October 6, 2011 – Daily Brief*

Considering her ‘base’ was PTA, she may have trouble over the library issue. But the real issue is who’s running against her? As for Kellar, I have to say he has grown on me in the past 4 years.

1. Frank Ferry won’t by 32 votes, not 9, still a narrow margin, but illustrative of the power of incumbency since he made no real effort at reelection. Considering we now know his lack of effort was due to his affliction with a life-threating pancreatic cyst, maybe you can sideline some of the contempt and spot him a chance at redemption? Yes, he has been quite the character in the past and may have insulted you, but he sure seems like a different person after his weeks long coma near brush(es) with death. 2. Sources say Laurie Ender will post cash-on-hand of $50,000 by year end and will raise and spend $100,000 on her reelection. No challenger, unless they can fully self-fund, will come close to that amount. 3. Agree with her on the issues or not, but there is no disputing that Laurie Ender is one of those naturally engaging and charismatic politicians. People who meet her like her. 4. Other than the library issue, how does Kellar’s record differ from Ender’s? He still has to live down his “proud racist” comment for which he earned nationwide negative publicity. In a community that is gradually growing less white and more politically competitive, that comment will lose him more votes than it will gain. Will the hospital expansion be an issue? Unlikely. Keep in mind it didn’t prevent Laurie Ender from trouncing a field of impressive candidates in 2008. And now, in 2011, the hospital expansion is moving along well, traffic on McBean and Orchard Village is unchanged, and the new parking garage is actually quite attractive. 5. No serious candidates are positioning themselves to run for city council, unlike two years ago. The election is really 5 months away because that is when ballots will be mailed to those who vote by mail (representing upwards of 75% of the active voters). 6. In three elections for city council Bob Kellar has always finished second, including the 2008 election when challenger Laurie Ender beat him for first place. Should a surpisingly strong challenger emerge, history indicates Bob Kellar is the more vulnerable of the two incuments.

Item 4 – Kellar voted against the hospital. The parking garage is a big ugly concrete box right up against a beautiful tree lined street, and there is no word on when the new “Patient” tower will ever be constructed. It was originally indicated it would be done by 2013 but it is not even on the drawing board. Laurie Ender trounced the opposition because she had a solid Valencia housewife vote and a solid financial advantage thanks to the G&H PAC contributions. I’d argue Bob Kellar may pull in more votes than her this time around because he presents himself as being much more responsive to community concerns.

AC: Everything you say is right EXCEPT for any idea concerning Kellar’s “weakness.” Laurie Ender came first in 2008 primarily because of an incredible and unprecedented strength in her “district” of Northbridge and Northpark. You don’t get any more votes on the council if you come first. You still get to sit there is you come second. There were at least three other impressive and serious candidates in the 2008 election due to the decision of Tim Ben not to seek reelection, and she buried them all.

NIC, the hospital issue no longer has legs. The 2012 election will likely be devoid of major community issues, similar to the current election for the Hart board. TM, let me clarify. It was not my intention to say BK was vulnerable (although, yes, I did use that word in my sentence) but, rather, it is my assertion that LE has the better position. Her strong “North River” organization is what ensured the reelection of Frank Ferry. There isn’t a potential challenger who could unseat either BK or LE at this point because of the power of incumbency and the lack of time remaining for a challenger to mount an incumbent-defeating campaign. As for 2008, the candidate field that year was one of the strongest in city history. All five candidates had impressive credentials and were respected community leaders. You could have picked two names out of a hat and had two solid councilmembers.

I have to agree with you AC that the parking structure does not look that bad, and I live in the neighborhood. Yes the helicopters are pretty loud but if they are saving lives who cares about a little rumble here and there. Then again I am used to things blowing up all around me so what do I know lol

I was wrong, but there is hardly a difference between 32 and 9 in this election. As for a chance at “redemption” for Ferry, no way. That’s the same logic the people of DC used when they re-elected Marion Barry. Politicians do not deserve a chance at redemption. Ferry has repeatedly shown his contempt for people. I had a sit down with him and found him rude and arrogant. He has repeatedly been insulting to people, blasted a CLWA candidate on city letterhead and shows little regard to what people have to say. And let’s not forget the whole ‘Mayordude’ campaign. How much city money was wasted on this self-serving promotion? So I really have no desire to wait around and see if he has had some sort of epiphany as a result of his brush with death. When he is up for re-election, I hope we get some new blood in there. He will not be missed by many. But you are absolutely right on the power of incumbency. Many people I talk to have no idea about city politics and cannot even name one council person. Perhaps this has changed as a result of the library takeover, perhaps not. We shall see. $100,000 is a lot of money for a council race and Ender very well may need it. She sure must want the job bad. As for Kellar, if anyone really thinks he meant he was racist and proud, stop reading my post because you lack basic comprehension and you will not understand anything I am saying. The hospital has not had a major impact on the area *yet*. Why should it since it was needed for existing parking? When the two other massive parking structures are built (one bigger than the other 2 put together) along with 3 large commercial medial buildings, there will be a huge impact. Ender got elected because of the infusion of $30,000 from the hospitals developer, G&L Realty. She was elected and then voted on their development issue. Was this illegal? No. But, if you don’t think this is unethical, you are wrong. Her comment to The Signal was something along the lines of not knowing who the money was from until a later date. Yeah, we believe that Laurie. The parking structure is not attractive, I don’t think any really are. But I can stomach it, because the hospital needed it for the hospital. The rest of this massive project is where the rub is. You are correct that we need a serious and well funded candidate to come forward to have a chance. I know some are holding out hope for a return of Johnny Pride, but we will need to see a serious candidate come forward soon and start pounding the pavement for votes. Perhaps some folks on here that are more connected than I am have some rumors on people that are running.

The people who attend the dinner are people who have business with the City or depend on the City’s largesse, like consultants, car dealers, etc. I would assert that 80 to 90% of the people upset about the library were folks who had no intention of voting for an incumbent anyway, so there is not net movement in the electorate. As to nervousness elected officials are always nervous about getting reelected until the votes are counted. There are famous legends about how New Mexico six term US Senator Pete Domenici would get so paranoid about his reelection prospects that he could not eat or sleep and he routinely captured 80 plus percent of the vote. It is October and there are no viable candidates announced so the incumbents do the walkover.

I agree. The home interest deduction has been on several congressional lists of late. I really see it going away or at least more severely limited in the near future.

I have had a 2500 square foot house and now have an 1800 square foot house…and believe me when I say 2500 square feet is better with or without the tax breaks. I grew up in a 1400 square foot house and seemed to have plenty of room. Nowadays people simply have too much stuff — notice all the self storage facilities in this town!

Too much stuff, not enough space Too much stuff, not enough space Too much stuff, not enough space

SPACEBAG!!!

Nowadays people simply have too much stuff Truedat. #100tc

Some of you people really need to get some perspective… What the hell do you all want in a parking structure??? Personally, the one time I stopped to glance at it, I was impressed that they went so far at to incorporate the plants and landscaping. Is it a beautiful piece of architecture destined for historical landmark status? No. Does it serve the purpose, and do so in a manner that best incorporates itself to the surrounding area? Absolutely. When it comes to the hospital, some Santa Claritans will stop at nothing to ensure that we have the absolute worst medical care in all of Southern California. Whats going to happen when all of us start aging and require medical care? Has anyone stopped to think about that????? There are 15 hospitals in the San Fernando Valley, including Glendale and Burbank, for a total of over 4000 beds… spread over a population of 1.75 Million and you’re looking at roughly one bed for every 430 people. In the lovely Santa Clarita Valley, where an earthquake can, and will (oh, yah, and HAS) eliminated our chances at getting to any of those hospitals, we have 1 hospital with 221 beds for 250,000 people. That’s one bed per 1130 people, give or take. And yet everyone wants to bitch and moan when the hospital wants to expand???? Dear God I hope none of you ever need to be hospitalized…. because the chances are… you won’t be able to in a very short time.

You do understand the difference between a parking structure and a hospital bed, right? Because I haven’t heard ANYONE say that we didn’t need to improve the actual hospital.

All I ever hear is about how the hospital shouldn’t have ANY growth. Period. So, I ask you… where should we send Santa Clarita’s aging population for medical care?

The parking structure could be a)underground or b) at the rear of the property. But still, I am not opposed to the *hospital* expanding to meet the needs of our valley. I do not know anyone that is. Everyone was opposed to the huge commercial development that is going to take place here. This has little to do with the hospital operations and more to do with a funding source for the hospital. The hospital continues to be mismanaged. I recently had the opportunity to visit both Henry Mayo and Holy Cross in the same night. Here is my LTE about the experience: http://www.the-signal.com/archives/45871/ The Signal decided to use their editorial privilege to edit my letter and remove sentences bringing up the money funneled to Ender, the bonus hospital CEO Seaver got from G&L Realty for the development deal and my calling for Seaver to step down. The week after this letter, I was called to my sons school because they thought he might have appendicitis. We bypassed Henry Mayo and went straight to Holy Cross. They were up front that they were busy but we still waited less than 45 minutes to see a doctor. Seaver has maintained that opening a 2nd hospital out here is cost prohibitive. Yet, after he made this statement, Providence was poking around out here looking at opening a hospital. I think Seaver wants to build his little hospital empire. I have no problem with it expanding, but remember what people are objecting to is not the hospital expanding. The hospital land was never intended to support our valley at future population levels. The city should really focus on a long term plan that involves putting a hospital at a central location and providing enough land for expansion well into the future.

Underground scares the bejesus out of me in this earthquake zone and the rear of the property is a hill, jus sayin’. The hospital is landlocked and they need to look at building a facility on the east side to handle the growing population and accidents on the 14.

The city should drop a hospital right in the Whittiker-Bermite property. The negative health effects form a new hospital being there would put it on par with the negative health effects of being seen at HMNMH.

My family and I have been there before and neer had any issues. I would suggest if you or anyone has/had any complaints, that you route them through the State Licensing Board. That way the medical professional can be investigated properly. No hospital is perfect and they can only get better with constant feedback and involvement by those they serve.

I just mean that it looks like something built in the San Fernando Valley in the 80s, that’s all. They need one. Once it grows in, it will look lovely, I’m sure.

The just end up dying in the waiting room.

I’ve only been there once, but from what I recall, “out back” is in a hillside, with homes on top. So, while I’d normally agree with you, I think the better and more affordable alternative is: Parking Structures belong where there is space to build them on your property.

There is plenty of space to build a parking structure at the back left of the property. They are planning to build a massive one here. But that parking structure will be for the 3 commercial buildings and not the hospital.

And doesn’t the parking structure also serve as a helipad? It might not be prudent to be that close to a hillside with trees if possible for landing an aircraft.

There will be a newer helipad on top of the proposed main hospital tower that will back up against the hillside. If built as planned, it will be about even with the homes on the summit. Having helicopters land so close to the homes up there should do wonders for their quality of life.

Between saving lives and allowing David Gauny his beauty sleep, I’ve gotta choose the former.

Agreed. But it will be interesting to see. I am about 1/4 mile from HM and can hear the choppers coming in when I am inside. It’s not a bother really, I knew this was part of the hospital when I bought the house. But if it is developed as planned, the helicopters will be landing yards from houses on the summit, at roughly the same elevation as the houses. That’s got to be a lot louder than the current setup. Glad I do not live in the summit.

I live behind Granary and yes you can hear the occasional aircraft coming in but its only slightly louder than the sheriff’s ones that fly by low all the time. I would just be concerned if there was a crash because debris is a mug when that happens.

Well, I’m hoping the Lost Canyon project might be amended to include a hospital… however I’m not holding my breath.

Medical offices are where the specialists who have privileges at HMH are based out of. They are a necessity since most hospitals don’t have that amount of office space.