Vanguard

Weekly News Vol II

Week of June 10, 2007

City of Glendale, CA Edition

 
 

“Accountability”

Glendale’s Watchdog
 

 

HEADLINES

No More Freebies for Friends of Weaver

BREAKING NEWS!

City Budget Calls to Pay $485,000 to One Employee

The four stages of Vanguard "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."   Mahatma Gandhi

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – Thomas Jefferson

 

“Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.” Mark Twain

 

“An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it.” Frazz

 

When WE are complacent THEY win!

Only when WE are vigilant are THEY accountable!

 

Outdoor Grills : Results of Karoun Public Hearing – Zoning administrator took case under advisement. Three members of the public spoke against the granting of a variance and various City Departments indicated they were not in favor.

BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING NEWS GFD pays one employee  $485,901. There may be an explanation on Tuesday at 9AM

2007-08

GFD

Budget

 

Comp

 

 

 

 

Fund

Purpose

Gr. Pay*

OT

Absence

Hourly

PERS

Personnel

Ave Pay*

101-402

ADM

1,144,596

2,575

12969

1030

159671

7.3

156,794

101-403

Ops

29,001,370

4,105,060

237424

42436

4137836

158

183,553

101-404

Mech/Maint

457,022

3,090

5490

1030

38466

5.25

87,052

101-411

Prevent

1,512,055

53,535

17589

1030

164885

11.5

134,405

101-425

Emer Svcs

184,412

 

2136

 

42087

1

184,412

265-401

Grants

485,901

6,500

4929

 

63955

1

485,901

511-405

Paramedic

4,480,037

349,673

48906

 

635021

28

160,001

701-416

Fire Com Cent

2,16,7954

202,351

21040

 

134516

19.25

112,621

510-421

Haz Mat

1,195,213

7,725

12651

 

103756

11.7

102,155

Total

 

40,628,560

4,730,509

363134

45526

5480193

243

 

            Average pay for firefighters is $183,000. That means some get more and some less. Proposed 2007-08 budget section I. Data extrapolated from public records. *Direct cost to taxpayer.

 

City Attorney requests Council transfer left over money to other accounts in City Attorney’s office instead of following City Charter Article XI paragraph 14. Rather than follow the Charter as Vanguard suggested and replace the excess money in the general fund, Council granted the wish. [ED See commentary]

 

Councilmanic Districts: The newest Council Member, John Drayman, presents an excellent case for districts. If you have paid attention to the various meetings and study sessions, Drayman is quick to challenge budget issues in the area he is so intimately aware.

 

Consider the following scenarios being resolved at a public forum:

1. A local agency in a high-growth area faces the daunting task of updating its out-of-date general plan. Community members disagree over the extent to which growth benefits the area ’s quality of life, as well as over the degree to which other values (recreation, open space and agriculture) ought to be preserved and pursued.

2. Officials and the public are concerned about rising crime rates involving youth in a particular neighborhood. Parents believe a youth center will help; others demand more law enforcement activity.

3. A group home opens in a neighborhood of politically well-connected residents. They believe the facility does not belong in their neighborhood and demand that local officials shut it down.

4. The costs of government services exceed the revenues for the next fiscal year and, unless something changes, the situation will not improve in the future. Residents seem to want the services, but not the taxes or fees to pay for them.

How to manage this using a public forum.

 

A Municipal Salary ‘Free for All’ Catches Up-- Local Michigan governments have shed almost 24,000 jobs since 2002, including more than 2,800 police, firefighters and other law enforcement workers, according to annual U.S. Census Bureau surveys. Nearly half of those losses happened from 2005 to 2006, the data shows.

 

Firefighters Told to Cut Grass on Duty Associated Press June 01, 2007

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio - The mayor has ordered the city's firefighters to cut grass and trim shrubs while on duty to help the service department care for parks and other public areas. "We have 54 firefighters, and they have a lot of downtime," Mayor Eric Brewer said Thursday. "Instead of sitting around the station, they'll be assisting us as we beautify the city." The mayor's plan calls for firefighters to travel in a fire truck to their assigned work site and to keep their firefighting gear with them so they can proceed directly to the scene of a fire if called. The new duties are similar to other non-fire-related tasks performed by firefighters, such as checking hydrants, conducting fire inspections or visiting schools, said Ken Adams, deputy safety director of the Cleveland suburb. "This is simply an attempt to beef up a service that has been lacking for a number of years," Brewer said Thursday as he watched several firefighters receive training on a riding lawnmower.

The firefighters' union opposes the plan, arguing that noise from city lawnmowers and protective headphones worn by firefighters might prevent them from hearing their radios when an emergency call comes in. "We're firefighters, not service workers," union vice president Rick Razek said. "It jeopardizes our citizens and will absolutely hinder our response time." Lawn cutting is dangerous. The task will inflate worker comp claims and deflate egos.

In Glendale the fire personnel don’t cut the grass at the fire stations, outside contractors do.

 

Americana at Brand is coming: From the LA Times - Caruso, it is said, got the idea for the Grove from Rome's Via Veneto

, where he saw buildings that were centuries old redeveloped for contemporary commercial use. That's a striking image, suggesting that not only are Caruso's intentions more complex than he's commonly given credit for, but also that our cities may ultimately supersede us as independent entities in which we play only a part. AARP Magazine wrote on the subject of ‘lifestyle centers’ and their appeal to the ‘boomers’.

 

Vanguard Attended the Tuesday 9AM Council Study session and spoke on several issues the main one being that the budget for the GFD seemed to be in error when one person was being paid almost 1/2million dollars. Excessive even for the fire department. That is even more that the City Manager makes. (See Commentary).

Barry spoke at the Joint Council/GRA meeting about reducing closed sessions. The Council has chosen to continue to treat the public as mushrooms. CM Weaver read a justification from a staff report, however the controlling language from the Brown Act follows: “54956.8. Closed session; real estate negotiations Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a legislative body of a local agency may hold a closed session with its negotiator prior to the purchase, sale, exchange, or lease of real property by or for the local agency to grant authority to its negotiator regarding the price and terms of payment for the purchase, sale, exchange, or lease. However, prior to the closed session, the legislative body of the local agency shall hold an open and public session in which it identifies the real property or real properties, which the negotiations may concern, and the person or persons with whom its negotiator may negotiate…  “

Next was the Council meeting where Barry spoke on the Beeline request for more money to correct the April 17th Staff Report error. He also spoke on the issue of the 1000 page budget and suggested that each Council member study a 200-page section so they would be conversant rather than accepting this document that, according to former mayor Sheldon Baker, is their VISION.

Wednesday was the Zoning Administrator’s hearing. One on a 6-acre property where the owner wants to build a 6000 square foot house (including garage) and the neighbors don’t want the construction because of their pristine neighborhood. Barry spoke on NIMBYism.

Next was the open grilling and Barry spoke about people coming to the US in search of a democratic society of laws made by people to protect people. As in this case, protecting the public from the health hazards caused by wood smoke.

Later that evening was the City Clerk’s Town Hall on ‘Voting’. Barry spoke on the absentee ballot application and suggested that in the case of nursing home patients only family of the patient could make the request if the patient wasn’t able to request for themselves.

Vanguard, working for you.

 

 

 

CITY CLERK

Women’s Commission is three members short and is seeking qualified Glendale residents to serve. Applications are available from the City Clerk, 548 4000

 

Excellent Turnout for first Town Hall devoted to election process

 

Statements of Economic Interest are required to be filed annually by city officials. Last year Vanguard requested a list of officials that had not filed with the City Clerk. That list was not delivered and here we are 5 months into another year requesting the same information. We do have copies of the SEIs and they will be available by email in a pdf format.

 

Boards and Commissions: The City Clerk needs to provide staff to facilitate Boards and Commissions, as there is little consistency. Not all post minutes on the web. Many do not link to reports being discussed on their agendas. All of the agendas are not ADA compliant. The amount of time given to speakers on Oral Communications and Agenda items differs. The present system is very dysfunctional.

 

Published independently by Vanguard – Our vision is to live in a City where all people, regardless of geography, background or economic status, can enjoy accountability, integrity, effectiveness and responsiveness from our elected officials and each of the city's departments

 

CONTENTS:

1)       Commentary

2)       Announcements - Letters- Calendar – Links

3)       Public Records

4)       Vanguard

5)       Political Humor

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1 Commentary

 

 

 

  You may agree or disagree with the views below. Feel free to comment on them.

·         Budget Process hasn’t been working. Some departments are scrupulously honest and others don’t follow the rules. Meanwhile a 1000 page document is presented to Council along with some self-congratulatory PowerPoint presentations that beg to have questions asked and answered. Sort of misdirection. Meanwhile there are 5 Council members, each could take and scrutinize 200 pages and display their expertise on behalf of the public. However, it is easy to approve the document because they are spending our money and we have very deep pockets. $25-41,000,000 for two rebuilt fire stations for which there has been no justification; $485,000 salary and questionable expenses for one department. Guaranteed that these issues would not be visibly public had they not been brought up by accountability watchdogs? Call your favorite Council member and demand that they truly read the proposed budget. [ED--See also City Attorney request fund transfer, above.]

 

·         The DPSS building on Broadway was authorized to be sold to a developer about 1 ½ years ago and the City still hasn’t completed the paperwork. Komar, another developer, claims they would be able to break ground for a different hotel they may propose at the Panda Inn site within 6 months. It is obvious that they have never worked in Glendale. Hundreds of staff are involved so the process takes longer, an issue that Vanguard recently spoke to.

 

·         Hotels should benefit the public not the City Administration. Komar presented an unsolicited proposal to the City and the Redevelopment Agency to build a full service hotel to compete with the Amidi proposal to build a 4-star Le Meridien Hotel on its own property at Brand and Wilson. Amidi proposed to build a select service hotel, which is the fastest growing segment of the hospitality business in the US, at the Panda Inn location that would use the resources of the local business community, such as restaurants, beauty salons and spas. Council and staff are mesmerized by the potential transient occupancy tax (TOT). Komar bandied some numbers that are way too optimistic. Amidi has had a positive presence in Glendale for many years demonstrating its vision and fulfilling its role as a good corporate citizen. Better to deal with a party you know that has produced employment and results for Glendale rather that someone you don’t know.

 

·         Eminent Domain for the reservoir can be dealt with by using existing publicly owned open space to accommodate a new reservoir. The soil removed could be used to fill the Golf Course reservoir.

 

The Glendale Municipal Code, 2.83.070 on the improper use of city position or prospective position. “No official of the city…shall use his/her position, or the power or authority of his/her office or position, in any manner intended to induce or coerce any person to provide, directly or indirectly, anything of value which shall accrue to the private advantage, benefit or economic gain of the official, or of any other person. (Ord. 5219 (part), 1999)”

 

ACCOUNTABILITY is the issue!

Integrity starts with the individual

TAKE ACTION – GET INVOLVED – BE INFORMED

 

2
 
 Announcements – Letters -- Calendar

Letters and Calls

 

.

ED – Letters published do not necessarily express the opinion of Vanguard, the publication, the organization or Barry Allen.

 

Please don’t use my name or initials, as I am a former City Official. I am dumbfounded at the lack of regard management has for the elected officials. Vanguard, you are right in indicating there is a lack of accountability. Of course in deference to City Manager Starbird, he has had to take the reins of a clueless Council. Things were different in my day. Name withheld.

 

I watched you on GTV6 and want to thank you for following up on my tip about the GFD budget issue. I had always been proud to be a firefighter but issues of the manipulation of the budget have shaken my pride. I was not surprised that you were unable to get the drug list. Hopefully someone will do a check on the use of steroids. Passed Over [ED – Your information has been passed on.]

 

In the article about the GFD budget for 243 employees, the math works out to $220K +/employee.  Is the $53 million the entire budget?  Unfortunately, out where I am, a similar ratio derives from budget numbers for salaries and benefits only.  Equipment and other expenses are not included.  Given that some clerks and cleaning folks and other un-to-low-skilled employees earn less than $30K, you can see what that does to raise the high-end salaries even higher.  This has gotten way, way out of control, and the general public is almost totally unaware.  Statistically, a police officer's job is more dangerous than a fireman's job.  So why do firemen make twice as much?  (That's what happens, here.)  Moreover, unlike a police officer's job (which puts him/her on patrol, away from the station), much of a fireman's job is spent waiting for and hoping that a fire doesn't happen.  The US Department of Labor records the most dangerous job as Groundskeeper.  Maybe we should pay them $200K +.  And what about a soldier?  We take benefits away from them (and give the money to Blackwater mercenaries at about $1,000 per day, which makes them almost as well paid as California firemen.)  And why is overtime looked upon as a birthright?  How did this happen?  Publish the math along with the numbers and maybe some of this gross inequity may start to be reversed. JS Chino Hills

 

Just received your very informative Weekly News publication today and I want to congratulate you on all of the many subjects you report on in trying to keep the city honest. You must spend considerable time and effort in reporting those many issues, which a lot of Glendale citizens are totally unaware of. It's too bad that more local residents aren’t members of Vanguard. But keep trying. I know you will. At times, you put the Glendale News-Press to shame for the "discovery" stories you write that should be in the local newspaper. But the paper has a relatively small staff of reporters, most of them rookies. I must say that Glendale is indeed fortunate to have you as the city's “watch dog" as you do such a complete job in reporting accurately and with "alert" sensitivity. There is one old issue that has bothered me greatly. I've written a couple of letters-to-the-editor on the subject but with no response from anyone.  I'm talking about the illegal Day Laborer Center on San Fernando Road, funded by Glendale taxpayers and operated by Catholic Charities.  This center clearly is a haven for illegal immigrants; something the city ignores and thinks it is doing the right thing. The center has been in operation for about nine years and yet, there is no talk about the illegality of the facility.  When I mention the center, some people defend it by asking me: "How do you know the center is a place for illegals?” You would have to be naive and blind not to challenge that question.  Just take a look at the men, poor in appearance, standing or sitting on the curb there, waiting for some employer to drive by and pick them up. I would venture to say that most of them can't speak a word of English.  Glendale police have been called to the Home Depot parking lot across the street at least once in answering an annoyance calf from Home Depot customers who said they have been approached aggressively by these poor men who are asking for work. The police sent the men back to the center without any trouble. I think that when an illegal center is being financed by Glendale taxpayers, unbeknownst to many of them, someone should ask the city to explain, which it hasn't done. Thanks for reading what I  have to say about this issue, which has been a “pet peeve" of mine for quite a long time. MD  [ED Vanguard has used the services of the day labor center on several occasions and have been pleased with the work. One of the workers was former military, a US citizen, that was fighting for his VA benefits. We must not paint everyone with the same brush.]

 

 

 

CSUN Launches new language programs including Armenian and Japanese as part of their new global cultural programs

 

 

LINKS

 

 

Salary info available click here and click on the Glendale Administrative Services Salary Schedules, as of 3-26-2007 link.

Click here for Vanguard Archives by Hal Weber  CPRAR 03-29-07, Provide Fire Department Injury Census for 2006 OSHA Reports.

 

CALENDAR

June 12, 2007 City Council 

 Click on the underlined to view the agenda

 City Council  -  Housing Authority  --  Redevelopment Agency

 

Monday, June 11

Commission on the Status of Women – 6:30 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, Glendale.  548-4844

 

Tuesday, June 12

Special Budget Study Session – Glendale City Council --9:00 am, City Council Chambers, City Hall.  548-4844

Internal Service Funds       Report on Fire Dept Employee pay

Glendale Housing Authority – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-2060

Redevelopment Agency – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 548-2005

Joint Meeting – City Council/Housing Authority/Redevelopment Agency – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers 548-4844

Special Meeting – Glendale City Council re:  Impact Fees for Parks and Libraries – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 548-4844

Special Meeting – Glendale City Council re: Open Space Assessment Districts – 2:30 pm, City Council Chambers, 548-4844

Glendale City Council -- 6:00 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, Glendale.  548-4844

Chevy Chase Golf ED, changes to present budget and Internal Auditors report

 

Wednesday, June 13

Civil Service Commission – 5:00 pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, Glendale.  548-2110

 

Thursday, June 14

Design Review Board #2 -- 1:00 pm, Municipal Services Building, Room 105, 633 E. Broadway, 548-2140

           

 

Schedule for budget study sessions: Sessions are on Tuesdays:

June 19                 Follow-up items

At 6 PM  June 19                 Public Hearing                     June 26                 Budget Adoption

3

 

Public Records

   The Open Government (???) in Glendale California web site now has a number of Vanguard's California Public Records Act Requests and the City of Glendale’s Responses.  To view these new documents, go to: CPRA

 

HEADLINE NEWS

Request: 1.       All documents requesting goods and/or services, sponsorship, or contributions from the Department of Public Works or any of its departments for Miss Asia (Villegas Productions) and/or Dreaming of Roses by any person including Council member Dave Weaver between January 2003 and May 27, 2007, and all correspondence in reply or in fulfillment of the request. This includes the Civic Auditorium and Parking.

2.       All documents requesting goods and/or services, sponsorship, or contributions from the Department of Parks and Recreation or any of its departments for Miss Asia (Villegas Productions) and/or Dreaming of Roses by any person including Council member Dave Weaver between January 2003 and May 27, 2007, and all correspondence in reply or in fulfillment of the request. This includes the Civic Auditorium and Parking.

Response: Please be advised that the City has received no requests for sponsorship for either of these events.  Accordingly, there are no records responsive to your request. 

 

Open Government Guide Published by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

 

We wish to thank all those that have come forth with information

about accountability issues in the City. They shall remain anonymous.
 
 


4 Vanguard

 

In order to keep pace with the continuing and expanding demands on the Vanguard staff,

Your immediate financial support is needed

Please make checks payable to Vanguard  & mail to Post Office Box 11202, Glendale CA 91226

 

Vanguard is changing its name to better reflect our successes and protecting them. The new name means “seeking accountability while protecting the accomplishments of achieving the goal of holding government accountable.”

 

Upcoming Programs:

Legal Counsel Representing the Public

What it means: The City Attorney does not represent the public, only the interests of the City, its management and elected officials. Someone must represent the public when it challenges government, someone to represent the common man when appearing before various legislative bodies (Title II), preparing and filing legal documents on behalf of the public. Vanguard will work toward that end.

Voter Education

What it means: Many groups work diligently to register voters. The purpose of this program is to help the voter become more aware of the issues. The program will work closely with new voters, those in the schools and those just becoming citizens.

Community Forums

What it means: There are important issues that need to be discussed and debated by the public. Vanguard will be hosting these forums and you are invited.

Forums include:

·         Effective Public Speaking and Accent Reduction

·         Public Safety

·         Downtown Development

·         First Amendment, The Brown Act & The California Public Records Act

·         The View and Mansionization Ordinance

·         The Vision for Glendale

·         Periodic Town Hall meetings to give the public an opportunity to vent

 

Accountability Awards Banquet

Each year Vanguard will select the public official that has promoted ‘Accountability’ in local government and host a banquet to honor that person as a method to further accountability as a way if life in public service.

 

Outreach and information dissemination via Vanguard Weekly News -- Website -- Weekly Radio Program (coming soon) -- Group Telephone Calls – Après Council Pizza. All activities will be supported by ads in local and foreign language media.

Vanguard encourages your input and needs your ongoing support!

Send your tax-deductible contribution today!

Vanguard

Emailto:ba@fieldworks.net or call 818 243 1502

Please make checks payable to Vanguard  & mail to Post Office Box 11202, Glendale CA 91226

 

© 2007 Vanguard-USA Intended for personal use by recipient and forwarding without change to recipient’s personal email list. Vanguard is in legal formation as a 501C3 charitable non-profit corporation under Rev. Proc. 92-85, 1992-42 I.R.B. 32. Contributions are tax deductible. To ensure you continue receiving Vanguard, please add our email addresses vanguard1@charter.net, vanguard1@charterinternet.com and ba@fieldworks.net - to your address book or Internet Service Provider safe list. Copyrighted materials used with permission. Underlined in blue means a hyperlink

 

5

 Humor

 

Working on Brand

A fellow stopped at a restaurant on Glenoaks and watched some City Workers diligently working. One man would dig a hole two or three feet deep and then move on. The other man came along behind and filled in the hole. While one was digging a new hole, the other was about 25 feet behind filling in the old. The men worked right past the restaurant window and continued down the median.  "I can't stand this," said the man heading down Glenoaks toward the men.

"Hold it, hold it," he said to the men. "Can you tell me what's going on here with this digging?"

"Well, we work for the City of Glendale," one of the men said.

"But one of you is digging a hole and the other is filling it up. You're not accomplishing anything. Aren't you wasting the city's money?"

"You don't understand, mister," one of the men said, leaning on his shovel and wiping his brow. "Normally there's three of us--me, Rodney and Mike. I dig the hole, Rodney sticks in the tree and Mike here puts the dirt back."

"Yea," piped up Mike. "Now just because Rodney's sick, that don't mean we can't work, does it?"

Moral: Dedication of employees and Project Managers