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OPINION&EDITORIAL
Views expressed in Opinion & Editorial do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coast News.
THE COAST NEWS NOV. 11, 2011
COMMUNITY COMMENTARIES The Community Commentary section is open to everyone. Opinions expressed in the Community Commentary section are in no way representative of The Coast News Group. Send submissions no longer than 700 words to news@coastnewsgroup.com. Submission does not guarantee publication.
Clarifying points on the Pacific View site
By Timothy B. Baird, Ed.D. SUPERINTENDENT
Teaching the values of right and wrong When elected leaders like Encinitas Mayor James Bond, Deputy Mayor Jerome Stocks and Council member Kristin Gaspar no longer support the values of the residents they claim to represent, the community is threatened. In Encinitas we teach the values of our community in our schools. We do this because we want our kids to know right from wrong and because we want our community to be a better place. Cardiff Elementary School states the goal of the school as: “Preparing students with the skills and knowledge to become ethical, responsible and productive community members and citizens.” Bond, Stocks and Gaspar need to go back to school. They lack the skills and knowledge to be ethical, responsible and productive city council members. They are poor role models for our kids. In Encinitas, there is one set of rules for the supporters of Bond, Stocks and Gaspar and another set for the rest of us. Welcome to “Cronyville” where violating city policy is rewarded. Consider that the three supported ex-Mayor Dalager, knowing he violated state laws. Now, the three council members have appointed Mark Muir,the only council applicant who violated city policy. Does this sound ethical, responsible and productive? Bond, Stocks and Gaspar thumbed their noses at residents and appointed their campaign supporter
ANDREW AUDET Life, Liberty and Leadership Muir over the more qualified applicants. They could have chosen one of many applicants endorsed by the public, but picked the only applicant residents spoke out against. Residents opposed Muir because of ethics violations and ties to Bond, Stocks, Gaspar and their campaign supporters. Encinitas policy instructs city employees to refrain from participating in local elections and that effort to achieve personal gain or misuse of public time is dishonorable. Muir disregarded these policies. As a city employee, Muir set up multiple Political Action Committees (PACs) to direct efforts to elect Bond and Stocks who were under fire by the International Association of Fire Fighters. Against policy, Muir used city resources to send emails to direct campaign efforts to elect Bond and Stocks. His efforts benefited Bond, Stocks, Gaspar and their pro-development supporters. After directing campaign efforts to elect Bond and Stocks, Muir was appointed fire chief by the city manager for a city council that included Bond and Stocks. Was Muir the bestqualified applicant or was he the best connected?
Muir’s record of leadership also lacks achievement. Under his direction, the city has failed to meet its goals to deliver timely emergency services, and response times have gotten slower. If Muir spent more effort improving response times and less time setting up PACs and electing his bosses, we all would have benefited. Muir, Bond and Stocks seem the only ones to have benefited. Muir is being investigated by resident Steve Mieche, who says Muir’s sloppy leadership and lack of managerial skills has threatened the delivery of life-saving services. Muir, being appointed to the council, will stonewall an official investigation. Muir was successful in securing pension increases for his union and he benefited from a council decision sticking taxpayers with the cost of building new McMansion fire stations with private rooms and expensive kitchens that don’t improve response times. In retiring, Muir collects about a $12,000 monthly pension plus another $1,100 per month as a council member. Muir is more the pension problem than the solution. America is good because we still believe it is a place where the same rules apply to everyone. At Encinitas City Hall that’s not the case. Welcome to Cronyville, where the rules for all don’t apply to a lucky few. I think our kids and community deserve better. What do you think?
Contact a Reporter CARLSBAD CHRISTINA MACONE-GREENE cmaconegrenne@coastnewsgroup.com
P.O. Box 232550, Encinitas, CA 92023-2550 • 760-436-9737 www.thecoastnews.com • Fax: 760-943-0850
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MAKING WAVES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
ENCINITAS WEHTAHNAH TUCKER wtucker@coastnewsgroup.com
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Dear EUSD Families and Friends, Recently, you have probably seen responses to the letter that I sent out regarding our District’s position on the Pacific View site. After reading some of these responses, I felt it important to clarify some of the points surrounding this issue. With regard to a proposal from the Downtown Encinitas Mainstreet Association, an informal plan from DEMA to lease the property was received by the District in December, 2010. The claim that the District turned down hundreds of thousands of dollars in guaranteed annual rents from this proposal is simply not true. The District met with representatives from DEMA and responded to their ideas in writing. At no point did DEMA guarantee anything in their letter. Here is what DEMA proposed: • DEMA would use the existing
buildings, which they would fix up with volunteer labor. • DEMA would operate a Farmers’ Market on the property to generate income. • DEMA would lease out the space to artists where they could work and sell art. • DEMA speculated that income from an art center could generate $200,000 per year with $160,000 toward the lease but they had no capital in hand and many things would have to go right for the District to receive any payment for use of the property. Here was the District’s response: Our insurance carrier has forbidden us from using the existing buildings. We cannot escape our liability on this issue even through a lease or release of liability form. These buildings have asbestos, mold, and significant damage that would need to be repaired. Volunteers may not work on the TURN TO PACIFIC VIEW ON A20
Appreciating the work of local newspaper By Candace Kamada
As a friend and constituent of Maggie Houlihan, I wish to express my gratitude for the outstanding journalistic pieces done by Andrew Audet and Lillian Cox of the Coast News eulogizing our much beloved councilwoman. Several columns provided inspiring poignant accounts of all that she advocated for and accomplished during her 11 year tenure on the Encinitas City Council. For the last 11 years she expended great amounts of energy not only to protect our environment and community character, but to preserve quality of life for all creatures fortunate enough to
inhabit Encinitas. Andrew Audet wrote of Maggie’s oft repeated warnings of a council super majority that could increase density without a vote of the people. “Maggie had a history of following the recommendations of the Encinitas Planning Commission to preserve community character and protecting property values when others didn’t.” Maggie had her finger on the pulse of vital issues affecting our city until the week before she died when she lapsed into unconsciousness. Maggie often emphasized that TURN TO LOCAL PAPER ON A20
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor and reader feedback are welcome. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coast News. Letters are subject to editing for length and clarity. Unsigned letters and letters without city of residence will not be published. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and include a contact telephone number. Submission does not guarantee publication. Send letters via e-mail to letters@coast newsgroup.com.
Blatant disregard I was at the Nov. 2 Encinitas City Council meeting. At the meeting not one person clapped when Mark Muir was nominated to take Maggie Houlihan’s place on the city council. In fact, of the several citizens who spoke at the podium that night, not one of them supported Mr. Muir. Ian Thompson, Maggie’s husband, and Bruce Ehlers both gave valid reasons as to why Mark Muir should not be nominated. By nominating Mr. Muir, I feel that Stocks, Bond, and Gaspar were blatantly disregarding and insulting all the citizens of Encinitas who attended that meeting and also any citizen who wants a fair and balanced city council and government. Kimberly Patten ENCINITAS
Go to credit unions We must stop keeping our heads in the sand — the financial woes of America are due to rampant financial deregulation. If you want the scare of your life and also educate yourself, please read this exposé TURN TO LETTERS ON A20