• Forest Theatre: Every Tuesday since December 25, 2007, there has been observed a steady flow of water emanating from the Irrigation Control Valve pipe into a trench for at least 7 continuous hours in the morning and afternoon. This persistent water loss has not been halted.
• Mission Trail Nature Preserve: As of yesterday, all of the tree trunks and branches still obstruct trails except for the Monterey Pine tree on Serra Trail, which was cut into segments and deposited to the side of the trail and the Monterey Pine branches on Willow Trail, at the 11th Av. entrance. Moreover, there have been no Caution tape or notifications about trail conditions posted in MTNP, expect for the County posting signs and placing Caution tape near Hatton Rd.
• Fire Department & Fire Hydrants: Based on a conversation with a Fire Protection District Fireman, there is no excuse for a Fire Department not to follow National Fire Protection Association industry standards and conduct standard water flow tests every year. Additionally, of the 29 Out-of-Service Fire Hydrants is Carmel-by-the-Sea which have been removed, it can be assumed that those are locations where new water lines and fire hydrants will be installed by Cal-Am.
• Mayor McCloud’s Mixed Environmental Record:
Procrastination: On the January 25, 2008 agenda of the Monterey County Mayors was a ban on Styrofoam. Pacific Grove Mayor Dan Cort supports the proposed ban and hopes the mayors and local officials agree. But Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Mayor Sue McCloud, who chairs the Monterey Regional Waste Management District’s litter abatement task force, wants to wait for the District’s proposed ordinance banning Styrofoam, which the District Staff is apparently drafting now.
Immediate Action: At the November 6, 2007 City Council meeting, City Council Members unanimously voted to prohibit smoking in all City parks, including Pescadero Park, Forest Theater and Rio Park.
Attempts to Get Waiver & Exception to City’s Storm Water Discharge Obligations: In 2006/07, with regard to water pollution and the Ocean Plan of the Areas of Special Biological Significance, the City attempted to get a waiver for the City’s storm water discharges into Carmel Bay, at a cost to taxpayers of $250,000, and presently is seeking an exception to the Ocean Plan for our storm water discharges into the Area of Special Biological Significance.
Action: At the October 4, 2005 City Council meeting, City Council Members voted to prohibit smoking on Carmel Beach and the Beach Bluff Pathway.
• Leidig’s Carmel Convalescent Hospital Redevelopment Project Presentation to City vs. County: At the Land Use Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, Curtis Leidig’s presentation emphasized affordable housing, that is, the construction of more affordable units than required by the County, and the preservation of the “historic” Carmel Convalescent Hospital building. Whereas, in 2007, the Leidig’s presentation to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea emphasized increased tax revenue to the City and approximately $1 million in “voluntary civic and cultural contributions” to Harrison Memorial Library, Forest Theatre, Carmel Youth Center, et cetera.
• Monterey County Administration & Staff vs. City of Carmel-by-the-Sea Administration & Staff: Recently, questions posed to Monterey County Staff members were met with informative and complete answers. Whereas, in stark contrast, questions posed to City of Carmel-by-the-Sea employees have been either ignored or unsatisfactorily answered. Perhaps the residents of Carmel-by-the-Sea should consider deincorporatation, as the County is more responsive and accountable to residents than the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
• Open Communication? Mayor Sue McCloud touts “open communication,” yet since the launch of the city’s website, the website has never had up-to-date agendas and minutes for all commissions. Moreover, Sue McCloud’s own website is similarly not up-to-date; her website has 2004 & 2005 State of the City Reports and Accomplishments of her “First 2 Years 2000-2002,” but lacks 2006, 2007 & 2008 State of the City Reports and accomplishments since 2002.
4 comments:
Many of the problems listed are due to the City Council's, led by Mayor Sue McCloud, unwillingness to hire enough staff to take care of business. The City Council keeps trying to convince us that the city doesn't have money to do some of the most necessary things. Somehow though it does have money for useless and repetitive studies and reports and to hire consultants and contractors, whose work is ignored or should have been done in house for less. The Council puts money into the already bloated reserve funds (which are supposed to be used when revenue is down) instead of allocating it to our parks and trees, adequate safety, maintaining the environment that is the main attraction of our tourist based economy, etc. It seems as if the Mayor and other City Council members have been determined during the last eight years to tear down everything that has made Carmel such a great place to live and visit.
Water is in short supply in Carmel at the best of times now. If the rains we're experiencing don't continue we're about to enter a drought that will require another period when no one has as much water as they need. You'd think that the mayor and city council would make water conservation a priority if only to support the development that they have encouraged for so long. Sure the city is understaffed because of city council policies but you'd think that priorities would be set to allocate what staff time is available more effectively. Allowing water to pour out into the street for over a month is really irresponsible.
As long as Carmel is without senior officers to lead its department our firefighters are not going to be able to do their jobs most efficently.It's better to have part time if overworked leaders from other cities than to be leaderless as our firefighters were for so many years but having this kind of leadership has got to be worse for moral and effectiveness than local leaders dedicated to the best for Carmel and those under them. Businesses and residents are having their security decreased by a mayor and city council that is determined to minimize both the number of city employees and the percentage of annual revenues spent no matter who loses from such a policy.
Why would Sue McCloud want to put off banning styrofoam since there's no obvious downside but a clear upside going forward. Is this another of her self aggrandisement schemes? Does she want the kudos to go to her waste management subcommittee and therefore to her as its chair? Did someone with money and/or influence bend her ear before the mayors met? Is she generally opposed to anything that improves the quality of life if it impacts business? There's no proof other than that her position doesn't seem to make real sense and that a look at her past record makes any of these explanations appear possible.
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