Monday, October 6, 2014

Lynn Morgan’s Buckhorn Community Plan Effort and Her Ideological Beliefs

In 2012, at the instance of former Upcountry Council chair Debbie Dunn, the then UCC chair Lynn Morgan leap frogged into designing the Buckhorn Town Center based upon our yet unadopted General Plan. Three UCC meetings were devoted to this project along with questionnaires, emails, etc. While many questionnaires were handed out, few people showed enough interest to actually attend the discussion meetings. But Lynn Morgan wanted to hire a consultant to format the survey data and without consulting with UCC or gaining their approval on the matter she hired one. While perhaps she held the naive notion that members would chip in, she ended up paying for the consultant herself. It certainly seems that her cause over-weighed other concerns. How she ran UCC clearly foreshadows her behavior in other potential offices.

The survey participants wanted a well organized community but were divided about whether the proposed design review committee should enforce a rustic or alpine style. They also had a wish list that favored and promoted certain businesses such as “natural wood products store(s)” rather than have the law of supply and demand prevail. Of course many of these enterprises, as desirable as they may be, would require government subsidy. This key element was left undiscussed. However, factors like those didn’t deter Lynn Morgan from presenting this Town Center Plan to Supervisor Ted Novelli and Planning Commissioner Denise Tober. But she never spoke to the Board of Supervisors about the Upcounty support for the Gravity Supply Line or for fixing the fire hydrants with their inadequate pipes.

I applaud her generosity for paying for the consultant and for her hard work. But this dedication also shows her adherence to a very specific political agenda. As UCC chair she avoided the wild & scenic issue. Perhaps afraid that the members would vote contrary to her liking, no wild & scenic petitions, pro or con, were circulated at UCC. But at the same time she inhibited support for the gravity supply line and favored the Fire Safe Council which refused to support the GSL.

She disallowed circulating a petition against the illegal fire tax because the petition heading denoted a political organization not to her liking. She also stonewalled UCC members’ requests to distribute materials objecting to the fire tax. Later she hemmed and hawed about informing fixed income seniors of their rights when their fire tax bills became due. Her website states: “While the state fire fee makes its way through the courts, push the state to spend the fees that have been collected in Amador County IN Amador County’.” She appears ignorant that the money has already been appropriated elsewhere or could be returned by court order. A firmer leader would oppose an illegal tax and realize that it is just the power of urban areas in the legislature, not in Upcountry’s interest and is a horrid precedent as well. Where is the LA earthquake tax, etc?

While it is common knowledge that Lynn Morgan supports impounded water discharges in drought years for white water rafter thrills and supports the wild & scenic designation for parts of the Mokelumne River, her website vaguely states: “Support continued recreation and increased tourism on the Mokelumne River.” But this statement could even mean the recreation and tourism opportunities of a new dam and lake. She also says: “Protect the county’s water rights and water resources for use by county residents.” What about future residents and businesses? Are we really clear on her position on wild & scenic position now? Other similar statements from her website are: “Direct economic development to town centers including...More retail services” and “Through the general plan update, focus development in towns and existing communities where infrastructure, services, and jobs are available.” This could sound like she supports the Dollar General store in Pine Grove, but we all know she does not.

Her website continues with: “Creating more opportunities for diverse citizen participation in the democratic process by valuing all opinions and points of view.” Anyone can speak at the general comment period before the Board of Supervisors, as I and many others have. There have been screaming matches and harsh words instigated by various vociferous individuals. In other jurisdictions, such behavior has led to arrest. But the Supervisors have always let everyone speak. Ms. Morgan’s words sound nice, but there is no problem to begin with.This is typical of most of her website statements.

Lynn Morgan’s glib positions are like one size fits all clothing which means it tries to fit everyone but in reality fits no one. While she says that she belongs to no “contingent” her belief system is clear. She is a member of the Foothill Conservancy that has a very specific agenda. Her record shows that she is more than willing to bend the rules for her beliefs. Is this what people really want?

I’m asking the undecided voters to ask Lynn Morgan for specific positions and hard answers to the nice, but essentially meaningless pronouncements on her website. Where does the money for the things she wants come from? What are the most pressing priorities for our county? Is turning Buckhorn into a smart growth, high density community that may replicate the European villages our ancestors chose to leave behind one of them?

It’s easy to see, for a newcomer or an outsider to political process, the present Board of Supervisors as “entrenched”. It’s easy to conclude that a fresh new face could be productive. But that is a superficial look. You undecided voters must dig deeper. Lynn Morgan represents an agenda against your self interest and that of our county. Our future depends on your decision.

2 comments:

  1. Mr Bennett has focused on the real question in the District 3 supervisor race. What is she dedicated too? We really know little unless you remember what she and her supporters have said and if you were able to observe or were told about her actions when she led the Upcountry Community Council.
    Over the last two weeks my home has received some interesting campaign mailers. Ted Novelli sent two small post cards that spelled out his and Morgan's actual positions or actions on issues. They weren't flashy, but they were to the point. We also received Lynn Morgan's 8 1/2 X 11, four page, glossy, full of pictures, warm and fuzzy, full of platitudes, etc. mailer. However, it was very short on specifics.
    The mailer's section on "Water" never mentions "Wild and Scenic" which is probably the most important issue when it comes to available water for Amador County's future. Morgan is on record of saying she supports it, but her big expensive mailer never mentions it. Then again in the same section Morgan uses a picture of a dam in highlighting the importance of water. Since when has Morgan's supporters ever agreed to support dams on a large scale. That photo is designed to act as a red herring by diverting the potential voter's attention away from the fact that Morgan wants to limit the county's future water supply. When it comes to water, the mailer doesn't mention that Morgan did not support the Gravity Supply Line, and she didn't support the county's efforts in obtaining grant money to improve Upcountry fire hydrants. This has been noted by Mr Bennett previously. She tries to blame the water agency for all water problems in the last ten years while conveniently failing to mention her supporters Condrashoff and Dunn, who when serving on the water board,did everything they could to prevent water improvements and growth.
    In her section "Public Safety" the issue of her lack of support for better fire hydrants, and the GSL isn't mentioned. Nor is her support for the $150 annual "Fire Tax"mentioned. That is an item that was passed by the liberal Democrats in Sacramento, and Morgan doesn't want to highlight her connection to liberals and Democrats.
    The "Government Accountability" part was interesting. Amador County is one of the few counties that has managed to stay in the black. Morgan says she is for accountability but like any former Sacramento governmental bureaucrat she is more than willing to go the tax and spend route. In the flyer there is no mention that she is endorsed by the county's public employees' union and the SEIU. When it comes to employee negotiations, who would you want on the Board of Supervisors? Lynn Morgan also wants a county service center Upcountry. The county may have a building, but I hear it's not zoned or ready for that kind of activity. Who's going to pay for it? If it happened in District 3, what about the cost for other outlying areas of the county. The county won't be in the black for long if Morgan has her way. Just look to the south of us at Calaveras County. They are in the red and paying the price.
    Her flyer likes to give her credit in saving Payless Market, but it does't mention her active support in trying to limit shopping choices such as the "Dollar General" store. Is this because she is a well off retiree and looks down on businesses not fitting her desired lifestyle or is it because many of her supporters are far left and don't support any corporation of any kind. Is Morgan following their anti-capitalist mantra? You won't find out by reading her mailer.
    Yes, Mr. Bennett the undecided voter had better start digging, because as fast as they dig Morgan and her supporters will be filling in the hole with more red herrings.

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  2. Mark, why do you continue to claim that Lynn is a Foothill Conservancy member when I have told you she is not? In addition, your blog is full of misleading statements. You are continuing to focus on whitewater recreation for the Mokelumne when there are many ways the river is used for recreation by local people and visitors alike: fishing, swimming, water play, family picnics, water play -- the list goes on. And visitors to our county and the river -- whether whitewater boaters or not -- spend money here when they visit, and the water in special boating releases is used by people with the rights to it downstream. In addition, it is entirely possible to develop new water for Amador County and have a Wild and Scenic River, too. Not to mention that we can more than double our population on existing water supplies, which people don't like to mention.

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