Meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday mornings "was determined to be the best time for all of our Board Members." -- Belinda Faustinos, San Gabriel River Discovery Center AuthorityAbout a year ago, a member of the community attending a 1:30 p.m. weekday meeting of the board said that such meeting times were inappropriate when most of the purported beneficiaries of the project--the community, families, students--would be unable to attend.
Executive director Belinda Faustinos responded that the board would consider moving meetings to a more appropriate time for the community. But when the 2009 board schedule was published shortly thereafter, every meeting was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on a weekday.
But wait! The Discovery Center board did finally change its meeting times.
Has the board, consisting solely of government bureaucrats and water district executives, deigned to give the public a true chance to participate in a process and project that will likely cost taxpayers and rate payers tens of millions dollars--for a water museum?
Only if you think 8:30 a.m. on Monday mornings is a convenient time for "public" meetings.
The board thinks it's convenient--for its own members.
According to Ms. Faustinos (in the board packet for last Monday's meeting), having these meetings at 8:30 a.m. "was determined to be the best time for all of our Board Members."
But not to worry, folks. Once the board decides how it's going to spend your money, they'll make a special effort to have an afternoon meeting for you. But don't count on getting a good estimate on the cost of construction, much less on how much it's going to cost you to run your new water museum.
Here's hoping you can spare the vacation time for these so-called "public" meetings. Because heaven forbid we inconvenience the authority.
There was a news story last night about a poor soul who may have BURNED TO DEATH because the firehouse nearest had an engine taken out of commission because of budget cutbacks. Yet there seems to be no end of public fund allocation when the tax-takers can create edifices with their names on it. The rest of us, at best, only get tombstones!
ReplyDeleteSnips from a Notice of Public Hearing:
ReplyDelete'..a Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. in the Santa Fe Springs City Council Chanbers, located at 11710 Telegraph Road, Santa Fe Springs regarding a proposal to adjust water rates and related charges for Fiscal Year 2009/2010. Proposed rates and charges are recommended to go into effect on February 1, 2010. '...the cost to purchase water from the City's water purveyor, Metropolitan Water District. '...in order to receive public comments on the proposed adjustments... Any person wishing to object... must file a written protest with the City Clerk prior to the time set for the scheduled Public Hearing. The address for the City Clerk is: 11710 Telegraph Road, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670.
'Please call Mr, Tom Lopez, Asistant Director of Public Works at 562-868-0511, extension 7342 if you have any questions regarding this matter.'
Of course 'adjustments' ='increased fees'. Apparently nothing too painful for most folk, but an extra 3o cents here 'n' there for homeowners and an extra 50 bucks here 'n' there for each industrial user can add up to lot$ and lot$ for the MWD. I'd be fine with it if it was all put to 'green' methods of storing and purifying water, and canals/ponds/sprinklers etc. to fight fire and improve habitat, but we know about the BIG EGO SIPHON that's already wasted a fortune...!