Fullerton City Council – Page 69 – Friends For Fullerton's Future

March 11, 2010March 11, 2010Behind Closed Doors

CITY COUNCIL FAIL? THE LEAGUE OF CITIES

The Fullerton City Council held a special meeting the other night to address the City’s projected budget deficits. It ain’t pretty.

biggest-hole — Man, that's a big ugly hole...

But even uglier was watching the discussion unfold on what to whack and what to keep when the discussion turned to the City’s membership in the California League of Cities – a do nothing operation run by bureaucrats for the purpose of promoting their own policies. The annual membership cost is something like $75,000 – not an inconsiderable sum.

To their credit both Shawn Nelson and Sharon Quirk-Silva recognized the elective character of this annual expense and are willing to dispense with it – a gesture both symbolic and practical. And then into the breach to save the day leaped council members Don Bankhead and Pam Keller, relating how important membership in this organization really is. Looks like Dick Jones is the swing vote on this.

Hmm. Bankhead and Keller. League of Cities. Now why does that ring a bell?

Oh yeah, now I remember. And here. These two spendthrifts attended the October 2008 League of Cities conference in Long Beach, a mere 25 miles from their front doors and racked up $400 per night waterfront hotel bills. Keller’s total was an embarrassing $1200+. Not even her die-hard posse could defend that profligacy.

The League of Cities is wonderful metaphor for government that can’t be bothered to control its spending and is accountable to no one. The real purpose of this operation is to give bureaucrats and ambitious local politicians a chance to hobnob, network, self-promote, and eat, drink and be merry on our dime. In some circles it is being claimed that Keller is using the League to wangle a seat on the OCTA, where her mission will be to promote Curt Pringle’s HSR agenda.

As long as free spenders like Bankhead and Keller promote this expensive joke we know we are not being properly represented.

And thanks to Nelson and Quirk-Silva for being accountable to the people of Fullerton.

February 19, 2010February 19, 2010Behind Closed Doors

Council Fusterclucks Mayoral Succession

by The Fullerton ShadowLeave a comment

Okay, Friends, this draft fell out the back of the blog sock-drawer and I just rescued it. It’s a couple weeks old, but still germane, of course.

At last Tuesday’s meeting we expected some fun on the agenda item of who gets to be mayor, but boy did we underestimate the Council’s ability to entertain.

Of course Pam Keller was still sore about getting passed over by the “good old boys” in December and still wanted to kick the issue around. Apparently Pam and her Posse of Political Whatevers had been doing some lobbying behind the scenes, because at the end of issue the council collectively settled upon a “policy” approach that will rotate the mayor gig via seniority. And Dick Jones is next in line followed, finally by Keller, presumably in 2012. Unless Jones declines the honor or hits the road.

The proceedings included the usual incoherent ramblings and musings by some of our council favorites and of course a Fullerton City Council meeting wouldn’t be any fun without Don Bankhead re-inventing history and suddenly claiming he was for this “rotation” system all along (even though he was part of the deal to keep himself mayor two short months ago, and despite the fact that there has never, ever been any system of the kind).

In the end the promises don’t mean all that much. It still takes 3 votes to elect somebody mayor and by next fall there may be three brand-new council persons – some of whom may very well be disinclined to follow the “policy” set by their predecessors. On the other hand the mission of keeping Keller from running for re-election with the title “Mayor” has been accomplished by Ed Royce & Company. So maybe after 2010 nobody will care for another three years who the mayor is.

February 15, 2010February 15, 2010Fullerton City Council

On the Agenda – February 16th, 2010

by Christian4 Comments

Temper Tantrum Tuesdays are back!

There is a study session at the police department’s mural room. You can participate in three areas of discussion to fix the broken housing and redevelopment system.

“Staff will provide further update regarding housing policy issues, including 1) the status of progress by the City in meeting its Regional Housing Needs Assessment obligations; 2) an overview of the federal tax credit programs; and 3) proposed next steps for the use of current and future redevelopment housing set-aside funds.”

It is an opportunity to voice your concerns about management or mismanagement as it may be of tax dollars spent tearing down low-cost apartments, displacing tenants, and building more costly condos.

In the regular meeting the consent calendar has, among other things, several parking issues as well as public works projects.

Item 9 is an alley abandonment related to a redevelopment agency proposal. The reason stated behind the abandonment is to save the city maintenance costs. However, an abandonment now makes it that much easier for a private developer to build.

I didn’t know that the City of Fullerton has lobbyists but that is what the supporting documentation for item 10 states. I urge you to read the details of what legislation your City supports.

Item 11 is for a community garden. No surprise that Keller and Quirk Silva are backing this. If it passes, we will all have a place to sow our seeds.

If the Transportation Center and high-speed rail are important to you, take notice of item 12.

“The purposes of this item are to: 1) provide the Agency with a description of the proposed public review process for the Fullerton Transportation Center Specific Plan/EIR and solicit suggestions or comments, if any, from Agency members; and 2) describe the public outreach program being contemplated by the California High Speed Rail Authority in connection with proposed Anaheim to San Francisco high-speed train service, including possible development of a Fullerton station stop.”

Seven lieutenants and captains at the police department have agreed to take a 5% pay cut. Item 13 makes it official.

Lastly, item 14 is the financial report for the first half of FY2009-2010. I haven’t read the entire report yet but I wonder how many tax-dollars have been funneled from the general fund to the Redevelopment Agency.

As always, chime in and let me know if I missed anything or if you have some details that shed light on any of the items listed.

February 2, 2010February 2, 2010Dead heads

Just Let it Alone, Will Ya?

by Grover Cleveland9 Comments

Pam Keller4 — Let's collaborate some more on my being mayor.

As Christian noted here, tonight the Fullerton City Council will address the issue of how somebody gets to be mayor. It’s Item #7. Ho-hum. Seems some Fullertonians just can’t seem to bend their collective mind around the fact that Pam Keller got passed over for mayor. Boohoo.

The topic of mayoral “rotation” has been kicked around since last September when the Yellowing Observer sensed trouble was a comin’ for their gal. They were right.

Here at FFFF we’ve been saying the same thing all along. The person who deserves to be mayor is the one that can earn the confidence and support of two other colleagues – one way or the other. Keller couldn’t do that. Too bad for her. Politics? Shame, shame, shame!

So why is the issue on the agenda now? Must be because Keller wants it there. Hard to imagine anybody else wanting to whip this dead mule anymore.

One of the interesting things about this item, and one that may fall under the heading of unintended consequences, is that the City Clerk staff called around and found out that of the twenty-eight cities in OC that do not have an elected mayor only one has a mechanism for ensuring everybody gets to be mayor. One. That comes out to less than 4%, and that gives the lie to Sharon Kennedy’s weepy assertion that Fullerton was somehow different from other cities that share the mayor job. Fullerton is in fact exactly like all of the other cities in OC (except one, apparently). But of course we already knew that.

The final wrinkle in the issue comes with the City Clerk raising the possibility of an elected mayor in Fullerton, and how much it might cost. Who asked for that? How will that ensure mayoral rotation – or is it simply an alternative? Election only happen every other year so it seems like an odd idea to say the least.

Anyway, if you want to watch Pam’s Political Whatevers get up and make chimps of themselves again be sure to tune in tonight. Or better yet, go in person.

February 1, 2010February 1, 2010Behind Closed Doors

Anti-Democratic Idea Being Considered By City Council

by The Desert Rat10 Comments

jones-gone-wild1 — When council members attack...

As reported earlier by Christian, the Fullerton City Council at its meeting tomorrow will discuss moving “Public Comments” to the end of meetings rather than at the beginning – where they are scheduled now. It’s item #6 on the agenda.

Apparently agendizing this concept was the brainchild of the brainless Dick Jones, author of a million malaprops and febrile, southern-fried bozoisms.

Up until about fifteen years ago the Public Comments were indeed held at the end of the meetings – right where the old guard wanted them – at 11:00 pm, or so, by which time all the malcontents and troublemakers had gone home. You see, they really liked the idea of all that wasted time up front handing out their parchments, gold stars and blue ribbons to happy citizens, but didn’t care to have any negativity go on the record.

Not coincidentally, these were the same folks that fought for years to keep the meetings from being televised.

The system finally was reversed ’round about the mid-nineties in an effort to appear more transparent and actually do something that would be convenient for the citizens and taxpayers. It was a good decision.

So now a decade and a half later there is evidently a move to go back to the old method of silencing public input. Why? Is Jones just tired of staying up so late? If so, maybe he ought to just start keeping his big bazoo shut. That alone will get him home 45 minutes earlier.

Let’s remind Jones and the rest of the Council that sometimes democracy is a bit messy, and that they and their staff work for us – not the other way around.

January 31, 2010January 31, 2010Fullerton City Council

On the Agenda – February 2nd, 2010

by Christian10 Comments

At first glance the agenda looks a little short, like someone forgot to add a few items to it, however, don’t be fooled!

Let’s take a look at the list of issues on the table.

In closed session, council will be negotiating with the employee associations (or unions, if you prefer). Item 2 of the closed session is labeled as “PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT” and is regarding the Director of Community Development as well as the Director of Administrative Services.

When they finally let us in for the meeting, the good-ol boy’s will be presented with their favorite and most difficult duty – Miss Fullerton Contestants. Let’s see if the guys can keep their hands to themselves.

North Orange County Community College District and FAST (Ne Elite Level Swimmers and Coach) will also be presenting.

After everyone gives Council a piece of their mind in the Public Comments, we hop right into the Consent Calendar which includes last meeting’s minutes, acceptance of donations to the police department, and grant funding for tree planting at Laguna Lake.

Next , item 4 addresses the Richman Court Relocation Assistance Program. If anyone has any experience with relocation plans from either prospective, please jump in. I would imagine that this program will get equally screwed up as most government programs, but that is just another useless opinion. This will use $118,000 from the federal HOME Investment Partnership Program funds

The appointment of representatives to advisory bodies comes in on item 5. I’m not sure who can be appointed but this looks like an opportunity for some crony to get their hands into another honey pot

Coming in as item 6 on the agenda is a discussion of moving the Public Comments to the END of the meetings. I guess they want to make their decisions prior to hearing from us. This has BAD IDEA written all over it. I think council should be well aware of the community’s sentiments regarding an agenda item BEFORE they discuss and vote on anything

If you felt jaded by Bankhead’s self appointment as Mayor (with help from his old friend Doc Jones and Shawn “I must recues myself” Nelson), you need not worry. The topic will come up again as item 7 and we will get to hear again about how the mayor get’s the job. It seems pointless to have the debate when the same people who were on the council when Bankhead was made mayor –again- are still on it. Why would they feel differently now about how the mayor is chosen?

There is a “comprehensive” list of projects that the City would like to get funded through federal sources. Item 8 is a list of capital projects that are submitted to Fullerton ’s federal representatives for funding consideration as part of the annual federal appropriation cycle. Here is the kicker: staff recommends that Council ask Ed Royce for federal money specifically for the Boy’s and Girl’s Club/Senior Center. Maybe the Club and the Senior Center should be relocated to make room for the Orange County Fliers and their new stadium. The other item on the list (that’s right, there are just these two items) is the slope stabilization on Harbor Boulevard . But why does the slope need stabilization you ask? It would appear that someone at City Hall allowed the slope to be graded as it currently is when Harbor Boulevard was realigned and reconstructed twenty-plus years ago. I’m not sure when it was done, but I am quite certain that a 1:1 slope with no sidewalks, trails, channels, or retaining walls was a bad idea in anyone’s book. At one time Harbor Boulevard was Highway 101 and received funding from state and federal sources. Maybe the city can blame the state or feds for the slopes. Maybe the U.S. Army Corps (USACE), which operates the damn, can chip in. I know USACE has done collaborative work with other local agencies, why not Fullerton . Hey Royce! Can you call someone at the L.A. District to get some help? Or maybe FEMA… Maybe not.

Sorry for the rant.

Item 9 is concerned with tow services provided to the City. Local businesses and homeowner associations may be impacted by new municipal codes covering impounds made on private property.

Lastly, item 10 is a resolution of support for the City of Placentia . This has to do with OCTA’s bright idea to get all of the grade separations going at the same time for fear they might loose federal funding. As legitimate as that fear might be, tying up several miles of north-south routes is a terrible idea. There are several possible solutions which I haven’t heard considered yet. Let’s see if OCTA can figure this one out.

On February 16^th in the Police Department’s Mural Room at 5:00 PM their will be a study session on the Housing Policy Review followed by the regular meeting at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers.

If I missed or glossed over something, please let us know. If I’m wrong, let me know. Otherwise, stay tuned for any breaking developments…

January 20, 2010January 21, 2010Dead heads

The Stooge In The Middle

by admin12 Comments

Dear Friends, we just received this fun post from a mutual Friend and I believe you will agree that it’s funny and pretty accurate. So enjoy.

Admin

Several years ago Morris Feinberg penned a biography about his late brother Larry Fein entitled “Larry, The Stooge in the Middle”. This clever and memorable title suggests a parallel to our own Fullerton City Council.

Twice a month first term Mayor Pro Tem Pam Keller takes her seat at the council dais between Dick “Moe” Jones and Don “Curley” Bankhead. In recent months she has become the crucial third vote to approve some dubious Redevelopment projects. No stranger to giving her stamp of approval to terrible developments like Amerige Court and Jefferson Commons, she is always careful to pepper the city staff with a few probing questions before throwing her support firmly behind it (“I got it Moe!”). Lately, though, with Sharon Quirk-Silva withdrawing her support for boondoggles like the recently approved low income housing on Richman and the illegal Redevelopment expansion, and Shawn Nelson voting likewise against them or taking a powder entirely, Pam Keller has cast the deciding “yes”, taking her place as The Stooge in the Middle.

Larry Fein had a long stretch as a Stooge, but Pam Keller is up for re-election this year. One has to assume that challenger Marty Burbank has come to boot Pam aside to claim the mantle of middle Stooge for himself. He has already signaled his worthiness of the title by shilling for the Chamber of Commerce in support of the aforementioned expansion of Fullerton’s Merged Redevelopment Area. Of course, we don’t know what else Marty stands for, since the “Issues” page on his website is completely empty, but we don’t suppose he means to bump aside fellow Rotarian Bankhead, who will undoubtedly endorse the new would-be Larry.

There are some wild cards in play, however. What if Shawn Nelson is elected as 4th District County Supervisor? What if the rumors are true that Dick Jones plans to step down sometime this year? There may be room for Shemp, and even Curley Joe to fill out the second half of as many as two council terms. Then who will be The Stooge in the Middle?

poster — Large clumps of hair went missing

January 18, 2010January 18, 2010Fullerton City Council

On the Agenda – January 19th, 2009

by Christian3 Comments

In a closed session King Rob Zur Schmiede will attempt to beat up a few property owners in his relentless quest to spend your money and expand his kingdom. Tuesday, he will be targeting several properties along West Avenue and Ford Avenue.

The municipal code change for commission appointments is to be approved. Hopefully, we don’t have another scene like we did at the last meeting where all the old guys go nuts. (Item 2)

There is a change in regulations for taxi operators… (Item 3)

Item 4 will be the financial statements for October and November of 2009. Let’s see just how badly we pissed away our kids’ future.

The Engineering Department hopes to protect their investment with an agreement outlined in Item 5. It makes sense…sort of.

There are several sewer projects on the table, which, if managed correctly, will allow for fecal matter to continue to roll down the hill to the sanitation district. It’s a lot of money but probably necessary considering how poorly we have maintained our infrastructure for the last 40-plus years.

The council is being asked to approve a public alley abandonment. Not surprising, this is related to the King Rob stuff in closed session. (Item 9)

There are a few airport items which you pilots might review. (Items 10 & 11)

Item 12 caught my eye. It appears the James Wernke’s family (for those living in a cave somewhere far away, Wernke was the young man who lost his life this past December) would like to name a trail after their son/brother. But the Parks Department scratched their head and are now asking for the council to direct the Parks commission to look at a policy for naming trails. I suggest the council by-pass the commission and just name a portion of a trail after him. Designate a section of trail in the Brea Damn Recreation area as the James Wernke Memorial Trail. Done. Fire the Parks Director and get a leader..

Item 13 is an amendment to the City’s municipal code relating to permitted parking. As I recall, this has to do with the overflow of students parking on public street and residents not being too happy.

Items 14 and 15 fall under the heading of REGULAR BUSINESS. 14 covers moving our money hither and dither in a shell game related to trails. 15 discusses a Budget Review Process.

January 15, 2010July 14, 2010Behind Closed Doors

Fullerton Decision-makers Lied To. So What’s New?

by admin9 Comments

Last year just before Christmas the Fullerton City Council voted 3-1 to approve the idiotic Richman housing project, a staff-driven boondoggle that makes zero planning, housing, or economic sense. We wrote about it here.

We also wrote about the review of the same fiasco-in-the-making by the Planning Commission here, in which we lauded Commissioner Bruce Whitaker for his solitary stance in opposing it. As the YouTube clip shows, Whitaker objected on economic grounds citing the project’s dubious fiscal foundation.

This position was immediately questioned by Commissioner Lansburg who inquired about it of the city attorney, Tom Duarte:

Commissioner Lansburg: is it within the Commission’s purview to look at this from a financial standpoint or are we only to look at this from a planning standpoint?

The city attorney Mr. Duarte answered: In the commissions purview its a land use issue, the city council will look at the financial impact.

Well, the project was passed by a Commission majority, with only Whitaker dissenting.

Subsequently Commission Chairman Dexter Savage addressed the following communication to staff, seeking clarification of the issue.

And now, Lo and Behold, the issue has been agendized by the City Council; and just look at staff’s response: economic considerations are indeed within the purview of a planning commission in many respects, and are nowhere prohibited.

This response begs several questions. Why did the city’s attorney misinform the commission? Is he incompetent, or was he motivated to press the approval of a project near and dear to the hearts of the city staff, without any reference to the law.

Why did the staff present like (John Godlewski) not correct him? He countersigned the above memorandum contradicting Duarte, yet was at the meeting and said nothing.

The facts can really only be interpreted in one way. Both the attorney and staff were more interested in the approval of the project, no matter how bad, than in the service of the public interest, or the truth, or the law.

Now the entire matter has been brought to the City Council for its enlightenment as agenda item #16 at the January 19, meeting. But it’s really to late for the Richman project – a Redevelopment/housing staff concocted project that has all the tell-tale signs of a disaster in the making.

And Friends: there you have it.

January 13, 2010January 13, 2010Boohooism

Minard Duncan and the Doctrine of Unaccountability

by Mr. Peabody9 Comments

A few days ago on this post about Pam Keller’s blank Collaborative calendar, we received a visit from FSD trustee Minard Duncan. As is usual, Minard’s visit was vacuous and inane. Just about what you’d expect from an educrat. Minard admitted his comments were just made to “rile” us up.

But what was really interesting was when Minard dropped this spud on the Friends, unwittingly revealing a mindset that reveals all the things wrong with Fullerton’s elected representatives:

School board members do not have any power as individuals. It takes three board members out of a five member board agreeing on an issue to have authority. We are the boss of the district superintendent and no one else but not as individuals only as a collective board.

See, Minard indicates that authority (power) is only to be exercised by a majority, and, moreover, through the conduit of a Superintendent – thus effectively removing the “elected” from actually having to do much of anything except hire a single underling and ratify his decisions. And of course the consequence of Minard-think is that the responsibility and accountability attendant upon elected office is conveniently dissipated through delegation to a host of protected bureaucrats who are never held accountable either.

But whoever thought that the absence of a majority meant that a boardmember was somehow robbed of any of the authority vested in him by the electorate? While it takes a board majority to act affirmatively on a specific issue, the authority of an elected is indivisible. Minard is not just a third of a potential majority, nor does he represent only a theoretical one fifth of the property tax payers and parents – although he doesn’t seem to grasp this idea.

It is each boardmember’s responsibility to concern himself with everything that goes on in his district and to take responsibility for it.

Minard-think leads to the complete dereliction of responsibility that seems to obtain not only at the FSD, but also at Fullerton City Hall, too, where electeds delegate responsibility right along with the authority they invest in their City Manager. And of course as any honest council watcher knows, the Council, through laziness and/or inclination, is completely in thrall to the Chief Bureaucrat who is supposed to be working for them. It’s rather like the Stockholm Syndrome.

And you know what? A lot of electeds and their bureaucratic masters sure seem to like it that way.