Open Letter to Kevin Faulconer – RE: Beach Alcohol Task Force lack of progress
August 31, 2007 1 CommentDear Kevin,
I would like to setup a meeting with you to discuss a couple issues relating to the Beach Alcohol Task Force next steps.
I am very concerned about several issues including:
1. Why the minutes for the last couple of meetings have been completely minimized – rendering them virtually useless. By this I mean no detail is offered in the minutes only that ‘Citizen X commented on beach alcohol’ vs. a partial transcription of the person’s actual comments. I’m also concerned that your staff apparently re-wrote minutes for three months and tried replacing the original versions. You have since replaced these re-written versions with the original ones but, I fear only after criticism from the community.
2. Why haven’t minutes for the last meeting of the BATF been compiled and published?
3. Why you are meeting with Ben Nicholls from Discover PB along with the California Restaurant Association to discuss Beach Alcohol Task Force issues? My concerns include why these folks weren’t invited to present to the BATF at-large during the 10 meetings this past year? Why are you having meetings with these folks separate from any BATF members? Also, were they not campaign contributors to your election? Since you apparently have a great concern for continuing the work of the BATF without including any members of the BATF in the meetings – perhaps you can tell me if you have yet invited the San Diego Fire & Rescue Departments, including the Lifeguards, to give you private testimony as to what their recommendations are in regards to alcohol on the beach?
4. What are your plans for the next steps of the Beach Alcohol Task Force? ‘Consensus’ was reached on several items yet many of them are sitting on the shelf, others are taking their own natural course without any input from the BATF and others are seemingly dead in the water.For instance one of the ‘consensus’ items was to improve the ‘education’ of returning students and military personnel. We had a very small window to prepare that work before the beginning of the school year but, since you’ve decided to not move forward we lost the opportunity to present these issues to the schools this Fall-orientation period. As a matter of fact I’ve spoken to some of the schools and one major one said they don’t even address alcohol issues as they relate to the local communities of San Diego – only campus-related drinking. This is evidence that they need to be brought into the loop as to how their actions are affecting the San Diego community at large don’t you think?
It is clear that you are not very motivated to help our community address the ALARMING crime rates and quality of life issues. Do I really need to drum up all the crime and related statistics again?
We cannot sit and wait for you to some day answer these questions Kevin. Our community has many critical issues and you are seemingly content on your current pace – it’s been over 8 weeks now since the last BATF and there is no organized effort to push forward. This is unacceptable. My thinking is we can work together or not Kevin. Your actions are suggesting that you have it all under control and mine are that you are looking for the easier, softer way around these issues and are not willing to take the necessary steps to address these issues head on – difficult as that may be to face.
I wanted to give you the opportunity to address these issues as I have many people that have asked me what the progress is and I simply don’t have the answers. I’m also not quite sure what you’re up to and don’t really appreciate being given such short shrift.
Thanks Kevin,
Jerry
Jerry Hall
www.enjoyPB.com
Friends, prohibition was repealed !
First let me begin by thanking all you college geniuses over in PB that decided that fighting and mayhem was a good idea and a fun time. Way to go. Now you have given all the alcohol ban zealots the ammo they needed to gain more followers and push their agenda over the top. Good grief, can’t you people control yourselves ? THINK. When I was younger, we cruised the boardwalk with cup holders with beer strapped right on our bikes. Now those laid back days are over and the restrictions keep growing thanks to an immature and inconsiderate minority that can’t control their behavior. Your primeval actions are ruining it for everyone ! If only you fools could have kept your own peace then we who can wouldn’t be in this fix, fighting again for the simple and fundamental freedom to have a cold beer on the sand ! Good gawd….fighting for YOU. What irony.
Unfortunately, the booze ban people can’t see the big picture because they tend to put their focus on the bad eggs out there. And that is that the beach (and the city itself) is already well policed, and well legislated (over legislated) with booze limitations. Like the seriously ridiculous rule of no drinking between 8PM & noon. And drink on the sand only. And not to mention the well known curfew on sales and open bars.
The pro booze ban kill joys are using the latest PB riot police incident nonsense to distract away from the fact that all the beaches are basically calm for miles and miles where drinking happens, yet nothing bad happens because of it. And if something does, San Diego’s finest is there. Problem gone. The motivation towards a booze ban is clearly fueled by the recent solitary and extremely rare event which is clearly a springboard for over reaction.
And who says that drinking was the actual root cause of the PB mayhem? It’s only an assumption. Prove it.
This unfortunate, and I emphasize, extremely rare, singular in size & police count, altercation took place on a small chunk of beach and was handled by police. Handled and over handled. That’s why they are there, and on call. To protect our FREEDOM to enjoy a good time and keep the peace if need be. I bet that most of if not all of the booze ban zealots were nowhere near the incident in the first place. It effects you…. how?
Tell us, how on an average day does someone else’s drinking on the beach effect you somehow, personally? If so, simply walk the other way. Problem solved.
A cold brewski on the beach on a hot summer day all goes together like hot dogs in long buns and always has and is one of the most basic of freedoms that we Americans can enjoy. The law makers have already taken away too much of that particular freedom as it is. Don’t let it be taken away altogether. Let us not forget, prohibition is over. Creating a total ban at all beaches just because of an extremely rare and singular incident would be like closing all the schools and colleges because of the Virginia Tech incident. Irrational and unreasonable. Don’t punish us all along the entire water line, beaches and bays, just because of a singular classroom size of unruly people on a small chunk of beach who all have gone home now anyway and won’t do it again. Its over. Move on. With sensibility and rationality, not a knee jerk over reaction. Keep America’s finest city free. Free to have a cold one on the sand on a beautiful hot day.
It shouldn’t be such a big deal.
Cheers.
Ben Harness PL.
9/05/07