Here is a link to Jim Kydd's Op-Ed on the ECoC drama. Read that first.
The publisher of The Coast News, Jim Kydd, writes that withholding taxdollars from the chamber is making it difficult for the chamber to pay its bills. Kydd says he believes the financial report prepared for the chamber that alleges misuse of city funds. Kydd also credits the new Chamber CEO for helping the WWLC Corporation to take over Swamis for three days next October (this is the biggest thing to ever happen in Encinitas).
Kydd also calls out Andreen for "obvious" copyright infringement because his organization is called the "New Encinitas" CoC and writes "[Andreen] is openly being supported by former Encinitas Chamber CEO Gary Tucker and Encinitas City Councilman Jerome Stocks."
Andreen, who worked on the chamber's publications, had been widely credited for giving Council Member Jerome Stocks a free happy talk PR campaign. Kydd reviewed the last 20 issues of the Chamber's Newsletter/Newspaper and found that Jerome got the lion's share of the photos. This matters if the chamber was getting direct and indirect government support.
Years ago Andreen worked for The Coast News. Kydd explicitly questions Andreen's integrity and goes on to say why he fired Andreen. It wasn't because Andreen botched an editorial.
I would have sworn that Andreen was named Vollenteer of the Year not long ago.
I agree with Kydd that under normal conditions that the separation of the visitor center and the chamber should be done so in an orderly manner. On the other hand, the city seems to have taken the position that its contractor was not living up to its contractual obligations. The chamber is the contractor, not Andreen and Tucker. If the chamber has met their obligations and provided the services for which they have billed the city, they should be paid.
Kydd goes further than that and says the city should bailout the chamber. He wants the city to pay for the chamber's legal fight with Andreen. I'm still trying to get my head around why the taxpayer should help a private organization fight with another private organization.
Responsibility for the drama is placed on the city council by Kydd. Maybe to keep things simple he doesn't mention the 3-2 split on the council over this issue. I'll concede that the city's lax oversight, special treatment, poor contracting policies, and lack of open competitive bidding begs for taxdollars to be squandered and dramas to develop. Adoption of a reasonable contracting policy by the council could fix that.
Questions:
1. Why did Tucker's predecessor leave?
2. Why does Kydd have a collection of Encinitas First newsletters?
3. Would the restaurateurs, hoteliers and vacations rental owners fund the visitor center if the city didn't? Will they fund it in the short-term, during the funding gap?
The publisher of The Coast News, Jim Kydd, writes that withholding taxdollars from the chamber is making it difficult for the chamber to pay its bills. Kydd says he believes the financial report prepared for the chamber that alleges misuse of city funds. Kydd also credits the new Chamber CEO for helping the WWLC Corporation to take over Swamis for three days next October (this is the biggest thing to ever happen in Encinitas).
Kydd also calls out Andreen for "obvious" copyright infringement because his organization is called the "New Encinitas" CoC and writes "[Andreen] is openly being supported by former Encinitas Chamber CEO Gary Tucker and Encinitas City Councilman Jerome Stocks."
Andreen, who worked on the chamber's publications, had been widely credited for giving Council Member Jerome Stocks a free happy talk PR campaign. Kydd reviewed the last 20 issues of the Chamber's Newsletter/Newspaper and found that Jerome got the lion's share of the photos. This matters if the chamber was getting direct and indirect government support.
Years ago Andreen worked for The Coast News. Kydd explicitly questions Andreen's integrity and goes on to say why he fired Andreen. It wasn't because Andreen botched an editorial.
I would have sworn that Andreen was named Vollenteer of the Year not long ago.
I agree with Kydd that under normal conditions that the separation of the visitor center and the chamber should be done so in an orderly manner. On the other hand, the city seems to have taken the position that its contractor was not living up to its contractual obligations. The chamber is the contractor, not Andreen and Tucker. If the chamber has met their obligations and provided the services for which they have billed the city, they should be paid.
Kydd goes further than that and says the city should bailout the chamber. He wants the city to pay for the chamber's legal fight with Andreen. I'm still trying to get my head around why the taxpayer should help a private organization fight with another private organization.
Responsibility for the drama is placed on the city council by Kydd. Maybe to keep things simple he doesn't mention the 3-2 split on the council over this issue. I'll concede that the city's lax oversight, special treatment, poor contracting policies, and lack of open competitive bidding begs for taxdollars to be squandered and dramas to develop. Adoption of a reasonable contracting policy by the council could fix that.
Questions:
1. Why did Tucker's predecessor leave?
2. Why does Kydd have a collection of Encinitas First newsletters?
3. Would the restaurateurs, hoteliers and vacations rental owners fund the visitor center if the city didn't? Will they fund it in the short-term, during the funding gap?
Follow the money!!
ReplyDeleteWhile my car was being washed the other day, I was reading a CoC publication that had been printed by the Coast News. I'm thinking the CoC owes Kydd some money. Not sure why he doesn't disclose that in his editorial, though I suspect it might be that he doesn't want readers to question his credibility on the subject, but it doesn't work that way. And since he probably printed all those other pubs he counted pictures in, it makes sense that he'd have them in a file cabinet nearby. I know this blog is a volunteer gig for you, so we can't expect you to investigate fully.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't surprise me if Jerome is in bed with Andreen and Tucker. I could see the three of them trying to undercut the Encinitas CoC with their New Encinitas venture. But I think if you quit shilling for them on this blog and let them go gently into the good night, we'd all be better off.
Boycott D Street 7-11 they overcharge on sales tax!!
ReplyDeleteHow stinky but cute!
ReplyDeleteIts love connection between Jerome Stock, Andreen, and Gary Pucker.
I'd hate to be their neighbor on a Saturday night!
KC
ReplyDelete"quit shilling for them"
AJ,
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving us some slack.
On the other issue, they are not going quietly into the night. Anyone notice that Andreen has an organization that is big enough to affect the ECoC?
My friends and I have been on the pointy end of Andreen's tactics. I'm probably the 4th least likely person in Encinitas to campaign for Andreen.
I'm not going to dismiss people or shut them out if I don't like their positions or they've done lame things in the past. Half the people in Leucadia don't like when the council does that to them. We shouldn't do the same.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd the stuff that Tucker and Andreen submitted are things that the council is discussing anyways.
ReplyDeleteNo, the two editorials you choose to publish were not sent to the council, but to you. No one would have seen the, now three, Dear Kevin letters that they, as they do, deflected attention from any of their misdeeds and focussed blame on others. You chose to offer them this blog for their use in accusing others.
ReplyDeleteIn your topic page you question why Kydd has copies of old Enc. First editions. It seems to imply that Kydd did something nafarious in hoarding these publishing. He published them.
It sure seems that you are being very accomadating in getting the Andreen/Tucker message out.
The Swamis contest: The worst thing to ever happen to Encinitas.
ReplyDeleteThe Encinitas CoC is definitely in a shit storm. When this blog posts long emails you solicit from the two stooges, it helps them to stir the shit. I don't think that's good. These are important matters to be discussed but I don't think the way you are shaping the conversation is all that great. I'm sure they appreciate the open mic you've provided. I say let them post as commenters. To me they come across as shysters and ethically challenged. But whether what they did with the Old Encinitas CoC is criminal remains to be seen.
ReplyDeleteLost in all the he-said-he-said crap is this question: should the city be funding CoC activities? I think the answer is that they should require the CoC to comply with the conditions for which they were provided funds this year and look closely at how to do this next year. Since the mission of all the CoC's in the community are to increase business and, therefore, sales taxes, I say it makes sense for the city to kick in.
From Jim Kydd, Coast News Publisher
ReplyDeleteIn no particular order, I will address some points that have been brought up and thoughts that I have, on The Coast News and Leucadia blog sites regarding my recent Encinitas Chamber editorial.
1- I put my real name – you know where to find me - on my words. That can’t be said for the blog people.
2- Many of the comments on my web site are from the same IP address. That means Mike Andreen is using multiple identities to make it seem like a lot of people agree with his agenda when in reality it’s just him.
3- Gary Tucker (had to use his own name) said The Coast News failed to give him or Andreen a chance to respond to our “misuse of funds” article. That’s crap, and we have all the calls and emails documented to prove it.
4- It is not true that I am biased in defending the established Chamber because of financial gain from publishing Encinitas First. It is a financial loser. The truth is Gary Tucker told me that pub was losing on average about $2000 per issue before I took it over. I was able to reduce that loss to close to break even, but the situation is worse now because of the economy and Andreen’s negative influence.
5- I, and many others do not use the term “new Encinitas.” When I see New Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, I see “new” Encinitas Chamber of commerce, which is doubly confusing.
6- The city should help the legitimate Chamber and it’s problems with the Visitors Center because it blessed the marriage in the first place and needs to accept some responsibility for the mess it’s in.
7- The Chamber may be an entity by itself, but, it is defined by the people who run it, at any given moment, and the current woes are a result of actions taken by Andreen and Tucker. I have an email from Andreen to the Chamber Board that says in part, “for all practicable purposes, I am the Chamber.”
8- Jerome Stocks immediately pulled his ad from Encinitas First and The Coast News when Andreen left the Chamber when the board wouldn’t make him CEO. No big deal financially, but telling.
9- I am new at this blog thing, but I agree with some of the comments on the Leucadia blog that Kevin is biased toward Andreen and Tucker.
10- As my editor said in the comments section following my editorial, we will publish any opposing views. But, we insist that the identity of the person submitting be verified, just as I am openly standing behind my words, so should they.
Why don't you people just,"follow the money."
ReplyDeleteConnect the old treasurers and ask if everything was on the up and up. If not follow the money.
Contact the county Grand Jury, ask them to investigate this mess.
What is wrong with a world class surf contest in Encinitas? I have seen JP write about the value of local merchants making money off (surfing) tourists for years. This is the kind of event that most cities would LOVE to have come to their town.
ReplyDeleteIt is not like no one knows about Swamis - the secret is out folks!
Does this mean no events are ok in Encinitas, or just this one?
Clearly Kevin is againist it with his presentation - "taking over Swamis for 3 days", rather than pumping up the cache of a world class surf event - for women no less! But then again, what is Kevin "for" - he is mostly against everything!
I am a Jim Kydd supporter as far as his integrity and truly caring about Encinitas are concerned. He is willing to put his huevos on the line for things he believes. Not many people are as brave. The Chamber and visitors center may need over-sight but it deserves to be funded, at least in part by City.
ReplyDeleteIt has been my experience that The Coast News really does allow community commentary from both sides in any discussion. The Coast News DOES try to balance letters to the editor on any given issue.
If Gary and Mike feel smeared they should write their points of view as community commentary and submit them to the paper. If 700 words isn't enuf head the first Part 1. Submit the Part 2. the next week. But be prepared to be dragged thru the coals if you tell stories and your nose begins to grow. There is a very active community letter to the editor writers in greater Encinitas. It's really that simple.
Kevin does not support 4a alternative,( the obvious choice that answers more of the needs of our future),
ReplyDeleteprints Andreen/Tucker propaganda, and does not seem to endorse a womens world class surf event in our community.
This blog, lately, is reading like the Red Country, with homophobia and racisim thrown in. Not appealing.
I'm otta here.
Jim Kydd is a very honorable man. He produces a fine product. I agree with his comments.
1;27
ReplyDeleteLeave the Grand Jury alone. So a few things were a little pricey for a while at the Chamber. Let's just learn from it, keep better records, keep those records transparent (like the other business groups do) and move forward. We and the Grand Jury have better things to do than for a few Encinitas citizens and the GJ's 19 member board to be bothered with one small truckload of used furniture and three high end editorials, and that's about what it boils down to. We can all whine about how nasty certain C of C members were politically during their tenure, but that aint gonna make no nevermind to the Grand Jury. Let's move on people. This isn't Randy Duke Cunningham. If you really want to examine waste, get back on that pension crap. That's the man behind the curtain.
I am all for killer women's longboard contests and we have had Roxy Jams at Cardiff Reef. How this WWLC thing is going down is not cool and parallels a lot of what went down with the chamber.
ReplyDeleteI'm am not, but a lot of people are 100% against any contests at Swamis (including my wife who is one of the rare Swamis female longboarders).
I am for an end to city-insider bro deals.
Jim,
I am super glad that you posted.
Gill,
Glad you're still around. It is okay if they send in their stuff to the papers. They can also be dragged through the coals here, which is what I expected.
I am all for killer women's longboard contests and we have had Roxy Jams at Cardiff Reef. How this WWLC thing is going down is not cool and parallels a lot of what went down with the chamber.
ReplyDeleteI'm am not, but a lot of people are 100% against any contests at Swamis (including my wife who is one of the rare Swamis female longboarders).
I am for an end to city-insider bro deals.
Jim,
I am super glad that you posted.
Gill,
Glad you're still around. It is okay if they send in their stuff to the papers. They can also be dragged through the coals here, which is what I expected.
Have all the contests you want at Cardiff Reef, Seaside or D Street. But never, never, never have a contest at Swami's. Where are they going to park? Across the tracks or on the highway? Where are they going to watch the contest? On the rip rap? On the bluff edge? At SRF? Its bad enough with all the kooks out there now, don't blow it with a contest. It would definitely be bad karma. See you in the water.
ReplyDeleteYup, still around Kevin.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a lot of folks want to shoot the messenger, Kevin, and I don't really blame them. Third party posts leave a lot to be desired, no continuing dialogue. I know Gary and actually like the guy, but he's got functioning hands, he can type, he should be making his own case if that's what he wants to do.
I fail to see the parallel between the chamber questions and the WWLC. I support almost any short term event that provides increased revenue for our merchants and access to our beaches. Sure, it may be an inconvenience for those that like to think of swamis as their break but they can find another break for three days just as I can surf fish off Carlsbad during the event.
This city is going to need all the tax base it can get when it comes time to ante up the pension shortfall in a couple years, but that's another story isn't it.
...and just so you know, it's gil with one L, not two like in fish.
I don't see why the city should pay the ECOC to sue Mike Andreen.
ReplyDeleteKevin- why is it that you surfers think you own the beach and the waves?? Why?? Why is that??
ReplyDeleteLet me fill you in on a few facts- You don't own the beach nor the ocean nor the waves. Anyone can surf, run or swim at the beach at any time. Just so you know. And they don't need your permission or Swami's surf association or those Surfrider fools either. Just go surf and shut up!!
Well, apparently my friend you CAN own the beach and the waves. You just have to write the city a check and KACHOW, you just privatized a public surf spot.
ReplyDeleteGod I love the blog. I do. First off, thanks Jim and Gill for posting. Your names and long presence mean a lot. Me for one, thought Gil died. Jim- you have sound mind and I always appreciate your reporters stories. Thanks for the good work. OK enough with the sappy ass thanks.
ReplyDelete1. Why when so many people know that Danny Dalagher and Jerome Stocks are on the pay roll of the City Employee Union in donations do they still get re-elected?
2. Why when a City is hurting for cash, wouldn’t the leaders and the public look at what the biggest cost is to the City?
3. Why would a City refusing to lay off union employees with full life time benefits costing the City tax payers millions of dollars a year, refuse to look at how they cannot afford to pay for another $6.000.000.000.00 Each. Totaling more than $18,000,000.00 Fire Sleeping stations ($6,000,000.00 already spent on Leucadias nice sleeping pad) and another $100,000,000.00 for a County wide regional sport complex with the City tax payers paying another $1,000,000.00 a year for maintenance for the sports leagues of Carlsbad to prosper?
4. Why wouldn’t the City look to projects that would increase their tax base and better all of Encinitas instead of spending their money on Union pensions and special interest requests?
Gill I am glad you are still alive and active. Jim thanks for stepping up in this critically important time in our City history. You are both Solid Encinitas. I wish I could say the same for the rest of City Council.
Be well Encinitas. Hopefully some day someone like Jim, for the sake of Encinitas quality of life, will get elected to Encinitas City Council.
Surfy,surfy- Just shut the fuck up and go surf!! (BTW,it's an activity not a culture) Go surf swami's if that is what you want to do, or better yet get the surfrider foundation to sue the shit out of the city for "selling" the beach. Contact the Calif Coastal Commission and explain the problem. The good lawyers at Coastal Law Group will represent you free of charge also.
ReplyDeleteAll beaches in California are public beaches at all times!!! If you don't understand that then you are too stupid to post on this blog, go away.
You don't understand, the only people allowed access to the waves at Swamis during the contest will be the contestants. They will use the city lifeguards to clear the water of non-contestants to hold the contest. If I paddle out and try to surf during this contest I would be ticketed and possibly arrested.
ReplyDeleteSo JP, you are oppossed to ALL surfing contests, is that what you are saying? Or just at Swamis?
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteWhen you say end "insider bro deals" - what does that have to with the Woman's Longboard contest? What do think happened here, and how would you have done it differently?
Then take the ticket and fight them in court. You have the law on your side, pussy!
ReplyDeleteBut stop whining on this blog. Cause no one cares that you can't surf, go to another beach. There are other waves to ride, but you surfers always think you OWN a particular set of waves. YOU DON'T OWN THE WAVES NOR THE BEACH !! Go somewhere else or have some guts and get a ticket and FIGHT!! It's the American way!! Fight this injustice!!!
Crybaby surfers.
Dude,
ReplyDeleteIf you hate surfers so much why are trying so hard to run a surf contest at Swamis? What is in it for you? How much money are you going to make? I hope you never team up with Steve.
I think Kevin's posting direct communications from Tucker, et al., is a good thing. More facts come out and people get pinned into a corner which is hard to wriggle out of. What is clear is that the Chamber breached its agreement with the City (us). It is interesting to watch the finger pointing and someone(s) should be held accountable. Stealing public money is a crime. As for the City paying legal fees to the Chamber to defend against Andreen's possible lawsuit, that is ridiculous. If this City spends one dime on that, the City will be looking at a lawsuit for misuse of public funds.
ReplyDeleteTHERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY CONTEST AT SWAMIS!! I repeat NO SWAMIS CONTEST EVER!
ReplyDeleteThink about it people, Swamis is not a good venue. Any feelings of "protecting my break aside" the place is just not appropriate for any contest ever. Read on.
1. CLOSING THE BEACH EXCEPT TO CONTESTANTS IS UNFAIR TO THE COMMUNITY. If they want to generate a buzz and have spectators, how is closing the beach going to encourage that? The beach has never been closed for contests at Cardiff Reef -- sure the water is off limits, but ACCESS to the PUBLIC beach is not. If I want to walk down the stairs during the contest, I should be able to.
2. SWAMIS IS NOT GOOD AT ALL TIDES. October is characterized by extreme tides which means that a good part of the day is eaten up by the water coming up to the bluff. This is not a problem at Moonlight, Cardiff Reef or even Seaside.
3. AMENITIES. Seaside, Moonlight and Cardiff are better equipped to handle large crowds with bathrooms, showers, a ton of parking and parking lots to have the beach fair in.
4. NOISE POLLUTION AND INFRINGEMENT ON RELIGION. I'm sure church goers and SRF members will really appreciate an air horn going off every few minutes for 3 or 4 days. A contest at Swamis is the antithesis of tranquility.
5. K STREET BEING USED FOR A BEACH FAIR. Why close/congest/disrupt a public street when other venues (Seaside, Cardiff, Moonlight) all have ample parking lots to accommodate a beach fair, judges, contestants, and their vehicles?
This is about more than some "angry locals" getting all territorial about "their" beach. This contest has the potential to be a good thing but NOT AT SWAMIS.
And as far as the "biggest thing ever," we basically already had this the last couple of years at Cardiff. So it has a different name this time around, it's still the same thing.
KEEP IT AWAY FROM SWAMIS! Seaside, Moonlight, Cardiff Reef = more logical venues.
Well?? Are you pussy surfers going to the next council meeting and bitch ??
ReplyDeleteHave the city attorney site the city code that allows them to close a beach to the public willy nilly.
The beach is public and short of some sort of emergency or criminal activity it is open at all hours of the day and night to everyone. A surf contest is not an emergency.
But for the anon poster at 8:21, yes this is about "protecting my break" and the "local only bullshit" that all you surfers think is yours etc. What horseshit!! Grow the fuck up!!!
I guess surfrider and swami's surf association failed to protect you guys. Big black eye for them, no??
Anon8:21- how much you wanna bet SSA, made some $$ under the table on this surf contest??
The surfers shouldn't even bother to organize against the city because it won't do any good. You think Dalager, Stocks, Bond and Houlihan care? There is only one way to move the contest away from Swamis, which you cannot know right now and I will reveal in due time.
ReplyDeleteOh boy can't wait!! Let me guess, you are going to have Mike Andreen support the surf contest and have him and a bunch flunkies pass around a petition full of false information. That should do it.
ReplyDeleteIf the city sanctions a contest at Swamis, they are throwing themselves wide open to an Americans With Disabilities lawsuit. Seaside, Cardiff and Moonlight are all accessible to the disabled, while Swamis is anything but.
ReplyDeleteYou think this is a minor concern? There are plenty of people out there who make their livings suing merchants and property owners who don't provide access. The City of Encinitas has deep pockets and would settle a suit out of court so fast it would make your head spin.
Very few people's pockets get lined by a surf contest - usually just the promoter and whomever wins the purse. Having a contest at Swamis would expose the city to huge potential financial losses that cannot be justified.
No contest at Swamis!
My bet is it will happen at Cardiff reef.... its not anything big for Encinitas.
ReplyDeleteQuote outside of city hall 2008, "FUCK THE SURFERS."
ReplyDelete-Steve Aceti
"If the city sanctions a contest at Swamis, they are throwing themselves wide open to an Americans With Disabilities lawsuit. Seaside, Cardiff and Moonlight are all accessible to the disabled, while Swamis is anything but."
ReplyDeleteGood point. But why then is there handicapped parking there?
Pebo -- there's handicapped parking because the law requires it. Just like the bathrooms are handicapped bathrooms. A certain percentage of any parking lot has to include handicapped spaces.
ReplyDeleteNo Swamis contest!!
Can I get a disabled parking placard with my medical marijuana card?
ReplyDelete7:28
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not mistaken, by law, one may only receive a disabled parking placard if your medical marijuana prescription requires at least one refer, three times a day.
But every disabled medical marijuana parking placard carrier I've met never uses that priveledge space. They soon discover that the green leaf on the placard acts more like a beacon for those who would jack their prescription while they surf. So never leave your vaulables in your car or at home with your depressed roommates.
ReplyDelete