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Harmony
One was the first broadside. Keener attempted to appeal the Planning
Commission approval to build the first house. The city attorney pointed
out that he could not appeal for several reasons so he brought it back
as a discussion item. $$$ down the drain. He became the champion of
the anti-7-11 faction for no apparent reason and filled up the Council
agenda with hours of testimony, $$$.
Right now we have a rent control battle raging and once again Keener is at the forefront agitating unworkable solutions. I can't wait to see the final tab for that foray in socialism.
Right now we have a rent control battle raging and once again Keener is at the forefront agitating unworkable solutions. I can't wait to see the final tab for that foray in socialism.
In my opinion, we can't afford 3 more years of this man.
Recent contested project examples and additional City cost
incurred by those who oppose and contest City development:1) 7-Eleven, Fairmont (a retail convenience store/gas station) replacing an abandoned gas station: The anti-7-Eleven campaign (aided and coached by their City Council champion John Keener), increased City legal cost: $76,668.24. And at City Council when the City Attorney advised John Keener that should his action against 7-Eleven move forward, the City would be exposing to legal liability, his comment: "I don't care."
2) The elite Harmony @1 green residential project was originally controlled and limited by the City anti-growth faction. When that project returned to City Council, Councilmember John Keener was their champion, the legal cost was $37,440.
Combined, additional legal costs for these two (2) examples: $114,108.24, outcome insignificant because "no standing". Could the City have done something more productive with the $114,108.24?
Submitted by Jim Wagner
Reference. Attachment link from our City legal provider, Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP: Harmony@1 Subdivision and 7-Eleven, pdf pages 24.
Note altered graphic by Steve Sinai from his Harmony@1 "Fox in the Hen House" article, Fix Pacifica, 4/27/15.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
Note altered graphic by Steve Sinai from his Harmony@1 "Fox in the Hen House" article, Fix Pacifica, 4/27/15.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
81 comments:
Perhaps they could of used some of that wasted money to help resettle the residents at the trailer park.
7 Eleven was opposed by neighborhood Fairmont activists.John Keener and Sue Digre agreed with activists.
City Council directed staff to find most workable rent stabilization options .John Keener was first to want it agendized.
Oh man, the silly season is underway locally, too. Keener costs too much? Is that the complaint? His causes are popular with most Pacificans and I doubt anyone expects him to self-fund the fight. He should just go along, is that it? Keener came from virtual anonymity to be enthusiastically elected by Pacificans who wanted someone who wouldn't just go along. They knew what kind of person they were voting for because he told them in plain English at every opportunity. And, they voted for him in droves. No ambiguity, no fence-sitting, no surprises, and how refreshing is that! Closest thing to a populist we've got. Our own Bernie Sanders. And that's the cue to cry Socialist, Commie, whatev. Just keep it funny. Now, who's going to be our Donald J. Trump? Come out, come out.
Say, how's that "elite Harmony@1 green residential project" coming along. Will we be reading here "Keener killed it", "Keener unkind to Canadians", "Keener ruins hillside". Expert insiders, give us an honest progress report. This economy is beginning to wobble. Tick tock.
Keener works more hours Fixing Pacifica than the other three Councilmembers together.
Jim Wagner doesn't like Keener because he's ineffective, he hates Keener because he's taking power away from the realtor lobby that has run this town for so long.
Wagner is a mortgage banker with an office in Rockaway Beach that employs the Councilmember Karen Ervin's husband.
Keener's been pretty good for this city so far.
Aren't the people allowed one representative that cares about them and not just capital improvement projects that jack up our property taxes?
That one representative is John Keener.
If John Keener had anything to do with stopping 711 in Linda Mar I would say thank you very much.
We don't need a 711 in Linda Mar and I'm delighted Raphael was able to keep his mechanic shop at that location.
The hippies nimbys and noobees own Keener.
The scary thing is Mary Ann and Karen will be on council for a long time, till they term out.
Sue is done.
Mike votes the way the win blows. He lost all credibility when he changed his vote on 7-11.
Ervin keeps saying she is going to start talking but she hasn't done a damned thing.
The magpies and crows keep squawking about how they can run the city but they won't do a damned thing either.
Mary Ann Nihart wants to be a County Supervisor. She's missed more meetings this year than all the other council put together, but at least she doesn't vote in lock step with the Realtors Mike O'Neill and Karen Ervin.
Being pretty isn't qualification for City Council, and no one came name anything Karen Ervin has done while Mayor that she actually started herself.
Sure she rode Mary Ann's coat tails on many things, but Ervin doesn't really have any leadership qualities other than looking good on the cover of Pacifica Magazine, does she?
Given a choice, I'd vote for Mary Ann Nihart over Karen Ervin any day, and you should too.
By my count 7 out of the lat 9 posts were all from the same person. Keener is Birney! Well count your blessings he can't vote in all the taxes Birney will impose. I guess wasting city money is a tax. Power to the people? I would venture and egoist is a better description of the man.
Karen Ervin is in favor of Highway Widening.
Mike ONeil is in favor of Highway Widening.
Sue Digre is against Highway Widening.
Mary Ann Nihart is against Highway Widening.
John Keener is against Highway Widening.
If you want the highway widened, vote for Karen Ervin & Mike ONeill
If you don't want the highway widened, vote for Mary Ann, Sue, and John Keener.
Not a big fan of the way this city is going. Kick them all out and bring in a new crop of council members who aren't afraid to say no to staff and actually knows wtf they're doing.
Professional politicians is the last thing this city needs.
By my count 7 out of the lat 9 posts were all from the same person.
Put your shoes back on, we never asked you to count past 5!
755, Councilmembers O'Neill, Nihart, and Ervin brought-in an accountable financial and economic development team to fix this City (that's a structural improvement).
Councilmember O'Neill's 7-Eleven vote you refer to was to gain more legal information (because of the anti-7-Eleven campaign brought to City Council). O'Neill voted for the 7-Eleven, Fairmont project. (Your own words, your comment has "lost credibility".)
730, 7-Eleven, Fairmont is in process to redevelop and occupy an abandoned gas station lot, which has zero to do with a project in a different location (including mechanic) that did not apply as a development to City planning. (Another "lost credibility" comment from you by you.)
640, Councilmember John Keener "cares about the people"? Which people? Us, the City. He does seem to support lawsuits with indefinite liability against us, the City. That's caring?
Or, do you mean Keener really "cares" about individuals? Example, Susan Burwell,(a poor person). Rather than counsel, encourage and beg her to accept the City negotiated tenant eviction package from Pacific Skies, (the $10,000-$15,000), Keener donated $50 to a Go Fund Me account set-up by her friends, (current value of that Fund is $2,451 and probably won't get much higher).
And, if that is "caring", it's again twisted-- and, amounts to sacrificing the individual for "the cause".
Keener will eventually get this city sued for some bone headed "cause" that accomplishes nothing! He's an anarchist. Our own Saul Alinsky. How quaint.
903, so far, over years of progression, Councilmembers O'Neill, Ervin, and Nihart have voted together for Highway widening. You know, the highway bottleneck fix is studied science, progress and all that.
Your comment is updated knowledge, or just more nimby "drag on the needed conversation affecting this City" BS?
John Keener's support will show up on rent stabilization for all to see!
On the tiny chance that the Keener bashers are honestly worried about Council spending money, Keener isn't the problem. We've had a decade of ego-driven spending on this new library. Millions of taxpayer dollars poured into that hole on Beach Blvd. Millions spent on various plans and consultants by our library-loving council leaders. Millions. Pacifica is broke and yet they always found the money. Begun by Vreeland and continued by Nihart. A vanity project tarted up as economic progress. Turned the city's finances into a Cat's Cradle. Oops. Mother Nature just bitch-slapped them. Again. What's it going to take to stop this farce?
The Planning Commission approved mini cell phone towers for Vallemar to fill gaps in AT&T's non-existent service there. Of course, some hippies are trying to block that and have filed an appeal to City Council. Their arguments are the usual garbage about cell phone towers causing cancer, and people can switch to other cell carriers.
The opponents of the cell towers are Keener's constituency. I expect he and Digre to vote against the towers, and the other three council members to vote to allow them.
Can't help but notice my post from earlier is mysteriously missing?
Perhaps you don't want a fair and balanced viewpoint, but I say kick out every incumbent city councilperson and elect a new crop that actually listen to the people.
You don't have to print this and probably won't because it's your blog, but we need to clean house at City Council.
@2:14, what were they about? I unspammed a couple of things about an hour ago.
Mr. Wagner once again dribbles on like Sheakespears Much Ado About Nothing. The issue wih Harmony@1 had to do with the Canadian developer not following the projects Condition of Approvals. Kudo's to John Keener for that.
The 7-11 issue was a very important issue to his constituents in the Fairmont neighborhood that would be living with the national chain of stores franchised by another foriegn company.
Mr. Wagner complains John is not following some sort of robotic autopilot yearly list of somesort. Again, kudo's to Mr. Keener for acting appropriety to the winds of change. The world and our city isn't defined by a list.
The question for me is can we afford another day of councilmembers O'Neill, Nihart and Ervin? Niharts famous tax measures all failed because of trust. Those items required staff time, council time, legal fees and the constant cost of entering a ballot measure for voting.
If Mr. Wagner really wants to do something about council waste, vote out Nihart and Ervin this coming November and likewise for O'Neiil in 2018.
I don't put O'Neill in the same heap as Nihart and her appendage Ervin. Ervin is certainly more graceful and often seems genuine, but nothing but a Nihart lackey. O'Neill will listen and he sometimes has a backbone. Never have trusted Nihart. She's a Vreeland-style sneaky politician with Jim's ego, but lacking any of the gifts he had early on and that charisma.
Who is fixing the homeless problem and the rise in crime?
306, I agree with you. Ervin always votes with Nihart, but she follows, she doesn't lead.
The way Karen Ervin let John Keener lead her around by the nose was shameful. A true leader would not have allowed that an it's unfortunate that Mary Ann was out of town all three times when it happened, otherwise she would have protected Karen.
Hope Keener has influence on library proposal!Council seems oblivious to sea level rise near library site ,as pier falls apart,sink holes develop Beach Blvd,roads near Palmetto flooded.Better have pumps for underground parking area,as water is getting close to Palmetto.We pay $400,000 to demolish apartments on Esplanade.Better rethink $30,000,000 library!
The only thing that lifts a politician out of egotism is a cause. Our enviro friends are never short of causes and they are not all enviro-centric. That appeals to a broad base of Pacificans. Can't say I identify the rest with anything special. All came to office and stayed in office via support from the school crowd of which the library crowd is a subset. IDK. A fancy new library in a broke down town. Not much of a cause. Got anything else? Inspiration is all around you.
I don't think Keener is afraid of that old Nihart headlock.
Send all of these clowns packing.
That's right vote them all out in November.
They keep increasing our taxes and reducing our services.
Why should Pacificans pay to build houses for it's union employees?
City Council thinks you're rich and stupid.
I would just appreciate one candidate, whether Democrat or Republican who would spend less money.
Until we get one, I'm not voting for a single incumbent.
336, what you say about then Mayor Karen Ervin is pure rubbish. Or, maybe you are not observant enough to understand that.
Example: did Councilmember John Keener get traction attempting to push his emergency rent ordinance (against Pacific Skies), setting-up this City for another lawsuit? Answer No.
And at that time, did Mayor Karen Ervin defer to the City Attorney for timely advisement? She sure did. Ervin runs a good meeting, she's gracious, she's efficient, she's smart-- she's proven that over and over.
Generally, Councilmembers Karen Ervin, Mary Ann Nihart and Mike O'Neill all tend to agree, and vote as a majority. Thankfully they do.
859, "Democrat or Republican, you'll vote for a single incumbent"? Sorry President Obama will not run again? But after his term, some of us would like to see him appointed as a Justice to the Supreme Court (depending upon what he views as his next venture).
429, the "ego-centric" ploy of local City nimbies has been clear enough for 30 years. Laurie Goldman said it best: .. "nothing for Pacifica". That invitation to the community is too often what these venue of "causes" is really all about. Beware! Right Dan Stegink?
Finally this City has a Staff structure and a City Council majority in place to potentially improve this City. But in the spirit of "let the City fail", 628 wants to "send all these clowns packing"-- oh yeah, to be replaced with what?
I like Karen Ervin, but if I had to choose one I'd choose Mary Ann Nihart.
Why buy a copy when you can have the original?
I'm not sure I like any of these guys. Don't any of them understand we can't pay any more from our already stretched wallets? I'm afraid to even open up my bills from the city when they come. Stop spending money we don't have Pacifica.
No Blacks. No Asians. No Hispanics. Not a single person of color.
Just once it would be nice to see some sort of minority representation in Pacifica's election results.
City council is not representative of the city itself.
Pacifica Politics is just like an episode of Shameless!
John Keener is only one who voted no on City Manager Cadillac contract.Who checks on open ended City Manager expenses.Contract has no cap on drawing from general fund.She is worth it,but there should a monetary limit.
Actually, 1:09, considering the missing $5 mill et al, I was thinking more along the lines of "Blameless".
713, during city council deliberations, John Keener made no comment with regard to the City Manager's contract with the City; and the contract is by definition NOT open ended. See City Council Meeting, 1/11/16, Item 11.
At the 1/11/16 City Council meeting, in contrast to John Keener who said nothing, ALL other City Councilmembers gave articulate, supportive statements with regard to City Manager's Lori Tinfow, role, performance, her team, and the salary/benefits.
Mayor Sue Digre may have given the most supportive (even eloquent) statement of all.
The vote to approve was 4-1 (only Keener who said nothing during deliberations, voted no).
"Cadillac" contract, what is that? As Councilmember Mary Ann Nihart mentioned, the City Manager's salary and benefits are actually not on the high side (not in our region, our county, and not in California). In agreement with part of what you said though, "she is worth it"!
BTW if "Cadillac" refers to the City employee medical plans, Kaiser Permanente (the City health insurance carrier) is not "Cadillac".
932, the City has been doing the same dumb anti-growth, anti-development thing for 30 years (while transferring too much of our land to unproductive Federal open space). Time for change (Einstein)-- and smart revenue development is how we keep, fund and protect our City (or the alternative: higher taxes).
Actually, I think Keener is the best City Council member by far.
"Nothing for Pacifica" 1025, of course your best city councilmember would be John Keener, (duh).
And, no surprise, your solid, signed, stand-up name is "Anonymous", (double duh).
Given that, which should come first: let the City rot, or let the City fail-- or let the City rot and fail?
I don't believe Keener is all that smart. Yea, he was some egg-head pulling proteins off DNA strands (whoo hoo) but as for a council person, without Hal Boehner's hand up his keister pulling the strings he'd be up there drooling. Let him run the city and stand back, Friends of Pacifica II will be upon us.
Oh, good, 727 doesn't think Keener is "that smart". Lives were on hold. Glad that's settled.
Keener was politically smart in not saying anything negative about City Manager contract ,as he has future agenda.A no vote was sufficient statement!
Wow! these are rather twisted politics for a little town!
I mean, what is the higher purpose here?
No higher purpose. Just waiting for the end and being pissy about it.
Lib,
Apparently you weren't here in the "hay day" of Vreeland, Lancelle, deJarnutt and Tanner.
They wrote the book on little town twisted politics.
Sorry Kathy but I admire John Keener (and Mike O'Neill) for not supporting David Canepa and supporting Cliff Lentz instead in the district 5 Supervisorial race!. See endorsements: http://www.clifflentz.com/endorsements
I just checked in and looked at those bills generated by Keener. That's ridiculous. How many of us make that much in a year and he succeeded in wasting that on histrionics instead of following protocol and working with the rest of council. We really can't afford another 3 years if this is his plan. And yes, I'm concerned with what his rent control quest will cost this city.
Oh my. That Keener. Wasting all that money. LMAO. Keener's sure made the right enemies. You go, John!
Seems like so many city council folks have dialed it in for decades.
It really couldn't hurt to clean house at the next election.
Voting all the incumbents out is just single term limits, and almost everyone here was in favor of that a few years ago.
Like someone said above, we can't really afford a professional political class here.
Out with the old, in with the new.
6:44a-All on City Council voted to have staff present workable rent stabilization options.A majority will determine rent stabilization or not.John Keener was ahead in addressing plight of renters and his efforts were voted down.
Hair .. Embargo 612, does Pacifica even vote for District 5 Supervisors?
936, true City Council term limits exists. Of course, re-elect any and all incumbents who have brought in the professionals who are currently improving this broken City.
1103, 612, John Keener tried to gift this City another lawsuit (Pacific Skies mobile homes). Apparently he's an "anti-City best interest" protest hero for you, who also seems not to support the new "Fix the City" management team. Yep, he's your guy.
Kathy:City agreement with Pacific Skies was a "Memorandum of Understanding" with empty legal basis!John is my kind of Councilperson, who voted no on $517,000 potential City Manager contract that keeps getting rolled over with costly amendments!City ,apparently ,has plenty of money to pay for first class help,which she is.
1223, you're mixing up issues, and numbers.
Go back and review that City Council Meeting, when the Pacific Skies Attorney threatened to sue if more City discussions occurred. Councilmember Keener wanted to push more discussions. He advanced a vote; results 2-2, the motion failed.
$517,000???? The City Manager's salary is $213,996, plus benefits. Factoring in last years Deferred Comp, a 9 months "fired without cause severance", and who knows what else is disingenuous, unfair and outrageous-- propagated from NIMBY mythology (aka: lies).
From Transparent California:
1. City Manager salaries/benefits in California here.
2. Lori Tinfow's salary/benefits here.
3. From City Council meeting 1/11/16, Resolution, and contract.
I believe this City does have the professional team it needs now, finally.
Keener is an obstructionist.. A money wasting, grandstanding, obnoxious noxious obstructionist. Nothing is moving forward in this town. He has filled this past year with idiotic tirades about Harmony One, 7-11, and now rent control. Hey John, when are you going to let staff prepare for a public discussion on the highway? Oh, never! Going to keep pulling BS stuff out of your magic box to delay a rational discussion? Nice strategy.
312AM Kathy!!? All that factoring is worst case scenario and not disingenuous. And these worst case scenarios have happened in CA with notoriety. Where do you think civil servants like Tinfow get the idea? Nothing to stop them from using their professional smarts to pad their own nests, nothing but the awe-struck and no doubt envious idiots we elect. Putty in the hands...
Another long time Pacifica business closing and another prominent commercial space soon to be empty.
Mazzetti's Bakery closing.
Who do the "Keep Pacifica Poor" love? Keener!
Who do the "Prevent Progress for Pacifica" love? Keener!
Who do the "Frog Habitat trumps Human Habitat in Pacifica" love? Keener!
Who do the "I Got Mine" love? Keener!
Who does Sue Digre's thinking for her? Keener!
Who will further wreck Pacifica with devastating law suits? Keener!
Who doesn't care about anyone's needs other than his puppet-masters? Keener!
These selfish freaks and their "boy" are out to kill Pacifica.
@9:23 -- that is a shame. The fact that our next door neighbor city economies are thriving well and upwardly mobile is a testament to ineptitude and dysfunctional state of Pacifica.
In this economy, I would've expected Mazetti to have cashed out handsomely and some new comer to take over.
This is beyond pathetic.
Mazzetti's can't be closing!!!! Please say it ain't so.
That does it. Pacifica is dead.
Sure hope Rudy and Julie are doing this because they're willing and able to do something else at this stage of their lives and not because of anything negative. Better not be due to that big, new Starbucks or I'm off Starbucks for good.
1/21/2016 at 9:23 am...I don't know what you're smoking but Mazzetti's Bakery is NOT closing. Julie Mazzetti is one of my best friends and she is more than a little upset about this posting. Use your name if you're going to post something like this as this misinformation is not appreciated.
Confirmed Mazzetti's is not closing. This is a rumor.
Thank goodness. Don't mess with Mazzetti's!
9:23 -- that was messed up. You ruined my morning.
Rumors like this can do real harm to a business. Verify your story before you post.
Keener misdirection on Mazzetti's? I don't put anything past him. He's a work of art for sure. Wonder what his pension is. Bet it's a plush state windfall.
625 I suspect you're posting what qualifies as protected speech on here, but could you possibly be a more pathetic whack job?
While you're at it, why don't you accuse Keener of being El Chapo in disguise?
Keener's El Chapo in disguise. He dug a tunnel from Mexico to Pacifica because no one cares if he's in Pacifica. It's a punishment worse than a Mexican prison!
Keener's a commie through and through.
Very bad for Pacifica!
Anonymous said...
Keener's El Chapo in disguise. He dug a tunnel from Mexico to Pacifica because no one cares if he's in Pacifica. It's a punishment worse than a Mexican prison!
If Keener was EL Capo he would just appeal all his prison terms.
Maybe he was tunneling to Berkeley and came up short in Pacifica by mistake?
1054 Haha. El Chapo (shorty) would love to be known as El Capo (the crime lord). There's already a TV series of the same name on Telemundo or such. He's a big fan.
1154 "Came up short"? El Chapo can't come up any other way. Muy macho hombre of about 5'4" in his high-heeled boots.
12:38, he heard that. mucho trouble for usted.
Keener may really be Saul Alinsky playing El Chapo playing a city councilman.
155 I think there's a musical in there.
But Keener got voted on city council.
None of you out there have!
Aye, 7:59, and none of them ever will get elected to council.
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