Monthly Archives: February 2011

Firefighters Union Empty Threats – Letter to the El Segundo Herald by Michael D. Robbins

Firefighters Union Empty Threats

The firefighters union used misinformation, deception, and intimidation to collect petition signatures. As one resident put it, “How do you say ‘no’ to firefighters who show up at your door wearing their association tee-shirts? They know where you live, and they can delay or deny emergency service when you need it.”

Two firefighter union members showed up at the January 18 City Council meeting, demanding their fire department takeover initiative go on a special election ballot. They are not entitled to a special election, because their petition did not contain required language requesting a special election. They threatened to circulate a new petition with the required language if their demands were not met.

This is an empty threat. … Continue reading

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El Segundo Police Officer Applicant Requirements and Compensation

Entry Level Police Officer Qualifications

Entry level police officer qualifications are fairly minimal, and basically amount to graduating high school or having a G.E.D. equivalent document, having a valid automobile driver’s license, being in reasonably good physical condition, and having correctable vision. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist, or even an assistant to a rocket scientist to get a job as a police officer with incredibly lucrative compensation from two to five times that of a highly skilled and talented professional with decades of experience and one or more advanced degrees in a difficult technical field from a competitive big-name university.
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Entry level police officer compensation is quite generous. Continue reading

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El Segundo residential trash collection fee is resolved

The El Segundo residential trash collection fee has been resolved with a 3-1 vote of the City Council to have the City continue collecting trash from residential properties with three or four units, in addition to those with one or two units. This decision departs from the current City practice of collecting trash at no fee from residential properties with one to four or more units if standard trash cans are used instead of a large rectangular trash bin. City Attorney Mark Hensley stated that it was not necessary to amend the City Municipal Code for the City to continue collecting trash for three and four unit properties. He said the City Municipal Code creates an exclusive franchise for the City to collect trash from residential properties with one or two units, all owners or tenants of those properties are required to use the City’s service, and no private trash haulers can provide this service. To amend the City municipal code to create an exclusive franchise for residential properties with three or four units is not necessary and is a five-year long process.

The affected residential properties with more than four units will have to contract with a private trash hauler and pay for the service Continue reading

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