Commentary By Samuel Strait – February 19, 2022

In a recent interview on Crescent City’s very own socialist radio
station, KFUG, Alex Lemus, Huckster of Renewable Energy Capital
announced that he is not the author of the current plan to create a
“Monterey Bay Style” fantasy world out of the Crescent City Harbor.  So,
who exactly is responsible for springing this “pie in the sky fantasy”
on the community out of the Harbor Commission? Thus far the “mouth
piece” for this “plan” appears to be the Commission’s former president,
Brian Stone., who currently has set his sights on the District 4
superintendent’s chair.  A question to Mr. Stone, might be how does
abandoning ship stack up against leading the charge for a “new and
improved harbor?”

Amongst the villains in this age old story, of promise what you can’t
possibly deliver are four other sitting members of the Commission that
seem blinded by the mirage of a viable “plan” to rescue the harbor from
indebtedness and lack of credit worthiness.  In no fewer words, the
harbor is broke and floundering around looking for that proverbial “moon
shot” to bail them out.  Something like playing the lottery for that
fifty million to one shot of financial success.  Of course the
replacement of Charlie Helms as harbor master with Tim Petrick hasn’t
resulted in any better leadership.  Harbor Master Petrick is “all in”
with the “slick” proposed by Stone and Lemus. Everyone else seems frozen
in time by the prospect of “Monterey Bay” moving North.

Lemus goes on in the interview to distance himself, likely because he
knows what he is peddling, to say “this is not his vision.”  He is
merely the one to implement the “plan”.  He goes on to say an investment
of $40-$50 million would be necessary to redevelop the harbor, and
implies that under his direction he can get the “money for the
redevelopment to grow on trees”.  After the solar panel debacle it is a
wonder that anyone continues to listen to Lemus, Stone, and Petrick. 
Yet, fools continue to rush in.

There is no “plan” offered by Lemus to “move” the current residents of
the targeted RV parks beyond isolating them individually and bullying
them into moving.  It was a breath of fresh air to learn that the
tenants will have an advocate.  Likely this will put an end to the “Big
Top” being proposed by Stone and company.  Clearly Lemus and REC will
not be able to renovate either park if the tenants remain.  So much for
redevelopment. Now all the Harbor Commission has to figure out is what
to do with their ill advised venture into solar power, resurrect
financial health, figuring out how to dredge the harbor, and find
millions of dollars to solve its deferred maintenance issues.  Work to
be done, a golf course maybe?   Sad humor……