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Saturday, October 25, 2008

Is That A Typo In Your Pocket or Are You Just Glad To See Me?

Cover story in the Oct 23 Bay News by Jack Beardwood, “Legal Bills Killing the CSD,” and at the end it states,”The $50,000 a month they had been spending included about $2,000 for the lawsuit against American Alternative Ins., and about $5,000 a month to defend recipients of cease and desist orders from the Water Board. [added note from me: from a source close to the issue, as they say, the actual amount "averages out to be less than $3600 a month."]The rest was going to Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger of San Francisco for the Taxpayers Watch case.” (That’s the one wherein Taxpayers Watch is suing the five CSD Board members personally.)

Defending against the Taxpayers Watch lawsuit is costing the good citizens of Los Osos $43,000 a month?

Last paragraph of the story, it says, “Taxpayers Watch describes itself as an unincorporated association organized to promote efficient quality local government services. A newsletter said they ‘serve our community through research and advocacy on significant tax and spending issues affecting our quality of life in Los Osos.”

I’ll say. $43,000 worth of quality!

The story also notes that “The district did receive some relief last week when Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbara stayed action in the litigation by Taxpayers Watch until the district’s suit against American Alternative Insurance is adjudicated in federal court. . . .” “Schempf [LOCSD’s general manager] said the insurance company is claming that the district did not purchase the proper policy,” which apparently would have covered legal fees in this case? Which raises the question: Who bought the policy in the first place?

Meanwhile, the case is still in settlement discussion mode, so perhaps something will occur before it goes to trial, a trial which will cost taxpayers more $$$. And before people angered by this lawsuit start champing at the bit thinking that if TPW loses the case they’ll have to cough up all those legal fees, I don’t think so. For all you Legal Beagles out there, here’s a question: In this particular case, who will eat all the costs even if the CSD prevails in court?

Would that qualify as a quality “significant tax and spending issue affecting our quality of life in Los Osos!” I’ll say.


I’m Shocked Shocked! To Find Human Nature Running Amok!

Here’s Alan Greenspan, former Fed chief and top guru of the “We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Regulations, The Market Will Take Care Of Its Own, Thank You, before Senator Waxman’s committee testifying about the present financial crisis we’re in:

“I made a mistake in presuming that the self-interests of organizations, specifically banks and others, were such as that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders and their equity in the firms.”

Here’s what Alan Greenspan apparently overlooked: An entire culture wherein top CEOs of these firms were paid up front golden parachutes no matter how lousy their performance, CEO’s who had absolutely NO stake therefore in the long term health of the company they were running, indeed we saw repeatedly CEO’s who ran companies into the ground, damaged the stockholders, then jumped ship with their millions and were re-hired the next day at more gazillions to run another company.

And here’s what Alan Greenspan also apparently overlooked: We have shifted as a nation that took the long view of business into an entire culture wherein long term results are of absolutely NO consequence or interest since the ONLY thing that matters is getting the stock prices as high as possible in the next quarter. So if you had to lie, cheat, steal, fudge the books, make horribly risky investments to get that quarterly statement up there, then that’s where the self-interests of the organization lay.

Any first year student of human nature and/or a dog trainer using operant conditioning methods, could have told Alan that, and therefore he could have easily foretold this crash.

Unregulated Markets are irrational and dangerous and easily fall prey to unscrupulous thieves, all of which can leave innocent victims strewn all over the floor. In real life, nobody would ever claim that we shouldn’t have any laws against bank robbery because, after all, the bank robber will make sure he doesn’t harm anyone since it’s in his self-interest to do so. It’s a nice theory: Take the money, nobody gets hurt, no harm, no foul, the robber’s Best Interests are served perfectly.

But in the real world, real people die in real bank robberies all the time. Ditto with market frauds. And when you toss in the huge bonuses the taxpayers will be paying to these top thieves for the privilege of getting robbed, there is absolutely NO self-interest being put at risk. Indeed, no risk at all!

If Obama gets elected with a super majority of Democrats, it’s possible that Waxman and a newly staffed DOJ will work in tandem to ferret out criminal behavior and prosecute some of these bums, but that will all be too little, too late. And even if a few bums are hanged in the public square, in 20 years, Americans will have forgotten all about it. Another Ronald Reagan will come along with another trickle-down siren song that actually results in “sharing the wealth” by moving the wealth up to fewer and fewer hands (get rid of all those nasty taxes that pay for stuff we all need – let The Other Guy pay it!) and this whole thing will repeat like a really bad TV rerun.

Sigh.

A Saturday Poem as I wait to call the plumber again to return to solve the mystery of a root-clogged pipe that should have cleared but didn’t, and listening to strange burping noises coming from the toilet in the wee quiet hours of the morning, while checking the bank balance in the checkbook with growing sorrow . . . Ah, joys of home ownership.

Late Lights in Minnesota

At the end of a freight train rolling away,
a hand swinging a lantern.
The only lights left behind in the town
are a bulb burning cold in the jail,
and high in one house,
a five-battery flashlight
pulling an old woman downstairs to the toilet
among the red eyes of her cats.

Ted Kooser
Poet Laureate of the United States
from Sure Signs, New and selected Poems,
University of Pittsburg Press, 1980 (paperback)
Buy it at your local bookstore and put more poetry in your life!

47 comments:

Unknown said...

Gee Ann... "For all you Legal Beagles out there, here’s a question: In this particular case, who will eat all the costs even if the CSD prevails in court?"

If the CSD5 ARE found quilty of spending public tax dollars as individuals, wouldn't that also mean that they are currently spending $43,000 per month of tax dollars to have defended themselves in another losing cause. Assuming they, as 5 individuals, would be required to repay the misspent tax dollars as the lawsuit is asking, then aren't they also continueing to spend tax dollars and should also be required to repay the $43,000 per month...????

I'm sure Richard can confirm this, but the previous Boards had liability insurance... but then they also did not go about filing lawsuits with tax dollars...in fact, the legal fees they had to pay were to defend (and they won all 11) the District from the lawsuits that same individuals filed... filed 11, lost all 11 and then paid their lawyers once they had the recall... There has always been a stench from the Schicker/Tacker led Board...

There is another stink still emanating from this CSD... How much did the CSD pay for the PZLDF lawsuit... Plaes give us some accounting Ann as you were one of the persons signing that lawsuit... Don't try to blame TW, you folks did that all on your own and as usual, you lost...!!! So why are we, those who did not want to be "represented' by PZLDF, getting stuck with another of this CSD's poor financial decisions... Wasn't the agreement 25/75...with PZLDF paying the 75%...??? So where is it...???????????????

Richard LeGros said...

Ann,

You forget that it was the CSD5 that decided to spend YOUR tax dollars to defend themselves. The legal opinion to use district funds to defend the CSD5 was from Julie Biggs, WHO LATER RESIGNED DUE TO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE TW LAWSUIT.

The district must revisit the decision to use taxpayer dollars to defend the CSD5 as the legal opinion came from a woman who HAD A VESTED INTEREST in seeing the CSD5 defended.

Additionally, the LOCSD's insurance carrier DECLINED to pay for the defense of the CSD5 in the TW lawsuit because the CSD5 performed ILLEGAL ACTS NOT COVERED BY THE POLICY. There is no type of insurance that provides coverage and indemnifiation FOR ILLEGAL ACTIONS.

To date, ALL THE LAWSUITS instigated by the CSD5 while in office have LOST IN COURT while having cost the taxpayer (you) MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ATTORNEYS FEES.

Ann, the current dire financial condition of the LOCSD is directly due to the gross mismanagement of the LOCSD by the CSD5 since they took office (the majority caused by the CSD5-supported actions of Blesky/Wildan in 2005-2006). It has taken two years for the these financial actions / mismanagement to manifest themselves as the CSD5 / Ann Jane Hughe were shifting funds all over the books to hide the true nature of the multi-million dollar mismanagement.

-R

TCG said...

By virtue of State law (AB 2701) sewer is not an authorized service that can be provided by the CSD. Yet our CSD Directors continue to pay large sums of our public money for the legal defense of a small number of unfortunate private property owners.

Difficult to understand this, especially given the fact that when the County gets it's project underway, the orders will probably be lifted.

Unknown said...

...and since the CSD has no responsibility toward a waste water treatment system in Los Osos, just WHY is the CSD stilling paying for the legal services to join the PZLDF in sueing the State...??? and just WHY has the PZLDF apparently run out on it's "deal" with the LOCSD....??? How much did PZLDF pay and how much has the LOCSD paid...???? Just try to obtain those figures from either party.... So Ann, you signed on that lawsuit, just how much did you personally pay...or did you even pay anything...?????

Osos Change said...

Starting today, I will debunk Richard LeGros because I think the little princess deserves a spanking.

You forget that it was the CSD5 that decided to spend YOUR tax dollars to defend themselves. The legal opinion to use district funds to defend the CSD5 was from Julie Biggs, WHO LATER RESIGNED DUE TO A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BECAUSE OF THE TW LAWSUIT.

I find that amusing that the basis of the Taxpayers Watch lawsuit is to look into their settlements and resolutions outside of litigation so they wouldn't incur the additional legal costs. So you criticize the board for wasting taxpayer dollars for defending themselves and you criticize them for settling out of court and seeking alternative dispute resolutions. Good grief.

It appears you'd sue them for any expenditure involving taxpayer money, but it's alright with you if your board takes out some of the money from the SRF loan for non-wastewater expenditures. You giveth -- supposedly to reimburse the district with damages -- and taketh away by mooching off the state and leaving the district in a financial Hellhole before this new board is sworn in.

Let's suppose for a moment that everything you have said about the CSD5 is true, okay? Given that the board has done some pretty dumb things, the accountability goes back to when your board started to tamper with taxpayer money and recently, I checked that the statute of limitations is alive and well to pursue legal action against your board.

How dare you come on here and blame everything on the new board without taking into account that you -- yes, you! -- contributed to the divisiveness and the financial downfall of the district. The proof is as evident as the sky is blue.

So do the community a big favor and bug off. I don't think it would be wise for you to keep posting what you're posting.

Unknown said...

...but you osos change, have your head between your legs... The CSD5 made decisions to perform ILLEGAL actions....!!!! Paying their individual lawyers with our tax dollars for work done OUTSIDE the office of CSD...infact they had been sueing and sueing (and LOST everytie>..!!!) BEFORE there became the post recall crooks....!!!! You already know this, but your sinus's are too full of your own fecal matter... and now they are useing our tax dollars to continue to defent their ILLEGAL actions...

Ask why hasn't the post recall CSD sued Blesky and Wildan...??? Think about it...think about the many late night meetings Julie had with Blesky... Think about why Lisa had to sole source, that means without competitive bids osos change, the legal work to Al Barrow and her own lawyers outside the CSD... Thank about it... Do you believe the CSD5 were honest and legal in the selection of the IGM and the legal firm...??? Do you think this community was served openly and with a transparentcy that Lisa said she would make sure of...????

Richard LeGros said...

Osos Change,

So Osos Change, if you are so angry with the old board, why then are you not angry at the CSD5 for the damage they have caused?

-R

Osos Change said...

Where did I say I wasn't, Princess?

Shark Inlet said...

OsosChange,

If it is fair for people to call me a TriW and gravity supporter based on the fact that I've always questioned the claims of those who propose "alternatives" without substantiation .... why wouldn't it be fair for Richard and others to view you as whining only about the pre-recall board? After all, I don't see you writing very often (if at all) about the failures of the post recall board.

That being said, it seems pretty clear that if you're angry at the post recall board ... and you're awfully quite about it when you're so darn vocal about other things it would seem that you're not very troubled by them at all.

If you wanna clarify your anger towards the post-recall board, we would appreciate it.

Osos Change said...

There's no reason to write what so many others have expressed and there has been no indication that I've disputed any of it.

I don't think it's fair to beat on a dead, rotting horse.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

Then osos change, tell us that you agree with us that you think the "new" Board has hosed the community.
Not disputing it is not the same thing.

You say about the 'new" Board, "I don't think it's fair to beat on a dead, rotting horse," yet you rag on the old Board incessantly. Is it because you believe that it is NOT a dead, rotting horse?

Mark said...

Lynette,
Richard's board set the tone, then sued after he was removed from office, causing taxpayers to watch their money shoveled into things like needlessly cutting down trees at Tri-W and elsewhere to feed lawyer's printers.

Where is the GRAVITY tech Memo?

Shark Inlet said...

OsosChange,

Should we take your words as indicating that you agree with Richard and Toons that the post-recall board is worse than the gang who couldn't shoot straight?

Unless you come out and say it, there will be many who think you're a supporter of the actions of Julie and Chuck.

And, if this is the case, how could you support Karen who seems to support every action by the Lisa and Chuck boards?

Mark said...

From AB2701:
(2) (A) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, on and after
January 1, 2007, the Los Osos Community Services District shall not
undertake any efforts to design, construct, and operate a community
wastewater collection and treatment system within, or for the benefit of,
the district. The district shall resume those powers on the date specified in
any resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 25825.5.
(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the district’s power to do any
of the following:
(i) Operate wastewater collection and treatment facilities within the
district that the district was operating on January 1, 2006.

There are 2 CDO's in place against the LOCSD since November 1998

Mark said...

(4) If the county constructs and operates a wastewater collection and
treatment system pursuant to this section, not less than three years after the
operation of the system commences, the board and the board of directors
of the district shall mutually apply to the Central Coast Regional Water
Quality Control Board for a modification of the waste discharge permit,
requesting permission to transfer of the responsibility to operate the
wastewater collection and treatment system from the county to the district.
Consistent with that modification, the board shall adopt a resolution that
specifies the date on which the county will no longer exercise its powers
pursuant to this section.
(l) When the power and responsibility to construct and operate a
wastewater collection and treatment system transfers from the county to
the district pursuant to subdivision (k), the county shall do all of the
following:
(1) Promptly convey to the district any remaining retained fee interests
in any real property, rights-of-way, licenses, other interests in real
property, funds, and other personal property that the county previously
acquired pursuant to subdivision (h).
(2) Promptly convey to the district the wastewater collection and
treatment system that the county constructed pursuant to this section.
(3) Continue to collect any necessary assessments and use them to
repay any indebtedness incurred by the county to finance the construction
of the wastewater collection and treatment system pursuant to this section.
(4) The county shall cease collecting any benefit assessments after
repayment of any indebtedness incurred by the county to finance the
construction of the wastewater collection and treatment system.
(m) Nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing upon the
county any liability for any district decisions or actions, or failures to act,
or imposing upon the county any liability for any decisions or actions, or
failures to act, by any district officers, employees, or agents. In addition,
nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing upon the county any
liability for any prior or subsequent district liabilities, whether liquidated
or contingent, or any prior or subsequent liabilities of district officers,
employees, or agents, whether liquidated or contingent.

Mark said...

(i) After the approval of a benefit assessment, the board shall complete
a due diligence review before deciding to proceed with the construction
and operation of a wastewater collection and treatment system. The board
shall consider any relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the
prompt availability of reasonable and sufficient financing, the status of
enforcement actions, the successful development of reasonable project
technology and location options, the availability of any necessary permits
and other approvals, and the absence of other significant impediments. At
the completion of this due diligence review, the board shall adopt a
resolution declaring its intention to proceed or not proceed with the
construction and operation of the wastewater collection and treatment
system.
(j) Collection of assessments may not commence until the adoption of
the resolution to proceed pursuant to subdivision (i).

Mark said...

"the successful development of reasonable project
technology"

Where is the GRAVITY tech memo?

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

mark, your repeated questioning shows me two things - that NO ONE is communicating with you (your question was asked and answered at Thursday's Bruce Gibson office hours) and that you have NOT been reading the Tech Memos.

Since you show no ability to find these things on your own, (I guess because the word "gravity" wasn't in the title you ignored this one), here it is,
"Out of Town Conveyance." You can download this off the County website.

There, I have politely answered the question for you, now answer the one Shark asked and that I also would like answered:

How would a "no" vote on the 218 have done more for allowing the WWTF to be put out of town?

Churadogs said...

Mike sez:"Sheck is right to understand that the best role for DNA work is to provide evidence of innocence"

Once source says about $3,600 a month, and you seem to think the PZLDF case only consists of a few homeowners. The CSD itself has CDO's on it and, if I'm not mistaken, is why its defending itself. And "itself" seems to be one and the same with "the people" as a whole, which is why I asked in a previous comment section, just what IS the CSD -- the entire people living in the urban reserve line, as in The CSD IS the people and the people IS the CSD? Or simply a legal shell company, title holder for a few pieces of property? A water purveyor only?

Churadogs said...

richard sez:"Ann, the current dire financial condition of the LOCSD is directly due to the gross mismanagement of the LOCSD by the CSD5"

This repeated mantra will only work if you want people to completely forget that the hip bone was always connected to the ankle bone & etc. Without a Truth and Reconciliation Hearing, we'll never know, for example, how much Pandora's email to "Fine the CSD Out of Existence" actually cost the district, nor how much the previous Board's disasterous decision to try to file suit to Block Measure B before the election actually just set up a financial cascade and left the post recall CSD in an untenable position, not to mention the costs of starting work on that project unnecessarily, before the election, which guaranteed lawsuits and costs (on a case that still hasn't been settled -- Just WHO DID breach that contract) & etc. All of these decisions -- heck, go back to the original Ponds of Avalon -- and you'll see these tragic linkages, lies, missteps, governmental failures, oversight failures,regulatory failures, poisonous politics, Medean craziness, revenge, linked cascading financial disasters . . . wooooo! it's an amazing brew with many players, and, as I've repeatedly said and written -- TOTALLY UNNECESSARY! Tragically unnecessary. And claiming that the Board you served on was somehow "clean" of this mess is simply false.Like it or not, you, the pre-recall board and the post recall board are joined at the hip and will remains so for all time. Neither can be separated from the other -- ankle bone, knee bone, hip bone. Or, in this case, engine, coal car, caboose, all hurtling towards the cliff on an improperly laid track with all hands on board shoveling coal into the firebox and all the traffic routers flipping the wrong switches and the whole lot of them pointing at each other saying, "Nuh, huh, not MY reponsibility, Bait & Switchy? What's that?, Shoot the brakeman!More coal! More coal!"

Unknown said...

Sorry Ann... The only "Bait & Switchy" going on here is the CSD saying they would pay 25% of the PZLDF lawsuit and now we're being told that because this is somehow was always bigger than the 20 folks of the PZLDF, so that of course the CSD has to pick up the whole tab... Oh such honesty... make a publicly announced agreement and then change it in some secret meeting... or was the announcement only a fraud designed to make it only sound reasonable...????

Such wonderful news... the CSD threw 100% of the legal fees away on yet another failed lawsuit...!!!!

Sorry Ann, but you have harped on the previous CSD doing a B&S and have castigated the Taxpayers Watch for their lawsuit, even made it sound as if TW wasn't paying their bill to LAFCo... But Anne, here you are, a signer of the PZLDF lawsuit, with a publicly stated agreement that the CSD would pay only 25% and PZLDF paying 75%... and now you are telling us that the agreement was changed...???? When did the CSD make that decision...??? What public meeting or even agenda...??? Why isn't PZLDF living up to the agreement...????

If you want a clear example of Bait & Switchy", then simply look in the mirror... Ann, you are part of a big lie and the reason this community hates this CSD.... This CSD is nothing but a bunch of crooks stealing taxpayer money on the endless quest of a few "activists" to never admit that Los Osos needs a sewer...

Bait & Switchy... yes Ann, that's you and your PZLDF/post-recall CSD friends...

Mark said...

Lynette,

The memo you refered to located @ http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/AssetFactory.aspx?did=17255 does not address the 40-80 miles (on-lot and in street) of sewerage it will take to become hooked up to the "Out of Town Conveyance" system.

The question still stands: Where is the GRAVITY tech memo?

I understand that you think Supervisor Gibson answered the question when he did not.

Perhaps a little more reading will improve your comprehendsion.

However, it is impossible to teach someone something he/she thinks they already know.

If the county's consulting engineer can to an out of town conveyance memo, why didn't they do the entire project?

Ron said...

Ann wrote:

"... we'll never know, for example, how much Pandora's email to "Fine the CSD Out of Existence" actually cost the district..."

Actually, she did much more than just send an e-mail to Roger Briggs asking that he fine Los Osos "out of existence." She went so far as to develop and implement a "strategy" to have her "friends," like Jerry Gregory and Leon Van Beurden, e-mail Briggs as well, asking for fines.

I wrote all about that at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2006/05/contrast.html

Ann:

"... heck, go back to the original Ponds of Avalon -- and you'll see these tragic linkages, lies, missteps, governmental failures, oversight failures,regulatory failures, poisonous politics, Medean craziness, revenge, linked cascading financial disasters . . . wooooo!"

Yes, Nash-Karner's "Ponds of Avalon," that she relentlessly sold to the community in 1998 and was solely responsible for forming the LOCSD in the first place, was/is the main cause of the train wreck today. But what I find interesting, is, you can even go back further, to 1990, when Nash-Karner, as Bud Laurent's "campaign materials manager," saturated Los Osos with her brand of "campaign material" and got Laurent elected over Coy.

In 1990, Coy was a 'yes' vote to continue with the county's project. Laurent was a 'no' vote... for eight years. Just long enough for Nash-Karner to form the Solution Group and sell Los Osos on her "better, cheaper, faster" "Ponds of Avalon," that delayed everything for another 10 years, and counting.

I wrote all about that at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2005/07/mangling-of-sewer-project.html

But I know, I know... I'm "stuck in the past."

Ann:

"TOTALLY UNNECESSARY!"

Yep.

Ann:

"Tragically unnecessary."

Yep.

Ann:

"And claiming that the Board you (Richard) served on was somehow "clean" of this mess is simply false."

Yep.

For God's sake, they, including SLO "Coastkeeper," Gordon Hensley, had to illegally override the ENTIRE environmental review process in order to get the Tri-W "sewer-park" (with a tot lot, picnic area, and an amphitheater... in a sewer plant) permitted.

I wrote all about that at this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-ought-to-be-law-part-ii-oh-wait.html

Ann:

"Or, in this case, engine, coal car, caboose, all hurtling towards the cliff on an improperly laid track with all hands on board shoveling coal into the firebox and all the traffic routers flipping the wrong switches and the whole lot of them pointing at each other saying, "Nuh, huh, not MY reponsibility, Bait & Switchy? What's that?, Shoot the brakeman!More coal! More coal!"

Funny.

Mike wrote:

"If you want a clear example of Bait & Switchy", then simply look in the mirror... Ann, you are part of a big lie and the reason this community hates this CSD.... This CSD is nothing but a bunch of crooks stealing taxpayer money on the endless quest of a few "activists" to never admit that Los Osos needs a sewer..."

What a stupid thing to say.

Mike, you, like Richard, CAN'T answer this question: Why did the Coastal Commission call the LOCSD "bait and switchy" in 2004, and what was the dramatic fallout of "bait and switchy?"

Mike, if you were clear on "bait and switchy," you wouldn't be saying stupid things like that.

You should read up.

I recommend this link:

http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2005/09/bait-and-switchy-pays-off-for-los-osos.html

Now, be angry.

Unknown said...

Sorry Ron, you are still stuck in the past... Pandora's words are gone, time has moved forward...

The post recall team said they had a Plan for the future... They didn't, in fact they were simply lieing... then they proceeded to crusade against all governement in battles they were ill prepared to wage... and time continued...

The sewer, ponds of avalon, pyrana's, reclamators and all forms of alternative human waste treatment systems floated in and out... The State final took the project from the small time politico's of Los Osos and told the County to get a sewer, any sewer, anywhere, build for Los Osos... but the post recall CSD and a handful of supporters wouldn't accept that decision... but time marched on, Ron Crawford unfortunately was stuck way in the past, never understanding the time changes thoughts and directions...

The CSD morphed into a social club bent on stealing what funds were left in the accounts, they filed for bankruptcy protection, but continued to rob the treasury... They continued the dream that they somehow could influence the sewer that is coming, they blamed everyone and everything except their very own incompetance... They remain blinded by their rage that they real have no influence...and time continued...

Now today, something Ron Crawford knows very little about, but today we find the LOCSD funding another legal crusade and continueing to lie to the community... They said they would "assist" yet another of the Gail McPherson begun small groups to sue the State of California Water Board...

Now you should understand that Gail has had a chip on her shoulder ever since she was fired and settled to pay a $40,000 fine for her poor Waste Water management performance and falsification of records in Riverside... Great role model don't ya think...??? But somehow she was able to lead Lisa Schicker into supporting her revenge filled haterd of the Water Boards... Pandora was a saint compared to Gail...

But as time moved forward, Gail convienced Lisa to champion a lawsuit against the Water Board by a small group called the PZLDF... The CSD even agreed to finance the crusade up to 25% of the cost...by the way, there was never a limit as to how much the cost could be... $1,000,000...??? $40,000,000...??? As we all know, the lawsuit fell on it's face, another poorly written and presented frivelous lawsuit... But, time moved to today... Gail McPherson has disappeared, but the CSD suddenly was shown to be now robbing yet another account to pay, not some magically 25%, but apparently the whole 100% of the PZLDF lawsuit... Tell us Ron, how much has the PZLDF paid of the 25%...????

That should bring Ron up to todate, but I fear he is stuck somewhere in 2000 to 2003 and is afraid to move forward...

Today Ron, we have a small group, called the PZLDF without their founder and leader and with some delusion that they represent the rest of the community... They took no vote but they are trying to make the world believe they are the voice of Los Osos... They ARE NOT...!!! They are a small group of dissidents complaining that they "might" be subjected to fines because they object to any sewer... Sorry friends, PZLDF does NOT represent Los Osos....!!!!

However, the CSD is still spending the communities tax dollars on the failed lawsuit filed by the PZLDF and signed by Ann Cahoun...

Should the community be angry...??? Why not...??? We've been lied to again by Chuck, Lisa, Julie, Gail,Ann... and just to help bring you up in time Ron, neither Pandora, Maria, Gordon, Richard, TW or the rest of the community had a thing to do with the PZLDF failure, and we sure didn't have any input on the LOCSD's "Bait & Switchy" phoney balony 25%/75% split of legal fees... we don't even know how much the bill is for that failed legal crusade....

Osos Change said...

Steve and Lynette obviously are not well-versed in my posts. I don't feel it's necessary to beat on a dead horse.

The CSD5 screwed up, I agree. The CSD5 has not be truthful with the community and in effect, reversing their post-recall campaign promises. I agree, but I don't go as far as to demonize them on an hourly basis as a means of overcompensating for failures and and half-truths on my end.

You guys insist on talking about having productive discourse yet you refuse to take accountability and take a step back and think, "Wait, maybe I'm a tad obsessed about this?" Both of you insist on supporting Maria Kelly, but Kelly keeps harping on eliminating innuendo -- yet you continue to fuel the flames. Get over it.

In case you respond to this post by saying, "But OsosChange, you evoked innuendo by harassing Shark Inlet," and you know what? I find what he's said and done on those blogs is parallel to what happened in 1997 at Virginia Commonwealth University where he worked before: using his time on campus to form a political agenda and propagandize for Tri-W since November 6, 2005, the day he registered on SanLuisObispo.com. Despite his pseudo-academic discourse, he has vouched for a system that the majority of Los Osos voted against in 2005 and spent hours calling board members, "Grade-A assholes" among other things, further creating a divide in the community.

And Lynette, your husband, Lou, has done his part in dividing the community by threatening violence, throwing temper tantrums, assaulting people when he lived in Laguna Beach, CA and now he parades as "Mike" obviously because both him and Lou have expressed their liking of fermented septic cocktails (Lou had issued a similar comment at one of the last LOCSD meetings he spoke at).

So if you want me to join you on bashing people, count me out. You've done enough damage already. There's no reason for me to contribute to it.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

osos change, you have no idea what "out-of-town" really means, do you? You have no idea that this WWTF will only address getting the waste out of town and cleaning it up to secondary treatment. The water will be sprayed onto fields and lost to the community.

The Water Purveyors. They are behind the progress made so far on the treatment plant on their task, which is a basin management plan. Only with the County's aid have they been slowly working together to figure out what to do with the water that somehow must come back, sometime, to recharge the basin. Without that we will be looking at Nacimiento water. We must clean up the water to Title 22 and to bring it to Broderson to slowly percolate back into the lower aquifer to recharge it. Broderson is the only place that this can happen. Please remember, the CSD is bankrupt with an almost non-existent credit rating and Golden State is slow as molasses with its need to ask the PUC if it can sneeze, S & T is too small to worry about.

So what will we see in our future - another assessment to PAY FOR WATER. Will it be for our own water to be cleaned up further and re-used, or will it be Nacimientio? How much will that be - WHO KNOWS! Will it be cheap- well, what do you think?

We could have had a plant that would have done all of this for us - at Tri-W, so when you think of dissing Shark for putting out the costs of Tri-W ($205/mo.) vs. "out-of-town," (who the hell know$$) you might want to think again.

PS - with Nacimiento water, which could be helped along by building investors, how might Los Osos grow? As Bahman Shiekh of the Ripley team has said, houses will be built up right to the edge of the treatment plant. I think our citizens who traveled to Scott's Valley on the wastewater field trip can speak to this.

Osos Change said...

Don't change the subject, Lynette unless you want to dig a bigger hole for yourself. I'm sure George Milanés will let you borrow a shovel.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

Please cite where Lou has divided the community by threatening violence, throwing temper tantrums, assaulting people when he lived in Laguna Beach? Where are you getting this stuff?

I don't know who Mike is, but if I am married to him, I guess I am a bigamist! There - now you can spread around -- that I am a bigamist! Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

Ron said...

As usual, my post above got me thinking.

It reminded me of one of my favorite sewer quotes:

"Pursuit of the Solution Group alternative also has the potential to result in significant delays to the implementation of a wastewater treatment project for the Los Osos area."
-- Steve Monowitz, former staff member for the California Coastal Commission, October 1998, one month before the election that would form the Los Osos Community Services District on the back of "the Solution Group alternative."

Monowitz -- freakin' brilliant.

So good. I just went and made that excellent quote a permanent quote on the right of SewerWatch -- just below Zinn's excellent quote -- where everyone that stops by can see it... anytime.

It's because of that quote that I nicknamed Steve Monowitz,"Steve Nostradomonowitz," after the famous seer.

Monowitz can predict the future... spooky.

'toons wrote:

"We could have had a plant that would have done all of this for us - at Tri-W"

That's incorrect. As TAC documents clearly show, and as I have been reporting for over four years, the Tri-W project was an embarrassing, illegal, "bait and switchy" mess, that was forced into the middle of town to cover up the fact that the project that formed the Los Osos CSD in the first place had failed.

The Tri-W project, clearly, was never going to work.

Unknown said...

Still stuck 4 years ago Ron...??? Your old worn out comments are no longer valid unless you only want to be known as a bitter old guy still fighting to elect Dewey...

Please up-date to 2008 and explain the current definition of "Bait & Switchy"... 25%/75% switched to 100%... and Ann knows she's part if the big switch (lie).... right there with Lisa and Gail...!!! Are you part of that lie also Ron...????

Unknown said...

BTW Ron... the former Tri-W site and system was fully design and had obtained ALL required permits... so how can you continue to think the project was illegal...???

Wake up Ron, many things have changed since you went into mental hibernation: Lisa and chronies won the recall, they halted the legal project, they spend all the District funds on legal crusades, Julie had a kid, TW was formed, The State took the sewer project away from the CSD, the CSD declared bankruptcy and now we have Karen's Docu-gate and the PZLDF and CSD doing a "Bait & Switchy" to cost the taxpayers even more in damages... You've missed a lot Ron... ask Ann what she's paid into the PZLDF/CSD failed lawsuit paid for by their very own "Bait & Switchy"....

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

ron, if ponds were such a bad idea, as it has panned out, why are the "out-of-towners" pushing for a pond with step/steg (also shot down) out of town? Guess they must be stuck in the past OR they think Pandora's idea was a pretty good one. Can't have it both ways.

Do you really think the Water Board's fines were inspired by a few letters rather than stopping the project? Weren't the threat of fines pushing the project ahead all along? Then when there was no project - bingo - fines. That was a surprise?

Unknown said...

Hi 'toons... I was unaware that we were connected... I'm flattered, but alas, only an admire'r from afar... ;-)

It is amusing to read some of the guesses, although getrealosos will have already madeup yet another rumor... I was in Richmond, Virginia once upon a time, was it good for you too.... That ought to start getrealosos wagging.... lolololo....

Unknown said...

Mike said
“They are a small group of dissidents complaining that they "might" be subjected to fines because they object to any sewer...”

No Mike, the CDO recipients were supposedly randomly selected, and many were not affiliated with any pro or anti sewer groups. The only thing all these people have in common is a lien on their homes for up to $5000 a day retroactive to 1988 or about $40 million on the first day of fines………

Bet you TPW & associates had brokered a deal with Briggs so you wouldn’t have a lien. Let the CCRWQCB take care of the gentrification of LO for you. All you need to do now is get Maria and Marshall in office, and along with Joe, Pandora, and Briggs, you can clean out the town of everyone except those you consider desirable.

Since the majority of residents do not have any part in your plans for the future of LO, I think that it is fair to say that the current CSD does have a responsibility to defend the rest of us from the CCRWQCB and associates, TPW.

Unknown said...

NO... absolutely NOT...!!!

All we need is a sewer...oh my, we would have had one by now, but the post recall CSD of Lisa, Julie, Chuck, John and Steve halted a legally permitted sewer and then proceeded to spit in the face of all the permitting agencies...

My, is there any wonder the State Water Board issued CDO's to get this community off it's butt and do what it had fought for 8 years to design and permit...??? You and I know that the State does not entend to enforce those CDO's once the County constructs the sewer...

Of course you may disagree as part of your game to never have any sewer, anywhere near the perfect nation of Los Osos... Get over it Jane, there will be a sewer and all those opposed will have cost the rest of us much much more than would have ever been necessary... I hope Lisa realized how much damage she has caused as she blindly followed Gail and Al Barrow... I do support the TW suit to make Lisa return the millions she stole from this community... The sewer is coming Jane... enjoy it or move... The rest of the law respecting community wish you goodbye...

Osos Change said...

Please cite where Lou has divided the community by threatening violence, throwing temper tantrums, assaulting people when he lived in Laguna Beach? Where are you getting this stuff?

I did a background check on Lou. Police records reveal quite a tale. Also, before you paid attention to LOCSD affairs and attended the meetings, your husband was well known for his antics and one time, I even recall him kicking one of the fold-out chairs next to him and spitting on the floor, then walking out the back door and saying to Waterworth that he wanted to "kick the sh*t" out of Chuck Cesena.

There's nothing to really "cite," Lynette. Your friends could even attest to his behavior. So to call him a "loose cannon" is being generous.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

Wrong Lou - check again!

He is leaning over my shoulder laughing at you post!!

He says you might check traffic tickets for something, (but actually all those have been paid)! Is that what you call a "police record?" Honey, you got gypped if you paid for this!

He has been known to "get in heated discussions with people and liken them to a bodily part, but he will do it up front and in person and not hide behind a blog alias."

Do you even know what he looks like? I'm curious now who you might be mistaking him with… Al? Keith? Budd?

GetRealOsos said...

Where's Shark?

I'll just have to post this (again) on the top thread.

Maria M. Kelly said...
This post has been removed by the author.
10:38 AM, OCTOBER 11, 2008

Pop!

9:12 PM, October 25, 2008
Blogger GetRealOsos said...

TO: Shark, the biggest twister in the West!

One difference here Shark!!... Maria blogs and Karen does not. This has nothing to do with Karen. You're twisting yet again Shark!!

I'd bet Karen has never seen the blog!

Maria on the other hand, has read and posted many times on this site.

Maria has had every opportunity in these three weeks to respond to my request.

As I said, many people read this blog (not just me Shark!) so Maria could and should have answered the issues I raised -- others may want to know too and this is a "forum" and not just "my vote".

Joe Sparks said at a recent CSD meeting that Maria talks to everyone!! That makes him a liar.

Note that Joe also praised Maria for her running her H20 etc. (it sounded as if he was supporting and talking about Gail). Yeah, Maria's real "open" and "honest". Funny.

Besides all that, Maria has been saying that she fully supports the County and its process. I asked her questions about this process, and she has refused to discuss it.

You're telling me that "others" have answered these points I've raised. Who are the others? And why not Maria? She's the candidate, not you and Sewertoons (if that's what you meant by "others"). But I did vote for Lynette last time. At least Lynette is honest about everything. Maria is not.

Maria shouldn't say she'll talk to anyone, and Joe Sparks shouldn't say she will either! If she's gonna defend the County to the end, she should answer the key points that I've raised, otherwise, it shows she is 100% biased and the voting public has the right to know that.

Shark, you bring up Karen and this has absolutely nothing to do with Karen! It's you turning things around AGAIN and twisting AGAIN, AND SPINNING AGAIN to protect Maria with your bias. (Obviously!!)

You both have a very bad agenda and it has to be stopped.

On top of that, you don't know if Karen is my "favorite" candidate. I know she has the experience in the financial area and seems to be professional, but if she is influenced by the same people that this CSD board has been influenced by, then I think that it is proof that we shouldn't have a CSD at all, and never should have had one until after a sewer was built!!

But we needed someone to pay for the darn thing. The County didn't want to pay. The people outside the PZ didn't want to pay, etc. etc.

If Maria doesn't know that the division in this town doesn't have a lot to do with the illegal PZ zone and she thinks it's right and fair, then I have a problem with that. I have a problem about her support of the County when the County has not done anything right yet.

It certainly looks to me like they've been paving the way right back to the same project. (Anyone who can't see that must be blind).

I'm not whining, but would like Maria to defend Paavo, Noel, Mark Hutchison, Shirley, and Bruce's comments and actions that lead right back to Tri-W.

Osos Change said...

Lynette,

I'm laughing at Lou while he's laughing at my posts. He damn well knows what I'm talking about. Traffic tickets? You should have a long talk with your husband because he's obviously not telling you the whole story.

Joke's on you, of course.

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

Hey - prove it! Dare ya!

Unknown said...

Mike said,
“I do support the TW suit to make Lisa return the millions she stole from this community...”
“and I know that the State does not entend to enforce those CDO's once the County constructs the sewer...”

Mike, I do support the PZLDF suit to support the people from persecution for the sins of others.

The CDO court case is not about stopping a wastewater project. It is all about punishing innocent citizens for government failure. You obviously have some inside information (and trust your CCRWQCB informants) if you believe that the CCRWQCB never planned to fine these people out of existence (as your group, TW asked for)

If the case had not been filed, everyone except the TW chosen few would now have CAOs for $40 million with no opportunity to challenge the orders. But, I’m sure you know this. It is the undesirables that you (and Maria and Marshall and other TW associates) want to deceive.

TW strategy: Hide your associates, take over the town, throw away the trash (the 90% of citizens who do not meet your standards), and build the community you envision, enjoy your windfall. It is pure greed.

It started with greedy developers and real estate agents brokering a deal with the CCRWQCB to build 1150 homes with septic tanks over an aquifer they said was polluted. It continued when those very agents asked the CCRWQCB to fine us out of existence.

It amazes me that fools actually have Maria and Marshall signs alongside Obama signs. Is it part of the campaign strategy……Do the fools actually not realize the contradiction? You are prime examples of the greedy Republican crooks that have brought this country to the brink of destruction.

Unknown said...

Jane, this isn't a religious war or even a Democrate/Republican campaign... This is about a group of folks making poor decisions based on poor legal advice or personal extreme agenda's in making illegal actions... There really are laws which govern what a CSD is allowed and not allowed to do...

You have no idea who I am, whether a Protestant, Catholic, Muslim or Agnostic, Democrat, Republican or Independent, for Measure 8 or against... and quite frankly, it's none of your business...!!! ...and I could care less which tags you chose to wear....

What you should be concerned about is the continual (at least until the majority of the CSD changes) drain of the diminishing District funds and specifically in this outrageous case of the CSD paying for the lawsuit of a few residents against the State Water Board... That was a total waste of both time and money....!!!! The concentration by the CSD should be on resolving the bankruptcy, not throwing money in a lawsuit they knew they could not win even small minor arguments... A very poorly prepared and presented lawsuit....!!!

I have no problem with a group such as the PZLDF sueing anyone they wish....as long as THEY pay ALL THE COSTS...!!!! Don't try to say you are representing all of the community because very clearly, you are not...!!!! It is very offense and probably illegal for the CSD to even be a party to that lawsuit...!!!!!!!

Ron said...

Do do do dodo dodo dodo do, do do... the hip bone's connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the... oh, I'm sorry. That song's been stuck in my head since yesterday.

Mike wrote:

"Your old worn out comments are no longer valid..."

[Insert buzzer sound here.]

My tight comments WOULD no longer be valid if it weren't for the fact that the Solution Group people that delayed a sewer in Los Osos for 10 years, and counting (just like Monowitz predicted), are the EXACT SAME PEOPLE from Taxpayers Watch, today, that are running around doing anything (and I mean anything) to destroy the people that democratically beat them in an election.

See what I mean there? If the Solution Group people, like Nash-Karner, and Hensley, and Semonsen and Frieler, etc. had just gone away after the recall, and Taxpayers Watch was comprised of, you know, different people, I wouldn't have to continually bring this stuff up.

But, thankfully, for the sake of my story, they didn't. So, bless their bitter, little, tiny, vindictive hearts.

Journalistically speaking, they're the best.

... the hip bone's connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the do do...

'toons wrote:

"ron, if ponds were such a bad idea, as it has panned out, why are the "out-of-towners" pushing for a pond with step/steg (also shot down) out of town? Guess they must be stuck in the past OR they think Pandora's idea was a pretty good one. Can't have it both ways."

'toons, you do this a lot -- Because you only listen to your Taxpayer Watch friends, and you either don't read, or don't have the mental wherewithal to process my blog, you are embarrassingly uninformed, and therefore, you continually let your mouth write checks that your brain can't cash.

For the millionth time... It wasn't the ponds that made Pandora's plan dead-on-arrival. Pandora's plan was never going to work because it only collected a small portion of the PZ. That fact alone, made her "better, cheaper, faster" project dead-on-arrival, and Briggs and Co. made her very aware of that fact waaaaay before the election that formed the CSD on the back of "better, cheaper, faster."

'toons, piece of advice: You should mix in some of your own research, like I have, instead of just listening to Pandora, or Gordon, which is always a gigantic mistake. Just ask Jeff Young.

And speaking of Jeff Young, and people whose mouths write checks that their brains can't cash...

'toons wrote:

"Do you really think the Water Board's fines were inspired by a few letters rather than stopping the project? Weren't the threat of fines pushing the project ahead all along? Then when there was no project - bingo - fines. That was a surprise?"

Oh, do I have some outstanding news for the CDOers (you guys aren't going to believe what home boy's uncovered.) I can't wait to publish it, but I've decided to wait until after the election, because, it's very important, and there's just too much noise going on right now with the election.

But, I hear there's a local Water Board meeting in early December. I'll have it published by then, and I just might make a point of attending that meeting... just to watch it unfold. Because, if all goes as planned, that's going to be beautiful to watch.

How's that for a tease?

Churadogs said...

Ah, a December Water Board Hearing and a promised Doozie of some sort unfolding? Well, it's Los Osos, whose paswords are always -- Stay Tuned--We'll see.

So, I give you guys a lovely Saturday poem. No comments? and the weird issue with the Former Fed Chairman? HUGE doings. No comments? No opinons? You people are getting dull, like a cat continuously chasing it's tale even though there are wonderful mice all around.

Richard LeGros said...

Ann,

Go ahead....Insult and 'mau-mau' your readers! Take will get the response you crave. LOL


-R

Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...

jane says:
"The CDO court case is not about stopping a wastewater project. It is all about punishing innocent citizens for government failure"

An unintended consequence (ha-ha) of PZLDF winning that suit would be the busting up of the PZ. No PZ? No sewer project! But that is your intent, isn't it? Too bad for you that you are losing that suit, but good for the rest of us who want the County to get the thing BUILT- but OOPS, I guess I will be paying for it, won't I as that 75% just isn't getting any cash to pay it down, is it?

Shark Inlet said...

Ann,

Greenspan's comments were right on the money ... he was calling out investment banks for their greed.

Essentially Lehman, AIG (sure they're an insurance company, but the financial products we are talking about are sort of like "insurance" and like betting on a stock to rise or to fall) and the rest were all willing to make loans to each other and insure those loans on the assumption that the subprime market was far more sound than it, in fact, was.

Myopia, greed, irrational exuberence ... whatever you wanna call it, it ran thru the entire industry.


Now we have a situation (unlike in England where the Government took part ownership of the banks and required them to loan out money to the credit market in exchange for the cash infusion) where banks have taken the cash and still aren't lending it.

Dunno the solution, but I do know that it is hard to make people loan out money when they are afraid that in doing so, they'll lose it.

We have a crisis of confidence. No one really believes that the government will actually bail out GM and every other firm which is troubled. On the other hand, if no one loans money to firms which need it for day to day transactions ... because we're all afeared of losing all the money ... the economy will retract considerably.

This is time to start with some basic reporting regulations at least. If AIG (for example) reports who they're loaning money to and who they've insured (like in a prospectus), people who deal with AIG can at least asses how likely they think AIG is to survive another week or month. This will make some confident enough to loan to AIG for the short run. If no one knows who AIG has loaned money to, no one will know how likely it is that AIG will survive the month and if that chance is high enough, others will loan to AIG without hesitation.

Nope, Greenspan assumed that banks and others would make protective decisions but that didn't happen because the easy money was waaaaaay to tempting.