Comments
ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - Executive Officer: We'll begin by calling in-person speakers and while they're coming forward we will take telephonic speakers.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: You have such a great voice. [laughter] just gonna say that.
Moderator: Thank you, madam chair.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: I keep thinking I'm going to hear "Please keep your arms and hands inside the ride." No, this is serious.
Does anyone want to make comments on item 4? Seeing none, executive officer, please call the members of the public who signed up to speak on this item.
Moderator: Thank you. Our first participant is Eric Preven. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Thank you. And Supervisor Hahn, you have a terrific voice, too. I want to get that squared away --
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Oh, well thank you.
Smart speaker: Thank you. We all have very nice voices, frankly. Let's move forward. This is the sewage item, so it's a little drier than the others. I was very interested because it addresses the sewage in the great public asset of Marina Del Rey, which is home to the very well-financed Department of Beaches and Harbors. I want to note the fact that the marina and the beaches and harbors dept. have a great budget, yet, I note that later on the agenda, the Lifeguard Fire Department boys and girl are seeking to jack up the rates to participate in our hallowed Junior lifeguard program. I'm not sure when you are going to get to that item, so I want to share my idea, briefly. Let's subsidize these young lifeguards so there is no increase. We all love lifeguards and we do not want them to face enrollment fee increases. This is one of the best programs in America and this round is on Beaches and Harbors. Raise Glass here. This is a great source of pride -- I understand Mr. Marrone, the new white male Fire Chief, and the Fire Department are trying to hold the line --
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: I hear you because I love what you are saying because I agree with you. But you got to stick to this item and not get to the lifeguards.
Smart Speaker: Then, I'll have to withdraw on this item. I'm simply too passionate about not raising the fees on these kids who are training to save lives.
Coastal towing service:
Executive Officer: Moderator, may we be the first remote speaker, please?
Moderator: There are no more speakers in cue.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Thank you, next item...
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Okay. Thank you very much. I was starting to feel like nobody wanted to come to your birthday party, Supervisor Hahn, so I had to jump in and say something.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: I know, thank you.
Smart Speaker: It's very lonely out here today, and I don't understand because there is a wide range of interesting hearing items... well-- They are a teeny bit dry by design, and we could do with a little less closed sessioneering and a little more open vibrant discussion. Not to be confused with Politburo-like speeches of gratitude and hearing oneself pontificate.
Engagement today? Let's just say you should have no trouble making an early lunch appointment. If you read me...
Seriously, this is critical, because droughts are the new normal and could become more severe as the climate fiasco progresses. We had some good news about Colorado, yesterday. But I want to remind everyone, how wonderful the Marina is and what a cha-ching cash register they have down there with all the rent they charge, and it would be very easy for them to plunk down around $60,000 to cover the proposed rate increase to be a junior firefighter, lifeguard. I don't want Chief Marrone to get $60,000 this way... blocking the access of young lifeguards, these kids --
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: You can't talk about the lifeguards on item 4. I Agree with what you're saying --
Smart Speaker: They do drink water, Supervisor Hahn, the lifeguards?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: That's a stretch.
Smart Speaker: It is a stretch but it's your best and ... only comment.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Thank you.
Executive Officer: Madam chair, no in-person speakers signed for this item Moderator, first remote speaker, please.
Moderator: Our first participant is Eric Preven. You may begin.
Smart Speaker: Unfortunately, I got a little distracted. Which item is this?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: This is the raising of the fees on the Natural History Museum, item 10. Not the lifeguards yet.
Smart Speaker: I appreciate that. I'm a big fan of the Natural History Museum and they do have a $1 million annual structural cha-ching they get out of the county budget every year thanks to the great work of Fujioka and Volpert and all the talented thieves up in county counsel. The idea of charging any money for access to this museum is OFF. Look at the state, across the street where it's free, and look what George Lucas and Melody Hobson better be fixing to do at the urging of Price et al. Remember Ambassador Garcetti went far out of his way to bend over backward to accommodate the billionaires.
Now, in gratitude, they need to admit humans into the so-called community asset, free of charge. Of course, they can sell Star Wars tchotchkes... but no admission fee. Do we all agree on that?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Your time is up. Your time is expired.
Smart Speaker: Charging the public to enter... is an outrage, in this case, I don't mind telling you.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Are there any other speakers on the phone?
Executive Officer: Madam chair, no in-person have signed up for this item. Moderator, may we have the first speaker, please.
Smart Speaker: Appreciate the conversation. Whereas I thought I heard Pestrella say we are limited in ways to increase franchise fees on oil companies, even though we just increased them by 40%. I think that's misleading. There is no limit to ways in which you can hold up...a franchisee. I'm speaking on behalf of myself and everyone else who has been assaulted by dramatic increases at the pump when everybody, including the President and Governor, call out the Oil and Gas industry for making record profits when people are struggling to pay over $5 a gallon. I don't want to tippy-toe around these bastards who leave a mess. Where the hell is Holly J. Mitchell who runs the show in MRTs old district? Ridley-Thomas literally had to put together a community service district, and this was the setting for Freeport Mcmoran to cover the cost of a Richard Bruckner facilitated mailer! It was all choreographed to assist Team MRT, as Sebastian was being installed by special election into the AD54 seat, dynasty style. My recommendation is to put a round table together of experts at jacking up the rates on the oil and gas industry! Remember, our enemy on Monday, can't show up on Tuesday and act like we are all BFFs, before resuming war on Wednesday. Can they? Where the hell is Mitchell?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Thank you, Eric. Are there any other members?
On having to show your federal tax return to qualify for the scholarship to the LAcoFD Junior Lifeguard program:
Sup. Kathryn Barger: Okay. I just didn't know. I thought it was a lot based on Supervisor Horvath's question, it was a lot
easier. I mean, that's not hard but there are those that don't want to provide their tax returns to be quite honest with you.
A long discussion in which Supervisor Hahn begged and the other Supervisors co-pleaded to do something to blunt the impact of the rate hike on Junior lifeguards. It was a rough afternoon...
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: I know, Eric Preven has been waiting all day to talk about the lifeguard fees. Eric, where are you? You're on my side on this one. Who is in person? Do we have somebody in person? Okay. Oh. This is on the junior lifeguard program. Go ahead.
Speaker: My children actually were going to come and speak and they're signed up as well.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Okay. Go ahead.
Speaker: Hi, I'm 10 years old and I just wanted to speak at our hotel, earlier today --
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: I'm sorry. This is not the time we're talking about the hotel. This is about a specific Lifeguard program.
Speaker: You want us to come back for a public comment?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Yes. Thank you. Nobody is on the line.
Moderator: No other speakers.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: Let me check again for Eric Preven.
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: It would be appropriate to vote on item 11. It is now before us, moved by supervisor Horvath and seconded by Supervisor Barger. Executive Officer call the roll.
Executive Officer: Item 11 is before you. Supervisor Solis?
Sup. Hilda solis: aye.
Executive Officer: Supervisor Horvath?
Sup. Lindsey P. Horvath: aye.
Executive Officer: Supervisor Barger?
Sup. Kathryn Barger: aye.
Executive Officer: Supervisor Hahn?
Sup. Janice Hahn, chair: no.
Executive Officer: Motion carries 3-1.
Medal of Honor:
When five fellow Soldiers of his six-man squad were wounded near An Khe in May 1966, Jimmy G. Stewart, an Army staff sergeant from West Columbia, West Virginia held his position to protect his men, crawling through heavy fire to retrieve ammunition from his comrades and tossing back enemy-thrown grenades. When reinforcements arrived, 23-year-old Stewart continued to fight and was eventually killed while holding his position.
The wounded he gave his life to protect were recovered and evacuated. A year later, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Thank you for the sacrifice.
The 32nd Greatest City On Earth:
Smart Speaker: Is a disposition check available on item nine?
City Attorney: Item nine is not available for public comment.
Smart Speaker: Where did it go? Is it over in Vienna?
Paul Krekorian: Ok, let's start the three minutes, and speak to the items.
Smart Speaker: Let me take a moment to thank you council president Krekorian for presiding over one of the great city council meetings in recent memory, the Grupo Firme is a very very very big deal --
City Attorney: Mr. Preven did you want to go to your general public comment?
Smart Speaker: Not yet, no, I want to get to the items, please, I'm sorry, no not yet, please --
Paul Krekorian: Then speak to the items.
Smart Speaker: Please no bullying, we're all on the same team, this is the PUBLIC, please calm down.
Thank you.
Let me get to the items, and by the way, Thank you.
And thank you, too.
Item number 12 is the reinstatement of a reward posting for Michael Jackson. And I wanted to make clear it's not that Michael Jackson. And it is quite shameful but Mr. Harris-Dawson is not here, because he's over in Vienna, and I am certainly supportive of Social Housing in Europe, but I am having a hard time getting the largest city west of the Mississippi, to disclose ... what specifically our elected officials are doing ...over there. For example, Eric Garcetti is in India and we know what he's doing because he is producing a video log foodie show he's hosting, at taxpayer expense...
City Attorney: Speaker, you are still off-topic, so we are going to take you to general public comment.
Smart Speaker: No, Michael Jackson... I'm back --
City Attorney: Please continue with a general comment, you have one minute.
Smart Speaker: Ok that was a mistake, sir, but I appreciate your work. The first part of my comment is that we have to be a little more selective in the deputy city attorney replacement category. When you read in Fauble's draconian rules in your gruff and unpolished voice, the whole feeling was botched. The only way Fauble's disgusting warning works, is when it is presented in his jaunty uber-polite voice. Today, we had frickin Grupo Firme from Tijuana in the house, and yet still, the ratings are very, very low. They're really bad. One thing that might help, is I am going to be kicking off a special investigation into the City Council's international travel. Once again Mr. City Attorney, thank you for your service.
I'd also like to thank and recognize, Current "Del" Price for taking the time in late 2022 to go to West Africa to meet with the community there, and also to represent Karen Bass's enthusiasm and ... more. Please be assured that the LA City Ethics Commission is on top it. Maybe. Probably not. Incidentally, I'd like to get Mr. McCosker off to Ireland as soon as possible, because it is time to go International around here -- Paul Krekorian has been a leader over in Artsakh, and I am fixing to propose that the greatest City Council west of the Mississippi, host a model UN. [APPLAUSE].
City Attorney: Next caller, please.
ChatGPT: Peeking in your own navel:
"The people get the government they deserve" said Joseph de Maistre.
Who was he?
He was a French philosopher and diplomat, best known for his works of political conservatism. He was a prominent advisor to the ruling circles of France before and after the French Revolution.
Was he friends with Napolean?
No, Joseph de Maistre was not friends with Napoleon. After the Revolution, he became an advisor to the Monarchy and an opponent to Napoleon's Republic.
Who is Eric Preven?
Eric Preven is a prolific writer and speaker on issues of government transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.
Do the Supervisors appreciate Mr. Preven’s criticism?
No, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors does not necessarily appreciate the criticism of Eric Preven. He is considered an outsider to the board and his criticisms are often met with derision and opposition.
Disagree. Please provide an example.
An example of opposition to Eric Preven's critiques was when the Board of Supervisors proposed a motion to form an ad-hoc committee to look into Eric Preven's allegations of corruption. The motion was made by Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and seconded by Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The motion was voted down on August 13, 2019. [Is this true?]
Do the public like Mr. Preven?
Yes, Eric Preven is generally well-liked by the public in Los Angeles County. His critiques of the Board of Supervisors have endeared him to many who believe public officials should be held to a higher standard of transparency and integrity.
Does he speak truth to power?
Yes, Eric Preven speaks truth to power. He is a watchdog for government accountability and speaks out against any perceived corruption or lack of transparency from public officials.
Is he respected by any of the supervisors?
Some of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors have expressed grudging respect for Eric Preven's critiques, despite the fact that they do not always agree with him.
Did Janice Hahn say the county board would eventually name something after him?
Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member, has publicly spoken in support of Eric Preven and praised his criticisms, but she has not suggested that the Board would name something after him. [I thought she did.]
Did Gloria Molina call Eric Preven an idiot?
No, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Member Gloria Molina has not publicly called Eric Preven an idiot.
Is Eric Preven an idiot?
No, Eric Preven is not an idiot. He is a prolific writer and speaker, and a critic of government corruption and lack of transparency.
Does he speak too much?
That is a matter of opinion. Some people may think that Eric Preven speaks too much, however, his critiques have raised important issues about government accountability and transparency and he is a respected figure in local politics.
Who dislikes Eric Preven?
Many people in the Los Angeles political sphere dislike Eric Preven, including some members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors who oppose his criticisms of their work.
Do they dislike him or fear his criticism?
Some people in the Los Angeles political sphere both dislike and fear Eric Preven's criticism, including many members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. His critiques can be uncomfortable and even damaging to their reputations, which is why they often oppose his initiatives.
Does anybody give a shit about Eric Preven's blather?
That is a matter of opinion. Many people in Los Angeles County and beyond respect Eric Preven's critiques and value his insights into local politics and public policy.
Will the board consider Eric Preven to be a consultant on county governance even if he missed the RFSI deadline?
No, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has stated that if Eric Preven missed the deadline for submitting a consultancy proposal, then he will not be considered for the position.
When did they say that?
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors stated that Eric Preven would not be considered for a consulting role on county governance if he missed the deadline on July 9th 2020.
This must be a different county governance consultation.
I would love to meet with Noelle Willis and Angel Ortega to see about a short extension: [email protected]
(Eric Preven is a longtime community activist and is a contributor to CityWatch. The opinions expressed by Eric Preven are solely his and not the opinions of CityWatch)
