popped the hood. 

AI-leen: Something to think about. Thanks for diving in with us.

AI-den: Always a pleasure.

Kristyn Nelson: Thank you for listening to the Elk Grove CityCast. Tune in again soon for another deep dive into the news events and happenings around the City of Elk Grove. Like what we're doing? Please rate, review, and subscribe to the show to help spread the word to other audiophiles. Want more news before the next episode? Follow the City of Elk Grove on social media. You can find us on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Nextdoor. Or get our news delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for the city's weekly email update at elkgrove.gov. Thanks again for listening For the City of Elk Grove, I'm Kristyn Nelson.