Monday, June 29, 2015

Kudos to the Council's unanimous, firm stance on AB 744

We first brought you news of AB 744 back in April. The development industry's bill would make density bonuses worse and overrule local ordinances on parking requirements.

Today we have the good news that our Council has unanimously signed a firm letter opposing AB 744 unless critical changes are made. The letter can be read here.

According to observers at last Wednesday's Council meeting, the letter was drafted by Deputy Mayor Blakespear after letters written by staff and our paid lobbyist were rejected as too pro-developer.

And kudos also to the citizens who made the Council aware of the awful AB 744 bill, and kept up the pressure until the Council did the right thing. Here's one agitator's take:
I'd say the pressure started within a day or so of finding this little gem on the State website. After that others who can count themselves among Vina's "28 identified activists" dogpiled on and started digging into what city staff (McSeveney) and the lobbyist (Clay) were NOT doing to alert the council. Clay was actively on the developers' side with his personal opinion on base density rounding that ran contrary to the round down approved by council last summer.

63 comments:

  1. We pay these people well and this is what we get from them? Somebody needs to clean out our city hall house. The new city manager has a short period to prove he is not more of the same old, same old, when he shows up in September. Will he? Will council finally step up and see what the rest of us observers have been calling on them to do for years?

    The deadwood continues to stack up down there on easy street unabated.

    If not for some dedicated citizens, we would be bending over and giving up our case against the BIA. Our defense is supposed be in our elected council members hands. Where were they and why did it get this far?

    Thanks to the usual suspects, once again, for saving us from the usual pattern of acceptance of substandard performance and always thanking staff for this type of production every time. They have not earned this praise, nor their highly paid salaries. Stop congratulating them on what is part their job description to begin with.

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    1. If anyone deserves thanks it is our 28 obstructionists. Council needs to send a message to staff that they need to raise the bar at the city.

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  2. 8:00, First clue you're clueless. The new city manager is a she.

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    1. 8:21- How do you know the new City Manager is a "she". It is supposed to known by very few, and somehow you know. So, you are either a City Director or Council Member. or Sabine? If not, some of us would be curious as to how you obtained the information.

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    2. The city pipeline goes like this......Muir to Stocks and Stocks to his old little cronies. Old cronies tell all and pretend to know everything.

      Very simple.

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    3. 8:21 PM

      Give the person with insider info kudos. Our new city manager is Karen Brust, currently with the city of San Juan Capistrano and formally with city of Del Mar.

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  3. 8:35, "It is supposed to known by very few," Really? I had no idea I was so special.

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    1. You're outed 8:45, own it. What I don't understand is why a city worker would be at it off the the clock??

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  4. What I don't get is why Kranz boasted about having "followed this thing since February," yet never opened his pie hole to say a word. Sounds like someone is dancing to the developer's tune.

    He would have been better off not trying to score points and getting it so horribly backward. Why crow about sitting on something that would hurt residents? Local boy, my a$$.

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  5. They finally did something right this year. I sure hope the new city manager cleans house. Otherwise we are screwed with the incompetent managers and department heads at the City.

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    1. One thing that I like is that if the person hired does not work out within the first year that the consultants will refund the cost of their services. I am curious if this was in Vina's contract as well.

      I remember that many were underwhelmed by Gus Vina within months, and Barth was telling her former supporters how great he was and that we needed to give him a chance.

      Council, we are watching you. If you hire the wrong person again, please get rid of him/her before the year is up.

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    2. Correction--I didn't mean "you" in terms this particular council hiring Gus. I think that Gaspar was the only one on the council when that happened. Please just don't compound a mistake by keeping him/her on if it doesn't work out. It was pretty clear with Vina in a few months.

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    3. It wasn't pretty clear to Barth and the others on Council when Vina was hired that he wasn't working out. It was clear to those activists following politics and policies at City Hall.

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  6. So City Council wastes time with Vina and most refused to do anything about it. I think it was Catherine that scared Vina into leaving. Great Job Catherine.

    Now City Council is wasting more money on a non needed lifeguard department while the City's roads crumble and no other projects are built.

    Carlsbad saves millions a year by making the State maintain the coastline, so should our City. Clueless. Notice how much nicer Carlsbads roads are than Encinitas's roads and Carlsbad actually have cops that do something, besides cruise the beach, and take day trips in the helicopters.

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    1. How did Catherine scare Vina into leaving? If she did, why hasn't she scared Sabine into leaving or reforming?

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    2. Blakespear appeared to respect Vina in comments during her campaign. She was a protege of Barth, who revered Vina.

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    3. Please...exposure of Vina's underhanded work by residents - Teresa's "obstructionists" - put the pressure on. He was headed for a fall and all realized he had to go.

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    4. I don't think Catherine was a protege of Barth. She distanced herself pretty quickly from Teresa. Maybe Teresa showed her the ropes, as it is hard to absorb so much information when you become a Council member, but that's about all. She ran a good clean campaign and I, for one, appreciate what she has already done. I never agree with all votes of any Council, but at least Catherine has her head on straight, knows the law, possibly better than Sabine, and will vote how on what she think is right and legal. Can't say that for any other Council members.

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    5. Barth was instrumental is getting Blackspear to run for council and mentored her in her campaign. It's fair to call her a protege of Barth.

      However, with Barth gone from the council, Blakespear appears to be developing an independent voice. Let's hope she continues along that path.

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  7. Anyone can to go to the city website and watch the video of the June 24 council meeting. It's Agenda item 10B. Use the jump point to go directly to it. It was Blakespear and Shaffer who led the discussion for a stronger letter against AB744. Kranz and Gaspar followed along. Muir was absent. The vote was 4 to 0. Congratulations to the council for getting this one right.

    It was not Blakespear who ousted Vina, as she was new on the council. The push came from the older council members. Barth was struggling to save him, but was unsuccessful. Vina solved the problem by resigning.

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    1. Gus boy is quoted in the local Brentwood fishwrap as saying people in Norcal are 'warmer', 'friendlier', 'more engaged' than Socal citizens. Ol' Gus still can't tell the truth...it was the Socal engaged citizens that ran his ass out of town by pointing out his flaws and lies and misdeeds. What a tool.....good riddance.

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    2. These are highlights from his interview in the Brentwood newspaper. He is showing much of Barth's trademark "civility" while lying through his teeth and blaming others. While claiming to be an expert in finance--just like he did in Encinitas, he says the same things that he promised us in Encinitas, According to the article:

      Back near most of his family in Northern California, a place where he feels people are “friendlier,” “warmer” and “more engaged” compared to folks in Southern California, Vina’s embracing the challenge of leading the city into the future, while maintaining the high quality of life it provides for its citizens.

      In his new role, Vina hopes to be as much a leader as a follower. With his background in finance, he hopes to lean on his department heads for their expertise in solving problems outside his specialty. Similarly, he strives to pass knowledge to the public, holding open and honest conversations that unravel the complexities of government.

      “What I hope I bring is calmness, especially when something is really amped up and people are upset,” Vina said. “You need someone that relaxes everyone.”

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    3. I love his comment about the center medians in Bretwood....LOLOLLLOOOLLL. the center medians in Encinitas SUCK. Thanks for nada Gustavo.

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    4. I like his comment about relaxing everyone. Apparently, he was able to relax the council like a conman, but the staff and most residents detested him and saw right through him.

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    5. If you get a chance, watch the Brentwood city council video where they announce Vina's hire.

      It's a bunch of good ol' boy chuckleheads who make our council look like rocket scientists.

      And apparently they got word of Vina's horrible record in Encinitas *after* they agreed to hire him, as the mayor had to say that they were *still* glad they hired him.

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    6. 6:23, Just so they don't make our council look like SPACEX rocket scientists.

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    7. If they used the same consulting firm that hired Vina the last time, maybe they can can him within the first year and get that refund.

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    8. EU- what day is the Vina Brentwood video? Some of us might like to look it up, thank you.

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    9. What arrogance! All spoken by people, so far as I can tell, that have never actually stepped up and tried to run for office. At first your attitude was off-putting but the more you do it the more comical it becomes. Your flights from reality have soared so high that I hope you get clearance from the FAA.

      So please keep it up as it never fails to give me a few chuckles in the morning.

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    10. 9:41- arrogance?

      Government has fleeced taxpayers. It is the role of citizens to watch over elected leaders- they are to serve, not rule. What have our residents accomplished?

      Criminal Dan Dalager exposed as a corrupt mayor- taking under the table undisclosed land loans, "darn near free kitchens" and questioanble banking ties- outed by residents, pled guilty to the DA.

      Jerome "Midnight" Stocks- preferred doing business under the cover of darkness, bullying residents and the press, intimidating reporters. Gave away pay raises to city staff and in return pushed stack and pack land deals for his cronies. Stocks was caught by residents violating citywide election ordinances in the dead of night and driven from office in disgrace

      Teresa -" I the queen" Barth, exposed by residents as just another me first politican pushing a high density stack and pack agenda to reduce residents quality of life. Barth was exposed by residents for not telling the truth in her weekly newsletters and printing untruths and propganda. Barth later spread misinformation signing her name to untrue ballot statements. She ignored residents on PV , sought others to due her job to save taxpayers money, and heaped mored debt on the back of taxpayers. Rather than seek re-election that would have ended in a public disgrace for her she left office.

      Gus "I've got mine" Vina- increased city debt, reduced services, sought to increase fees and taxes. Cancelled meetings without authorization, hired a spin doctor to spread his lies, with held information from the public during the Lew Edwards tax hike scam-

      Good luck running inteference for your cronies on the inside. We will keep a watchful eye on elected leaders, clearly you lack the courage to do so.

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    11. 10:40 You couldn't have said it any better, but there were a few more on council that deserve to be in your article.

      As for 9:41, you sound like a lost sheep who possibly could have been a former council member who was definitely insignificant because you never get your name mentioned. Keep reading daily and so happy that we can provide "chuckles" for you. Your arrogance is quite amusing (flights, reality, FAA????) Come to the real world.

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    12. As I said, the chuckles just keep on coming. Who hands out the gold stars?

      11:49 AM "you sound like a lost sheep who possibly could have been a former council member who was definitely insignificant because you never get your name mentioned".

      Well I'm not but the idea that not being mentioned here would cause me, or any council member, distress is wildly amusing. Continue on with your delusion of self importance and while your at it try to own up to your part in the Pacific View fiasco.

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    13. 12:27 Had nothing to do with PV. Could have cared less what they did with it.

      Try to find someone today who will give you a pat on the rear. You need attention.

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    14. 1:01 PM

      "Try to find someone today who will give you a pat on the rear. You need attention"

      Aren't you going to the well a little too often with this crap. And it doesn't matter whether you personally supported PV. This blog did and you see the results. Be careful of what you wish for.

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    15. 2:16- I don't think this blog supported PV, as I post often, and I didn't. Some did, some didn't. It was Scott Chatfield's "Save Pacific View"'s blog that promoted buying PV. There are diverse opinions on this blog, and that's a good thing, in my opinion. There are also some things written that are not true. Whatever, this is not a newspaper. It is a group of citizens who have something to say, and so far there have been very few who have had the opportunity to say it, and really be heard, by most Councils. It's one thing to stand up in front of the Council and share your opinions, facts, insights etc. It's quite another to go up there and be torn apart. And if you don't think that has happened, go back to a Council meeting where Lori Green was presenting the names citizens gave from the Parks and Rec. Commission for the City Council to consider. Jerome Stocks yelled at her and when she asked if he was talking to her he said YES! It was not pretty. If you don't like that example because you don't like Lori, then pick a number of other speakers who were yelled and sometimes screamed at by Stocks. There are many, that's the only one I can think of right now.

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    16. 2:56 PM

      There were endless comments about the city acquiring PV and then when Chatfield setup the Save Pacific View website there were a lot of comments about going to that site to sign on to send the council support for buying it. I never said this site is wholly responsible. But when so many people here want to hold others accountable it's best to look into the mirror to take responsibility for one's own actions. So pressure from the public, I think, played a big part in the council taking out their credit card and buying PV. As you can probably tell, I wasn't in favor of buying PV but at the least the council should have had a discussion of the trade-offs involved with floating the bonds.

      Yes, Jerome could be a jerk and I don't hold with that. Council needs to remain civil even when public speakers are being jerks. It comes with the territory.

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    17. 2:16 Your poor use of grammar will get you an F for the day.

      "Be careful of what you wish for."

      An educated person would know it is "Be careful what you wish for".

      I dug into the well even deeper and look what I pulled out. An idiot.

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    18. This is 8:53 correcting my ending. It should read wish for." The quotation marks after the period.

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    19. Actually, it should read:

      "An educated person would know it is: "Be careful what you wish for.".

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    20. No. An educated person would have typed:

      "An educated person would know it is: 'Be careful what you wish for.'."

      - Sylvia

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    21. 8:53 PM

      That's all you got? A hastily typed grammar mistake. My, my, my but we are the deep thinkers here.

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    22. 10:00 your intellect is beyond repair. Too much wine last night?

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    23. 19:21 To Sylvia or whatever your real name is. You are so wrong. Back to school with you.

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    24. 11:02 AM

      Maybe I should have had wine last night then this might be a challenge.

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    25. 2:47 No challenge here. This was an easy one. Dug deeper and deeper into the well and kept coming up with the same idiot.

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    26. 10:00, You should have typed: "That's all you've got?"

      - Deep Thinker

      .

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    27. The expression is: "Be careful what you wish for."

      But a well educated person would know it should more correctly be expressed as: "Be careful for what you wish."

      Used to be that it was poor form to end a sentence with a preposition. But that "rule" is routinely ignored.

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    28. 3:45 PM

      "This was an easy one. Dug deeper and deeper into the well and kept coming up with the same idiot." This is supposed to be a challenge? Maybe in the fifth grade. Still confined to the shallow end of the pool I see.

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    29. 2:05 That's what happens when language gets lazy. This is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put.

      - Winston

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  8. So who is the new city manager?? How much more will they cost us than ol gus baby?? How much more in perks and pension?? How bad will they be?? How many more hires will they need to justify getting done their agenda??

    What fools we have running our city.....so sad.

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  9. I think that Brentwood or any other city who was even considering hiring Gus Vina should have been warned of his record. It is too bad that they decided to go with him except that I am so glad that he is gone in Encinitas.

    Those poor bastards...

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    1. Consider that the Brentwood council chose Vina just as Encinitas' did: to follow orders. He was a good little foot soldier till his 28 activists started catching and publicizing his machinations. He was $tock$' dream come true.

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    2. Actually, Maggie was his champion, the one who fought to choose him.

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    3. It was a 5 to 0 vote to hire Vina. I have been told that he was not the first choice of all five council members, but the candidate who could get support from all five. Stocks obviously thought he could control Vina, and he did. When Stock was knocked off the council, it was inevitable than Vina's days were numbered. It takes 3 votes to keep a city manager around. One by one the number of votes dropped below three. Vina knew this. He even commented in a private conversation before Stocks' ouster that this was the case. Vina was told before the 2012 election that Stocks was vulnerable, but he ignored the warning.

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    4. The council unanimously rated Vina "excellent" long after Stocks was gone.


      http://encinitasundercover.blogspot.com/2013/07/council-unanimously-believes-vina-is.html

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    5. 9:02-

      In 2012 Vina did not ignore the warnings Stocks was vulerable, instead Vina abused his position of public trust to cancel a council meeting in October in hopes of saving Stocks further public embarassment and loss of credibility as he was being peppered by Joe Corder and residents at city council meeting over Stocks election violations-

      Vina wanted to protect Stocks to protect himself- they have a word for that "scumbag"

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    6. Another word for it is "illegal."

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    7. Vina may have been given an "excellent" rating, but it didn't last long. Next time around there was no rating given. Word is that the council put him on probation. He announced he was leaving before the next performance review came out. He knew he no longer had 3 votes of the council. His fate was sealed with Stocks' defeat, the Rutan and Tucker fiasco, and the illegally cancelled meeting. Does anyone even remember his whole series of Strategic Planning meetings?

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  10. Maggie is over-glorified - her council career record was checkered at best. She was no champion of the public good.

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    1. I see no reason whatsoever to pick on someone who is no longer with us and cannot defend herself. I loved Maggie, although I didn't agree with everything she did or voted upon. Maybe her love of animals sucked me in, who knows. I do know she made her share of enemies, especially David Meyer and his clown, so I think she must have been doing something right.

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    2. 8:47 That is your opinion only. At least she was liked and adored to get something in this city named after her.

      Can you say the same?

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    3. 8:47,

      Great news! I found a job you'll enjoy working with cute chicks.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ5qAfyUuWE

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