Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Take it easy on my blog please.

I had surgery yesterday on my wrist, so I will not be on line much. It went well. Please keep the comments civil.

11 comments:

Tapperass said...

I recommend comment moderation.

Steve Fleischer said...

Hi Richard:

I have been thinking about how the people of the Samoa Peninsula have been served by their elected leaders. Bluntly, I am not impressed.

The voters of the peninsula are being poorly served by Bonnie Neeley. Bonnie has been closely involved in affairs of the mill since I was there (2004), but she has done little to support or protect her constituents.

Let’s be clear; Bonnie is very knowledgeable about the mill. She has the public forum to be heard (the bully pulpit). Most importantly, she has had many years to learn how to play the political/regulatory system in order to get something done. Her claim that she is powerless does not ring true. Her doing nothing appears to be a failure of leadership, not a lack of means.

What Bonnie has provided to her constituents has been sympathy. Leadership and protection of her constituents have not been apparent.

Bonnie would argue that there is little that she can do as a county supervisor.

B.S.

Bonnie has a position of leadership that gives her a very loud voice; she hasn’t used that voice to protect her constituents. She sat on the sidelines while you folks were screwed and abused; now that Lee & Man has left town, she is finally starting to speak.

Bonnie has been in public service for many years. Surely she learned something about how to play the system in all that time. She could have used her contacts and her voice to lobby, agitate, sound the alarm and lead the constituents. She did nothing.

Bonnie gets an income and benefits far superior to what most of her constituents earn. In return for this generous taxpayer funded lifestyle, she owes her constituents leadership, support and protection. She took the benefits, but she certainly has not delivered on the rest.

Bottom line, the mill works have been screwed and are out of jobs. Bonnie continues to collect her salary and benefits while doing next to nothing.

I think that the people on the Peninsula need new leadership. Richard, you or some else ought to run against Bonnie.

Anonymous said...

Bingo Steve
I'll bet there are hundreds of former pulp/timber/fishing folks who would work twice as hard for half of what Bonnie makes and have the guts to do what's right instead of playing it politically safe.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it's all Bonnie's fault.

Anonymous said...

Well put Steve. Though I am noy nearly as progressive as most here I would vote for Richard over her at this point. She sat by and fiddled while Rome burned and, frankly, I don't think she cares one way or another. If she did dhe would at least have held multiple meetings about this issure, if for no other reason than to show she cares. This whole board of supervisors are nothing but a bunch of shrill self-servers that do NOTHING for the people that over pay them.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Richard, I hope you heal well. It is a drag to be injured.

Anonymous said...

Steve,

It is wrong for you to blame Bonnie for the problems David Tsang created.

Stockton Pacific was insolvent and lost control of the company to Evergreen. I suppose you want to blame Bonnie for that?

In comparison, Evergreen was better to the AWPPW than Stockton Pacific. It hired more employees, it paid hire wages, it improved the mill, and it owned the mill longer before going broke. Evergreen(4 years), Stockton (17 months.

Rose said...

Get well soon.

Anonymous said...

Waaaaaa! It's all Bonnie's fault, and Jimmy, and Jill, and Rodoni, and Wooley, and all those that came before and after. Waaaa!

Bill said...

Eureka’s City Charter Charade
One of the articles that they want to delete from the city charter is 719: Revenue Bonds.

This section is actually a section that ALLOWS THE CITY TO RUN A BUSINESS. FOR INSTANCE THE CITY COULD BUY THE PULP MILL BY SELLING BONDS TO DO SO.
This is a sensible option in economic times like these. This clause is in the charter for a reason. IT WAS PUT THERE IN RESPONSE TO THE LAST ECONOMIC DEPRESSION.

Do we really want to give up this option? Their claim is that this is covered under general city powers but I like it SPELLED OUT. DON’T YOU?

WE MAY NEED SOME MANUFACTURING HERE SOME DAY and the city may be the only source of capital.

have a peaceful day,
Bill

SECTION 719. REVENUE BONDS.

Whenever the Council determines that it is in the public interest to acquire, construct, or improve or finance any enterprise when it is feasible to finance exclusively from the revenues of said enterprise, it may by resolution submit a proposition to the voters to incur a bonded indebtedness for such purpose to be secured by revenue bonds subject to all of the terms and procedures provided by State law. Such resolution shall state clearly the revenues which may be obligated, which may be all those permitted by general law.

http://www.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/California/eureka/charterofthecityofeureka/articleviifiscaladministration?f=templates$fn=altmain-nf.htm$3.0#JD_718

jmc said...

http://glennbeck.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/06/17/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership/

Very interesting letter