Replacement Players Wanted at NBPD?

Excuses are just that...not worthy when wrong doing
is at play. When Arb Campbell said he wasn't paying
attention to the sexual harassment in his Department
...that played well, until he himself came under a
gray cloud of interest. Arb was a nice guy, a decent
guy some would say. He was Chief of Police when we
didn't have much crime in Newport Beach. We did have
some sexual harassment of some dispatchers and perhaps
parking meter maids and others.

Let's just say it all got pretty ugly and those many
lawsuits continued unabated until Arb left and was
replaced by Mr. Clean: Chief Bob McDonell. Chief Bob
was a beautiful guy. He was enough of a politician
and enough of a solid cop to keep the various employee
Unions at bay....as well as the constant array of new
City Council Members. We loved Bob! Bob took our
phone calls, made time to see us about our various
issues within the city. Chief Bob even let us join
up on the Citizens Police Academy #7. Our names are
even exhibited in the main hall at the NBPD HQ!

Then, Bob wanted to retire. He had paid so much
into his Pension plan....that it was getting to be
downright counter productive to continue working.
Bob asked to retire. He was granted his retirement
and immediately got rehired to fill-in while the
City tried to find a suitable replacement. That
went on for a couple of years - as we recall.

Finally, the City Manager Homer Bludau and the
entire Newport Beach City Council.....said they
had finally found the right guy to replace Bob
- John Klein! They had a big party and everyone
that was everyone showed up - including the old
Orange County Sheriff, Brad Gates at the Bay Club
for the big Replacement Christening! Bob even
allowed us for a quick preview meeting with new
"Chief to be" Klein. Seeing them both together
was really quite an impressive deal. Two Top Cops,
that seemed to be dancing on the same head of a
pin...in perfect unison. Our questions were tough
but their answers a little mushy..yet what could
you say...they were great and they asked us in!

We took a liking to Chief John Klein right off.
He kind of reminded those of us with a little
military background as one of those great Command
Sergeant Majors! Gruff, but by the book! His round
smile belied his inner tough as nails approach..
anyone could tell that! We attended the Bay Club
Festive Coronation Event, took our photos and then
celebrated the fact that we had a pretty darn good
man to replace "the Great Archangel" Bob McDonell.

Anyway, then comes the adversity....some Detective
says he didn't make Lieutenant because coworkers or
"People thought he was gay!" This is one of those
pregnant moments, that as a Police Chief of any city
in America...you would want to crawl under your desk.
Who got blamed?...the records are sealed, but the
money from the City is going out. Then suddenly it
is uncovered, the so called fact, that Chief Klein
was improperly selected by the City Manager and
improperly awarded his position!

These issues all kind of sat and simmered for a
month or two and now the heat is on again. This
time the Management Union of the NBPD continues
to push the agenda that Chief Klein "has to go"
...because "he was improperly selected!" A pretty
weak reason for all us civilians.

Give us a break....something is going on here that
just doesn't sound or smell right. Based on the
history of Newport Beach for the past 10 years....
all we can say is...that they probably aren't going
to reveal much to us out here in the hinterland.
What is the real story? Why would 21 or so of the
33 NBPD Managers want Chief Klein to step down? And
why is Homer retiring in September? Coincidence?

Our uneducated opinion is simple: If Chief Klein
has done any wrong doing...he should be gone. If
Chief Klein has done nothing wrong..the City should
open up the process and ask that anyone within the
NBPD that wants to take a jab at the Chief's job...
should do so within 30 days. Just don't complain too
much fellas....when you are promptly thrown off the
force ......right after you lose that challenge!

Born in East LA....

Cheech and Chong....made quite a living talking
about marijuana and the culture of drugs. They
did several movies....until finally....someone
took serious offense that Tommy Chong was trying
to make a buck or two selling "Bongs" on the World
Wide Web! Tommy went to jail...."because" he had
represented "the drug culture" in his movies.

Miscarriages of justice...happen all the time...
but now that the DNA technology has taken root...
a few times those wrongs have been righted. The
wrong guy that was convicted....finds out 18 years
later...he didn't do it!

Well, so it is with "Underground Utilities". The
big recount last week netted ZERO improvement in
the bad result. 505 Cheapskates AGAINST and 501
FOR undergrounding those utilities on Balboa Island.
We have been remiss in making any statement on this
precisely..because it was... so so sad.
This is probably one of the biggest "Miscarriages
of Justice" since Judge Christianson beat several
very good, able and dare we say "honest" opponents...
for Superior Court Judge..way back in the 50's and
60's! Judge Christianson was an "alcholic" and loved
letting his drinking buddies off for drunk driving,
even when someone got hurt and those that were drunk
in public. But he also hated teenagers...especially
ones that lived here in Newport Beach. But that is
another story!

Needless to say....we now hope upon hope that Balboa
Island will be the last place in Newport Beach to ever
get their "Underground Utilities". Let's hope that a
big list of all those that voted against - 505 members
"against a decent society" be published and placed on
every telephone and utility pole on Balboa Island.
Their names should be placed on every public notice
board, the Penny Saver, the Auto Trader as well as
their names be placed in all the local newspapers.

They all should be very proud of their accomplishment.
They should of course pay for all this good Public
Relations - but what are the chances of that? Or,
how about just a Public Apology? But hey, that is
only a slim hope. Maybe they will find God and offer
a great "Public Conscience. Maybe even "Remorse!" No,
go watch the City Council meeting and their overjoyed
response to maintaining the Blight on Balboa Island.
Maybe "Eminent Domain" would be a solution?

Well, that aside....let the rest of our great Newport
community learn by their example. Underground those
Utilities..as quickly as possible. Pay extra - in fact,
to expedite the process. Yes, friends and neighbors..
.....we need to show the rest of Orange County that
we are not all Balboa Island Cheapskates in Newport
Beach. Sadly, the Little Island already had done their
part....but didn't seem to phase anyone but those that
live on Collins Island.

Sad.....

$17.3 Million only does the Upper Back Bay?

Funny, when politicians play their "Columbo" card
...."Just one more thing Mr. Citizen!" "Oh, we have
been busting buns for months now trying to get the
cash to Dredge our bay......".....Yet, they failed
to mention that the first dip from the pig trough
was only enough to do half the job. This kind of
unresponsible bureaucratic "news release" mentality
is ridiculous and patently an insult to the voters.

OK, let's get down to cases..we previously reported
that we were thrilled that we got $17.3 Million Fed
bucks to do the necessary Dredging that we had sought
$13.1 Million for! Hey, we got a 4 million dollar
bonus....wasn't that nice? Now, the Councilmembers
and Staff can report: "We are actually short......
the money to do the "Lower Navigational Harbor area,
where the Harbor Patrol can run aground on errant
build-up sand bars, yachts going aground at low tide
and the bigger boats are really facing problems. As
the sand bars build up...it narrows the navigational
areas and makes for near misses - from boats coming
and going with accidents, physcial harm or various
levels of property damage.......truly unbelievable!

How much is this going to cost? Do we have an actual
number here...or haven't we even taken a Harbor survey
to determine the required work? What does our Parks
and Recreation Committee do? How about our Harbor
Committee? How about EQAC? How about anyone with two
brain cells that can open their mouth and ask the vital
question? Where is our Congressman on this issue again?

Brutal - Friends and fellow citizens....Brutal. We did
not invent the Harbor, the Upper Back Bay, commercial
or pleasure boating yesterday....well, at least not late
yesterday!

It was a nice touch to see that Leslie Daigle at least
mentioned the lack of funds for the Harbor and lower bay
in passing. So, where do they get this money again?

Senator Feinstein! Loretta Sanchez, Ed Royce,
Ken Calvert.......Monty Hall......"Come on down!"

There is little wonder that our City Manager Homer has
plans to retire in September, 2009. "Dave.......Dave..
...don't turn us off....Dave!" Dave, be aware however,
that if you volunteer to do something...you may not be
selected to replace Homer in October!