From Daily Republic // July 26, 2005
By Ian Thompson
SUISUN CITY - Suzanne Bragdon was looking to work in a city facing fiscal challenges and economic opportunities.
She found that in Suisun City.
"There is the opportunity here to bring in new investment and that is exciting," Bragdon said, during a Monday visit to meet with city leaders.
Bragdon, 46, was named Suisun City's city manager last week with city councilmembers lauding her experience with economic development and her resourcefulness for improving the cities' finances.
Recruiters hired by the City Council to find a replacement for Steve Baker, who departed in December, approached Bragdon "because they knew I wanted to work in a city with challenges," she said.
At the time, Bragdon was economic development consultant for the small city of Grover Beach. Prior to that, she served as city manager for Pismo Beach and assistant city manager in Napa.
Bragdon and the City Council still have to tidy up several small details on her contract. She is expected to start work on Sept. 1.
Specific general fund issues such as what to do about public safety, which now partly relies on the Solano County Sheriff's Department, will have to wait until she gets settled in her job.
Her first impressions of Suisun City center on its downtown and waterfront which she described as very attractive.
Bragdon said she is impressed with the City Council saying it understands the policy role and that her relationship with the members will be a nice partnership.
Her first task will be getting a permanent management team together, finding people to fill at least three city positions now filled with interim department heads.
With lower-than-average executive salaries, she said the city will have to "get creative" to bring in good talent.
City worker morale also needs to be boosted in the wake of repeated budget cutbacks and stagnant salaries brought on by the city's fiscal problems.
"There are things you can do for morale that doesn't cost money," Bragdon said.
Bragdon lauded the city's redevelopment efforts as the bright spot that has a very good chance to pull the city through, especially with plans for a Wal-Mart just west of Old Town and the Main Street West redevelopment campaign.
"The city has a strong redevelopment agency and the city has property they own," Bragdon said of what she considered a strong foundation for economic revival.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
Suzanne Bragdon
Age: 46.
Experience: Economic development consultant for city of Grover Beach; Pismo Beach city manager; Napa assistant city manager; Ralph Anderson & Associates management consulting firm.
Education: Magna Cum Laude in political science, University of Washington.
Family: Husband Kirk and 13-year-old daughter Stephanie.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Plan seeks to clear Suisun railroad
From Daily Republic // July 26, 2005
By Barry Eberling // Staff Writer
SUISUN CITY -- Passing trains can cause some rush-hour traffic chaos on Sunset Avenue.
Down go the crossing gates over the Union Pacific tracks. Vehicles on Sunset Avenue back up past the nearby northern Railroad Avenue intersection. Meanwhile, drivers are trying to turn between the two streets.
"People tend to do things that sometimes are not entirely safe," interim Community Development Director Gerald Raycraft said.
Suisun City thinks it has the solution: Relocate the Railroad Avenue intersection. It is planning to do this and a series of related projects in phases at a total cost of $6 million.
The Planning Commission is to discuss the environmental study for the project (Tuesday July 27, 2005) [Note: The Commission approved the environmental documents for the project.]
Railroad Avenue is a key Suisun City street. For the most part, it parallels the Union Pacific railroad tracks at the border of Suisun City and Fairfield.
People traveling on Railroad Avenue the length of the city cannot do so withough traversing a short section of Sunset Avenue. They'll hit a T-intersection at Sunset Avenue, then drive along Sunset Avenue to a second T-intersection.
It would be better to have Railroad Avenue simply cross Sunset Avenue at the southern intersection, then jog north along a new alignment, city officials decided. Then that northern T-intersection near the railroad tracks would no longer be needed.
Suisun City also wants to widen Railroad Avenue from the Laurel Creek channel to Humphrey Drive. It wants to delete the Railroad Avenue/East Tabor Avenue intersection and push Railroad Avenue through to Olive Avenue, which leads to East Tabor Avenue.
Finally, it wants to widen sections of Sunset Avenue and Olive Avenue near the railroad tracks.
Suisun City plans to make the improvement in three phases. The $2.5 million to $3 million first phase is realigning Railroad Avenue at Sunset Avenue. No construction is planned for this year.
Suisun City received several letters commenting on the project environmental study.
The state Department of Fish and Game noted there is potential for the protected vernal pool fairy shrimp and alkali milk vetch plant to exist in the area. These species are associated with vernal pools.
A vernal pool exists south of Railroad Avenue near Blossom Avenue, the city responded. The first option is to avoid the pool. If that's not possible, the city could preserve wetlands elsewhere.
Some property owners have expressed concern about how the realignment will effect their land.
Suisun City has planned the realignment of Railroad Avenue since 1996.
Reach Barry Eberling at beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
By Barry Eberling // Staff Writer
SUISUN CITY -- Passing trains can cause some rush-hour traffic chaos on Sunset Avenue.
Down go the crossing gates over the Union Pacific tracks. Vehicles on Sunset Avenue back up past the nearby northern Railroad Avenue intersection. Meanwhile, drivers are trying to turn between the two streets.
"People tend to do things that sometimes are not entirely safe," interim Community Development Director Gerald Raycraft said.
Suisun City thinks it has the solution: Relocate the Railroad Avenue intersection. It is planning to do this and a series of related projects in phases at a total cost of $6 million.
The Planning Commission is to discuss the environmental study for the project (Tuesday July 27, 2005) [Note: The Commission approved the environmental documents for the project.]
Railroad Avenue is a key Suisun City street. For the most part, it parallels the Union Pacific railroad tracks at the border of Suisun City and Fairfield.
People traveling on Railroad Avenue the length of the city cannot do so withough traversing a short section of Sunset Avenue. They'll hit a T-intersection at Sunset Avenue, then drive along Sunset Avenue to a second T-intersection.
It would be better to have Railroad Avenue simply cross Sunset Avenue at the southern intersection, then jog north along a new alignment, city officials decided. Then that northern T-intersection near the railroad tracks would no longer be needed.
Suisun City also wants to widen Railroad Avenue from the Laurel Creek channel to Humphrey Drive. It wants to delete the Railroad Avenue/East Tabor Avenue intersection and push Railroad Avenue through to Olive Avenue, which leads to East Tabor Avenue.
Finally, it wants to widen sections of Sunset Avenue and Olive Avenue near the railroad tracks.
Suisun City plans to make the improvement in three phases. The $2.5 million to $3 million first phase is realigning Railroad Avenue at Sunset Avenue. No construction is planned for this year.
Suisun City received several letters commenting on the project environmental study.
The state Department of Fish and Game noted there is potential for the protected vernal pool fairy shrimp and alkali milk vetch plant to exist in the area. These species are associated with vernal pools.
A vernal pool exists south of Railroad Avenue near Blossom Avenue, the city responded. The first option is to avoid the pool. If that's not possible, the city could preserve wetlands elsewhere.
Some property owners have expressed concern about how the realignment will effect their land.
Suisun City has planned the realignment of Railroad Avenue since 1996.
Reach Barry Eberling at beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
New city manager has a flair for drama
From Vacaville Reporter // July 21, 2005
By Tom Hall/Staff Writer
At City Hall in Suisun City, dramas may occasionally unfold, but with the town's new city manager, they often do. She's a screenwriter in her spare time.
The City Council unanimously approved Tuesday the hiring of Suzanne Bragdon as the new city manager, a position currently occupied on an interim basis by David Martinez.
Along with a 25-year career in civic management and consulting, Bragdon will bring her writing talents to the city.
Bragdon has recently dabbled in screenwriting, and her first screenplay - a drama titled "Crossing the Line" - was a finalist in Miramax Studios' 2004 Open Door Contest.
Bragdon said she expects to start her day job as Suisun City's top executive on Sept. 1, focusing first on improving the city's financial standing, filling key staff positions and furthering the city's redevelopment efforts.
Bragdon has served in the past as the city manager for Pismo Beach, as well as the economic development consultant for the central California city of Grover Beach. She was also an assistant city manager for Napa for seven years and spent 16 years in the private sector.
Suisun City has been looking for a new top executive since December 2004, when then-City Manager Steve Baker announced his resignation.
The details of Bragdon's contract are still being worked out and will have to be ratified by the council, city public information officer Scott Corey said in a press release.
Bragdon said Wednesday that the city's troubled financial situation has to be a top priority.
"You have to be financially viable to do the fun things," Bragdon said.
She said the challenges within Suisun City's government drew her to the job, adding that she turned down a job offer with another city because it seemed too hum-drum.
"I was looking for a city where there'd be challenges and exciting goals," Bragdon said.
Tom Hall can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
By Tom Hall/Staff Writer
At City Hall in Suisun City, dramas may occasionally unfold, but with the town's new city manager, they often do. She's a screenwriter in her spare time.
The City Council unanimously approved Tuesday the hiring of Suzanne Bragdon as the new city manager, a position currently occupied on an interim basis by David Martinez.
Along with a 25-year career in civic management and consulting, Bragdon will bring her writing talents to the city.
Bragdon has recently dabbled in screenwriting, and her first screenplay - a drama titled "Crossing the Line" - was a finalist in Miramax Studios' 2004 Open Door Contest.
Bragdon said she expects to start her day job as Suisun City's top executive on Sept. 1, focusing first on improving the city's financial standing, filling key staff positions and furthering the city's redevelopment efforts.
Bragdon has served in the past as the city manager for Pismo Beach, as well as the economic development consultant for the central California city of Grover Beach. She was also an assistant city manager for Napa for seven years and spent 16 years in the private sector.
Suisun City has been looking for a new top executive since December 2004, when then-City Manager Steve Baker announced his resignation.
The details of Bragdon's contract are still being worked out and will have to be ratified by the council, city public information officer Scott Corey said in a press release.
Bragdon said Wednesday that the city's troubled financial situation has to be a top priority.
"You have to be financially viable to do the fun things," Bragdon said.
She said the challenges within Suisun City's government drew her to the job, adding that she turned down a job offer with another city because it seemed too hum-drum.
"I was looking for a city where there'd be challenges and exciting goals," Bragdon said.
Tom Hall can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
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