Timber!!!

ERIC PREVEN’S NOTEBOOK - The Chiquita Canyon landfill, after eleven months, has seen no improvement. Even locals five miles away are impacted by foul smells. Many of us recall the incredible day that Mark Ridley-Thomas exited the fair public hearing on the landfill expansion to attend a ribbon cutting at the Lucas Narrative Museum of Hypocrisy. We are wondering if going forward, the admission will be free like the California Science Center, The Broad, and The Hammer. This is a critical and important heavy lift. We are turning to the Honorable Holly J. Mitchell to git r done.

NOTE: The LA County Board Meetings of August 20 and 27, 2024 and September 3, 2024, have been canceled. The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 9:30 a.m.

Comment: Nice ring to this phrasing ..." flagrant, egregious, and malicious breach of duty."

Gold Medalist:

Ah, the art of city council overreach, expertly demonstrated by Councilmember Paul Krekorian – a true maestro in the realm of park destruction and Sportwashing. With a plan so audacious it rivals reality his Amelia Earhardt coup, Krekorian’s team has replaced 75,000 square feet of vibrant green space in Studio City with a meager 23,500 square feet, all to accommodate a high school regulation basketball court. Yes, 51,500 square feet of turf will be sacrificed for sporting splendor.

Paul Krekorian, Brad Sherman and Nithya Raman have a lot of balls in the air in Studio City.

The real showstopper? The budget for this overhaul has skyrocketed from $3 million, as initially proposed under Proposition K, to a jaw-dropping $29.5 million. And, remarkably, not one single bed will be constructed for the community’s use. Instead, residents are gifted with a colossal basketball complex.

Krekorian, fresh from his Sportwashing trip to Paris, has repurposed Proposition K funds with the finesse of a magician. The grand finale of this spectacle? Passing the oversized mess to Nithya Raman, all while basking in the glow of Brad Sherman’s bald pate.

The project’s champions – Neil Drucker, Michael Shull, Nate Hayward, and Jessica Fugate (more)– have skillfully navigated public outrage, steering this sports facility into reality. Areen Ibranossian’s seamless transition to lobbying hints at beneficial connections behind this park “upgrade.” Meanwhile, Karo Torossian presided over the debacle with impeccable disregard for community needs before dumping it on Raman.

Rita Villa and the Studio City Neighborhood Council have perfected the art of ignoring public input, ensuring the project’s progress. The pièce de résistance? Krekorian’s pretense of caring for a beloved old tree, used as a distraction from this extravagant overhaul.

And so, in true city council fashion, Krekorian hands off this monumental disaster to Nithya Raman, completing the cycle of local political theater.

Voilà – a park transformed into a lavish basketball complex, a fitting tribute to grandiose planning and community neglect.

Raise Hand Here:

Does Imelda know what the defeasance of the bonds… is?

In summary: Defeasance is a way to remove bond debt from an issuer's balance sheet without directly paying off the bondholders until maturity. Redemption is the process of paying off the bondholders, either before or at the maturity date, thereby retiring the bonds.

Employee Count:

The Los Angeles County Employee Count Report reflects an average employee count of 96,633 for the period of January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2024. The average increase in the employee population is 1,272 when compared to the previous report. The average change reflects an increase of 861 permanent positions and 411 temporary positions. In summary, departments focused on social services, health, and seasonal programs increased their workforce, mainly by filling existing vacancies, whereas law enforcement departments saw staff reductions, primarily from retirements. Tag: We're screwed and cannot fill positions.

Soul Source:

A brief glance at Board Correspondence from August 1 to the present showed more than eight sole source contracts. While sole-source contracts may seem convenient, they often do not serve the public's best interest. Competitive bidding is essential to ensure transparency, fairness, and cost-effectiveness. By opening the contract for the Central Fill Pharmacy and Automation System (CFPAS) to multiple vendors, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) could secure better pricing, innovative solutions, and higher service standards. Relying on a single vendor like Cardinal Health without exploring alternatives may lead to complacency, inflated costs, and missed opportunities for improvement.

County irony.

Additionally, competition encourages vendors to provide the best value and service, ultimately benefiting taxpayers and enhancing patient care. DHS should explore all available options to ensure the most efficient and effective use of public funds, rather than defaulting to a sole-source agreement that may not fully address the department's needs in the long term.

Whoops, there he is:

City Clerk: Caller with the digits two six one six, please state the items you would like to speak to.

Smart Speaker: Yeah, it's Eric Preven, I’d like to speak on item 37, item 38 and I would also like my time for the regular meeting because it’s completely arbitrary and I have something to say.

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: Yeah, you’ll have two minutes to speak on those agenda items. Thirty-seven and thirty-eight.

Smart Speaker: So, you won’t re-open the regular meeting. For me, okay fine.

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: Your time is running.

Smart Speaker: Thank you, Krekorian, yeah, I understand, I know how—[Brutally cut off mid-sentence. Sometime later, after alerting the National Guard about the Brown Act Violation…]

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: Although that was the allotted time. I apologize. Mr. Preven was the previous caller. He was accidentally disconnected, so if we could lower everyone’s hands and give Mr. Preven an opportunity if he is not on the line to call back in. I will allow him his time to speak to these agenda items (…following my Paris boondoggle, among the longest ever taken at taxpayer expense in the history of the world.)

[Pause.]

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: Do we have Mr. Preven on the line?

City Clerk: Caller, please state your name.

Smart Speaker: Yeah, it’s Eric Preven.

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: OK, sorry about that Mr. Preven, that was our mistake. So, you have your full two minutes you can begin now.

Smart Speaker: Yeah.

I don’t like Police Foundation gifts for $300,000 with redaction as to where the funds come from. Whereas I do appreciate a non-monetary donation for an organization and climate assessment, I don’t know what that means. That’s a lot of money to say we shouldn’t drive around in giant gas guzzlers.

Law enforcement is one of the few areas where we have a limited amount of sway … and I would certainly support Duarte becoming a Lieutenant but not more, unfortunately. At least, not without a lot of gift cards.

Alright 38 is… young councilmembers listen up, it’s Eric Preven from Studio City… I encourage you to oppose this. Mr. McOsker who gets up at 4:45 am every single day for the last 45 years to take this kind of action on bond defeasance and redemption. Of course, it is crucial for oversight and accountability, but these particular decisions are being made without enough council scrutiny. Look, this could impact our credit rating, which over at the Board of Supervisors they have been working themselves into a feverish lather in celebration of their high credit rating and homelessness numbers.

As the almighty County tips to the port side in danger of capsizing…

County Rescuers seeking to expand the Board of Supervisors.

What’s that buzzing sound? It’s Zev Yaroslavsky in a Zodiak boat with Jim Newton... a rescue!

No, that's AI. But is Katy Yaroslavsky listening (CD5). Katy, it is not wrong to speak to the grandfather of your children about withdrawing his support for the "takings" in Studio City.

He can easily assume a Carmaggedon tone and say, "Not on my watch!"

Look, the whole plan is outrageous, and our take is that Lindsey Horvath and Nithya Raman are in over their heads—they have been played by a saavy Krekorian team who have been coopted by the some bros who stole the Olympics and have never met a corrupt international game they don't like IOC, FIFA ...

Council woman Raman, we need a miracle! Sir, would you mind steppin down? This is all your fault. Please.

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: None of this has to do with item 38 Mr. Preven.

Smart Speaker: Fine, I'll get back on 38. Alright, back to bad governance and poor transparency and absolute blowhardery, my favorite subject. I want to make it very clear that the City and all of the residents will benefit from exposing the truth about the CD2 / CD4 bait and switch and we don’t want a giant building in our park in Studio City. Do we? No! We certainly don’t want or need another High School Regulation Basketball Court in our beloved park—

Paul Krekorian, Council President, CD2: Alright, Thank you very much. Your time has expired. That will close public comment.

The more recent construction cost estimate re-calibration is based on the increased escalation experienced in our current construction market and was confirmed with a 3rd party estimate. The estimated construction cost is approximately $21 million which results in a revised total project budget of approximately $29.54 million. This overall project budget does not include unforeseen additional costs resulting from the additional scope required by the new NEPA review.

Trash Talkers:

Taylor Lorenz has been deemed an opinion writer because she has opinions. No disrespect to her news reportage. Not in love with her mask ideas, but transmissions were captured that revealed some controversial satirical hostile ideas about the war in the mideast. Whatevs.

All groups have sub groups and there is always offensive chatter. Sometimes we call it trash talk. Everyone remembers when Eric Garcetti’s team was caught dissing Delores Huerta and who can forget when Don Kevin De Leon the Godfather of Homelessness in Los Angeles compared a colleague’s adopted Black son to a luxury handbag.

In any case, there’s been a new leak. We are not sure how this happened since the city routinely disables the comment feature on YouTube, but a recording of actual residents dishing about their leaders was uncovered. Only ITA could explain how the commenting section works and how it is that the speaker queue is managed.

FAQ: How is it that Jason from Figueroa gets through several times a meeting, when other recognized windbags do not. And how did a comment section appear over the objection of Ted Ross the head of the technology group. How was it created, captured and then whipped around the internet? Even as we pay out millions for technology consultants to help with Workday, the plain English (and Spanish) inquiry about basic fairness has been ignored.

The identities below have all been scrubbed but the content is both raw and outrageous. WARNING: This material is nasty. Incidentally, this is the same city council, who after months of legitimate inquiries as to the specific process by which they have been managing their speaker queue, has refused to respond.

The only response to date has been Mr. Groat (frequently referred to as Pumpkinhead) suggesting the speaker bring it up in general public comment.

Speaker I: Thank you, Steve.

Speaker D: Looks like Budget HELD OFF on Skip Miller A LITTLE…He gets $50,000 THEN needs to submit billings for the rest!!! Moni 🐄 voted NO! 3-1

Speaker I: Good 👍

Speaker O: Thank U Moni 🐄. She also fought against RV fucks on the streets!!! And fought LAPD hiring outside City Personnel for staff.

Speaker T: I know she's fed up with all these idiots who are happy to follow the goat right into the crapper

Speaker S: Fatstein-Soto and Tim "yup, I'm a lobbyist" Mcosker should step down, Blieb should also resign. Markeezy ought to volunteer to be indicted, then KDL can be council president…

Speaker I: Yes!!!!

Speaker D: Huizar 2.0

Speaker I: Is drinking on the job not okay? Don't tell staffer b

Speaker O: Nice ring to this phrasing ..."flagrant, egregious, and malicious breach of duty.”

Speaker T: The ⏰ is ticking ... we need to properly nail Krekorian before he assumes the Ambassador to an Armenia post!!!

Speaker S: He was going to "classes" every day in Paris to learn about how to do an Olympics back here in LA but will be termed out of office in less than four months 🚨Not much time to apply that Olympic knowledge, unless he's moving on to a different related role. 😡🧑🏽‍🚀

Speaker I: Need to tie Krekorian corruption to the 1996 voter initiative Prop K project ....w/ Raman + US POS Brad Sherman to shoving a $29M net zero 🏀court into a small rec center in Studio City ... it starts in September!

Speaker D: It was originally a $3M upgrade... we need our leader, Mommy Sarkin to save us

Speaker I: The Puppet always knew Sarkin was the big Hope of the People

Speaker O: Seriously would be a good time to unfurl some BOE corruption that shows they built this budget up ... with lots of self serving extras (like net zero)... because goats are smart like that and knew that Marqueezy and the park po folk who need the Prop K money would take a swimming pool and shut up and allow the sleazy re routing of extra prop k funds to Areeen's baby, cuz they busy putting an amusement park train station at the AFIBA center! 🚨

Speaker T: We need a joint task force: Get Krekorian!

Speaker S: We need a museum exhibition at the new High School regulation basketball court... entitled: Prop K is for Karadjian! Speaker I: And the theme for fall: Raman went to MIT, but not street smart!

Speaker D: These Armenian Harvard Westlakers have totally ruined noodle's profile.

Speaker I: Council in recess this week so they can go to Chicago. If they stay there permanently L.A. would be fixed in 6 months Speaker O: One idea is to attack the project as a back door homeless village... entitled: Noodle Town the HSR🏀court serves as a cover for what will be 150 tiny homes (De Leon gets 10% of budget for all tiny homes™️

Speaker T: This will alert the mob!

Speaker S: The 2024 recess schedule does not show them off in August ... this is a goat audible after 24 days in Paris... POS Speaker I: That’s true! Wasn't posted

Speaker D: Neil Drucker was the bad guy in chief working diligently with the goats team Noodle will abandon her kids and hubby to travel to Chicago.

Speaker I: Raman went to MIT but what an idiot. Prop K is for Karadjian and Galatzan. (Tamer’s weasily little brother sitting in Karadjian’s lap)

Speaker O: I blame Rita Villa and Jessica Fugate and Courtney Hamilton not to mention Nazarian, Ibranossian and Karo Torossian. Naturally, Lisa Sarkin and Barry Johnson should get something named first them-maybe a dumpster? Special credit to BOE snake Neil Drucker! 🥇

Speaker T: It was ALWAYS Jessica Fulgate's fault.

Speaker I: The 🐐 heard about the 🐐 puppet talking about it at SCNC and eating free food

Speaker D: It became a political show piece / pork barrel. A great way to bring a giant pool of money under their direct control... while ripping up the lawn and sticking the community with an eyesore

Speaker I: To Fugate we say c u next Tuesday

Speaker O: Courtney Hamilton... the poker player was also super bad

Speaker T: Cute but evil

Speaker S: 🐐 wanted to keep Courtney. WE wouldn't allow it

Speaker I: The LVNOC meeting was at 4:14pn on an odd Thursday... the only public in attendance were X and Y, cuz net zero outreach... even as we attacked Rita Villa Weed Czar to send out a fucking email. She refused. The only people in the room were old school city employees... naturally some went beserk!

Speaker D: This one is very upsetting

Speaker I: Yeah, the recent fake press conference... with nobody invited. The only way to get Raman to stop it... sh can't.... is to bring in an encampment on the site!👍

Speaker O: We can call Don De Leon, the Godfather of Homelessness… “Please Señor, we just need a couple hundred units... just for a few weeks, nothing permanent.

Speaker T: Don’t call them units, call them unhoused.

RIP Phil Donahue...

Marlo Thomas Meeting Phil on The Donahue Show