The Year Ahead

Welcome 2013!

It’s the tradition to start the year with a handful of New Year’s resolutions that we all know few if any will ever be carried out. Think about it, if I had delivered on all the times I promised to quit smoking (long before I really did some 15+ years ago), if I actually lost all the weight I promised to lose over the years or if I exercised as much as I promised I would either be dead from exhaustion or the healthiest man on the planet.

Don’t get me wrong, I applaud all that can keep their resolutions and actually see them through, both of you. Perhaps it’s what we are trying to accomplish with our resolutions that is the issue. Rather than attempting to reinvent ourselves, what if we just made some ‘minor’ adjustments that will change the way we look at everything.

Here are a couple of examples. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t watch the late night news. Why go to bed thinking of all the bad things going on in the world. Trust me, they will still be there in the morning but you will likely sleep better and have a different approach to the new day.

How about changing the last six cups of coffee in the day to decaf (the horror)? Trust me, the first six cups of regular coffee you had will keep you going. Maybe you find yourself a little less on edge and a bit more patient about things in general.

What about parking in the next row out from your destination or stairs instead of the elevator? A few extra steps each day can be a very healthy thing. It may not be as healthy as a walk everyday or an hour at the gym but you will feel that you started something.

Sometimes I think we have this all or nothing mentality. That’s all well and good but resolutions, like so many things in life, don’t have to be all or nothing. We can “compromise” and take some smaller steps first in order to accomplish the larger goal. Sometimes it’s simply a better attitude, or another prospective or taking the first step toward a larger goal.

Just something to think about as we launch ourselves into the New Year.

More later… in 2013

Violence

It’s been a very difficult weekend for our Country as we deal with another senseless act of violence. It does not matter the season, nor is there any reason for such an act that has affected us all in some way.

As has been pointed out, violence has always been with us. Even the Bible is full of examples, think Kane and Abel. It still does not make it right. It certainly does not keep us from trying to prevent the next attempt at such an unspeakable act.

Yes, there will be those that jump on guns or video games as being the cause. Others will attempt to find blame with the parents or the family. Still others will conjure up reasons or causes that have nothing to do with the one simple word we all ask. Why?

In nearly all the cases of mass violence, either in our Country or abroad, there is seemingly one common trait that is ignored. That is the mental health of the perpetrator. The commentary after the fact is that this person was a “disturbed’ individual. That seems to justify the reason for the violence and we all move on and forget about it until the next time.

Well, this is the next time. We already know that this person was “disturbed” as so many have already stated. Let’s use this time to attempt to understand where our system dropped the ball. Let’s learn from these most recent acts and try to identify the resources needed to help and treat those that are most at risk. No, we will not stop all acts of violence in the future, we will never save all the future victims but think of the lives and families we could save… including that of a potential perpetrator.

We have for too long ignored or decided to turn our backs on issues of mental health. We make excuses like the programs are an invasion of privacy, they cost too much, and they leave a stigma on those identified or treated. Perhaps these are all true but the families of those affected by these events have had their privacy invaded and will pay the costs in ways we could never know for the rest of their lives.

None of this should keep us from grieving for the victims and the families affected. None of this should stop us from hugging our children or our grandchildren just a bit longer. It will not stop us as we attempt to protect them from the world outside as long as we can. This time we need to do more.

Perhaps you will find hope in your faith, or in your spiritual life. I hope we will all find ways to deal with our sadness and sorrow over this particular event in the days ahead. Let’s just not let that be the end of it.

More later

A Seasonal Wish

As they say…and now for something completely new and different.

Over the past couple of years this column has centered around all things political in Marina, with a very few exceptions. While I certainly will continue to weigh in on the many issues that face our community in the future I want to enlarge the palette a bit and incorporate many other ideas, issues, concerns and hopes. Most will directly or indirectly still affect our Marina community.

Let’s start off on a positive note! The election season is over and a new year is just around the corner. We are just now getting into the holiday spirit with Marina’s Christmas Tree Lighting coming this Friday night (rain or shine). The lights are going up all around town and soon we will put up our tree.

We have all spent the past year hearing about this argument or that one. We have been concerned about our economy, our kid’s education, stories about corruption here or there and seemingly one crisis after another. Can we stop already?

Not to be overly idealistic or optimistic but I am sure I am not the only one that is ready to get off this merry go round at least for a couple of weeks. Maybe we can all try to find a way to do it this year.

What if you put up an extra string of lights, play a little more Christmas music, bake an extra batch of cookies, visit an extra store or two or even turn off the evening news for a couple of weeks. The world will still be there but my bet is that you will feel a bit better about it and that’s a start.

So much of our days are filled with things that seemingly wear us down and in some ways divide us. Let’s take a little extra time this season and make an effort to come together as individuals and as a community. It really won’t take much to make it happen.

That’s my wish for the holiday season. What’s yours? I hope to see you at the Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday night to sing a song, have some cookies and share a laugh or two.

More later

It's Finally Over...

To paraphrase former President Gerald Ford - “our long national nightmare is over”. Of course his context was completely different. He was talking about President Nixon and Watergate while I am talking about the 2012 election.

It seemed that this year’s election cycle went on forever and I am sure that the history books will not be too kind on the type of campaigns we saw nationally. It does not matter if you liked the outcome or not, our election process seems to need some improvements. I for one would like to see the candidates talk about what they want to do - not call their opponents names, lie about their records or accomplishments (or lack of), send others to do their dirty work and spend billions of dollars doing it.

Locally it was a long process as well. I can certainly attest to that. While the outcome was not what we had hoped for I remain very proud of the campaign we ran. It is always difficult to run against an incumbent and the Marina Mayor’s race was a perfect example. I wanted to stay on a positive course and talk about what I would do and not go “negative” and attack the Mayor on his record. That’s what we did, we stayed positive and rarely even mentioned the Mayor - rather we focused on the issues at hand and what I would do about them.

As a result, either the voters did not like the message or they paid little or no attention and decided to stay the course. So the Mayor was re-elected and I will go on about what I do professionally and philanthropically for our community. Clearly I am disappointed but I will move on.

Unfortunately, I do have a series of predictions as to what will happen in our community over the next couple of years but I will put them in an envelope and hope they do not come true. The good news is that I will likely spend a lot less time sitting in endless City Council meetings that seem to get nowhere and accomplish even less.

I do have one very strong recommendation for our Community. We need to insist on the Code of Ethics that the Civil Grand Jury recommended. Our City Council has been called out by the Grand Jury for its conduct and our citizens have complained as well. It’s time that the Council adopts a formal Code of Ethics as soon as possible. Such a document, and the commitment to follow it, will help to bring our community back together and put some faith back into the leadership of our community.

Finally, I will continue to write this column and the corresponding blog to keep you updated on the things within our Marina community because Marina Matters!

More later

Grand Jury Report

It is usually called an October surprise. That’s when one candidate or another comes up with something out of left field to use against his/her opponent just prior to an election.

In Marina we have something very different in that the Superior Court of California, Monterey County 2012 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury issued an interim report on Friday. I do not think anyone can underscore enough the fact that they released this report when they did. The Grand Jury report is normally issued in January but because its findings are directly related to the governance of our City they must have felt it very important to release this report prior to the election.

The report outlines the improper interference in negotiations of business development opportunities by at least one Council member, at least two cases of Brown Act violations in relation to the Equestrian Center Ad Hoc Committee, the improper use of an Ad Hoc Committee, not using staff properly (even avoiding their input), putting at risk the government grant of land and facilities, asking that the Council use professional staff for their expertise, and pleading for the City Attorney to take a more pre-emptive role in helping the City conduct its meetings.

These findings should never be taken lightly as some, including the Mayor, already has. In fact, the Grand Jury Report states that “The Marina City Council should develop and enact an ethical code of conduct for all City of Marina officials”. I have to ask: what does that say for the way our current Council majority has been conducting business?

The reason I state the current Council Majority is that both Council members Ford and Amadeo have repeatedly tried to bring up potential violations of policy and conduct over the past two years. The specific cases that are identified in this report trace back to interference by the Mayor and the conduct of Councilman O’Connell and candidate Morton on the Equestrian Center Ad Hoc Committee. We will get more information and background when the final report is released.

This is a very important issue that needs to be properly aired prior to the election itself. Unfortunately there are no City Council meetings between now and the election and very few outlets to disseminate this information to the general public. The Monterey Herald gave it a couple of paragraphs so far but both KSBW and KION TV are currently or will be running the story soon.

It should go without saying that whenever the Superior Court Grand Jury issues a report on Marina, it should be of utmost importance to our elected officials and the residents of Marina. In this case, especially since the election is just days away.

More later.

http://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/GrandJury/Reports.aspx

(Reference 2012 Civil Grand Jury, Interim Final Report #2)

 

Being Mayor

Since this is the last Marina Matters column in the Gazette before the November election, I think it is important to take a few moments and talk about the role of a Mayor.

A lot has been said during the campaign by the Mayor about how involved he is with everything in the community, how friendly the Council meetings are and what a great job he has done. It has been my role to point out the differences in the reality of his perception and the vision for our community going forward. That is the role of the challenger.

I am proud of the way we have handled this election. We have kept the process ‘above board’ and challenged facts while not degrading the campaign into personal attacks. When all is said and done and the results are in on election night, we will hold our head high regardless of the results. That’s the way it should be.

All of that said, I do think it is imperative to really talk about what has become a key difference in the way the Mayor and I see the role of the Mayor. He talks about helping to pay peoples’ rents that are in crisis and helping to move kids out of town due to the fear of gang violence. He talks about handing out fliers and posting temporary signs all around town to stimulate local business. While these are worthy and important, there are groups and organizations that can better fill those roles, rather than the Mayor.

The Mayor’s role is to help create the jobs and opportunities for individuals and families so no one has to help them pay their rent. It’s the Mayor’s role to work with our schools and recreation department to keep kids occupied and away from gangs where possible, and law enforcement when needed to keep the gangs out of the City. It’s the Mayor’s role to find ways to market our City locally and regionally to encourage people to shop, dine, and experience our City and stimulate business for the benefit of everyone.

Sure, there are events to attend and meetings to conduct but the Mayor has to be more than a friendly person. The Mayor has to have the vision and ability to unite and inspire the Council, the staff and our citizens. The Mayor needs to lead the City, to set goals and to accomplish them. The Mayor needs to pull a fractured City together so that everyone benefits. That’s what being Mayor means to me. That’s the role that I commit to as Marina’s next Mayor.

More later

The not so great divide

It’s quite the experience, running for a major office within your community. You get to talk to a lot of people and you learn a lot. You also get asked questions from people and the media that are not always easy to answer. I was asked just such a question on Friday as part of The Herald’s candidate interview with the Mayor and myself.

The question was: why is Marina so divided politically? While the Mayor answered with issues from the past that have some resonance, they seemed limited in scope. I feel it’s not a matter of blame or perception on what has happened in the past, it’s how do you deal with it today and how will you deal with it in the future that’s important.

In my conversations with people of all ages, all parties and all segments of our community, I have come to the conclusion that the citizens agree on maybe 85 to 90 percent of the things that need to be done within our community.

We all want our City to function well. We want our Police and Fire services to be the best we can deliver. We want our streets to be maintained, we want recreation programs to be available to all ages, and we want all of our citizens to feel safe, especially our seniors. We want our City staff to deliver the best service possible to our community and we want our City to grow enough that we can have the goods and services available to our citizens that they desire. Finally, we want to have a community where jobs are available so that our kids and their kids can stay within our community and raise their families.

These are the things we all believe in and want for our City. So you see we are not really divided as a community, we are divided politically by a relative few that live and breathe politics. They are the ones that speak before City Council meetings and write letters to the editor. Even they really agree on most everything we want as a community, they just disagree as to how we get there. While it may not be pretty all the time, it’s healthy to have dialog and work towards the compromises that make agreement possible. That’s how our system works.

My goal is to work with everyone to facilitate the agreements needed to move our City forward. I don’t want to argue over who said what when. I want to go beyond that and actually get things done that will benefit our entire community.

More later.

Revenues and more

There has been lots of discussion about new revenues to help our City budget since our community voted for Measures M & N. Part of that discussion has been the lack of new revenues provided by the City since that vote in 2008.

That brings us to last week when our City Council approved a FORA measure that will guarantee at least a 10% share of the property taxes from new development on Ft. Ord. The curious part of the vote was that Mayor Delgado was the lone vote against it. The staff report says that it will provide a minimum of $150,000 annually to our City’s general fund. These are funds that can be used to hire additional fire personnel, to repair and pave our streets or to help market our City to new businesses that can bring jobs to Marina. So it’s a simple question to ask the Mayor: why did you vote against new revenues for Marina?

Perhaps this is another case where credit can be taken but where the actions say something different. Like speaking out against the Wellness Center while it was being planned but taking credit for it now. Or like the movie theatre, where the Mayor voted against the extension to the master agreement that made it possible but wants the credit for it coming soon. We all want to see an open discussion on the issues. Let’s make sure it’s an honest one too.

It’s been just over a week since we could all put up signs in support of our candidates. One thing is certain; we will have no lack of signs around town for the next couple of months. I firmly believe that signs are a way of expressing one’s first amendment right of free speech. What we do not want to hear is that people are taking away that right by removing, damaging or intimidating peoples’ rights to choose the candidate of their choice. Let’s all agree to treat everyone as we wish to be treated.

Finally, I hope you had a chance to watch the recent debates. They were full of detail and discussions on the issues that affect Marina. If you did not get a chance to watch them we have put the entire Mayor’s debate and the Council debate on my website for you to see. Simply go to www.EmersonForMarinaMayor.com and click on the box on the front page. This is the complete unedited version so everyone can watch and decide: who would you like to see lead the city for the next two years?

More later….

The Campaign

It’s the first of September in an election year.  That means that campaigns have begun, not only for President, but for Mayor of Marina as well. I thought I would give you a little insight into the process and what it’s like to be a candidate.

There are many places to be, places to speak, places to talk to people and to hear what you the voter have on your mind. These are important opportunities to understand your concerns and what you want to see for our City. Of course, part of this process also includes walking your neighborhood, knocking on your door and talking to you. If you would like me to attend your meeting or an event please let me know by e-mail (emersonformarina@gmail.com) or phone (595-6282).

There is also the planning and design of campaign materials. This means translating my thoughts and desires for Marina in a way that the voter can understand who I am and what I stand for. It’s an interesting challenge but as a whole this Marina Matters column has helped to define these positions for the voters. The decision to produce our own newspaper evolved from this column and is chocked full of detail that goes beyond the typical campaign sound bites and slogans. Let me know if you have not seen one yet and we will do our best to get one to you.

Another aspect of the campaign that you may not think about is the endless questionnaires and endorsement meetings with various newspapers, interest groups and organizations. These are great opportunities for a candidate to communicate ideas but you wonder just how many of them have made up their minds long before the candidates arrive to answer their questions. Time will tell if that is in fact the case.

Of course, this past Saturday was the Labor Day Parade. This was the first real event of the campaign where you could meet and greet the candidates after the parade. I was honored to have the opportunity to ride “Star” a beautiful white Percheron horse down the parade route to lots of great cheers and support. She was a favorite of everyone young and old. Afterwards we met many of you at our booth and I was amazed at how many of you asked for a lawn sign for your homes. We also registered people to vote and were grateful for your support.

Next up for us will be the Marina in Motion debate this Saturday, Sept. 8^th. Here the candidates for Mayor and City Council have their opportunity to debate each other, to explain their thoughts and to defend their records. It promises to be an interesting hour and a half. I hope you have the chance to watch it either live or on ‘video on demand’ before the election.

The bottom line is that I am proud of the campaign so far. We have a positive message for the future of Marina that resonates throughout our community. It’s clear that many of you want to see a positive common sense approach to the management of our City going forward. I hope to earn your support and VOTE in November.

More later...

Economic Development

A recent set of meetings of the Marina Economic Development Commission (EDC), of which I am a member, has brought up a rather interesting discussion - one in which I think is important enough to continue through this election cycle.

As a Commission we heard a report from staff that outlined the restructuring of the Development Services Department into what will now become the Economic Development Department. We also heard about other changes that came or will continue as a result of the new City budget that was finally passed in July.

To make a long story a bit shorter, the EDC Commissioners asked a lot of questions and determined that the half funding of an Economic Development Manager and not hiring an Airport Manager was important enough to Marina’s economic future that we should ask the City Council to reconsider these positions. This was a unanimous vote by the four commissioners present. Our Chairperson volunteered to write a draft letter for the EDC’s review and approval at a special meeting scheduled for the following week.

At the Special Meeting called to review the letter, we found extreme opposition from members of the public to bringing this item back to the City Council for consideration. This opposition, led by our current Mayor, really missed the point. Their primary points were that we should wait on these decisions until we hire a new City Manager next year and that hiring these positions will do greater harm to our budget.

I have an issue with each of these points. One, the hiring of an Airport Manager comes from a separate Airport budget, not the general fund where we have the problem. Second, we are asking to consider adding full funding for the Economic Development Manager so we have the ability to accomplish the work already requested by the City Council. Each of these positions should pay for themselves over time.

Finally, waiting for up to a year for a new City Manager to decide on these positions puts Marina way behind the economic development curve. We have heard of many new projects proposed by Monterey, Pacific Grove, Seaside and Del Rey Oaks lately. We have our own areas that we wish to redevelop, that include our Downtown, and our Airport, as well as many infill projects around Marina that will need proper staff support to see them become a reality.

This is not a case of waiting for the economy to recover since projects take years to come together. If we wait we will miss the opportunities and try to start something at the inevitable down cycle that will come years from now. Now is the time to plan and do the work needed to facilitate these projects for Marina’s future economy and we need the staff to help make that happen.

The discussion should be encouraged and pursued as we look to Marina’s long term economic health and vitality.

More later…

Baseball

Imagine if you will, some 100 or so twelve and under boys, all thrown together in a big room after having spent the entire day traveling from around the country, with little food and no place to blow off steam. I can only imagine what you would be thinking, but I bet it’s nothing like what really happened.

This was the story this past Wednesday night as the City of Marina and Marina Pony Baseball hosted the teams in town for the Bronco World Series. These teams came from New York, Puerto Rico, Texas, Illinois, Mexico and others from California. The team from Taipei would not arrive until 3 or 4 in the morning. This was their chance to meet each other and they did just that. Getting up to welcome a new team as they arrived, shaking hands and trading pins. There were no politics, no arguments, no judging - just a feeling of excitement and friendship.

Did you know that Marina has hosted this welcome banquet for the Bronco teams for the past five years? Did you also know that these teams all stay in Marina while they compete in Monterey? It’s just another case of our Marina citizens and City Recreation staff working to benefit others, and boy do they work. Putting on this event and housing the teams here requires hours of logistical planning, cooking, practice field prep, transportation coordination, and most importantly- volunteers.

I had the opportunity to help a bit this year and what an experience it was. To see the wonder and excitement in the eyes of all these kids, the coaches and parents grateful for a break after a long day and the work of our Marina volunteers making it as flawless as possible for all involved. This is the Marina that I know, the community that comes together for the good of others.

Perhaps it’s our diversity, perhaps it’s our military heritage or perhaps it’s a bit of everything that makes our community just a little more special than most. We have a history of helping ourselves as a community, from building a new community funded Library to volunteering for events like this one. We have a tendency to give of ourselves. The hours of public service put in by volunteers for our youth sports, our schools, our churches, our service and community organizations are all what makes Marina such a special place.

More later

Vision

The Marina City Council finally passed the City’s 2012-13 budgets this past week. On several levels it’s a good thing, especially since there were not any significant cuts that would further affect the level of service to our community. On the other hand, the budget was completely void of a vision for the future of our City.

As a result of the budget decisions, the City will maintain the status quo. This means we will remain understaffed in key areas, thus resulting in a continuation of our endless pothole battle, building maintenance deferred, and staff shortages in the key areas of Recreation, Finance, Planning, Engineering and Economic Development. In other words, there is no forward vision for our City.

The City simply cannot move forward with any conviction without a vision for the future. We need new revenues and new jobs- it’s as simple as that. The approved budget does not address these issues. The current Mayor expressly removed a new airport manager from the budget. This is a position critical to the development of the airport as an economic driver of jobs in Marina. The current Mayor also removed the funding for both the Development Services Director and an Economic Development manager, the key people responsible for bringing new businesses and jobs into the City.

While I am not advocating solving every issue out of one budget that is still drawing on our reserves, it does not get fixed without looking to the future and knowing what you want to accomplish. There are key areas that need attention now and others that need to be addressed as soon as possible. This budget did neither.

It’s been four years and we have yet to see a vision for Marina. So let me suggest a start. Let’s concentrate on growing our revenues now so that we can fully fund our core services first. By funding key personnel positions, we put the City in the best place to create new revenues and to move forward. We will then use these new revenues to find the permanent solutions needed for the future. It’s a simple vision, one that can be acted on now. It is a vision that will show results quickly and one that we can afford today. So let’s make it happen!

More later

4th of July

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

On this July 4^th week perhaps it’s time that we all take a few moments to truly think about the words that we speak when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

We may disagree on the details of some political policies or how we accomplish this program or that one but we do so as one nation. In our Country we have the right and responsibility to speak our minds - to work together no matter how uncomfortable the process. We have a tendency to forget that.

There are events that happen from time to time that remind us of this. Unfortunately many of them are tragic but certainly not all. As we watch some of the Olympic trials this week we can think back to many chants of “USA!, USA!” that came with so many events in the past like the 1980 US Hockey team, the entire 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles or even the latest accomplishments of Michael Phelps. We celebrate them together as one nation.

We seem to spend far too much time looking for the political differences between us and not enough time on what we have in common. We take great pride in finding these divisions and using them as a wedge but I truly believe that our desire to seek liberty and justice for all is a common trait among us. How we get there is a question solved by discussion, diverse opinions, understanding and compromise. It’s not dictated or mandated by any one individual, group or organization. It’s worked through and resolved by each and every one of us on a daily basis. Sometimes the process is not pretty but it has worked for well over 200 years and we are not about to give up on it now.

So enjoy the holiday this week and take a moment to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as you see the flags flying around your neighborhood. Then think about what it means to you.

Happy Birthday America!

More later

2012-13 Budget, Part II

In my last column/blog I talked about our City’s budget issues and the challenges ahead. In this edition I want to back up a bit and examine things from a larger prospective. One of the things that our Interim City Manager has suggested to Council is a re-examination of the service levels they provide our citizens. The thought behind this is that once the Council determines the service level then they can adjust the budget accordingly.

I would agree with this methodical and reasonable course of action. Too many times we see government agencies simply take an action without taking into account the full scope or knowledge of their actions. The City Council has not reviewed these service levels in years and it is extremely important to do so after all our economy has been through.

Let’s look at a few examples. In 1977 the Marina Fire Department had 14 firefighters, covered 5 square miles and handled some 600 calls annually. Today the Marina Fire Department has 15 firefighters, covering 10 square miles and handles some 1700 calls annually. Is our Fire Department right sized for our community? We should talk about this extensively.

Another example; the City has several economic development projects on deck. These range from a new Hampton Inn hotel to the new Theatre at the Dunes. We also know we will have the new Veterans’ clinic and other projects coming fairly soon. Currently we do not have enough staff to review the plans for these projects in a timely manner. What are our options at this point? How can we help facilitate the projects that will bring new revenue to our City and help our budgets in the future?

Finally, our Community has several public facilities that the City is responsible for maintaining, including our beautiful new library. The care and maintenance of these facilities is important to make sure they are there for our Citizens use. Right now our staffing levels and budgets make it very difficult to fulfill this obligation. What are our options here and how can we make sure these facilities remain available to all of us?

These questions really need to be answered sooner than later. Yes, we will draw from our reserves during this discussion time but that is why they are there. Our Citizens deserve to have the services they voted on maintaining when they approved Measures M & N in 2010. Nothing has changed since that time which is really the issue.

We all deserve an adult conversation that explores all of our options that focuses on the level of service we want, a conversation that looks at the things our local government can do and should do. This is a conversation that should cross all party and ideological lines that is unique to our Marina community. This is something we can accomplish if we work together as a community. Let’s make it happen.

More later

2012-13 Budget, Part I

Well, here we go again! Our City Council has the duty to work on and approve the 2012-13 annual budget between now and June 30^th. Let the games begin.

As part of the annual budget process the Interim City Manager Doug Yount has provided a 20 page budget message. It is a well thought out and detailed document that explains Marina’s overall financial situation, our staffing issues and his recommendations for what he calls a “status quo” budget.

What is even more important, Mr. Yount has asked the City Council to review the level of services that the City provides its citizens. This would include our police and fire protection, our recreational services and our public works services such as pothole repair, building maintenance, etc. If the Council decides to make cuts in the overall budget, he has asked that they decide on what services they wish to eliminate.

The document is very clear that there is just no more excess in the budget, and that any cuts made will directly affect the level of service that the City can provide. The document is also very clear that our City staff have been incredible stewards of our City’s funds. They have done their best to save monies where possible. Unfortunately, some of these savings were due to a lack of staffing that made it impossible to get some important things done in key departments such as finance and planning.

Another part of the document outlines the importance of Measures M & N to our City budget. It shows that the Citizens of Marina stepped up to cut the City’s overall budget deficit in half by passing the measures in 2010. Unfortunately, this also means that our City Council majority has essentially done nothing to narrow the revenue gap since then.

There will be a series of public meetings over the course of June (June 9, 12, 13, 19 and possibly the 20^th) to discuss the budget and to hear your input. I would ask that you pay attention to the process, add your input to the discussion and let your Council know what level of service you want from your City.

There will be much discussion over the next month and I will weigh in with some very specific ideas and solutions to our current situation. One idea that needs to be a part of any discussion going forward is to consider a two year budget cycle. We just simply do not have the staffing to stop everything and take almost two full months every year to approve our budgets. A two year cycle with 6 month updates will be far more efficient and allow our staff to focus on the services the City needs to provide our citizens.

More later…

Ft Ord National Monument

I took the opportunity yesterday to attend the dedication ceremony for the new Fort Ord National Monument. It was a beautiful morning some 6 miles deep in the Ft Ord back country. While Marina was covered in the morning fog, the dedication area, and much of the Ft Ord area was full of bright sunshine.

As I heard speaker after speaker talk about the virtues of the Ft Ord National Monument you could hear the sounds of the Ferrari’s racing around Laguna Seca sometimes making it hard to hear the words. It was a reminder, spoken by Congressman Farr, that Ft Ord means different things to different people. His example was the Ferrari’s and the mortarboards representing the morning’s graduation ceremonies at CSUMB.

Many may not know but Laguna Seca was at one time part of the Ft Ord base but was gifted to Monterey County as a Park in the early 1960’s. Since then it has provided millions of dollars to our area’s coffers in tourism and service revenues. The Ft Ord National Monument may also add to our regions revenues over the years but that’s not really the point. The point is that the lands that make up Ft Ord are for everyone.

There are lands for recreation, from racing to hiking, biking and more. There is land for education as represented by CSUMB, MPC, Chartwell, York and others. There are lands for development like The Dunes, Marina Heights, the Highlands and more. What do all of these areas really mean for the region?

Jobs - jobs that left our local economy when Ft. Ord closed. They could be jobs in recreation, education, research, medicine, manufacturing and in areas that we have not even thought about or considered. Jobs that will help to stabilize our local economy, perhaps even diversify it so that we are not as dependant on the cyclical nature of tourism.

So we celebrate the dedication of the Ft Ord National Monument as it sets aside forever, over half of the former Ft Ord lands that can and will be used by all of us. We also celebrate the other lands that make up Ft Ord as they represent the economic opportunities needed to sustain our areas economy.

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Appreciation

It was Albert Schweitzer that said “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us”. In my mind this is the definition of appreciation and it is with this thought in mind that I look forward to the next couple of weeks.

First on the list is my father’s birthday. It’s the perfect time to say the things I don’t necessarily say throughout the year. It’s his day and the time to let him know how much I appreciate all the things he has done for us over a lifetime.

In Marina, we have others that we get to acknowledge over the next couple of weeks starting with our Teachers. For many, many years the Marina American Legion has held an event, unique to our area that is designed to recognize the great job our local teachers do within our community. After all, who among us can’t think back to a teacher that somehow helped change our own lives? We as a community want to thank those that are changing the lives of our children today and Teacher Appreciation Day is our way of expressing our gratitude for a difficult job well done.

A bit later in the week, we as a community get the honor of acknowledging our Public Safety Officers. The annual Marina Public Safety Appreciation dinner again, is our community’s way of recognizing the often thankless job our Public Safety Officers do, day in and day out. So often we take for granted those that answer the call for help and those that protect us – this is Marina’s way of letting them know that we appreciate all that they do for us.

That will bring us to Mother’s Day. Here, not unlike the thoughts I expressed for my Dad’s birthday, we have the opportunity to appreciate all the things Mom has done for us. We thank them for the countless, thankless hours doing the things that Mom does each and every day that help and support their families. It also lets us pause and remember those Moms that we have lost but that we never let go from our hearts.

I am sure that there are many people in your own life that you appreciate but do not always acknowledge. Perhaps you can take a moment or two over the next couple of weeks and show them just how grateful you are that they are a part of your life.

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Springtime

Now that the taxes are done, Easter is over, the late season rains are giving way to flowers and baseball season is finally underway - it’s clear, springtime is here. Perhaps it’s time to take a brief break from all things political and look around our community.

It’s really not hard to see that there is far more that we have in common than what drives us apart. Springtime represents new beginnings, new starts and new growth so let’s celebrate those things.

Let’s take a moment and…

watch the kids playing baseball and softball and remember the spring days we played.

walk around our yards, gardens and neighborhoods to see what’s new this spring.

participate in the community events that bring us together like Earth Day and the Wind         Festival.

It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day struggles and not see the things around us that bring a smile to our faces. It may seem a bit corny or silly to remind us to stop and smell the roses but if we don’t take the time now, when will we?

There is plenty of time to comment on politics, on who is doing what and who is not but maybe, just maybe, if we remember the lessons of spring we can reduce the divide just a bit, mend a fence or two and discover that we really do have more in common than we think.

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Time for a dialog

The next few months will be very important for the City of Marina. We have heard comments like this before but what happens in relation to our City’s budget over these months is critical to our future. Our City budget must be approved by the end of June which means we have three months to get it right.

We know that two years ago the citizens of Marina voted to tax themselves to maintain the current level of service within our community (Measures M & N). That successful vote cut our structural deficit in half. Since that time our City Council has done nothing to narrow the remaining gap with new revenue. As a result they will have several difficult decisions to make this budget cycle - mainly on the level of service we as citizens want and/or demand going forward.

This is the time to open a major public dialog within our community to define what we as citizens expect from our City government. Let’s be clear. This has to go well beyond our Police, Fire and Recreation services. This dialog must also include:  the services our Public Works department does to maintain our streets, parks and public facilities; our City’s Finance department; our Planning, and our Building departments.

It takes a lot of departments to run a City, regardless of its size - and that means people. Over the past few years the City of Marina has shed many of these people to the point where we are, by most estimates, at the bare minimum of service we can provide our citizens. If that is the case, what services must we cease to provide in the future?

If we as a community decide that we cannot eliminate any of the programs and services that are currently provided, then what steps are needed to properly fund them? What can, or must, our City Council do to shore up our City’s balance sheet to provide the services for all the citizens of Marina?

This is the dialog we must have from here. I for one will be very interested in hearing what you think and what services and/or level of service you want to see from your City. It is important to share these thoughts with our City officials because this budget cycle may well define what Marina looks like for years to come. So I urge you to write letters to the editor and to your Council members, go to City Council meetings, or simply talk to your Council members when you see them, and let them know how you feel. Now is the time for this dialog - not after the decisions are made.

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FORA Extension

The extension of FOR A is on a lot of minds lately. Since the last Council meeting where the City Council debated the contents of a long letter to the State legislature, the bill extending FOR A was passed out of committee in Sacramento and could be approved as soon as Thursday out in the Assembly.

I thought it important to repeat a few of the points I brought up before the City Council because many of them have to do with issues beyond the extension of FOR A.

First, let’s remember that the former Ft. Ord is about the size of San Francisco City and County, 28,000 acres. Of that acreage, a bit over 18,000 acres have been set aside as permanent natural habitat through agreements with FOR A  and the Sierra Club. Now it appears some 14,000+ acres of that land will be designated as a National Monument to secure its natural status forever.

The remaining acres include all of CSUMB, parts of Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Seaside, the County of Monterey and Marina. These areas are represented by the Highlands and Bayonet Golf Course in Seaside, the East Garrison project in the County and the Dunes, the Marina Airport, MPC and Marina Heights in Marina plus various other areas.

Next, the blight that we are so concerned about is all within someone’s current jurisdiction. In Marina, most of the blight we see is owned by the City of Marina at this point. There are areas that are entitled for development but the land itself is still owned by the City till the developers have enough interest in building to actually purchase the land and demolish the buildings. The same is true in Seaside, the County and CSUMB. It should also be noted that it is the proceeds from the land sales that fund the demolition of the old buildings.

In fact, Marina had a chance to remove all the blight in the Cypress Knolls area but Councilman Brown changed his mind after choosing a developer, causing more delay’s that could last for years. In the meantime, the blight is not only an eyesore but both an environmental and public safety hazard.

Finally, the purpose of FOR A was, and is, to replace the jobs and the economy that was the Army before the base closed. That means some 34,000 jobs and the housing that goes along with it. FOR A, the Cities and the developers have been working to fulfill this mandate but they have weathered challenge after challenge plus an ever changing economy just to get where we are today. Has everything been accomplished since they began? Of course not. Are there challenges and issues that should be resolved? Yes, but these are local issues and they need local input, not solved on a State level.

So I support the extension of FOR A and I hope the State legislature agrees and gives FOR A the 10 year extension that Assemblyman Monning along with his co-signers, Assemblyman Alejo and Senators Blakeslee and Cannella have proposed. Then let’s all get back to the serious work of bringing jobs to our community.

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A "Balanced" Smoke Screen

The Tuesday Council agenda about a balanced budget may sound great on the surface, but here are the details that you, the public, should be aware of.

Let’s be clear. The City of Marina has a structural deficit. In fact, two years ago it was about 4 million dollars annually. However, our citizens did their part and voted to tax themselves to cover about half the deficit (Measures M & N). It was up to our City Council to do the rest. Since that time, not one dime of new revenue has been raised by this City Council.

Instead, this Council majority has tried to balance the budget on City employees’ backs - all its employees. A multitude of opportunities were presented to this Council to approve new revenues, but - in each and every case - the Council could/would not deliver. Prime example: why not review the recommendations of Councilman O’Connell’s own budget advisory committee from two years ago.

So now Councilman O’Connell has raised the issue of a balanced budget resolution: a great campaign issue.  But Councilman O’Connell forgets he does not need a resolution to accomplish this goal: Simply bring in new revenue or make the hard choices to cut the City’s core services. He has had this opportunity for the past three budgets, yet the Council has continued to approve “out of balance” budgets and draw down on its reserve funds.

The resolution requires proportional budget cuts. If public safety is 80% of the budget, then 80% of the cuts need to come from public safety- per his resolution. Instead of the Council deciding what to cut, he is mandating the City Manager recommend them; however, the Council can restore any spending by a super-majority vote. This process will not avoid endless straw votes - rather it will just reverse their direction. Instead of voting to cut, they will vote to restore this or that position or program.

My suggestion to Councilmembers:  rather than waste staff time by creating the resolution, doing the research and changing the municipal code, simply ask the City Manager, prior to the typical budget cycle, to submit the budget to council, in whatever form desired - balanced or not. Then make hard decisions necessary to accomplish the goal with full public transparency and participation.

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Termination

As you all likely know by now, our City Council majority terminated our City Manager’s contract this past Tuesday night as expected. I have talked about the process that they used to do this in previous blogs so I will not go into much of the process again here. However, it was clear from the testimony that the reason for the termination had nothing to do with performance, nor with budgets.

There was an agreement to be made but the majority was unwilling to do so. As a result the City will spend tens of thousands of dollars on additional attorney fees, an arbitration process and, in the end, pay the City Manager the amount outlined in his contract. If it ends up with a trial, damages could be added on as well. It is likely that this entire process as done by this Council majority could cost the City a half million dollars or more from our general fund. All unbudgeted.

From what I am hearing on the street and from the phone calls I am getting, the public is outraged by the process and by the fact the Council is unwilling to honor a contract with a valued employee. This includes many in the Council Chambers on Tuesday night that were unaware of the circumstances and process the Council was following.  So what is in store for the rest of our City’s employees?

It is clear that this Mayor and the Council majority have created a hostile and intimidating work environment for all of our employees. Remember, many of these employees are working to cover more than one job due to our overall staffing shortages and budget issues. Are they next in the barrel? Are they to have the Council tear up their existing agreements and dictate new terms or be terminated?

This unfortunate episode will further undermine the credibility of our Council, put our City employees on the defensive and further erode our City’s ability to provide the core services we demand.

Very simply put, none of this needed to happen. If the Council had acted in good faith, met face to face to with the City Manager or even simply followed the terms of his contract we would not have had to go through this ill fated and expensive process.

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Public Hearing

There will be a lot of news stories and headlines over the next few days regarding the Marina City Manager’s public hearing on Tuesday night. I think it is important to remember a few things going into this meeting.

First and foremost, let’s all step back and take the personalities out of the mix. Mr. Altfeld could be the best or the worst City Manager in the City’s history- it really does not matter at this point. What does matter is the process to which the Council follows, and this is the concern that I have.

If the City Manager (or any City employee) has a contract that outlines the process for disputes on salary, severance and other items that was agreed upon by all parties, then it should be followed. This should be true for all of us. If we have a contract with our employer, we expect it to be honored. This is what brings us peace of mind, comfort and order to our relationship with our employer.

So if there is a disagreement and the contract stipulates that you negotiate until you reach an agreement or an impasse, then you follow the contract terms. If you reach an impasse then you go to arbitration. If after arbitration you still cannot agree then you can terminate under the terms of the contract. This is not the path to which our City Council majority has chosen to travel; rather they have decided to go from negotiation to termination in defiance of the contract terms.  According to the closed session agenda they seem to knowingly be headed for arbitration, even litigation, after the employee is terminated.

If arbitration is after termination and arbitration determines the employee should be reinstated, how does that happen in this case? It would seem to me that the result would be a very expensive settlement to the City because the process was not followed. We are all aware of the City’s finances, so how do we afford this? Doesn’t it simply make sense to follow the terms of the contract and avoid this expensive process? Remember, the City is paying for the Attorneys on both sides of this case, plus the City Attorney’s fees and ultimately court costs and a potential settlement amount.

Finally, what will we have saved through this process? We will still need to hire a City Manager, perhaps at a lesser salary and with fewer benefits but we would have spent tens and maybe even hundreds of thousands of dollars on this ill fated process. It all comes back to the contract.

The question is simply, what is a contract worth? That answer is important to all our City employees at this point. They have an agreement with the City. If our Council majority chooses not to honor it, who is safe from their wrath?

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City Manager

“Oh what a tangled web we weave…” Perhaps that should be the headline after reading this week’s Herald and the revelations that are coming out about our City Managers proposed dismissal. It seems our Council majority is forcing this termination without cause and with no regard to prior agreements. If, in fact this is the case, it begs question after question to which we as citizens do not have answers.

While a “photoshopped” picture of the Council majority dressed up as cartoon characters is certainly juvenile it is not the main story. The real story is what is behind the masks and the overall behavior of the Council majority on a variety of issues ranging from violating working rules, hostile workplace issues, interfering in negotiations and more. But even these items ignore the process that could result in the termination of the City Manager or any other City employee regardless of performance or contract.

If published reports are correct, the City Manager offered or accepted a 28% cut in his overall compensation. It appears that was not enough for this Council. One has to ask, who among us can deal financially with a reduction of that size in our income? Is there a number the Council majority would have accepted? Why did the negotiations stop here at this time with this result?

So what is the reason for the termination? If the termination is not for cause and not for compensation then for what reason? If the Council simply wanted to replace the City Manager, there is a process for that. After all, the City Manager is an “at will” employee of the City. The Council needed to simply tell him that they want to go in another direction, abide by the terms of his contract and move on. It is really quite simple - no cause needed, just the rules of contract law.

So why is the Council majority putting the City through this painful, very public and expensive exercise? It seems any contract savings is being spent on outside attorneys now and through the process that is to follow in the future. Our City Charter expressly states that we have a City Manager, so who is next for the position of City Manager and what will it cost to do a proper executive search to find that person?

What is the process now at the public hearing scheduled for March 6^th on this matter? Do the citizens have a right to comment at the public hearing? Is there to be an open session vote at the end of the public hearing on the termination? If there will be a vote, on what conditions? Would it be to continue with the termination (effective the next day) or to continue negotiations? If a vote is not taken, is the decision already made? If that is so, then when was the action to terminate reported out from the closed session to the public to make it legal?

There are so many questions and so few answers. As I stated earlier, “Oh what a tangled web we weave…”

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Black Holes

Since last June I have been writing these blog entries to help raise awareness of some of the issues that affect our community. Previously, I was writing simply as a Marina resident and business owner. Now, in full disclosure, I am writing as a candidate for Mayor of Marina in the November election. That said, I will continue to write this blog in the same style and fashion including this blogs subject.

I have entitled this blog ‘black holes’ because that is what our Marina City Council Closed Session meetings have become. Project after project go into these sessions and never seem to come out. Weeks later we get word that this project or that is no longer being considered.

Under the Brown act if any action is taken in these meetings it must be reported out at the next general meeting of the City Council. Rarely, if ever have we heard a conclusion to these negotiations. We are now getting an indication of what is going on in these sessions from the companies and developers that are the subject of these closed sessions.

The following entries are direct quotes from one specific developer who has given up and is taking his project and jobs elsewhere.

“The withdrawal of my request includes, but is not limited to, the following factors:
1) Uncertainty of City’s Commitment #1: Frankly, the City Council’s decision to initially award an ENA to a group that came in after me (even though the Council came back to give me "another shot") created a cause for concern amongst my investors and I of the City's real commitment to this project;

2) Uncertainty of City’s Commitment #2: Although an unrelated project, the City’s recent decision to not extend the deadlines for the development process and lease with the neighboring ICS project after its substantial investment and good faith efforts to push the project forward created another cause for concern about the City's cooperation with and commitment to developer/partners;

3) The Process of Simply Receiving a Draft ENA: While I understand and completely appreciate the City Council's duty to fully vet projects on City property, my opinion is that the process that I went through to receive the Council's approval to deliver me a draft ENA was overly arduous. I provided detailed (and proprietary) information for the Council's benefit and was responsive to the multiple inquiries for additional information (from Keyser Marston early on and the City Council subsequently). I believe that the information requested (and which I provided) was "over and above" what would be required to simply enter into an ENA. In addition, I followed up the information with individual meetings with certain City Council members and was disappointed that those members did not seem to have been "up to speed" with the information I provided.

4) The Process Following the Granting of the ENA: I received a draft ENA to which I was asked to provide comments to. I did so, only to subsequently receive a new and totally different ENA draft to provide comments to.

5) Ultimately, as time with the City of Marina dragged on, we were courted by another City that is now doing everything it can to facilitate getting this project underway and securing the +/-90 jobs that we'll be creating.”

A recent article quotes the Mayor as not being responsible for finding new revenues for the City. In fact he was quoted as saying “… it’s not the mayor’s job to raise city funds”. While the Mayor is correct, he is not responsible for finding the revenue, he is responsible for the tone and for the processes needed to facilitate new revenues. It is clear by this example, this is not being done. There are several other projects that have fallen into this ‘black hole’. They include the Canine Institute, the stockade project, the highly publicized Eco Village, the Airport management agreements, the Preston Park negotiations and even the City Manager negotiations that have gone on since July. I am sure if I thought about it, I could come up with a few more.

So as deal after deal is drawn out our City budget continues to bleed. As these developers walk away from the table our City suffers. The millions of dollars lost will cost us in further cuts to our City staff and core services. In the meantime, our City Council is demanding cuts from all our City employees. Is this right?

Our City Council turns principle negotiations over to two individuals: Mayor Delgado and Mayor Pro Tem O’Connell. It is clear that in case after case, they are either not up to the challenge or they have another agenda when it comes to our City’s future.

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