Quote of the day

“There’s absolutely no reason whatsoever for a code enforcement officer to ever have to carry a gun. There just isn’t.” – Dirk Voss, president of the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers.

This had such promise

But it was only about a soap opera about Arcata.

Another city stunt in support of the Marina Center

Eureka Mayor Virginia Bass and certain members of the City Council will hold a 1:00 press conference Monday at City Hall to publicly lobby the California Coastal Commission to let the city speak at its December 10 meeting.  The Commission will decide whether to uphold appeals to the city’s approval of Phase 1 of the controversial Home Depot mall on the shores of Humboldt Bay.

The surprise press conference follows a failed attempt to send a last-minute letter to Commission Chairwoman Bonnie Neely at the last city council meeting, which would have violated the Brown Act.  Under those rules, actions taken by the city council must be on the agenda.

The city appears to be in over-drive in cheer-leading the project.  That’s because the City of Eureka effectively is Security National, the project proponent, when it comes to the so-called Marina Center.  Security National’s subsidiary CUE VI indemnified the city against lawsuits challenging the project — but if SN gets that litigious feeling towards the city, look out.

Cause and effect

Long time Humboldt Herald readers will remember that SN owner Rob Arkley unleashed an angry tirade on Councilman Jeff Leonard at a restaurant in Old Town last year because of the city’s slow progress on the Marina Center.  Leonard and other pro-project forces at City Hall appear to be working overtime to avoid another episode.

Reporting fail

The Times-Standard loves it some Jeff Leonard.

Leonard said the city will be asking the [Coastal Commission] for a chance to weigh in on the [appeals of the Marina Center Coastal Development Permit], while also trying to petition the support of Supervisor Bonnie Neely, who is on the commission.

Gosh, so now it’s a petition.  Funny there is no mention of Jeff’s attempted violation of the Brown Act at last Tuesday’s meeting when he sprung a last minute letter to Neely on the City Council, hoping to get it signed and sent without putting it on the agenda or even giving his fellow Councilmembers time to read it.  Such relevant reporting might make him look bad.

In other Marina Center news, four environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Impact Report.

In that T-S article, Leonard is again given space to practice his pro-Marina Center talking points.  But the real gem is the final quote by Eureka city planner Sidnie Olson.

”The City Council would not have certified [the EIR] if it had been lacking in any way,” Olson said.

Olson was Leonard’s ally in the last-minute lettergate noted above.  So it’s comical that she claims the Council has superior insight into the complicated EIR process while expecting them not to notice a blatant violation of basic Brown Act rules.

Arkleys to throw bash for Louisiana Gov

The invitation. Click to enlarge.

Eureka power couple Rob and Cherie Arkley are opening their doors for a private shindig to raise cash for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.  The affair will take place at their house in Baton Rouge.

Jindal supports the teaching of creationism in public schools and he calls it “science.”  He was a runner-up in former presidential candidate John McCain’s pick for running mate.

Mr. Arkley is focusing some monetary might in the Bayou State these days — including a kick down for a new business school facility at Louisiana State University.

Pray he has no say over the curriculum.

Can you afford to live in Eureka?

[Below is a guest post by Tom Peters].

There’s a firestorm brewing that may create some very strange bedfellows. Eureka city staff is proposing HUGE increases to Eureka’s water and sewer rates over the next 5 years. While all agree some water rate increases are inevitable since the pulp mills have closed, this grab for bucks goes far beyond the call.

Under the proposal, average water/sewer rates would rise between $350 and $800 dollars per year. The Senior rate would be eliminated. Rents would be sure to rise to cover the new charges. There has been no public discussion of how much money the sewer and water departments actually need and what they need it for. The suspicion is that the departments want to build up large reserves to pay for infrastructure construction for new developments in Cutten, Pine Hill, and Myrtletown. Under the proposal sewer rates would be tied directly to water use. Businesses like restaurants and laundromats would see HUGE increases. Water use for residential gardening would become cost prohibitive. Low income people would no longer be able to afford to live in Eureka.

Resistance is growing. There will soon be Protest Postcards available so that citizens can protest these indefensible increases. The cards MUST be sent to the Eureka City Clerk before Jan. 5th. They must include an AP number and/or a water bill number. One must be sent for each parcel billed. And they must be signed.

If none of this makes sense, there will be a workshop at the Wharfinger Building on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 pm so the city can attempt to justify what it’s trying to do. Protest Postcards will be available at the meeting.

It is hoped that the Chamber of Commerce, whose members will be very hard-hit, and other business groups will join the protest. Seniors and renters who stand to be priced out of their homes should be particularly concerned. Even people on the opposite sides of the Balloon Tract issue should agree on this one. This is a bad idea poorly presented. Let’s all hold the city to a higher standard and send this proposal back to the drawing board.

Top 10 reasons Pellegrini decided to stay

In a surprise reversal the Times-Standard reported Tuesday that Commissioner Ronnie Pellegrini of the Humboldt Bay, Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District decided to finish her elected term rather than throw in the towel.

Here’s the top 10 reasons why:

1.  No true believers of big port/rail development submitted an application to replace her.

2.  The flowers and candy and wails of despair from the RAPIT camp were just too much.

3.  See #1.

4. The pay is awesome.

5.  For the glory.

6.  Applications by possible replacements had realistic ideas about the District which scared the bejesus out of Harbor Commission Executive Director David Hull.

7.  Turns out her new property in Carlotta includes a trail.

8.  See #1.

9.  See #1.

10.  See #1.

LAME: Leonard’s last-minute letter

Call it “Phase 2″ of Operation Get Bonnie Neely.

It wasn’t on the agenda, but Eureka City Councilman Jeff Leonard urged the Council to sign a last-minute letter to Neely seeking support for the city’s recent approval of a Coastal Development Permit for the controversial Marina Center project.  The permit is being appealed to the California Coastal Commission, which Neely chairs.

The city needs 3 members of the Commission to secure time for a presentation at its December 10th meeting in San Francisco, according to City Planner Sidnie Olson.  The letter would apparently encourage Neely to pull the strings to get the city a spot at the podium.

Councilwoman Linda Atkins said the letter included issues that weren’t part of the motion on the permit, and questioned whether the letter should be properly noticed and put on the agenda before the council took it to a vote.

City Attorney Sheryl Schaffner ultimately cautioned the council against voting on such a controversial issue without proper notice.

Councilmembers Mike Jones and Frank Jager strongly supported sending the letter — even after admitting they hadn’t had time to read it.

Councilman Larry Glass said his fellow councilmens’ warm reception to the late letter was “odd” given their total freak-out upon receipt of a last-minute letter by the State Lands Commission that cautioned the Council against approving the permit.

The letter follows recent TV ads that target Neely to get her support for the permit.

The permit would allow Phase 1 of the project, including a so-called clean-up plan.  Or as Leonard is now calling it — repeatedly — to hammer those feel-good talking points: the environmental clean-up plan.  Because it sounds so environmenty.

Hurricane victim feels wrath of Arkley

A survivor of Hurricane Rita probably thought she’d seen the worst after the 2005 storm ravaged her house.

But then she met Hurricane Rob.

Her $45,000 jury award in a case against Security National must have been a relief, but lo, her opponent has endless hunger for the fight.  After years of litigation 45 grand would be a pittance next to his lawyers’ price tag.  But he appealed.

[Anita] Keith claimed her [insurance] settlement money “was wrongfully seized by Defendants Statewide [Bank, where Rob Arkley is president and CEO] and SN Servicing” and filed a breach of contract lawsuit on April 4, 2006, in Jefferson County District Court.

Following a May 2008 trial, the jury found that Statewide breached the deed of trust and awarded Keith damages of $45,000.00 for the breach of contract.

The jury verdict led Statewide to file an appeal in September 2008.

On appeal, Statewide argued whether it breached its duties under the deed of trust to its mortgagor, and whether the evidence sufficiently supported the jury’s award of $45,000.

“We hold that the evidence is sufficient to support the jury’s finding that Statewide breached the deed of trust, but factually insufficient to support the $45,000 awarded by the jury for Keith’s actual damages,” states an opinion authored by Justice Hollis Horton.

The case is headed back for a new trial.

Get the ugly details at the Southeast Texas Record.

More national exposure of Humboldt County marijuana

UPDATE: Here’s  The KSLG interview of Jason Robo and Kevin Hoover.

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National Public Radio aired the first of a 2-part series today on marijuana in Humboldt County today.  The transcript and audio is online.  Part 2 airs tomorrow.

There’s even some extra fun Humboldt “facts” in the story.  Did you know the local timber and fishing industries died way back in the 60’s?  Apparently Houston didn’t get the memo.

And for more marijuana mania, tune into KSLG at 9am sharp to hear about this local tussle:

Humboldt County resident Jason Robo is currently encouraging people to boycott the Arcata Eye. He has created a Facebook group and operates another website hoping people will “Say Goodbye To The Arcata Eye.” Robo believes that the editor of the Eye, Kevin Hoover “threatens the existence of our local culture.”

Find out why tomorrow morning at 9:00 when John Matthews will speak with both Jason Robo and Kevin Hoover.