Item 3 Additional Material posted 6-11-201 of 3June 16, 2020, Item #3M EMQRAN DLJ M City of Poway ADDITIONAL MATERIALS (Agenda Related Writings/Documents provided to City Council or Staff after distribution of the Agenda Packet for the June 16, 2020 Council Meeting) DATE: TO: FROM: CONTACT: SUBJECT: June 11, 2020 Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Faviola Medina, CMC ~ (858) 668-4535 or fmedina@poway.org Item #3 -November 3, 2020 General Municipal Election Attached please find correspondence received after the agenda posting deadline. Reviewed/Approved By: Wendy serman Assistant City Manager Reviewed By: Alan Fenstermacher City Attorney Approved By: City Manager
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
From: .Qty_Qm Ana Alarcon To:
Subject: Fwd: Public comments for 6/16 Agenda Item 3 Thursday, June 11, 2020 7:51:46 AM Date:
Additional materials
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From: Assi Friedman <assibsf@gmail.com> on behalf of Assi Friedman <assi@kiloxray.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 8:46:33 PM
To: City Clerk <cityclerk@poway.org>
Subject: Public comments for 6/16 Agenda Item 3
Attention City Clerk.
Attached is public comment for Agenda Item 3.
Thank you,
Assi
With respect to the general election to take place on 3 November 2020:
Last Thanksgiving holiday, a torrential storm hit San Diego County. Eighteen cities were
affected by the storm, however only one city's water system collapsed -yes, we are talking
about Poway.
In one fell swoop 50,000 residents became a third world nation. While standing in line for
water, Mayor Vaus was busy taking paparazzi action shots loading water flats into resident's
vehicles.
In the following weeks, the residents of Poway learned from the State of California that the
city's water system does not meet the minimum state requirements for potable water
systems. The residents of Poway also had to sort through confusing and conflicting
information released by the City of Poway and its leadership. The State's report made very
explicit assertions about the City's water system and misconduct during the crisis.
It has been almost five months since the water system collapse and we, the residents, have
heard nothing from the City Council, the Mayor, and City Staff about the complete and total
failure to provide a very basic city service.
Proper municipal governance is rooted in checks, balances, and transparency. Poway once
again demonstrates none of that. Such an epic municipal failure should have triggered a full
independent investigation that includes:
1)Investigation of root cause.2)Identification of the individuals and recommended disciplinary action.3)Recommend corrective action.
4)Recommend steps to prevent this from occurring in the future.
The results of this investigation should have been publically available for the community to
2 of 3 June 16, 2020, Item #3
review. Not providing a public report is a conduct that does not pass the smell test. Even
worst, this isn't the first time this occurred with our water system. A number of years ago, the
city's water department failed to bill Palomar Health for water used. The City quietly settled
the issue and passed the cost of approximately $SOOK to the tax payer. One would expect
such a severe failure to result in a full investigation, but no such thing took place. One
occurrence is a mishap; multiple mishaps establishes a pattern of mis-governance.
Mayor Vaus, you initiated the recall Rexford campaign based on her alleged actions and the
$4OOK it cost the tax payer in a confidential legal settlement. The two recent failures of the
City of Poway have already cost the tax payer $SOOK plus an untold amount of money from
the water system collapse. That all happened on your watch! What's good for the goose is
good for the gander. Take responsibility for your actions and resign; you claimed
Councilmember Rexford wasn't fit for office over $4OOK, clearly you aren't fit for office with
damages far surpassing her alleged shenanigans.
Following example from the Mayor, the rest of the council members should take personal
responsibility for falling asleep at the wheel of public service. The council should also resign
for lacking the integrity to step up to the plate and correct the confusing statements made
during the water crisis by the City. This failure was explicitly called out by the report released
by the State of California.
The motto the City Council likes to use is "we do things differently in Poway". We now know
that means that we have a City that runs amok with no checks, balances, or transparency. The
City Council continues to fail to represent the interests of the residents of Poway. We also
now know that the cozy relationship the City Council practices with City Staff results in the
latter deciding what and when things get done.
This is a reminder to City Council: we the people elected you to serve the public interest. It is
up to you to direct City Staff to work to meet the public interest, not the other way around.
All councilmembers should resign on the basis of gross incompetence, lack of integrity, and
complete failure to serve the community.
Assi Friedman
Poway, CA
3 of 3 June 16, 2020, Item #3