RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - On January 17, David Sander, in his “fourth tour of duty as mayor,” addressed the Rancho Cordova Luncheon on the City’s plans for the coming year.  He first ran for City Council in 2002, serving when Rancho Cordova became a City in 2003.  Sander reported qualities and programs that resulted in Rancho’s pick as All American City 2019, and spoke of what is coming in the future. He had wanted to title his talk, “20 great things for 2020,” but he couldn’t, because there were so many more things than 20.

In 2002 there were 22 candidates for City Council.  The candidates met together with a number of community leaders. “We talked about what do we really need for this City?” Sander said.  “One of the things that came up at that meeting was senior housing.” The market is good now, in 2020, and the time is right for the Rancho Cordova Retirement Residence with 149 suites that will be built on Zinfandel.  In the more distant future, entire retirement communities will be developed in the new growth area, hundreds of homes for seniors only.

The new growth area is Rio del Oro, which has been in the planning and waiting stages for decades, Sander said.  “It has over 10,000 homes, it has over 7 million sq. ft., commercial space for jobs, offices, stores, and it’s got 120 acre park, which will be one of the largest public parks in the Sacramento region. This is going to kick off with construction this year.”

“We are known as being a major business hub,” Sander said, “perhaps the most significant business hub in Northern California outside the Bay Area.”  UC Davis is coming to a building that is currently empty, bringing about 350 administrative and call center jobs. California Northstate College, a private school that focuses on health sciences, is adding two buildings that will house 420 dorm rooms.

In 2020 a big project coming out of Measure H, also called the Community Enhancement Fund, is a seven-field girls softball complex.  Many additional projects will benefit the community from Measure H.

Chris Clark, new FCUSD Board of Education President, said that one of his responsibilities is to mesh with the City’s vision for higher education.  “I’ll work closely with David to make sure that happens,” Clark said.  “The City has been very generous with Measure H funds to make sure we have quality programs in our schools.”

Blight Busters is back, helping keep Rancho Cordova neat and tidy.  “If everything looks neat, property values go up,” Sander said.  “If everything looks neat, crime goes down.  (When) everything looks neat, frankly, school test scores go up.”

Volunteers Robert and Meada Cashatt go to most of the Rancho Luncheons, and Robert Cashatt was impressed with Sander long ago when there was a problem on a dead end street near their home.  There were abandoned cars, drug paraphernalia and such.  He called the City and David Sander came out with others who took care of the problem.  “He listens,” Meada Cashatt said.  “He’s very articulate in expressing what he has in mind . . . He has a wealth of knowledge which I don’t think many people have.”

At the meeting in 2002, the number one subject was, “We need more things for our kids to do,” Sander said.  “The one thing we haven’t quite been able to crack is that big center facility.  Through an amazing coincidence . . . we’re going to announce a youth center right in Rancho Cordova on Investment Circle, at Folsom Boulevard and Coloma Road.”  Center of Praise Ministries branched out to another location, leaving their Rancho facility behind.  The church has given the property to the City for 25 years with an automatic renewable 25 years.  It will be used for programs for youth and the community at large.  “We know there are some things we can do there relatively soon,” Sander said.  “There are many, many things we can do there over time.”

There will be Mayor’s Coffees in the neighborhoods, more uses for the Rancho stretch of the American River Parkway, an emphasis on public safety and public works.  “We have great newsletters, we have great opportunities to follow us on social media, and I encourage you to do that,” Sander said in closing.  “Be proud of your community, and do things to make your community proud of you.”