Tehachapi News

larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view larger view

The Tehachapi News invited a variety of local business and community leaders to share their predictions for the New Year. This is what your neighbors had to say about 2009.

Q: What changes do you predict for Tehachapi in the coming year, and why? What are you planning to do to bring about change?
Editor’s note: these answers have been edited for clarity and space.

Jeff Duff, Vice President Airstreams, LLC, AMC, ATS
With the increased focus on energy independence and a new administration focused on job creation, I believe Tehachapi will see significant growth in green jobs and once again capture the attention of the renewable energy sector as a pioneer.

Airstreams Renewables, Inc is planning on breaking ground with its state of the art renewable energy education and training center [to train wind technology technicians]  located at the north end of town. We are excited to be a part of the energy independence solution by helping to train and educate the work force that will be responsible for taking our city and country into a new era of energy creation.

Alan J. Burgess, CEO, Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District
Health reform will be stalled with no real progress in the next year. The economy and corporate (and states’) requests for federal bailout  cash will leave no money for healthcare reform.

The insurance industry isn’t asking for a bailout. It controls healthcare costs and has the most to lose if real healthcare reform were to happen.
In 2009, the new Tehachapi Hospital will continue slow, measured and deliberate progress towards a replacement facility that will provide the services locals need and deserve.

The community will come together as it did after losing the Railroad Depot to ensure that an appropriate replacement hospital is funded and built before the Dec. 31, 2012 seismic deadline [imposed by the California Legislature to ensure earthquake safety of healthcare facilities].

Proposition 8 will most likely be challenged in and overturned by the California courts. I believe that the supporters, representing the will of the majority of California voters will prevail upon appeal and, in the final balance, the will of the voters will be upheld by the courts, including the US Supreme Court, if necessary.

Linda Costelloe-Clough, Broker-co-owner, Town & Country Real Estate
I predict that 2009 will be a slow year in real estate for Tehachapi’s market. With more and more foreclosures inundating our housing market the market will become saturated with "bank owned" properties, making it harder  for the "seller owned" properties to sell. The market will be saturated with such low comparable sales prices, that appraisers will be hard pressed not to use the foreclosures for comps when appraising properties.

On a positive note, a slower housing market makes the real estate industry and its professionals really put their thinking caps on to get your property sold.

I believe after we get through 2009, we should start 2010 off with a bang. Foreclosures will become a thing of the past and our prices will start to rise again, increasing the equity many homeowners need to sell their home. So sit tight in 2009 if you really don't have to sell, and enjoy living in our wonderful community of Tehachapi just one more year.

Greg Garrett, City Manager
Tehachapi is an ever changing place. It seems even more so in the past few years. I expect that in the coming year we will continue to grow together as a community.

The budding partnerships that have begun to form will mature and become strong forces to further enhance the way of life for our residents and businesses.

I expect that we will work hard as staff to continue the progress that we have made in infrastructure, planning, transportation, safety and quality of life.

I believe that we will have a wonderful centennial year in which our community can remember the good and bad times from the last 100 years and also look forward with hope to the coming century of incorporation. Much has changed in the last 100 years that is worth celebrating and we will be doing that at our annual Hotdog Festival and again on the city’s birthday, Aug. 13, 2009. 

It’s difficult to say how I will bring about change. I can say that I, and my staff, will continue to find new and better ways to accomplish our goals. We will employ the latest technologies, techniques and policies to grow stronger and even more fiscally sound as an organization. We will focus on finishing the city’s General Plan update so that as inevitable change does occur, we can guide those changes and use them to our benefit. 

Marty Pay, Broker, Farmers Insurance
One of the great things about our community and Americans as a people is our ability to adapt to change and grow with it. We are in a period when how we do business will change dramatically because of the Internet and our current recession.

For my office, we're committed to grow and change with the new methods of doing business. Service will always be priority number one and we are constantly figuring out ways to do what we do better. I'm excited about the future.

Marybeth Garrison, Golden Hills Community Services Director
The greatest change will come from the clear realization that each Tehachapi Valley community needs the others. None of us are islands. We must continue to communicate and collaborate to address the concerns of our residents. Public-private partnerships will become more important than ever. That simple shift in focus will be the catalyst to making good things happen.

While I don't believe in change simply for change’s sake, I do believe that change is often the cornerstone to better communities. That said, positive civic change doesn't just happen, it takes hard work. I plan on being in the middle of that work,  helping to activate the changes we need.