Killing the Messenger Inside a Self-Insured City

[Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz (r. with Deputy Chief Mike Blakely) made the decision not to investigate an alleged off-duty physical altercation involving two of his lieutenants several weeks ago at one's residence. One lieutenant allegedly either entered or kicked his way into the other's residence and then a physical altercation. One of the lieutenants went on vacation soon after and didn't want to file a complaint on the matter while a third officer is applying for assignment to another division. Diaz and Asst. Chief Chris Vicino when notified about it apparently called it an off-duty matter. But as lower ranked officers had been investigated for off-duty incidents including a former patrol officer involved in a bar fight, what's the department's policy on investigating off-duty incidents?]

[Riverside City Manager Brad Hudson (l.) is interviewed by members of the Charter Review Committee]

[Did Riverside City Attorney Greg Priamos fire a whistle blower?]




"She was an at-will employee sitting at the pleasure of the city attorney, and ... I determined that the termination of that agreement was in the best interests of the city."



---Riverside City Attorney Gregory Priamos to Press Enterprise after he fired one of his employees who had dared complain about allegations of favoritism in contracting involving City Hall.

"She was being forced out of her job that she had been working for 14 years for doing nothing wrong, in fact for doing the right thing."

---Sterling's attorney Russell Perry to Press Enterprise

Another whistle blowing employee was sent packing by City Hall, this time Deputy City Attorney Raychele Sterling was fired by her boss, City Attorney Gregory Priamos on May 13. His statement on the matter is included above and it's actually as eloquent as any string of words that this attorney has ever said during his noteworthy career at City Hall.

This happened around the time or after the SEIU Local, the city's largest bargaining unit announced it was adopting a two-tier pension plan for current and future employees. Actually the deal that it cut for its current employees wasn't too bad. And as for any prospective ones, they can just raise the salaries to make Riverside competitive with those cities around it not engaging in two-tiered pension reform so that they can attract the best and the brightest now that they can't compete pension wise. That's probably going to happen certainly with the police department if say, the two tier was like 2.5 at 55 or something like that. After all, there's certain aspects of working for River City which aren't included in either the recruitment or hiring packages which will be covered in greater depth below.

Like you'd better not do anything foolish like report any misconduct being requested or demanded of you by supervisors in your department or by management. Lately, when that's happened, employees said they've been fired by the city in response and the number of grievances, complaints and lawsuits has grown even higher. They cost the tax payers quite a bit of money from our self-insured little city especially since the city loses many of these cases including at the stage before they would become lawsuits.

At the time that this new deal on pension reform was brokered, employees from Public Works and Park and Recreation, both departments who have representation in the SEIU had made allegations including through Sterling that any attempts to address issues of favoritism in contracting including by City Manager Brad Hudson would be met with retaliation. Has the SEIU or anyone else launched any investigative energy into the allegations made by these employees and others? It's not that pension reform isn't a major issue but some questions should be answered before any union signs at the dotted line for any Hudson "reform" plan.

Did anyone pay attention when a former employee who was related to another one walked away from the city several years after her initial volunteer position became a paid one where she averaged a six figure income at least two consecutive years? She made nearly $10,000 for less than two weeks of work which would average to $240,000 annually and City Hall and the unions are rallying behind pension reform? If I were a member of the union, I'd be asking why this lucrative part-time job position wasn't opened up to the competitive hiring process when the city made it a paying job.

Did anyone pay attention that monies paid directly to this volunteer turned part-time employee came from a variety of city departments that had nothing to do with that position's scope of duties including from one highly restricted funding source monitored by the feds?

If so, what would have anyone done about it? I mean who wouldn't want to make around $150,000 annually for a part-time stint? By the way, this apparently all happened under the watchful eye of the city's former auditing firm, Meyer Hoffman McCann which charged that highly restricted funding source for three audits to it in a single fiscal year but apparently it found nothing wrong with it paying for those expenses outside the parameters of its legally designated purpose. A prior auditor, McGladrey and Pullen LLP, before Meyer Hoffman McCann had found irregularities with how the restricted fund had been spent and advised the city on how to address it.

Apparently the city's response to that was simply to change firms the following year so it picked the one which could tell it what it wanted to hear, that it was perfect.

I had a former city council member at a Finance Committee tell me once upon the news that once again Riverside had a perfect audit by telling me, see Riverside can do something right or something like that. But I just said to him, the other committee members and the auditor from Meyer Hoffman McCann that there's really no such thing as a perfect audit.

This was at about the same time the above behavior was allegedly taking place at City Hall during this so-called perfect auditing period. Probably at the same time other cities like Bell and Victorville were either getting perfect audits and/or even winning awards for them. Riverside apparently also won several financial awards on display on the Sixth Floor when the above was going on. But at this point, many people probably have serious concerns about whether this firm could audit a lemonade stand.

No attorney from Priamos' office or Best Best and Krieger for that matter apparently advised those who were responsible of the problems inherent with these actions.

The situation brings up the thorny issue (for the city anyway) of financial accountability and oversight including the checks and balances that used to be in place between the finance department, the city management and the legislative body before the latter essentially either signed or voted all of those mechanisms away. They allowed the city manager to merge the finance department under his own department. They allowed the city manager to raise his discretionary from $25,000 under George Carvalho to $50,000 under City Manager Brad Hudson. They decreased their oversight over interfund transfers and pretty much did away with the Finance Committee for almost a year after greatly decreasing the times it met about five minutes after Hudson's arrival in June 2005.

They got rid of the Neighborhood Advisory Councils, the committees comprised of city residents in different neighborhoods who oversaw the spending of Community Development Block Grant monies to one that gave City Hall much more power in deciding where to spend the funds or just as importantly to be able to move them around which is why Casa Blanca for example saw quite a bit of its own monies going straight to the Fox Theater. They got rid of the citizens' power to pull items from the consent calendar for discussion and not long after that, packed it with high ticketed items for Riverside Renaissance. There's not as much on that calendar these days because there's fewer funding sources to use and it's getting harder to squeeze blood from that turnip so most of the consent calendar is comprised of special projects being carried out mostly in the wards up for reelection with Councilman Rusty Bailey's ward leading the pack.

[Who on the city council will ask questions about the recent firings at City Hall, given that their constituents will be picking up the dime on the city's "defense" in any resulting lawsuits?]

The city council members who claim that there's no evidence of problems with how the city's spent its money as the debt grows needs to investigate that situation much more closely. Here's a news flash too, it's not the only problematic situation. But during the time period when things like this happen while the city residents are blissfully unaware of them was a perfect storm for such questionable and potentially illegal conduct as it turned out if there's a misuse of funds or the use of any of them was misrepresented or misstated.

And a lot of that lies on every city council member who's been on the dais since 2005. The problem is, that the city needs a city council that accepts that responsibility and its members going back earlier in this decade didn't and don't seem to want it.

But it lies with city residents too who needed to pay more attention to what was going on at City Hall. Yes, going to city council can mean subjecting yourself to verbal insults from select council members, disinterest from most of the rest and even in a couple of cases ejection from the chambers by police officers (and two elderly women experienced this both when a certain formal councilman was mayor pro tem at the time) but it's imperative to speak out and to raise concerns and questions about these issues including the massive debt accumulation and the funneling of money to Redevelopment, gambling with over $100 million of the city's money against the dissolution of these agencies. If they dissolve, that money's gone forever and who on the dais has made that clear? Yes, some guy hanging out closely with some elected official or another is going to start posting stuff like if you like wine tasting, you're a drunk or you're pregnant or you're just "filthy" but that's always been the case in River City particularly during election cycles. So far, those tactics haven't helped elected officials get reelected in this region.

No it's not going to go nicely because often the more there's to be concerned about, the more people respond in that fashion for self-protection. But the city residents need to raise these issues and questions because maybe then the city government will blink its collective eyes, wake up and start asking them as well. What's going on impacts every city resident in this city, it will impact every city resident for the next 20-30 years which doesn't exactly make this city a huge draw for immigration from outside areas. It impacts city employees as well including any of those who will be fired or pushed to retire after signing gag agreements for objecting to questionable orders from above.


It's getting even more clear to anyone with common sense that retaliation's apparently remained a tool used at City Hall as the city governmental officials sit by and watch or praise the employees who are apparently doing it. How did Sterling go from having gone on paid leave of her own volition (not the city's) to being terminated?

What happens is that allegations rise that a city employee refuses to perform an improper or even illegal action and the next thing that happens is bingo, they get fired for forced out of the city's employment ranks through "retirements". Others just leave, giving up employment often at older ages in a city that boasts a 15% unemployment rate that's not dropping anytime soon just to get away from the city's workplace. Some like the former budget administrator of Public Works Sean Gill file lawsuits against the city. Others file grievances, complaints and then go onto filing lawsuits. The city litigates all these cases with costly outside law firms at taxpayers' expense claiming usually through the local newspaper that the lawsuits or claims are "frivolous" and the city will aggressively litigate it.

Does the city have its fingers crossed behind its back while making these statements? That's not clear but what's becoming more clear is that the city's not met an employee's lawsuit that it hasn't loved to settle behind closed doors. Maybe one of the reasons is that it doesn't think much of its chances at taking the lawsuits to a jury trial or maybe it's just because they're spending other people's money and not their own. After all, if Priamos fires one of his attorneys after this person's raised concerns, is Priamos footing the legal bill if he and the city's sued after doing so? No, the city residents are footing the bills for these lawsuits done for the "best interests of the city" but we're not being surveyed on whether we even want the city to first of all, put itself at the risk of getting sued through its own behavior and to settle all these lawsuits.

Because you can bet when the city settles these lawsuits behind closed doors, its spokesperson whether Priamos or one of the city's roster of public information officers will tell city residents and the press that the settlements were also done "in the best interests of the city". If asked, elected officials will tell their constituents the same thing.

Just like they likely do if anyone knows to ask why the city's currently and has been funneling over $100 million in "loans" to the Redevelopment Agency knowing full well that if the Agency dissolves, this money will be gone for good and the city will never get a dime of it back to spend on anything. Because it already spent it on the mechanism that they've been telling the city's residents generates income from the city. No, it doesn't, it creates and builds debt on the city to the tune of $1.5 billion. It's not rocket science to figure out if you've been reading the City Council/Redevelopment Agency agendas for the past six months. Just like it's not rocket science to figure out by reading the agendas that the lion share of improvement projects during that time are going to the wards with councilmen up for reelection in June.

[Foster fired Sean Gill when he did the budget on projects for her department]

What did Foster do when Gill pointed out the allegations that have been made in his litigation filed against the city? What did she say when there were allegations of favortism in contracting involving public works projects that are run under her watch? But wait, weren't these getting the contracts close friends with the city management and/or several city council members including two up for reelection who just happen to be getting the lion share of public works projects on the city council agendas?

[Asst. City Manager Belinda Graham, what role did she play in Gill's firing given that Public Works is under her watchful eye?]

If Graham oversees Foster and Park and Recreation's department head, Ralph Nunoz, what's her response to allegations raised by employees in Public Works that they faced retaliation (and in at least one case termination) after raising concerns about favoritism in contracting. What about when Park and Recreation employees allegedly raised concerns about their budget monies being used to subsidize the City Hall Cafeteria after it wasn't making enough money through its sales?

Since her background is in Development and Redevelopment, what are Graham's comments about the very risky funneling of tens of millions of dollars into Redevelopment in light of its possible dissolution by Sacramento? And why is the city still purchasing so many properties in the light of these increasingly fiscally difficult times?

Self Insured and Proud of It!

We Defend Our City Vigorously Until We Settle and then Bill You!

And oh, by the way, the city is now proudly self-insured, some say perhaps because it allegedly lost its insurance carrier some time back when the carrier complained that the city needed to stop settling too many lawsuits and take them to trial instead. One plaintiff who settled a case against the city in 2008 was told by her attorney that the city would have to pay at least part of the hefty settlement out of its own funding sources because it no longer carried insurance.

But ever since the city had its butt handed back to it on a plate from the $1.64 million trial verdict in the lawsuit filed by Officer Roger Sutton, in 2005, settlements are just the way to go. Either settlements or medical retirements to get rid of the employees that just have to be gone because as Priamos so aptly put it, "for the best interests of the city".

He's both right and wrong with that assertion.

Just business as usual at City Hall as it turns out. Only Priamos doesn't really mean that it's for the "best interest" of the city's residents. How can it be when the city residents, not Priamos out of his generous six figure salary and benefits package, is paying the costs...unless this is Priamos way of saying if the city went to trial instead, it would lose its shirt over and over. Priamos alibi that he provided was the second best and most telling excuse provided by a city employee in about a week's time as to why the city settles its lawsuits behind closed doors instead of taking its chances with a jury in a public courtroom. Remember how Hudson said last week at the ethics complaint hearing involving Councilman Steve Adams that the city settled the lawsuits with former police lieutenants, Darryl Hurt and Tim Bacon to "reform" the police department?

Pretty audacious for a management employee who had been caught essentially by the two of them issuing himself and his staff illegal flat badges (which were also provided to elected officials) and cold plates not to mention being somehow caught up in an illicit gun sale done by the police department, an unlicensed vendor at the time. What kind of management employee views whistle blowing primarily against his own conduct that led to criminal inquiries from an outside law enforcement agency "reforming" the department?

[City Manager Brad Hudson, busy being an agent of "reform"]

But the consequences as well as the apparent rewards of Hudson's "reform" plans will come to light further down the road when it's impossible not to pay attention to the little man hiding behind the curtain.



One that gets away with making statements like that one because his employees aren't paying any attention. After all, how many of them have expressed publicly that he's doing a wonderful job? But then you have one former elected official hoping to be reelected who told one group of potential endorsers early on that he should be the choice because Hudson had gotten out of control in recent years and he was the only one who could control or handle him. But then he could be right because despite what he told his supporters, he and two other former council members were instrumental in trying to bring Hudson into the city's fabric possibly going back to even before his predecessor, George Carvalho had been fired by four members of the city council. Is it possible that one of those who voted to keep him, had done so knowing it was a safe vote while behind the scenes something else was happening?

Carvalho was fired before the launching of the Riverside Renaissance project which hasn't begun to pay for itself as approximately $1.5 billion of it was paid for in bonds or loans and that means that money has to be paid back. Most likely through rates increases for utilities and sewer fees.

Some people including Police Chief Sergio Diaz have avowed that the city will fight more lawsuits filed by employees including police employees but has that happened? Will that happen? It will take more than one of Hudson's at will employees to say so even though Diaz' point is a very good one. Sterling's had already lawyered up before her termination, which began when the city allegedly offered her six months administrative leave pay to go find another job but she refused so Priamos put her on leave. Asst. City Manager of Finance/Chief Financial Officer Paul Sundeen commented on her situation by saying that she had voluntarily put herself on leave.

So that's why she's fired now right, why she had lawyered up while volunteering to not come to work? It's not clear why Priamos or anyone of his over 20 syncopates couldn't have spoken up on this issue rather than a head of another city department but Sundeen was chosen to do it instead. As a result, now his own explanation for the Sterling situation looks suspect in the light of her having hired an attorney and then getting terminated.

At any rate, it looks like it's just business in River City and that it will continue onward as everyone waits to see what messenger will be identified and be "killed" next by City Hall. With all the attention focused on that, rather than the messages that have apparently proved worth terminating employees over to try to prevent them from coming to the light of day.

One alternate look at the picture for public sector employees after they retire even as layoffs are set to begin in Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Strange with all the discussion among local politicians about pension reform, there's not explanation as to why elected officials including those who serve less than eight years even get pensions and generous life-long medical coverage at all. Pension reform should always begin with those who ultimately get to decide for everyone else....call it starting at home first before taking your message on the road.

Public Meetings

Monday, May 23 at 5:30 pm. The revised Charter Review Committee will be meeting to discuss this agenda. There will be some ethics training by Priamos after the committee interviews Hudson and City Councilman Andrew Melendrez.

Tuesday, May 24 at 3pm and 6:30 pm, the Riverside City Council will meet to discuss this agenda. Not much there this week except the usual focus on projects being done in the odd numbered wards, the same ones involved in the current election cycle.

Election 2011: The Gates Have Opened and They're Off!

UPDATE: Riverside Police Department hosts department/media relations meeting involving different media outlets. Chief Sergio Diaz says that transparency among all his employees is important even as troubling developments have surfaced at the top allegedly stemming back to a response to a March 18 incident outside the city.

What went overlooked were some critical programs in the city's roster of Community Services and the work that those employees can do as the media relations aspect of the program dominated. But it was a very enlightning interesting couple of hours of questions and answers.

More to come.

[Members of the Riverside Police Department listening to comments made during Chief Sergio Diaz' meeting on police department/media relations]

[Concerned residents fill Riverside's City Council chambers on a meeting on Sendai's relief effort]

Ted Honcharik 25 miles away from Sendai purchasing and distributing heating oil to keep residents warm in their homes and shelters in sub freezing temperatures.

UPDATE: Special Governmental Affairs Committee meeting scheduled to address appointments to Charter Review Committee


A Crisis at the RPD? What went on at the top over the weekend? Why did it happen ?And how much have we really learned since 2010?

[Crews from Victoria Country Club shore up the river that floods Sedgwick with rocks, the only work that's been done on this commonly flooding area of the city so far]

"When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail."

---Pearl S. Buck

Riverside's Response to Sendai

The city set up a Sendai Relief Fund to help raise at least $250,000 to send to the city of Sendai in the wake of a meeting held at City Hall on March 14. The Fuel Relief Fund also raised funding and is in Japan trying to purchase fuel for transport and distribution along with generators up in the northern part of Japan including Sendai. Riverside City Council will review a resolution to send a $100,000 to Sendai Relief.

The City Hall in Sendai is up and running and very busy doing many things including as a shelter for homeless people. The university was badly damaged and there was discussion about what to do with the students. In Christchurch, New Zealand, the University of Canterbury was also badly damaged by soil liquification and quite a few students were sent to Australia to continue their studies. Food, water and gas continue to be in very short supply and there's not many areas with electricity. Long lines for blocks for food and for gasoline.

The weather in Sendai in March is very cold, often below freezing at night and there's snow or sleet, all of which the area saw this week.

About 20,000 or more individuals are believed dead or missing in the Myagi Prefecture which includes Sendai. The delta region near the coast was hit by the tsunami in between 15-25 minutes after the quake, leaving very little time for evacuation. Many people that the Sendai Committee was trying to contact have been accounted for except some of those in the coastal areas. Ted Honcharik flew to Toyko for the Fuel Relief Fund and is trying to buy fuel to take to Sendai.

Complicating rescue and relief efforts is the ongoing situation with the Fukushima Daini plant which although it generates electricity had its own supply cut off. Workers have been working around the clock to deal with six reactors in various stages of overheating and meltdown.

Radiation reached California on Friday morning but it's in teeny tiny amounts as radioactive iodide doesn't last long before degradation or conversion into a more benign form that dissolves in ocean water. According to some diplomat, radioactive Xenon was detected in equipment in Sacramento as there's a storm hitting Central California (and tornado warnings in San Mateo County)and so far none detectable in Southern California including Los Angeles.

Real Time Radiation Model is based on projects and weather shifts can change the pathway and the area where the troubled plant is will be facing a major rain storm on Sunday which could cause wind shift. Different cities in Southern California have radiation detectors including Riverside. Ironically, there's the usual particulate smog in the Riverside/San Bernardino area that's probably more dangerous.


Salt hoarding is taking place in some countries. But iodized salt doesn't ward off radiation caused by radioactive iodine 131. And Potassium Iodide can cause serious health side affects particularly in those over 40 which it doesn't help much anyway unless they receive major exposure. A lot of people have shell fish allergies (as it's the most common allergy in adults) including those not aware of it as well who could experience serious side effects.

One of the major cautions given out for people who are close to where there is release of radioactive iodine 131 is not to drink the milk until it's safe (and the iodide has degraded) as most of the thyroid cancers caused particularly in children after Chernobyl were from drinking cow's milk in contaminated areas. Cows eat the grass where the iodide settles before it can degrade naturally and then through bio magnification, they absorb concentrations and can pass it through their milk for a period of time. Leafy plants that are eaten might harbor some risk as well.

There's a lot of debate and discussion on nuclear power plants including in the United States. Want to know how closely you live or work to one? This site will give you a rough estimate of your proximity to different power plants.

For example:


Zip Code: 92501 (downtown Riverside)



Closest Plants and Their Distance

* San Onofre 2, 3: 44 mi (can be unsafe in major catastrophes for food/water)
* Diablo Canyon 1, 2: 215 mi
* Palo Verde 1, 2, 3: 262 mi
* Columbia Generating Station: 868 mi
* Comanche Peak 1, 2: 1137 mi


* Interesting detail about San Onofre, Riverside's Public Utility gets about 1.8% of the electricity generated there.

Election 2011: Let the Games Begin

Elections can be very dull or very exciting and after going through an HOA board election that had to be sent to a lawyer for a decision, it's interesting to read about the situation playing out in the Riverside election. All but the fifth ward have candidates who are set to challenge the incumbents.

I don't endorse candidates because for one thing I don't live in any of these wards. What I do endorse is that the city residents register to vote if they're eligible to do so and that they vote whether it's by mail-in, absentee or at the polls. That's the most important power that people have in our city and our country is to vote. Many of the wards have had low voter turnouts and there needs to be greater engagement and participation in the process. People and organizations have engaged in voter registration drives, carpools to the polls particularly for the elderly and/or disabled. Elections are actually a lot more fun when you're on the sidelines and don't endorse.

But also because voters in their wards need to make their own decisions on who to vote for, and do the homework on candidates including their incumbents. If there's candidates forums in your ward, or neighborhood, attend them or maybe get together and hold your own. The League of Women Voters usually hold forums in different wards on different local candidates and issues. So do other organizations so if you can attend them, you should check them out.

The city's labor unions will be going through their endorsement process. Riverside Police Officers' Association President Cliff Mason is apparently the new PAC chair for that union. But Mason has more time now having severely injured his knee during a training for a position on the department's Metro/SWAT team. I was a bit surprised to hear that he had put in for the special assignment because he's a probational sergeant (and probational status does have its restrictions in certain areas for most people) but hopefully he's recovering. Some city unions like the Riverside Firefighters' Association usually endorse incumbents while others make it more interesting with some other choices. But you can't really blame the RFA for sticking to incumbents, it's often (but not always) safer and after witnessing how certain incumbent candidates have treated those who didn't endorse them in some past several election cycles.

Any questions on voting or on the election, or call 826-5557 and ask for City Clerk Colleen Nicol.


Ward 1:

Dom Betro

Michael Gardner

Dvonne Pitruzzello

Marisa Valdez Yeager

Betro's decision to file papers had allegedly resulted after Betro had made phone calls including those working in the Yeager campaign to support him running for election and some splintering followed. Because if you remember, some of the same people spearheading Yeager's campaign worked heavily on Betro's 2003 and 2007 campaigns.

He had been relatively quiet after losing his 2007 election by six votes, after issues such as Eminent Domain and the handling of two ward parks, Fairmount and Tesquesquite came under fire. But apparently Betro didn't make it through his first candidacy forum without complaining that the DGR allowed Save-Riverside's Kevin Dawson to ask the question about the July 2005 vote by the city council to restrict members of the public from pulling consent calendar items for separate discussion and vote. Betro denied at the forum that he had supported that but minute records drawn from the city's city council meeting archive as posted on this site clearly show that a motion which included that language regarding the consent calendar had been presented by Betro and seconded by Steve Adams and had passed 6-1 with Councilman Art Gage dissenting.

Memory loss or a false denial? It does make you wonder because that false or misstated claim by Betro was relatively easy to receive factual clarification on for anyone who goes on the city's Web site. Because if Betro had truly opposed the restrictions on the consent calendar that were eventually passed by the majority of the city council, why did he propose a motion to do just that and really, how stupid does he think people including those in Ward One are anyway?

This link shows the minute record if you scroll to 91-17 on the motion sponsored by Betro, which incidentally he also voted on its passage. So that gave him two opportunities to "push" for the restrictions on the consent calendar through proposing the motion and then voting on it.

The Democrats of Greater Riverside had a candidate forum for the two Democrats, Yeager and Betro and some contention was sown there by Betro who said he wasn't seeking its endorsement but that the members should "police" their membership. That caused quite a few members to be upset. There were also rumors for a while that some behind the scenes action would be taking place to decide which candidate would run, Betro or Yeager but if that's indeed the case, it hasn't appeared to work so far.

Will Ward One be as contentious in an election this time around as it was last time? That remains to be seen because there's not been much discussion or debates on the issues that each candidate brings into the race. Most of the focus so far appears to be on fund raising and garnering support even if it means poaching onto another candidate's army roster.




Ward Three:

Rusty Bailey

James Harold Davis


This election was fairly quiet. A few murmurs of possible candidates but only one other filed papers.

Davis has a blog called Rivercity Voices where he wrote this campaign letter addressing redevelopment agencies and the ban of mobile "hot food" vendors passed by the city council. Bailey still has to make amends with many of those who stumped for him in the first election because even those who specifically went out and recruited him as a third ward candidate against incumbent Art Gage are dumbfounded and somewhat dismayed at his shifting of position on several issues. So what will be interesting to watch with Bailey is whether these folks have parted ways with him or will return to his camp. Will Bailey be extending the olive leaf branch instead? Not unless he needs to and it's not likely this time around. That would be more likely if he does as rumored and puts his hat in the mayoral election (along with half the political set it seems) next year.




Ward Five:

Chris MacArthur


Although there were some murmurs of candidates thinking about running in the fifth ward including Keith Michael White (who took out papers), none of them filed papers and so MacArthur is running uncontested. Contrast with 2007 when a flock of candidates lined up in the ward to contest for a seat vacated by an incumbent rather than a candidate who wants to stay in his seat.

The city council will discuss this issue on whether or not to hold the election in his ward anyway which would allow for write-in candidates hopefully before they or most of them blanket endorse him in his election or appointment. Because yes, if the election is called off, MacArthur would be a city council appointed representative for Ward Five, not an elected candidate from that ward. That's something for MacArthur and the city council and mayor to keep in mind when they discuss this issue on March 22. Do they want to elect MacArthur to represent Ward Five or allow the ward's voters to do so themselves?

The city including the voters in Ward Five will find out this Tuesday.





Ward Seven:

Steve Adams

John Brandriff

Terry Frizzel


This race started out looking like it was going to be between incumbent, Steve Adams and challenger John Brandriff until Terry Frizzel who just missed winning the election by about a dozen votes last time entered into the race, potentially increasing the odds for a runoff election (and thus a longer campaign season) quite a bit. Races with three candidates don't always result in runoffs but many times they do. How will the balance of the election in this ward shift with Frizzel in the race, or will it? It's going to mean burning more shoe leather for the candidates in the La Sierra area but they're some good pairs on sale at various venues.

Campaigning for all three candidates will be crucial as the race will likely be over for at least one of the candidates in the June mail-in election. So no one can afford to be relaxed in their political campaigns up to when those ballots start get mailed in by voters from that ward.

Drop the Take Home Cars Already

The Press Enterprise Editorial Board has this issue by the teeth involving the ongoing issue of take home cars. And it has once again stated that the city has to address this issue and provide more than fuzzy math to explain the costs to the tax payers. They should just scrap the whole cars to council cars period and go back to a car allowance that's accountable and transparent to the city's residents. And they should also lose all those post it notes which makes you wonder how many expenditures of the residents' tax money are recorded using similarly dubious methods.

And did any of the independent audits including the ones done by Mayer Hoffman McCann catch or make notice or warn the city about using the post-it method for recording financial expenditures? Apparently not, or those warnings were ignored because former Asst. City Manager Tom DeSantis was still trying to pass off post its as good accounting and recording practices. Speaking of DeSantis, Hudson has allegedly been doing a soft shoe shuffle to distance himself from his former sidekick by telling newer people working for the city that DeSantis had "bad" relationships with certain entities.

Hudson had in DeSantis' final weeks tossed under a bus or two but DeSantis' departure was not due to this but his own behavior. During his tenure, DeSantis had micromanaged the police department almost down to the penny but he had competition for engaging in micromanagement mania with City Attorney Gregory Priamos who had matched him action for action. So far, Chief Sergio Diaz has apparently kept Priamos at a distance and a bit out of the loops, which Priamos (who allegedly has a "shrine" to law enforcement in his office) won't like that one bit. But that action done by Diaz would have been long overdo, because when it's getting to the point where Priamos wanted police equipment including lights on his city-issued car, that's just way too far.

But Diaz doesn't work for Priamos, he works for Hudson and it remains to be seen what will ultimately happen in that relationship.

Nothing good has come out of it from the cold plate scandals to mysterious incidents involving damage to cars (and yes, a fence post through the undercarriage of a vehicle would qualify) to city residents subsidizing the costs of council members to use vehicles for personal business and vacations. Many people can't afford to keep their own cars or fuel them up or fix them (especially after they hit hundreds of new potholes) so how can the city residents be expected to foot these costs for elected officials?

But the PE does a good job at explaining how ridiculous it gets. The faces from some elected officials on the dais are classic when city residents ask for little things like accountability and transparency when spending money, in the face of all the problems and scandals that have been uncovered or are waiting to be.


(excerpt)

The latest revelations from City Hall exhibit yet more confusion about this perk. Council members can drive the city cars on personal trips, as long as they report that largesse as income to the Internal Revenue Service. But city officials give differing accounts of how that approach works in practice.

In 2009, four of the five council members then driving city cars claimed on their taxes that half the mileage was for public business and half was for personal trips. One councilman claimed no personal mileage that year. Councilman Steve Adams said last week that the city uses the 50/50 split on mileage to ensure council members don't underpay taxes, though Council Andy Melendrez thought the division would be 60/40. City Finance Director Brett Mason said the city has no formula, and that council members are responsible for reporting their personal mileage totals for tax purposes.

Well, that certainly clears matters up. City records might throw light on how often council members drive the public cars on private trips -- except that the city does not track the vehicles' use. So taxpayers have no way of knowing how much of the 19,494 miles Adams listed for 2009 were on public business, or why he drove his city car 10,000-plus miles more than Councilman William "Rusty" Bailey did that year.

The city should be embarrassed by an official privilege no one can interpret coherently. And the fact that the city hands people free cars and gas with no questions asked should make taxpayers uncomfortable. Slapdash oversight of public assets is unacceptable practice.

Riverside residents understand that doing the public's business does entail expenses. But city policies should ensure that those costs are verified and justifiable, and not just wild guesses billed to taxpayers.

Councilman Paul Davis is surrendering his city-owned vehicle.

Adams has also apparently surrendered his car in the light of these unresolved issues popping up especially during an election year. Because if city officials are using their city cars for personal use, it's pretty much a given that the voters will make their feelings on that well known during an election year.

Police Department to Sponsor Open House

[Chief Sergio Diaz, Deputy Chief Jeffrey Greer and Asst. Chief Chris Vicino in quieter times but is something brewing behind the scenes?]

Chief Sergio Diaz and his cabinet will take a break from welcoming the department's newest hires to hold an open house at the Magnolia Policing Center for the newly revamped Community Services Division housed at Orange Street Station.

Some say it's critical for Diaz in particular as a chief, because being the chief's not an easy job, but by Thursday, everyone should be in good spirits to welcome community members to the station to educate them on a division that was disbanded several years ago under the former chief. Crime-Free Multi-Housing, Youth Court and other services are umbrellaed under this new division. Acceptance letters are already going out for the newly reopened Citizen Academy. But the job as a chief is to keep your management team close and never take your eyes off of them because you might not know what they've been up to when you're not looking because the last permanent chief didn't look. And when someone's been a busy bee, that's his responsibility to address just as much as if it's in a negative way as in a positive.

Thursday, March 24 at 10 am. at Magnolia Police Station on Magnolia near La Sierra in that little mall. It will be hosted by the management team as well as Lt. Guy Touissant and Sgt. Dan Warren who lead that division.

Local Organization Cites Lack of Diversity on Charter Review Committee

Jennifer Vaughn-Blakely wrote this letter in response to the selection of nine White city residents to the Charter Review Committee despite the fact that members of that racial group comprise about 39% of the city's current population. This blog had already cited that in a previous posting on the selection process for the Charter Review Committee by the city council and mayor. Applicants of different races applied for the committee but of those forwarded to the city council for interview by the Mayor's Nomination and Screening Committee, all of them were White. One Latina was submitted as a member of Councilwoman Nancy Hart's ward and was chosen as second alternate.

But the Mayor's Nomination and Screening Committee's screening process has always been problematic, not as much from a racial or gender perspective as the fact that this Committee tends to forward mainly names that its members are familiar with. The mantra that is commonly used on that Committee has often been cited here and that's the following:


Member #1 (holding application): Do you know this person?

Member #2: No, I have no idea who they are, do you?

Member #3 (shakes head) ----

It usually goes into the reject pile UNLESS....


Member #4: Wait a minute there, I saw this person at [this meeting or this social event] and such and such and such...



The application gets snatched from the rejected pile and put in the interview pile. So too often it comes down to whether or not the member of this committee knows a particular person and if someone applies who they don't know, they often act as if it's that person's fault for not being "involved" in the *right* places or things even if they're active in their communities. But when you come and think about it, part of the job of an elected official is getting out into their wards, all its communities and neighborhoods to get out and know the people they represent. So if they don't "know" a particular person, then in a sense he or she has failed as well. Some people who have good applications including long-time involvement in various areas of civic and community life just aren't on the "right" places (or have no prior board or commission experience) and get overlooked.

As for the lack of diversity, it just seems that for most of the members of that screening committee not to mention the city council seem to be much more familiar with the applicants who are White than those of other racial backgrounds. There's some exceptions but that's been mostly the rule in some years of witnessing how the Mayor's Nomination and Screening Committee works as well as city council and mayoral interviews of candidates. In many ways, it still appears to be pretty much an insiders club.

UPDATE: Special Governmental Affairs Committee meeting to be held Tuesday, March 22 at 1 pm in the Mayor's Ceremonial room to address appointing additional people to the Charter Review Committee

Melendrez Faces Heat; Quiet Zones Added to Eastside

[Councilman (and 2012 mayoral candidate) Andrew Melendrez faced intense complaints from ward residents about the lack of quiet zones in the Eastside]

Riverside's Eastside will be getting two quiet zones after criticism arose involving actions taken by Riverside's City Council. This happened when the city council voted on a motion involving the Perris Valley Metrolink project which included in fine print that the city would be placing the fourth ranked Third Street grade separation on the indefinite back burner and then be funneling some of that money to quiet zones outside of that area. But criticism arose including by community leaders so the addition of these "quiet zones" was added onto a "revised" city council agenda for March 15's meeting.

The excuses for the lack of ability to fund raise still don't wash at all especially since the fifth ranked Iowa grade separation has its requisite funding along with those three grade separations which preceded the Third Street project. Not to mention they were originally planning as early as 2007 to actually funnel the funding for the Third Street separation to a belatedly added one in Madison Street in Casa Blanca mainly as a means to reinvigorate the plans to "finish" Overlook Parkway, essentially working towards completing the expressway, more commonly referred to as locals as the "Highway to Hell". Without this grade separation prioritized for funding, the "Highway" can't be completed. So there's some speculation that might ultimately be behind the Eastside losing the construction of the grade separation which would have prevented trains from two companies from blocking a main thoroughfare into several neighborhoods. If emergency vehicles suddenly can't get through Third or Seventh (or Spruce) depending on how far the train's gone before it stops, it's supposed they can always go around and hopefully no one will die in the meantime.

Stop the Highway to Hell is a site with more information including a FAQ section on that whole situation.




A former councilman in Corona has plead guilty to making false statements.

Public Meetings

Monday, March 21 at 3 pm inside City Hall, the second community meeting on the response by Riverside to its Sister City Sendai which has been hit hard by a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.



Tuesday, March 22 at 3 pm and 6:30 pm, City Council chambers, the city council and hopefully the mayor will be meeting to discuss this agenda. Among the items discussed in closed session is the workman's compensation claim filed by former (and now retired) Riverside Police Department K9 officer, Allen Jaekel.

Not to mention this item on whether to hold an election in June involving Councilman Chris MacArthur, the only candidate filing for the fifth ward seat. The city stated it would save about $55,000 not to hold the election but if they decided not to, it would prohibit write in candidates and most recent, the precedent has been to hold the election anyway.

Wednesday, March 23, at 4 pm and 5:30 pm, at City Hall is the Community Police Review Commission's meeting to discuss this agenda. Items including discussing the annual report and whether or not the police department should change its personnel complaint form.

[CPRC while it was trying to conduct its wild election earlier this month]

Thursday, March 24 at 10 am, at the Magnolia Policing Center near Tyler Mall is the open house for the newly revamped Community Services Division.

Event

40th Anniversary Memorial Service for Leonard A. Christiansen and Paul C. Teel

April 2, at 10 am at the Mission Inn in Downtown Riverside

Never a Dull Moment in River City

"We're Not Running Away"

---Michiko Otsuki

(excerpt)

'As a worker at Tepco and a member of the Fukushima No. 2 reactor team, I was dealing with the crisis at the scene until yesterday (Monday).'

'In the midst of the tsunami alarm (last Friday), at 3am in the night when we couldn't even see where we going, we carried on working to restore the reactors from where we were, right by the sea, with the realisation that this could be certain death,' she said.

'The machine that cools the reactor is just by the ocean, and it was wrecked by the tsunami. Everyone worked desperately to try and restore it. Fighting fatigue and empty stomachs, we dragged ourselves back to work.

'There are many who haven't gotten in touch with their family members, but are facing the present situation and working hard.'

Battling On

'Please remember that. I want this message to reach even just one more person. Everyone at the power plant is battling on, without running away.

'To all the residents (around the plant) who have been alarmed and worried, I am truly, deeply sorry.

'I am writing my name down, knowing I will be abused and hurt because of this. There are people working to protect all of you, even in exchange for their own lives.

'Watching my co-workers putting their lives on the line without a second thought in this situation, I'm proud to be a member of Tepco, and a member of the team behind Fukushima No. 2 reactor.

'I hope to return to the plant and work on the restoration of the reactor.'

Sendai Relief fund: $42,447.37

Rescue Relief Rebuild

The Sendai Committee met yesterday to discuss steps to take in responding to the emergency situation in Sendai. Ted Honcharik of Fuel Relief Fund has left for Sendai to transport generators and fuel that will be purchased before as was done in Haiti after the earthquake there.

A skeleton crew of workers are fighting to prevent a total meltdown at various reactors at Fukushima and are getting police to fire a water cannon at one of the pools that stores spent rods (which is probably the most problematic situation besides that at Reactor 2). The U.S. has sent nuclear energy experts to Japan and monitors to Hawaii and the California coastline.

The risk to the western U.S. is viewed as minimal at this point.

For more information from the State Department of Health: (916) 341-3947

The committee says that some people more close to the center of Sendai (i.e. downtown and City Hall) have responded to check in that they're doing okay. Areas outlying near the coast still are not responding. The entire delta region by the coast was hit by the tsunami with miles/kilometers reach inland different depending on the location in proximity to the epicenter of the now 9.0 quake. The local university was heavily damaged by the quake and is inaccessible. At least one museum survived in pretty good shape and individuals at the Metropolitan Museum downtown (which is undergoing seismic retrofitting) might consider sending a delegation to help with any needed work on the museums in Sendai later on.

Electricity, water and other infrastructure issues are still serious problems in the area as is phones. Still many sizable aftershocks. The real time maps show the aftershock activity is moving south through the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan.

[City residents and community leaders pack the Mayor's Ceremonial room during a meeting on responding to the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai]

****Sendai's Mayor Katsuhiko Umehara and his staff and the member of Sendai's IRC are all accounted for but not sure about members of the Orange Club. A lot of uncertainty about whether people are deceased, or missing due to evacuations or lack of ability to communicate as mobile phones and internet were down. Sendai City Hall did email Riverside about what was happening there.

***Riverside's Urban Search and Rescue Team is currently fifth on the list for deployment but maybe be prioritized higher. Designated primary responders from Los Angeles deployed from March Air Reserve Base on Saturday with supplies and have reached a town up in Northern Japan impacted by earthquake and tsunami damage. USAR Teams from Mexico (and Acapulco is also Sendai's Sister City) and Christchurch, New Zealand have reached Sendai. Ironically the USAR team based on Japan had been deployed to Christchurch to help them with their Feb. 22 6.3 earthquake when the 8.9 quake happened off the shore of Sendai.


*****Ted Honcharik ifrom Fuel Relief Fund is leaving for Japan in several days hopefully with $50,000 to purchase fuel over there to distribute for free up around Sendai. As you know, Sendai is currently out of food, potable water in many places and nearly out of fuel.

His contact information is:

phone: 951-233-0283

Fax: 951-680-1993

email: troncharik@fuelrelieffund.org


****Riverside and Riverside's International Relations Committee is setting up an electronic donation fund for checks and hopefully pay pal in the upcoming days at City Hall 3900 Main St. or call Mayor Ron Loveridge's office at 951-826-5551

***Several fund raising events are also planned including a possible MLK Jr. band concert at the Fox Theater in Riverside around March 31.

Sendai monument near Riverside City Hall

[The 1998 Sister City teams for the Sendai Half Marathon before the race including Riverside's delegation]

UPDATE: 8.8 quake strikes North-Eastern Japan off coast trigger tsunamis. The quake hit about 60 miles east of Riverside's Sister City Sendai which faced major tsunami damage.

Sendai hit by 10 foot wave. Damage "devastating, at least 300 dead"

Two Riverside city officials said that they will ask city to respond. Mayor Ron Loveridge's office says city is "working" on coordinating its response to the disaster. Riverside to send urban rescue team to Sendai.

Riverside officials said they are discussing how best to aid Sendai and may help create a local donation fund. For now they are directing residents to the American Red Cross, which is taking donations online at riversidecounty.redcross.org or by calling 888-831-8031.


I had the fortunate experience of traveling to Sendai, Japan in 1998 with other runners, coaches and trainers on the Riverside delegation entered in the Sendai Half Marathon. Other sister cities came from France, Mexico, China, Belarus and Dallas Texas also participated. From the moment we landed at Sendai International Airport (the only delegation to fly directly to the city), to the moment we departed, the people of Sendai were the most gracious hosts and very friendly and they hold Riverside in very high esteem. Riverside and its people do not have a bigger fan club in this entire planet than in Sendai. In front of City Hall, there's the Raincross symbol and there is a very descriptive diorama of Riverside's downtown in one of the museums.

Sendai was devastated by the 8.8 earthquake and tsunami with at least 300 dead so far and many more missing. Many of the images of the tsunami going through the coastal area shown on TV are of Sendai including its fishing community as one of the area's main industries is fishing.

Riverside Councilmen Mike Gardner, Rusty Bailey and Chris MacArthur have so far responded to emails requesting that Riverside respond to this crisis impacting its Sister City. Since 1957, the two cities have been in this relationship, the longest still active such relationship in the world. Riverside needs to be a "sister" and engage in sending assistance and aid to Sendai and hopefully will along with the International Council of Riverside send its support.


An interesting article on the Feb. 22 Christchurch, New Zealand which discusses the ground acceleration forces that made it nearly impossible for most buildings even those built to higher earthquake standards to survive intact.




Riverside fifth on national list for failed job recovery which kind of shows that even with redevelopment agencies, they couldn't spark new jobs.

[Former Councilman and current mayoral candidate Ed Adkison represents his company at the Finance Committee meeting on business tax enforcement]

Retire RPD Detective Takes Legal Action

Former Riverside Police Department Det. Chris Lanzillo who left the department last year allegedly took legal action against Police Chief Sergio Diaz and City Manager Brad Hudson in the wake of comments that Diaz made to the Press Enterprise about Lanzillo’s termination and resultant lawsuit that he filed against the city, department and employees including former Acting Chief John DeLaRosa and current Deputy Chief Mike Blakely.

That lawsuit settled last year overturned Lanzillo’s termination and he was medically retired and received a financial settlement and back pay minus a week’s suspension. It had alleged that former Riverside Police Officers’ Association President Chris Lanzillo was the subject of an investigation in connection with a training session and terminated after he had verbally confronted DeLaRosa during one of the management team’s roll call bull sessions after the Feb. 8, 2010 DUI incident involving the former police chief. DeLaRosa had shown up at roll call sessions often with the entire management team in tow to rally the officers to stick together as “one big family” and not to talk to the bloggers or the press.

Lanzillo allegedly then had said that the handling of the DUI incident should have been done differently and asked DeLaRosa why he had waited over 30 hours to hand the investigation to the California Highway Patrol. Not long after that, a supervisor who had not attended the training and witnessed the incident filed a complaint and the incident was investigated involving insensitive comments in a diversity training class. Lanzillo had allegedly said he made similar comments in the past and the department investigated several years back and no one recalled it so he was allegedly given a notice of intent of termination for lying. If that’s truly the case of how the events unfolded, then that’s got to be one of the most bizarre terminations ever…at least in recent history. For admitting that you made a racial comment several years earlier…and because no one can remember it, recollect it or perhaps don’t want to be asked by investigators why if they heard it they never reported it and then being investigated for that, firing an employee. It's bizarre in the face of other employees who were caught making racial comments and were given other jobs inside the city's employment after leaving the police department.

And leaving the final decision to another employee who allegedly also received a notice of intent to terminate around the same time or even the same day as Lanzillo and how was a subject officer in the most publicized internal investigation of the year…who incidentally had been publicly challenged by Lanzillo who asked the same questions that City Hall and investigators should have been asking DeLaRosa.

Almost as bizarre as having a subject officer on the year’s most publicized internal investigation present or involved in the interrogation of a “witness” officer in that same case simply because he was acting chief at the time. If it had been a criminal investigation would you have the suspect of the crime be present during the interview of a witness? Of course not. No, this might not have been as serious as a criminal investigation but the two share some similar reasons as why it might not be prudent to have the subject person in the same vicinity as a witness during an interrogation to gain information for an investigation.

Just another reason on a stack of them not to have all that much faith in Hudson’s “independent” and “sweeping” (the surface) investigation. Just another reason on a stack of them not to have all that much faith in Hudson’s “independent” and “sweeping” (the surface) investigation.

When discussing Lanzillo, Diaz had said that he had “done very bad things” without specifying what they were to the press and Lanzillo had been concerned about that because any prospective employer or other person could do a search on the internet and see the comments by a police chief and think he had done something like child molestation or a serious crime.

This incident allegedly had taken place after Diaz and Lanzillo had an emotionally charged verbal altercation outside one of the police facilities over the lawsuit. After the comments were made, one of the leaders of the RPOA contacted Diaz and asked what was up with that and Diaz allegedly told him he got emotional and it was a mistake.

The city has the option of deciding how to handle it and whether or not to litigate it to trial. Diaz had raised an important point in the Press Enterprise about how too many lawsuits have been settled by the city (which is now self-insured after having had a carrier at one time) rather than taken to trial. I agree with his point although my reasoning might be somewhat different. The city settles for two reasons, to preserve its civil liability or to minimize the risks and to prevent publicity of the surrounding issues in lawsuits. It’s hard to buy the city’s argument that it settles to save litigation costs after seeing how aggressively it’s litigated and fought several labor lawsuits include those filed by a group of Black city employees in 1997 and Officer Roger Sutton’s filed in 2000 and tried by a civil jury in 2005. But then Diaz also allegedly has been working to minimize City Attorney Gregory Priamos' historic micromanagement of the police department which if so is a hopeful and long overdue development in that troublesome area.

There's this pattern of events that was relayed in an earlier Press Enterprise article.

Those officers only file lawsuits or claims when they get in trouble. That’s an interesting point but what would make an interesting study in contrasts is how those numbers that align with his contention stack up against officers who file complaints that are handled inhouse (and not known publicly), then get into “trouble” and then file more public claims and lawsuits alleging mistreatment or misconduct including retaliation. Add in officers who have very little prior contact with complaints or internal investigations initiated against them who suddenly have multiple complaints open or investigations open against them after complaints of mistreatment or misconduct or those who after they file complaints may know or not know that meetings have been called between individuals at Orange Street administrative offices and the department’s Internal Affairs Divisions on discussing those officers soon after they file grievances, claims or lawsuits.

Then provide stats on how many cases are settled, how many go to trial and what the end results are in both cases including average payouts per settlement and/or trial verdicts. All of this together would make for a very interesting sociological study or research paper, maybe a thesis for a doctorate as to what the outcomes would be and any conclusions which could be reached.

The Charter Review Committee Gets Ready To Meet

The Charter Committee is set to already start meeting and all the various agendas that are contingent on charter changes will start popping up for “discussion” at these meetings. One of those will no doubt be the future of the city’s only business, Riverside Public Utilities as there’s serious discussions taking place in different venues about trying to push for an initiative which will increase the percentage of funding which can be taken from RPU to pay for the city’s bills. The problem is that RPU has its own expenses like any company would to pay out of its monies made and one of the debates out there hands down is how much money that RPU has that’s really being spent by the city for outside expenditures.

If you’ve ever wondered how Riverside Renaissance is going to be funded, this can be a critical development to follow. Because people act as if the Renaissance has been paid for and news flash, a lot of it is deferred payment not actual payment and since Riverside’s not making enough money on sales tax and property taxes which are recession-sensitive, how else will these bonds or other forms of deferred payment be done? And will the RPU be liable to shifting a larger percentage of its earned money to do this and pay for other outside expenses? If it passes the muster of the city’s voters, how will this impact them? The answer to that is easy, higher rates for water and electricity (which after the “freeze”, you might have to buckle your seat belts at some of the rate hikes that have been proposed) because how else will RPU make the money to offset a higher payout to the city to spend? Money comes from some resource and the bulk of the Renaissance will likely wind up on the backs of the residents in ways not exacted yet.

But remember when the city council passed and then revoked (because they were election-sensitive) that mult-tier hike that counted amps instead of actual kilowatts used? And the uproar that followed which pressured some council members who were facing elections to back peddle?

What adds a lot of intrigue to this discussion will be the fact that the city council and mayor quickly appointed Tom Evans to the chair position of the Charter Review Committee. Evans is currently an elected official serving on the local water board, was interim city manager before Hudson’s arrival and his expertise was of course, RPU which he oversaw for four years before his appointment in the interim management position. If eking out a larger piece of RPU earnings comes to the committee, how will Evans react?

Stay tuned to see this situation as it pans out, whether it does now or not with RPU, City Hall and the city residents. Because what is ultimately decided could really impact and hit home that the costs of the $2 billion plus Renaissance haven’t even begun to come out of your pockets. Yes, there are definite advantages to having a municipal public utilities entity but it takes responsibility on the parts of the stake holders including city residents to keep an eye on what’s happening and to voice concerns about it too including the charter review process in connection with a valued resource.

CPRC Hold Another Wacky Election

Elects Chair, Vice-Chair

[The CPRC members minus one in Missouri conducted their annual elections]

The Community Police Review Commission engaged in its annual exercise of holding its election for chair and vice-chair. All of the members showed up including the three new members, to conduct the special meeting and to elect their new officers, except for Robert Slawsby who appeared via conference call in Missouri. Rogalio Morales was absent for a short period and missed the first round of elections for both chair and vice-chair.

For chair, Commissioner Ken Rotker nominated outgoing vice-chair Art Santore for chair and Commissioner John Brandriff nominated Dale Roberts. The voting broke down with Santore, Slawsby, Rotker, Ralph Johnson and Robin Jackson voting for Santore who had the five votes necessary to win. Roberts received votes from Brandriff, herself and Jane Adams.

For vice-chair, Rotker nominated Slawsby and Brandriff nominated Roberts. For that the voting became more complicated, because it resulted in a 4-4 tie. Voting for Slawsby were himself, Rotker, Santore and Johnson while Roberts received votes from herself, Brandriff, Jackson and Adams. There was some legal consultation; most of it outside the ability of the public and several commissioners to even hear let alone to follow what took place. At the end, they decided to table the vote for vice-chair to the next meeting when Morales could attend since the CPRC was not required to appoint a vice-chair at the first meeting in March only a chair.

But then Morales appeared and then there was a debate on whether to table the election or revote for vice chair in hopes of having him serve as the tie breaker. It became clear when Morales was polled for his vote that the election would go to Roberts as everyone voted the same as they had in the prior round and he gave his vote to Roberts.

Never a dull moment with a CPRC election as the whole issue of allowing certain individuals teleconferencing votes in the past and not others not to mention the behind the scenes election several years that took place before March of that year have made it clear that there’s been issues with it electing its officers. But in this particular election year, the most pivotal and important position may actually be that of the vice-chair for reasons that could further to light moving through the calendar year when the makeup of the commission might change on several fronts.

Former Councilman Dom Betro Mixes Up the Facts

During a recent debate by the Greater Democrats of Riverside, two candidates for ward one showed up because only the registered Democrats in that race were allowed to participate. These were former Councilman Dom Betro who lost a squeaker of an election in 2007 and also Marisa Valdez-Yeager who is opposing him and two other candidates. Betro provided some colorful participation by engaging in some commentary. One of his claims was that as a councilman, he didn't push the action to ban city residents from pulling items off the consent calendar which the city council did during a meeting in 2005.

Baloney as one person put it upon hearing his claim at the forum. He most absolutely did push for it when he sponsored the motion that put that issue on the table, and the intent of the motion was to restrict who could pull items from the consent calendar.

At least Betro didn't promise he would "look into" that decision that was made as that's the least adhered to campaign promise made by elected officials so far. No one has looked into it.


But check this minute order from July 12, 2005 yourself. It takes some scrolling down and the agenda item numbers (in this case #55) aren't numbered but you'll find it under City Council Rules of Procedure... and follow the voting columns for the motion, the second and the votes cast by each council member on the right hand side. You'll see that Betro sponsored the motion that included restrictions on the consent calendar. Councilman Steve Adams seconded it, and it passed 6-1 with former Councilman Art Gage the only candidate not voting for it.

So former city council members running for reelection again shouldn't engage in revisionist history. The proof is in this case, the minutes. But Betro in his own unique style did spark up some controversy at the DGR by telling the organization which sponsored his appearance that it had to better police itself apparently against bogus Democrats or those not card-carrying or whatever. He didn't get the endorsement, but said he didnt't want it and then complained later that some of the people who asked questions shouldn't have been allowed to ask them including that embarrassing one about the consent calendar because he wasn't seeking an endorsement.

The Mystery of the Disappearing Employees

Riverside is one of those cities where you never know what’s happening half of the time and it’s easy to miss some of the intrigue that takes place and hence, there’s a section in this blog which deals with the mystery of the missing employees. Occasionally there will be an employee profiled who’s disappeared off the canvas especially if the rest of the city clams up about it.

That’s the case with the abrupt departure of former Homeless coordinator Don Smith who is no longer employed with the city and Human Resources apparently won’t even elaborate to their boss’ bosses about what happened. There have been several employees who have left under confusing or even disturbing circumstances including long-time City Hall employee Howard Field and several in Development and even the city’s Human Resources Department. These employees had a common denominator or two which makes one wonder if one of the city’s exorcised ghosts is resurfacing and will be addressed in future postings.

This one came to light involving Smith because people who worked with the homeless or are interested in those issues tried to contact Smith not too long ago and were unable to do so and couldn’t find out what happened or even who to call instead or if the position will be filled. See, that’s typical of the Riverside canvas, is that employees just have a way of disappearing from it…poof…but whether he was a layoff casualty, took a job elsewhere or something else happened. Or if his position’s been phased out, frozen or it will be filled and what will happen to the system of addressing homeless issues and populations that he oversaw.

It’s not lost that the class of employees with some of the largest institutional memories of this city’s history particularly how it’s run and how it conducts business are the ones that are kind of on phase out lately.

The Unwanted Highway to Hell

City residents veto continuation of Overlook Parkway at Public Hearing

A large group of city residents said we don't want a new highway at a public hearing held to discuss an environmental impact report. The emphasis of the hearing was supposed to be whether or not the gates at Crystal View Terrace and Green Orchard Road which had been the subject of many contentious meetings but the concerns shifted to what people view as an attempt to revive the drive to finish Overlook Parkway which was thwarted by residents of two neighborhoods who stand in the path of that construction some time ago. What's interesting too about this process is that part of the planning on finishing the thoroughfare is to put a grade separation at Madison which some say will be funded by the money that had been earmarked for the higher priority grade separation on Third Street that was recently tanked in some small print without the appropriate public hearing.

It's not paranoia that had people concerned. It's the realization that of the four scenarios, the city actually included finishing this street so someone somewhere in the halls of power are thinking about it. The one that would could pit neighborhoods against each other and potentially bring traffic, and create larger problems in the already vanishing green belt area of the city not to mention what it would do to Victoria Avenue, the only street that seems more like a park than a thoroughfare and one of the nicest spots of the city.




Christchurch, New Zealand to lose World Rugby Cup?