This letter is in response to a Dec. 17 article in the Review entitled "Burnham Strip fire station? Harbor district seeks swap with fire district." As a three-time past president and current senior member of the Harbor Commission, I take exception to the recent actions purportedly taken by the Harbor District's general manager, Peter Grenell.
By appearing before the Half Moon Bay fire board on Dec. 11 and making a presentation on behalf of the Harbor District, without board authorization, the general manager has once again demonstrated a lack of respect for the elective body responsible for overseeing the district.
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If it were determined, by a majority of the Commission, that a formal (or informal) presentation before an agency would be in the best interests of the district, the commission president would then direct the harbor's general manager to deliver such a presentation. Unless otherwise instructed by the board, the general manager would not be authorized to make any commitments on behalf of the district.
For reasons which escape me, this general manager apparently decided to do what he did on his own, without first consulting the board or seeking commission approval. Several agencies and individuals have expressed an interest in the Burnham Strip in the past, including the Half Moon Bay Fire Protection District, but the commission has not come to any decision regarding this harbor asset.
It represents the height of irresponsibility for the harbor's general manager to be quoted in the Review as saying, "Grenell said that the fire district would be ensured of a long-term lease if it made the swap, but also noted that his board would be willing to accommodate whatever the fire district board decided to do."
For one thing, unless Mr. Grenell possesses clairvoyant powers, or has violated the Ralph M. Brown Act by contacting three or more commissioners outside of public meetings, he has no idea of what "his" board would or would not be willing to accommodate; it is idle (and irresponsible) speculation on his part. According to this article, Supervisor Rich Gordon and other county officials were apparently made aware of his proposal, but members of the Harbor Commission had to find out about this "swap" in the press.
If the commission allows this renegade general manager to skate on this egregious violation of district policies and procedures, it should have its collective head examined.
Sally R. Campbell
San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner
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