Comments on: Report shows misuse of city funds

By: BEjournalist

BEjournalist — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:33:27 +0000

To the comment:”Since when does a reputable journalist site comments from anonymous sources? This is an obvious smear campaign from a paper that has heavy financial ties to the Chamber.”

When that journalist has the same information from more than one source but the person providing the information has reason to suspect retribution of some kind. It’s certainly not the optimal situation but it is an invaluable tool to get to the truth. Here’s an interesting take on it:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec98/sources_9-30.html
Cheers!

By: Sanchopranza

Sanchopranza — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:39:36 +0000

Wow. I sure am glad Encinitas incorporated in 1986 to stop growth and save money. Look at how growth has stopped and look at this City fiasco: almost $100,000 a year of your money to locate the pay for a City Vistor Center next door to an AA meeting hall where no on can find it? What did the city save by moving the Visitor Center from the cheap visible site at the undocumented worker hiring center at the Shell Station center off Encinitas? Or was the $100,000 paid to a friend of a councilperson or board member to lease a potential unleasable building on Second Street where no Visitor can find the center? Was that investigated the cpa who “later joined the board.” An investigation is called for surely, but not about copy machines, but rather about the whole pathetic process by which the City spent half a million dollars to hide our Visitor Center. Do you no where it is my reader, mon semable?

By: coasterpants

coasterpants — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:08:24 +0000

Wow. If you read the article, you’d think somebody was stealing. Turns out this is all over a copy machine. Elected officals, Chamber…you are pathetic. Worst of all The Coast News…who is in bed with the Chamber. What’s great about Houlihan and the board pointing fingers is that it’s going to draw scrutiny upon themselves. I guarantee you these people are dirtier than the two they are obviously trying destroy.

By: Independent Observer

Independent Observer — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:31:33 +0000

I find it curious that The Coast News would print a scanned image of “Andreen’s Response”showing the pen markups of its own publisher, Jim Kydd.

What is amusing is that Kydd indicates two things as “not true”. The first one is a denial that the Coast News sent materials to Andreen under the name Encinitas First, to his home. Presumably Andreen has proof otherwise, or would not be making the claim. However, this likelihood is further bolstered by the fact that online archives of the Encinitas Chamber web site associate the name Encinitas First with Andreen at his home address in the membership directory. This association was made for at least a two year period prior to Andreen’s resignation.

The second instance is even more amusing. Andreen’s letter claimed that The Coast News registered a DBA for Encinitas First on June 3, 2009. Kydd hand wrote “Not True” next to this claim. Yet, the legal listings in Kydd’s own newspaper published on June 19, 2009, contains the following fictitious name filing:

ficTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME
STATement
file # 2009-015774
The name(s) of the business:
A. Encinitas First B. Encinitas First ECC C. Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Newsletter D. Encinitas First News E. Encinitas First Newsletter F. Encinitas Chamber Newsletter G. Encinitas First ECC Newsletter. Located at: 828 N Coast Hwy 101 #C, Encinitas, CA San Diego 92024. Mailing Address: Same. This business is conducted by: A Corporation. The transaction of business began: 08/15/1987. This business is hereby registered by the following owner(s): 1. Coast News Inc., 828 N. Coast Hwy 101 #C, Encinitas, CA 92024. This statement was filed with the Recorder/County Clerk of San Diego on May 28, 2009. S/Rebecca Roland. June 5, 12, 19, 26, 2009. CN 8145

Granted, this is not “Encinitas First Partners”, but rather five different variations on the name Encinitas First, the name clearly and specifically associated with Andreen for at least two years, and used for his Chamber newsletter, which The Coast News appropriated for use with its own publishing of a Chamber newsletter.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

By: Jack Garner

Jack Garner — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:02:53 +0000

Jinny Jones said: “At last the truth is told. Many of us saw this happening and are grateful that the audit was done.”

The problem is that no audit was actually done. The Chamber did not produce an audit. The audit that was performed actually produced nothing, so rather than deliver that, they went on to create this “report” which deals in nothing but hearsay. Readers of this newspaper need to understand that the old boy network extends to the Coast News who is in bed with the Chamber, who in turn is in bed with the city. The Coast News is now publishing Encinitas First and has a financial interest in promoting the Chamber’s view of things. Further, it seems likely that a lot of past malfeasance has been swept under the rug probably because money that funneled to Tucker ended up in board member’s pockets and now they are trying to deflect attention. The money trail needs to be followed, and it needs to be done by a legitimate, outside auditor and not a false auditor who is now on the Chamber board.

Tucker and Andreen may indeed be crooked, I don’t know. But what is clear is that this report provides little more than innuendo, particularly regarding Andreen. So he was paid $1500 to edit and print the newsletter – so what?

This entire episode is shameful on ALL involved. The only solution is to completely disconnect the city and the newspaper from any association with the Chamber, which is supposed to be a privately run independent voice for business. It cannot live up to that billing by taking money from the city, and we cannot know the real truth when the press has a vested interest in providing a biased view.

Shame on all of you. I think this is a case where there are no innocent parties, and it all stinks.

By: Square One

Square One — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:42:33 +0000

Since when does a reputable journalist site comments from anonymous sources? This is an obvious smear campaign from a paper that has heavy financial ties to the Chamber.

By: Concerned Taxpayer

Concerned Taxpayer — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:26:23 +0000

It’s good a report was made. It should have been a forensic audit done by a firm outside of the City of Encinitas, to avoid the appearance of impropriety, which now exists. “Walsh [now] serves on the chamber’s board and therefore can’t conduct an impartial analysis of its financial situation,” according to Andreen (quoted in the NCT).

There probably was some mishandling of funds. I don’t think this is criminal, or our own City officers should be held accountable for mishandling funds, for approving budgets with gaping holes in them, for calling funds earmarked for Encinitas or Cardiff Sanitation District part of our “reserves.” I feel that the City “co-mingles” funds all the time.

Right now we are paying over $100,000 a year for a 101 Czar, Peder Norby, for instance. His job, I guess, is to co-mingle with the business owners. City staff and elected officials should be able to have a relationship with the business owners without having to pay for what is essentially a lobbyist for commercial enterprises.

Many have asked that the City of Encinitas should have a FORENSIC audit, by an outside CPA, so that we can figure out our budget, “line by line.” There is no true public accountability, and those in the know realize, that funds have before been shifted from “earmarked” accounts.

By: Marr

Marr — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 18:16:40 +0000

To some degree I feel that Mike Andreen and Gary Tucker are being scapegoated. The problems existed before Tucker was at the helm. Tucker and Andreen incurred the wrath of some business owners who are heavily promoting roundabouts on North 101, and as part of this version of the Leucadia Streetscape, proposing to reduce northbound traffic to one lane only. This is opposed by many residents concerned about traffic overflow onto Vulcan and Neptune, and also many businesses, some of whom would be subjected to encroachments, according to Peder Norby, 101 Czar.

Mike Andreen, through the Chamber, published an article that broke down the results of the public survey at the third workshop. Over 60% of those responding did not want roundabouts, and did not want to reduce the Historic 101 northbound to only one lane. “Coincidentally, in the same issue this “report” was reported in TCN, with no reply from Andreen or Tucker, Charley Marvin, in his Community Commentary, promotes his version of the Streetscape, which would give him and a few others commercial property owners more parking at public expense. Marvin does not mention the survey taken at City Hall, or the petitions with 1000 signatures against any version of the Streetscape with roundabouts and reduced traffic lanes.

We have paid over $400,000 to consultants to hold workshops and to design the Streetscape from A St to North El Portal, only, in Leucadia. That is another “co-mingling” of taxpayer monies to private enterprise for meetings designed, essentially, to promote and lobby for roundabouts and to improve property values for a select few, raising rents, while causing more traffic congestion and overflow during rush hour.

By: ex-enc

ex-enc — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:59:36 +0000

You people should be ashamed of yourselves. How’s this for “misappropriation of city funds” Ms. Houlihan…wasting tax payer dollars with this pointless crap. The City had access to these financials for YEARS and did nothing. So did the Chamber board. The only conclusion one can reach is that these “officials” are either illiterate morons incapable of reading documents put before them, or that they are complicit in any “wrong doing” they outline in these accusations.

By: Bruce 123

Bruce 123 — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:03:45 +0000

Maggie Houlihan and Teresa Barth attempted to stop the spending when it came up in April 2008. Maggie suspected foul play and asked that the Council withhold funding until the audit was completed and the chamber hired a new executive director. They lost a 3-2 vote to the three guys.

Jerome Stocks, Danny Dalager and Jim Bond said they trusted the chamber and they were not interested in waiting for the audit or the new chamber director. Their majority approved continued funding to the chamber without the knowing the audit results.

See it for yourself onthe City website. Review the April 15th City Council tape (Item 9) … http://www.ci.encinitas.ca.us