Mayor Fitzgerald along with the council majority have willfully put the city into millions of dollars of debt (current $2.8 million dollar deficit) and yet they want to keep on giving to their special interest buddies nonstop!
College Town Specific Plan,
Downtown Core and Corridor Specific Plan (DCCSP),
Hunt Branch Library proposed sale
They are hoping all will soon pass.
Need more proof of the intentions of our city council and city manager. Here is the Library Board of Trustees Agenda for February 25, 2016. Under Regular Business, Item No. 2 it states the following: Hunt Branch Future – Action Requested. That was the opaque way this city attempted to get the recommended approval for the sale of the Hunt Branch Library to come to council without anyone from the community being any the wiser. According to Jane Rands, Chris Meyer retired City Manager,
made a motion to recommend selling the property because of its hard to find location. In addition, Joe Felz suggested that the Hunt Branch Library and property should be sold to the Grace Ministries as a sole source transaction. The same city manager that wants this city council to give him total control over high-rise developments throughout most of Fullerton, wants to sole source the sale of Hunt Library. No surprise there, just the same old undemocratic, I want to be Emperor Joe. But last night at Fullerton City Council, the Emperor had no clothes but the same familiar brooding evil stare.
He was so shaken by my remarks that he even responded to me. He said that he did recommend the sole source sale to Grace Ministries because they came to him showing interest in buying the property and with the sale we could keep the building as a Historical Structure. He then stated that the whole explanation was way to complicated to go into at council. Really Joe, someone who has the floor for as long as he wants says he can’t go into the whole explanation for his underhanded, crony capitalism, neighborhood and taxpayer-screwing idea! You had all the time in the world Mr. Felz but you got caught with your pants down. Our Fullerton Emperor indeed has no clothes.
The city provided the residents of southwest Fullerton no warning, and no community outreach. They wanted to get this action item done as quickly and as quietly as possible. Only a city that has total contempt for its residents would attempt to pull off such a secretive end around to get their way.
The city council just gave the Police a 6% annual raise and the Firefighters a 9% raise over the next two years costing the taxpayers multi-millions of dollars but they say they do not have the money to keep the library open or apparently to even keep the property.
The following is what Joe Felz and our City Council is telling the good people of Fullerton.
- Hunt Branch Library and Park No,
- Decent Roads No,
- Decent Water and Sewer Pipes No,
- Entrance to 57 freeway from Nutwood Avenue expendable (i.e. let the commuters eat cake on the grass esplanade formerly Nutwood Avenue).
But they are in favor of the following:
- Much more traffic and congestion,
- Much more air pollution,
- Many more 8 story high-rises throughout the city, and
- Much more water rationing for the existing city residents as the size of the city grows tremendously.
This is the sad legacy of our City Council and City Manager would like to leave to the residents of Fullerton as Joe Felz retires with his approximately 200,000 dollar pension and Mayor Fitzgerald gets rewarded generously by Mr. Pringle for bringing home the bacon.
I report, you decide.
#1 by Barry Levinson on March 5, 2016 - 5:02 pm
The Library Board of Trustees’ Agenda did not even include the word, “Library”, when referring to it as only the Hunt Branch. Three years ago the city council said that the closure of the library was only temporary. An award winning architect designed the Hunt Branch Library. It was donated originally in 1962 to the city with the understanding that Fullerton would use it as a library and park space in perpetuity. Therefore, it should remain that way. The fact that they have the right now to sell it, does not make it the right thing to do for Fullertonians. It is not excess space or land. Therefore, it should not be sold to special interests, especially with a sole source bid. This is Tammany Hall type politics. Buildings and flat usable parcels like this one are no longer available in Fullerton.
The city finds itself drowning in red ink and now they want to sell our treasure to make up for a part of the shortfall they themselves have created by their poor stewardship. Remember initially the city floated the idea of turning off the spigot indefinitely at Laguna Lake before the people rose up in opposition.
The city should have done a much better job negotiating this current round of city employee contracts but instead gave them millions upon millions of additional dollars in higher salaries and for their financially crushing benefits. The city gave the police a 6% raise next year, which translates into an average raise of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 dollars per police officer (all ranks). The gave the fireman a 9% raise over the next two years. We (meaning the taxpayers) also are now paying 45% of their base salaries for their pensions alone. Now their total benefits costs the taxpayers well over 60% heading to 70% of their base pay in addition to their salaries. The best Fortune 100 company today pays half that in benefits for its average employees. But then the average Fortune 100 employee does not get to retire as early as 50 years of age with a 90% pension benefit and free or almost free health care.
We the people of Fullerton will simply not allow our city to dispose of this property.
#2 by Anonymous on March 6, 2016 - 12:45 am
How much for the Muck?
I’m sure if we sold that piece of property, we could at least float Chris Meyer’s pension a few more years?
#3 by Joe Imbriano on March 6, 2016 - 9:40 am
The people of Fullerton need to dispose of Jennifer Fitzgerald and Jan Flory in November. They continue to vote for these giveaways and will always vote for massive development and selling off our treasures to solve the problem. By the way, how does Ed Royce and Shawn Nelson endorse Jennifer and Bruce? This is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Does anyone have any input as to how this dichotomy exists? Are Bruce and Jennifer somehow working together?
#4 by Anonymous on March 6, 2016 - 4:18 pm
I suspect Bruce Whitaker and Jennifer Fitzgerald are operatives in a covert conspiracy aimed at installing wifi in every area of the city. They must be stopped Joe!
#5 by Anonymous on March 7, 2016 - 6:54 am
Actually Bruce is an operative for Shawn Nelson you dumbshit.
#6 by Fullerton Lover on July 25, 2016 - 11:16 pm
With Jan Flory and Jennifer Fitzgerald present in the courtroom, a Judge shot down the city council’s plan to Gerrymander the voting districts to favor downtown Fullerton business interests over the residents interests.
He saw right through them all!
https://voiceofoc.org/2016/07/superior-court-judge-rejects-voting-districts-map-approved-by-fullerton-city-council/
#7 by Joe Imbriano on July 25, 2016 - 11:33 pm
Another women’s club meeting for Fitzpringle and Jan Floride?