Oct
11
What I learned from the City Manager’s Trash Talk Challenge
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, City Council, Trash contraact | 50 Comments
(10/11/2011, Los Alamitos) Did you know that the process adopted by our Council for bidding the trash contract penalized six of the seven bidders for bidding too low?
Yup–you read that right. . . Ken Stephens & Marilyn Poe’s ad hoc committee picked a process that penalized 6 of the 7 bidders for bidding too low!!!
That and several other interesting facts were originally revealed here a year and a half ago in the following post.
I’m repeating it because it provides a great deal of background into the details of the trash fiasco Council Members Edgar, Stephens, and Poe got us into when they voted to break the law Edgar had voted to pass and force local residents and businesses to pay the second highest bid amount for trash service.
The article also contains several suggestions which could have saved the city extensive staff time and legal costs, not to mention the cost of rebidding. Oh yeah, it could have saved the residents and businesses roughly $700,000 for every year we’re still paying Consolidated’s inflated fees. The comments from a year and a half ago are also interesting.
So, time for a little history lesson, as we take a stroll down (bad) memory lane. . .
[Text added today is in brackets, like this]
(5/14/2010, Los Alamitos) As I indicated elsewhere on this site, a week ago Los Alamitos City Manager Jeff Stewart challenged me to read through key documents related to the ongoing Waste Disposal bid dispute.
I’m glad I did, but the results may not have been what Mr. Stewart apparently hoped for. The more I read, the more furious I became. Looking in detail at the process by which our City Council decided to go with the found additional support for some of my concerns. Here’s some of what I learned:
I’m glad our Trash Contract went out to bid
For one thing, we all owe a big “thank you” to Read more
Sep
10
Johanna Schleuter’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 28 Comments
(Los Alamitos, CA, (9/10/2010) All of the seven candidates running for Los Alamitos City Council have the option of paying $1,400 and submitting a ballot statement.
Six candidates submitted ballot statements, & I have published each of them separately to make it easier for you to comment (diplomatically, please) on each candidate’s statement. Johanna Schleuter was the only candidate who chose not to pay the $1,400 to print a ballot statement.
However at my request, she has supplied us with the information that would have been on the ballot statement had she chosen to submit one.
For all the candidate statements, plus discussion of Ms. Schleuter’s non-statement, click here.
Aug
31
The 4 questions 3 Los Alamitos Council Candidates didn’t answer
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 2 Comments
(8/31/2010, Los Alamitos)When our seven City Council candidates turned in their paperwork, they also were given the opportunity to submit a statement for the sample ballot and a Candidate Information sheet.
Although it cost a maximum of $1,400 to have a candidate statement translated into whatever languages are required for Los Alamitos and printed in all sample ballots, the Information Sheet is free.
The sheet indicates it’s purpose is “to provide information to the general public,” and candidates are asked to “Please fill out any item you are willing to issue to the press as public information.”
Surprisingly, Read more
Aug
24
Troy Edgar’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election, Troy Edgar | 24 Comments
(Los Alamitos, CA, 8/24/2010) All of the seven candidates running for Los Alamitos City Council have the option of paying $1,400 and submitting a ballot statement.
Six candidates submitted ballot statements, & I have published each of them separately to make it easier for you to comment (diplomatically, please) on each candidate’s statement.
For all the candidate statements, plus discussion of Ms. Schleuter’s non-statement, click here. Read more
Aug
23
Constantine “Dean” Zarkos’ Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 10 Comments
(Los Alamitos, CA, 8/20/2010) All of the seven candidates running for Los Alamitos City Council have the option of paying $1,400 and submitting a ballot statement.
Six candidates submitted ballot statements, & I’m publishing them separately to make it easier for you to comment (diplomatically, please) on each candidate’s statement.
I plan to Read more
Aug
20
Dean Grose’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election, Dean Grose | 17 Comments
(8/20/2010, Los Alamitos, CA) As I’ve said, all candidates have the option of submitting a ballot statement when they file to run for City Council.
I’m posting all the candidates’ statements to give the candidates a voice and allow you, the public, to respond (diplomatically, I hope).
Three candidates e-mailed me their statements, which have been posted and are linked below. I’m posting each statement separately to Read more
Aug
17
Johanna Schleuter’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 11 Comments
(8/17/2010, Los Alamitos, CA, updated 8/21) All candidates have the option of submitting a ballot statement when they file to run for City Council.
I’m posting all the candidates’ statements to give the candidates a voice and allow you, the public, to respond (diplomatically, I hope).
Three candidates e-mailed me their statements, which have been posted and are linked below. I’m posting each statement separately to simplify your posting of comments.
Unfortunately, Troy Edgar, Dean Zarkos, and Dean Grose never responded to my request for their candidate statements, so I picked them up at City Hall for only a quarter each. I plan to post them over the next few days.
Interestingly, when I finally made it to City Hall, I found out that Dean Grose did not Read more
Aug
9
Gerri L. Graham-Mejia’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 39 Comments
(8/9/2010, Los Alamitos, CA) All candidates have the option of submitting a ballot statement when they file to run for City Council.
In an earlier post I invited all Los Alamitos City Council candidates to submit their ballot statement for publication on this blog through my e-mail.
This gives the candidates a voice and allows the public to respond (diplomatically, I hope). This also allows those who feel the statements are inappropriate to either object through a comment here or contact the City Clerk on Monday. That avoids litigation and hassle.
I’m posting these in the order I receive them, and keeping them separate to simplify posting of comments.
Gerri Graham-Mejia was the third to respond. I’ll post the statements of the remaining candidates when I receive them, or after I go to City Hall & pick them up.
Name: Gerri L. Graham-Mejia
Age: 46
Occupation: Local Business Owner
I am honored to have my name placed in nomination as your voice on the Los Alamitos City Council. As a 46 year resident and as a small business owner in Los Alamitos I am acutely aware of the responsibility of our elected officials to preserve our small town character. This can only be done by understanding the Councils role and ensuring their decisions reflect the voice of the people.
Over the past 16years I have had the privilege to serve our community as a volunteer on various Boards, Commissions and programs throughout the city.
I seek your vote, because it is imperative we Read more
Aug
7
Brad Sheridan’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 2 Comments
(8/7/2010, Los Alamitos, CA) All candidates have the option of submitting a ballot statement when they file to run for City Council.
In an earlier post today I invited all Los Alamitos City Council candidates to submit their ballot statement for publication on this blog through my e-mail, which I know they all have.
This gives the candidates a voice and allows the public to respond (diplomatically, I hope). This also allows those who feel the statements are inappropriate to either object through a comment here or contact the City Clerk on Monday. That avoids litigation and hassle.
8 a.m. Saturday: I’m posting these in the order I receive them, and keeping them separate to simplify posting of comments.
Brad Sheridan was the second to respond, I’ll post the statements of the remaining candidates when I receive them, or after I go to City Hall & pick them up.
NAME: Brad Sheridan
AGE: 43
OCCUPATION: Attorney At Law
My wife Lyn and I have lived in Los Alamitos for 14+ years. We selected Los Alamitos to raise our family in a small, safe community with excellent schools and friendly neighbors. Our children attend schools in our district. I have been the managing partner and owner of a civil litigation law firm for 15+ years. I volunteered as a Judge Pro Tem in various divisions of the Superior Court.
I have served on the Los Alamitos Traffic Commission for 5+ years, and was unanimously elected Read more
Aug
6
Warren Kusumoto’s Candidate Statement
Filed Under 2010 Candidate Statements, 2010 election | 13 Comments
(8/6/2010, Los Alamitos, CA) All candidates have the option of submitting a ballot statement when they file to run for City Council.
In an earlier post today I invited all Los Alamitos City Council candidates to submit their ballot statement for publication on this blog through my e-mail, which I know they all have.
This gives the candidates a voice and allows the public to respond (diplomatically, I hope). This also allows those who feel the statements are inappropriate to either object through a comment here or contact the City Clerk on Monday. That avoids litigation and hassle.
Former Traffic Commissioner Warren Kusumoto was the first to respond:
NAME: Warren Kusumoto
OCCUPATION: Engineer/Project Manager
I have lived in our community for 19 years; I, my wife Judi and our children moved into Los Alamitos 10 years ago to ensure that our children can continue to attend our excellent schools. I have an Engineering degree from USC and I have 25 years of professional experience as a Project Manager, managing Government Contracts, developing defensive electronic systems, and supervising people.
I am fortunate to Read more