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Although my personal feelings about Emery’s documented past service and continuing counterproductive activities are obvious, I caution viewers to recognize the paramount issue at stake is:

THE FUTURE OF YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT !

My rudimentary and unskilled attempts at satirical cartoons and humorous imaginary analogous stories are only offered in hopes of stimulating thought as to a major reason why our CSD Board remains “dysfunctional” with clear examples of past abysmal leadership.

TRACK RECORD

Fortunately the voters who participate in this November’s election for LDPCSD Directors are not in the dark as to what they might expect if any of the three incumbents are re-elected. Candidates, Bill Kinsella, Mark Skoien and Emery Ross have already demonstrated to the public exactly how they perceive and perform their duties as directors.

Simply put: they have a track record. Whether good or bad – there is little guess work required. Studying a past record of service is an excellent indicator of what to expect in the next four years if that individual is re-elected.

NOT PERSONAL. STRICTLY BUSINESS

Mr. Ross continually attempts to make the business of this district a personal issue between the two of us because it does two things he requires:

1. PROVIDES THE ATTENTION HE DESPERATELY DESIRES:

a. Waiting for the 59th day of a 60 day time limit to appoint a director vacancy when only one applicant had originally applied – “look at me! Look at me! I’m ready to make the big decision!”

b. Despite the fact Ross has refused to adequately perform his share of routine director duties like preparation for meetings, consistent meeting attendance, participation in committees or even coming to the office to sign checks, he never-the-less attempted to gain a position on the SDRMA (Special District Risk Management Authority, basically our insurance carrier) Board of Directors and failing that, then ran for the Mariposa County District II Supervisor’s position, with which he (fortunately for every Mariposa County resident) was also unsuccessful.

Emery Ross appears fixated upon collecting as many officious sounding titles as possible without the skills or commitment to adequately perform the duties. What were his public comments about what a County Supervisor actually does: shake hands and hand out honoraria? If that is what he publically thinks about a County Supervisor’s position imagine how insignificant being a director on the LDPCSD Board must appear to him? Perhaps he needs titles to quench some sort of a self-validation thirst?

2. DISTRACTS FROM THE CURRENT QUESTION, ISSUE, OR SUBJECT AT HAND:

a. The “personally attacking others” gimmick provides Emery (or anyone else who imbibes in such activity) with an opportunity for escape when it dawns on him his position is illogical, unsupported by the facts, or just plain foolish.

b. When Mr. Ross does attend meetings he is often unprepared and asks ridiculous questions that were clearly answered in the board packet if studied.

c. His consistent and annoying mumbling in the background of CSD meetings or when attempting to answer a question is common place and not excluded from other venues. This evidently was the case at a Supervisor’s candidate night when Emery accused the moderator of interrupting his train of thought when she asked him to speak up so the audience could hear. Apparently he walked out of that meeting in a huff as well. Track record my friends. Track record. Evidently our resident “cowboy” (no offense intended to real cowboys) has a propensity for the “R – U – N – N – O – F – T” – from the movie Brother Where Art Thou with George Clooney.)

MADE IT PERSONAL FROM DAY ONE

Following my first CLOSED SESSION MEETING, and in front of public attendees, just prior to starting the open portion of the meeting, Emery Ross marched up to the dais where I was seated and demanded my personal notes from the prior Closed Session. Not wanting to make a scene at the time and unsure if I had actually violated some obscure regulation I relinquished my personal handwritten notes.

As I later discovered (which is so often the case with the demands, accusations, and antics by Emery Ross), he had no idea what he was doing and this was confirmed through attorneys, Brown Act training professionals, and other experienced public officials. Emery does what Emery wants to do.

What could be worse? Well, in addition to the wrongful demand and confiscation of my personal property he also supposedly had my notes later destroyed. Having reconstructed them from memory after that meeting, I think I now understand why he objected and did such a thing.

[Another director was not required to produce and have destroyed her written material from that meeting. The material was supposedly destroyed by that director later at home.]

Simply, he was way off base in that Closed Session meeting and pontificating about things of which he had no experience, right, or duty. As is so typical with Emery, the meeting was quite dramatic. Without relaying the substance of the meeting I can tell you I felt as though I were in a high school locker room at halftime with the coach scribbling proposed plays on a dry board. I kid you not. Complete with identification of players, circles, X’s, lines with arrows, dashed lines, and notes ….. Emery was laying out his strategic game plan for District activities under his presidential leadership command.

DEALING WITH OUTRAGEOUS ACCUSATIONS AND PERSONAL INSULTS : “GA GA” ADVICE

When I was a child and upset about what another child may have said at school “GA GA”, my surrogate Grandmother who was actually my Mother’s Aunt, told me the magic word was “ignore”. She patiently explained the concept to me and how name calling by others can only hurt us if we allow it, but more importantly, by responding to the name caller we only give to them what they desperately desire – attention. How I wish she were still alive so I could further benefit from her 30 years of teaching experience in Sacramento many years ago.

I’ll tell you one thing for sure….. Old ”GA GA” was certainly strict and always prepared to teach. Taught me to read before I started school, but unfortunately, as a child I sometimes actually feared some of her visits because I knew it meant having to learn something, either that or my Mom and Dad would be subjected to a lecture on how they were too lenient in the areas of correction and punishment for otherwise minor childhood transgressions. YIKES!

GAGA: “In my day if a student acted like that in my classroom I would have taken the yardstick down from the chalkboard, marched them outside, and ……….”

CHILDHOOD LEW: “AHHHHHHH! – Mommy! GAGA is scaring me” LOL

DOCUMENTED PUBLIC FACT

The contention that Mr. Ross has failed to adequately (competently) discharge his duties as an elected official representing this CSD, and the ratepayers who must financially support the organization, is supported with the best evidence available – his own actions.

Mr. Ross has provided glimpses of his method of operation through verbal statements (recorded during public Board meetings), written materials (letters and memos [most] accompanied with signature along with many emails), along with numerous examples of his childish tantrums in public meetings which include walking out of meetings without participation.

You might recall Mr. Ross also once accused me of violating Federal Bio-Terrorism regulations by producing short educational videos for the public of non-sensitive district operations. He actually walked out of that meeting in protest as well. That didn’t make much sense because if I honestly believed for a nanosecond that another director was violating ANY REGULATIONS that could harm this district you wouldn’t be able to pry me out of my board seat …. I’d be watching them like a Hawk, documenting, and preparing to take corrective action.  I wouldn’t leave the boardroom and walk out into the parking lot.

SORRY GA GA – NOT IN THIS SITUATION

Ignoring name calling on a school yard might be good advice for a child, but I don’t believe it applies to a public official who has consistently obstructed CSD progress while seemingly protecting his own special interest as an outside Merced Irrigation District Place of Use customer (two water meters) running a commercial cattle ranch with treated (Chlorinated) water intended for domestic residential consumption. (Outside MIDPOU customers represent less than 1% of the CSD’s customer base.)

Recall also that Mr. Ross approximately two years ago made statements and started a major investigation that bad water from the district may have harmed his and other outside MIDPOU livestock ranchers which was also proved to be unsupported with fact.

FOR THE RECORD

I personally believe Emery Ross’s:

PAST SERVICE to this district is part of the problem, not the solution;

INCOMPETENCY is clearly evidenced by his own words, written statements and public conduct; and

RE-ELECTION will only perpetuate board “dysfunction” for another four years.

Emery’s most recent August 31st Special Meeting comment that I was untruthful was the “last straw”. Voters must know before the November election exactly what this man has done, and will continue to do, regarding the future direction of this Community Services District.

YOU ASKED FOR IT “COWBOY”  SO SADDLE UP

AND PREPARE TO ROCK ‘N ROLL

I have reached the end of my patience with the infantile behavior, disingenuous conduct, and name calling by Emery Ross. Although not a candidate because I have two years left to serve on a four year term, this election is far too important to allow such utter nonsense to continue unchecked without accountability.

Emery Ross orchestrated and called that Special Meeting on August 31st (with support from Directors Skoien and Kinsella) which will be the starting point for the next positing. Until then,

 

My Best To You and Yours, Lew

 

PS: Please be advised “write in candidates” still have an opportunity to run for one of these director positions in November. I believe the starting date for this process was September 10th and ends October 23rd, but check with your respective County Elections Office for confirmation.