Calif. town recalls planning board that endorsed Blackwater plan

[habitual]

Source: The Mercury News

This small town in San Diego County won a skirmish with Blackwater Worldwide on Wednesday, as residents voted to recall five members of a planning board that endorsed the global security contractor's plan to build a firing range in a nearby valley.

The results were announced early Wednesday, several hours after polls closed Tuesday night.

"All five were recalled," said registrar Deborah Seiler, adding that final vote certification would come later Wednesday.

The members—chairman Gordon Hammers, Jerry Johnson, Mary Johnson, Janet Wright and Thell Fowler—lost by wide margins, according to the voting tallies.

Read more: http://origin.mercurynews.com/news/ci_7698680?nclick_check=1

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. They should check to see if any of those P&Z members are also

members of the Rotary Club or Chamber of Commerce or any of the usual business organizations where they get too many opportunities to rub elbows with business people telling them how they should do their jobs; and if not that, they should check to see if the city attorney advised them before that vote, that they legally had no right to decline it, unless they found something that conflicted with the city's comp. plan.(On edit, or a settlement agreement that the public never even knew existed before the meeting.)

That's how these bad ideas go forth in Central Florida.

[mirrera]

2. Great News! The fires didn't stop them! n/t

[balantz]

3. Good news!

[pleah]

4. I bet their heads are spinning.

Good for the people of this town.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

5. Potrero!!!! They did it! Some tough son-of-a-guns out that way. It's where the fires started. n/t

[sattahipdeep]

6. Satellite training center

For Blackwater, the valley would be an ideal complement to its headquarters in Moyock, N.C., and
a satellite training center in Mount Carroll, Ill., about 150 miles west of Chicago.

The California site is remote and shielded by mountains, but it is also a short drive from
downtown San Diego and its array of military bases and federal law-enforcement field
offices—including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol.

In the wake of the Baghdad shootings, the company is focusing on its training operations
and trying to wean itself from overseas contracts.

"We're all aware that the war will end and the security operations will wind down eventually,"
said Brian Bonfiglio, a company vice president who is overseeing the proposal.
"So we're focusing on training, and that's where we're growing."

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7684893?nclick_check=1



http://harpers.org/archive/2006/09/sb-revolving-door-blackwater-1158094722

Blackwater reportedly has revenues of about $100 million annually, almost
all of it from government contracts, and maintains “a compound half the
size of Manhattan http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3093746&mesg_id=3096553

[jackster]

7. democracy reigns in san diego county!

:toast:

[bananas]

8. k&r nt

[Robbien]

9. `We chose to stay engaged,'' said Hammers. ``Certain elements made it an anti-Bush"

What a tool. "Certain elements" indeed.

Well Mr Hammers, the town now considers you to be the sort which can be bought by blood money. Very bloody blood money. So they kicked your snooty "certain elements" ass out.

[Kittycat]

10. "Certain Elements" What - like the people you're supposed to represent?

What a fraud. Clearly he was in it for what he could get, and not thinking with the towns best or desired interests.

[xxqqqzme]

11. he was dreaming of opening a 'made in China' tourist

ball cap & t-shirt shop.

[annm4peace]

12. Awesome

what incredible people you are!!!!! I know there must have been a lot of pressue from people who wanted the money and jobs that Blackwater would have brought..

You just might have saved America.

[99th_Monkey]

13. That link has been apparently scrubbed ... check it out..

"The requested resource (/reg/WEB-INF/jspf/nullHeader.jspf) is not available The requested resource (/reg/WEB-INF/jspf/nullLeftNav.jspf) is not available"

or maybe one is required to "register" .. which I generally avoid doing.. oh well.