Redundant and unnecessary

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 • The Alameda Sun

Redundant and unnecessary

Editor,

Charles Fasso’s op-ed (“Closing Fire Station No. 3,” Sept. 13) can only be politically motivated as it could not be further from the truth! There are no reports that contradict the 2009 ICMA report.

Moreover, the ICMA report based its findings on national fire industry standards: each fire station needs to provide a 1.5-mile radius of coverage.

What the heck does that mean for us exactly? It means that out of all of the fire stations we have in Alameda, Fire Station No. 3 is the only fire station that we do not need.

Why? Because every other fire station perfectly and slightly overlaps to provide service for the entire city. That’s right: the coverage provided by Fire Station No. 3 is redundant and unnecessary.

So why is our city leadership and management hell bent on spending millions on the redesign and expansion of the Fire Station No. 3 facility and staff and exacerbating the annual multi-million dollar overspend on overstaffing of fire services? One needs only look at the political donations made by the firefighters’ union, IAFF Local 689, to figure this one out: the local fire union has been averaging $50,000 in donations per election to local candidates and measures.

Our city’s citizen legislature is anything but.

— Denise Lai

Fire management.

Interim Chief D’Orazi does not have the state credentials, training, or experience, to be a fire chief. Or even a second or third in command, let alone a first in command. He does not have the qualifications to be able to hire the person who shall replace Chief Fisher (who quit quite suddenly earlier this summer, wouldn’t you say?). His certifications and experience sets are meager compared to that those directly under him: Olson, Tenny, Zombeck.

Fisher had state chief certifications. Yet Mayor Gilmore and Interim City Manager Goldman saw fit to replace him with a wholly unqualified-for-chief firefighter.  Why?

Isn’t it enough that the fire department has shown time and time again that they cannot perform? That their procedures and protocols are dangerously inadequate?! I guess not: Mayor Gilmore added fuel to that fire by placing an unqualified-for-chief firefighter at the helm of the AFD. …

Next election.

Remember Mr. Oh’s advice: “…we must vote based on not what they [candidates] say, but from where their money flows. After all, it’s not the puppets we’re voting in but the hands that hold the (purse) strings.”  It’s easy enough to keep track of the money going into each candidate’s pocket, between candidates’ and elected officials’ pockets, and flowing out of special interests pockets, businesses, PACs (Political Action Committee), NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations), etc.  Alameda County Registrar of Voters searchable database is here.  Searchable city database is here.

—————————————-

Mr. Oh’s Open Letter to Mr. Bonta

Dear Mr. Bonta:

Congratulations in announcing your run for District Assembly in 2012. I’m sure you’ve learned much in your few months in office as Alameda councilmember, such as: relying on the Democratic Party machine and pandering to Asian American voters, as they’ll surely put a check on that box regardless of your actions and campaign funding sources. Negotiating with unions such as the Alameda firefighters while accepting campaign contributions from them. Next time, you’ll learn not to undershoot the amount of kick-back money you could get for your treasury, Rob!

Professing the desire to help one constituency, meanwhile opening the door to the next step up. I’m sure you’ll yet again say, “I’ve always hoped I could serve Alameda for as long as the voters would have me and this is a chance to strengthen and deepen my commitment to Alameda” as you run for U.S. Senate.

I’m sure you’re a real nice fellow. But everything you’ve done while in office has only reinforced my perception that you are simply another politician willing sell your votes for a chance at the next step up the ladder.

Your time in Alameda was well served — for you. You’ve learned that old politician’s tricks are still the most effective at getting elected, and re-elected, over and again. Just keep looking upwards and climbing, baby, because the responsibilities you leave behind may not be so pleasant.

To my fellow Alameda residents, let’s please use our heads instead of our hearts next time election time comes. One’s skin tone, party affiliation, or appealing rhetoric does not mean they stand for our interests. Be it President of the United States or a simple city councilmember, we must vote based on not what they say, but from where their money flows. After all, it’s not the puppets we’re voting in but the hands that hold the (purse) strings.

— Gene Oh

Bad stuff. Good stuff.

THE BAD STUFF

We all thought the city council had met for its last meeting on July 19th, right? Until after their month-of-August recess.  But late yesterday our notorious mayor announced a city council meeting for tomorrow, Saturday…..at 8:15a……at City Hall West.  48 hours notice. At the height of summer. For a meeting in the West End. Early on a summer’s Saturday morning when most of the city is preparing to be at the Park Street’s 27th Annual Art & Wine Faire. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky.

Let’s see…how many Alamedans do you know that even know about this meeting? Of those, how many fewer will be able to attend?

This is nothing short of disenfranchisement. It’s incredibly deliberate. It’s wrong. Why does our mayor continue to show such little regard for we-the-residents? …

Opposite Day.

Tuesday night, Gilmore showed her true colors. Again. It’s interesting how well-prepared the GilBonTam are when their favorite past times are on the agenda (contracts that benefit their benefactors). She demonstrated another well-orchestrated offensive towards anyone who might question the integrity and intentions of the GilBonTamJo contracts with our public safety unions.

But Mr. DeHaan apparently had the audacity to speak up and do that thing, you know, they all were elected to do: speak up for us, represent the residents of Alameda? And Gilmore would have none of it (hilarious). She lost it, unable to maintain meeting decorum, she went off on Mr. DeHaan, shut down the discussion, and quickly moved to the vote that she knew she had the majority for.

Gilmore: seriously?!  Behaving that rudely in your private life is your own business, but on OUR city dais in OUR city hall to a fellow elected official? Well! We do not accept you behaving that way. That was poorer form than even I could have expected from you. And I have a pretty low regard for your abilities to manage a meeting, keep your hands still, and speak well in public.

And Gilmore’s “unclear” why DeHaan is “arguing”. HELLO?! I’m sorry, that’s what I expect to happen in a public forum grappling with critical issues, don’t you?  …..

Mayor, orchestrate the meetings much?

Seriously.

Mayor Gilmore says she doesn’t want to ‘put the guy on the spot’ but asks some guy to come to the podium and explain the golf plans….and the guy has a multi-page speech prepared.…yeah. Right: THAT’s putting him ‘on the spot”. Orchestrate and manipulate meeting much, Mayor?   She has since her first meeting on December 28, 2010, in which she lied to fellow council members, dissembled about the agenda, had hired Meyers Nave prior to the meeting, and surreptitiously fired then City Manager Ann Marie Gallant .

What a joke. How can she NOT be wholly embarrassed? (hint: arrogance).

And WTF?  How can GilBonTamJo sit there and NOT address the very serious implications brought to their attention by those that asked WHY and HOW they could have taken money in recent months (2011!!!) from the Alameda Firefighters Association Political Action Committee into their 2010 political campaign accounts WHILE they were negotiating the contract with the firefighters?!

The failure to respond confirms the impropriety. For certainly, those operating with moral principles are confident and will speak to any complaint, would welcome sunshine. But failing to respond, well folks, THAT indicates confirmation of trading influence, of corruption.

It looks like Mayor Gilmore, Vice Mayor Bonta, City Council Members Tam and Johnson have been bought by the IAFF Local 689 in exchange for a fat retroactive contract for our underperforming, overpaid firefighters.

Peddling influence much, Mayor?!

SOMEONE NEEDS TO SAY: ADDRESS OUR DAMN CONCERNS.  ANSWER OUR DAMN QUESTIONS!