By Samuel Strait – Reporter at Large – March 16, 2022

Is it possible we actually are in a time warp, where the wild wild west
is alive and well?  Seems so, if you at all are keeping up with the
misconduct occurring at City Hall, the County, the school district, the
harbor and now the Crescent Fire Protection District (CFPT).  Looks like there
was a lot of hanky panky that went on during last June’s vote to
encumber taxpayers within the district with an additional parcel tax. 
Seems that the US Postal Service in Crescent City could not find the
Crescent City Harbor.  Honest mistake, not likely.  Collusion between
the Post Office and the CFPD a possibility and highly illegal. 
Malfeasance within the Postal Service itself, another possibility, again
highly illegal. Maybe it is time for the US Postal Service to conduct an
investigation into the possibility that vote tampering occurred within
the local service to find out why ballots delivered into the care of the
local post office could not find the local harbor.  Ballots that were
addressed to the harbor, went missing for fifty three days only to be
returned with the label “return to sender”.  The harbor’s problem was
not restricted to them alone, as many other ballots were also treated
with the same label.  It likely would become very interesting if those
not receiving ballots matched those that voted against the previous vote
taken by the CFPD in October.

It is clear by the razor thin margin of the vote, and three separate
counts by the local clerk, that this past vote needs some clarification
before the parcel tax is levied.  Should the harbor have been allowed to
vote and their vote matched their previous vote, the assessment WOULD
NOT HAVE PASSED.  Yes, that close.  As it stands, the Crescent Harbor
District is suing the CFPD over this problematic event that saw them
unable to cast a vote on the issue until well past the time to do so. 
At present the CFPD and the judge are seeking to negotiate a settlement
with the harbor to do exactly what?

It is the position of the harbor that no negotiations need to take place
and that the June vote be nullified in favor of a redo vote.  Naturally
the CFPD has not found that as an acceptable path forward and wishes the
fact that someone with resources had not come forward in this obvious
vote tampering affair.  Clearly at minimum an investigation of the local
post office is in order, followed by any indication that the CFPD had a
hand in this malfeasance.  It would be important for the CFPD to be
transparent going forward and the local post office as well.  Should a
postal employee or a member of the CFPD be found complicit in this
incident, jail time would be in order and a new election be
instituted.   It beggars belief that the local postal service could not
deliver mail to the LOCAL HARBOR!!!!

What ever the case may be, it is up to the Board of the CFPD to take
matters in hand and suspend any notion of going forward with the parcel
tax until this matter is resolved.  If parcel tax money has already been
collected, it should be impressed upon the District that refunds should
be made immediately.  If the vote is to have any credibility at all, the
CFPD will swallow its pride and schedule another vote on the matter.  As
to an effort to have the current parcel tax overturned in a future vote,
there is no question that Chief Gillespie has been made aware that this
would be coming,  His attempt to deny knowledge of this impending action
suspends any credible belief that Chief Gillespie is an honest man and
leads credence to the distinct possibility that the CFPD was up to
mischief in this past vote.

As the current affair stands, it will not end well for the CFPD, until
some clear explanation for why votes did not reach intended recipients
and instead were marked “return to sender” well after the time to vote
had occurred.  It is also important for there to be no improper activity
revealed in an investigation of both the CFPD and the local USPS.   And
finally the CPFD should cease negotiations with the harbor and
immediately call for another vote on the parcel tax with the assurance
by the CFPD that those that should vote get a ballot.  This shouldn’t be
negotiable…… It is well past time that the devious behavior of our
public institution should continue to be tolerated and some form of
civilized conduct be established.  This will only occur if taxpayers
take a step forward and say enough is enough. California and local
governing agency’s are already bloated and paid extremely well for this
community’s economic health to survive going forward.  It is well past
time for this state of affairs to end……