Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Rialto Hanging on to Results of Audit (SB Sun Feb. 25, 2008)

BS Ranch Perspective
It appears that Rialto has been looking for what Owen did with the money that he appropriated for the Perchlorate Case! The problem is that Owen asked the City Council to fight the Perchlorate without telling them how much it would cost for the battle against the Businesses that are reportedly to be to blame by Owens. Now come to find out it can only be found that the Businesses purchased the businesses that were found to be responsible without being the business that was the actual owner at the time that the Perchlorate was put on the ground!
I have to say this, that Owen, the then Rialto City Attorney, was trying to apply today's Hazardous Waist Laws to a Chemical Spill that very well didn't have any, ANY, Regulations against it at the time that they took the Perchlorate and just dumped it onto the ground, when they were done using it.
Owen was taking a Business that either was responsible or was the new owners of a business that dumped Perchlorate with Water onto the ground, Now for all I know that the way that Perchlorate was destroyed was that it was just dumped onto the ground, because Rialto is not the only city that has had Perchlorate Contamination to their Ground Water Supply this last few years. There was contamination in the ground water in the San Gabriel Valley, Rancho Cordova, near Sacramento, and Simi Valley. So, it was not just in the Inland Empire of Southern California
The Court Case that Owen was fighting his case on, was not in violation of any hazardous Materials Laws until July of 2006, so his law suit was more of a he said she said Law Suit, I guess your basic Civil Suit!!
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency Should have been contacted Right away instead of Rushing to the Court Room! Then Owen would see that he wasn't so far ahead of himself and into such a loss of a case!! The Case that he was fighting at the Christmas Break was reported at $23 Million then, now they are just looking for a missing $20 Million!!
I certainty hope that there isn't $20 Million dollars that are filling Owen's briefcase and now that he is not working at Rialto he is having the last laugh with the missing money. I figure that the Money that is gone has ether been spent on the case and or lost or it is in the briefcase, but where ever it might be, It was all the money that was from the Utility Tax money that was Voted on and approved by the Citizens of the City of Rialto!! That Utility Tax is killing me on my Cellular Phones alone, now I don't know about you, but when your Electrical Bill is in the three figures and they are $300 to $900 a month it is a bit out of hand especially when a large portion of that is the Utility Tax, all because it is a Percentage of what they wanted.
I am sickened by the news that Owen took the City for a Ride like this Especially For Some $20 Million, when that money could have been used for the Police Department's Raises, or over all the 3% at 50 Retirement, this could be passed on to the Fire Department for their Retirement. However, now that the $20 Million was wasted on this case instead of cooling their Jets and looking to the Environmental Protection Agency rather then the Court Room. I know that a large portion of the Money was charged to the city as "Fee's" to pay for the Lawyer's court time and his time to research and be on the phone etc etc...
BS Ranch
5:06 p.m.: Rialto hanging on to results of audit
By Jason Pesick, Staff Writer

RIALTO - The city has not yet released the results of an audit conducted last year to account for at least $20 million in perchlorate-related expenses. Though the city is not under any legal obligation to release the audit at this time, members of the council have been saying for said they intend to release the results.

The council members have not voted on a date to release the report and have explained the delay in releasing the results by saying the city has been busy.

"I'm in favor of releasing it the way it is," Councilman Ed Scott said, arguing that the audit should not be edited before it is released. Scott is a member of the council's perchlorate subcommittee.

In April, the City Council hired an auditor to examine the city's expenses related to the perchlorate contaminating the local water supply. The Reith Co., a Pasadena-based forensic accountant, conducted the audit last year. A forensic accountant's work can be used in court in fraud cases. Perchlorate is the primary contaminant flowing from industrial sites on the city's north end. The city has filed a federal lawsuit and has pursued regulatory action against dozens of parties it suspects are responsible for the contamination. The cost of that battle and the cost of treatment to date is likely at least $20 million, city officials say.

After The Sun filed a request for a copy of the audit under the California Public Records Act, City Attorney Bob Owen, who was later fired by the City Council, wrote

that the audit did not have to be released because it was still in draft form and because it was connected to the city's federal lawsuit. Its ties to the lawsuit mean it is exempt from disclosure. The council, he wrote, could decide to release it anyway.

It's true that the city doesn't have to release the audit until the litigation comes to an end, said Terry Francke, general counsel of the nonprofit open-government organization CalAware.

A court in Ventura County, though, has ruled in another case that the total amount spent and the general ways in which money related to lawsuits was used does have to be released, Francke said.

In October, Owen released a general breakdown of how $18 million had been spent over a four-year period. But the city has continued to spend more money since spring of 2007, when Owen's breakdown stops counting.

Firing Owen probably delayed the release of the audit, said Councilwoman Winnie Hanson, the other member of the perchlorate subcommittee.

The city is trying to figure out how to release the information without jeopardizing the lawsuit by revealing its legal strategy, she said.

Transitioning between city attorneys has distracted the city from the audit, Scott said. But he said he intends to refocus on the issue when he returns from a city trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials.

(909) 386-3861

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Perchlorate pact at hand- At Last (SB Sun Feb. 23, 2008) Rialto & San Bernardino are finally ready to settle their portion of the Perchlorate Cleanup

BS Ranch Perspective
Looks like it might be a finished deal, and there is minimal cost now that Rialto City will be spending on this in the future, I still am wondering where the money is going to come from to re-pay the bundle of money that was spent on the battle against the County. The news report was that they had some $23 Million already spent, fighting this case under the leadership of Owen. It was about time that the Council Wised up and Fired Owen and saved the city a great deal of their Utility Tax Benefit, that the people were paying towards the city, not for Perchlorate contamination fighting, but for Law Enforcement, and Fire Fighting Benefits!!! Owen was taking the money's that was collected however and forcing the city to fight this dumb law suit.
I for one am glad that it is done.
BS Ranch

Perchlorate pact at hand - at last

It's about time.

Rialto and San Bernardino are finally on the cusp of settling their portion of the perchlorate-cleanup lawsuit Rialto filed in 2004.

That suit named not just San Bernardino, but the U.S. Department of Defense and some 40 companies that Rialto wants to hold responsible for the perchlorate contamination in its groundwater. The federal lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in October, but if county supervisors approve the settlement that Rialto City Council signed onto last week, the county will no longer be among the defendants.

That's good. We hate to see local governments suing each other, pitting one set of taxpayers' money against another in legal fees, instead of working out a suitable accommodation. In this case, far better to spend money on cleaning up the contamination than on dueling lawyers.

But we understand that sometimes such suits are necessary to bring both parties to the table ready to negotiate.

The settlement calls for the county to pay Rialto $4 million and clean up the western portion of the contamination. The county was not a source of perchlorate in the groundwater, but land that the county acquired to expand a landfill may be a source due to the activities of past owners of that land.

We're keeping our fingers crossed, because the two parties have been "close" to settlement several times before. A Rialto councilman had predicted the two sides would reach an agreement in December; they came close last April; they were working on it until the two sides fell into a shouting match in 2006.

But we give them credit for sticking with it and reaching accommodation - assuming the supervisors OK the deal.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Rialto Crime is Still Down (SB Sun Feb. 20, 2008) City Continues to add Officers, even without a 3% at 50 Contract!!

BS Ranch Perspective
It looks like The City of Rialto is in great hands with Mark Kling at the lead Position, and the area Management in a good position, there is one thing that is a problem that I can see is that the great experienced people that left, took off and the people that are here now are people out of the academy. The main reason that they left was the Police Department was sold out, and was being traded to the County & The Sheriff's Department! The other reason that they went to other agencies was that they were able to get what Rialto has promised twice and never delivered on, Garcia, Rialto's City Administrator, along with Owen, the then City's Attorney promised the RPBA (Rialto Police Benefit Association) that the 3% at 50 Retirement plan was going to added to the next contract if the Utility Tax was voted in, they at the time felt that the 3% at 50 would be a great incentive to gain employment and keep Officer's on the Beat working a long time, rather then keeping them at the 2% @ 55 Retirement Package!
Sadly there are a whole lot of Officers that will be leaving Rialto as soon as they realize that they are not going to get the 3% at 50 Retirement added to their Contract, and if that is not done then they will be looking to go to a department that does have that retirement package!!
There are a great number of Cities that are Expanding and looking for Police Officers to field because of the growing City Limits that most cities have!! Therefore if Rialto doesn't change their Retirement Package, there isn't a Raise that will make up for the Retirement that they are loosing out on, when they are stuck at a department where they don't even get a full retirement at the age of 55!!
Most other department's get a Retirement at the age of 50, and they have the prerogative to stay longer but they mostly will either change or go, but they most stay.
BS Ranch

Rialto crime is still down
City continues adding officers
Jason Pesick, Staff Writer

RIALTO - Crime continued its downward trend in the city last year despite increases in some areas.

There was a 11.4percent decrease in the most serious crimes, known as Part 1 violent and property crimes.

Violent crime taken alone, though, saw a 4.8percent increase. That increase came after a violent crime decrease of 16percent for the first five months of the year.

"As a police chief in a community for 18 months ... I'm pleased with the fact that, overall, our Part 1 crimes are down, but I think that we have a lot more work to do, especially with what we're about to be faced with," said Police Chief Mark Kling.

He said he's concerned the weak economy and a possible release of state prisoners due to state budget problems could lead to a rise in crime.

The marked decline in crime in Rialto was not altogether unexpected.

The Police Department continued to add officers throughout the year and continued to rebuild after near collapse only a few years ago.

In 2005, the City Council voted to eliminate the Police Department and replace it with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

That decision didn't stand, and the city hired Kling, who has implemented a number of new strategies to rebuild the Police Department.

When Kling took over, so many officers had left that the department only had 87 officers. It now has 112.

The centerpiece of Kling's vision for his department is the development

of the area command program. Kling's immediate predecessor, Frank Scialdone, who was brought in to stabilize the department during the chaos, decided the program was a good fit for Rialto.

Launched during the past year, the area command program divides the city into three areas, with a lieutenant in charge of monitoring each one and taking on problems as they arise.

Rialto seems to have fared better than some other areal cities. Part 1 crimes were up 4percent in San Bernardino, where violent crimes were up 7percent. In Fontana, violent crime was up 4percent, and property crime was up 20percent. But in 2007 both of those cities' populations grew, which often leads to an increase in crime.

Kling, who said rebuilding the Police Department is a seven-year process, said Rialto's numbers were consistent with what's going on around the region and the country.

"I think there's some trend information in the stats the region should be concerned with," he said.

One of the stats that pleased Kling was that his department responded to 543 fewer traffic collisions.

He also said he thinks response times are still too high.

Kling said people who don't live in Rialto often commit the crimes in the city.

"I think we have to continue to work with our neighboring police agencies," Councilman Joe Baca Jr. said.

He also said faith-based and nonprofit organizations in the city need to work together to take on crime.

The Police Department has provided the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office with the information necessary to write a gang injunction, which could limit where gang members can congregate in the city, Baca said.

For now, Kling said his next goal is to have his department fully staffed with 115 officers - three more than it has now - and then determine the impact on crime. He said he won't ask for an increase in that number from the City Council for the next budget cycle even though the officer-to-resident ratio is lower in Rialto than in a number of other area cities.

"What you're seeing is the dedication knowing that the employees in this Police Department continually have to do more with less," Kling said.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Rialto Accepts Suit Deal (SB Sun Feb. 19, 2008) SB County Would pay $4Million over Perchlorate!

BS Ranch Perspective
Rialto's acceptance of the suit Deal was a good one over all, however the City is still out $19 Million in total battling the County, and the other Businesses to clean up the Perchlorate mess to begin with. However having said that the city was reported to be in the hole at $23 million at last printed report that I had read via the SB Sun, and the case was then placed on hold. then Owen was Fired (Thank God) and now they have decided to somewhat close the case with the county by receiving a payment of $4 Million and now I am left wondering what happened to the rest of the money, that would be $19 Million, that was spent on the whole mess and it is missing that would have been used on the Police Departments 3% at 50 Retirement Package or maybe they could have, used that money more importantly to build a Brand New POLICE DEPARTMENT! TO QUIT PIECING TOGETHER AN OLD OUTGROWN BUILDING THAT IS THE POLICE BUILDING NOW. THE CITY OF RIALTO WAS GOING TO BUILD A POLICE BUILDING BACK IN 1991!! However there was a claim that there was never enough money to build it!! Now there was $23 Million to spend on a Law Suit for Perchlorate, and Now they are $19 Million at Loss in the deal and I venture to state that the new Police Building would only cost the city some 10 Million or more to build I am not sure but I am one to say that the City of Rialto is at the short end of the stick.
All because of miss management by the Management of the City of Rialto, and the City Council of Rialto City!!
BS Ranch

Rialto accepts suit deal
SB County would pay $4M over perchlorate
Jason Pesick, Staff Writer

RIALTO - The City Council voted in closed session on Tuesday night to settle its lawsuits against San Bernardino County regarding perchlorate contaminating groundwater.

Under the terms of the agreement, which the council unanimously approved, the county would pay Rialto $4 million and clean up the western portion of the contamination.

That cleanup could costs tens of millions of dollars.

"They are really the only responsible party that has stepped forward," Councilman Ed Scott said.

The county's contamination is flowing from the county-owned Mid-Valley Sanitary Landfill in Rialto's north end.

The county Board of Supervisors still has to approve the deal.

Perchlorate, used to produce explosives, is flowing through local drinking water, but officials say it is not being served to residents.

The city filed a federal lawsuit against dozens of parties, including the county, that it suspects of contaminating the water.

The city has also filed a separate lawsuit against the county in state court.

Also during the closed session, the council voted to have one of its outside attorneys, Susan Trager, manage its perchlorate-related legal battle.

Former City Attorney Bob Owen had served in that role until the council fired him in January.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Dodge Opens Strong With Top Heavy Finish in The 500 (NASCAR.com FEB. 17, 2008) Manufacturer Claims Six of Top Eight Positions at Daytona..

BS Ranch Perspective:
It is one thing when you have one or two that are in the top ten of a 500 Mile race, but when you have SIX of the Top Ten Finishers that are of the same Manufacturer that is a statement!! Chrysler/Dodge has been working hard to make this statement and WOW, I am impressed with the statement made. Many of the Chevrolets that were in the race & running in the lead, had to drop out only to return later due to a Suspension problems that were not cured all the way. Last Years Champion Jimmie Johnston was out of the race early, with the suspension problem, only to return to the race eleven laps down, and later to leave the race with the same problem. The Toyota was the favorite Car at first the announcers were all praising it how it kept pulling to the front, and holding the lead, but then when it came to putting the frosting on the doughnuts', it was all Dodge, that was finishing the race ahead of Toyota. he he
BS Ranch
GOOO DR. "Z"

Dodge opens strong with top-heavy finish in the 500

Manufacturer claims six of top eight positions at Daytona

By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
February 17, 2008
11:13 PM ESTtype size: + -

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- How good was Dodge in Sunday's 50th Daytona 500?

Robby Gordon, who's only owned a Dodge race team for about 10 days, finished eighth -- his second-best career finish in 10 Daytona 500 attempts -- and was the exclamation point on six Dodges in the top eight positions, behind winner and lead Dodger Ryan Newman.

Daytona 500

Dodge Results
Pos. Driver Team
1. R. Newman Penske
2. Ku. Busch Penske
5. R. Sorenson Ganassi
6. E. Sadler GEM
7. K. Kahne GEM
8. R. Gordon R. Gordon
11. B. Labonte Petty
15. S. Hornish Penske
32. J. Montoya Ganassi
33. D. Franchitti Ganassi
34. K. Petty Petty

"First, second, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and 11th -- pretty darned impressive," Gordon said.

"That's exceeding expectations, for us," said second-place finisher Kurt Busch, who was the best Dodge driver in the series last year. "It felt like Toyota power was a bit stronger than us and maybe the Hendrick cars were handling better.

"But we were working hard at keeping our nose buried in our own book, and trying to figure out what we could do to make our cars faster. So maybe the hard work shined through."

Gordon's crew chief, Frank Kerr, was even more impressed after overseeing a changeover to Robby Gordon Motorsports' 11-car fleet of new chassis. He only laughed when he was asked what the team might do after being a Dodge program for 20 days.

"That was great -- great for the team [because] everybody's put so many hours in, with the changeover," Kerr said. "We've been working in shifts actually, trying to get stuff changed over -- and then we had the wrong nose on one car and we had to switch it here, plus four others that were done, back at the shop."

Gordon acknowledged the good night might be offset by a penalty he expects to receive for starting Speedweeks with the wrong nose piece -- an unapproved Charger nose that was delivered by mistake from Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Gordon's Dodge connection -- rather than the mandated Avenger nose.

"It's definitely a good start," Gordon said in between TV and print interviews in a dark garage. "Now we just have to see how many points we're going to get taken away from us [by NASCAR]. At least we got a good baseline before they start taking them."

Gordon's baseline included a low-key effort that saw him never inside the top 20 until less than 40 laps remained in the race.

"We just rode around until it was time to go -- we wanted to be in the race at the end," Gordon said. "My car was good. I was just surviving and trying not to put myself in position to tear my car up until about the last 40 laps."

Gordon didn't get into the top 10 until there were 11 laps to go, after the race's sixth of seven cautions flew for an accident started when defending Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick and Dave Blaney got together heading into Turn 3.

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From there, Gordon was able to maneuver with fellow Dodge drivers, not coincidentally Gillett Evernham teammates Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne, who finished sixth and seventh, respectively, ahead of him.

Dodge driver Reed Sorenson provided a critical push to second-place Bush and leader Newman that secured the 1-2 Penske Racing finish.

"For us to get six out of the top eight is just a phenomenal showing for Dodge. It shows the depth of our program and we couldn't be more excited for the 2008 season."

MIKE ACCAVITI, Dodge Motorsports

"Hats off to all of the guys at GEM and the motors and everybody else that worked on all these cars and hard work, so congratulations to Dodge and obviously the two Penske boys," Gordon said. "They said we were going to run the high line and I have to be honest with you -- I was good enough with a 10th-place finish at that time.

"I didn't think we were going to go from 10th to first after the restart. We moved up a couple spots, which is not bad. We were beating and banging pretty hard."

But the Dodge teams were able to work together, which paid off.

"They know how to work together and they work well together, and I thought that sixth, seventh and eighth was a wonderful finish," team owner George Gillett Jr. said. "Robby showed us some speed and I thought Elliott [Sadler] had the fastest car in the race for a long time, and he got hung out after that pit stop.

"But it was fun to see, though. It's unbelievable, and it shows what a great job our team is doing. Ray [Evernham] is providing us with great leadership and [competition director] Mark McArdle and his crew are doing a fabulous job and they're working together and giving us good cars and good engines.

"This winter, we really started to make a breakthrough on the handling of the cars, which is really critical."

It provided an edge for the Dodge cars at the end, some of them felt.

"There was a nice Dodge train on the top side," Busch said. "I think all of us knew that the top side would help us and in the end it paid off. I had a glimmer of hope of winning the thing until Newman pulled in front of me. I said, 'perfect dude -- here we go.'

"It feels great to push him to the win."

Dodge paid a $1 million bonus to Newman for his win. Mike Accaviti, director, Dodge Motorsports and SRT Marketing for the Chrysler Group, said he wasn't concerned.

"A 30-second TV ad [on the Daytona 500 broadcast] cost $500,000," Accaviti said. "With the exposure we got with Ryan's win and six cars in the top eight, we more than made up for that.

"It wasn't gambling -- we only paid if we won -- and the payoff for this is huge in terms of our exposure. The win is super important [and] it was a great showing by all the Dodge teams.

"For us to get six out of the top eight is just a phenomenal showing for Dodge. It shows the depth of our program and we couldn't be more excited for the 2008 season. We've been telling everybody that we're working better together and the proof is in the pudding."

Newman and Busch's owner, Roger Penske, said he certainly wasn't surprised with the Dodge showing, but it only validated one week of the season.

"We had a good test here and we knew we had a lot more power that we could bring to the race, and that's what we did, with the reliability," Penske said. "But again, it was execution [Sunday], plus reliability -- which we didn't have last year.

"Ryan missed a couple wins last year because of reliability. I think as we go forward, this will give our team a lot of momentum, but I can tell you this -- when we line up with everybody else next week at California, I don't think, because you won the Daytona 500, they give you an extra lap ahead of the field."

Friday, February 15, 2008

Water Rates Might Go Up (San Bernardino County Sun Feb. 15, 2008) Depends on amount used!!

BS Ranch Perspective
I guess it would be inevitable for the water rates to go up with the cost of Perchlorate Contamination and all the court costs that the County Water Department is having to pay for, The City of Rialto was forced to discharge the Cities Representation that they have had for over 15 years, because of the poor decision making that he was doing in an attempt to take the responsible party, or the party that he was convinced was responsible for causing the Perchlorate contamination in the first place. I mean who would you believe was responsible, a company that was using a chemical that was approved at the time that they were using it by the government, and it was even disposed of in the manor proscribed by law at that time of the year!
However having written that the City of Rialto's Attorney wanted to apply today's laws to what a company did Yesterday which contaminated the water supply, Now who knows what they did wasn't the normal way to dispose of this chemical, because there is an awful a lot of contamination in the south land. Why not just Rialto & Colton, but San Bernardino, parts of Pasadena, Santa Ana, Orange County has some Perchlorate Contamination as well. I bet that there is some Perchlorate Contamination in Inyo County and Kern County as well as Los Angeles County too.
Now I know that it wasn't just two Companies such as Black & Decker, and Goodyear that spread the Perchlorate all over the Counties of Southern California!!
BS Ranch
Water rates might go up
Depends on amount used
Lauren McSherry, Staff Writer

A ruling by a federal judge that cut by two-thirds the amount of water flowing from the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta to Southern California - combined with a lingering drought - has set off a chain reaction that could result in higher water rates in parts of San Bernardino County.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, a regional water supplier based in Los Angeles, adopted a plan Tuesday that would penalize client water agencies exceeding their allocation, a cost that could be passed on to ratepayers.

One of the MWD's 26 clients is the Inland Empire Utilities Agency, which relies on Metropolitan for roughly one-third of its water supply.

The Inland Empire agency serves 800,000 customers in seven cities - Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Upland.

"The first thing to understand is they're going to apply very significant rate increases and penalties if we use water above what we're allocated," said Wyatt Troxel, inland water board president.

Troxel estimated water rates could increase from 3percent to 5percent in the short term and predicted that cities experiencing rapid population growth could be hit hardest. Programs to provide recycled water to municipalities should decrease the demand for imported water in the long term, he said.

Montclair, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga have the greatest risk because Montclair and Upland are still in the process of implementing a recycled

water program and Rancho Cucamonga is continuing to develop, he said.

Fontana Water Co., which will begin processing inland agency water this summer, doesn't expect its rates to be affected by the recently adopted plan, said Assistant General Manager Robert Young.

Fontana Water Co. is a unit of San Gabriel Valley Water Co.

Penalties could be imposed as early as July, although it is unlikely that allocations will be exceeded so quickly following this winter's rains, said Jeff Kightlinger, MWD general manager.

In addition, the MWD will consider adopting a general rate increase in March, Kightlinger said.

Brothers Charged with Bribing 5th District Supervisor Jose Gonzales, (LA Times Feb 15, 2008) Jose Gonzales was sure that the Bribery Suspects were tur

BS Ranch Perspective
It seems that Jose Gonzales was in on this bribery case and turned these two in for this, however It just makes me wonder if Jose Gonzales turned these two brothers into the authorities because they were just to carefree about the way that they came about the bribery. The regular people use the Donation to ones Campaign in order to get what on wants regarding a Favor From a Candidate. It seems that their willingness to give her the $15,000.00 up front scared Jose and she figured that they better notify the authorities. But how does she know that It was a Bribe and not a Campaign Donation, Yes it is true that they can only donate a small amount of $2300 But these Two Brothers didn't know the limit in which they could Donate to ones campaign. he he!!
Now Brothers, are one to work towards one goal, but I know if I had $15,000.00 laying around I certainly would not allow it to go to some politician for any kind of Work Permit, Planning Permit or anything!! That money would be seen better spent working on my wife's New Car, or Fixing up my house which I am having trouble doing because of the cost!!
I am happy knowing that Jose Gonzales turned these two clowns in for their attempt at such a Stupid Bribery event that has now stopped their lives from being free to build the thing that they wanted to build. I hope that the book is thrown at them and they get a great amount of time, and example should be set.
Jose I don't know if you earned my vote just yet, but your gaining my confidence about you!!
BS Ranch

Brothers charged with bribing a San Bernardino official

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The men allegedly gave the county supervisor's chief of staff an envelope with $15,000 in cash during a meeting to discuss a construction and development project.
By ndrew Blankstein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 15, 2008
San Bernardino County prosecutors charged two brothers with bribery Thursday after they allegedly slipped an envelope containing $15,000 in cash to the chief of staff for county Supervisor Josie Gonzales.

Arshak Kouladjian, 53, of Glendale and Vartan Kouladjian, 45, of Pasadena pleaded not guilty in a San Bernardino County courtroom Thursday to a single count each of felony bribery of a ministerial officer.

Attorney Mark Geragos, who is representing the brothers, said his clients were "upstanding members of the community and successful businessmen."

"Everyone who knows them was shocked by the charges," Geragos said. "We look forward to sitting down and talking with the district attorney about this matter."

The brothers were arrested Wednesday and initially held in lieu of $500,000 bail each, authorities said. A judge later reduced their bail to $100,000 apiece and ordered the men to surrender their passports.

The San Bernardino County district attorney's Public Integrity Unit opened an investigation into the Kouladjians in October after Gonzales' office alerted prosecutors of inappropriate overtures, said San Bernardino County Deputy Dist. Atty. John Goritz.

Prosecutors said the Kouladjians arranged a meeting Jan. 3 with Gonzales' chief of staff, Bob Page, to discuss the construction and development of an auto salvage and auction business in Bloomington.

During the meeting, Vartan Kouladjian "gave Mr. Page an envelope that contained cash in the amount of $15,000," Goritz said.

The charges filed this week were the culmination of a four-month investigation that began when Page first reported concerns about what he believed were inappropriate overtures by Arshak Kouladjian, according to a statement released Thursday by Gonzales.

"It deeply saddens me, and angers me, that anyone would think bribery would be tolerated in San Bernardino County," said Gonzales, supervisor of the 5th District. "It is unfortunate that in the past there have been situations involving corruption. However, that was 10 years ago."

The decade-old public-corruption cases Gonzales referred to were covered by Page, who at the time was a newspaper reporter. Gonzales said that during Page's journalism career at the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and the San Bernardino Sun, he wrote about criminal corruption cases involving former county administrators James Hlawek and Harry Mays. Page began working for the county a little more than six years ago.

Hlawek and Mays pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 1999. Hlawek was sentenced to three years' probation and community service starting November 2005. Mays served two years in prison.

"The Kouladjian brothers were grossly mistaken if they thought my office was for sale," Gonzales said in her statement.

She said since June 2006, two of the Kouladjians' companies have contributed $35,500 to her campaign coffers. She said she plans to donate that amount to community organizations in Bloomington.

Citing the criminal investigation, prosecutors declined to reveal specifics of the meeting between the Kouladjians and Page but said they monitored contacts between the parties.

andrew.blankstein@ latimes.com

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Rialto Police Officer Cleared in Taser firing of man (SB Sun Feb. 14, 2008)

BS Ranch Perspective
Cpl. Black and Cpl Haynie did a great job on this call nobody got hurt, the person that was unable to care for his safety or the safety of the people around him do to his mental state, he wanted to kill himself. The Taser, prevented him from further hurting himself or anyone else on that call while the Rialto Police Corporals were able to apprehend this person of diminished capacity and place him in a place where he could get help. What is a surprised in this whole thing is that it became a news story for a use of Force Issue!! Obviously it was not an over use of Force!! Even by the short story that the paper put out!!
BS Ranch
11:40 a.m.: Rialto police officer cleared in taser firing of man

RIALTO - A police detective was justified in shooting the leg of a drunk, suicidal man who swung a pickaxe at officers, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Gilberto Moreno Garcia's wife and daughters found him drinking and threatening to cut his throat in front of them on June 11, prosecutors wrote, so they called 9-1-1.

When two Rialto officers arrived, Garcia approached them with a four-foot pickaxe above his head. Cpl. John Black fired several Taser darts at Garcia, who picked them out of his arm, according to the report.

Detective Jacqueline Haynie fired at Garcia after he refused to drop the weapon, hitting him above the left knee.

No charges will be filed against Haynie or Black because "they feared for their lives," according to the report.

stacia.glenn@sbsun.com

Rialto Police Officer Cleared in Taser Firing of a Man (San Bernardino Sun Feb, 14, 2008)

BS Ranch Perspective
 
Just what I have read in this News Story of the events makes me believe that Corporal Black was Justified in the Use of Force taken to protect himself, his partners, and any other Civilians that might have been in close proximity to what was going on to any  possible further injury from this guys action. The Taser then made it possible to effect way to take the Suicidal man into safe custody without him further harming even himself!!
 
GREAT JOB, Corporal Black, & Corporal Haynie! I would have loved to have worked with you, it is this kind of life Prevention use of Force, that is great to read about I don't know why it got taken so far that it was a story in the Local News Paper.
 
BS Ranch
 
 
11:40 a.m.: Rialto police officer cleared in taser firing of man

RIALTO - A police detective was justified in shooting the leg of a drunk, suicidal man who swung a pickaxe at officers, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Gilberto Moreno Garcia's wife and daughters found him drinking and threatening to cut his throat in front of them on June 11, prosecutors wrote, so they called 9-1-1.

When two Rialto officers arrived, Garcia approached them with a four-foot pickaxe above his head. Cpl. John Black fired several Taser darts at Garcia, who picked them out of his arm, according to the report.

Detective Jacqueline Haynie fired at Garcia after he refused to drop the weapon, hitting him above the left knee.

No charges will be filed against Haynie or Black because "they feared for their lives," according to the report.

stacia.glenn@sbsun.com

Rialto School Board Warns 300 Teachers Layoffs Possible (SB Sun/via Associated Press Feb. 14, 2008)

BS Ranch Perspective
Well it looks like all the money that has been made, is taken in and is supposed to go to the California Schools from the State Lottery is not doing any good, or it just isn't making it to the Schools Budget!! Being a little skeptical of Political Budgets and how they work, I venture to say that the money from the California State Lottery is not making it to the California Schools and it is terrible to know that it isn't even making a dent!! What is funny is that nobody questions why, the Lottery takes in Millions each day, and a percentage of that goes to the State Schools and well I venture to say that it isn't going there it is going to the very large budget to protect the Super Star Governor & his moderately Royal Wife and Kids Security Detail!!
So Purchase those Tickets to pay for this security Detail After all his plan to get the State on board is to demolish a self Sufficient Retirement plan paid for by the Employee's that work for the State of California, and Law Enforcement that pay into the System, Arnold wants to just take the more then 1 Billion that has been saved up that he cannot touch and put it in the States General Fund and save the day, but That money is paid for by the Employee's for their Retirement and medical programs!!
BS Ranch!!
Rialto school board warns 300 teachers layoffs possible
The Associated Press

RIALTO, Calif.—The Rialto Unified School District is warning 300 teachers and counselors they might not have a job in the next school year because of budget woes.

The school board voted 3-1 late Wednesday to send notices that the jobs could be eliminated starting in July. Teachers must be notified of layoffs by March 15.

The district is facing a midyear cut in funding, and school officials also expect to lose $8.5 million in the coming fiscal year if the Legislature approves Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget.

Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting $4.4 billion out of education in next year's budget and $400 million in this year's budget.

———

Information from: The Sun, http://www.sbsun.com

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Negotiations to Continue on Water Cleanup. (Press Enterprise Jan. 29, 2008)

BS Ranch Perspective
The negotiations should continue, once they are finished they should look to the assistance of the EPA to help in the final Clean Up of the Water to Protect the people of Colton & Rialto!!
BS Ranch

Negotiations to continue on water cleanup



10:00 PM PST on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The Press-Enterprise

Closed-door negotiations aimed at resolving the liability and clean up of the Inland region's largest unabated plume of perchlorate contamination are likely to continue another 60 days, officials said.

Lawyers for state regulators and the three companies alleged to have contributed to the groundwater pollution told a Los Angeles Superior Court judge Tuesday they needed more time to reach an agreement to keep talking. A status conference was set for Feb. 15, said Kurt Berchtold, assistant executive officer of the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board.

A six-mile long plume of perchlorate, an ingredient of rocket fuel and fireworks, sits below Rialto and Colton and has tainted more than a dozen drinking wells.

--Jennifer Bowles

jbowles@PE.com

Cities to Pare Down (SB Sun Jan 30, 2008) Expected Revenue drop means big service cuts likely...

BS Ranch Perspective
"The Belt Tightening is Coming" that is the thing that is coming out here now, so I can guess right now that The Rialto Police Department will not be getting close to the 3% at 50 Retirement Package! This was one thing that they should already have, this one one thing that they should have had when the Police Department was finished with the whole Sheriff's Department Contract fight. Now that it is over with and the City Police Department has won, their Contract they are not getting their Goals Met, such as the 3% at 50.
It just figures that the City Manager is crying Doom now before the Contract Negotiations have even started!!
BS Ranch
Cities to pare down
Expected revenue drop means big service cuts likely
Robert Rogers, Staff Writer

Since he was hired eight months ago to head the San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Service Department, Kevin Hawkins has been intent on stretching an already taut budget.

At the same time, with a focus on beautification of commercial corridors and park maintenance, Hawkins has labored to establish his department's work as a crucial service, like public safety.

"There is a very real reason we should be considered a core expectation," Hawkins said. "We represent a reinvestment in the infrastructure of our community."

Hawkins hopes the sentiment takes root, because the coming years may be a major test for local governments.

Storm clouds have gathered on national and global economic horizons, and

Jesse Hernandez, a San Bernardino Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department employee, plants flowers in front of City Hall last week. About 26 employees maintain more than 550 acres of an ever-growing park system. The department s budget could face severe cuts as less tax revenue is projected because of the economic downturn. (Eric Reed/Staff Photographer)
local governments are bracing for lower revenues, persistent costs and tough decisions.

National forecasts darkened rapidly with the new year, moving the Federal Reserve to deeply cut interest rates twice in the past eight days and prodding Congress to unveil a major stimulus plan offering rebates to many U.S. families.

But at the municipal level - the one closest to the public - cautious outlooks and even dread of a looming fiscal crunch are the order of the day.

"Certainly what I see on the national horizon gives me cause for great concern," said San Bernardino City Administrator Fred Wilson, who oversees the city's $148 million budget. "In terms of what this means for our ability to manage our budget, the caution flags are in the wind."

Along with sales tax, property tax revenues are a pillar of local government. As properties that have changed hands are reassessed, plunging values could have a major impact on city budgets.

"This housing downturn could make the negative impact of a slowed economy stronger here than nationally," said Tom Pierce, a Cal State San Bernardino economics professor.

A different scenario

Chino City Manager Patrick Glover said it was premature to speculate on the severity of an economic downturn's impact on his city. But Glover, who has worked in local governments since 1981, said he is familiar with the effects of a downward economic swing.

"During downward cycles in the early 1980s and early 1990s, what you saw was predictable cutbacks on nonessential services," Glover said. "Vacant positions went unfilled, streets didn't get swept, parks got mowed less frequently."

But unlike past downturns, slowed revenues this time around could hit local governments harder due to accelerating public safety costs.

Cuts to these services are extremely unpopular, while costs steadily rise with retirement packages, competitive salary agreements, persistent crime and assertive unions.

"Public safety expenditures take up a larger portion of local budgets than in the past," Pierce said. "And much of those budgets are non-discretionary, so the unprotected types of spending, like parks and recreation, could face a serious burden."

That's the scenario in San Bernardino, where Wilson said public safety consumes 65percent of the $148million budget, a ratio likely to increase as the overall budget starves for revenues.

"Belt tightening is coming," Wilson said. "In the coming months I'll be sitting down with department heads and brainstorming about how to meet this challenge."

Troubling numbers

Wilson said a swift change in economic activity has cast serious doubts on tax-revenue projections made less than one year ago.

City officials last May hoped for a 6percent growth in sales tax revenue this fiscal year.

Now, they're just hoping to match last year's numbers.

"It's pretty clear to me that we won't hit those projections," Wilson said.

The story is similar elsewhere in the San Bernardino County. From Redlands to Chino, city managers are preparing budgets that deliver essential services amid sliding revenues, mainly from a projected slowdown in sales tax and property tax revenues.

Some cities may be in a better position than others. In Upland, years of fiscally conservative decisions by the City Council have bolstered the $41 million annual budget with a $20 million reserve fund, Assistant City Manager Rod Foster said.

In Ontario, Economic Development Director Mary Jane Olhasso said the city, with its core of older, stable housing stock and steady industrial and commercial growth, is well-suited to weather an economic drought.

"We are solid and stable," Olhasso said, adding that the city's 94million square feet of commercial space is less than 1percent unoccupied and that industrial growth has been strong.

Still, Olhasso conceded, the West End's largest municipal economy has already seen a harbinger of economic turbulence: Third-quarter 2007 sales tax revenue numbers show a decline from the same period in 2006.

"In my 10 years in Ontario we've never seen a decrease in sales tax over a similar period," Olhasso said.

Belt tightening

While drawing on reserves may be an option in some cities, virtually all will feel pressure to do some belt tightening in the coming years if sales and property taxes sag as much as expected.

In Rialto, City Manager Henry Garcia said overall growth in government services is all but off the table during the coming deliberations for a two-year budget.

"We are preparing for what we believe will be a flat economy," Garcia said.

In Redlands, City Manager N. Enrique Martinez said he too expects pressure on his city's $63million general fund budget.

"The ripples are far-reaching," Martinez said, citing the subprime lending fiasco as a major economic drag. "Local restaurants have a handful of people at the lunch hour. People aren't coming into our car dealerships and putting down $30,000 from their equity lines."

Along with sluggish consumption, Martinez said he expects continued inflation in the costs of materials essential to government services, including fuel, concrete and building materials.

"Priorities may need to be adjusted," Martinez said of the coming fiscal year.

The economics of having finite resources to satisfy varied and growing needs has leaders of smaller, less powerful departments girded for budget trims.

Pierce said that in times of economic scarcity, in which public-sector interests compete for a piece of a shrinking budget pie, the importance of political and legal power is heightened. Strong unions and mandated spending levels are key.

"Budgetary negotiations get more difficult, and those with more clout fare better than those with less," Pierce said. "Those whose departments have little protection against cuts should be concerned by what they're seeing."

Hawkins, the parks director in San Bernardino, is adamant that his $6million department budget has no fat to cut, having been emaciated by years of meager budget allotments.

The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department budget was the same in absolute dollars in 1991 as it is today, city records show, unadjusted for inflation. Over that same period, both the Police and Fire departments have had their funding more than doubled.

"Any reasonable discussion would conclude that we are underfunded by $2million already," Hawkins said. "We need resources to beautify the city, so (that) we'll have inviting communities for growth once we get out of this (economic) tailspin."

Saturday, February 09, 2008

2007 DEADLIEST FOR POLICE! ! (Stolen from a blog, but the story was summarized by the Washington post Dec. 27, 2007)

BS Ranch Perspective
Well it looks like over all the Fifty States, 2007 has passed up 2001, as the Deadliest for Police Officers, Which like the Report from Texas is proof that Criminal Gangs are more wide spread and they are not afraid to shoot at Police Officers to make a bigger reputation for themselves! In the Gang World the more Craziest you are and the more people that you have killed is the measuring tool for just such an accomplishment. However, if you as a Gangster Kill a Police Officer that can get you promoted within the gang from a street thug to an Enforcer, which is a Lieutenant position. The LT. in a Gang can approve or disapprove hits that are wanted to be done by other Gang members, every hit has to be approved by the Hierarchy of the Gang, now the approval may not go any higher then the Enforcer!
Now that MS-13, has spread across the states Starting in Southern CA. and then New York NY. There was reports of Chicago IL. Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Ohio, just all the Eastern and western States, that have any cities with any sizeable Population in them. The same goes for the Western United States as well.
Not just MS-13 who get their running orders from the Southerners or the Mexican Mafia, then there is the Neustria Familiar who has their Solders on the streets that have the same orders to eliminate POLICE OFFICERS if they just happen to step in the way of the business that they are trying to conduct. With the Growth of Gangs the POLICE OFFICER has to Step lightly and be carful, & use all their training from the Academy and the follow up training from their Gang Unit to stay Alive on the Street!!
BS Ranch

2007: Deadliest for Police

Record traffic fatalities and a surge in shooting deaths pushed the nation's death toll for police officers to its worst in nearly two decades.

The Associated Press reports via The Washington Post that with the exception of 2001, when 72 of 239 officers died during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, 2007 was the worst since 1989.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and Concerns of Police Survivors jointly released preliminary data in a report issued today.

As of Wednesday, 186 officers had died on the line of duty -- 81 in traffic incidents and 69 in shootings. Overall, fatalities are up from 145 in 2006, when traffic crashes accounted for 76 deaths and another 52 officers were killed in shootings.

Friday, February 08, 2008

Officer Down: Sergeant William Biggs - Kirkwood Missouri

BS Ranch Perspective
It is always hard to discuss the death of a Police Officer Whether it is a Sergeant or a brand new Officer, it doesn't matter it is always hard to write a thought about this when you have so many things that you must consider, the biggest thing that I am considering right now is that I am praying so hard for the Family that is totally Grieving the loss of their Family member, I know that I would not be able to even talk to anyone, Maybe I could talk to somebody on the Department that I knew, whom knew him well! Other then that it would be difficult to talk to anybody about my Family Relations.
Now from the report of this story he moved to defend the City Council Members and then the Suspect just started shooting and the Sergeant made such a large target that he was struck several times before he could get enough rounds off to kill the suspect in time to get the shots to stop being fired.
I still just pray for the Family of Sergeant William Biggs, For he Obviously was one to go above and beyond the call of his duties when the Lead Flew, he was right in the middle of the heat in an attempt to protect the people that he swore to protect!!
The Metal of Valor definitely should be awarded to Sergeant William Biggs of Kirkwood Missouri.
BS Ranch

02/08/2008

Officer Down: Sergeant William Biggs

Officer Down: Sergeant William Biggs - [Kirkwood, Missouri]


Biographical Info

Age: N/A

Cause of Death: Gunfire

Incident Details: Sergeant William Biggs and Officer Tom Ballman were shot and killed when a suspect opened fire at a Kirkwood city council meeting. The man had held a grudge against the city council for several years and had filed several lawsuits against the city.

The suspect approached Sergeant Biggs across the street from the city hall and asked him what time the meeting started, then pulled out a handgun and shot fatally shot him in the head. The man then took Sergeant Biggs' service weapon and walked across the street into the city hall.

When he entered the council chambers he approached Officer Ballman, who was sitting in the front of the room, and also fatally shot him in the head. The man then opened fire on the other occupants of the room, killing two council members and the director of public works before being shot and killed by two other officers.

End of Watch: Thursday, February 7, 2008


Gunman kills 2 officers, 3 others at Mo. city council meeting

KIRKWOOD, Mo. - A gunman stormed a city council meeting Thursday night, killing two police officers and three other people before law enforcers fatally shot him, authorities said. The man's gunfire injured the mayor, a newspaper reported.

The victims at the meeting in suburban St. Louis were killed after the gunman rushed the council chambers and began firing as he yelled "Shoot the mayor," according to St. Louis County Police spokeswoman Tracy Panus.

Janet McNichols, a reporter covering the meeting for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, told the newspaper that the 7 p.m. meeting with about 30 people had just started when the shooter rushed in and opened fire with at least one weapon. He started yelling about shooting the mayor while walking around and firing, hitting police Officer Tom Ballman in the head, she said.

Mayor Mike Swoboda was wounded, McNichols said. Public Works Director Kenneth Yost was shot in the head, and council members Michael H.T. Lynch and Connie Karr also were hit, she said.

The gunman also fired at City Attorney John Hessel, who tried to fight off the attacker by throwing chairs, McNichols told the newspaper. The shooter then moved behind the desk where the council sits and fired more shots at council members, she said.

McNichols identified the gunman as Charles Lee "Cookie" Thornton, a man she knows from covering the council. Thornton had previously disrupted meetings, she told the Post-Dispatch.

Dozens of emergency vehicles were on the scene, and an area of several blocks was cordoned off along a busy north-south corridor around City Hall.

Kirkwood is about 20 miles southwest of downtown St. Louis. City Hall is in a quiet area filled with condominiums, eateries and shops, not far from a dance studio and train station.

Mary Linehares, a teacher who lives about four blocks from City Hall and who walked down to the scene with her husband, described the town as quiet and eclectic.

"It's like a small town in St. Louis," Linehares told The Associated Press. "You can call it Mayberry."

Friday, February 01, 2008

WANTED: NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT "DIGS" (San Bernardino County Sun March 9, 2007) Rialto needs to get Rid of their Temperary Offices and build a new Poli

BS Ranch Perspective

Back on March 9, 2007, there was an Article Written about the Rialto Police Department Actually wanting New "Digs"!! What I want to know is that the City got the Utility Tax Renewed, with a wider amount or range of or Area of TAXATION, Namely the Cellular Phones, Home phones, etc etc...all are billed an extra Percentage for our Police Department to get a Raise? No, wait they haven't really gotten that, so wait I know They got the larger sum of money so that they can have a Brand New Police Building, however I don't think that the plans that the last plans that were drawn up for the police Station should be used, The Plan was modeled after the Brand New Fontana Police Station that was built Downtown, No Wait? I guess I was hit on the head...Because I think that the Fontana Police Station was built in the Late 1980's and they moved into their Brand New Police Facility in 1989, or was it 1990?

I don't know I get so confused? I know that the plans that were drawn up for the PLANNED BRAND NEW POLICE FACILITY that was going to be built for the Rialto Police Department, they were going to try to start the construction in the Year of um, let me see it was OH, Yes, the Construction was planned for 1992-95, with a completion date 12 to 18 months later, However for some reason the Rialto City Council lost sight of the new Station, I believe it was because of money!! Now at the time that these discussions were going on, there was approximatly 12 Officers that were dressing in the Hallway to get ready for our shift for a great Eight hours of work (Back then we worked a Five Eight hour shift schedule).

The City Tried to get a Grant that was to be elected in by the Citizens of Rialto however there was not enough interest in the Station to get the Grants past by a 2/3 Vote, so the station was going by the way side once again, and we were still going to dress in the hall for another few years.

To fix this the Command Staff decided to go without the Debriefing Conference Room, and so the table and chairs were taken from that room and the lockers that we were using to dress from were assembled inside this room and made into a second Locker Room. This Second Locer room was forever dubbed the "Junior Locker Room" and all the Senior personel rotated into the bigger locker room because it had a bathroom and a shower. The Junior Locker room had a Chalk Board, and well Lockers, sombody brought a Radio, and that made it nice, but other then that there was no other fringe benefits, they were all reserved for that Senior Locker room.

The City Council and The City of Rialto Really Needs a New Police Station to go with their New Police Chief. It would only make the city that much more inviting for people that are looking for a place to work. I really wish the City Council saw what I am talking about!! They would get more people interested in the POlICE STATION if the STATION WAS ACTUALLY a NEW STATION!!!

BS Ranch
__________________________________________

Wanted: New PD digs
Jason Pesick, Staff Writer
San Bernardino County Sun

RIALTO - The Police Department is a sight to behold. Boxes and old filing cabinets sit throughout the hallways. Records are kept in outdoor bunkers. Much of the staff works out of trailers. Mousetraps dot the dingy hallways.

"We've seriously outgrown this facility," police Capt. Raul Martinez said on a tour of the station Thursday.

That sentiment, which seemed to be shared by everyone Martinez ran into as he walked the police grounds, is not surprising coming from members of the rank and file.

But now the City Council agrees - only a year and a half after it voted to disband the Police Department and contract with the Sheriff's Department, a decision it later reversed - it's time for a new building.

At Tuesday night's council meeting, when Chief Mark Kling received approval for new vehicles, equipment and new paint and flooring for the current building, the council overwhelmingly declared support for a new building.

Councilman Ed Scott, who was among those who had voted to eliminate the Police Department, said he wants the council to decide to build a new station this year - prompting a chorus of support for the idea.

The current station was built about 35 years ago, when Rialto was a much smaller city. In the next 25 years, the city is expected to grow by 65 percent, to about 165,000 residents.

Records Supervisor Glenda Montgomery said records employees have to keep files under their desks. She also pointed out a number of makeshift records-storage areas, including a packed closet and a storage bunker in the parking lot employees have to run back and forth to.

"We do that every day," she said.

Rooms that used to be closets now serve as offices.

Police Cpl. Steven Mastaler said that in the winter he needs to install a floor heater in his office.

"I like it cold, but sometimes it's just too cold," he said.

The building also has leaks. Noretta Barker, a law-enforcement technician working in dispatch, said that when the holding cells upstairs flood, the water leaks into the dispatch area in the basement.

The drab facility also makes recruitment a challenge, Martinez said, and the Police Department is hiring both sworn and non-sworn employees.

The city is planning to raise money for a police facility. A study from October estimates the city will need $15million for an expansion of the police station, said Chief Financial Officer June Overholt. Much of that money will come from increasing development-impact fees, she said.

At a recent community meeting at the Rialto Senior Center, Kling, who started as chief a little more than six months ago, said he found the police facilities to be subpar when he took the post.

"If you're going to expect a professional department, then, you know what? It starts at home."

Contact writer Jason Pesick at (909) 386-3861 or via e-mail at jason.pesick@sbsun.com.