Page 2: Another Intrawest sCAM?

When it comes to the Village at Mammoth, it seems there’s nothing property manager Intrawest hates more than a little bit  of success.

A little over a month after new leases went into effect. Intrawest has informed commercial tenants that it underestimated CAMs for the current year, and needs to charge an extra $0.20/square foot.

In addition, they’re asking for another $0.15/square foot to pay for the parking lot across Minaret.

The previous agreement had tenants paying CAMs (common area fees) of $1.90/foot. The new agreement dropped that rate to $1.19. And in one fell swoop, Intrawest appears to be asking for half of its “reduction” back.

“The tenants ain’t going for that … If so, then we need rent credit,” said Michael Raimondo, owner of the Old New York Deli and a veteran of Village politics.

“The Village is the most vital it’s been since 2006,” he added. “The last thing we need is to go backwards.”

To borrow the first part of an analogy from one merchant and then finish it off with our own punchline, “It’s like they had a patient in cardiac arrest, and as soon as they got him stabilized, they handed him a cigarette.”

But while Intrawest’s dealings appear unfair at best, they’re understandable. If Intrawest gets a 4% management fee from majority owner CNL, then it follows that the more money it has under management, the higher the fee it collects.

As for Raimondo’s fellow tenants, they are publicly hoping both sides will work in a spirit of cooperation to mend differences. Privately, however, they’re grumbling and in some cases, flat pissed off.

Hooked

Despite a gag order placed from on high by Northern Inyo Hospital administration, it appears word is finally trickling out that Scott Randall Hooker’s “leave of absence” from Northern Inyo Hospital was spent at the Inyo County Jail.

Hooker pled guilty in December to three misdemeanors stemming from sexual overtures he made to an underage Bishop girl.

At least some of these overtures were made on hospital time

Hooker is the Project Manager for the hospital rebuild. The girl is apparently the daughter of a man who worked under Hooker.

According to the court summary, Hooker was found guilty of the following:

1. Hooker … unlawfully annoyed and molested a child under the age of 18.

2. Hooker … unlawfully and motivated by an unusual and abnormal sexual interest in children, arrange a meeting with a minor for the purpose of exposing the genitals and public area of a female in order to engage in lewd and lascivious behavior.

3. Hooker … entered the minor’s dwelling without consent.

In addition to the jail time, Hooker must register as a sex offender and perform community service.

Why does all this matter? Well, you’ve got a project manager on a public project who may no longer have the allegiance or respect of his staff.

So here’s the overraching question: Is 45 days in jail and a fair amount of public humiliation punishment enough? Should he lose his job as well?

Which brings us to a similar case which just broke in Mono County. The Mono County Sheriff’s Dept. announced Thursday that it had arrested Mr. Cody Carlisle, a Marine Sergeant at the Mountain Warfare Training Center outside Bridgeport, on several counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 16 and molestation of a child under the age of 18.

Carlisle had served as Assistant Coach of the Coleville High School football team.

He is currently in custody at the Mono County Jail in Bridgeport pending trial.

Sign

Andy Thies on the proposed sign for the entrance to town pictured in an advertisement on page 14: “I can’t believe they’re trying to put a sign that screams Irvine at the entrance to town. It’s the sign that everyone poses in front of. It should be a piece of art.”

Taxeater anecdote of the week

From Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal:

“Los Angeles faces a plight that many other cities are also confronting: Revenue is plummeting, while city expenses—especially pension costs—are soaring. Three years ago, the city contributed $200 million to the employee pension fund, which is tied to the stock market. This year, the city contributed $560 million to the fund to make up for the fall in the market. The projected contribution for next year is $980 million.

However, the city council has so far shied away from making the tough and politically unpopular cuts needed to get the budget in line. Even trimming at the margins is proving contentious; during a marathon budget session last week, one council member pledged to protect the city’s calligraphers, who are used to writing up official proclamations.

Last week, the city council chose to postpone a a plan to lay off 1,000 municipal employees. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa responded by ordering the layoffs himself. That move could save the city nearly $7 million in salary costs this fiscal year, and $65 million next year.”

And from Geisel’s desk …

Assistant Mono County Counsel Stacey Simon says the Walker River water leasing pilot program is “not likely to happen anytime in 2010.” Simon indicated that one roadblock (among others) has been lack of a formal District 4 supervisor in the wake of Bill Reid’s tragic passing. During Tuesday’s meeting, she pitched the Mono County Board of Supervisors some ideas, such as forming some type of working committee, to enable work to continue until the District 4 seat is filled.

The Governor’s Appointment Office has yet to render a decision as to Sacramento’s disposition of Reid’s seat, not to mention names of those in contention for it. “They told me point blank, “Oh, we’ll have an answer for you by the first of January,’” recalled Board Chair Byng Hunt.

Simon reported that there is a certain amount of local public concern with the Walker River Irrigation District as the plan’s administering body. “That probably can’t be changed without action from Washington D.C.”

Vereuck pulls papers

Past President of the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce and nine-year resident Dawn Vereuck said this week she’s leaning towards a run for Town Council.

Vereuck pulled approx. 20% of the vote when she last ran in 2004.

Her biggest peeve: “I don’t believe they’re looking at the budget appropriately and I don’t think they’re making timely decisions.”

One example being to finally create a citizen’s budget committee nearly two years after it became obvious the Town was in fiscal trouble.

Another peeve: The development process is so tedious that “we have chased away development that could have occurred [prior to the Great Recession].”

Vereuck said she’s an advocate for “smart growth.” When pressed to define what that means, she offered up the Westin as a good project. And she likes the concept of the Village, even if the execution has been patchy.

Prompted by Oster’s real estate column (p.16-17) this week, The Sheet asked Vereuck about illegal home rentals. She says the issue should be reexamined. “Of the eight homes in my cul-de-sac, two rent illegally. If people are renting their homes, we should be collecting [revenue from it].”

Why she’s running: “It’s difficult to operate a business in a resort community. The Town isn’t business-friendly enough … I don’t want to be a politician, but if I expect anything to change, I’ve got to put my money where my mouth is.”

Barrett lobs grenades

On his Elect TonyBarrett facebook page, fellow Council candidate Barrett lobbed a few hand grenades this week. Looks like he’s no friend of former colleague and current candidate Rick Wood. It also appears Rob Clark’s job is in jeopardy if Barrett’s elected. Just a few morsels:

“In my previous term on Town Council … I made the mistake of following folks such as Rick Wood instead of being the leader the community looked for. I have learned from that and would not make that same mistake again.”

“Our Town government must be restructured. To do that, you start at the top. I would call for an immediate reorganization of the government starting with our Town Manager Rob Clark, our Finance Director Brad Koehn and work down from there.”

He also makes mention that Police Chief Randy Schienle is retiring. When I called Schienle to find out if this was true, he laughed and said, “Eventually. The good Lord willing.”