Inland Valley Development Agency Thanks Colton Leaders

Colton City Mayor Sarah Zamora and Councilmembers Frank Gonzales and Susan Oliva received certificates of recognition for their contributions to the San Bernardino International Airport's Inland Valley Development Agency (IVDA) during a special meeting Wednesday, Nov. 19. The three city leaders, who will all leave their council positions in December, served on the IVDA during their tenure on the dais. The IVDA is a joint powers authority comprised of San Bernardino County and the cities of Colton, Loma Linda and San Bernardino, and is responsible for the redevelopment of the non-aviation portion of the former Norton Air Force Base. Councilmembers Oliva and Gonzales are IVDA board members and Mayor Zamora is an alternate board member. Gonzales, a founding member of the agency when it was formed in 1990, said the agency was tasked with finding a way to bring back some 10,000 jobs lost in the area as a result of the official closing of Norton Air Force Base in 1994, responsible for the redevelopment of the non-aviation portion of the former Norton Air Force Base. Before the IVDA came into existence, the idea was to hire a large developer to develop the base and the three square miles surrounding it, explained Gonzales. The IVDA has a redevelopment project area of about 13,000 acres of properties surrounding the approximate 600 acres on the former base. The land inside this project area may be used for light and heavy industrial, office, commercial and residential designations. Gonzales said, "I personally didn't like the idea of a big developer coming in to dictate what we were going to do with our city," Gonzales said. "So we got the support of the majority to make a commission" of sorts. To date, Gonzales estimated that the IVDA has helped bring back approximately 6,000 jobs to the area. "We still have that additional 4,000 (jobs) to catch up with, but that's coming because it's moving forward," Gonzales said. "I feel it's been a success. To me, it's been a good experience to be able to serve the community. It's not really just for our city but for the whole county." Other board members of the IVDA include: Co-Chair Josie Gonzales, supervisor, County of San Bernardino; Co-Chair Ovidiu Popescu, councilmember, City of Loma Linda; Vice-Chair Carey Davis, mayor, City of San Bernardino; Board Member Phil Dupper, mayor pro tem, City of Loma Linda; Board Member Rikke Van Johnson, councilmember, City of San Bernardino; Board Member James Ramos, supervisor, County of San Bernardino; Board Member Fred Shorett, councilmember, City of San Bernardino; Alternate Board Member John Lenart, councilmember, City of Loma Linda; Alternate Board Member Virginia Marquez, councilmember, City of San Bernardino; and Alternate Board Member Gary Ovitt, supervisor, County of San Bernardino.