Friday, May 9, 2014

Muir calls for hiring freeze

It's about time!

Read all about it in the Seaside Courier:
Encinitas should implement a hiring freeze until it can sort out its finances following the $10-million purchase of a former school site, City Councilmember Mark Muir says.

"I feel that it would be prudent for the city to implement a temporary hiring freeze, until such time as the funding source is determined and the impacts to the budget are known," wrote City Councilmember Mark Muir in a report to be considered May 14. "Exceptions to the hiring freeze can be made by the City Manager, as long as the position is determined to be critical to the organization and within our current budget."
Given the sorry state of Encinitas' long-mismanaged finances, this move is long overdue. We certainly could have used it two years ago before Gus Vina and the current council expanded the bureaucracy. And the "critical to the organization" exception is wide enough for Vina to drive a cabinet through.

But at least two council members (see also Kristin Gaspar) are finally talking about our fiscal problems!

164 comments:

  1. Finally. Although his letter lacks forcefulness, it is a step in the right direction. Vina has used the "we are too busy" excuse to hire on more employees. Read the proposed budget on Wednesday's council agenda. You will be shocked.

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  2. Too bad this wasn't before real pension reform and before more borrowing for the new sports park that is called a community park.

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  3. Where is Shaffer on this issue of fiscal responsibilty? She just wants to increase density in Encinitas.
    Based on her latest epistle, she is ready to lead the way to develop Encinitas and say good-bye to our current community character. There is no choice, according to her latest message that is out-of-touch with reality in Encinitas.

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    Replies
    1. Shaffer is brain stunted - she thinks she is back at the University....

      Delete
    2. Shaffer's newsletter assumes that the population is increasing, therefore we have no choice to densify, she claims.

      But that increase has slowed down, significantly, and is not at the levels projected by SANDAG. The most current census figures and SANDAG's numbers don't add up.

      Delete
  4. I have been pleasantly surprised by Muir's logic and common sense approach while being on our city council.

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    Replies
    1. Easily impressed.

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    2. Lololollllloooololol. Muir uses common sense?? Lololll . You're more than easily impressed, more like blind, deaf and dumb.

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  5. Muir better continue to show balls or his silent soft voice will not be heard. He's a big man, but a little weak in the strength department. This should have been done a long time ago. First thing that needs to happen is get rid of Vina. Shaffer is a joke.

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  6. Julie Graboi pleaded with Muir and the council to enact a hiring freeze one year ago at the June 12, 2013 budget meetings- Muir and Gaspar turned a deaf ear to Julie and residents and voted to approve $135,000 to a spin doctor and more than $400,000 to the planning dept over budget-

    Where was Muir- with his head you know where

    Julie Graboi and residents pleaded with Muir, Gaspar and the council not to spend $66,000 on bogus consultants and survey's in the summer of 2012


    Where was Muir- he approved the waste of taxpayer money and then benefited when his developer campaing supporters David Meyer and Paul Gaspar, husband of Kristin Gaspar- used the taxpayer funded survey's as political propaganda in an effort to elect Muir-

    Oh yea- Muir and Gaspar lied to every voter in they city on the prop A ballot statement- misinformation put together by the firm Rutan and Tucker- at a cost of $50,000 to msinform the public- Julie opposed the waste of money Muir and Gaspar supported it

    Typical of Muir to show up after the house has already burned to the ground - he is a self-seeking opportunitist who will be exposed

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    Replies
    1. How true - those with no memories of his past will think he has done something meaningful- it's a classic ruse. He is no better than the rest.

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  7. I bet the freeze doesn't include his pension. Too late Muir, this smacks of election year politics. Muir does and says nothing until its politically expedient to do so.

    Muir doesn't represent us, he represents his pension, developers and firefighters. Don't buy it...

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  8. 11:39 You are absolutely correct. Where was Muir when the money was being spent so freely? Yep, right there with the rest of them approving every thing. Muir has decided apparently that the only way to look good is to ask for a hiring freeze.

    I thought we were just told by Barth that the city was in good financial shape. The public has been lied to once again. We should not be surprised.

    Vina and Sabine are running the show and ruining our city. They need to go.

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  9. It appears Muir just got his puppet strings pulled by his master $tock$. Save your pension Muir; the hell with the rest of it.

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  10. 11:39 Everyone has an opinion, and yours about Muir might be justified from your perspective.
    Whatever his motives, it is still a positive step when such an idea is put on the table. In the absence of such ideas, the council hasn't done anything to get control of the financial sinking ship. They all (especially Shaffer, Barth, and Kranz who voted to spend $10 mil to buy PV) might as well be Korean ferry captains.
    You may not be able to give Muir credit because it looks like a political move, but at least somebody on council finally did it.
    And maybe tough views on Muir (and probably Gaspar) are not as warranted as some think.

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    1. 11:56 please- Muir and Gaspar are as much the sick illness sucking taxpayers dry as the other three-

      Muir Gaspar / approved Vina's borrow and steal fiasco at teh Hall aprk

      Muir Gaspar -approved raiding $7 million from fullu funded projects with no plan to pay it back- reckless ad selfish

      Muir Gaspar- 2012 voted to increase the city's debt service for $500K annually and now the city is spending more per year than taking in-

      Muir Gaspar voted to approve self serving survey's Gaspars husband and developer friends then used to promote Muir

      Muir Gaspar approved Vina spending $50,000 on Rutan and Tucker to mislead the public

      Muir is a self-seeking opportunitist who started a political action committee of one person and then claimed it was a FIre Fighter association so he could send out campaign mailers to elect his friend stocks- Stocks then gave Muir a 35% pay and pension increae spinking his pension-

      Now Muir wants to hoodwink the public to think he is responsible-

      The community will be here to expose him for who he is- a fiscal spend thrift

      Delete
    2. perspective?

      BS- my opinions are based on the facts. THe facts are these, Muir is a self-seeking opportunitist who has exploited taxpayers and freely spent our money until now we are bankrupt-

      the city is spending more than it takes in and Muir/Gaspar are to blame

      Delete
    3. I agree. Good post. Muir did the right thing. Now lets see him take the next step to fixing City Hall by firing Vina and getting a real City Manager.

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  11. If you want a good laugh, Vina's crowing on how he saved over a million dollars over the last couple of years will bring tears to your eyes.
    This is what he writes in the agenda report -
    B. Organizational Efficiencies and Continuous Improvement
    As part of the business culture at the City, the department directors are encouraged to review their departments for any opportunities to improve our customer service and to find efficiencies. Over the last couple of years the following efficiencies have been achieved with an estimated savings to payroll and operating budgets of over $1,000,000 in on-going expenses.
    1. Reductions Since 2012:
     Elimination of the environmental contract. The Deputy City Manager was
    reassigned to organize the City’s environmental agenda and focus area.
    Savings of $100,000 annually. (Hey, Gus. Why didn't you cancel the contract when you first came in 2011?)
    Elimination of the Highway 101 Coordinator. Savings of $105,000
    annually. (Hey, Gus. That didn't happen because of you. You wanted to give him more money.)
    Elimination of the Engineering Director position. Merged Public Works
    and Engineering. Savings of $220,000 annually. (Hey Gus. Engineering was part of the Public Works department until 1993. The council at that time approved the "new" director of engineering.)
    Reorganization of the Fire Service Management contract. Savings of
    $280,000 annually.
     Law Enforcement contract negotiations. Savings of $300,000 annually.

    Then there are the requests in the proposed budget for new hires -
    Now, director Rudloff of parks and rec wants to create another supervisor position because there will be soooooo much more work with the opening of the Hall sports park.
    According to director of planning Jeff Murphy there aren't enough planners to handle the workload applications. Diane Langager, Kerry Kusiak, and several other in the planning department previously did that work. They are now "managers" over their own little special areas in planning and can't be bothered with the mundane workload.

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    1. Muir and Gaspar need to fire Vina. They are my two new favors. The PV trio are fiscal nightmares.

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    2. The Majority on the City Council want to change the subject: they are angry that Muir and Gaspar have continued to express dismay at the overspending by $7 mil for Pacific View. They are SO angry that the City Manager was directed to cancel the last planned meeting for their Strategic Planning for this June entitled 'Effectiveness and Efficiencies' at City Hall.

      Why was it canceled? Because Teresa and Tony knew that it would be used as a platform to argue about the council being snookered by Supt. Baird into paying the $10 mil. So Council's grade on Strategic Planning? An Incomplete.

      The council majority plans to use up the last of their fiscal ability to borrow money because of the overreach on PV and at the end of summer it is going to fly back in their faces like a boomerang to the teeth when the State-mandated law concerning 'storm-water runoff' cranks up and the city (Not Encinitas alone, but most cities) will find itself being forced by the state to find over $20 mil to completely change the way the city operates. Because of AB 218, no taxes can be created without voter approval, and bonds were among the few accepted ways to raise the necessary capital to comply with the environmental mandate. You gotta laugh at this leadership model: borrowing a new $20 mil to pay for buying PV and developing it into an 'arts center' that will generate no capital in property taxes nor sales taxes.

      Remember, Barth and Kranz are dedicated to the dream that 'the arts' will attract tourism that will translate into dollars and Barth even carries an article around from The Atlantic Monthly magazine about attracting youthful entrepreneurs' that she spoke about at the State of the City dinner. Of course, Barth always forgets to recognize that the plan she holds so dear is about cities with a million or more inhabitants. Encinitas is over 90% short of that number. No college. Can't count. And just where are the tourists to stay? Calsbad? Sleeping bags on the beach? Lisa's house? Those weekend meetings with staff continue.

      Delete
  12. Really, based on Muir's history, what would you have us think of the guy? He is not a leader, along with Gaspar and the rest of them. But Gaspar and Muir are part of the Stocks/Bond/David Meyer axis, who have taken the lead on building high density nightmares in our town for the last 15 years.

    Don't settle for this bone he's throwing you, think big, let's oust all 5. We already have one down, we have a chance to dump Gaspar, let's do it.

    Don't be satisfied with the mediocrity that is city hall...

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  13. Muir is the weakest link, along with his sidekick GASpar. They are all for show and NO GO. Time for GASpar to be dumped for ineptness and lack of fiscal responsibility. Then DUMP MUIR when his time comes. I don't buy his "Savior" approach.

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  14. If Muir is serious and would like a hiring freeze, let's start with his pension. Decrease your pension Muir to show us you are serious. Otherwise, you blow a lot of hot air.

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  15. So would it have been better than this idea of a hiring freeze was never made?
    Would that make you happy so you can wallow in your despair and negativity?
    I think you are all part of the problem.

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    Replies
    1. 12:28 this hirign freeze recommendation was made by residents - including Julie Graboi more than 12 months ago-

      No despair here, only holding this repsonsible for this financal trainwreck responsible- the conductors are Muir and Gaspar-= now hoping to toot their own horns a day late and $2M dollars short

      spin away - you can't deny the facts- Muir and Gaspar are reckeless financial nightmares

      Delete
    2. Good, so she deserves a lot of credit. And Muir should get credit as a council person for carrying the idea forward, even if it is politically motivated. It is political world, no matter how frustrating that reality may be. It has potentially more impact for someone on the council to move this idea, than for it to come from a non-council person.

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  16. He's the best councilperson we have by FAR!

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    1. Then we are really screwed!

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    2. 12:29 Thank you Mrs. Mo Muir for letting us know your husband is the best council person. BARF!

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  17. "The horse is already out of the barn" theory in play here.

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  18. Notice he hasn't called for a SALARY and PENSION freeze, just a hiring freeze. He hasn't fooled anyone.....

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    Replies
    1. Pension contracts for those already retired can't be "frozen," or renegotiated.

      I think the only thing that can be renegotiated for those that haven't yet retired is the amount of employee contributions. New hire's contracts can be renegotiated Probably the best thing to do would be to set up new hires in a 401K system, and eventually withdraw from CalPers.

      Delete
  19. Will Muir also demand reduction of staff? Currently 240 people working for the city?

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, but look at the list WCV posted, the guys making $100k plus are the firefighters and public safety guys, take them and the managers out and the average pay goes way down...

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  20. Notice not many of you can approach this situation in a constructive way to build an atmosphere of cooperation and progress.
    Where are the comments, "Good idea to suggest a hiring freeze. I think a salary freeze would also help. And let's freeze pensions, too." No, it is all vile and personal attack. This blog is getting very weary.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you city employee seeking higher wages and benefits...

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    2. 1:51 I suggest you not read the blog if you are tired of it. Your choice buddy.

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    3. 8:46 You need me on this blog to be a target for all the bile you spew. Otherwise you nay-sayers would have to feed on yourselves.

      Delete
  21. Good job Muir. Please fire City Manager and get a City Manager that will clear the dead wood from City Hall. There is soooo much deadwood its a fire hazard.

    An ex fireman can appreciate that. Right?!

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  22. Once again, a council person moves in the right direction and instead of rewarding the try they get crapped on for not doing enough too late. No wonder this bunch doesn't get taken seriously......Poor Julie Graboi - all these expectations (I got crapped on for asking a question) and once elected as soon as she goes against the tide (she will - we all do) this bunch is going to turn on her with all the viciousness of a rabies infested herd of hyena....I hope she doesn't eat donuts......

    - The Sculpin

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    Replies
    1. The only bunch who will turn on Julie are the other council members and the staff. Why? Because she'll want to clean up City Hall and run the City efficiently and to benefit residents. None of the others want that or do that.

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    2. While campaigning, they (Shaffer and Kranz) said they wanted to clean things up. And maybe they really meant it at the time. From their high seats, they have now spun off track, and that could happen to any well-intended council hopeful. Shaffer is now openly high density, pro-development based on her letter sent yesterday.

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    3. Julie isn't like those that have no integrity, also she is sharp, we know smarts and common sense are lacking at city hall. Julie Graboi gets my vote!

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    4. dude- you want us to applaud a guy who has driven the city to the brink of bankruptcy, looted $7M from projects without a plan to pay it back, increased our unsistainable debt service

      and

      wait for it

      Ignored all the residents who have been saying this is where the city was headed for 2 years

      sorry, I'll not be giving this weasel any applause, I will be holding him accountable and voting his ass out of office at the first chance I get - and you should to

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    5. 3:55 Obviously, you don't know Julie Graboi.

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    6. Many people thought they knew Lisa Shaffer before she showed her true colors of being a proponent of high density development in Encinitas.

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    7. 10:18,

      True. But Shaffer was a complete blank slate, with no record of standing for anything. People projected their hopes onto her (kinda like a certain blank slate fella at the national level). Now it turns out she's nothing but a Smart Growth ideologue.

      Graboi is quite different. She has been on the record fighting for open government, fiscal responsibility, and community character for years.

      Delete
    8. Julie Graboi has what it takes and she will outshine Shaffer (the idiot).

      Delete
    9. dude - that was like 2 years ago- oh wait, that was said about Benghazi- never mind

      Delete
  23. Mark Muir spiked his pension with over 800 hundred hours of vacation that's 5 months or more of time off ,thanks to his buddies Phil Cotten , Jerome Stocks and Jim Bond now he wants to be called a fiscal conservative .I call bull shit.

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    Replies
    1. Muir is so full of shit it is coming out of those stinky vests he wears. He deserves NO CREDIT. This is not a new idea. What a scoundrel this man is. Political bull shit.

      Delete
  24. What is Julie's position on efficient intersection control, and on the KLCC?

    That will determine if she was a real candidate for me.

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    Replies
    1. Don't be lazy, ask her.

      Delete
    2. 4:02, Julie appeals only to people who have working brains. You don't qualify.

      Delete
  25. Here's the linkage on the pay of city workers. I recommend looking at the whole thing. If I have time, I'll drop out the part-timers and fire guys and average what the standard employees make. It's good reading..

    http://encinitasundercover.blogspot.com/2014/02/average-encinitas-government-worker.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The link is in the box at upper left of this page under the headline "Encinitas Government 101."

      Delete
  26. Poor bottom feeder got crapped on he says. If so, that was only because he spoke out of ignorance when anyone who cares enough to do more than post doubts as to ones character without paying the slightest bit of attention to the current state of affairs in this town. And yet he posts here regularly and states he never has attended a council meeting, knows nothing of any issues, and comes on here judging others. Bottom feeder you are welcome to join in with this community. It is easy. Give up some time to attend council meetings, keep abreast of what this community is trying to overcome and then your questions will be able to come from an educated viewpoint and you will find many generous citizens will be glad to help you with any issues you care to address and know more about. Thanks and welcome to the new future that is possible with enough caring people. I hope you become one of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Regularly going to council meetings is a huge waste of time for anyone with a busy schedule.

      I'd recommend putting it on the TV in the background while you're working or reading Wednesday evenings at 6pm. You'll quickly get a feel for the characters involved.

      And scan the agendas ahead of time just in case there's an issue that concerns you. But beware, generic terms like "community planning" can often mean "we're going to develop the s&^% out of this place."

      Delete
    2. Agree, if you're working full time, it's pretty hard to get to meetings, you do get the gist via the boob-tube. Ok, I'll give Mark minor props for going the right direction on a hiring freeze, but he needs to back It up with action in the long run. He hasn't done much, let's be honest.

      I do agree with the Sculpin, not sure many on this board will be happy with anyone who doesn't tear down city hall at this point. We need some changes, but it's never going to come as fast as you want...

      -Mr Green Jeans

      Delete
  27. Muir calls for a double-double.....

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  28. MARK
    Does this include all classification Or only the people you don't like

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  29. Muir - - talk is cheap - let's see some action. Unlikely....

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  30. Just got Barth's weekly propaganda piece pushing her developer special interest upzoning B$

    She writes 'just like old days' where there was retail on the botton and offices on top-

    Right- this is the BS Norby and city staff tried to force on Cardiff - where Barth and Shaffer conveninetly did not attend a single community meeting - trying to convice the public that Guiseppi the tailor was going to open a haberdashery on the first floor and live above it, or Franz the watchmen or Luca the cobbler-

    What a bunch B$

    Barth is a liar- how do we know, she like on the Prop A ballot statement. Barth's legacy with her enemies will be that of an incompetent easily played, her legacy with supporters who worked tirelessly to help her become Mayor will that she is a liar

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    Replies
    1. Barth needs to go away and stop putting out junk about the good old days when retail was on the bottom and offices on top. I beg her to live in this century. What an "old bag" she is. You can tell by the clothes she wears. I'm sick of looking at this woman who talks and thinks with no F'ng brain.

      I want to see granny walking or riding her bike to the council meetings and other meetings she attends. Put up or shut up Barth. We have had enough of you.

      Delete
    2. Barth is handing out ribbon candy at the next geriatrics meeting.

      Delete
  31. We have models in Encinitas that prove or disprove the work-below, live-above concept. One model is the buildings on the north corner of Phoebe and 101. The below-above was the sales pitch when they were built. Do the people who own the street-level shops there live above them? Is there enough parking to accommodate both there?

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    Replies
    1. How many people in the "Smart Growth" Pacific Station monstrosity actually work on 101 or commute by Coaster?

      I'm guessing pretty close to zero.

      Delete
    2. Howzabout the monstrosity on Garden View that rarely has tenants in the shops below?

      Barth and Shaffer's insistence that we want to live this way or that is tedious at best and offensively arrogant at worst. We ARE living how and where we want, or working toward changing our situations. Why they think we're all going to follow some model of living that they got brainwashed into believing at some workshop is nothing short of insanity.

      Delete
    3. At this point, it's not vote them out next time: it's stop them now, before they implement any of the crap they want to force down our gullets.

      Delete
    4. Barth, in her newsletter says: "If you think about pre-sprawl communities, traditional downtowns had retail at the street level and offices or housing on 2nd and 3rd floors. Few had buildings over four stories since elevators were not widely used until the second half of the 20th Century."

      But our traditional downtown Encinitas did not have shops over residences. Where there were apartments above business establishments, was above the laundromat, downtown, right?

      Encinitas, never, to my knowledge, had people living in residences above their stores. Well, could the Dietrich's have lived above or near their drugstore?

      And Encinitas didn't have three story buildings, either, so people weren't living on second and third floors above their shops. But that was how the N101 Specific Plan was marketed to the general public, and Council. Only Council, not the citizens, got to vote on those changes to the General Plan height restrictions, despite what the untruthful ballot arguments claimed re Prop A.

      Now, we hear, Tony Kranz is running for mayor.

      Delete
    5. Our traditional downtown Encinitas did not have residences over shops, with shopkeepers living in their residences. Our city isn't old enough, and the community wasn't large enough for three or four story buildings.

      Delete
  32. The Wednesday night presentation showed pictures of projects from other parts of San Diego that were over 10 years old. Of course, they did not show what it is like when people are driving around the block of some of these projects looking for parking spots.

    They did not have to show us examples in other cities. We have Pacific Station and it is a nightmare for many of the people who live there with the Beer Garden making noise below them into the wee hours.

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  33. I'll say this again,If you're parents where born here please raise you're hand .The rest of You must go back to where you came from and the sooner the better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you worked hard and saved enough money to live here, please raise your hand. The rest of you please move to Temecula

      Delete
    2. 10:38

      Here's the way it works for people whose first language is English:

      "You're" is a contraction of "you" and "are." It's composed of the pronoun "you" and the verb "are." Get it? Subject, verb.

      "Your" is a possessive pronoun as in, for example, "Your brain is not working." In that sentence, "your" indicates the brain that belongs to you, meaning it's your possession. That's why "your" is called a possessive pronoun.

      If there's value in what you have to say, readers might find it easier to accept if you express yourself in standard English. Otherwise, you instantly brand yourself as a fool. You might very well be a fool, but try to get better at hiding it.

      Delete
    3. Coming up next: The Difference Between "Than" and "Then"!

      Delete
    4. To,too, and two ??

      Delete
    5. And what about the comma after "again?" That should be a period or a colon. Also "where" should be "were." "You" shouldn't be capitalized. I'm sure 10:38 thinks we're being pedantic, but readers do weigh credibility on this stuff. If you are sloppy or uneducated, you lose points.

      In this case, the argument is as lazy as the grammar. I didn't end up here because of the location of my mother's vagina when I fell out of it. I chose this place. Don't tell me that those of us who chose Encinitas are somehow illegitimate. Go back far enough (not that far) and all of our ancestors are interlopers on this ground--even the Native American tribes.

      Delete
    6. I worked hard and saved money and I still can't afford to buy and 880k plus house here, and I'm not moving to Temecula.

      Houses are expensive here, market forces at work. 'Nuff said...

      -Mr Green Jeans

      Delete
    7. 8:50 PM
      It's not just market forces at work. Zoning requirements as in setbacks lets a builder max out a lot for those multi-million dollar homes. The city doesn't want to consider an ordinance that would prevent an oversized house from blocking out the sunlight of the next door neighbors.

      Delete
    8. Get Shaffer to give an exposition on proper English - it's only ethical!

      Delete
    9. 4:47 is correct!

      Delete
    10. There, their and they're.

      Delete
  34. In the end history will tell about this past decades leadership, played by developers as "tools" and greedy pension pigs that ruined Encinitas finances. Stack & Pack will only ruin quality of life for visitors as well, (like the bars have) and everyone loses. I'm casting my vote for Julie Graboi because she sees clearly what is needed to preserve quality of life. With support she can succeed, I encourage all to get behind her.

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  35. So I do a search for Julie Graboi and I get a letter she wrote to the city, a few things about Grossmont, and this on her FB page:

    Tony Kranz for Encinitas City Council, Citizens Against Freeway Expansion (CAFE), Olive Garden Italian Restaurant, Save Desert Rose, Dan Dalager, Encinitas Mayor, Union Tribune Investigation, Sunlight Foundation, Oppose the Encinitas City Plan 2035, Save the Virgin Of Guadalupe Mosaic in Encinitas (AKA Surfing Madonna), The Escondido Creek Conservancy, Encinitas Patch, What do you love about Encinitas?, The Good Cook, Target, SideReel, CJLUXand 22 more

    What am I supposed to make of this? I suppose she likes Tony? CAFE and Desert Rose good. Dalager not sure. Against plan 2035 - OK. Sunlight Foundation - which appears to align itself with Barth/Kranz/Shaffer, but not sure what that is. Surfing Madonna - not my cup of tea - I like the Esc Creek conservancy -
    so can anyone help this crapped on bottom feeding slime fish and point me to something more authoritative as to what Julie is about? If she's running, does she have anything out there? I mean, do I have to ride over to her house and bang on her door?

    - The Sculpin

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    Replies
    1. Encinitas UndercoverMay 10, 2014 at 12:32 PM

      As far as I know, she hasn't announced yet.

      If she announces, I expect she'll have more specifics about her positions.

      Delete
    2. JFC, she filed her 501 form on May 5. Do you want an announcement delivered on a silver platter?

      Go to the City's website and look for her in the council meeting videos. She has spoken on various issues at many meetings for years, including the most recent farce at the community center.

      She is by far the best candidate in years because she is strongly with and for the residents of Encinitas. She is not corruptible as is every other council member, present and recent past.

      Delete
    3. Julie for council. Finally somebody that will represent our interests, no special interests.

      Delete
    4. I support Julie, too. Sculpin, a great many people voted for Tony Kranz for City Council to displace Jerome Stocks, which plan worked. Also, people who supported Prop A, the right to vote on upzoning and raising height limits initiative, voted for Tony Kranz, because he had signed the petition to qualify the measure for the ballot, as had Lisa Shaffer. Teresa Barth insisted she "supported citizens right to vote." She knew very well how that was perceived. They all mislead the voters.

      Many people who supported Tony in 2010 and 2012, no longer would vote for him. You should know that FB pages do not always reflect people's current positions. People, candidates, and positions change.

      Delete
    5. Encinitas UndercoverMay 10, 2014 at 6:44 PM

      Sculpin,

      We voted for Tony Kranz and love the Surfing Madonna.

      Please don't hold it against us!

      Delete
    6. How do you know she's not corruptible? She does need to get a site up, once you declare in this day and age, you should have something ready to go so people looking for info aren't stonewalled....

      Delete
    7. Knowing Julie, personally, I don't feel she could be corrupted.

      Unless someone knows a candidate personally, I suppose whether the candidate is corruptible is an unknown. But Julie supported, gathered signatures for Prop A. She has come to many Council Meetings, and spoken, or given time donations, unlike others, who only started getting interested before they ran for office. Some, like Blakespear, use Commissions as a stepping stone. Lisa Shaffer tried, and failed, to get appointed to the Environmental Commission.

      Delete
    8. 8:57 Because I've known her for about 30 years.

      Delete
  36. Back to the proposed hiring freeze.
    Muir's letter didn't explain that the budget agenda item has requests from the parks and rec director Rudloff and planning director Murphy for hiring new staff.
    This is Rudloff rational for hiring another park and beach supervisor position at $116,000.
    BACKGROUND:
    From 1993 to 2002 the Parks and Recreation Department had two (2) PBS positions. In 2003, the City Council funded one (1) additional FTE position bringing the total PBS positions to three (3). The new PBS position was intended to accommodate the maintenance supervision needs of several new parks and trail linkages coming on-line at the time and in anticipation of Encinitas Community Park (ECP) being completed. From 2003 to April 2012 a total of three (3) FTE PBS positions were funded, however, one PBS resigned and the position was not filled due to delayed construction of ECP. The job duties of the resigned PBS were transferred to the two remaining PBS’s with the understanding that the position vacancy would be temporary.

    One reason for a hiring freeze and the elimination of the third supervisor position.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We don't need to stinking beach supervisor....

      Delete
    2. What is PBS? Parks and Beach Supervisor?

      Delete
  37. Back to the proposed hiring freeze - part 2
    Planning director Jeff Murphy also has a request in the proposed budget for funding two planning department positions.
    This is Murphy's rational for filling the two positions.
    1. Position Request
    The Department currently has two vacant, unfunded FTEs; a Senior Planner I and a Planner IV position. Due to significant increases in permit activities and associated increase in permit processing times, along with projecting a continued increase in development activity, the Department is seeking to fund (fully-loaded cost) the positions in the amount of $140,880 for the Senior Planner I position, and $121,166 for the Planner IV position. This action will NOT result in an increase in FTEs.

    Murphy's request is another reason for the hiring freeze and the elimination of the two "unfunded" positions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The planners we have no don't do a damn thing , adding two more will result in more of nothing... Say no to more planners.

      Delete
  38. Back to the proposed hiring freeze - part 3
    Public works and engineering director Glenn Pruim is "restructuring" the departments which is result in additional duties for the "new" division heads. Because current employees will move into the newly structured divisions, their salaries must be increased. Pruim is requesting $23,000 for the salary adjustments.
    This is Pruim's rational -
    Each of those divisions will be managed by a current manager of one of the sections that will comprise the division. The selection of the division managers will be restricted to current
    section managers. Due to the added responsibilities to the successful division managers, the reorganization and accompanying position reclassifications will necessitate an increase in salaries for
    those affected personnel.

    What Pruim and Vina aren't telling the council is that the "new organization" is the same that was used in the mid-2000 years.

    Pruim's request can't be stopped with just a hiring freeze. The council will have to say no to any salary increases.

    ReplyDelete
  39. There should not only be a hiring freeze, there should be a freeze on salary increases, and a salary cut for those making over $100K per year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Civil "servants"??? More like feudal overlords.

      Delete
  40. Back to the hiring freeze - part 4
    Pruim and Vina are telling the council that Pruim's new organization chart is just a rearrangement so the council will not question why there are now 5 new division manager positions in Pruim's department. Five new job positions means new job descriptions and salary ranges.
    Council doesn't look beyond what they are told in the staff report, so they will probably fall for Pruim's scheme.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Back to Barth for a sec: just the use of the word "sprawl" is a sneaky and insidious way of making not living like a sardine a dirty thing. She is really, really creepy. Think she thought at up herself, or did Vina and Murphy cook it up and feed it to her eager mouth?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. During the Prop A debate Barth and the council signed their names to the Ballot Statement Lie- and sent that lie to every voter. That is who Barth/Shaffer/Kranz/Muir and Gaspar are -

      During that time Marco Gonzalez sent an email to various people saying that Encinitas needed more density wrongly claiming it is the only way to stop 'sprawl' into the Cleveland National Forest.

      Someone sent Marco an email asking Marco to prove what the formula was to 'save the forest' by destroying the community characther of Encinitas? Someone asked by email if Marco had pictures of the acres that would be saved by upzoning Encinitas to 'stop the sprawl' into the forest. Marco went silent- couldn;t answer I guess.

      Now Marco represented developers seeking to reduce wetlands in Olienhain and clear cut mature trees- so much for saving the forest huh

      Jeez, I wonder where Barth and Shaffer got the word Sprawl? Anyone notice that nice new park in front of the "Upzone The Coast Law group" ? Looks like representing bar owners, developes and chasing ambulances pays well

      Word is Barth and Shaffer had a meet and greet for Catherine Blakespear with members of the art committe last week.

      I wonder if Blakespeak knows she is hanging out with two people who lied on a ballot statement sent to every voter?

      Delete
    2. hell at least your something new. No the same old KLCC….

      Go Jackson go….

      Delete
    3. 10:27 PM

      I guess you don't get around the area much. Just look how the Temecula/Murrieta area has grown to support workers in San Diego and LA/Orange County. Just drive around San Diego County. Sprawl is everywhere. It's not a question of is there sprawl but how does effect Encinitas.

      Delete
  42. This council will believe anything the staff tells them. They are all brainless, clueless, and should never have gotten elected. Stupid us for believing in them. Never again.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I doubt that Vina told Muir to call a hiring freeze.

    I would say that Muir is acting as a leader. How can we afford this $10 million plus the unspoken $10 million in facilities costs… its another $20,000,000 library all over again.

    Right after the whopping $80 million Regional Sports Complex when including all the surrounding street infrastructure improvements that are needed to support such a venue.

    My God. I support the huge pension sucking man for making a good call. Its much better than the spend without how to pay for it plan from other council members.

    Next Election. Vote them all out! NO Incumbents!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Muir is a day late and several million short because he, along with his cohorts, kept approving big ticket items and gave approval for hiring more staff . Now he wants to play superman? This is laughable.

      Delete
    2. I agree. Look at the trail of fire chiefs that take the position for one or two years to spike their pensions. Scott, Muir, all the others……

      Fire princesses are the biggest tick on the tit. Bottom line.


      They don't really even work like the sherrifs and police.

      I say lets put both fire fighters and the life guards back to normal pension levels.

      they don to have the stress of the Police services job. Bottomline.

      Delete
    3. Von's shopping brigade = Encinitas Fire Department @ $100K/yr +++.

      Delete
    4. Muir votes for triple triple at In N Out!

      Delete
  44. I have to say, this is one of may favorite line on the blog to date:


    "And the "critical to the organization" exception is wide enough for Vina to drive a cabinet through."

    That statement is golden and shows that WC understands City government oh too well.



    ReplyDelete
  45. Gotta give him credit on this one!

    ReplyDelete
  46. The deed is not complete. Never give credit too soon.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Back to the hiring freeze - part 5
    May 13 is the council's urban forest subcommittee meeting. The city is so awash in trees that public works director Pruim is suggesting a new staff position - an urban forester coordinator to oversee the 9,600 trees planted in the city right-of-way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dead oleander bushes are NOT trees, regardless of what the KLCC wants to tell you.

      Delete
  48. Back to the hiring freeze - part 6
    How many new staff positions are proposed with the addition of the urban forester coordinator? One (1) in the parks and rec department, two (2) in the planning department, six (6) in the public works/engineering department for a total of nine (9).

    ReplyDelete
  49. No fiscal problems under Stocks and Bond. Bring em back and hire a real city manager.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You obviously are one of $tock$ puppets. Don't get us started on that idiot.

      Delete
    2. Agreed. $tock$ was the largest cause of Encinitas financial collapse. Encinitas own version of the Inside Job! Muir was his wing man and profited nicely from the Stocks corruption.

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1645089/

      Delete
    3. Muir is a parasite on the working class.

      Delete
    4. Brain dead supporter of $tock$ - the worst politician ever in the brief history of this city. Corruption and arrogance personified.

      Delete
  50. Put Pacific View up to a vote of the people like we did for the Hall property.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Hall property $400k per acre; Pacific View $3million per acre.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How did you get those figures, 11:18? They're wrong.

      Delete
    2. Encinitas UndercoverMay 12, 2014 at 6:42 PM

      $10 million / 3+ acres = $3 million per acre.

      $18 million / 44 acres = $400,000 per acre.

      Those figures are approximately right, I believe, not including construction and toxic waste remediation.

      Delete
    3. PV is 2.8 acres.

      The real tale will be told when everything is said and done. By an accounting posted on this blog, when Hall Park is finished and paid for, it will have cost $80 million. Then it will have high maintenance costs. What will its revenues be?

      Since PV means of purchase and future use, costs and revenues are unknown, you can't really start comparing yet.

      Delete
    4. It's worse. The city financed the purchase of the Hall property with a $22.65 million bond.

      $22.65 million / 44 acres = $514,773 per acres

      When the bond is paid off the total cost is even higher.

      $44 million / 44 acres = $1 million per acre

      Adding up everything it will be around $2 million per acre.

      Delete
    5. Wait a minute 10:27.....if the city financed the $18m purchase, then isn't the overall cost only $22.65? Or are you saying that the city purchased it with cash for $18M, and then got $22.65 more through the bond to build it, for an overall cost of $40.65? OK, and then you throw in another millsky per acre for good measure......got it....

      - The Sculpin

      Delete
    6. Sculpin:

      Put on your reading glasses. There is the word million after the $22.65. It appears you flunked remedial math in high school.

      $22.65 million = $22,650,000.

      Delete
  52. Thats the problem. The City Council never put either up for a vote of the people. Both would have failed. Everyone knows it. Thats why current council will not put up the PV property. This is a major bad decision by current Council.

    Thats what they get from listening to fools like Lynn. Hell its has a historic old school house on it. Why didn't they offer $15,000,000 for it. Its not their money anyway!

    Vote them all out next two elections.

    ReplyDelete
  53. There was no toxic waste remediation unless digging a big pit and burying it onsite can be called remediation. Of course the fact that percolation to the surface is a proven fact and thanks to his lowness' influence the poisoned soil stayed right there for the future health of our children and pets that may use the Hall non community Park down the road. Shameful. Once again Lynn is blamed. Grow up crappy and buy a clue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meanwhile are streets are falling apart....

      Delete
    2. 7:25pm. Grow Up? I wasn't the fool who told the City to buy another trophy project. Maybe some of those folks should see if they are capable of managing their own affairs before suggesting wasting more tax dollars on yet another City Trophy Project.

      Delete
  54. There was no public vote to finance and build Hall Park. Did the public vote to buy the property?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not directly. But they effectively did as two election campaigns were based primarily on this single issue, and each time the pro-park campaigners won. More so than PV.

      Delete
  55. OK, no direct public vote on whether or not to buy the Hall property, no direct public vote on financing and building the park, no direct public vote on how to do Leucadia Streetscape, so why should there be a direct public vote on whether or not to buy Pacific View?

    Incidentally, Dalager claimed buying the Hall property for a park as the proudest achievement of his time on the council.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dalager's proudest moment was not being charged for additional felonies by that crook DA Dumanis. He got off with a wrist slap for his bribe taking. Dump Dumanis!

      Delete
    2. Dalager said at an Olivenhain election forum that he was proudest of getting the tot lot installed at Moonlight Beach. By this time he wasn't talking much about the Hall property because the city didn't have the money to build it.

      Delete
    3. 1:45 AM

      Why have a council at all. We can just have a nonstop series of elections. Since these usually have low turnout, your chance of defeating them is quite high. Then we can all be proud of Encinitas.

      Delete
    4. No answer to 1:45's question re justification by precedent for a PV vote.

      Delete
    5. The tot lot was Dalager's idea of law school. That's were he acquired his acumen for governance.

      Delete
  56. OK than, Heads will roll for PV.

    PS- All council sucks for keeping Vina the Stockton and Sacramento style City Manager. Boooooo. Next two elections clean house.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Let's undo this thing we call "the city of Encinitas". We have had lame council people from day one, too many overpaid staff, city managers and city attorneys that are not on our side. We would more than likely be better off the way it was before we HAD to incorporate. We could save tons of money.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK, let's eliminate all city and county governments and let the state take over. For that matter, let's eliminate all state governments and let the feds run everything.

      Delete
    2. The Encinitas Fire Department should help fight the 4S fire; the only fire they've seen to date is the open chicken barbeque at
      Vons.

      Delete
    3. De - incorporate! It couldn't get any worse!

      Delete
    4. 1:05 I ditto that.

      Delete
    5. 12:49 I was only referring to our city. Don't try to put your spin on it.

      Delete
    6. 12:49 was simply extending your illogic, not spinning.

      Ceding control of Encinitas to the county board of supervisors would be asinine. It's going from the frying pan into the fire.

      Delete
    7. 6:28 Not the way this city spends our money.

      Delete
    8. The way to work toward solving the City's host of problems is to elect better people to the council. For example, Julie Graboi but not Catherine Blakespear. The latter is more of what we've had in recent years.

      Delete
    9. I will vote for Julie, but not Blakespear as she is too close to granny Barth and ditzy Shaffer.

      Delete
  58. In the past year only four new hires , three white male fire fighters and one Hispanic female.Who do you think Mark Muir is targeting ?

    ReplyDelete
  59. Mark Muir to the rescue! Mr."Tried and Tested" is donating his jumbo soda mug to air drop helicopters - that deluge will extinguish any raging inferno!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Hey Muir, how did the suggestion of the hiring freeze work out for you?

    ReplyDelete