Brian Mack,

I understand you have an invite to tour the Simi Valley landfill. I did some months back and I encourage anyone that wants to know more to contact the landfill for a tour. I learned a bunch and the staff was really friendly.

I know there are people on all different sides throwing out arguments that haven't taken the landfill crew up on the chance to be more educated on this critical issue facing our community.

Brian,
The Task Force also went on the tour, and unless you knew what questions to ask, they really could blow smoke...just an fyi

Brian, they were nice on the tour? Did you expect them to knock you on the head and bury you as if you were Hoffa? The "tour" did not tell you one thing about the expansion and its environmental/economic impacts on the community. It was a PR trip, plain and simple. But they were nice.

Surf's up. See you in the AM at the pier.

You don't see the Star because the delivery guy probably threw it on your roof or the bushes.

The Acorn has a police blotter. Can the Star say that? NOT!!
The Acorn is just the facts of local news not a bunch of Republican crap and four inches of advertising.

The Acorn did not make it's fortune by breaking the backs of twelve year olds in the 1970's. Everyone getting a check from the Star is because of hard working 12 yearolds like me who delivered The News Chronicle for pennies a day like they lived in some third world country.

If it wasn't for people like me there would be no Star.

Our own City Attorney has already weighed in on this issue and stated for the record that the contract with WM does not obligate the city to support the landfill expansion. The City Attorney is our legal representative and an expert on the law. Yet the task force doesn't care that this is apparently a non-issue and now. wants to threaten a lawsuit. What is becoming painfully obvious is that members of the task force are simply anti-expansion. They don't want the facts, nor do they want to give truthful information to the public. It is now about publicity and manipulating public opinion in opposition to the expansion.

Louis has now admitted on the record that he cannot be impartial, yet Barbra insists that he remain on the task force. I'm sorry, but at a minimum members of the task force must pledge to try and be impartial, otherwise the entire process loses credibility.

So now what we have is a task force that was cherry-picked by a single person, that refuses to comply with the same open meeting laws as other prominent citizen advisory bodies, that disregards the legal opinions of the City Attorney, that makes inflammatory accusations in the local paper against our city leaders, and freely admits that not all members of the committee are impartial.

There is little doubt why the Mayor and the rest of the City Council refuse to sanction the activities of this task force. The citizens of our community deserve better than this.

I love the Acorn!

BK - you are starting to sound like a mouthpiece for Waste Management. The Task Force shouldn't be perceived as a threat but a service. I'm sure if Glen B. or Pual Miller wanted to join and bring a couple of their people, they would be more than welcome. Conservsely, I'm sure that members of the Task Force would be happy to join any committee they set up. And if I'm wrong, I know I'll be corrected by Barbra or Louis.

Bubba is right about a couple of things. Foremost, I am now opposed to the landfill expansion as proposed. Its proposed daily tonnage of garbage and unrestricted waste shed offer nothing positive to our City and tremendous long term economic and environmental damage. My review is complete in this regard. I need not wait for you or anyone else to come up to speed on evaluating these impacts. I now know that the only purpose for the expansion at this time is to haul garbage from the northwestern quadrant of Los Angeles County to our City. I am opposed. That said, the Task Force has a lot more work to do. All of its members need to complete their evaluation of the expansion. The long term damage to the community needs to be further quantified. Finally, a report needs to be drafted and completed. But Bubb, my friend, if you think I am going to sit by quietly while Waste Mgt. continues its PR spin on its expansion, you are mistaken. I owe silence to no one. Regarding the City Council members, they have my highest degree of respect. I've told them publically and will tell them privately of this. I am equally convinced that each and every one of them will continue to do what is in the best interests of the community, as will the Task Force.

You raised the matter of the City Attorney. He does not work for me or the Task Force. He works for the City Council. He is oftentimes wrong. Just look at the lawsuits that the City loses from time to time. He is not an expert on civil rights nor on free trade regulations. The Task Force is talking to some of the best legal minds in the State on these complex issues. This is not for purposes of gaining any benefit to the Task Force. It is solely for the purpose of assisting the community in defending itself against the predatory policies of Waste Management. History has shown that this is not a company that we can trust. And we will not do so. Bubba, when all is said and done, it will be clear that the Task Force marches to the tune of just one entity in our community. That entity will be the vaste majority of our residents. Bubb, waste will do fine it pointing forth its spin with or without your help. Yet, as free to do so in this great Nation, plug on my friend. I assure you though, Simi Valley has suffered long and hard to achieve its goals. It is now an even more beautiful community. To be known as a megadump for the garbage from Los Angeles and beyond will not be well received by our fine neighbors and friends throughout Simi Valley.

Katie Teague, one day we shall meet. You speak from a kind and clear heart and always hit the nail on its head. If you live in Simi Valley, I hope you will attain a political office in the future for our betterment. If you are in another corner of Ventura County or beyond, it is our loss.

One day, Ms. Teague, I hope you can join me on a ten foot wave, far from shore. Surf's up. Hope to see you.

Bubba, WM has not tried to convince any normal citizen yet why we should support the expansion. I have heard many reasons not to but I have yet to hear reasons to support it.

In an environment like that isn't the natural position to be against a dump expansion to take outside trash unless convinced otherwise?

Are you really neutral on the expansion? Maybe you should join the task force.

Brian,
I have heard that over 50% of the Acorn's end up in the Arroyo or in City street cleaning vehicles every week. In terms of the WM taskforce who cares how the committee was formed, the important thing is that WM wants to bury millions of tons of LA County trash in our hillsides that will be there forever, not to mention all the traffic it will bring and pollution!

Here's a question: why should our community support the expansion?

GS, there is not one reason why we should support what Waste Mgt. is asking for. We need a place to put our garbage. We do not need a place to put Los Angeles' garbage and that from more than 120 other communities as well. Expansion? Yes, to meet the needs of Ventura County. No, to meet the money lust of Waste Mgt. and its Texas fat cats.

It was mostly a question for those who feel we shouldn't question WM's intentions. I could almost understand their concern if they supported WM but no one's spoken FOR the expansion...which is kind of odd, since they've been so anti- task force.

gs, only Waste Mgt. and those paid by Waste, will support the expansion without restrictions or benefits to the residents of Simi Valley. Any other opposition to the Task Force is strictly politically driven by opponents to either Barbra Williamson or Jim Dantona. The vast majority of the residence throughout Ventura County will not want Los Angeles' garbage coming to our County. If the Board of Supervisors doesn't understand this, then a County wide ballot measure will make it clear.

My apologies I have had to delete comments left by someone that is trying to use the screen names of other posters. If this happens to you send me an e-mail.

And to Michael Stein, stop wasting my time. I delete your stuff because you attack people with name calling, call me names, and now you are disrupting the flow of conversation here by using other peoples names.

I have told you over and over you are banned. I told you that I might change this in the future but right now I don't have time. Maybe I don't because you are making me delete your disruptive posts.

In the meantime feel free to check out Brian Mack's blog.

To everybody else, please ignore him and don't argue back with him. I appreciate it.

This issue is not as simple as being for or against the landfill expansion. First of all the application from WMI has not been completed so we still don't know the specifics of the proposed expansion. Which means that all this discussion about lines of garbage trucks and huge amounts of garbage from other counties is all speculation. Until an application is submitted there really isn't much to discuss.

The Mayor and City Council have committed to having a thorough and detailed review of the proposal at the appropriate time through the Neighborhood Councils and Planning Commission. The public will have every opportunity to be involved in the process and learn about the details of the proposal.

IMO it is premature for anybody to be for or against this proposal because we haven't seen the details. I'm concerned that members of the task force have already been making up their minds, or that in some cases perhaps their conclusions are pre-determined. All I have been saying from the beginning is that the task force has a duty to be objective and fair, but from what I've seen to date I don't have a high level of confidence that that is possible here.

Brian,

If you want to get rid of Michael Stein I'm afraid you're going to need some holy water, silver bullets, and a chain saw. Good luck.

Every salient detail of the expansion is contained in WM's present application which is deemed "incomplete" due to technical issues, not because of numbers of vehicles, amounts of waste to be haul, air space to be filled, etc etc. Literally all the information the community needs to know is contained in the current application. Not only is that information not premature, waiting a vote makes it too late for the community to have a rational discussion of the pros and cons of the expansion.

"Not only is that information not premature, waiting until the application is "complete" before placing it on a fast track for a vote makes it too late for the community to have a rational discussion of the pros and cons of the expansion."

GS,
Bubba is never going to be convinced that we are not opposed to the landfill. Talk about already having one's mind made up! So to get into a conversation about what the TF is trying to do and what our concerns are seem to be falling on deaf ears. I say we continue our research, ask questions, and when the County Board of Supervisors are ready to address the expansion, we can submit our thoughts and concerns....no more and no less.
There are people who do not believe the US put a man on the moon, there are people who don't believe the Holocast really happened and I believe that Bubba falls in that catogory...he/she doesn't believe that the TF is out to do good for the community, only bad. Is this the same Bubba who in the Supervisors race made all those comments about "waiting" to see if Mr. Foy was the real thing?

"These are not the Droids you are looking for" suggested Jedi Campaign manager for the "Committee to re-elect Barbra Williamson"

Great interference, Jedi Campaign Manager... create a SEXY campaign platform, recreate a person's image, distract the public, develop a grass roots support systems and receive FREE press to help your candidate.

I am still not convinced of where Williamson is coming from and that she is not distracting the people and attempting to gain support for her upcoming re-election.

I am also not convinced that our City Council is being prudent and diligent in the WM expansion discovery process therefore I am grateful for Williamson's tactics and forcing the issue to the forefront. I am just not quite sure why she would not make more of an attempt to work WITH the SVCC unless she is grandstanding for political gain. SV has a system in place, why is Williamson usurping the system that she has placed her trust in and endorsed in the past. Why couldn't Williamson use her position on the SVCC and have the WM issue agendized with the SVCC and put on the Neighborhood Councils agenda.

The sad thing is it is too easy to manipulate the media and even more so the citizens. I blame the apathetic voters and non-voters.

NOPE I have nothing to do with WM, I am only someone who cares deeply about our community and quality of life.

Frankly, I do not want a mega-dump. I am tired of special interests continually buying influence with local elected officials. I find it all very disturbing and disheartening.

Who do you think Waste paid to buy influence with locally? Name names or it sounds like an empty charge.

Conrad 'Connie' Brean: And it's most certainly NOT about the B-3 bomber.
John Levy: There is no B-3 bomber.

Conrad 'Connie' Brean: What difference does it make if it's true? If it's a story and it breaks, they're gonna run with it.

Conrad 'Connie' Brean: We're not gonna have a war, we're gonna have the appearance of a war.

Stanley Motss: I'm in show business, why come to me?
Conrad 'Connie' Brean: War is show business, that's why we're here.

Stanley Motss: The President will be a hero. He brought peace.
Conrad 'Connie' Brean: But there was never a war.
Stanley Motss: All the greater accomplishment.

CIA Agent Mr. Young: There are two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war."

Yoda, You have to be kidding me, follow the money for all the PAC's and also developers, corporation's etc. that donate locally with the belief that they have to "pay to play" just ask Dean Kinicki.

I am lazy and don't want to follow the money. Since you brought the charge why don't you back it up?

Let me get this straight. To win approval of a landfill expansion they helped a guy win a seat on the Ventura County Board of Education?

This message is directed to Bubba Kidd:
After being gone for the weekend I just read your post which includes:
Louis has now admitted on the record that he cannot be impartial, yet Barbra insists that he remain on the task force. I'm sorry, but at a minimum members of the task force must pledge to try and be impartial, otherwise the entire process loses credibility.
Bubba, one of the things that folks who know better notice the most is a person who takes statements and comments totally out of context, and changes them to suit their own personal agendas. Here again you make me laugh as I believe that once again your statements have an opposite effect. I actually heard the whole story, did you, because upon hearing the story that leads to these statements it is in fact Waste Management who has lost credibility? If a representative of WM contacts someone, makes statements, makes commitments and than after hearing from his bosses says he never said those statements and cannot backup the commitments what credibility can be given to Waste Management after that? Apparently, this person who made these promises did not have permission from his bosses. Frankly I would not blame anyone who was disheartened by these types of actions on this and other matters. If a company will commit to something and than turn around and say it never happened how can we believe that their statements that they will never try to enforce the statements of 5B while they are adamant about not having that language removed.
You know Bubba when you want to make statements that make someone look less than impartial you should at the very least be sure that you are being accurate. You cannot pull one or two statements out of a complicated story when those statements do not accurately describe the situation.

Grandstanding for political gain...yup, thats me. Please let me put all local and national newspapers on the alert...the spelling for my first name is BARBRA...cause we all know that nothing matters except to spell the candidates name correctly...I mean, how can I grandstand if they don't spell my name right?

Yep, Barbra stepped out of the box when she formed her Task Force. Unfortunately for Bubba and the other Waste Mgt. stooges, the City Council did not have a system in place to review the dump expansion. The only ticket in town was for the County to review it. Barbra said that wasn't good enough. She felt the mega-dump's impacts on Simi Valley were far to great to leave it up to a public hearing in Ventura. She took a bold step and we will be a better community for it. One member of the Task Force has now said he can no longer be impartial on the issue of the dump's expansion. Good for him. It is about time that people start saying that hauling garbage from Los Angeles into Simi Valley can't be good for our community. How much study does it take to come to this realization. It is about time someone on the Task Force says enough is enough. This dump expansion has got to be defeated.

I'm too stressed over this dump expansion. No surfing for me tomorrow.

The knee-jerk reactions around here are astonishing. What we have here is a self-righteous group that is so convinced of its own propaganda that it will smear anyone that gets in the way of its agenda.

Barbra, for the record I am certain that men landed on the moon and I am also certain that the holocaust actually occurred. You have a lot of nerve to suggest that I would believe otherwise. Congratulations, that drops you to the level of your pal Jim Dantona in making false accusations when I is politically convenient. If I cannot disagree with you without being accused of being a holocaust denier then there is little point in attempting to have any kind of rational discussion with you. I've been called many things on this blog for expressing my opinions, but your accusation is by far the most insulting, lowest form of attack I have seen yet. Maybe that explains a few things.

Bubba, you are free to express your opinion, but Barbra should be stiffled? Now I too undertand a few things. Good thing the Attorney General held true to his word. Now I have comfort in the fact that Republicans still don't lie. Oh Bubba, try as you may to vent your hate for Jim Dantona, his supporters will stick a lance through your heart at every turn. For you, Bubba. are the one who can never tell the truth. With this, have I surpassed Barbra in the degree of insulting and lowest form of attack that you "have seen yet"? If not, I shall yet try again when you show your fangs, growl and pounce another day.

I do think Barbra went too far with the holocaust denier part. The moon landing was funny, the second part wasn't a fair shot.

I know Bubba can be frustrating. Him and I disagree all the time. But I think Barbra should apologize and move on.

Over here in Russia, people really do think that we faked the moon landing. They look at you like you're an idiot if you say that we were actually there.

Apologize to the Bubba? Forget it. Barbra made a reference to people still in denial about proven historical events. The Bubba keep chanting that the dump expansion isn't yet known. How silly on the part of the Bubba. As far as an apology, no way. Bubba is a right wing nut who throws, throws, throws, then cries time out when hit back. Too bad Bubba. Toughen up, you wimp. The dump expansion in both size and daily tonnage has been known for four years and never changed; Three and one half times larger and double the daily garbage tonnage. Grow up Bubba and quit your cry baby antics.

Speaking of the Acorn let's check the headlines! "Alberto Gonzalez Resigns in Disgrace". Lets check some previous headlines. "Bush 2004 Campaign Pledges to Bring Honor and Integrity Back to Whitehouse." 2005 "Halliburton Makes Record Profit". 2005 "Halliburton Suspected of Defrauding Government of Billions". 2006 "Foley Resigns in Disgrace." 2006 "Democrats Win Congress in Landslide!" 2006 "Rumsfeld Resigns in Disgrace." 2007 "Iraq is a Quagmire". Also in case you have not heard the Iraq report by General Petraeus will not be written by him, it will be written by Whitehouse staffers. These are the same people who altered the science in reports on global warming, changed reports by the surgeon general and wrote reports saying we would find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The other day I told a big company's customer service representative that my account problems that I am having with his company make me understand how a person can get "postal stress syndrome" and that I fell like pulling my hair our. So the guy said to me, "You know these conversations are recorded and you cannot threaten me with a gun". It was at that moment I realized how most people can so easily "twist" what you tell them into a potential nightmare of a problem that you never meant to create. Frankly as I read some of these posts I have to laugh when someone says they are insulted as someone else tries their best to describe a situation just to make a point. If it is any consequence, know this, anyone who wants to comment about anything I write I will not take it personally.

Bubba Bubba Bubba,
Put on your big girl panites and deal with it! I am tired of your "holier than tho" attitude. You hide behind a fake name, that in itself shows what a coward you. I could care less about your opinion of me.

Bubba Bubba Bubba,
Put on your big girl panites and deal with it! I am tired of your "holier than tho" attitude. You hide behind a fake name, that in itself shows what a coward you. I could care less about your opinion of me.

To Louis Pandolfi and other members of the task force. I have heard nothing but negative comments about WM and the proposed expansion. What I would like to know is what concessions would you like to see from WM and or what changes would you like to see in the proposed expansion plans? Is there room to find a compromise?

Go Barbra, go Barbra! I have nothing but respect for Barbra Williamson, she uses her real name and tells it like it is! She is not afraid to stand up to WM and their flunkies! It is nice to hear a politician tell it how they feel, most people in politics these days make sure they never take a stand or do anything that might be used in a sound bite. Keep going Barbra, you have my vote!

JimmyM
There is always room for compromise, but let me ask you a question. Are you a resident of Simi valley or Moorpark? I am wondering, why would you want a mega dump in our community, and why would should we be satified with $260,000 from a fortune 500 company that could take away as many as 2600 jobs? Curretnly we have 100 communities bringing their trash to our city, am I lead to believe that you dcon't have a problem with this? The County board of Supervisors will be the ones to determine our future,it is our responsibility to let them know that we are not excited about being "dumped" on.
So, having said that, you asked what consessions I would like to see from Waste Management... I would like to see at least $3 million dollar a year return to the residents of Simi Valley for starters, I would like to see a top notch recycling facility located at the site, and I would like to see only ONE trash truck going up and down our streets on a weekly basis instead of three...that is for starters.
There are several moare things, but as you know, we are still studying the expansion application, but when the time is right, we will make a list of proposals we hope the City Council will consider and also the coun ty Board of Supervisors. Listen, JimmyM, we know the landfill isn't going away. We just want to make sure that the residents of Simi Valley don't get sold a bill of goods...do you?

Jimmy M., of course there is a compromise position out there. Speaking for myself only, I see a waste restriction in place; i.e. how much garbage can come from outside Ventura County. With that in place, the height, volume and daily tonnage are mitigated. Lastly, I see the City of Simi Valley compensated for all the damage that is, and will be, caused to the community both in terms of environmental and economic impacts. We take a hit on the development of our job base in the West End Industrial Area and we are a blighted community known as the home of Mt. Trashmore. The mitigation is money and I see the money based on the tonnage going into the dump with a two tier approach. Garbage from Ventura County is one level. Garbage from outside of our County is a second tier and on a sliding scale with the rate of mitigation increasing with increased daily outside tonnage. The math is very simple to work out. The current Road Agreement is a farce. It takes money from our residents, passes it through Waste Mgt. and then into the General Fund of the City. It is nothing more than a back door tax. If Waste compensates the City for garbage coming from outside of our area, then are residents are actually compensated for our damages and not taxed. I'm sure our City Council will see the value to this approach and follow through.

Waste Mgt. has been taking advantage of Simi Valley for far too long. It is high time that negotiations advance to the next level. Short of negotiations, Waste Mgt. should be sent a resounding no to its plans for expansion and take its Los Angeles garbage back to Houston.

The landfill task farce is deluding themselves if they think they are serving anybody but themselves. I've never seen a community group so cynical, selfish, and self-righteous as this one. I can only presume that it reflects the personality of its founder, who smugly thinks that she can personally annoint her own hand-picked community group while doing an end-run around the process. And when the Mayor and rest of the City Council exposed this process for the politically motivated fraud that it is then Barbra and her cronies went whining to the newspapers with crazy talk of conspiracies and toxic waste in order to frighten the public.

You see, they cannot just present the facts because that is not part of their agenda. And heaven forbid that anybody question the motivies of this so-called community group. The personal agendas of several task farce members was readily apparent well before these individuals were selected. Funny how people in this blog routinely attack our Mayor, City Council members and other community leaders, without evidence, but question Barbra, the patron saint of anti-landfill expansion, and you get accused of being complicit in the systematic extermination of Jews. Those types of scorched earth tactics speak for itself.

Anybody see a trend here? The same individuals who self-righteously proclaim that they have an obligation to question this project don't take too kindly to being questioned themselves. The same folks who demand transparency themselves feel no obligation to comply with the same open meeting laws that govern other high-profile community groups. The same individuals that were behind a fraudulent political campaign that was fined by the ethics committee are once again trying to employ the same kind of misinformation and scare tactics.

I can only assume that the Dantona Cult is alive and well and that this task farce is fabricating an issue so that their boy Dantona has a platform to run on in his bid for the State Senate. There is little doubt that the facts will be twisted and manipulated by the usual suspects. And while there are those may not like what I have to say, your false accusations won't stop me from exposing the landfill task farce for what it is.

As you can see, I don't take kindly at being accused of being a holocaust denier. Anybody willing to stoop to that level is not worthy of being a community leader.

Mr. Bubba, I am not on the taskforce and I really don't care who is on it. The point is that WM is planning on burying LA. County garbage in our hillsides that will be there forever and we will put up with all the trucks. Why in the world would you or anyone else be for that? I understand WM wants it so they can make billions of dollars. Should not L.A. County and points beyond keep their own garbage? I have seen Ms. Williamson on T.V. many times, I don't always agree with her, but I give her full credit for taking on this issue, obviously the City Council would not have dealt with it on their own. Mr. Bubba it almost sounds as if you would refuse a life jacket if you were drowning if it was being given to you by someone who does not share your political views, even though the life jacket would save your life. Bubba take deep breaths and count to ten before writing again and try to make valid points for a change.

Bubba is no longer worthy of comment. From under a rock it cometh and to under a rock it goeth.

The dump expansion is not going to get any public support. All the dump croonies can do is attempt to shoot the messenger.

I haven't seen much attack against the Mayor or City Council. From what I have seen, the Task Force has been praising the City Council. Perhaps heith under the rock is not wanting to address reality, just life underground in darkness. Sort of like a gopher. But I trap gophers and feed them to the hawks.

Bubba goes on an on about Dantona and his cult. Can Strickland be that scared so early? I do hope the lean, mean, fighting machine will run for State Senate. It will be a joy to see Strickland back in the unemployment line and out of the government trough. To that under the rock rodent like object, I recommend it go to Waste for a job once again. I heard Bill Davis quit on them and they are in urgent need of more local "consultants".

Surf's up. Come out from under and meet me at the pier Bubb.

Well I don't live in Simi but I have been following the WM issue here on the Dennert Blog and it seems to me that the City Council should have taken an active role all along. Barbra shouldn't have to get a Task Force going in order that Simi Valley citizens rights and interests are considered. But she did and now Bubba Kidd is doing every possible to cast it in a negative light. BK, you are working against the interests of the citizens of Simi Valley and for the interests of Waste Management. As I suggested earlier, join the Task Force or prod the City Council to get involved. You are wasting time and energy by just being a keyboard jockey.

Katie, you've tried to pound sense into Bubb before with no luck. Bubb hates Jim Dantona for some unknown reason. My guess it goes back to when he blocked an appointment to the State Transportation Commission, but it could be more current. Soon we will have an I.D. on that gopher. Katie, how is your new group doing. Can the Task Force make a presentation to your organization?

Surf's up. See you tomorrow in Ventura.

Thanks for the laughs Bubba, it is always fun reading your posts. Bubba is again a perfect example of how statements are made in an attempt to make a point and than twisted by a person who does not have the ability to read something and than process the information correctly but instead twists the information and ends up going down a road that has absolutely no connection to the original material.
With the addition of the last few posts to this blog, as a Simi Valley Citizen, I am delighted to see some actual facts being discussed without the personal attacks.
The more that Waste attacks the Task Force without answering any legitimate questions put forth by the Citizens of Simi Valley, the more they look like they indeed have a hidden agenda.
I am not a City Official and not a Politician but I keep asking where are the answers from Waste? All that I see is how Waste’s Management has actively gone after peoples jobs (with no success) who have simply tried to get some legitimate questions answered.
Remember, all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. I’m sure that Waste would just love for all of us to just go away and do or say nothing, but Waste Management, that’s just not going to happen.
I also think some people are just missing the point. We the people elect representatives but if we the people feel that they are not representing us on any issue, it's the right, no the duty of the people to make their voices heard. If that means forming a task force, picketing City Hall, standing on a soap box, posting on a blog or any other legitimate way all citizens have to make these elected official hear us then we must do it.
Those who disagree can do the same.

Concerned Citizen, you are a breath of fresh air. Indeed it has always been people like Barbra Williamson who have kept this great nation free. Waste Mgt. will only go after the messenger because the dump expansion can not be defended. Waste Mgt. claims to be clean these days. I don't believe it. But if so, apparently Waste Mgt. has learned well from organized crime over the decades. They are ruthless and don't tell the truth. As the Courts and District Attorneys have said, Wast Mgt. operates as a criminal enterprise. I have no doubt about it.

Concerned Citizen, see you tomorrow morning at the pier. Surf's up.

"Working against the interests of the citizens of Simi Valley and for the interests of Waste Management."

Why are the two necessarily posited against each other? I believe that they intersect. It's the city's job to make sure that we're getting a good deal. To that end I support a committee to objectively present the various impacts, both positive and negative, from the proposed expansion. The city should use this information to get the best deal possible for the residents of Simi Valley.

There are, however, fair questions about this particular Task Force, and whether is it serving that purpose or not. The most outspoken members were vocally opposed to the expansion before the committeу was ever put together. That's not exactly objective. It doesn't, however, mean that the group should be dismissed out of hand. The final results are most important, though the clear slant, at least on this blog, is pure opposition.

The accusation of Organized crime is tiresome and unfair, and again shows that people aren't as interested in presenting the facts as they are persuading through personal attacks. I agree with Bubba, that the same people who make baseless claims against numerous Republican politicians cry foul, and respond with ad hominems, when their own people are called out.

I don't know Barbra, and never heard of her before I started reading this blog. What Conrad said, "create a SEXY campaign platform, recreate a person's image, distract the public, develop a grass roots support systems and receive FREE press to help your candidate," is certainly a plausible interpretation of her actions. However, I don't think it matters. Even if Barbra didn't care, which I think she does, she's a politician, and responding to the desires of constituents. That's what politicians are supposed to do. Moreover, for an elected official she spends an insane amount of time interacting with readers online, which is both noteworthy and deserving of praise.

"lean, mean, fighting machine"

I wasn't around for the last election, and I don't know anything about Dantona or Foy. I do, however, find it odd to hear this constant refrain about the candidate that lost. Dantona's participation on this Task Force is much more open to charges of opportunism than Barbra's. He doesn't have to do anything but have his name included in the discussion, and gets all the benefits described by Conrad. I suppose that relates to the "lean," maximum benefit from minimum work. Smart move.

Lean, even though I do not agree with everything you have said, you used the high road to say it and deserve credibility. I think you like others are missing the point.
Who cares if some of the members of the Task Force are or have been in the past "politicians", they are trying to get the public informed about what is going on with Waste. I agree that Barbra is spending a lot of her time posting on these blogs but since part of the job of the TF is to get the public informed what better way than to use the tools at hand, the newspaper via the internet.
As far as the references to organized crime and WM, the facts are they are true (over 200 recorded criminal convictions) and that shows their character and the public should know that.
To this date, I've not heard them deny it, have you?
Just once I would like to see Waste Management answer some of the legitimate questions put to them by the Task Force. When the TF did attend the "white wash" guided tour and did ask these specific questions they were given answers that side tracked the actual questions.
I am starting to believe that Waste Management cannot answer these questions because it will make them look bad and the only thing they have left to do is to personally attack so as to undermine the person who is asking the question. Lean, you said, “The accusation of Organized crime is tiresome and unfair, and again shows that people aren't as interested in presenting the facts as they are persuading through personal attacks�.
The accusation of organized crime does come from facts, just check the records, and tiresome or not I think the public has a right to know the character of the company they are dealing with. Again I will say I still have not heard WM deny any of it. Who cares if anyone on the Task Force is a politician, dentist, or just plain citizen if they have researched the facts and are getting the concerns voiced to the uniformed public they are being successful in my book.
I am going to my friends and neighbors in Simi and asking certain questions like the ones mentions in the earlier blogs. There are a lot of good people who are unaware of Waste's intentions and their business practices and we the public should be informed. All of my information was taken from the public meetings held by the Task Force, if you want additional factual information you should attend these meetings.
In my opinion, what is needed to settle this is for Waste Management to actually answer some of these hard questions put to them without trying to sidetrack the issues. That's only my opinion and I am just a concerned citizen of Simi Valley.

Owen isn't too far out. Nevertheless, go apply for a job and see if your employer doesn't care that you have a felony conviction. Yet, Owen is tired of hearing about Waste Mgt. being convicted of hundreds of felonies.

Dantona has been a fantastic member of the Landfill Expansion Task Force and it will be a great loss if he resigns now that he has declared his candidacy for the Senate. My guess is that he will, however, take the high road and resign to maintain the political neutrality of the Task Force. I, for one, hope he stays with the Task Force if his time permits. Owen, regarding the dump expansion, you have missed the boat. I believe you will find that Task Force members do not oppose expanding the dump. What they will find objectionable, however, is using Simi Valley and Ventura County as the dumping ground for Los Angeles County's garbage for the next fifty years.

Couple of observations:

You know that $4 per container fee you get charged for "green recyclables"? Know where those "green ecyclables" go? Cause there's no green recycling going on up at the landfill. WM takes your $4 and your "green recyclables" and uses the green waste as temporary cover on the exposed soil up at the landfill, as they are required to do. So why do we have to pay WM to use our own "green recyclables"?

Here's one possible reason why....

The City's deal with WM gives them a tipping fee of about $2.50 for each ton of trash generated in the City, only (there's no fee for trash imported from San Diego or Iraq or any other points in between). Perhaps the City & County's deals allow WM to pass along those tipping fees to its customers, resulting in a not-so-well hidden tax. After all, the container costs come out of our pockets, go into WM's cash box and then are paid into the City's and County's general funds.

Yet I could be far off base and maybe there's a much simpler explanation of why we pay $4 per container only to see the City, the County and WM divvy up the spoils. Anyone want to risk the political wrath of the-powers-that-be by asking them?

gs, I think you have that just about right on target.

Barbra and Louis,
Thank you for answering my questions. It appears that you both have some good ideas for a compromise position. They are much better than the polarizing for and against arguments that I have been seeing. I really like the idea of a top notch recycling facility located at the site, and Louis, the sliding scale for mitigation fees is fantastic. I couldn’t agree more that the current Road Agreement is a farce and needs to be renegotiated. And how about an ironclad guarantee that there will never be another expansion request after this one?
Reality is that WM and the Board of Supervisors will make the final decisions. If we don’t approach them with realistic ideas they will ignore everything we ask for and shove the full expansion down our throats.
Barbra you are right to believe that I don’t have a problem with trash from other communities coming to our landfill. It is no different than our own trash. With daily limits and a maximum capacity for the landfill what difference does it make where the trash comes from?
Yes, I do live in Simi, 18 years just off of Sycamore and Cochran, about three miles from the landfill. I have seen no negative impact from the current landfill operations. Property values have risen and kept pace with surrounding communities. We have a thriving retail and commercial business community. Nobody calls us the trash dump of Ventura County; in fact I have met many people who don’t even know that the landfill exists. I don’t believe that any of that will change if WM is allowed to expand their operations.
Further let me add that I grew up in the city of Torrance about three miles from the Palos Verdes landfill. My mother and sister still live there. Other than the traffic (90% of which traveled thru Torrance on Crenshaw Blvd. because there was no freeway access) I don’t recall any adverse affects from living so close to this landfill. The Palos Verdes landfill has been closed since 1980, you would be hard pressed to say that it has had any negative effect on the area. Real estate prices in south Torrance and Palos Verdes are nearly double what they are in Simi Valley and their business community is booming. Part of the landfill property in now home to the South Coast Botanical Gardens a treasured gem in the community.
Another thing that bothers me is the constant reference to the expansion creating a mega dump. In reality if the expansion is approved the dump will be comparable in size to several other dumps in the area. Calabasas- 416 acres; Chiquita Canyon Valencia-257 acres; Scholl Canyon Glendale- 314 acres; Puente Hills- 433 acres. You might also note that all of these landfills are in Los Angeles County.

Louis, do you want to handle JimmyM's question or should I?

I am not going to go through all the ideas Jimmy put up for discussion (although they are great points!) but I wanted to talk about his idea of a promise of no future expansions.

Jimmy, when the landfill fills up with trash from both VC and outside wouldn't it be natural to support an expansion?

And to stop that from happening couldn't we limit an expansion now with some limited ratio of outside trash to make a longer span of time until it fills up?

JimmyM, thanks for the comments you addressed to me and Barbra. We too had a dump nearby when I was growing up. You made reference to four other dumps in Los Angeles and took exception to the mega-dump reference. While Calabasas and Scholl Canyon are comparable to our dump in terms of its current daily permitted throughput, their permitted capacities are about one half of what Waste Mgt. is trying to put in Simi Valley. In the case of Chiquita Canyon, the permitted capacity is far less than one half. This leaves just Puente Hills as an example of what we can look forward to. While the permitted capacity is nearly identical to what Waste Mgt. is trying to put into Simi Valley, its permitted throughput is about twice what Waste Mgt. is bringing to our town. And yes, Jimmy, Puente Hills is classified as a mega-dump with either the largest, or one of the largest, permitted throughputs in the United States and it is, and has been, surrounded by controversy and community outcry for many, many years. It is the very reason that Los Angeles has decided to close all of its landfills; most recently Bradley.

Jimmy, you may find a dump not objectionable. But when a community looks to its future, should it set its goals at this level, or perhaps a bit higher? When we look at our corporate citizens who provide us with jobs and a strong tax base to support our City services, do we look to a dump? You are on track in so many areas, but I do believe your views on the benefits of a mega-dump in town are not in line with mine.

Yes, Jimmy, I did just confirm that Puente Hills is indeed the largest garbage dump in the United States. Again, I do not think hosting the second largest garbage dump in the United States would be something we should look to with pride.

Jimmy-M, that landfill that was in your backyard in the old days in Palos Verdes, that you allege was closed in 1980, has a few problems of its own. While homes were built within 100 feet of that dump, the landfill has still not been closed because of so many problems that have arisen.

In 1985, groundwater contamination was found along the northwest corner of the landfill. Some of the contaminants found included trichlorethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene, vinyl chloride, benzene, and toluene. In 1986, a subsurface barrier was constructed, under the oversight of RWQCB, to control the contaminated groundwater. The landfill has not undergone formal closure procedures pursuant to Health and Safety Code, Chapter 15. Landfill leachate containing hazardous substances may be migrating to groundwater beneath the site. Residences exist within 100 feet of the site boundary. The Department entered into an enforceable agreement with the County Sanitation Districts on March 31, 1988. The Districts agreed to conduct remedial investigations and remediation activities.

This is exactly what we don't want in Simi Valley. While you may not have been aware of these problems, others have.

JimmyM, thought you might appreciate a recent television show by National Geographic on Puente Hills Landfill. Following is a brief story summarizing the show. Please note the mega-dump reference.

Megastructures: Garbage Mountain / National Geographic Channel / 9:00 p.m.

"What a dump! Trash piled 20 stories high! The Puente Hills landfill near Los Angeles, the largest active megadump in the country, processes 2,000 tons of garbage an hour. How does it do it? With megamachines and megaingenuity. Find out what happens to your trash when you're not looking. Uncover the giant world of garbage at America's largest active mega-dump."

There is something that my family still does not understand. If WM is charging customers every billing cycle for green recycling but only takes 10% of the stuff and recycles it and puts the other back over the regular trash why do we bother to recycle and where does our money go. For every 200,000 customers at $4.00 dollars per cycle that equals about $800,000.00 dollars and of course 10% is $80,000, very simple math.
Who than gets the profit? Where is that money going? To me it is clear cut, the $80,000 should pay for what ever it costs to transport the green waste to the proper facility for recycling and WM should in fact be recycling all of the green waste or return the money to its customers. I smell a law suit here?????
I personally have seen the green waste right next to and on top of the regular trash.
I want an answer to this question. I have seen this posted several times, and want to understand it.
Do I have this information right?

Confused, you raise a perfectly valid question that only WM can answer for sure. Under the present process you'll have the opportunity to take one day off work, drive to Ventura Avenue and wait patiently in line until your time comes to voice your concerns. You'll receive a maximum of three minutes to speak (much less if there's a good turnout of concerned neighbors). However, even though you get to address the Board of Supervisors you will not have the opportunity to ask your question directly to WM. Then a vote will be taken to approve or deny WM's application.

Great process, huh!?

This process works for a car wash or a new office building but does it work for something the size & impact of a mega dump? No, it doesn't and no one in a position of power to change the process is willing to stand up and say so. Without the Task Force knocking on doors and asking questions WM's expansion, as planned, is a done deal. With concerned people like yourself demanding answers we can
make this expansion become a win-win for everybody.

Let's not even vote. Mike Smith, General Manager for the dump, has said time and again that the project will be great for the community. Why not just believe him. He told us he is not like the rest of his company. After all, he hasn't been convicted of even one felony; has he? Can't we all just get along? How bad can a 200 foot tall dump of garbage from Los Angeles be for Simi Valley? After all, we are still here after a nuclear reactor melt down. How much worse can a mega garbage heap be? I believe Mike Smith. Join me!

Surf's up Mike Smith. Meet me at the pier.

This message is for confused...
Why not attend the Neighborhood council meetings when Waste makes their presentation and ask Mr. Smith directly.

We need to get behind our civic pride in Simi Valley. After many years the City annexed the Presidential Library into the City. How about we annex the dump as well. Then from the Library all of our visitors from around the world can look across our valley at Mt. Trashmore. We will really be on the map. I am excited. Mike Smith said the expanded dump with be great for our City. He just hasn't said how. But the Doggie is still excited.

Surf's up Barbra. See you in Ventura Saturday. I'll bring an extra board.

Countrywide met with their employees in Simi and announced layoffs. They are moving to Texas and India and will only keep a skeleton crew in the vault on Tapo Cyn.

I recall last October when Jim Dantona publicly raised the issue of the dump expansion. Waste Mgt. and then candidate Peter Foy said it was totally untrue that there was a plan to expand the dump. Now we see the expansion application and the many reports made a part of the application have dates of 2005 and 2006. So, once again, Waste Mgt. lied; a lie that was apparently solely intended to get a County Supervisor elected. One has to wonder how impartial now Supervisor Foy will be on the dump expansion when Waste Mgt. worked so hard to get him elected and why Waste Mgt. was afraid of Jim Dantona being elected.

Now we find Waste Mgt. still not telling the truth. First Waste's spokesman Mike Smith attacked City Councilmember Williamson and her Task Force. Then Mike Smith wrote an Op-Ed piece in which he praised the fantastic public hearing process under which Waste's dump expansion application will be reviewed. But not once has spokesman Mike Smith explained where the additional 3,000 tons of garbage each and every day will be coming from. Not once has he explained what a 250 feet tall pile of garbage will look like. Not once has he addressed dump impacts on our job base, garbage truck impacts on our freeway and flying garbage, bacteria and fungus on our health.

No, it still looks to me like Smith and his Houston gumbas just can't tell the truth.

Dumpknowledge, is what you say about the denial of any expansion planned true? Was this one of the debate questions? I didn't attend the debate but I heard that Waste Management was there at the beginning. If what you say is true, the Ventura County Star should be bringing it up front and center.

Katie, Peter Foy stated "I have met with Waste Management and they have assured me that no expansion has been proposed. If it does get proposed, I will vote against it if it adds any traffic to our streets".

You can read between the lines and play with the wordsmithing, but the bottom line is Waste Mgt. lied just long enough to get Peter Foy elected to the Board of Supervisors. Time will tell if they bought a vote or he will remain neutral.

Perhaps the Supervisor can enlighten the community as to WHO at WaMa told him such a bald-faced and calculated lie. That incident alone should cause this community to suspect everything that comes out of the collective mouths of WaMa. I will be attending every Neighborhood Council meeting to challenge WaMa about this lie and to encourage my neighbors to ask tough questions about these expansion plans. I'll be buying coffee afterwards for everyone that joins me!

Sign Gidg and up for that coffee. We will be there with ya.

By the way, GS, Surf's up, see you at the pier tomorrow.

Can hardly wait for Mike Smith's next letter to the editor. Will it be a Barbra Williamson bash or the one in which he babbles and babbles, but never says anything about the dump expansion? Stay tuned for Chapter III of the it is / it isn't a dump expansion, modernization program.

Please, lets stop bashing Mike Smith.

I agree. Peter Foy was the one that said Waste told him that there was no planned expansion, yes?

I didn't hear or read Waste saying that one.

When are the neighborhood council meetings? Where are they?
I would like to attend especially if WM is going to be there so I can ask 1 or 2 legitimate questions. Since I have never seen any actual answers posted anywhere or in any of the newspaper articles I feel compelled to ask these questions. Hopeful others will leave out all the personal attacks on both WM and the Task force and ask the questions that need to get answered.
I feel that Barbra Williamson did a great job in picking the members of the Task Force. For the record who cares if they are politicians, doctors, housewives, black, white, or anything else it takes a substantial kind of person to answer these hard questions, take these relentless attacks and everything else they have endured in the last few months. Sometimes, being in the "limelight" is no easy task and it takes a lot of backbone to endure.
Those are just my personal thoughts and I say thanks to Barbra Williamson and her team for being there for the citizens of Simi Valley. Perhaps this time "big business", Waste Management, will finally have to answer to the citizens before they get a little bigger.

Professional of you, Councilmember Williamson, of taking the high road against "bashing" Mike Smith, Waste Mgt's spokes hole. But, alas, mutiny has taken place.

Smith attacked you in the press, solely for the economic interests of Waste Mgt. He marched to the drums of the criminal enterprise in Houston and he isn't getting a free pass to do so from this supporter of yours.

Twice now he has written op-ed pieces in the newspapers and neither time has he addressed the scope or purpose of the proposed dump expansion. His PR spokes holes have set his script to either attack the messenger or avoid talking about the issues. So it is only fair that his actions be addressed for what they are.

Smith is a mere shill for Waste Mgt.'s seven billion dollar dump expansion attempt that is being made for the sole purpose of hauling Los Angeles' garbage to Simi Valley at the rate of an additional 3,000 tons each and every day beyond that which is already coming in. As Mayor Paul Miller said, "I can not support a mega-dump in our community". Barbra, you have support on the Council. Now close the noose on Mike Smith and the Waste Mgt. criminal enterprise and send Los Angeles' garbage to Houston.

I'm sorry Barbra, but when Smith attacks you, he will be attacked back ten fold.

You said it Dribble. Right on! Smith, Williams and Cole thought they could buy their way through the planning process. How wrong they are. With elected officials like Miller, Becerra, Sojka and Williamson, the path to victory for Waste Mgt. will now be a field of landmines. Come on Smith. Take another cheap shot at Barbra Williamson and her Task Force. Only a foul being led by an out of the area public relations firm would attack the most popular City Councilmember in Simi Valley. Come on Smith, make another attack. Better start looking for more land in Houston. Your Mt. Trashmore in Simi Valley just ain't gonna happen, my friend.

Surf's up and weather is hot. I'm heading to the pier. Smith, you and your gumbas aren't invited.

You got that right, Doggie. This Smith dude isn't kool enough to ride a wave with you. He does't tell the truth, attacks Barbra Williamson, then babbles in the press about nothing of substance. Stay tuned. The boys in the hood may be sending out a new dump manager from Houston real soon.

I can't believe dribble and Moondoggie are having this conversation...Do I hear Love in the air?

I never turn down a new friend. We are united behind a common leader and a common foe. Barbra Williamson for State Senate. Mike Smith,aka Waste spokeshole, to share a special spot in the mega dump with Hoffa and the Houston gumbas.

Dear Drip,,,oh excuse me, I mean Dribble,
I have been asked by several people in the Republican Party to run for the 19th, but still haven't made up my mind...I haven't shared this with anyone, but guess its on the front page now!

I thought Dribble was blowing smoke until I heard it myself last night at a party in Montecito. I couldn't think of a better ticket myself. It is a heads I win, tales you lose scenario. Foy and Strickland beat each other up, you take the nomination of the Reps. You and Dantona are on the general election ballot. Either of you win and we have put the 19th back in the hands of the voters and not the special interests. Jobs, clean beaches, hiway repairs and expansion, clear air and water, and a kick in the ass to Waste Mgt. heard all the way to Houston. What a great day that would be.

Surf's up. I hope you can join me at the beach tomorrow Barb. I'll bring the boards. You bring the wine.

Well I have to say dribble, I am encouraged by your excitement. I need to hear more from the thread before I really consider this mega move...geez, Jim is going to have a hissy fit!

With Barbra running there will be one candidate in each party who is familar with Waste Mgt. and can make the mega dump expansion a campaign issue. I would love to see where Foy stands on it.

Heading to the beach with Moondoggie and Gidg to cool off. Later, Gator.

Has Mr Foy ever said WHO it was that assured him there would be no expansion? Whoever that person was he/she should be labelled as part of a political organization and barred from making any presentation to the City.

Good point gs. No political organizations, or organizations that the Mayor has a hint may be politically motivated, are permitted to go before the Neighborhood Councils. This is to protect all of us. From ourselves? Sounds like a bunch of "dribble" to me. Or is someone getting a few bucks, rounds of golf, dinners, trips or other gatuities from the dump? Not intended to make an accusation or imply a conspiracy. That is a no, no in this "can't we all get along" environment. But it sure does sound strange.

In an election as close as District 4's (and I'm not challenging the results) was WM's assurance to the new supervisor intended to affect the outcome of that election by convincing voters that the expansion was never an issue or that Dantona had created a phony campaign issue? If so, then WM definitely IS a political organization, according to the city Council's definition, and should NOT be allowed to make its presentation to the Neighborhood Councils.

I do know this...our Supervisor has the moral & legal right to step up and explain the phony assurance made to the voters of District 4.

In spite of what Mike Smith and the other Waste Mgt. gumbas in Houston might think, Supervisor Pete Foy can't be bought. Pete doesn't want Simi Valley to be the dumping ground for garbage from Los Angeles anymore than the rest of us.

Waste Mgt. has expanded its "poll" and is now polling Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Oxnard. Lots of money being spent for a project that, according to Waste Mgt., everyone will love. At least according to the Houston gumbas.

Isn't a push poll a political tool to effect a voter outcome and wouldn't using that tool make the user a political organization? Cause that would be TWO strikes against WM.

Now, if the City allows one PolOrg to make presentations and denies the same right to a group with an opposing view because, in the city's opinion, that second group is also a PolOrg, would that be grounds for an injunction to stop the entire review process until a court's decided the civil rights issues?