After hearing complaints last month about Pacific Grove’s tree removal and replacement law, Mayor Dan Cort has asked a city board to revisit the ordinance and see if modifications are in order.
Some residents say Pacific Grove has an unreasonable and “criminalized” ordinance requiring a permit for anyone removing a tree from their property and an agreement to replace it with at least two similar trees within 30 days.
Cut Library Hours Back Even More?
Stop giving money to the Chamber of Commerce and give it to the library. At least the library does it’s job.
His recommendation is for a further reduction of service from the current schedule of five days and 31 hours a week, which costs $650,000, to four days and 20 hours, costing $450,000 a year. The council directed the city staff to pursue Becklenberg’s plan.
Return Of The Price Slasher
And the Mvsevm was skipped because . . .
A budget-cutting and revenue-enhancing program presented by Pacific Grove management and budget director Jim Becklenberg to his City Council Tuesday got a unanimous endorsement.
There was a slight reprieve for the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.
He recommended cost reductions amounting to $833,000, including defunding the vacant deputy city manager position and a maintenance worker position, deferring a 9.8 percent raise for police and asking all other employees to take a 5 percent furlough, along with cuts in programs, supply purchases and operations.
Sustainable Thinking – Ban T.V.
Kooks are in the palace. Why the T.V? $30 a year you’ll save – .09 a day. Can they look for better sources of electricity, like nukes?
Energy commission officials said the reason for the proposed new rules is because large Plasma and LCD TVs use a massive amount of energy
The regulations, however, would help a consumer save between $18 and $30 a year on their electricity bill, energy officials said.
Homo Sex, Lies & Heroin
Stamm trail II wallows in the muck.
A prosecutor and defense attorney presented contrasting accounts Monday of the relationship between former batting cages owner David Stamm and a young friend who became his accuser.
According to prosecutor Glenn Pesenhofer, Stamm took advantage of an awkward teenager trying to find his way in the world, molesting him while telling him he was gay.
Quite to the contrary, defense attorney Richard Rosen said. “Peter” was on a vendetta because Stamm rejected him after the two had a consensual affair when the younger man was 18.
Attic Find – The Golden Egg Menu
Happy Easter. It’s the menu from a chain restaurant of 35 years ago. Who knows the location? Or the other locations?
I never knew I had this document of cheap eats from the groovy 70s. I did work there, was not a good experience, hours were low and paychecks would bounce too often.
Location was 162 Fountain Ave.
Not News – Good Old Days Round Ball Challenge
Pacific Grove Good Old Days Media Challenge – Hear-old wins, sponsoring media outlet – The Weakly – that hosts event ignores it.
VS
We are disappointed, of course, that The Weekly seems to adhere to the philosophy that if you can’t say something snarky about The Herald, don’t say anything at all.
There was no mention of The Herald’s stirring and impressive victory anywhere in The Weekly’s Thursday edition. Not a peep out of Squid. No back-handed dig from the Forum.
Hear-Old Editorial – Tree Posse
Is the tree ordinance enforcement by newcomer Thom “Belly” Akeman a sign of the true mission of the green and sustainable movement that Mayor Cort endorses: The end of personal property rights?
Appropriately designed to promote addition to the urban forest rather than deletion, it generally requires the planting of two replacement trees for each one removed, a provision that rankles the side that does not care for the ordinance.
Adding to the tensions, the ordinance-friendly side apparently took it upon itself to set out on inspection missions to determine to what extent the provisions were being honored or dishonored. Though it does not require any significant intrusion to determine whether a tree exists, that has set off loud allegations of trespass and warrantless search
Chowdergate Ends – Domenico’s To Pay For Pagers
Next time, just deliver them back to their owner. That makes a better statement.
As part of the settlement negotiated by retired Judge Harkjoon Paik, Mercurio agreed to pay Shake $6,870.
The agreement ends both civil and criminal actions against Mercurio, owner of Domenico’s on the Wharf. He was charged with petty theft for stealing the pagers, which were used to summon patrons of Shake’s Old Fisherman’s Grotto when their tables were ready.
Gateway Center Budget – 3.8 Million
www.pacificgrove.com points out – that’s $92,000 per person.
While demand for its services remains steady, the Gateway Center of Monterey County’s funding has gone down in recent months. Now, it has to fix an elevator that won’t go up.
State funding for the Pacific Grove facility for the developmentally disabled was cut by 3 percent in February . . .
. . . The Pacific Grove Gateway is home to 41 developmentally disabled people.
The center started the fiscal year with a $3.8 million budget, but with the February cut and declining donations, the center’s income for the year is projected at $3.3 million, Gateway President and CEO Kathleen Adamson said.