Thursday, August 30, 2007

On his Mark, get set, BAIL!

It appears that a Bisno supporter, Mayor Mark Waronek of the City of Lomita is leaving, or should I write, "bailing" from his longstanding support of Bob Bisno's Ponte Vista at San Pedro.

Mark's consulting firm had been working with Bisno Development Corp, BDC, since 2005.

Waronek is apparently running for reelection to the Lomita City Council and he claims he wants to devote more time campaigning. I suggest he campaigns for someone else, because there should be absolutely no way Mark would get enough votes to stay on the Council.

Councilwoman Margaret Estrada and former Councilman Ken Blackwood, and current Councilman Dom Suminaga are running with Waronek for two seats on the Council, according to an article in today's Daily Breeze. That article can be found at: http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/9465727.html

Perhaps Mark learned very late in the game that supporting Bob's blight and too big adventure is not something a politician seeking reelection should do.

I hope to see a landslide defeat of Mr. Waronek in the upcoming election. There are many good members of R Neighborhoods Are 1 who live in Lomita who have not only volunteered their time, but have collected many, many, many signatures on R1 petitions. I bet when we finally get our breakdown of folks who signed the R1 petition by zip code and give that number to Mark, he will probably decide to save his money and just plain drop out of the race.

Mark's bailing out of supporting Bob's plans for Ponte Vista should not be forgotten as the election moves closer. If a politician can't learn very quickly what the folks he is supposed to represent really think about something, then he lacks the ability to serve the public he was voted in to represent.

Waronek didn't think Bob's blight would be as controversial as it became, and that also illustrates, I think, to how disconnected Mark is with the good folks in Lomita.

Like so many individuals, Mark and too many others, have pitched their tents in quicksand and want to get as far away from the muck as possible, all the while claiming something else when questioned about their support for Bob's Ponte Vista.

Perhaps Mark hired on as a deckhand on the Titanic because the money was so good. Now not only is he jumping off the ship, he doesn't seem to have a real lifeboat to drop in to.

Folks like Ms. Estrada, Mr. Blackwood, and Mr. Suminaga are going to fight for the last two seats in the boat and there will definitely be no room for Mark, and I hope he is a really good swimmer.

I wonder if Bob is even going to throw a life preserver overboard for Mark. I kind of doubt it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

what's the difference between a neighborhood council and a homeowners assn? is one not more effective in fighting back in the rounds to come? maybe we could get somne advice from the man who has been able to stop clint eastwood up the coast. i realize they are
not exactly the same issue, but he's done a wonderful job. and maybe some advice from those who worked against home depot getting their way. it really seem to be a turning point for so. cal. we don't need 300 sq. ft. high rise apt. buildings. frankly i don't thing pedro needs any more anything that these empty promisers offer.429

Anonymous said...

how come i get to continue to suck up filthy bunker fuel from the harbor but have to keep my car smogged? how much more will the cruise ships pollute, along with their attendant services? great, more forklift jobs. that'll give me enough to buy one of bob's apartments.don't you think it's time to really start on the council. their record on stupid growth is abysmal. 12-0 vote to turn la into a new york style living space. does anybody know where they stand on this project. i'm sure bob does.

M Richards said...

Thanks for both anonymous comments.

First, there is quite a bit of difference between homeowner associations and nieghborhood councils.

Right now a homeowners' association is stronger in that they can sue individuals, groups, and government entities. Neighborhood councils were created to connect neighborhoods in the City of L.A. to the government and bureaucrats that are supposed to be representing them.

There are individuals who feel neighborhood councils provide another layer of insulation between the people and government, but I think we have seen in San Pedro, that neighborhoods councils, IF they are strong, secure, and ARE focused on the neighbors they represent, do have an impact.

As far as the future rounds, not only are we all going to need our own homeowners' associations' strengths, but we also are going to need the neighborhood councils, and all the other homeowners' coalitions, and groups.

Politicians are just really beginning to consider many neighborhood councils around L.A. as being a force to be dealt with.

We have already seen an L.A. County Supervisor and several L.A. City Councilmembers in print defending neighborhood councils.

As for what are we doing on the City Council side? That is a very good question.

R Neighborhoods Are 1 members and other willing individuals are moving out of the local area in dealing with over development in the greater L.A. area.

We have already read and seen where the message that weapons of mass development will be questioned, attacked, and at least slowed down, is now finding much greater focus in the larger community.

I can truly believe that many folks think nothing is going right now as far as dealing with Ponte Vista of other large developments planned in the L.A. area. I can assure everyone that even though the CAC has ended their mission, there are still many other missions under way. There is much more information gathering going on, many more meetings being attended, and during the time we are waiting for the Planning Department to do their work, many individuals and groups are working on all areas to do our best.

If anyone believes that opposition to Bob's plans for Ponte Vista is remaining silent or not doing so much at this time, they are sorely mistaken.

If you oppose Bob's plans for the over development of northwest San Pedro, keep the faith, continue to belive, and try your best to change the minds of the many folks who still spout B.s. (Bisno support) and let them know that, even though they may have been taken in by a slick developer, we all will still welcome them back into the fold of reasonable, responsible, realistic, and respectfull people.
MW