Is it really a good idea to embed news reporters with public agencies?

4 Apr

I found this Enterprise Record story, originally run in February, when I was doing some research on crime reports in Chico. Read on – the ER now has a “public safety” reporter. Give me a break – this isn’t journalism Dave, it’s propaganda.

Chico police address 2014 crime report, say changes implemented

Joe Montes, general manager of AAA properties, talks about the rise of break-ins, on April 1 in the downtown parking structure on West Fourth and Salem streets. Frank Rebelo — EnterpRise-Record

By Almendra Carpizo, Chico Enterprise-Record

POSTED: 02/26/15, 6:24 PM PST |

2 COMMENTS

A car parked on 17th Street between Mulberry and Hemlock streets had its window bashed in Aug. 17 and a bag was stolen from the back of the car.Emily Bertolino — Enterprise-Record

Chico >> For the first time in several years, the Chico Police Department said it is getting a more complete picture of the crimes in the city.

On Wednesday, the Chico Police Department released its 2014 crime report, which highlights an increase in overall crime in Chico.

There were 3,647 crimes reported, which when based on population size, it is the third highest number on record since 1999, with 2002 and 2004 being the highest.

Chico police said referring people to CopLogic, an online reporting system implemented January 2014, for property crimes likely resulted in a more accurate picture of crimes occurring.

The Police Department knew for several years that it was losing valuable information by not sending out officers to certain calls, Capt. Lori MacPhail told this newspaper. Because of the lack of officers, “the department was operating like an emergency room doing triage.”

Capturing all the information is valuable to the city, she added.

“Even though (CopLogic) is painful and awkward for the public, the department is seeing better reporting,” MacPhail said.

So far this year, there are approximately 500 CopLogic reports that have been filed, which is trending higher than last year.

In 2012, the Chico Police Department said a decrease in staffing levels may have resulted in a dip in crime reports.

“We simply don’t have the level of staffing needed to adequately report and document the crimes that are happening,” crime analyst Robert Woodward said at the time.

The 2014 crime report doesn’t tell the whole story, Chico police Capt. Mike O’Brien said during a press conference Thursday. However, it does show a trend.

Chico police said an accurate picture of crime levels and locations are helping the Police Department focus on issues that need to be addressed.

According to the report, during a 10-year span, Chico had seen crime numbers lower than the national trend, but the local numbers are now increasing.

Overall crime in Chico increased by 22 percent last year, and has jumped by 50 percent from 2011 to 2014.

Crimes against people increased 9.4 percent and property crimes rose by 23.6 percent from the previous year, according to the analysis.

MacPhail said she was most alarmed at the rise of sexual assaults.

The number of rapes rose by 46 percent, with 51 cases reported in 2014 as opposed to 35 in 2013.

An uptick in sexual assaults is “not acceptable at all,” she said.

The community needs to do more to raise awareness and not be bystanders, she added. It’s also imperative for people to avoid situations that put them at risk.

Last year saw the third-highest number of rapes reported since 2005. There were 69 cases in 2006 and 55 in 2007.

The property crime numbers are the statistics that are assumed to be influenced by the introduction of CopLogic.

In 2014, larcenies, or thefts, jumped approximately 49 percent.

MacPhail said that as a response to the trends captured, Chico police implemented changes to address some of the issues.

For about a month, Chico police Sgt. Scott Zuschin and two officers have been focusing on problem-oriented policing, she said. The team will be dedicated to downtown, but will have the flexibility to be redirected to handle calls or issues that need to be addressed.

A single reason for the uptick in crimes reported cannot be pinpointed, according to police. Instead, it’s a combination of issues, such as Proposition 47, staffing levels and substance abuse.

The staffing plan introduced by Clean & Safe Chico is a positive impact to begin reversing the trend, but people need to be patient, MacPhail said.

At the moment, the department has hired three officers who are completing the law enforcement academy, and by December, there should be more “new faces.”

Interim Police Chief Mike Dunbaugh has also asked Chico State University about the potential to have University Police Department officers help patrol the areas surrounding the university if UPD staffing allows it, MacPhail said.

According to the report, alcohol-related crimes were highly concentrated in downtown and the neighborhoods surrounding the university, which has been a solid trend throughout the years.

MacPhail encourages the public to read the full report and look at the charts, she said. It’s important for the community to have total awareness and a complete picture.

The numbers reflected in the report are only for crimes reported to the Chico Police Department. To view the full report, go to http://bit.ly/1zfpIii.

Contact reporter Almendra Carpizo at 896-7760.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Almendra Carpizo is the public safety reporter for the Enterprise-Record. A graduate of Chico State, she has worked for this newspaper since January 2013. Reach the author at acarpizo@chicoer.com or follow Almendra on Twitter: @almendracarpizo

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Categories Uncategorized

Aquatic Center stand-off: nobody wants to take this dog to the taxpayers

4 Apr

Sorry I have not had a chance to finish my post about the CARD meeting. In fact, I was unable to attend the entire meeting. But I did hear an interesting conversation in the hallway between aquatic center proponent Jerry Hughes and design consultant Greg Melton.

Melton has done a lot of work for both the city of Chico and CARD over the past few years. He designed the traffic circles on Manzanita. He did design work at DeGarmo Park, although I don’t know if he’s responsible for the gaff they made that caused flooding and thousands of dollars in repair work within six months of the opening of that park. Melton has also been running “charettes” for the city and CARD, for the skate board park, Caper Acres remodel, etc. He takes in the community’s comments and turns them into money, most of which goes into his pocket.

Melton is the one who turned a $125,000 gift from Marilyn Warrens into a $475,000 bridal bower. When the board balked at that price and asked him to come back with something for $250,000, he balked, saying he couldn’t do anything for that price. He finally came up with a design for $306,000 that the board gushed all over, because it’s not their money paying for it. Melton even talked the donor into giving another $25,000. Oh gee, Greg Melton can make it rain money!

Melton is the only local designer who’s given a proposal for the aquatic center.

https://chicotaxpayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/card-aquatic-center-cost-estimates-1.pdf

The cheapest design he’s got there is over $10 million, with almost $2 million going into “design and management soft costs” – that’s Melton. Of course he puts up the $18 million design first – wow, $550,000 “design contingency”.

But he knows how to play it – you should have seen him schmoozing Mrs Warrens – I kept hearing Debbie Harry shrieking “Call Me!” as I watched, it was sickening. Melton has got himself a sweet hayride, and he knows how to milk a cow, that’s for sure. My milkshake tastes better than yours…

So when he took his moneymaker out into the hallway, I went along for a listen. Jerry Hughes is very frustrated with the board, and it sounds like he’s not getting a lot of cooperation out of Aquajets, either. In previous meetings, Aquajets has been told, they need to get out and engage the public, start drumming up support for this aquatic center. They haven’t done anything – look, it’s not even mentioned on their website:

http://www.chicoaquajets.org/Home.jsp?_tabid_=0&team=caj

Hughes had addressed the board at the beginning of the meeting, asking them why the aquatic center wasn’t on the agenda (they explained it was on the list that was not made available to the attendees) and asked if the board had received a communication he’d sent. They acted confused. He told them he’d been meeting with Brad Geiss of Aquajets, and they were working on getting proposals from various contractors and consultants. He said he wanted to schedule an aquatic center committee meeting before the next regular board meeting, and the board thought that would be great. Jan Sneed added that such a meeting needed to be noticed to the public, how big of her.

Hughes sat down and Sneed started the meeting. Visconti got up and provided what might be the “emergency” excuse – he said CARD’s “line of revolving credit” was about to expire, an emergency fund that is tapped into for emergencies, he said, using that word again. Visconti needed the boards’ approval to reapply. This was an emergency? Visconti couldn’t bring this up at the last regular board meeting less than two weeks ago?

I don’t know the Brown Act, I wish somebody with legal expertise would look into these meetings. I’m hoping to get Rose’s take on it.

As the board ran down the list, Melton made his presentation, then Hughes motioned for him to come out in the hall. Hughes wanted to assure Melton that his design was the only real proposal submitted, the most complete anyway, and that he was still in the running. They both agreed, the board needs to make more of a commitment before any of the consultants will submit a serious proposal. Melton seemed to be fine with working with other agencies, there’s a lot of money in this project for lots of hogs.

Melton asked Hughes if they’d done any kind of public survey – Hughes said No. I don’t know why he didn’t mention the survey run a couple of years ago that came back negative, unless it’s because he’s in denial of the community’s rejection of this project. The consultant who ran the survey told the board they needed to get out and sell this project to the public, convince the taxpayers of the absolute need for this Taj Majal swim center when there are already two decrepit and neglected public pools under CARD’s lack of attention. There has been no such attempt. Nobody wants to take this pig out in traffic. Jerry Hughes can’t even write a letter to the editor. There is no public support for this pool. Hughes was expressing his frustration that the project is not moving fast enough – well, look at this guy, he doesn’t have that much time left to wait. He’s desperate to do this project, and nobody really wants it as badly as he does, unless it’s Brad Geiss. Melton also mentioned, and Hughes agreed – they have to find some way to fund it. They were sensitive to my presence, and wouldn’t say “tax” right in front of me, but Melton remarked that they needed to “get everybody involved.” I went back into the meeting, and Hughes came back in about a minute later. Melton followed.

They board and staff were discussing other projects – unbelievable. One project they didn’t have on the list is the Americans with Disabilities Act. I don’t care how you feel about this law, it’s the law. If you were in a wheelchair I think you’d have some things to say about the number of CARD buildings and facilities that are NOT ADA compliant. At the board meeting last month they talked about spending $40,000 on a STUDY to find out how noncompliant they are! But here they were Thursday morning making an “emergency” out of deciding which Pollyanna projects they want to spend millions of dollars adding to their inventory of neglected facilities.

I had to leave at 10am, I don’t get paid to sit in these meetings. I had to rely on Urseny’s story – which is bullshit. She says the subject of the aquatic center was “tabled” – no it wasn’t, they’re going to have a committee meeting and a report at the next regular board meeting, that’s not “tabling.” Urseny is embedded – how else would CARD have got a story in the ER with 24 hours notice of a meeting? You wouldn’t believe what the ER put me through trying to notice my CTA meetings – send the notice in 4 weeks in advance, and then they didn’t run it – this happened several times. I still have the e-mail apologies from David Little.

When I got a chance I looked at the Aquajets website for any mention, any pleas for money for this center, and all I find is cannibalism. That’s what I call it when an organization does not do any external fund raising, no public events, just expects it’s members to continually come up with money out of their own pockets. They do a yearly fundraiser, for which they sell the tickets to each other and their relatives (wouldn’t you hate to be the co-worker of one of these parents?). Then they do “Pizza Night” at Woodstocks. Woodstocks offers a program that is good for their own bottom line – they give your organization vouchers to turn in when they buy a pizza, and then Woodstocks makes a donation to your organization for every voucher. They allow your organization to have meetings, as long as pizza is being eaten. So, Aquajets turns all their meetings into Pizza Night. When I looked at their “news” page this was the only timely event listed.

March PIZZA NIGHT is TOMORROW – Tuesday, March 31, at Woodstock’s starting at 6:00 pm. Please give a Woodstock’s coupon when ordering. Polar Bear prizes will be awarded, as well as Swimmer of the Month, and upcoming team info.

I think the biggest “fundraiser” is the fees these families pay to have their kids in this program. On most levels it’s just babysitting. There are coaches for the more motivated competitors. I don’t know if the coaches are paid but from what I’ve seen at tournaments they act like they are coaching Olympic hopefuls. Geiss hits these people for money around every corner. I can understand why they would scream for the taxpayers to pay if they were put to the wall, but I’m not sure how many of them actually feel any need for a new center. I’m guessing most of these families are in and out of the club in a few years, they use it for babysitting while they do their work-out at In Motion, there’s no reason for them to want to put up a wad for some new center that won’t be built before their kid goes off to college.

As a hockey mom I know how these fees pile up – most of it goes to pay for the facilities at which the tournaments are held. Unlike Aquajets, our hockey league floated their own boat, and still does. Our manager Jeff Novak is a volunteer and does a darned good job of rounding up big sponsors for our facility in Hamilton City (Chico wouldn’t permit it, so the league went to Glenn County, long story short). Our bookkeeper is a volunteer, there’s only one paid coach, most of the coaches are dads. My husband and I managed our kid’s team, and that involved spending a few hours a month online, dealing with other clubs, filling out applications for tournaments and sending or handing over the check to the other league for their facilities. Sponsors keep the fees affordable, that’s for sure, my family couldn’t have done it if the players had to come up with all the money.

http://leagueathletics.com/?org=nvhsc.org

See sponsors here, compare this to Aquajets sponsors:

http://leagueathletics.com/Sponsors.asp?n=62270&org=nvhsc.org

Like I said, NVHSC manager Jeff Novak gets no salary, but puts hours and hours into raising money for the league. I’m pretty sure Aquajets General Manager Brad Geiss gets a salary, anybody’s guess, because this group does not have to answer questions like that. I don’t know how many hours he spends on fundraising. I’m guessing Geiss is hoping to become a public worker, as manager of the new center.

But right now, Hughes, Geiss, and the CARD board seem to be throwing that hot potato of public funding back and forth. Nobody wants to identify themselves with a tax measure.

Rose was the only other member of the public I saw at this meeting. Everybody else at that meeting had a vested interest in being there. No city councilors, no county supervisor, the only member of the press Urseny, who as I’ve said, knocks herself out to shine a favorable light on CARD.

Tags: aquatic center tax, CARD aquatic center, CARD tax assessment, Chico Area Recreation District, swimming pool tax

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Categories Chico Area Recreation District

CARD “special” meeting – interesting discussion of CARD’s priorities

2 Apr

Whew, what a day. Like most of you, I have my routine, and that’s just another word for rut, so this morning I broke out of the house to a 9am special meeting at Chico Area Recreation District HQ on Vallombrosa. I have a bunch of time sensitive chores today, but I just decided, somebody has to watch these people. So, I got up early to do my house chores, I bolted my breakfast, and I mounted the old Raleigh Superbe and beat it for the CARD Center.

I was happy to see Rose there, and I’m looking forward to hearing her take on it.

This meeting was noticed in yesterday’s Enterprise Record. According to Susan Wilson, the lady who spoke at League of Women Voter’s Brown Bag the Brown Act presentation, a special meeting can be called with 24 hours notice of the public, and notice only needs to be, literally, a notice pinned to the door of the building in which the meeting is to be held, 24 or more hours ahead. They noticed the newspaper, and Urseny decided to do a front page story about it. Wonderful! But, still woefully inadequate.

And I’m pretty sure Ms. Wilson said special meant emergency. The emergency nature of this meeting was not explained by anyone on the board. I’m sorry I didn’t ask – they don’t really answer my questions – like when I asked Jennifer Mariciales why the board meetings had been previously switched to Lakeside Pavilion, and she just said, because the board wanted them there. No reason, just, the board wanted them there. I think that’s evasive, but maybe I’m just a turd in the punch bowl.

This meeting was called by General Manager Steve Visconti. Maybe he really thinks there’s an emergency, but I don’t think it’s the kind of emergency, like a leaking pipe, that has to be discussed within 24 hours. This could just have easily been discussed at last months’ general board meeting, or at the meeting scheduled for later this month. They just went over a list of proposed projects, and talked about how they felt about each one, what priority, if any, to give each project. Turns out, this board has been entertaining a list of wants instead of paying attention to the district’s true needs.

Visconti said, “with day-to-day operations, and all these projects, it’s really hard for staff, they are spread so thin…” He seemed to be trying to get them to come to their senses. They seemed to be completely oblivious – is this why Jerry Haynes left?

The first wish on the list was the rose garden proposed for some years now by local resident Marilyn Warrens. Mrs. Warrens has put up $100,000 toward the project, and a couple of years ago, I actually thought that was adequate to dress the entire CARD center and half of Downtown Chico in rose bushes, but today the board unanimously approved (Lando absent) a $302,000 budget for 50 less rose bushes than originally planned. I think most of the money will go into the wrought iron fence that will eventually be used to keep the public out. This garden is meant to be a revenue source for CARD – pay to have your wedding or event in what used to be open to the public. I realize, the inside of the center has always been For Rent, but the outside has always been open to the public, who owns it and pays for it’s maintenance. Get ready for this.

If you enlarge the picture you see plans for 6 foot high fencing, with a 20 foot seat wall, enclosing the CARD center lawn, including part of the creek. where the design calls for removing trees.

The board listened to contractor Greg Melton and the unanimously approved this project.

Next item on the list is a “pump track” – my kids built one in our back yard. It’s a dirt bike track. I was interested in this project, because it seems to have been given the go-ahead by the board, but as they were discussing it, aquatic center proponent and former CARD general manager Jerry Hughes motioned consultant/contractor Greg Melton to the hallway outside, asking him to talk about the aquatic center. I immediately grabbed my stuff and followed. This is the kind of meetings they’ve been having about this center, and I wanted to hear what was really going on instead of what they were discussing in the board meetings.

but now I’ve got more chores around the house, I’ll have to get back to you.

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Categories Uncategorized

CARD calls “special meeting” to prioritize projects – including aquatic center – tomorrow (Thursday), 9am, at the CARD center on Vallombrosa

1 Apr

Something I learned at the Brown Bag the Brown Act workshop I attended was that “special meetings” can be held to get around the notice requirements. They only need to notice them 24 hours in advance, and by “notice” I mean, they just have to post an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper on a door at the CARD center. In this case, for whatever reason, Laura Urseny picked it up and it was reported in the Enterprise Record.

This is the story Urseny should have been doing months ago, but here it is. You’ll note, everything I’ve said is true, and then some. Chico Area Recreation District is strapped for money, can hardly meet obligations (like the $900,000 something owed on the Lakeside Pavilion) and, as Visconti himself admits, they have too many projects dangling in front of them, but the board entertains anybody who wants to do anything. For example, they really led the bocce ball club on, they acted as thought the bocce court was really going to happen. In recent discussions they’ve agreed they can’t afford to keep the skateboard park open, it’s a crime problem, they want to turn it over to the city, but oh yeah, sure, let’s put a million or so into a bocce ball court, that sounds feasible folks.

I’m beginning to see why Haynes left – the board is out to lunch. Sometimes I think Tom Lando is trying to bring the rest of the board members around to sense, trying to tell them they are stretching the agency too thin with all these projects, but they ignore him.

And I also see a tug of war over who will pay for the studies regarding this aquatic center – in the beginning, the Aquajets, represented by Brad Geiss and a dozen or so unidentified “supporters,” said they would pay for this stuff. Now all the sudden CARD is paying for it, with money they get from our property taxes. They’re still not being honest about the tax measure – you have to go to these meetings folks, and listen, you can’t get your news from the newspaper.

Proposed aquatic center, spending plan on CARD agenda

By Laura Urseny, Chico Enterprise-Record

POSTED: 04/01/15, 11:03 AM PDT

Chico >> Prioritizing a basketful of projects that are all on the front burner, plus an expenditure and a possible tax measure, are the reasons for a special meeting Thursday of the Chico Area Recreation and Park District board of directors.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Chico Community Center, 545 Vallombrosa Ave. It will be followed by the board’s annual tour of the facilities.

Acting General Manager Steve Visconti noted the board has accumulated a number of active projects, and coupled with the staff’s daily responsibilities, has become “a strain.” He’d like to find out what projects the board feels are most important.

Several of the projects include financial obligations, expenditures or amounts already budgeted by the board.

For example, CARD has been involved in a discussion about a proposed community aquatics center that has been part of its master plan. In its current budget, $30,000 has been set aside by the board for consulting services.

CARD has been asked by center supporters to pay for a feasibility study regarding the center. The study would “help the board decide the direction it would like to go,” according to a report by Visconti. The study would help the board clarify its involvement and how the center would be funded. Previously, the board has mentioned a possible a tax measure that CARD would put before the voters, among other options.

The staff is also working on an Americans With Disabilities Act transition plan that would identify needed improvements throughout the district to meet the legal requirements. About $40,000 has been budgeted for a consultant to finish the plan.

Recently, CARD has been working on a proposed rose garden and event center utilizing a citizen’s donation of more than $100,000. A previous plan proposed at $482,000 has been scaled back, but the current staff is asking for a little more. The board asked for the project to stay in the $250,000 range, but staff has suggested an increase to $307,000 in belief the revised project could recover the extra costs more quickly.

Also on the board’s to-do list are a bicycle pump track, the Humboldt skate park, a second dog park, the update of the master plan, and new software that would replace current software for registration.

The bicycle pump track has $9,000 budgeted, which was reallocated from a security camera project at the skate park. The registration software “will no longer be supported” in 2016 and needs to be replace at a cost of $40,000 to $50,000, Visconti noted.

Contact reporter Laura Urseny at 896-7756.

Tags: CARD aquatic center, CARD swimming pool tax

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Categories Chico Area Recreation District

Time for some “healthy skepticism”

31 Mar

I had some healthy questions about the claims being made by consultant Randy Cohen in a presentation to the mayor,

http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/20150330/economic-impact-study-reports-arts-employ-451-people-in-chico

but was unable to attend the presentation. So, I sent Cohen an e-mail:

First Name: Juanita
> Last Name: Sumner
> Email: Juanita Sumner
> Area of Interest/Concern: Meetings & Events
> Subject: presentation for Chico, Monday March 30 2015
> Message:
> Hi,
>
> I can’t make the presentation you are giving the city of Chico on Monday
> (March 30) and have some questions about the survey. Am I to understand that
> this survey was anecdotal, or was data such as financial records made
> available? Where can I see the specific data for Chico?

Cohen answered my inquiry very quickly. He seemed offended by my use of the word “anecdotal,” which means, “based on personal observation, case study reports, or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation.”

Randy Cohen (rcohen@artsusa.org)3/27/15

To: Juanita Sumner

Anecdotal?? I hope that is not the rumor working around town. It’s based totally on data collected from local arts organizations and their audiences which is then pumped into an econometric input-output analysis model done by our economist from Georgia Tech’s School of Economics.

It will be released next week. The report would be available then I would expect (since I’ll be presenting the findings next week).

Thanks for your inquiry, Juanita, and sorry you can’t attend the presentations.

Best,

Randy

“data collected from local arts organizations and their audiences which is then pumped into an econometric input-output analysis model done by our economist from Georgia Tech’s School of Economics. ” Fancy words for “anecdotal”.

I tried to be nice. This guy claims “the arts” generate hundreds of jobs and bring money into our community, city and county, millions of dollars. That is a claim, so I asked him for numbers to back it up.

Thanks for your prompt reply. I got a copy of your outline from Chico city staff, and what I’m looking for are financial reports that support your data. Given the figures you are presenting, surveys, hearsay, are not enough.

For example, the race track here in town can give figures based on receipts from the motels and restaurants that support their claims that they bring a few million a year into town. You are claiming a lot more than that, but I’m not seeing the same kind of reports. It looks like fluff to me.

Did you receive or your organization receive any financial compensation for this presentation?

Thanks for your time, Juanita Sumner

Ask a simple question – I’m honestly sorry I said “fluff,” I should have said “anecdotal“, but I was trying to be honest. Be too honest, and you get this –

I appreciate a healthy skepticism, Juanita. I’d suggest you read the report next week. This survey methodology has been used for years and been vetted by banks, White House Council of Economic Advisors, and biz/elected leaders across the country.

Sincerely,Randy

See how he sidestepped the compensation issue? I’m saying, a guy like this doesn’t just hop out here from Maryland, where he lives, for no compensation. His tone tells me there’s plenty of money in this somewhere, and I’d bet my last $5 it was public money at one point.

I’m not saying arts don’t contribute to our economy. I have a friend who is employed full-time at a longtime screen print company. They just expanded, meaning, more employees. They make mostly t-shirts, with clip art really, but my friend has learned to use technology that has helped him found his own small business and further his own original artistic endeavors. He makes a nice salary and has decent health benefits, which he pays for himself. He pays rent and buys groceries and supplies locally, so in this way his art contributes to our economy.

But I am skeptical about Cohen’s claims of an ultimate $17 million plus a year being pumped in, and I wonder how many of those 451 jobs pay a liveable wage, or offer upward mobility? I wonder how many of those 451 people have good enough insurance to get them into Enloe Hospital.

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Categories Uncategorized

CARD approves hiring of consultant to vet aquatic center to public

28 Mar

Last week I attended CARD’s monthly board meeting to hear the agendized report regarding the aquatic center committee. I have been trying to get into the committee meetings, have been told I’d be noticed for any meetings scheduled, but they keep telling me there haven’t been any meetings. So, how do they come up with these reports on every agenda? That’s the beauty of “ad hoc” Folks – that’s Latin, for “hide what you’re doing with public money from the public…”

The board received a report from Chico Aquajets manager Brad Geiss – “on behalf of [former CARD general manager] Jerry Hughes…” It was more of a demand, really, that the board hire a consultant to sell the aquatic center to the public. This was supposed to be Aquajets’ job, but Geiss was very adamant – they want the board to spend $26,000 of the taxpayers’ money on a consultant to shove a tax assessment down the taxpayers’ throats. The board voted unanimously to do so, even though Tom Lando tried his best to act disinterested.

At a previous meeting, the board said Aquajets would take care of selling this idea to the public. Have you heard a peep out of Aquajets? Laura Urseny won’t even use their name in connection to this bad dog, referring to them as a “local swim group.” There are no other local “swim groups.” They’ve discussed the connotation at previous meetings, one Aquajets grandparent complaining that the public feels they will be paying for the privileges of others. Well, that’s the truth, isn’t it Grandpa? Aquajets doesn’t even have as many members as the Bocce Ball club, but they expect the taxpayers to lay out $10 million PLUS for a private swim center.

I also found out they’ve been taking proposals, which haven’t been made public. I asked CARD employee Jennifer Marciales for various documents presented to the board, all of which are supposed to be available to the public at the meetings. It was like pulling teeth – they aren’t forthcoming, you have to go over everything with a fine-toothed comb to see what else they’ve been withholding, and ask for that too. When I asked her for too many documents she turned me over to Robert Hinderer, who sent me documents that can’t be cut-and-paste.

What he sent me are proposals for this job of coming up with a design and then telling the public how bad they want it. Here you go:

3-9-15 Jerry Hughes Document

The other documents he sent won’t post, I’ll work on it. Or, you should write to Robert Hinderer at rhinderer@chicorec.com and ask for the information, which is supposed to be available to the public. These people are making plans for millions in taxpayer dollars, and they aren’t even being up front about it.

They still won’t talk in front of the public about the assessment they are planning to pursue, not since that meeting I attended over a year ago at which Jerry Hughes told everybody they should wait until the legislature lowered the voting threshold for a tax assessment from 2/3’s to 51 percent. I think that’s insidious.

From “Future Community Aquatic Center Comments” – When we have a preliminary plan and cost estimates ( which is what you see above) we can start planning how we will promote the project to the community…The survey [which came back negative according to the consultant] suggested two methods to fund the project; Special Tax and Benefit Assessment. We will review those two methods at the meeting [this was when Hughes told the audience about the voting threshold being changed].”

This old man is sly like a fox. He is worming something past the taxpayers, and he knows it. I just can’t figure out what his interest is – I’m sorry, I don’t think he really cares about children when he sits in on discussions about cutting kids’ programs to make pension payments. He gets a sweet pension out of CARD.

None of this has been discussed in public meetings, only at the privately noticed Aquatic Center Committee meetings – Brad and Jerry being the “ad hoc” committee. Brad Geiss also gets a salary, as Aquajets manager, and I’m guessing he dreams of being the manager of the new center. He sure drives a pricey little sports car! All off of a children’s swim team – this is the kind of person we are dealing with here, a man who looks out for his own interests.

They have also changed their meetings from the CARD center right in mid-town to the Cal Park Lakeside Pavillion, which sits on the eastern boundary of their district. This might not be a Brown Act violation – meetings are to be held in the district – but they are certainly pushing it. The Pavillion is not what I’d call “available to the public,” located in a snooty subdivision with “No Trespassing” and “Residents Only” signs all over the place.

When I asked Marciales why the switch, she simply replied “the Board has requested that the Regular Board Meetings be held at Lakeside Pavilion. However, there will still be times when Board Meetings will need to be held at the CARD Center. The location of the meetings will be specified on the Agendas when they are posted.” No reason, just the board wanted it.

Tags: Brad Geiss Chico Aquajets, CARD assessment, CARD special tax, Chico Area Recreation District, Jerry Hughes CARD

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Chico Area Recreation District

Chico now follows Yuba City into the abyss

25 Mar

Here’s a story from the Appeal Democrat in Yuba City/Marysville. The title states the problem – read further – city expenses have increased to pre-recession levels while revenues have continued to fall, retirement costs have increased by almost 10 percent a year while 32 positions have remained vacant.

Sound familiar? Well, not if you’ve been listening to Chico Assistant City Mangler Chris Constantin lately – he just made a Pollyanna speech about how everything will be getting better and we need to pump more money into police salaries for cops who only pay 12 percent of their pensions, 90 percent available at age 50. Constantin assumes higher property tax and sales tax revenues – I’d like to see the crystal ball he’s been using, cause my crystal ball says we’re headed straight for the second dip in the ‘W’. Housing prices are going up too fast, builders are building in a glutted market. In my neighborhood, the same contractor is flipping three houses – putting lipstick on pigs, and jacking the price up to $400,000 plus.

Below, Constantin admits we can’t really afford these raises for the cops, but insinuates they won’t stay if we don’t pay them more. Meanwhile, interim chief Dunbaugh told Stephanie Taber we had more than 100 recruits for those three positions they just filled the other day. The lies just keep on flowing – Chris Constantin is full of double talk.

“While this agreement includes base pay adjustments, the CPOA has agreed to pay more of their pensions costs (the highest of any employee group) and to convert to a new employee 14-step schedule that reduces the annual step increases from 5% down to 2.5% (a new salary schedule also agreed to by our non-public safety management group). This is a unique solution to the unique issue faced by this high priority area. Unfortunately, it is not something we can afford to give to others without compromising our financial future; however, I believe the return on the investment will positively impact all of us and will bring relief to a workforce that is struggling to maintain even a minimum safe staffing level.”

I predict Constantin will fly the coop before the city announces plans to pursue a sales tax increase. But, read below, you see we’re on the same road as Yuba City.

Yuba City budget deficits remain as costs rise

By Andrew Creasey acreasey@appealdemocrat.com

There is a light at the end of the tunnel for Yuba City’s budget woes, but it’s obscured by a mountain of pension debt and rising health care costs.

Those rising costs mean budget deficits will remain until 2018, when the city pays off its pension obligation bonds. Consequently, it’s unlikely the city will be able to add or expand services, Finance Director Robin Bertagna told the City Council during a mid-year budget update at last Tuesday’s meeting.

Basically, city expenses have increased to pre-recession levels, while revenues, despite an uptick from the improving economy, have not, Bertagna said.

Bertagna projected the city would have a $2 million budget deficit by the end of the fiscal year, although the actual number will likely be lower due to one-time savings realized by 32 vacant positions in the city, said City Manager Steve Kroeger.

Since 2004, retirement costs have increased by almost 10 percent each year. Health benefit payments have increased by 5 percent annually and overtime costs have risen by almost 8 percent each year. Comparatively, general fund revenues have increased by almost 3 percent a year over that same time period.

And required contributions to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) will increase by 33 percent by 2021, which will add just less than $2.2 million to the city’s budget.

The city has handled the budget deficit in several ways. Employee furloughs have resulted in significant savings — without the 10 percent furlough, the projected deficit this year would be $4.2 million, Bertagna said.

The city has also used a reserve fund, the Economic Stabilization Fund, to balance the budget.

Currently, the fund has a balance of $4.5 million, which Kroeger said should sustain the city’s deficit through 2018.

In 2018, the city will have paid off its pension obligation bond. The city sold the bond to make a one-time PERS payment of about $7 million.

The bond was sold in the interest of saving money, as the bond’s interest rate is two percentage points lower than the unfunded liability rate that PERS charges the city, Kroeger said.

Even with the one-time payment, the city’s total unfunded PERS liability, representing the difference between the assets the city has to pay pension costs and the amount of pension obligations it has, is $53 million.

Kroeger said the city has planned well for the extended economic slump.

“It’s a downturn that most expected to recover sooner than it has,” Kroeger said. “The city’s conservative fiscal planning has served us well.”

CONTACT reporter Andrew Creasey at 749-4780 and on Twitter @AD_Creasey.

Tags: Chris Constantin City of Chico Ca, City of Chico employee contracts, City of Chico public safety contracts

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Chico bankruptcy, public employee contracts, public employee unions, public safety contracts, Uncategorized

Cal Water profits up 20% over 2013, attributed to rate increase, lower expenses

23 Mar

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwired – Feb 25, 2015) – California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) today announced 2014 net income of $56.7 million, an increase of 20%, or $9.5 million, over 2013, and diluted earnings per share of $1.19, an increase of 16.7%, or $0.17 per diluted common share, compared to the prior year. The company also reported that it spent $132 million on capital improvements during 2014, an increase of 7%, or $9 million, compared to the prior year.

The increase in net income is attributable primarily to the approval of the General Rate Case (GRC) of the Company’s largest subsidiary, California Water Service Company (Cal Water), as well as reductions in administrative and general, other operations, net interest, and property tax expenses. Reductions in these expense categories were partially offset by increases in employee wages and health care, income tax, maintenance, and depreciation and amortization expenses.

CARD moves meetings to Cal Park, moves ahead hiring consultant for proposed aquatic center

22 Mar

Thursday night I attended the regular Chico Area Recreation District Board meeting to see what I could find out about plans to build an aquatic center. What I saw and heard made me feel even more strongly that there’s a back room effort to get this project past the voters. The board voted unanimously to hire a consultant to come up with a proposal to sell to the taxpayers.

Jerry Haynes is out as CARD general manager and Steve Visconti has stepped back in to fill the interim while the board has (you guessed it!) hired a consultant to get a new director. They have had one director after another, Visconti “retiring’ last year only to be tapped to fill in again. One woman left citing “differences with the board” and the paper insinuated there was hostility. Now Haynes has left, citing same. I don’t frankly know how anybody can get along with Board member Jan Sneed, who attacked me verbally and physically one night after a meeting. She’s hostile, I’ll tell you what, and I’m guessing you either do what she wants or you’re out of a job. CARD has an interesting staff history.

The General Manager of Chico swim team Aquajets was asked for a progress report on that committee that hasn’t been having any meetings. He said he was speaking on behalf of longtime CARD manager and board member Jerry Hughes, who has been the spokesperson for this effort from the beginning. I realize, they’ve taken everything into an “ad hoc” committee of Hughes and Brad, and therefore do not have to notice the meetings or include me in any way. But, Brad had a proposal for the board, they said they’d all received it. Despite Brown Act rules saying any document presented to the board must be available to the public, there were no copies.

Brad told the board they needed to hire a consultant to design the new center, and the board voted to do so. End of conversation!

I had to leave at that point, so I emailed the next morning asking for that proposal. CARD staffer Jennifer Marciales sent me a version that won’t cut and paste, but here’s the link:

3-9-15 Jerry Hughes Document

I noticed a little strain between the board and Brad. When he was done making his demand, Brad left with my husband and I, got into a very expensive little sports car, and zipped out. I really get a kick out of these people who come with their hand out for public money – same for the Cannons and their Bocce Ball request – they never come to these meetings, they don’t know ANYTHING about the CARD budget or the other programs, but they come in and demand money for something that serves less than one percent of the city population. But never any talk about how they will pay for it when they’re laying off workers to avoid paying Obamacare.

I noticed in this report that there have been three design proposals already submitted, but the only one I’ve seen is from local consultant Greg Melton, I posted that on this blog previously. So, I asked Marciales to send me the other two proposals, but I haven’t heard back from her yet.

Since I sat in on the Brown Act workshop with League of Women Voters, I’ve realized how little respect these agencies have for the public.

I also asked Marciales why the meeting location was suddenly moved from the central CARD center on Vallombrosa to the very distant and removed Lakeside Pavillion. She answered, “the Board has requested that the Regular Board Meetings be held at Lakeside Pavilion” That’s it, no explanation, just “let them eat cake…”

Tags: CARD, CARD aquatic center, CARD assessment

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Chico Area Recreation District

Thank You League of Women Voters for a great presentation on the Brown Act

18 Mar

I’m so sorry I didn’t take my camera with me to the League of Women Voters’ “Brown Bag the Brown Act” presentation today – I’ll have to tell you about it.

I was impressed with turn-out – I counted at least 30 heads, with my eyesight, and the bobbing around, I’m guessing about 35 all together. And I didn’t count the presenters, or the women who stood at the door to greet everybody. Or the guys with the Action News camera. I am thrilled to see people – and the media! – interested in this topic. I’m so sick and tired of the “whatever” attitude that seems to be seeping into people’s heads these days.

As LWV President Jane Wanderer put it, the Brown Act is about “the public’s right to know what government is doing and why.”

Speaker Susan Wilson moved right along in her presentation, well aware there was a speaker behind her, but wanting to be sure everybody present got a rudimentary lesson on the BA, pointing out things she feels are important along the way. I went to a presentation by Chico City Clerk Debbie Presson, given at an early meeting of the current Sustainability Task Force, and boy was this different. I realized these rules can be interpreted. Of course, Presson interprets them on behalf of the city council and staff, while Wilson works as “watchdog” of local government. Of course their viewpoints are going to be quite different, and I found Wilson’s presentation to be much more extensive and enlightening.

Here’s where Wilson and Presson have a difference of “interpretation” – Wilson says these agencies “don’t have the right to decide what the public should know…“, the rules are very precise. Except in the instances of employee contract negotiations, pending litigation, and real estate transactions, which can be done in closed session, all conversations involving a majority of the board (which would be four of our city councilors) are to be reported to the public. That includes meetings, phone calls, e-mails.

Presson seems to think she can pick and choose what is kept in the record. She’s supposed to keep complete notes of the conversations that go on in the morning meetings, which are not video taped, but I’ve caught her so many times leaving out whole conversations from the record, the public couldn’t possibly know what’s been going on with the trash franchise deal or other business the city is conducting.

Wilson lamented that more people don’t take their government agencies to task over violations, but she admits it’s hard. She spoke about “ad hoc” committees – “a way people sort of skittle around the edges [of the Brown Act]...trying to avoid involving the public…” The Sustainability Task Force, as well as the Economic Development Committee, have gone just about completely ad hoc, avoiding even having to notice their meetings to the public. When I tried to get on the notice list for the STF, committee chair Mark Stemen told me he’d have to do it himself because the city wouldn’t give him any staff. But if you watch the agendas, you see council receives regular reports and recommendations from the STF, and has recently dedicated staff time to a new website.

http://www.chicosustainability.org/

I feel the city of Chico pushes the public back by the forehead all the time. The rules are simple, and as you guessed – the city of Chico is not compliant with a lot of this stuff. Like, they’re supposed to be specific in the agendas, so you know what the discussion is. We used to get reports on the website for the various items – now we get “Finance Report”, and something like, “Frank Fields will give an update on our finances…” That’s all they had at that last meeting – but then the newspaper comes out with the story about the $4.8 million they found laying around – why wasn’t that in the agenda? Why wasn’t Frank’s report attached to the agenda? Instead we get “verbal report.”

And, we can demand any of those reports or documents received by council at those meetings, but they get out of that by saying, “oh, we have no idea who will come to these meetings, or how many…” And, if you ask for copies, Presson can charge for them, and has.

I had to leave with the end of Wilson’s presentation, I had to get a corned beef on the stove for dinner. I am sorry I missed Tim Crews’ presentation, I’m guessing he talked about his adventures getting public documents out of people like Debbie Presson. Crews is a great advocate for Sunshine.

But these people can work and slave for this law, and if the public is not paying attention, all the Sunshine in the world will not change anything. The Brown Act, as somebody remarked, is a tool – like a hammer or a screw driver, it’s useless unless you pick it up and use it.

Thanks to the League of Women Voters for having this presentation. If you’d like to support this type of event, they will be having a fundraiser, an evening of wine, beer and olive oil tasting, with “gourmet appetizers”, at Manzanita Place on April 19. Tickets are on sale now – $35 advance, $40 at the door. Find out more here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/791411917606762/

Tags: Chico League of Women Voters, National Sunshine Week

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Uncategorized

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