Supervisors to Consider Sanitary Service Rate Increase

Al Dugan February 8, 2013 at 05:40 pm

Surprise, the slush fund did not make to the agenda. This time, after two scathing Marin Grand Jury report, in 2001 and 2012, it will not go away and it will not be forgotten. There are only three agenda items so it can not be they don't have enough time.

Willie R. Stephens Sr February 8, 2013 at 07:32 pm

I am so glad I am back to reading Novato Patch . I see nothing has changed as the same people are here telling the lies. One would think if they had two reports and nothing has been done its a mute point.

Bob Ratto February 8, 2013 at 10:09 pm

Bud Light, et al
Since you have now taken the opportunity to respond to yourself (which I think would be most interesting to, say, a psychotherapist)..I was thinking maybe you could use your various names in sort of a set fashion. Follow along for a moment...Bud Light could comment on, say, city issues; Old N. Grouchy could comment on issues related to taxes; My Way or the Highway could comment on all things transit related-SMART train, freeway improvements (of course, allowances could be made for say Old N. Grouchy to comment with respect to the future tax impacts of (for example) SMART. I don't know, maybe I am just being too structure oriented, but I think it might be fun to give it a try...of course with new issues will come new names, but we all deserve and expect nothing less. Have an enjoyable (football free) weekend.

Mark Schoenbaum February 8, 2013 at 10:56 pm

Bud Light, Old And Grouchy, My Way Or The Highway, et al,
I think I speak for all of us when I say that nobody cares about your opinion. You only come on patch to attack and belittle those of us who are interested in our community and want to discuss the issues. You never contribute, you only attack anybody who does not agree with you. You do not offer compelling counterarguments expressing your viewpoint, you only make personal attacks and tell people if they want to change things "then run for office". You must be miserable. Please go away.

Al Dugan February 8, 2013 at 10:59 pm

I have attached the link to the 2001 Civic Gramd Jury.on the slush fund. http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/GJ/main/cvgrjr/2000gj/Reports/Supervisor_Discretionary_Fund_Report.pdf
Interesting, my first look I don't see the 2012 Civic Grand Jury repot posted on the County web site yet. Will go back and confirm. They have a dedicated web person so it certainly should be up. Read the 2001 report. The 2012 is not really different.

Al Dugan February 8, 2013 at 11:11 pm

This is the 2012 Civic Grand Jury report of the supervisor "slush fund."
http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/GJ/main/cvgrjr/2012/Responses2012/ocr_the_community_service_funds_report.pdf

Roger February 8, 2013 at 11:24 pm

Al, thanks. I hope you keep the pressure on this issue.

Mark Schoenbaum February 9, 2013 at 12:50 am

You actually think that anyone here believes that you have been 'away'? Everone knows you by all of your different monikers. If you are going to feed us that line then you are in serious need of psychological help for your case of schizophrenia/multiple personality disorder.
And again, no constructive arguments, just insults.

Eleanor Sluis February 9, 2013 at 02:17 am

Arguing and debunking ideas is what people do; it is human nature or in their genes or due to a variety of reasons. However, the issue is that the County Supervisors are using up to $450,000 per year of taxpayers’ funds by giving that money to non-profits. It is similar to Eva Peron giving Argentina’s money to the people. They adored her, but it did not help the government in the long term. Will we be singing, “Don’t cry for me, Marin County” in the future?
I object to giving money to a church with taxpayer’s funds, as was reported in the IJ last week due to the separation of church and state in our constitution. Now in Marin, we have the religious and non-profits subsidized by the public with no input, while there are other needs of pension liabilities’ funding, environmental issues of preserving Marin County and being stewards of this beautiful area. The sooner the Supervisors end this arbitrary and capricious misuse of public funds the better Marin’s government at the county level will be.

Al Dugan February 9, 2013 at 02:58 am

For the record, the troll using the moniker Bud Light, Old n Groucy and My way or the highway, etc. had a two posts here before (they...sorry could resist) withdrew. This is for context. He has one below that I expect he will withdraw that is Bud Light.

Al Dugan February 9, 2013 at 11:29 am

For the record, there was another troll posting here from Bud Light and he has withdrawn it. This is his new game. Bud Light is a big supporter of the county supervisors AND the Novato City Council.

Bill Stone February 10, 2013 at 02:54 am

The IJ stated that Susan Adams was the only supervisor who was willing to contribute some of her slush fund money to the gun buyback program. The other four supervisors chose to hold onto their slush fund money as if they were starved rats.
So instead the supervisors took money from the "poor fund" /safety net dollars that are earmarked for the poor and used those funds. Why? Guns don 't vote and the supervisors need their war chest. Their war chest for their reelection is money from you, the taxpayer. Ms. Sluis: What church received slush fund money?

Bill Stone February 10, 2013 at 02:57 am

I agree with you Roger. Al has done a good job exposing the slush fund. He has pointed out the CGJ Report was in 2001. We are still talking about the slush fund 12 years later and the supervisors just won't let it go, inspite of an unfunded pension liability. The supervisors are not board members of nonprofits yet their job is turning into one.

Eleanor Sluis February 10, 2013 at 04:23 am

Supervisor Rice - $1,500, Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church.
http://www.marinij.com/ci_22500834/supervisors-spend-22-000-pet-projects What is the justification for this expenditure.

Mark Schoenbaum February 10, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Another snark attack by bud light

Craig Belfor February 10, 2013 at 12:53 pm

How can you tell bud light and the various aliases are the same person?

A.M. Barnard February 10, 2013 at 02:11 pm

Indeed, Craig - there is no evidence to corroborate such ridiculous "allegations" regarding the identity of posters. Furthermore, it matters not. The "you are a troll" reply seems to be the cheap and easy smokescreen when a fellow poster has no legitimate response, and somehow figures and/or hopes that "you are a troll" will somehow cloud the issue and detract from an otherwise thoughtful response.
Interestingly, an Internet troll is generally the term used for somebody who is a perpetual poster and/or frequently comments off topic. 5 posts thus far about the so-called slush fund - when that wasn't even the topic of the post - would clearly put Mr. Dugan in the category of a troll.

Craig Belfor February 10, 2013 at 02:39 pm

A.M.Barnard-
Now you have me confused. If the board of supervisors, having the only slush fund in the state, unregulated by voters who'd like a say in how their taxes are spent, can ignore the findings of TWO grand jury reports that they eliminate this fund, then wouldn't the time to discuss it be at a supervisor's meeting? We all know that you are a developer's rep, and you want to put more affordable housing in Novato. Al Dugan is against any more housing until we clean up what we have, and the rest of Marin catches up. You have been following Al from post to post, harassing him on every subject. I'm not sure what the definition of troll is, but you're doing a good job of clarifying it for me.

Al Dugan February 10, 2013 at 02:42 pm

The site was started to provide a link to the citizens of Marin on the ongoing activities of the Marin Supervisors and to allow review of their agendas for meetings. My posting are calling up an important issue that has been clearly addressed by two sitting Grand Jury reports, in 2001 and 2012, that both concurred the slush fund should be eliminated. The superviors continue to ignore this so my post do absolutely fit this agenda site and quite simply point out week after week the hubris of the supervisors to try to sweep this under the rug again like they did after the 2001 Grand Jury report. I will be posting the links to both Grand Jury reports each week.

A.M. Barnard February 10, 2013 at 03:43 pm

Mr. Belfor: I find your comment to be an exercise in the hyperbole on a great many levels, and I must respectfully disagree.
At the risk of repeating myself, I again stress that I am not a developer's rep; I don't personally know any of the developers involved in Marin's affordable housing debate; I actually don't know any developers, anywhere. My Novato roots, however, run much deeper than the overwhelming majority of the posters and I take great exception to the present day tone with regards to affordable housing. With respect to the current topic - i.e. the supervisors' slush fund - with all due respect, the Marin Civil Grand Jury produces, on average, a minimum of 6 reports a year. I'm intrigued by one man's relentless pursuit of two decades-old reports. Is it possible that the rest of the county has moved on and perhaps he should, too?

Craig Belfor February 10, 2013 at 03:52 pm

Just because it's an old practice, it doesn't go away, just like racism. The issue here is still the same, but now with the added crossing the church and state line. We'll move on when the supervisors address and fix this problem.

Al Dugan February 10, 2013 at 04:28 pm

AM, as usual not accurate. One Grand Jury report on the Marin supervisors slush fund was 2001, which was 12 years ago. The other Marin Grand Jury report on the Marin superviors slush fund was in 2012, last year.

Betty Pancakes February 10, 2013 at 05:26 pm

Dear Grandpa Dugan,
Why do you have an axe to grind? First of all, it's called the Community Service Fund. It is disrespectful to call it anything less. And, it's like pennies a-droppin' in the bucket. I mean, seriously ... I know we all have to mind the Benjamins in this doggone awful economy, but a few bones here and a few bones there ... really, you're on a mission over ... THAT? The Community Service Fund has also benefited our community greatly. You are barking up the wrong tree if you're askin' that it be taken away. Instead, it should be done in a more public (the big word is TRANSPARENT) kind of a way.

Al Dugan February 10, 2013 at 05:31 pm

Thank you Betty Buttercup.....yes, I am a proud grandfather. Please keep posting and keep this at the top.

Eleanor Sluis February 10, 2013 at 09:40 pm

Keep calm and carry on, Al and Craig. In spite of opposition, stay on course. You are adding information to those who choose not to write and that is a good thing. Thanks.

Tina McMillan April 1, 2013 at 05:49 pm

Craig
Bud Light has a way of posting that makes almost no sense. He/she just attacks and blames people endlessly by making outrageous accusations. Once the accounts are closed down it is harder to go back and compare posts but you get a feel for it after you have been the target for a while. I don't think every person using attacks is automatically Bud Lite but I don't believe I have ever seen a Bud Lite post that discussed an idea or an issue.