The Pacific Beach Town Council (PBTC) discussed recent beach crime and future leaders at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the Earl &Birdie Taylor Library, 4275 Cass St.
A home invasion, sexual assault and robbery in Mission Beach on Oct. 15 has raised concerns about safety in the typically laidback beach communities.
In response to questions on whether suspects entered the home through an unlocked door, San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Lt. Brian Ahern echoed comments from an Oct. 16 community meeting. Residents shouldn’t have to be looking over their shoulders, he said, adding that police are focusing their efforts on capturing the people responsible, not prevention. “Those pieces of filth are responsible for what happened,” Ahern said.
Following up on a request from last month’s town council meeting, Ahern reported that since January 2006, local violent crime is down 10 percent. Property crime also has decreased by 23 percent, he said, and car burglaries are down 35 percent. Arrests during the same period are up 4 percent, he added.
Of all drunken driving arrests from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2005, in the Northern Division ” which includes Bay Ho, Bay Park, Carmel Valley, Clairemont, Del Mar Heights, La Jolla, Mission Bay Park, Mission Beach, North City, Pacific Beach, Torrey Pines and University City – 51 percent, or 580, originated in Pacific Beach and 74 percent in all beach communities, Ahern reported. Forty-seven percent of offenders in alcohol-related arrests live in Pacific Beach, he said.
Police are working on a checkpoint for the end of the year.
Ahern said Police Chief William Lansdowne will protest any new liquor licenses in the area. Lansdowne prefers outright protest to conditional licenses. The risk, said Ahern, is that a license can be approved with no provisions, but the police chief’s protest sends a strong message.
“The community has said ‘no more,'” Ahern said.
Police have teamed up with the city attorney’s office to clear Rose Creek Canyon of transients while helping them get the resources they need, announced Deputy City Attorney Teresa Martin.
Martin also announced a new social host ordinance, which allows officers to issue a ticket to the host of a party where minors are drinking.
An oversized vehicle ordinance that would restrict the amount of time that recreational vehicles can park on city streets is on hold, said Allison Stanley of Councilman Kevin Faulconer’s office. Faulconer is trying to get the ordinance addressed before the end of the year.
With the year drawing to a close, the town council’s nominating committee chairperson, Annemarie Rynearson, announced nominations for officers and board of directors for the upcoming year.
The nominating committee consists of three members of the town council’s board of directors and two general members, who make their recommendations from interested applicants.
Rynearson announced the following officer nominees: Ruby Houck, president; Rose Galliher, vice president; Britta Justesen, treasurer; and Georgina Smith, secretary.
The town council also accepted nominations for open positions on the board of directors.
“We’re excited about a new year and getting some new faces in there as well,” Rynearson said.
A couple returning director nominees were a point of concern for PBTC member Mike Stevens, who questioned honorary mayor Karl Jaedtke’s eligibility to serve another term as director.
According to town council bylaws, board of directors’ terms served cannot exceed five years. Stevens said he believes Jaedtke has exceeded that limit.
Jaedtke’s term as a past president does not count toward his time served on the board, said town council President Don Mullen, because it is an “as elected” position rather than a directly elected one.
“How can a past president be elected?” asked Jaedtke following the meeting.
“This isn’t about Karl,” Stevens said. “This is about the town council. It has ignored bylaws in many areas.”
Mullen acknowledges that the bylaws have some “gray areas” that are open to interpretation. For example, he said, board members cannot serve more than five years yet some terms are for two years so a member elected to three two-year terms would automatically be in violation. “We’re going to be taking a look at it,” Mullen said.
Stevens also questioned the absences of director Inese Pavars. Under town council bylaws, members who miss a certain number of meetings resign their position.
Pavars’ absences are not egregious, Mullen said. “Just because someone has an absence does not mean it’s unexcused,” he said.
Stevens further questioned whether Mullen had appointed a legal advisor. “Do we need a legal advisor?” asked Mullen.
“No,” responded Stevens.
Town council bylaws mandate that a legal advisor be appointed but the PBTC has not traditionally relied on one. Following the meeting, Mullen said that the appointment of a legal advisor is optional.
At the core of the differing opinions are conflicting ideas on how the town council should operate and what purpose it serves.
Mullen believes membership matters are best left to the discretion of the board of directors while Stevens thinks the general membership deserves to weigh in.
“We need to look at [the town council] not as a social club but as a means to convey to City Council our needs,” Stevens said.
“It’s a club; it’s not a government,” said Mullen.
As an advisory body, the town council makes recommendations to City Council on issues affecting Pacific Beach, such as whether smoking and alcohol should be allowed on local beaches. PBTC also organizes social events such as dineouts and its Sundowner networking evenings.
Incoming town council president Houck believes the PBTC can be both civic and social. “We do socialize but we’re always working to improve our community,” she said.
The PBTC also announced the annual holiday parade is in jeopardy due to a lack of funding. To lend financial support or volunteer, call Discover Pacific Beach at (858) 273-3303.
The next PBTC meeting is planned for Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m. at the Earl & Birdie Taylor Library.