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"You are really dumb.. How old are you? You must be Zaviers little boy." Mikey, do yourself and everybody else a favor and leave this forum to the adults, okay? It IS true- I do NOT want a gym that we cant afford AND I dont want annexation that has pollution potentials, mitigation fees based on bogus numbers, tax revenues based on inflated 2008 numbers, or a lack of zoning controls in the areas proposed for annexation. Once those issues have been addressed and resolved to our benefit, then I would vote for annexation. Until those items are explored and favorably resolved we havent done the DUE DILIGENCE a move of this magnitude, and the residents of this city, deserve. Dr. Mel P. Johnson

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Ask Lob about ANY of these aforementioned issues and see what he says (bathrooms, pollution, zoning, accurate property values,etc.). I have serious doubts he even knows about most of those issues. He is also NOT on record as having any position regarding the bathrooms or the CC disasters. It is very likely he doesnt even know those projects existed. He can form NO OPINION of anybody until he works with them. Lob DID say there was room for improvement in the City Manager office, but didnt mention any details about what he meant, in what areas, how much improvement is needed, how he might evaluate his performance, etc. Perhaps Billy hasnt explained the details to him yet. He admits his job takes up a lot of his time, so when is he going to find time for City business? He wants to eliminate the City Boards. He doesnt say what he means when he says who or what the RIGHT PEOPLE for the City Boards might be. That is a position VERY close to Billy again, as Billy allowed the Ecology Board seat to be vacant for over 2 1/2 years before filling it. Three years later oungs STILL hasnt filled HIS seat there, although he continues to promise. Lob believes the golf course is "going good". Does that mean he believes continuing and escalating losses are "going good?" He needs to check with Billy again, as thats not MY definition of "doing good". He seems like a decent guy personally, but not all that current or conversant with the issues that face our city.

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"I cannot beleive the degree of knowledge you hav??? " THIS is the sentence structure and spelling of somebody with advanced degrees????? Please. This is probably Garcia or one of his gang, from what my friends say. Calling people names was not a communication technique that was encouraged in graduate school either. Perhaps in kindergarten or elementary school but one is supposed to outgrow that as one grows older. It is unfortunate, but some people NEVER outgrow it, and there is plenty of evidence to be found of that sad fact here. While I disagree with Marquez on a lot of things, I do not believe he would place his professional reputation as an architect in jeopardy by releasing a half-baked slanted, or inaccurate report on the gym. He lives on Hunting Lodge, and is probably in the phone book, if anybody wants to get the info directly from him. Whatever other doubts other people may have about him, I know of nobody who doubts his architectural competency. Dr. Mel P. Johnson

A coral rock foundation has been fine for the past 50 years. I frequently disagree with Martin Marquez but I believe he performed a public service when he had a remote controlled vehicle go under the building and take pictures of the pilings and general foundation. It is my recollection that his pictures showed the foundation was in excellent shape, and that was reflected in the Pistorino report. The pool had a leak, and the chlorine did some damage to the support beams, etc. there, but it is repairable and WAS included in the LINK contract. Ask Martin Marquez, the local architect, about the results of his community service providing those pictures. Dr. Mel P. Johnson

P[istorino

I talked to a guy yesterday who has a nice sized lot and wanted to put a significant addition to his home 15 months ago. The best offer he could get was 100k. He went back to those very same companies last month and got a bid of 40k for the VERY SAME addition. The Pistorino report is easily obtained if one makes a Freedom of Information request at the City Clerks office. It probably SHOULD be online but it WAS buried DEEP! Pistorino and Elam is the name of the company, and I believe they are structural engineers who have done work for the state, county, Tri-rail, etc. It would be cool if THEY had a copy of their report on THEIR website, as it may save a lot of time and effort. It HAS been a couple years since that report was made tho. New roof, floors, walls, plumbing, electric, sprinklers and insulation is "lipstick on a pig"? Get real. No variances required. Its a new building THAT WE CAN AFFORD, with no new debt. Some of our local builders and contractors would obviously be involved in the renovation, so we would be supporting our own. Dr. Mel P. Johnson

Pistorino report commentary

The Pistorino report DID say a new roof, new floor, new walls, new plumbing, new electricity, and a new sprinkler system was needed and all of that was included in the price he quoted. It also included some reinforcement of some of the roof structure but overall, said the huge pilings that are buried 22-feet deep into coral rock are in excellent shape. There is over 1.5 million dollars in foundation and structural supports that can easily and safely be used as a framework for a renovated, and essentially new, building at a price we can easily afford, with no new debt. Dr. Mel P. Johnson

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"the foundation is old, the structure is out dated and it would cost more in the long run." This poster obviously has never read the Pistorino report because he said the foundation is in excellent shape and we could refurbish for 1.6-1.8 million. Add 300k if we wanted it air-conditioned. The Pistorino report was buried DEEP, even tho the city paid Pistorino 17k for it a couple years ago. It was NEVER discussed and/or debated as a serious option. There are a lot of out-of-work construction workers now and I believe we could renovate it for considerably less now. Why not ask Pistorino to come back and update his report with the most current data and estimates? Then let the people vote whether they want to have a 2 million dollar new gym with NO NEW DEBT or a 6.8 million dollar new gym with 2.5 million (at least) in new debt? Whichever way the people decided would be fine with me. I just believe this is a major multi-million dollar project, and like the golf course and the highrises, the people should vote, and let their voices be heard because in the end we will be the ones paying for it! Dr. Mel P. Johnson