Chriss just spoke the truth: The opponents of the Hymettus/Fulvia project never had a chance. It was approved years ago, and everything since has been a pointless exercise.
Are they really mistakes when 100% of the time they favor the developer? If they are actual mistakes, 50% of the time staff's mistakes should favor developers and the other 50% of the time their mistakes should favor residents.
Totally agree. Bad direction from the top staff. The City went from a super low performing City Manager with Vina to the bottom of the pit with the current one.
City Hall is in shambles ....just like what happened in San Juan Capistrano until they finally brought in a competent City Manager. Now they are on a road to recovery under good leadership.
City Council - Please hire a competent City Manager with good leadership qualities and lets begin our positive future!
Brenda has not completed her 90 day probationary period. They need to show Brenda the door and hire a director who does not issue grading permits before the hearing has even taken place.
Grading permits can be issued as a ministerial permit, which is exempt under CEQA.
However, if the ministerial permit is reasonably related to and dependent on a discretionary permit, then the whole of the action must be tied to an environmental determination. The determination is only effective after the appeal process and after a statute of limitations, which is filed after a determination is made.
Looks like another lawsuit on CM's hands coming. ooops.
Brenda is new, but I would expect a greater deal of CEQA competence, especially after a national recruitment to fill the position.
It was the final minute of discussion during the Hymettus appeal that revealed the truth about what was going on. Brenda Wisniski, the new Planning Director, said, "The grading permit has been issued and the applicant has authorization to proceed."
Mayor Blakespear said, "Does the city attorney want to say something?" Glenn Sabine simply replied, "No."
The Hymettus neighbors were correct. The fix was in even before the hearing was held. The mayor had called for a break before the final discussion. The council members went into the back and returned with a new consensus. It looked like a Brown Act violation. The vote was 5 to O to deny the appeal.
What stood out was the sloppiness and incompetence of the staff, and what appeared to be a very cozy relationship between senior planner Roy Sapau and developer Russ Haley.
Karen and her incompetent staff are presenting City Council with illogical agenda reports and bad recommendations.
If we had competent staff, City Council could rely on them for their expertise. As it stands everything they present the council should be questioned big time.
City council needs to address this incompetency issue. Karen is the lead and Karen is the main source .
Since Joe will be running for election in the district that includes Olivenhain rather than citywide, it seems his chances of winning have improved. But the outcome will depend on who his opponents are.
I don't know much about Karen's performance in the city manager job, but whenever she speaks at a council meeting, she sounds like a dipshit. And for a mature woman, her hair is ridiculous.
11:19: enough, already. You clearly were on the receiving end of a bad performance review and your head's on the chopping block, or you didn't get to bend some rule or something, but your repetitive comments on every thread have gone beyond weird.
Why don't you tell us your real beef with Karen? It's clearly personal.
Just watch the City Council meeting on line and you will witness exactly what I am referring too. Apparently you don't follow City Hall actions, but you should.
Since Karen was hire to replace low performing Gus, the City Hall performance has dropped from poor to the no production mode. The reason is no employee has any sense of direction or priorities and they get direction from Karen to switch their priorities daily depending on what Karen determines is the emergency of the hour.
Its like having chicken little for our City Manager.
Its pathetic and not a way to run a City Hall. Most of the staff don't respect her and find her a sad joke. We can't waite until City Council wakes up and see what happened in past Cities Karen has worked and exactly what is happening at our City.
With her at the helm, Encinitas make Oceanside look like a well run stable City government.
City Council tells city manager what projects and what needs to get done as far as priorities .
The city managers job is to implement the projects and get it done. Karen has proven she has no ability to get things done in a positive productive manner . Bottom line - she doesn’t have it .
What are they telling her to do that she is not carrying out? Be specific.
If they keep her and give her good reviews and raises, then clearly she is implementing things and acting on issues exactly as they wish. If she's not getting something done, then that is council's direction.
Take your beef to them.
And I'll say it again: you sound an awful lot like a disgruntled city worker or someone who didn't get a favor out of her. Care to elaborate on your personal experience?
"The city managers job is to implement the projects and get it done. Karen has proven she has no ability to get things done in a positive productive manner ."
Staff should be guided by the policies--not by the direction or bribes of developers!
I hope that Karen will clean out the Planning Department. Residents are sick of the passive aggressive behaviors of planners who can't even show basic skills like pulling up citizens' presentation on their computers during meetings. This is particularly shameful since residents are required to submit presentations a week before meetings. Get a stick drive Roy, so we don't have to watch you dink around during meetings to make presenters feel anxiety while you take try to bring up presentations!
We also need planners who don't retaliate against residents or make mistakes that always benefit developers.
No one who's a slacker wants to work for her because she requires an honest day's work. 12:13 just outed himself as a city worker, as suspected. Party's over, bub.
So you are a city worker. Regardless of gender, you are clearly one with a target on your back. You get that by being part of the problem, so it's about time you were micromanaged. You and others with crappy attitudes toward the public and lacking work ethics wouldn't last a day in the private sector.
It would be funny how shocked you are over having to put in an honest day's work if the rest of us weren't paying your salary.
But we are. Do us all a favor and stop wasting our money. Find the door. You can tell your next employer how misunderstood you were in Encinitas.
I think the new Planning Director Brenda has beat Manjeet's record of being reviled by residents.
She needs to follow policy and not preemptively issue permits to developers before an appeal has been voted on, or residents will be calling for her hide.
I would like to see them go back to a 5 day work week. I've been over to CIty hall when they are supposed to be working, only to find no one I need to see there. The party is over. Forget every other Friday off, and do your job. That's why we do in the private sector, if not more. And, these days, private sector doesn't get paid as well as public. And no more perks.
Dream on. A great thought but that will never happen with Karen at the helm. It’s all about free time. Her main concern is how to train the city Council
These people set their own standards as far as salary, perks, time off, etc. As always happens, it gets out of control. The city budget will be primarily the bloated pensions that these civil servants have carved out for themselves.
It's all about "staff" resisting efforts to put in an honest day's work. 6:50 says "dream on" because he/she won't give up the country club atmosphere without a fight.
It does change something by raising the awareness of other taxpayers. The same problem employees have been identified, and if they continue to make "mistakes," there will be reason to get rid of them.
Chriss just spoke the truth: The opponents of the Hymettus/Fulvia project never had a chance. It was approved years ago, and everything since has been a pointless exercise.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the impending housing plan.
DeleteThe opponents are hitting it out of the park, but it's a done deal. The council will blah-blah-blah but then vote to approve the project.
ReplyDeleteClearly staff is not to be trusted. They don't know what they are going. Mistake after mistake.
ReplyDeleteAre they really mistakes when 100% of the time they favor the developer? If they are actual mistakes, 50% of the time staff's mistakes should favor developers and the other 50% of the time their mistakes should favor residents.
DeleteThat new Planning Director Brenda just said that the Fulvia Plan had an approved grading plan before the Council had voted. Is this another mistake??
ReplyDeleteThe only mistake was her public admission that the project had been preapproved! Wasn't that the point the speakers were making?
DeleteGrading can't be approved, unless there was some mistakes under her watch.
Delete"Some?" Did you not hear the laundry list of "mistakes," some of the worst of which took place on her watch?
DeleteMuir "again" supported the neighborhood over the developers!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. Bad direction from the top staff. The City went from a super low performing City Manager with Vina to the bottom of the pit with the current one.
ReplyDeleteCity Hall is in shambles ....just like what happened in San Juan Capistrano until they finally brought in a competent City Manager. Now they are on a road to recovery under good leadership.
City Council - Please hire a competent City Manager with good leadership qualities and lets begin our positive future!
Brenda has not completed her 90 day probationary period. They need to show Brenda the door and hire a director who does not issue grading permits before the hearing has even taken place.
ReplyDeleteGrading permits can be issued as a ministerial permit, which is exempt under CEQA.
DeleteHowever, if the ministerial permit is reasonably related to and dependent on a discretionary permit, then the whole of the action must be tied to an environmental determination. The determination is only effective after the appeal process and after a statute of limitations, which is filed after a determination is made.
Looks like another lawsuit on CM's hands coming. ooops.
Brenda is new, but I would expect a greater deal of CEQA competence, especially after a national recruitment to fill the position.
The City Manager is supporting all development and bars to bring in more taxes to shore up her future $250k per year retirement.
ReplyDeleteWorking for the residents? Ummmm not when 100% of staff judgement mistakes favor developers and proposed bar owners.
Great observation. Replace the crappy City Manager and crooked staff!
Who do you reckon directs the city manager, 7:11?
ReplyDeleteIt was the final minute of discussion during the Hymettus appeal that revealed the truth about what was going on. Brenda Wisniski, the new Planning Director, said, "The grading permit has been issued and the applicant has authorization to proceed."
ReplyDeleteMayor Blakespear said, "Does the city attorney want to say something?" Glenn Sabine simply replied, "No."
The Hymettus neighbors were correct. The fix was in even before the hearing was held. The mayor had called for a break before the final discussion. The council members went into the back and returned with a new consensus. It looked like a Brown Act violation. The vote was 5 to O to deny the appeal.
What stood out was the sloppiness and incompetence of the staff, and what appeared to be a very cozy relationship between senior planner Roy Sapau and developer Russ Haley.
Sabine - the multi-million dollar city attorney albatross. He should have been sacked years ago.
DeleteIs Roy still employed?
ReplyDeleteIs Karen still employed?
ReplyDeleteKaren carries out what the council directs. She has never been caught in a lie. Roy, on the other hand...too numerous to count.
DeleteIf Karen doesn't figure out how to correct or ditch the Vina legacy, agree she should go.
Just don't forget council is directing Karen. If she should go, they should, too.
Karen is directed and listens to a couple of people in Olivenhain too. Probably more influential than Council.
DeleteCare to name names, or do you just expect us to take your anonymous word for it?
Delete3:42- Mosca for one.
DeleteAnd the other?
Delete10:17- Mosca's husband. But I don't expect you to believe me on that one, so I left it out.
DeleteHe can be a little bossy.
DeleteTrue story - Grammar Grandma told Karen she saw errors in staff reports. Karen hired a writing consultant to come in and teach staff.
DeleteIf that isn't influencing operations, then I don't know what is.
@8.59. Sad if true. And still, the consultant didn't help writing performance.
DeleteHow much did it cost us taxpayers?
Karen and her incompetent staff are presenting City Council with illogical agenda reports and bad recommendations.
ReplyDeleteIf we had competent staff, City Council could rely on them for their expertise. As it stands everything they present the council should be questioned big time.
City council needs to address this incompetency issue. Karen is the lead and Karen is the main source .
So what's up with Boy Joe becoming Vice Mayor? Not bad for a guy who has yet to get a vote in Encinitas!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.delmartimes.net/encinitas-advocate/news/sd-cm-enc-1229-deputy-mayor-20171221-story.html
Since Joe will be running for election in the district that includes Olivenhain rather than citywide, it seems his chances of winning have improved. But the outcome will depend on who his opponents are.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about Karen's performance in the city manager job, but whenever she speaks at a council meeting, she sounds like a dipshit. And for a mature woman, her hair is ridiculous.
Look at the her body language - she'll kiss whatever ass secures her position.
DeleteKaren and ridiculous go together like Encinitas and surf.
ReplyDeleteCity Council take action and remove this tool.
If not, suffer the consequence in the next election. Its the way it works. Hugs,
-Tax Payer and Voter
11:19: enough, already. You clearly were on the receiving end of a bad performance review and your head's on the chopping block, or you didn't get to bend some rule or something, but your repetitive comments on every thread have gone beyond weird.
DeleteWhy don't you tell us your real beef with Karen? It's clearly personal.
11:36- What are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteJust watch the City Council meeting on line and you will witness exactly what I am referring too. Apparently you don't follow City Hall actions, but you should.
Since Karen was hire to replace low performing Gus, the City Hall performance has dropped from poor to the no production mode. The reason is no employee has any sense of direction or priorities and they get direction from Karen to switch their priorities daily depending on what Karen determines is the emergency of the hour.
Its like having chicken little for our City Manager.
Its pathetic and not a way to run a City Hall. Most of the staff don't respect her and find her a sad joke. We can't waite until City Council wakes up and see what happened in past Cities Karen has worked and exactly what is happening at our City.
With her at the helm, Encinitas make Oceanside look like a well run stable City government.
Maybe you need to take it more personal?
How is it Encinitas always gets the losers for City Manager?
Delete11:34 AM
DeleteBecause of city council losers.
When the CM moves on to greener pastures, she will get a ringing endorsement from the city council.
ReplyDeleteHa! Probably right knowing this bunch !!
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke ....
That day can’t happen soon enough for the taxpayers Encinitas. She totally wastes tax money every day .
Karen was hired to do exactly what the council tells her. You're blaming the messenger. Can you not grasp who the real culprits are?
ReplyDeleteCity Council tells city manager what projects and what needs to get done as far as priorities .
ReplyDeleteThe city managers job is to implement the projects and get it done. Karen has proven she has no ability to get things done in a positive productive manner . Bottom line - she doesn’t have it .
What are they telling her to do that she is not carrying out? Be specific.
DeleteIf they keep her and give her good reviews and raises, then clearly she is implementing things and acting on issues exactly as they wish. If she's not getting something done, then that is council's direction.
Take your beef to them.
And I'll say it again: you sound an awful lot like a disgruntled city worker or someone who didn't get a favor out of her. Care to elaborate on your personal experience?
Never ask anyone on EU to be specific.
DeleteThey can’t be specific, so they will take it as a personal attack, and accuse you of working for the city.
But you do.
DeleteKaren cleaning house is the best thing to happen to Encinitas in years!
ReplyDeleteWho's next? Bets?
Lanager?? Let's hope.
DeleteKaren is not cleaning house. People are leaving on their own. Maybe a couple were asked to leave.
DeleteIt’s easy to clear house when no one wants to work for you ! It’s called getting a better job and not having to work for a schizo.
ReplyDeleteSomeone told me that 50 staffers were fired. Can anyone verify this? Lorri Greene
ReplyDeleteOnly a handful were told to resign or retire. Most of the departures were self induced to get out of the terrible environment with no leadership .
ReplyDeleteI wanted to respond to 9:51's comment.
ReplyDelete"The city managers job is to implement the projects and get it done. Karen has proven she has no ability to get things done in a positive productive manner ."
Staff should be guided by the policies--not by the direction or bribes of developers!
I hope that Karen will clean out the Planning Department. Residents are sick of the passive aggressive behaviors of planners who can't even show basic skills like pulling up citizens' presentation on their computers during meetings. This is particularly shameful since residents are required to submit presentations a week before meetings. Get a stick drive Roy, so we don't have to watch you dink around during meetings to make presenters feel anxiety while you take try to bring up presentations!
We also need planners who don't retaliate against residents or make mistakes that always benefit developers.
No one who's a slacker wants to work for her because she requires an honest day's work. 12:13 just outed himself as a city worker, as suspected. Party's over, bub.
ReplyDeleteYeah right ... you can’t even get my gender right .
DeleteTry no one wants to work for her because she micromanages and changes her direction and priorities daily. It’s crazy .
So you are a city worker. Regardless of gender, you are clearly one with a target on your back. You get that by being part of the problem, so it's about time you were micromanaged. You and others with crappy attitudes toward the public and lacking work ethics wouldn't last a day in the private sector.
DeleteIt would be funny how shocked you are over having to put in an honest day's work if the rest of us weren't paying your salary.
But we are. Do us all a favor and stop wasting our money. Find the door. You can tell your next employer how misunderstood you were in Encinitas.
You just described Karen.
DeleteHuh? Your ability to argue a cogent point is as weak as your ability to put in a full, productive, and honest day's work.
DeleteLet me guess: you think Roy's a great guy.
Ooooo good one. Who cares whether Roy is a great guy or not?
DeleteIs Roy a competent City Planner?
I would think most people think City Planners should be honest and not side with developers. Right?
Karen promoted Roy to City Planner. Right?
Maybe Jeff Murphy can get Roy a job with him, they belong together.
ReplyDeleteI think the new Planning Director Brenda has beat Manjeet's record of being reviled by residents.
ReplyDeleteShe needs to follow policy and not preemptively issue permits to developers before an appeal has been voted on, or residents will be calling for her hide.
They already are.
DeleteI would like to see them go back to a 5 day work week. I've been over to CIty hall when they are supposed to be working, only to find no one I need to see there. The party is over. Forget every other Friday off, and do your job. That's why we do in the private sector, if not more. And, these days, private sector doesn't get paid as well as public. And no more perks.
ReplyDeleteDream on. A great thought but that will never happen with Karen at the helm. It’s all about free time. Her main concern is how to train the city Council
DeleteThese people set their own standards as far as salary, perks, time off, etc. As always happens, it gets out of control. The city budget will be primarily the bloated pensions that these civil servants have carved out for themselves.
DeleteIt's all about "staff" resisting efforts to put in an honest day's work. 6:50 says "dream on" because he/she won't give up the country club atmosphere without a fight.
DeleteAccording to Transparent California, Roy Sapau has been a Senior Planner I since 2012. For 2015, they have not identified his title.
ReplyDeleteScott Vurbeff is an Environmental Projects Manager. Both have been making more six-figures for at least three years.
Just read this thread, cover to cover. Great stuff. A good read. Too bad it doesn't change anything.
DeleteIt does change something by raising the awareness of other taxpayers. The same problem employees have been identified, and if they continue to make "mistakes," there will be reason to get rid of them.
Delete