Opinion: Mayor didn’t need to dig up the past
To the community,
On June 20, at the dedication for the new El Dorado Beach project, Mayor Claire Fortier said in praise of the project manager he, Jim Marino, “had to deal with two contentious city councils.” Why the mayor would drag previous councils into what was supposed to be a celebration is a mystery because the facts don’t support her statement.
The contentious part of the project, if there was contentious behavior, developed because of a lawsuit against the city. In the beginning the City Council by a vote of 4-1 let the contract for the project to contractor A. At that point contractor B sued the city.
Bill Crawford
The court decided that the contract let to contactor A by the City Council was flawed. Thus, the project was delayed for a year. Contractor B was awarded the project contract and completed the project.
The reason for the messy delay and the city’s loss in court is clear. The city attorney in great haste advised the City Council to let the contract to contractor A. Thus, the 4-1 vote. After the court’s decision, the City Council questioned the city attorney about why he advised the council as he did. In a moment of candor, he said he had been pressured by members of the council to hurry up, rush to let the contract and he gave in to the pressure. As for Mr. Marino, he supported letting the contract to contractor A.
I have no idea what the court case cost the city in dollars. In the beginning, I voted with the majority on the 4-1 decision. I felt, after listening to the city attorney’s confession that I had been duped, made a fool. Just why Mayor Fortier would open up this can of worms, I have no idea. But she did.
Bill Crawford, South Lake Tahoe
Par for the course for this city. Literally, one blunder after another.
Now finding its way to yet another, the loop road misadventure.
Really, who cares. We need to find
Grandpa Bill a hobby. I think that you
must be hungary for news to keep printing
his letters. The people spoke that is why he is no longer in public office
I for one like to hear from Bill. The only Honest Councilman we have had in many years.
Thank you Bill
That city attorney – Enright – should have been fired a long time ago. Does he have Council by a string or something? Why is he still there? He should be out chasing ambulance drivers.
steve : the proposed loop road is not a city project, fortunately. by the way, i think it’s probably the key to the future of a prosperous south lake tahoe.
Gosh Bill, thanks for your share. While Mayor Fortier may have opened what you consider a “can of worms” by her guileless remark in an attempt to praise Marino, you successfully scooped out the entire can in public. I don’t recall Enright’s comment ever being said in an open session of a City Council meeting that “he had been pressured by members of the council to hurry up, rush to let the contract and he gave in to the pressure”, so I guess you’re violating the Brown Act again by sharing Closed Session information.
Fortier’s comment that Marino had dealt with two contentious Councils was nothing more than a simple, off the cuff remark. I think the words of Lee Marvin in “The Dirty Dozen” are applicable in this circumstance: “You’re really quite emotional”.
PS: What SLT City Council isn’t/hasn’t been contentious?
Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Crawford was voted in as a council member two times and he never lost an election for a city council seat. Check facts before you comment.
I appreciate her remarks at the ceremony as well as Kathay Lovell’s and everyone else’s. We know its very hard to get something done in our area with all of the agencies that need to be involved, paperwork, planning, etc. It took a lot of determination and passion. I did notice there was quite a cheer from the city group when Jim’s name was mentioned.
Good job, thank you everyone that helped to get it done. There will always be complainers and nay-sayers but we can be proud of our little corner and I hope that the rest of the project on the other side of the highway gets to be completed soon.
What would it take to get an initiative on the ballot to dissolve the city? I think the county could do a better job.
As bad as the city and the TRPA are, I would rather try to deal with them than El Dorado County.
Now that the City/Council has their trophy park they can get back to business.
They need to look at the long term and make the decision as whether to file chapter 9 BK or not.
Curious, what has the country ever done for us? You really want the fate of SLT in a group of Placerville based politicians? It would be in their best interests to drive all business to Red Hawk and completely destroy our fragile economy. If our casinos disappear about 10,000 people would be out of work. Then you would really see some empty stores and families leaving. Real estate would plummet and our community would be non-existent except for retirees.
thought i remembered a previous article about the subject. searched “enright pressure” and came up with this: https://www.laketahoenews.net/2010/11/admission-of-pressure-in-lakeview-commons-debaccle/