Poway Unified Superintendent John Collins has been on paid leave since April, but it now appears the district is looking to end his contract.
Earlier this month, the district posted a job listing on an education-career website for an interim superintendent to begin on July 1, and met in closed session to discuss “employee discipline, dismissal, release,” as Ashly McGlone reported late last week.
Collins’ contract runs until 2017, but during his tenure, he oversaw the bond deal that leaves the district with debt ten times larger than what it borrowed, softened a report by an outside firm that was critical of the district, and negotiated raises for employees that also boosted his own salary.
New Life for Old Gregory Canyon Landfill Project
A proposal to build a landfill near the San Luis Rey River close to Pala has been pulled off the scrap pile, and dusted off once again.
Last year, the developer gained the financial backing of Sovereign Capital Management Group, which appeared to give new life to the plan. Then in December, the Pala Band of Mission Indians, a long-time project opponent, noticed new activity on the property. The tribe asked the county to enforce conditions of a permit and force the property owner to remove construction material, which it said was being used to construct a landfill.
The county disagreed, and said the developer wasn’t building the landfill.
The Union-Tribune now reports that developer applied for an Army Corps of Engineers permit last year, but as that works its way through the system, the developer still hasn’t completed paperwork to obtain permits from other agencies, like the San Diego Air Pollution Control District.
The developer also still needs permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Dept. of Fish and Game and the county.
In other words, things might be moving again, but there’s still a lot of hurdles that need to be jumped before the landfill project really gets anywhere.
In the meantime, the state has asked cities to help businesses divert their organic waste, a major source of what goes in a landfill. This week, Oceanside farmers considered ways to divert organic waste from landfills, and citywide hauling services are expected to start up within a couple years.
Animal Kingdom Introduces Viewers to CA’s Small Coastal Cities
The new crime drama on TNT that is filmed and set in Oceanside aired this week, to “meh” reviews.
But one columnist says it’s just the start of a trend toward embracing California’s smaller cities.
“In choosing these settings, Hollywood is catching up to reality: our big coastal cities are overexposed in the media, and too wealthy to be relatable in the rest of America. At the same time, our smaller cities remain unknown and mysterious,” Joe Matthews writes in the Long Beach Press Telegram.
You’ve had your time in the sun, San Diego and Los Angeles.
Also in the News:
• An Encinitas Planning Commissioner resigned just weeks after giving his support to an update to the city’s housing element. (The Coast News)
• Citing the parking issues created by nearby apartment complexes, residents in one Oceanside neighborhood are looking to establish a permitting system on public streets. (Union-Tribune)
• Escondido approved its annual budget. (Union-Tribune)
• Costs for construction and land acquisition are holding up a connecting segment of the Inland Rail Trail, which one day will connect from Escondido to Oceanside, along the Sprinter. (Union-Tribune)
• The organization tasked with rehabilitating the Pacific View school in Encinitas received $25,000 from the county’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Program for their efforts. (The Coast News)
• TK Arnold says politicking like a small town mayor and touting his party credentials hurt Mayor Sam Abed in the race for county supervisor in District 3. (Seaside Courier)