San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford is the latest Republican to endorse Democratic challenger James Ramos for the Third District Supervisor slot. Ramos is running against conservative Republican and Tea Party favorite Neil Derry. Derry is the incumbent. Derry’s term in office has been marked by an ongoing feud with those county supervisors and elected officials who want to maintain the status quo of criminal misconduct in a county that has suffered through scandal after scandal for over two decades. Five of the last seven chairmen of the Board of Supervisors have been charged criminally, indicted by a grand jury and/or investigated by county, state and/or federal law enforcement officials. To read the rest of this story, click here.
by AdministratorThe ordinance to establish an Animal Services Commission in San Bernardino County passed its second reading on July 24, 2012. After contentious, and sometimes demeaning, debate at previous Board of Supervisors meetings between Chairwoman Josie Gonzales and members of the public, the ordinance was approved 4-1 with Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt absent. The commission will consist of seven members, one member of the public from each of the five supervisor districts, a private-practice veterinarian and a member of the county’s Public Health Department. The county is accepting applications for the six non-county-employee member positions. To read the rest of the story, click here.
by AdministratorAdministrator’s Note: You have to scroll down on the actual story, but there is a list of the top 25 safety retirement allotments. There are a few new names. It is not hard to figure out why San Bernardino County employee unions are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to influence the first and third district supervisor races. The top two candidates in each race could not be more ideologically apart. Yesterday’s announcement by Supervisor Neil Derry to introduce a measure to limit pension spiking, among other reforms, sealed the deal. According to a press release issued by Derry’s office on Wednesday, pension costs as a percentage of total county expenditures have risen from three percent in 1999 to nearly ten percent of all expenditures in 2011. The county contribution to the public employee pension fund has increased from $43 million to $232 million. To read the rest of the story, click here.
by AdministratorSan Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry today praised Governor Jerry Brown upon learning that his updated budget proposal would slash welfare benefits in the county. Under Brown’s proposal, the county would lose approximately $60 million in funding for welfare programs. About $6 million of the cuts would be to administrative budget of the CalFresh Program, more commonly known as “food stamps.” This represents a 13-percent reduction and is based upon the amount of unused funds during Fiscal Year 2010/2011. Counties throughout the state have aggressively marketed their CalFresh programs to attract new recipients so that they would not be subjected to the “use it or lose it” formula so often applied to county budgets as with this proposal. To read the rest of the story, click here.
by AdministratorSupervisor Neil Derry (San Bernardino, CA) – The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted today to approve changes to the one-size-fits-all parking regulations that could have caused mountain restaurants to close and has prevented others from opening or expanding. The regulations, which based the number of parking spots on square footage, type of business and other criteria, were voted into effect in 2007 but did not take into account the mountain terrain where usable land is at a premium and a 10-space minimum is not reasonable. Third District supervisor Neil Derry led the fight to create regulations that are appropriate for mountain residents. San Bernardino County consists of more than 20,000 square miles and is home to both vast expanses of vacant desert and compact mountain communities that rely on the tourist industry for survival. To read the rest of the story, click here.
by Administrator(San Bernardino, CA) – At today’s meeting of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, Third District supervisor Neil Derry proposed creating a committee to provide the board with feedback about ongoing concerns at the county’s animal shelters. Devore Animal Shelter is the central detention and euthanasia center for San Bernardino County and has been the primary source of controversy although animal control practices at some of the other county shelters have also been called into question by the rescue community. “Although the manner in which the county has treated and cared for the animals in our custody has been questioned, our staff has assured me that they are abiding by the proper protocols,” Derry said in a press release issued today. “Inviting the community to participate in a transparent process will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable and allow the passion and energy of these concerned citizens to be directed towards innovative ideas and positive solutions. To read the rest of the story, click here.
by AdministratorMarch 13, 2012 By Margo Sturges J.Bagley-FaceBook Landers, Ca.- Last evening, I attended a San Bernardino LAFCO, Local Agency Formation Commission, meeting held in Landers. Meeting the folks at the door was a gentlemen wearing a crisp blue shirt, no tie and no name tag, acting like the official greeter at WalMart. He was thanking everyone walking through the door for attending this LAFCO meeting giving the appearance of a public official. I wondered if I knew him from somewhere because he addressed me by my first name, Margo, but of course -I was wearing a name tag. The LAFCO meeting was to explain a Sphere of Influence, SOI, and Service Review serving as an outreach to the residents living in CSA-70 area, Zone 1. At the beginning of the meeting, Executive Director, Kathleen Rollings-McDonald introduced the Commissioners and Staff members in attendance. He was standing alone against the wall and was not seated at the dais with the LAFCO Commissioners, which included our 3rd District Supervisor, Neil Derry. The “blue man” was introduced as Jim Bagley, representing the “public member” of this agency. Aha! That’s who that was, a public official of LAFCO! To read the rest of the story, click here.
by Margo SturgesYes, I am sure blood pressures at Devore Animal Shelter are running a bit high today. If Supervisor Neil Derry gets his way, they are about to be caught! At this morning’s Board of Supervisors meeting Derry proposed a committee comprised of citizens to review the situation at Devore. From what I understand, there will be little cost, and if changes can be made, the county will make money off of this as it is less expensive to adopt an animal out to a loving home than to murder it as is the current practice for most animals that enter the shelter.
by Administrator