6 lagunabeachindy . com NOVEMBER 4 , 2022
Did you see the ad with Peter Blake standing between Fire Chief King and Police Chief Calvert , both in uniform , both with badges , endorsing Peter ? At least , that ’ s what it looked like . By posing for such a photo , our chiefs are violating City rules . Guilty ? No . They are not guilty of breaking the City law .
Here ’ s what happened . Peter ’ s wife took the photo at a function a couple of months ago . Peter ran the ad without the permission of either the Police Chief or the Fire Chief . You can ’ t run someone ’ s picture in an ad without permission . Suspect more than half of you who saw it fell for the deception , thinking they were endorsing him . Peter just ranted that it wasn ’ t an endorsement , the word wasn ’ t in the ad . He knew what he was doing . The ad screams endorsement .
City Manager Shohreh Dupuis needed to tell Peter not to continue to run the ad . She could have shown some leadership and encourage Blake to stop running the ad . He doesn ’ t listen to many , but he listens to her . The deception hurts the integrity of the City . Our rules are clear , never appear in uniform in a political ad .
Shohreh Dupuis had a chance to show leadership and prove that she is up to the job . Instead of ending the deception , she just asked the chiefs if it was ok . By doing this , she didn ’ t protect them by telling them what a bad precedent it was . She and Peter placed them in a very awkward position . This was a confirmation of her lack of judgment .
And it says everything we need to know about Blake ’ s lack of integrity .
Toni Iseman , Laguna Beach Councilmember
Regarding the ad published last Friday with the heading “ City Hall you ’ ve been busted ,” Councilmember George Weiss , you ’ ve been busted ! Public records show that George
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Weiss gave $ 500 towards that ad , going after Council members Sue Kempf and Peter Blake and City Manager Shohreh Dupuis and even our Chief of Police Jeff Calvert . All cheap shots by George Weiss and his followers . In my opinion , George Weiss could be one of the worst Council members in Laguna ’ s history . I support the City Manager and the Chief of Police one hundred percent . I also support Sue Kempf , Peter Blake , and Louis Weil for City Council 2022 .
Kelly H . Boyd , Former Laguna Beach Mayor and Councilmember
Amid the many campaign attacks and endorsements that have filled my mailbox , one stands out by its absence . The Laguna Beach Police Employees Union does not endorse incumbent Sue Kempf for City Council .
Kempf is their boss . She votes on contracts and other issues that closely affect members . Typically , incumbents have an advantage in an election , and City unions are keenly sensitive to the implications of withholding endorsements from those likely to be reelected .
Peter Blake ’ s behavior has disqualified him from any public office , so , unsurprisingly , the Police Employees Union passed him by again . But the Union endorsed Sue Kempf in 2018 . Withholding their support from Kempf in 2022 speaks volumes , consistent with the reports of low morale among Laguna ’ s police , and the difficulty in retaining and attracting officers . This seems to provide tangible evidence of how badly they want a change . Scott Fraser , Laguna Beach
I try to be a good citizen and stay informed of issues , so I am an informed voter . The overwhelming number of political ads and campaign
posters don ’ t make it easier ; they make it more difficult to understand the truth behind the issues and candidates . ( Artistically designed , black and white campaign signs are very attractive .). While I had previously read and heard about the rude and lack of civility of City Councilmember Peter Blake before , including his censure , I was overwhelmed and moved by the information published last week in this paper and in the LA Times about Blake . I hope others who had considered voting for Blake will reconsider their support . Rewarding Blake with re-election would help to normalize his lack of civility and further erode the transparency of our City ’ s decision making process .
Last week in the Independent ( 10 / 21 / 22 publication ) there was an article by Billy Fried ( occasional columnist , KXFM radio program
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LETTERS , page 20
Staff
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR Clara Beard clara @ firebrandmediainc . com
DESIGN
CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tracy Powell
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PUBLISHER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Steve Zepezauer
CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tracy Powell
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER / PUBLISHER Scott Sanchez
CITY HALL MEETINGS :
Wednesday , Nov . 7 . Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Committee at 6 p . m .
HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY COUNCIL
Sue Kempf Mayor 439-3001 skempf @ lagunabeachcity . net
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD SECOND AND FOURTH THURSDAYS , 5 PM LOUIS WEIL : lweil @ lagunabeachcity . net KRISTINE THALMAN : kthalman @ lagunabeachcity . net DON SHERIDAN : dsheridan @ lagunabeachcity . net JESSICA GANNON : jgannon @ lagunabeachcity . net DEBORAH NEEV : dneev @ lagunabeachcity . net
Bob Whalen Peter Blake Mayor pro tem
Council member
497-0796
584-1224 bwhalen @ lagunabeachcity . net pblake @ lagunabeachcity . net
Toni Iseman Council member 494-7648 tiseman2 @ aol . com
PLANNING COMMISSION 1ST AND 3RD WEDNESDAYS , 6 PM STEVEN KELLENBERG , steve @ kellenbergstudio . com KEN SADLER : 616-0517 , ken . sadler @ cox . net JORG DUBIN : 497-2618 , jdubinart @ cox . net STEVE GOLDMAN : 203-554-2290 , steveg415 @ ymail . com SUSAN McLINTOCK WHITIN : 838-6317 , whitinsusan @ gmail . com
George Weiss Council member 295-0832 gweiss @ lagunabeachcity . net
Ann Marie McKay City Clerk 497-0309 amckay @ lagunabeachcity . net
Laura Parisi City Treasurer 949-497-0327 lparisi @ lagunabeachcity . net
OTHER ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES :
REP . MICHELLE STEEL , 1113 Longworth House Office Building , Washington , DC 20515 . 202-225-2415
ASSEMBLYWOMAN COTTIE PETRIE-NORRIS , 19712 MacArthur Blvd . Ste . 150 , Irvine , CA 92612 . 949-251-0074
FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR LISA BARTLETT , 333 W . Santa Ana Blvd ., Santa Ana , CA 92701 714-834- 3550 , Lisa . Bartlett @ ocgov . com
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