Thursday, September 17, 2009
A Question For All Concerned
Here's a question for Dan De Vaul and the County, as De Vaul's code violation trial continues: Do you want to help homeless people or do you want to be right?
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I copied this quote from a recent Trib article, because I love the “telescope and a speed dial” smack:
"De Vaul’s attorney, Jeffrey C. Stulberg, said that his client is trying to help a 'voiceless community' and that he has been targeted by wealthy neighbors with a 'telescope and a speed dial.'"
That's great! I'm a fan of this Stulberg guy.
Unfortunatly, we already know the answer to your question. If all the money spent on this trial could have been spent on the homeless, a bunch of unfortunate people would have permanent shelter by now.
The KCBX fall pledge drive is on right now. Donors have the option of foregoing premiums and choosing instead to have KCBX donate a certain number of meals to the Food Bank based on the amount of the donation. Total meal donations so far are down hugely from last year, and we all know the need is greater. There is still time to pledge to KCBX and provide meals to the needy at the same time. There is a base pledge for the meal donation, which I believe is the $52 "dollar-a-week" pledge.
Ron,
No offense, but I don't believe that De Vaul is as much motivated by a sense of trying to help the homeless and those with dependencies as he is motivated by the desire to win no matter what.
Yes, his advocacy for the homeless is laudable, but he's had years to make changes to bring his property up to code and he's had multiple chances given by the BOS to change his ways. Instead of doing what he's been asked to do, he's instead hired lawyers and spent more money on those lawyers than he would have spent had he simply complied with the requirements of the County.
Now, if those requirements are in error, sure he has a point, but no one else has been advocating for lax building codes of late.
Nope, Stulberg is just a regular lawyer, trying to put the best case forward, but De Vaul's actions belie Stulberg's claims. Simply put, someone who really wanted to help the homeless would have been willing to do the right thing and house them in a safe home instead of making those homeless recovering addicts into political pawns.
Word verification (because it's so darn good): obosoma.
Gotta wonder, who would have really been harmed if no action was taken?
DeVaul?- nope, just muddles along.
The unfortunates living on DuVaul's property?
Probably not. gotta stay sober and work.
The homeless and outcast of our society?
Uh, no.
SLOcounty coffer's for lawyers?
Uh, no cha-ching. (good for us, bad for them, I know it's a hard concept, but pettifogging is expensive)
Code enforcement in SLO county is complaint driven.
Eyesore foul, that's it.
To Mike's list, I would add . . . until "something" happens and somebody dies or is injured, then the lawyers would show up big time crying murder!and gross negligence! and both DeVaul and the County would be the big-pocket suee of choice.Sigh.
Telescope and a speed dial.That's great.
But now we're all stuck with the question: Getting something actually done or spending time and money "rights fighting." More sigh.
Mr Dan De Vaul has done more for the Individuals needing assistance, than all the other charities and government agencies combined. Living in a structure that is unsafe by county code does present problems for the County, even if that living is superior to the alternative; Under a freeway embankment.
Unfortunately Mr. Duval in addition to several magnificant historical vehicles, owns and keeps a large number of unrepairable "Junkers", including mobile home dwellings, all of which pose a real danger to the environment. The shell game that Mr De Vaul has played with county code enforcement, is a real barrier.
While I have supported Mr. Duval by giving public testemony to suggest that the county not impound his vehicles in the normal manner. (this would generate high, fast accumulating storage fees).
I was compelled to mention to Mr Art Trinidad of county code enforcement; "there is no accounting for the love affair between an American and the automobile(s)"
There may be lot of unspoken history in those old "agriculture" buildings on Dan Du Vaul's property.
Perhaps some investigative reporter (if there are any around anymore) will do a Paul Harvey type of story.
I've heard numerous times from real old timers in the area (over beers of course) that the old buildings on the property
were the regular hangout, after hours, for County officials, including Judges and DA folk to play cards and drink whatever.
If this is true, perhaps he should be given a pass, eh?
I've heard many descriptions of Dan Duvauls' character from said people, not all bad;
Decent and kind person.
Plain spoken old man.
Made some mistakes, who hasn't.
A few imperfections.
A stubborn obstinate old geezer.
Perhaps the jury will see him as just a doddering old man with moss growing on his back who can't remember what was said to him from one minute to the next and give him a break.
Old guys rule.
I went to high school with Dan... He is just being stubborn and playing the system... He sure could have planted trees and shrubs years ago to screen off the telescopes, but he just decided to be bull headed... The place looks terrible and everyone, including Dan, knows it... He's had the manpower to have cleaned out place and has had the time to have screened off the snotty lawyer on the lake...
No matter how noble his cause to rescue some down and outers, he has deliberately played with his neighbors and the County... Time is now to clean out that junk yard and stop the pollutants that are leeching into the lake... I do wonder if the County has some interest in acquiring the property for a possible rehab center and homeless shelter...sans the junk...
Mike sez:"I do wonder if the County has some interest in acquiring the property for a possible rehab center and homeless shelter...sans the junk..."
In a county strapped for cash, methinks another scheme might be to acquire the property, swap it out to a developer who would put in gorgeous high-end homes (with all that nice property tax) with the usual green-belting, and end up with some lower-end mitigation property somewhere else for homeless shelters that wouldn't be near or arround very, very high end homes.
Good Morning Ann... I was trying to be nice... I believe you are closer to the truth than you know... and in my mixing bowl of a crystal ball, I see much more development marching through the LO Valley once that high capacity water treatment system finally gets built... say what you will about the precious ag land, but housing and commercial development brings tons more tax bucks to the cash strapped county than ag products... Tri-W would not have opened the gates, but thanks to the "move the sewer" folks, we'll see nice tax paying subdivisions all the way from Foothill to Los Osos...
Try sticking your head in the magic sand and say it ain't ever gonna happen, but look at the housing needs of SLO County and look at the demographics of those moving here from LA and Orange, they know all about subdivisions and tax bases... Some of those will get involved with County government and over time the need for taxes will be balanced against the need for the small LOV farms... SLO gets most of it's produce and meats from outside the county, a lot of it outside the country... so what will stop the SLO County from changing a few ordinances "for the good of the people" and allowing the total development of LOV... maybe not in what remains of our life times, but it is coming... and the "move the sewer" folks should get all the credit... at least 2 of the current activists want their part of the development pie today and now...!!!!
Have a nice day...!!!!
Mike
I'm sure there is more to the story than we are "allowed" to hear because of the gag oder.
It's tuff dealing the host of government agencies that are not necessarily on the same page.
I remember about 25 years ago getting a notice from County Fire to cut weeds on some property, then a little later the Fish &
Game folk were ragging on me for doing it. I showed him the written notice. Then the two got together and changed the wording in the notices.
Alex Madonna had to threaten to to start a pig farm on some property to get the County's attention, perhaps that would work for Dan Du Vaul.
Oink - oink.
Fogswamp... so what are you saying..??? You think that Dan should kick all the folks out, sell the junk for scrap and, because it's "ag" land, he should develop a pig farm...??? Great thinking, but not going to happen... that stunt has been worked to death and ain't gonna happen... Dan's just being stubborn... Haven't seen what the jury is saying, but Dan has brought this on himself...
What you need to be aware of is that his parcels could easily be developed... more traffic, more taxes... could be enough incentive to look farther up the valley... I graduated high school with Jack Tonini and he's ready to sell to the next developer through the door... all we need is a nice big sewer pond and the sweet smell of tax dollars from a couple subdivisions... Thanks for halting Tri-W, it would have slowed the march of progress up LOVR...
BTW...while I'm sure the CalTrans gang are not smart enough to have thought about it, but they could have a nice project to work between Foothill Blvd and Montana de Oro... about 4 to 6 lanes...
Yup, don't you just love progress...
Mike, are you saying that the sewer i'm going to pay for is going to allow growth from Foothill to Montana De Oro? 250,000 from one of your earlier statements.
Maybe your over use of !!!! and ???? and #### leads me to believe you exagerate things a little.
I will say though, that anybody that defends Duval never really touches on the fact that an individual can't just start doing something of this nature without getting permits and licenses and stuff. I mean we do have rules don't we?
Anybody ever look at how much money he is taking in?
Sincerely, M
M - which do you think has the best potential to limit growth in OUR area:
1. Tri-W - which physically cannot be expanded to accommodate any more growth than buildout
OR
2. A plant anywhere out of town on acreage, either belonging to the plant itself or surrounding it.
M... you are being too naivete if you think "rules" would stop the County from allowing the few farms in the LOV to be sold to developers... In fact, the "cash strapped" county would welcome the housing which means taxes, much more taxes than small farms generate... The ag land can be shown to have ceased to be producing enough produce as to be meaningful... Homes and the revolving door of ownership means increasing taxes for the service we have all come to expect... You can bet there will be housing from SLO to LO and no ag land save some golf courses... Just wait and see... in the mean time continue to thank the obstructionists who want that mega sewer out of town...and they want to develop a few pieces of their own...just ask Julie and her "friend" Mr.Edwards... Enjoy all your new commuter buddies along the LOV Highway....
M... Dan has been playing games with the permitting authorities for way too long... SLO doesn't have much of a Code Enforcment department, way understaffed and can only act if complaint is filed... That's why they are finally getting involved... It took a complaint to finally shut down Edward's shanty at the entrance to Montana de Oro... but because of the games with Dan, the rules have gotten tighter and more expensive to ignore...
Why would I want to limit growth? We can only grow so much anyway. I think the numbers Mike talks about is illogical. I would kind of like to maybe have a theater in this town. Maybe an auto parts store. Maybe a guitar store.
I have read that Tri-W was concepted to limit growth. Who gave the green light to those individuals to limit what the community might want?
I still say the Pismo site was perfect for this.
Sincerely, M
M... you are too deep in your box... and too many years too late... You should have been involved 10 to 12 years ago... before Gail came to town with her ax to grind and her imported clown... Before Lisa went eco-crazy...actually Lisa is an anti-growth eco crazy no sewer needed obstructionist... aaaa, no Julie was having her affairs long before that...
You are now too late to do anything except join the parade for the BOS, but that's not going to help solve the problem... You could join with Ann and Al and sue every government agency you see as disagreeing with your personal point of view... wear the tin foil hat too for the proper effect...
Mike sez:"Tri-W would not have opened the gates, but thanks to the "move the sewer" folks, we'll see nice tax paying subdivisions all the way from Foothill to Los Osos... "
Tri W would have had no effect on the sprawl what will happen. It is simply a given.
Fogswamp sez:"
Alex Madonna had to threaten to to start a pig farm on some property to get the County's attention, perhaps that would work for Dan Du Vaul."
Bwa-hahahah. Now there's an idea. Somebody with a telescope and a speed dial and a sensitive nose would be really, reeeeelly unhappy should he propose that, I'm sure.
Toonces sez:"M - which do you think has the best potential to limit growth in OUR area:
1. Tri-W - which physically cannot be expanded to accommodate any more growth than buildout
OR
2. A plant anywhere out of town on acreage, either belonging to the plant itself or surrounding it."
Aw, Toonces, you know perfectly well that the size of the treatement facility is what determines the area it services. If you think the proposed out of town sewer plant is intended to serve the entire Los Osos Valley, you need to check the capacity plans. Furthermore, pipe distance is also a limiting factor. When the valley gets infilled, they'll need another sewer plant somewhere inbetween SlowTown's and L.O.'s.
Ann...hmmmmm... and just how many treatment plants does all of SLO City have...??? Are you sure, apparently you have some pipe size/capacity calculations to show that the somewhere out of town treatment plant would handle only the Los Osos area and wouldn't be large enough for infill between Foothill and Turri...??? It wouldn't make sense to build a realtively small treatment plant on the very southern outer limit of Los Osos and not be large enough for expansion south... More of the NIMBY thinking of the sewer experts from Los Osos...
So Mike.....Ten to twelve years ago wasn't it the Pollutions group(good one FOGSWAMP)that put a stop to the Pismo site????? I notice you didn't mention any of those names!!!!! Most were former Citizens of the Year!!!!! Thanks for the servicing err.. service to our community!!!!
Tell you what. Why don't we build a plant on the very edge of downwind of town!!! Say Pismo st.!!!! Not in the middle of our freaking town!!!!
Coming up on the 4yr. anniversary of Black Tuesday for this community. I don't think anybody will be raising a toast to what has come out of it.
Sincerely, M
The jury is back on the job this morning.
I wonder whether the jury was given "nullification instructions", or not?
Seemingly, this would be a good defense strategy. Jurors could then disregard both the law and the evidence and acquit him for violating the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law, or perhaps the "conscience of the communty".
Churadogs
This was the remedy for the tyranny of the majority by John Calhoun (South Carolina)in the 1800s'. Any connection?
Re - Dan Du Vaul trial
All this sewer-gas got me more confused.
The jury reconvenes on Monday.
M
I don't know who gave the "Solutions Group" the proper name "Pollutions Group". Some wordsmith used it and I thought it befitting.
Mike, are you saying there wouldn't be those 250,000 houses if we put our sewer plant at Tri-W?
Sincerely, M
Ann,
Once you have something in the ground on a location that would allow for expansion, really, do you think that no more plant will ever be built to serve those possible subdivisions??
It is a matter of time when all the valley is filled in. The anti sewer obstructionists - who now want a plant but it must be OUT OF TOWN, have just hastened the process to encourage the subdivisions of farmland into housing. Tri W would have left us alone to serve our community and it would be a whole other fight starting up out there.
Don't you recall the TAC meetings where noting "expandability of the plant" was one of the "good" criteria for putting it out of town?
Fogswamp sez:"This was the remedy for the tyranny of the majority by John Calhoun (South Carolina)in the 1800s'. Any connection?"
According to my father in law, one branch of the Calhoun family went south, the other decamped to Mass. I've never done any geneology, so don't know if there's any real connection except for the name. The name is gaelic (Colquhoun) and means "Warhound" and came out of the 11th? 12? century when the Black Prince rewarded his various generals with titles and land up in Scotland (along the border, to built castles and become marcher lords to guard his north flank from even more Picts and other Scottish thugs)(The coat of arms is St. Andrews cross engrailed with warhound supporters on either side.(the war dogs at the time were likely an Irish/scottish deer/wolf hound cross with maybe old Roman molussus dogs, likely very large, fierce critters with big pointy teeth-- Run away! Run away!) Interestingly enough, the helmet on top of the shield shows the tattered scarf on the helmet, indicating somebody in the family went on crusade.) So it isn't really "Irish," it's Scottish, though the border reivers regularly scoooted back and forth between Dumbartenshire and Ireland, likely herding stolen sheep in great droves as they did so, so who knows.
Toonces sez:"It is a matter of time when all the valley is filled in. The anti sewer obstructionists - who now want a plant but it must be OUT OF TOWN, have just hastened the process to encourage the subdivisions of farmland into housing. Tri W would have left us alone to serve our community and it would be a whole other fight starting up out there."
It will be a whole 'nother fight if and when anyone wants to expand the proposed sewer plant. Just like it would be a whole 'nother plant to have built Tri-W, then have to build another one as the valley is broken and built up. Same old, same old.
Churadogs
I spent a couple of weeks this summer at a lake cabin (sons') in Calhoun County, Alabama. After reading the many paperback books I brought along (Clive Cussler) I got bored & reseached local History which lead to (Vice President)John Calhoun.
His father, Patrick Calhoun was cetainly a "Warhound" back-country Indian fighter. He was a Scots-Irish farmer, immigrated along with four brothers from Donegal, Ireland.
Calhoun County, Alabama was formerly Benton County. Seems that naming counties after the Calhoun clan was very polular in them days for some reason.
With respect to Dan DuVaul jury trial I noticed that there are 9 women and 3 men on the jury.
Does the defense attorney believe women are more sympathetic, may relate a lot better to emotions or tend to react with their gut?
Wasn't it just a short while back that a jury of 9 women and 3 men convicted O.J. Simpson of kidnapping & robbery charges?
Justice was well served.
Another wonderful thing about the Irish/Scottish folks in the Applachians is the direct connection with the music they brought with them to the hollers, all morphing into what we call "bluegrass." I love both.
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