Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Turko Files goes to Toxaphene Fields
Seems to me it's all about financial and operational incompetence. The city paid way too much for the property, didn't make the sellers do the environmental clean-up, then got into a legal battle with the neighbors by demanding stadium lights for nighttime sports instead of building a more low-key community park that could be enjoyed by everyone.
With the legal battles apparently over, the most likely real reason for no action is money. Where's the money?
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Turko seems to be slightly more even-handed here than in previous reports. But he starts off with a statement which is dead wrong. The citizens never voted on the park. All decisions were made by the city council.
ReplyDeleteAnd the lawsuit was about the city's refusal to do an EIR, which is required by law. This obstinacy added years of delay, even though the court ruled in favor of the "Nimbys" and ordered the city to pay legal fees. The city has been free to build the park for over 2 years.
Stocks is trying to blame the county for the present delay. The county is only involved because of the contaminated soil, and this on property that the city always insisted wasn't contaminated. W.C. is correct in that the seller should have been responsible for this.
The real problem is money. The city simply doesn't have enough. There is $9 million in the park fund, but estimated costs are $12-$18 million. This difference can only be made up by donations or borrowed money. Neither options seems realistic at this time.
SDG&E is doing work, but that's a heck of long ways from a usable park. Construction bids were supposed to start in September, then before Christmas, and now Stocks is saying March. Any bets on when the bid requests go out?
Since Stocks has been on the council there has been a long trail of mishandled projects: the library, the public works yard, and now the Hall property park. This pattern will only change with a change of the council majority.
Boy, Stocks really has the William Shatner School of Acting schtick perfected. All that's missing is Yoeman Gaspar!!
ReplyDeleteThe city always overspend and under budgets. As with all the previous mentioned, let's not forget the Leucadia Blvd expansion which came in $1 million over budget,(which is not being maintained with the proper landscape, more moonscape.)
ReplyDeleteThe city is broke, not broke in the sense that they can't pay their current bills but broke in the sense they can't fund needed projects. And don't look for things to get better as salaries and pensions increase and revenues stay stagnant. We know Muir's pension, what will Bond's pension be after 16 years of half-ass service to Encinitas?? (That's right council people get pensions for serving on the council).
5 years from now ...these will be the really good ol' days....
Interestingly enough, Jennifer Smith, our City Finance Director is leaving. She is also engaged to our City Attorney. Nice cozy relationship, IMHO. Lots of people jumping ship. I wonder why?
ReplyDeleteThis was a brilliant strategy! Almost as brilliant as MM developing properties under his wife's name so he can continue to fight the park and continue to pretend to be an enviro. Kudos!
ReplyDeleteDr.Lorri, Q-what will Smith's pension be after she is gone?? A-Plenty!!!
ReplyDeleteJust to keep our history straight, there was no vote.
ReplyDeleteThe city funded a survey to see what taxpayer wanted in 'their' park. 80% wanted a community park. The city wasted money on a lawsuit that taxpayers filed to force an EIR. (1 1/2 years, $2mil.). The city then held the completed EIR for 18 months for political purposes. ($1.5mil in bond payments). The City Planning Commission rejected the EIR. Their recommendation was to reduce the amount of fields byone or two and solve the identified traffic issues. The city still deceives the taxpayers and claims the EIR was approved by the Planing Commission.
If the city had done any compromising with the majority of the community and the organized sports leagues, (sponsored by rotary members, bond, dallager and stocks), we would be utilizing and enjoying a community park with sports fields, now.
Yea, I would blame Stocks and the majority council for not having the park built.
Like all Ponzi schemes this one will fail also...
ReplyDelete"The main objective of govt is to stay in power and to buy votes. Therefore they are incapable of making the right decisions." -Egon von Grayerz
ReplyDeleteWhat is ICLEI and why is Encinitas a member of this international organization?
ReplyDelete