Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Bruce Anderson's Political Attacks on the Marinwood CSD in perspective.

Editor's Note: The recent revelations of the contributions to the Marinwood Vision plan from the Marinwood CSD ($3k) while Bruce Anderson served as CSD Director and as vice president of 
the Marinwood Association($2k) show that this attack on the Marinwood CSD was totally unfounded.  Bruce did not attend the meeting nor had seen the tape before he wrote this piece attacking his rivals. The CSD heard a request for money but never discussed approving funding for the www.alliancemarin.org CEQA lawsuit.  In January, the CSD decided that no funds should be provided but a statement supporting the environmental concerns of the community must be addressed. 
see article:

Marin Voice: Marinwood has no business contributing to costly housing lawsuit

Posted:   12/21/2013 04:37:00 AM PST





Bruce Anderson (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal) Alan Dep

THE MARINWOOD Community Services District is considering giving away $50,000.
Last month, the district was in dire financial straits and hiding that fact from our community, according to some of those successfully running for district board seats.
This month, with a new board majority, the same individuals are considering gifting $50,000 of district cash to a group claiming to sue the county. [ Editor's Note: The CSD director's merely heard a request. Bruce gets four Pinnochios for this paragraph]

Where is the promised transparency?

And make no mistake; the action contemplated is an outright gift of public funds, not a recovery of funds effort. [ Bruce Anderson DID gift public funds for the privately held Marinwood Plaza project in 2006]

The group receiving the funds is suing the county to have the county re-do its inventory of housing sites. An inventory of housing sites has no financial impact on the district. The only financial impacts to the district come from actual developments, not planning exercises.[ To learn about the lawsuit, see www.alliancemarin.org. It is about problems with the county's flawed DSEIR]

Of course, the board can vote to give away public funds as a gift. There are consequences that the individual board members may want to consider. [ Those who live in glass houses..]

If a citizen decides to sue to recover the gifted funds, the board members may be individually liable for the return of funds since they voted to give them away. In other words, the immunity a board member is normally granted is not available to that board member if they knowingly give away public funds. [hmmm....]

But what of the dire district financial condition promoted prior to the election? Why are they contemplating gifting $50,000 or any amount of district cash that could be earmarked to relieve the touted long-term liabilities of the district? The board needs to explain how all of a sudden $50,000 or any amount in cash is available to give away.
It also needs to detail what will be sacrificed (a needed new fire truck, re-surfacing of the tennis courts, jobs, community services, etc.) in order to fund this donation.
What is the justification? Where are the reports showing the amount the district will be damaged as a result of the county preparing an inventory of potential housing sites?
What has the fire commission recommended? What has the park and recreation commission recommended? [ Bruce Anderson presided over the largest deficits in Marinwood CSD history totaling over $1.2 million dollars]

The proceedings under the lawsuit do not seek any financial return, only that the county re-do its housing element report. A re-do will have no effect on the amount of housing, affordable or market-rate, already allowed by the countywide general plan within Marinwood's sphere of influence.  [ Is a correct accounting for the environmental damage a bad thing?  The toxic waste problem at Marinwood Plaza has been a known public health disaster since 2007 while Bruce served on the CSD Board.]

The district board needs to fully disclose its reasons for this $50,000 gift that bears no return. [ Four more Pinnochios.]

Is that all? Giving $50,000 to someone suing the county makes you a party to that suit. Win or lose, the suit will most likely be appealed. Will there be more requests for funds? Worst case scenario — the county counter sues and wins — who's not-so-deep-pockets get picked? [hmmm...]

The board is young in experience. Its members should have recognized this request for what it is — a gift of public funds no matter the amount — then rejected it out-of-hand.
At the next opportunity, the board should just say no to this request for public funds.
[Bruce should attend the CSD meetings before making vile accusations without merit.]


Bruce Anderson served three terms as a director of the Marinwood Community Services District. [Bruce Anderson endorses Susan Adams for County Supervisor]
Pinnochio did not throw stones in glass houses.

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