Tonight's council meeting started with the Hall Park toxic runoff fine issue as a non-open, controlled-message, no public discussion, presentation-only agenda item.
After that was another presentation from the Encinitas Hospitality Association, trying to fend off a "deemed approved ordinance" that would give the city more power to regulate bars behaving badly. The new EHA spokesman is a middle-aged frat boy attorney (literally -- keeping his Stanford fraternity out of trouble was the experience he cited for being able to handle the Encinitas late night drunk scene) who resembles Senator Lindsey Graham. Several residents spoke about continuing problems with noise, trash, vomit, and naked drunk girls in alleys. High-density development attorney Marco Gonzalez spoke on behalf of the EHA wearing his baseball cap backwards, perhaps emulating the trendsetting style of some of the EHA's finest customers.
Council Member Kranz, who had previously opposed, with Council Member Gaspar, an emergency bar moratorium supported by the other three council members, took a tougher stance tonight. He asked pointed questions of the EHA about the noise, trash, and vomit. He was twice slapped down by Mayor Barth because this was supposed to be a presentation rather than a decision item on the agenda, but he persisted.
There was no action item, but the tide seems to turning toward the "deemed approved ordinance."
On the density bonus state law, in-lieu fee amount for inclusionary units and the late night drunks problem, the council seemed to be turning in the public's direction tonight. Except, of course, for Gaspar in absentia. She again showed she's the developers' tool. Encinitas voters should turn her down if she runs for council or mayor in 2014.
ReplyDeleteYes, for any who were starting to have the warm fuzziness for her got a nice reminder of her Tool status.
DeleteConsidering the developer went out on a construction limb by "pre-calculating" their in-lieu fees and all Shaffer and the others wanted was a reasonable fee as opposed to a giveaway, Gaspar's comments were ridiculous and showed just how dumb she was willing to sound to defend her backers.
Kranz seemed to be moving toward the council member we hoped he would be when we elected him. He stood up to Barth. She seemed in a very foul mood after the comments of one person during Oral Communications. At the break she let loose at those who she thought insulted anyone who lives in a condo (she lives in one) in the Lennar agenda items about raising in lieu fees instead of building an affordable unit. Again Kranz was on the right side in standing up to developers looking to make a fat profit. Same with Shaffer. For the first time she didn't immediately make a motion. She allowed the others to speak first. Both deserve some praise. Let's hope it keeps up.
ReplyDeleteThe disappointment was the total silence of the council on the Rossini Creek illegal discharges. Public Works head Pruim made the presentation and seemed very nervous, and his story didn't add up. He said construction on the Hall property started in December. This was the time of the first illegal discharge, which should mean that some of the yet unburied piles of toxic soil probably washed down to the lagoon. No wonder the city didn't take any samples of the discharge.
Dump Barth.
ReplyDeleteBang your pots.
DeleteDrive her out.
OK we've had enough of the bang your pots crap. Find something better to post.
DeleteLOL. At least Bang a Gong like T Rex.
DeleteOn the Rossini Creek point, it was a typical pass-the-buck performance. Oh, gee, the City was on top of it and did everything right. The fine must be a mistake, and if there was really a spill it was somebody else's fault.
ReplyDeleteGaspar is the worst example of a council Person I have ever sees,She is deep in some ones pocket.DUMP HER
ReplyDeleteMethinks the developers who got her elected. She's not a grass roots candidate in any sense of the word. Bought and paid for 100%.
DeleteYou all better watch out for Marco. He's the one that will really screw you over. Take it from someone that knows. No respect to this Council when he wears what he wore last night. At least he wears a suit in front of most of the the people he screws over.
ReplyDeleteKind of immaterial what he wore, but the backwards hat look is never a good one.
DeleteGlad they're keeping the heat on the owners, you have to police your patrons...
The backwards hat look was paired with sparkly earrings?
DeleteYes...there was a message in there somewhere....not sure what.
DeleteSaying inebrinitas is going getto.
DeleteI really question what Marco's vision for Encinitas is. Thanks to Marco, we have tattoos and genital piercing in Cardiff. That was another of his battles that he fought for.
DeleteI'm confused. I fought the battle for the tattoo parlor when it first went to Council. Charlie Marvin was the attorney for the potential owner if they could get the permit. We lost, with only Maggie and Christy saying it should not be put in there. The other 3 men voted to let the tattoo parlor be there. So how did Marco get involved in that one?
DeleteTattoos range from amazingly good to frightfully bad. I'm just glad they didn't open that branding iron parlor.
DeleteBranding and scarring is done in the tattoo parlors.
DeleteI think that Marco helped the tattoo parlor get the lease transfered from the previous business. There are legal loop holes and there is ethical. I don't think that most people in Encinitas wanted to have piercing and tattoos in that area, but Marco helped it get through. There are some in Encinitas who still want a safe and family-friendly community--not Pacific Beach North!
DeleteShame on me for not keeping up. When the tattoo parlor first came up the Council said Hernandez could do it but he could not transfer ownership. Charlie Marvin didn't argue the point. I guess Marco went for the "being able to transfer ownership" part. Why doesn't this surprise me?
DeleteThey are fond of bifurcation at the City!!
Deletenaked drunk girls in alleys
ReplyDeleteWHY AM I JUST NOW HEARING ABOUT THIS???
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ReplyDelete"The new EHA spokesman is a middle-aged frat boy attorney (literally -- keeping his Stanford fraternity out of trouble was the experience he cited for being able to handle the Encinitas late night drunk scene) who resembles Senator Lindsey Graham. "
ReplyDeleteIn honor of Ron Burgundy: You stay classy, Encinitas
Hick town bought and sold by the big monied interests. Inept council, easily set in place by ridiculously vague campaign jargon (tried and tested) and idiotic stunts (Wonder Woman). Gaspar represents her husband's cronies, Muir is $tock$ and Barth is a talking head. Kranz is morphing into something, but no one is sure what. (Ask $abine and Manchester).
ReplyDeleteShaffer is trying to determine the formula for the isosceles triangle to analyze her new coalition of the unwilling. Meanwhile she was last seen chasing a plastic bag down a pot-holed street.
Meanwhile - a city is crisis.....
Mayberry by the sea.
DeleteNaked drunk girls in the alleys!! Downtown is improving! Don't have to go to the Gaslamp anymore!
ReplyDeleteThat's a bald face lie. I have NEVER seen a naked woman in the alley downtown in the winter.
ReplyDeleteHow about the Summer?
DeleteI've seen naked men. And so what.
ReplyDeleteSo… the point is off base to anything to with Encinitas, and has to do with the female body being more mentalily better looking than the male. Sad but true.
ReplyDeleteme and all my lesbian friends agree. Sorry mucho JAs
Where are the unicorns and why does Marco have a stud in his ear?
ReplyDeleteGonzales can replace Sabine as our City Attorney. Then if he sues anyone it won't be Encinitas. What do you all think about this idea? I bet Theresa would like it. She hangs out there a lot. And I've seen Tony Baloney with him as well. It could work, baseball cap, earing, and all.
ReplyDeleteVina is a terrible city manager. Will the Council show some leadership here and do what's best for the city?
ReplyDeleteNot after they just gave him a good performance review. Might have to wait another year until we can get some new folks on the council.
ReplyDeleteAnd as always, the question is who's the replacement, someone even worse? Phil cotton Mark II?
6:10am I agree. I am not voting for anyone that supports Sad Sac.
ReplyDeleteMeaning I will be voting against every one on current City Council. I sure hope we have some good candidates next time that want true change at City Hall because they will have my vote and many others.
I would even vote for that Lword lady over the current Sad Sac supporters.
They are just feeling good about being nice and sinking our City in the process.
If I were a candidate, I certainly would not put that in my campaign pledges. Think about it - if you want a new council member to be completely ineffectual on day one, you vote for the one who goes after the city manager personally - or the city attorney. It's one thing for a candidate to say that they don't agree with the way the city has been run, and that they can bring better ideas to the table, but it's another to go after any city employee personally.
Delete"Vote for me - I'll fire Sad Sac" just doesn't sound like it's going to get a lot of traction with the general public.....
- The Sculpin
Teresa made those very promises, albeit privately, about Sabine.
DeleteBarth is a failure
Delete2:13-Yes she did make those promises to a lot of people about Sabine. Don't know why she changed her mind. Perhaps he has something on her, and the rest of the Council. Just saying
DeleteSad Sac-
ReplyDelete1. Raided 15 fully funded capital improvements projects of $7 million. The had the audacity to promote the untruth that Encinitas has a balanced budget.
2.Told the public that the Moonlight and Hall Park proejcts were linked- justfifying the taking of $7 million - they weren't.
3. Went behind council's back to spend $50K on high density law firm Rutan and Tucker who then argued againt the best interests of residents and promoted untruths.
4. Wasted one year and tens of thousands on wasted strategic planning meetings that limtied resident participation and resulted in hihg denstiy overlay zones to overturn Prop A.
5. Recommended hiring USS Cal builders even thought Cal Builders lacked the proper grading and haz waste certifications to do the job at the Hall park- now taxpayers are on the hook for $430,000 dollar fine
6. Effectively hid the Rossinini Creek fine from residents
7. Recommended council award planning department additional $400,000 in addition to the budget. (Will this be used to pay the fine-hmm) Council then recommended raising fees on youth sports and residents building permits- I call it a tax increase.
9. Recommended council hire $130K dollar a year PR spin doctor, residents opposed it, council ingored residents.
10. Increased city debts, increased city unfunded liabilities, increased his own pay check, increased his own pension-
11. Refuses to do a forensic accounting of ERGA
12. Hired a new cabinet to promote his propaganda and failed policies costing taxpayers more than $600K
These are all negative actions VIna has taken in just teh last 12 months!
You may believe in ignoring faliure, incompetence and fiscal mismangaement. Don't expect hardworking taxpayers to join you.
If I were a candidate, I would not be able to approach you for your vote - why bother when I know you'll turn on me the first chance you get?
DeleteNow try and turn what you say into a campaign strategy. Let's see you do it. How does the average voter in Encinitas make any sense from what you point out. How many know what a capital improvement fund is, let alone whether it's been raided? Would they care whether Moonlight and Hall were linked? They probably think Rutan is a type of furniture. Strategic planning is always good, isn't it? And Prop A is over - voted on that last time. Encinitan's don't know where Rossini creek is. The other points are equally as difficult to articulate. Bur maybe you have stumbled on to a catch slogan:
"
You voters may believe in ignoring failure, incompetence and fiscal mismanagement, but don't expect me, a hardworking taxpayer to join you....vote for me!!!"
That's going to get you a lot of votes.....
I thought the whole exercise here was to figure out who and how to run the next election......
- The Sculpin
"Turn on you??" Seriously, what do you not get, Sculpin, about the 100% part that Kranz and Shaffer played in this supposed "turn?" You'd fit in perfectly with the "poor me" party that Shaffer and Barth throw just about every chance they get.
DeletePlease don't run, whoever you are.
Scuplin-
DeleteThe minority of voters would support failure, fiscal mismangement and incompetence. You might, most would not.
The post was not "you voters" the post was "you" as in you-Sculpin
Sorry, pal but you can't go to the voters and cry "mismanagement" and expect them to follow you. You have to give them a clear reason to go with you. Look, I get it that the city of Encinitas is not run well, but I don't see a conspiracy. I see institutional incompetence where the incentives given to management are not right. And you can't expect the current council to understand which levers need fixing. You're very good at pointing out all the things that went wrong, but you haven't come up with one practical idea on how to fix it. Fire Gus? Wonderful. Now what? What direction do you give the new city manager to do his job? Preserve community character? Please, define it for us so it's measurable and can be rewarded. You want to penalize supporting failure? Everything Vina has done he's done with the support of the council. Why would you think for one moment that if this council fires Vina they wouldn't replace him with someone similar?!?!?! What if you get a whole new slate of council members and they do the same darn thing?!?!?! Maybe there is only one way to run an airline! Again, if I were a candidate, I would run from you. You are issue oriented on issues you can not define, you show no willingness to question your own positions, and you are loyal only to your beliefs and no other. You could give me a check for a million dollars and I wouldn't take it. I would find it much easier to have you against me than for me.
DeleteOh, and happy holidays ;-)
- The Sculpin
Scuplin-
DeleteClearly you hate facts. Your arguments are blah, blah, blah, blah, sheeple, sheeple, blah, blah-
You ramblings don't pass the smell test. Prop A was a clear cogent argument against the competency and integrity of the counci was made during Prop A. Prop A passed because residents not only got the message, but the council, along with VIna, were outed as liars. THe average citizen got the messaage and understood the issue - so you are wrong yet again.
My proof in my argument-passage of Prop A, your proof in your ramblings- blah, blah, blah
Oh darn - and here I though we were getting somewhere. I don't hate facts. I just question yours! Your facts seem to have at their root quite a malicious intent - one that I do not subscribe to. Yes Prop A passed, but ask any experienced pol - you're only as good as your next election......
Delete- The Sculpin
When did Vina tell the public that Moonlight Beach and the Hall Park were linked? I don't remember that. He has done damage, but please make sure all of your points are correct or your whole post is bogus. We actually need an independent audit of ALL city books. However, just as no other Councils have ever let it be done, this one seems to be no exception. Even when Bob N. was alive, he asked for it. Never happened.
ReplyDeleteVina scheduled a city council meeting during the July 4th week of 2012 concerning the Hall Park. This as done because many people were away for the July 4th Holiday allowing Vina and the Council to stack the room with supporters.
ReplyDeleteIn recommending that the council raid 15 fully funded capital projects of $7 million he linked the Moonlight Improvements with the Hall Park saying the funds, along with another $8M in debt, would be used for both projects.
Vina later came back this year and said the two projects were not linked.
It should be noted that speakers at the council meeting held at the senior center/community center, opposed the award to USS Cal Builders for not having the right certifications, Barth the anit-environmentalist along with Muir., Gaspar and Stocks told residents to hit the road. Residents also told VIna and the council that the grading plan would likley lead to waste contamination and negative impacts to Rossini Creek and the Lagoon- Vina spoke against the residents-
Again Barth the fake environmentalist and Gaspar, Muir and Stocks opposed the residents-
see how it works- Stocks, Barth, Gaspar, Muir, Shaffer, Phony Tony- they are all one in the same.
If you need more clarification on my truthful accurate post let me know. IT's the council that is bogus.
Hey but Barth cuts a mean ribbon! Good at one thing.
ReplyDeleteHow is Rossini Creek Now? Was there permanent damage done? Honestly asking.
ReplyDeleteAlso, has the $400K fine been paid, or are they negotiating for lesser amount? It may cost the city less in the long run to have gone with the low bid and paid the fine. With no permanent damage done.
Not excusing the lack of oversight. Just taking a practical view.
The pesticides washed out to the lagoon, where they are no doubt no longer measurable.
DeleteWorth cheaping out?
WCV
The pesticides were buried. You mean the silt washed out into the lagoon. The pictures show it was surface runoff.
DeleteWCV
DeleteYou appear to know everting , maybe you are the man behind the curtain
Was the pesticide burial completed by last December? I don't recall.
DeleteI do know the regulatory complaint said this:
"Sediment acts as a binding carrier to other toxic constituents like metals and organic contaminants (i.e. pesticides and PCBs). It is possible, if not likely, that these toxic constituents were present in the discharged sediment, since the Project site was a former agricultural operation, with contaminated sediment."
WCV
I know what i read in the report, just like you. It says sediment. You say pesticide. Its a matter of spin. Yes, the sediment is likely to contain toxic particles since it was an agricultural area. Had the surface dirt been buried before the discharges? That seems pretty important. If it hadn't been buried yet, i'll go with pesticide runoff too. If it had, i'd prefer silt or sediment. Its more accurate. The pictures look like it had already been graded.
DeleteSilt and sediment are both toxic to the fish downstream depending on dose, and neither term excuses the lack of oversight.
And, no, i don't know what goes on behind the curtain. But i am looking forward to this beautiful park that is taking shape.
i was typing my reply while you were typing yours no doubt
Deletewe are in agreement, but we obviously have different perspectives
It's the second time that its been asked on this site, but different articles, and nobody has ever answered. Is Rossini Creek permanently damaged? Is there some remediation that needs to take place? If so, maybe that would be a good candidate for a Save the Oceans grant after the next 5/10K run. They did an awesome job giving back to the community imo. Good for them (and us).
DeleteSome neighbors believe Rossini Creek was dried up by the Hall Park construction. Whether that relates to this specific violation or other construction actions isn't known.
DeleteThe city and others say that this is just the normal fluctuation of a creek that is fed largely by urban runoff.
WCV
Yes, very true and a lot of that urban run off came from the properties that line the park on the west end in the dog park area. Those properties and a lot of others have been discharging their "toxic waste" for many years into the creek before the city started construction of the park.
DeleteRebecca Stewart, expert associate of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board was quoted in the Coast News as pointing out that the neighbors' longstanding concerns about toxins, and specifically, about toxins contaminating the discharge of sediment, could have been alleviated by tests at the time of the incident(s) of sediment discharge. Sediment could have been contaminated. Testing would have revealed whether it was.
DeleteIf one is stopped for driving under the influence, and refuses to take the sobriety test, then that person is assumed to be under the toxic influence of alcohol. The authorities would not think of saying, well, he didn't appear to be drunk by the photos! If there were reason to stop the person to begin with, even when law enforcement is stopping everyone during holiday weekend checkpoints, anyone suspected of DUI must take a field sobriety test.
There should be a test "in the field" at the time of any incident. Appearances can be deceiving. Ongoing soil testing must be part of Best Management Practices, but especially at the time of discharge events.
The fact that no such tests were taken by the City or recommended by the City's consultant contractors, points to a continuing cover-up.
Yep. Encinitas city is not ever forthcoming and tries to cover up at every turn while preaching open government. They are so pathetic at the cover up game yet it never ends.
DeleteGlenn Pruim is one of the city employees who is licensed by the state. Some in planning making 6 figures may not have even graduated with their BA's.
DeletePruim's performance is not only unacceptable for Encinitas or as a director, but as an engineer. I think that someone should lodge complaints against him and other engineers with the state.
Oh let's build a park next to the freeway! Most I'll conceived project ever. Oh and let's keep the toxic soil! Someone obviously doesn't have kids or a realistic view of life.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you would much rather have high density housing? Or a strip mall?
DeletePerhaps a cemetery for brain dead comments.
DeleteCostco to pay for the huge pensions!
DeleteSculpin, you keep earning your moniker well you bottom feeding garbage eating toxin ingesting slimy creature of the nether regions. How appropriate for you and your same old same old act of denial. If you decided to run for office? Really what a complete joke. You must be a legend in your own mind because you sure aren't worth the scum that sculpins revel in. What positive message have you ever posted and if there was even one I am sorry I missed. Why do you bother with such valueless contributions if only to rile up a few takers? Spare us in the future if you please. Yea right. that will happen NOT.
ReplyDeleteCha-ching
ReplyDeleteSculpin is as clueless as fat boy Andreen.
ReplyDeleteOr one of the other countless Olivenhain developers with time on their hands to make dumb comments.
DeleteWCV
ReplyDeleteIf you don't know as you say don't ------ you always say facts were are your facts yet your comments are hear say sperious and with out merit some would say gossip. I would say inflammatory and just for the fun