Micah (Posner):\u00a0\u00a0 Following up on the HUFF meeting of several weeks ago, I’ll attempt to briefly summarize what I’m now seeking–either clarification or action–from you on the issues raised there and earlier.\u00a0 Please do it briefly and in writing.\u00a0 If you feel unable to do so because of “tactical” or other concerns, please contact me by phone.\u00a0 I also include some of the prior e-mail for reference.\u00a0 Again, short answers are fine.\u00a0 And I’d be happy to meet with you if you need clarification or elaboration.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0 Have you followed up on your commitment to attend an ACLU meeting and\/or letter them specifically urging them to publicly oppose the cutbacks on space for street performers, vendors, and artists recently passed by City Council over your and Lane’s objections?\u00a0 Will you be doing so?\u00a0 (It’s actually probably equally if not more important to request a statement supporting homeless survival rights and opposing police sweeps when there is no alternate shelter being offered–are you willing to do this?).\u00a0 My previous comment is still apt:\u00a0 If you are really interested in putting some energy into public education here, I believe it would ultimately encourage allies and challenge the level of hatred (and merchant discrimination) against homeless people. \u00a0 I’d suggest public statements as well as public appearances at the ACLU Board and other organizations, seeking to enlist their aid and buck up their spaghetti\u00a0 spines.\u00a0\u00a0 Useless as these groups have generally been locally, they seem like political animals who perk up at the appearance of a public official.\u00a0 It also might make up in some degree (in their eyes) for your sell-out on the Cowell Beach issue\u00a0 (I believe the harsh term is accurate).<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 Your response: That’s a great idea but is a better role for activists then elected. That’s partly what I learned by encouraging the ACLU prior to the Council Meeting.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 TO REPEAT–THE CLOWNS AT THE ACLU BOARD, SCCCPL, NAACP, DON’T RESPOND TO ACTIVISTS.\u00a0 BUT POLITICAL CLIMBERS AND POWER-WORSHIPERS THAT THEY ARE, THEY DO RESPOND TO VISITS FROM POLITICIANS. YOUR PROPOSAL TO SEND THE SIDEWALK-SHRINKAGE ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO THE ARTS COMMISSION IS A NICE TACTIC; USE IT IF YOU NEED TO REASSURE YOURSELF YOU CAN RAISE THE ISSUE PERSONALLY AND PUBLICLY WITH THE ACLU & OTHER GROUPS, BUT GO IN PERSON OR SEND WRITTEN LETTERS.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0 I appreciate the additional info about the segregated costly Levee portapotty (i.e. potential plumbing).\u00a0 I’d still like some insight into who is pushing this in the staff rather than the much more reasonable and dignified alternatie of keeping open the San Lorenzo Park bathroom, say?\u00a0 Hence my request about who you talked to, when, their responses, any written communications, etc.\u00a0 Hence my inquiry to you in late October:\u00a0 “THE STAFF” IS NOT A HELPFUL REPLY.\u00a0 ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE QUESTION HERE.\u00a0 WHY WAS THE OBVIOUS KEEPING BATHROOMS THAT ALREADY EXIST OPEN AT NIGHT REJECTED?\u00a0 WAS IT EVEN CONSIDERED?\u00a0 I REPEAT THE QUESTION BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T ANSWERED IT.<\/p>\n 9. What is the status of the police-napped bikes?\u00a0 Are they still being held hostage by city staff and the SCPD (with the help of the Bike Dojo)?\u00a0 I don’t want to hear you’re “working on it”, please. \u00a0 We’ve heard that for a year and a half now. \u00a0 Please specify recent meetings, timetables, claims, and responsible parties.\u00a0\u00a0 You replied: I’m looking into this.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 AGAIN…MEANING WHAT?\u00a0 SPECIFICALLY?\u00a0 PLEASE SEND ME A SUMMARY OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES YOU’VE MET WITH THE BIKENAPPERS AND THEIR STAFF PALS, WHEN THESE MEETINGS HAPPENED, WHAT PROMISES WERE MADE, AND WHETHER THE PROMISES WERE FULFILLED. REMEMBER–YOU’RE THERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, NOT TO GREASE THE SOFT PARTS OF THE STAFF.\u00a0\u00a0 POOR PEOPLE ARE GOING WITHOUT BIKES BECAUSE OF YOUR “CONCERN” FOR STAFF SENSIBILITIES.\u00a0 STAFF STONEWALLING ON THIS BIKE BULLSHIT\u00a0 WE’VE PUT UP WITH FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS NOW. \u00a0 LET US KNOW THE DATE SENT AND THE PERSON TO WHOM THE MEMO WAS SENT.\u00a0 PLEASE PROVIDE A LIST OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO AND FROM STAFF ON THIS ISSUE IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n You replied: I appreciate your suggestion. I think I did reach out to Craig at some point and he wasn’t interested. Feel free to refer him to me. It’s hard for me to recommend this position to someone given that the Commission is a joke. I don’t like to waste people’s time.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 GIVEN THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FARCE IS CONSIDERING ELIMINATING MEASURE K, LIMITING OR SHUTTING DOWN HEAD SHOPS, AND USING THE DRUG WAR AS PROTECTIVE COVER ON THEIR WAR ON THE HOMELESS, I THINK HAVING A STRONG VOICE THERE–EVEN ONE THAT CAN’T WIN VOTES IS IMPORTANT.\u00a0\u00a0 I’LL PASS THIS ON TO CRAIG.\u00a0 DO I UNDERSTAND YOU’LL AGREE TO APPOINT AN ADVOCATE, IF ONE COMES FORWARD (I CAN’T VOUCH FOR CRAIG).<\/p>\n Sorry for the backlog, but these issues don’t go away.\u00a0\u00a0 Though the tone and extent of these questions may put you off, please try to respond however briefly.\u00a0 That is your job.<\/p>\n Thanks again for getting back to the basics by attacking the Public Safety mythology as far as you did.\u00a0 You need to talk to Vogel and get his specifics–since it’s my understanding from a conversation this summer that there has been no increase in crime subtantially in Santa Cruz in the last 20 years–all the comparisons with other cities of its same size aside.\u00a0 Not that Vogel is the most disinterested source, of course.<\/p>\n Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 13:32:44 -0700 With regard to the shitter questions. I don’t find them pertinent\/ am not interested in them. I was directed by HUFF (a couple months ago) to get a 24 hour bathroom, “any bathroom”. That’s what I’m trying to do. The one we are going to open is not the most efficient or obvious or “best” use of funds. It’s the easiest one for me to get. Welcome to government.<\/p>\n I’ll forward your question to Barisone.<\/p>\n I would be very happy to talk to the owner of the Cofee Company about backpacks. Then I’ll get back to you.<\/p>\n Micah<\/p>\n Please quickly request an opinion from Barisone–who continues to stonewall me–on the City of Sparks v. White decision’s applicability here (i.e. the constitutionality of banning street artists from showing price tags for their artwork).\u00a0<\/strong> I’d have thought you’d have done that back in February actually,\u00a0 or several weeks ago.<\/p>\n On the shitter front, regarding item #9 is it correct to assume that the former public bathroom in the Locust Street garage\u00a0 is now gone?\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 I believe I’ve also pointed out to you both the wasteful and discriminatory aspect of spending $15,000 to set up what is essentially a segregated portapotty on the leevee instead of using that money to open the San Lorenzo Park and\/or Soquel\/Front bathrooms all night.\u00a0 Your response?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Also what’s the status of the most-expensive-portapotty ever?\u00a0 How does its cost compare with the cost of the 5 portapotties set up in 1999 under the Krohn Krapper Kommission?<\/strong><\/p>\n I have not been able to secure police data\u00a0 in spite of a Public Records Act request regarding the removal of those portapotties in terms of actual crime or vandalism then.\u00a0 Please seek this directly from the SCPD or via the City Manager.<\/strong><\/p>\n You should also be advised that certain cafes are now banning people from bringing their backpacks in the store (the Coffee Roasting Company for one)–which means, unless an individual wants to risk losing her or his stuff by setting it outside (and being ticketed too boot for “abandoned property”), they can’t access that public service.\u00a0\u00a0 Are you willing to publicly step up to mediate problems so that cafes have another alternative to expressing their bigotry than banning homeless-looking people with backpacks (or without–Brent Adams noted a family of three turned away earlier this week from the same Coffee Roasting Company). <\/p>\n .<\/p>\n Subject: Re: City of Sparks v. White and letter to City Attorney Robert<\/p>\n From: JBarisone@abc-law.com<\/a> Robert, I passed your concern along to the Police Department and if it has questions I will do the necessary research and answer them for the department. As you are aware I work for the City Council and the various City departments. I don\u2019t take instructions from, perform work for, or provide opinions to members of the public; nor do I publicly divulge my advice and communications to my clients unless the clients make such\u00a0 a request. I would suggest that in the future, if you have a complaint or concern concerning a City employee or practice, you contact the responsible City department head. If that department head seeks my advice in connection with your issue, I will be happy to assist him or her. Thanks, JGB<\/p>\n <\/p>\n From:<\/strong> Robert Norse [mailto:rnorse3@hotmail.com<\/a>] <\/p>\n I’d like to be able to advise them if they are acting legally, based on your understanding of the law and the police enforcement policy.<\/p>\n If I don’t hear from you in the next few hours, perhaps later today you can let me know–and I can them contact the performers by e-mail.<\/p>\n Thanks,<\/p>\n Robert
\nFOR ANY ARTIST TRYING TO DISPLAY HIS WORK IN A 3 1\/2′ x 3 1\/2′ SPACE IT’S OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT.\u00a0 THEY CAN PRESENT THAT OPINION IN COURT WHEN THEY’RE HARASSED.\u00a0\u00a0 When did you follow-up on the Barisone request?6.\u00a0\u00a0 You may ignore the internal conservative pressures\u00a0 that\u00a0 shut down the 5 Krohn Krappers a decade ago, but I suspect we’ll hear the same crap soon about your costly portapotty “solution”.\u00a0\u00a0 Or we’ll find the same two-tier “homeless get surveilled; middle-class people get privacy” that is now the case in the Locust St. Parking Structure.\u00a0\u00a0 I suggest you head this off by getting the real records of real police concerns. \u00a0 Otherwise you may find yourself swept up in a Council response to mob myths fearprompted by TBSC et. al.\u00a0\u00a0 This is a repeated request.\u00a0\u00a0 Please review\u00a0 the requests in bold below and forward those questions to staff.\u00a0 They are currently claiming to “have no records”.\u00a0 Which frankly strikes me as steaming horseshit without benefit of portapotty.
\nYou replied:\u00a0 I don’t see what happened in the past is relevant. We will soon open the bathroom and I will be very careful about reported “problems”. \u00a0With regard to privacy issue, these didn’t seem very important to the homeless at a well attended HUFF meeting several months ago.<\/strong> \u00a0 HOW WILL YOUR “CARE” WITH PROBLEMS MANIFEST ITSELF? \u00a0\u00a0 IF THE PORTAPOTTIES WERE CLOSED IN THE PAST BY AESTHETIC PRIMADONNAS LIKE MATHEWS & ROBINSON OR THEIR STAFF ALLIES, THEN IT’S LIKELY TO HAPPEN AGAIN.\u00a0 ALL THIS IS USUALLY DONE WITHOUT POLICE STATS (AS THE ORDINANCES WERE PASSED–NOR DID YOU OR ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER DEMAND THEM).\u00a0 IT’S NOT A “BATHROOM”, BUT A PORTAPOTTY, BY THE WAY, SO LET’S NOT TRY TO SELL SHIT BY ANOTHER LABEL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n<\/strong>10.\u00a0 You might want to consider that your complaissance with staff (the constant strokings you do as they mendaciously remove everyone’s rights using the phony Public Safety mythology are embarrassing and repugnant).\u00a0 I refer to the earlier issues the Parks and Recreation blank check 24-hour stay-away-or-face-a-year-in-
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\nFrom: micahposner@cruzio.com<\/a>
\nTo: rnorse3@hotmail.com<\/a>
\nSubject: Re: Reiterating some requests and questions<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\nFrom: micahposner@cruzio.com<\/a>
\nDate: Sun, 8 Sep 2013 22:07:26 -0700
\nTo: rnorse3@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nAre you saying that you’ll answer a question for a Council member but not a member of the public about this issue?
\nHopefully not.
\nSince police are still variously misinforming artists on Pacific Avenue that they can’t display prices on their artwork (when they’re not harassing them for other things), I’d again encourage you to simply do what you did before when approached by an artist trying to stop this practice, which unnecessarily lays the city open to litigation.
\nIt is my understanding that the decision is still valid law (one of the attorneys involved actually practices in this area), so please, step out from behind the template and be direct here.
\nI am also requesting Chief Vogel and the Council contact you for your “advice” here, so I’m not ignoring your suggestion either.Thanks,<\/p>\n
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\nTo: rnorse3@hotmail.com<\/a>
\nDate: Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:43:58 -0800
\nSubject: RE: City of Sparks v. White and letter to City Attorney<\/p>\n
\nSent:<\/strong> Wednesday, February 20, 2013 9:19 AM
\nTo:<\/strong> John Barisone
\nCc:<\/strong> Robin the rightsfinder; Ricardo Lopez; Brent Adams; Tom Noddy; Becky Johnson
\nSubject:<\/strong> RE: City of Sparks v. White and letter to City Attorney<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n(423-4833)<\/p>\n