Was reviewing the budget document for FY 2013-2014 & FY 2014-2015 and found an oddity. On page 1-6 is the Council's strategic plan. The budget was approved by the Council June 12, but the strategic plan was presented to the Council and the public July 17. Must be goblins at work.Is this another Wizard of Oz moment like when Vina contracted for the Rutan & Tucker report long before being authorized to do so, when we see that Vina is making all the decisions and the council's role is just to rubber-stamp approval of his actions after the fact?
Excellent!
The inmates running the asylum....
ReplyDeleteYup. Nailed it.
ReplyDeleteBut City Council love to hear themselves rumble and give Sad Sac excellent rating and pay!
He strokes them well, they pure and play politician and he retires in a year or two at over $200k forever on tax dollars backs. Thats the way it works.
We need a real City Council in charge of our City directing the city manager not taking direction from him.
They just can't help themselves, can they? The Gang that Couldn't Govern Straight.
ReplyDeleteThe Ruse of Coucil Participation!!
ReplyDeleteYou are making this all up. Barth is the Mayor now. Barth would never allow anything to happen that undermines the public's trust. She wouldn't allow it. She said so.
ReplyDeleteBang your pots.
ReplyDeleteDrive them out.
At the beginning of the year the City Manager noted that the Strategic Planning process would overlap the budget process and proposed holding off on updating the Capital Improvements budget, which is usually updated at the same time as the operating budget, for that very reason. However, the City must have an adopted operating budget by June 30 of each year.
ReplyDeleteSo it's no surprise that the budget was adopted ahead of the Strategic Planning results which were only preliminary in July as the public workshops are scheduled for through Spring. Encinitas, like many cities, has adopted a two year budget but that doesn't preclude them from making changes in the second fiscal year if they so choose.
So conspiracy theorists will have to go back to did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone or who really took down the World Trade Center towers.
Where was everyone Wednesday night? Hardly anyone attended and most of them were from Leucadia.
Lower the train.
Delete11:50, nobody in Encinitas saw the need for a Strategic Plan in the first place except for those who want to discard the General Plan so that they can raid the financial resources of the City. It sounds like a Gus-driven agenda--not something that anyone else wanted.
DeleteWhy doesn't Gus or Director Nash include the pension liabilities in the financial reports if they are so by the book all of the sudden? Nothing that they are doing at the City sits right with people in our city who have actual backgrounds in finance.
We want a forensic accountant to go over ALL of the City accounts right now!
DeleteThe City can't ignore the General Plan as it's State mandated. However, you brought up a good point about it. Namely, how does the Strategic Plan interact with the General Plan and what happened to all the input and ideas from citizens at the community and citywide workshops?
DeleteAnd if you were concerned, why weren't you at the meeting pointing this out?
If the meetings were full every time, then you might get the council to pay attention. As Michael Moore once noted "In France the government fears the people, in the U.S. the people fear the government"...
Delete12:49 PM
DeleteIf the council was concerned why aren't they bringing up the issue? Council lemmings see, council lemmings do what Vina tells them.
On July 11, 2012, when we had a Special Council Meeting at the Community Center, which I and many others went to, to object to defunding open space and habitat acquisition, chronic flooding funding, and many other funds, a total of 17, as I recall, Kristin Gaspar was the only Council Member to object to Council's priorities. She didn't see the need for the lifeguard garage, and she said she thought a lifeguard tower was more of a priority. She specifically didn't want to defund the open space and habitat acquisition fund.
DeleteGus Vina promised, don't worry, this will all come back with budget goal setting and the Capital Improvement Project Workshops. Jerome Stocks laughed at Kristin. She even asked, jokingly, it seemed, "are you laughing at me?" Meanwhile the "interim budget" has gone through with CIP funding, without traditional goal setting workshops, as before promised. Everything is stalled by the City's "business plan," which is called the Strategic Plan, and seems mainly to be about marketing parlance, postponement, and psychological manipulation setting the public up to vote on a General Plan Update that would increase height limits and density, in contravention of Prop A. "Buyer" beware. Don't buy into it, as Council has.
After Jerome got voted out, and Teresa Barth became mayor, Gus Vina was able to indefinitely put off traditional goalsetting. That, instead was to be part of long range "Strategic Planning Sessions." The Strategic Plan was devised by the consultant/facilitator, Council and staff, with very minimum public involvement, or opportunity for interaction.
The community outreach workshops are still putting emphasis on governmental authorities, who control funding, and on Council's questions, putting the public at the bottom of the Totem Pole. They may be "trying," but it's mainly about posturing, pretense, and putting the public off.
At the Transit Workshop, it was still mainly about the various transit authorities presentations, and Council's questions to them. I did go, and spoke for three minutes, but left after about two hours.
As I was leaving, Elena Thompson, who had before disclosed she's on the Board of L101MA, and a realtor, (she didn't disclose this at the Transit workshop, that I heard) was speaking lovingly about roundabouts in Europe. She stated she had just returned from a vacation there. Well, those roundabouts are different from the ones planned here, in many respects. They simply don't work when cross street traffic is significantly less than the main thoroughfare, such as with the planned one-lane, three way intersection roundabouts with NO cross-street traffic. They are not recommended adjacent to RR tracks and near RR crossings according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
I was not aware that public speakers would be curtailed to have only a limited amount of time, before the meeting. Teresa made that "one minute per speaker" call after half an hour of public comments.
Curtailing public speakers, particularly at alleged "public workshops" has not been the tradition in Encinitas for agenda items. It was good that people could submit comment cards. I left because I decided to watch the remainder of the meeting from the comfort of home, online.
The presentations I was present for went on for an awfully long time, compared to public input. Also, Council was allowed to ask preliminary questions, before public speakers were finally allowed. Limit the staff or outside authorities' presentations, and Council's questions until after preliminary public speakers, and expand opportunities for public interaction, and you could have more people attending these meetings. I agree, probably most of the people there were being paid, out of taxpayers dollars, to attend.
"(Roundabouts) simply don't work when cross street traffic is significantly less than the main thoroughfare, such as with the planned one-lane, three way intersection roundabouts with NO cross-street traffic. They are not recommended adjacent to RR tracks and near RR crossings according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation"
Delete1. That's simply misleading. The thousands of people living west of 101 who will benefit from making turns at roundabouts and less stopping are not insignificant. And you make it sound like if there was MORE cross traffic the roundabouts would work BETTER. That's nonsense.
2. NONE of our roundabouts intersect with the railroad. The closest one to the train crossing is 6 blocks away and has the same effect on the railroad as one 100 miles away would have. The US Dept of Transportation says nothing about roundabouts on roads PARALELL to tracks - they just don't recommend roundabouts connecting / interacting with railroad crossings. Big difference - still some places DO have roundabouts intersecting with trains but they require stop lights when trains are present.
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DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSo I think it's fair to state you live by El Portal and don't want a roundabout there. FYI, my friends live right on Neptune, and I haven't seen more traffic. Yes, people still speed like they always did. I take 101 north during rush hour, it's a little slower, but you get there just fine.
Delete3:12
Delete"The roundabout planned at El Portal is four streets from the RR crossing at Leucadia and 101. The "block" between North Court and Athena is separated only by the Pannikin. Then there is Cadmus and Europa. The YOU ARE MISLEADING."
ZERO effect.
El Portal
North Court
Athena
Basil
Cadmus
Daphne
Europa
Leucadia Blvd. (old Fulvia St.)
Each of these streets are legitimate and traffic from them has legally interacted with N 101 just like any sized block. (And our block sizes in Leucadia are the funkiest anywhere.)
" A roundabout a few blocks away has a MUCH GREATER effect than one 100 miles away".
Our roundabouts are only 50 feet from the tracks. Name one effect they could have on trains or visa versa. You can't. On the flip side of that coin, it's indisputable that many disastrous interactions between trains and vehicles HAVE happened here through the years at the Leucadia Blvd intersection and that dangerous reality exists for everywhere else trains cross roads at grade.
.
"You are continually spouting opinion unsupported by facts, using false logic and deceptive "links" to out of state roundabouts with railway lines that are not adjacent to a primary circulation element, main arterial, Coast Highway. "
.
You asked me for samples of that "ANYWHERE IN THE U.S.". I complied and now I'm the deceiver? Fine.
"After this post, I will no longer discuss this with you, 12:18, on this thread"
There will be more threads for that soon enough I'm sure.
"The City, through staff has already admitted that there is back-up going northbound and southbound, on either side of Leucadia Blvd, on Hwy 101."
Traffic does back up in the morning on southbound 101, but that is temporary and still moves well. However, traffic backup is still exacerbated by the stop signs at Marcheta St (which Streetscape removes). THAT'S what used to cause cut-through traffic on side streets when they had to put up signage. Plus, the traffic on 101 has greatly diminished from what it was a few years back before the freeway widened in Solana Beach and Del Mar with an extra lane.
As far as northbound back up traffic. Hardly worth mentioning. 101 is not and will never be El Camino Real.
"You don't live that near El Portal."
Nope. But I did get T-boned there and that street is WAY too wide for pedestrians to cross.
One last note. Most streets west of 101 DO CROSS 101 to create left turns to and from the hwy - so in that regard they are cross streets.
The roundabout planned at El Portal may be 6 streets from the RR crossing at Leucadia and 101, but how far from the RR crossing will the next one be?
DeleteThe "block" between North Court and Athena is separated only by the Pannikin. YOU ARE MISLEADING. A roundabout a few blocks away has a MUCH GREATER effect than one 100 miles away.
You are continually spinning, spouting opinion unsupported by facts, using false logic and deceptive "links" to out of state roundabouts with railway lines that are not adjacent to a primary circulation element, main arterial, Coast Highway. After this post, I will no longer discuss this with you, 12:18, on this thread, because I will no longer be someone you can argue your self-interested "platform" through constant illogic and misleading statements.
The City, through staff has already admitted that there is back-up going northbound and southbound, on either side of Leucadia Blvd, on Hwy 101. Roundabouts would bottleneck traffic in both directions down to one lane, through four one-lane, three-way intersection roundabouts.
How far from the RR crossing is the furthest west roundabout on Leucadia Blvd? Hermes is only about a block and one half from the RR crossing, which is between Vulcan and 101. So that existing roundabout is NOT six blocks from the RR tracks, either. Back-up happens there, almost daily, during peak periods.
You are being selfish and closed-minded, if you can't admit that there are NO roundabouts anywhere in California adjacent to RR tracks, and along a Major Roadway, nowhere on Pacific Coast Highway! Name one single instance in California! You keep referring to your online searches with roundabouts in completely different scenarios. The roads along Pacific Coast Highway through Leucadia do INTERACT with railroad crossings, because we are fairly close to the crossing at Leucadia Blvd, AND because the RR tracks prevent us from having actual CROSS STREETS. So that is another time that roundabouts are not recommended, when cross street traffic is significantly less the main thoroughfare. I have repeated this, and you keep coming back with the same feeble online references to other states, or nationwide figures, for roundabouts that are not one-lane circles with narrow diameters and less safety features.
Plus, you fail to realize that many local authorities have had to add stop signs or traffic signals to roundabouts, because of continuing problems with those on the "main thoroughfare" failing to yield. So installing roundabouts is NO GUARANTEE THAT TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR STOP SIGNS WOULD NOT LATER BE IMPLEMENTED.
Since there is no cross street traffic and no north/south stop signs, with the roundabout planned at El Portal and 101 already having a no right hand turn sign during peak morning traffic, then a roundabout there is NOT NEEDED or wanted.
You don't live that near El Portal. Your accident there doesn't justify a roundabout. You are LYING about the RR having no effect. Those who do live here, including those on Neptune and nearby feeder streets, don't want more cut through traffic and slower emergency response times, don't WANT one-lane roundabouts on Hwy. 101, period.
There are thousands of signatures in the City's possession opposing roundabouts and lane elimination. I've done CA Public Records Act requests to see them. We have copies of about 3000 signatures opposing these roundabouts. The roundabouts are the obstructions. They will only divert traffic, raise tempers, cause unnecessary delays. People attempting to turn onto the highway from west of 101, and people driving northbound HAVE had problems with the lane diet. How often do YOU drive north on 101? During peak periods, there have been more problems, including more people diverting, at Leucadia Blvd., to Vulcan, or Neptune, to avoid 101, which would increase even more with the four one-lane roundabouts planned!
1:01
DeleteYeah right.
Come on, let's all sing it together!!!
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEGfBZ_GbX4
One of the less painful 70's songs.
DeleteI'll post "Afternoon Delight" later today..
DeleteHot or Not?
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eplbDbp6XJQ
What we need is an independent audit of the City's books, which no Council I have ever asked was willing to do.
ReplyDeleteYou'll rarely get a full meeting, as everyone assumes everyone else will go and take care of business. While we need to encourage folks to go, this phenomenon of looking to someone else to do "it" for them is normal human behavior.
ReplyDeleteAs for "forensic"? Hush your mouth! Remember: Vina says we don't use that word at city hall.
Leucadia appears to be holding up its end.
DeleteThe council of court jesters need to stop and examine their behavior of forming a circle around Vina to protect him.
ReplyDeleteThey can't stop what they can't see.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to fat blabber mouth lately?
ReplyDeletethe blog seems so enjoyable lately. Did she finally bore herself to death?
We need the leadership of Mayor Jerome Stocks. It's a shame the crazies voted him out.
ReplyDeleteYou are joking - right? $tock$ was arrogant, corrupt and only serving to the monied elite. The damage he did to this fledgling city will haunt it for many years to come. Obviously this post is $$tock$$ chiming in to this blog...
Delete$$$tock$$$ - you allowed your buddy Fatty Muir to run - he knocked you out of the race.
What has the new council done that is any different than what Stocks would have done?
DeleteThis is not a rhetorical question.
WCV
Nothing. Not a fucking thing. They spend money like drunken sailors. Oh here's another $5 million for a fire station. What's that ?? You didn't build the new lifeguard tower with the money we allocated for Moonlight beach....Oh excuse me, the marine safety station. It's take what?? Another $5 million... Oh sure no problem, were flush with money, shhhh we'll steal it from the street maintenance fund. ( Whispering) don't tell anyone.
DeleteShhhh, we'll take it from the Leucadia streetscape.
DeleteThat will buy us votes from the KLCC.
They haven't sanctioned the equivalent of the Hall
DeletePark or signed off on anything as bad as the Public Works yard. We know Gaspar and Stocks vote the Stocks line, we'll see if Teresa, Lisa or Tony will step up. Lisa did ask for the vote on legal services. And speaking for Leucadia, we have someone in Tony who will at least try and go to bat for us on some our rail related issues with NCTD.
Didn't they approve the bond sale?
DeleteHummmmmm - - get back to you on that...... ok . .....
ReplyDeleteNothing.
Tony, Lisa, Teresa, you reading this? You care, yes/no? You think it's funny? You waiting for the "right" time to vote differently from $tock$ and show residents you'll stand with them and not the monied influences?
ReplyDeleteMuir and Gaspar we know are $tock$ allies, but residents voted in good faith for change and honesty with Tony/Lisa/Teresa. Guess the joke's on us.
Look at Teresa's newsletter today: high praise for the droning presentations by SANDAG & Co. at last week's transportation meeting, but no mention of her shameful 1 minute rule for resident speakers.
As someone who was there. The Mayor stated at the beginning of the meeting that there would be 30 minutes for public comments. Argue the 30 minute limitation if you want but it was only after the 30 minutes had passed that she asked if the 3 remaining speakers could hold it to 1 minute in lieu of waiting to the end or not getting to speak at all. None did and the Mayor didn't cut them off.
DeleteGeewiz I guess we need to start calling her Saint Teresa. She didn't cut off the speakers... Ooooo that's special.
DeleteI guess the speakers should thank her for not doing it in her usual nasty fashion, eh 1:38?
DeleteI came in about a minute late, but I tried to watch the video, and she did state at the beginning that there was to be a total of 30 minutes for public speakers. However, the AGENDA didn't say that. It said each speaker could have 3 minutes. The Mayor set an arbitrary limit to accommodate her more respected guests, who apparently don't include the public. That is something like Jerome Stocks would do, make up new policy as he went along.
DeleteI was disappointed to see that one cannot "skip ahead" on the video webcast of the Strategic Planning Transit Workshop. I wanted to skip to the part where I left, and not watch the long Powerpoint presentations again. No can do, on this one, unlike the regular Council Meeting webcasts.
Sounds about right for Barth.
Delete"to "someone who was there:" the meeting was touted as an opportunity for public input. If you call a 4-hour meeting with 30 minutes allotted to the public, plus 1 minute for those gullible enough to think the city really wanted to hear from them fair...you're either a council member or city lackey.
ReplyDeleteAs "someone who was there" you didn't read what I said. I was responding to the statement that seemed to imply that all speakers were asked to keep their comments to 1 minute. Barth only stated that after more than 30 minutes had passed. At the beginning of the meeting, when Barth stated there would be only 30 minutes available, she said any remaining speakers would either be accommodated at the end of the meeting if there was still time or they could fill out comment cards. So such as it was, the Mayor let the final 3 speakers make their presentations.
DeleteI stated at the beginning that the 30 minute limit was arguable and you have in fact argued it. Fine.
Your final "shot" at me is just stupid.
Remaining speakers after the arbitrary 30-min rule, one minute to speak is an insult, no matter how you slice it. And the only folks making Barth's/the city's excuses are city workers. The ratio of presenter and council yapping vs supposed input was shameful and just more of the usual. It's amazing residents bother at all.
DeleteRight, but it's not new. It was even worse under Stocks/Bonds. These meetings are long, and people need to be succinct, including staff, council, and the public. It's not a new issue.
DeleteAnd after a number of speakers from Leucadia asked to have the tracks put underground, the Council asked staff to reexamine the issue and return with an update, as there was a report done in 2006. How dare the Council actually listen to the speakers and respond. It just ruins this meme.
Delete12:43 PM
DeleteWhy didn't the council just say the tracks are going to be lowered, no ifs, ands, or buts. Instead, another study and report. Whoopee.
Maybe because the 2006 study estimated the cost in the range of $88 - $160 million. That's not to say it would have to be that high today but it's going to be pretty damn expensive. Since they are intent on double tracking that stretch in the near future, the funding and cooperative agreements would have to be lined up in the next few years. But that's not saying it can't happen and I personally would love to see the tracks lowered.
DeleteNCTD should be mandated by the state to lower the track if they wish to doubletrack the corridor. Mitigation for increasing neighborhood noise and lung pollution, not to mention public safety.
DeleteHa Ha! Good luck with mandating NCTD to lower the track. Based on the predicted amount of traffic, they almost have to double track. It would be a good time to lower the tracks, but that has to come from the city's end. So in short, don't look for the tracks to be lowered...
DeleteI and 98% of Encinitas residents like our current council make up; smart, fair, balanced and open to listening.
ReplyDeleteApril Fool!
DeleteAnd we love Encinitas!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen 98% vote out the council you will know the dissatisfaction of residents.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that, people don't vote in an off year election cycle.
Delete4:10 I think probably everyone who posts on this site loves Encinitas or why would they bother to post? The issues to me are fairly simple: Is our amazing City moving in the right direction to accommodate future generations?; are the City's financial books in order?; how will the City deal with pensions?; will the City Council and Gus Vina let an ordinary citizen participate in making this an even better community:?. I am sure there are a lot more things to be dealt with, but this is a part of what I would like to know.
ReplyDeleteWear lorri, 4:10 was. Reference to Gaspar's idiotic communication that was backed first by her/her husband, then had David Meyer's replace hers on the org paperwork....
DeleteHere's the link to the We Love Encinitas website:
Deletehttp://weloveencinitas.com/
It hasn't been updated since February 3, 2013. I guess that proves it's the sham everyone thought it was, claiming to be a non-profit when it shamelessly promoted Gaspar. Will the site spring back into action for the 2014 election?.
Thanks. Auto-correct and being in a hurry made a mess of my post
DeleteYou KLCC are wacked... besides the smartgrowth platform and supporting the financial nightmare named Gus, and is doing nothing to reduce staff costs, I support Teresa.
ReplyDeleteI sure do wish she would address those 3 major issues though.
What else is there when every other project in the foreseeable future hangs on reality around our finances and the awful fact that Vina leads all five around by their noses?
DeleteSomeone trying to separate people who agree on a lot of the basic issues being discussed here, into a imaginary crappy club are trying to divide and conquer. Funky does not equal crappy.
DeleteThe person who used the term crappy at the Council Meeting on 9/11, was Charles Marvin. He is constantly projecting his fecal fixation, defecation obsession, and his fawning, obsequious, self-interested approval of Council, including Teresa, because they have supported his ridiculous one-lane roundabouts.
The LOST CAUSE is there ever being four one-lane, three-way intersection roundabouts on Highway 101.
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DeleteAre more stop signs/ lights, delays, pollution, gas/money burned, accidents, injuries and blight funky? No. That's what real fecal fixation brings to a neighborhood. And all the evidence shows those smelly things are preventable with roundabouts. There should be a law against more intersections where roundabouts would work better. If you're not tired of intersections yet, maybe these will help.
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INMiXqP8vI0
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f64_1383186717
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4ec_1383161110
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4b8_1383403282
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f37_1381365538
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=92c_1382182258
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d61_1381094520
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f4d_1380971400
Wow, the Anti-Charlie Marvin stuff again, it's starting to sound personal. Again, you're against roundabouts, Fred is for them. Agree to disagree and move on.
DeleteThank you. Few things are less tiresome. I think everyone here has enough info to weigh in and decide for theirself.
DeleteAgain with the defecation nonsense. Not only rude but excretory.
DeleteKLCC is defecation nonsense. Marvin has been spreading it, publicly.
DeleteI'm a KLECer.
DeleteYou're a KLECer.
Don't you wanna be a KLECer too??
Keep Leucadia Excretory Club.
(sniff,sniff) what smells around here???
"Agree to disagree and move on."
DeleteI've already agreed to that part. But the person who attacks Streetscape so much here won't answer one question that exposes her folly. So why bother?
City has no leadership.
ReplyDeleteZero leadership for sure. And the defacto leader has bankrupt the last two Cities he worked for as finance director Stockton and Sacramento.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how Teresa can be so sweet on this guy focused in the wrong direction and a terrible track record.
I guess it was because she was on the selection committee and can not admit he is a lemon.
Encinitas suffers as the result.
Dump Vina and any council member supporting him. I guess that all of them right?
Yes, all of them. Go to their homes and bang your pots. Drive them out.
DeleteI don't think Sacramento is bankrupt, and he worked in Stockton from 1989-99. Not saying he's great, but you can't blame the guy for everything.
Delete8:02 why haven't you practiced what you preach.
ReplyDeleteWhy not pitchforks and flaming boughs? Tar and feathers?
Delete12:43 PM
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't the council just say the tracks are going to be lowered, no ifs, ands, or buts. Instead, another study and report. Whoopee.
Barth without $tock$ is like a day without sunshine.
ReplyDelete12:58
ReplyDeleteThe tracks will never be lowered GET OVER IT to expensive the Feds are broke. The State is broke unless you have 500 million laying around.
Stocks was and still is a tool.
ReplyDeleteBarth derived her identity as a citizen activist from the apparent tension that existed between them. Now that $tock$ is 'gone', Barth is a rubber stamping status quo cog in the Vina machine... sad.
DeleteGus has scheduled a meeting at the Olivenhain Meeting Hall at 6:00 on Tuesday, November 5. Please be there since his last meeting in Olivenhain was not well reported--on purpose.
ReplyDeleteOlivenhain residents, we are late to the party. Look at what has happened in Leucadia and other communitites. Gus and all have their sights set on Olivenhain. Please be there.
Do you get it?
ReplyDeleteYou NEED smart growth and density to continue to grow the tax rolls for Pensions like his whopping $200,000 plus a year forever pension that he will begin drawing on when he retires in a few years?
Ask him how much discretionary money the City has for projects in the next 2 years?
Why are the roads looking so crappy in Encinitas compared to the way they looked 10 years ago?
How much will the Regional Sports Complex cost to build and maintain? Is the total including all the surrounding improvements to the street around the complex to accommodate the higher density use? Whats the true cost?
How much of a net deficit will the park put on the Encinitas Annual Budget?
What is he doing to reduce staff costs to increase money available for Project and not Pensions?
Just a few simple questions that should have direct simple answers. Lets hear them.
Yeah but the answers won't be pretty. The roads as an example are in disrepair because the city does not have money to fix them. They will have to get money through bond debt (just wait) because when roads crumble as they are throughout Encinitas the cost to fix goes up dramatically. Roads should have been a priority over the park, but no one gets to cut a ribbon for road repair.
ReplyDeleteThe answers won't be honest. Not pretty we can take, bogus are an insult.
DeleteLate breaking news -
ReplyDeleteVina has convinced the Council that planting a money tree in front of city hall will go over big with the residents.
The money tree will be watered and fertilized with development and Gus Vina is the head gardener. Stack and pack is back.
DeleteLooking at the roads in Encinitas, especially the ongoing patchwork repair on El Camino Real, the conclusion can only be that this town is in financial trouble. When you can only fix the worst spots on the streets, the message for everyone to see is that there isn't enough money to do the job right. When you don't have enough momey, you run an old car into the ground doing only the minumum maintenance to keep it running. When a town is in a similar situation, you get patchwork street repairs and then continue towards urban decay, and maybe the ultimate outcome of bankruptcy.
ReplyDeleteWhere exactly are some bad spots on El Camino Real right now?
ReplyDeleteTry driving north from Manchester to Leucadia Blvd. to get the full effect. The patching has been poorly done. El Camino Real has been especially problematic, as there are many spots where the subsoil is sinking, thus requiring constant patching.
DeleteUnless a large Transnet grant pops up, it's unlikely the city will ever come up with the money for a proper repair. Oops, I forgot. SANDAG doesn't have the money either. We learned this at the Strategic Planning Workshop.
All of Santa Zfe drive east of the 5 is a road nightmare.
DeleteWill pay more attention next time I drive those parts. But this year I have noticed 2 miles of 101 patched and resurfaced as well as great work done on Piraeus St that was previously terrible. Not unlike the Golden Gate Brigde that has to be painted constantly, all roads continually wear out at different rates. Lucky we don't have snow and ice making things worse here. Not to give nay-sayers any ammunition, but iced up roundabouts COULD be problematic!
DeleteI just drove down Santa Fe yesterday, didn't hit any huge potholes or spots with bad surfacing. I'll have to check out Manchester next time I'm over that way.
Delete2:34- Santa Fe New Mexico has great roads. Santa Fe dr enc ... Suck. The city knows it's the ghetto part of Zcardiff so they ignore it.
DeleteTake a look at the patchwork repair on El Camino Real between Encinitas Blvd and Mountain Vista. Not saying there are any potholes or rough road after the repairs. But it looks terrible. It looks like a city scrambling to apply a band-aid because it can't afford to do the whole thing in the right, complete way. At least when they paint the Golden Gate bridge they paint the whole bridge, and don't paint a patch here or there with green paint.
DeleteYou want to see bad roads, go to the City of San Diego. Mission valley will give you bruised kidneys. Our streets are ok for the most part. They actually did some work on Vulcan this summer. Yeah, I haven't seen any major work on El Camino, it seems to be in pretty good shape.
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding? Our roads are bad.
ReplyDeleteOur roads are bad. They were good 10 years ago until the orders came to spend the money on the huge money pit regional park
ReplyDeleteThe Pavement Overlay contract for last fiscal year was awarded about this time last year so maybe it will be on the Council agenda soon. However, since the Council will have the second Transportation Strategic Planning Workshop on December 4, maybe they will hold off until afterwards. The second transportation workshop addresses City responsibilities like street maintenance. Go to that one if you want to tell the Council to make street maintenance a higher priority with higher funding.
ReplyDelete1:28 PM
ReplyDeleteCouncils have been told to make street maintenance a higher priority. What happens is all the money was put into bling fire stations and the Hall regional sports park designed with bathrooms on the second floor of a two story building. Who in their right mind puts restrooms on the second floor.
You do understand that the building is up against the higher grade where the south field is higher than the north field so that the bathrooms (second floor) are at the higher grade level.
DeleteThe higher grade is 15 feet? Were the fields designed for King Kong? Let's see how the parents love running up and down the stairwells with toddlers in tow. Oops! Another change order.
DeleteNot as bad as San Diego, try driving through parts of La Jolla. Hey, who needs bathrooms in a park at all, that's what the bushes are for. You can thank Stocks, Bonds and gang, along with Carlsbad Club soccer for the Hall property debacle....
ReplyDeleteNo bathrooms ever. Cave men did not used bathrooms. Not one Leucadia beach has a bathroom or porta potty. Besides people miss the mark and pee on the wall, floor, sink, etc etc etc.
DeleteBathrooms??? We don't need no stinkin' bathrooms.
Carlsbad soccer? 2:32pm, you're an idiot.
DeleteYup, you think the for profit Carlsbad and Encinitas Club Soccer teams WEREN'T pushing for the lights and more fields? Why would that seem strange. Soccer=money around these parts.
DeleteEncinitas Express is a non-profit. Not a for-profit.
DeleteOf course they were pushing for lights. Its dark at 5:15pm right now. Kids play sports, and coaches coach, after school/work hours. In the winter, there is no daylight after work hours.
There were 7 soccer teams playing on two fields at Park Dale last night. All Encinitas rec teams (no Carlsbad). Do the math.
3:38 PM
DeleteYou do the math. Encinitas Express won't release the number of kids from Carlsbad and beyond. Say about 49 % of their members. It's also freezing cold.
7:18pm, i'll ask them to provide an updated number. The last time i asked, the answer was nearly 90% of members are Encinitas residents, the highest of any of the sports leagues that use fields in Encinitas. The other percentage includes kids on the boundary and also kids involved in the Los Angelitos program.
DeleteCold is ok, kids still play. But not being able to see is a different matter...
Teams practice at Leo Mullen every night to 8pm. Drive by and see the dimly lit conditions while they run drills. Looks like a scene in the remote western provinces of China, without an adequate power grid.
DeleteThey're using rented portable lights with generators.
DeleteHeaven forbid kids were allowed to play til 8pm at the new park with installed lighting. Electrical is run, but no lights will be installed. Pathetic.
Are the soccer teams using stadium lights at park dale school?
DeleteNo, no lights at the school fields.
DeleteSome Express soccer teams practice at the Y on well-lit fields until all goes dark at 7pm.
DeleteThat's right. The two lit fields are Leo Mullen (using rented generators) and the Y. The Y fields are run in partner with the city and are shared by many different leagues (and the Y).
DeleteWhat would it cost to put up lights at Park Dale? Less than a $100,000? Sounds like a good deal. Those lights could stay on until 10 o'clock at night every day. Start the fund raising.
DeleteForgot this forum was the playground of kid-hating bitter old curmudgeons. Don't need no grass or lights for this..
Delete12:29 PM
DeleteCan the Park Dale field lights foundation count on your $1000 for the Park Dale lights?
My volunteer time adds up to much more than that. And i've raised much more than that for both the Y and Express. And not so that i could say so here, but because it helps kids. You should try it, you might like it..
Delete1:49 PM
DeleteCan the Park Dale field lights foundation count on your $1000 for the Park Dale lights?
1:22pm, 2:00pm. If there truly were a foundation to help improve kids fields in Encinitas, i'd put my money and time there in a heartbeat.
DeleteNot so fast, Park Dale is part of EUSD. They stopped watering their fields two years ago so that they could afford the lawyers advising them on Pacific View. Any money for lights would surely be diverted.
DeletePesticide Park.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post on Encinitas Guerilla this week:
ReplyDeleteEncinitas Mayor Comes Out Against Roundabouts
The author of this blog, on which only the administrator can post, has a good understanding not only about roundabouts, but also about the inconsistencies at City Hall!
Increased back-up at RR crossings is the reason the U.S. Dept. of Transportation recommends against roundabouts near them. Trains are "obstacles," but at least they are not constant. The roundabouts, once installed, would be PERMANENT obstacles.
The City is obstructionist, not we activists! Projects we want and need, like road repair are obstructed by money being drained into "pie in the sky" projects, for which we have no real hope of getting funding anytime soon, as admitted by Mayor Barth (and Lisa Shaffer, more recently, because lack of a certified Housing Element) re pedestrian underpasses.
On 12/15/10, Barth admitted that the roundabouts could not be implemented "for many, many years." Neither the City nor other government authorities, including State, Federal and regional transit authorities have the money to fund a $20+ Million Streetscape project with roundabouts that are not popularly supported, nor recommended by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation.
Examples of roundabouts provided by a Director of Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Ass. have not been in California and have not been on a major roadway, primary circulation element, main arterial, with no cross-streets, adjacent to a Highway within the Coastal Zone. No other city locally, or statewide, or even nationwide, has roundabouts on a major roadway, adjacent to RR tracks, and a major recreational access/egress point, in Leucadia's case, our coastline.
City "Executive Officers" are overpaid both in salaries and in pensions, draining our budgets for those projects the public does support.
The Strategic Plan has obstructed our ability to have traditional goal setting workshops prior to the Capital Improvement Budget that is already being implemented "pending" the two year budget that will be submitted after the General Election next year, no doubt. Smoke and mirrors seem to be the greatest obstructions; Council is spinning around in a hazy house of mirrors, genuflecting at their own, enlarged, distorted reflections.
Yes, when Teresa Barth was the minority voice, she seemed to have more understanding, and the ability to stand alone. Now her vision has become clouded by the "authority" of Gus Vina and the new Council majority, as well as the corrupting influence of "celebrity" as she cuts ribbons and poses for photo ops, her "favorite" part of the job.
Also, projects that would cost very little money, such as implementing a promised Sunshine Ordinance, or putting a vote on roundabouts and lane elimination for motorists, instead implementing a bicycle railtrail corridor from Chesterfield all the way to La Costa, on the 2014 General Election ballot, are ignored, as Council glorifies in the "celebrity" of Strategic Planning "retreats," and workshops that downplay and disregard public input.
DeleteHorseshit. You are an obstructionista.
DeleteAnd a KLECer.
"After this post, I will no longer discuss this with you, 12:18, on this thread"
DeleteWrong again.
But thanks for another routine from Encinitas Guerilla!
Please, enough about the roundabouts. We all get it. Lynn against it. Fred for it. Can you two have your own email chat about roundabouts and leave the ret of us out of it? I know we can skip these posts, but come on, get over it. It is what it is. And as of yet, there are no roundabouts in Leucadia. The only one in Encinitas, to the best of my knowledge, is on Santa Fe. Personally I have never had any trouble with it.
DeleteThe Encinitas Guerrilla site is "owned" by Wc. He also "owns" Cardiffian and one other.
DeleteJealousy suck hugh Lynn?
DeleteThere are two roundabouts on Leucadia Blvd., one at Hermes and the next one, east, on Hymetus and Leucadia Blvd. There was to be another at Hygeia, with Phase II of the Leucadia Blvd. roundabouts, which was to include promised sidewalks and landscaping improvements on the Blvd., but Phase II was never implemented. The four way stop sign remains.
DeleteFor once, we agree on roundabouts.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'll stop correcting Lynn's Streetscape comments if Lynn doesn't keep bringing them up. Deal Lynn?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI bet there is no more than 10 regulars on this blog. Just posting and re-posting.
ReplyDeleteYet, they represent the entire city.
What number are you?
DeleteWell there are the same city workers posting nonesense like yours for sure.
ReplyDeleteFred is the fact check again senile block heads. Waite for it.....
ReplyDeleteWe all know the answer!!!!
Whew. My work here is done.
DeleteMore like Phew!
DeleteDolt
DeleteFred,
ReplyDeleteYou work is never done, until the untruths of the KLCC are silenced.
Huggs,
Leucadia
Fred is senile.
DeleteIf Fred is senile, that would make Braun and Cameron flat out retarded.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCity Wide Tree Removals
ReplyDeleteThe Street Maintenance Division will be removing the following trees either because they are dead, dying, diseased or causing infrastructure damage:
312 N Coast Highway 101 - Eucalyptus: Structure / Disease
374 N Coast Highway 101 - Eucalyptus: Structure/ Disease
800 N Coast Highway 101 – Median - Pine: Structure
1760 N Coast Highway 101 – Median - Eucalyptus: Structure/ Disease
1055 N Vulcan Ave - Pine: Dead
518 Neptune Ave – Brazilian Pepper: Hazardous Conditions
A tree will be replanted for each tree removed.
Just saw the X's on some of the trees driving by this morning. More lost canopy....
DeleteTime to get that tree city USA designation revoked.
DeleteThat city-wide removal looks a little concentrated.
DeleteThe City is great at killing trees and terrible at growing trees!
DeleteThey have their priorities backwards.
And condemning/removing perfectly healthy ones.
DeleteAnd planting apple trees. No wait, that's Johnny Appleseed.
DeleteAnd they leave dead oleander " trees".
DeleteFred thinking -" gosh darn it - I'd better remove that post....what post.... where am I???? "
ReplyDeleteCamerons thinking---- I think I'm Fred.
DeleteBrauns thinking- Sheila, please tell me how to explain what I am thinking?
Lword thinking, "yip, pyd sdio, sdopu,(*&, puPIu ,adspupu, pusapoiufm *&*)(& u80,ipusaifu,,,,..... Sheila- Help me with my thoughts, its happening again!..)*&*, ;klsji )(780. (090870... PUiup. ;you poop 9u(*u moue I 098-a8 hate ;kpu You [909 MOVE."
DeleteAt least we're thinking.
Deletelol. I could leave the ones with spelling errors if you like, Hasbro.
ReplyDeleteOne of ten says,
ReplyDeleteMOVE
Good. Lets raise that to 30% and I will be happy.
ReplyDeleteMOVE. Especially KLCC.
If the KLCC leaves I'm hoping they take their soiled TP with them.
Delete