Sorta got trees again. They're gonna kill the contract to replace the fuck-us trees.
OK. late start (again). Nothing to tell us from Closed Session (surprise). Everybody's there.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Carla Wolecka from Playhouse Association talks about the fuck-us trees and that the council decision means no trees for 9 months. They've got ten things to get done. Make sure trees are planted by a year from now. They pick trees that won't hurt the commercial district by blocking signs. She wants a landscape architect hired, too and make sure enough money is there to plant good size trees and by banners. Paul Jacoy from Playhouse wants the whole thing redone. He says they didn't know the trees were coming off the plan and doesn't like bitching biddies and lame-o S-Nooze editors saying people should boycott Playhouse stores. Steve Mllhiem from Old Town is worried his plans might get stopped, too. He says everybody's confused about what the decision was in the first place. Steve Nolan from the Arts Council wants the council to extend the deadline to decide about the stoopid hat sculpture replacement at the Civic Auditorium. Nancy Nelson, wacko renter woman wants people not to interrupt speakers. She thinks the bitching biddies were too rude last time. She thinks the vote was rigged, too. She calls the council "Royal Highnesses. She's wacked, but she's not wrong. Pastor Anthony wants his church to not get evicted by their landlord. Haderlein asks about getting a bigger microphone.
CONSENT CALENDAR: They're looking for grants and paying some employees more money, but no big contracts this time. Except the employee raises.
TAKE BACK THE TREE PLANTING CONTRACT: Gordo asks about North Lake tree planting and why they're cutting tree wells in the Playhouse District. He wants them to put banners up so there's something nice there while the Playhouse waits for a tree plan.
EMPLOYEE CONTRACT: Some employees get a 4% raise in 2009 but none in 2010.
PASADENA'S BUDGET CRISIS: Report says if the Council doesn't do something, maybe we're gonna have $90 million deficit. That's real cash, folks. There are problems with water, trash, sewer and other funds like parking. General Fund is in bad shape and so is the health department that doesn't get grant money like they used to. Bulding fundsd are down, too, 'cause nobody's building anything anymore. Beck says they're gonna save $9 million when they cut open positions, get rid of some overtime, not give raises next year. If that won't fly with the employees, they have to do layoffs to make the budget balance or do furloughs.
They're gonna raise refuse rates, take more money from the power company (which I guess means from us), do a better job of collecting their bills, and they're gona use money they have in the bank to balance the budget. I didn't know they had $24 million they can use. They don't have an answer for fire and police retirements. Beck wants the council to give him permission to talk to the labor unions, implement furloughs or layoffs if they have to. It's pretty nasty, but they gotta balance the budget. I just hope it won't cost me too much more money. We all work for a living, but it seems like they can save a lot of money by cutting back on benefits for their workers.
Holden asks if they're gonna do golden parachutes and gets told they wouldn't get the budget savings they need that way and it could be more expensive, not less. Tyler makes a pitch for contracting out services. Madison sticks up for city workers. Reminds everybody he ran ten years ago and helped save the power company. I'm not sure about that since my bill keeps going up and up.
GENERAL PLAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS: They've got a secret list. Adding to that Gordo picks Juliana Delgado and affordable housing bunny Michelle White, Holden nominates Dantay Hall and Marilyn Buchanan, Madison picks Michael Hurly and Mick Hansen, no idea on Haderlein's, McAustin's, Tylers, Robinson's or Bogaard's picks.
CLEAN AIR BUS ORDINANCE: Rose Bowl has to use clean air buses.
REPORT ON PROJECT AT 880 EAST COLORADO: Builder wants to build at Lake and Colorado. They'll redo an old senior complex as a hotel and condo project and then build a 7 story office building at Lake and Colorado with 653 underground parking spaces. They're gonna put in gardens and public areas on a "raised podium" whatever that means. They're gonna be historic and traditionally architectured. It needs an EIR and traffic studies and other things like greenhouse gas and water use. Nobody asks about what level of ugly-ass this one's gonna reach.
INTERNAL AUDIT OF HOUSING DEPARTMENT: Dan Shumavitch from an accounting firm in Pasadena tells the council they looked at lending and loans and paperwork and payments and overdue loans. They found 9 out of 10 documents had wrong or missing info. That means only ten percent were correct. Dude, they're lending my money and not even getting paperwork filled out right. Geeezzz! They says the city needs to pay attention and put checks in place so they get it right. Beck says they're gonna do a management audit of housing, too. New housing guy Huang says they're developing manuals and procedures so everything gets done right and payments get made. Man, the guy had a lot to fix. Tyler likes they are raising the bar on the audits.
PUBLIC COMMENT REDUX: Laronda Heartfield: Blissed out wacko's back. She likes something's happening with housing. She says "hello somebody the great city of Pasadena is falling because the great city council isn't taking care of the needs of the people. And right is right and wrong is wrong."
Tyler wants to know about wireless antenna maps and wants to know if there's an outreach program to tell people how the map is supposed to be used.
They're done by ten with not much to tell about it. The city's got big money problems and no answers.
Done.
D.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Council Blow by Blow for 3-23-09
TREES AGAIN! AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH
Late gettin' started. Closed session they did some stuff but won't tell us what it is. "Gave direction to our representatives directed toward a particular outcome," the mayor sez.
Everybody's here, even Madison and Robinson. McAustin leads the pledge and gets it right.
BACK PATS: Sister city German intern at KPAS who's about a foot taller than the sister city guy. Barry Gordon gets back on the PCAC board, whatever that one is. The ninja turtle is back! Cool, huh, dude? Robinson talks about the marathon and the John Muir alum who came in first. Congrats dude. He ran 26 miles in under 3 hours. Then he talks about how to do it better. But he's talkin' to the Council not the goofy Ahab-lookin' promoter guy. McAustin talks about a save your home workshop Pasadena did. Gordo talks about a neighborhood cleanup at Washington Park. How many council members does it take to pat themselves on the back? All of them.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Joe Dumbacher: Talks about a new bank he's starting.
Pastor Anthony Kim: Talks about rat infested basements and thinks the city needs to do something about it not make renters sue landlords and he's getting sued about rats.
Mary Donnely Crocker from Young and Healthy likes the marathon 'cause it gave them $$$.
CALL FOR REVIEW OF VIVE BAR PLAN: Madison wants to call this up to the council but then says to put it off for a week or two so they can work it out with the owner.
COUNCIL PAL GETS ON ARTS COMMISSION: Gordo's got a new arts commish.
COUNCIL GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE: They subcommittee's back with I guess the same recommendations. They don't name any names to name this time, but dance around it and finally throw it all back to get council recommendations for next week to appoint the committee. Haderlein says the committee can't do any more than they already did so if they don't like this plan, they need to start again and appoint people themselves. Madison pitches for his pals but it's not going anywhere. Back to the start. Geez. If they can't do a fair committee how're they gonna do a fair general plan? Public Comment: Planning Commish McDonald says get on with it.
PASADENA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL PLAN: Pasadena Christian wants to expand. Everybody seems to like the plan. Public Comment:Pastor Smith lives across the street and likes the plan. Carol Potter isn't so happy with them. Bill Flynn loves the plan and the school. Dale Trader is suspicious. This guy hates everything. Another woman won't leave her house when school's dropping people off or having events.David Guler says the school's ok. Richard Chin likes the school, too.
TYLER'S TREE CLUSTER-FUCK-A-TORIUM: Staff says to hold off cutting down trees for four months, rethink all the plans except Playhouse.
Public Comment: Little from the chamber says don't do a moratorium and stick to the plans. Rhonda Bennett from South Lake says let them cut down their bad fuck-us trees, too. Arthur Folds hat wearing elder surfer dude in shades says plant big trees. Si Carlberg says she's a certified arborist and the ginko trees are good. Arlinda Romo from Playhouse says save our plan. Surfer chick says start over. Michael Seal from Boston Court says do the plan. Jim Potkin says save the process and do a citywide assessment to pay for trees and sidewalks. Laura Paul complains about waiting to talk and doesn't like getting limited and says the public would have come out more if they knew what was going on but that's lame-o babe. People who give a shit are there. She bitches about the arborist woman who talked earlier. Strident-woman says healthy trees should never be cut down. Joan Chin says she wants large canopy trees. Mark Nay says we do plans and we stick to them, not like LA. Paul Jacoy from Playhouse wants the council to keep to the plan. Trolly Nina Chomsky challenges the language and interprets it all for council. Crystal Balvin bitching biddie wants to know why we can't get more time because they waited 13 years already. She thinks most of the community agrees with the biddies but taht just ain't true. Most people don't care either way. Phoebe Wilson says the decision was made in the early '90s and was political to satisfy the Old Town businesses. Man these biddies are a bunch. Do they meet at the Odd Biddies Hall? Asian store owner likes trees down so people can see their business and their signs. Carla Walecka from Playhouse says save the plan.
Tyler loves them trees and wants to save them fuck-us trees on east Colorado. He wants to spend money on consultants and stop the Playhouse District trees, too. Bogus Bogaard says it's gotta take longer but no trees come down until they get done. They're gonna do another public engagement process 'cause they're so successful doing that with the general plan committee. Staff dude says the trees the Playhouse wants already meet the requirements. Soberer sounding Robinson says do the Playhouse plan. Haderlein says to do everything else first and then do the Playhouse trees. They vote on the whole deal but don't get enough votes when Bogus abstains and Gordo and Robinson say no. Haderlein resurrects the first three parts and that passes unanimously. Robinson and Gordo try to plant the Playhouse trees but they are the only yes votes and Bogus abstains. McAustin asks about doing some art thing in place of the trees but that's a joke. Gordo asks what we doing here. Dude, you're going with the trees the bitchin' biddies want or just to stop what's there. McAustin speaks the bitchin' biddies mantra and Bogey pronounces the decision dead. Holden says they need to say what happens next and they need public hearings about what happens next. Holden takes a snipe at Beck when Beck reminds them all that they've had the plan in front of them ten times in the last ten years. Two and a half more hours on trees and it's gonna come back in nine months with some other kinda tree half the people don't like. Gordo's kinda smug when it gets clear the Playhouse area is gonna look like hell for a whole year but nobody else much cares about that.
CONTRACT FOR METRO BUS SYSTEM ON COLORADO BOULEVARD: This is the one that got pulled back last week 'cause Gordo and Madison's union cronies didn't like it. Gordo tries to say it's not a union issue, but dude, IT'S THE IBEW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING and what happened was IBEW never sent apprentices to the company. Nice try Gordo, but nobody's buying that. Shilling for the union is what it is. Gordo's earning his payback today. Union backing when he runs for mayor. Whaddya think? Public Comment: Jeffrey Hurst from the company says you can't change the rules after the bids are in. he says the unions wouldn't send anybody so they couldn't have apprentices. Joe Miedle from Manuel Brothers says they will submit the paperwork and try to get apprentices. Pat Owen IBEW union guy says Manuel Brothers sucks and has no local hires. Kim Craft IBEW shill good ol' boys some union bullshit comments. They finally do the contract with Gordo voting "pay more for union guys" No!
ELECTION RESULTS: In district 7 there's a runoff, in the others Godro and Holden got reelected. Honowitz is back in for school board and we got Elizabeth Pomeroy and Ramon Miramontes on school board too. Voters stayed home in droves and lots more voted by mail this time. Some back pats for the city clerk.
NO DIESEL BUS ORDINANCE: Gets passed.
Robinson wants to save the Status of Women Commission that's due to go out of business. Mayor wants to know about the new city website.
POST FIGHT WRAP-UP: 6 hours and we get fuck all thats useful. Gordo wants to waste money on his union cronies. Tyler wants consultants so the bitchin' biddies get to fuck over the Playhouse people and nobody's got trees on Colorado now. Special interests: 1 Pasadena citizens: 1; Union craps gonna go to Ed Tech where we all get fucked behind closed doors.
Not your best City Council.
D.
Late gettin' started. Closed session they did some stuff but won't tell us what it is. "Gave direction to our representatives directed toward a particular outcome," the mayor sez.
Everybody's here, even Madison and Robinson. McAustin leads the pledge and gets it right.
BACK PATS: Sister city German intern at KPAS who's about a foot taller than the sister city guy. Barry Gordon gets back on the PCAC board, whatever that one is. The ninja turtle is back! Cool, huh, dude? Robinson talks about the marathon and the John Muir alum who came in first. Congrats dude. He ran 26 miles in under 3 hours. Then he talks about how to do it better. But he's talkin' to the Council not the goofy Ahab-lookin' promoter guy. McAustin talks about a save your home workshop Pasadena did. Gordo talks about a neighborhood cleanup at Washington Park. How many council members does it take to pat themselves on the back? All of them.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Joe Dumbacher: Talks about a new bank he's starting.
Pastor Anthony Kim: Talks about rat infested basements and thinks the city needs to do something about it not make renters sue landlords and he's getting sued about rats.
Mary Donnely Crocker from Young and Healthy likes the marathon 'cause it gave them $$$.
CALL FOR REVIEW OF VIVE BAR PLAN: Madison wants to call this up to the council but then says to put it off for a week or two so they can work it out with the owner.
COUNCIL PAL GETS ON ARTS COMMISSION: Gordo's got a new arts commish.
COUNCIL GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE: They subcommittee's back with I guess the same recommendations. They don't name any names to name this time, but dance around it and finally throw it all back to get council recommendations for next week to appoint the committee. Haderlein says the committee can't do any more than they already did so if they don't like this plan, they need to start again and appoint people themselves. Madison pitches for his pals but it's not going anywhere. Back to the start. Geez. If they can't do a fair committee how're they gonna do a fair general plan? Public Comment: Planning Commish McDonald says get on with it.
PASADENA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL PLAN: Pasadena Christian wants to expand. Everybody seems to like the plan. Public Comment:Pastor Smith lives across the street and likes the plan. Carol Potter isn't so happy with them. Bill Flynn loves the plan and the school. Dale Trader is suspicious. This guy hates everything. Another woman won't leave her house when school's dropping people off or having events.David Guler says the school's ok. Richard Chin likes the school, too.
TYLER'S TREE CLUSTER-FUCK-A-TORIUM: Staff says to hold off cutting down trees for four months, rethink all the plans except Playhouse.
Public Comment: Little from the chamber says don't do a moratorium and stick to the plans. Rhonda Bennett from South Lake says let them cut down their bad fuck-us trees, too. Arthur Folds hat wearing elder surfer dude in shades says plant big trees. Si Carlberg says she's a certified arborist and the ginko trees are good. Arlinda Romo from Playhouse says save our plan. Surfer chick says start over. Michael Seal from Boston Court says do the plan. Jim Potkin says save the process and do a citywide assessment to pay for trees and sidewalks. Laura Paul complains about waiting to talk and doesn't like getting limited and says the public would have come out more if they knew what was going on but that's lame-o babe. People who give a shit are there. She bitches about the arborist woman who talked earlier. Strident-woman says healthy trees should never be cut down. Joan Chin says she wants large canopy trees. Mark Nay says we do plans and we stick to them, not like LA. Paul Jacoy from Playhouse wants the council to keep to the plan. Trolly Nina Chomsky challenges the language and interprets it all for council. Crystal Balvin bitching biddie wants to know why we can't get more time because they waited 13 years already. She thinks most of the community agrees with the biddies but taht just ain't true. Most people don't care either way. Phoebe Wilson says the decision was made in the early '90s and was political to satisfy the Old Town businesses. Man these biddies are a bunch. Do they meet at the Odd Biddies Hall? Asian store owner likes trees down so people can see their business and their signs. Carla Walecka from Playhouse says save the plan.
Tyler loves them trees and wants to save them fuck-us trees on east Colorado. He wants to spend money on consultants and stop the Playhouse District trees, too. Bogus Bogaard says it's gotta take longer but no trees come down until they get done. They're gonna do another public engagement process 'cause they're so successful doing that with the general plan committee. Staff dude says the trees the Playhouse wants already meet the requirements. Soberer sounding Robinson says do the Playhouse plan. Haderlein says to do everything else first and then do the Playhouse trees. They vote on the whole deal but don't get enough votes when Bogus abstains and Gordo and Robinson say no. Haderlein resurrects the first three parts and that passes unanimously. Robinson and Gordo try to plant the Playhouse trees but they are the only yes votes and Bogus abstains. McAustin asks about doing some art thing in place of the trees but that's a joke. Gordo asks what we doing here. Dude, you're going with the trees the bitchin' biddies want or just to stop what's there. McAustin speaks the bitchin' biddies mantra and Bogey pronounces the decision dead. Holden says they need to say what happens next and they need public hearings about what happens next. Holden takes a snipe at Beck when Beck reminds them all that they've had the plan in front of them ten times in the last ten years. Two and a half more hours on trees and it's gonna come back in nine months with some other kinda tree half the people don't like. Gordo's kinda smug when it gets clear the Playhouse area is gonna look like hell for a whole year but nobody else much cares about that.
CONTRACT FOR METRO BUS SYSTEM ON COLORADO BOULEVARD: This is the one that got pulled back last week 'cause Gordo and Madison's union cronies didn't like it. Gordo tries to say it's not a union issue, but dude, IT'S THE IBEW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING and what happened was IBEW never sent apprentices to the company. Nice try Gordo, but nobody's buying that. Shilling for the union is what it is. Gordo's earning his payback today. Union backing when he runs for mayor. Whaddya think? Public Comment: Jeffrey Hurst from the company says you can't change the rules after the bids are in. he says the unions wouldn't send anybody so they couldn't have apprentices. Joe Miedle from Manuel Brothers says they will submit the paperwork and try to get apprentices. Pat Owen IBEW union guy says Manuel Brothers sucks and has no local hires. Kim Craft IBEW shill good ol' boys some union bullshit comments. They finally do the contract with Gordo voting "pay more for union guys" No!
ELECTION RESULTS: In district 7 there's a runoff, in the others Godro and Holden got reelected. Honowitz is back in for school board and we got Elizabeth Pomeroy and Ramon Miramontes on school board too. Voters stayed home in droves and lots more voted by mail this time. Some back pats for the city clerk.
NO DIESEL BUS ORDINANCE: Gets passed.
Robinson wants to save the Status of Women Commission that's due to go out of business. Mayor wants to know about the new city website.
POST FIGHT WRAP-UP: 6 hours and we get fuck all thats useful. Gordo wants to waste money on his union cronies. Tyler wants consultants so the bitchin' biddies get to fuck over the Playhouse people and nobody's got trees on Colorado now. Special interests: 1 Pasadena citizens: 1; Union craps gonna go to Ed Tech where we all get fucked behind closed doors.
Not your best City Council.
D.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Council Blow by Blow for 3-16-09
No trees on the agenda!
They're starting late. They didn't get to all the closed session stuff so they're going back at it later. Nothing to report from the Mayor. They got advice on the Leroy Barnes "matter". They asked questions but made no decisions but hope the investigation gets done soon and they will make the findings public. No surprise there's nothing much to say about what they do in closed session.
Everybody's there. Holden does the pledge and gets it right.
McAustin recognizes Aiden Monteel who won the PUSD spelling bee. Bogaard recognizes flag footballers from Pasadena who won their championship. Good job kids!
PUBLIC COMMENT: Paul Jacoy from Playhouse District brings up the trees AGAIN! Yikes, dude. He wants his new ginkos (ginkoes) put in. Carla Wolnecka also wants the ginkos. Art guy wants the stoopid hats at the auditorium. Marvin Schecter talks about a lawsuit he was in about free speech. Nancy Nelson remembers a Rose Parade with 300 foot tall floats and says the trees should be planted so the parade looks good and can have big floats again. Mark Clark from Linda Ridge Road complains about a lawsuit with is property.
CONSENT CALENDAR: We're spending $550K on traffic stuff and getting some Caltrans property near Huntington Hospital for $100.
Gordo pitches for his union guys trying to fight some electrical contractor. Public commenters: Carlos Hurtado union guy wants the contract to go to somebody else. Mr. Owen from IBEW wants the city to spend $100K more for this contract. Another union guy wants my money in his pocket too. Haderlein asks if they did good work before and gets told yes. So why spend $100 more, he wants to know. Me too! I'm thinking IBEW contributed to Gordo's re-election campaign. Haderlein argues against pissing away the money by holding up the contract. They're waiting until next week to decide this one. Bye bye stimulus cash. Public commenter Nancy Nelson doesn't want speeding buses.
Mayor wants to know about spending money for Christmas lights in Old Town.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: They're planning for the future electricity needs for Pasadena. it's gonna cost us all $$$. They got a bunch of Council pals to by off on this so it's gotta be god for all of us, right? Short story is they're greening our power by de-greening our wallets. No surprise there. Hey, we gotta have more enviro-power, but do I trust these guys to do it so it costs me a little as it can? Electric department dude's a guy in a turban. He seems to know what he's talkin' about. When they get all done with this I'm still gonna have electric wires hanging in front of my house, aren't I? And my bills're goin' up, up, up. No surprise there.
Holden tries to find out what it'll all cost. They're talkin' hundreds of millions for new power plants and more cost for power. There's $54 million still in a reserve fund. McAustin likes it and says it's gonna cost 6% more than what we pay now.
PUBLIC COMMENTERS: Michael Hurley, Clark Kent lookin' dude from Enviro Committee likes this. Don Bremder enviro-geezer likes the plan. Paul Daily from Caltech likes they're going to look at options, too. David Zemansky, skinny Ansel Adamsy dude likes it too and wants more solar.
Lots of back pats for raising our rates. Danke very much folks.
They're doin' a wind power plant, too. Lots of talk about it and something called SCAPPER. I keep thinking the electric dude's gonna swing a cricket bat any minute, but he does ok explainin' all this.
ROSE BOWL SHUTTLE BUSES: are gonna be clean air buses. OK. They might get a new bus company, too.
SOME COUNCIL PALS ARE GETTING ON COMMISSIONS.
AD HOC COMMITTEE ON APPOINTING COUNCIL PALS TO RUN THE GENERAL PLAN: Robinson, Madison and Haderlein met two times and decided to add a seat for PUSD. They picked Belinda Brown from District 1, Paul Little from the Chamber, Peter Nell from West Pas and Steve Brinkman from PUSD. Commissioners are gonna be Gordon Hamilton, Chris Peck, Michael Hurley, Mick Hansen all from District 6, Gordon Sharp from Distict 1, Vince Farhat from District 6, Emily Stork and Richard Janish from Dist. 4. Lotsa white guys, lotsa rich West Passers and Livvies.
Robinson got smoked with overloads from Dist. 6 commissioners. Gordo and Holden dislike this group a lot. Tyler's not happy with it either. There's NOBODY from his district at all. McAustin wants more diversity too. Bogaard suggests uninviting some of the commissions. Robinson wants to take the discussion behind closed doors.
These people are supposed to work with the project team to make sure community based ideas are incorporated in the plan, and it's gonna be a Livvie plan. Nobody from my 'hood's on this thing. Madison fights for his people. It's a fuck-all West Pas Livvie fix that most of the councilfolk don't seem to like.
Haderlein gets a little pissy about it and says decide it or put it off for a week.
They're sending it back to the committee so Madison gets to pick what neighbors he wants if he only gets three picks. Bogaard says everybody knows who's on the list so they don't need bios. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S ON THE LIST, but I ain't gettin' the chance.
PUBLIC COMMENT REDUX: Waronda Heartfield: Jesus woman's back with something about housing that she wants but ain't gettin'. She wants St. Luke's for a homeless shelter. Yeah, they're gonna love that over there.
They're raisin' electric costs for all of us and callin' it green. District 6 gotta come back next week to pack the general plan committee. Good luck on that one. Other than that they got fuck all nothing done.
D.
They're starting late. They didn't get to all the closed session stuff so they're going back at it later. Nothing to report from the Mayor. They got advice on the Leroy Barnes "matter". They asked questions but made no decisions but hope the investigation gets done soon and they will make the findings public. No surprise there's nothing much to say about what they do in closed session.
Everybody's there. Holden does the pledge and gets it right.
McAustin recognizes Aiden Monteel who won the PUSD spelling bee. Bogaard recognizes flag footballers from Pasadena who won their championship. Good job kids!
PUBLIC COMMENT: Paul Jacoy from Playhouse District brings up the trees AGAIN! Yikes, dude. He wants his new ginkos (ginkoes) put in. Carla Wolnecka also wants the ginkos. Art guy wants the stoopid hats at the auditorium. Marvin Schecter talks about a lawsuit he was in about free speech. Nancy Nelson remembers a Rose Parade with 300 foot tall floats and says the trees should be planted so the parade looks good and can have big floats again. Mark Clark from Linda Ridge Road complains about a lawsuit with is property.
CONSENT CALENDAR: We're spending $550K on traffic stuff and getting some Caltrans property near Huntington Hospital for $100.
Gordo pitches for his union guys trying to fight some electrical contractor. Public commenters: Carlos Hurtado union guy wants the contract to go to somebody else. Mr. Owen from IBEW wants the city to spend $100K more for this contract. Another union guy wants my money in his pocket too. Haderlein asks if they did good work before and gets told yes. So why spend $100 more, he wants to know. Me too! I'm thinking IBEW contributed to Gordo's re-election campaign. Haderlein argues against pissing away the money by holding up the contract. They're waiting until next week to decide this one. Bye bye stimulus cash. Public commenter Nancy Nelson doesn't want speeding buses.
Mayor wants to know about spending money for Christmas lights in Old Town.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES COMMITTEE: They're planning for the future electricity needs for Pasadena. it's gonna cost us all $$$. They got a bunch of Council pals to by off on this so it's gotta be god for all of us, right? Short story is they're greening our power by de-greening our wallets. No surprise there. Hey, we gotta have more enviro-power, but do I trust these guys to do it so it costs me a little as it can? Electric department dude's a guy in a turban. He seems to know what he's talkin' about. When they get all done with this I'm still gonna have electric wires hanging in front of my house, aren't I? And my bills're goin' up, up, up. No surprise there.
Holden tries to find out what it'll all cost. They're talkin' hundreds of millions for new power plants and more cost for power. There's $54 million still in a reserve fund. McAustin likes it and says it's gonna cost 6% more than what we pay now.
PUBLIC COMMENTERS: Michael Hurley, Clark Kent lookin' dude from Enviro Committee likes this. Don Bremder enviro-geezer likes the plan. Paul Daily from Caltech likes they're going to look at options, too. David Zemansky, skinny Ansel Adamsy dude likes it too and wants more solar.
Lots of back pats for raising our rates. Danke very much folks.
They're doin' a wind power plant, too. Lots of talk about it and something called SCAPPER. I keep thinking the electric dude's gonna swing a cricket bat any minute, but he does ok explainin' all this.
ROSE BOWL SHUTTLE BUSES: are gonna be clean air buses. OK. They might get a new bus company, too.
SOME COUNCIL PALS ARE GETTING ON COMMISSIONS.
AD HOC COMMITTEE ON APPOINTING COUNCIL PALS TO RUN THE GENERAL PLAN: Robinson, Madison and Haderlein met two times and decided to add a seat for PUSD. They picked Belinda Brown from District 1, Paul Little from the Chamber, Peter Nell from West Pas and Steve Brinkman from PUSD. Commissioners are gonna be Gordon Hamilton, Chris Peck, Michael Hurley, Mick Hansen all from District 6, Gordon Sharp from Distict 1, Vince Farhat from District 6, Emily Stork and Richard Janish from Dist. 4. Lotsa white guys, lotsa rich West Passers and Livvies.
Robinson got smoked with overloads from Dist. 6 commissioners. Gordo and Holden dislike this group a lot. Tyler's not happy with it either. There's NOBODY from his district at all. McAustin wants more diversity too. Bogaard suggests uninviting some of the commissions. Robinson wants to take the discussion behind closed doors.
These people are supposed to work with the project team to make sure community based ideas are incorporated in the plan, and it's gonna be a Livvie plan. Nobody from my 'hood's on this thing. Madison fights for his people. It's a fuck-all West Pas Livvie fix that most of the councilfolk don't seem to like.
Haderlein gets a little pissy about it and says decide it or put it off for a week.
They're sending it back to the committee so Madison gets to pick what neighbors he wants if he only gets three picks. Bogaard says everybody knows who's on the list so they don't need bios. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S ON THE LIST, but I ain't gettin' the chance.
PUBLIC COMMENT REDUX: Waronda Heartfield: Jesus woman's back with something about housing that she wants but ain't gettin'. She wants St. Luke's for a homeless shelter. Yeah, they're gonna love that over there.
They're raisin' electric costs for all of us and callin' it green. District 6 gotta come back next week to pack the general plan committee. Good luck on that one. Other than that they got fuck all nothing done.
D.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Results R In and YAWN
Gordo won by 9-1. Holden won against nobody. Woman cop and planning commish get another whack at each other.
School Board? Who gives a f*ck about them losers?
Planning commish who got to say no to all the stuff nobody likes but didn't fights it out with first femme police chief of LA County. He can't find east Pas and sure not my NW hood. She knows police shit. Another old white guy or a woman cop?
'nuff said.
D.
School Board? Who gives a f*ck about them losers?
Planning commish who got to say no to all the stuff nobody likes but didn't fights it out with first femme police chief of LA County. He can't find east Pas and sure not my NW hood. She knows police shit. Another old white guy or a woman cop?
'nuff said.
D.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
It's Election Night and I'm watchin' Psych, er The Mentalist
Holden's got no competition, Gordo's only gonna lose if he gets run over by a bus on the way to the voting booth and every Distric 7 candidiate's a Tyler wannabes. School board candidates are retards.
Nothing on the web yet for results.
So who gives a f*ck?
I'll read what limp wristed Larry says in the a.m.
Nothing on the web yet for results.
So who gives a f*ck?
I'll read what limp wristed Larry says in the a.m.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Council Blow by Blow for 3-2-09
OK. We gots trees on our agenda again. That means the bitching biddies are coming back out with limping Larry leading the way.
OK. They're off and running their mouths.
Gordo's gone. Mayor says he's working.
Council pats the backs of some kids who are Tournament of Roses ambassadors. High school kids who get to work hard and prep to be grown up TofR members. It's a buncha kids from all over town who worked hard for the Tournament and helped with the game and the parade. They're gonna adjourn in honor of Dr. John Kalgore who was from northwest Pasadena and a law professor. Cool to recognize someone who accomplished a lot and grew up in northwest.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Mayor's restricting it to 20 minutes at the front and unlimited for the poor fools who stick it out to the end. Marvin Schecter: Oldster wants to talk about housing and the general plan. Wesley DeWolfe: talks about unsolved crimes and says he's investigating the convention center board action about public art and the stoopid hats. This dude's way outta the ballpark here. Michelle White: actually doesn't talk for once. Ashley Philips from YWCA wants investigation of the shooting by Pasadena police of the gangster a few weeks ago. YWCA woman wants to be part of the "healing" even though lots of us who live there wont miss one more criminal. Cold, I know, but thats' the way it is. Charles Nelson from Northwest Commission says even if the family doesn't want anybody doing anything until the investigation is over, he wants somebody to act. Sandra Howgee from the League of Women Voters wants an independent investigation of the shooting. Charles Sharp: says the whole situation doesn't pass the sniff test. Pasadena oughta give out more info so people aren't guessing about what's happening. Mr. Levy talks about changing street sweeping to daytime and how he's gonna have trouble parking. Ms. Nelson wants a neighborhood association in her area so she can stop crime. Criminals live across the hall. Mr. Gordon feels the tragedy of Mr. Barnes and wants to stop violence, fire the police chief and end racial profiling. He wants an independent investigation of the shooting. You know, it's too bad the guy got shot, but it's not like this was some altar boy on his way to church. This was a BAD DUDE who was on probation and had a gun. He was going back to jail and pulled out his gun on a police officer. it don't matter where you are or who you are, that gets you shot. Robinson's lookin' wasted as ever asks about an independent investigation and it's already happening by the District Attorney and the FBI will follow up the Police Department investigation. Tyler asks about it too.
CONSENT CALENDAR: They're spending money on exhaust capture equipment and dial a ride cars.
PASADENA MARATHON: It's happening on March 22. They talked to all the pastors about bothering churchgoers. Streets are gonna get closed, but they're gonna do their best to not screw up any of our driving. Israel Estrada is in charge and says there's 8000 people running. He says they're creating jobs. Mayor Bill likes the marathon because it's elegant fun. He really said that.
UNSOLICITED MATERIAL ORDINANCE CHANGES: Haderlein says they want to make it possible for people who don't want to get handbills in their yard can put up a sign that stops them. They want to stop people doing it in yards and on cars but they can't do cars yet because they need more info. People can put up a sign that says no handbills and people won't be able to trash somebody's yard or porch. Seems a good deal to me. Tyler asks about enforcement and is told we'd have to complain if somebody breaks the rules. McAustin doesn't like the ordinance because it would take code enforcement to do this. I think she can come clean up the fliers I get every day on my lawn. Public Comment: Woman with the criminal across the hall doesn't like it because it's unconstitutional. She says her landlord has a restraining order that keeps her from talking to her neighbors. This lady's gonna be wearing tin foil and fighting alien invasions next week. Holden and McAustin vote no. I'm goin' out and gettin' a sign tomorrow.
PUBLIC HEARING ON HOUSING 5 YEAR PLAN: They give housing rent assistance to thousands of people and have thousands on the waiting list. They give money to people from out of Pasadena, so I guess we're importing other cities por people. That's news to me. I don't have a problem giving the money to Pasadena people who need a decent place to live, but people from LA or Burbank or Arcadia? I gotta say WHAT THE FUCK! No commenters on this one? Where's Schecter and White and the other affordable housing bunnies?
TREES, TREES, MORE AND MORE TREES: Moratorium on removing healthy trees until UFAC reviews the reasons and Mayor Bogus and his pals make a decision about when trees can be taken out. They're cutting comment to two minutes. Public Comment: Margaret Johnson Doherty hates the uglification of Pasadena. Bus drivers might get sunstroke and people are gonna get more cataracts. She really said that. Mr. String likes the moratorium and wants the Playhouse trees included. Kathy Mahoney wants to stop the Playhouse tree plan and wants to get full grown evergreen trees. Laurie Ball hates trees cut down in bird nesting trees. Suzie Hartley loves trees and wants to add the Playhouse trees, too. Cosmo Hoohah wants to stop killing all the trees and make it criminal. Branislav Keckman says stop cutting down trees and save the Playhouse trees. Susanna Dodd says we need all the trees we can get and make it permanent and electric use is gonna go up where the trees came down. Betty Cooper from Pasadena Beautiful wants to have the moratorium and wants to redo the plans. Nina Chomsky wants a blanket moratorium of all public trees. Crystal Balvin, supreme bitchin' biddy, complains about tree massacre on Colorado and wants to know when there are policy conflicts and she even brings up the stoopid hats! Mark Windsor likes the moratorium and wants it in the Playhouse District too. His trust in the city is gone now. Geez dude, what took ya so long? Phoebe Wilson another bitching biddy talks about enormous shock and anger about taking out the trees at 2 a.m. She wants trees to stay long enough to protest and says she needs to come back into active bitchiness because nobody pays attention to what she says. Holly Wheaton wants UFAC in it. Chris Peck UFAC moron wants to know what is expected by a moratorium and likes UFAC looking at plans. He wants them to stop the Playhouse chopfest, too. Miriam Nakamura Kwon wants to save the trees. Ann Shide wants to stop removing all healthy street trees. Armina Derachi she wants to know what staff is trying to sneak in. She's outraged. OUTRAGED! The chopfest is going on. She's all worked up about the tree massacre. She says people wanting to move to Pasadena should keep driving. Mary Berry La Canada person wants to protect all our trees in our parks (she means Pasadena not La Canada). Emily Stork says the Open Space Fair got tree recommendations from the Theodore Pain Foundation. Wants a year long moratorium.
People came to the council talkin' about the shooting in Northwest. I think they're fulla shit opportunists mostly, but the council never talked about spending money in any way about that or anywhere in northwest. But Tyler's wanting to spend money hire consultants for trees and spend oodles of cash on 'em. They're tryin' to figure out what would happen if they do what people ask. Holden wants to know about Robinson Park. There's some talk of the Arroyo. man, there's a lot of talk about what's not included and wanting to know what they are actually doing and get told the staff rushed to put this together. They're gonna go forward and have a final plan back in 90 days.
After all the screaming protests about saving Playhouse trees, staff dude says they're all cut down already. Guess the huggers ain't payin' much attention. Oh, nevermind!
GENERAL PLAN ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT: They're payin' somebody $100K for the next four months to work on a public outreach plan to get me interested in the General Plan that's gona be dominated by bitching biddies, west pas and downtown business bigwigs. Ummmmm. Sure. Staff woman says we got learning engagement modules, new media use and experiential exercises. I gotta plan: engage me by payin' me $100K.
COUNCIL PAL: Bogey friend gets on the Disability Commission.
COUNCIL TICKET POLICY CHANGES: Free ticket giving to council contributors is gettin' outlawed by the state. They have to be doing something to promote the city and not just rewarding their pals. Otherwise they gotta declare tickets as income. Mayor wants to make sure free lunches and other events like diners are not required to be reported.
ORDINANCES: They're changing rules about donation collection boxes, signs and speed limits.
PUBLIC COMMENT REDUX: Yolanda Heartfield is back rambling about stuff and says northwest Pasadena people have been uprooted like the trees. Bogus cuts off her rambling. She wants Pasadena to give her housing. Emily Stork wants to know about commissioners getting tickets and what they have to do. She must be a commish who gets tix, so she ain't gonna like it.
OK. Lots of talk about trees. Some talk about police and shootings and changing how we do things because our cops shot a gangbanger who pulled a gun. Me. I like cops in my hood so you can pull the ones from the complainers neighbrohood and move 'em to Garfield Heights, thank you very much.
D. is done for tonight.
OK. They're off and running their mouths.
Gordo's gone. Mayor says he's working.
Council pats the backs of some kids who are Tournament of Roses ambassadors. High school kids who get to work hard and prep to be grown up TofR members. It's a buncha kids from all over town who worked hard for the Tournament and helped with the game and the parade. They're gonna adjourn in honor of Dr. John Kalgore who was from northwest Pasadena and a law professor. Cool to recognize someone who accomplished a lot and grew up in northwest.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Mayor's restricting it to 20 minutes at the front and unlimited for the poor fools who stick it out to the end. Marvin Schecter: Oldster wants to talk about housing and the general plan. Wesley DeWolfe: talks about unsolved crimes and says he's investigating the convention center board action about public art and the stoopid hats. This dude's way outta the ballpark here. Michelle White: actually doesn't talk for once. Ashley Philips from YWCA wants investigation of the shooting by Pasadena police of the gangster a few weeks ago. YWCA woman wants to be part of the "healing" even though lots of us who live there wont miss one more criminal. Cold, I know, but thats' the way it is. Charles Nelson from Northwest Commission says even if the family doesn't want anybody doing anything until the investigation is over, he wants somebody to act. Sandra Howgee from the League of Women Voters wants an independent investigation of the shooting. Charles Sharp: says the whole situation doesn't pass the sniff test. Pasadena oughta give out more info so people aren't guessing about what's happening. Mr. Levy talks about changing street sweeping to daytime and how he's gonna have trouble parking. Ms. Nelson wants a neighborhood association in her area so she can stop crime. Criminals live across the hall. Mr. Gordon feels the tragedy of Mr. Barnes and wants to stop violence, fire the police chief and end racial profiling. He wants an independent investigation of the shooting. You know, it's too bad the guy got shot, but it's not like this was some altar boy on his way to church. This was a BAD DUDE who was on probation and had a gun. He was going back to jail and pulled out his gun on a police officer. it don't matter where you are or who you are, that gets you shot. Robinson's lookin' wasted as ever asks about an independent investigation and it's already happening by the District Attorney and the FBI will follow up the Police Department investigation. Tyler asks about it too.
CONSENT CALENDAR: They're spending money on exhaust capture equipment and dial a ride cars.
PASADENA MARATHON: It's happening on March 22. They talked to all the pastors about bothering churchgoers. Streets are gonna get closed, but they're gonna do their best to not screw up any of our driving. Israel Estrada is in charge and says there's 8000 people running. He says they're creating jobs. Mayor Bill likes the marathon because it's elegant fun. He really said that.
UNSOLICITED MATERIAL ORDINANCE CHANGES: Haderlein says they want to make it possible for people who don't want to get handbills in their yard can put up a sign that stops them. They want to stop people doing it in yards and on cars but they can't do cars yet because they need more info. People can put up a sign that says no handbills and people won't be able to trash somebody's yard or porch. Seems a good deal to me. Tyler asks about enforcement and is told we'd have to complain if somebody breaks the rules. McAustin doesn't like the ordinance because it would take code enforcement to do this. I think she can come clean up the fliers I get every day on my lawn. Public Comment: Woman with the criminal across the hall doesn't like it because it's unconstitutional. She says her landlord has a restraining order that keeps her from talking to her neighbors. This lady's gonna be wearing tin foil and fighting alien invasions next week. Holden and McAustin vote no. I'm goin' out and gettin' a sign tomorrow.
PUBLIC HEARING ON HOUSING 5 YEAR PLAN: They give housing rent assistance to thousands of people and have thousands on the waiting list. They give money to people from out of Pasadena, so I guess we're importing other cities por people. That's news to me. I don't have a problem giving the money to Pasadena people who need a decent place to live, but people from LA or Burbank or Arcadia? I gotta say WHAT THE FUCK! No commenters on this one? Where's Schecter and White and the other affordable housing bunnies?
TREES, TREES, MORE AND MORE TREES: Moratorium on removing healthy trees until UFAC reviews the reasons and Mayor Bogus and his pals make a decision about when trees can be taken out. They're cutting comment to two minutes. Public Comment: Margaret Johnson Doherty hates the uglification of Pasadena. Bus drivers might get sunstroke and people are gonna get more cataracts. She really said that. Mr. String likes the moratorium and wants the Playhouse trees included. Kathy Mahoney wants to stop the Playhouse tree plan and wants to get full grown evergreen trees. Laurie Ball hates trees cut down in bird nesting trees. Suzie Hartley loves trees and wants to add the Playhouse trees, too. Cosmo Hoohah wants to stop killing all the trees and make it criminal. Branislav Keckman says stop cutting down trees and save the Playhouse trees. Susanna Dodd says we need all the trees we can get and make it permanent and electric use is gonna go up where the trees came down. Betty Cooper from Pasadena Beautiful wants to have the moratorium and wants to redo the plans. Nina Chomsky wants a blanket moratorium of all public trees. Crystal Balvin, supreme bitchin' biddy, complains about tree massacre on Colorado and wants to know when there are policy conflicts and she even brings up the stoopid hats! Mark Windsor likes the moratorium and wants it in the Playhouse District too. His trust in the city is gone now. Geez dude, what took ya so long? Phoebe Wilson another bitching biddy talks about enormous shock and anger about taking out the trees at 2 a.m. She wants trees to stay long enough to protest and says she needs to come back into active bitchiness because nobody pays attention to what she says. Holly Wheaton wants UFAC in it. Chris Peck UFAC moron wants to know what is expected by a moratorium and likes UFAC looking at plans. He wants them to stop the Playhouse chopfest, too. Miriam Nakamura Kwon wants to save the trees. Ann Shide wants to stop removing all healthy street trees. Armina Derachi she wants to know what staff is trying to sneak in. She's outraged. OUTRAGED! The chopfest is going on. She's all worked up about the tree massacre. She says people wanting to move to Pasadena should keep driving. Mary Berry La Canada person wants to protect all our trees in our parks (she means Pasadena not La Canada). Emily Stork says the Open Space Fair got tree recommendations from the Theodore Pain Foundation. Wants a year long moratorium.
People came to the council talkin' about the shooting in Northwest. I think they're fulla shit opportunists mostly, but the council never talked about spending money in any way about that or anywhere in northwest. But Tyler's wanting to spend money hire consultants for trees and spend oodles of cash on 'em. They're tryin' to figure out what would happen if they do what people ask. Holden wants to know about Robinson Park. There's some talk of the Arroyo. man, there's a lot of talk about what's not included and wanting to know what they are actually doing and get told the staff rushed to put this together. They're gonna go forward and have a final plan back in 90 days.
After all the screaming protests about saving Playhouse trees, staff dude says they're all cut down already. Guess the huggers ain't payin' much attention. Oh, nevermind!
GENERAL PLAN ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT: They're payin' somebody $100K for the next four months to work on a public outreach plan to get me interested in the General Plan that's gona be dominated by bitching biddies, west pas and downtown business bigwigs. Ummmmm. Sure. Staff woman says we got learning engagement modules, new media use and experiential exercises. I gotta plan: engage me by payin' me $100K.
COUNCIL PAL: Bogey friend gets on the Disability Commission.
COUNCIL TICKET POLICY CHANGES: Free ticket giving to council contributors is gettin' outlawed by the state. They have to be doing something to promote the city and not just rewarding their pals. Otherwise they gotta declare tickets as income. Mayor wants to make sure free lunches and other events like diners are not required to be reported.
ORDINANCES: They're changing rules about donation collection boxes, signs and speed limits.
PUBLIC COMMENT REDUX: Yolanda Heartfield is back rambling about stuff and says northwest Pasadena people have been uprooted like the trees. Bogus cuts off her rambling. She wants Pasadena to give her housing. Emily Stork wants to know about commissioners getting tickets and what they have to do. She must be a commish who gets tix, so she ain't gonna like it.
OK. Lots of talk about trees. Some talk about police and shootings and changing how we do things because our cops shot a gangbanger who pulled a gun. Me. I like cops in my hood so you can pull the ones from the complainers neighbrohood and move 'em to Garfield Heights, thank you very much.
D. is done for tonight.
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