Arroyo Seco Fallout CD 14 Style
CD 14 never fails to impress with drama and intrigue over the simplist of tasks.Martini Republic documents the happenings over the chaos last night at the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council Meeting regarding Councilman’s Jose Huizar and Ed Reyes attempt to shove down the throats of Mt. Washington residents the Red Flag ordinance.
Fred Vidal leaps on the pile with this e-mail/post. Some snippets:
Dysfunctions continue at the Neighborhood Council (Arroyo Seco-Mount Washington)
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More than fifty homeowners and families asked for the removal of the decision that curiously was voted on this same day (December 14) by the City Council without any substantial information in the past months and no dialog at all in violation of the official procedure regarding red flags issues.
How it is possible? The ASNC is a dysfonctional organization that is flattering permanently councilmembers and City Departments instead of advising them pertinently and doing their regular job
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On my side, I will be tomorrow December 15 at 2pm with my wife Candice Johnson, at City Hall at the Secretary of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in order to get an interview (we hope to meet one of his deputies tomorrow) because as you can check on my website http://www.fredericvidal.com the text voted today by the Council is SUBJECT TO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MAYOR.
Don't be surprised to read on this list soon another blah-blah-blah email of one of the VIPs of ASNC. This will end by a new "Berlin Wall Effect" soon.
Liberty it is what Washington wanted. And independence, sure. We saw the face of the real Mount Washington tonight.
A word of advice to Fred. Document your convo with the Mayor, as your promises or assurances may change at any notice!
Posted by Anonymous @ 12/15/2005 07:52:00 AM
38 Comments:
What a stupid thing to say from the community sleaze bag crook Alvin Parra.
People shouting at Alvin Parra, Jose Huizar’s new director of field operations and at Albina Ferreyra, Field Deputy, for Ed Reyes. Constituents throwing crumpled handouts at both reps in frustration and of their inability to give straight answers. Others storming out of the hall.
Alvin admitted that:
1) The ordinance was illegal because the Department of Transportation and The Fire Department had failed to do the proper outreach to the community that was necessary and required by law prior to enactment of the ordinance.
2) That Ed Reyes and Jose Huizar both were aware of the fault on the outreach and yet still asked for the City Council vote today to enact this ordinance
Alvin's a crook. Ricaza (apparently Huizar's Chief of Staff) is no better. Any word on the rest of his staff? It's not posted online yet.
DOH!
Told you SOH!
Anyone here working on a "first 100 days of Jose Huizar" story?
Don't sweat it, this is typical "let me come to the rescue" AV-style melodrama... start the fire, put it out, be declared a hero by the homies in MW.
Anywhere else that's called "arson" - in the AV camp, it's called "good leadership."
JM, I've got a short story in the works.
"The First (and Last) 10 days of Alvin Parra"
Double-DOH!
Just for the record, Fred Vidal is also a bit of a sore loser... having lost a bid to be on that NC board (he was only able to pull 30 votes out of a community of 10,000). The other two candidates got 3-4 times that many.
This was a sub-committee of the NC, not the whole council. There was a meeting of the full board earlier in the week that was nearly as dramatic - something about putting a charter school on parkland.
The dead mayors just had to find some items about CD14, to breathe one last breath into a dying blog.
Ha!
The dead mayors just had to find some items about CD14, to breathe one last breath into a dying blog.
9:58, because of its true middle class, CD 14 is the City's political laboratory. It will be interesting as long as there is such a great mix there, which will be for a long time.
Try to find some vital and exemplary issue on the Westside. Affordable housing? They haven't even heard of it. Public transit? That's for poor people. Lincoln Place is about the hottest Westside "issue" and it's a pretty pathetic one, with the remaining tenants forsaking a sweetheart deal for life for the sake of a minor density quibble.
Meanwhile, predatory tow truck companies are gaining in political clout---often targeting cars that can easily be acquired with a lien---and there was Jose and Alvin to speed it all along. Pretty funny choice of action for your first few days in office.
I think Da Mayors are typically right to focus their political lasers where they do. If you don't agree, let the site know what you see is newsworthy---there's a big tipster button on the home page.
Or, as we used to say in the '70's, if you don't like the news, go out and make some of it on your own.
9:58
That's okay, it doesn't look like it's working well, anyway.
Yawn, still dead here.
Oh my god, I heard about this last night at another NC meeting! It sounds REALLY draconian.
Without any notice, tow trucks show up and just start impounding cars. They started doing this in the Silver Lake area this past week. It is being done for a good reason (fire department access on narrow mountain roads), but what a horrible implementation.
Alvin further insulted community members by pretending that the best way to proceed was to make the ordinance work. He started to suggest ways that it might have LESS of a major impact on residents, but the community would not hear any of that. At some point in the meeting he told all that he reports directly to Huizar. If he does, he would do well to tell Huizar that of the many, many residents that showed up not a single one was in agreement
with this ordinance. There was about 50 to 75 FAMILIES in attendance well beyond the normal for a local ASNC
meeting. No one was in a jolly holiday mood !
Orange Line -- (good idea?) but, HORRIBLE IMPLEMENTATION
Red Flags -- (necessary?) but, HORRIBLE IMPLEMENTATION
Anyone beginning to see a running, possibly colorful theme here for the AV administration?
Almost forgot - "AV ditches Stuckey under pressure from radicals."
YELLOW STREAK!
12:20
Good point, Bert.
ubray
Man shut up ! You try to sound like you're knowledgeable and impartial
but you don't know squat. You're probably a Villabababoso field deputy.
Duhhhhhh "It's being done for a good reason"
Huizar will take heat on this, sure, but apologists will say... he JUST got into office.
So, what the hell was the full-time CARETAKER (that AV appointed to look out for the district), doing for the past 6-8 months?
I think the answer to that was stated here, MANY times. . . trying to get Huizar elected to council, on CITY time. I'd sure like to see those schedules and calendar sheets, like Hahn finally coughed up.
because of its true middle class, CD 14 is the City's political laboratory.
So what you're basically saying, Mailander, is that we're lab rats over here in the 14th.
A few Anonymous Cowards have seen fit to tie Villaraigosa to this issue BUT (!) this issue was brought up in the council, and voted on by the council. I don't understand what the mayor's role in this, but he doesn't seem to have any part to play in this matter.
It is important that narrow hillside roads are kept open for emergency vehicle access. The Oakland fires back in the day started people thinking seriously about this issue (from what I've heard). But to just show up and start towing people's vehicles en masse, with no notice - it is totally ridiculous.
I think if you're looking to blame someone, you can start by asking:
-Who's motion was this on the council?
-Who voted in favor of this?
-Who/what agency is responsible for initiating this effort?
ubrayj02 - you kinda' flipped quickly on that one, man.
I agree that there must be a better way to implement the plan with some time for warning. However, residents opposed to an evacuation route will be the same ones crying when their house is burned down like with what occurred in Oakland in '91.
The City has an obligation to be preventive on these kinds of matters.
9:06
You want to know about the rest of Huizar's staff. As if Ricasa and Alvin weren't bad enough. Ricasa is the one who covered for Cedillo when Gil was busted by Local 660 (Alejandro Stevens) for using an SEIU credit card for some "extracurricular activities." And enough said about Alvin. But the kicker is Huizar's choice for Deputy Chief of Staff - Gustavo Valdivia. I know Huizar was born in Mexico and wants to be fair to the raza and all - but you've got to admit you won't get away with this. Valdivia is not even in this country legally. Check it out - of course Huizar will cry ignorance, but that's what he has done in all his years as an elected official.
3:15
Simple answer, ubray.
"Supposedly" AV was the COUNCILMEMBER for this area FROM July 1, 2003, to June 30, 2005!
This issue DATES BACK TO 2004!
Can't dodge that bullet.... NO how.
If he didn't KNOW about it, MAYBE he shoudl have attended some COUNCIL MEETINGS and paid attention. AND, the people he appointed to WATCH the district until A COUPLE DAYS AGO, did a shitty job of alerting people (while STILL REPORTING TO AV!!!!).
If not the THEN-COUNCILMEMBER, and the NOW-MAYOR, then who the HELL should be responsible for it!
(Oh yeah, I forgot, AV's people ALWAYS blame PACHECO, even for things after he was OUT of office).
PLUS, any AGENCY responsible for implementing it, as you asked... SINCE THEN, now reports to... YES, THE CURRENT MAYOR!
Hell, he's BAD on all damn sides of it, START to FINISH!
(AV SURE ain't no Harry Truman... sign on AV's desk says... "Don't you even THINK about stopping that buck HERE!)
5:02 p.m.
Good point, Bruce.
Amazing how easy it is for people to forget AV was the elected councilmember from CD14 for two years.
Hell, AV forgot July 2, 2003.
11:19
Good point, Wayne.
Hey 5:01
Whats this about Cedillo and a SEIU credit card? Tell us more....
or point the way.......
The SEIU incident was swept under the table. Your never going to find out.
Too late, many people already know. Even shit under the table is still visible to the keen eye.
Cedillo was general manager of the largest local in L.A. County one day and out the next. You may try asking Alejandro Stevens, he's still beholden to his membership. If enough memebers ask, it will get out. It is very similar to how Contreras spent his last minutes on earth.
Just to bring the loop back around - angry Fred (who started this thread) is going to call for the neighborhood council (that his wife just won a seat on) to be decertified.
He thereby win's the NC editition of the Alvin Parra Memorial "how to screw your wife - not in the 'nice' way" award. . .
From: fred vidal vidalfred@...
Date: Fri Dec 16, 2005
Subject: Editorial: A Flag that Nobody Wants (in Mount Washington)
Offline Offline
You were probably not there at the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council - Mount Washington Local Issues Committee, yesterday 12/15/2005 but you can imagine how it hurts when you have no garage and the Red Flag sign creates a permanent stress on the future of your car. These people were there, often angry against this decision that was taken without a gram of dialog, all of us asking for the removal.
I will not be intimidated because I am an immigrant in this country. I have a PhD in communication studies and an experience in public service that helps me to understand the problems and help those who are isolated.
Imagine the old people in Mount Washington for 60 years with a red flag upon their heads since last weekend. I have no political ambition and I support Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa because he is the symbol of a change. So let's
make this change together because I obviously believe we are still suffering from the Hahn bureaucratic system.
I don't want to be the leader of an anti red flag movement but if I am the only one to write about it, I will continue again and again by respect for those who don't write but are victims anyway of this new regulation.
The automobile in America is the Public Friend #1, especially in Los Angeles because you can do nothing without taking the Route 66 or the freeway, especially when you leave in an area like Mount Washington. It is the reason why there will be a lawsuit soon against the City of LA with a class action if this is not removed, this was suggested by a neighbor previously field deputy of a Councilmember now retired. She is right and my wife and I will be among the first ones to sign the action.
As scheduled yesterday, we were this afternoon at City Hall and were nicely welcomed by a Mayor's Office team member who recorded perfectly all the juridical points against the text and its daily consequencies for the people of the Mount. Consider this file on Mayor Villaraigosa's desk tonight and we have all the reasons to be optimistic.
On the other hand, regarding the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council that did not organize a dialog on that issue, support the secrecy of the negiotiations between the coalition and the Autry regarding the Southwest Museum future, took a decision on Monday without any process of study and dialog before, regarding the building of a school for a native american organization in a public park, keep important amounts of public money on an ASNC bank account with no use, I am asking now for the removal by the City of Los Angeles of its public certification and I will go next
week to the department of Neighborhood Empowerment to present my demand.
This would not be a sanction but a collective acknowledgement that this
organization has not the necessary level of quality. Then a workshop
reuniting the board could be organized by the City in order to train them to do the right job about dialog and the certification will be possibly given back at the end of this formation.
This is just a proposal. This is the Holiday Season and I would prefer to
write my letter to Santa Claus but there is a new sign on my land and I
don't appreciate this gift called red flag.
Have a great weekend and a fantastic end of year.
Sincerely,
Fred Vidal
Possible updates before 2006 on http://www.fredericvidal.com
5:01 Huizar's Deputy Chief of Staff isn't in this coutnry legally? How can we prove this?
Right, can this be proven?
Yours truly
Border Patrol for Cd 14
J.Mailander
Why do you call Cd 14 lab rats? Is Cd14 the REAL community where activists breeded in numbers?
the problem with gustavo (this goes for ricaza and parra too) is not immigration status--it's that they are corrupt jackasses
Council File: 04-1530
Ordinance relative to amending Division N, O and W of Chapter VIII of the Los Angeles Municipal
Code (LAMC) to prohibit or limit parking on certain City streets on red flag alert days
More info available here.
Here's Rocky's Sample Ordinance
So, by reading UBray's information, this whole red flag/parking issue is ONLY for certain days?
If this is true, Mr. Vidal has no chance of getting the Mayor or the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment to take him seriously.
In fact, several of his statements, such as the one about cars being the #1 friend are the exact opposite of the mindset that the City would like all residents to have, no matter how impossible that may be.
I live in a "fire district" and we don't have red flag days, but we do get fined if there is a branch touching our roofs and our homeowners insurance is much higher. Obviously our streets are wide enough to allow parked cars and a fire truck to get through.
Imagine if a fire went sweeping through Mt. Washington and Mr. Vidal's car was blocking the fire truck's access. How would he feel?
You guys a FU*&#ing idiots if you even knew "Ricaza" you would know its Ricasa. You DUMBSHITS!!!!
I think that the controversy is over the amount of notice given to residents. Yet, when you think about it, how much notice can an agency be expected to give in order to tow vehicles in the event of a fire? Don't fires move pretty fast?
I guess the one thing I'd be pissed about, is that you get fined for pretty much doing nothing out of the ordinary while a fire sweeps through your neighborhood. Getting your car impounded is one of the WORST experiences you can go through. You're totally powerless, and some towing yard has you only means of economic survival behind their walls.
Maybe if they started towing after a designated amount of notification - like a lot of loud sirens and noise that tell the neighbors to move their cars immediately, or they'll get towed.
That brings up another problem: a bunch of cars trying to escape the red flags clogging up mountain roads in an emergency.
This seems like a law that will "fix" one problem, but cause 50 others.
WTF?
5:32 You name calling asshole
Who gives a fuck if his name is spelled Ricaza or Ricasa? Seriously. Nobody was insinutating they were two different people.
Take that you *#@%$$)*&&^%
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