ED HARRINGTON COMES TO THE BAYVIEW (7/23/08)
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Ed Harrington the San Francisco Public Utilities Manager came to address some pressing issues more to have a dialog with the community in the Bayview. The meeting was held at 1800 Oakdale at the Southeast Facility Commission auditorium.
The SFPUC has some huge projects underway some under the Clean Water Project and others under the Waste Water Projects. The Clean Water Projects cost over $4.2 billion and affect over 2.4 million customers. In San Francisco it affects over 760,000 constituents. The Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant is within a stonešs throw and the stench from this plant fills the air for miles - thousands of innocent constituents have been affected over the years and the SFPUC is just now trying to mitigate the adverse impacts. The Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant takes in a full eighty percent of the Cityšs raw sewage and embraces that from Daly City, Colma, Brisbane and Burlingame as well. It is not uncommon for Methane flares to be released into the air. One ton of Methane Gas equals twenty two tons of Carbon Dioxide. So much for the Carbon Footprint that most of the Southeast Commission Facility Commissioners had no clue at all. Thousands of constituents living near the Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant suffer from Cancer, Respiratory Diseases, and other ailments causing immense suffering - mostly to our Elders and to innocent children. Yet, not one word about these facts and adverse impacts from the Commissioners who were listening but had no clue what really are the facts. So how can these jerks - represent? The weirs that hold millions of gallons of secondary effluents are damaged and the Bay and especially Islais Creek have suffered the consequences when heavy rains - simply fail and less then treated effluents make it to the Bay and into Islais Creek. San Francisco has a dual waste water system - meaning that during the rainy season the heavy rain water joins the waste water to the Phelps Raw Sewage Treatment Plant for its final - dance. Simply put this Phelps Raw Sewage Plant is too old and the operations too weak to handle the present load. Times have changed and realistically speaking no Raw Sewage Treatment Plant should be in the middle of any Residential Area - but the fact is we have one and it is in the middle of Bayview and the residents are the innocent victims. Ed Harrington is well known to both Espanola Jackson and Francisco Da Cost the two advocates from the Bayview that faithfully represent the concerns of the Bayview Hunters Point constituents. We do our best to educate ourselves on issues and represent. So when Ed Harrington came to visit us on the home turf - it is with pleasure that we first welcomed him. Unlike others - he has always listened to the community - many years ago working for SFPUC, then at City Hall as the Controller and now back to SFPUC as the General Manager. Before him there was Susan Leal and before her Pat Martel who is now the General Manager of Daly City. Most of the Commissioners that sit on the Southeast Facility Commission are hand picked by Mayor Gavin Newsom. The majority of them does not really care about issues and less - are not educated about issues. So, when the time came to ask pertinent questions from the Commissioners - as usual they said more of the same and the content was less then - drab. Silly old farts the butt of many jokes. Willie B. Kennedy for example has no clue that Depleted Uranium is found all over Hunters Point. She has less of a clue about Cesium-137, Cobalt-60, Plutonium-239, Radium-226, Strontium-90, Thorium-232, Uranium-235 all radiological in nature and found on Parcel D. Then you have Methane Gas and Mercury found on Parcel B. Other heavy metals found all over Hunters Point that adversely affect children and our elders. Also, that some that choose in their ignorance to work at Hunters Point. Willie B. Kennedy did that working in a trailer for years, for the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency - and exposing herself to harm. So, when she asked her question linked to Hunters Point and the Infrastructure that SFPU Commission is involved in - little does she know about the on going clean up that has been stalled for lack of money and the capping the area will not solve the problem. But, Willie B. Kennedy is in for the money and less to serve the people. I have told that to her face and she does not deserve the respect of the community. Willie B. Kennedy and the others would do well in their capacity as Commissioner to represent and work for the community and less to throw arrows at guest by asking them questions that are moot and encroach on dangerous territory. There were a few folks asking some questions - mostly wanting jobs and contracts. Well, to get such favors - you have to be in the pocket of Mayor Gavin Newsom and the circle of friends that sell and buy favors. Susan Leal was fired for that very reason. The Mayor wanted it all and laid the blue print and if anyone upsets the apple cart - out the door you go. Climate Change is here and the snow pack has been affected. It does not mean that because East BayMud is having water shortages and we are not - that San Francisco should not conserve. We should. We have over 1000 miles of clean water pipes and over 75% of them are over 70 years ago and leaking - daily millions of gallons of clean water seep and in some case pollute the water-shed. We have over 1200 miles plus of waste water pipes also very old and leaking. While some token promises and few good jobs have been given to the Bayview Hunters Point community and residents - by far the SFPUC has used cronies to bluff the community. There have been many instances when well meaning and fully qualified candidates have been side stepped and others from outside and even recent immigrants without a Green Card - given a job linked to the 1099 slots. A pending investigation is going no where. Let us not open a can of worms. It does not matter if it is one single incident but to break the law and side step citizens of the United States and go out of one way to accommodate a citizen that has just arrived on our shores - speaks volumes about corruption and we are aware of that should end. If Ed Harrington knew the truth some one - would be out the door and into oblivion. There is a cloud over shadowing Ed Harrington who is very astute and knows well what to say and how to say. I have know him for many years and it his unassuming demeanor that wins you over - unlike other past SFPUC General Managers that knowing little pretended they knew more. This man knows much so he is very careful to speak carefully and more respects the constituent. I asked Ed Harrington a loaded but very general question: first about the Hetch Hetchy system and what if ever would be done to contain more water as Climate Change and Global Warming are upon us. Secondly the disbursement of Hetch Hetchy Water to other entities that need it and we give it to them for a lesser value and thirdly closer to home - why it is that we do not conserve and blatantly, use Hetch Hetchy water to flush our commodes? Ed Harrington knew what to say in general terms and made a good attempt to answer two of the three questions - more to satisfy the audience in general. As for my edification he knows well I have access to him at any time - so a detail answer can wait and I have the patience of Job of old. It is time the aging Commissioners at the Southeast Facility Commission vacate their seats and do not act as cronies of the corrupt Mayor Gavin Newsom. It is a disgrace to attend these meetings - where again and again these commissioners display their ignorance and some will open their mouths and shove their foot in it - every single time. These aged folks that have performed the dirty deed for the Mayor on issues linked to SF Redevelopment Agency throughout the years and with Lennar a Rogue Company - who will endorse anything the Mayor says are a disgrace to the community - each and every one of them. Ed Harrington was there present to address real issues and not one of them asked a pertinent question affecting the community. The talk was about contracting - most of the contracts were given away, years ago. The question about Hunters Point and development is moot - because first we want a clean up that stands - to Residential Standards. Some jerks want an Art Facility on Hunters Point. Who is their right mind wants to be near radiological elements? How many artists have died from cancer living and working very near Parcel B? Well, some Blacks will never learn - always falling for bread crumbs and in the bargain selling the community. The few that are left and are steadfast - who serve the community - have to ward off the evil doers, each and every day. Among them one who sits on the Southeast Commission and makes over $90,000 salary - sitting on her fat ass and pretending to do outreach for the SF Redevelopment Agency. Go figure. Most people left after Ed Harrington left because the rest of the agenda was more a dog and pony show. Enjoy the photographs: |
