The Palm Springs Vacation Rental Subcommittee (consisting of Councilmembers JR Roberts and Geoff Kors) has completed the draft ordinance changes and will be presenting the proposal to the rest of the City Council this Wednesday, November 30th, 2016 at 5:00pm at the Palm Springs City Hall, Council Chambers. Please attend this important meeting if possible. There are MANY changes being proposed, and I advise all parties to review the document link at the bottom of this petition. After reading the lengthy list of new suggested changes, if you disagree, I suggest you sign the petition to let the City Council know you are dissatisfied. Some of the more controversial changes include (but are not limited to): - Limit the number of contracts to 28 per year. - Non owner occupancy is considered a contract, even if no monetary compensation occurs (i.e. friends and family using a vacation rental will count against the 28 maximum contracts per year). - Only 1 financial interest in a vacation rental allowed per natural person, or trust of a natural person (i.e. only one vacation rental allowed per natural person or trust). - No corporate ownership interest allowed. - EXISTING owners who own multiple vacation rentals and/or corporate owners will only be allowed a 4 year period, to Jan. 1, 2021, to terminate use as a vacation rental (i.e. the grandfathering clause has been given an expiration date!). - Maximum of 2 occupants per bedroom, up to a maximum of 8 occupants per vacation rental. It appears the "plus 2" provision for couches will be eliminated. - 1 car per bedroom, up to a maximum of 4 cars per vacation rental. - Annual building and safety inspections upon renewal of permit. - Increase in annual fees from $234/year to $900/year. The city plans on the formation of a Vacation Rental Enforcement Department, which will have a budget of approximately $1,700,000/year. This will be paid for by the increase in the annual fees noted above. A list of applicable fines is also included in the 48 page document. Additional specific enforcement changes are likely. *I encourage everyone to read the ordinance changes themselves, at the link provided below. My interpretation of these proposals may inadvertently differ.** It is unlikely the City Council will end up with an ordinance change that pleases the entire community. There is rare consensus on this topic as it relates to improved enforcement methods to help reduce noise and associated complaints. Most appreciate the extensive efforts to examine this topic and search for long overdue improvements for families and neighbors negatively impacted. However, many of the provisions included in this draft could be changed in order to reduce the economic and socio-economic threats that will likely accompany this change in policy. Also, many in the community have expressed serious concern that a third party economic impact study, which was shared with members of the City Council during the public comments portion of the recent study session, is not being considered. This economic impact report is set to be completed in December, and yet the City Council is electing to move forward with a potential vote without examining the last but very important aspect of this issue - the economic risks to residents and businesses associated with this possible decision. Contractors, landscapers, housekeepers, pool maintenance persons and many others will see their work levels diminish, yet the city has not provided any documentation of the proposed effects of this ordinance change. Analysis has also not been shared that estimates the short term and long term consequences on the real estate values as a result of increased inventory of sellers choosing to leave the market. Many feel such a study would be the responsible way to wrap up several months of hard work that the Vacation Rental Subcommittee has dedicated to this topic. Lastly, the city appears to be sending mixed messages on its course for the future. Ten "Vacation Rental Objectives" were created the past several months, in which the Subcommittee attempted to vet many of the possible changes through. However, what is the "Mission Statement" or list of objectives for the future of Palm Springs? How do the proposed vacation rental changes match with the long term vision and goals for the city? Does the city have one? The city has succeeded in attracting visitors through the fantastic efforts of events such as Modernism Week. However, how does this change in policy affect our overall brand? Has the Subcommittee examined any studies into how many people visit Palm Springs for the sole reason they can stay in a mid century modern home? Many questions remain, and further research efforts should be made before drastic changes are enacted. Here is the link to the 48 page document/ordinance change created by the city: http://ci.palm-springs.ca.us/home/showdocument?id=48863 If you feel compelled, you can email the City Councilmembers with your specific concerns or suggestions. It is suggested you do so well before the Wednesday night meeting, to give them a chance to read your correspondence: Mayor Robert Moon [email protected] Councilmember JR Roberts [email protected] Councilmember Geoff Kors [email protected] Councilmember Ginny Foat [email protected] City Clerk James Thompson [email protected] Regards, Brian Wilson

We, the parents and residents of Longmeadow, MA, support and recommend the submission of a Statement of Interest (SOI) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Based on an independent review by JCJ Architecture, Glenbrook and Williams Middles Schools are beyond the ability of the town for routine repair and pose multiple health and safety risks to our children. The following list is only a fraction of the concerns that the review noted must be addressed: -security concerns due to an open configuration -no fire suppression -maintenance of fire alarms -inadequate HVAC and air quality -failing roofs -inadequate handicap access -asbestos containing materials -original plumbing We view these issues as severe safety concerns that require a commitment from the Select Board to approve a SOI to MSBA. The submission of the SOI is simply the beginning stages of a renovation project which is likely to take upwards of 10 years and thus has no impact on the priorities of the town with regard to the DPW project and the Senior Center.

David Rae's autistic 12-year-old daughter is in crisis, severely depressed, and attempted suicide in school in the beginning of October. The family denies the father the ability to see or speak to his daughter, despite court agreements.

This petition is to support all of the sanctuary cities that are taking a stance against president-elect Trump's proposed mass deportation policy. I'm concerned for all of my friends and neighbors and the rest of the people in our country who will have their lives turned upside down.

To try to protect water and the rights of indigenous people to their land. And stop illegal and near-deadly force against peaceful protesters by law enforcement.

We need to save the Presidency and our country from the huge conflicts of interests that Trump is bringing with him. The deadline is December 18 as the vote of the Electoral College is December 19 th. We will ALL be affected if there is no restriction put on him. It could be the end of our democracy if he is not stopped. THIS MAY BE OUR LAST CHANCE.

To allow one person (the U.S. President) the ability to launch any or all of our 2000 nuclear missiles at a moments notice is extremely dangerous. Such an action could take hundreds of million lives (think 5 times all those lost in both World War I and World War II) and possibly destroy the Earth's ability to support human life. Furthermore if a country launched an attack of any size against the U.S. our triad of nuclear delivery systems (submarines, airborne bombers and ground based silos) would survive in sufficient quantity to destroy the attacker. The real danger is a mistaken launch. A single person might receive wrong or misleading information, be affected by personal bias, or suffer an accident or sickness affecting judgment resulting in a launch without just cause thereby unnecessarily devastating our world.

Several states, so far, have banned kratom by putting its active ingredients on the controlled substance list. Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Vermont, Indiana, and Wisconsin have banned the active ingredients in kratom. Illinois and Louisiana have banned the substance altogether. Kratom has saved the lives of many people. Kratom is not an illicit 'drug' nor is the act of its use illicit. Its main active ingredients are the alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, and there is evidence that these have analgesic effects without producing a 'high'. The body of this argument will be found in the testimony by the commenters attached to this petition, so I conclude with this: Kratom saves lives. There are people who suffer fibromyalgia, lupus, CRPS, MS, epilepsy, IBS, Crohn's Disease, Endometriosis, Chronic pain, Sjogrens, and those recovering and rebuilding their lives from illicit drug use. These same people cannot get doctors to help them. Several patients with these illnesses are turned away from doctors, whether because the doctors did not know how to treat them or the DEA shut these doctors down for treating their patients' pain with the only medication that is available in the kratom-illegal states: opioids. This has to stop! Please make Kratom legal in the 'illegal' states! Please keep kratom legal in all U.S. states.

Donald Trump's business interests are intertwined with politics worldwide. Any decisions he makes that involve a country that includes his businesses raises the specter of his acting not on Our behalf but on His. This would be a cardinal violation of the position of President.

Trump's insistence on hiding the truth poses a grave risk to every citizen of the United States!

This is about assuring the American people that our leadership is not merely going to do what they used to do to: make money or wield influence through making incendiary, dishonest, racist and sexist comments. We should all feel comfortable that our senior leadership is respectful toward all Americans regardless of sex or ethnicity. At the minimum, the American people deserve to be assured that the stories published by Mr. Bannon do not reflect his personal opinions, and that he repudiates the ideas expressed in them. Only by acknowledging these stories as dishonest and exploitive can the American people feel secure that our leadership will represent us all fairly.

Mrs. Gina Verdibello, a Jersey City resident and ran for a seat in the November 8, 2016 Board of Education election and received 14,727 votes --- just 552 votes short of capturing the third seat. Gina Verdibello born to immigrant parents from Italy and Peru, she grew up in Fort Lee, NJ. While attending Rutgers University she met her husband Robert who grew up in Jersey City. They have 3 young children that attend PS 17. Gina has a BA from Rutgers University in Art History and has worked at Liberty Science Center, the American Folk Art Museum and The Picower Foundation in fundraising and development. She has also been a Realtor at Century 21 Kenny Realty in Jersey City. She started Girl Scout Troop 12026 at James F. Murray PS 38. She is currently a board member of the West Side Community Alliance (WSCA) and Casa Colombo. At Joseph H. Brensinger PS17 Gina is the Parent Council Vice President and Title One Representative for the school. She has been a parent member of the Early Education Committee at the Board of Education for three years. Gina is a parent advocate for the children of that attend public school in Jersey City. She attends and speaks at all Board of Education meetings and most recently testified at the Trenton Board of Education against the new PARCC standardized tests and advocated for new Pre-K buildings for Jersey City. She continues to fight for better facilities and making our public schools the best they can be. As the fourth top vote-getter and, as set by precedent of the Jersey City Board of Education, Gina Verdibello is next in line for the seat being vacated and should be appointed to the board. We believe the appointment of Gina Verdibello reflects the will of the public and a that of the 14,727 parents, teachers and residents who voted for her on November 8, 2016 in the Jersey City school Board of Education election. We ask that the current board members act in fairness and respect the will of the people of Jersey City and the lawful, democratic mechanism of the State of New Jersey and vote to appoint her to the Jersey City Board of Education.