Is it just me, or is it pretty ironic that after the weekend when Southern California Edison carried out one of its first public safety power shutoffs in Santa Barbara County, a fire broke out?
OK. I’m convinced. It’s not just me!
Southern California Edison shut down the power to thousands of people in Gaviota and Goleta on Sept. 7 and 8 due to hot temps and strong winds because they were trying to reduce the risk of a fire starting due to their infrastructure. A fire broke out in Buellton on Sept. 9 (from what I’m guessing is a vehicle that’s been poorly maintained), and 20,000 residents lost power because of it.
No, the two events aren’t related. But, I’m just throwing it out there because that’s what I do. Does it make the case for the shutoffs? Does it not? You tell me.
All I can see is an area that’s hot for fire—like “hot for teacher,” but way different. Santa Barbara County is fire prone with all of that hot wind and dried out vegetation, and unless you take humans—not birds—out of the equation, fire is bound to happen. Because humans are a mess.
Can you also tell me what’s going on in Solvang? After all of that hullabaloo with its tourism nonprofit, the Solvang City Council basically cut the cord with the Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau. Now, City Manager David Gassaway, who was hired in February with a five-year contract, is leaving!
Mayor Ryan Toussaint, who’s basically the city’s de facto statement maker about all of the weird things happening in Danishland, said the fight over the visitors bureau started with money. The city needed to keep a better handle on what it was doing with its purse strings, he said. And the visitors bureau didn’t do a good job of tracking its spending—and I’ll give him that. The bureau couldn’t figure out how it spent almost $1 million in funds other than to say it was labor related, so yeah, nice move.
But now Gassaway is leaving and gets an $87,500 severance package after working for only seven months, in which he netted a little more than $100,000, you know, per the contract. So the Solvang City Council will now spend staff time and money to find and appoint a replacement city manager, and give that person a new contract worth $175,000 a year in salary and benefits.
Does that sound like a good way to spend money?
Nope, nope, nope.
All Gassaway had to say was that he enjoyed his time in (and dare I say, money from) Solvang and wishes the “City Council success as they lead change for the community.” He walked away with almost $200,000 for seven months of work. So, yeah, I would be happy too! Best of luck, suckers!
Meanwhile, all Toussaint said about the separation was that “the City Council has a different direction for the community.” Well, Mr. Mayor, do tell. What is that direction?
I’m a very confused little birdy who needs help wrapping my pea brain around the City Council’s “desired outcomes.” Because from my perch, all I see is a hot mess.
The Canary is dazed and confused. Send comments to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Sep 12-19, 2019.