City Council candidates win through deception

These candidates won their election based upon misrepresentation.  This "Freeway No; Keener Yes; Digre Yes" sign example, represents the needed 1.3 mile highway 1 widening (Rockaway through Vallemar intersections) as a FREEWAY.   How absurd, yet did you buy this lie?

And since John Keener and Sue Digre apparently condone such misleading, wrong political advertising and shenanigans, what may we expect from them during their next four (4) years on city council?
  
We know Keener and Digre will be anti-progress, exactly what this city does not need more of. And we know their presence on city council will make the job of the other three (3) city councilmembers just that much more difficult. This city must progress to survive, and Keener and Digre may very well work against that effort.  

If you were persuaded to vote for John Keener and Sue Digre to allow balanced city representation on city council, remember the past: significant city development did not happen, and way too much land was lost to permanent open space.  Meantime, we continue to live with the economic consequences of such folly. 

Note:  photograph from Pacifica Riptide.  

Posted by Kathy Meeh

In our city, C/CAG paid for the shuttle, the repaving, the trash events

Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff, 11/4/14.  "Mayor addresses regional and local concerns."

Good, 1/3rd of Linda Mar Blvd was paved;
but where did our road money from the County go?

"The mayor of Pacifica keeps a watchful eye on the workings of the city and branches out to make sure Pacifica's needs are considered regionally through her work on C/CAG. C/CAG stands for City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County. Pacifica Mayor Mary Ann Nihart is the current chair. 

...  Nihart has been on C/CAG for the last four years. The experience has been a whirlwind of collaborative planning.  For Pacifica, C/CAG approved the Recology-sponsored shuttle buses to the Devil's Slide trail, even though Pacifica is known as a low ridership area. ... C/CAG approved grants for the repaving of Linda Mar Boulevard and for the Pacifica Beach Coalition trash pick-up events. 

.... Nihart hopes to secure funding for the Palmetto Avenue streetscape, the Pacifica trail, storm water management and to beautify the highway. C/CAG put pressure on SamTrans to improve its service, Nihart said, which included starting the FLEX schedule and service to Pescadero."  Read article.

Reference - City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County. "C/CAG works on issues that affect the quality of life in general; transportation, air quality, stormwater runoff, airport/land use compatibility planning, hazardous waste, solid waste and recycling.  C/CAG operates as a Joint Powers Authority and has membership that includes each of the 20 cities and the County in San Mateo County."   Measure M.  "The C/CAG sponsored Measure M, approved by the voters of San Mateo County in 2010, impose an annual fee of ten dollars ($10) on motor vehicles registered in San Mateo County for transportation-related traffic congestion and water pollution mitigation programs. The revenue is estimated at $6.7 million annually over a 25 year period. Per the Expenditure Plan, 50% of the net proceeds will be allocated to cities/County for local streets and roads and 50% will be used for countywide transportation programs such as transit operations, regional traffic congestion management, water pollution prevention, and safe routes to school."

Note:  Graphic from  Geo Traffic Network blog.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Councilmember Mike O'Neill re-elected

Councilmember Mike O'Neill

Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor, 11/6/14.

"O'Neill says thanks" by Mike O'Neill

 "Editor: I am writing this before the election results are known for the November 4 election. I do not know if I have been reelected or not. I do want to take this occasion to thank you the citizens of Pacifica for the opportunity for allowing me to serve on the City Council and the Pacifica School District Board of Trustees.

I would like to thank all those who supported me in the election with donations, volunteering and most of all, voting for me for reelection.  If I am reelected, I look forward to helping Pacifica reach the potential I know it can be.

I would also like to offer my support and congratulations to the winners of the Pacifica School District and the Jefferson Union High School Board of Trustees.

Thank you, Pacifica."              Note:  photograph from Re-elect Mike for Pacifica.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

City council meeting November 10, 2014

Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor.  Or, view on local television or live feed Pacificcoast.TV, (formerly pct26.com).  If you miss civic meetings, view on  PCT 26 You Tube!  The city council meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following.  City council updates and archives are available on the City website.   

Direct City Council Agenda.     Full City Council Agenda, pdf pages 46.

With congratulations to everyone,
the meeting took more than 20 minutes.
I fell asleep, sorry...

Closed Session, 5:30 p.m.  
CA government code 54957.6.  Conference with labor negotiator. Agency Negotiator: Glen Berkheimer.  Firefighters Local 2400, Battalion Chiefs Local 856, Department Directors Local 350. Wastewater Treatment Plant Employees Local 856. Miscellaneous Local 856.  Managers Local 350.  Police Officers Association, Supervisors, Management Local 350.

Open Session, 7:00 p.m. - Consent Calendar (pass through, limited comment) 
1.   Approval of disbursements:  FY 2014-15, 10/23/14 - 10/29/14
2.   Approval of  Minutes:  10/27/14.
3.   Continuation of local emergency from 4/7/10, severe cliff erosion, revetment supporting storm drain failure 380 and 400 Esplanade Avenue.
4.    Re-design and re-advertise sealed bids for the Warning Lights School Crosswalk Project, Federal Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 funding grant, $140,000, report.
5.    Resolution to move forward with the MTC FTA Federal Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities $50,000-$60,000 grant to purchase a two wheel chair accessible bus. Matching private donations from the Senior Giving Tree Funds, $12,500, report, resolution.
6.   Resolution allowing Miscellaneous, Fire and Police employees to make payroll tax-deferred payroll deduction contributions to their  CalPERS IRC 414(h)(2) retirement plans, resolution.

Special presentations - none.
Public hearings - none.
Council communications.  Public oral communications.
Consideration, none. 

Note photograph by Madaise from Bored panda blog, "30 cats who have mastered the art of sleep-fu."

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Lawsuit against highway 1 attorney swipes SAMCAR

Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor, 11/6/14.

The three (3) Councilmember who live in the real world
are needed to govern our city going forward

"SAMCAR response" by Paul Stewart, San Mateo County Association of Realtors

Editor: Celeste Langille's letter to the editor of October 29, ("Digre and Keener for Council") takes a malicious swipe at the San Mateo County Association of Realtors (SAMCAR) for their support of Mike O'Neill, Eric Ruchames and Victor Spano for Pacifica City Council.  ....  She is one of the people who filed the lawsuit against the City of Pacifica and CalTrans over the desperately needed Highway 1 widening and whose statements seem designed to deliberately deceive readers. 

....  To set the record straight, what SAMCAR opposed was a proposal to require a $7,500 certificate be issued assuring all concerned that your bathroom remodel (one requirement of the proposal) would not affect a century long sea level rise, which could be anywhere from six feet to three inches. This is necessary climate planning?  Read more..

Reference -  Pacifica Tribune/Letters to the Editor, 10/29/14,  "Digre and Keener for Council by Celeste Langille." "The Pacifica Climate Committee is a grassroots group that successfully lobbied the City to sign the U.S. Mayor's Agreement on Climate Change and helped with the City's climate action plan and greenhouse gas emission inventory. ...  The San Mateo County Association of Realtors has endorsed Mike O'Neill, Eric Ruchames and Victor Spano for City Council. SAMCAR has actively opposed necessary climate planning and shortsightedly lobbied the City Council to weaken sea level rise planning in the 2012 General Plan update process."

Note:  photograph from Spirituality and Health.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Small population turn-out is a factor in determining elections

The Daily Journal/Michelle Durand, 11/6/14. "County voter turnout is less than one-third:  Election night totals drop sharply from four years ago."

Not that it matters, but I'm not voting

"Less than a third of registered San Mateo County voters participated in the Nov. 4 election, according to end-of-night results, and while counting unprocessed ballots will raise the figure officials aren’t optimistic for a huge spike. ....  As of the semi-final tallies at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, 112,592 ballots, or 31.7 percent, were cast. The votes are more than the 27.45 percent of the June primary but still short of gubernatorial elections historica lly. ....In contrast, the Nov. 2, 2010, election four years ago ended with

47.4 percent of the county’s 346,516 registered voters participating and three weeks later finalized at 65.3 percent.

And you thought this was water

....  County data also shows a continuing uptick in the number of voters opting to bypass the polls and vote by mail. Of the votes cast, 43,565 were at precincts but 68,049 were absentee. Voting center ballots accounted for 978.... The remaining absentee and provisional ballots in Tuesday’s election will be counted with updated results periodically posted until completion. The Elections Office has until Dec. 2 to count and certify the final results to the Secretary of State’s Office.  Updates results will be posted at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 12, 14 and 18 at www.shapethefuture.org."  Read article.

Note photographs:  Man on tracks from  OZVPM  and  Perfect Marketing Equation.  Sinking ship from  Paige's Pensive Place.  Drinking something from a bottle from  Perfect Marketing Equation.
Sinking ship from  Paige's Pensive Place.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Pacifica Five-O Adds New CIT Officers

Submitted by

Daniel Steidle

Captain

Pacifica Police Department

Field Services Divison

2075  Coast Highway

Pacifica, CA 94044

650-738-7320 (Desk)

650-355-1172 (Fax)

steidled@pacificapolice.org

Surfer who drowned IDd as Pacifica resident

By Vivian Ho Updated 10:13 am, Thursday, November 6, 2014

A 60-year-old man who drowned while surfing with his son off Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica was identified Wednesday as Thomas Ormsby, authorities said.

Officers responding to reports of a drowning at the beach at 9:27 a.m. Monday found the Pacifica resident in a wetsuit, displaying no signs of life.

Other surfers told police that they saw a surfboard fly into the air, and then spotted him floating in the water. They brought him to shore, where they called for help, police said.

His adult son had been surfing at the same beach that day, but did not witness what happened to his father and did not know he was hurt until he saw the other surfers gathered on the beach, said Pacifica police Capt. Daniel Steidle.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

Sharp Park Free Concert

• JAZZ GREAT BRIAN MELVIN, FREE CONCERT at SHARP PARK, Nov. 16, 4 p.m. • SHARP NAMED TO TOP-50 MUNI LIST • RECLAIMED WATER NOW FLOWS AT SHARP BRIAN MELVIN JAZZ Sharp Park golfer and jazz great Brian Melvin will bring his quartet to the golf links Sunday, November 16, 4-7 p.m., for a free concert and celebration, sponsored by the San Francisco Public Golf Alliance.   Check-out Brian’s CD’s – including his newest, “Modern Times” – on his website:  http://www.brianmelvin.com/home.htm .   Free hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar.  RSVP to info@sfpublicgolf.com . GOLFWEEK NAMES SHARP PARK TO TOP-50 PUBLIC LIST Golfweek has named Sharp Park to its 2014 list of the 50 Greatest Municipal Golf Courses in America:  http://golfweek.com/news/2014/jun/25/golf-courses-municipal-golfweeks-best-travel/ .  Bethpage Black on Long Island is rated #1, while Sharp Park is rated #50, and San Francisco’s Harding Park and Presidio are listed as #17 and #19, respectively.  RECYCLED WATER COMES TO SHARP The San Francisco PUC and Rec & Park Departments have completed installation of a recycled water irrigation system for the four holes at Sharp Park that lie east of the Coast Highway.  This is the most recent development in a $12 Million joint San Francisco / North Coast County Water District project designed to irrigate Sharp Park with treated water from Pacifica’s nearby Calera Creek sewage treatment plant.  http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/sharp-park-course-switches-to-recycled-water-as-city-hits-savings-goal/Content?oid=2910414 . San Francisco Public Golf Alliance info@sfpublicgtolf.com

Final Pacifica School District Results

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
KATHRYN M SHIOKARI (26.43%) *		1,748	26	1,743	3,517
ELIZABETH A. BREDALL (25.62%) *		1,846	25	1,539	3,410
LAVERNE VILLALOBOS (24.47%) *		1,789	21	1,447	3,257
RICHARD B FAUST (23.48%)		1,727	19	1,379	3,125

Posted by Steve Sinai

Final Jefferson Union High School District Results

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
ROSIE U. TEJADA (23.87%) *		5,204	39	3,031	8,274
NICK OCCHIPINTI (23.28%) *		4,751	29	3,289	8,069
KATHERINE ZARATE DULANY (22.49%) *		4,960	39	2,796	7,795
ANDY LIE (18.63%)		3,909	26	2,521	6,456
CARLOS M. TAYLOR (11.72%)		2,538	10	1,515	4,063

Posted by Steve Sinai

Final City Council Vote

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.86%) *		2,016	20	1,618	3,654
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.29%) *		1,788	27	1,365	3,180
JOHN KEENER (16.43%) *		1,631	13	1,378	3,022
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.77%)		1,387	12	1,134	2,533
VICTOR A. SPANO (13.32%)		1,419	16	1,016	2,451
MATT DOUGHERTY (10.64%)		946	9	1,003	1,958
THERESE M. DYER (8.68%)		947	12	638	1,597

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 11:30 Report

All votes counted.

7804 ballots cast out of 22419 registered voters.   34.8% turnout.

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Vote 11 PM

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.70%) *		2,016	20	1,384	3,420
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.28%) *		1,788	27	1,185	3,000
JOHN KEENER (16.40%) *		1,631	13	1,204	2,848
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.81%)		1,387	12	999	2,398
VICTOR A. SPANO (13.47%)		1,419	16	904	2,339
MATT DOUGHERTY (10.57%)		946	9	881	1,836
THERESE M. DYER (8.77%)		947	12	563	1,522

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 11:00 Report

Mail in ballots and 25 of 28 precincts reported.

Posted by Steve Sinai

Congratulations Sue Digre, Mike O'Neill and John Keener

I'm hearing the fat lady singing.


Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Vote 10:30 PM

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.86%) *		2,016	20	805	2,841
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.37%) *		1,788	27	670	2,485
JOHN KEENER (16.46%) *		1,631	13	711	2,355
VICTOR A. SPANO (13.73%)		1,419	16	529	1,964
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.47%)		1,387	12	529	1,928
MATT DOUGHERTY (10.12%)		946	9	493	1,448
THERESE M. DYER (8.99%)		947	12	328	1,287

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 10:30 Report

Mail in ballots and 16 of 28 precincts reported.

Posted by Steve Sinai

60-year-old surfer drowns in Pacifica

By Vivian Ho Published 8:32 pm, Tuesday, November 4, 2014

A 60-year-old man drowned while surfing off of Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica on Monday, police said.

Officers responding to reports of a drowning at the beach at 9:27 a.m. found the man in a wetsuit who wasn’t showing signs of life.

Other surfers told police that they saw a surfboard fly into the air and the man, a Pacifica resident whose name has not been released, floating in the water.

They brought the victim to shore, where they called for help, police said.

He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Read more...

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Votes 10 PM

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.79%) *		2,016	20	75	2,111
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.71%) *		1,788	27	74	1,889
JOHN KEENER (15.95%) *		1,631	13	57	1,701
VICTOR A. SPANO (14.08%)		1,419	16	67	1,502
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.69%)		1,387	12	61	1,460
THERESE M. DYER (9.41%)		947	12	45	1,004
MATT DOUGHERTY (9.37%)		946	9	44	999

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 10:00 Report

Mail in ballots and 5 of 28 precincts reporting

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Votes 9:30

No change from 9 PM. Results are coming in very slowly.

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Votes 9 PM

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.88%) *		2,016	20	0	2,036
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.72%) *		1,788	27	0	1,815
JOHN KEENER (16.05%) *		1,631	13	0	1,644
VICTOR A. SPANO (14.01%)		1,419	16	0	1,435
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.66%)		1,387	12	0	1,399
THERESE M. DYER (9.36%)		947	12	0	959
MATT DOUGHERTY (9.32%)		946	9	0	955

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 9:00 Report

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Votes 8:30

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.89%) *		2,016	0	0	2,016
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.64%) *		1,788	0	0	1,788
JOHN KEENER (16.09%) *		1,631	0	0	1,631
VICTOR A. SPANO (14.00%)		1,419	0	0	1,419
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.69%)		1,387	0	0	1,387
THERESE M. DYER (9.34%)		947	0	0	947
MATT DOUGHERTY (9.33%)		946	0	0	946

* = current leaders
Last Updated: 8:30 Report

Mail in ballots and 3 of 28 precincts included.

Posted by Steve Sinai

City Council Mail In Votes 8 PM

Candidate Name		Votes By Mail	Early Voting	Election Day	Grand Total Votes
SUE DIGRE (19.83%) *		1,939	0	0	1,939
MICHAEL "MIKE" O'NEILL (17.75%) *		1,735	0	0	1,735
JOHN KEENER (16.19%) *		1,583	0	0	1,583
VICTOR A. SPANO (13.83%)		1,352	0	0	1,352
ERIC RUCHAMES (13.74%)		1,343	0	0	1,343
THERESE M. DYER (9.37%)		916	0	0	916
MATT DOUGHERTY (9.30%)		909	0	0	909

Track the election

We'll probably have a better idea about the election results from 9 pm on.... Steve or I will begin filling in the blanks as this information is known.

Statewide General Election, November 4, 2014, Race Tracker/San Mateo County.

Jefferson Union School District Members, Governing Board, page 3: 
Andy Lie
Carlos M. Taylor
Katherine Zarate Dulany
Nick Occhipinti
Rosie U. Tejada

Pacifica School District, page 4:
Elizabeth A. Bredall
Kathryn M. Shiokari
Laverne Villalobos
Richard B. Faust


Pacifica City Council, page 4:
Eric Ruchames
John Keener
Matt Dougherty
Michael "Mike" O'Neill
Sue Digre
Therese M. Dyer
Victor A. Spano

Posted by Kathy Meeh

New economic development division for our city

Support City Council candidates who will continue to improve this city.

Friendly downtown area.
Its Berkeley, they know how.

Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, Staff, 10/28/14. "Council launches economic development division."

....  "Council approved a new economic development division within the city manager's office, created a new economic development manager position and authorized the city manager to fill it. Delivering the staff report at the City Council meeting, City Manager Lorie Tinfow said the budget already includes funding for a lower level economic coordinator, but she recommended the city establish a higher level position to fill a gap in city services and to address a goal City Council has set.

....  The economic development director will be responsible for attracting new businesses, retaining the existing business base and expanding strategies to help existing businesses thrive. Tinfow envisions the new economic development manager could lead city efforts to develop the city-owned Beach Boulevard site, help Palmetto businesses maintain a historic downtown, work with local and regional groups, create an online economic development presence for the city, promote Pacifica and serve as an entry point for businesses to access city information."    Read article. 

Reference -  City Council meeting, 10/27/14, item 8: report/resolution,  job description.     Note photograph from City of Berkeley/Office of Economic Development.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Planning Commission, Monday 11/3/14 cancelled

That's rain, maybe someone
will want to develop
something eventually

Planning Commission Cancellation 11/3/14.  

"Notice of meeting cancellation.  Notice is hereby given that the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Commission of November 3, 2014 has been cancelled."

Lee Diaz, Acting Planning Director

Note:  photograph/graphic from Cy-Fair Girls Athletic Association, (CFGAA).

Posted by Kathy Meeh

Giants, World Series champions 3 years in 5, not bad!

San Francisco Chronicle/C.W.Nevius, "Rain on th Giants' World Series victory parade?  Of course."

Giants reign on 

.....  "Friday was the confluence of nearly all things San Francisco. There was the rain, a parade, the Critical Mass bicyclists and then the most San Francisco holiday ever: Halloween. Throw in a few naked guys and you’ve got the whole package, so to speak."

Note photograph:  3 of  282 slides by Michael Macor from this article.   Read more.

Related - CNN/Steve Almasy, 10/30/14, "Magnificent Madison Bumgarner becomes World Series legend." Early on, the Royals had to think things were going perfectly. They knocked out Giants starter Tim Hudson in a hurry, and it looked like San Fran skipper Bruce Bochy was going to have to make repeated calls to his bullpen. They were keeping the game close, even though they trailed by a run. Sure, the Giants had Bumgarner, their ace, available, but he just threw a complete game three days ago. Even if he came in, it seemed impossible he'd throw more than a couple innings. He threw an inconceivable five. You know the last time that's been done before Wednesday. Probably never."

CBS 5/Associated Press/Kansas City, MO, SF Bay Area, 10/29/14. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Giants win third World Series in five years, defeat Royals in Game 7." "Madison Bumgarner punctuated one of the finest World Series performances in baseball history by pitching the San Francisco Giants to their third title in five years with a 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in game 7  on Wednesday night." The article includes imbedded video.

Posted by Kathy Meeh