Mayor Houlihan called the new station a win-win for the community and said it would help fire responsiveness. She made an effort to point out that the station fit in with the community.
According to the fire department, not building the other two fire stations in the next few years will not affect the city's responsiveness.Here are the city's justifications for building the new stations (and borrowing millions): inadequate access for disabled persons, age of the facilities, lack of sufficient indoor parking for fire equipment, lack of adequate cleaning and decontamination facilities, poor energy efficiency, concern for the buildings' ability to withstand a significant earthquake, and lack of facilities for mixed gender employees.
It was clear to me that the new fire station provided a high level of functionality.
Luxurious is not how I would describe the station, at least the lower level. It was utilitarian.
There was a lot of consternation over the fire stations. Some people might not understand some of the reasons for that. Years ago, both Christy Guiren and Maggie made statements that excited some members of the community. Christy was saying things like, we have all this money and we should do something with it. Some local fellows thought she sounded like she was about to go on a municipal sized spending spree. Maggie said several times that she wanted the community to have cool looking fire stations, and it sounded like that was her main motivator.After the city decided they had to rush these stations so much that we had to borrow millions, it seems funny to me that the city doesn't appear to be moving very fast on the other stations.
Next time it would be great for the city to better develop and explain the financial justification (for rushed timing), financing scheme, and construction costs. They should also welcome questions and skepticism, instead of dismissing or targeted concerned citizens. Keeping these facts in mind, I can understand why people have been skeptical: The city was planning on spending $13.5 million to rebuild stations 1, 2, and 3. Station 5 was built for $1.5 million, in 2001.
What a waste of $6,000,000.00
ReplyDeleteYou could build just as functional of a firestation today with much more energy savings items for $2 million or less.
Once again the City is great at spending 3 times as much than any normal project. Library $20,000,000. A fire station to house 4 emergency persons per shift and house some equipment should not be so grandiose!
First Council caves in and give away our tax dollars to the union brats high salaries. Nearly as high as the City Managers salary almost all well over $100k with most approximately earning $150k per year, than you give them 100% retirement at 55 for a mere 33 years of work, workouts, shopping and sleep ( they work 24 hour shifts ) (2 days on...48 hours with 8 hours overtime, then 5 days off------CHOKE!), THEN YOU BUILD THEM A OCEANVIEW STATION WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISLES FOR $6,000,000.
I am sooooo fed up with our Bull Shit Council. All of you should be ashamed of yourselves. Your pathetic!
Hey Kevin-
ReplyDeleteDid you check out the 180 degree oceanview penthouse living quarters upstairs?
Wait until they get the public out and can unpack all the big screens and surround sound equipment and all the cool shit.
You think they are dumb enough to let the public see the real luxury that they just paid for?
I can answer that one for you, they are not that dumb!
That place is the Ritz.... I know what $6,000,000 (not including land costs) buys.
Is it set up so they get conjugal visits?
ReplyDeleteFirepussies have it made!
ReplyDelete$6,000,000.00 for one fire station rebuild? What the f)(*k?
ReplyDeleteAm I pissed? Yes me and every taxpayer. We are pissed that Council caves into the unions and give those outrageous salaries and benefits for jobs that are protected and not open the public and exposed to the true laws of supply and demand. Our Council is paid off and owned by the Employees union and it shows.... Now the City Manager is saying, wow, maybe we cannot afford these huge pensions and we need to reduce these benefits for future hires, not our current dearest protected employees.... this is BS... both the City Manager and Council knew they were fucking their citizens the moment they approved those higher Benefits.
Yes me and every other taxpayer that didn't hit the lottery and know that firefighters union could squeeze that kind of salary and benefits from stupid City Managers and Council members and sign up for a career in firefighting 30 years ago. What a gig!!!
Who could have dreamed a City Manager and Council could be so bought off by the Employee Unions. It’s like straight out of Mexico, no less.
My Favorite is the ownership of Jerome Stocks and Dan Dalager. Paid for and owned by BOTH Employee Unions and Developers... I bet you two make your mentor Duke Cuntingham proud.
Keep up the crappy work, Encinitas City Council….. What comes around goes around and Karma can be a bitch once you start constantly and purposely making bad decisions for your own selfish personal gain. You deserve everything you get in your future. Remember, you earned it.
OK....if the council is so bad why were the three incumbents re-elected?
ReplyDeleteTalk is cheap. Show up, get involved or shut up.
What no ice free drive way?? An equivalent fire station was built in DeKalb Ill. for less money and they got an ICE FREE DRIVE WAY to boot!! Ripped off again by a gutless city council and city manager.
ReplyDeleteDO NOT RE-ELECT POLITICIANS!!!
Our local firefighters do a great job and they deserve a nice station but $6 million seems like a lot to me. .
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is Term Limits.
ReplyDeleteIf Leucadia Town Coucnil, Cardiff Town Council, and Olivenhain Town Council want to do something really good for Encinitas they would spearhead a resident initiative for term limits.
Focusing on Term Limits is the most beneficial thing these groups could do for our towns future. Come on towncouncils, do something useful for your community.
"OK....if the council is so bad why were the three incumbents re-elected?"
ReplyDeleteAnswer- Because the public are a bunch of dumb uneducated drones!
Look at what they have done to this country and you can see how easy it is for them to screw up our City.
12:25
ReplyDeleteSo we need a dictator?
How long will it be before the city staff tells us they need a new city hall?? Hall property anyone??
ReplyDeleteIs there even a provision for an initative process in the city charter? If so, the following changes would be good:
ReplyDelete- term limits
- tighter limits and better transparancy on campaign contributions
- provision for recall
- voter approval for any notable expenditure
2 things if I may.
ReplyDelete1. The firestation did NOT cost 6 million. Please folks, get your facts before you post. The exact figure came in under budget and was about 4 million.
2. I think term limits and an elected Mayor would be the way to go. There is nothing in the General Plan on how to go about getting an initiative on the ballot. However, there is plenty of information on it. The reason an elected Mayor should go with it, is that the rotating mayor idea would not work. At this time, there are 6 communities in North San Diego County with an elected mayor. We could find out how that is working for them. To get a term limit initiative on the ballot takes time, effort and money. Do we have enough people that would like to "go for it?" Personally I think it is a great idea. However talk is cheap. How many of you are willing to actually do something? If there are enough people, I am in. Calaware has good info on the process. Deborah Cervone, our City Clerk, is required by law to know these things and to pass them on if asked. So let's see how many of you are really ready to change it up?
let's not forget our over worked and underpaid lifeguards...they need a $5 million home also!!
ReplyDeleteThat'd be cool A new City Hall on the City's Hall property.
ReplyDelete"The exact figure came in under budget and was about 4 million." You're right. We saved 2 million by not painting the concrete blocks and buying the last on sale cathode ray TV from Circut City.
Meathead: I am not saying 4 million is petty cash. I am saying at least get the numbers correct if you are going to post a number at all. So, how do you feel about term limits?
ReplyDeleteDoes term limits include the fire chief?
ReplyDeleteDr. Lorri-
ReplyDeleteInclude all the cost not just the construction contract. PLanning, Design, staff time, and Construction Management costs and you are looking at well over $6,000,000.00. Get your facts straight.
I agree with you on term limits.
I for one love our fire chief and love our firefightings. With blogs like these we won't get anyone elected. Last community survey I saw had the fire department's approval rating around 90%. Let's not attack everything the city has or does, we'll lose our creditability.
ReplyDeleteNever lose your credibility.
ReplyDeleteFirepussies know they have it made. call it like it is. They hit the lottery.
No body has a beef with the firePs.
Its with the elected officials that give this small lottery winners a life of luxury.
Stop the bullshit. The union buyoffs have to stop.
When a republican wantabe future depends on getting support and he choses to embrace employee unions and developers buy off, you know things are not right.
That would be Jerome Stocks. the ultimate politician of today.
Will you support him or get the word out that that is exactly what we do not want?
Will you support term limits?
Do all fire chiefs live in million dollar houses?
ReplyDeleteWe need to get some of the boys to run for higher office - just to get them out of here. I bet they'd lose anyway.
ReplyDeleteAt least the city finally came up with the $ to flatten the pile-o-rocks. It amazes me that they can spend 4 or more million w/out blinking, yet it take months to move a rock pile and over a year to fix the fence at Beacons.
ReplyDelete8:56-
ReplyDeleteNo. Many live in $2 million dollar houses.
Firemen make about a 100 thousand a year plus full free medical benefits plus full retirement 90 % at 30 years for what? Sleeping for 8 to 10 hours of their shift, watching movies, working out on gym equipment, go shopping for dinner, make and eat dinner at about $100 dollars a hour, do errands in fire trucks and then getting paid a fantastic retirement with full medical benefits for life for them and their family. We are getting totally ripped off, thanks a lot you low life scum council members. I say fire them all and start over.
ReplyDelete9:38 Dr. Lorri
ReplyDeleteI am against term limits, but I think there should be certain restrictions.
1. No candidate can have the name of an adored secret agent hero.
2. No candidate can ever have been a lawyer, a judge, Amway or insurance salesman.
3. No candidate can ever look like either George Bush Sr. or Jr or somewhere in between.
4. No candidate can ever be male.
Hi Meathead: Can you share with us why you are against term limits? I enjoyed the rest of your post. Just wondering about the disadvantages of term limits.
ReplyDeleteI like for example that Houlihan is on for her third time - with the most votes no less. I think that speaks volumes. I'd like to see Teresa on for as long as she can stand it too. It's just a majortiy thing that I think is healthy. On the other hand, a third term of Bush could have been catastrophic. 100 years in Irag is not what we wanted.
ReplyDeleteMeathead- Houlihan at best is mediocre.... and there are plenty of people as good as Teresa out there. your post is kindof funny, but lack merit.
ReplyDelete