The CotoBuzz Journal, Community Journalism

Hello All: I have heard that CHP officers are not volunteering to work in Coto even for the time and a half pay they would earn. So, we are not even getting the 40 hours a week that was the original deal under Glisson/Rose. It would seem that Bob Varo though his big mouth, open and public hostility to the CHP has turned them away. Folks, we need pro-active traffic patrols in Coto.

We have had two tragic deaths on our streets in the time period there was no CHP in Coto. CZ is in the middle of a very serious lawsuit over an accident in Coto that we could lose.

What we don’t need is Bob Varo sitting on the CZ Board for another term. At the moment, the only realistic avenue open to Coto is the CHP. Varo and his friend Supervisor Pat Bates want to raise our taxes through formation of a Community Service District that would allow the county to add Sheriff hours in Coto for even more of our money. Varo will now use the fact that the CHP is not interested in our business because of his actions as an excuse to vote for a CSD which would raise our taxes. Isn’t it bad enough that Varo/Mezger have raised CZ dues two times in two years because of their fiscal mismanagement and nothing more. Now Varo wants to raise our taxes too.

Clearly, we need a CZ Board President who can properly represent CZ Members to the CHP. Who can blame the CHP for walking away from CZ given Bob Varo ’s intemperate remarks? Mr. Varo after all did refer to the CHP as “extortionists”. The only extortionists I know in Coto are Bob Varo and Jerry Mezger who have taken another $800,000 from our Members in the last two years through two dues increases that could have been avoided. Now that really is extortion. Joe Morabito

Reading Mezger’s candidacy statement (for a seat on the 2007 CZ Master Association Board of directors) and your perspective on pro-active traffic patrol, people would think you have your facts wrong – or a matter “of policy” as board supporters may argue.

According to Mezger, “safety has never been better”! – so just turn Coto into a City!

On the other hand, according to Schlieder’s candidacy statement, Keystone is in dire need of help with contract preparation and purchasing. If a service provider paid to do a job needs help from a part-time volunteer domain expert, we are doomed.

Hello All: I would say normally if one is trying to develop a business partnership, calling the potential partner an Extortionist is not the best way to further the relationship. Varo has made it known on numerous occasions that he dislikes the CHP and would rather have the Sheriff in Coto. I really don’t care who provides pro-active traffic patrols in Coto as long as my CZ dues and property taxes are not raised to buy the service since I know we already pay more than enough of both to pay for these services. Bob Varo inappropriately endorsed Pat Bates as CZ President. He bet right, so now he needs to bring home the bacon. We need about $400,000 from the county to pay for 50% of the Sports Park maintenance and 80 hours a week of CHP time (assuming an adult on the CZ Board can make peace with the CHP so we can get it the hours from them). Big Mouth Bob needs to use his Big Mouth with Supervisor Bates to get this money for Coto. If he can get it done, even I would extend congratulations. After all, Glisson/Rose which Varo/Mezger continue to deride got blow dried Supervisor Tom Wilson to pay for the first year of the CHP in Coto at $120,000. Glisson/Rose scored. Varo/Mezger have a big goose egg to show for their political acumen. I guess if you want a job done, you have to send in a smart woman to make it happen. Xochi, the only one on the current CZ Board that fits that description is you. Joe Morabito

P.S. It is appropriate for Lyle Schlieder on some one on the CZ Board to head up a Supplier Selection and Contract Management committee if that is in the works. Industry insiders no matter who we use as our property manager are too cozy to properly represent our interests. It does need to be a Board Member and CZ Members to get the job done properly. Trust me on this. I saw it first hand.

From all the evidence we have available, we do not trust Keystone as a property management company.

We also agree that a board member should oversee the Supplier Management activity.

We continue to emphasize that the board needs to develop key business metrics to hold service providers accountable, including Keystone. I our opinion, and contrary to Schilieder’s statement, the focus should not be “to help Keystone with contract preparation and purchasing” - Buzz