Candidate for
Commissioner; San Mateo County Harbor District

Fiscal Responsibility

The Harbor District now pays interest on $10 million in debt. But recently, the Commission unanimously approved preliminary spending in expectation of borrowing even more. I'm not convinced that new debt is necessary. Instead, we should focus the District's spending on its core mission and do more to support local businesses.

The Daily Journal says,

"Brennan is quick with new ideas...her fiscal conservatism is refreshing from someone so focused on environmental stewardship."

Most local governments incur debt by placing a bond issue on the ballot. Voters must approve those measures by a 2/3 majority. That's not what the Harbor Commission does though. It borrows money from California's Department of Boating and Waterways. No voter approval necessary!

The Harbor District now pays interest on $10 million in debt. But at its August 15, 2012 meeting, the Commission unanimously approved preliminary spending in expectation of more borrowing. They're talking as much as $25 million in additional debt!

So where does all this money go? Costly engineering plans have been funded repeatedly for projects that lack public support. Very few of these expensive plans are implemented. One plan is to fill and pave Perched Beach at Pillar Point. At a cost of 3.1 million dollars, this popular sandy beach would become an asphalt parking lot. The project would require a Coastal Development Permit, but the Coastal Act has strong policies to protect beaches and wetlands. I'm confident that the Harbor Commission would not win approval. If it did, community backlash would be fierce. But the Harbor District has already spent $309,000 on this plan alone. Why?

Meanwhile basic repairs and maintenance are neglected until facilities are rundown and unsafe. Johnson Pier currently needs repairs and Romeo pier is so dangerous it's been condemned.

At the August 1, 2012 meeting, for example, the Commissioners voted unanimously to scrap a $16,000 surveillance system purchased in 2004. They had failed to maintain the system for years and decided to give up on it. They did this despite a series of recent crimes, including claims of sabotage when a crab boat sank in the harbor.

Most investments have a financial return that results in a net-positive outcome. The return on some investments is not strictly monetary, as in education or environmental protection. I'm not convinced that the Districts current spending plans qualify by either measure. I think we should be careful to incur debt only when necessary, and we should focus spending on the Harbor District's core mission, not pet projects.

Water Quality

Our waterfront needs to be a safe and healthy place to live, work, and play. Water contamination in the harbor jeopardizes public health and the commercial fishing industry. Fast-tracking the cleanup effort is good for business and good for the environment.

"We were impressed with your knowledge on a range of issues and your obvious passion for serving the public. Your extensive environmental record and many years of service to the community show us you are the kind of candidate we can be proud to endorse."
- The Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter

On August 18, 2011, boat owner Tracy Pearson wrote to the Harbor District manager:

"I noticed a large cloud of brown smelly sewage water drifting by my boat on the outgoing tide. I called the harbor phone and left a message but got no response...My neighbor, Fran Young owner of the M/V Brother Buzz, told me he saw raw sewage being pumped into the harbor."

Capistrano Beach at Pillar Point Harbor is contaminated with fecal indicator bacteria, including E. coli and Enterococcus. It is posted as a potential health hazard, and Heal the Bay often ranks it among the top ten most polluted beaches in California. The San Mateo County Resource Conservation District has been conducting a study to identify specific sources.

Families with young children come to Harbor beaches because of the sheltering breakwater. Members of the local Mother's Club avoid Capistrano beach, but visitors often miss the small warning signs. Again and again, children are spotted playing in the water with parents completely unaware of the contamination.

The Harbor District can do better. The EPA recommends using biodegradable dye tablets in vessel septic holding tanks to ensure that federal laws are enforced. The fluorescent dye would enable the Harbor Patrol to detect illegal discharges of untreated sewage. Another solution might include requiring all boat owners to visit the pump out station once a week.

Cleaning up the harbor is good for business. Pillar Point Harbor is a local source for fresh sustainably caught seafood. This healthy product should not be compromised. The success of the commercial fishing fleet depends on a clean harbor. A well-formulated plan to restore acceptable water quality is long overdue.

Transit Connectivity

Oyster Point Marina just started ferry service from South San Francisco to Alameda and Oakland. I support connecting Caltrain and SamTrans to the ferry. Bicycle commuters should also be able to reach the ferry.

We should have access to our bay and beaches. I support providing bike rental opportunities on the Bay Trail and the Coastal Trail, swipe a credit card to rent a bike and explore the waterfront!

We can:

• Partner with transit agencies in providing shuttles to the South San Francisco Caltrain station.
• Work with SamTrans to bring bus service directly to the ferry terminal.
• Contact local companies to promote the ferry as a commuting option. Those companies can provide shuttle services to and from their offices.
• Put a billboard on 101, just south of the Oyster Point exit, saying "Going to Oakland? Take the ferry, next exit!"

Communication & Transparency

It's time to bring the District into the modern age with web, email, and social media outreach.

On May 2, 2012, the Half Moon Bay Review published this:

"For years, the San Mateo County Harbor District Commission has operated in a fog. It is one of the few local boards that refuses to videotape or broadcast its proceedings. It requires time-consuming, formal, open records requests for even the most basic information. And through the years it has resorted to a hidden ballot to appoint members to a public trust that the district treats more as a private club."

In 2010, I requested that Harbor Commission meetings be videotaped. In response, Peter Grenell, Harbor District Manager said, "It is in the best interest of the District not to videotape meetings." Despite a vote against this recommendation, meetings have not been videotaped so far.

If you want to find the details of what's going on at the Harbor District, you must submit a formal public records request, on paper. Days or weeks later you'll get a response back, on paper. This is in an age where everyone else, even government agencies, are on Facebook and Twitter, and broadcasting on YouTube and Livestream.

It's time for the Harbor District to catch up with the modern world. The website looks outdated by a decade. They don't even publish an email newsletter. These procedures, or lack of them, appear to be obstruction to many observers. A commitment to better communication would go a long way toward earning community trust.

Planning for the Future

It's time to replace the outdated 1983 & 1991 master plans with a new vision.

At Pillar Point harbor, charter boats start their engines by 4am, taking people out to drop a line in the water and watch for whales. The Princeton Seafood Company sells fresh fish at their market and restaurant. Yuri Daher runs a bait and tackle shop. At the end of the day, the old salts come to drink at Ketch Joanne's 'Harbor Bar'.

The 1991 master plan says the district will "provide support for increased commercial fishing activities." Filling Perched Beach is a step in implementing that ambitious expansion plan.

Unfortunately, commercial fishing in California has been declining for decades. Fishing boats can be found abandoned at the harbor because there are too few salmon. The fishing industry is struggling, commercial fishermen have given up or retired and local seafood businesses have closed.

The District needs a New Plan

The businesses that will thrive in the future are not big industrial fishing operations. They are tourism related, like Mavericks Surf shop and Half Moon Bay Kayak company. Tourism businesses attract hungry customers to come buy crab and fish right off the boats. The District should do its best to support our hard-working local fishermen because their success is vital to the success of Pillar Point Harbor. Imagine the joy of riding your bike to the harbor and leaving with a basket full of fresh ingredients for dinner. Elizabeth Knier recently opened the Princeton Pantry, a market offering coffee drinks, chocolate and Champagne as well as a sport fishing business, where visitors can book fishing trips, charter boat rides, and whale watching tours.

It's time the Harbor District joined the 21st century. If we invite local residents and businesses to participate in a planning process, we're sure to get more ideas. Then maybe we can provide facilities and services appropriate to community needs.

Business Development

When local businesses are successful our harbors will thrive. We can do more to entice visitors to come to the harbors and patronize the businesses. We can encourage entrepreneurs who want to start new businesses. We can update the technology infrastructure with innovations from Silicon Valley. We can find creative ways to make the waterfront more appealing without spending millions.

Some Examples:

• Advertise and market fresh sustainably caught seafood direct to consumers.
• Support the Coastside Fishing Club's salmon smolt acclimation pen project at Pillar Point Harbor. It's a great example of the fishing community taking action to improve our Salmon Fishery!
• The smartphone app iCoastside updates consumers about the availability of fresh catch at Pillar Point Harbor. Download the app and tell a friend!
• Host a Sustainable Seafood event and use the proceeds to fund a new marketing and advertising program.
• Place a billboard on Highway 101 near the Oyster Point exit that says. "Going to Oakland? Take the ferry, next exit!"
• Provide long-range outdoor wi-fi at both harbors, allowing local businesses, visitors, and even boats to stay connected.
• Invite food trucks​ to provide healthy food choices at Oyster Point Marina, upgrading to a container structure café with roof deck if food trucks are successful.
• Work with Pillar Point Harbor restaurant owners to improve visitor serving amenities and opportunities.
• ​Provide bike rental opportunities on the Bay Trail and the Coastal Trail, swipe a credit card to rent a bike.

With your vote you can help bring the Harbor District into the modern age.

Please call 650-479-5654 with any questions.