Peeling the Onion

There is a teaching axiom that goes: Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em; then tell 'em; then tell 'em what you told 'em. This repetitious procedure has worked for my noxious neighbors for twenty-two years - their lies have become ingrained in the psyche of all inhabitants of City Hall. My uphill battle is to expose the foundational lies and yank the rug out from under all of the specious defenses the city uses against me.

After the little set-to with Manteca's Chief of Police last November, where he tried to quarantine me from all City departments with his "closure" letter, I went for ALL the marbles. This weekend I am finalizing my report of the research I've conducted over the last three months and delivering it - all 22 copies - at next Tuesday's Manteca City Council meeting.

The following short introduction of the report will be given during the public comment portion of the meeting, before the report is distributed.




Manteca City Council
Introduction to the Report
Allen & Brassey: TLC on Fishback Street


Manteca City Council Meeting
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Honorable Mayor, Councilwoman, and Councilmen,

Almost a year ago, Rex Osborn responded to my initial complaints regarding my neighbors’ noisy business operations and equipment with, “This is a complex case,” and, “We are trying to please you, and still not interfere with the rights of you neighbor.” For many tedious months since, a resolution to this “complex case” has defied the best minds in Manteca city government… and my ice-cooled neighbors are still infringing on my rights.

Both my neighbors and the City have been my adversaries since I began this quest. Because of senior staff’s prejudice in this case, based on decades-old misinformation and supposition, they have not been cooperative and I had to “audit around” them in order to “peel this onion” layer by layer. Whenever I begin to feel forgiving toward my neighbors, or tired of this fight, or some City functionary tells me to kiss off – on official letterhead, no less! - without fail my neighbors’ commercial icemaker runs all night and ruins my sleep. That infernal machine always renews my resolve to see this thing through.

I am here tonight to personally deliver to you the report that could not be written by your staff because of its “complexity.” (To submit this report through City Administration would ensure that you never see it because of their prejudice.) It has newly obtained documents, from original public sources, which bring the events of 1986 through 1989 concerning 810 Fishback Street into clear view and completely erase all of my neighbors’ fraudulent claims of a grandfathered business use of their property. Combine that with the absolute absence of any land use permits issued to them by the City of Manteca and… you will get the picture. I drew one for you.

It is clear to me that your staff won’t move without direction from you. I request that this report be included – intact - in your next City Council meeting binder and a presentation or public hearing be set for this item on the next City Council agenda.



The report itself I will publish here next week after it has been delivered to the City Council.


It's nice when everyone is singing from the same page in the same hymnbook, so, to help the City council along a little bit, each of these people and organizations will receive a copy:

Distribution List

1. Willie Weatherford, Mayor
2. John Harris, Councilman
3. Vince Hernandez, Councilman
4. Debby Moorhead, Councilwoman
5. Steve DeBrum, Councilman

6. Steve Pinkerton, City Manager
7. Joann Tilton, City Clerk
8. Dave Bricker, Chief of Police
9. Rex Osborn, Police Department, Public Affairs
10. Greg Baird, Police Department, Code Enforcement
11. Mark Nelson, Community Development Department, Director
12. Mark Meissner, Community Development Department, Planning Manager
13. Lantz Rey, Community Development Department, Associate Planner
14. Alma Martinez, Community Development Department, Planning Technician
15. John Brinton, City Attorney

16. Jeff Carruesco, San Joaquin County, EHD, Program Coordinator
17. Greg Olivera, San Joaquin County, EHD

18. Lathrop-Manteca Sun Post, W Yosemite Ave, Manteca, CA (with press kit CD)
19. Manteca Bulletin, 531 E Yosemite Ave, Manteca, CA 95336,
209-249-3500 (with press kit CD)
20. Manteca Live! Joe DeAngelis (with press kit CD)
21. Tracy Press, 145 W. 10th St., P.O. Box 419, Tracy, CA 95378-0419,
209-835-3030 (with press kit CD)
22. The Record, Stockton, CA, 209-943-6397 (with press kit CD)

Honorees

Sheila Foster, Elia Court, Manteca, CA

Patty “Pit Bull” Letawsky, PO Box 177, Wilton, CA 95693


The first honoree on the list is a woman who stood to plead for help from the City Council to move her complaint along. She told the very familiar story of code enforcement officers seeing the same things she sees - a neighbor fixing cars and large appliances in his garage, these large articles strewn all around his property, day and night visitors racing their car engines, and amateur neighborhood surveillance to document possible drug dealing - but turning around and telling her there is nothing they can do.

Aiee! All they have to do is ask this guy for his business license! If he doesn't have one, start citing him, then fining him. How hard can that be!?

The other honoree is a young woman who spoke during a public hearing to dissuade the council from adopting a pit bull ordinance with "iffy" parts. She returned to the podium during the public comment portion to berate the City Council and Administration for being the "most dismissive" of any public body she has ever dealt with, bar none. (Not that it did any good... they just dismissed her.) She followed that with a similarly worded letter to the Sun-Post editor and, even though she is not a Manteca resident, I take heart from her fearless forthrightness.


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