The council was discussing a plastic bag policy for the city.
This guy above said something along the lines of:
Allowing more plastic bags to go in the ocean is killing baby seals. So not stopping the plastic pollution is like clubbing baby seals.
Classic.
Dalager and Stocks ended up voting against Houlihan, Bond, and Barth on the plastic bag policy.
Dalager said some things very close to:
"There is a reason why plastic has become so popular"
"We just stocked my fish pond with a plastic bag filled with fish"
I fell out of my chair on that one... when the audience was worried about the plastic killing fish.
Some other Dalager quotables:
"Americans love change but dread revolution"
"But remember the flies? I do, in my mom's kitchen."
"I would go along with a ban if we can't come up with something better."
JP's NOTE-The council did not ban plastic bags on Wednesday. They gave direction to staff to return with a ordinance to phase-in the elimination of single use bags (paper & plastic). Teresa Barth specifically requested that it have a large public education component.
northcountytimes: ENCINITAS: Council wants ordinance to ban plastic bags
See also: previous blog post about plastic bag ban.
Sorry that its not on subject.
ReplyDeleteFriends that live on or near North Vulcan Avenue -
Years ago there was more ice plant and mulch along the train tracks that
would help keep the dust (pollution) down when the trains went by, etc.
This changed when the drainage ditch was dug to assist with the flooding
issues. Mulch was never added after the ditch was dug and the iceplant is
limited to a few areas.
The following is copied from the San Diego Air Pollution Control District
website:
"Prohibition against causing a public nuisance.
California Health and Safety Code [
http://www.arb.ca.gov/bluebook/bluebook.htm ] Section 41700 states that no
person can discharge air contaminants that cause injury, nuisance or annoyance to any considerable number of persons or the public, or discharge air contaminants that endanger the comfort, health or safety of such
persons. If a business violates this prohibition or any other air quality requirement, the District may issue a Notice of Violation to the business.
If a Notice of Violation is issued, the business must take action to correct the violation and pay a monetary penalty to the District.
Penalties are
determined in accordance with Health and Safety Code Sections 42400 – 42403."
If you are annoyed by the air pollution caused by the trains, please go to the following website and fill out the Nuisance Complaint Form.
http://www.sdapcd.org/comply/cplt/cpltprog.html
Please send this to anyone else you know along the tracks, perhaps if a "considerable" number of people complain something will be done.
Maybe the PTA for Paul Ecke Central could start a petition and encourage all members to send in a complaint considering NCTD is polluting our kids lungs while they are out running around in the playground.
Thanks,
Have you seen how many people in this town are already adopting the 'bring your own bag' policy. I am very impressed. In the last few years I have noticed a huge increase. I think a grass roots approach and education plan will be very effective. Government telling you what to do is never good. Nice to see a majority going this way. Change is in the air.
ReplyDeleteJP, I laughed out loud when DD said something like, "You spoke about Paris, and Ireland but you didn't say anything about the big town of Selona Beach. Than blathered on about the Corporate Contract with Trex, a la Stocks.
ReplyDeleteWill everyone in Encinitas stop using the term "grass roots"? It bugs me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDid everyone watching the City Council Meeting the other night note that paragon of virtue and advocate of transparency in government, when Teresa Barth, jumped in to defend her friend, Maggie Houlihan, when a member of the public dared to decry the City removing the candidate disclosure forms/pdf on the city of Encinitas website that speaks louder than words; they illustrate a kind of pattern?
ReplyDeleteRather than answer herself, Houlihan looked directly to Barth, much as she had done with her previous cohort, Christy Guerin when similarly ethically-challenged behavior has been questioned by voters and even though the council is NOT supposed to comment, during Oral Comments, Barth asked the Mayor to direct the City Manager or City Attorney to respond, again, illegally, respond to the citizen who was accurately accusing the city council and Barth herself of covering up the 96 campaign violations Houlihan is accused of.
See how fast power corrupts students? One day you are throwing rocks, the next day you are cowering behind glass houses; forcing the 'at will' employees to protect you from the electorate.
Barth is just as guilty as the rest of them, 9-10-08, she arrogantly misused her powers, write it down. Abuse of power, abuse of Code Enforcement. The both of them. Ask Staff.
The 'new' protocol requires that citizens must physically go into the city and give their address and pay for copies of the candidate's disclosure paperwork; including Houlihan's. Staff says there is an amazing nexus between who has asked for copies of the violations and what addresses have had 'anonymous' complaints against them to code enforcement. This takes us back to Hano and Aspell.
Just ask the Holiday Per Motel on Union Street. Just ask many of the neighbors on Union Street.
H is for Hypocrite, Teresa!
Dear Anonymous 6:14 from Teresa Barth
ReplyDeleteAccording to the League of Cities publication "Open & Public IV: A guide to the Ralph M. Brown Act" page 25..."while the Brown Act does not allow discussion or action on items not on the agenda, it does allow members of the legislative body or its staff to "briefly respond" to comments or questions from members of the public, provide a reference to staff or othr resources for FACTUAL information, or direct staff to place the issue on a future agenda."
I asked staff to provide factual information. The response was that the candidates contribution forms would again be available on the city's website.
It is important that you know the facts. Teresa
banning plastic bags is asinine.
ReplyDeleteBravo Teresa. thanks for posting with facts.
ReplyDeleteI think wirefire has "fired" up again under the guise of anonymous.
The BOB/Mikey show is always interesting and destructive, most destructive during the election cycles.
I loved how you refered to him as Dear.
They didn't ban bags. Read the minutes. Bond didn't think it was a bad idea and even Dalager said he could vote for a ban. You must think we have 5 douche bags on the council.
ReplyDeleteSorry 6:14pm-
ReplyDeleteIf you learn logic, you will understand that Teresa is pure openness and good for Encinitas.
The complete opposite of Jerome Stocks, who is owned by developers and would prefer to turn our fine town into something that looks like Carlsbox. Yuk!
No thanks.
Hopefully the public will educate themselves and vote out Jerome the lap dog of developers and public employee unions. He sucks.
Will the public ever learn?
After Eiler made some very good points about the campaign disclosures being taken off the city website and the need to get that information back up. Barth directed a request to MAYOR STOCKS. She ASKED, "Mayor, could the city manager, city attorney, or perhaps the city clerk explain the process of why those [disclosures] were put up and why they were taken down?"
ReplyDeleteShe made a request of the mayor for information to be provided. No deliberation and certainly no attempt to take action, which would violate the Brown Act. Barth has the best knowledge and respect for the sunshine laws she was using that knowledge to shed some light on why and how the candidate statement were being pulled back.
There is some irony in the anon's flame up.
In fact it was Jerome who has kept us in the dark. JEROME responded to Barth that HE COULD comply with Barth's request. He didn't and instead JEROME actually RESPONDED to Eiler by saying the disclosures are now back online.
So, Barth asked a question and Jerome actually provided information to Eiler. Why was Jerome spared the flames by the anon poster? Neither councilpersons were in violation, or both were in violation.
Jerome verbatim response was , " They probably could [explain why they were taken down]. We could get into a soliloquy and I would be happy to do that, but I have been informed that [disclosures] will once again be available and posted on the website."
So, because of Jerome's denial, John Q. Public doesn't get to find out who ordered the disclosures removed from the website, because Jerome didn't think that was important for the public to know about.
I am glad that the disclosures are back online (we had already posted them on the ETA blog) and I also want to understand the process behind the decision to take them down. Did the City Manager order them down? Did Jerome order them down? (his disclosures are very revealing) Or as Eiler seems to believe, did Maggie make the decision?
Too bad Teresa's question wasn't answered. We might have a better feel for who is standing in the way of open government. At this point the only thing that I know for sure, is it wasn't Barth.
Speaking of Jerome Stocks, who is messaging him every 5 minutes on his Blackberry during council meetings? Someone watching the webcast at home?
ReplyDeleteLies, lies and more LIES!!! Don't re-elect the LIARS!!! They all LIE. They are all LIARS!!!
ReplyDeleteOK Schizo. Next.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kevin, Teresa, and JP; all good comments.
Barth Vader needs to be honest and not lie to the people who elected her...
ReplyDeleteAnon9:35- you lie!!
ReplyDeleteSorry kevin a-hole. Mayor Jerome Stocks explained that per his info the information would once again be posted and asked Barth, was that more importatnt than an explanation... BARTH said "nevermind".
ReplyDeleteBe pised at Barth if y'all are pissed at not hearing how Houlihan quashed public information for a period of time!She's the one that dropped the inquery!
Watch it online if you disagree because I did and I have it right!
I sent in my complaint to the air pollution control board. If we get 10 or twenty they will need to address the issue.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do as well.
Someone should speak in Oral Communications about Jerome Stocks' frequent and annoying use of his Blackberry during council sessions. It would be nice if it wasn't one of the "usual supects" and "whiners." A newbie would be nice. Anyone up for it?
ReplyDeleteTo anon 11:57,
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing takes just a few minutes to watch. It is at about 20 minutes into the September 10th meeting. Watch it here: http://www.ci.encinitas.ca.us/video/video.html
Barth's response that you refer to, is really light and right at the end and it might be taken that Barth stepped back. Can anyone hear what Barth says on that tape, or did you have to be on the dais to have heard it?
I don't fault Barth for not beginning a discussion of the relevance or importance of finding out who pulled down the disclosures. If she said nevermind I can see some fault in that. She should have told you, as Mayor, that she had made a request and it was up to you to follow through or not.
To all,
Had a discussion and decision about the importance of getting to the story erupted, it would have moved the dialogue away from the safe ground that Barth knows so well, ""while the Brown Act does not allow discussion or action on items not on the agenda…" It would moved toward "discussion" in my book had the council debated the merits of hearing about disclosures. It probably would have escalated into something for anon 6:14 to legitimately complain about.
Stocks was in the driver's seat and did not execute the request. Watch the video. I interpret then entirety of his response as indicating that he was very uninterested in digging deeper. Why? The big reasons are:
He said getting the answer would be a "soliloquy"
and
As Mayor, he did NOT instruct staff to answer.
What are we left with? A situation where Barth and Stocks were lined up to disagree on the importance of hearing about the disclosures. "Soliloquy" was derogatory and clearly indicated that Stocks didn't see value in hearing about it. If he had, he would have just asked staff to explain.
You are not suppose to work out disagreements during oral communication.
"Soliloquy was derogatory," you got that right, Kevin. Stocks often is condescending and rude, not only to public speakers, but to other Council Members, from my perspective.
ReplyDeleteYes, Teresa and Kevin are correct. The Brown Act does allow Council to briefly respond, request info or future action from staff, although action and more extensive discussion is not allowed. However, in the past, most comments brought up by public speakers seem to be completely ignored, which is deflating, and which is what Jerome Stocks does intentionally to discourage public participation.
I was glad to know that the financial disclosure statements will be reposted online for people to look at without putting in a specific public info request. I don't feel Jerome Stocks is reporting all the times he has been comped for golf games!
I feel that all Council Members and City officers should be required to take a course in ethics, or attend a workshop, and sign a pledge that they will be honest and courteous in their dealings with the public, whom they are to serve. This kind of written pledge would be more meaningful than the pledge to the flag.
I watched the meeting on TV, live, and did not see that dynamic of Teresa "defending" Maggie. To me it looked as though she was asking our lameduck mayor, Jerome, if staff could look into why the info had been taken off?
I think that the City Manager, Phil Cotton, under the control of the three man majority, has had the clerks systematically take many public documents off the web site because he can. When he was questioned about this by a lawyer, Diane Bond, he stated he was doing so in the name of "security."
It does seem as though the City Manager, on advice of the City Attorney is shielding Council and staff, not doing his best to be transparent, open, honest and accountable.
It's Nanninga time!
ReplyDeleteStocks isn't really on his Blackberry at all. He's just messin with Leucadians playin the drinking game.
ReplyDeleteI complained again to CARB about the fugitive dust issue in Leucadia.
ReplyDeleteSad side note: At least 18 dead on the tracks in Chatsworth due to human error. Could that happen here?
Stocks is watching porno on his blackberry and gets really annoyed when the public interferes with his concentration on the important issues at hand (pun intended).
ReplyDeleteIt seems Harry Eiler is continuing his vendetta against Maggie Houlihan. I went to watch the video. It's easy to find. Just click on the drop down menu below the little screen, and then click on Oral Communications. You only have to wait about 2 minutes to see Eiler speak.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting the the city clerk called him Henry Eiler, and when he started speaking, he didn't state his name. Normally Mayor Stocks interrupts the speaker, especially if Stocks sees the person as a foe. He didn't interrupt to make Eiler say his name, thus giving Eiler a deference he doesn't give most other speakers.
It was obvious Stocks didn't want any statement at all from City Manager Cotton because it would have been unfavorable to him. If it would have been favorable, Stocks would have let Cotton make a short statement. Eiler was gunning for Maggie, and Stocks would have loved to confirm what Eiler was insinuating.
No question that Stocks is arrogant and pretentious. He seems never to have read Shakespeare. His choice of the word "soliloquy" is odd. My dictionary says, "speech in a drama in which a character, alone or as if alone, discloses innermost thoughts" or "the act of talking while or as if alone." The word doesn't apply here, still I would have loved to have seen the drama if Stocks hadn't cut things off so quickly.
I couldn't hear any final comment by Barth. If there was one, I think only someone on the dais could have heard it because the sound is always clearer on video than listening live in the audience. So I think we know who posted.
This is Eiler's latest email that I have received:
Dear Music Lover,
The Carlsbad Music Guild is happy to announce that our website
www.carlsbadmusicguild.org now has the introductory material for
the lecture on the Middle Ages (Sep 30) and the opera, "Lakme" by
Delibes (Oct 7th) .. as well as the opera, "Thais", November 4th.
I have the Australian Opera's production of "Lakme" featuring Dame
Sutherland .... at her prime in an outstanding presentation.
However, this French opera typically runs long so it will use up most
of the we are in Schulman Auditorium. I shall have only the
briefest time to make remarks ... PLEASE read through the synopsis
several times BEFORE coming to the lecture.
And before that ... we are gathering interesting DVD's to showcase
the Music of the Middle Ages for the last Tuesday of this month.
See you at Schulman
Harry Eiler
This council is wasting our time and money discussing petty issues like the bag band. If people don't want them they won't ask for them. Stay out of my business. This is not what you were elected to do. You have no right to dictate to me if I choose a plastic bag or a right to charge me a TAX for a paper bag. If this is passed and you are re-elected I will gladly volunteer to see you recalled from office. If it has to be because you feel some calling from your god, ANY act upon the people should be voted on by the people. DO NOT FORGET THAT. You are a servant of us NOT OUR MASTER!
ReplyDeleteironic that "Nemo" would not be in favor of plastic bag ban,as all his sea friends die from them.
ReplyDeleteWow, a pretty good dust-up in defending Teresa and at a minimum deflecting any ill-doing onto the Mayor, but it all missed the point; there are apparently 90 counts of voter law violations that iare supposed to be there on the website that aren't. Has anybody read the counts and what does Houlihan say about them? That the FCC framed her? What are the counts and what is her defense? Has she ever been quoted on tape or in any of the rags about it? Is it about free meals at Pinos? Can't she just provide receipts? Is that the law?
ReplyDeleteBob, do you know?
I have read Nemos previous comments.
ReplyDeleteThey have views similar to some jackass that would buy a big box in a lifeless Carlsbad massive subdivision.
They have no soul. Only parot Bush type of comments.
I would say that anon 614 had many more points than just that.
ReplyDeleteYou can read the complaint for yourself here;
http://www.encinitastaxpayers.org/Resources/campaignst/complaintforMH.pdf
I have not seen any response from Houlihan.
As for the charges of code enforcement abuse, where is the evidence of this and who is making these claims? I don't recall Eiler making those claims or making observations about code enforcement during his oral communication on Wednesday.
Can you even file a code enforcement complaint anonymously? What if you sign it RSPB?
Its up to Pino and any one acquiring Maggie to get the DA to prosecute or they can file a suite if they like. Is pure clownboy BS.
ReplyDeleteIt’s up to Jerome and the Clownboy David Meyers to make the Maggie acquisition.
Both are Lying Scum.
I find it fascinating that many of the people on this blog will overlook anything that interferes with their worldview of Encinitas.
ReplyDeleteThere are distinct differences between what David Meyer has claimed (and Christy finally backed up) and whatever nonesense Jerome is often up to.
ALL code enforcement complaints are considered anonymous and that is' why' they are so easily used to abuse political enemies. Sign up for one of the copies of the 90 violations and find out for yourself.
Just like the Mayor is a constant participant on this blog, so too has Houlihan abused many of the neighbors on her street. Just ask them.
If the fellas you call lying scum have proof and the press and D.A. refuse to investigate much less prosecute, then where does one go for redress?
The reason the violations, extorted meals and code enforcement abuse accusations will not go away is because they are true.
Just ask the people who witness Councilwoman Houlihan with her dog on a leash wag her finger in Pino's face and 'instruct' him in what his story is if the reporters or investigators ever question him about that 2004 Victory Party that Fred remarked about last month. Somebody bought all those drinks and if Houlihan paid the tab she will have a receipt and if sombody else did then the law requires her to write down their name and disclose their gift.
It is as simple as that. There is nothing on her state election paperwork for that date; with several dozen witnesses placing her and her friends there for four hours of partying, WHY can't anyone produce a receipt?
Because she walked our on the tab. Simple as that and clearly not for the first time either.
This is not a local restaurant, and that is not a candidate at a victory party...
ReplyDeleteno matter how hard a few funny guys in here wants it to be.
(Warning: strong adult clown language)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twW_riHWz_4
First it was Houlihan skipping on daily? weekly? meals at a restaurant taking advantage of an idiot restaurant owner -- give me a break. Now, it's one 2004 victory party? Four years later this is an issue -- if there is any truth to the allegations why are they only now coming out?
ReplyDeleteNemo, I'm with you. Let's recall the CLOWNS. If banning plastic bags is so important put it to a vote of the people. BTW the people probably won't vote for such a ban, just a couple of left over 60's greenies support this nonsense. I've been diving, surfing and swimming in these waters for 60+ years and have never seen a plastic bag in the water much less around a fish's head. I did see the old six-pack plastic cases but they were banned years ago.
ReplyDeleteI see plastic bags in the water and tangled in the kelp that washes in. Open your eyes and look. The plastic bags are along the roads everywhere and can be blown or carried by runoff into the ocean.
ReplyDeleteI live along the railway tracks in Cardiff. Many people park in the right-of-way and cross the tracks to go to the beach. They leave a lot a trash where they park. I'm always picking it up around my house. Mostly plastic bags. At least I can recycle aluminum soda and beer cans.
Cardiff watchdog, You are a nut and inventing things. I also live in Cardiff and walk the tracks with my dog every day. The only plastic bags are filled with the homeless belongings. I also surf in Cardiff and fish in the kelp beds. I never see plastic trash bags in the kelp, surf or beach. You must be one of those environmental whack jobs.
ReplyDeleteThis ban should be put to a vote of the people. I don't think there are enough environmental whack jobs to carry the issue.
I can't believe I voted Barth. I wish I could take that vote back.
Cardiff watchdog, You are a nut and inventing things. I also live in Cardiff and walk the tracks with my dog every day. The only plastic bags are filled with the homeless belongings. I also surf in Cardiff and fish in the kelp beds. I never see plastic trash bags in the kelp, surf or beach. You must be one of those environmental whack jobs.
ReplyDeleteThis ban should be put to a vote of the people. I don't think there are enough environmental whack jobs to carry the issue.
I can't believe I voted Barth. I wish I could take that vote back.
I've been surfing in Encinitas for 30 years and in the last 8 or so years I've seen at least one plastic bag floating in the water every surf session. I grab them and stuff them up my wetsuit sleeve. Got one today at Cardiff Reef.
ReplyDeleteI think consumer culture is moving towards tote bags anyway so a ban might be moot.
They didn't vote to ban plastic. Look into it and if they did even Dalager and Bond would do it.
ReplyDeleteIt has become a pollution issue and public health issue. Read
http://yachtpals.com/junk-raft-3045
the North Pacific Gyre is one of the most heavily polluted. It's not a floating island of plastic as some have said, but a plastic soup - where everywhere you look, there's plastic floating just under the surface.
It has become a public safety issue.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2008/sep/10/cover/
Ban Styrofoam -- I see much more of this than plastic bags! Also alot of condoms. Euwww, and needles. I think the storm drains are carrying down waste from Encinitas Hospital. There is tons of trash on the beach, I pick up whatever I see when I walk, and I pick it up in my disposable plastic bag.
ReplyDeletewell if you are going to ban plastic bags you must get it all. Newspaper bags, dog refuse bags, sandwich bags, trash bags, water bottles, syringes, IV bags, etc. Why pick on only plastic grocery bags?
ReplyDeleteBTW Solana Beach has a great Vons market at LSF and I-5. They will still be using plastic grocery bags. You can shop there.
I too spend alot of time at eh beach and rarely see the quantity of bags mentioned. Would put it past many to bring them and then take a picture to appease themselves. Actually see more starbucks cups than anything else. We are being forced every day to resemble europe.
ReplyDelete