Friends For Fullerton's Future

December 3, 2009January 16, 2010About Us

The New Red Bottomed Voice Insults FFFF!

We’re used to insults flung at us from the non-fringers who talk a real good game, but who are basically all about feeling out and burrowing into whatever handy crevice will accommodate their abdominal bulk, six legs, and antennae.

hey baby, you don't get to be 100 million years old without some survival instincts!

So we take it in stride when the latest addition to the Red Bottomed blog, “Colony Rabble” took a little baby swing at us in the comment thread of her maiden post:

“I love Tom Daly to bits, and the fact that the nimrods at FFFF (how many F’s?) bag on him just makes me fight harder for him.”

Nimrods? Ouch. I think.

We really have no bone to pick with Colony Rabble. She “loves Daly to bits” which is just fine. She is clearly not a Repuglican, just a big time RINO. You fight on, girl! Work your tail off for Tom. You’ll probably end up working a lot harder than he will.

But why shouldn’t we “bag” on Tom Daly – a career politician with no evident ability other than political careerism? Is it really so bad to think we can do better? A lot better?

And it does seem pretty unusual that someone whom Matthew J. Cunningham agrees with on almost no issue he says he believes in, is suddenly blogging – just in time for the 4th District election. Well, color us suspicious. And so color, too, their own blogger Allan Bartlett, who is under the impression that his blog should stand for something. Silly Allan!

Things used to be so simple... — Oh Allan. remember when things used to be so simple?

December 3, 2009January 4, 2010Behind Closed Doors

The Fullerton City Council And It’s Trail of Tears to Nowhere

by Joe Sipowicz7 Comments

It's a long wretched journey, but is sure isn't worth it when you get there... — It's a long wretched journey, but it sure isn't worth it when you get there...

We have almost exhausted ourselves relating the long and troubling story of the Poisoned Park, AKA the Union Pacific Park, a perfect case study in local government overreach, squandered millions, and zero accountability from our “very, very good” City Manager or anybody else for that matter.

First the Redevelopment Agency interfered in a private sector transaction; then they unwittingly acquired contaminated property. Then they built a park that nobody but cholos and borrachos used (good thing half of it was fenced off!). Several million bucks later city staff sat on an embarrassing disaster whose magnitude could only be minimized by comparing it to other historical Redevelopment fiascoes.

But now to the point of this post. On Tuesday, the council voted to apply for grant funds to continue the “trail” westward from Highland, even though they had been informed of a toxic plume under the property. More millions spent on more contaminated property! And still no explanation about the fact that this idiotic “trail” has no provision to take pedestrians, cyclists (or horses, yee haw!) over the at-grade crossings at Highland and Richman; and no coherent vision about how this thing is supposed to function at all.

When the issue of contamination popped up, City Engineer Don Hoppe made some noise about how they had looked into the issue (yeah, sure Don); ever helpful City Attorney Jones suggested that the application be made anyway while some sort of site check up be performed.

Huh? Once again nobody seemed real curious about how the City got stuck with contaminated property (no doubt mistakes were made and hindsight is 20/20). Instead of accountability they seem more more interested in chucking more good money after bad.

And of course it didn’t really seem to bother anybody that the City’s previous efforts on the Union Pacific right-of-way have been a titanic debacle from start to…well, there will probably never be a finish.

The thought process behind the original, ill-conceived acquisition still seems to be driving things along: it’s there, we’re the City, and there is an opportunity to own property, play park designer and trail manager, not to mention playing around with millions of dollars of somebody else’s dough.

December 2, 2009January 26, 2010Dead heads

Ay Caramba! Red Bottom Blog Hits New Low!

by Joe Sipowicz15 Comments

Additional manpower was needed to sell the product...

The Red Bottom Boys have just added a new blogger to their dismal and vacant site: Colony Rabble, otherwise known as Cynthia Ward. She is supposed to be addressing Anaheim issues.

Cynthia is best known to OC bloggers as one of the big advocates of the SOAR coalition that fought the Suncal project near Haster and Katella in Anaheim. And this makes it weird since Matthew J. Cunningham and his other man-crush, John Lewis, were working for Suncal at the time. While Cunningham was trying to canonize Lorri Galloway and demonize Disney, Ward was hard at work trying to make sure that martyrdom preceded sainthood.

And just today Cunningham is going off on some rant about the Costa Mesa council members approving ballot box zoning – just the thing Ward was preaching on the Suncal deal.

So what gives? What gives is that Ward, who is about as conservative a Republican as a brown trout, just luuuuuuvs Tom Daly. She’s been onto our site recently touting the wonders of career politician Daly.

And there you have it. “Conservative” Red Bottom brings on board a ballot-box zoning RINO who coincidentally supports the candidate John Lewis is pimping as hard as he can.

Anybody surprised?

December 2, 2009December 2, 2009Dead heads

Dick Jones Holds Forth. Again.

by admin1 Comment

We really couldn’t help it. These golden Doc Heehaw moments are just too precious not to share with our Friends. Here he is trying to explain, in his classic barnyard blathering, why he wants to keep Don Bankhead mayor and Pam Keller out. Apparently Bankhead’s flatlining during meetings is no cause for alarm for the good doctor. Somehow Don is needed to help our “very, very good” city manager through the turbulent times ahead. Oh boy, what a team!

Be sure to enjoy the “raging financial torrent” babble-burst at about the 1:25 mark.

December 2, 2009December 2, 2009Dick Jones

Council Majority Pulls Plug on Pamette’s Posse; Proposes: Go Pound Pumice

by The Fullerton Shadow17 Comments

Well it happened last night. Joe and I made a quick trip out to Pechanga to blow our lottery winnings and so we missed it.

Wait 'til next year. If there is a next year.

Pam Keller was denied her turn in the Mayoral tether ball court, forgetting that to be Mayor you need three votes. Her posse must be sorely disappointed with the shut out. The Yellowing Fullerton Observer will no doubt be putting out a special edition decrying the end of civilization, and the barbarians at the gate, and whatever other nonsense they can cook up; maybe they can get some delish quotes from the gal with no “political whatevers.”

Anyway, Friends, get ready for a tsunami of self-righteous boohoo outrage.

Those little marshmallows really make the cocoa better...

Don Bankhead, who has been on the City Council since right before The Flood, will be mayor again next year. He voted for himself, as did Dick Jones and Shawn Nelson. We have been told that Ol’ Doc Jones coughed up a supremely sublime HeeHaw Moment that we will be sharing later. Apparently Nelson kept his mouth shut, which shows unusual perspicacity for a politician; we have to wonder if he isn’t still plenty pissed off at Keller for her attacks on him after he stood up for the citizens of Fullerton on the pension spike finagle last year.

As a consolation prize Keller got to stay mayor pro tem, a pretty useless ballot designation, but at least the word mayor is in it.

December 2, 2009About Us

Joe, You Da Man!

by admin5 Comments

December 1, 2009January 9, 2010Dead heads

What Makes Curt Pringle Tick?

by Joe Sipowicz11 Comments

We hear that Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle is raising money for Harry Sidhu’s putative bid for the 4th Supervisorial seat next year. Pringle deals with Sidhu on the Anaheim City Council, and Harry’s an okay guy, and at least he, like Pringle, is a Republican. But goddam it Pringle, Sidhu does not live in our district. He lives in the “Elegant Yorba Estate” that, unfortunately for him, is located in the 3rd District!

Who cares about them? What's in it for me? — A is for Anything I can get my greasy mitts on...

Let’s not forget that Pringle also endorsed the candidate with the phony residency in the 72nd AD election – Linda Ackerman, whose entire campaign was one fraudulence heaped on top of another. So what gives? Does basic honesty count for anything among our electeds?

Guys like Pringle and John Lewis are obviously into politics for what they can get out of it personally. Like Lewis, Pringle is a lobbyist, making his living off of all the contacts made during his days in the Legislature, and by making calls to people that he has helped. And that makes him just as big a government parasite as any government union worker.

December 1, 2009December 28, 2009Chris Norby

So Who Does The Red Bottom Blog Support in the 4th Supervisorial Race?

by Mr. Peabody6 Comments

Today Matt Cunningham deigned to visit our humble blog with about eleven hundred comments. Hell, I’m honored, I guess. What dedication! Now that he seems to be following us I thought I’d raise a topic that is becoming more timely than ever – the 4th Supervisor election that now could be decided in June 2010.

Let’s see. The Red County blog is supposed to be a conservative Republican blog. So why hasn’t uber-Republican Matthew Cunningham come out with any endorsement in the OC 4th District Supervisorial race. We know that he just couldn’t find it in himself to go out on a limb and support Chris Norby over the unqualified, dishonest, carpetbagger from Irvine, Linda Ackerman – it was just such a close call; but c’mon now this one’s a freakin’ slam dunk fer crissakes.

Let’s help out Matt by reviewing the would be Supes:

1. Tom Daly – career government worker; Democrat.

2. Rosie Espinosa – Democrat and no doubt as “progressive” as they come.

3. Lorri Galloway – Democrat and no doubt as “progressive’ as the come. Oh, yeah!Carpetbagger!

4. Harry Sidhu – Republican but Carpetbagger; plus Cunningham has been taking shots at him as an unprincipled hack for several years.

5. Shawn Nelson – Conservative Republican who stood up to the unions and his RINO pals on the Fullerton City Council and who took a strong position against Fullerton’s phony Redevelopment expansion.

Well this is really a no-brainer for somebody who is supposed to be a conservative Republican. Whatdya say, Matt? Who are you supporting in this election?

November 30, 2009December 28, 2009Behind Closed Doors

Red County Blog Still Kicking Up Dust To Obscure OC Fair Monkey Business

by Joe Sipowicz102 Comments

Today Red County blogger Matt Cunningham ran true to form, wasting thousands of keystrokes on another weirdly irrelevant post about the OC Fair, once again failing to even mentioning the fact that Fair Board members met in secret to organize a “Foundation” to buy the Fair; that a few days later they voted to hire a “consultant” to lobby the Governor’s office to include beneficial language to a potential RFP ( paid for by the public); that the so-called consultant (not publicly chosen by the Board), Dick Ackerman, was legally barred from lobbying at the time; that the County Counsel, Nick Chrisos has written a letter to the State Attorney General’s office (a facsimile of which was posted on this site) questioning the above mentioned activities; and that the AG has dumped the business into the lap of OC DA Tony Rackauckas. All pretty interesting stuff, you would think, especially for a blog that’s supposed to be about OC politics.

In his latest post Cunningham claims to be neutral on the sale issue, but nobody is buying that load of horseshit. It’s clear he is up to his old misdirection routine – high-stepping for the OC Repuglicans at their very worst.

Searching Cunningham’s own blog archive reveals that he was himself a proud recipient of Fair Board largess, and that he brushed off the misfeasance of Board members who directed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free food, drink, and tickets to their pals – pals like Mike Carona, and even to small fry like Cunningham himself.

Is this the only reason Mr. Integrity has failed to even make mention of the funny stuff? Probably not given the fact that some GOP high rollers and Central Committee members are part of the backroom cabal that was obviously playing fast and loose with their authority. His man-crush Dick Ackerman is the “consultant” who seems to have been already hard at work getting the enabling language into the AB22, and who was then then hired to lobby Arnold to get preferential conditions into the RFP.

This fine paragon of virtue has based his little career on looking the other way while his buddies were misbehavin,’ but he can’t seem to understand why he is such an object of derision by so many people, and why some folks are just sick and tired of the Repuglican misrule in this County.

I would do a count-up to see how long it is until the Red County actually does an honest post on the Fair saga, but why bother? I already know it’ll never happen.

November 30, 2009January 4, 2010Fullerton City Council

On the Agenda: December 1st, 2009

by Christian8 Comments

The Closed Session has something very interesting. Item 2 is noted as “Portion of Tentative Tract Nos. 15671, 15672, and 15673 – West Coyote Hills, Fullerton, CA”. Yep, more Coyote Hills for those that just can’t get enough.

Among other items on the consent calendar, Item 5 is going to change the appointment process for at-large commissioners.

Item 6 is so that the Parks and Recreation folks can apply for a grant that would be used for the Union Pacific Trail Phase II. The total cost is estimated at $1,345,000 which in one way or another comes from public coffers.

Hill Crest Park is 7th on the consent calendar. There is a 113 page back-up document which includes an agreement for landscape architect services. Also in the motion is a request to transfer $60,000 from Redevelopment to Parks and Recreation. (Ed.: One concern that has been voiced by many is the poor maintenance of the parks. Whether from vandalism or neglect, the parks and playgrounds are in need of some TLC.)

8th on the list is the landscape ordinance. In the name of water conservation, let city staff decide what plants are “aesthetically appeasing and environmentally beneficial”. The cost is shown as “None”. Shouldn’t it be a cost saver for the city? Otherwise, why implement it?

Want to know who will be our next mayor? The answer is in the council’s decision on Item 9.

The January 5th meeting is to be canceled per Item 10 because there just isn’t anything for them to do. At least that’s what the staff report says.

Not on the forefront of our minds is who will serve on the Vector Control Board? Jones’ term is up. Can you imagine how he has been representing Fullerton at Board meetings? I would imagine he rambles on about…who knows what.

City staff has recommended several changes related to restrictive parking on public streets. Read Item 12 for details.

Lastly, look out for the December 15th meeting. There are a lot of topics which will likely bring a large turn out. Tentatively they are:

Annual Financial Report (A – City/RDA) & B – Airport Update
October Financials
Contract Renewals for Group Insurance Programs
Public Hearing – 5 Year Implementation Plan
Adopt Landscape Ordinance
Update Deferred Compensation Plan
Sewer Reconstruction Project 09/10 Carol/Magnolia Area
Public Hearing – Appeal – Encroachment Permit Denial
Presentation – Certificate of Appreciation – Dick Waltz
Closed Session – Property Negotiations – OC Flyers
Public Hearing – Parking Permit Fees
Adopt Ordinance – Permit Parking
Direct Appointments – Library
Public Hearing – Olson Housing Project
Contract Award – Raymond Grade Separation
RDA Annual Determination Re: Low & Moderate Housing
RDA FY 08/09 Annual Report
Signal Modification – Orangethorpe/Highland & Signing/Striping – Orangethorpe
Presentation – MWD Update