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October 28, 2010· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

October 28, 2010 – Daily Brief, We miss Jeff edition

By NickelDime — John B.

  • Yeah, but it’s not the same: Jeff reports in from Manhattan SCVTALK
  • County reveals what we all knew about the Canyon Country library and COLA librarian Todd has the money quote: “Preliminary discussions may have averted this.” City set to meet with County staff today to discuss SIGNAL
  • Local USC e-zine summarizes the library story NEONTOMMY
  • Saugus resident busted with $200k worth of stolen medical supplies he intended to sell online.  The gear includes triage tents, portable AC units and filtration equipment intended for a shipment to Henry Mayo KHTS, LATIMES
  • “Soldier’s Bridge” name rejected for the CVC bridge, though Bob Kellar says it has a nice ring to it SIGNAL
  • Our only homeless shelter is a seasonal one, and volunteers are working hard on an expansion project in advance of anticipated high demand. Donations are most welcome SIGNAL
  • Heartbreaking pictures from disaster-ridden Indonesia, who was pummeled back-to-back by earthquake, tsunami and a volcanic eruption BIG PICTURE
  • Solar panel installation at the Transit facility will generate 97% of the power consumed by the LEED space; groundbreaking today I’M DROOLING OVER HERE
  • Pick me! Pick me! USGS calling for 35 volunteers for ‘NetQuakes,’ a system that will report after-quake seismic data via a cool wifi device USGS
  • Lynne Plambeck makes the case for water conservation, again SIGNAL
  • New “Mayor’s Walk” option for slow pokes like yours truly at the Santa Clarita Marathon.  And there’s a pancake breakfast afterwards to work off all that exercise CITY BRIEFS
  • Various perspectives on the impact of the $183 LA County film fee hike SIGNAL
  • California Chamber of Commerce blows a kiss to Cam Smyth. In that context, a Signal commenter offers this profound question: “How about those in need get off their butts and contribute to society?” Wow. Srsly? SIGNAL
  • Petz poses in a photo-op with senate hopeful Carly Fiorina, who is back on the campaign trail following a brief stay in the hospital TALKERS, OAKLAND TRIBUNE
  • Profile of local Italian artist Claudio Parentela PROXART
  • Wind and temps expected to settle by Halloween WEATHER CHANNEL
  • John Boston has the ultimate Halloween music playlist WRB

Comments (53)

  1. ScottOctober 28, 2010 at 6:23 am
    Solar panel installation at the Transit facility will generate 97% of the power consumed by the LEED space I’M DROOLING OVER HERE . That’s pretty cool, according to the article the city will save $135K per year. I’m curious as to how much they invested to get that kind of savings. Do they disclose these expenses?
  2. NickelDimeOctober 28, 2010 at 7:30 am
    Scott, it’s more of how much “we” invested: the project cost just over $4M and was paid for with Federal stimulus dollars. CITY COUNCIL AGENDA The savings don’t include a $260k annual rebate from SCE over 5 years. If I’m reading this right, the City will earn $1.3M on the project plus the annual power savings. It’s a ~20 year payback but that assumes no increases in energy costs during that period (hahahahahaha!!!!) all to the benefit of the City.
  3. ScottOctober 28, 2010 at 8:31 am
    Thanks for the research and taking over the brief! Sounds like a pretty good long-term investment, and with the annual savings and rebates, they get immediate cash flow to spend on other projects. Now if only they could make solar a little more affordable to the little guys like me!
  4. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 9:05 am
    Plus it reduces our dependance on fosil fuel. Keeps all the cars rolling.
  5. cashOctober 29, 2010 at 8:06 am
    Federal stimulus dollars! AKA taxpayer money.
  6. NickelDimeOctober 29, 2010 at 8:11 am
    Yep. If I’m reading this right, there’s only upside to the City.
  7. cashOctober 29, 2010 at 8:07 am
    The savings don’t include a $260k annual rebate from SCE over 5 years. Rebate you and I pay for via our Edison Bill.
  8. NateOctober 28, 2010 at 6:30 am
    Thanks for taking care of us ND.
  9. CCOctober 28, 2010 at 7:22 am
    Yes, thanks ND. We wouldn’t want any serious withdrawal problems with the posters.
  10. Need for Involved CitizenryOctober 28, 2010 at 7:43 am
    Anyone check out the City salaries on the new State website? They only showed salary ranges (no names) that appear to come from Human Resources or job descriptions unlike the actual salary data shown for State, UC, Cal State employees. How weak is that? I tried to locate the salary for Paul Brotzman but can’t seem to find an appropriate title. How about the City come clean on real pay amounts?
  11. MikeOctober 28, 2010 at 8:19 am
    Just go to city hall and ask. You can get everyone’s salary.
  12. DamageincOctober 28, 2010 at 9:00 am
    Everthing is a conspiracy with you… I bet you keep a lock on your fridge and cabinets too!
  13. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 2:11 pm
    Need for Involved Citizenry: Try using The Signal’s archives. I think they mentioned Paul Brotzman taking a reduction in salary when they wrote their story about him going part time.
  14. Need for Involved CitizenryOctober 28, 2010 at 7:19 pm
    I’ll try that as well as a public records act request and see what I get. I recall seeing Brotzman taking a salary reduction but don’t recall ever seeing a salary amount for him. Your comment below on the Library revenues reminds me of some work a friend did on the Landscaping Districts the City manages. Essentially his was overfunded but Darren Hernandez was not about to give up the overfunded amount in the form of lower assessments as required by las. He wanted to have an excess of reserves. I could see the same thing happening with the library funds as you stated.
  15. Need for Involved CitizenryOctober 28, 2010 at 7:26 pm
    Great memory. The Signal did have it. He was making $169,478 and took a contract that paid $99 an hour with no benefits (he likely has paid retireee medical and can start collecting retirement right away). So if he worked 200 days x 8 x $99 he’d make $158,400. Not too bad as he’d have 61 days off for vacation and holidays! And if he can start collecting those retirement benefits right away – well what a swell deal (for him)!
  16. john adamsOctober 30, 2010 at 7:21 am
    200 days is 20 more than your average public school teacher
  17. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 9:05 am
    See what happens when the city council listens to the constituency? They can’t get a simple thing like naming a bridge accomplished. It’s a good thing they don’t listen to us before they do important stuff like taking over the libraries. They’d never get anything done.
  18. DamageincOctober 28, 2010 at 9:26 am
    I think many people mistake “listening” to doing what the loudest and most obnoxious voices are yelling.
  19. Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2010 at 10:32 am
    @Nate finally something we can agree on!
  20. DamageincOctober 28, 2010 at 3:55 pm
    We have agreed on plenty actually, I just don’t always agree how you come to you conclusions.
  21. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 2:14 pm
    I think the City Council not agreeing on a name was based upon a dumb decision by someone to call the bridge “Soldiers Bridge” which any normal adult male in SCV would likely know insults Sailors, Airmen and Marines. So don’t use the bridge naming question as proof that the City Council shouldn’t consult the public as to their wishes before the Council and senior staff act.
  22. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 3:06 pm
    Sorry you took it that way. I meant quite the opposite. Discussion of the bridge name good. No discussion of the library take over bad. Can’t have it both ways though.
  23. navigatorOctober 28, 2010 at 3:15 pm
    Agreed!
  24. navigatorOctober 28, 2010 at 2:45 pm
    @DJG – It’s a good thing the Council didn’t come up with a name on Tuesday. It’ll give em time to actually consider what was presented. To that end I’m favoring Gold Star Bridge as I mentioned yesterday. I haven’t heard anything else that comes close to being as descriptive of those being honored. I still think that if you don’t know what it means you need to find out.
  25. Josh PremakoOctober 28, 2010 at 2:50 pm
    Why does an overpass need a name? Seriously. It’s not some standout marvel of engineering and architecture. It’s a concrete overpass.
  26. navigatorOctober 28, 2010 at 2:56 pm
    Josh – The bridge doesn’t need a name. Our heroic young men and women need the recognition.
  27. NickelDimeOctober 28, 2010 at 3:02 pm
    Moreover, they deserve it. Are there future plans with the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza, navigator?
  28. navigatorOctober 28, 2010 at 3:13 pm
    As far as additions? No. The only thing left to do at the moment is to add the last story board and it is at the foundry as we speak. It’s doubtful it’ll be done for Veterans Day. That little park is a jewel.
  29. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 4:14 pm
    I spend a little time there almost every day.
  30. Josh PremakoOctober 28, 2010 at 4:38 pm
    Agreed. Maybe they need a little more recognition than naming a bridge, the name of which will likely be noticed or known by few. Maybe something a little more visible at our local library branches, or, I don’t know… Veterans Historical Plaza, or City Hall, or Town Center (there’s a public/private project for ya).
  31. cashOctober 29, 2010 at 8:11 am
    Then name it the Peace bridge.
  32. DamageincOctober 28, 2010 at 3:57 pm
    I am going to name the bridge “Ron Swanson” in honor of my favorite parks and rec character.
  33. ReaderMamaOctober 28, 2010 at 4:48 pm
    I agree. A load of silliness if you ask me. I’m sure if anyone cared to ask, homeless veterans would prefer a clean, safe bed and shower facilities to a bridge. The number of homeless among veterans is staggering and it will be growing as more return home.
  34. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 3:07 pm
    See comment above.
  35. Gang FangOctober 28, 2010 at 9:44 am
    Boston’s Halloween playlist is pretty lame-o. “Welcome To The Jungle”?
  36. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 9:54 am
    And “Zombie Jamboree” is conspicuously missing.
  37. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 9:45 am
    I would like to add my thanks to ND for doing the work and giving us the days news to kick things off. Also thank for your suggestion to post on the Signal, but frankly, this group is much more satisfying. While 2 or 3 merely parrot the party line, most actually think.
  38. NickelDimeOctober 28, 2010 at 10:18 am
    You’re most welcome, and I was teasing a bit about TMS. When comments get out of hand, they will be moderated. Jeff’s put us on notice more than once.
  39. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 10:32 am
    No problem. If I couldn’t take it, I wouldn’t be dishing it out.
  40. Berta González-HarperOctober 28, 2010 at 10:34 am
    Thanks ND…
  41. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 1:35 pm
    Library musings: Back in the days when my friends and I were doing Public Records Act Requests to the City of Santa Clarita, to look at their “public records” on any particular issue, we would always find truly amazing words written by City staff, who apparently were not smart enough to not put their innermost concerns in writing. For example, there will clearly be some amazing “public records” unearthed as the library-take-over scenario plays out. If I still had the energy and the ability, I’d be bombarding the City Clerk with a new Public Records Act Request every week, demanding to see What’s New on the library-take-over, beyond what had been discovered concerning had transpired between the early summer of 2010 through now. In any event, I always kick myself when there is a document obtained from a public agency which totally “spills the beans”, and I don’t see it right away. That happened the other day. From the 8/24/10 Staff Report by Darren Hernandez to the City Council: “Operating the libraries through City-hired employees would cost approximately $5.1 million, and operating through a public library management services firm would cost $3.9 million. In either model, the surplus between revenue and expenditures would finance (pay off over a period of time) start-up expenses and facility capital (construction and purchase) costs.” …… “Operating Santa Clarita’s libraries through a contract with a public library management services firm would result in $2.5 million being available to finance start-up costs and facility construction costs; this would support a financing in the amount of $33 million. After paying start-up costs estimated at $8 million, this would yield approximately $25 million for facility capital costs. Facility capital costs could include paying for construction of the new library in Old Town Newhall (which would unencumber approximately $25 million budgeted by the Redevelopment Agency that could be used for $25 million for additional redevelopment activities in Old Town Newhall) or for the construction of a new library to replace the existing Valencia library. ” OR FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW LIBRARY TO REPLACE THE EXISTING VALENCIA LIBRARY ?????????? Darren Hernandez’s words, not mine. Again, Education Code Section 19116(b) requires the City to use all regular real estate tax revenues attributable to libraries to “maintain library services”. There is no appellate case law interpreting Section 19116(b). In those circumstances, the Court of Appeal resorts first to use of ‘plain English’and to the Legislative History of the law (which I’ve read, through the Legislative Counsel’s office, and which doesn’t refer to real estate deals in terms of use of regular library real estate tax revenues). Meaning that the ‘plain English’ use of the terms “maintain” library “services” would be considered: Maintain –verb (used with object) to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain: to maintain good relations with neighboring countries. to keep in an appropriate condition, operation, or force; keep unimpaired: to maintain order; to maintain public highways. to keep in a specified state, position, etc.: to maintain a correct posture; to maintain good health. to keep or hold against attack: to maintain one’s ground. to provide for the upkeep or support of; carry the expenses of: to maintain a family. to sustain or support: not enough water to maintain life Services – noun the performance of any duties or work for another; helpful or professional activity: medical services. an act of helpful activity; help; aid: to do someone a service. The words “maintain” and “services” do not translate into authority for the City to bleed away money for library services to pay for refinancing Redevelopment Agency expenditures, or to building new buildings, or buy land, let alone buying existing real estate. However, they will do it unless Santa Clarita Valley voters prevail upon the Board of Supervisors to “minimize” the amount of regular library real estate taxes and County library special taxes handed over to the City each year. While TODAY the City Council and City staff may assure SCV’s taxpayers that their regular library real estate taxes will not be misused in the near future to fund activities not related to maintaining library services, the farther this library take-over goes time wise, the more likely it is that the regular library real estate taxes will be bled off from library services and become a slush fund to be used by the City Council at whim, as long as the City staff can construct an argument that the use of the money will somehow relate to libraries. If no taxpayers wath over the use of the regular library real estate taxes on a regular, annual basis, there is always the chance that that library tax money will become an open-ended slush fund. Residents of the unincorporated territory of the Santa Clarita Valley, i.e. County residents, are even more at risk if the Board of Supervisors decides to had over the unincorporated territory’s residents’ regular library real estate taxes to the City, where those taxes can be used by the City staff and City Council for empire building: e.g. The Ken Pulskamp Community Center and Reading Garden, on land bought from Larry Rasmussen, located somewhere near a library in the center of the City, perhaps next to a “new” Valencia Library. How about them apples Dave Bossert and neighbors in Sunset Point, Stevenson Ranch and West Ranch? The chance of the City using your regular library real estate taxes to build a building west of the 5 Freeway? ZERO
  42. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 3:13 pm
    Didn’t quite understand all of that, but all I really need to know is will I be able to get a copy of “Mafia Kingfish” in 4 days or less and keep it for 12 weeks?
  43. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 5:52 pm
    It will depend on where you live. Are you City or County? If the City has their way and you live in the County territory west of the 5 Freeway, you won’t see a public library built anywhere near you, even “when the economy turns around”.
  44. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 6:07 pm
    Wrong answer. There are no copies of this book in the soon to be city libraries, and it is out of print. Even if they want to, they can’t get it, no matter how much money they throw at it. So it really depend on if I can get to a county library.
  45. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 7:36 pm
    All the more reason to oppose the city library take over. My big gripe with libraries is that they sell off non-fiction reference books which should just stay on the shelves permanently. Instead, the dolts making decisions are more interested in how often a book is checked out, and on “freshening” what’s on the shelves. The idiots making the decisions for Valencia Library sold off some classic reference books on rose cultivars, which are essential for rose gardeners to look at if trying to pick the perfect bush for a small garden. This sort of butchering of libraries happens time and time again. I can only hope the City will be more attached to what they pay for, and not simply throw useful books on the sale pile to make it look like they are “expanding the collection by buying new books”. I want to see books piled up to the ceiling in Santa Clarita’s libraries 10 years from now, not sleek 8′ high shelves with another 6 to 8 feet of air above them. Great libraries, like those at universities and the Library of Congress, have “stacks” with books as high as the ceiling.
  46. Daddy Joe GOctober 28, 2010 at 8:51 pm
    That is my concern exactly. Most of what I read is out of print stuff that comes from libraries in less “up scale” parts of the county were the libraries seem to hold onto their inventory and are not in such a rush to “trade up”. The council seems to think the city charter was the first thing ever written.
  47. CCOctober 28, 2010 at 3:16 pm
    Maybe we should name the bridge, “Ferry’s Flight” or “Walmart Way”
  48. navigatorOctober 28, 2010 at 3:21 pm
    Do I have to come over there and pull that tongue out of your cheek???
  49. CCOctober 28, 2010 at 3:30 pm
    In the end it won’t matter what the City calls it if we can build enough local support
  50. Coastal SageOctober 28, 2010 at 5:42 pm
    One of my acquaintances used to call Golden Valley Road “the Road to Home Depot”…so maybe it should be called “the Home Depot Bridge”.
  51. cashOctober 29, 2010 at 1:20 pm
    I like bridge to no where important.
  52. Bill ReynoldsOctober 28, 2010 at 7:24 pm
    FYI… Best cities to live: http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/best-cities-to-move-to-in-america.html
  53. cashOctober 29, 2010 at 8:16 am
    Watch out for new high rise buildings in Santa Clarita. Asumetown will do most anything to on the list of the top ten best places to live. We are on a rapid decline I’m afraid.

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