The Pringle Money Machine Finds Unlikely Opportunities For Growth
Okay. We know there’s a lot of money in lobbying. That’s why lobbyists contribute so much to political campaigns – to influence legislation and win government contracts for their clients.
But who knew there was so much taxpayer gravy to be slurped up in and around opaque local government districts? The other day we looked at Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle’s massive windfall lobbying for the little-known OC Children and Families Commission, here. But Pringle has not only scored big bucks lobbying for the Heathy Kids Bureaucracy, he’s also made some serious green lobbying for the dead!
Yep. That’s right. In 2008 Pringle was awarded a $6000 per month annual contract to find new burial grounds for something called “The OC Cemetery District” and to do some sort of educational outreach to the community. He was also supposed to be some sort of “consultant” on developing the existing Lake Forest bone yard. You read right. $6000 per month is $72,000 per year. With a $25,000 bonus if he actually managed to accomplish something.
According to the General Manager of the Cemetery District, Tim Deutsch, the contract was extended to cover the balance of fiscal year 2009-2010, so presumably Pringle failed to deliver in year one, and was naturally rewarded with a contract extension.
So we have several problems as far as I can see: one is a pretty vague contract with completely disparate elements, awarded without any sort of competition; and then there’s the amount – what seems to be an exorbitant sum of money with no guarantees of actually accomplishing anything; and finally, there seems to be a lack of any sort of quality control or financial oversight in the management of this District.
It’s pretty obvious that the District has more money than it knows what to do with. But the real question is: why didn’t they simply engage a commercial realtor to find them more land – at zero cost? And while we’re contemplating embarrassing questions, what qualifies Pringle’s PR shop as a cemetery planner or a cemetery entitlements developer? Isn’t that what the District pays it’s general manager to do?
And finally, why on Earth does the Cemetery District need anybody to do community outreach? Isn’t that why the phone book has the Yellow Pages?
Mayor Curt Pringle has won the dubious award for being orange county’s #1 ghoul. Pringle should follow in the footsteps of ACORN and register the residents of this pending boneyard as voters in anaheim who will eternally vote for Pringle
Taxpayer-funded lobbying is bad on top of bad. We the People are supposed to do our own lobbying! Have we gotten so lazy or so stupid that we cannot lobby our own representatives for needed relief? Or perhaps the system that is in place favors the professional lobbyist.
The Grand Jury seems like it’s always looking for something to do…
I’m beginning to understand why Pringle is supporting Sidhu over Nelson in the Supervisor race. Pringle knows Nelson won’t just look the other way on this stuff.
“A performance bonus in the amount of $25,000” Isn’t that called a brokerage fee? Do they have a license to perform such sevices?
Why would the Cemetery District hire a lobbyist when they should hire a real estate broker if they need more land. Strange.
Did you notice that the Cemetery District Board is meeting today to discuss jacking up their stipends?
http://occd.commpro.com//images/occd/agendas/agenda_april_6_2010.pdf
Ouch.
I like the cemetery mug.
Hey Pringle, can I have the $25 grand if I find the site for you? Try the Chevron property in Fullerton. Hillside, nice views and the owner is looking to change its zoning right now. I cant imagine corpses would care if there was formerly oil exploration on the site. Hard to contract cancer if you are already dead.
How much space does the cemetery district need?
Turns out that some so-called “Conservative Republicans” are just foxes guarding the hen house. I can’t believe I voted for this dirtbag. Sorry everybody.
Dear “4-F Club”: Thank you for your continuing work to report these things which we never see in the regular media. I do have this question: does the Cemetary District have an apppointed governing board, or is it directly elected. I just cannot ever remember having the chance to vote on a boardmember for the Cemetary District.
Snow, they are appointed by the Board of Supervisors.