Terrance Stone said he is running for city council in Victorville in order to hone the Victor Valley’s largest municipality into perfection.
“I feel that Victorville is a diamond in the rough but can be, with leadership and vision, the jewel of the High Desert,” he said. “I feel that I can help to push our city in that direction.”
He is qualified to serve on the city council, Stone said, because “I have had the unique pleasure of working with and sitting with elected official across the region over the years. I have watched as some of our Inland Empire cities have flourished and others not do so well. I can use what I learned to help to move Victorville forward. I have also been CEO of a community-based organization for almost 20 years and have the effective oversight of balancing and approving budgets, working in a team environment and sitting on multiple committees and boards.”
Stone is running in a crowded field. Three positions on the council are up for election. Included among the 21 candidates are two of the incumbents, Gloria Garcia and Blanca Gomez, along with Stone, Robert Bowen, Frank Kelly, Elizabeth Becerra, Lizet Angulo, Roger LaPlante, Adam Verduzco Jr., Craig Timchak, Webster Thomas, Ashiko Newman, Paul Marsh, Mike Stevens, Lionel Dew, Kimberly Mesen, Eric Negrete, Kareema Abdul, Ryan McEachron, Valentin Godina and Jerry Laws. He is distinguished from his opponents, Stone said, in that “I am a person that is for the community and puts the community first. I’m a candidate that will sacrifice my personal agenda for the good of the city.”
At present, Stone said, the major issue facing the city is public safety.
“Victorville has been ranked the tenth most dangerous city in California,” Stone said. “We have to analyze what makes us dangerous, who is the violent population, what is triggering the violence and what other elements and predictors are involved. We need a clear and comprehensive plan and a collective effort with law enforcement and community-based and governmental agencies to work on the root of the problem.”
The city can offset the cost of aggressively targeting lawlessness by tapping into available funding earmarked for doing just that, Stone said.
“There are state and federal grants out there that can help to fund these solutions,” he said.
Stone said he understands how government functions based on his previous experience relating to government.
“I have sat on numerous government board and committees for the past 15 years,” he said.
Stone has lived in Victorville for five years. He attended San Bernardino Valley College, where he studied business, and Chaffey College, where he studied sociology. “I have also earned certification in violence intervention and prevention at Cal State Los Angeles,” he said.
Stone is the founder/president/CEO of Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy, which has been in existence since 2001. The Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy primarily provides an occupational strategy/workforce development program for disadvantaged youth and young adults, which includes job training, retraining, technical assistance, career counseling and work placement into the logistics industry to provide those going through the program job experience. It also offers direction to encourage scholarship and college attendance and a homeless outreach program.
Currently unmarried, Stone said, “I have a fiancé and five kids.”
Stone said, “I am a dedicated regional community leader. For 19 years I have served as a voice for our community with a vested interest as a businessman and advocate. I am the founder and leader of a well-respected, successful county-wide youth and family advocacy organization. I have consistently led direct service efforts to support families both locally and regionally. Most recently I hosted the “Pull Up and Pick Up” COVID-19 Family Support Days in Victorville. We also hosted events in Compton, Barstow, San Bernardino, and Ontario. We plan to support the cities of Pomona, Fontana and Rialto with similar events prior to the end of 2020. Each event supports 500 to 800 families. As a councilman, I will work extremely hard to leverage my extensive network to both bring support to families that are economically stressed by COVID-19 related job loss as well as work to bring high-paying jobs to our city. A stronger tax base will greatly improve our services, while also providing discretionary income to our families who can then support our local businesses.”
Stone said, “My three areas of focus are public safety, economic development and youth advocacy. I stand on public safety; I believe every citizen of Victorville has a right to be and feel safe. I am currently on committees and regularly attend meetings with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office and local police departments to be the voice of the community.”
As to economic development, Stone said, “Attracting high-paying jobs and providing opportunities for our youth and their families are my primary focus.”
Stone said, “In 2001, I started Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy. The organization’s purpose is to help enrich the lives of young people through life building activities and instruction in the areas of education, employment, health, mentoring, and community service.”
-M.G.