The Wishing Well, Once A Mayor’s Crib; Now A Bottomless Money Hole

The Wishing Well Apartments. Someone's wish just came true.

For those interested in obscure Fullerton history, Louis Valasquez lived in the Wishing Well apartments at 466 West Valencia Dr. while serving as the Mayor of Fullerton in 1979.

Those more curious about modern-day Redevelopment Agency boondoggles, may be interested to learn that this past week the Fullerton City Council voted to sell the Agency owned Wishing Well Apartments to an out of town “developer” for $100.

The Fullerton Redevelopment Agency purchased the ol’ Wishing Well for $1,993,433 and paid an additional $60,930 to kick out (relocate) all the tenants that resided in the 16 unit building. On top of that the Agency is going to give the out-of-towners an additional $184,347 to “rehab” the apartments, provided the developer rents the apartments to low income tenants. Here in Orange County “low income” is 50% of the median income – which for a family of 3 is $70,890. This means that people that make around $35,445 will be living in the Brand Spanking New Wishing Well. I’ll bet ya the previous tenants made less than $35,445 per year. So in reality the city kicked out the poor folks in order to replace them with richer poor folks.

Now that’s not very good is it?

And if the units were so dilapidated, why didn’t City Code Enforcement simply cite the landlord and require the units to be standard units?

I think I’ll do a follow-up post and focus on code enforcement failures under Don Bankhead’s and Dick Jones’s years of “leadership.”

“Would you support our efforts to make our neighborhood historic?”

I received this post from a Friend who wishes to remain anonymous for reasons that you may understand after you read this post.

Think historic neighborhoods. Immediately, one’s mind goes to such places such as Bungalow Heaven in Pasadena, Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia and others where houses, landscape, and layout reflect a distinct architectural coherence.

What we don’t think of is the hodgepodge of homes built over a span of more than fifty years within the boundaries of Skyline, Frances, Luanne, Canon and Lemon here in Fullerton. True, the neighborhood has a sort of charm. But this four block area (oddly denuded of trees) doesn’t fit the definition as historic.

Yet, for over twenty years, this neighborhood has been besieged by a small but persistent group to designate itself as such. The original movement came about when a neighbor (who has since moved away) decided the mix of 60’s ranch homes, 30’s Spanish Mediterranean  and 80’s boxes needed to be protected.

Why? Because the empty lot behind her house, which she had enjoyed as her own personal open space, was going to have a house built upon it.  This led to a movement asking for historical designation, with one very vociferous neighbor putting out a letter decrying such crimes as pink flamingos in yards. It ended when a flock of roving pink flamingos went from yard to yard, to rebuke this snobbishness. It was clear then, as it is now, that the historic designation is more to control everything from the color of homes, the installation of skylights, solar panels, to pink flamingos in yards.

In more recent years, the issue was raised again when a member of the Fullerton Heritage group moved into the neighborhood.  This woman could often be seen taking photographs of her neighbor’s homes. She personally crossed the boundaries of neighborliness by posting a photo of one on their website as an example of “muddled and conflicted” architecture. Battle axes were raised when during a neighborhood meeting, an argument ensued. This busybody sat in the back, mute –rendering herself all but invisible. At no point did she offer any explanation why this issue meant so much to her that she was willing to pit neighbor against neighbor.

The reasons for not wanting this ridiculous designation are simple.

1.     There’s no consistent architectural coherence in the boundaries of Lemon, Skyline, Frances, Luanne and Canon. While there are individual examples of historically significant architectural styles, as a neighborhood – it lacks consistency and coherence.

2. It would give Fullerton Heritage – and the City Planning Department far too much power over our neighborhood. Note, they already have ultimate veto power over designs submitted to the city for everything from new development to remodeling in other neighborhoods designated as a historical zone. In one neighborhood, they vetoed the homeowner’s request to install a skylight. Such oversight is petty, and subject to the changing whims of the board.

3. This will lead to more “fake old” McSpanish architecture. Another uninformed member of the Fullerton Heritage group noted at a meeting at Hillcrest Park that she thought the predominant style in the neighborhood should be “Spanish Mediterranean,” whatever that means.

4.     The $1000 fee for the designation doesn’t even begin to cover the costs of actual staff time. In addition, this doesn’t cover the costs of ordered revisions by the owner’s architects or engineers. Fees like this are never gotten rid of, rather, the fee could be raised and the neighborhood would have no control over the amount they have to pay.

5.     The city of Fullerton has a permit process already in place. This is an added layer of bureaucracy with not only more additional staff time needed, but oversight from an outside organization (Fullerton Heritage).

6.     A small cadre of neighbors has already been vociferous to the point of rudeness about things they don’t like: the color of a neighbor’s home, plantings, flamingos, and more. Worse, their gossip has hit people in ways that have become personal. While we realize they are voicing their opinion, we’d hate to give them permission to authorize or disapprove on any official level.

At some point one must work with and trust the neighbors.  Most of the neighbors who support this notion have lived in the area for 40 years without the intervention of the city. Why they think they should leave future generations with a law to be enforced long after they have enjoyed their own latitude –is for reasons of ego.  While the notion of a historic neighborhood seems appealing, in reality it is cumbersome, vague and will leave future homeowner’s with no choice but to deal with more government and bureaucracy. It was clear twenty years ago as it is now:  these people need to get a life.

All we can do is work with one another, and be neighborly but not meddlesome.

FSD Renews The Shameful Keller Contract

Let a smile be your umbrella...

Wow. It’s sort of weird. I spend a few months in eastern Nevada and when I get back it seems like nothing has changed. It was way back in February that Joe did a recap on the doings of Pam Keller – and what a recap it was. We had over 130 comments, most from some pathetic Keller apologist calling him/herself 4th SD Observer.

And today I learned from a pretty reliable source that last night the Fullerton School Board renewed the Keller/Collaborative contract. You remember, the contract that permits Keller to be an FSD employee while in actuality she goes gallavanting around Fullerton, latte cup in hand, hobnobbing with other professional do-gooders, and taking credit for real philanthropy performed by others.

Anyway, I gather that the vote was 3-2, with Bev Berryman and Lynn Thornley, to their credit, dissenting. As usual Ed Royce liberals Hilda Sugarman and Ellen Ballard voted yes; and of course our old friend Minard Duncan had to go along, too. That figures. He has popped up here occasionally to inform us of how hard Pam works.

Kiducrats Love to Pat Selves on Back

One of our observant friends passed along this iridescent pearl from Rob Reiner’s under scrutinized Tax and Redistribute OC Children and Families Commission:

July 15, 2010

The Children and Families Commission of Orange County was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). This achievement is the highest form of recognition among government finance and is given annually to promote high quality finance reporting in the public sector. More than 3,500 governments participate in this program each year.

This self-congratulatory item was no doubt scribbled by Chief Commission Wordsmith and $200 an hour toothbrush hander outer, Matthew J. Cunningham, and is typical of government accountants passing out accolades to each other.

Doing well by doing good!

Too bad nobody has done a real external performance audit, including investigating how exorbitant PR and lobbying contracts are being handed out to Commission member Bill Campbell’s political running buddies like Curt Pringle and Cunningham himself.

Well, not to worry. Something tells me that come 2010 Fringie Award time we’ll be recognizing the Commission with our own special brand of recognition.

Who Poisoned the Blogosphere?

Not me.

The other day at the self-righteous Blue County Blog, Boy Reporter #1 Dan C-somethingorother, put up a post defending himself in the dust up between him and the OJ Blog’s Art Pedroza. The funniest comment came from our old pal, Boy Reporter #2, Matthew J. Cunningham, the biggest hypocrite in Orange County – you remember, the creep who by day is a mild-mannered Welfare State teat-sucker, but who at night transforms himself into some sort of uber-conservative super hero. Here’s some of what he had to add to the comments thread:

Well said, Dan. As you make clear, “the blog war” is just Pedroza code for the LOC lawsuit against him — and that’s what he wants ended, not the poisonous atmosphere in the OC blogosphere the he, Tony Bushala and others have created.

And Pedroza’s claim today that he doesn’t allow personal attacks on me — that’s just an out-and-out lie. But typical, when you consider the source.

Oh boy what a guy! Somehow it’s my fault that this slime ball who pretends to be some sort of social conservative is actually the biggest, most liberal, whole-village rearing apologist and pond scum skimmer in Orange County, and we’re letting folks know about it. And that’s a personal attack? Funny how I’m “poisonous,” and yet this free loader still hasn’t got the balls to explain to his readers at the Red County blog about his day job passing out toothbrushes at $200 an hour.

You can't hurt me. I've got friends in high places...

My run in with this clown began over a year ago when the supposed conservative paragon started doing his typical lame song and dance for liberal spendthrift and serial mis-manager, Democrat Tom Daly. Then came his back-handed promotions of the carpetbaggers Ackerwoman, and Hairball Sidhu; and the efforts to undermine the campaign of a real conservative – Shawn Nelson.

Well here’s a news flash: I’m going to do my best to clean out OC of its repuglican hypocrites, pharisees, and plantation overseers no matter how long it takes and no matter how much it costs. And that’s a promise.

Besides, I’m having way too much fun.

Pacific Strategies & The Case of the Great Disappearing Agenda Item

Hey, I didn't write that agenda entry. Or did I?

A quick perusal of the OC Children and Families Commission meeting for July 7, 2010 might be a bit misleading. Item six talks about a Strategic Communications Work Program and lists the “consultants” – really lobbyists and promoters whom we’ve seen before – Pringle and Associates, and O’ Haren, and the comically named White House Writers Group, that are lining up to line their pockets at the expense of hungry kids.

However, it’s not until you actually look at the agenda item staff report that you see our old friend Matthew Cunningham from Suite C described. Hiding something? The budget item is for “on call” services for a total of $30,000.  I’m not sure what on call services amount to, but clearly Cunningham is still to be employed doing whatever it is he does for the Rob Reiner Tax and Redistribute Commission at the princely rate of $200 an hour.

The somewhat ambiguous phrase “a no-cost extension will be executed, and as necessary, modifications within the contract and budget authority” is appended. Apparently “Final” FY 2010-2011 budget actions take place in October.

OC Human Relations Commission Dodges Budget Bullet. Sort of.

The much-maligned and much-praised Human Relations Commission is still alive, although life signs may be diminishing.

On Tuesday, as part of its annual budget process, the County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate an unfilled position in the department, thereby reducing its budget by about $100,ooo.

Without anymore editorial comment I have to note that many of the organizations that sent in their kudos for the good offices of this Commission, consistently refuse to contribute a dime from their own budgets to support it.

Yellowing Submarine Advocates Tax Increase

Things are lookin' up!

Well of course they do. That’s what they know.

In the most recent edition of the squalid rag (page 1, 20% recycled paper) known as the Fullerton Observer, an unnamed editorial writer bemoans the fact that “City businesses fees” (sic) “may be outdated and too low.”

Well of course they are too low – for taxers like the Yellowing Observers, whether they are outdated or not.

Then there’s this gem: “While city (sic) employees and residents are being required to help out through layoffs, furloughs, increased fees, and reduced services, nothing has been asked of the business community.”

Huh? If anybody in Sharon Kennedy’s family had ever owned or run a business they would know that the business license is not a “fee,” it’s a thinly veiled tax, levied on businesses, and that it confers absolutely no service to the business owner. It’s just a revenue grab. Then of course the whole thing is pitched in the obligatory “look how small the increase per business is and look how many jobs it will keep!” routine.

If anybody is dumb enough to buy into I’d sure like to hear from them. And thanks Observer for a 2010 campaign issue! Let’s hear it. Whose for the new Observer tax increase?

OC Human Relations Commission Working Hard, But For Who?

By Friend Helen Logan.

Our $300,000 tax dollars a year working hard for us?

I found this article in the PR Newswire, United Business Media dated 17th June 2010.

“This was an invaluable opportunity for our mediators to experience the common physical and emotional challenges that are a part of the aging process,” said Mike Finkle, Human Relations Specialist for OC Human Relations. “For awhile, our mediators were able to, nearly literally, ‘take a walk in the shoes’ of seniors and others who live with such challenges every day.

To simulate experiencing the difficulties of living with arthritis, for example, program participants were asked to don heavy, clumsy gloves and then button their shirts or open medication bottles and handle small pills. Participants also put popcorn in their shoes and walked around to simulate the feeling of painful joints.”

The Orange County Human Relations Commission, a dinosaur agency foisted upon  tax payers for thirty years, again shows how negligible its services are to our community.

Orange County Human Relations Specialist Mike Finkle, an employee of this commission, earns his tax dollar subsidized paycheck by walking around a room with popcorn in his shoes and attempting to button his shirt and open pill bottles while wearing, thick, clumsy gloves.

When will our county government leaders wise up to this sham agency and pull the plug on funding this silly tax dollar subsidized commission and its executive director who pulls down a six figure salary.

Our economic crisis that experts predict will be a double-dip recession, forces our county government to cut needed police and fire protection to Orange County’s residents. Yet, our county’s board of supervisors is afraid to stop funding this piece of fluff called the Orange County Human Relations Commission.

I believe most will agree with me when I say I would rather have more police or fire protection in Orange County than a person walking around with popcorn in his shoes who puts on thick, clumsy gloves to button his shirt.

For our county board of supervisors to have credibility with the voters, they must sensibly act and trim the real fat from government by cutting funding to the Orange County Human Relations Commission.

Doug Chaffee Announces Candidacy For City Council

Third time's the charm?

Aha! Our old acquaintance Doug Chaffee has announced he is running again for Fullerton City Council. He must feel that the number of vacancies this fall will improve his chances. His two prior forays into elective politics were expensive and disastrous.

Anyhoo, here’s the announcement:

NEWS RELEASE

FROM: CHAFFEE FOR COUNCIL

Contact: Paulette Marshall, (714) 529-4513; chaffeemar@earthlink.net

CHAFFEE WILL SEEK SEAT ON FULLERTON CITY COUNCIL

Fullerton, CA, June 22, 2010.  Doug Chaffee will file papers with the Fullerton City Clerk indicating that he will seek a seat on the city council. The general election is scheduled for November 2, 2010. In announcing his candidacy, Chaffee said that he is extremely concerned about the city’s financial situation, which has resulted in diminished city services.

“My campaign will emphasize sustainable financing for the city and restoring a sense of inclusiveness, openness and civility among the people who work, live, and serve our city. There are many challenges facing Fullerton. I want to hear from the community – residents, homeowners and businesses. I’m a good listener and welcome everyone’s ideas. Working together, we can create common sense solutions to the economic and social challenges that face Fullerton.”

A business attorney who has practiced law in downtown Fullerton for more than 40 years, Chaffee is a graduate of Fullerton Union High School, University of Redlands (BA Economics), and Northwestern University School of Law. He lives in Fullerton with his wife, Paulette, and sons Marshall and Adam.

Chaffee is vice chair of the Fullerton Planning Commission and past president of Fullerton United Way and Sunrise Rotary Club. He serves on the board of directors, North Orange County YMCA and the Advisory Board of Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service. He is a member of Friends of Jazz and the Sierra Club.

He can be reached at (714) 726-0521 or chaffeemar@earthlink.net.

END

We received this notice in an e-mail from a Chaffee volunteer who hopes FFFF will be fair to Mr. Chaffee.

Well, hell, we’re always fair.

Anyway, about Chaffee: he is one of those unrepentant liberals who almost always seems to believe government knows best. On the other hand his position on the City’s doling out entitlements on massive projects with gleeful abandon has been better than others.

In the past some of us meanies have singled out Chaffee as the recipient of our acerbic affections. This time? Who knows? We’ll have to see how good, or bad, the ultimate crop of candidates is.