Calaveras West Blog

There’s nothing like a road trip once in a while, to get out of town and experience new things.

Today’s trip was to Silicon Valley in search of partners who may be willing to join with us in creating a synergistic relationship. My first stop was Google headquarters where there are many different topics of discussion to cover as to how we might work together for mutually beneficial outcomes.

One of the subject matters at both at Google headquarters and at nearby Tesla Motors (my 2nd destination) was electric vehicles.

Through a deal struck long ago when New Melones was built, Calaveras Public Power Authority was formed (CPPA) and we are allocated many megawatts of power each year. We have never used our complete allocation because there are very restrictive rules about what we can use them for.

…..but here we are in 2012 and what do you know, there are now electric vehicles that are practical for everyday use and we have very cheap power to charge them, that we are not fully utilizing currently.

Our special rate is only about 33% of the street rate that residential and commercial end users pay.

So, not only could we be “sparing the air” but wed could also be saving the county money on gas bills for our fleet vehicles.

Wow, a true win/win for the environment and the taxpayers!

Here are some pictures from the Google parking lot where they have an “EV only” section equipped with electric vehicle charging stations that look like gas pumps except they are electric.

Here are some more pictures of the charging pump and a Chevy “Volt” electric vehicle. 

After I was done at Google I went over to Tesla Motors to see about a promotional marketing deal to perhaps build us a less fancy/smaller version of the new Tesla S model  for county business needs.

Of course while I was there to talk scaled down practical models for county business I couldn’t help but get a picture of the beautiful line up of all electric roadsters in the parking lot being charged and waiting like pretty ponies for the Tesla executives to call it a day and punch the skinny pedal on the right for some after work mental mind clearing. The greatest thing about it is that they are absolutely electric, so whether it’s saving money on your gasoline bill or saving the planet with a carbon free ride, Tesla has you covered both ways.

Do you think if I’m really nice this year I can get Santa to deliver the keys to one of these?

The Calaveras County back roads are calling me to personally test out one of these Tesla roadsters!     

Yet again. 

Russ Thomas and his band of lackeys are so predictable it would be funny, if it weren’t such a mental drag and an annoyance to the rest of the general public.

Upon finding out today that I had been “served” with a 2nd notice of “intent to recall” in six months (after Russ Thomas’ lackeys failed miserably last November at hoodwinking the public into signing a recall petition filled with slander and malicious lies) I decided to spend a few minutes online and put this subject to rest.

In less than 30 minutes, with free technology via the internet I confirmed what many had suspected, that the recall proponents were and are Russ Thomas lackeys.

A women named Sharon Romano, a San Andreas resident and avid Thomas supporter is the tech support it seems that provides website presence for the recall spellman website, Marti Crane website (recall replacement hopeful and Thomas lackey) and the official Russ Thomas 2012 election campaign as he attempts to unseat sitting Supervisor Tom Tryon in the Angels Camp area.

Here are what’s known as “screen shots”, pictures of an active internet page, showing a backwards tracing technology that identifies the owner/operator/host of any particular website. Political spin cycles aside, I would like to see them explain this one. Sharon Romano is the domain host provider for all 3 websites linked to the Russ Thomas/Marti Crane/Recall Spellman trifecta.

When will Russ Thomas realize that cheaters never win in the long game?

Politics are like sports in a way, in sports you can choose teams and work hard to defeat your rival team, but nobody likes to see bad sportsmanship like taking a guy out at the knees, chop blocking, hitting below the belt, clothes lining your opponent etc. and for goodness sake please no sour grapes sore losers.

Memo to Russ and those who collaborate in his diabolical childish schemes…

Grow Up Already

Just a crazy idea I thought I would pass on.

Here’s the proof, read it and weep Russ.

In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act

- George Orwell

The truth is that we all know many things are desperately wrong with our government at every level, Federal, State and even Local.

The problem exists within the realm of ones willingness to accept truth which many times strikes us as bad news and decide to help make a positive change or to scoff at the truth teller as imaginative and continue to live in denial, which is easier by design.

Denial and/or deceit have made the political realm the fastest growing industry in recent modern times. Right here close to home in Calaveras County we have political boondoggles a plenty and I took office in January with a no holds bar approach at getting things cleaned up and a little more transparent, at the request of those who voted me into office by a 12+ point margin of victory.  This resulted in ugly backlashes from those seeking to hide the truth, manifest as a recall effort.

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway” -John Wayne

I give thanks and praise to all those who had the courage to stick with the truth and “told their neighbors and friends” that this was nothing more than a “sour grapes campaign” from last November’s election losers. As I watched former supervisor Russ Thomas stroll into the elections office Monday November 28th 2011 with a stack of recall petitions and listened to him tell me I was an arrogant fool it took me back, almost a direct flashback to one year ago. Even Nick Baptista the local owner/editor of the Valley Springs News drew the same conclusion in comparison and he even asked me, “does this seem like deja-vu from a year ago this time?”.

Luckily the conclusion was also similar to the outcome one year ago. The conclusion one year ago was that Russ Thomas was the actual arrogant individual, that he was not serving the best interests of the people and he lost the election. Monday November 28th 2011 concluded in similar fashion. Try as he and his disrespectful supporters might, they came up short of the number of signatures needed and again had to face the reality that the people are smarter than they give them credit for and can still see through their lies.

We must be vigilant in making sure that lies do not go unchallenged. I have heard of  people being swayed by the deceptive lies told during this recall campaign.

I have consistently held a public forum no less than twice a month since taking office where people can walk in without an appointment and ask any question of me they like and/or share ideas, or concerns, or even wishes about what they think would help our community be a better place. The funny thing is, none of the recall people ever came to one coffee shop meeting and aired concerns or complaints. I am left to beleive that their no show status is directly linked to their decision to not accept me as their newly elected representative, but rather to focus their time and efforts on demeaning and slandering me.

These informal public forums take place at Common Grounds Coffee Shop in the Village Terrace on Vista Del Lago in Valley Springs every 2nd and 4th Tuesday starting at 7 pm.

If you or anyone you know has a desire to speak with me in person, please visit me at the coffee shop on the 2nd or 4th Tuesday evening. If your need is more immediate or a phone call or email is easier, contact me anytime and I will be more than willing to speak or correspond with you on any issue you wish pertaining to the county and how I may be of assistance.

Thank you again for your wonderful supportive words, emails, voice messages and for letting the truth be known. I will continue to tell the truth even if it causes pain for some at times, fight for your rights and your interests to make our community ever better. With your continued help and support I know we can make this happen.

Most Sincerely,  Darren Spellman

Your County Supervisor……..still     = )

Saturday November 5th “Stuff the Bus” holiday food drive to benefit citizens of our county who may not other wise have a holiday dinner meal took place in Valley Springs.

This event was graciously co-sponsored by the Resource Connection food bank and Calaveras Transit.

Holiday turkeys for families in need.

The Event was very successful and I was very inspired by the good spirits and giving nature of the people who donated to help provide holiday meals. Due to the generosity of our neighbors and friends we were able to collect two pallet sized crates of food in addition to 32 turkeys and a ham that will make the holidays that much more special for those in need this season.

My family and I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to serve at this event and felt uplifted by such a positive demonstration of giving in times of need. With so many awful things happening in today’s world, it’s nice to see such a wonderful display of caring so close to home right here in Valley Springs.

We all enjoyed the opportunity to help. It's a very good feeling.

For those who were unable to donate at this event, but would like to contribute watch for the “Santa’s Express” big red bins at various businesses and other locations in our county including most all public school sites.

For the love of all that is good, our prayers have been heard!

Calaveras Economic Development efforts are taking the next step

The Calaveras County Economic Development Company is a non profit 501c-4 that has a mission to bring greater prosperity to our county by marketing all that we have to offer to potential investors and business entities that are looking for that “special place” we all know Calaveras County is.

“Our intention is to inspire action for achieving economic development that will lead to a prosperous Calaveras County. To achieve action, the C.C.E.D.C. believes that meaningful information is vital to retain, enhance and attract business.”

Check out the great informational website with complete brochure PDF download capability. This is the type of forward business marketing that we have been in need of and is truly exciting in terms of charting the prosperous future that can be ours to own.

Calaveras Economic Development website click here

They didn’t even forget our lovely Valley Springs area of Western Calaveras County. Cheers to the CCEDC. We wish your organization the best of luck for success as we all work for a better Calaveras future through business growth and innovation.

Arial view of northern Lake Hogan and eastern La Contenta in Valley Springs

Did the Calaveras Enterprise make a horrible mistake or were they, by their incompetent performance, seeking to disqualify a county citizens group from legal redress?

A West Point citizens group sued a county fire district over newly imposed illegal taxes.

Luckily the case was finalized last week, in favor of the citizens, no thanks to the Calaveras Enterprise. This case was almost thrown out on a technicality, pointed out directly by the court as an error on the part of the Calaveras Enterprise. If the case had been thrown out there would have been many unfortunate consequences, not the least of which would have been the edict to pay the defendant’s legal fees estimated at $104,000. 

Court of Appeal, Third District, California.

CONCERNED CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT et al., Plaintiffs 

v.

WEST POINT FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT et al., Defendants 

No. C061110.  Filed 6/29/11.

1. Statute of Limitations.

Section 860 gives a public agency 60 days from the date on which it takes governmental action to file a lawsuit to validate its action.

FN4. Section 860 provides: “A public agency may upon the existence of any matter which under any other law is authorized to be determined pursuant to this chapter, and for 60 days thereafter, bring an action in the superior court of the county in which the principal office of the public agency is located to determine the validity of such matter.

2. Publication of Summons.

*5 As we have recounted in the Procedural History (pp. 5–6, ante ), Concerned Citizens went through three rounds of service of summons by publication, before finally completing valid service on December 14.

While admitting that Concerned Citizens properly published summons on the third attempt, the District nevertheless argues that because publication was defective on the first two attempts, the action should have been dismissed.

As the District acknowledges, section 863 provides that if proper publication by summons is not effected within 60 days, “the action shall be forthwith dismissed on the motion of the public agency unless good cause for such failure is shown by the interested person.” (Italics added.)

The record shows that the first series of publications was defective because the newspaper in which publication occurred—the Calaveras Enterprise—published the wrong form of summons. This mistake was not the fault of counsel. Counsel had provided the correct summons, but the Enterprise staff substituted its own language, suitable for use when publication serves notice to an individual who is otherwise unamenable to service.

The owner and proprietor of the Calaveras Enterprise (Ralph Aldridge) is an attorney, so it is said. What kind of law in particular, if any, that he practices is not certain.

There are those who question the newspaper’s ability to perform professionally, however this may be a case of “Malfeasance” or sabotage to sink the legal standing of a citizen’s group who brought a grievance against a local governmental agency.

Is Mr. Aldridge the captain of his ship and able to use his law degree to ensure competence in legal postings, or is this an attempt to subvert the legal compliance necessary for this citizen’s group to realize their right to redress under the available laws?

Since the Enterprise is currently engaged in what attorneys say is an illegal contract with the county right now, which I objected to and voted against, it doesn’t surprise me that there are many other chinks in the armor of their professional facade.

Thanks for all your continued support as I continue to pursue solutions to our local governmental problems, exposing incompetence and or corruption particularly when it is blatant or costly to the taxpayers.

In your service,     Darren Spellman

It’s almost time for fair and the frogs are jumpin!

I was chosen to represent the Board of Supervisors this year for the annual “pre-fair” frog jump competition. For the first time, in the history of the government center frog jump, a supervisor won the contest. Nobody was more surprised than me that our frog “Elderberry” had longest jump.

Here is an article in the Calaveras Enterprise (click here) about the win including pictures of the 2 big trophies.

Since I won the pre fair contest I get to compete in the world championship frog jump on Sunday at the fair. If you are there, come by to cheer me on!

Post Fair Update………..my world premier as a frog jumper was lack luster, but I enjoyed the event and had a great time!

Photo provided by Charity Maness of the Copper Gazette on line news source. http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/