Hemet Guardian

guardian, gatekeeper, defender, sentinel, watcher, observer, lookout, watchdog, hack, inland empire, community, Hemet, Menifee, Riverside, Perris, Temecula, East Hemet, public safety, news, local news, city council, fire, police, purblic works

  • HOMELESSNESS IN HEMET – HOW DID IT START?

    This is a reprint from the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle 12/22/2020

    Homelessness in Hemet started about ten years ago, locally, and it persists. It is not confined to Hemet. It’s a costly and ongoing problem with no end in sight for California and states nationwide.

    The homeless problem in Hemet began with the City Council, well over a decade ago. Back in 2010, when Chuck Washington (current Riverside County Supervisor) sat on the Temecula City Council, an attempt was made to bring the homeless “industry” to Temecula. After that attempt failed, Washington turned to Hemet and Perris. Temecula saw the writing on the wall and declined the opportunity.

    At that time, Lori Van Arsdale and Robin Lowe sat on the City Council. Once they realized how much grant money was available, along with hotel vouchers, they welcomed the homeless industry. Did they understand the consequences of initiating the influx of homeless? Hemet has never met a grant it didn’t like (in spite of any strings attached) and that is not confined to the 2010 council. It is an open door through which Hemet willingly walks whenever grant money becomes available. If you don’t believe It, waltz your way through Hemet City Council minutes over the years. No matter what anyone tells you, this is not “fake news”. Council minutes are available at the City of Hemet website.

    By law, every city has to address homelessness in their general plan. Years ago, in the Temecula general plan, it named the cities of Hemet and Perris as the providers for homeless outreach and centers. At this point in time, Temecula has its own problems with homelessness and takes a more sophisticated and cohesive approach to this ongoing problem. Homelessness has become a universal problem.

    Fast forward, the homeless receive vouchers for a limited number of days in a motel/hotel in the location of their choice, provided the hotel accepts such vouchers. When their stay expires, they stay in Hemet because the housing in Hemet is a lot less expensive!

    According to Alan Hogan of Hemet, “the homeless vouchers have been around for about 25 years.” He remembers issuing them to homeless in the 1980’s. “At one time, there were only two Hemet motels that honored the vouchers, Kens Motel and Triple K.”

    Conversely, respected Hemet activist and Executive Director at Valley Community Pantry disagrees. Jim Lineberger stated, “I have never agreed with the comment about the city getting paid for bringing in homeless. In fact, this gets shared all the time for the last nine years but no one can show me the proof”. Jim goes on to explain that it’s most likely the Community Development Block Grant that is doled out statewide. He explains that CDBG grant covers such projects as certain city improvements (like the handicap ramps on all corners and other projects). This grant is also used for certain non-profits who qualify.” In his closing comments, Lineberger explains, “the grant money can and is used for rental, utility and on a very small scale, motel vouchers. The grant is used for most anything that helps low income people and families and is assisted through an agency, not the city. Car-A-Vana is an agency who has been receiving this grant for a long time.” Finally, he admits, “thankfully, the pantry has been receiving this grant for over 15 years. The city cannot use this money themselves to put homeless in motels. It has to be done through an organization.” Jim declares that he may be wrong and is open to seeing verification of the above described homeless situation in Hemet.

    Retired math teacher and lifetime Hemet resident Judy McPherson replies, “the acceleration of homelessness in our community is correct. There were two elected officials on our council at the time, and Chuck Washington was on the Temecula City Council. He tried to place a resident program in Temecula, less than one block west of the historic downtown area. Temecula resoundingly shut his idea down, forcing the alternative, resulting in a search of a community willing to ‘help out’. Facts are facts. This happened about ten years ago”.

    McPherson goes on to recall the history of Valley Restart back in the early 1980’s…started by ”a very nice man (fellow math teacher at Hemet High) and his wife (fellow math instructor at Mount San Jacinto College). These are fond memories of well-intentioned people who no longer live in Hemet.” What a legacy!

    That’s the long and short of homelessness in Hemet.

    ,

  • CHURCH vs. CITY OF HEMET

    This blog is a mix of fact and opinion. The facts speak for themselves and are referenced as such. Opinions are expressed as opinions. 

    On Tuesday, August 8th, 2023, Fred Bergloff of First Christian Church located at 200 E. Acacia Avenue, described in detail, the harassment imposed by Hemet Fire Department.  Hemet Fire has suffered under the poor leadership of current Fire Chief Eddie Sell for months.  This was truly an example of gall and inept behavior of a clueless department. 

    A little history here.  I’m using bullets to emphasize the number of things that transpired as a direct result of bad decisions, one after another.

    • Back in late 2022, Community Development Director, H.P. Kang was “released” from duty.  Kang was a disaster, in terms of community development and planning (that is a fact and not an opinion). 
    • He was not only an utter failure, but he played fast and loose with the city of Hemet, engaging in some nefarious activity that benefited developers and not the city of Hemet (that is a fact and not an opinion). 
    • In an effort to “streamline” some of Community Development’s work load, Building and Safety, Code Enforcement was moved over to Hemet Fire Department, under the new name of Hemet Fire and Safety Agency (parenthesis are used to show my doubt about intentions). 
    • Among other things, HFD took over the previously mishandled Code Enforcement duties.  This all took place November 15, 2022.  
    • This move resulted in a colossal mess on the part of Hemet Fire.  
    • Fire employees were neither prepared or trained to take on the additional duties. 
    • The fire department conveniently managed to also take over part of the Community Development budget.  Previously, code enforcement and permits were an extremely cumbersome process and often left customers frustrated and, in some cases, very angry.  It seemed no one knew how to do their job.   
    • To add to this, some developers decided to take their business elsewhere.  In my opinion, the City Manager has been equally inept at handling this mess. 

    Back to the complete analyses prepared by Bergloff, detailing how the fire department brazenly tried to exhort money from the church.  The long and short of it is, HFD tried intimidation tactics by telling the church elders they had to have a license or else.   

    I’m going to paraphrase Bergloff’s words, with his permission.  He did an exquisite job of explaining how HFD shone in incompetency. To highlight HFD’s errors and lack of ability, in subsequent city council meetings, after numerous complaints to city council members, Fire Chief Sell admitted to being behind the eight ball in terms of addressing permitting issues. It’s all video (You Tube). It is a matter of public record.

    Fire paid a visit to the church, advising them that the church did not have the required business licenses for churches.  Bergloff made a personal visit to the City of Hemet’s permit desk on Buena Vista Street, where he spoke with an unidentified female.   Bergloff went on to cite the Declaration of Independence preamble: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

    He further explained, the Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.  The 1st amendment states Congress0 shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    He went on to define the following terms: individual, man, business, license.  Bear in mind, churches are NOT businesses.  They are non-for-profit institutions, not in business to make a profit. His final comments “IF WE SUBMIT TO BEING A “BUSINESS” THEN WE ARE SUBJECT TO BUSINESS LAWS OF THE FEDERAL, GOVERNMENT, STATE AND LOCAL!”

    We (First Christian Church) are a church (assembly) of the persons who have inalienable rights recognized by Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment   According to the Hemet municipal code:

    Sec 18-45 (a) It is unlawful for any person to transact and carry on any business, trade, profession, calling or occupation in the city without first having procured a license from the city to do so and paying the fee prescribed in this article.  Actually, what the code says is churches are not required to PAY for a business license.      

    What’s the point?  The point is, Hemet Fire Employees don’t know the municipal code they are tasked to protect.  

    If you recall, several months back, I presented a blog “Liar Liar, Pants on Fire” detailing the ineptness of the fire department and its “leadership”

    The good news is, the planning department is hiring for that department (Community Development).  It is my hope that the city acquires some experienced and professional planners and other personnel and returns Code Enforcement and otter Community Development tasks to their rightful place in the scheme of things. 

    I wouldn’t hold my breath though.  Hemet has a history of hiring the least competent or effective people, usually at the lowest possible rate of pay, particularly when it comes to management.  It is truly a wonder how H.P. Kang lasted as long as he did.  Of course, we continue to have equally inept managers and directors. 

    As an aside, one of the things former Interim City Manager and Hemet Police Chief did,  that we should alll be forever grateful for, was to dispossess our former Finance Director, Lorena Rocha and H.P Kang.  I would be taking hard look at the Personnel Department and their criteria for hiring.  Well, actually, we should be concerned about the fact that our relatively new City Manager has now ordained himself as the chief hiring executive.   I’ll be doing a blog on the City Manager and how he actually came to Hemet.  That is a study in nepotism. 

    Thank you Mr. Befgloff for standing up to the Hemet Fire Department and to the City of Hemet.  We need more citizens like you!

    **if you would like to listen to the video recording of Mr. Bergloff explaining his comments, you may visit You Tube at this address:  City Council Meeting 8/8/2023 – YouTube

  • CITY OF HEMET – City Council Meeting 01/09/24 – Consolidated Agenda-Notes-Minutes

    https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:98015b48-11d8-445a-89f4-9b514db7a6b7

    I have not included any of the Staff Reports and I have not included any of the committee reports. This is a general recap of the Council Meeting. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contcact me at: karpdiem1@karpdiem1

  • Hemet City Council 09/26/2023

    Here is the agenda with notes. All I can say is, there was an inordinate amount of discussion regarding the possible audit of Measure U. I think most people actually forget or perhaps are not aware of how Measure came about (including the city manager),   See the PDF link at the bottom of this page)

    Here’s a refresher. Back in 2015-2016, a group of folks, including many members of the Hemet San Jacinto Action Group, put forth Measure E. Actually, it was the Unions that put it forth & the Action Group supported it. Had that measure passed, we would not be having this war of words on how Measure U money is being spent. Because it was a specific tax, it needed a 2/3 vote. Measure E FAILED. The unions did not give up. They came up with Measure U – a GENERAL tax, and through word manipulation & fear tactics, it passed. It did not need a 2/3 vote. The voters literally got suckered.

    Nowadays, you almost have to be a lawyer in order to be an effective city council person. The staff reports can be somewhat confusing & there ARE errors in some of the information. If you are not diligent, you can miss that & that my friends, is how ***** gets through.

    I’d like to thank Jackie Peterson for standing her ground in WHY it was necessary for an audit. Hemet resident Pat Gregory has been at the forefront of this “revolution” of sorts & I applaud her as well.

    While the new Finance Director is a CPA & very knowledgeable & experienced, she is also a wizard at parsing words. She is almost believable. She dotted all the legal i’s & t’s.

    I’m disappointed in Mayor Males for not seeming to care what the voters really want to know. We definitely do not want to piss money away, but Joe, the public WANTS & DEMANDS transparency. I know Joe truly does care. But he hates conflict. It’s a God thing & I get that. I hate it too. Sorry Joe, I hate to pick on you, but on this one – I disagree

    HOWEVER, all that being said, this is a matter of public trust. If you have read all the negative comments about our city council that I have read on multiple platforms including Facebook, Next-door & God only know how many others, you might take a different view on the Measure U debacle.

    In closing, one more time, Measure H was foisted on the public. The unions (primarily fire) used serious fear tactics to get the public to yield. I doubt the public will ever trust anyone again.                                

    By the way, I noticed the conspicuous absence of Fire Chief Sell. This is the 2nd meeting he has missed. No, he’ll be absent when there’s dirty work to be done. Rumor has it that Sell is looking for a job. I hope he finds one. He is so busy running around doing anything but city business, you’d wonder why the city is even paying him. Check out his Linked in page. What a laugh.

    https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:9986846a-8414-3d1f-844e-70639475f72c

  • News Unfit for Social Media

    I was going to post this on social media, but since some of the more well-known sites are deleting and censoring posts going back several years, I have decided to post it this way. This is time-sensitive information.

    Jacob Greene & Associates said they were supposed to have 10 candidates for Community Development Director. This is an outside head hunter. They sent ONE person. Someone is lying.

    Jacob Greene & Associates were used to bring in the following:
    — city manager (Mark Prestwich)
    — finance director (Tori Roberts)
    — community development (Monique Alanz-Flejper) Monique is currently a senior planner who works for the City of Hemet. Why the hell is Jacob Greene & Associates being paid $22,00+ to introduce an existing employee? Smell a rat? If you think we had an incompetent Community Development Director (HP Kang) previously, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

    I want to know why the City Manager is using Jacob Green & Associates when Monique whatever her name is is in house? Is that bullshit? City Manager, you think you’re slick, but you’re not. I’m about to do a Freedom of Information request on the number of applicants Greene was supposed to bring you on some of those open positions & how many they actually sent you. That really stinks, big time. Someone better have an answer.

    Just a thought here folks —- maybe city council needs to renegotiate the terms of the City Manager’s contract? Like, maybe City Council needs to have some input in WHO is hired and by WHOM. Someone should have a conversation about that. PEOPLE ARE TALKING & PEOPLE ARE WATCHING.

    Why the hell isn’t the city going after Simon Chu (Choo Choo) & what’s up & what’s up with Code Enforcement? Huh? Maybe that’s where some of this Chu crap started?

    Lest we forget…..the corrupt Fire Chief (Eddie Sell) — what’s up with that investigation? Sell is all over Linkedin self-promoting a person of questionable repute that he wants to bring to Hemet as a contractor. More on that later. City manager, you & I had a discussion about that. Did you investigate?

    By the way, Sell had his credit card privileges taken away from him; then the city restored the privileges, then they revoked them again. I’m in the process of obtaining credit card statements for the entire fiscal year 2022-2023. Let’s see what that yields.

    Interim Life Safety director Pete Goodrich? I don’t think he has any relation to Dan Goodrich, but it sure feels suspicious. I may wind up eating my words on this particular item. Sell has a history of associating with nefarious characters. I don’t want to cast aspersion on anyone needlessly. Just saying.

    ,

  • WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A CITY COUNCIL PERSON?

    There is a separate document describing the kinds of skills one would need in order to be an effective city council member. This is based on my personal experience as an advocate and on an Indeed dot com article. A link is at the bottom of the word document. I agree with all of it. However, there are some things that were not mentioned & that you won’t be told about. Read this if you dare  This is long but interesting.

    1. You MUST have a desire to serve

    2. You must be committed

    3. Integrity & the courage of your convictions

    4. You have to have good communication skills

    5. Good time management skills

    6. You have to have a very high frustration level

    7. Can’t take things personally

    8. Good social skills

    9. You have to like driving or living in your car (part time anyway)

    10. Know how to read a financial statement

    11. Have leadership skills (public speaking background is good)

    12. You don’t have to be former military, but it looks good on the resume’.

    13. If you have anything in your background that could come back to bite you, like a DUI, stuff like that, you might want to think twice (even if you are a born-again Christian). Bankruptcy is a real no-no. It will be used against you in an election, I promise you.

    If you are married & your relationship isn’t doing too well, this will probably be the tipping point. You get to interact with all kinds of people. There are all kinds of temptations, seriously, for money, sex, perceived power! If you have a propensity to over do life & you have trouble controlling your impulses, this probably is not a good place for you because when you become a public figure, you will be seen and you will ultimately be caught. I promise you. On the other hand, if you’re a really social person, you’ll love this job.

    One of the requirements of a Hemet council person is you have lots of outside commissions you need to participate in. That means lots of driving, lots of time away from home. If you don’t believe me, ask a former city council member (or a current one). You get to eat a lot of junk food, outside food, etc. You get to meet a lot of people, some are worth knowing, others? Negligible. Everyone you meet has a place in the grand scheme of things (if you’re opportunistic). Oh, you do get reimbursed for some of your expenses. That is kind of a murky area. Some prior council members really took advantage of the credit card issued to them (yes, the city issues you credit card with a stated line of credit). So don’t get carried away with yourself. You will be caught if you do 😊

    If you aren’t the communicative type, this is probably not a good match. Oh – did I say, really important, you have to be able to THINK ON YOUR FEET? Guaranteed there is someone on the council that will out think you & out maneuver you. We have plenty of evidence of that, past & present.

    How are your comprehension skills? Start reading the council agendas & the staff reports. They’re written by staff (& approved by the city manager). You’ll begin to notice how vague some of the information is. Staff wants to protect “their turf”.

    Since you’ll be in your car a lot, attending a lot of public functions, you won’t have enough time to really read the agenda. You’ll have to take the word of the city manager (who you’ll meet with before the actual meeting). If you know how to scan a document & have experience doing it, you may get to make decent decisions about what’s on the agenda. It’s helpful if you know how to debate during a council meeting. You really do need to out think the opposition (when there is opposition) But you have to be to the point & quick. There tends to be some “hostage taking”. You don’t want to be part of that. Don’t trust ANYONE. If you are voted onto city council, don’t expect to make friends.

    Incidentally, if you are elected by the council to be mayor, you don’t get to do any thing you want to do. You have to be super aware of municipal code. If a constituent calls you for help with something, you’d better check the code before being Johnny on the spot with a n answer. No, you don’t have to be a lawyer, thankfully. But don’t count on the city attorney to help you out. He’s looking out for the city, not you. If you have a problem with something, your constituents will be all over you. You have to be aware of what your constituents want from you & you have to have someone along side of you (a secretary maybe? An unpaid assistant) that has YOUR best interests at heart so you can put the issue in terms that make sense to the voter, not just you. You will not like every vote you take but you’ll learn to swallow your pride & do the right thing. Give & take is a big part of politics. Council is non-partisan but make no mistake, it’s political.

    While I’m at it, let’s talk about city staff. You’re allowed to ask questions. Bear in mind, you may get “slanted” answers. If you are aggressive with staff, they won’t like you & you’ll have a tough time getting what you want or need. You don’t have to like the people you interact with, but if you’re on council, you’d better learn how to get along. Former council woman Karlee Meyer had one heck of a time in her early days. Too bad she’s not here to explain. It didn’t come easy for her. I don’t want to mention current council members, but if you want to “play ball” you have to “play ball”. Know what I mean?

    Timing is everything. One major flaw in the current system is how quickly the agenda comes out. If you have a meeting on a Tuesday but don’t get enough time to read it, you are at a real disadvantage. The current city manager decided the agenda should post online on the Wednesday prior to the next meeting. That has not worked out. If you don’t get an agenda in a timely manner, it’s impossible to read hundreds of pages in staff report & making an intelligent decision about how to vote.

    I’m just a little ole’ advocate, not a council person, not an elected official & I’m old. So why do I do this? Hemet will never again be what it once was. It has change immeasurably in the past decades. I don’t appreciate it when some know it all who inherited all their assets from mommy or daddy or has a bachelor’s degree thinks they’re smarter than I am. Even if you’ve lived here your entire life, you still don’t know it all. I’m sure there are many people who are smarter than I am. I do what I do because I’d truly like to see the right kind of growth in Hemet/San Jacinto. I’m not looking for a legacy & I don’t get paid to do what I do. I spend a lot f time on what some-times turns out to be unproductive. So, if you don’t agree with my opinions or with the facts, take it to the city council, not me.

    This is not meant to be funny. Being a public servant is not funny. It is a ton of work for very little pay. That’s where the “temptations” come in). Talk to a current and/or a past council person. If you are elected to city council, your life as you currently know it, will suddenly change, so you’d better be prepared.

    I hope anyone reading this has learned something. If I left something out, feel free to add in the comments. Job descriptions are all over the city website (most the time). If you can’t find what you’re looking for, try contacting the City Clerk. They may be able to help.

    ,

  • WHAT DOES A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER DO?

    City council members work together to represent a town, city or borough similar to how Congress functions at the federal level. The duties of a city council member depend on the needs of the ware or district which they serve. Some responsibilities of a city council member include:

    • Introducing new laws for the city
    • Voting on legislation to decide whether motions become laws
    • Negotiating the city budget
    • Approving the city budget
    • Monitoring city agencies like the police force and public works departments to ensure they’re effectively serving their communities
    • Reviewing land usage within a city
    • Deciding how best to grow and develop city properties
    • Attending monthly or bi-weekly public city council meetings
    • Attending both private and public special city council sessions, like planning meetings
    • Taking public comments and questions at city council meetings
    • Interacting with news media to answer questions and provide comments for stories
    • Working as members of specialized council committees, such as parks and recreation, to oversee matters pertaining to that area of city life
    • Meeting with constituents and local business owners to discuss issues
    • Voting on the hiring and dismissal of city and government employees, such as police officers or community library staff
    • Writing grants to earn money or secure resources for city projects
    • Brainstorming and setting projects to use grant funding and resources
    • Setting the agenda for all city council meetings
    • Approving contracts and bids for city projects
    • Regulating land use by creating or modifying zoning laws
    • Representing the community and constituents during meetings and hearings with higher government officials, such as at the state or federal level
    • Establishing long- and short-term goals for the council and the city
    • Establishing tax rates for the city
    • Modifying the city’s charter, as necessary
    • Borrowing funds from other sources to meet city needs
    • Regulating public health and safety practices
    • Regulating business activity in the city, such as issuing licenses for new businesses
    • Coordinating city events like parades, fairs and festivals

    Related: How To Become a City Council Member in 4 Steps (With Skills)

    Skills for a city council member

    City council members use a variety of technical and interpersonal skills to do their jobs most effectively. Some important skills for a city council member include:

    • Knowledge of legislative procedures
    • Knowledge of city law and ordinances
    • Proficiency in business math, such as budgeting
    • Knowledge of public safety and emergency best practices
    • Public speaking abilities
    • Data analysis
    • Logical decision-making abilities
    • Verbal and written communication
    • Attentive listening abilities
    • Ability to work independently and collaboratively
    • Integrity
    • Organization
    • Persuasiveness
    • Negotiation abilities
    • Leadership
    • Hours
    • Being a city council member can be a full-time job in some locations and a part-time job in others. This often depends on the size of the city in which you serve. Larger municipalities such as New York City or Los Angeles have full-time city council members. They often work traditional business hours, but may also work nights and weekends to hold meetings or events that are open to the public.
    • Part-time city council members often have other full-time jobs during the day. They meet in the evenings and on weekends to discuss city matters. Part-time city council members may also make arrangements to meet with other city officials, constituents or business owners during their lunch hours to address time-sensitive matters.

    ·         Dress code

    • Most city council members dress in formal work attire. That means most acceptable outfits include suits, ties, blazers, professional blouses and skirts. Full-time city council members likely follow this dress code every day when they come to work at city hall. Part-time city council members may follow this dress code when attending council meetings and other city events.
    • Council members may dress casually or in business casual attire when attending certain city events not during traditional business hours. For example, if a city council member attended the town’s first little league game of the season, they would likely dress in casual clothes instead of formal work attire, despite representing the local government at the event.

    ** This information was taken from:  What Does a City Council Member Do? (With Skills) | Indeed.com

    In addition, doing a Google search:

    Here are a few common requirements for council members:

    • Be at least 18 years of age
    • Be a United States citizen
    • Be a resident of the city, state and district you’re running in
    • Be registered to vote in your city
    • Have a clean legal record
    • Have no conflicts of interest
    , , ,

  • CHURCH vs CITY OF HEMET

    This blog is a mix of fact and opinion. The facts speak for themselves and are referenced as such. Opinions are expressed as opinions. 

    On Tuesday, August 8th, 2023, Fred Bergloff of First Christian Church located at 200 E. Acacia Avenue, described in detail, the harassment imposed by Hemet Fire Department.  Hemet Fire has suffered under the poor leadership of current Fire Chief Eddie Sell for months.  This was truly an example of gall and inept behavior of a clueless department. 

    A little history here.  I’m using bullets to emphasize the number of things that transpired as a direct result of bad decisions, one after another.

    • Back in late 2022, Community Development Director, H.P. Kang was “released” from duty.  Kang was a disaster, in terms of community development and planning (that is a fact and not an opinion). 
    • He was not only an utter failure, but he played fast and loose with the city of Hemet, engaging in some nefarious activity that benefited developers and not the city of Hemet (that is a fact and not an opinion). 
    • In an effort to “streamline” some of Community Development’s work load, Building and Safety, Code Enforcement was moved over to Hemet Fire Department, under the new name of Hemet Fire and Safety Agency (parenthesis are used to show my doubt about intentions). 
    • Among other things, HFD took over the previously mishandled Code Enforcement duties.  This all took place November 15, 2022.  
    • This move resulted in a colossal mess on the part of Hemet Fire.  
    • Fire employees were neither prepared or trained to take on the additional duties. 
    • The fire department conveniently managed to also take over part of the Community Development budget.  Previously, code enforcement and permits were an extremely cumbersome process and often left customers frustrated and, in some cases, very angry.  It seemed no one knew how to do their job.   
    • To add to this, some developers decided to take their business elsewhere.  In my opinion, the City Manager has been equally inept at handling this mess. 

    Back to the complete analyses prepared by Bergloff, detailing how the fire department brazenly tried to exhort money from the church.  The long and short of it is, HFD tried intimidation tactics by telling the church elders they had to have a license or else.   

    I’m going to paraphrase Bergloff’s words, with his permission.  He did an exquisite job of explaining how HFD shone in incompetency. To highlight HFD’s errors and lack of ability, in subsequent city council meetings, after numerous complaints to city council members, Fire Chief Sell admitted to being behind the eight ball in terms of addressing permitting issues. It’s all video (You Tube). It is a matter of public record.

    Fire paid a visit to the church, advising them that the church did not have the required business licenses for churches.  Bergloff made a personal visit to the City of Hemet’s permit desk on Buena Vista Street, where he spoke with an unidentified female.   Bergloff went on to cite the Declaration of Independence preamble: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

    He further explained, the Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.  The 1st amendment states Congress0 shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    He went on to define the following terms: individual, man, business, license.  Bear in mind, churches are NOT businesses.  They are non-for-profit institutions, not in business to make a profit. His final comments “IF WE SUBMIT TO BEING A “BUSINESS” THEN WE ARE SUBJECT TO BUSINESS LAWS OF THE FEDERAL, GOVERNMENT, STATE AND LOCAL!”

    We (First Christian Church) are a church (assembly) of the persons who have inalienable rights recognized by Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment   According to the Hemet municipal code:

    Sec 18-45 (a) It is unlawful for any person to transact and carry on any business, trade, profession, calling or occupation in the city without first having procured a license from the city to do so and paying the fee prescribed in this article.  Actually, what the code says is churches are not required to PAY for a business license.      

    What’s the point?  The point is, Hemet Fire Employees don’t know the municipal code they are tasked to protect.  

    If you recall, several months back, I presented a blog “Liar Liar, Pants on Fire” detailing the ineptness of the fire department and its “leadership”

    The good news is, the planning department is hiring for that department (Community Development).  It is my hope that the city acquires some experienced and professional planners and other personnel and returns Code Enforcement and otter Community Development tasks to their rightful place in the scheme of things. 

    I wouldn’t hold my breath though.  Hemet has a history of hiring the least competent or effective people, usually at the lowest possible rate of pay, particularly when it comes to management.  It is truly a wonder how H.P. Kang lasted as long as he did.  Of course, we continue to have equally inept managers and directors. 

    As an aside, one of the things former Interim City Manager and Hemet Police Chief did,  that we should alll be forever grateful for, was to dispossess our former Finance Director, Lorena Rocha and H.P Kang.  I would be taking hard look at the Personnel Department and their criteria for hiring.  Well, actually, we should be concerned about the fact that our relatively new City Manager has now ordained himself as the chief hiring executive.   I’ll be doing a blog on the City Manager and how he actually came to Hemet.  That is a study in nepotism. 

    Thank you Mr. Befgloff for standing up to the Hemet Fire Department and to the City of Hemet.  We need more citizens like you!

    **if you would like to listen to the video recording of Mr. Bergloff explaining his comments, you may visit You Tube at this address:  City Council Meeting 8/8/2023 – YouTube

  • SHOTS FIRED IN HEMET DISTRICT 4 UPCOMING ELECTION (reprint)

    This is a reprint of a 10/20/2021 Facebook post. While this is an older post aimed at the upcoming election, I felt it was germane to the issue of the upcoming 2024 election.  The point is, KNOW WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR. 

    Every community has its “good old boys” network and Hemet is no different.  While the current names have changed somewhat, what has not changed is the way in which candidates are supported and dirt is cast about without regard to a person’s character.  A prime example of that is the 2016 city council election.  Hemet had a good candidate, Stacie Olson.  Her name was smeared and accusations were flung about without regard to Olson’s character.  Happily, Ms. Olson is still involved with the community and has done immeasurable good. 

    This is NOT an attempt to influence your vote in future elections.  This is also not an attempt to defame the memory of former Hemet councilwoman and Mayor Karlee Meyer.  She was a friend and I loved and respected her. It IS an attempt to show you HOW to do some background on the most attractive candidate out there (if Hemet is lucky enough to have an attractive candidate with admirable character.  That remains to be seen. 

    SHOTS FIRED IN HEMET DISTRICT 4 UPCOMING ELECTION

    I received the following letter from a concerned resident of the city of Hemet who felt social media would be an effective way to reach the public, they wish to remain anonymous. I will be faithful to that request. This introduction is meant to EDUCATE those of you unfamiliar with some of what’s happening at the local level. This is your opportunity to participate in the resurrection of Hemet government.

    ANNONYMOUS LETTER:

    Hemet District 4 Voters

    “It’s that crazy season of local politics again! District 4 is holding a special election in November for the empty seat on our City Council.

    I’m sure you’ve seen Mayor Karlee Meyer’s letter in your mailbox recently, in support of Candidate Joe Males…and also a negative rebuttal mailer from his opposition’s side (Kenneth Graff).

    I felt it necessary, after reading the oppositions mail piece, to address something I found a bit odd.

    When you read his mail piece, you first are able to determine that he is a personal friend of Marc Searl (Joe Males opposition). But the interesting thing is, out of the ENTIRE United States Marine Corps, AND the American Legion of Veterans, Kenneth Graff seems to know Joe Males better than ALL OF THEM!

    His letter implies that in ALL of Joe’s HONORABLE years served in the USMC, receiving high honors throughout his career, and his years served in leadership roles at the American Legion, that somehow NONE of them picked up on Joe’s “dishonest” character!

    And how long has Kenneth Graff known Joe Males in order to know him so well? Well, here’s your answer… he NEVER met him until he filed a law suit against him to try to remove him from his Council seat! Now keep in mind, Kenneth Graff is a friend of Mike Madrid, who LOST against Joe Males for that same City Council seat!

    The entire Marine Corps and American Legion believes, based on actual long-term facts and evidence, that Joe Males is a man of great honor and trustworthiness!

    Also, I heard the Hemet police officer’s association is supporting the opposition. Not a surprise. They also endorsed Councilman Russ Brown who’s been COMPLETELY INEFFECTIVE!

    You decide who to trust! I think it’s quite clear.

    Joe Males for City Council District 4″

    FURTHER COMMENTS BY POSTER:

    District Four residents have been flooded with fliers from Hemet Mayor Karlee Meyer and Seven Hills resident Ken Graff. We know who Mayor Meyer is, but who is this Ken Graff person? Graff is a local busy body acting as a mouthpiece for a group of people known as “the good old boys”. The good old boys are not only mischievous, they lack integrity and are dangerous to the community. They spread lies and innuendo about opposing candidates. They are a group that is richly funded to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars. They wait until the very last minute to really sling the mud (and report the sources of their funding to the Secretary of State. located at Cal-Access) web site) to disclose the very information that would make the public aware of the way they operate).

    Due to the threat of a law suit by naming names, I’ll simply refer you to two websites where you can familiarize yourselves with this group of people. Take a look at the websites of Western Science Center and Western Center Academy. The first thing I noticed was many of the same board members appeared on both web sites. Pay, pay close attention to some of those intimately involved with Hemet Unified School District. If you have not personally become acquainted with HUSD and you have children of school age, I urge you to attend some of their meetings. Go prepared to these meetings. You have a brief opportunity to speak, hopefully, you won’t be shut down. Don’t be bullied, just protect your rights.

    I’ve lived in the City of Hemet 11 years. I began attending council meetings and was overwhelmed by the amount of data unrelated to making good choices that I heard. Many current and past members are well liked by the general community and on the surface, they’re very likeable. Mostly, the city council is ineffective due to its composition. Two of the four members are governed by the desires of the “good old boys”. That’s not to say they don’t care about the city. The other two have a very personal stake in the decisions made by council. This upcoming election for the vacant seat is a very important one0 and will, if candidate Males emerges the winner, change the “balance of power” on city council.

    The good old boys are a group of people determined to hold on to whatever perceived power they have. Most communities have a “good old boys” network; Hemet is not unique.

    I’d never been interested or involved in city politics. With the loss of my beloved husband in 2016, I began attending city council meetings again. I went to work as an independent contractor, selling display advertising for what used to be The Valley Chronicle. One of the reasons The Valley Chronicle failed was due to the fact that The Chronicle began exposing the shenanigans of our public officials as well as some of the employees of the city. Guess who made calls to all the advertisers of the newspaper and threatened them? Yup, you got it — that same group of ‘good old boys”. I’d love to name names but it would become litigious.

    We’re beginning to witness the same dirty fighting and outright lies against one of the two District 4 candidates. I was personally threatened by a person who will remain unnamed when I began posting the TRUTH about candidate Searl. How effective was Marc Searl when he previously sat on city council? I’ve spent countless unpaid hours reading minutes of council meetings going back as far as 2007. I’ve read budgets. It’s mind-boggling. Marc Searl is part of the city’s failure to govern fairly.

    If you care about an even-handed city council who makes responsible decisions, you’ll start searching for the TRUTH. You’ll take an even-handed approach to your vote. Currently there are four members on the city council. What happens when an important vote comes up? You have NO ONE TO BREAK THE TIE. That is just one of the reasons nothing gets done (or nothing appears to get done).

    There is so much more to this story, way too much to put in a post.

    I’m attaching the two fliers that have been circulating. The Searl campaign is full of outright lies and inaccuracies. You have the right to request information from the City Clerk of Hemet (Freedom of Information Act). Mayor Meyer has the facts. I’m no one’s lacky and I’m not being paid to be a voice for anyone. I am merely a truth seeker.

    ,
    , , , , , , , , ,

  • How True is True?

    Posted to Facebook 07/03/2023

    “A picture tells a thousand words……July 4, 2022, Karlee Meyer, Dave Prieto & let’s see, other significant others — yes, I do miss Karlee, I truly do. She did so much in her early days & didn’t get a whole lot of help from anyone in the city. A year later, very little has changed. People are still keeping secrets or lying about what they are doing.” (photo taken from a public post on Facebook)

    I’ve have gotten some pushback on the photo I posted of Karlee. Meyer with “friends”.  Let me be clear; this post was not aimed at Karley Meyer.  It was aimed at fire union chief Dave Prieto.  Karlee was no saint, to be sure, but up until the time she was diagnosed with cancer, she did her very best for not just her constituents, but for Hemet citizens in general and in some cases, folks others outside of Hemet. She was a friend to many and a mother, wife, daughter. In short, she was loved by many.

    If you have not already done so, read my earlier blog “Liar Liar Pants on Fire” for a preview to this post.

    When she was diagnosed, she went through all the things that any of us who have been diagnosed with cancer go through.  I was diagnosed with lung cancer in March, 2016.  I believe that diagnosis pushed my husband to an earlier death than he would likely have gone through.  He was more fearful than I was.  In my mind, I was going to be OK.  In his mind, he was terrified; who would be there for him if I was gone?  I lost a parent when I was sixteen. I watched the ensuging chaos and pain play out after he died.

    I tried so hard to keep the door open between Karlee and myself.  She went back and forth with me.  It was aggravating and frustrating.  In her mind, I was “the enemy”, not so different than the way our current fire chief perceives me. I tell the truth and he immediately tries to dismantle it, that is, he and certain retired fire captains.

    I watched certain people take advantage of her state of mind. That is what I was pointing to.  It was like taking candy from a baby.  You attack a person when they are at their most vulnerable. 

    The union used Karlee to get Hemet’s former Fire Chief ousted.  That wasn’t enough for them though.  They literally had to destroy his reputation as a leader.  They didn’t like his style.  I heard all kinds of stories about former fire chief Scott Brown.  He wasn’t perfect either, but there is absolutely no comparison between former fire chief Scott Brown to our present fire chief, Eddie Sell.  At least Brown didn’t rob the city blind. To hear the current chief justify his unjustifiable behavior, he would tell the men he ostensibly led, “it’s all for you guys.” I call b.s. b.s.

    Don’t shoot me; I’m just the messenger.

    I do the things I do to try to make Hemet a better place to live.  I’ve watched mismanagement taking place in this city for years. Some of the problems were the result of really poor choices by city council members who did not understand what they were voting for or from employees with an agenda. I’m not sure any of it will ever be completely eradicated. 

    When you want to get to the bottom of things, you look under the carpet. In this case, you go directly to the City of Hemet website and make a request for Freedom of Information. There are laws about the time frame in which they must respond. If they do not respond within the allotted time period, you can take legal action. If you don’t believe that, the city of Moreno Valley lost a lawsuit because they refused to comply with the law. They paid some money for the error and their arrogance. They apparently didn’t learn from that experience. They are doing it all over again! Please, let’s not let Hemet be another Moreno Valley.

    Do yourselves a favor and attend some city council meetings. Learn how to read and decipher the agendas and staff report. Then the “news” you hear won’t come as a surprise to you.