City Manager’s Recommended Budget

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Staff will present the recommended FY 2007/08 budget. The City Council will discuss the budget, but will not take any action at this meeting. Public hearings are scheduled, for May 2, 2007 and May 16, 2007, with adoption tentatively scheduled for May 16, 2007.

Increases revenues 1.44 million.

Eliminate the Fire Division Chief position $90,000
De-fund 2.0 authorized Police Officer positions $216,000
De-fund one (of two) full-time staff at the museum for 25% of year $35,000
De-fund the Office Assistant position in the Recreation department $40,000
Eliminate contract plan-check services in the Community
Development Department $10,000
Contract with the City of Carmel for additional fire management services $60,000

Additional parking enforcement $25,000

Ha. A regular subject here about merchants & employees parking all day on Lighthouse and side streets.

Parking Victorian Corner Chevy 130803

Tree evaluation services and permit fee $65,000
Golf fee increases $400,000
Modify golf course clubhouse use permit to allow non-golf events $20,000
Increase rents from City facilities and parks $50,000
Decrease General Fund support for Museum; rely on other sources $60,000

How would you like to be the Park Fee Enforcement person? Stop, the wedding, lets see your papers . .

Implement metered parking in vicinity of Lovers’ Point $270,000
Implement metered parking in vicinity of Central Ave. and Eardley Ave. $99,000

Lovers Point Parking

That would look ugly on the shoreline.

Still fleecing the tourists, but staying away from Lighthouse Avenue. Looks like more of the high tech parking meters on the way.

Why not put some at the golf course parking lot as well?

PG Golf

City Manager’s Recommended Budget

Auditors Find No Fraud, But Trouble None The Less

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A routine audit of Pacific Grove’s books found that the city failed to document transactions and reconcile account balances last year which could affect the city’s ability to borrow money and issue bonds, city officials said.

The city’s finances have been in a tangle as a result of poor bookkeeping and overspending since at least 2000, said city officials and members of the city’s ad hoc budget and finance committee.

In December, Colangelo told the council that an inaccurate record keeping had caused the city to work with inflated numbers for six years in planning the budget. As a result, the city had overspent about $500,000 each year since 2000, including $1.9 million of reserve funds. Now, the city is considering putting tax measures on the ballot to bring in revenue to refill the depleted coffers.

Auditors Find No Fraud, But Trouble None The Less

Pacific Grove Good Old Days 2007

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It started as a small get-together, tucked between Christmas and summer celebrations, when neighbors exchanged recipes and baked goods. Fifty years later, Pacific Grove’s Good Old Days has grown to a supersized, two-day block party with a parade, carnival rides and enough sweets to rot a kindergarten class of teeth. This year, more than 25,000 people are expected to attend the city’s $60,000 party.

“It was a just a neighborly thing to do,” said former Pacific Grove Fire Chief and City Councilman Don Gasperson, who started the annual Firemen’s Muster Competition and Bucket Brigade in the 1960s.

Pictures from the scene:

Ah – a hint of localism
GOD Locals

Don’t forget this is Earth Day – Appear to be substainable and push to recycle.
GOD Recycle Or Not

But add more car exhaust as you circle the town looking for a place to park. Holmans shows it’s usual non hospitality.
God No Parking

Lighthouse Avenue takes on the look of a carnival midway.
God Tent City

Jurassic Survivor? Let’s vote the raptors off..
God Inflatable

Hungry after that? Time for Meat On A Stick as Snick calls it. There seemed to be too many dogs around the food area.
God Meat On A Stick

A little return to the PG Good Old Days of the past – handicrafts for sale.

Dolphins!!
God Stained Glass

Tie Dye!
God Expensive Tie Dye Dres

But the prices are up there with Carmel Plaza – whoo! a $69 aloha shirt.
God Expensive Shirt

A $75 denim shirt
God 75 Dollar Shirt

I saw these unusual mobile wind thingys
Wind Thing

Just when I was about to declare that the find of the week for it’s distinctive look of craftsmanship and originality, I saw another merchant offering the same thing:
God Windthing 2
The seller at mobile wind thing # 2 was quite rude and declared “NO PICTURES”. Pftft, you are in public, in the middle of a street. You and the other vendor lost any appreciation from my family and declared the weird mobiles just another piece of overpriced Chinese imported junk.

Good Old Days has obviously changed from a townspeople event to another chance to fleece the tourists.

Pacific Grove Good Old Days 2007

Mountain Lion Chomping Down Dogs

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A series of attacks on dogs by a mountain lion in Big Sur has left residents shaken and searching for answers. In just the past two months, nine pets have disappeared and perhaps more.
One homeowner told The Pine Cone her two dogs were grabbed by the lion almost as soon as they walked out the front door.

I’m on the lion’s side. There’s too many barking dogs in my neighborhood all day. Message to all P.G. dog owners – keep your pooches inside at night if you do not want to attract our well known cat.

Mountain Lion Chomping Down Dogs

Union Pickets Return To PG

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With it’s paid picketers donning new signs and bright yellow vests, Carpenters Union Local 605 has resumed a picketing campaign against a local construction company after a hiatus of more than two months.

According to two local general contractors, the picketing is a waste of time and money. Dale Bender, owner of Dale Bender Construction, said he believes the union ís message is lost among the general public. People just drive past them and they are just there, he said. The [union] is doing absolutely nothing but supporting picketers.

Randy Randazzo, another small contractor, said he believes the money the union spends on the picketing could be better directed. There are a lot of union carpenters out of work, he said.

The activity hasn’t had a negative impact on DMC. It sounds silly, McAweeney said, but it’s actually had a positive effect on our business because people recognize the value of merit-based employment.

I see a Monterey Hear-Old truck stop and hand out papers to the picketers.

Union Pickets Return To PG

Pebble Beach Man Threatens Grandma Over Addicting Inhalant

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Jim Ferris

An 18 year old living in really filthy conditions in Pebble Beach with his 85-year-old great-grand-mother was arrested April 4 on suspicion of extortion, elder abuse and being under the influence of toluene, according to Monterey County Sheriff’s Sgt. Scott Ragan. Addicted to the inhalant, Jim Ferris reportedly threatened his great-grandmother if she didn’t purchase more for him.

She has a few cats and a couple of dogs, and he held one of the dogs with a pair of scissors like he was going to stab the dog if she didn’t go out and get his aerosol can of choice, which is spray-on deodorant, Ragan said. So she left, went into Pacific Grove some where and called 911.

Way to go grandma.

Pebble Beach Man Threatens Grandma Over Addicting Inhalant

Pedestrians Beware In P.G.

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Jackie Burns wrote to the Hear-Old:

I walk nearly every day in Pacific Grove. And nearly every day, no matter where I am walking, drivers do not stop for pedestrians in the crosswalks. I can be off the curb into the crosswalk or even in the middle of a wide street and have eye contact with them and they still don’t stop. Please, drivers, respect the pedestrians, speed limits and stop signs!

If there’s no police presence to enforce parking limits, there’s also none to enforce safe driving. Shame.

Pedestrians Beware In P.G.

Mayor Dan Cort Hands Out Polluting Pine Trees

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And not only do they pollute, they will block the sun from his solar panels.So here, have a free tree but don’t plant it near Cort’s house.

Pacific Grove Mayor Dan Cort is thinking globally, but acting locally. He and his wife, Beth, have donated 500 Monterey pine seedlings to be planted after the Good Old Days Celebration this month as a way to offset carbon dioxide generated during the event, which brings hundreds of vehicles and thou sands of visitors to town.

But Ronald Regan was right – trees cause pollution!

According to a study by the University of Helsinki, coniferous forests that is to say, those composed of trees such as pines release nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere that combine with other pollutants to form smog.

Several scientists and environmentalists contacted by the Associated Press for comment did not dispute the finding, though it contradicts the “conventional wisdom” that forests reduce pollution. Those who commented countered that forest emissions are part of the Earth’s natural balance, whereas man-made pollution is an addition and therefore an avoidable health hazard.

Mayor Dan Cort Hands Out Polluting Pine Trees

Empty Shops – Not Like The Good Old Days

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Diversity Lane Stores Oob

Newly announced in the “out of business” club is Ariana Cafe.
Cafe Ariana Closed

Here’s the stated reason. . . . no place to potty or wash up after the fights.
Cafe Ariana Restroom Excuse

Following the other thrift shops is the MCAP.
Mcap Oob

This Sucks – Vacuum store moving to C-Side.
PG Vacuum

Miller Brothers – was a ‘consignment store’. Certified Pre Owned used stuff.
Miller Brothers

Across the street is the vacant 115 Central.
115 Central

Central Coast Credit Union.
Central Coast CU

Empty shop in the former Union 76 location. This building is a terrible design for facing a main street.
Ryan Lease

Vying for the title of longest running “Going Out Of Business” sale ever, Gaspers’ sale started last December. Look for their first annual “Going Out Of Business” sale coming soon.
News Rack Gaspars 2

Out of the race for title is the Lane Furniture store over in Monterey. Gahhh, please, please close already and take the da-glo posters away…
Lane Furniture 485 Lighthouse Out Of Business Not

Empty Still – Since January.
Movie Mart
Moviemart Oob

68 Skate
68 Skate

Stokes Gallery (though like most galleries it never seemed to be open anyway)
Stokes

French Glass. What happened to this long time business?
French Glass

Homescapes
Homescapes

Laundromat
Laundrymat Oob

Trotters
Trotters 1

Maritas

SPCA Thrift Shop
Spca Oob

Both of the movie theater buildings remain empty – Grove Theater
618 Lighthouse Ave Grove

And Lighthouse Cinema
Lighthouse Cinema

Of course we cannot leave out Old Bath House.
Old Bath House

Prize for PG’s oldest empty business is the Valley National Bank.
Valley National Bank

Over on the Monterey end, there’s several properties that look all but abandoned. Quite trashy.

Birks Locksmith
Birks Keys

Mack Stove
200 Block Lighthouse Mack Stove

This was one of the numerous karate “schools” on the Avenue
Karate School

Empty Shops – Not Like The Good Old Days

Print News Is Dead

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Herald Hear-old

Internet has finally made newspapers obsolete. The news is old. It’s time to consider why subscribe to the Hear-Old.

The Cost
The bills come every 4 weeks or so and never acknowledge the last payment. What the . . I just paid the bill 2 weeks ago and now I have another? Let’s check and see…
Herald Bill

So, you pay $14.59 every 4 weeks. That’s $3.6475 a week, $189.67 a year, $15.80 a month. You can get DSL Internet for that price.

Bought daily, costs $3.00 Monday to Saturday and $1.75 for Sunday – $4.75. You do save some by subscribing. But let’s get cheap. Monday’s paper is useless. It’s often not even heavy enough to stay put in the gutter it lands in every day. Same for Saturday. That alone brings the savings to .10 a week by not subscribing. And it’s dry. There once was a time when the news carrier would take pride in remembering where each customer wanted the paper, normally on the porch or a few steps from it. It was worth a tip. Good luck with that these days.

The content
OK the local news is the only thing unique to the paper. The rest of the fill comes from wire services. Any state and national news is the same stuff the TV stations get, the radio stations get and the internet provides. Too much of what passes as news is BS fluff from advertisers. This “How To Guide” covers a wide range of interesting subjects. Each one of them has a full page ad opposite the advice from an advertiser. What a coincidence

How To

Looks innocent enough, lets see.
How to buy a futon. Yep, an ad for futons after the “article”
How To Futon

How to Choose a Laser Eyeball Surgeon.
How To Lasik

If that don’t work out, wear glasses
How To Glasses

The Other Ads. At least they state the obvious that it is an ad. The advertisements are becoming an insult to readers’ intelligence. Fake viagra. Fake weight loss pills. Ads to buy money. Really. Ordinary US currency sold at a profit under the guise of being collectible.
$12 face value of dollars for $20
Dollars For Sale

Can’t afford it? What about $10.25 worth of quarters for $16? This is better than running a casino in Vegas. And this is legal in Pacific Grove.
Quarters For Sale

Dubious ads for ‘supplement’ pills that belong in the back of a supermarket tabloid.
Pills for fingernail fungus
Nails

Pills for prostate
Fad Prostate Cure

Pills for diets
Fad Diet

Pills for colon cleansing
Fad Colon Cleansing

The Waste. Hauling away the read and soggy unread Hear-olds is not free. The same ad inserts that come in the mail get sent straight to the trash with the Hear-old’s ads.

The employment practice. What?? Twice a year one’s schedule of paying the Hear-old gets out of sync with that every four week bill. No one else does this, not Cal Am, not PG&E not Comcast. So the paper has it’s friendly staff call you at all hours of the day reminding to to pay. Think you are talking to someone out at Ryan Ranch? Not even close.
C Muhammed called me from central Mississippi to remind me once.

Herald Muhammed

D Leonard also called me all the way from Dallas, Texas.
Herald Leonard

Calls “from the Hear-old” on phones from contractors residences? That’s real unprofessional. Time to end this unneeded expense?

Print News Is Dead