Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Carmel-by-the-Sea Resident: "I want due process. Fair treatment."

ABSTRACT: During Appearances at the City Council meeting on March 4, 2008, Carmel-by-the-Sea resident Susan Page spoke of a “dangerous tree” between Mayor Sue McCloud’s residence and her residence. Apparently, the removal of the Acacia tree was placed on a Forest and Beach Commission agenda for their January 3, 2008 meeting, only to be removed from the agenda. Page requested the item be “put back” on the Forest and Beach Commission’s agenda for March 6, 2008.


Views of Acacia Tree Canopy, Branches & Trunk
Near east property line
E/s Santa Lucia Av. @ San Carlos St.

City Council
Regular Meeting
March 4, 2008


VI. Appearances
Anyone wishing to address the City Council on matters within the jurisdiction of the City and are not on the agenda may do so now. Matters not appearing on the City Council’s agenda will not receive action at this meeting but may be referred to staff for a future meeting. Presentations will be limited to three (3) minutes, or as otherwise established by the City Council. Persons are not required to give their names, but it is helpful for speakers to state their names in order that the City Clerk may identify them in the minutes of the meeting. Always speak into the microphone, as the meeting is recorded on tape.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Susan Page. I’m been coming here since 1941. In 1973, my mother bought the house next to Mayor McCloud. We have a situation where there’s a dangerous tree between the houses. In January of this year, it was removed from the agenda. It’s been removed from the agenda for Thursday. I want it to be put back on there for Thursday. I want due process. Fair treatment. Thank you."

COMMENTS;
Déjà vu! Susan Page’s compliant about a lack of due process is reminiscent of the lack of due process accorded the residents of Dolores St. between 15th Av. and Santa Lucia Av. over the installation of the speed hump.

Acacia trees, including Blackwood Acacia (Acacia melanoxylon), are not listed on the CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA RECOMMENDED TREE SPECIES LIST in the Forest Management Plan, Appendix G. Furthermore, it is a non-native tree.

Apparently, the City Forester is in agreement with the property owner about the removal of the Acacia tree.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If as has been implied Mayor Sue McCloud has used her position to prevent a neighbor from getting a fair hearing by having the City Administrator remove the neighbor from the Forest and Beach agenda twice without the commissioners even being aware of it, this is one of the most egregious and self serving things McCloud has done to date. She has done plenty of favors for friends and supporters e.g. the speed bump and the trees along Scenic - breaking state laws and city regulations in the process but has never so blatantly broken the law to benefit herself before. The appearance is that McCloud was concerned that the F & B commissioners and the Forester would support the woman's request and that McCloud didn't want them to get a chance to do so.

Anonymous said...

In the McCloud Administration, Sue McCloud routinely abuses her mayoral position by secretly doing or arranging personally special favors for special friends and supporters. Or in this instance, interfering with the process and intervening when she should not have to deny this resident due process. It doesn't get much worse than this at the local village level.
I applaud Susan Page for having the courage to stand up and inform the public. Please let us know if the item ever gets on a F & B Commission agenda. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Horray for Susan Page. If only more Carmelites would make public all of Sue's transgressions, we would all be much better off, not to mention the pressure applied to the other council members to reign Sue in for the sake of the reputation of the city and the council. Otherwise, we have one person rule by a proven unworthy "my way or no way" mayor.