Bloggers note: received this email and thought it should be shared.
Should the rumors be true it would be a despicable action on the part of our Oxnard City Manager.
Wonder what the city council position is?
“the quest for power can have a very ugly face.”
HOW TO COOPERATE WITH NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS
Phillip Molina
November 28, 2016 at 4:20 PM
to Greg, TImothy, Bert, Carmen, Bryan, Dorina, starrcpa, bcc: me
Good People of Oxnard:
Is this a lesson in how to setup at the start a good relationship with newly elected officials?
1. Threaten to cut the departmental budget so that the newly elected City Clerk and/or City Treasurer cannot fulfill their duties and campaign promises;
2. Threaten to sue the newly elected officials if they even try to follow through with their campaign promises; and
3. Just cut the staff so that the daily work cannot be accomplished, claim the problem lies with the elected official and use that to eradicate the elected position(s) and set it up so that the city manager appoints the position(s) instead?
This is the list I said I would work to accomplish if elected:
1. close all unauthorized bank accounts as directed by the city's own audit report
2. stop all wire transfers of city funds that are not initiated by the city treasurer, as identified and directed in the city's own audit
3. pay for a HOTLINE if the city had not done so by the time I'm in office
4. provide an incentive to employees to identify ways in which to improve efficiency and internal controls
5. maximize earnings by consolidating all bank accounts and infusing the cash investment balances; and
6. comply with the recommendations of the city's auditors 111 audit findings that pertain to the city treasurer's department.
Additionally I want to assist the internal independent auditor to perform audits on the utilities rates assigned to each customer to assure no reduced rates are in place that the Council has not approved publicly; audit the Transient Occupancy Tax to see if there is still over $2,000,000 owed the city; audit the impact fees to make sure 100% of the fees are being collected and that the fee structure is sound, equitable and fully pays for the impact to the city's infrastructure from the proposed development; and to make sure all liquid assets and other assets are being properly secured for City purposes. While this is a huge list, it is one I would hope the city manager would join with me, and with a good staff and God's help we can be successful for the city's good and those of the Oxnard taxpayers, rather than fight me on these matters.
But sadly and hopefully in error, I've heard over the weekend from 2 reputable sources that you, Mr. Nyhoff, assured them if I'm elected you plan to stop me from doing these things by starving my budget. Mr. Nyhoff is this true? Why would you plan the failure of an elected official instead of trying to work with them to get the best for Oxnard? Is there anything in the list above that is illegal, or that is bad for Oxnard taxpayers? If so let it be known now.
Please tell me that if I'm elected, you fully plan to work together with me and the new city clerk to accomplish our jobs. You will recall at the orientation meeting with the treasurer candidates you assured us that you plan to fully fund the treasurer's department and provide the staffing needed to accomplish our goals, objectives, and duties. Please confirm your continued intent to be loyal to the elected officials of Oxnard and to follow through on your commitment to us.
If I'm not elected I will provide the newly elected official the courtesy of supporting him/her to accomplish their goals as long as they are legal and in the best interest of Oxnard taxpayers.
Respectfully,
Phillip S. Molina
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Sunday, October 23, 2016
“Back to the Future”
Oxnard’s Super Fund Site, Which Never Should Have Been.
Halaco Engineering Company, a metal recycling business, began operations in Los Angeles and Gardena in 1950. By 1965, like
a dead-beat brother in-law, they had over stayed their welcome. They were spewing noxious fumes into residential neighborhoods, creating soil and air contamination, and improperly handling radioactive waste. As a result, the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) refused to renew their permit. Other problems, as well, led to Halaco having to leave Gardena.
But Halaco need not have worried. The City of Oxnard put the welcome mat out for them.
It’s unclear whether Oxnard vetted Halaco beforehand and simply didn’t care, or never even bothered to investigate the company, before they lured them to our city. But the information was out there for all to examine, i. e, it was public knowledge.
Halaco did business in Oxnard from 1965 to their chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004, after which they closed their doors for good and left. And what a massive toxic mess they left behind for Oxnard, for years to come.
There is a huge 700,000 cubic yard waste pile, towering over 40 feet high and covering some 26 acres in size, full of heavy metals and radioactive materials
A report on the soil contamination lists aluminum, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium,
copper, lead, magnesium, manganese , nickel, silver, and zinc.
Radioactive materials include cesium-137, potassium-40, thorium-228,
thorium-230, and thorium-232. The culmination of these wastes has led to
the contamination of air, groundwater, and soil., nickel, silver, and zinc.
Radioactive materials include cesium-137, potassium-40, thorium-228,
thorium-230, and thorium-232. The culmination of these wastes has led to
the contamination of air, groundwater, and soil.
Halaco Engineering Company, a metal recycling business, began operations in Los Angeles and Gardena in 1950. By 1965, like
a dead-beat brother in-law, they had over stayed their welcome. They were spewing noxious fumes into residential neighborhoods, creating soil and air contamination, and improperly handling radioactive waste. As a result, the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) refused to renew their permit. Other problems, as well, led to Halaco having to leave Gardena.
But Halaco need not have worried. The City of Oxnard put the welcome mat out for them.
It’s unclear whether Oxnard vetted Halaco beforehand and simply didn’t care, or never even bothered to investigate the company, before they lured them to our city. But the information was out there for all to examine, i. e, it was public knowledge.
Halaco did business in Oxnard from 1965 to their chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004, after which they closed their doors for good and left. And what a massive toxic mess they left behind for Oxnard, for years to come.
There is a huge 700,000 cubic yard waste pile, towering over 40 feet high and covering some 26 acres in size, full of heavy metals and radioactive materials
 | ||
| A portion of the waste pile left in Oxnard by Halaco. Photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Channel Keeper |
 |
| Photo from Flickr |
| Many organizations sued Halaco over the site, including state and
local government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) ,as
well. Curiously, the City of Oxnard did not step up to the plate and
sue Halaco, even though they were the primarily affected entity. You
have to ask why? | |
Note: This blogger attended an unrelated meeting in 2008 where an
individual, in a position to know, statedthat orders were given from
the city to Oxnard Code Enforcement personnel not to issue any citations
to Halaco.
Also of note, the VC Star reported in 2007 that in 1996 Halaco was
permitted to dump about 9,000 cubic yards of their toxic waste into the
Bailard landfill just west of North Oxnard. Their dumping was finally
halted by the state. Since toxic and radioactive materials were found at
Halaco’s waste site, it’s safe to assume that their waste, trucked to
the landfill, also contained the same. The dump’s long term harmful
affects for residents down wind is untested and unknown.
This
blog post is not a definitive study of Oxnard’s super fund site, but
rather a synopsis on how the decisions made by 5 elected city officials
can have far-reaching consequences for our city.
google Halaco Engineering for in-depth info. https://www.bing.com/search?q=halaco+engineering&pc=MOZI&form=MOZSPG
The
unsightly buildings are gone now, taken down by the city, but the
contamination remains, likely for years or perhaps generations to come.
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff |
Sunday, October 9, 2016
A very frank opinion
Just had to publish this one.
On 10/6/2016, during a group e-mail discussion, a prominent attorney in town made the following statement, “Don't worry Oxnard will of course make the very worst and wrong decision - this is a dead city with no future. No one should contemplate living in or operating a business in Oxnard.”
The context of the conversation was infrastructure collapse, over development without the needed infrastructure upgrades, affordable housing, overcrowding, developer fees, etc.
The subject of “behavioral sink” never came up.
Separating the wheat from the chaff
On 10/6/2016, during a group e-mail discussion, a prominent attorney in town made the following statement, “Don't worry Oxnard will of course make the very worst and wrong decision - this is a dead city with no future. No one should contemplate living in or operating a business in Oxnard.”
The context of the conversation was infrastructure collapse, over development without the needed infrastructure upgrades, affordable housing, overcrowding, developer fees, etc.
The subject of “behavioral sink” never came up.
Separating the wheat from the chaff
Friday, October 7, 2016
about this blog
You can view this blog as an attack on the city--or you can view it as a historical tutorial on the city’s financial woes and other problems, which is this blog’s true intent.
Over many years our elected officials, led by city staff, many of whom are incompetent or have had their own private agendas, have voted on and approved issues that have had adverse affects far into the future for our city. We are now paying dearly for those acts.
As a recent example, on 9/13/2016 at the city council meeting, council voted 4 to 1 to give city employees a raise . Council member Bert Perello voted no. Perello’s reason, and rightfully so, was there was not enough data presented and study time to make an informed descion. Nobody is disputing the raise, only the deceptic process that was used, a tactic, I might add, that is typical of Oxnard.
The city’s response---
From VC Star: “Assistant City Manager Maria Hurtado said the staff "didn't want to confuse the issue" by trying to explain the complex budgeting involved in the shift of pension costs.
Are our elected officials so simple minded that they are easily confused. or does the city staff just perceive them that way? Either way it’s a scary proposition for the Oxnard taxpayer.
This is one way the Oxnard, CA , City Council is manipulated by staff. Unfortunately, some council members buy into this narrative, and as a result, financially destructive and long lasting, uniformed decisions are made.
But the electorate, you the voters, also have a measure of guilt with uninformed choices made at the ballot box. It seems that many vote for the glib tongue, name recognition, or the spelling of the surname, instead of their past track record or qualifications for the job.
The right council members can make a huge difference, so pay close attention to the candidates, scrutinize them as if under a microscope.
If we don’t learn from past mistakes, and correct them, we are destined to continue repeating them.
Much - much more to come.
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
Over many years our elected officials, led by city staff, many of whom are incompetent or have had their own private agendas, have voted on and approved issues that have had adverse affects far into the future for our city. We are now paying dearly for those acts.
As a recent example, on 9/13/2016 at the city council meeting, council voted 4 to 1 to give city employees a raise . Council member Bert Perello voted no. Perello’s reason, and rightfully so, was there was not enough data presented and study time to make an informed descion. Nobody is disputing the raise, only the deceptic process that was used, a tactic, I might add, that is typical of Oxnard.
The city’s response---
From VC Star: “Assistant City Manager Maria Hurtado said the staff "didn't want to confuse the issue" by trying to explain the complex budgeting involved in the shift of pension costs.
Are our elected officials so simple minded that they are easily confused. or does the city staff just perceive them that way? Either way it’s a scary proposition for the Oxnard taxpayer.
This is one way the Oxnard, CA , City Council is manipulated by staff. Unfortunately, some council members buy into this narrative, and as a result, financially destructive and long lasting, uniformed decisions are made.
But the electorate, you the voters, also have a measure of guilt with uninformed choices made at the ballot box. It seems that many vote for the glib tongue, name recognition, or the spelling of the surname, instead of their past track record or qualifications for the job.
The right council members can make a huge difference, so pay close attention to the candidates, scrutinize them as if under a microscope.
If we don’t learn from past mistakes, and correct them, we are destined to continue repeating them.
Much - much more to come.
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
A Civic Lesson
The Constitution of the United States of America
The First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The right to petition for redress of grievances is rooted in the Magna Carta of June 15, 1215.
The California initiative process is an extension of that right.
Our Constitution, including all of its sections, was put in place to protect us from government overreach, abuse, and other threats to our liberties and must not be allowed to be diminished or perverted by any entity.
Yet the Oxnard City Council has set out to do just that--violate our Constitutional rights. Their rational, of course, is that the city needs money, but there is no exemption written into the First Amendment, no exemption, whatsoever.
In January, 2016, the Oxnard City Council, in open session, voted four to one for a massive wastewater rate increase that sparked a huge protest and an initiative drive to repeal this offending ordinance.(MacDonald was the dissenting vote.)
The protest elicited a quick and underhanded response from the City Council. Behind closed doors, in a secret vote, they launched a lawsuit to block the initiative and refused to issue the necessary paper work needed for the signatures to be gathered
Even after Superior Court Judge Rocky Bain ordered the city to issue the necessary paper work, the City delayed and delayed until they apparently thought that there was not enough time left to gather the required number of signatures.
Well surprise, surprise, in just 16 days, the opponents of the rate increase gathered an astounding 3,958 signatures, almost twice the number needed to place the initiative on the November ballot.
Still fighting, the city tried to delay the certification of the initiative until it was too late to place it on the November ballot.
After threats of lawsuits and public opinion, they relented. But it's not over yet . Should the voters pass the initiative, the city plans to challenge that vote in court and overturn the will of the people
These same Council members took an oath of office when sworn in, to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
Whatever your position is on the rate increase, it is overshadowed by the violation of the Constitution and our civil rights.
Here is a quick look at the sewer rate increase: 35% in March this year and 10% in 2017; 8 % in 2018;
8 % in 2019; 8 % in 2020 for a total of 69%. But wait. If you calculate the compounding (yes it compounds itself), the true rate increase is an astounding 87%, Also note that written into the City ordinance is an automatic rate increase for such items as inflation, energy costs, and third party costs.
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
Our Constitution, including all of its sections, was put in place to protect us from government overreach, abuse, and other threats to our liberties and must not be allowed to be diminished or perverted by any entity.
Yet the Oxnard City Council has set out to do just that--violate our Constitutional rights. Their rational, of course, is that the city needs money, but there is no exemption written into the First Amendment, no exemption, whatsoever.
Background
In January, 2016, the Oxnard City Council, in open session, voted four to one for a massive wastewater rate increase that sparked a huge protest and an initiative drive to repeal this offending ordinance.(MacDonald was the dissenting vote.)
The protest elicited a quick and underhanded response from the City Council. Behind closed doors, in a secret vote, they launched a lawsuit to block the initiative and refused to issue the necessary paper work needed for the signatures to be gathered
Even after Superior Court Judge Rocky Bain ordered the city to issue the necessary paper work, the City delayed and delayed until they apparently thought that there was not enough time left to gather the required number of signatures.
Well surprise, surprise, in just 16 days, the opponents of the rate increase gathered an astounding 3,958 signatures, almost twice the number needed to place the initiative on the November ballot.
Still fighting, the city tried to delay the certification of the initiative until it was too late to place it on the November ballot.
After threats of lawsuits and public opinion, they relented. But it's not over yet . Should the voters pass the initiative, the city plans to challenge that vote in court and overturn the will of the people
These same Council members took an oath of office when sworn in, to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
Whatever your position is on the rate increase, it is overshadowed by the violation of the Constitution and our civil rights.
Here is a quick look at the sewer rate increase: 35% in March this year and 10% in 2017; 8 % in 2018;
8 % in 2019; 8 % in 2020 for a total of 69%. But wait. If you calculate the compounding (yes it compounds itself), the true rate increase is an astounding 87%, Also note that written into the City ordinance is an automatic rate increase for such items as inflation, energy costs, and third party costs.
Separating the wheat from the chaff.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Definition of critical thinking
“Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs.”
Put more simply --
The mental acumen to separate the wheat from the chaff.
“Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs.”
Put more simply --
The mental acumen to separate the wheat from the chaff.
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