Flanders Flap

So the unthinkable has finally happened: Carmel, the village in the forest renowned for being a community that treasures its trees and parks, is beginning the process of selling off portions of her parks. Rather than investing in care and maintenance of the park, the City Council has taken it upon themselves to spend $800,000 of taxpayers’ money trying to win lawsuits that will allow them to sell the parkland. Would not a more prudent and responsible use of that money have been to putthis historic community asset into public use?

One of the main selling points that the mayor and the council members have stressed is that the Flanders Mansion will remain forever a historic single-family residence. There is absolutely no guarantee that the residence will be just a single-family home. California law does not allow them to make that determination. Thefirst option for the disposal of surplus property is it must be offered to other public entities. Another option, protected by law, is that any owner can turn the property into a six-bed health clinic, a group home for released convicts or troubled youth, or a cult religion headquarters for that matter. There is absolutely no guarantee that the residence will be just a single-family home. Why put our community at risk for these legal and allowed uses? It makes no sense.

This wonderful community asset belongs to the residents. How it is used should reflect that. With my number two pencil, I am going to mark my ballot “NO” to the sale of parts of our park. No. No. No.

Valley Forged?

Opponents of the Town of Carmel Valley repeatedly have broken campaign laws. Such violations serve to identify the lack of quality, respect and decency that sadly permeates the anti-town campaign.The public has a right to know the following.

One “no” candidate has e-mailed voter information data (names, addresses, phone numbers and party affiliation) to unknown e-mail lists, violating election laws. My name and personal information, and yours, have been sent to people not working within a campaign office. Campaign leaders sign a document promising to protect this information. At the end of the campaign, this information is to be shredded, not shared with the world.

They trashed Carmel Valley with campaign signs long before the election’s code permitted signs to be publicly displayed, and many of their signs and ads lack the required name and address information on them. They failed to file financial statements on time, and still have not fully complied with the campaign finance laws. These violations of state and county (how ironic) law will be submitted to the District Attorney.

If these people can’t be trusted to follow simple and clear campaign law, can we trust their hyperbole about the Town? I think not!