Pica to be Removed From Menifee Planning Commission Today
The Menifee Planning Commissioner for District 1 is being removed from office by the city council member who appointed her last fall. In...
http://www.menifee247.com/2013/07/pica-to-be-removed-from-menifee-planning-commission-today.html
In an email to Menifee 24/7, Anne Pica attached a letter written to her on City of Menifee letterhead by council member Greg August, stating that August will remove her from the Planning Commission effective today. In the letter, August told Pica "I am simply displeased with your behavior and I am concerned that it may compromise the City's planning process and the due process rights of others."
Pica said in the email to Menifee 24/7 and other media outlets that August "has been trying to control my every word or action on the planning Commission since I was appointed to that position by him just six months ago. He continually tells me my vote and actions reflect on him and if I don't conform to what he says, then he will remove me from the Planning Commission.
"Since that appointment, he has told me that I should just sit on the planning commission, say nothing and collect my stipend for the next four years. Of course, I have refused to do that, as I am working for the citizens of Menifee, and it is not in my makeup to disband my integrity or honesty for a lousy $75 stipend and the title of Planning Commissioner."
August confirmed Sunday that he sent the letters and plans to remove Pica from her position.
"I sent her two letters written by me on city letterhead," August said. "As far as reasons go, most of my concerns were addressed in those two pieces of correspondence. There were other reasons that I chose not to put in writing.
"I have spoken with Anne over the phone where her and I were unable to reach an understanding. Hence, I determined any further conversation between us should be in writing. I will not say anymore than it was a decision that I determined to be necessary in the best interest of the city."
On Friday -- the same day the second of two letters from August to Pica was dated -- Assistant City Clerk Jen Allen emailed the press with a notice that the District 1 representative on the Planning Commission would be vacant effective July 8. Interested persons have 10 days to apply for that position, the announcement said.
According to Pica, August demanded her resignation after she spoke during the public comments section of a June 25 scoping meeting about the proposed Chaparral housing development. In a letter dated July 1, August told Pica it was not appropriate for her to express opinions on a matter she would eventually be voting on as a planning commissioner.
"It is becoming clear that the position of Planning Commissioner may be too confining or restrictive for you and your activist inclinations," August wrote to Pica in the July 1 letter.
Pica responded in a July 3 letter to August, saying she identified herself as a private citizen and that only the city council would have to vote on the Chaparral project.
The rift between Pica and August is ironic, considering that Pica was one of August's biggest supporters during the November election, in which August defeated three others for the city council seat in District 1 (the Sun City area of Menifee).
"I will not surrender my constitutional rights because Mr. August thinks he has the power to stifle my voice," Pica wrote in the email to the press.
Activist or Gadfly? Neither one is a good fit for a seat on the planning commission. A prudent move by August,public displeasure for this appointment was raising.
ReplyDeleteToo bad a letter can't be written to "release" Mr. August. I've learned first-hand that with Mr. August, "it's my way, or the highway". Looking foward to shaking up the council when reelection comes along. Menifee needs to CLEAN HOUSE, beginning with August.
DeleteNeither, just a concerned citizen trying to do her part. August bullies those he disagrees with! Interesting, this is the third time I have tried to post, and my comments are not accepted!! Must be monitored by August himself!!
DeleteI agree, she can't be an activist and sit on the Planning commission. I also agree that August believes he is right and does attempt to force his views on individuals. They were a perfect match as activists and watchdogs, different when they are on the side of the bar. I saw this coming before when she was being considered. The Planning commision will be able to follow the General Plan with less tension.
DeletePica's group of irritable cranks has also been August's group for the last 5 years. He joined them in rebel rousing until he got himself elected. Now he realizes the reality of the position.
DeleteHow will Scott Mann keep this one from being a distraction? Under his watch? No chance.
Great news for the residents of Menifee! Wonder if she is going to file a lawsuit like Marc Martin did?
ReplyDeleteYou don't even know the players so how can you speak about this. Do you attend city council meetings or planning commission meetings?
DeleteA planning commissioner is supposed to weigh the projects, investigate and come to their own conclusions when asked for input and not be told how to vote by the person that selected them. I commend Anne Pica for her integrity and moral character to not be swayed by big developers and their money or the city council members.
Come to the meetings before you speak off the top of your head.
First of all his name is Marc Miller (not Martin) and he had every right to file the lawsuit after being dismissed by a person that hadn't appointed him. Then we got Chad Warren who always looked like the deer caught in the headlights and never offered anything to the commission. Guess he was Sue's puppet. They all seem to have one.
DeleteEveryone has the right to file a law suit. That doesn't mean its valid.His was not.
DeleteWhat you are saying is that anyone seated on the planning commission has given up their Constitutional rights in favor of the mindset of a few controlling the planning commission; excuse me?? I am sick of comments like "Gadfly" when it comes to a woman speaking out for the concerns of her community and even more ill with revulsion for a man who so openly must assert his testosterone over a woman who speaks her mind. Mr. August needs to realize women are rising up to abuse of authority over women. Women everywhere are watching. His rescending her appointment could just as easily and most assuredly remove him from his council seat with all the publicity.
ReplyDelete"Of course, I have refused to do that, as I am working for the citizens of Menifee"
ReplyDeleteActually that's exactly wrong. Your job is to uphold the development code, not serve the "will of the people". You follow policy, not create it all by yourself.
I am really beginning to like Greg August!
It is not the job of a planning Commissioner to uphold the development code it is to make sure that all land uses comply with the general plan and the planning dept. supplies the planning commission with the documentation if the applicant has complied with those codes or not. And she is right because you are to take into account the voice of the people when making any decision. At least know what your talking about before making such foolish remarks.
DeleteWell, here we are once again! "Know what you're talking about"? How foolish to presume an elected official at this level knows anything. After all, most are running, running running towards their home plate. Three bags for a run to home, and that's all it takes.
DeleteBut , when they win, when they score the home-run, then what?
"CRICKETS"!!
A typical bundle of egos clinging desperately to their minimal power, not to mention their desperate, troubled guilt which acknowledges their lack of creativity and joyful contributions to the city for which they were elected. Sadly, it's just politics at work and we, the constituency , are their victims.
Seems Greg August is mad because he couldn't control one woman on the planning commission. He needs to be removed immediately as his job is not to influence his planning commissioner.
DeleteAgreed
DeleteThose who have witnessed her behavior have been surprised that she even lasted this long.
ReplyDeleteShe treated her colleagues and the city staff rudely, and caused her own demise.
DeleteAbsolutely! She has no regard for others who are not on the same page with her.
This does not surprise me. I am also surprised that she lasted this long. nce appointed to the Planning commission it is up to the individual to support the City and the development. The will of the people may be consiered, but not always applied. Think what it would have been like had she been elected to the Council. She has a right to her opinions, however, she needed to consider the General Plan.
ReplyDeleteDo you come to city council meetings? The general plan keeps getting changed to suit the big developers and the ones with the most money pay the least to do business in this city.
DeleteI would like to make a clarfication. District One includes over 20,000 registered voters and not all in the Sun City Community of Menifee. Sun City is comprised of seniors and the other sections are family homes as well as other senior communities which are not associated with Sun City Civic Association. That being said, Mr. August does profess to represent only "the core". What about the rest of us who live in District One? Who represents us? Wonder what will happen next.
ReplyDeleteWhere were the rest when it was time to vote?
DeleteA Gadfly always believes they are contributing something worthwhile, when in fact they are only out to aggrandize themselves. Ironic indeed, August has been an enabler of her antics for years
ReplyDeleteI am betting that Pica will air her grievances at the next City Council meeting. I wonder if Mr. August can take the same venomous criticism that he used to dish out when he was just a citizen?
ReplyDeleteI am confident we will be hearing much from Pica at future council meetings. Her true nature and purpose is that of a Gadfly
DeleteFunny how ones perception changes on the other side of the dias. Mr. August was pretty outspoken before he was elected. It is time for change again and they all need to go. We need new faces running this city.
DeleteAbsolutely!. Sun City is Not just about the "core". These destructive, ongoing here-to-fore antics can been applied to the Pica/ August agenda;:denouncing the incorporating of Sun City into the City of Menifee (2009). Now... we all live in the City of Menifee...and we
ReplyDeleteexpect some reasonable attention to that fact: Sun City is Menifee, (regardless of the deceased, Dell Webb's schematics ca., 1965) ; regardless of the machinations of the Pica/August group to defeat "city-hood" ca, 2009.
We are now- all in this together? A real and viable community of family's and seniors. We must pay close attention to our city's plans for all of us.
The absurd quibbling must stop- we need leaders who can 'imagine' and
put their expertise into action for the true growth of a tiny American city; perhaps one with private family-owned businesses: ie; restaurants, shoe repair shops; dentists and doctors that are unique and offer personal care, rather than the obligatory, corporate membership of "CARE CREDIT".
Most of all, we need a real community news analyst- not a "Chamber of Commerce" catalogue: for instance, 24/7 presents this community as if it were "Mayberry" and Andy Griffith is running the town. The very limited attributes of this point of view lends nothing to a community which is fast-becoming demographically magnificent and burgeoning as a potentially serious, and yet, newborn city.
Get it together, people!
Perfect example of why we should have never become a city in the first place. Disband the city, revert back to county.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea to me also. The powers that be in this city want to triple the population in the next 10 years. Does anyone want to live in another Los Angeles or worse yet Hemet and San Jacinto? Those are the people we are letting in to this once nice place.
DeleteI am sure those who were here felt the same way when you arrived. The "powers that be" are put there be the citizens who vote for them. Sadly, many voters only listen to what they want to hear from the candidates not what the candidates actually stand for.
DeleteMy thoughts exactly. We moved out here specifically to get AWAY from big-city life. Now they've gone and foisted it on us all whether we like it or not. I'm tired of it. All we're going to get is rampant tax hikes and a whole lot of corruption. They really are going to turn this place into a stinking mini L.A. (my parents really should have listened to me when I spoke wisdom at 12 of just moving the hell out of California altogether come to that. Its not just a city problem... its a State-wide problem).
DeleteWorse, they admitted the only reason why they're going to attract more monolithic big business crap here, is solely so that they can fill up their own coffers with tax revenues. They don't care about employment opportunities. It's all about the money (that you KNOW will be skimmed off the top or 'misappropriated', it always is).
As already painfully evidenced by the other shopping center they permitted, it is going to increase our traffic ten-fold again (and I'd like to know just where that estimated $129 million plus is coming from to handle all of our traffic problems DIRECTLY due to all of the businesses that moved in? Better not be tax hikes to us residents). And worse than that, all of the new businesses (just like the rest did before them) are just going to hire non-residents and leave us out of the loop (but holding the bag) again. Its happened over and over. Sick of that too.
I want original Sun City back. Give us an opt-out.
MENIFEE SUCKS!
Just where would you have our ever expanding population live, any place just not next door to you? I would venture that a great many of those who moved to this area from the surrounding major cities did so for the same reason: More affordable housing. The original Sun City was built here for that same purpose: cheap housing for retired senior citizens. Given that demographic, not a lot of jobs were needed nor was there much need for major shopping centers.
DeleteMenifee is a bedroom community; most of the work force is employed outside the city. There is no industry here for employment, if there was you would see an even greater influx. The businesses moving in now are mainly to meet the needs of those living here. The taxes they pay support the public services and amenities people want. If that type of business was not located here those tax dollars would be collected by another municipality, with no benefit to the city of Menifee where they reside.
A community, no matter the size, is only as good as those that live there. If the place you live SUCKS, you are the problem!Please opt-out and move somewhere else.
Was she for or against the Chaparral project ? Why can't she ask a question? Is project getting rammed through?
ReplyDelete