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MARCH 13, 2019
Washington Post / The Lily - Shelby Pope
These Women Surf the Biggest Waves in the World
This year’s inclusion of women didn’t come from the organizers having a sudden change of heart. In 2015, Sabrina Brennan, a commissioner with the San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners — one of the bodies responsible for issuing permits for Mavericks — argued that the competition shouldn’t be given a permit unless women were allowed in the event.
The next year, Brennan co-founded the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing with big wave surfers Valenti, Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms, Andrea Moller and lawyer Karen Tynan. The group argued for inclusion in Mavericks, and later, for equal pay. (If women are included in surf events, they’re typically awarded less prize money: At a surf competition last September, Valenti earned $1,750 for her first place prize. Her male counterpart won $7,000.)
Mavericks is held at a public coastline, argued the committee, and funded by taxpayers. Why should public funds go to a discriminatory event?
The California Coastal Commission agreed. Mavericks invited a handful of women to compete in the 2016-2017 event. But the event never happened due to financial issues. The 2017-2018 competition, with new organizers the World Surf League (WSL), also didn’t happen because of poor conditions.
But women big wave surfers have recently scored a victory. In September, the WSL announced that they would be distributing equal prize money to men and women across all their competitions. This year’s event, featuring a women’s heat, could finally be the first equal Mavericks, with women paid the same prize money as men — if the waves cooperate.
MARCH 8, 2019
New York Times - Sarah Mervosh and Christina Caron
8 Times Women in Sports Fought for Equality
Female surfers receive equal prize money
Four prominent female big-wave surfers, Bianca Valenti, Andrea Moller, Keala Kennelly and Paige Alms, spent years fighting for equal pay in the largely male sport where they regularly risk their lives.
Last July, the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, an organization formed by six women, sent letters to the California Coastal Commission arguing that by treating women unequally, the World Surf League was in violation of state civil rights law.
Months later, in September, Valenti and other female surfers earned a victory when the World Surf League announced it would offer equal prize money to men and women.
Valenti, along with Sabrina Brennan, the president of the San Mateo County Harbor Commission, and Karen Tynan, a labor lawyer, also successfully pushed for women to be included in the Maverick’s Challenge, a big-wave surfing competition that had traditionally invited only men.
“Some people would tell me that by trying to get the (prize) pie redistributed I was ruining it for everyone,” Moller said in December. “But I would just say: ‘That’s wrong. We’re fighting for the industry. People love watching women surf big waves, so the whole sport will grow.’”
FEB 26, 2019
HuffPost - Carla Herreria
California Lawmakers Fight For Equal Pay For Athletes In Contests On State Land
The legislation would force competitions held on state-granted land or property to reward male and female competitors equally.
“This is all fantastic about equal pay, and we love to see our work codified. … But the piece that’s kind of missing from the bill is the part about equality, inclusion and equal access,” Sabrina Brennan told HuffPost.
The California commissioner co-founded the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, an organization that advocates for the inclusion of all genders. They don’t support events that are exclusive to a single gender.
Brennan said the bill was lacking language that specifically called for the inclusion of both male and female events.
“We noticed that the bill was silent on [that issue]. I just want to make it clear that we [the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing] are not silent on that,” Brennan said.
“If you’re not included in the competition, you can’t get equal pay,” she added. “That’s a foundational element of being able to have equal pay. You can’t have equal pay if [the athletes are] unemployed.”
Though Brennan would like to see more legislation requiring both male and female events, she said she was encouraged to see AB 467 build off the work they did for female surfers at Mavericks.
“It just makes us feel like we don’t have to ... fight that fight again. It’s done,” she said.
FEB 14, 2019
The San Diego Union-Tribune - Tod Leonard
Assembly members promote bill requiring equal pay for athletes using state land
Since introducing the bill earlier in the week, Boerner Horvath and Gonzalez said they have received no public opposition.
“Quite frankly, people are afraid to (tick) off a bunch of women, and they should be,” Gonzalez said. “The reality is that corporations and even these sports conglomerates don’t want to upset a whole host of women who are the consumers and participants.
“I anticipate some behind-the-scenes maneuvering,” she added. “There will be questions about where this leads. Is this a broader conversation? Tasha and I would say absolutely. We’re starting with state land because it makes the most sense.”
FEB 14, 2019
San Jose Mercury News - Elliot Almond
Women surfers inspire lawmakers to take on equal pay issue
“When we get it in writing it gives us a lot more strength,” said San Francisco’s Bianca Valenti, one of the world’s best surfers who has led the equal-pay campaign. “Once California does something the rest of the world follows.”
“When women get paid equally in every sport we are going to see the performance skyrocket,” she said Thursday.
FEB 14, 2019
The Inertia - Dylan Heyden
California to Consider a Bill Requiring Sporting Events to Pay Men and Women Equally
In a Thursday press conference overlooking Cardiff State Beach, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath was joined by San Mateo Harbor Commission president and Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing co-founding member Sabrina Brennan who detailed the fight for equality in big wave surfing. She explained that CEWS was thrilled to throw its support behind the bill.
FEB 10, 2019
Beach Grit - Jen See
Constant Risk of Death, Colorful Characters and Men Behaving Badly!
FEB 7, 2019
New York Times - Daniel Duane
The Fight for Gender Equality in One of the Most Dangerous Sports on Earth
JAN 19, 2019
Women's March San Jose - Facebook Post
Excited to hear from Sabrina Brennan from the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing. She's making Big Waves in the pro sports world- like making sure women were included in Mavericks this year.
JAN 19, 2019
Beach Grit - Chas Smith
Cultural Studies: “The Beaches Are Being Re-Colonized By White Males!”
Rhonda Harper of Black Girls Surf views localism as another form of colonialism.
JAN 17, 2019
The Inertia - Dylan Heyden
Peʻahi’s Queen, Paige Alms, Wants to Paddle Into the Biggest Wave Ever (and Win Mav’s)
As a founding member of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing and the athlete representative on the BWT, Alms was instrumental in ushering in the era of “pay equality” across the World Surf League’s various tours.
JAN 15, 2019
Stab Mag - Gossip Girl
Big Wave Tour To The WSL: There Is Power In A Union!
Is the Big Wave Tour about to unionize?
JAN 7, 2019
Dead Spin - Dvora Meyers
The Next Step For Elite Gymnasts Is To Form A Union
“What is needed beyond reform is a countervailing force—not just a new acronym on the old priorities, but an organization that addresses the needs of athletes and only those of athletes as its sole mission.”
JAN 6, 2019
Sea Maven - Molly Lockwood
Surf Girls Jamaica: The Healing Art of Riding Waves
JAN 3, 2019
Business Insider - Emma Wills
Iceland has made it illegal to pay women less than men
Under the legislation, firms that employ more than 25 people are obliged to obtain a government certificate demonstrating pay equality, or they will face fines.
The law was announced on March 8 on International Women's Day 2017 as part of a drive by the nation to eradicate the gender pay gap by 2022.
JAN 4, 2019
Roar Media - Zahara Dawoodbhoy
Sri Lanka's First Female Surf Club Makes Waves
DEC 18, 2018
San Jose Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Giant waves are the draw for surfers and spectators at Mavericks
PRINCETON-BY-THE-SEA – Monique Kitamura, who is featured in the surfing documentary, “It Ain’t Pretty,” said it had been a decade since the buoys read 35 feet. A wave that big produces drops double that size, making for treacherous conditions for even the best.
Longtime Oahu surfer Chris Owens said, South Africa’s Twiggy Baker and San Francisco’s Bianca Valenti stood out. Valenti, one of the world’s best women big-wave surfers, had never surfed Mavericks when it was supersized. She paddled into the sea early Monday thinking about safety first. “The waves had a weird whomp in them,” Valenti said. “They were unpredictable and raw … and moving really, really fast. It was like you had to fly surf.”
DEC 17, 2018
New Yorker - William Finnegan
Don't miss this story by Pulitzer prize-winning author William Finnegan.
DEC 16, 2018
USA Today - Marco della Cava
Women surfers fight for gender pay equality in killer wave competition
For Keala Kennelly, the controversy over equal pay is as absurd as the issue is simple.
“Big wave surfing risks are the same for everyone,” she says. “It’s like female soldiers going out to war. Maybe they don’t run quite as fast as men, but they’re putting their lives on the line, and when they’re shot they’re just as dead. Would you pay women soldiers less?
DEC 16, 2018
Surfline - Marcus Sanders
Andrea Moller: “I like to be home and make sure I’m able to take care of all the details. It helps when you can have everything in front of you — there’s so many moving parts and pieces that it helps to be able to know what you’ve got and see it all. It’s really important to have a checklist because there’s so many different things to keep straight. Fins, fin keys, boards, leashes, wetsuits, flotation vests, you have to have it all lined up. Like the cartridges for the inflation vests, you don’t want to show up somewhere and then have to find a bike shop to get more cartridges. You want to have the confidence that you have everything you need. And when you’re traveling, I feel like you need to be even more organized. It’s not like you can just run home and pick something up. A place like Maverick’s, I have to make sure I have all of the wetsuits, booties, and all that stuff. And when we’re looking at a couple swells like this, you have to think about your boards. If the contest doesn’t run on the big day, maybe you’ll want a smaller board. So you have to take all the variables into account, and then make sure you leave options for them all. I also need to know that everything’s all handled. I need to make sure my house is clean, the laundry is done, the bills are paid, I’m all good at work, my daughter is taken care. It might sound kind of weird, but if I know that everything on the home front is taken care of I feel much more free to go chase waves and surf.
DEC 15, 2018
Quartz - Jenni Avins
For the first time, female big-wave surfers will compete at Mavericks for equal prize money
In recent years, a cohort of female surfers including Bianca Valenti teamed up with Sabrina Brennan, a member of the local harbor commission, who saw an opportunity when she heard that the contest’s permit was under review by the state. The women formed a lobbying group, the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing (CEWS), and successfully fought for a women’s division and equal pay.
DEC 13, 2018
NCB Bay Area - Robert Handa
Mavericks Surfing Contest Targeting Next Week, With Women's Debut
This year, top women competitors will be among those taking on the massive waves, competing against each other for equal prize money.
"I don’t really see that many women doing it that often, so I think it’s awesome that the sport is growing to that population as well," surfing fan Allie Vacar said.
Fan Taylor Scornavacco added: "For women to be out here doing what the men are doing is a really cool thing, and I think that it’s good for the sport, and it’s good for the exposure of surfing in general."
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan helped lead the local fight to include women and equal pay.
"All of the women athletes have stuck together, and they’ve really been unified in their message," Brennan said. "They’ve worked hard to make this happen."
DEC 10, 2018
PBS - Joshua Barajas
How the fallout from Larry Nassar’s sex abuse has grown
Today, the number of women and girls who have said they were abused by Nassar has topped 500, Michigan Radio reported. But questions remain about how a culture of abuse of young athletes at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University continued for so long.
A new report released Monday details how two top officials at the U.S. Olympic Committee, which oversees USA Gymnastics, failed to act promptly in 2015 when they first learned of the abuse allegations against Nassar. One of the officials, USOC chief of sport performance Alan Ashley, was fired shortly after the report was made public.
DEC 8, 2018
The Inertia - Zach Weisberg
Felicity Palmateer Discusses Her Controversial Nude Surfing Film Skin Deep
So the trailer for this project went live on the site the same day that KK won Jaws, Steph won her seventh title, and there was mayhem at the Jaws Challenge. I think your trailer got nearly twice the viewership as coverage of any one of those single events. How do you feel about that?
Ummm…I was watching Jaws. (Laughs.) Yeah…I don’t know. I don’t know?
DEC 6, 2018
USA Today - David Strege
Surfing instructor under fire for causing female surfer to fall
Surfer Danielle Lyons was riding a 2-foot wave and clearly had the right of way when a surfing instructor dropped in behind her, grabbed her leg leash and tugged hard enough to cause Lyons to fall.
DEC 4, 2018
Washington Post - By Allyson Chiu
Accepting the Ballon d’Or was supposed to be Ada Hegerberg’s moment. Instead, just minutes after she concluded a heartfelt speech in which she encouraged young girls to “please believe in yourselves,” Hegerberg was approached by French disc jockey Martin Solveig, the event’s host, who had a bizarre query.
“Do you know how to twerk?” Solveig asked in French. Clearly uncomfortable, Hegerberg shook her head and responded with a terse “no,” before appearing to attempt to leave the stage. The audience, namely French soccer player Kylian Mbappé, who was also honored, was visibly stunned.
DEC 3, 2018
KITV 4 ABC
Kaua'i native chosen to be first woman to compete in The Eddie
Kaua'i native Keala Kennelly is on the list of 28 surfers. She was handpicked by Clyde Aikau, brother of Eddie Aikau, who is the contest's namesake.
"What was tremendous about her, for me to pick her, is that she got hurt at a spot called Teahupo'o. She smashed her face in and had about 50 stitches. She healed herself and went back in the water," said Aikau.
Teahupo'o is in Tahiti and is notoriously dangerous -- but Kennelly is the first woman known to have surfed it.
NOV 30, 2018
The Inertia - Juan Hernandez
Opening Ceremonies Kick Off the 2018 Eddie Aikau Invitational Waiting Period
Fresh off her win at the 2018 Jaws Challenge, Keala Kennelly made the roster of 28 competitors with fellow Big Wave Tour Competitor Paige Alms listed as her alternate.
NOV 30, 2018
Surfline - Marcus Sanders
Eddie Aikau Invitational Opening Ceremony Kicks Off At Waimea Bay
Keala Kennelly, fresh off a Jaws win, was the only female invitee. “I’m outnumbered for sure,” she said. “It’s one of the biggest honors of my entire life. I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime. I had the “Eddie Would Go” bumper sticker on my car…these guys are all my heroes.”
NOV 29, 2018
The Inertia - Kevin Whilden
Bianca Valenti Went for a Post-Apocalyptic Surf Following Northern California’s Camp Fire
NOV 26, 2018
The Inertia - Joe Carberry
Jaws Challenge Put on Hold as Swell Becomes Dangerously Large
Like watching a violent NFL match up, there was a tinge of guilt viewing these gladiators from the computer screen as they tossed themselves over the edge of sanity...
NOV 26, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
Women surfers battle ‘insane’ waves in Maui
The Women's Division at Jaws was beyond gnarly.
NOV 26, 2018
Surfline - Matt Pruett
Keala Kennelly Wins, Everyone Lives at Jaws Challenge
It was Carnage, Inc. out there.
NOV 26, 2018
SURFER
Top Women Show Unflinching Commitment in Menacing Jaws
It was bumpy, foggy, rainy and raw when the call was made to send out the women this morning–but the most intrepid competitors in the 2018 Women’s Jaws Challenge appeared undaunted. This would mark the third time that the top female chargers were able to surf the infamous big-wave break in an event running alongside the men’s Peahi Challenge and the first time they’ve done so since the WSL announced the men and women would be paid equal prize money at Jaws as a part of the WSL’s recent commitment to eliminating the gender pay disparity in all WSL-sanctioned events.
Perhaps that historic shift was front of mind for the top female big-wave surfers, which included two-time event winner Paige Alms, recent internet-breaking Puerto charger Bianca Valenti and heavy-water trailblazer Keala Kennelly, since the entire field was surfing like it had something to prove in the opening heats. Competitors threw caution well and truly into the wind and ended up on the receiving end of some horrific Jaw’s beatings in the process.
NOV 19, 2018
Deadspin - Bethany Biron
The Bitter Fight For Equal Pay At One Of The World's Biggest Surf Contests
“The ‘bro culture’ in surfing is very prevalent,” said San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, a member of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, or CEWS, a lobbying group that played an integral role in getting women to the event formerly known as Titans of Mavericks. “I can only think of a few sports that are more misogynistic than surfing. It’s cultural. It’s the way surf culture is.”
NOV 10, 2018
Still Stoked - Melanie Williams
Bianca Valenti Interview – Charging monster waves and fighting for equality in women’s surfing
Why she charges monsters, how she handles fear, and her scariest moment in the water, Badass Bianca Valenti shares it all in this exclusive interview.
Bianca has not only participated in every big wave event currently available for women but also won her fair share of International big wave surfing events. She is also the heart and soul behind the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing which became the driving force for the WSL to change their policies this year regarding equal pay for men and women.
NOV 9, 2018
ESPN W - Kelly O'Mara
Bianca Valenti leads the fight for equality in surfing
"Things have really started to change," Paige Alms said. "We're pushing the boundaries of the sport, and Bianca's at the forefront of that."
NOV 6, 2018
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Larenas, Reyering win in harbor
Nancy Reyering and Edmundo Larenas won by a landslide victory! We're thrilled to finally have a team of three Harbor Commissioners who care about equity, inclusion, and coastal access.
Congratulations Ed, Nancy & Sabrina!
OCT 31, 2018
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Window opens Thursday for ‘Mavs challenge’
Keala Kennelly, a Hawaiian and accomplished big-wave surfer, was among the 10 women chosen to compete in the event. She says she primarily surfs the big waves closer to home, adding that it had been a few years since she paddled out at Mavericks.
When asked if she was excited about having the opportunity to compete this year, she was enthusiastic.
“Oh, gosh, yes,” she said. “We’ve been fighting for this for years. I really hope we get a swell this year and it comes together.”
OCT 29, 2018
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Are the stars finally aligned for a Mavericks surf contest?
World Surf League made a wide-sweeping decision to offer equal prize money for all of its competitions after the Mavericks women’s campaign.
“The future for younger girls is to grow up feeling they are equal from the start,” said Jamilah Star of Santa Cruz, a pioneer big-wave surfer. “Not being programmed or trained to be less than boys. Or watch the boys.
“It’s time for the boys to watch us.”
OCT 27, 2018
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Mavericks women take their place in opening ceremony
If the Mavericks Challenge gets a green light during its Nov. 1 to March 31 window, it will mark the first time a women’s contest has been held at the infamous break located near Half Moon Bay’s Pillar Point Harbor.
“It’s nice being invited to the party,” Keala Kennelly said. “You can always go to the party or crash the party, but it’s way more nice to be invited to the party.”
Tyler Fox of Aptos, who this year is the first alternate in the men’s contest, said the women brought the party.
“There is a different vibe,” he said. “There is an exciting new energy with the women.”
OCT 26, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
Opening ceremony heralds coming of Mavericks surf contest
The 10 invited women, some of whom have limited experience at Mavericks, there was a morning session led by water-safety mainstays Brian Keaulana (Hawaii) and Frank Quirarte (Pacifica) on Jet Skis.
Hawaii’s Emi Erickson has surfed the place several times, and “thankfully, I haven’t been up close and personal with the rocks,” she said. “But we learned about the best ways to get out of there when the surf is huge. It’s good to be proactive about prevention.”
OCT 26, 2018
Mavericks Challenge Opening Ceremony - WSL
WHAT: Mavericks Challenge Opening Ceremony
WHEN: October 26 @ 2 PM
WHERE: Mavericks Beach & Lagoon, Princeton by the Sea, California
WHO: All invited BWT male & female competitors, media & general public
WHY: Launch big wave season with a spiritual gathering of the best in the world at Mavericks, bring the community together after years of politics, create content and media opportunities for WSL and surfers. Program would consist of a lineup of competitors with their boards on Mavericks Beach, some speeches and potential blessing along with the traditional paddle out circle in the lagoon.
ETC: Low-key event to avoid permitting dramas. No PA system, no branding, etc. Should be a very soulful and organic event.
BASIC OPENING CEREMONY RUN OF SHOW:
Lineup and Introduction of surfers (MC - from Broadcast Team)
Comments by local government dignitaries: Don Horsley - County Supervisor [MIA]
Words from Commissioner, Mike Parsons
Blessing of the competitors by Jeff Clark [Lame!]
Traditional Paddle out circle in water
OCT 23, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
Ocean Beach event highlights pay equality for female, male surfers
The coming months have historic potential for women’s surfing. A major obstacle has been cleared, and there’s a sense of freedom that hasn’t existed before.
Such is the everlasting shine of equality.
OCT 19, 2018
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Mavericks Challenge surf contest clears final major hurdle
Sabrina Brennan was standing before the California State Lands Commission in a nondescript conference room, giving a report she’d given multiple times, when she felt her eyes welling up with tears. Usually not at a loss for words, she had to pause a moment to collect herself.
“I wasn’t sure if I felt like the weight was lifted or what,” said Brennan, a co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing. “It was just a relief.”
Upon the land commission’s approval of the WSL’s permit, chairwoman Betty T. Yee said, “All I keep thinking is, ‘Title IX was 45 years ago, and here we are.'”
Yee added, “This is a defining moment, for sure.”
OCT 20, 2018
San Diego Union-Tribune - Pam Kragen
At 25, Challenged Athletes still changing lives
Dani Burt thought her life was over when, at 19, she lost most of her right leg in a motorcycle accident on Palomar Mountain. Then she heard about the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which has raised $100 million over the past 25 years for adaptive sports grants for disabled athletes. Today, with CAF's help, she's the reigning women's world champion adaptive surfer.
OCT 12, 2018
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Coastal Commission grants WSL permit for Mavericks
Among those who spoke were Carlsbad City Councilwoman Cori Shumacher, a professional surfer whose mother also surfed professionally.
“(This) is no less than a revolution,” Schumacher said, noting the inequality felt among women surfers for decades. “It’s a fulfillment of a commitment my mother and I took several years ago.”
The committee’s co-founder Sabrina Brennan, who also serves on the San Mateo County Harbor Commission, said she hoped that the morning’s win could set a precedent.
OCT 12, 2018
California Coastal Commission Agenda
CEWS attended the California Coastal Commission (CCC) hearing in San Diego on Friday, Oct 12, 2018 regarding Item 8. The CCC unanimously approved the Mavericks permit with conditions that require a three heat women's division and equal pay!
Here's a quote from CCC the staff report:
Women’s Competition in Future Events. If the Permittee (or any other entity) intends to apply for future CDPs for a surf contest at Mavericks, the Permittee (or any other entity) shall submit a detailed plan for the continued inclusion of female competitors as part of the CDP application, where the objective of the plan shall be to provide for a women’s competition that is as comparable to the men’s competition as possible, including in terms of competitor numbers, competition structure, and prizes. CDP applications will not be accepted and filed for processing without such plan.
OCT 9, 2018
The Inertia - Alexander Haro
The WSL Hired the Oprah Winfrey Network President to Help Make Surfing the Next NFL
Here’s a hard truth if you’re a core surfer (whatever that means). Brass tacks: the WSL is not meant for you. The WSL is not meant for a person who doesn’t want surfing to grow. The WSL’s main objective is growth. The WSL wants surfing in the Olympics, surfing on the television, and surfing in wave pools. The WSL wants the WSL to be the next NFL, the next MLB, the next NBA. This is not a secret, and they are hiring the people who can make it happen.
OCT 4, 2018
ESPN - Alyssa Roenigk
Equal ocean, equal waves, equal pay
"We feel strongly that if it hadn't been for our consistent advocacy, the WSL would not have made that announcement," said Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner and co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing (CEWS), an advocacy group that includes big-wave surfers Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, Andrea Moller and Bianca Valenti, as well as Karen Tynan, an attorney who represents the women pro bono. "But we are so glad they did, and we're thankful because they could have done less and announced equal pay only at Mavericks. But they did the right thing and did it across all of their events."
"I was prepared for the WSL to pull out of Mavericks completely [for 2018]. I think everybody was expecting that," she said. "So I was shocked when they announced equal pay across the board. It's going to boost the women and be so great for future generations. It legitimizes women's surfing. I think the big-wave women were instrumental in making that happen."
Valenti says she believes the big-wave surfers were also best suited to take on this fight -- and not only because they participate in a sport defined by a willingness to explore the outer limits of possibility. "As a group, we don't make much money. Most of the men and women on our tour work two, three, four jobs to support our surfing," she said. "In a sense, we had nothing to lose."
"We feel strongly that if it hadn't been for our consistent advocacy, the WSL would not have made that announcement," said Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner and co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing (CEWS), an advocacy group that includes big-wave surfers Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, Andrea Moller and Bianca Valenti, as well as Karen Tynan, an attorney who represents the women pro bono. "But we are so glad they did, and we're thankful because they could have done less and announced equal pay only at Mavericks. But they did the right thing and did it across all of their events."
OCT 2, 2018
Surfline
Maya Gabeira Sets Guinness World Record, Wins XXL Award for Nazare Bomb
Maya Gabeira won the inaugural Women’s XXL Biggest Wave Award, while setting a new Guinness World Record for the “largest wave surfed unlimited (female).” The wave, a tow-in (which we gather is where the “unlimited” come from) at Nazaré on January 18th, 2018, was determined to be 68 feet (20.72 meters) from trough to crest, as the Brazilian was honored at a special ceremony at the iconic lighthouse that overlooks the lineup at Praia do Norte, where an official Guinness World Records adjudicator presented Gabeira with a certificate declaring her as the current record holder.
The upcoming 2019 Big Wave Awards will be held in April, and will feature two new categories: Women’s XXL Biggest Wave Award (PWC-assistance permitted) and the Women’s Biggest Paddle Award (no assistance).
“To set the world record has been a dream of mine for many years,” said Gabeira. “But of course, after the accident in 2013, it felt like a very distant dream. It took a lot of work to have a season like last year, to be 100% again, and to complete it with a Guinness World Records title is quite special.”
OCT 1, 2018
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Martins Beach: U.S. Supreme Court denies appeal of billionaire Vinod Khosla
“The most conservative and divided Supreme Court in my lifetime confirmed that even a billionaire, who refuses to acknowledge that the law applies to him, and retains the most expensive attorneys he can find, cannot create a private beach,” said attorney Joe Cotchett of Burlingame, who represents the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit group that has won lower cases forcing Khosla to keep the beach open.
“Beaches are public in California, and the immensely wealthy must comply with the Coastal Act just like everyone else.”
SEPT 22, 2018
Washington Post - By Jessica Contrera, Ian Shapira, Emma Brown, Steve Hendrix
Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford moved 3,000 miles to reinvent her life. It wasn’t far enough
We believe you Dr. Ford. #MeToo
After high school, and after the alleged assault, Ford left the Washington area and never moved back. She took up surfing. She dressed in jeans when she wasn’t in a wet suit atop a surfboard. Colleagues mistook her for a native Californian. Quietly, she garnered a reputation for her research on depression, anxiety and resilience after trauma — telling almost no one what she herself had endured.
SEPT 20, 2018
CNN - Ralph Ellis and Sarah Moon
California bans plastic straws in full-service restaurants -- unless customers request one
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Thursday that bans full-service restaurants in the state from handing out single-use plastic straws to customers -- unless they ask for one.
Sept 13, 2018
Outside Magizine - Kim Cross
Equal Prize Money Is Great—But Only Half the Story
“Every time I drive by one of those ginormous sports stadiums, I’ve always thought about how much public funding goes into them,” Brennan says. “So now we’re looking at what can this do for other sports?”
Sept 12, 2018
The Inertia - Dylan Heyden
Did Maverick’s Force the WSL to Pony Up an Estimated $1.4 Million for Pay Equality?
CEWS wrote in a July 9 letter to Renee Ananda of the California Coastal Commission insisting that attempts to pay women anything less than equal prize money at big wave surf contests constituted “gender-based discrimination,” and was therefore against the law. The letter implored the Commission to make equal pay a stipulation for event permitting at Maverick’s.
According to Sabrina Brennan, San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner and CEWS member, it was this letter and the fallout from it that led the WSL to schedule a July 23rd meeting in Redwood City. During the meeting between representatives from CEWS including Brennan, Karen Tynan (CEWS’ attorney), Bianca Valenti, and Paige Alms, and WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt, Graham Stapelberg, WSL attorney Dylan Budd, WSL Deputy Commissioner and Director of Athlete Development Jessi Miley-Dyer, BWT commissioner Mike Parsons, and others, executives of the World Surf League were emphatic that prize parity would not be feasible at Maverick’s this year.
“When we got to the hardest part of the discussion, which was about equal pay, they just completely shut down,” Brennan said in a phone interview. “They said things like, ‘We don’t negotiate with outside groups.’ And, ‘If we did this at Maverick’s then there’d be the expectation that we’d do it across all categories.’ And we were like, ‘That’s exactly what we want…’ Then they were like, ‘Absolutely not. There’s no money.'”
Sept 10, 2018
KPIX5 - by Katie Nielsen
Female Big-Wave Surfers Celebrate Prize Money Equity Plan
Sept 7, 2018
KTVU - by Cristina Rendon
Women granted equity in surf competition prizes, including Mavericks
Sept 6, 2018
CAL Matters - by Laurel Rosenhall
California just forced equal pay for female surfers. Could that change other games?
“We believe there ought to be gender equity with respect to the purposes of any use of our state lands,” Betty Yee said in an interview.
Gavin Newsom also supported the requirement, said his chief of staff Rhys Williams: “A lease application that doesn’t reflect equal pay isn’t going to fly with him.”
The Mavericks case could set a precedent for local governments to demand equal pay in any sporting event held on public property, said David Berri, a professor of economics at Southern Utah University who researches gender in sports.
“In any event where you are going across public land, then any government entity could say ‘You have to make this equal,’” he said.
Sept 6, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle - by Bruce Jenkins
Finally, World Surf League offers equal prize money for women and men
Bianca Valenti said she was “in shock” when she heard the news, because women surfers had been so thoroughly stonewalled in their quest for equality.
The CEWS is spearheaded by Valenti and Hawaiian surfers Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms and Andrea Moller, all of whom are expected to be in the Mavericks contest. The event’s previous owners, Cartel Management, balked at the notion of including women until finally agreeing last year to a six-woman heat that would accompany the men’s competition (poor conditions prevented the contest from being held). But Cartel arrogantly excluded Valenti from the entry list, and “I’ll never forget how my heart sank when Cartel retaliated against Bianca because she dared to speak at a Coastal Commission hearing,” said Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor District commissioner who has worked tirelessly for the cause. “Now we finally have what’s right. Those four women worked so hard and they weren’t backing down. They took the professional risk.”
sept 5, 2018
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
Pro Surfing League to Pay Women Competitors the Same as Men
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, a fierce longtime advocate for equal pay for women surfers, said, “Bianca (Valenti), Paige (Alms), Keala (Kennelly) and Andrea (Moller) deserve credit for transforming and revolutionizing professional surfing. They took a risk supporting equal prize money. I’ll never forget how my heart sank when Cartel (Mavericks former organizer) retaliated against Bianca and demoted her to alternate because she dared to speak in support of including women in the Mavericks competition.”
“I’m glad the WSL is choosing to be on the right side of history,” said Bianca, adding, “Power to the people!”
Aug 30, 2018
Surfline - Marcus Sanders
Mavericks Challenge Faces Permitting Issues (Again)
“Not getting your permits in order, we’ve seen it before,” said Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor District commissioner. “That’s a recipe for not being able to hold the competition.”
Aug 29, 2018
STAB - Rory Parker
On The Path To Equality, Is The WSL Pitting Men and Women Against Each Other?
"I think [the WSL] has a tremendous opportunity to revolutionize the sport and it could have global implications."
—Sabrina Brennan, San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner
Aug 27, 2018
SURFER - Justin Housman
Mavericks Event May Demand Equal Pay For Women
A group called The Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing, composed of some of the most well-known names in the big-wave surfing community, earlier this summer called on the California Coastal Commission to demand equal pay for women athletes before they granted any permits for the event. The State Lands Commission obviously heard that plea.
Aug 25, 2018
Soccer America - Paul Kennedy
Hope Solo sues U.S. Soccer in Federal court over pay gap
Former U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo has sued U.S. Soccer again, filing a complaint Friday for violation of the Equal Pay Act and discrimination in U.S. district court in Northern California.
AUG 24, 2018
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Equal pay or no one plays? Big-wave women draw line in the sand at Mavericks
The State Lands Commission staff report attached to the agenda item supported the women’s cause, concluding “the waves do not discriminate.”
It continued saying that the commission staff “believes it is in the best interests of the state to require the event to implement certain measures to promote equity by requiring that the amount of compensation awarded to any participants does not depend on gender.”
The staff report cited the Public Trust Doctrine as the foundation for its conclusion, saying it requires the state to protect and manage its tide and submerged lands for the benefit of all Californians.
The government staffers rejected the World Surf League’s formula for pay equity that is based on the number of overall participants — 24 men and 10 women.
“Male athletes are surfing and competing on the same waves as the female athletes,” the report said. “So other than the participation evaluation process which is controlled solely by the Applicant, there doesn’t appear to be any reasonable justification to treat prize compensation differently for female athletes versus male athletes.”
The report asked the commissioners — State Controller Betty T. Yee, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and state finance director Michael Cohen — to include specific language in the lease that would ensure equitable treatment of the women surfers.
Bianca Valenti, the Bay Area’s leading female big-wave rider, praised the report in a text from Croatia.
“Lawmakers get it; they know that responsible use of our coastline and coastal access is a top priority for all Californians,” she wrote. “As a professional big-wave surfer I believe this recognition will help leverage progress towards achieving equality. When we share the ocean everyone has an opportunity to explore surfing, improve their performance, and earn equal pay in the water.”
Aug 3, 2018
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Equal pay in big-wave waters: Mavericks women fight for same prize purse
This story ran in the Mercury News on Sat and the Santa Cruz Sentinel on Sun.
“Prize money equality is required. Prize money parity by ‘fuzzy math’ is not going to work for the women athletes.” —Karen Fuller Tynan, attorney representing the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing
Aug 3, 1018
The Inertia - Dylan Heyden
In a July 9 letter obtained by The Inertia, the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing (CEWS), comprised of big wave surfers including Bianca Valenti, Keala Kennelly, and Paige Alms, explains that the existing formula the WSL uses to achieve what’s called purse parity is actually discriminatory. “Last month, the Puerto Escondido Cup first place winner, Bianca Valenti earned $1,750 while her counterpart in the men’s division took home $7,000,” the letter reads. “We’ve done the math. Valenti earned 75 percent less than her male counterpart surfing the same wave.”
Aug 3, 2018
The Inertia - Alexander Haro
June 28, 2018
Sea Maven - Molly Lockwood
The Fundamental Flaw in the WSL's Equal Pay Policy
JUNE 26, 2018
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
San Francisco’s Bianca Valenti brings home title in big surf
“This is the best event that’s ever happened for women…Even better than the two events we had at Pe’ahi” Hawaii in 2016 and ’17. The women really stepped it up. The surfing level was so good, we didn’t have to change the criteria; we judged them equally as the men. The winner (Valenti) surfed well enough to have gotten through a men’s heat. This is a huge step in the right direction.”
—Gary Linden, WSL Big Wave Tour Organizer
“The risks are the same so why aren’t the prizes the same? I think we deserve it.”
—Emily Erickson, Professional Surfer
“All the athletes, male and female crushed it and put on a great show. It was rad! The entire town was stoked, the men, the women, the boys, the girls, everyone!We’re all in this together. Women-up!”
—Bianca Valenti, Professional Surfer
“The chicks showed up and blowed up. So how about that equal pay?”
—Keala Kennelly, Professional Surfer
JUNE 26, 2018
SURFER - Ashtyn Douglas
Valenti Wins First-Ever Women's Big-Wave Contest on Latin America
JUNE 26, 2018
Surfline - Staff
Did We Just See The Heaviest Woman's Heat Ever?
Zicatela devotee Bianca Valenti found a bulbous righthand barrel for a double-9.0 before the Mexican Cinderella story, Isabelle Leonhardt, pig-dogged a colossal right for a double-9.5 — but her backup couldn’t hang, so Bianca won.
JUNE 26, 2018
Surfer Today - Staff
Bianca Valenti claims the 2018 Puerto Escondido Cup
"I was in this mindset of like: 'I'm using so much energy.' And then I went: 'This is so fun. I love this; I live for this.' We're all in this together. Women up!" added the event winner.
"I was so freaking excited. Not having a hundred guys out, and taking any wave I want, I was like frothing. I am proud of all the girls. They were charging," said Keala Kennelly, who finished third.
Although not considered and listed as a specialty event by the World Surf League (WSL), the pro surfing organization supported the contest.
June 26, 2018
Sea Maven - Molly Lockwood
June 5, 2018
Sea Maven - Molly Lockwood
March 2018
Stab Magizine
Is Women's Big Wave Surfing Stuck In The 1960's?
Jan 10, 2018
NPR Hear & Now - Robin Young
'We're Starting To See The Tides Change': Women To Compete In Mavericks Surf Contest For First Time
Jan 3, 2018
NBC Bay Area - Staff
Mavericks Challenge Competition Window Officially Opens
Dec 15, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Mavericks contest gets 56 days
Similar to what was required of Cartel’s Titans of Mavericks, the Coastal Commission ordered the WSL include women surfers in a special heat for the first time at the local big wave break.
Hawaii’s Paige Alms, who was WSL’s 2016 Women’s Big Wave champion, is one of the chosen six who could compete at Mavericks in the coming weeks.
“Having the addition of the Mavericks event on the Big Wave Tour is a huge thing for the men and women,” Alms said in a press release. “Mavericks is a really perfect wave and one of the most powerful big waves in the world. With the inclusion of Mavericks as a part of the tour, I think fans will be seeing some of the best big waves ridden, hopefully the conditions are just all-time. We will see some of the best waves ridden there and also some of the most heavy wipeouts, people really like to push themselves over the ledge there.”
The six women chosen include Alms, Keala Kennelly, Justine Dupont, Bianca Valenti, Sarah Gerhardt and Emily Erickson. While pleased to finally have a chance to surf during a Mavericks competition, some of the women are urging an expansion in future years.
The Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, CEWS, sent a letter to the Coastal Commission supporting the WSL receiving a single-year permit. Alms, Kennelly, Valenti, Andrea Moller as well as Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, are advocating for future competitions that include multiple heats for female surfers.
“We look forward to an event managed by people who support the evolution of women’s big wave surfing. We look forward to developing a strong relationship with the WSL that brings greater equity to the sport,” the CEWS wrote in a letter. “Starting in the 2018/2019 season, we believe that women athletes should be provided with an opportunity to compete in a multi-heat women’s division at Mavericks. It will be good for women, for the [Mavericks’] legacy, and it will ensure fair and equal access to coastal waters.”
Dec 14, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Mavericks surf contest opens Jan. 3 under new owners
For the first time, women will get to compete at Maverick’s. The Mavericks Challenge will consist of one six-woman heat and include Santa Cruz big wave pioneer Sarah Gerhardt. Jamilah Star of Santa Cruz is an alternate.
“This will be a fantastic moment for women’s big wave surfing,” Mike Parsons, the commissioner of the WSL’s Big Wave Tour, said in a statement. “The best female big wave surfers will get to showcase their skills on the heaviest wave on the West Coast.”
Dec 14, 2017
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Big-wave surf contest — now the Mavericks Challenge — will return to Half Moon Bay
This year’s contest will include a one-heat women’s competition for the first time. But Sabrina Brennan of the San Mateo Harbor District commission asked the Coastal Commission not issue a Coastal Development permit beyond this season unless World Surf League officials include a multi-heat women’s division.
“Going forward it is my hope that all Harbor District special use permits and event permits will prioritize gender equity as an enforceable requirement,”Brennan wrote in a letterto the commissioners this week.
Dec 14, 2017
The Inertia - Juan Hernandez
“The darkness,” Keala Kennelly told The Inertia when asked what makes Maverick’s so unique when compared to other notable big waves, “…when you wipe out at Maverick’s and get pushed deep underwater it’s black like midnight and absolutely terrifying. I’d never experienced anything like that.”
Alms and Kennelly will be joined by Justine Dupont, Bianca Valenti, Sarah Gerhardt, and Emi Erickson, with Jamilah Star, Andrea Moller, and Wrenna Delgado listed as event alternates. Dupont, Valenti, and Moller were also competitors in October’s Pe’ahi Challenge.
Dec 14, 2017
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
Mavericks surf contest gets the go-ahead
The most significant development in the ownership change will be the inclusion of women. For the first time in contest history, a six-woman heat will be staged on contest day, featuring Bianca Valenti of San Francisco, Sarah Gerhardt of Santa Cruz, Justine Dupont of France and Hawaii’s Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly and Emily Erickson.
This comes as good news to Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner who has lobbied tirelessly on behalf of the women surfers and charged the Cartel group with “sexist, discriminatory behavior” in restricting the event to men. The next step, Brennan said, will be to “make a multiheat women’s division a requirement for the 2018-19 event and the future.”
Dec 13, 2017
On December 13, 2017, Karen Fuller Tynan represented the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing at the Coastal Commission hearing held at the Ocean Institue near Dana Point Harbor.
Coastal Commission hearing video.
Dec 13, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Coastal Commission grants surf league permit
Attorney Karen Fuller Tynan spoke at Wednesday’s meeting on behalf of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing.
Tynan stated that she was relieved that the Commission only went forward with a one-year permit at the November 2016 meeting.
“Otherwise the permit would have ended up in bankruptcy court,” Tynan said.
Nov 9, 2017
The Atlantic - Design Chris Edser, Animation //kneeon, Producer Kristina Sorge and Nicolas Pollock
Professional surfer Bianca Valenti reveals how women big wave surfers are changing the tides.
Nov 2, 2017
Great Big Story
Making Her Own Waves: The Woman Revolutionizing Big Wave Surfing
Bianca Valenti is a San Francisco-based professional surfer who rides some of the world's biggest waves. Instead of wearing a string bikini on a white sand beach, she dons a wetsuit, a hood and protective gear to take on some of the world’s deadliest swells. When she first took on Mavericks—notoriously difficult surf just south of San Francisco—she almost drowned. But that experience, coupled with her drive to overcome sexist stereotypes about female surfers, only motivated Valenti to become a better surfer. The results, as you can see, have paid off.
Nov 1, 2017
Surfer - Ashtyn Douglas
It's a pretty interesting time in our sport. We went from having absolutely no events and having to fight to be at the Maverick’s event to the WSL last year asking us to be a part of it. Now we have four events this year [2 WSL sanctioned events, plus an event at Waimea and another at Nelscott Reef], and that growth is pretty monumental. We were out at dinner last night and Sachi [Cunningham, big-wave photographer] said to me, “Isn't it going to be cool when we look back in a few years and we'll say, ‘Remember when there were only 6 girls invited to the Jaws contest?’"
When you win something here, you feel like you win it for everyone else on the island, since it’s such a small island and a small surf community.
Oct 28, 2017
Surfer - by Surfer
Oct 28, 2017
Grind TV - Gabriela Aoun
Paige Alms wins 2017-18 Women’s Big Wave Tour Pe’ahi Challenge
Finals Results:
Paige Alms 21.23
Keala Kennelly 17.21
Justine Dupont 14.36
Bianca Valenti 10.86
Andrea Moller 6.41
Felicity Palmateer 4.54
Oct 26, 2017
WSL Press Release - Anna Dimond
Women of Big Wave Set to Tackle Pe'ahi for Second Time
Surfline— The Pe’ahi Challenge has been green lit to run from Friday through Saturday, with peak wave heights potentially hitting the 40 to 50-foot range, courtesy of a storm brewing in the Pacific’s northwest corner. As of now, the apex of the swell is projected to unload upon Jaws on Friday afternoon, and continue into Saturday morning.
Oct 11, 2017
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
“You have to be really patience in the water and out of the water with these events,” said big-wave star Bianca Valenti of San Francisco.
Four contests — counting ones in Oregon, in northern Spain and Hawaii that are not part of the Big Wave Tour — are holding competitions for women this season.
“It’s the first year that we have somewhat a full season,” Valenti said. “We’re going to see an explosion of talent on the women’s side.”
Women were hoping to make their debut this year before the previous organizer Griffin Guess of Titans of Mavericks and Cartel Management canceled the event because of financial issues.
Oct 11, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Austin Walsh
This marks the latest in a series of operational transitions drawing the praise of those who’ve long advocated for more equal participation opportunities.
“It’s about damn time,” said Sabrina Brennan, a member of the San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners and staunch supporter of women’s surfing.
Oct 10, 2017
The Daily Telegraph - Amanda Lulham
Women will compete in Big Wave tour event at Mavericks alongside men
“Anything that gives women in surfing more opportunity is great,’’ said Felicity Palmateer, who holds the Australian women’s record for riding a 25 foot wave at Cow Bombie in Western Australia,
“This is so good, really exciting and has been a long time coming, This is just epic. For women to be surfing at Mavericks is incredible.’’
Oct 10, 2017
Surfer - Matthew B. Shaw
Mavericks Officially Added To WSL Tour
Oct 9, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Mavericks officially joins World Surf League’s Big Wave Tour
The women’s purse is $30,000 — an average of $5,000 per contestant — while the men’s purse will be $100,000, an average of $4,166 per surfer. About half the contestants will be those who have qualified to compete on the Big Wave Tour. The rest will be selected by a committee of Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz locals helmed by Big Wave Tour Commissioner Mike Parsons.
Oct 9, 2017
Grind TV - Ryan Brower
WSL adds Mavericks big-wave surf contest to Big Wave Tour schedule
Oct 9, 2017
WSL Press Release
It's Official: Mavericks Will Join 2017/2018 Big Wave Tour
"We're very pleased with this opportunity to work with the big wave community in bringing the Mavericks event to life on the international stage," Sophie Goldschmidt, WSL CEO, said. "The League has always held a high amount of respect for the both venue and its community as one of the pillars of big wave surfing. The WSL intends to continue to run the Mavericks event and celebrate the stories of those who steward and surf it through the Big Wave Tour. This is a huge moment for both the organization and the sport of surfing."
Both men and women big wave surfers will have the opportunity to compete this upcoming season at Mavericks.
Sept 21, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Mavericks surf contest permit sale to WSL further clouded by harbor commission
Sabrina Brennan, one of the commissioners who has been the most outspoken about the permitting process, said she hopes the WSL will move forward with its plans.
“I support the event happening this season and I think it’s great that there’s an organization with experience that’s stepped forward that wants to put on an event so athletes can compete,” she said at the meeting. “I support that whole-heartedly, but I still don’t support this permit, which I feel was poorly written. ... So, I can’t vote to support a permit I never supported. I can’t do that. I feel that a multi-season permit is big mistake.”
Sept 20, 2017
Sept. 20, 2017 Harbor Commission meeting video
Agenda Item 5:
Cartel Managment Sale of Assets to World Surf League
“We actually drank Cartel's Kool-Aid, we were fighting for them...” -Jeff Clark
Sept 19, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Judge approves Mavericks sale—Harbor District to consider supporting World Surf League
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who has advocated for women to be included in the contest, said she’s thrilled WSL is on track to host a surf competition.
“It’s been a long time coming and I think a change in management is long overdue,” Brennan said. “From everything I’ve heard, the WSL is completely committed to running an event and last I checked they were on course for lining up permits.”
Brennan said she just wants to see female athletes compete as the contest window nears opening.
“I hope everyone will be supportive and try to do everything in their power to make it a successful event,” Brennan said. “We’re just really thrilled that it looks like it’s around the corner.”
Sept 15, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Julie Jag
Titans of Mavericks sale to World Surf League approved by bankruptcy judge
Sept 15, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
Mavericks May Not Be Wiped Out After All
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan acknowledged more legal hurdles lie ahead but considered the possibility of WSL running the contest a huge step forward.
She pointed out the WSL is led by a woman CEO and, unlike Mavericks, allows female competitors.
"I'm relieved the Cartel bankruptcy is behind us," Brennan said, "it will be exhilarating and satisfying to see women athletes compete for the first time in the Mavericks big wave competition."
Sept 7, 2017
Monterey Herald - Julie Jag
Mavericks sale to World Surf League hits a snag
Sept 6, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
Deal to Sell Mavericks Surf Contest at a Stalemate
According to court papers filed Wednesday, Segler Holdings LLC, a Texas company, objected to the sale, saying it is not in the best interest of the bankruptcy estate.
The new legal twist will not only complicate ownership of the contest but also will resurrect a hotly disputed issue when the harbor district issued a 5-year permit to Cartel instead of a standard one-year deal, which some board members, including Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, said caused the legal turmoil.
Aug 29, 2017
The Inertia - Op-Ed by Keala Kennelly, Professional Surfer
Keala Kennelly’s Thank You Letter for the ‘F*ck You Billabong…’ Hysteria
June 3, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Surf contest pulled from auction: Cartel postpones Mavericks sale, remains in bankruptcy
“I think they’re playing the blame game and this is probably embarrassing for them, that they didn’t have a bunch of people lining up to fork over $1 million and they’re blaming people for it,” Brennan said.
Ultimately, Brennan said she just wants to see a suitable group run Mavericks, particularly as for the first time women must be included in the contest.
June 2, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Michael Todd
No auction held for Mavericks contest owners, surf competition unlikely next season
“It’s one thing when it’s mother nature. It’s another thing when it’s mismanagement,” Brennan said.
“The sooner this gets resolved, the better,” Brennan said. “This is putting the main event in jeopardy. There were good surf days last season where they could have called the event. I’m very hopeful that a well-organized group will surface.”
June 1, 2017
Surfline - Marcus Sanders
Cancelled: No Bidders at Maverick's Event Auction
As Jeff Clark told Surfline, “it’s gonna be kind of a mess right now.”
This is mostly due to the many permits required to run the event. Harbor commissioner Sabrina Brennan told NBC Bay Area “she had no confidence Cartel will salvage the situation, saying, ‘This is a strategic retreat, because no one bid on what appears to be a worthless asset.’”
The asset in question is the main permit for the event. According to Clark and Brian Overfelt, who, along with Clark’s wife Cassandra make up Maverick’s Invitational, the permit was never really the Titans’ to sell. They both assert that Cartel Management — the Titans’ parent company — illegally got the Maverick’s Invitational name dropped from the permit. And, they both claim the permit was never transferable in the first place. (Hence Brennan’s “worthless asset” comment above.)
Griffin Guess, Titans’ CEO, meanwhile, asserts both that, “I don't think [Brennan] is qualified whatsoever to evaluate our organization,” and that, “The permit is clearly in Cartel's name.”
As you’d imagine, all of this will translate to more lawyers and public meetings and local political infighting — which has sadly been a part of this event since the beginning. As of press time, it’s all still pretty unclear as to what's going to happen next.
June 1, 2017
Wall Street Journal - Jonathan Randles
Mavericks Surf Contest Organizers Call Off Bankruptcy Auction
The Harbor Commission raised objections to the auction, asking for time to review any potential purchaser.
Ms. Brennan said she hoped the bankruptcy gets resolved quickly so whoever runs the Mavericks event in the future has enough time to organize the contest for the upcoming season.
June 1, 2017
San Jose Mercury News - Elliot Almond
Brakes pumped on public sale of Mavericks surf contest
The Harbor District filed an objection to the auction process with the court because officials want to make sure whoever takes control of the event can meet the permit’s financial and safety conditions.
“The Harbor District is supposed to be the lead agency for the event,” said Brennan, the commissioner most outspoken about contest issues. “I don’t think we’ve lived up to that responsibility.”
Brennan said the commission didn’t properly vet Cartel before issuing the permit and needs to streamline a system for issuing permission to hold the event.
June 1, 2017
SFGATE - Michelle Robertson
Mavericks surf contest auction cancelled due to no bidders
June 1, 2017
Stab Magazine - Jake Howard
So Apparently, Now You Can’t Buy The Mavericks' Comp
If there’s one thing that’s more predictable than an afternoon west wind in Northern California it’s that the Titans of Mavericks and Cartel Management will continue to upstage their own absurdity.
May 31, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
Mavericks Organizer Cancels Auction, Citing No Bidders
Cartel Managment said there were no actual bidders, despite what they initially called widespread interest.
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan said she had no confidence Cartel will salvage the situation, saying, “This is a strategic retreat because no one bid on what appears to be a worthless asset.”
May 25, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
More Legal Maneuvering in Mavericks Surf Saga
"We're concerned whoever obtains the permit is capable of running the event and has the financial resources to pull it off, “Brennan said. "We're worried about public safety and the safety of the athletes.”
“We also believe Cartel is misleading potential buyers by listing some permits, including one from the Coastal Commission, which have expired.”
Brennan added there is still some question on whether Cartel legally has the rights to the harbor district permit since the district board never saw the final permit, which attorneys representing Cartel and the district changed without board approval.
May 17, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Austin Walsh
“We need facts and I’m hoping the Harbor District will move ahead with an economic cost-benefit analysis,” Sabrina Brennan said.
May 16, 2017
Peninsula Press Stanford Journalism project - Jane Nevins
Do you know what’s lurking in the surf? Heed the warning signs for beach bacteria
Sabrina Brennan said she sees children playing at Capistrano Beach every weekend and worries they don’t realize the danger of the contaminated water.
May 12, 2017
Law Street - Jillian Sequeira
Surf Equity: Titans of Mavericks and Beyond
“Brennan went to work presenting the case that the competition was excluding women.”
May 12, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“The permit is not assignable without consent of the Harbor District,” Brennan said, adding bidders should realize “when you hand over $1 million, you might get a permit but it has Cartel’s name on it, not your own. ...There’s going to be a lot of work to be done. It’s just simply not for sale.”
May 12, 2017
Mercury News - Elliott Almond
Who will win contentious bidding war over Mavericks surf contest?
May 9, 2017
Wall Street Journal - Stephanie Gleason
May 9, 2017
Silicon Valley Business Journal - Jody Meacham
Harbor Commission calls foul on Mavericks surf contest auction plan
The San Mateo County Harbor Commission has spent an estimated $200,000 in legal fees because of the Mavericks bankruptcy, which wiped out last winter’s big-wave surf contest.
May 9, 2017
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“It doesn’t appear to be in the district’s best interest, or the best interest of the public and the athletes to allow an unfit individual, organization or company to purchase the Harbor District permit,” Brennan said. “It would be very speculative on anybody’s part to spend $1 million for literally nothing tangible.”
Brennan, who noted she didn’t vote to give Cartel a multi-season permit, said the district unwittingly created an asset. She said the Coastal Commission thankfully also has a role in deciding who leads the contest. But in the meantime, due to Cartel being at the discretion of bankruptcy court, the permits and assets have been frozen.
“It’s a very difficult situation because as much as I want a great organization to show up and run the event professionally for the athletes and fans and for the community, we’re just sort of in limbo,” she said.
May 8, 2017
Pacifica Tribune - Dayla Soul
May 8, 2017
2017 WSL Big Wave Awards - Dayla Soul & Jody Banks
May 8, 2017
Los Angeles Times - Dan Weikel
Mavericks big wave contest plans to auction business assets amid bankruptcy proceedings
“That is the sad state of affairs at this time,” Brennan said.
May 8, 2017
Stab Magazine - Jake Howard
"Substantially" You Can Purchase The Titans Of Mavs Assets For $1 Mil
May 7, 2017
Sound Cloud - Sabrina Brennan
Cartel Bankruptcy Hearing: March 8, 2017
May 6, 2017
Los Angeles Times - Dan Weikel
Coastal Commission is on a shoestring budget, and Trump won't make it any better
“The budget has been a challenge ever since I arrived at the commission in early 1989,” said Jack Ainsworth, the agency’s executive director. “We have wanted to provide good service to our constituents, but we haven’t always been able to do that. It’s been frustrating.”
May 6, 2017
BBC News - Joanna Jolly
Fighting for equality in big-wave surfing
Brennan's presentation argued that if a permit was given as things stood, women would be excluded from coastal access, and the commissioners agreed, demanding that the organisers of Titans of Mavericks should come back within a year with a plan to include women.
May 6, 2017
The Inertia - Chase Scheinbaum
Got $1 Million? The Mavericks Big Wave Contest Permit May Go Up for Auction Next Month
May 6, 2017
Mercury News - Paul Rogers
Are beach vacations for middle-class Californians getting impossible to afford?
May 5, 2017
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Jim Seimas
Big Wave Surfing: Cartel Management Inc. to auction off assets
May 3, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Kaitlyn Bartley
MWSD, Caltrans negotiate over Devil’s Slide bypass
April 25, 2017
KQED Science - Elliott Kennerson
Volunteer Brown Pelican Count Aims to Measure Recovery of Once-Endangered Birds
April 17, 2017
Press Democrat - Christi Warren
Petaluma boy pulls 2,215 pounds of garbage from river
April 13, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Kaitlyn Bartley
During seal pupping season, park rangers monitor for unwelcome drones
April 5, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor Commission approves H Dock demolition
H Dock engineering ($143,700.) was approved on a 3-2 vote after board president Tom Mattusch blocked two commissioners from pulling items off the Consent Calendar.
Mattusch's personal boat slip is located on H Dock.
What happened to a programatic approach to planning for dock replacements at Pillar Point Harbor? Sadly, the Harbor Commission continues to take a piecemeal approach to projects.
MARCH 22, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
‘First Flush’ shows high bacteria
Tom Mattusch put an end to the Harbor District’s water quality committee.
MARCH 22, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Will salmon season sink or swim?
Porter McHenry, president of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association, says he hasn’t fished for salmon for at least three years because he’s been able to make more money focusing on squid.
McHenry noted the efforts of the fishing club, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and others to try to help the salmon situation but estimates that the fruits of that labor might not be apparent for another couple years.
“We’ll hold out hope,” he said. “But I’m not going to put the salmon gear on the boat this year.”
MARCH 15, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Kaitlyn Bartley
Meet Coastside’s young ocean guardian
MARCH 15, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Erosion takes its toll this winter
MARCH 10, 2017
Santa Barbara Independent - Melinda Burns
Goleta Beach vs. Winter Swells—Boulders Protect Picnic Grounds, but What About the Beach?
MARCH 7, 2017
Los Angeles Times - Steve Lopez
Why the new Coastal Commission chief is a good bet to defend California's beaches
MARCH 3, 2017
SF Gate - Peter Fimrite
SF Supervisor Aaron Peskin named to California Coastal Commission
MARCH 3, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
New Legal Issue Pits Titans of Mavericks Organizers Against Its Main Sponsor
MARCH 3, 2017
BBC World Service Outlook - Audio Interview
Surfing at Mavericks: 'The waves can lift boulders'
FEBRUARY 21, 2017
Silicon Valley Business Journal - Jody Meacham
Former Mavericks partners quarrel over surf event's permit
FEBRUARY 16, 2017
Silicon Valley Business Journal - Jody Meacham
Dude, what happened to Mavericks? Inside the crest and crash of an epic contest
FEBRUARY 4, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
The Cartel's Griffin Guess files bankruptcy & wipes out Mavericks
Bianca Valenti, Grant Washburn, and Sabrina Brennan talk with Robert Handa on NBC Bay Area.
FEBRUARY 4, 2017
KRON 4 - Gabe Slate
The Cartel's Griffin Guess wipes out Mavericks surf contest
Sabrina Brennan talks with Gabe Slate on KRON 4.
FEBRUARY 3, 2017
New York Times - John Clark, Sports Columnist
Mavericks, a Premier Surfing Event, Is Canceled Amid Financial Woes
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins, Sports Columnist
Frustrated Mavericks surfers long for simpler times
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Los Angeles Times - Dan Weikel
Bankruptcy filings threaten to wipe out this season's Mavericks surfing contest
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Silicon Valley Business Journal - Jody Meacham
Mavericks wipes out; can it recover?
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Mavericks owners file bankruptcy
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District debates passenger fees—Commission tables discussion for now
JANUARY 31, 2017
NBC Bay Area - Robert Handa
Mavericks Surf Contest Organizers File For Bankruptcy
JANUARY 18, 2017
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor Commission to consider fee changes
JANUARY 18, 2017
Stab Magazine - Jake Howard
Stormy, With A Chance Of Lawsuit!
December 30, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Kaitlyn Bartley
Locals seek erosion fix—Popular Miramar area remains at risk
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, along with Michael Powers, is in the early stages of planning a public forum to address sea level rise and erosion, similar to one held in May that drew nearly 200 attendees at the Douglas Beach House.
DECEMBER 28, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor Commission cuts public from committees
Brennan, who had a large part in getting the committees off the ground early last year, said most public agencies have committees and commissions with members of the public on them and that the process is “standard operating procedure.”
Brennan said that, although the public would be invited to attend the committee meetings, they wouldn’t get to vote on what items would be presented to the rest of the commission.
“It gives that person more of a seat at the table and a voice,” Brennan said.
One idea going forward is to start up a citizens advisory committee in 2017 that would be seated entirely by the public. Brennan said she was in favor of the idea proposed by McGrath at that meeting.
James Lee Han, a regular at Harbor Commission meetings, said he was also interested in putting together his own advisory group. He cited an interest in bringing better access to Pillar Point Harbor and maintaining its free status to visitors as his top concerns.
CHRISTMAS DAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins, Sports Columnist
Big-wave breakthrough: Female surfer leads Mavericks revolution
CHRISTMAS DAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins, Sports Columnist
First wave: The women chosen to surf Mavericks
CHRISTMAS DAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins, Sports Columnist
How ‘Outer Bar Babes’ are transforming big-wave surfing
CHRISTMAS DAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins, Sports Columnist
Tales of courage among female big-wave surfers
DECEMBER 15, 2016
Peninsula Press - Jane Nevins, Stanford Journalism Program
Women to make history surfing big-wave contest, but struggles for equality remain
“For women to have the same opportunities, to be a big-wave surfer and make a living at it, you have to have the opportunities to compete in contests, to have your photo taken to get sponsors,” said Jennifer Savage, policy director for the environmental activist network Surfrider.
Sarah Gerhardt watched friends struggling to make a living surfing without sponsors because they didn’t have a certain look. So, Gerhardt decided not to surf professionally, and instead, focused on her teaching career. She is a tenured professor and chair of the chemistry department at Monterey Peninsula College.
Women will have the opportunity to compete this year largely because of one woman’s crusade. Sabrina Brennan, the San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner, fought for a separate women’s heat at Mavericks.
DECEMBER 8, 2016
Boston Globe - Shira Springer
9 women’s sports stories from 2016 worth another look
The 2016-17 event will include a one-hour heat for six female surfers with $30,000 in prize money at stake. That’s a big breakthrough. Almost as big as the three- and four-story waves you’ll find at Mavericks. And it happened because female surfers lobbied the California Coastal Commission, which made female inclusion a condition of its permit. Clearly, you shouldn’t mess with fearless women who surf the biggest waves.
DECEMBER 1, 2016
The Inertia - Kendra A. Gardner
Why Women Are Striving (and Charging) for Equality in More Ways than One
DECEMBER 1, 2016
Adventure Sports - Haven Livingston
Big Wave Women—Female talent in the spotlight at Pe‘ahi Challenge and Titans of Mavericks
NOVEMBER 30, 2016
The Inertia - Chase Scheinbaum
Defamation Lawsuit Against Titans of Mavericks Organizers Withdrawn
NOVEMBER 28, 2016
The Inertia - Janice Greenwood
Opinion: Women May Be Actually Out-Competing Men at Jaws
NOVEMBER 23, 2016
NPR Morning Edition - Staff
Women Take On Big-Wave Surfing, Once The Domain Of Men, At Mavericks
NOVEMBER 19, 2016
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Haven Livingston, Just Add Water
Work has just begun for female big wave surfers
The Pe’ahi event made women’s history, as recognized by media outlets across the globe, and female athletes got a taste of what big wave contests could be in the future.
“The Jaws event was a good example to see how well it went,” said Moller, a professional waterwoman.
Moller didn’t qualify past the semifinal at Pe’ahi, but appreciated the chance to move on. She said a single-heat contest like Titans isn’t really a contest.
“It’s more exciting and makes an emotional connection for the viewers if they get to see someone carry on to the finals,” she said. “The Mavericks contest may want to think about creating that emotion too.”
NOVEMBER 13, 2016
ESPN W - Alyssa Roenigk
What's it like to surf Maui's big-wave break Jaws in an all-women contest?
Keala Kennelly: Paige did such an amazing job and sent it. She went out there and earned her victory and carried it for the women. But Paige is a true sportswoman and she was bummed I wasn't in the final. We love and respect each other, and Paige definitely wants me out there. But she is so deserving. Paige let people know that we deserve to be there.
NOVEMBER 11, 2016
Surfer - Justin Housman
On Tuesday Cori Schumacher, three-time women’s longboard world champ and vocal surf community gadfly/activist, won a seat on the Carlsbad City Council, a coastal town in North San Diego County. Carlsbad is a politically conservative ‘burb, and Schumacher, an outspoken LBGT activist, was a surprise victor, buoyed in part by her prominent role in opposing Measure A, a plan to develop a chunk of Carlsbad’s coastal zone. I called her after election day to find out why she’d run, what she hoped to accomplish, and to ask what surfers can do when confronted with uncomfortable political realities.
NOVEMBER 11, 2016
The Associated Press
Women break glass ceiling in surf competition
“It’s the least we can do to speak to the election the other day,” Valenti told The Associated Press in a phone interview before the competition, referring to Hillary Clinton’s defeat by President-elect Donald Trump.
“I watched Hillary’s concession speech and what she was saying - how important it was for women to really stand up now more than ever to break the glass ceiling - and that really resonated a lot,” Valenti added.
“This is really about paving the way for the future generations and creating opportunities for them,” Valenti said. “Just the importance of using our voice all the time and speaking up for what we want.”
NOVEMBER 11, 2016
The Inertia - Jennifer Savage, California Policy Manager, Surfrider Foundation
Heal Your Election Woes By Embracing Women, Diversity, and the Environment
The thing about being an activist, is the “active” part – sooner or later despair propels you to action.
NOVEMBER 6, 2016
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday - Lauren Frayer
Gaza's Surfer Girl Hangs Up Her Board — And Not By Choice
"Once I paddle out past the breakers — I forget my troubles," says Ali Erheem, 25, a member of an informal group that calls themselves the Gaza Surf Club. "It's pure happiness."
"I wish I could go back to being a child," she says. "That's when I felt most free — surfing."
She says doesn't want to grow up. She dreams of teaching other girls to surf. But she acknowledges that's probably impossible, since she'll soon be a wife, moving into her mother-in-law's house — still in Gaza, but inland.
NOVEMBER 5, 2016
Los Angeles Times - Dan Weikel
Let women compete, Coastal Commission orders famous surf contest at Mavericks
“This is a great step forward for our sport, women’s athletics and women. You know, it’s about human rights,” said Bianca Valenti, a top female big-wave rider and co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing.
Supporters who lobbied the commission to add women included representatives from the Surfrider Foundation, the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, the Coastal Protection Network, the Brown Girl Surf organization and San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan.
NOVEMBER 4, 2016
Jason Lock - Magic Seaweed
Bianca Valenti Should Be A Titans of Mavericks
Keala Kennelly, who told magicseaweed: ''I'm stoked to be included in the six women Titans, however it really doesn't feel right that Bianca Valenti was excluded. She has put more work into this than anyone and she is out there surfing Mavericks every swell. They have her down as first alternate, however, I would be cool with them adding a 7th woman to this historical women's heat as long as that woman is Bianca.''
NOVEMBER 4, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Coastal Commission grants 1-year permit for Mavericks
“I think the excitement (among the organizers) is simply for the media,” said attorney Karen Tynan who has been working pro bono with women big-wave surfers. “There's a lack of real genuine inclusiveness.”
Tynan also cited a recent Los Angeles jury verdict against Cartel Management that she says will leave the company liable to pay $1 million to Segler Holdings, LLC for breaching a contract and failing to provide promotional services.
Tynan expressed concern that the organizers might not have the financial resources to continue to make the contest available to women.
NOVEMBER 4, 2016
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Alms, Kennelly, Moller and Valenti had urged the commission to require women be included after collaborating to form the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing.
These four women, as well as Gerhardt, also took top honors during a women-focused surf day at Mavericks in December 2014 known as the WickrX Super Sessions.
Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor District commissioner who has advocated for women’s inclusion, said she and others were extremely disappointed local surfer Valenti was not chosen and believes more women should be included. Brennan said she’s pleased that the Coastal Commission, as well as the female athletes, retained leverage as Titans was only provided a one-year permit.
“It’s a foot in the door,” Brennan said. “When the permit’s being reviewed, it gives them some leverage to try and negotiate more equitable terms and a bigger footprint on the event.”
NOVEMBER 3, 2016
Beach Grit - Rory Parker
Titans of Mavericks Female Blunder—Cartel drags feet, pays price...
‘Well, you know, they need to pump more iron.’ That’s from Jeff Clark. ‘The girls aren’t good enough yet.’
NOVEMBER 2, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Bruce Jenkins
Mavericks permit extended 1 year, women added to contest
Bianca Valenti had no issue with the six women selected; they are all friends. But she suspected that as the organizer of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, a women’s group that often has clashed with Cartel personnel, politics may have been involved.
“Someone had to take one for the team,” said Valenti, managing a smile, as the hearing concluded. “It’s a blatant diss. It’s Cartel; I think they’re intimidated by a group that looks out for women athletes.
NOVEMBER 2, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Does public benefit from longer Mavericks contract?
Ask yourselves: How does the public benefit from granting one organization four more years of exclusive rights to make money off of a California jewel?
NOVEMBER 1, 2016
The Inertia - Jennifer Savage, California Policy Manager, Surfrider Foundation
CA Coastal Commission Wed. Meeting Could Shape Future of Titans of Mavs
The move toward more inclusivity heartens us, but one heat, begrudgingly given, does not a gender gap close. The Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing calls for more, now. And in line with our dedication to access for all, Surfrider Foundation supports this proposal.
OCTOBER 30, 2016
San Francisco Examiner - Brendan Bartholomew
Mavericks surf contest adds women’s division
While the Coastal Commission generally addresses land use and environmental issues, spokesperson Noaki Schwartz said it is not unprecedented for her agency to require equal access to facilities and events.
“The [California] Coastal Act mandates that the commission maximize public access,” Schwartz said. “So the inclusion of women at an invitation-only surf competition on public land certainly helps fulfill that mandate.”
Brennan has criticized Cartel for not moving more quickly, and believes the event should include multiple women’s heats. A woman should also join the five-person selection committee that decides which athletes are invited to the prestigious competition, she said.
But Cartel spokesperson Brian Waters said award-winning surfer Sarah Gerhardt had previously been offered a spot on the Titans of Mavericks selection committee, but had declined due to other obligations.
“We’re not fighting here; there’s no pushing back,” Waters said, though he added that adding multiple women’s heats might not be feasible.
Each Titans of Mavericks competition depends on the presence of big, challenging waves. Organizers have a window from Nov. 1 through the end of March to look at wave and weather conditions and select a date for the event, Waters explained.
On that chosen day, there are only so many hours and waves available, Waters said.
“It is impossible to put three more heats in a day,” Waters said. “Within an hour, you might get eight to 10 contestable waves.”
The lack of equal representation in events like Titans of Mavericks has taken an economic toll, Brennan said, because being deprived of the spotlight means even the best female surfers struggle to obtain prize money and endorsement deals.
OCTOBER 28, 2016
New York Times - John Clarke
For First Time in 17 Years, Women Will Compete in Top Big-Wave Surfing Contest
Sabrina Brennan, who heads the San Mateo County Harbor Commission, which manages the Mavericks surf area, helped in the fight to include women — which at times grew tense.
“Organizers would show up at meetings with their attorneys and just stare at you with a menacing look,” said Brennan, who is also a member of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing. “It was intimidating.”
She also said some event organizers had told several female surfers to get their own Mavericks event.
Still, Brennan said she was pleased with the outcome.
“It’s about time,” she said. “It feels like it shouldn’t have taken this long. And I wonder why it’s taken so long. It’s exciting and thrilling. But we’re not there yet. Women athletes have to keep asking for what they want.”
OCTOBER 28, 2016
Huffington Post - Carla Herreria
Female Surfers Tear Down a Big Wave Barrier
Ultimately, it took the state to force the change at Titans of Mavericks, which was known in its early years as the “Men Who Ride Mountains” contest.
The decision by Cartel Management, the company that owns the tournament, followed a campaign over the last year by a small group of female surfers along with Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County harbor commissioner.
Organized under the banner “Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing,” the surfers pressured California’s Coastal Commission into demanding that Mavericks add a women’s heat or risk losing its permit to hold the event.
The campaign worked.
OCTOBER 28, 2016
New York Times - Mike McPhate
Female Surfers Tear Down a Big Wave Barrier
Ultimately, it took the state to force the change at Titans of Mavericks, which was known in its early years as the “Men Who Ride Mountains” contest.
The decision by Cartel Management, the company that owns the tournament, followed a campaign over the last year by a small group of female surfers along with Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County harbor commissioner.
Organized under the banner “Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing,” the surfers pressured California’s Coastal Commission into demanding that Mavericks add a women’s heat or risk losing its permit to hold the event.
The campaign worked.
OCTOBER 28, 2016
Huffington Post - Carla Herreria
Female Surfers Tear Down a Big Wave Barrier
Ultimately, it took the state to force the change at Titans of Mavericks, which was known in its early years as the “Men Who Ride Mountains” contest.
The decision by Cartel Management, the company that owns the tournament, followed a campaign over the last year by a small group of female surfers along with Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo County harbor commissioner.
Organized under the banner “Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing,” the surfers pressured California’s Coastal Commission into demanding that Mavericks add a women’s heat or risk losing its permit to hold the event.
The campaign worked.
OCTOBER 26, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Vote Brennan, Mattusch, Larenas for better harbors
No one has done more to change the culture there than Sabrina Brennan. She has demanded to know where the money went for computers that were never installed. She has sought to hold complacent employees accountable. She has championed the rights of fishermen and is proud of a newly reconstituted relationship with the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association. She has fought for equity at Mavericks; her call for a women’s heat in the surf contest led directly to the California Coastal Commission demanding as much in this year’s contest.
OCTOBER 21, 2016
KION - Maya Holmes
Titans of Mavericks will include women—First year for female surfers
"Having that exposure and getting women out there I think it will really be encouraging for a lot of young girls,” said surfer Damon Franz. “To all the women competing, good luck."
October 21, 2016
NBC Bay Area - Rebecca Greenway & Christie Smith
Mavericks Will Include Women Surfers for First Time in History
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan has made women's inclusion in the competition one of the major issues in her re-election and says she has been an advocate for change throughout her term.
September 30, 2016
NBC Bay Area - Rebecca Greenway
A League of Their Own: Women's Involvement at Mavericks Among Harbor Commission Topics
While incumbent Sabrina Brennan said the Harbor District is extremely expensive, she said she was able to play a part in paying back its incurred debt over her last term. She also spoke about her efforts on the development of volleyball courts and involvement of women at the Mavericks.
The topic of inclusion of women into Mavericks competitions has been an ongoing one on the peninsula's coast side.
Just this week, four women who would like to compete in the Titans of Mavericks submitted a request to the California Coastal Commission for a league of their own.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
San Mateo Daily Journal - Endorsement Editorial
Brennan, Mattusch, Larenas for Harbor District board
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan has made it her cause to change the previous climate of the district and has made a few waves on the way. Brennan is bright, creative, hard-working and aggressive. Her presence on the board and her focus on what she considers to be doing the right thing will more than likely turn out to be an overall asset, sharp elbows and all.
AUGUST 8, 2016
The Inertia - Jennifer Savage
Stealing Sand: The Theft of California’s Coast
For decades, international sand-mining company CEMEX has been waging war on California’s shores. CEMEX is directly harvesting a public resource for profit. The coastline around the CEMEX plant is, by no surprise, eroding faster than any other stretch of beach in the state. The sand that isn’t hauled away in their illegal mining operation is being washed away more quickly because of it. In fact, as reported in the Monterey County Weekly, the Cemex mine is eroding the local coastline at an average rate of about four feet annually. If the mine were to shut down, that coastline would instead be growing approximately three feet annually, for a net difference of about seven feet.
AUGUST 4, 2016
Surfline - photos: Sachi Cunningham & words: Justin Housman
Through grit, determination, and smiles, these women have carved out a respected place in the city’s surf hierarchy, surely one of the country’s most demanding.
AUGUST 3, 2016
Surfline - Pablo Zanocchi
It's Official: Surfing Will Be in the Olympics
Wednesday, August 3rd, the International Olympic Committee voted in favor of including surfing in the Tokyo Games. So in 2020, 20 men and 20 women surfers will compete for an Olympic gold medal.
AUGUST 2, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Midcoast, county discuss Mirada Road
Michael Powers, who owns the home he built on the southern end of Mirada Road where last year’s winter storms dealt the majority of the damage, says he doesn’t think managed retreat is a good idea. He cited the costs involved in moving the sewer lines and trying to relocate property.
“It would be a terrible loss for everyone,” Powers said. “In 25 years, the next set of properties behind us would have the same problem.”
Instead, Powers believes that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for creating the harbor breakwater, should pay for the maintenance and upkeep of a sea wall.
AUGUST 2, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - staff
Coastal Commission joins Martin’s Beach fight
On Monday, the state agency filed an amicus brief in support of the Surfrider Foundation’s lawsuit against landowner and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla.
AUGUST 2, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
MCC discusses West Trail erosion in harbor
JULY 28, 2016
USNI News - Sam LaGrone
Navy to Name Ship After Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk
JULY 26, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor Commission approves volleyball at beach
JULY 26, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Officials warn to steer clear of whales
JULY 26, 2016
San Francisco Magazine - Scott Lucas
One lost crab season was painful. But two? That could bring the industry to its knees.
JULY 25, 2016
Surfline - Kurt Steinmetz
Coco Ho Wins Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro
My wife Aimee Luthringer says that this article is the first of its kind on Surfline. It features women, not just one woman, which they have done, but this article covers a whole women's league. The guys get this kind of coverage often. An overview of the women's league is not normally presented on Surfline.
Aimee spends a significant amount of time on the Surfline website when she's not in the water.
JULY 22, 2016
Daily Journal - staff
San Mateo County’s agricultural production drops $20 million
The decline is primarily due to big losses in the indoor floral and nursery crops sector, which dropped $23.8 million from last year to $75.3 million, according to the 2015 Agricultural Crop Report for San Mateo County.
The shrinking migrant workforce led to the drop in production for nurseries on the coast, according to the report.
The estimated value of all crops in the county is $132 million, a decline of $19.7 million since 2014, according to the report.
JULY 18, 2016
Atlas Odscura - Jack Goodman
The California Coastal Commission says that a mining operation has been illegally taking precious sand for years in Monterey Bay.
July 7, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
County dedicates $2.6 million for Mirada Road repair
This past winter the situation became dire when winter storms took out a large chunk of the roadway at the southern end of Mirada Road just north of the pedestrian bridge.
July 6, 2016
San Mateo Daily Journal - Op-Ed by Sabrina Brennan
JULY 5, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor rescue boat to get $300,000 facelift—Radon restoration project
June 30, 2016
Mercury News - John Orr
Another call to dissolve Harbor Commission
Supervisor Don Horsley, who has been charged with tracking the work of the Harbor Commission, said Tuesday that the commission, under its new leadership, has stabilized, and seems to be moving in good directions.
June 29, 2016
Everything South City - Op-Ed by Sabrina Brennan
Look beyond the Grand Jury Report
The Harbor Commission is moving in a positive direction, and with change comes creativity, innovation, improved accountability, opportunities to evaluate and define long-term goals, and the need for greater cooperation.
June 28, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor - Sabrina Brennan
New grand jury report misses mark
After cleaning house for three and a half years, the San Mateo County Harbor District’s focus is shifting toward the needs of the community. This is why I ran for a seat on the Harbor Commission.
I’ve worked hard and made measurable progress while serving my first term. I’m happy to report that significant change has been accomplished and more is in progress; with new management in place we’re becoming a well-run district. In 1976, when I was age 8, the district borrowed millions of dollars from the California Division of Boating and Waterways. In April 2016, the Harbor District repaid those loans. As board president I created the Finance Committee and I’m very pleased that the district is debt-free for the first time in 40 years.
In May 2016, I organized a Sea Level Rise and Erosion Forum that included speakers from the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Over 175 people, including city, county and state representatives packed the Douglas Beach House to the rafters! We’re fortunate to live in an area with an engaged electorate and strong leadership. In June 2016, our county supervisors included $2.6 million in their approved budget specifically for erosion protection of Mirada Road.
In May 2015, we moved the district’s headquarters back to the Coastside, within sight of Pillar Point Harbor. In July 2015, the board unanimously approved the district’s first Code of Ethics and Values. In August 2015, President Tom Mattusch and I were the first commissioners from our district to receive special district governance awards for completion of the California Special District Association Leadership Academy.
The to-do list is still long; it takes time to correct decades of mismanagement. Please continue to support this independent special district, our General Manager Steve McGrath, our dedicated staff, and our Harbor Patrol.
June 27, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Grand jury calls for county to study harbor district dissolution
Harbor District Commissioners disagree with the recommendations in the report, saying the grand jury ignored recent improvements.
“It appears a lot of the decision was made prior to the report,” said Commission President Tom Mattusch. “They didn’t take into account the progress that’s been made.”
Mattusch highlighted the recent paying off of its $5 million debt to the state Division of Boating and Waterways.
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan was similarly disappointed that recent progress wasn’t acknowledged.
“The lack of attention to the hard work that our staff has done and our new general manager is disappointing,” Brennan said. She cited the district’s improved relationship with the fishing community, among other things.
“It’s a big project to take on and after several decades of mismanagement it’s not going to happen overnight,” she said.
The report does acknowledge some recent improvements but asks that a Board of Supervisors study “look beyond any near-term performance improvements given the long history of harbor dysfunction.”
June 23, 2016
San Francisco Examiner - Brendan P. Bartholomew
Concerns linger after Oyster Point development changes hands
Brennan’s concerns stem from Oyster Point’s landfill status. The Oyster Point district, which sits east of U.S. Highway 101, was built at the site of a former municipal garbage dump.
Greenland will be legally required to excavate the buried waste and place a new cap on the landfill, a move Brennan is concerned with because the marina has about 45 permanent residents or households living on boats who could be impacted by potential health hazards from the excavation.
Because the marina is located on a mini-peninsula, with few alternate access routes, the harbor commissioner said the planned construction could disrupt commutes, both for the marina’s live-aboard tenants and for workers traveling to South San Francisco via the commuter ferry that docks at the Marina.
Brennan noted if construction-related commute snarls or environmental hazards make the marina unlivable for its tenants, they could have few options for relocating. The Bay Area’s housing crisis, along with the recent closure of Pete’s Harbor in Redwood City, has created a shortage of live-aboard spaces throughout the region, Brennan explained.
Only 10 percent of Oyster Point Marina’s 455 slips can legally be rented to live-aboard residents.
Futrell, the city manager, said the project’s environmental impact report predicted little or no disruption to the Marina, and he promised town hall-style meetings prior to the work so residents can question the developer and city officials.
Futrell noted Greenland is going to recap all of the landfill, including in places where no construction is planned. The city manager characterized the existing cap as “old, but safe,” but said getting a new cap is a major environmental benefit.
“In the big picture, this is exactly what you want to have happen at old landfill sites,” Futrell said.
The developer has also agreed to various other upgrades, which will benefit the general public, Futrell added. Those include rebuilding Oyster Point’s roads and other infrastructure, along with improving the beach and park areas that locals use for recreation.
Despite her misgivings, Brennan said she fully supports the project and recognizes the benefits of upgrading the area’s recreation amenities and roads.
“All these things require a lot of extra effort because they’re taking place at the site of a landfill,” Brennan said. “It’s great that there’s a developer who’s up for it.”
June 1, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Local government representatives and concerned residents packed the Douglas Beach House in Miramar last week for a forum addressing sea level rise and erosion. “I can’t think of a better place to have this meeting,” said San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan at the start of the forum.
Brennan organized the event with the help of the Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation and the Committee for Green Foothills, which sponsored it.
In addition to the three speakers, the audience heard from Mary and Ed Larenas of the Surfrider Foundation. Supervisor Don Horsley talked about the work being done to protect Mirada Road and Highway 1 at Surfer’s Beach.
June 1, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
MCC requests better evacuation signage
May 18, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Forum explores erosion, sea rise—Event will feature variety of experts
“This winter it was very startling to see half of our road disappear,” said Michael Powers, who lives at 1 Mirada Road, immediately behind a section of caved-in roadway. “I’m encouraging people to come with some questions.”
Those sentiments are echoed by San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan who organized the event with the Surfrider Foundation and the Sierra Club.
“People are interested,” Brennan said. “I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm about the caliber of speakers we have coming to this event.”
May 11, 2016
SFDocFest - Dayla Soul
Premier of IT AIN’T PRETTY—screening at the Historic Great Star Theater
MAY 11, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District serves up volleyball nets
MAY 11, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District to expand sidewalks—Project will create more space for pedestrians
May 11, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Community comes together to help stranded sailor—Boat breaks to pieces in surf
The boat started breaking up in the surf.
The cleanup was completed by Rob Cala, Yacht Club members, Friends of the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, the Pacifica Beach Coalition and neighbors. Cala said they had to fill a dump truck several times to take the pieces of the vessel to their final resting place at the Ox Mountain Landfill.
May 9, 2016
Stanford News - Shara Tonn
Stanford engineers discover how seawater salts affect coastal algae, good and bad
May 6, 2016
LA Times - Robin Abcarian
Don't blame the smelt: The salmon too reflects the dire state of the California Delta
"They still deliver mail by boat. Unspeakably gorgeous in places, with meandering sloughs, and others where it's riprapped and sterile," William Jennings told me Tuesday. "The old-timers, the river rats, they talk about the delta of their youth and the abundance of species, and we realize how much we are losing…we have brought an entire estuary and ecosystem to the brink of collapse. Eighty-three percent of California native fish are extinct, bordering on extinction, or threatened with extinction," he said.
MAY 6, 2016
Magic Seaweed - Jason Lock
Women's Big Wave Event Could Benefit Entire Surf Industry
Paige Alms: I'm beyond happy to hear that we will finally have an official women's event! I am even more excited to surf with an empty lineup and to have some bonus cash is the cherry on top!
Obviously I would love to have home court advantage at Jaws and see the girls charge the biggest best wave in the world with only a handful of women in the lineup. But Todos is also a great option and I believe it would be a first time for any of the ladies. I've been wanting to get down there for a while.
APRIL 28, 2016
The Inertia - Beth O'Rourke
Women’s Big Wave Surfing and the 2016 XXL Awards: Exploring How Far We’ve Come?
APRIL 15, 2016
Surfer - Ashtyn Douglas
WSL Adds Women's Event to Big Wave Tour
APRIL 15, 2016
Big Wave Tour Adds Women's and Qualifying Events
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP—$30,000 prize purse; Contested by athletes picked by the commissioner's office
Window: October 15, 2016 - February 28, 2017
Events: Pe'ahi, Todos Santos
APRIL 15, 2016
ABC - Michael Atkin and Andy Burns
Female pro surfers want industry to get on board regarding sexism concerns
April 30, 2016
SacBee - David Siders
Carly Fiorina doubles down on Delta smelt
April 27, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor - Mike McHenry
Former harbormaster has been paid enough
Brennan has single-handedly fought for fiscal responsibility. Before she came along it was a total runaway. Those of us in the Half Moon Bay Fishermen’s Association see her as our only ally.
— Mike Mc Henry, Oldest Fishermen at Pillar Point Harbor
APRIL 15, 2016
ABC - Michael Atkin and Andy Burns
Female pro surfers want industry to get on board regarding sexism concerns
April 13, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District pays off $5 million—Agency paints healthy financial picture
“Staff does not anticipate needing to take out a loan in the near future or in the foreseeable future unless (commissioners) decide on a project beyond our reserve capabilities,” Steve McGrath said. “We see those reserves dropping but not getting toward anything less than a prudent reserve.”
April 13, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District hears volleyball proposal—Nets set up at Perched Beach for time being
APRIL 11, 2016
Reuters - Courtney Sherwood
U.S. bans most Pacific sardine fishing after population crash
Federal fishery managers have banned nearly all sardine fishing off the U.S. West Coast for the second straight year in a move hailed by conservation groups as key to protecting decimated California sea lion herds.
Pacific sardine populations have plunged by 90 percent since 2007, prompting the Pacific Fishery Management Council to vote Sunday to extend its prohibition on virtually all fishing of the small oily fish within 200 miles of the California, Oregon and Washington coasts.
APRIL 6, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Julia Reis
Fitzgerald managers look to stem tide—Flood of visitors causes county to re-examine plan
County Parks Director Marlene Finley said, “We are experiencing increased use at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, and looking now and into the future we need to start addressing this...it’s our responsibility to figure out how to manage the impacts on the reef.”
March 31, 2016
Daily Journal - Bill Silverfarb
Ferry agency rejects city’s port: No long-term plans to bring public ferry service to Redwood City
March 28, 2016
The Inertia - Paige Alms
Paige Alms Believes Female Big Wave Surfers Deserve Their Own Venues
“The whole drama over the Titans of Mavericks contest is just outrageous. They (the organizers) are still trying to say women are not as good as the men, trying to fight the issue rather than help make a solution…when in fact they are missing the whole point.”
“We are not asking to be included with the men; We want to have our own heat!”
March 24, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - Peter Fimrite
Crab season faces further delays from sea conditions, pricing
March 23, 2016
The Inertia - Juan Hernandez
2016 XXL Awards Nominees Announced: Keala Kennelly Makes Surfing History
March 18, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Commercial crab season to open next week
March 18, 2016
Sac Bee - Dan Walters
California’s pension debt puts it $175.1 billion in the red
March 16, 2016
Silicon Valley Business Journal - Roland Li
March 15, 2016
San Francisco Chronicle - By Kurtis Alexander and Jenna Lyons
Troubled waters: California salmon season facing big restrictions
March 14, 2016
LA Times - Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil
Female surfers make waves despite barriers
March 10, 2016
The Inertia - Alexandria Bordas
Big-Wave Surfing Is Bigger Than Ever; Where Are the Women?
March 9, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Representatives announce crab disaster relief bill
Feb 23, 2016
Daily Journal - Bill Silverfarb
Fees waived for crab fisherman
Sabrina Brennan said, “I’m afraid we might lose some of our local fishing businesses. Fishing is what attracts people to Pillar Point Harbor. Commercial and recreational fishing is important to county’s economy. This has been so bad, its really worrisome our fishing fleet might not survive it.”
FEB 19, 2016
WSL News - Anna Dimond
Andrea Moller: Let's Join the Big-Wave Party
Feb 16, 2016
Huffington Post - J.D. Kleinke
Not Yet, Surfragette: Women Athletes Still Sidelined At Big-Wave Competition
For now, Savannah Shaughnessy of Santa Cruz - who surfs Mavericks well enough to qualify into the same pool of alternates that produced this year's second-place finisher - will be getting on with her nursing career and waiting for the world to catch up with her.
Feb 12, 2016
Outside Magazine - Op-Ed: Sachi Cunningham
Let Women Compete in Big-Wave Surf Competitions
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan brought the issue center stage at a California Coastal Commission hearing in November. (The Harbor Commission issues permits for the Mavericks contest.) She pointed out the gender inequality of the event—no women have ever competed in the nine contests held since 1999—and the lack of equal access to the coast that an exclusive five-year permit would perpetuate. “It would have been irresponsible if I didn’t bring it up,” Brennan says.
The Coastal Commission responded by voting through a requirement that Cartel Management, the company that hosts the Mavericks contest, create a plan for “highlighting, involving, or encouraging the growth of women…in this event or in this sport.”
“The Coastal Commission should grant a second permit to an organization interested in having a women’s contest at Mavericks,” says Nico Sell, former CEO of the mobile security app Wickr, which produced the all-women event at Mavericks last season. “It is amazing that we are still fighting for human rights here in California.”
Feb 12, 2016
CBS This Morning - Hosts: Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell
Wave of sexisim hit Titians of Mavericks surfing competition
Feb 10, 2016
KQED News - Kelly O'Mara
Mavericks Could Be Required to Include Women Surfers Next Year
Sabrina Brennan, who serves on the San Mateo Harbor Commission, which also permits the event, decided the night before the meeting to make a short presentation about female big-wave surfers to the commission during the public comment period.
She put together just five PowerPoint slides, and drove the 10 minutes from her house to the meeting.
“If the meeting had been in Southern California, then I wouldn’t have been able to afford it,” she said.
Though not a surfer herself, Brennan said that she was motivated by her experiences being one of the few women at snowboarding races in her 20s. Plus, her wife surfs and they live on the bluff above the beach where the event is headquartered.
When they moved there, and the event was still called “Men Who Ride Mountains,” she said, “I thought, ‘Wow, I wonder if there are any women who want to ride mountains, too.’
Feb 10, 2016
ABC 7 News - Cornell Barnard
Women hope to be invited to Mavericks Surf competition
A documentary called "It Ain't Pretty" profiles top woman surfers, who can take on the big waves, like those at Mavericks.
Feb 3, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Editorial - Clay Lambert
First seafood festival is promising start of something good
It would be great to invite a more diverse crowd next time around. As you might expect at an event that costs $50 at the gate and even more if you want to eat lunch and park nearby, the crowd appeared to be primarily composed of affluent families, interested gourmets and people in the seafood industry. It was overwhelmingly white...Involve more harbor denizens. What if fishermen in the harbor offered boat tours or on-land discussions of their work on the sea? They could sell fish from their boats and consumers could see and hear how dinner swims onto their plates. Make the connection between eating and harvesting and include struggling fishermen among the event beneficiaries. Keep the paid component; add free tours of the harbor.
JAN 27, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Op-Ed - Sabrina Brennan
JAN 22, 2016
Daily Journal - Op-Ed - Sabrina Brennan
Jan 20, 2016
Everything South City - Op-Ed - Sabrina Brennan
A City Owned Landfill—Subsidized by Countywide Property Tax—is Sinking into the Bay
JAN 13, 2016
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District offers fishermen support—Crabbers have already lost ‘90 percent’ of business
“I wanted to support the fishermen in whatever aid they can get,” Mary Botham said after the meeting.
Jan 10, 2016
Daily Journal - Austin Walsh
South City waste facility reaches agreement with Baykeeper
JAN 1, 2016
LA Daily News - Elliott Almond, Bay Area News Group
2015 was the year women invaded men’s pro sports
Women kept pushing the boundaries to the edge of 2016. Scotts Valley surfer Savannah Shaughnessy recently dropped into a 40-foot giant at big-wave sanctum Mavericks and there is serious chatter about women soon joining the competitive ranks of future Mavericks events.
“There is something special going on,” Shaughnessy said.
DEC 30, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor District recoups legal fees—Hoist is issue in dispute
“Winning the anti-SLAPP motion and our attorney fees is a win for our democracy and First Amendment right to free speech,” Brennan wrote in an email to the Review.
DEC 30, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor trail awaits repair—Harbor up against January deadlineDec 23, 2015
This trail represents the only access to the Mavericks beach and it provides emergency response,” said Commissioner Sabrina Brennan citing the fact that several have lost their lives while surfing at that beach. “Our emergency responders use this trail in order to access the beach. So it’s really critical we don’t lose trail access here.
DEC 30, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Harbor board may take up crab closure
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan is asking the board to consider legislative efforts to assist crab fishermen in the wake of the season’s delay. Brennan is asking the board to take up the matter at its Jan. 6 meeting in Half Moon Bay.
Crab season has been called off until the presence of domoic acid falls within acceptable levels. The neurotoxin can cause serious illness in humans.
Several lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, have asked the governor to consider calling for a state of emergency if the closure persists.
DEC 23, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
No claws for fishermen this Christmas
“If it happened 20 years ago we would have been ruined,” said Jim Salter, an El Granada resident and crab fisherman, who at nearly 70, says he’s been fishing for 40 years. “But now we’re old and have Social Security and squeak by.”
Dec 23, 2015
NBC Bay Area KNTV Channel 11 evening news at 6:00pm and 11:00pm
King Tides May Alter Development Plans at South San Francisco's Oyster Point
DEC 23, 2015
KQED Radio morning news at 6:20am and 8:20am - Peter Shuler
Segment included interviews with South San Francisco City Manager and Harbor Commissioners about persistent flooding at Oyster Point.
DEC 23, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Sabrina Brennan
OP-ED: Oyster Point flooding requires long-term plan
Dec 22, 2015
San Mateo Daily Journal - Sabrina Brennan
Dec 19, 2015
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Haven Livingston
Just Add Water: Women seek equal footing at Mavericks
Half Moon Bay local Sabrina Brennan presented a sideshow of female big wave surfers during the California Coastal Commission hearing in November when the commission approved a coastal development permit for the Titans of Mavericks big wave surf contest. Brennan, also a San Mateo Harbor Commissioner, said she attended the meeting as a concerned citizen. She has been watching women surf Mavericks, located near the Pillar Point Harbor, for years and has been disappointed to never see them in the contest. She intended to illuminate inequality in the selection process that newcomer Cartel Management and its “Committee 5” use to select Titans of Mavericks invitees.
Dec 14, 2015
Waste Dive - Arlene Karidis
South San Francisco's plan to redevelop landfill sparks debate
Meanwhile, as the battle on how to move forward over redevelopment ensues, the possibility of a shutdown has prompted discussions about whether South San Francisco should terminate its agreement with the harbor district and take full charge of managing Oyster Point’s operations.
Dec 13, 2015
San Francisco Examiner - Brendan P. Bartholomew
South S.F. plan to redevelop Oyster Point questioned
Brennan has fought to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the Harbor District’s operations.
The landfill’s growth eventually moved the shoreline 3,000 feet east of its original boundary. And while the dump was capped, Brennan said environmental standards of the day did not require barriers underneath the waste heaps or on their sides. Brennan said the possibility of lateral movement could enable buried waste to enter the Bay.
Dec 11, 2015
Forum KQED radio - host Mina Kim
Mavericks Faces Pressure for Women to Surf Big-Wave Contest
Guests: Bianca Valenti, professional surfer and Bruce Jenkins, sports columnist, San Francisco Chronicle
DEC 9, 2015
SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board Letter - Bruce Wolfe, Executive Officer
Oyster Point Marina Flooding Letter of Enforcement
Dec 9, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Oyster Point flooding reaches Harbor District
San Mateo County Harbor District board member Sabrina Brennan has asked potential flooding at Oyster Point Marina be put on the board’s agenda for the Dec. 16 meeting.
Brennan says the flooding is a problem, in part because it occurs over an old landfill. The area is also part of an upcoming review of San Mateo County government assets that might be affected by sea level rise.
Oyster Point Marina is in South San Francisco. That city and the Harbor District have been at odds over management and funding for the marina.
The meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 16. The meeting is at the Municipal Services Building, 33 Arroyo Drive, South San Francisco.
Dec 5, 2015
Washington Post - Kristin J. Bender
Women want spot in big wave surf competition in California
The California Coastal Commission recently told Maverick organizers (Jeff Clark and Cartel) that they better have a plan for including women if they want a permit to hold the event next year.
Dec 3, 2015
Everything South City - Sabrina Brennan
Oyster Point Marina is result of Bay fill dump era
The volume of waste in the landfill is approximately 2.5 million cubic yards and total tonnage of this material is approximately 1.4 million tons. This volume of waste would cover a football field almost to the hight of the Empire State Building.
Nov 16, 2015
Inertia - Beth O'Rourke
How Women Will Evolve Big Wave Surfing
There was an activist at the California Coastal Commission meeting that was our “secret angel”. She was the one that pushed the issue of allowing women to participate in the contest. This made sense, because The Coastal Commission strongly stands by access to the coastline for all, meaning women have to be allowed participation in the competition.
— Bianca Valenti, professional big-wave surfer
Nov 11, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Add women to Mavericks lineup and be on right side of history
The most important sports development on the coast in a long time may also involve pioneering women. By virtue of a motion made by California Coastal Commissioner Mark Vargas, of Los Angeles, the Mavericks surf contest organizers are encouraged to allow women to compete at one of the world’s premier big waves, on a stage that has been hogged by men since it was discovered decades ago.
This is a good idea that came from San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who suggested it before Thursday’s Coastal Commission vote. The commission gave Mavericks organizers a coastal development permit, clearing the way for this season’s event, with the proviso that they include women going forward.
Nov 8, 2015
My Journal - Sabrina Brennan
Women to compete at Mavericks!
Coastal Commissioner Mark Vargas made the following remarks and motion:
“I'm still a little concerned about the fact that there is no clear plan for highlighting, involving, or encouraging the growth of women in this event or in this sport. I would really love to see an amendment. I understand that were too close to the event this year, but if this is going to be contemplated as an extension (permit extension) that could possibly have four more years of extension we should start contemplating a plan for encouragement and inclusion on women in this event. So that we (Coastal Commission) can review it, and have that information available for next year when this permit comes back up for renewal. I appreciate that it's a one time, one year permit but Mavericks has been going on for a long time and Mavericks will continue to go on. I'm sure we'll be back here next year and it would be unfortunate if we don't start planning now for the inclusion of women and to see more women involved in this program, and not wait until a year from now.
I'll float it out there. I'd like to see if I can make an amending motion to add a specific condition that we ask the applicant to provide a plan for encouraging equal opportunity for women surfers in future events.”
COASTAL COMMISSION 7-4 VOTE COUNT
Bochco - no
Cox - yes
Groom - no
Howell - yes
Lueveno - yes
McClure - yes
Shallenberger - no
Turnbull-Sanders - yes
Uranga - yes
Vargas - yes
Kinsey - no
Nov 6, 2015
Santa Cruz Sentinel - Haven Livingston
Women to get fair shake at Mavericks
Half Moon Bay resident Sabrina Brennan, who holds the elected position of San Mateo County Harbor District commissioner but appeared at the hearing as a member of the public, raised the issue during the public comment portion of the meeting. During her three minutes on the floor, Brennan requested the Coastal Commission require the contest include a women’s heat because, she said, it was unreasonable to expect women to compete directly against the men for one of the 24 slots that are chosen by a group of veteran Mavericks surfers dubbed “the Committee 5.” She also pointed out that the five-year permit recently issued by the Harbor Commission to Cartel (event management group) precludes any other big wave surf contests from being held during that span, meaning there could not be a separate women’s contest at Maverick’s.
Coastal Commissioner Mark Vargas motioned to amend the Coastal Development Permit to ask the Cartel to provide a plan for encouraging equal opportunity for women surfers in future events. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Martha McClure and after some discussion the motion was narrowly passed by a vote of 7-4.
NOV 6, 2015
San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Titans gets Coastal Commission approval: Permit issued for Mavericks surf competition
Coastal Commissioner and county Supervisor Carole Groom said she was pleased to support the Titians of Mavericks surf contest. “It’s a world-class event.”
The Coastal Commission granted a one-year permit after a suggestion by Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan to included a condition that Cartel have a plan for incorporating women surfers into the event when it returns next season’s permit.
Nov 5, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Carina Woudenberg
Mavericks organizers get crucial last permit
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan spoke as a member of the public about her concern that women have never been represented in the surf competitions.
“It’s really important to women athletes,” Brennan said. “Please consider requiring a women’s heat.”
The idea resonated with many of the commissioners and Commissioner Mark Vargas made a motion to include that in their approval.
“I understand you’re looking for the elite for your Titans of Mavericks,” Vargas said. “I think it would be great to highlight women big surf riders.”
The Mavericks organizers said that they are encouraged by the rise of women in the sport and hope to see women compete in the event the future, but that women weren’t there just yet.
“At this point we haven’t seen that kind of performance,” Jeff Clark said. “When the (committee that invites surfers) is watching there’s always one guy that stand’s out. … Can that guy beat the guy from last year or the year before?”
Cassandra said she thinks the surf competition is getting closer to featuring women surfers.
“Our intent is not to put aside a special class just for women but have the women head to head with the men,” she said.
Vargas pushed to include the specific condition to the permit.
“I’m still concerned that’s there’s no clear plan for highlighting the growth of women in this sport,” Vargas said. “I would really love to see an amendment.”
Though all the commissioners spoke in favor of seeing more women compete, they were split on whether to require the condition on their permit approval or whether to take the organizers on their word that they would work to include more women in the events in the future. In the end the motion passed.
Oct 21, 2015
My Journal - Sabrina Brennan
Accountability, Culture Shift & Teamwork
The following letter was delivered to the board on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015.
Dear President Mattusch and Commissioners,
Over the past few years the Harbor District has experienced financial internal control problems and procurement problems. Tonight my informational report regarding IT equipment, software and support procurement (Item 6) is a reflection of my concerns about the District’s fiscal accountability. My hope is that this report will serve to clear the air on the specific reasons for my concerns. It is my sincere hope that the board and new management will put these problems behind us with improved fiscal oversight, innovative financial transparency tools such as OpenGov, appropriate accounting software, and policy recommendations from the Finance Committee.
CULTURE SHIFT
The Harbor District has experienced a rapid culture shift over the past ten months. In January 2015 the board gained two new commissioners, shifting the District in a more open, progressive, and public-friendly direction. The retirement of the past General Manager at the end of 2014 and the relocation of the District’s administrative office back to the Coastside in May 2015 were indications that a transition was unfolding.
General Manager Peter Grenell ran the District for over 17 years. Commissioner Jim Tucker was first appointed in June 1998 and served for almost 17 years. Since their departure in December 2014 the District has experienced significant and sometimes painful culture shift towards a more contemporary form of governance. Past mismanagement left the current board with an astounding number of complex policy issues to clean up, and that process may require years to complete. To their credit the Harbor Patrol has continued to provide excellent service and emergency response while the board and management makes necessary changes.
THEORY OF CHANGE
With change comes creativity, innovation, improved accountability, opportunities to evaluate and define long-term goals, and the need for greater cooperation.
DIVERSITY BALANCES BIASES
The District needs a complementary team – a team in which the members are different from each other, not similar, which means acknowledging the importance of differences in style and opinion. Each person’s style provides a counterpoint to the others. Our differences can provide opportunities to balance naturally biased judgments. Giving consideration to diverse perspectives and thinking critically about the challenges facing the District is a necessary process that builds a solid foundation for strong decision-making. That is teamwork, and is the reason why most governments are multi-member boards.
TRUST, COOPERATION AND FLEXIBILITY
To keep the forward momentum the board and management must build trust within the community by being transparent and responsive, setting clear achievable goals, modernizing outdated policies, improving fiscal accountability, and correcting past mismanagement. And to do this we must become nimble.
Daryl Connor, in his 1998 book Leading at the Edge of Chaos, popularized the term “nimble” describing nimble organizations as those with “a sustained ability to quickly and effectively respond to the demands of change while delivering high performance.” Nimble leaders create goals and performance measures which recognize and reward nimbleness—for example, discovering a new way to meet regulatory requirements while also encouraging public participation.
Nimble leaders anticipate the need for adaptability by hiring flexible employees and preparing current employees for continuous change. They constantly push for higher performance, yet recognize that failure is to be expected with innovation.
FLUID STRUCTURE
Nimble leaders create fluid organizational structures that encourage interactions and change to meet new situations and solve new problems. They do not simply move boxes around on the organizational chart, but create structures that encourage collaboration and teamwork.
IMPLEMENTING OBJECTIVES TO MEET GOALS
Nimble leaders balance near-term objectives and long-term goals. Commissioners and management staff need to look beyond the next election and not lose sight of the bigger picture and long-term goals. While responding to the public’s demands for greater transparency, for example, a nimble leader will also ensure that administrative staff members are receiving training and experience in working with new transparency tools such as OpenGov.
ADAPTING TO CHANGE
Nimble leaders overcome vested interests, legacy systems, and sacred cows by encouraging open communication and creativity.
PROACTIVE VS. REACTIVE
Nimble leaders are always on the lookout for “bad news,” knowing that finding it before it finds the organization is important in order to respond effectively. They find ways to identify internal problems by encouraging internal critics, rotating personnel and hiring people with new perspectives. They discover problems in service delivery by meeting their customers.
Nimble leaders do not rely on a crisis to force change. Crisis in and of itself is not a powerful impetus for long-term change. If it were, cardiac events would cause heart patients to alter their lifestyles appropriately. Fear does not create change. More often, fear leads to denial and creates a narrative that reframes facts to fit preconceived ideas.
Instead, nimble leaders are proactive so that their agencies respond quickly and effectively to the demands of change.
SIMPLE PLAN
The Harbor District needs a simple turnaround plan.
One of the nimble leader’s most important roles is to distill an organization’s many priorities and strategies into a simple plan, so that employees can remember it, internalize it and act on it. With clear goals and metrics, everyone can pull in the same direction, knowing how their work contributes to those goals.
RULES OF THE ROAD
In 2015 the Commission adopted board norms and a new culture began to take shape based on three values: respect, integrity, and equality. This is good news because cynicism and politics can metastasize within an organization, and are amplified by public opinion when an agency lacks core values or is not actually living out its code of ethics.
What truly matters is that the District has to live by its values, reinforce them every day and not tolerate behavior that’s at odds with those values. On July 15, 2015 the board unanimously approved the San Mateo County Harbor District Code of Ethics and Valuesadapted from the 1999 City of Santa Clara code. This was a positive step forward.
NEW LEADERSHIP
The past 10 months has presented numerous challenges for employees, contractors, the public and the Board. The District is in the process of implementing recommendations made by the Civil Grand Jury and LAFCo. And while necessary management changes and policy changes have occurred, more improvement is still needed.
The Harbor Commission is moving in a positive direction, and with Steven McGrath as the new General Manager comes new opportunity. My hope is that the Commission, the new General Manager, and the new administration will work cooperatively, in the best interest of the District and the people we serve.
Thanks for your consideration,
Sabrina
The following two sources were liberally borrowed from:
Leading a Nimble Organization | Susan Spaddock | October 31, 2014
Management Be Nimble | Adam Bryant | January 4, 2014
Oct 13, 2015
My Journal - Sabrina Brennan
FIREWALL PURCHASE SPLIT IN HALF
Less than one month after being sworn-in, Commissioner Mattusch inquired about two handwritten checks listed in the Feb. 4, 2015 meeting packet. Harbor District IT and Human Resources Manager Marietta Harris explained that the checks totaling $19,075 were for new “routers” (firewalls).
President Brennan requested follow-up information because the Board had not approved the purchase. On February 10, 2015, Ms. Harris emailed two requisition forms. Palo Alto Networks firewalls and software subscriptions were split on those requisition forms. Acting General Manager Scott Grindy's and Marietta Harris’s signatures were on both.
The forms listed three servers, however, the words "server" were scribbled out and replaced with the handwritten word “firewall.” President Brennan asked why “servers” had originally been typed on the forms. Ms. Harris said it was a typo and that the District had previously purchased servers from the same vendor.
President Brennan requested the firewall invoice and Ms. Harris responded via email, “We paid from the quote because we were all in the office discussing what we needed and in order to get the discount we wanted to act fast.”
A Sept. 2, 2015 report from Interim General Manager Glenn Lazof, indicated that the IT vendor may have been instructed by District management staff to split the project onto two quotes. By splitting the purchase onto two requisition forms management staff avoided the board authorization requirement on purchases above $15,000.
Two weeks after Commissioner Mattusch's question about the $19,075 payment, at the Feb. 18, 2015 meeting Ms. Harris announced her resignation.
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
On March 30, 2015, President Brennan phoned Acting General Manager Grindy and expressed concern about a meeting held while he was away. Ms. Brennan had observed Finance Director Debra Galarza sharing a draft staff report with a vendor. Ms. Brennan was concerned because the vendor had not yet submitted an estimate to the District and the draft included a $47,000 purchase request.
Ms. Brennan asked Mr. Grindy if he thought tempting a service provider with an inflated budget number in advance of receiving an estimate was prudent. Mr. Gindy said, “It’s not unusual.”
On May 11, 2015, President Brennan followed up with an email to District Counsel Steven Miller, Interim General Manager Glenn Lazof, and Commissioner Tom Mattusch. The email stated:
On Monday, March 23, 2015, Debra Galarza emailed me and requested a meeting at the 504 Avenue Alhambra building in El Granada. She needed access to the new office space so she could meet with The Well Connected Office (IT vendor) while they performed a site visit in advance of providing the District with an estimate. At the time Debra was acting as General Manager while Scott was away at the Port Captains Conference.
I emailed Randy Kinghorn (the District’s realtor) and asked him to open the building. Randy, Steve Almes, Steve’s employee, Debra and I met at the District’s new headquarters. Steve and his employee checked phone jacks and server rooms, Randy and I looked at the public meeting room related to a new wall that would be installed by the building owner as part of the lease agreement.
Randy left and I waited in the conference room for Steve and Debra to finish. I was writing email on my cell phone when they joined me. Steve and his employee discussed some of the IT possibilities, overall Steve said the building would not require much work because it was set up well from an IT perspective.
Debra handed Steve a draft staff report for the upcoming April 1st meeting and asked Steve if everything looked okay. I asked if I could take a look at the draft. I noticed that $47,000 was recommended for IT services related to moving the District’s headquarters from South San Francisco to El Granada.
THE TAIL OF THE MISSING HARBOR SERVERS
At the April 1, 2015, Board meeting, President Brennan opposed a recommendation by commissioner David to hire the Well Connected Office for IT-related moving costs. A few days later Ms. Brennan learned that the District was not in possession of servers purchased in 2012 from The Well Connected Office.
Ms. Brennan alerted Counsel about the missing servers.
On April 5, 2015, Steve Almes, owner of The Well Connected Office, informed Mr. Grindy that he no longer wished to work for the District.
By reviewing past agendas and board packets, Ms. Brennan was able to confirm that on May 16, 2012, the Board approved spending up to $40,000 on IT equipment. A member of the public, John Ullom, confirmed via PRA request that on May 31, 2012 the District paid the IT contractor $34,689.31 for servers (check #040875).
On May 18, 2015, Deputy Secretary Debbie Nixon provided a formal response letter to PRA requests President Brennan made in March and April 2015. The letter stated, “Yes, the equipment was delivered to the District. We assume the equipment was installed.” The letter was incorrect. The custom servers were never actually built or delivered.
The next day, May 19th, Interim General Manager Lazof sent a memo to District staff stating, “Effective immediately I am directing all staff and contractors to cease any professional contact with Commissioner Brennan, other than at Public Meetings, or as explicitly approved by me or an authorized designee.” On the same day Mr. Lazof also sent a memo to the board accusing President Brennan of harassing him during a phone conversation. Ms. Brennan stated that Mr. Lazof’s untrue and retaliatory allegations were intended to tarnish her credibility.
SHOOT THE MESSENGER
On May 26, 2015, Commissioner Bernardo appeared incensed by the suggestion that management staff might have paid for equipment that was never delivered. He was the Board Treasurer in 2012 and it was his job to review and approve bills in advance of payment.
Commissioner Bernardo said that Ms. Brennan should be removed as Board President because she made past “false allegations” against the District’s IT consultant. Commissioner Bernardo also said, “There is no fraud, there is no theft, no criminality whatsoever.” And he went one step further to suggest that President Brennan’s concerns could have resulted in a lawsuit against the District.
TWO REFUNDS
On August 8, 2015, the Harbor District received a long overdue $34,689.31 refund for servers that were paid for in 2012 but never delivered.
At the Sept. 2, 2015 Harbor District meeting, Marcia Schnapp, the Interim Administrative Manager confirmed that the District had received a refund for the firewalls ($19,075) less a 7% restocking fee. During the meeting Commissioner Brennan requested a copy of the refund check to verify the amount.
To-date the total refund for the firewalls and servers is $52,158.26.
The Sept. 2, 2015 staff report (Item 14) disclosed that IT vendor Steve Almes said that Marietta Harris told him to issue invoices for equipment he had not delivered. During the meeting Interim General Manager Lazof said that staff had not been following the District’s purchasing policies and he detailed a number of accounting errors that were still being resolved. He said that multiple estimates should be requested for equipment and that consultants should be prohibited from purchasing equipment on behalf of the District except in an emergency.
CONCLUSION
At the September 4, 2014 Board meeting, the District’s General Manager Peter Grenell announced his retirement. Grenell's last day was Dec. 31, 2014. He managed the district for 17 and a 1/2 years.
At the February 18, 2015 Board meeting, the District’s IT and Human Resources Manager Marietta Harris announced her resignation.
On July 1, 2015, the District adopted Resolution 27-12 to approve an agreement with a new IT vendor.
On August 19, 2015, the District’s Interim General Manager Glenn Lazof sent a formal letter to a member of the public, John Ullom, acknowledging his role in recovering a refund for IT equipment that was never delivered to the District.
On September 4, 2015, the District’s Finance Director Debra Galarza resigned. A contractor is currently filling in as finance director.
On September 25, 2015, the District's Deputy Secretary Debbie Nixon resigned. A temporary employee was trained to cover the position and is filling in.
At the October 7, 2015 Board meeting, the Board approved an employment agreement to hire new General Manager Steven McGrath.
On October 7, 2015, Commissioner Nicole David announced her resignation, citing “health concerns” as the reason for resigning nine months into a four-year term.
On October 9, 2015, Harbormaster Scott Grindy submitted a letter of resignation. His last day will be Oct. 23, 2015.
MAY 7, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Esther Hahn
Surf league eyes Mavericks permit: Questions surface about its current availability
Los Angeles-based Cartel Management bought the contest rights from Mavericks Invitational in June 2014. Contrasting reports have since surfaced in regard to how many more years remain from the inherited contract in terms of the necessary permit from the San Mateo Harbor District.
May 7, 2015
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Brennan said she was concerned that Cartel was seeking to keep media and other photographers from shooting during the event. She wants organizers to work proactively with local businesses and support charter boat access — a big money maker during the event.
May 6, 2015
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
On Monday night, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved to appoint Glenn Lazof as its interim general manager and allow the current placeholder, Scott Grindy, to return to his charge as harbormaster.
Lazof’s resume includes time with the Regional Government Services Authority, a state joint powers authority that helps cities, special districts and counties find qualified staff, said Sabrina Brennan, president of the Board of Commissioners.
He has also served in financial and managerial positions for various cities and special districts including as assistant chief fiscal officer for the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services, Brennan said.
Plus, Lazof lives on a boat so he understands the intricacies of what the district’s stakeholders need and the unique challenges of maintain harbor infrastructure, Brennan said.
According to Lazof, he has 26 years of experience working for government, recently served as an interim city finance director and has experience in fee studies, debt financing, grant management as well as financial reporting.
“I am very much looking forward to working with harbor commissioners in pursuing their goals for the district and contributing to the ongoing efforts of district staff,” Lazof wrote in an email.
SEARCH CONTINUES FOR PERMANENT GM:
“I know everybody’s in a big rush to see us make positive change and believe me there’s nobody that likes a faster turnaround than I do,” Brennan said. “But it is a process and it’s important to not rush it. Because we want to make sure we have the right people on board. It’s a key position and we need to do it thoughtfully.”
April 22, 2015
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Rocky search for San Mateo County Harbor District general manager
“Clearly, if you’re going to go there, you are definitely a person who’s up for a challenge and my guess would be your intentions would be that you really are passionate about a tremendous opportunity to fix something that needs fixing,” Brennan said. “So do those people exist? Yes.”
April 17, 2015
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
"I think the board made a positive decision."
April 16, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Harbor District moving back to coast
On Wednesday, the Harbor Commission voted unanimously to move administrative staff into leased space on the second floor of the building at 504 Avenue Alhambra. The move is expected to be complete by June 1.
April 14, 2015
SFGate - Peter Fimrite
Sardine population collapses, prompting ban on commercial fishing
The Pacific Fishery Management Council agreed to close the fishery from Mexico to the Canadian border starting July 1, when the 2015 season begins, after federal scientists documented a 91 percent decline in sardine numbers along the West Coast since 2007.
April 9, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Harbor district airs computer failure
After an hour and a half of discussion, some of it highly technical, the commission returned the matter to staff. It asked for a third-party survey of district computer equipment and networking needs as well as a separate request for proposals to conduct work related to the move.
March 28, 2015
Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Hollywood meets Half Moon Bay in contentious year at Mavericks
Breaking with tradition, Cartel plans to bar news photographers from shooting the contest. The firm will distribute its own photos after the competition.
March 19, 2015
The Examiner - Brendan P. Bartholomew
Strange craft at Pillar Point used to photograph underwater ship wreckage
Harbor Commission President Sabrina Brennan noted that a lot of the curious onlookers who enjoyed Echo Ranger’s visit were seafood aficionados who came to Pillar Point to buy fresh fish directly from local fishermen.
“We’re thrilled to have NOAA and Boeing at Pillar Point Harbor,” Brennan said, “It’s been real fun for visitors to come see the sub and get their questions answered.”
March 18, 2015
CDFW Marine Management News - Marnin Robbins
New Kiosk at Pillar Point Harbor Provides Fishing Regulations, Information
Checkout the new informational kiosk adjacent to the boat launch at Pillar Point Harbor. The kiosk provides educational info about marine protected areas and fishing regulations.
March 18, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Cost of incomplete erosion study surpasses $1M
This week, Army Corps officials reported they have spent more than $1 million so far on the erosion analysis, albeit with little to show the public as a result.
March 12, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor District hits snag with new manager: Board votes to remove divisive fishing hoist
Since the retirement of longtime General Manager Peter Grenell late last year, the position has been temporarily filled by former Harbormaster Scott Grindy. However, in recent weeks, Grindy has made clear that he didn't want the job and preferred to return to his old position.
March 5, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Yellow submarine dives off of Coastside
“We want to do a highly focused survey and that means a lot of methodical flying over the target,” said James Delgado, NOAA Maritime Heritage director. “This mission is all about testing technology for heritage resources.”
March 2, 2015
Daily Journal - Bill Silverfarb
Harbor District preps for oversight board review
The agency is currently searching for a new executive to lead the district but it’s quite likely the new general manager will not be in place until after the LAFCo review is completed, Brennan said
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor District faces staffing challenge: 2 open positions in administration
Commissioner David said, “We’re trying to make this process as open and transparent as we can.”
February 19, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Mavericks’ Cartel faces surf community backlash
After Cartel Management took over the Mavericks organization last year, Body Glove attorneys say what took place was an “indefensible, wholesale breach of the agreement.” Cartel representatives sidelined Body Glove as they scouted out more sponsors, and the company no longer had placement on the contest website or other media, attorneys say.
Meanwhile, Cartel founder Griffin Guess was quoted in the lawsuit as saying he wanted to recruit “Fortune 500” companies, “more Apple, less NorCal surf shop.”
Body Glove attorney Yuval Rogson is seeking an undisclosed sum from the suit.
“Body Glove continues to support surfing and we want to be a part of this,” he said. “But we can’t do blackmail. We expect people to honor their agreements.”
February 16, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board dumps trash skimmer: Commissioners wary of poor study result
Harbor commissioners were intrigued but not sold on the device. Harbor Commissioner Nicole David described a 2012 pilot study at the Port of Long Beach of the same device. The study had few kind things to say about the skimmer, noting that it repeatedly malfunctioned and required repairs. During the one-year trial phase, the trash skimmer broke free of its moorings twice, and Long Beach officials decided to terminate the study early when it became clear it would cost $4,500 a year to maintain.
“My gut feeling is that this is a little too new,” David said. “We could probably buy something more foolproof, but this could cause more problems than it would solve.”
January 29, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
New harbor board inherits overdue review: LAFCo to study effectiveness of district
The county Local Agency Formation Commission voted 6-1 last week to begin an overdue service review of the Harbor District’s facilities and financials.
JANUARY 22, 2015
Daily Journal - Bill Silverfarb
The county commission governing special districts voted 6-1 Wednesday to hire an outside agency to conduct a “municipal service review” despite pleas from many on the coast and Sabrina Brennan, the president of the Harbor District Board of Commissioners, to delay it.
JANUARY 14, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
No big festival, but Mavericks parties on: Contest hopes to partner with local businesses
“We’ll have a set of official viewing parties for people coming out,” said Cassandra Clark, one of the Mavericks organizers. “This way we can spread the crowd around and allow people to have a great viewing experience.”
JANUARY 12, 2015
Half Moon Bay Patch - Robert Riechel
Half Moon Bay CA: Nicole David Joins Harbor District
Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Harbor Commissioner Nicole David at the HMBYC
JANUARY 8, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Julia Reis
Research dives into ocean bacteria: Stanford scientists test beach safety forecasting system
SMC Environmental Health Services Director Heather Forshey said that the county does not keep the archival data needed for creating a predictive modeling system.
“Before we could make decisions based on predictive modeling, we would have to begin tracking additional data it does require,” she said. “Our approach is currently the best approach for our beaches.”
JANUARY 7, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
New harbor board signals change coming: David, Mattusch sworn in, call for special meeting
“With your investment in this campaign, we’re finally here!” Nicole David said on Monday to a round of applause. “We look forward to proving ourselves on the dais,” Tom Mattusch said
DECEMBER 31, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Political issues dominate editorials in 2014
The San Mateo County Harbor District has been the most dysfunctional agency operating on the coast over the last year. There is hope that newly elected Commissioners Nicole David and Tom Mattusch will be able to address its many problems in 2015.
December 29, 2014
Daily Journal
Awarded for environmental leadership
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Nicole David, left, stands with Céline Maublanc Gerakin, the winner of the 2014 Coastside Environmental Leader award. Gerakin earned the award for her tremendous hands on effort organizing volunteers to clean up county beaches and creeks. David presented the award, a bucket and gloves, to Gerakin at a packed event held at Hop Dogma Brewing Company in El Granada Dec. 17.
DECEMBER 23, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Erosion fears increase on Mirada: Mirarmar road damaged by storm
Mirada Road resident Michael Powers noticed earlier this week that the erosion had undermined the road and compromised a ramp leading down to the beach. “It’s definitely in jeopardy,” he said. “The road’s going to go unless it’s rip-rapped soon. Once they can’t get a fire truck in here, they could condemn the properties.”
Most experts attribute the Surfer’s Beach erosion to a flaw in the design of the Pillar Point Harbor breakwater that ends up magnifying ocean currents hitting the shoreline to the south.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Coastside Fire wins bid for 2.5-acre lot: Harbor District approves sale of El Granada property
About 10 people spoke out at the Harbor District board meeting with hopes the Granada district would win the bid and construct the unincorporated town’s first community center, said Tom Mattusch, who will be sworn on to the Harbor District board after winning Commissioner Will Holsinger’s seat in November.
“I’m just hoping the fire district can make something that additionally brings satisfaction to the community,” Mattusch said. “There’s just been so much of an outcry and so many people speaking up for a community center.”
Mattusch said one might question if the outcome would have been different had the sale waited a month.
“The lot was [donated] in 1953 and what difference would it have made if we waited a few weeks. The one thing I would have liked to see from all parties was how they … were going to work with the community to bring something that’s directly needed in El Granada. We’re unincorporated out there and a lot of people wanted a community center for people to have classes. There’s so much going on, there’s just no place to put on some of these public activities,” Mattusch said.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Fire district emerges as pick for post-office lot
In a final act of the current governing board, the San Mateo County Harbor Commission voted on Wednesday night to sell a centerpiece El Granada property to the Coastside Fire Protection District for use as a future fire station. The board voted 3-2 in closed session to finalize sale of the 2.5-acre property known as the post office lot at a price of $845,000.
The sale to the fire district went against the wishes of a large gathering of Midcoast residents at the Wednesday meeting. A series of speakers urged harbor commissioners to instead sell the property to the Granada Community Services District for a future community center.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Three bids for Harbor District’s post office lot
Mattusch said the Harbor District should consider what potential sellers would do with the property and questions why the decision can’t wait until he, newcomer Nicole David and re-elected Commissioner Robert Bernardo are sworn in Jan. 5.
NOVEMBER 28, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
No decision on post office lot
The GCSD bid was not considered by harbor officials last week because the bid was submitted late, less than 72 hours in advance of the meeting, said GCSD board President Matthew Clark. He blamed the delay on waiting for more information on the land. He expected the fire and harbor districts to share their appraisals of the property, but that never happened, he said.
“We didn’t make the bid 72 hours ahead of time, so they couldn’t issue a new agenda,” he said. “We were a bit disappointed by the lack of cooperation.”
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Coastal Commission visits, action was behind the scenes
More local news happened behind the scenes at the Coastal Commission this month. The agency was prepared to grant a permit waiver for a fishing hoist and other gear that was installed earlier this year at the end of the Johnson Pier at Pillar Point Harbor. The fishing equipment was put in by Three Captains, a fishing concern that uses the pier, but it immediately drew a backlash among competitors on the docks.
Critics complained that the hoist was installed without public input or a review of how it would impact the docks, particularly during hectic times like the start of squid or crab season. They also pointed out that the project was approved without a Coastal Development Permit.
Coastal Commission staff was prepared last month to grant a permit waiver for the hoist, based on findings that it would have minimal impact. But soon afterward, commission staff received a large number of complaints that led to a reconsideration.
The Coastal Commission staff is currently reviewing its options, but staff members are considering bringing the hoist forward for a future meeting.
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board to decide fate of central lot: 3 bids expected for El Granada property
Today, the Harbor District is asking for $850,000 for the lot.
Realtor Jan Gray, who represents the Harbor District, explained that she had no idea why Global Quality Foods would be interested in the property. She tried to give the company a forewarning that there was a political undercurrent in the land deal.
“I’ve done the best I can to keep them apprised of the volatility of the community opinion and the opposition they may face if they do anything besides building a fire station or community center there,” she said.
Yet Global Quality Foods was undeterred. The company indicated it could pay for the land in cash without the need for loans. The company later sent proof of funds, Gray said.
“Cash is cash, and they’ve proven they have the cash,” Gray said.
NOVEMBER 19, 2014
Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Bernardo wins San Mateo County Harbor District seat, despite concession
Bernardo squeaked by fellow Commissioner Jim Tucker by 292 votes in the final, semiofficial tally of the San Mateo County Elections Office.
Bernardo trailed Tucker by several hundred votes the night of the election. He conceded defeat that week, despite there being more than 20,000 ballots yet to be counted, thanking voters for "an amazing four years."
"We gave it our best and we fell short," Bernardo said Nov. 7. "It's very difficult mathematically to overcome something like that."
But the commissioner took the lead over Tucker last week as the updated tallies trickled out. The final count gave him 48,340 votes to Tucker's 48,048. Bernardo's comeback is now complete, though it won't be official until the county certifies the results of the election next month.
Bernardo did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
NOVEMBER 19, 2014
Daily Journal
Vote update shows Bernardo wins re-election to Harbor District board
The final tally has challenger Nicole David with 66,964 votes, or 32.1 percent; Bernardo with 48,340 votes, or 23.2 percent; and Tucker with 48,048 votes, or 23 percent. For the one contested two-year seat, charter boat captain Tom Mattusch ousted appointed incumbent Will Holsinger.
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Latest vote numbers favor Bernardo
A final vote count released on Tuesday afternoon sealed the deal for Bernardo. In the end, he appears to have finished with 48,340 votes or 23.2 percent of the total cast on the peninsula. That is slightly better than fellow incumbent Jim Tucker, who had 48,048 votes or 23 percent of the total.
It was a surprising turnaround from the results reported on Nov. 4, election night, when Bernardo was trailing Tucker by about 500 votes. However, an ongoing tally of provisional votes being counted after the election closed the gap. A Nov. 12 update delivered the big surprise, showing him ahead of Tucker by more than 200 votes. That lead continued to widen in the following updates.
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“Opening weekend was a lot of people, a lot of boats, a lot of crab and everyone seemed happy with a smile on their faces, so that was nice,” said Jim Anderson, a commercial salmon and crab fisherman and captain of the F/V Allaine.
The seasonal harvest coincides with the holidays and makes an extremely popular meal, Anderson said.
“It’s a really nice product and it’s really fun, one of the reasons I like it is because it’s really messy. … You can’t eat it fast, so it’s a wonderful social meal because everybody’s picking and chewing and talking and having fun making a mess,” Anderson said. “It’s kind of a let your hair down and have some fun kind of meal.”
NOVEMBER 14, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Approximately 20,500 ballots remain uncounted, however, and the San Mateo County Elections Office anticipates the majority to be settled by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Elections Manager David Tom said. The absolute final numbers will be released 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18.
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
SF Chronicle - Evan Sernoffsky
Ditched sailboat at Oyster Point has become a rotting eyesore
Finding the government body responsible for removing boats abandoned in San Francisco can turn into a bureaucratic nightmare.
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Commission reviews censure over leaks
Brennan disagreed, saying her understanding of the Brown Act meant she was obligated to raise concerns about any closed-door talks that didn’t adhere to what was outlined on the agenda.
“How else would the Brown Act be enforced if you can’t report when a violation happens?” she said. “I think there were two Brown Act violations, and I think it’s my duty for people to know that.”
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
San Mateo County voters toss out some incumbents, enlivening sleepy midterm
There will be two new faces on the board of the county harbor district...Challengers Nicole David, a marine biologist, and Tom Mattusch, who operates a sport-fishing charter boat, were the top vote-getters.
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
Montara Fog - Darin Boville
Voters call for change. Will they get it?
The Harbor District election outcome is a huge victory for Sabrina Brennan, who wasn’t even on the ballot. When she won her seat on the board of the Harbor District in 2012 with a record number of votes she interrupted the most secretive “Old Boys Club” on the coast where board members paid themselves cash and benefits each month in an amount larger than other Coastside officials received all year. A lot more. And that was just the beginning of a string of revelations that were by turns stunning, hilarious, and pathetic. Tens of thousands of uncashed checks, aggressive behavior by board members to any challenge, harassment allegations and investigations, a harbor manager who secretly ran a bank out of his office. It goes on and on.
All of which leads directly to tonight’s vote with two of Brennan’s allies, Nicole David and Tom Mattusch, winning by substantial margins.
nOVEMBER 5, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Big change for Harbor District: David and Mattusch oust incumbents, Tucker re-elected
“I think we really have a chance to turn the direction around for the Harbor District and make it work as a service for the public again,” Nicole David said.
“I absolutely believe this is a total repudiation about how the Harbor District has operated for quite some time and people are looking for change and that’s why they brought fresh faces in,” Tom Mattusch said.
OCTOBER 30, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
County shares ideas to shield Surfer's Beach
The amount of land that erodes along Surfer’s Beach varies year to year, making it difficult to predict how long it would be until the highway is compromised. Historically, that section of beach has lost about a meter of land year on average, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. On Wednesday, county planner James Hinkamp estimated it would take about five to six years before the highway was impacted.
OCTOBER 26, 2014
Mercury News - Sunday, Local News section - Mike McHenry
Commercial Fisherman Mike McHenry's full page letter to voters
A thorough executive search for a highly qualified General Manager has the potential to fix the Harbor District’s management problems.
October 16, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Review Editorial Board
Vote for Nicole David and Tom Mattusch in Harbor District
David is a standout candidate and very deserving of your support. She is a Half Moon Bay resident who moved here 16 years ago from Berlin to follow her passion for marine biology. She now works for the San Francisco Estuary Institute. She has attended meetings for a while now and offered her services previously when the commission was looking to appoint a member.
David, a soft-spoken champion of the environment, agrees with the findings of the highly critical grand jury report, but not necessarily with its recommendations. She doesn’t believe the district should be disbanded. Rather, she thinks Pillar Point and Oyster Point harbors deserve a champion. She pledges to work toward more educational opportunities at the harbors and to end a benefits package for commissioners that is unlike any other on the Peninsula.
No one knows more about affairs of Pillar Point than Mattusch. He has worked charter boats at the harbor for more than two decades and is attuned to the rhythms of the fishing community as well as the businesses necessary to serve tourists.
Mattusch has experience in harbors all across the state. He would encourage more retail at Pillar Point and consider new practices such as aquaculture. He supports dredging in the harbor to maintain a navigable waterway.
It’s worth noting that Mattusch’s ideas for the harbor aren’t purely theoretical. His own charter business provides fishing trips, shark tours and whale-watching and is proof of the business acumen he gained by earning an MBA in management and marketing.
October 15, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor district appoints new general manager
On Wednesday, Jim Tucker proposed that Scott Grindy be kept at the same salary on an interim basis for the next six months. After that point he could be reappointed, or hired permanently, he said.
He also suggested that Grindy's two assistant harbormasters should be promoted to be full harbormasters, one for each of the district's ports. The district's counsel, Steve Miller, raised concerns that this action would first need to be formally included in a meeting agenda. That action could be taken up at a future meeting.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan raised several concerns about the appointment. At a harbor commission meeting earlier this month, she made a motion to have the district hire an executive search firm to find candidates for the job. Other commissioners clearly did not favor that approach - her motion died without a second.
On Wednesday, she blasted her colleagues for violating the Brown Act by having improper deliberations on salaries and labor in the closed session that evening.
The commission approved Grindy for the job in a 4-1 vote with Brennan dissenting.
October 9, 2014
Daily Journal - Editorial
Tom Mattusch for Harbor District two-year seat
Tom Mattusch represents a stakeholder group, fishermen, who desperately need a seat at the table. The district is also desperately seeking a direction, and can only move forward positively if each and every group feels represented. Regardless of the personality politics, there should always be a balance on a board with representation from key constituencies and an emphasis on working together. Mattusch, the owner of the Huli Cat, a sport fishing charter boat, has been at the Pillar Point Harbor for 20 years and knows first hand the needs of others both in the industry and those they serve. He also knows the requirement of focus. Both hands need to be on the steering wheel during a storm and he will bring that needed perspective to the board. At times, the district has gotten ahead of itself with plans and studies over the horizon without seeing the need to focus on the task at hand. Mattusch promises to bring a new perspective to the board forged with years in the industry and the need to get things done well and quickly.
Mattusch could be seen as an opposition candidate because of his qualms with the district and its Board of Commissioners, he also has a practical sense of its purpose and the good it can do in the right hands.
The district is experiencing a sea change, and it just makes sense to have someone with experience in a key industry and as a businessman who must adapt to ever-changing situations both on land and at sea. Tom Mattusch is the best bet for this seat on the Harbor District Board of Commissioners.
October 9, 2014
The Almanac - Laura Stec
One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish…More?
Have you ever bought fish off Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay? I wanted to learn more about it after hearing marine biologist Nicole David discuss how to improve the process. David is on the ballot for Harbor Commissioner, Nov 4th.
Established in 1933, the Harbor District of San Mateo County operates two facilities, Pillar Point Harbor at Half Moon Bay in Princeton, and Oyster Point Marina/Park in the City of South San Francisco. Pillar Point is a 369 berth working fishing harbor; Oyster Point is a 600 berth recreational boating marina. The District is governed by a five member Board of Harbor Commissioners, who are elected county-wide for staggered four-year terms.
I knew we could buy off the docks, but not much else, including that San Mateo county property taxes fund half of the $10 million used to run both harbors, and the District seems to not handle our money very well, running a chronic budget deficit. It's time to start paying more attention I guess.
"I'm committed to a fiscally well managed harbor, and want to take better care of this amazing local resource," says David. "There are so many health advantages to buying fish straight from the ocean. Since it's not farmed, there are no antibiotics or artificial colorings added to the flesh."
David says 90% of the seafood eaten in the US is imported, and that we ship most of what U.S. fisherman catch to other countries. "There is a big disconnect. Let's build the local market. Pillar Point fisherman pay the highest fees for offloading fish on the west coast, causing boats to go to San Francisco or Monterey. San Mateo County is losing revenue and a terrific local business."
John Draper, Assistant Harbormaster at Pillar Point says depending on the season and where the fish are, 50-200 commercial vessels operate out of the harbor, and on average, fish are caught 1-20 miles off the coast.
"Sales continue to grow," says Draper. "On the day they sell, fisherman mark the harbor notice board with name and location of their vessel, and what fish they have, then we update the Fish Phone. For the most up to date info, call that number or check the new Fish App."
No better time to head out to the coast than right now. The weather has been primo, everyone is decorated for Halloween, the waves have been great, and the water is the warmest all year. You don't even need a wetsuit (Half Moon Bay water has been around 66.7° for the last two weeks.) So pick up your pumpkins, hit the beach just past Sam's Chowder house, then drive a ½ mile to Pillar Point and pick up your fish. Consider Happy Hour then at Old Princeton Landing - the sun comes right onto the outside eating area this time of year!
You have to buy a whole fish off the boats, but you can't beat the price. So on pick up day, plan to host a big Food Party! (don't forget to invite me), or just freeze what you don't eat. Two weeks ago a gutted 13# salmon sold for $10.99 a pound (compared to Whole Foods wild caught for $21). After you buy, walk a few feet to Princeton Seafood Company and pay just $6 to get your delicious fishy sliced into steaks or filets.
October 7, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Three set sights on two-year Harbor Commission term
“If you want to support the commercial fishermen, you’ve got to bring them into the conversation." —Tom Mattusch
October 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Savannah Shaughnessy and Sarah Gerhardt are making Mavericks’ history as the first two women to officially be considered for the contest; both are rightfully qualified.
Gerhardt is known as the first woman to surf Mavericks and Shaughnessy served as a judge for last season’s competition and has been venturing Mavericks since she was 16.
Shaughnessy, a 25-year-old Santa Cruz County native, was also honored at the 2012 Mavericks Invitational closing ceremony for her rides at the formidable break. Now in her seventh season dedicatedly surfing at Mavericks, Shaughnessy said her most memorable experience was when she paddled out shortly after the 2010 invitational. It was one of the event’s largest surf days during which a rogue wave wiped out spectators and led to the beach and bluffs now being closed off during the competition.
“It’s always been a hope of mine to be involved in the event in any way I can, because I’ve always been a big fan,” Shaughnessy said. “I was really excited (when I made this season’s list.) It just feels good to be included and be a part of it.”
Guess said he too was thrilled to see Shaughnessy and Gerhardt named and has envisioned an event that could one day include women.
While brainstorming how to reinvent the Mavericks surf competition where the athletes reign supreme, Guess said he started to draw from Greek mythology, the superheroes and romance. Guess said he decided Titans was an honorable and suitable descriptors for those who surf the winter swells at Mavericks.
And, he noted, several of legendary Titans were women.
“It’s kind of cool to have the sisters come in there and be part of it. It was to my surprise as well, cause I’m never in the room when [the committee] votes,” Guess said. “I was extremely, super, super, pleasantly surprised and excited to see that Sarah and Savannah were there, who obviously deserve to be in that first list.”
But, the ultimate cut is in the hands of the new committee of five, Guess said.
October 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Hannah Albarazi
Fishermen come out against water bond
Bay Area fishermen are expressing their strong opposition to a $7.5 billion state water bond to be voted on in November that may result in the construction of new dams which could decrease Bay Area fisheries.
California environmentalists are divided in their support of the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, known as Proposition 1.
Proponents, such as environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, say the water bond will push forward many positive water conservation efforts and improve the state’s water infrastructure.
The act, if passed, will bolster watershed restoration and groundwater cleanup across the state, but critics of the legislation say that while those efforts are desperately needed, the act will also pave the way for reservoir and dam construction.
Critics say that the bond is not the answer to California’s water crisis and does more damage than good.
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Restore the Delta based in Stockton, said the proposition puts the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta at risk while doing nothing to address the problems associated with the current drought.
Zeke Grader Jr., the executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association stood with other fishermen at Pier 45 in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf Friday and expressed his disapproval of the proposition, saying it will help the state’s agriculture industry while diminishing its fishing industry.
Grader said that as an environmentalist, he thinks the proposition endorses major water conservation efforts that California needs in the third year of a drought, but what Grader doesn’t approve of is the $2.7 billion that the act earmarks for water storage.
The fishermen who gathered at the pier Friday worry that the act would boost reservoir and dam construction that would hinder fish passage and harm the estuary that accommodates salmon, herring, crab and other critters.
Grader said that Proposition 1 is playing off the panic generated around the drought.
Otherwise, he said, a proposition like this “would not pass muster” with voters, especially environmentalists.
Grader said if the proposition passes, he would be trying his “damnedest” to stop any dam construction.
He also said the state needs to place a greater emphasis on creating groundwater storage as opposed to surface water storage.
Surface water storage leads to a lot of evaporation and interferes with fisheries, Grader said.
Meanwhile, Sacramento-based organization California Farm Bureau Federation, which represents about 55,000 farmers as well as others in the agriculture industry, is supporting Proposition 1.
The federation’s president, Paul Wenger, said today that the state needs to invest in its water infrastructure.
He agreed with the fishermen who say groundwater storage is a good solution to water storage. He said the state, including its farmers, are overdrafting groundwater and that aquifers need to be replenished as they are depleted.
Wenger said that the $2.7 billion that will go toward water projects will be determined by the “public benefit,” meaning that in theory, the water projects that best benefit the public will be prioritized and accommodated.
But both Wenger and Grader said they’re not so sure how that “public benefit” gets determined, and worry that the group who makes the greatest noise or has the most money will win the approval of the state.
Environmentalists and industry proponents alike, agree that whether its through desalination efforts, refilled aquifers, or other water storage efforts, the impacts of both climate change as well as California’s increased human population, require all parties to work together to find compromises that can preserve California’s natural resources.
September 25, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Editorial by Clay Lambert
Harbor candidates choose campaigning over duties of office
The San Mateo County Harbor Commission scheduled a meeting on Sept. 17, but three members — all currently candidates for re-election — had other priorities. Consequently, there was no quorum. Voters learned more about candidate priorities from their absence than they ever would have from their presence at the meeting that night.
Jim Tucker was attending services for a friend who died and says he told staff he couldn’t make it. That is certainly understandable.
Instead of attending the commission meeting on the evening of Sept. 17, Robert Bernardo was at the Oyster Point Yacht Club for a gathering that was ostensibly meant to “celebrate the anniversary of the McAteer-Petris Act,” credited with stopping the fill of the San Francisco Bay. The announcement of the event praises Bernardo at least as much as any worthwhile legislation and, whatever the intent, Bernardo acknowledges that he used it to raise money for his own campaign.
When questioned later, he said he had hoped to make both the meeting and the fundraiser, and he acknowledged that attending to the fundraiser — instead of the office he hopes to win with that money — was not his finest decision.
“I was trying to do too many things,” he said.
Will Holsinger said that personal commitments “took me out of the county that day.” That’s strange because he appears in a photo taken that night and posted on Daly City Councilman Ray Buenaventura’s Twitter account. In the photo, Holsinger seems to be having a whale of a time, yucking it up at Buenaventura’s campaign kickoff event instead of attending the Harbor Commission meeting.
Just down the street at the Municipal Services Building in South San Francisco, the commission was to have discussed the soon-to-be-vacant general manager’s position behind closed doors. Staff was prepared to present a special rate for visiting boaters at Oyster Point Marina. Ironically, the commission was going to discuss canceling meetings in December and January.
Forget duty, it would seem to be common courtesy for commissioners with other priorities to tell colleagues Pietro Parravano and Sabrina Brennan they needn’t make the trip from the coast to South San Francisco. Fortunately or unfortunately, you needn’t worry about the district’s contracted attorney, Steven Miller. He plans to submit an invoice for his time, compounding the waste of tax dollars that night. (Reached on Thursday, Miller declined to say how much he would bill the district.)
What are voters to make of candidates who value the money used to attain office more than the duties of the office itself? What is the message from sitting elected officials who don’t bother telling their colleagues, let alone the public, when they have other commitments on meeting nights? What are they saying when they rack up campaign dollars even as they waste yours on staff and consultants called to meetings that don’t take place?
You will decide in November.
September 18, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor candidates spar over district’s future–Crowded field split over financial questions
The stage was set with a particularly momentous backdrop for the evening. Weeks earlier, a civil grand jury report blasted the district in unbridled language for allegedly operating in a state of dysfunction. The grand jury proposed dissolving the district.
That was perhaps the only issue that all candidates could agree on. All of them opposed dismantling the Harbor District. The two incumbents, Holsinger and Tucker, dismissed the grand jury report as inaccurate and flawed. That view was shared by two of their challengers, Rogers and Collins. The other challengers agreed with the report’s findings, if not the recommendations, and they said it signaled that a change of leadership was needed for the agency.
“Handing off the district to the county Board of Supervisors is not going to solve our problems,” Nicole David said. “We need leaders who are enthusiastic and carefully attend to the needs of the taxpayers.”
A disagreement erupted over the district’s environmental stewardship. Will Holsinger touted the district receiving a “Clean Marina” certification, yet others pointed out the district was also listed among the filthiest spots on the coastline. Nicole David pointed out Pillar Point was on a statewide list of fecal pollution hot spots since 2002.
Mattusch took aim at the sitting commissioners for presenting a rosy financial picture while holding back on hiring needed staff and doing infrastructure maintenance. He brought up the Pillar Point Harbor’s dilapidated Romeo Pier as an example of the district wasting money and not following through on projects.
“We don’t have management taking us in a direction to correct the problems,” he said. “What scares me most is that the Harbor District has a history of commissioning a study to see what we'll do, and the district is full of studies that have never been acted on.”
All candidates were effusive in praising the harbor’s commercial fishermen, and more than one described the fleet as the “lifeblood of the district.”
September 9, 2014
Daily Journal - Michelle Durand
LAFCo meets 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City.
September 5, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Grenell’s announcement came just weeks after his employment contract was extended another two years and two months before a pivotal election which has three incumbents running against six challengers.
Commissioners Jim Tucker and Will Holsinger said they believe Grenell’s retirement likely coincides with some of his and the district’s legal matters being cleared.
Within the past few years, Grenell has worked amidst a civil grand jury investigation into the district, allegations of harassment and the California Fair Political Practices Commission’s investigation into the California Maritime Infrastructure Bank and Authority, of which he is president.
“I knew Peter was of retirement age and eligible for retirement, so there’s been some question as to how much longer he would serve,” Holsinger said. “I think having those complaints filed possibly delayed his decision to retire. … I think the contract extension perhaps subtlety, without us knowing, was his was of saying he’s going to fight this thing until it’s done.”
Tucker and Holsinger said Grenell has been cleared of any impropriety, however, the District Attorney’s Office recently received a complaint regarding the bank and is making inquiries.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan filed a harassment complaint against Grenell and expressed concerns about district resources being used for the infrastructure bank. Brennan, Tucker and Parravano each said they were interviewed by an investigator with the District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant District Attorney Al Serrato said a letter was sent to the district’s counsel soliciting information regarding the bank. Serrato said the District Attorney’s Office is making preliminary inquiries and has not committed to or ruled out a formal investigation.
Holsinger and Tucker said they are encouraged it won’t turn into a formal investigation and clouding Grenell’s reputation is unwarranted.
“I think it’s taken an emotional toll to be accused and threatened and challenged the way that he has. Sabrina Brennan has been … punitive in her dealings with him,” Holsinger said. “But the reality is he’s handled himself professionally throughout.”
Brennan previously stated she was discriminated against by Grenell and often felt uncomfortable visiting the district’s office. Brennan said she couldn’t comment on the district attorney’s investigation but was surprised by Grenell’s announcement as his contract was recently renewed.
Grenell said his disputes with Brennan, the civil grand jury report and other investigation did not influence the timing of his decision.
“I had started thinking about retirement before [Brennan] joined the board and, again, there have been things that I was in the middle of that I wanted to see through,” Grenell said.
September 4, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Grenell, head of criticism-stung harbor district, announces retirement
The grand jury lambasted the harbor district for its financial reporting and budgeting, finding the agency relies too much on property taxes, rather than fees and other revenue sources, to support its operations. The grand jury also chided the district's five-member board for its lack of collegiality -- some members are openly hostile toward Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who is often critical of Grenell and her elected colleagues.
Brennan declined to comment on Grenell's tenure Thursday, instead encouraging voters to oust board members Jim Tucker and Will Holsinger, who in her view have enabled Grenell to lead the district astray.
"I think it's important that new people are elected," she said, "to make sure an excellent new leader is hired for the harbor district."
Tucker, who joined the board one year after Grenell took over in 1997, said Thursday that neither the grand jury report nor Brennan's dissatisfaction have changed his opinion of the long-serving general manager.
"None of this dissuades me from believing he did a great job for the district," said Tucker, "and I'm very pleased and proud to have worked with him."
September 4, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor's Grenell announces pending retirement
Tucker and board President Pietro Parravano both mentioned at the Wednesday meeting that they had recently been interviewed by a district attorney’s investigator. The talks, they said, focused on complaints about the Harbor District’s participation in the California Maritime Infrastructure Bank, an entity for which Grenell served as board president.
September 4, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Op-Ed by Mary Larenas
On the afternoon of Aug. 17, my husband and I noticed a sheen of fuel near the Pillar Point Harbor fuel dock. Upon further inspection we saw several items that concerned us: fuel-soaked rags, an open bucket containing diesel, the absence of a waste container, and what seemed to us as generally poor waste management practices.
The Clean Water Act, which is law, clearly states: “The discharge of fuel, oil, oily waste and hazardous substances is absolutely prohibited. … Failure to notify a known discharge is unlawful.” This is why we asked the San Mateo County Harbor District to provide proper oversight of fuel dock operations.
After Harbor District management declined to address our concerns, we called the U.S. Coast Guard Response Center and accurately reported what we saw. We made it clear that this was not a major fuel spill. We also sent a detailed accounting of our observations, including photographs, to harbor management and each harbor commissioner.
We returned to the fuel dock two days later and happily found no oily sheen on the water, the fuel-soaked rags were gone, and the open container of fuel was replaced by a fresh container. The fuel nozzle was being replaced and workers were inspecting the condition of the metal pump houses.
That same week we both went before the Harbor Commission to request that members provide more oversight of the fuel dock operation. A representative of KN Properties, which operates the fuel dock, also addressed commissioners. He, too, asked for oversight and guidance. He said that without it his only recourse would be to close the fuel dock until he was certain his company was in compliance with the law. The commissioners thanked him and moved on to the next agenda item. There was no response by either the harbor commissioners or Harbormaster Scott Grindy to our request. The next day KN Properties suspended all fuel and ice services indefinitely.
We, as representatives of the San Mateo Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization dedicated to protecting oceans, had met earlier in the month with Grindy to discuss water quality concerns. It was apparent during that discussion that the Harbor District does not consider itself the agency responsible for oversight of the fuel dock. Its dismissive attitude reaffirmed our concerns that no action would be taken.
On Thursday of that week we were glad to learn that the Coast Guard inspected the fuel dock and found it in compliance after it underwent the above-mentioned maintenance. We met with the Coast Guard and talked with the person who took our report. He confirmed that all oily sheens should be reported per the Clean Water Act. Meanwhile, Harbor District management was engaged in damage control by misrepresenting the material facts, making it seem that the information we provided to the Coast Guard was exaggerated.
We believe KN Properties took appropriate action and the end result is positive. The fuel dock operation is now cleaner and likely to stay that way.
Pillar Point Harbor is the only harbor of refuge between San Francisco and Monterey. It services recreational boating and an active commercial fishing fleet year-round. It’s a major tourist attraction that reaches far beyond San Mateo County. It is a gateway to the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, and home to Pillar Point Marsh. These treasures are all given the highest level of environmental protection because of their biological diversity and value to ocean ecosystems. We urge Harbor District management to protect the environment and recreational and commercial interests by providing proper oversight of fuel dock operations.
Mary Larenas is a resident of Moss Beach
August 27, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board denies problems cited in report: Response disagrees with most grand jury findings
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner James Tucker looks on while fellow Commissioner Sabrina Brennan speaks during a Harbor Commission meeting in South San Francisco on Aug. 20.
“Before we could make decisions based on predictive modeling, we would have to begin tracking additional data it does require,” she said. “Our approach is currently the best approach for our beaches.”
JANUARY 7, 2015
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
New harbor board signals change coming: David, Mattusch sworn in, call for special meeting
“With your investment in this campaign, we’re finally here!” Nicole David said on Monday to a round of applause. “We look forward to proving ourselves on the dais,” Tom Mattusch said
DECEMBER 31, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Political issues dominate editorials in 2014
The San Mateo County Harbor District has been the most dysfunctional agency operating on the coast over the last year. There is hope that newly elected Commissioners Nicole David and Tom Mattusch will be able to address its many problems in 2015.
December 29, 2014
Daily Journal
Awarded for environmental leadership
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Nicole David, left, stands with Céline Maublanc Gerakin, the winner of the 2014 Coastside Environmental Leader award. Gerakin earned the award for her tremendous hands on effort organizing volunteers to clean up county beaches and creeks. David presented the award, a bucket and gloves, to Gerakin at a packed event held at Hop Dogma Brewing Company in El Granada Dec. 17.
DECEMBER 23, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Erosion fears increase on Mirada: Mirarmar road damaged by storm
Mirada Road resident Michael Powers noticed earlier this week that the erosion had undermined the road and compromised a ramp leading down to the beach. “It’s definitely in jeopardy,” he said. “The road’s going to go unless it’s rip-rapped soon. Once they can’t get a fire truck in here, they could condemn the properties.”
Most experts attribute the Surfer’s Beach erosion to a flaw in the design of the Pillar Point Harbor breakwater that ends up magnifying ocean currents hitting the shoreline to the south.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Coastside Fire wins bid for 2.5-acre lot: Harbor District approves sale of El Granada property
About 10 people spoke out at the Harbor District board meeting with hopes the Granada district would win the bid and construct the unincorporated town’s first community center, said Tom Mattusch, who will be sworn on to the Harbor District board after winning Commissioner Will Holsinger’s seat in November.
“I’m just hoping the fire district can make something that additionally brings satisfaction to the community,” Mattusch said. “There’s just been so much of an outcry and so many people speaking up for a community center.”
Mattusch said one might question if the outcome would have been different had the sale waited a month.
“The lot was [donated] in 1953 and what difference would it have made if we waited a few weeks. The one thing I would have liked to see from all parties was how they … were going to work with the community to bring something that’s directly needed in El Granada. We’re unincorporated out there and a lot of people wanted a community center for people to have classes. There’s so much going on, there’s just no place to put on some of these public activities,” Mattusch said.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Fire district emerges as pick for post-office lot
In a final act of the current governing board, the San Mateo County Harbor Commission voted on Wednesday night to sell a centerpiece El Granada property to the Coastside Fire Protection District for use as a future fire station. The board voted 3-2 in closed session to finalize sale of the 2.5-acre property known as the post office lot at a price of $845,000.
The sale to the fire district went against the wishes of a large gathering of Midcoast residents at the Wednesday meeting. A series of speakers urged harbor commissioners to instead sell the property to the Granada Community Services District for a future community center.
DECEMBER 3, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Three bids for Harbor District’s post office lot
Mattusch said the Harbor District should consider what potential sellers would do with the property and questions why the decision can’t wait until he, newcomer Nicole David and re-elected Commissioner Robert Bernardo are sworn in Jan. 5.
NOVEMBER 28, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
No decision on post office lot
The GCSD bid was not considered by harbor officials last week because the bid was submitted late, less than 72 hours in advance of the meeting, said GCSD board President Matthew Clark. He blamed the delay on waiting for more information on the land. He expected the fire and harbor districts to share their appraisals of the property, but that never happened, he said.
“We didn’t make the bid 72 hours ahead of time, so they couldn’t issue a new agenda,” he said. “We were a bit disappointed by the lack of cooperation.”
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Coastal Commission visits, action was behind the scenes
More local news happened behind the scenes at the Coastal Commission this month. The agency was prepared to grant a permit waiver for a fishing hoist and other gear that was installed earlier this year at the end of the Johnson Pier at Pillar Point Harbor. The fishing equipment was put in by Three Captains, a fishing concern that uses the pier, but it immediately drew a backlash among competitors on the docks.
Critics complained that the hoist was installed without public input or a review of how it would impact the docks, particularly during hectic times like the start of squid or crab season. They also pointed out that the project was approved without a Coastal Development Permit.
Coastal Commission staff was prepared last month to grant a permit waiver for the hoist, based on findings that it would have minimal impact. But soon afterward, commission staff received a large number of complaints that led to a reconsideration.
The Coastal Commission staff is currently reviewing its options, but staff members are considering bringing the hoist forward for a future meeting.
NOVEMBER 20, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board to decide fate of central lot: 3 bids expected for El Granada property
Today, the Harbor District is asking for $850,000 for the lot.
Realtor Jan Gray, who represents the Harbor District, explained that she had no idea why Global Quality Foods would be interested in the property. She tried to give the company a forewarning that there was a political undercurrent in the land deal.
“I’ve done the best I can to keep them apprised of the volatility of the community opinion and the opposition they may face if they do anything besides building a fire station or community center there,” she said.
Yet Global Quality Foods was undeterred. The company indicated it could pay for the land in cash without the need for loans. The company later sent proof of funds, Gray said.
“Cash is cash, and they’ve proven they have the cash,” Gray said.
NOVEMBER 19, 2014
Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Bernardo wins San Mateo County Harbor District seat, despite concession
Bernardo squeaked by fellow Commissioner Jim Tucker by 292 votes in the final, semiofficial tally of the San Mateo County Elections Office.
Bernardo trailed Tucker by several hundred votes the night of the election. He conceded defeat that week, despite there being more than 20,000 ballots yet to be counted, thanking voters for "an amazing four years."
"We gave it our best and we fell short," Bernardo said Nov. 7. "It's very difficult mathematically to overcome something like that."
But the commissioner took the lead over Tucker last week as the updated tallies trickled out. The final count gave him 48,340 votes to Tucker's 48,048. Bernardo's comeback is now complete, though it won't be official until the county certifies the results of the election next month.
Bernardo did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.
NOVEMBER 19, 2014
Daily Journal
Vote update shows Bernardo wins re-election to Harbor District board
The final tally has challenger Nicole David with 66,964 votes, or 32.1 percent; Bernardo with 48,340 votes, or 23.2 percent; and Tucker with 48,048 votes, or 23 percent. For the one contested two-year seat, charter boat captain Tom Mattusch ousted appointed incumbent Will Holsinger.
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Latest vote numbers favor Bernardo
A final vote count released on Tuesday afternoon sealed the deal for Bernardo. In the end, he appears to have finished with 48,340 votes or 23.2 percent of the total cast on the peninsula. That is slightly better than fellow incumbent Jim Tucker, who had 48,048 votes or 23 percent of the total.
It was a surprising turnaround from the results reported on Nov. 4, election night, when Bernardo was trailing Tucker by about 500 votes. However, an ongoing tally of provisional votes being counted after the election closed the gap. A Nov. 12 update delivered the big surprise, showing him ahead of Tucker by more than 200 votes. That lead continued to widen in the following updates.
NOVEMBER 18, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“Opening weekend was a lot of people, a lot of boats, a lot of crab and everyone seemed happy with a smile on their faces, so that was nice,” said Jim Anderson, a commercial salmon and crab fisherman and captain of the F/V Allaine.
The seasonal harvest coincides with the holidays and makes an extremely popular meal, Anderson said.
“It’s a really nice product and it’s really fun, one of the reasons I like it is because it’s really messy. … You can’t eat it fast, so it’s a wonderful social meal because everybody’s picking and chewing and talking and having fun making a mess,” Anderson said. “It’s kind of a let your hair down and have some fun kind of meal.”
NOVEMBER 14, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Approximately 20,500 ballots remain uncounted, however, and the San Mateo County Elections Office anticipates the majority to be settled by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Elections Manager David Tom said. The absolute final numbers will be released 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18.
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
SF Chronicle - Evan Sernoffsky
Ditched sailboat at Oyster Point has become a rotting eyesore
Finding the government body responsible for removing boats abandoned in San Francisco can turn into a bureaucratic nightmare.
NOVEMBER 13, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Commission reviews censure over leaks
Brennan disagreed, saying her understanding of the Brown Act meant she was obligated to raise concerns about any closed-door talks that didn’t adhere to what was outlined on the agenda.
“How else would the Brown Act be enforced if you can’t report when a violation happens?” she said. “I think there were two Brown Act violations, and I think it’s my duty for people to know that.”
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
San Mateo County voters toss out some incumbents, enlivening sleepy midterm
There will be two new faces on the board of the county harbor district...Challengers Nicole David, a marine biologist, and Tom Mattusch, who operates a sport-fishing charter boat, were the top vote-getters.
NOVEMBER 5, 2014
Montara Fog - Darin Boville
Voters call for change. Will they get it?
The Harbor District election outcome is a huge victory for Sabrina Brennan, who wasn’t even on the ballot. When she won her seat on the board of the Harbor District in 2012 with a record number of votes she interrupted the most secretive “Old Boys Club” on the coast where board members paid themselves cash and benefits each month in an amount larger than other Coastside officials received all year. A lot more. And that was just the beginning of a string of revelations that were by turns stunning, hilarious, and pathetic. Tens of thousands of uncashed checks, aggressive behavior by board members to any challenge, harassment allegations and investigations, a harbor manager who secretly ran a bank out of his office. It goes on and on.
All of which leads directly to tonight’s vote with two of Brennan’s allies, Nicole David and Tom Mattusch, winning by substantial margins.
nOVEMBER 5, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Big change for Harbor District: David and Mattusch oust incumbents, Tucker re-elected
“I think we really have a chance to turn the direction around for the Harbor District and make it work as a service for the public again,” Nicole David said.
“I absolutely believe this is a total repudiation about how the Harbor District has operated for quite some time and people are looking for change and that’s why they brought fresh faces in,” Tom Mattusch said.
OCTOBER 30, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
County shares ideas to shield Surfer's Beach
The amount of land that erodes along Surfer’s Beach varies year to year, making it difficult to predict how long it would be until the highway is compromised. Historically, that section of beach has lost about a meter of land year on average, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. On Wednesday, county planner James Hinkamp estimated it would take about five to six years before the highway was impacted.
OCTOBER 26, 2014
Mercury News - Sunday, Local News section - Mike McHenry
Commercial Fisherman Mike McHenry's full page letter to voters
A thorough executive search for a highly qualified General Manager has the potential to fix the Harbor District’s management problems.
October 16, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Review Editorial Board
Vote for Nicole David and Tom Mattusch in Harbor District
David is a standout candidate and very deserving of your support. She is a Half Moon Bay resident who moved here 16 years ago from Berlin to follow her passion for marine biology. She now works for the San Francisco Estuary Institute. She has attended meetings for a while now and offered her services previously when the commission was looking to appoint a member.
David, a soft-spoken champion of the environment, agrees with the findings of the highly critical grand jury report, but not necessarily with its recommendations. She doesn’t believe the district should be disbanded. Rather, she thinks Pillar Point and Oyster Point harbors deserve a champion. She pledges to work toward more educational opportunities at the harbors and to end a benefits package for commissioners that is unlike any other on the Peninsula.
No one knows more about affairs of Pillar Point than Mattusch. He has worked charter boats at the harbor for more than two decades and is attuned to the rhythms of the fishing community as well as the businesses necessary to serve tourists.
Mattusch has experience in harbors all across the state. He would encourage more retail at Pillar Point and consider new practices such as aquaculture. He supports dredging in the harbor to maintain a navigable waterway.
It’s worth noting that Mattusch’s ideas for the harbor aren’t purely theoretical. His own charter business provides fishing trips, shark tours and whale-watching and is proof of the business acumen he gained by earning an MBA in management and marketing.
October 15, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor district appoints new general manager
On Wednesday, Jim Tucker proposed that Scott Grindy be kept at the same salary on an interim basis for the next six months. After that point he could be reappointed, or hired permanently, he said.
He also suggested that Grindy's two assistant harbormasters should be promoted to be full harbormasters, one for each of the district's ports. The district's counsel, Steve Miller, raised concerns that this action would first need to be formally included in a meeting agenda. That action could be taken up at a future meeting.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan raised several concerns about the appointment. At a harbor commission meeting earlier this month, she made a motion to have the district hire an executive search firm to find candidates for the job. Other commissioners clearly did not favor that approach - her motion died without a second.
On Wednesday, she blasted her colleagues for violating the Brown Act by having improper deliberations on salaries and labor in the closed session that evening.
The commission approved Grindy for the job in a 4-1 vote with Brennan dissenting.
October 9, 2014
Daily Journal - Editorial
Tom Mattusch for Harbor District two-year seat
Tom Mattusch represents a stakeholder group, fishermen, who desperately need a seat at the table. The district is also desperately seeking a direction, and can only move forward positively if each and every group feels represented. Regardless of the personality politics, there should always be a balance on a board with representation from key constituencies and an emphasis on working together. Mattusch, the owner of the Huli Cat, a sport fishing charter boat, has been at the Pillar Point Harbor for 20 years and knows first hand the needs of others both in the industry and those they serve. He also knows the requirement of focus. Both hands need to be on the steering wheel during a storm and he will bring that needed perspective to the board. At times, the district has gotten ahead of itself with plans and studies over the horizon without seeing the need to focus on the task at hand. Mattusch promises to bring a new perspective to the board forged with years in the industry and the need to get things done well and quickly.
Mattusch could be seen as an opposition candidate because of his qualms with the district and its Board of Commissioners, he also has a practical sense of its purpose and the good it can do in the right hands.
The district is experiencing a sea change, and it just makes sense to have someone with experience in a key industry and as a businessman who must adapt to ever-changing situations both on land and at sea. Tom Mattusch is the best bet for this seat on the Harbor District Board of Commissioners.
October 9, 2014
The Almanac - Laura Stec
One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish…More?
Have you ever bought fish off Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay? I wanted to learn more about it after hearing marine biologist Nicole David discuss how to improve the process. David is on the ballot for Harbor Commissioner, Nov 4th.
Established in 1933, the Harbor District of San Mateo County operates two facilities, Pillar Point Harbor at Half Moon Bay in Princeton, and Oyster Point Marina/Park in the City of South San Francisco. Pillar Point is a 369 berth working fishing harbor; Oyster Point is a 600 berth recreational boating marina. The District is governed by a five member Board of Harbor Commissioners, who are elected county-wide for staggered four-year terms.
I knew we could buy off the docks, but not much else, including that San Mateo county property taxes fund half of the $10 million used to run both harbors, and the District seems to not handle our money very well, running a chronic budget deficit. It's time to start paying more attention I guess.
"I'm committed to a fiscally well managed harbor, and want to take better care of this amazing local resource," says David. "There are so many health advantages to buying fish straight from the ocean. Since it's not farmed, there are no antibiotics or artificial colorings added to the flesh."
David says 90% of the seafood eaten in the US is imported, and that we ship most of what U.S. fisherman catch to other countries. "There is a big disconnect. Let's build the local market. Pillar Point fisherman pay the highest fees for offloading fish on the west coast, causing boats to go to San Francisco or Monterey. San Mateo County is losing revenue and a terrific local business."
John Draper, Assistant Harbormaster at Pillar Point says depending on the season and where the fish are, 50-200 commercial vessels operate out of the harbor, and on average, fish are caught 1-20 miles off the coast.
"Sales continue to grow," says Draper. "On the day they sell, fisherman mark the harbor notice board with name and location of their vessel, and what fish they have, then we update the Fish Phone. For the most up to date info, call that number or check the new Fish App."
No better time to head out to the coast than right now. The weather has been primo, everyone is decorated for Halloween, the waves have been great, and the water is the warmest all year. You don't even need a wetsuit (Half Moon Bay water has been around 66.7° for the last two weeks.) So pick up your pumpkins, hit the beach just past Sam's Chowder house, then drive a ½ mile to Pillar Point and pick up your fish. Consider Happy Hour then at Old Princeton Landing - the sun comes right onto the outside eating area this time of year!
You have to buy a whole fish off the boats, but you can't beat the price. So on pick up day, plan to host a big Food Party! (don't forget to invite me), or just freeze what you don't eat. Two weeks ago a gutted 13# salmon sold for $10.99 a pound (compared to Whole Foods wild caught for $21). After you buy, walk a few feet to Princeton Seafood Company and pay just $6 to get your delicious fishy sliced into steaks or filets.
October 7, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Three set sights on two-year Harbor Commission term
“If you want to support the commercial fishermen, you’ve got to bring them into the conversation." —Tom Mattusch
October 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Savannah Shaughnessy and Sarah Gerhardt are making Mavericks’ history as the first two women to officially be considered for the contest; both are rightfully qualified.
Gerhardt is known as the first woman to surf Mavericks and Shaughnessy served as a judge for last season’s competition and has been venturing Mavericks since she was 16.
Shaughnessy, a 25-year-old Santa Cruz County native, was also honored at the 2012 Mavericks Invitational closing ceremony for her rides at the formidable break. Now in her seventh season dedicatedly surfing at Mavericks, Shaughnessy said her most memorable experience was when she paddled out shortly after the 2010 invitational. It was one of the event’s largest surf days during which a rogue wave wiped out spectators and led to the beach and bluffs now being closed off during the competition.
“It’s always been a hope of mine to be involved in the event in any way I can, because I’ve always been a big fan,” Shaughnessy said. “I was really excited (when I made this season’s list.) It just feels good to be included and be a part of it.”
Guess said he too was thrilled to see Shaughnessy and Gerhardt named and has envisioned an event that could one day include women.
While brainstorming how to reinvent the Mavericks surf competition where the athletes reign supreme, Guess said he started to draw from Greek mythology, the superheroes and romance. Guess said he decided Titans was an honorable and suitable descriptors for those who surf the winter swells at Mavericks.
And, he noted, several of legendary Titans were women.
“It’s kind of cool to have the sisters come in there and be part of it. It was to my surprise as well, cause I’m never in the room when [the committee] votes,” Guess said. “I was extremely, super, super, pleasantly surprised and excited to see that Sarah and Savannah were there, who obviously deserve to be in that first list.”
But, the ultimate cut is in the hands of the new committee of five, Guess said.
October 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Hannah Albarazi
Fishermen come out against water bond
Bay Area fishermen are expressing their strong opposition to a $7.5 billion state water bond to be voted on in November that may result in the construction of new dams which could decrease Bay Area fisheries.
California environmentalists are divided in their support of the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014, known as Proposition 1.
Proponents, such as environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, say the water bond will push forward many positive water conservation efforts and improve the state’s water infrastructure.
The act, if passed, will bolster watershed restoration and groundwater cleanup across the state, but critics of the legislation say that while those efforts are desperately needed, the act will also pave the way for reservoir and dam construction.
Critics say that the bond is not the answer to California’s water crisis and does more damage than good.
Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Restore the Delta based in Stockton, said the proposition puts the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta at risk while doing nothing to address the problems associated with the current drought.
Zeke Grader Jr., the executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Association stood with other fishermen at Pier 45 in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf Friday and expressed his disapproval of the proposition, saying it will help the state’s agriculture industry while diminishing its fishing industry.
Grader said that as an environmentalist, he thinks the proposition endorses major water conservation efforts that California needs in the third year of a drought, but what Grader doesn’t approve of is the $2.7 billion that the act earmarks for water storage.
The fishermen who gathered at the pier Friday worry that the act would boost reservoir and dam construction that would hinder fish passage and harm the estuary that accommodates salmon, herring, crab and other critters.
Grader said that Proposition 1 is playing off the panic generated around the drought.
Otherwise, he said, a proposition like this “would not pass muster” with voters, especially environmentalists.
Grader said if the proposition passes, he would be trying his “damnedest” to stop any dam construction.
He also said the state needs to place a greater emphasis on creating groundwater storage as opposed to surface water storage.
Surface water storage leads to a lot of evaporation and interferes with fisheries, Grader said.
Meanwhile, Sacramento-based organization California Farm Bureau Federation, which represents about 55,000 farmers as well as others in the agriculture industry, is supporting Proposition 1.
The federation’s president, Paul Wenger, said today that the state needs to invest in its water infrastructure.
He agreed with the fishermen who say groundwater storage is a good solution to water storage. He said the state, including its farmers, are overdrafting groundwater and that aquifers need to be replenished as they are depleted.
Wenger said that the $2.7 billion that will go toward water projects will be determined by the “public benefit,” meaning that in theory, the water projects that best benefit the public will be prioritized and accommodated.
But both Wenger and Grader said they’re not so sure how that “public benefit” gets determined, and worry that the group who makes the greatest noise or has the most money will win the approval of the state.
Environmentalists and industry proponents alike, agree that whether its through desalination efforts, refilled aquifers, or other water storage efforts, the impacts of both climate change as well as California’s increased human population, require all parties to work together to find compromises that can preserve California’s natural resources.
September 25, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Editorial by Clay Lambert
Harbor candidates choose campaigning over duties of office
The San Mateo County Harbor Commission scheduled a meeting on Sept. 17, but three members — all currently candidates for re-election — had other priorities. Consequently, there was no quorum. Voters learned more about candidate priorities from their absence than they ever would have from their presence at the meeting that night.
Jim Tucker was attending services for a friend who died and says he told staff he couldn’t make it. That is certainly understandable.
Instead of attending the commission meeting on the evening of Sept. 17, Robert Bernardo was at the Oyster Point Yacht Club for a gathering that was ostensibly meant to “celebrate the anniversary of the McAteer-Petris Act,” credited with stopping the fill of the San Francisco Bay. The announcement of the event praises Bernardo at least as much as any worthwhile legislation and, whatever the intent, Bernardo acknowledges that he used it to raise money for his own campaign.
When questioned later, he said he had hoped to make both the meeting and the fundraiser, and he acknowledged that attending to the fundraiser — instead of the office he hopes to win with that money — was not his finest decision.
“I was trying to do too many things,” he said.
Will Holsinger said that personal commitments “took me out of the county that day.” That’s strange because he appears in a photo taken that night and posted on Daly City Councilman Ray Buenaventura’s Twitter account. In the photo, Holsinger seems to be having a whale of a time, yucking it up at Buenaventura’s campaign kickoff event instead of attending the Harbor Commission meeting.
Just down the street at the Municipal Services Building in South San Francisco, the commission was to have discussed the soon-to-be-vacant general manager’s position behind closed doors. Staff was prepared to present a special rate for visiting boaters at Oyster Point Marina. Ironically, the commission was going to discuss canceling meetings in December and January.
Forget duty, it would seem to be common courtesy for commissioners with other priorities to tell colleagues Pietro Parravano and Sabrina Brennan they needn’t make the trip from the coast to South San Francisco. Fortunately or unfortunately, you needn’t worry about the district’s contracted attorney, Steven Miller. He plans to submit an invoice for his time, compounding the waste of tax dollars that night. (Reached on Thursday, Miller declined to say how much he would bill the district.)
What are voters to make of candidates who value the money used to attain office more than the duties of the office itself? What is the message from sitting elected officials who don’t bother telling their colleagues, let alone the public, when they have other commitments on meeting nights? What are they saying when they rack up campaign dollars even as they waste yours on staff and consultants called to meetings that don’t take place?
You will decide in November.
September 18, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor candidates spar over district’s future–Crowded field split over financial questions
The stage was set with a particularly momentous backdrop for the evening. Weeks earlier, a civil grand jury report blasted the district in unbridled language for allegedly operating in a state of dysfunction. The grand jury proposed dissolving the district.
That was perhaps the only issue that all candidates could agree on. All of them opposed dismantling the Harbor District. The two incumbents, Holsinger and Tucker, dismissed the grand jury report as inaccurate and flawed. That view was shared by two of their challengers, Rogers and Collins. The other challengers agreed with the report’s findings, if not the recommendations, and they said it signaled that a change of leadership was needed for the agency.
“Handing off the district to the county Board of Supervisors is not going to solve our problems,” Nicole David said. “We need leaders who are enthusiastic and carefully attend to the needs of the taxpayers.”
A disagreement erupted over the district’s environmental stewardship. Will Holsinger touted the district receiving a “Clean Marina” certification, yet others pointed out the district was also listed among the filthiest spots on the coastline. Nicole David pointed out Pillar Point was on a statewide list of fecal pollution hot spots since 2002.
Mattusch took aim at the sitting commissioners for presenting a rosy financial picture while holding back on hiring needed staff and doing infrastructure maintenance. He brought up the Pillar Point Harbor’s dilapidated Romeo Pier as an example of the district wasting money and not following through on projects.
“We don’t have management taking us in a direction to correct the problems,” he said. “What scares me most is that the Harbor District has a history of commissioning a study to see what we'll do, and the district is full of studies that have never been acted on.”
All candidates were effusive in praising the harbor’s commercial fishermen, and more than one described the fleet as the “lifeblood of the district.”
September 9, 2014
Daily Journal - Michelle Durand
LAFCo meets 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 in Board Chambers, 400 County Government Center, Redwood City.
September 5, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Grenell’s announcement came just weeks after his employment contract was extended another two years and two months before a pivotal election which has three incumbents running against six challengers.
Commissioners Jim Tucker and Will Holsinger said they believe Grenell’s retirement likely coincides with some of his and the district’s legal matters being cleared.
Within the past few years, Grenell has worked amidst a civil grand jury investigation into the district, allegations of harassment and the California Fair Political Practices Commission’s investigation into the California Maritime Infrastructure Bank and Authority, of which he is president.
“I knew Peter was of retirement age and eligible for retirement, so there’s been some question as to how much longer he would serve,” Holsinger said. “I think having those complaints filed possibly delayed his decision to retire. … I think the contract extension perhaps subtlety, without us knowing, was his was of saying he’s going to fight this thing until it’s done.”
Tucker and Holsinger said Grenell has been cleared of any impropriety, however, the District Attorney’s Office recently received a complaint regarding the bank and is making inquiries.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan filed a harassment complaint against Grenell and expressed concerns about district resources being used for the infrastructure bank. Brennan, Tucker and Parravano each said they were interviewed by an investigator with the District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant District Attorney Al Serrato said a letter was sent to the district’s counsel soliciting information regarding the bank. Serrato said the District Attorney’s Office is making preliminary inquiries and has not committed to or ruled out a formal investigation.
Holsinger and Tucker said they are encouraged it won’t turn into a formal investigation and clouding Grenell’s reputation is unwarranted.
“I think it’s taken an emotional toll to be accused and threatened and challenged the way that he has. Sabrina Brennan has been … punitive in her dealings with him,” Holsinger said. “But the reality is he’s handled himself professionally throughout.”
Brennan previously stated she was discriminated against by Grenell and often felt uncomfortable visiting the district’s office. Brennan said she couldn’t comment on the district attorney’s investigation but was surprised by Grenell’s announcement as his contract was recently renewed.
Grenell said his disputes with Brennan, the civil grand jury report and other investigation did not influence the timing of his decision.
“I had started thinking about retirement before [Brennan] joined the board and, again, there have been things that I was in the middle of that I wanted to see through,” Grenell said.
September 4, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Grenell, head of criticism-stung harbor district, announces retirement
The grand jury lambasted the harbor district for its financial reporting and budgeting, finding the agency relies too much on property taxes, rather than fees and other revenue sources, to support its operations. The grand jury also chided the district's five-member board for its lack of collegiality -- some members are openly hostile toward Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who is often critical of Grenell and her elected colleagues.
Brennan declined to comment on Grenell's tenure Thursday, instead encouraging voters to oust board members Jim Tucker and Will Holsinger, who in her view have enabled Grenell to lead the district astray.
"I think it's important that new people are elected," she said, "to make sure an excellent new leader is hired for the harbor district."
Tucker, who joined the board one year after Grenell took over in 1997, said Thursday that neither the grand jury report nor Brennan's dissatisfaction have changed his opinion of the long-serving general manager.
"None of this dissuades me from believing he did a great job for the district," said Tucker, "and I'm very pleased and proud to have worked with him."
September 4, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor's Grenell announces pending retirement
Tucker and board President Pietro Parravano both mentioned at the Wednesday meeting that they had recently been interviewed by a district attorney’s investigator. The talks, they said, focused on complaints about the Harbor District’s participation in the California Maritime Infrastructure Bank, an entity for which Grenell served as board president.
September 4, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Op-Ed by Mary Larenas
On the afternoon of Aug. 17, my husband and I noticed a sheen of fuel near the Pillar Point Harbor fuel dock. Upon further inspection we saw several items that concerned us: fuel-soaked rags, an open bucket containing diesel, the absence of a waste container, and what seemed to us as generally poor waste management practices.
The Clean Water Act, which is law, clearly states: “The discharge of fuel, oil, oily waste and hazardous substances is absolutely prohibited. … Failure to notify a known discharge is unlawful.” This is why we asked the San Mateo County Harbor District to provide proper oversight of fuel dock operations.
After Harbor District management declined to address our concerns, we called the U.S. Coast Guard Response Center and accurately reported what we saw. We made it clear that this was not a major fuel spill. We also sent a detailed accounting of our observations, including photographs, to harbor management and each harbor commissioner.
We returned to the fuel dock two days later and happily found no oily sheen on the water, the fuel-soaked rags were gone, and the open container of fuel was replaced by a fresh container. The fuel nozzle was being replaced and workers were inspecting the condition of the metal pump houses.
That same week we both went before the Harbor Commission to request that members provide more oversight of the fuel dock operation. A representative of KN Properties, which operates the fuel dock, also addressed commissioners. He, too, asked for oversight and guidance. He said that without it his only recourse would be to close the fuel dock until he was certain his company was in compliance with the law. The commissioners thanked him and moved on to the next agenda item. There was no response by either the harbor commissioners or Harbormaster Scott Grindy to our request. The next day KN Properties suspended all fuel and ice services indefinitely.
We, as representatives of the San Mateo Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization dedicated to protecting oceans, had met earlier in the month with Grindy to discuss water quality concerns. It was apparent during that discussion that the Harbor District does not consider itself the agency responsible for oversight of the fuel dock. Its dismissive attitude reaffirmed our concerns that no action would be taken.
On Thursday of that week we were glad to learn that the Coast Guard inspected the fuel dock and found it in compliance after it underwent the above-mentioned maintenance. We met with the Coast Guard and talked with the person who took our report. He confirmed that all oily sheens should be reported per the Clean Water Act. Meanwhile, Harbor District management was engaged in damage control by misrepresenting the material facts, making it seem that the information we provided to the Coast Guard was exaggerated.
We believe KN Properties took appropriate action and the end result is positive. The fuel dock operation is now cleaner and likely to stay that way.
Pillar Point Harbor is the only harbor of refuge between San Francisco and Monterey. It services recreational boating and an active commercial fishing fleet year-round. It’s a major tourist attraction that reaches far beyond San Mateo County. It is a gateway to the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, and home to Pillar Point Marsh. These treasures are all given the highest level of environmental protection because of their biological diversity and value to ocean ecosystems. We urge Harbor District management to protect the environment and recreational and commercial interests by providing proper oversight of fuel dock operations.
Mary Larenas is a resident of Moss Beach
August 27, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board denies problems cited in report: Response disagrees with most grand jury findings
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner James Tucker looks on while fellow Commissioner Sabrina Brennan speaks during a Harbor Commission meeting in South San Francisco on Aug. 20.
Photo by Dean Coppola
August 27, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“I disagree with dissolution as a recommendation at this time. If the November 2014 elections substantially changes the makeup of the board, a new reform board could change policies and fix the problems which the grand jury identified,” Commissioner Brennan said.
August 26, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter to the Editor by Nicole David
Editor,
The recent grand jury report presents an opportunity for growth and progress in the Harbor District, but our elected harbor commissioners are going to blow it. Nineteen citizen volunteers spent untold hours learning about our harbors and governance. They produced 12 findings and 11 recommendations to improve operations and oversight. Suggestions such as more frequent lease analysis and forming committees that meet on regular schedules were brought up. Though the report was critical, it was also filled with constructive suggestions.
With distress, I watched the harbor commissioners dismiss the report last Wednesday. Speaking from their high dais, most of the commissioners called the report politicized and unjust. One doubted that such an articulate, professional document was within the level of competence of regular citizenry. Another said the recommendations were nonsensical, unreasonable, and un-American. There was even a suggestion that the grand jury be investigated.
The purpose of the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury is to improve local governance by means of unbiased, outside evaluations and recommendations for reform. But in the Harbor District, resistance to change is getting in the way.
We need enthusiastic and competent leaders in the Harbor District who will carefully and responsibly address the interests of taxpayers as well as the interests of harbor and marina communities.
Please vote for change in the Nov. 4 election.
Nicole David, Half Moon Bay
August 22, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Harbor fuel dock inspected by state
Harbormaster Grindy and Commissioner Brennan said they were concerned for the fisherman who began to complain about not being able to conduct business without fuel and ice.
“For a fisherman who needs to go out fishing, or even a charter boat operator, or really any boater, they need fuel and they can’t operate without it,” Brennan said. “Generally speaking, fishermen need ice, you can’t run a commercial fishing harbor without ice and without fuel.”
Grindy agreed there was a lot at stake if the matter wasn’t resolved quickly
August 21, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor by Tom Monaghan
Harbor District should restore access to west end
The San Mateo County Harbor District restricts access to the disabled and beachgoers at the west end of the harbor. A common entry point the public has used for years is now chained off.
This leaves two narrow openings on either side of poles that are rocky and on unstable ground. Both sides are too narrow for a wheelchair.
I have been living on the Coastside for more than 50 years and use this access each week. I have seen all types of public use through the years, most recently disabled people and other physically challenged people enjoying the area. Now the disabled and the general public are forced to pass through narrow openings on either side of the posts. I asked Harbor employees why and they said it’s to stop cars driving on the beach. I said this is a rare occurrence and this is an enforcement issue they can handle by citing the violator. Roads are not closed because of bad drivers, and this beach entrance should not be closed or restricted either. Don’t punish the public because of these law-breakers. This chain can be removed in the morning and locked again at night as most parks do. This would be a very simple solution and not cost much at all.
A disabled parking place is still reserved at this entrance and yet it is not a safe way to get to the beach. Our harbor management is hindering public access. Don’t make this another Martin’s Beach. The Harbor District is fully staffed and capable of maintaining access.
Tom Monaghan, Moss Beach
August 21, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor fuel dock to reopen following shutdown
The fuel dock has been owned by Nerhan for nearly 30 years, and it provided the only fuel supply available for boats for dozens of miles. Nerhan’s business also reportedly provided the main ice supply for fishing wholesalers and unloaders at the docks. He said it was necessary to shut down the ice plant along with the fuel pumps so that no boats would pull up and potentially contaminate the water, pending further investigation.
Nerhan said he didn’t make the decision lightly, saying he knew the closure affected the local fishing fleet.
“Those folks have their livelihoods and I have my folks also affected,” he said. “It’s not something you just turn the key on.”
August 21, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor by Georgia Goodo
Is calamari replacing other fish off our coast?
An article in the July 30 edition of the Review applauded the copious amount of calamari caught off our coast — the most, it seems, in recorded history. Has anyone stopped to wonder why?
Coincidentally, a few days prior to the news, I watched a disturbing documentary on giant squid examined for the first time by marine specialists from around the world. The experts predicted that as the climate changes many marine habitats will be destroyed. That will leave a niche for many species of squid to dominate our oceans.
I can remember when cod and salmon were prevalent off our coast, and I commercially fished for them. Their availability has been drastically reduced in living memory.
One can navigate further information by surfing the Web on this issue or by borrowing the DVD “The Giant Squid” at the local library as I did. It can be a bit unnerving. Also be aware of the mercury found in all of the sea life. Many other polluting elements and pathogens find their way onto our plates. It seems we have turned our rich and diverse ocean into one big cesspool. Could this calamari craze be a result of our destructive actions?
Luckily, calamari is one of my favorite types of seafood and can be cooked in numerous ways. If this persistent catch continues, we all best acquire a palate for this species. At least calamari will live on, replacing other fish in all of our dishes.
Georgia Goodo
Montara
August 14, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
State’s economy threatened by rising sea levels: Assembly report issues dire warning
Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, notes in the report that 480,000 people living in San Mateo County alone will be subject to 100-year flood events due to the base level rise in the sea, which will exacerbate normal flooding events. He estimates in the report that $24 billion in property is at risk in San Mateo County alone.
Another problem: saltwater intrusion. It is caused by the depletion of existing groundwater coupled with sea level rise. Rosemary Knight, a geophysics professor at Stanford University, told Gordon’s committee last year that coastal agriculture could fall victim to the changing environment.
Meanwhile, Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, says in the report that crumbling infrastructure, a more acidic ocean and rising temperatures — all associated with global climate change that will bring higher seas — threaten the fishing industry up and down the California coast.
August 9, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Embattled harbor district fires back at grand jury
Commissioner Jim Tucker stepped forward Wednesday night with a proposal for the five board members to submit their thoughts on the Grand Jury report to the Harbor District's lawyer. The attorney would then craft the material into a draft response for consideration at a future meeting. But the idea was met with discomfort from attorney, Steven Miller, who worried that he was being asked to step outside his role as legal adviser and formulate policy.
Ultimately the commissioners voted 4-1 to have general manager Peter Grenell's staff incorporate their remarks into a draft for review at the board's Aug. 20 meeting. Brennan dissented, saying she was "disgusted," and announced she would produce a "minority report" for the grand jury.
Brennan said Thursday she is concerned the board will forego public discussion next month on the grand jury report, whose criticism she welcomed, although she opposes dissolution.
"There will be a motion to approve the report, and there won't be any discussion except for me, and I have five minutes, and then they cut me off," Brennan predicted. "I think having meaningful discussion is necessary given the circumstances."
August 7, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Harbor commissioners bicker over grand jury response
Commissioner Jim Tucker suggested members of the elected board forward written comments on the report to the board’s attorney, Steve Miller, who would then fashion those into a draft report that commissioners could discuss at the board’s Aug. 20 meeting.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan countered that she was prepared to discuss the report in open session and thought that simply forwarding written comments to counsel was less than transparent. She said she planned to provide the civil grand jury with a separate, “minority report.”
Brennan wasn’t the only one uncomfortable with Tucker’s suggestion. Miller, whose firm only recently contracted with the district, said repeatedly that was concerned the plan could violate the Brown Act governing public meetings and that he wanted nothing to do with interpreting the wishes of the commission.
“You are proposing something unusual,” he said. “Certainly I would be very uncomfortable making policy recommendations.”
August 6, 2014
Daily Journal - Angela Swartz
San Mateo County Transportation Authority Board members, like South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto, are expressing dismay over a lack of marketing plan by WETA. The ferry service has a deadline of 2015 for raising its farebox recovery, the portion of ferry costs that are covered by rider fares, and it isn’t close to meeting the requirement. WETA officials said they plan to ask for a deadline extension.
Right now, the majority of the funding is coming from bridge toll money that will go away in 2015. The Transportation Authority board is also concerned WETA isn’t meeting regularly or been responsive to its feedback. Matsumoto has a specific interest because the ferry service runs out of South City. Other Transportation Authority Board members, like Redwood City Vice Mayor Rosanne Foust, have expressed an interest in a public ferry service in Redwood City. The Transportation Authority provides funding through Measure A, a half-cent sales tax in San Mateo County for transportation projects.
WETA needs to meet a farebox recovery requirement of 40 percent by June 30, 2015, and the board decided to send a letter stating its disappointment with WETA staff’s treatment of its discussions and requests to up the marketing plan. The current operating budget is about $2.1 million for contracted operator costs, $708,600 in fuel costs and $737,000 in other costs.
“We have the major players who have access to ferry riders, but with all the efforts we bring forth to WETA and they don’t do anything,” Matsumoto said. “We talked about leafleting, fliers, suggested giving out passes for raffle prizes. Every time, it’s like butting our heads against a wall. ... It would be a great blow to our community if this doesn’t succeed.”
The end of 2013 numbers showed a 17 percent farebox recovery, but this number is up to a little more than 20 percent currently, said Kevin Connolly, WETA’s manager of planning and development. WETA’s total revenue is $3.57 million, while its fare revenue is $294,800. About $3 million of this revenue is from Regional Measure 2 bridge toll funds. Connolly thinks the 40 percent target is unrealistic, but does say that ridership is up 51 percent from a little more than a year ago
August 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Harbor District Commissioner Sabrina Brennan said the idea of Grenell running a bank out of the district’s office is inappropriate.
“I’m concerned that the Harbor District has been picking up the cost of the infrastructure bank doing business — including travel, staff, responding to [public records act] requests, using staff time for meetings, those types of things,” Brennan said.
Brennan said she knew little about it as it had never been brought up during board meetings and, because the other agencies are not required to pay dues, worries the Harbor District is footing the bill.
“It seems that memberships of the banking authority should be contributing to costs of the banking authority,” Brennan said. “What it looks like is our district, and I don’t know what others have been using our district’s resources, our staff, our office and trips that we paid our [general manager] to go on to engage in banking authority activities.”
Brennan said even if the CMIB and the authority are operating legally, the issue is the board is unfamiliar with Grenell’s doings. Brennan said she requested the Board of Commissioners receive a report on the CMIB, which will be discussed during its next meeting beginning 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6 at Sea Crest School, Room 19, 901 Arnold Way, Half Moon Bay.
July 28, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter by Harvey Rarback
Editor,
After learning that the San Mateo County Harbor District staff is operating a bank out of the district’s administrative office in South San Francisco (http://www.californiamaritimeinfrastructureauthority.org/), I wonder if any of the district’s machinations could possibly get more bizarre.
The California Maritime Infrastructure Bank and Authority website lists Peter Grenell, general manager of the Harbor District, as the president of the bank and the chair of the authority. The Harbor District office address, phone number and email address have been included on the bank’s website for many years, but were only removed recently after public attention, including an unfavorable editorial in the Half Moon Bay Review. More than half of the revenue that funds the Harbor District comes from San Mateo County property taxes. How much of the costs of this operation are falling on the Harbor District?
Is there a conflict of interest for the Harbor District? Is there a conflict of interest for Mr. Grenell? Do Mr. Grenell’s terms of employment allow him to hold a position as president of a bank in addition to his management position with the Harbor District? Can Mr. Grenell be trusted when serious questions are being raised about Harbor District finances when he leads a bank that gives loans to harbors? And why don’t all commissioners know about the existence of the bank?
There’s an alarming need for transparency regarding our Harbor District management and its financial operations. Answers to these and other questions from the public would be a good start.
Harvey Rarback, Half Moon Bay
July 25, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
There is more pressure to go fishing when squid appear, McHenry said, because, “you don’t know when there’s going to be an end to the season.
Harbor District Commissioner Sabrina Brennan said watching the pace of the activity at the harbor is truly impressive. The plentiful catch appears to be attracting boats from as far north as Canada and up from Southern California to participate in the limited season, Brennan said.
“It’s a derby fishery. They have to fish as much as they can as fast as they can,” Brennan said. “It’s like a gold rush, so you’re incentivized to catch as much as you can because they can pull the plug on it at any time.”
McHenry, who also fishes for salmon and crab, said seeking squid is a whole other ball game, McHenry said.
“It usually takes a bigger operation, bigger boat, more crew, more of an investment in gear. There’s only 62 permits for the state, so it’s pretty hard to get into,” McHenry said.
McHenry said he’s working on a crew of five men off a 65-foot boat that can hold up to 60 tons of squid.
Currently, squid goes for about 32.5 cents per pound, or $650 per ton, McHenry said.
Since the district updated its leases for the pier’s three offloading facilities, as of 2013, the district now takes in $10 per ton of squid that’s brought into Pillar Point Harbor, Harbor District General Manager Peter Grenell said.
July 17, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Grand jury blasts Harbor District: Scathing report scolds leaders’ dysfunction
Speaking on Monday, Supervisor Don Horsley said he had reviewed the grand jury report, but he was undecided on whether the county should step in. The report’s criticisms for lack of financial transparency rang true for Horsley. He said he reached a similar conclusion when he pored over the district’s audited budgets. But instead of dissolving the district, it could be simpler to fix those irregularities, Horsley said.
“I’m not sure that having the county take it over would be best,” he said. “We do have an election coming up; maybe there will be improved governance over there.”
July 17, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Harbor plan has a long way to go to find credibility
You had to wonder what Henry Pontarelli was thinking. He is the vice president of Lisa Wise Consulting and the poor guy who drew the short straw for the inaugural presentation of what is to be a yearlong, $270,000 strategic business plan for the San Mateo County Harbor District.
Question after question, and soon Pontarelli’s talking points were all but forgotten.
The script that night provided little defense against the slings and arrows of Harbor District critics who weren’t buying anything sold by a taxation district that has lost all credibility. The consultant presumably knew he was making his presentation the day after the San Mateo County civil grand jury called for the dissolution of his new employer. If he’d been briefed at all by harbor officials, he might have guessed he would face a hostile crowd.
July 10, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Civil Grand Jury report slams Harbor District
Supervisor Don Horsley said, although the district may have reserves, it needs a sustainable financial plan.
“The thing that appears to be missing is that they have some unfunded long-term liabilities both with pensions and with health care and their financial picture in their audit reports is inadequate without those unfunded liabilities,” Horsley said.
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan said she was particularly interested in the recommendations regarding the budget and the need for transparency by clarifying how tax money is being spent.
Because the district also supports a commercial fishing industry, the report recommends the district clearly separate what expenditures benefit private enterprises.
Geoff Bettencourt, vice president of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing said he was taken aback by the notion of public money being spent on a private industry. He added the district has done little in the way of improving infrastructure just to the benefit of the commercial fishermen.
Supervisor Dave Pine said it’s important the public is aware of the district’s status and regardless if it’s dissolved, Harbor District staff and officials need to shape up.
July 10, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Parravano takes helm of stormy district: Appointment spurs complaints from fishermen
Some take this criticism further, accusing him of not being a “true” fisherman but using the profession for political gain. Geoff Bettencourt, vice president of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association, says his organization has lost faith in that Parravano will represent their interests.
“I can’t see him being any help to us,” he said. “The sad thing is the facts are that Pietro sold us out completely for his own self gain.”
On Monday, the fishermen’s association unanimously passed a resolution outlining concerns with Parravano’s voting record and declaring that he should no longer be considered a fisherman.
Asked about this, Parravano said he wasn’t able to get out on the water as often as he’d like. He insisted that he fishes about twice a week, but he declined to discuss specifics of his business.
Many of his detractors are also quick to point to a 2012 incident when Parravano was set to win a government grant to upgrade his fishing boat engine. Parravano withdrew his grant application after learning an anonymous tipster had asked the agency to look closer at his application.
Parravano has weathered these complaints before, although they have resurfaced since his appointment. He explained that he is forced to abstain on decisions where he has a direct financial interest, particularly the harbor’s berthing fees and commercial fisheries.
“There’s no wiggle room here as a public official’s compliance is mandatory,” he said. “I’d be attacked by the other side, if I voted (and didn’t abstain).”
Perhaps ironically, Parravano was once similarly outraged at the harbor officials. In 1992, as president of an earlier Pillar Point Harbor fishermen’s association, he penned a letter calling for the dissolution of the harbor district because it had demonstrated a “disregard for the importance of commercial fishing.”
Asked about that letter, Parravano explained he was serving a different stakeholder group than he does today. Tensions were high at that time, he said, because the Port of Oakland was planning to dump dredged waste off the local coast.
Today, Parravano is nearly unconditional in his praise for the district. He touts the expertise and service of harbor staff. The harbor district aids the fishing community by regularly bringing culinary chefs and others from the food industry out to tour the docks, he said. He also highlighted the educational role the harbor district can serve by introducing people to marine ecology and the local food system. Asked if there was anything about the district he wants to fix, he singled out the high bacteria counts in the harbor waters as his top concern.
Parravano said he was surprised the positive work at the harbor was rarely acknowledged. So why does the harbor district generate so much controversy?
“I don’t know. That’s a really good question,” Parravano said. “I don’t see this at other agencies. Why us?”
July 9, 2014
Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
San Mateo County grand jury blasts 'embarrassing' harbor district, calls for dissolution
"I would hope that the board would seriously re-evaluate a lot of things," said Brennan, who has emerged as a watchdog during her time on the board.
Brennan said she does not support dissolution. Instead, she suggested voters replace three of her colleagues who are on the ballot in November.
July 2, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Editorial by Clay Lambert
We need to know more about bank operating at Harbor District
Have you heard of the California Maritime Infrastructure Bank and Authority? If not, you are surely not alone.
It’s a joint powers authority established more than 10 years ago with a mission to make capital available to public ports and harbors, and it’s administered by a who’s who of the state’s maritime leaders. Here’s something else you didn’t know: San Mateo County Harbor District General Manager Peter Grenell is the president of the organization’s board of directors, and, for all intents and purposes, the bank and authority are run out of the local harbor district offices in Oyster Point.
Grenell’s involvement with a sophisticated public financing tool created a stir among some of his opponents last week. While Grenell didn’t hide his involvement, it’s safe to say it wasn’t widely known. At least one of the local harbor commissioners had never heard of the bank and authority, which lists the San Mateo County Harbor District’s office as its address.
While local taxpayers haven’t realized any benefit to date from Grenell’s involvement in an organization that can serve as a conduit for grants and bond funding, he and others listed on the bank board clearly think the dual organizations might one day be of use. He’s joined on the board by professionals with ties to harbors in Santa Cruz, Stockton, San Diego and Sacramento, to name a few.
It may be wise to have local representation on a board like this, but local taxpayers might have questions about the particulars of the arrangement.
Grenell said the organization should list a Sacramento address and not the local Harbor District. But it doesn’t. In several places online, the bank and authority list Harbor District offices, telephone numbers and email addresses. If bank and authority business is being conducted from the local office, that business undoubtedly consumes Harbor District staff time. And if that’s the case, shouldn’t local taxpayers be made whole?
Does Grenell’s dual role take his attention away from the Harbor District?
Why hasn’t the local district made use of favorable financing instruments available through an organization led by its own general manager?
June 26, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter by Grace Mackertich
Old boys club on the Harbor Commission: No girls allowed
Editor,
In November 2012, the citizens of San Mateo County elected Sabrina Brennan to the San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners with the most votes ever received in a Harbor District election. She has worked diligently to fulfill her role on the commission. She is the only woman on the commission. Since her election, the commissioners have held two rounds of selection for the offices of president, vice president, treasurer and secretary.
In each of these rounds, Ms. Brennan has been denied the opportunity to hold any of these offices. In July 2013, her fellow commissioners took the unusual step of assigning two offices (treasurer and secretary) to one commissioner (Jim Tucker), rather than allowing Ms. Brennan to hold one of these offices.
At their last meeting on June 18, 2014, Ms. Brennan was again denied an office, with William Holsinger being selected for the dual office of treasurer and secretary, even though he has served on the commission for less time than Ms. Brennan and failed in his two attempts to be elected on to the commission (he was twice appointed to the commission in May 2012 and June 2013 when elected commissioners passed away).
These actions by the commission are emblematic of the dysfunction that plagues commission proceedings. Ms. Brennan does not receive the respect she deserves as a popularly elected, conscientious public servant. Fishermen and community members receive similar disdain.
This old boys club is running the Harbor District into the ground.
The upcoming election, this November, is an opportunity to break up this old boys club, improve the level of discourse in commission meetings, and get the Harbor District on the right track.
Grace Mackertich
Pacifica
June 18, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor signs new contract with divisive manager: Grenell receives contract extension
“There’s not really much that’s wrong with this district that a new general manager wouldn’t fix,” said El Granada resident Leonard Woren. “It’s appalling that you’re giving him a contract extension to protect him through the next general election.”
Grenell’s new contract did not include any specific priorities or conditions for his employment.
June 6, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Harbor District dips into reserves: Budget reveals need to draw on $2M to cover expenses
A main point of contention between the staff, commissioners and the public is the need to draw on more than $2 million of its reserves to cover its estimated $10 million in expenses for the coming fiscal year.
“We haven’t been managing what we have. Our facilities are in disrepair due to deferred maintenance over several decades and we’re also not improving things to a point where we can generate new revenue,” Brennan said.
One of the biggest wastes, Brennan said, is the district starting projects by hiring consultants or making plans and then simply abandoning them.
In other business, the Harbor District invited Pillar Point Harbor’s three fish buyer lessees to approach the district and discuss the terms of their leases. In 2012, Pillar Point Harbor began to charge some of the highest fish buying fees in the state and has been at the center of upheaval between the district and those in the commercial fishing industry.
June 5, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Julia Reis
County releases Plan Princeton report on existing conditions
The latest Plan Princeton report also finds that Princeton could attract more business in the form of tourists and seafood wholesalers. The report suggests that Princeton could market itself as a source of local and sustainable seafood, and that while additional infrastructure such as a boat haul-out facility could also lead to economic growth, it would be costly.
June 5, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Local shores may inform tsunami timeline: Researchers study Pillar Point for clues
“We want to know whether larger tsunamis have hit Half Moon Bay in the past,” Jaffe said. “Using the geological record holds the promise of detecting ancient tsunamis that will improve the assessment of hazards.”
June 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Harbor District stuck in South San Francisco
“The coastside really doesn’t have a lot of buildings large enough to accommodate for what we need. Ideally, we want to have a meeting hall so we can have community meetings and storage space and there just aren’t a lot of buildings on the coast that fit that profile. So that’s the challenge that we face and that’s why it’s taken so long,” Bernardo said.
Tucker said now that the word is out, he’s been contacted about a vacant lot that may be for sale near the harbor, where the district belongs.
Bernardo and Tucker said the district is set on relocating and will continue to search for its new home.
“The true Harbor District started at Pillar Point Harbor,” Tucker said. “Pillar Point is the harbor of refuge, a lot of things have happened, but that’s the anchor. That’s where the district is.”
June 3, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Mavericks surf contest acquired by management company
Cartel Management is well known as a boutique management agency representing entertainers and athletes, but Mavericks is its first foray into the surfing world. Mavericks Invitational President and CEO Rocky Raynor characterized the deal as a partnership that he hopes will carry the contest to a wider audience and protect the brand going forward.
Raynor declined to discuss financial terms of the deal.
May 29, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Critics worry harbor could sink in red ink
Local resident Bud Ratts believes the district could default by 2016 and fall into receivership unless drastic efforts are made now to balance the costs. He insists he wants to help the board get on solid financial footing.
“They're going to run out of money in 18 to 24 months, and so far I see no change in their operating practices,” he said. “They're either going to have to right their ship or someone's going to do it for them.”
Ratts started paying attention to the district's budget process in recent months. He had a solid background in accounting, having worked previously as the director of financial management and planning at Stanford University. But the Harbor District's budget figures were more opaque than other financials he’s reviewed, he said, and he wondered if commissioners fully realize the imbalance.
Among the problems he noticed, capital projects were approved at a specified price, but there was a lack of follow-up on the actual costs after the work commenced. In the 2014-2015 budget, he was astonished by how figures would vary as the district issued new draft revisions. The pages of his binder were riddled with comments and questions he made in red ink.
May 29, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
“There’s just an ongoing bit of distrust and frankly, our association has not been really happy with the way the harbor district has been conducting itself,” Steve Fitz said. “We simply want to be considered because the decisions they make, they impact our businesses directly. And therefore, we feel like we deserve to be at the table and we feel like we haven’t been.”
May 29, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor bid for grant money spurs mutiny
The 25-member Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association urged the U.S. Department of Transportation not to give any grant money to the Harbor District.
May 29, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Op-ed by Michael Koepf
Tearing down Romeo Pier ignores region’s history
Currently, the Harbor District informs us that Romeo’s dock is falling apart. Why? The Harbor District reports that “dry rot” is the problem. But when did this problem start? They’ve been in charge of this dock for decades.
The Harbor District says it’s ready to spend $61,000 for a study on how to tear the Romeo Pier down, with up to an estimated $650,000 to actually remove it from the bay. That’s your money they’ll be using, but, like kids at a Monopoly game, what’s a hundred thousand here or there when it comes to public agency spending?
May 22, 2014
KQED Science - Shara Tonn
Seven of 10 of California’s Most Polluted Beaches Are in Northern California
The polluted beaches that made the “Beach Bummers” list below suffer from problems like poor circulation.
Here they are, listed from worst to, well, maybe you’ll get a sinus infection.
Cowell Beach, at the wharf (Santa Cruz County)Marina Lagoon (San Mateo County)Marina del Rey, Mother’s Beach (Los Angeles County)Cabrillo Beach, Harborside (Los Angeles County)Stillwater Cove (Monterey County)Clam Beach County Park (Humboldt County)Santa Monica Pier (Los Angeles County)Pillar Point Harbor (San Mateo County)Capitola Beach, West of jetty (Santa Cruz County)Windsurfer Circle, Candlestick Point (San Francisco County)
May 20, 2014
Daily Journal - Michelle Durand
Civil grand jury knocks special district websites: Report recommends greater transparency
The grand jury’s investigation looked only at independent special districts, like the San Mateo County Harbor District, which have commissioners elected by voters.
The websites of all 23 San Mateo County independent special districts lack information like meeting agendas and financial data and more than half are substantially inadequate, the civil grand jury concluded in a new report on transparency.
May 19, 2014
Half Moon Bay Patch - Nicole David
Harbor District Should Reconsider
The Harbor District should reconsider its fee structures to promote (rather than discourage) the use of its facilities, provide fair treatment of all fishing companies on Johnson Pier, and make decisions that are in the public interest by soliciting and carefully considering public input.
May 9, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
On Wednesday, the Harbor Commission approved spending $61,000 to hire engineers to draft initial plans for disassembling the structure. Fully removing the pier could cost $650,000 or more, according to San Mateo County Harbor District estimates.
May 8, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Huli Cat charter boat owner Tom Mattusch first highlighted the problem last year, pointing out he had to cancel numerous fishing trips because he wasn’t sure about the safety at sea.
Last week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office reported that a new buoy would be installed at the same spot. The new buoy should be in place by Friday.
May 1, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Divided board rejects site for fire station: Directors differ over El Granada site
Rarback said the El Granada property was not suitable for a future station. He pointed out that the property was in a riparian zone and would present permitting challenges. Assessing the property would be “wasting money,” he said.
“They’d never get a coastal development permit,” he said. “The residents would give us hell, and the Coastal Commission would give us hell.”
The harbor district last month declared the vacant El Granada property as surplus land, offering it first to public agencies before opening it to other buyers on the market. One such public agency that could be interested would be the Granada Sanitary District, which is currently seeking voter approval to assume recreation responsibilities. The Obispo Road property has been talked about as a possible site for a Midcoast community center, a use that Rarback viewed more favorably.
“That would be a good use for this site,” he said.
May 1, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
Reeling in the season: Commercial salmon fishermen at work in Half Moon Bay
About two years ago, the San Mateo County Harbor District raised Pillar Point Harbor’s fish buying fees to some of the highest in the state.
Now, Pillar Point Fisheries, Morning Star Fisheries and Three Captains Sea Products all pay an extra $400 a month in base rent and for the first time became subject to offloading fees.
McHenry said depending on what he’s unloading, he’s having to pay a third of his profit to the harbor. Anderson and McHenry say the inflated costs trickle down to the fishermen and are driving some away.
“My thoughts are [the district is] in the harbor business, the berth business, the lease business, etc. Don’t try and get a piece of the fisherman’s action. They’re the guys taking the risk, they’re the ones that don’t come home at night,” McHenry said.
Anderson and McHenry said the San Francisco and Moss Landing harbors don’t charge any offloading fees. They fear local fisherman will go elsewhere and Pillar Point Harbor will find it’s pushing out those who have supported it for decades.
“When they raised the slip fees and the overnight fees they pretty much drove the salmon fleet away,” Anderson said.
When the fish buying leases were redrafted in 2012, a provision allowing the three renters to have a second hoist was included and last month the Three Captains installed another in the center of the pier. Some have speculated the private new hoist in a prime location was a perk, will be inconvenient for others and gives Three Captains an unfair advantage.
April 28, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter to the Editor by Nicole David
Safety at Pillar Point Harbor should come first
The Harbor Commission needs to listen to the stakeholders impacted by their decisions. The Harbor District should make every effort to support small fishing businesses and their desires to keep Pillar Point Harbor a safe workplace. It is unacceptable that the Harbor District’s answer to the earlier collapse of an existing hoist was that “it was not clear who was at fault in that accident because the maintenance logs could not be located” (Half Moon Bay Review, April 16, 2014). The Harbor District is a public agency that has to ensure public safety and not jeopardize it.
April 23, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
New harbor hoist raises an uproar: Fishermen warn location could choke traffic
Harbor denizens first noticed electrical work starting under the pier as early as last year. Spurred by rumors of a new hoist, the 22-member Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association warned in a letter that it should be consulted on the matter. The harbormaster has the sole authority on locating any hoists, freezers or other dock equipment, but harbor officials pledged earlier this year they would confer with the fishing community before taking any actions.
Responding to the letter at a January commission meeting, district General Manager Peter Grenell emphatically denied decisions on a hoist were being made confidentially.
“I take the concerns that we’ve heard quite seriously,” he said. “No one’s operating in a black box or a vacuum. That’s not how we do business.”
Over the next three months, the San Mateo County Harbor District never reached out to the seafood marketing association, said Board President Porter McHenry. Last week, they felt “blindsided” when they saw the hoist being mounted with the district’s blessing. The organization later sent a second letter expressing unhappiness.
“They pretty much lied to us,” McHenry said. “If there’s a boat unloading there, it’s going to be hard for any trucks or forklifts to get by. People here are going to start freaking out.”
April 18, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
District staff had assured fishermen at Pillar Point Harbor there would be consultation with those affected by the location of the hoist owned by a private fish buyer, said Porter McHenry, president of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association, which represents more than 20 commercial fisherman.
“They should have just asked the people who it directly affects, their whole life is about being able to unload our fish or our bait or our crab pots, we’d have to move. If it was replacing the same hoist or something minor, OK that’s fine, but this is a pretty major change,” McHenry said. “They don’t seem to really care that much about the fishermen and without the fishermen, the harbor is dead.
April 17, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor officials inspect pier following sewage spill
The problems in the sewer line first surfaced last week. A plug popped out of a new sewer line underneath Johnson Pier, spilling as much as 160 gallons of wastewater into Pillar Point Harbor. The plug was quickly replaced and the 2-month-old line was useable once more, harbor officials say.
Valentine Corporation has consistently emerged as the low bidder for projects at Pillar Point Harbor. The firm was also involved in a separate project last year to install a fishing hoist that broke loose at Morningstar Fisheries in February. At the time, some fishermen blamed the firm for not mounting the hoist property. Grindy said it was not clear who was at fault in that accident because the maintenance logs for the hoist could not be located.
April 10, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor by Nicole David
Want to buy fresh, local seafood? There’s an app for that!
The FishLine app has been connecting visitors to Pillar Point Harbor at no cost for more than two years.
April 10, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Commission brings back meeting video: District restores contract with PCT
Seven months ago, a majority of the harbor commissioners voted to end video service.
April 8, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Sewer spill reported at Pillar Point
The line is new. The district replaced a failing line under the pier earlier this year at a cost of $187,000. Before that work was done, the 50-year-old existing line under the pier ruptured allowing an undetermined amount of waste to spill into harbor waters. Scott Grindy said the contractor who replaced the line had been called and was expected to ensure that a similar accident doesn’t recur.
April 4, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert
Harbor District plans to move offices back to coast
Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who has pushed for the district to move its administrative offices to the Coastside, said she hopes the GSD continues to be a tenant in the building.
“We don’t need the entire building,” she said. “One of the advantages of owning it is that we can lease out space, and hopefully have our meetings there in the future.”
April 4, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
San Mateo County Harbor District Commission moving headquarters back to coast
“I’m very pleased with the unanimous decision to return [the] Harbor District management back to the coastside,” Brennan wrote in an email. “The Harbor District owns Pillar Point Harbor and the city of South San Francisco owns Oyster Point Marina. It makes sense for the Harbor District to invest in a facility it owns and buy an office building near that primary facility.”
“Pillar Point Harbor is the Harbor District’s primary facility because it’s the only commercial fishing port in San Mateo County, it’s a Bay Area tourism and recreation destination, it has high slip occupancy, it’s next to [the] world-class surf spot Mavericks, and it provides excellent access to the California Coastal Trail,” Brennan wrote.
March 21, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Op-Ed by Sabrina Brennan
There is a battle to preserve our fishing heritage
Request for grand jury investigation: In 2013, Bettencourt Fisheries, a fourth-generation commercial fishing company, asked the San Mateo County civil grand jury to investigate leasing deals in Pillar Point Harbor. As the highest bidder for a fish-buying lease, the company is angry the district gave leases to companies bidding considerably less.
March 21, 2014
Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel
San Mateo County Harbor District seeks help: Commissioners looking to hire facilitator
Brennan has advocated for seeking professional help and said she went through a helpful state special district program. But she is concerned to learn the last facilitation only entailed interviews with each individual commissioner and a final report no one can seem to find, Brennan said.
“I was thinking more in terms of board dynamics which means learning how to work together, with a group, building trust,” Brennan said. “I’d like to see us go from a dysfunctional board to a successful board.”
Yet, after Wednesday’s four-hour-long meeting, the board didn’t allot time to interview one of the candidates.
“The fact that we had somebody there waiting and we didn’t even get to them, it’s just awful,” Brennan said. “He wasn’t even allowed to speak to the board. That was just so rude and I’m embarrassed to be part of a board that treated someone like that.”
Tucker agreed he felt bad the board voted to end the meeting at 10 p.m. forgetting the candidate had been patiently waiting to speak.
“He drove from Tracy to Monterey to us just for that meeting, so I felt like a horse’s patootie,” Tucker said.
March 20, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Attorney to part ways with harbor: Law firm severs ties after 25 years
Commissioner William Holsinger directed Savaree to investigate whether Brennan’s use of social media links on the district’s website violated any state rules. After Savaree determined no rules were broken, Holsinger called her legal research into question.
After months of working with a quarrelsome board of directors, the San Mateo County Harbor District’s longstanding law firm announced last week it would not renew its contract.
March 18, 2014
Daily Journal - Guest Perspective by Sabrina Brennan
Preserving the fishing industry at the Harbor District
Does a vibrant local fishing industry add to your quality of life? If so, you should know fees at Pillar Point Harbor are so high that some of our commercial fishermen are going to ports in other counties.
In 2012, Harbor Commissioners Jim Tucker, Robert Bernardo and Will Holsinger approved the highest fish buying fees in California and local fishermen are outraged over it.
Commercial fisherman Steve Fitz, and the HMB Seafood Marketing Association, oppose the new fees for fish offloaded at Johnson Pier. No other harbor in the state imposes fees as high as those at Pillar Point. Monterey Harbor charges much lower fees and Pier 45 in San Francisco does not charge any fees.
In 2012, fishermen were promised the Harbor District would evaluate and adjust non-competitive fees tied to long-term leases. The commissioners have had ample time to correct the problem, however, they appear unwilling to reconsider their policy decision.
In 2013, Bettencourt Fisheries, a fourth generation commercial fishing company asked the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury to investigate leasing deals in Pillar Point Harbor. As the highest bidder for a fish-buying lease, they’re angry the district gave leases to companies bidding considerably less.
March 5, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
“I don’t know what you’d do without the Internet these days,” said Porter McHenry, president of the Half Moon Bay Seafood Marketing Association. “It’ll be helpful to look for the weather conditions before you head out, especially for fishermen who are traveling or living on their boats.”
The idea to bring free Wi-Fi to the harbor has been floating around the district for more than a year. Commissioner Sabrina Brennan made it a top priority, saying local fishermen needed better connectivity, but the project was sidelined amid other priorities.
February 22, 2014
Daily Journal - Guest Perspective by John McDowell
What job would pay $1,100 per hour? At more than $2 million in annualized pay, one would think it would require a high level of skill, education and experience. One might think a ballplayer, surgeon or top tech talent would fill the bill.
One would be wrong. To make $1,100 per hour all one needs to be is a part-time politician.
That’s right. As reported last fall, one San Mateo County harbor commissioner in 2012 received pay and benefits working out to $1,100 per hour for attending commission meetings.
Of course, attending meetings actually required some work. A former harbor commissioner received $18,348 in benefits, and she’s dead. Lifetime benefits for commissioners require payment to her son, who is on her health insurance policy until he is 26.
The San Mateo County Harbor Commission is one of the more egregious examples of special district dysfunction. As reported in this newspaper, the Harbor Commission has devolved into a morass of personal recriminations, finger-pointing, dueling harassment complaints and public outrage. Things have gotten so bad that armed sheriff’s deputies must attend their meetings.
In just one example of district dysfunction, the newly hired finance director found almost $38,000 in uncashed tenant checks in the desk drawer of an employee. Due to the mismanagement, some tenants were wrongly charged with being in arrears while others weren’t billed for their berth fees at all. The district is one of 24 independent special districts in the county. These exist to provide such services as sewer, water and fire protection, as well as health care, vector control and more. They have their own elected board members and employees.
February 19, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter to the Editor
Commissioner Brennan and the Harbor District
Editor,
Commissioner Sabrina Brennan is fighting the San Mateo County Harbor Commission to make the public marinas better for boaters, merchants and taxpayers.
Pietro Parravano and Will Holsinger take full health, dental and life insurance benefits for a part-time job at $40,000 per year for each of them for life. A relative of a former commissioner may be getting these benefits for life even though the former commissioner is dead.
Commissioner Brennan doesn’t take these benefits. The state Legislature is proposing to stop benefits like this for part-time government officials.
The commission and marina staff are very strongly aligned against Commissioner Brennan. Board members are on record complaining about the lengthy meetings that have resulted from their blockading Commissioner Brennan. The board members average $1,100 an hour for the few hours they spend doing their job.
The San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury is investigating the district. Only Commissioner Brennan is asking for an investigation into the “pile of missing checks” and requested the leaky sewer pipe under Johnson Pier be replaced. Commissioner Brennan pushed for Wi-Fi at both marinas. Commissioner Brennan has pushed for a new strategic plan to replace the outdated 1991 Master Plan. Commissioner Brennan requested an outside consultant to help the board overcome their disfunction.
Commissioner Brennan has repeatedly requested the board to reconsider three commercial fish buying leases. This is at the request of the three fish buyers.
Commissioner Brennan is against downsizing the Harbor Patrol because of the many lives it has saved.
Vote these bums out of office. It won’t stop their benefits for life, but it will save money and improve the marinas.
Paul Mahler, Redwood CIty
February 14, 2014
Daily Journal - Letter to the Editor
Commissioner Brennan takes fishermen’s side
Editor,
Having commercially fished for 55 years and being the oldest active fisherman in Half Moon Bay, I must stick up for Harbor Commissioner Brennan. I also lease one of the unloading stations at the end of the pier. After being hit by a 10-fold increase in rent over the competing ports of San Francisco and Moss Landing, I found I had to attend the San Mateo County Harbor District meetings.
My first meeting, I couldn’t believe the total disrespect the other members and harbor manager showed Brennan. She would ask pertinent questions to educate herself and the audience. Most of the other commersioners seem upset that she would ask questions and not just vote with the rest of them. She’s the only fresh breath I’ve seen in the harbor for 20 years — a public servant who cares about the public. While some commissioners are padding their retirement with benefits, she chooses not to. She’s the only commissioner I’ve seen in a row boat inspecting the underside of the dock to see any problems for herself. She questions why the harbor needs expensive, luxurious offices when a smaller office would work just fine.
The final kicker is that the harbor wants a percentage of all fish caught by fisherman at Pillar Point Harbor. I’m in charge of adding a missing fisherman’s name on the plaque at the harbor. The Harbor District is running a marina. I feel they shouldn’t get a percentage of the men’s and women’s livelihood who untie their boats with no guarantee they will return home.
Commissioner Brennan has taken the fishermen’s side and I personally give her all my support.
Mike McHenry, San Mateo County
February 4, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Aaron Kinney
Harbor district bid to destroy records viewed with suspicion
The initial list of documents proposed for destruction, however, contained items that the district's records policy never allows to be destroyed, such as board meeting agendas and minutes. The district has since removed those records from the list.
The district's proposal raised eyebrows because it followed several unusual occurrences over the past year, including the reported discovery last summer of $38,000 in checks from district tenants that had never been deposited and the board's decision in November to stop videotaping its meetings.
Harvey Rarback, a member of the Coastside Fire Protection District board, wrote an email to the district last month calling its proposal to destroy documents "suspicious."
"The decision of the (district) to stop the videotaping of your meetings," he wrote, "was another step in reducing the transparency of your agency and causing the public to wonder what you have to hide."
January 23, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor faces backlash over shredding request: Critics say move thwarts transparency
“This seems like an odd time for document destruction to be on our agenda,” Brennan said. “It would be unseemly to go forward with this at this time.”
January 23, 2014
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Bill takes aim at health perks for part-time officials: Proposal would affect harbor district
Harbor Commission Chairman Robert Bernardo and Commissioner Sabrina Brennan both indicated they wanted to go further than Mullin’s bill in scaling back the board members’ benefits. Both commissioners have declined to take the district’s benefits except for the monthly salary.
January 7, 2014
San Jose Mercury News - Thomas Peele
Bay Area legislator proposes ending health benefits for former part-time politicians
Kevin Mullin said he was still exploring whether the legislature could force former officials who receive the benefit through the state Public Employees Retirement System, CalPERS, to pay a larger share of the benefits of the cost.
In some cases, governments are contributing less than $1,500 a year for that health coverage with the former officials paying the bulk of the cost. But others, such as Palo Alto, are paying 100 percent of the expense. That city spent more than $115,000 in 2012 to cover 13 former politicians.
A CalPERS spokesman, Brad Pacheco, said in an email on Tuesday that local governments could require people to pay more of the cost. The legislature could also force such a change, he said.
December 30, 2013
Contra Costa Times - Editorial
It's time to end elected officials' self-dealing on their compensation
"San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Pietro Parravano's compensation, $25,757 in cash and benefits for attending 21 meetings that lasted an average of 77 minutes each, came out to $955 an hour."
December 26, 2013
San Jose Mercury News - Thomas Peele
Former part-time pols in Bay Area reap medical benefits at taxpayer expense
Bay Area taxpayers spent more than $1.5 million last year on health benefits for former part-time elected officials -- and, in many cases, their dependents. In fact, the newspaper discovered, in 19 instances, taxpayers still paying for dependents' health care for politicians who not only are no longer serving the public -- they are no longer alive.
"I really don't think that voters in California know about this," said Sabrina Brennan, an elected commissioner for the San Mateo County Harbor district, one of 13 agencies providing benefits for dependents of deceased politicians.
December 26, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review - Editorial by Clay Lambert
New Year’s resolution No. 1: Finding common cause
Local politics can be nasty. The next year brings elections for Half Moon Bay City Council and San Mateo County Harbor Commission and both promise to be spirited. There are legitimate issues before every elected board on the coast. Elected leaders should expect to hear from constituents. They may well be voted out of office if they fail to heed the will of the majority.
But the healthy back-and-forth must be tempered by a willingness to compromise and an understanding that all of us want what’s best for the community. If we can’t agree on that much, politics turns black, as in recent battles over the soul of the Coastside Fire Protection District. It’s easy to lose sight of our better instincts when we feel insulted or railroaded.
The responsibility begins with elected leaders. They set the tone for debate. They set the agenda. They decide how seriously to take the concerns of constituents. Public agencies become embattled public agencies when leaders turn arrogant. Dismissing public concern is the surest way to be dismissed from your public responsibilities.
December 19, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor officials explain suspicious credit card bills
In a memo sent out Wednesday afternoon, Peter Grenell announced that the agency was canceling as many as 24 Visa cards issued through the state “Cal-Card” program. New credit cards would be given out to employees starting next week, he wrote.
In an interview on Thursday, Grenell gave assurances that the credit cards were being used appropriately.
“What you’re going to find is the cards are used for district business in almost every single case,” he said. “The cards are there to be used for the purpose intended and they’re used this way with rare exceptions.”
There are some curious exceptions in the 2010 credit billings released to John Ullom. On a single day in May of that year, Grenell’s own credit card showed more than $2,100 in credits from looki.de, an Internet URL that links to a German video game website.
Grenell said those transactions occurred after his credit card information was stolen and was being used fraudulently. Officials at U.S. Bank investigated the charges and ultimately reimbursed the district, he said. The transactions on the bills appear to be credits from the company rather than charges.
“There was this brief period of time when fraud was being committed by some people somewhere,” he said. “When this was first noted, it was reviewed and gone over with the bank. It’s old history now.”
During the same period, former Harbormaster Dan Temko also had his credit card information stolen, according to Harbor Board President Robert Bernardo. It was not immediately clear what, if any, charges were made to that card.
The billing release comes at a time when the harbor district’s financials are being put under the magnifying glass. Earlier this month, the district’s bookkeeping received a clean bill of health in an independent auditor’s report. However, Ullom and other critics say the district has not been forthcoming when asked about its monthly revenues and expenses. Ullom said he filed his records requests after being disappointed with how the district handled a pile of missing checks and errors in its autobilling system uncovered earlier this year.
Grenell said the district would release more credit card bills for the intervening years within the next week.
December 19, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review - Merrill Bobele
Harbor commission approves speaking limits
The only thing that can be said about the minutes of the meeting is that they are indeed “minute.”
If a Coastside citizen wants to know what actually is said at a Harbor District meeting, the only reliable way is to view the video at www.citizenaccess.TV. Not to miss the point of this, a five-minute time limit for commissioners wishing to speak on a motion does not do much for “openness and transparency” of elected public agencies!
December 12, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor board approves speaking limits: Contract changes made for senior employees
“Once again, this is aimed at stifling one commissioner, Sabrina Brennan,” said Granada Sanitary District Board President Leonard Woren. “This wouldn’t be a problem if staff didn’t stonewall her.”
December 05, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor board considers time limits: Proposal would limit commissioner comments to 5 minutes
“I could sell you a washing machine in five minutes."
-Jim Tucker, SMC Harbor Commissioner
November 21, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Digital divide evident at harbor meetings: Local governments struggle to adopt new technology
“I’m concerned by the level of scholarship by our legal counsel,” said Will Holsinger, himself a practicing attorney. “By maintaining these links, the district is tacitly approving the information to which the individual is being directed.”
October 31, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor district details missing checks
$38,000 in tenants’ checks were missing. The 37 checks, some dating as far back as early 2012, were never deposited and had been sitting for months in an employee’s desk drawer.
The checks were first discovered in July by the district’s newly appointed finance director, and the incident was related to the commission two months later. Harbor General Manager Peter Grenell said then that time was needed to fully investigate the problem before going public with the details.
“No information was disclosed prior to going to the treasurer to make sure it was thorough and to protect the integrity of the investigation,” he said.
But the incident generated problems for the district’s tenants. More than $5,000 of the missing checks comprised monthly payments from several boat owners renting at Oyster Point Harbor. In some cases, boat owners who had paid rent had ended up falling in arrears according to the district’s records. Other tenants were never charged their monthly berth fees.
October 25, 2013
AllGov
Part-Time Government Workers in Special Districts Earning up to $1,100 an Hour
Part-time jobs are generally low-paying with few, or no, benefits unless you’re lucky enough to land that choice $1,094-an-hour gig as a San Mateo County harbor commissioner.
October 24, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Commissioner William Holsinger suggested the board could appoint a psychologist or psychiatrist to watch the board meetings and deliver a report with ideas on how to improve. Regardless, he warned he would abstain on any vote because Commissioner Pietro Parravano was absent. He also questioned whether the board could take action on an item not listed for such on the agenda. The Harbor District attorney said it would be legal to give staff direction on how to move forward with a mediator.
As she has so many times of late, Commissioner Sabrina Brennan took the minority position. She fully endorsed the idea of bringing on a mediator, saying it was appropriate to have such discussions in public.
“The sooner, the better,” she said.
October 19, 2013
San Jose Mercury News - Thomas Peele
$1,100 an hour? Part-time service at little agencies means big bucks and benefits for politicians
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Pietro Parravano got $25,757 in cash and benefits last year for attending 21 meetings that lasted on average 77 minutes each, the analysis shows. That's $1,094 an hour.
Parravano, 64, a commercial fisherman from Half Moon Bay who also serves on several national fisheries commissions, said he's never questioned receiving full benefits for the part-time office he's held for nearly two decades. The harbor commission oversees two marinas and a park and employed 27 workers in 2012.
"It's what was offered when I got here," said Parravano, whose 2012 compensation included medical insurance worth $18,500 and $7,200 cash. "I am an employee and it's part of the policy."
Pietro Parravano was among 69 elected officials at special districts in the region whose total compensation exceeded $20,000.
"If that's not milking the system, I don't know what is," said Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. "It's mind-boggling. Anywhere else they'd get $100 a meeting and that's it."
Commissioner Sally Campbell had a longevity benefit that made her eligible for medical coverage at commission expense after she left elected office. That benefit entitles her dependent to the insurance even after her death. The district will be responsible for it until her grandson's 26th birthday in May 2019, said Marietta Harris, the commission's human resources manager. The policy could cost taxpayers nearly another $100,000 before it ends.
Commissioner Robert Bernardo said questions from this newspaper caused him to ponder whether special districts like his should offer medical benefits to elected officials at all. When compensation like Parravano's is compared to the amount of time spent in the job, "it makes you look at it differently," Bernardo said. "It's a very large amount of money. I've never thought about it this way before, but I have to say that we shouldn't (provide benefits)."
October 04, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Amid complaints, harbor board votes to keep SSF office
“We haven’t taken this item seriously, given how much we’re spending on this per month,” Brennan said. “It feels like from the comments that the board is not serious about investigating our options.”
Brennan chided her fellow board members for assuming Grenell’s recommendation was the best option. She pointed out the general manager didn’t follow her request to bring the district’s real estate agent to take questions on their options. At her request, local Realtor Dave Worden presented an office space in El Granada that could lease or buy.
Instead, Commissioner Jim Tucker made a motion to extend the harbor district’s lease by three years, adding that the district should investigate breaking this up into three one-year leases.
September 26, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Commission sinking into very harbor it governs
The San Mateo County Harbor Commission has lost its way, and constituents are paying the price. The most disappointing fact of all is that violations of law, breaks in decorum and offenses to the practice of good governance are too numerous to mention in this space.
Let’s start with illegal and ineffectual meetings. Last week, commissioners traded at least one email over whether to move administrative offices out of their current cavernous space in South San Francisco. That email, from attorney and appointed commissioner Will Holsinger, is an attempt at an electronic backroom deal. (You can read it for yourself attached to the online version of this editorial.) In that email, which was forwarded to the Review, he clearly advocates a position. And that is a clear violation of the state’s Brown Act, which demands such muscle be applied in public. Regardless of whether it was their intent to conduct this crucial and potentially costly business out of public purview, seasoned elected officials and their counsel surely know better — and it’s hard to believe that was a first offense.
In addition, on at least one occasion in recent weeks, one commissioner called another who suggested calling a third about financial irregularities in the office. That is called a serial meeting and is expressly outlawed in the Brown Act.
The public meetings themselves have become increasingly bewildering. The voices in the chorus of public dissent have grown so loud that the hosting hotel politely asked the district to hold its meetings elsewhere. (That problem was apparently solved when the hotel put the district in a more discrete meeting room.)
Now consider the case of the found money. Last week, we learned that a stack of checks made out to the district had been discovered in a desk drawer. That hasn’t been adequately explained, and, as of late last week, it appeared district officials were still trying to figure out where the money belonged.
Next, hear harbor tenants and fishermen who have increasingly complained about unsupportable fees, electrical problems at the docks and the harbor’s complicity with strange Homeland Security actions. (See the odd story of Andy Scherer in the June 12 newspaper.)
Then there is bad legal advice. Just as it did in the recent Coastside Fire Protection District debacle, the contracted legal firm Aaronson, Dickerson, Cohn and Lanzone has attempted to obscure its fees through all this. The firm heavily redacted its bills in response to a citizen’s public records request. The briefest descriptions of those expenses cannot be considered work product nor are they subject to attorney-client privilege. Even the beleaguered fire board eventually realized that and ordered the same firm to release explanation of its charges.
There is every reason to believe the district has been lost at sea for some time now. The only change of late is the 2012 addition of Commissioner Sabrina Brennan, who has rocked the boat in the harbor by sounding the foghorn when she sees trouble rather than simply huddling below deck. The district has long paid extraordinary salaries and even health benefits for elected officials. Last week, in the midst of all these improprieties, the tone-deaf commission voted 4-1 to give a raise to the district’s general manager. So much for accountability.
So how do we fix all this? The next election is next year. We’ll remind you. Until then, elected commissioners must admit all of the above and resolve to do better. That begins by abiding by the Brown Act. It includes releasing those legal bills. But mostly, it demands that commissioners begin to think of those who speak up at meetings as constituents and not opponents.
September 26, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor staff uncovers missing checks: Commission notified 2 months after discovery
Tucker said harbor staff first informed him about the missing checks Sept. 17, 2013 when he went to review the district’s bills and claims. There was no indication of criminal activity, he said.
“No money was missing, but obviously the employee wasn’t doing her job,” he said. “(The checks) were laying in a desk drawer, and they just kept piling up.”
The checks were primarily from Oyster Point Harbor and totaled $37,996, according to district General Manager Peter Grenell. Most of that amount came from one large check for $29,400 for an abandoned vessel grant reimbursement. More than $5,100 of the missing checks comprised monthly payments from several boat owners renting berths at the harbor.
Some checks in the pile dated back as far as last year, Grenell noted in an email to the Review.
September 19, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor District’s decision adversely affects marathon
When I asked Mr. Grenell on Aug 17 about the re-rerouting of the marathon to avoid the harbor, the conversation ended with him shaking his finger about 3 inches from my face and saying angrily, “Those people don’t belong there.”
On 9/18 Harbor Commission Agenda, the General Manager recommended approval of the South San Francisco Fun Run through Oyster Point Marina and waving of fees, per request of SSF. Go figure.
—Lisa Ketcham, Midcoast Community Council member
September 19, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor board at odds over manager: Grenell may get raise despite complaint
About two months ago, Brennan filed a harassment complaint with the district against Grenell, which is now being investigated by an independent law firm. She said could not provide details on the complaint because it was a district personnel matter, but she noted that Grenell “has demonstrated a history of bias against women.”
At a June harbor commission meeting, Brennan lashed out publicly at Grenell for allegedly ignoring a series of her requests for information. Her complaint was filed soon afterward.
"He is demeaning, demoralizing, rude, condescending, arrogant, and it ends in an unpleasant experience for me," she said to other board members at the time. "The general manager is capable of providing answers and he chooses not to do it.”
In recent meetings, Brennan has pointed out that district policy designates the general manager as the person in charge of judging all harassment complaints and determining whether to investigate. She asked her colleagues to consider revising the policy. It was not immediately clear how her complaint ended up with an independent arbiter.
"It appears by reading this policy that commissioners would need to make a complaint potentially to the person they’re making the complaint about," she said.
Tucker said he did not know details about Brennan's complaint, but to his knowledge she was the lone critic on the board of the general manager.
"Four out of the five commissioners are very supportive of Grenell's work and his accomplishments," he said.“The only one who's said anything verbally is Brennan.”
September 18, 2013
Montara Fog
Harbor to hold secret meeting tonight in South City, General Manager to get $4,000 raise
The Harbor Commission plans to meet tonight in South San Francisco without video coverage of their meeting. The governing board, by a 3-2 vote in late August, accepted old-timer Jim Tucker’s recommendation to cancel the video due to either a) the audience acting dramatically or, b) to protect the staff from insulating comments from the audience. Jim’s rationale changes from time to time.
In that meeting Commissioner Holsinger, seemingly waking up from a nice nap, lectured the audience that he didn’t like publicly funded videos being linked to by political web sites (he cited that of Commissioner Sabrina Brennan). He doesn’t like the links. Public shouldn’t pay for it. Videos must stop. A copy of Computers For Seniors For Dummies has been ordered for Holsinger. It explains all those fancy words like “Internet” and “links” and “Democracy.”
Parravano didn’t say anything. Smart guy. But he still voted to cancel the video. Not so smart.
Bernardo, who looks and acts more and more like a well-trained puppy with every passing meeting, agreed with Tucker that the meeting behavior was a problem but then pointed out that maybe they just weren’t used to interacting with the public, period. He likes democracy. Good boy, Roberto, good boy.
End of recap. In tonight’s meeting, which you will never see, the Harbor District will extend for three years its $7500/month lease of 3675 square feet of South City office space for the few employees who work there. Each employee has about two Holiday Inn hotel room’s worth of space. The US average is 176 sq ft of space per employee.
Congratulations to the Harbor District office employees!
Later in the meeting Harbor Manager Peter Grenell will get a raise of about $4000–a 2.5% raise on his approximately $142,000 salary. Grenell is tight with Tucker and it shows. Last meeting the board handed out raises to the Harbor Master (a raise of $5,906 to $118,128, hasn’t had a raise since he was hired in April 2012), to the Human Resources Manager (a $3,037 raise to $121,492, hasn’t had a raise since January 2012), and the Director of Finance ($2,375 raise to $95,031, promoted to that position in July 2013 with a pay bump at that time).
Congratulations to “Ole Beardo” Peter Grenell and the senior staff of the Harbor District!
Want one of those jobs? You are in luck, my friend–they are hiring. Grenell is asking to hire two more employees, one for the position of Deputy Harbor Master the other for the position of Accountant (the old accountant is now the Director of Finance, who just got a promotion, a pay bump, and a raise).
Congratulations to all the future employees of the Harbor District! (You know who you are, wink wink.)
And finally, what meeting wouldn’t be complete with another formal effort to SHUSH! (Shut Her UP, Sabrina Hush!). In this episode of SHUSH! Harbor Manager Peter Grenell proposes approval of a “meeting protocol,” which further limits Brennan’s ability to place an item on the agenda and further limits the public’s ability to have its voice heard.
Congratulations Commissioners Tucker and Grenell! Tell Commissioner Holsinger the good news after his nap.
September 05, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Noisy meetings prompt harbor board to move
As recently as last year, the San Mateo County Harbor Commission meetings would regularly wrap up by 8 or 9 p.m. at the latest. But these days, it’s common for meetings to run past 11 p.m. A packed house of public speakers and a fractious harbor board have made for some raucous meetings that sometimes descend into shouting matches.
September 04, 2013
Montara Fog
Harbor Commission, the most secretive government body on the coast, to hold “public” meeting with no audio or video recordings
They will also be shutting down Brennan’s questions tonight. Agenda item 5, under New Business, is titled “District Chain of Command.” The proposed action is to “Reaffirm chain of command for communications.” Which is another way of saying, “Brennan can’t ask any questions unless the board majority says she can.” So much for democracy–Brennan won more votes than any other harbor commissioner in history, as far as I can tell. Tucker got 71,000 or so. Brennan got 120,000. They hope she will just go away if they make it tough enough for her. She’s a girl, after all.
But you won’t get to see or hear any of this. The board majority, over Brennan’s objections, voted to terminate the video recording at the last meeting.
August 22, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor board cancels video service
“It's like a fungus; once it happens it won't stop.”
—Jim Tucker, San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner
August 22, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Podcast would be harder to understand
My concern is that podcasts lend themselves to one or two people talking, such as an interviewer and interviewee, when the listener can’t see who is talking. At harbor district meetings, there is a cast of five commissioners, six staff members, plus members of the public. Listening to such a podcast, it will be nearly impossible to keep track of who is saying what.
—Lisa Ketcham, Midcoast Community Council member
August 21, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor commissioners would be wise to save video coverage
And if that logic doesn’t sway a majority of commissioners, they might consider the message they would send by turning off the video cameras. Whatever the rationale for replacing video with audio, the perception will be that commissioners are afraid of the light that comes with those cameras. Good politicians know better than to court that kind of perception.
—Clay Lambert, Editor
August 15, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor commissioner in midst of Herculean task
It appears the fifth task of shoveling the s--- created by the *five men of the commission, might be more than even Commissioner Sabrina Brennan alone can handle.
—Lee Engdahl *Peter Grenell is the 5th member
August 15, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor commission cuts off colleague, tightens rules: Board approves limits on public complaints
Over the first six months of 2013 those record requests cost the district $50,000 in legal fees, according to Commissioner Will Holsinger, an attorney who was appointed to the board earlier this year. He indicated those costs were inappropriate, reading into the record how the state defines the misuse of public funds.
"I'm not prepared to say whether (Brennan's costs) were for the business of the district or whether they were for her personal interest,” he said. “I do know they were not authorized by the district.”
Brennan countered that her legal costs were being overstated. A June expense report found her 2013 requests resulted in 55.8 hours of legal time — the most of any commissioner — but at a cost closer to $10,000. She described herself as a scapegoat even though larger legal expenses had been accrued by redundant staff requests.
Holsinger admitted his figure was inaccurate, but he re-emphasized the legal protocols should be tightened. His colleagues sided with him, mandating that any requests made to the district legal counsel needed majority approval.
August 12, 2013
San Mateo Daily Journal
Harbor Commission meeting dysfunction
As one observer commented, the meeting could be summed up in one action, when Commissioner James Tucker asked a staff person, whose imminent maternity leave had just been approved, to waddle across a crowded room to get him a glass of water.
August 08, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Blasting colleague, harbor trustees tighten rules
Harbor commissioners agreed to tighten rules for placing items on the board agenda and making requests from the district’s contracted attorney. Under the new rules, either action would first require majority approval from the board. The board majority also approved new rules for creating and dissolving committees.
The changes came amid months of combative meetings with Commissioner Sabrina Brennan squaring off against some or all of the other elected board members. A long six-hour meeting on Wednesday was no different — Commissioners blamed Brennan for wasting money and staff time on excessive records requests and reviews at public hearings. Brennan defended her actions saying she was left with no other means to make informed decisions.
Over the first six months of 2013 those records requests cost the district $50,000 in legal fees, stated Commissioner Will Holsinger. He indicated those costs were inappropriate, reading into the record how the state defines the misuse of public funds.
“I’m not prepared to say whether (Brennan’s costs) were for the business of the district or whether they were for her personal interest,” he said. “I do know they were not authorized by the district.”
Brennan countered that her legal costs were being overstated. A June expense report found her 2013 requests resulted in 55.8 hours of legal time — the most of any commissioner — but at a cost closer to $10,000. She described herself as a scapegoat even though larger legal expenses had been accrued by redundant staff requests.
Holsigner admitted his figure was inaccurate, but he re-emphasized the legal protocols should be tightened. His colleagues sided with him, mandating that any requests made to the district legal counsel needed majority approval.
August 03, 2013
San Mateo Daily Journal
I call upon the commission to replace Grenell for his repeated unethical behavior, upon county residents to demand a commission and general manager that support transparency, cooperation and actually work for the best interests of their residents, and upon the voters to replace Holsinger, who lost two county-wide elections and only served after being appointed. Replace him with someone the people want to see on the commission, someone more professional.
July, 17 2013
Reorganization of Harbor Commission Officers - Agenda Item 1
Commissioner Robert Bernardo was elected board president. Following Commissioner Jim Tucker's 19 month term as president. Commissioner Pietro Parravano was elected Vice President, and Jim Tucker was elected Treasurer and Secretary.
Historically Jim Tucker has served terms that stretch over 12 months as board president on multiple occasions.
July 03, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Public record costs draw scorn at harbor: Commissioner argues staff ignores queries
Asked by the Review, Brennan forwarded more than 80 email requests sent by her to harbor staff, seeking information on issues such as a harbor dredging project, a shoreline access report, a fee schedule for harbor tenants and other items. Saying she wanted all the information in order to do the job she was elected to do, she complained that her requests were routinely ignored by harbor administration. She said that filing formal public records requests with the district's attorney became her only alternative. She saved special criticism for district General Manager Peter Grenell, alleging he was deliberately withholding information and acting unprofessionally.
"When I ask for an item that comes before the board, and I ask the general manager, he doesn't respond and doesn't provide information,” she said.“I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place.”
She also reminded her colleagues that she was saving the district money by not signing up for the harbor commission's provided health care.
June 25, 2013
Montara Fog
Bettencourt Fisheries has made a formal request to the San Mateo Grand Jury to open an investigation into mismanagement at the Harbor District. Bettencourt alleges widespread problems with the District’s management of leases and it singles out its own experience attempting to win one of the three slots on Johnson Pier reserved for the unloading of fish.
June 13, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Holsinger appointed to harbor board once more
Holsinger was also appointed last year to fill the unexpired term of longtime Commissioner Sally Campbell. Like Padreddii, Campbell died in office. After that appointment, Holsinger subsequently lost his bid for re-election in November.
Last week, Holsinger was the top choice of three of the four sitting commissioners. Commissioner Sabrina Brennan favored Half Moon Bay marine biologist Nicole David. Half Moon Bay residents Lauryn Agnew and Dorothy Baughman also interviewed for the position, as did Charles King of Brisbane.
June 05, 2013
Montara Fog
Holsinger wins appointment to Harbor District board in secret voteJune 05, 2013
The vote was by a controversial written ballot system, a form of which was declared illegal last year.
June 05, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
San Mateo Attorney appointed to harbor board again
The Commission took heat after Holsinger’s 2012 appointment because commissioners used a secret numbering system to make their decision. Counsel ultimately determined that system was illegal, and the commission subsequently voted on the issue in public.
“When people asked me about my service on the San Mateo County Harbor Commission last time I told them I was having boatloads of fun,” Holsinger said with a smile.
June 04, 2013
Montara Fog
Questions for the Harbor Commissioner Candidates
4. Do you think the Harbor District should develop a strategic plan? If so, why?
8. Do you support switching to District wide elections? If so, why? If not, why?
May 31, 2013
Montara Fog
Five people–three of them women–have submitted letters of interest to join the governing board of the San Mateo County Harbor District. They will be interviewed this coming Wednesday, June 5th. One of these candidates will be appointed to fill the space formerly held by Leo Padreddii, who died this past April shortly after his re-election.
The odds on favorite to win the appointment is attorney Will Hoslinger, a former member of the Harbor District’s board. Holsinger, who came in fifth place in the 2004 Harbor District election, was appointed last May to sit on the Harbor Commission, filling a seat left open by the death of commissioner Sally Campbell. He then ran but lost in the 2012 election in November.
The current commissioners have decided to use their “scorecard” method of selecting the winning applicant despite the fact that this method was largely discredited last year when it was revealed that the cards were filled out in such a way to give the impression that Holsinger was “wired” for the appointment. The scorecards were only made public at the insistence of Sabrina Brennan (prior to her election to the board) and resulted in negative press and a critical op-ed by Half Moon Bay Review editor Clay Lambert
May 31, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Five vying for open Harbor Commission seat
Following that episode, harbor district officials drafted formal procedures for making board appointments. But over recent days, harbor district officials were still apparently confused over details of their appointment policies.
Harbor General Manager Peter Grenell explained in a memo sent last week that commissioners would score the candidates on a 1-to-10 scale, the same process used for Campbell's seat. But Brennan pointed out the district's new policy for filling empty seats called for the commission to make a vote. Grenell subsequently revised the process in a follow-up memo sent Monday, noting that harbor commission would instead make its decision through a vote, either oral or written.
May 15, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor board to appoint new member: Commissioners expect selection in June
The Harbor Commission voted 3-1 on May 1 to make an appointment. Commissioner Sabrina Brennan dissented, saying she preferred deferring the appointment decision to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
“The (last) appointment was so botched and just so challenged; I’m really concerned about this board’s ability to conduct an appointment appropriately,” she said. “I feel more comfortable letting the Board of Supervisors make the appointment.”
May 02, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review - Mark Noack
Harbor Commission to appoint new member
The most recent appointment came last year following the death of former President Sally Campbell. The commission selected San Mateo attorney William Holsinger from among eight candidates to fill the seat. After the decision, rejected candidates, including Brennan, who was ultimately elected in the next balloting, balked at the appointment process. The secretive score tally between the commissioners was illegal and subsequently the Harbor Commission re-appointed Holsinger in a public vote among the commission.
Following the controversy, the Harbor District amended its procedures, mandating that any future appointments had to be nominated and given final approval through formal commission votes.
May 01, 2013
Montara Fog
Harbor District pays commissioners far above what directors at other local governing bodies receive
A review of compensation practices among nine governing bodies that serve the Coastside shows that the San Mateo County Harbor District, which is responsible for both Oyster Point Marina and PIllar Point Harbor, offers its commissioners pay and benefits that dwarf those of any other district.
April 03, 2013
Half Moon Bay Review
Harbor commissioner sheds light on what happens behind closed doors
Brennan, who was elected to the countywide post in November, has set herself apart in many ways, not least being her commitment to a more transparent public agency. It was her pre-election plea that led the commission to begin broadcasting board meetings over Pacific Coast Television. She wants to post staff reports on the district website. And it was Brennan who had the guts to expose what she says was a violation of California’s Brown Act governing open meetings.
At issue is what the board said it was doing behind closed doors on Feb. 6. The agenda lists a single subject: “Public employee performance evaluation, general manager, pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6.” Such an evaluation would qualify for closed-door discussions, but by law, the board must stick to that single scheduled discussion.
Brennan says General Manager Peter Grenell’s performance didn’t even come up in the closed session. Instead, she says, the sole focus of the closed-door session was her demand for background material prior to voting on staff proposals. She says she has had trouble getting issues on the agenda and even had to file a public records request to get district documents prior to votes.
July 12, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - Sara Hayden
Resident suggests new format for harbor elections: Brennan recommends switch to district contests
Brennan, who has previously run for a seat on the board, believes that the switch would cut down costs for taxpayers and people interested in running for elected positions.
The Harbor District was billed $469,073.32 by the elections office for the November 2010 election. But $281,444 could have been saved had by-district elections been conducted, she said, drawing on data from the county elections office.
San Mateo County Elections Manager David Tom confirms that there are significant cost savings for by-district elections.
According to Brennan, lowering the cost would not only relieve the burden on taxpayers but also encourage more qualified candidates to run for board positions.
May 31, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert, Editor
Harbor Commission tallies reveal embarrassing lack of thought
Well, the vote tallies were finally sent to candidate Sabrina Brennan — nine working days after her first request. (Apparently, they were sent via email to the wrong Sabrina several days earlier.) Above, you see the evidence of the incredible thought that went into that decision for one sitting commissioner.
The plan was for the four sitting commissioners to rank their candidates — 10 being their favorite and so on. This commissioner thought only one of the seven people who presented themselves for interview deserved any consideration at all. That sort of subverts the process of ranking candidates, doesn’t it? What if all four commissioners had done that? You could have had a four-way tie, for goodness sake.
The vote tallies provided to Brennan don’t cast much light onto the processes of the commission. Only one of the four members — Robert Bernardo — put his name on his sheet.
I continue to think it’s a ridiculous way to appoint the people who control the public’s money, and I’m annoyed that they make engaged citizens file formal written requests when the commission’s own work looks like something a second-grader would turn in.
Let’s put an end to secret, ranked voting at the San Mateo County Harbor Commission.
May 31, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert, Editor
Appointment to replace Sally Campbell: vote tally sheet
May 17, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - Clay Lambert, Editor
Time for the harbor district to see a little sunshine
Well, one of the candidates not chosen asked to see the tally sheets. Grenell made her file a California Open Records Act request. He says he turned over the sheets three business days later; she says she still hadn’t gotten them more than a week later. In either case, the vote and the subsequent stonewalling were anything but transparent and needlessly create the impression that the commission has something to hide.
March 29, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - by Lily Bixler
Investigation spurs Parravano to terminate grant
“I didn’t want to leave anyone with the impression that I’d used my role as harbor commissioner to (leverage) getting the grant,” said Parravano.
March 16, 2012
Half Moon Bay Review - Lily Bixler
Air quality board investigates harbor grant
The Bay Area Air Quality Management Board is investigating San Mateo County Harbor District board member Pietro Parravano’s application for a grant to improve his commercial fishing vessel.
August 25, 2010
Half Moon Bay Review
Late filings spark Harbor Commission race: Two more candidates file, race is on
The day before the filing deadline, two incumbents and a newcomer were on the county’s election roster to compete for the two open Harbor Commission seats. But things got interesting when Ken Lundie, a three-term veteran to the board withdrew his name in the eleventh hour in an attempt to save the Harbor District an estimated $500,000 to $700,000 in county election fees. But when an incumbent fails to file — or in this case, withdraws — the law allows an extended period for nonincumbents to join the race.
During that window, newcomers Sabrina Brennan and Robert Bernardo stepped in, making a total of four Harbor Commission candidates for the November ballot.
“Ken Lundie thought there wasn’t going to be an election,” said San Mateo County Harbor District Board President Sally Campbell. And “until (they) stepped in there wasn’t going to be an election.”
Moss Beach resident Sabrina Brennan joined the race at the last minute when she learned that Lundie wasn’t going to file. “It was hard to figure out what was going on because Ken’s name was still on the elections Web site,” said Brennan, who owns her own digital printing and graphics business.
February 5, 2003
Half Moon Bay Review - Letter to the Editor
'Good old boy' politics at the harbor district
Dear editor:
Recently, Harbor Commissioner Ken Lundie wrote a letter to the editor regarding the flawed process of the election of officers on the San Mateo County Harbor Commission. Commissioner Lundie's letter has, naturally, drawn rebuttals from the three commission members who currently control the commission and their supporters.
During the January meeting, the presidency of the commission - for the third consecutive year - went to James Tucker by a 3-2 vote.
The importance of the presidency of this board far exceeds the title. On the harbor commission the chairman, or president, basically sets the agenda and, thereby, determines the "direction" of the district. Last year, during Commissioner Tucker's second consecutive term as president, serious consideration was given to allowing only the president and general manager to place items on the agenda. This would effectively squeeze out input from the two independent members. The accepted procedure on most public agencies nationwide gives all members a right to place items on the agenda.
With a guaranteed three-vote majority on the commission, you may wonder why the majority would bother to attempt such a "squeeze play." I believe it was an obvious attempt to stop Commissioner Lundie and myself from bringing up a proposal to fire the current general manager, Peter Grenell, for alleged sexual harassment and failure to undergo a physical/ drug screening as required under his employment contract. Other important items loom in the future, such as the hiring of a person to "run the office" at a salary of $85,000 annually, plus benefits. Commissioner Lundie and I agree that such an expenditure of taxpayer money is totally unnecessary, as the proposed "manager" would oversee the work of only six experienced, union employees.
This management task is one of the responsibilities covered by General Manager Grenell's current salary. If Mr. Grenell were doing the job the public is paying him for, an additional manager would be unnecessary. I feel the actions of the majority are an unacceptable use of taxpayer's money, especially in these difficult financial times.
For the record, on behalf of the voters who elected me, I object to this type of "good old boy" politics and will continue to publicly do so as long as I am an elected member of this commission.
Sally Campbell, Harbor Commissioner
April 22, 1999
Half Moon Bay Review
Brown Act violations alleged in harbor election
"We had a process. (Lundie) didn't know about the process. He's acting on an assumption," Grenell said. "If he had a question, he should have come to me, like the other commissioners would have done. I'd chalk it up to the fact that he's new on the commission."
On the day of the meeting, Lundie said he swung by the harbor district office about 4 p.m. to check on his mail.
On a counter, he spotted the press release that named Pietro Parravano as president, Jim Tucker as vice-president and Sally Campbell as secretary-treasurer.
"I had two choices: I could either go to the election and see if it all lined up. It didn't sit well with me. I wanted to give them a chance to do what's right," Lundie said.
When the commission took up the matter of the election at the meeting, Lundie told commissioners about the release.
With little discussion, the commissioners went ahead and voted for the offices. Lundie chose not to participate in the election because of his concerns that the votes were predetermined.
Two officer positions were once combined before, Tucker noted, when former Commissioner Don Sherer was on the commission.
*Don Sherer pleaded guilty of embezzlement on Dec. 8, 1998 while serving as a San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner.