Fallbrook Community Planning Group Election – Know who you are voting for…

Knowing the election is days away, turmoil has grown in my spirit over candidates misrepresenting their positions to voters. Regardless of what position you support, transparent truth is vital in making decisions, which ultimately affect the community we have chosen to call home. Years ago I learned, getting upset, frustrated and disappointed over a result where I didn’t try to support factual truths was a disservice.

For those who know me, then you know how much Steph and I respect genuine transparency in our lives and those we do life with. Hence it became important to share facts about those who make up the Fallbrook First campaign team. Please note – my comments are from a personal perspective having nothing to do with any organization I represent or Board positions I am currently elected to serve.

Know who you are voting for…very important. With a little research, you will quickly learn some facts and can be better prepared to cast your vote for the group who best represents your core values. As Jackie Heyneman mentioned in her letter last week, there was a shift with the newly elected 2020 members. One such member and current endorser of the Fallbrook First team stepped down from their administrative duties moments before being relieved of them by the Board.

Factual truths supported in minutes and for those attending meetings in person and via Zoom reveal poor information access for Board Members, a gross misrepresentation of the Fallbrook Planning Group on social media along with routinely missed deadlines articulated by existing Planning Group by-laws. Once the individual’s administrative role was replaced, the Planning Group immediately realigned, eliminating the distracting noise and divisive confusion.

Know who you are voting for… another incumbent member of the Planning Group running with the Fallbrook First team has been in gross violation of County rules regarding Ethics Training, Policy I-1, Brown Act Trainings and Form 700 for four years. These are annual requirements specific to all who hold elected office. When asked during a public meeting, the member quickly denied the claim. The issue was later resolved as it was brought to light publicly yet the member maintained the filings had been completed and the County was to blame. This same member made false legal accusations against another member regarding Brown Act violations which was later found to be unsupported.

Know who you are voting for… at least three candidates of the Fallbrook First team support leniency regarding cannabis grows and dispensaries in Fallbrook. Progress is their platform. One incumbent cited their desire to open the first legal dispensary in town and that they should be conveniently located in the village zone.

Know who you are voting for… is it really necessary for any candidate to bully residents and neighbors on various social media forums with vulgar language and demeaning insults?

Know who you are voting for…campaign sign placement requires a paid county permit or private property permission. The County permit stickers are affixed to the signs. Public record – only one of the six candidates running with Fallbrook First filed a sign permit. The other five did not. All members of the Fallbrook 7 filed and obtained their permits. Facts via public county records. Know these are the very folks you would depend upon reviewing, approving and making recommendations in your permitting process for business signage, development, design review and land use.

The Planning Group is non-partisan. Partisanship has not been an issue until 2020. Politics and political stepping-stones are not in the purview or interest of the Fallbrook Community Planning Group. The Fallbrook First team offers candidate statements committing to put Fallbrook First. Unless I have missed something, this is what the Fallbrook Community Planning Group has been doing for decades. They have established years of working relationships with residents, business owners, County Staff and elected officials.

I do not appreciate the Fallbrook First team telling community members that they will change the way the Planning Group represents them. The County has strict policies on how Planning Groups are to function. The Planning Group members today and of the past have been properly representing Fallbrook within the boundaries of County policy – as an advisory group. This election rhetoric is a conscious overstating of commitments unattainable by any Planning Group member.

Fallbrook First states the Planning Group is not transparent and not inclusive. Until 2020 this was also not an issue. The Fallbrook Planning Group by-laws exceed County requirements for public engagement and from my perspective are strictly adhered to. Fallbrook First appears to create a problem to solve when no problem actually exists.

The Fallbrook 7’s philosophy is simple: Keeping it friendly, Keeping it focused and Keeping it Fallbrook.

The candidates of The Fallbrook 7 have our endorsement. These individuals collectively offer decades of planning and land use experience along with established understanding of zoning and strong family values.

The Fallbrook 7 are endorsed by over 50 County and community leaders and volunteers. By comparison the Fallbrook First team are endorsed by six people at the time of this letter submittal – noting three of the six endorsements are from existing Planning Group Members endorsing themselves! The other three are existing Planning Group Members elected in 2020.

The Fallbrook 7 team: Jeniene Domercq, Eileen Delaney, Steve Brown, JJ Neese, Kari Hoyer, Keely Hansen and Debbie Williams.

Know who you are voting for…

Dave Baxter