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Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Jack Van Haaster, ex-mayor

Recall Results

On Tuesday, Murrieta held its first recall election. With all precincts reporting, results are:

Recalled:

Jack van Haaster: 5,911 to 5,748

Not recalled:

Doug McAllister: 6,368 to 5,322

Kelly Seyarto: 5,923 to 5,712

Elected:

Rick Gibbs: 5,367

Source: Riverside County Registrar of Voters

Our new council is Warnie Enochs, Rick Gibbs, Doug McAllister, Dick Ostling and Kelly Seyarto. Who should our new mayor be?

posted by J. L. Kunkle at Wednesday, May 04, 2005

33 Comments:

  • That’s a slim margin to call him Ex, unless he has conceded. 163 votes, which could change the outcome in a recount. Not that I would want it to, but I wonder if we are celebrating too early here? Probably should recount Kelly’s too.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 1:02:00 PM  

  • Who else King Enochs. Prepare for the circus to begin

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 2:57:00 PM  

  • Any body but Enoch's - why not McAllister since he just won a vote of confidence!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 4:30:00 PM  

  • When do you think that the celebration should begin? I hear some sour grapes here. Why not concede the loss honorably and start figuring out what the new council is going to do now?

    How do you figure McAllister has won a vote of confidence?

    Is all three of these posts from the same person?

    By Blogger J. L. Kunkle, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 5:12:00 PM  

  • There is no sour grapes here. Just want to say that the way to Enoch's vote is thru his ego. Stroke it and you will get what you want. You will all find this out soon enough.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 5:26:00 PM  

  • It's incredible that Van Haster's warchest of > $500,000.00 couldn't keep him in. Sorry Rancon...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 5:55:00 PM  

  • Its more than just Ram Con. What about the Murrieta Chamber, Haynes, and Hollingsworth.

    They all succeeded in estranging some 6,000 voters and customers.

    Winners, none (except perhaps the DEMOCRATS). What a shame.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 6:28:00 PM  

  • It time to let Warnie get his shot as mayor. Let us go back to rotating the position every year.
    Adios Jack!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 6:29:00 PM  

  • McAllister thinks he won a landslide. Sir, 45% of the voters wanted you gone. I suggest you get your arrogant self in check.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 6:33:00 PM  

  • Under different circumstances I might have voted for Mr Gibbs. I just hope he is smart enough to distance himself from the RM puppet masters.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 7:52:00 PM  

  • No, the three post that earlier in this thread are not from the same person. There is no sour grapes involved with not wanting Mr. Enochs as the Mayor. Mr. Ostling would make a great Mayor, he is far more humble and respectable. However, what is his position now that the election is over? Will he stay of go? This is not a call for him to leave - just interested because of his statements at the March Council meeting.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:03:00 PM  

  • those who tow the line of the homosexual agenda will be cursed with short lived victory

    Fighting the Homosexual Agenda

    By Blogger Pastor John, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:07:00 PM  

  • Yes let Warnie be Mayor then maybe he will stop his long childish tantrum and vote for once with the interst of the city in mind and not just to spite the others

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:35:00 PM  

  • Maybe the people who live along Nutmeg and washington should secede from Murrieta and Join Wildomar, they would fit right in

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 8:42:00 PM  

  • I see you put a lot of thought into that statement. Don't be bitter.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 9:28:00 PM  

  • The NC Times had it right--not one single candidate for one of the recall positions offered any concrete solutions to any problem within the City.

    Heck, maybe I should've run on the "stop crime, educate our children, responsible growth" platform without offering one concrete example of how that would be accomplished.

    Mr. Gibbs, I suspect a lot of folks are going to be watching your actions as closely as they watched your predecessors. Hopefully you will hold up under the scrutiny.

    Murrieta resident since 1993

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 9:55:00 PM  

  • Mr. Gibbs, is beholden only to
    the citizens of Murrieta, not
    Rescue Murrieta. Rick Gibbs will
    serve Murrieta and it's residents
    well.

    By the way, the rest of the absentee votes were counted today,
    and Rick Gibbs rec'd an add'l, 29 votes. Also there are still provisional votes to count, and
    according to the county it will be another couple of days. Why?, I don't know. So Kelly Seyarto ,
    could be on his way out also.

    It's been a long year, and I am
    glad it's finally over. Best
    wishes to the new Murrieta City Council, and congratulations
    to Rick Gibbs and his family.



    From.Irisheyes

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Wednesday, May 04, 2005 10:41:00 PM  

  • Also there are still provisional votes to count, and
    according to the county it will be another couple of days. Why?, I don't know. So Kelly Seyarto ,
    could be on his way out also.



    Or van Haaster could be back in…both cases are unlikely

    According to the Press Enterprise “The registrar of voters must still count about 300 provisional ballots, which are issued to voters whose eligibility has not yet been confirmed” so I would assume it will take time to research that.

    MK

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 7:36:00 AM  

  • jmteacher said...
    why does rholmgren think Mr. Gibbs should distance himself from the RM??? That movement is what got him elected.

    From reading his comments in today’s Press Enterprise he is in a way distancing himself from RM.

    From reading his comments hopefully he will look out for the best interest of the city and not one group. As for the question of this thread of who is the next Mayor, I think it would be Enochs because that is what he has made clear that is the position he wants, with all that has gone on the last few months I would like to see Gibbs put in the position because of the bitter feelings between the other council members, right now Gibbs is a neutral member.

    MK

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:05:00 AM  

  • I don’t think anybody wants Mr. Gibbs beholding to anyone. The goal of the recall was to break up the constant 3-2 vote. I think everyone wants five independent, intelligent, free thinkers on the council. Not one smart man and two puppets who vote the same every time. I’ll leave it up to you to figure out who is who, shouldn’t be hard. All anyone wants is a council that respects its citizens and listens to them without dismissing them as ignorant. Its is, after all public service.

    KS

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:56:00 AM  

  • In reading the "jmteacher" posting on May 4, 8:22 PM, I am concerned about this type of attitude. You ask why rholmgren thinks "Mr. Gibbs should distance himself from RM." Well, your rationale which intimates that Gibbs should be beholden to RM becuase "That movement is what got him elected" is dangerous. Although I voted for Gibbs and the recall of the others and I do not subscribed to rholmgren's point of view, I believe he is right here. We wanted "the Trio" out because why?....Because they were proving to be beholden to the developers. So, with that, how can you intimate that because RM endorsed Gibbs, he somehow owes them? I agree with IrishEyes who said that Gibbs is "beholden only to the citizens of Murrieta, not to RM." That is the way it should be.

    Secondly, why do you have to stoop to the level of calling rholmgren names like, a "pompous A--", simply because you do not agree with his postings? You seem so worried that he believes he "know[s] everything about what the residents of Murrieta want." He just has a different opinion on the way Murrieta should be run; I do not feel that he was talking for me. Actually, even though, as I said, I am of the exact opposite opinion as he, I enjoyed reading his rantings as he is committed to his beliefs and is rather articulate. Don't hate him because he thinks differently than you, that's what makes this democracy work!

    Also, don't be so bitter and childish to rub it in the opposition's face, "we got rid of one and almost got rid of two." "Almost" doesn't count and they can also say we "almost" didn't get one out. It does none of us any good to gloat, we need to come together for the good of the community and our new council with our newly elected independent thinker, Rick Gibbs. --Z.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 8:57:00 AM  

  • Somebody said that Rick Gibbs did not provide a solution. Are you admitting there was a problem?

    The problem is the 3-2 voting bloc that ALWAYS sided with the developes. They owned this town. I drive through Temecula and experience the restaurants, shopping and parks, the Duck Pond, beuatiful neighborhoods out in Crown Hill and Redhawk/Vail area. I see roads that can handle the capacity of the the town.

    Murrieta has none of this, Jack has had 12 years to get it right, and he sc***ed it up. He was the problem, Rick Gibbs is the solution.

    This was perfect outcome, I hope to see the next few years result in a better planned community and a better quality of life.

    Remember, equity in your home is not everythig!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:14:00 AM  

  • Somebody said that Rick Gibbs did not provide a solution. Are you admitting there was a problem?

    I didn't see who posted this, but I think the point was meant to be a better solution which I don't think there is.

    I drive through Temecula and experience the restaurants, shopping and parks, the Duck Pond, beuatiful neighborhoods out in Crown Hill and Redhawk/Vail area. I see roads that can handle the capacity of the the town.

    For the longest time restaurants didn't want to come to Murrieta because of our size even when we were throwing money at them to come. Redhawk/Vail and those wide roads are (for now) part of and developed in the county…not Temecula. You actually think traffic is better in Temecula? Not me, both cities are have problems in that area.

    Jack has had 12 years to get it right, and he sc***ed it up. He was the problem

    I disagree with you on that, if anyone should have stayed it should have been Jack, but I guess you and I will probably never see eye to eye on that.


    MK

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:48:00 AM  

  • Just something that may make you go HMMMMMMMM.

    I awoke this morning to find the local section of the PE with two very different stories ~ call it a "tale of two cities" if you would.
    Above the fold "Political Musical Chairs" a story of Murrieta politics and a reference to a childrens game. I thought to myself (a 15 year resident) how appropriate this reference. After all that is what all of this was about wasn't it. The fly heading is "Election Loss Ends Voting Bloc"
    I should think not, it merely changed a 3-2 voting history to a 2-3 voting future.

    Lesson to be learned from this is that hopefully in November of 2006 and 2008 new fresh thinking would come to the forefront and wash this ugly stain away.

    The second story ~ below the fold reads "$80 MILLION Campus Approved" this project will of course be located in our neighbor to the south, Temecula. Isn't it interesting that on the very same day many rejoice over a philisophical victory, our neighbors to the south can point to a truly ground breaking opportunity that they have achieved. I know it will involve traffic circulation, congestion, clean air issues, and I am sure it will involve a developer or two.

    But that's just the thing ALL development is not bad and there is certainly something to be said about BAD development.

    But the fact is we have become a valley of haves and nots (not nuts) and this is just another example of our city being passed by as we concentrate efforts, time and money on the fringes and corners. Much has been said on this site regarding zoning changes and all of the terrible things done by past city councils over the MANY MANY years this city has been incorporated.

    The reality is that when new people move into an area it causes more traffic, trust me I have seen in the 15 years I have lived here a whole lot more cars than the first day I arrived.

    In fact Rescue Murrieta would not exist if, when I moved in I said thats it I'm here and thats enough. But it WASN'T enough ~ I NEEDED the rest of you to move in to INCREASE my quality of life.

    Without you, you, you, and even you! I would not have the opportunities, amenities, and yes traffic that you have provided me. I would be driving to Temecula to go to the store, library, resturants, and what the heck even COSTCO. Over the years and these are the recent years I now no longer go to Costco, Mervyn's, Target, the movies, several resturants, and many other businesses in Temecula ~ not because I don't like Temecula (that was the people that lived here even before I did - talk about small time) but because I have a city to help support and I believe in supporting OUR community. You know what? They have survived fine without me in fact they have flourished (sure there have been some growing pains (how many times can you tear up Ynez)but they have done just fine. When I first moved here my wife was so excited that just down the corner from our home there was a PLANNED COMMUNITY SHOPPING CENTER, one that she could just walk to (corner of Cal Oaks and Clinton Keith) a large sign proclaimed for years its ever pending arrival. Well now it's Pinnacle Homes (Big homes on Small Lots) looming over these two busy streets. Hey it's OK people got what they wanted ( no scratch that - they got what they don't want, more homes - No that can't be right they did get what they didn't want "No Commercial Development on this corner" Hey, its OK with us, you see people that have lived here for a little longer than the most recent runnup in housing prices are very flexible, we after all were what you might call PIONEERS in the early years. Its Ok with us we will not whine about what was long ago a settled issue "COMING SOON NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING CENTER".

    You see we had seen that sign long before ~ in the "Golden Triangle Property" the sign read ~ "Coming Soon Regional Shopping Mall" Donahue Schriber ~ that didn't happen and Hey we got over it as well, to bad millions of OUR tax dollars go to Temecula at the Promenade Mall.

    So you see if you just try a be a little flexible all of this will work out. Look at those poor folks on Jefferson that the city tried to take there land for nothing. I know a gentleman who sold his property for a million bucks after giving up the 10 feet the city needed. Can you believe that a MILLION DOLLARS for land in Murrieta who'd a thunk it 15 years ago. In fact I think you could have bought the entire CITY for a million bucks back then.

    Anyway the tale of two cities will continue and I am sure Murrieta will survive but just remember a weed filled dirt lot does not make some "rural lifestyle" that needs to be preserved. Its just a parcel of land waiting to be developed. If you moved here to "Live in the Country" it's not here anymore you came and spoiled it.

    That's not a bad thing and I am not sorry you came here as a matter of fact, Thank You all for coming and making this city a GREAT place to live and work.

    After 15 years I will be leaving Murrieta next week and all of the hub and bub that makes this an interesting place to live. I have purchased a home in a really great quiet, rural, country communityin an area that I hope one day you all could come and see ~ but don't even think about moving there!

    Until then Good Luck and best wishes from Wildomar, California.

    See you Soon!
    RA

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 11:01:00 AM  

  • There's a lot of Anonymous people here. Have Warnie or Ostling as Mayor. I'm just glad that the usual quiet, happy, farm living residence of Murrieta decided to take a stand.

    I sent out a few letters to the politicans as well. It is a wonder if it wasn't about power, and wealth, why do Riverside County or State politicans care what we decide to do in Murrieta? The money spent in this election baffles my mind. Made me also realize that just because someone claims to represent the Republican Party, it just maybe that they actually represent their own interests. I've had to take a second look at some Republican Party officials. They sure didn't come asking me and my Republican friends how we felt. Sent letters to Haynes and Hollingsworth and got no reply. And that's the last time I vote for either one of them. Republican in name only is how I see them, using Democrat tactics.

    Have you seen the new development at Los Alamos Rd next to the 215 freeway? All I can say is that I've lived in my exact spot since 1989, before Murrieta was even Murrieta! I don't tell others how to go about their business. But there certainly are a lot of Johnny Come-Lately types who viciously want to tell me the nature of my town. They like to flip me off while driving 50 MPH down a dirt road because they're late for this or that. My peaceful slice of Shangri-La isn't peaceful anymore. And I certainly don't go driving 50 MPH down your cul-de-sacs and past your trike-riding 5 year olds while flashing you the bird. Some Murrietans might what to remember some of the reasons you moved out here. Mine certainly wasn't to be in a hurried rush to look like Los Angeles County. Been there. Done that.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 2:06:00 PM  

  • Boy there sure is a lot of talk on what a real Republican is, well let me tell you, there are two types. First there is the Rush Limbaugh, Buba Gump type. These are the ones who worry about people crossing our southern broder, say its not the goverments place to take care of the poor yet give nothing to charity and have a I got mine so what about you attitude. Then there are the real ones. These are people with more money than most of you will ever have. They have allowed our broder to be breached because they know the people crossing will work for less and therefore bigger profits for them. They also don't believe its the goverments place to take care of the poor but give generouslly to charity. The second group is also usually very good at exploiting the first. Maybe this will explain why Republicans at the state and national level backed the no recall side

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 4:56:00 PM  

  • Why does the counsil get to vote in the new mayor?

    Why cant us Murrieta citizans have a say in that process?

    Someone explain that to me. Please

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Thursday, May 05, 2005 9:00:00 PM  

  • So much talk of the 8,000 signatures that RM collected. They couldn't get 8,000 ballots ~ Not that that was expected, Its real easy for folks to get scared at the grocery store for 3 months over "TRAFFIC AND GROWTH" and sign a petition. Its another thing completly to actually have to go out and VOTE!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Friday, May 06, 2005 12:08:00 AM  

  • Anonymous said...
    Why does the counsil get to vote in the new mayor?

    Please enough already its like being DEN MOTHER for pete's sake. Please let the city staff do its job and for goodness sake let Warnie have a go at being HISHONOR before he breaks a blood vessel or something.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Friday, May 06, 2005 12:11:00 AM  

  • Enough Already? WTF!

    What's the problem in answering a simple question? Set aside your RM attitude for just a second.

    Why does the Counsil get to vote in the NEW MAYOR?

    I dont give a crap about Warnie or his nasty blood vessels. I'm just asking a simple question about the process.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Friday, May 06, 2005 7:29:00 AM  

  • Sad facts aside... Simple questions aside... Things happen this way because that's the rule that the original Murrietans set down when incorporating. There are city council procedures setforth and that's the way we go about it.

    So... RM and whoever else helped get petition signatures got the appropriate number required BY LAW to start the recall process. As far as how many voted? How is Murrieta any different than the entire USA? Consider how many people live in Murrieta who aren't registered voters. AND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT... They aren't interested in politics or voting. But that's been the BIG comment in every election, presidential or otherwise, I've EVER heard since I was able to understand the concept of voting.

    Why does the city council get to decide? Because that what the articles of incorporation say WILL happen in the event of this particular situation. WHAT? Do you think this stuff is made up out of whole cloth? It happens in the legally sanctions manner. You want it changed? Get a petition started to change the city charter and let the good citizens of Murrieta vote on it next election!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Friday, May 06, 2005 8:49:00 AM  

  • Anonymous,

    This is how I understand it, Murrieta has what’s called an At Large council which means the whole city votes for every council member then the council chooses the mayor, in this case the mayor is just a figure head and really doesn’t have anymore power than the rest of the council.
    Another type of council is a District, which the city is divided into districts and you can only vote for a council member that represents your geographical area, you also will vote for a mayor, in this case the mayor has much more power than an At Large council.
    Finally there is a Mixed System and I’m not sure how that one really works.

    That’s how I understand it, and someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

    MK

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at Friday, May 06, 2005 8:55:00 AM  

  • To AR,
    It is nice to hear that a 15 year veteran of the Murrieta lifestyle is happy to have the conveniences that developers have brought to this town. So why are you leaving? To take some other "really great quiet, rural, country community" and turn it into Orange county? You are just selling out like you probably did in '90, profit taking and getting set up to do another 15 years elsewhere. Don't even pretend to give a dam about Murrieta.

    By Blogger J. L. Kunkle, at Friday, May 06, 2005 1:25:00 PM  

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