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Wastewater and the Council-

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 10:14 am
by Mel
This is from this weeks Eagle. I would never have seen this unless someone brought it to my attention...Be careful WHO YOU VOTE FOR - Your City Council voted for this. The only one who said NO - was Cindy Coffey. Leon Garcia who voted yes, is running for Mayor - that's not good! Now possibly Mark Joseph may run for Council? He was a part of this too. Also not good- Think people, November will be upon us sooner than you think...

Mr. Curry finally said it right in this article. Good job.

Wastewater treatment plant a waste


Tuesday, July 18, 2006 1:09 AM PDT

Dear editor,

The $1.1 million dollar patch for our "state of the art" wastewater treatment plant (reported in American Canyon Eagle, July 11, 2006) should be a cause for concern for the citizens of American Canyon. I do not mind saying "We (Bud Cain and I) told you so" as we attempted to warn our City Council members at the time, Shaver, Anderson, Colcleaser, Maples-Luporini, Cypher and city staff (Mark Joseph in particular) that they were in for cost overruns, lawsuits, design flaws, and untested theories, along with the high risk and potential failure to comply with permit compliance, all due to council egos over common sense.

If you are not aware, American Canyon residents pay more in sewer fees than any of our contiguous counties as well as Oakland and San Francisco who have larger populations. If the council had listened and accepted our calculations and proactive work with Napa Sanitation, American Canyon residents would be paying $18.00 per month sewer bills. If the City Council had paid attention to not only us, but virtually every Bay Area and Sacramento Valley Municipality during hearings held before the State Water Quality Control Boards, I believe it would be safe to say that we would not be having these financial woes.

The cost of consumable material for this plant is staggering not to mention the lack of competent oversight of this present Council (Coffey excluded) to ask for and act on competent information. The decision making of that City Council, who agreed to exceptionally high permit standards, would not take precautions to act responsibly by taking every means possible to lower future financial overruns by doing it right the first time, was distorted and incompetent.

The American Canyon resident must pay more attention to what his or her elected officials do on their behalf and the council must start listening to its electorate in order to govern effectively. There is no doubt now that the figures that were projected for the completion of this project were grossly underestimated and objective facts by at least two citizens against the wastewater treatment plant were dismissed.

When you vote in November, remember who "accepted responsibility for the defect" in faulty decision making that cost us $1.1 million dollars. That's not 'El cheapo.'

Now ask Ben Anderson who really caused the delays!

Morris Curry

American Canyon

Cindy's response

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:34 pm
by kmshamet
Dear MEl,

Please explain this:

The only one who said NO - was Cindy Coffey.

Cindy Coffey was not serving on the City Council at the time. How could she have said either yes or no?

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:42 pm
by Mel
Dear Kathleen ,

If you were a resident living in our City, you would have had access to watch the City Council meeting that Mr. Curry was referring to. But since everybody knows that you have not been a resident for almost a year, your question is a waste of time, as the council meeting validates Mr. Curry's response...as well as my own.
I am sure you are reading the Eagle online from Kansas so really, you should know this already.

misc

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:47 pm
by kmshamet
Mel,

Hope your surviving the heat wave. Stay cool!

Aren't we in AMERICA

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:08 pm
by VicRiv
yesterday during the city council meeting..Bud Kane (sp) asked can he ask a question. City Attorney's Bill Ross "Yes, you can ask a question..we live in America".

I think the same applies on this PUBLIC forum..

Apparently the heat has some people feeling prickly...

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 2:37 pm
by Mel
Sorry Vic, you're WAY off base, the heat hasn't gotten me yet. But my question is why is she even here? Has NO interest in this City at all. But whatever big guy. Imply whatever you want-

Geez!

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:01 pm
by VicRiv
Still entitled to her opinion..

and if I'm not mistaken you both have a lawsuit vs. American Canyon in common. No implication..just the facts.

Have a great evening and weekend.

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:11 pm
by Mel
And I am entitled to mine, am I not?

opinions

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:13 pm
by VicRiv
Exactly! See how it works both ways..

By the way..how is your doggie sitting business doing? I may have someone looking for that service. Email me some info at vmr369@yahoo.com and I'll forward the details

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:15 pm
by Mel
Couldn't be better. 90% of my clients are from American Canyon. You can forward all the info from the Post when it arrives next week. Although I am completely booked untill Sept. 10th :) Thanks for asking Victor-

Observation

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 7:38 pm
by ac94503
I hope we can keep the "cat fighting" outside!!!

You both present good points when you are not arguing in the schoolyard!

As for kshamet's opinion...it must be very boring in Kansas. Who really wants to read a post from someone who left this community almost a year ago...If I remember correctly it wasn't about the politics but "family commitments".

Let it go!

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:38 am
by Paul Maguire
I saw this wastewater fiasco too. The only good I saw about it was that Hess Construction, a local contractor( four corners shopping center, canyon plaza) is doing the repair. I trust that it will be done right this time, once and for all.

Regardless of the finger pointing, and blame, it is just another example of the irresponsibility of spending that goes on. In this cause, not spending the money to do it right. We are talking about a water treatment plant- a very critical and important utility.

Yet, we pay top dollar for staff that don't last, we commit to retirement packages we clearly cannot afford, we provide LIFETIME health insurance after 5 years of council service, and this city has taken Little if Any EFFECTIVE ACTION to curb this financial disaster. Unfortunately, self interest is senior to the public interest on many issues of the day here in American Canyon.

It is my view that the city currently has more financial commitments than it can and will be able to afford long term.

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:23 am
by Guest
VicRiv, what exactly do your comments have to do with the OP? You seem to try and manipulate the thread into something other than what it was posted for... What does a lawsuit have to do with wastewater? What does a dog biz have to do with who we elect into our city positions? What does someone who doesnt live here have to do with anything? I am just wondering. Please don't rip me apart.

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:36 am
by mattbb61
VicRiv, what exactly do your comments have to do with the OP? You seem to try and manipulate the thread into something other than what it was posted for... What does a lawsuit have to do with wastewater? What does a dog biz have to do with who we elect into our city positions? What does someone who doesnt live here have to do with anything? I am just wondering. Please don't rip me apart.
Good question Wants To Know; I recall venting my thoughts on illegal aliens whose first task was to put their middle fingers into the face of our laws with their first step into our country, but was quickly told I was a racist by amongst others, that same poster, and another on this thread.

1984

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:24 am
by mattbb61
I have a hunch those two will not understand the previous analogy, so let me type slowly and hope it will clarify the last post...

My... discourse... on... illegal... aliens... was... manipulated... into... something... it... wasnt...

Racist Comments or Just Comments...

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 12:31 am
by ac94503
Mattbb1: You seem to be extremely upset by comments made due to your post on "illegal aliens". Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and some of the articles that you have posted are very worthwhile reading.
I have read what you have posted and now see that this issue is extremely important to you. Sometimes when people post you read it differently than was originally intended. As I have been told before you cannot always tell what someone is feeling when they post on a website. Apparently, your post was misinturpreted as racist when you were only trying to show another view. I am sorry if my response disturbed you. However, I did feel alarmed by your reference to weapons. That's just not
my way I would like to see things handled.

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:19 pm
by mattbb61
Thanks for that post, ac94503. I DID mean to use the word WEAPONS, but it was limited to defending our fellow citizens from those illegal aliens who have come to our country and have committed numerously henious felonies, regardless of their countries of origin.