Two items for your review

First of all.... Thank you to the Pasadena Star News and Foothill Cities for continuing to report the cause and effect of local politics here in sleepy Sierra Madre.

And secondly... I think that based on recent events, and reporting of those events, the downtown will continue to have boarded up buildings, and empty storefronts. New business will stay away, and what could have been, will take years and years to be.

I'm so Blonde!

Ok I have been outted. So maybe Bill's blonde jokes are pretty funny. My words were harsh, but not as harsh as the tirade of comments that had almost nothing to do with those jokes. Talk about far fetched!

So Bill, thanks for providing us with a site that has lots of great information and some really good letters to the editor.

Getting Your Priorities Straight

So why would we now want to waste taxpayers dollars for not one, but two elections? A recall election and then an election to fill the empty seat? I think not, and hey Sierra Madre City Clerk (who openly supported Measure V) how much will those 2 elections cost us?

As reported by the SGVT
Mosca focuses on funds shortfall
Sierra Madre mayor ignores recall effort
Newly appointed Mayor pro tem Joe Mosca is turning his focus from a possible recall election against him to the long-term deficit the city is facing.

Mosca, who received more votes than any other candidate in the April 2006 election, sent an e-mail April 9, telling his supporters that the city clerk had approved the recall petition for circulation and asking them for their assistance in organizing a "Stop Recall" campaign.

He has since changed his mind.

"We started talking and meeting and putting some stuff together," said Mosca, 34, a bankruptcy attorney. "Then I decided it would be better to focus energy and time on city business."

Mosca noted that a Tuesday council budget discussion revealed that city staff was recommending all city employees' salaries remain status quo.

"The city is facing a structural deficit," he said.

Since Tuesday, he said, the Sierra Madre Police Officers Association has been gathering signatures, asking for a 20 percent raise for local police, who are currently the lowest-paid city police in the San Gabriel Valley.

He said the raise they are asking for would put them in line with other lowest-paid police departments.

"Police are not getting paid what they need to be paid," Mosca said. "We know that, but we don't have anything to pay for that. The \ paramedic program can't be funded for more than two years. We need to fund these things."

Mosca supporter Jan Reed said she has heard that the recall petition is circulating, adding, "They know better than to come here."

"Here's a fella that has done more in the short time he's been on council than anybody I know," Reed said.

Mosca said he and his supporters have heard little about the petition and are hoping the effort will blow over in light of the city's major financial troubles.

"I haven't heard of anybody being approached to sign anything," he said of the recall campaign.

But some residents are pounding the pavement, working to gather the required 25 percent of signatures from the city's roughly 7,000 registered voters that would force a recall election.

As of Sunday, resident John Crawford said he had almost 100 signatures from those disappointed in Mosca. Five more weeks remain until the signatures must be ready.

"A lot of people that I talk to are holding Joe responsible for a lot of what the town has been put through," Crawford said. "They realize he was elected as an anti-development candidate, and he waffled."

Recall supporters claim Mosca broke campaign promises to support a vote of the people to decide if they wanted to move forward with the city's controversial Downtown Specific Plan, which some residents feared would cause overdevelopment in the downtown area.

Mosca has defended himself, saying the plan was only in rough draft form in June 2006 when Councilman Kurt Zimmerman asked that the plan be put in the form of a referendum on the ballot.

"What is the point of going to all the trouble of creating a downtown development plan just so that the town could turn it down?" Crawford countered. "The town is against development."

Mosca has also vehemently denied being pro-development.

Reed said the accusations that Mosca lied to those voters who supported him in his run for office are "ridiculous" and "untrue."

"All he wanted was for the plan to be completed, and then go forward on it," Reed said. "You can't vote on something that isn't a complete project."

But since the passage of Measure V - which requires a special election for any proposed developments of more than two stories, 30 feet in heights and 13 dwelling units per acre in the city's downtown - Mosca said most of the plan is now moot.

"At this point, it's pretty much non-existing," he said. "Measure V is the law in downtown."

molly.okeon@sgvn.com

Rain Dancing

Many of the Foothill Cities are putting stage one water conservation in effect because of the current drought conditions.
The SM website says:

“Mandatory water conservation is now in effect due to below-average rainfall. Watering lawns and gardens between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is prohibited, as is hosing down walkways, driveways, patios, etc. Only decorative fountains with recycling water systems may be operated. Washing machines and dishwashers should be run with full loads; automated car washes are preferred. Fix or report leaks promptly. Restaurants will provide water only when requested. “

You can read the ordinance here.

Movie Night

Get out your chairs, and blankets and head on down to Kersting Court Friday, May 18, 2007, at 7:30 pm . Julie Andrews will be teaching Anne Hathaway how to become a princess. Fortunately Anne is not blonde.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Webb Martin Realtors, this event is free! (Thanks Judy) So go support your local businesses, get some grub and hot cocoa and enjoy!

**Applause Please**

Congratulations to the FC Blog for paving the way for bloggers to continue to exercise our first amendment rights. Of course all the comments from Pomona employees call the blog, tabloid and trash. But FC is a great resource to find out whats going on in your city and links to important news, not to mention strong opinions in their content and comments! I like it!!

Keep up the good work. We love ya here in the canyon!

Oh My God!

There are many of you who are offended by Jim Sniders outlandish blog over at the Cumquat. I have to be honest; I think it is a bit fringe. I was even more appalled when I found this Sierra Madre site, blaspheming women!

It is unbelievable and quite offensive. I could only include small quotes as I try to keep this site at least PG.

…She took a ruler to bed to see how long…
…painter to paint him in the nude…
…I'll give five times as much as you normally get…
…She stopped jumping and was breathing heavily…
…Now he has her shirt and skirt off, the windows are steamed, and things are getting really hot…

This may put poor Jim out of business!

But seriously, why would anyone in their right mind put up dozens of Blonde jokes on a Sierra Madre site that is supposed to be newsworthy! The site is even called Sierra Madre News. I suppose News is relative. I hope that since the percentage of blonde females in Sierra Madre must be huge, they will protest with a vengeance!

Oh Deer!

One of the best reasons to live in Sierra Madre, other than the political circus every few years, are the deer. Those big ears, endearing dark eyes, shiny black nose that twitches and the babies following the mama deer around, ok, so it’s sounding like a Disney movie, but Sierra Madre is the happiest place on earth, right?

A couple evenings ago I was on my home from work driving down Grandview and there in the front yard were 3 deer munching on a Cumquat tree (they may have been loquats). Quite enjoying the fruit! How Ironic!

I have a mama deer and her offspring that like too trot down the street in front of my house early evening and graze across the street. I can stand in my front yard and talk to them in a quiet voice, telling them about my day, the weather, asking them about what good eats they have discovered, if they idolize Bambi, and of course giving them the latest Sierra Madre news. Usually by then they trot on down to the lower Canyon to see what the eats are at Mary’s Market. The deer are not interested in the Council antics, or Measure V. How refreshing.

M is for

Mayor. Yes, we have a new one and she wears a dress! GO GIRL! After some comments made from another state it seems to remain, a council that is clearly divided (and we thought that it was over). I guess we need to find a fat lady and get her some singing lessons.

On another note I am tired of reading that silly throw away. I honestly hoped I would stop seeing it in my mailbox after the election. *sigh*. It does however line the cat box nicely. Does anyone know if you can unsubscribe?

We here up in the Canyon encourage all Canyonites and other residents to go to the City Website and comment about what you would like to see on our web site. Streaming video of the council meetings would be great. Especially if you have selected a direct TV or Dish TV option and can’t watch them on TV any longer.