March 2009 Archives

Mayor Pat Morris' office announced today that the city has been awarded a $400,000 state grant for anti-gang programs.

The money is set to be disbursed under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's program called Califronia Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention initiative.

The city's announcement reports that the grant will be funneled to Catholic Charities and Urban Youth Conservation Corps, which are slated to use the funds in cooperation with the city's Operation Phoenix program.

Catholic Charities is expected to use its portion of the funding in an attempt to reduce recidivism among 50 18- to 25-year old youths with gang ties.

Urban Youth Conservation Corps is set to use the grant to assist 20 "at risk" young people aged 12 to 17 in a program that includes training in forestry management and tree care in the San Bernardino National Forest and San Bernardino city parks.

If you're a gas station owner who's planning on ending or suspending operations on April 1 because of California's new enhanced vapor recovery rule, please let us know.

Contact me at andrew.edwards@inlandnewspapers.com

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO -- A recession doesn't last forever, right?
"Things are going to turn around," job seeker Michael Fields, 58, of Rialto said while attending a Westside job fair on Wednesday.

Fields, who said he lost his job as a building-maintenance worker about eight months ago, said he's not going to lose his faith while looking for a new job.

His goal? Something along the lines of custodial or home-repair work.

"I've had applications out, but nothing's come in yet," said Fields, who also mentioned he is thinking about taking classes in hopes of getting a job in medical billing.

When asked how he is getting by, Fields set free a frustrated laugh and said "barely."

He's not alone. California government statistics show that unemployment in the Inland Empire was slightly higher than 12 percent in February.

Fields and dozens of other job seekers attended a job fair that the county's Preschool Services Department held Wednesday inside the Boys & Girls Club of San Bernardino's gymnasium.

The gym is adjacent to a Head Start preschool. Preschool official Darlene Logan cq said the job fair was put together in light of the impoverished conditions some of the preschool's families are facing.

"Some of the families are living right ... with five different families in a household," Logan said.

Many of the exhibitors at the job fair were schools like University of Phoenix. But organizations whose representatives said they were actually looking to hire people included the U.S. Census Bureau and Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino.

"The interesting thing that we're saying is the Census is offering thousands of positions throughout the county," Census representative Shawna Gonzales said.

The Census, which has an office in San Bernardino, is preparing for its attempt to count every man, woman and child living in the United States in 2010.

Preschool Services also had a booth for those interested in a free program that trains people interested in future employment as teachers aides, interpreters or custodians.

People interested in jobs with the Census Bureau or Community Action Partnership can get more information online at http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs or http://www.capsbc.org.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- California air quality regulators say a new rule targeting gasoline vapor will be a major achievement for public health, but gas station owner Ron Nuckles says the mandate will force him to turn off his pumps.

"You're going to have a lot of stations go by the wayside," Nuckles said.

Nuckles is president of Merit Oil Co. The firm has fuel stations that primarily serve commercial accounts in Westside San Bernardino, Del Rosa and Bloomington.

April 1 is the deadline for gas stations to comply with the Enhanced Vapor Recovery program, which requires stations to install new nozzles and vapor processors.

Sam Atwood, spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District, said the technology will reduce the toxic cancer risk faced by people who live or work near gas stations.

Gasoline vapor, Atwood said, releases hydrocarbons into the air that react with nitrogen oxide and sunlight to produce ground-level ozone.

"San Bernardino is one of the ozone hot spots of the nation," Atwood said. "People are suffering each and every day."

The short-term consequences of inhaling ozone can be as simple as shortness of breath, Atwood said, but prolonged exposure to the pollutant can result in hospital visits and even premature death.

The California Air Resources Board projects the vapor controls will eventually prevent 25 tons of pollutants from entering the atmosphere daily.

The agency also reports that the necessary technology will cost gas station owners about $11,000 per pump.

Nuckles and others say the mandate is too costly to be achieved by the state's April 1 deadline, especially at a time when the economy is falling apart.

Nuckles' firm also delivers gasoline to businesses like the Hitching Post mini market in Reche Canyon. He said the cost of the new technology means that it doesn't make financial sense for stores with only a few pumps to continue to sell gasoline.

Hitching Post owner Marveen Stout said it would cost $30,000 to $40,000 to install the vapor reduction technology at her business. She has two pumps at the station and Nuckles figures that she sells about 20,000 gallons of gasoline per month.

She said she makes about a dime or a quarter for each gallon of gasoline that she sells at the Hitching Post.

"At this point, as far as I know, unless they are nice enough to give us an extension I'll have to close," she said.

He contrasted her sales with large corner gas stations that he says can sell more than 400,000 gallons of fuel per month.

Opposition to the mandate has taken the form of a group calling itself the Responsible Clean Air Coalition, which is asking for the Air Resources Board to push back the deadline for installing the vapor reduction technology until 2010.

Coalition spokesman Tom Kice said the currently most affordable technology was not available to stations until fall 2008 and that mandate could force about 8,000 California gas stations to close since the technology is unaffordable.

"People can't get loans. They can't get financing. It's just another case where bureaucrats have lost touch with reality," Kice said.

There are pending bills in the Legislature to delay the deadline, but Kice said they cannot be passed enough to spare station owners from the April 1 crunch.

Air Resources Board spokesman Dimitri Stanich said the agency will comply with any new legislation, also said station owners have known about the rule since 2000. He said pushing back the deadline would not be fair to gas stations who have already complied with the mandate.

Regulators say they are willing to work with gas stations who cannot meet the deadline, but station owners who are making good faith efforts toward compliance will not be able to escape fines.

A job fair is scheduled to be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday inside the gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club location at 1180 West Ninth St., San Bernardino.

The event flier advertises the following organization:

San Bernardino County Workforce Development Department
City of San Bernardino Employment Training Agency
Apple One Employment Agency
San Bernardino County Pathways to Success Training Program
United States Census Bureau
Summit Career College
United States Army National Guard
Economic Development Department
Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County
San Bernardino Valley College
University of Phoenix
In Home Supportive Services
Wal Mart
Everest College

San Bernardino Professional Firefighters spokesman Tom Rubio just confirmed for me that the Berdoo Bikes & Blues Rendezvous won't happen this year.

But event organizers say the event is still expected to happen in 2010.

Bikes & Blues debuted in 2008. The streets of downtown San Bernardino filled with long lines of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, with a few Triumph and Indian models thrown in.

The event was set to make a return May 9 of this year. Rubio said the decision to postpone the event was based on the idea that one day was not enough for the festival and difficulties posed by the recession.

The dates and location for a 2010 event have yet to be announced. The event could be held April 30 and May 1 of 2010,
"We're having a little tough time getting sponsors," Rubio said.

The Center for Individual Development - a San Bernardino-based recreational facility for disabled children and adults - is holding a weekend fundraiser at TGIFriday's restaurant in San Bernardino.

The restaurant has agreed to donate 20 percent of diners' bills to CID on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The eatery is at 390 East Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino.

Here is the CID Flier.doc. I've been told that diners can participate in the fundraiser without a flier if they tell their server that they want to help CID.

Future City Manager Charles McNeely's contract begins June 1. He said he wants to spend time in San Bernardino before that date, but has to work through contract issues in Reno, where he is currently employed, to make that happen.

Current interim City Manager Mark Weinberg's employment agreement with the city is set to expire April 21. California Public Employees Retirement System rules prevent him from working beyond that date.

Assistant City Manager Lori Sassoon is slated to work as acting City Manager during any time between the conclusion of Weinberg's employment and the beginning of McNeely's.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO -- The City Council voted Thursday evening to appoint Reno City Manager Charles McNeely to the city's top administrative post.

"It is an opportunity for me to come to a community that has unprecedented opportunities, challenges, but unprecedented opportunities," McNeely said while addressing the council after their vote.

The council voted 5-0 in closed session to hire McNeely. However, Councilwoman Wendy McCammack abstained from approving his contract in public session, saying she was concerned about the amount of McNeely's compensation in light of recent efforts to obtain pay concessions from city employees.

The incoming city manager's contract sets his salary at $275,000 per year, minus a 10 percent giveback.

McNeely takes the job as San Bernardino's city government cuts back on staffing and services in the face of shrinking tax revenues. San Bernardino officials have also sought across-the-board pay concessions of 10 percent for police, fire and general employees and managers.

McCammack said McNeely's deal also includes $73,000 in other perks, such as $15,000 in relocation assistance. She also said that her abstention was meant as a show of support to city employees, not a criticism of McNeely's abilities.

Mayor Pat Morris responded to McCammack's concerns by pointing out that McNeely's salary and deferred compensation will be lower than several other nearby cities with smaller populations, such as Victorville, Fontana and Ontario.

But those on the dais spent more time Thursday welcoming McNeely to San Bernardino than debating dollars.

McNeely is scheduled to begin working in San Bernardino on June 1. He said he wants to work out a way to start earlier, but his contract with Reno requires him to give 60 days' notice before leaving.

He said one of his first tasks will be to meet with city Finance Director Barbara Pachon and build an understanding of San Bernardino's finances. He plans to prepare for a fairly long recession.

"I don't think this is going to turn around tomorrow. I think we're going to be in it for a year or two," McNeely said after the meeting.

He also outlined economic revitalization, public safety and recreational services as key priorities.
"I'm really a person who's very committed to making sure we have very strong recreational, library and art programs," he said.

City Clerk Rachel Clark said the council is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Thursday in a special meeting to discuss the appointment of a new city manager.

The Reno Gazette-Journal has reported that Reno, Nev. City Manager Charles McNeely has been approached for the job.

McNeely could not be immediately be reached for comment. He is spending the day in Washington, D.C., according to Reno City Hall.

Here it is:

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO -- Preliminary election results show Fred Shorett is all but assured a seat on the City Council.

Shorett, a sales contractor who says he works with the printing industry, was one of four candidates who ran to succeed Neil Derry as the Fourth Ward's council representative.

Of the four candidates, Shorett had by far the most support from San Bernardino's business and political community. He ran on a platform that include city beautification, support for law enforcement and making San Bernardino more attractive to business.

Reached by telephone after the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters released the first round of election results, Shorett said his victory speaks to the support he received from San Bernardino's business figures and that he's eager to to try his hand at making positive change in San Bernardino.

"I'm very, very pleased with the results and we ran a good campaign," Shorett said.
Shorett won more than 73 percent of the more than 3,100 votes tallied for Tuesday night's vote count. Updated totals are not set to be released until around 5 p.m. Thursday.

Joe Arnett, an IT manager, took second place in Tuesday's totals with nearly 20 percent of the vote. He offered his congratulations to the field of candidates and said he plans on staying in touch with city affairs.

"I'm excited about having the opportunity to be involved," he said.

Pharmaceutical company representative John Valdivia collected nearly six percent of the vote. Internet mattress salesman Saman Saman won nearly two percent of the vote.

"I welcome a partnership to work collaboratively with Mr. Shorett, and encourage him to act immediately on the opportunities that exist to better San Bernardino," Valdivia wrote in an election night email.

Saman could not be reached immediately for comment.

Here are the first batch of results with 25.09 percent of precincts (3,151 ballots) reporting. The Registrar of Voters' next round of info will not come out until around 5 p.m. Thursday.

Fred Shorett leads with 73.03 percent of the vote.

Joe Arnett is in second place with 19.59 percent of the vote.

John Valdivia claimed 5.72 percent of the vote.

Saman Saman took 1.66 percent of the vote.

The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters reports that the first round of preliminary election results for the 4th Ward Special Election will be online around 8:30 p.m. tonight.

The City Council on Monday approved a deal with the Center for Individual Development that calls for the center's foundation to pay nearly $152,000 to keep the Center open through June 2010.

The Center, which provides recreational opportunities for disabled children and adults, faced elimination during the city's recent round of budget cuts. Calling upon the Friends of the CID to provide funding means the Friends of the CID need money.

To that end, the Friends of the CID is holding a fundraiser Friday, Saturday and Sunday at T.G.I. Fridays restaurant at 390 East Hospitality Lane. Diners who bring The Friends' flier to the restaurant can have a percentage of their bill donated.

The flier is a necessity. The CID can be contacted by calling (909) 384-5427.

Here is a link.

By Stacia Glenn
Staff Writer

San Bernardino - The Reno city manager is apparently being courted here for a similar post.

San Bernardino's City Council is expected to vote on the next city manager at a special meeting Thursday.

Council members met March 9 in closed session to interview candidates recommended by an outside five-member panel. Longtime Reno City Manager Charles McNeely was in the area on the same day, the Reno Gazette-Journal has reported.

But McNeely told the newspaper he was not in San Bernardino for a job interview then, adding that he gets job offers all the time.

McNeely could not be reached for comment Tuesday because he is at the National League of Cities convention in Washington D.C.

Reno Mayor Bob Cashell says McNeely has been approached for the job, but he's unaware if any offer has been made.

McNeely has been Reno's city manager for 13 years and is paid $255,000 a year, the most of any city manager in Nevada.

His contract also affords him 79 days a year for vacation or sick leave, which the Reno City Council is expected to review in April.

Jim Morris, chief of staff for San Bernardino Mayor Pat Morris, said he is unable to talk about personnel matters but that the council is "in the final stage" of selecting a new city manager.

He declined to say how many candidates the pool has been narrowed to, or whether an offer has been extended to any of them.

More than 30 applicants applied for the position

Whomever is chosen will replace interim City Manager Mark Weinberg, who started work here in October after a two-year stint as city administrator in Inglewood.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Here's a repeat of the article that ran in Saturday's edition of The Sun. If you're a 4th Ward resident and you haven't voted yet, you can still vote today and on Election Day.

The Special Election for the 4th Ward City Council seat is set for Tuesday.

It's a mail-in election and ballots have to be received - not postmarked - by Tuesday. Voters can still vote in person to make sure their votes count.

Voters will be able to cast ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters, 777 East Rialto Ave., San Bernardino

Voters will be able to cast ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at the Registrar's office. They will also be able to go to the City Clerk's office from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The City Clerk's office is on the second floor of City Hall, 300 North D Street.

Voters will be able to go to cast ballots from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Registrar's and City Clerk's office and San Bernardino Community Church, 2372 East Lynwood Drive.

At least three of the four candidates, Joe Arnett, Fred Shorett and John Valdivia are set to participate in a forum 7 p.m. tonight at Crossroads Christian Church, 3012 North Waterman Avenue. The race also includes Saman Saman.

Stacy Aldstadt, general manager of the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department, said drought conditions could result in the announcement of a Stage 2 water alert.

Under such an alert, residents and businesses would be required to cut their water use from 2008 amounts by 5 percent. The Water Department would impose a surcharge on water use above and beyond that amount.

Parks and golf courses would not be allowed to water landscaping more than four days per week.

But it's not yet certain that those restrictions will be imposed.

"Overall demand from our area has gone down because of foreclosures and other conservation measures," she said.

A real estate crisis is probably not the way most people would go about water conservation, but there might be some anarcho-primitivists out there who would be cool with the idea.

In terms of conservation measures that the Water Department is actually working on, Aldstadt noted that officials are trying to cut back H2O usage at parks.

Randy Van Gelder, general manager of the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, said his agency and Aldstadt's department are splitting the cost of an effort that uses technology to reduce irrigation at city parks.

Called the Weather Based Irrigation Controller Program, the system uses weather data to control irrigation at parks. The idea is to use less water when nature is providing enough rainfall.

The Center for Individual Development, a recreational facility for disabled people that barely survived San Bernardino's recent budget cuts, reports that it needs to raise $1 million to stay alive over the long term.

The city stopped funding the Center, but its foundation agreed to supply money to keep the facility open through June 2010.

But what will happen to the Center after June 2010 is unknown.

"If sufficient funds are not raised, CID programs programs will need to close in two years when those funds are exhausted," according to a letter signed by CID program manager Ken Joswiak and CID recreation therapist Cynthia Alvarado.

Toward that end, the CID has an open house and awards reception scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Center, 8088 Palm Lane, San Bernardino.

Joswiak said the Center is always fundraising but Wednesday's open house is planned as the kickoff to the new campaign.

By Andrew Edwards
Staff Writer

San Bernardino: - The race to choose the Fourth Ward's next City Council representative has entered its home stretch.

The campaign features four candidates, information technology manager Joe Arnett,Internet mattress salesman Saman Saman, self-employed sales contractor Fred Shorett and pharmaceutical company representative John Valdivia.

Whoever wins will get to fill out the remainder of now-Supervisor Neil Derry's term and will then have the opportunity to start another campaign. The election for a full term will be held in November.

The election marks San Bernardino's first experiment in conducting an election almost entirely with mail-in ballots. Although Election Day is March 17, voters have been able cast their ballots for weeks via mail.

If there are still 4th Ward residents who have not yet made up their minds, the candidates are scheduled to meet for a forum 7 p.m. Thursday night at Crossroads Christian Church, 3012 North Waterman Avenue.

Arnett, Shorett and Valdivia all present themselves as business-friendly, right-of-center. Saman, who has pleaded guilty to felony domestic violence and other crimes in his past, could not be reached for comment this article.

Arnett is running a mostly self-financed campaign and says he's reluctant to take other people's money.

His campaign finance reports show that through the end of February, he collected nearly $1,700, which mainly consists of loans and contributions from his own pocket.

Arnett said he agrees with current 7th Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack cq that the council should have spent more time trying to find ways to retain city employees before voting on budget cuts.

The council voted in mid-February on several cuts, including the approval of 55 layoffs, in an effort to close a $9 million budget gap.

If elected, Arnett said his immediate priorities would be support the Police and Fire Departments. He also proposed that San Bernardino officials could make the city more business-friendly by focusing graffiti abatement efforts in commercial areas.

"The first thing we need to do is make our city safe and clean it up," Arnett said."You have to change the issue of San Bernardino."

Shorett, who has been endorsed by Derry, Mayor Pat Morris and McCammack -- the council member who is most likely to disagree with the mayor -- has collected more money than his opponents.

His most recent campaign filing shows that he has taken in nearly $30,000 in cash and non-monetary contributions. Donations include $5,000 from the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, $2,500 from San Bernardino Professional Firefighters and $3,000 from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

Shorett also has several three-figure donations from business and political figures who live in San Bernardino and Redlands. Those donations include $250 each from Morris and Arrowhead Credit Union CEO Larry Sharp.

In an interview Tuesday, Shorett said that if elected, his first task would be to obtain a personal assessment of the city's operations. He said the city needs to make itself more attractive to new businesses by marketing assets such as higher education, access to freeways and the San Bernardino International Airport and availability of water.

"It's going to be essential that we attract business here. Business and jobs, which is not an easy task," he said. "Business is what got us into this mess from Washington to City Hall, but I believe business is what's going to get us out of this as well."

Valdivia, like Arnett, portrays himself as a grassroots candidate. He said he doesn't have an agenda and just wants to represent his ward.

As of Feb. 28 he has collected $1,850 in contributions, including $1,500 from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

He has said one of his greatest concerns for San Bernardino is the loss of auto dealerships and restaurants. He approves of recently-approved plans for the San Bernardino Economic Development Agency to provide financial aid to car dealers.

"I think that's beautiful. I think that's what we need to do," he said.

This is from reporter Stacia Glenn. I was working in Big Bear Lake today.

Amends have been made between police officers and city leaders, and both sides are hoping to move past recent conflict and focus on bridging the city's $9 million deficit.

In a Wednesday night vote, 195 members of the Police Officers' Association approved a concessions packet that avoids layoffs and furloughs yet provides the city its requested $3.3 million from the union.

"We continued to work through this until we could find a happy medium. I'm very proud of our members and their generosity to help the city," said union Vice President Travis Walker. "I'm glad we can get on dealing with the bigger issues, like what led to this fiscal crisis."

Mayor Pat Morris said he is "delighted" with the agreement and grateful that both sides remained focused on budget issues.

Under the agreement, officers lose their uniform allowance and will begin paying $400 of their own monthly medical benefits.

In return, police will accrue an additional week of vacation time and bank an extra four hours in time off per week. Their contract, which was set to expire in December, has also been extended for another year.

"I'm very grateful for the memberships' approval of the contract extension, which includes the concessions," said interim City Manager Mark Weinberg. "I think it validates their claim that they were sincere about wanting to contribute to resolving the city's financial crisis."

Union leaders have said all along that officers are willing to make sacrifices to improve the financial status of San Bernardino, but lambasted city officials for not being upfront about the exact savings they sought.

"They kept changing it up on us. If they had actually come to us and bargained with us instead of trying to force what they wanted down our throats..." said union President Rich Lawhead. "This goes to prove that the cops all along wanted to give."

Police union leaders have waged an aggressive campaign against city officials' proposals since early February, when officials threatened to lay off 49 cops if the union did not agree to a 10 percent paycut.

After that proposal was tabled, the City Council discussed furloughing officers for four hours each week.

"We put all the ideas on the table initially. Those were negotiations that were done in confidentiality between the city and the laboring group," Morris said.

However, the mayor said the concessions package approved by the police union "is what we'd hoped for all the way along."

The City Council is scheduled to approve the contract at a special meeting Monday.

Police union president Rich Lawhead just called to report that the Police Officers Association has voted to accept the city's concessions package.

He said 246 officers voted, and the deal passed with a 79 percent vote. The agreement calls for officers to sacrifice medical benefits worth $400 per month. Cops also lose their uniform allowance and ability to sell back vacation and holiday time.

In return, officers get a one year extension of their contract, the ability to accrue about an extra week of vacation time and the ability to bank an additional four hours per week in time off.

San Bernardino cops' contract was set to expire in December of this year.

Lawhead said the deal averts the furloughs that the City Council imposed Feb. 19, although the council will have to take another vote to make it official.

The furloughs would have required officers to take off four hours per week without pay. Lawhead said the concessions deal makes it possible for officers to bank the same amount of time as paid time off but they can't take the time off until after the 2009-10 fiscal year. The time off has no cash value, so any officers who retire before that time will not be able to collect money for unused time.

Lawhead said union members have been willing to make concessions, but it's his opinion that city officials - who in early February threatened layoffs - did not begin the recent negotiations process by dealing fairly.

"I don't think we ever thought we were immune," he said.

The completion of a 90-unit senior apartment complex is scheduled to be commemorated at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Dubbed AHEPA 302 Apartments, the Y-shaped building was completed with the aid of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and San Bernardino Economic Development Agency. The building is on Gilbert Street, east of Waterman Avenue.

The dominant color inside the concept is a yellow that looks like sunlight filtered through clouds in the minutes before dusk. The smell of new carpet still hangs around the rooms.

Construction cost $12.7 million said Tony Theodorou, president AHEPA 302 Inc., the corporation behind the project. AHEPA is an acronym for American Hellenic Educations Progressive Association and the company was formed from the group's local chapter.

Theodorou said AHEPA was founded in 1922 in Atlanta to aid Greek and other Mediterranean immigrants assimilate into United States society. He said modern-day AHEPA awards scholarships and creates companies to develop senior housing projects.

The San Bernardino complex represents AHEPA's 76th completed project, and Theodorou said the building is association's first such complex on the West Coast. AHEPA has projects planned at 12 other sites.

Police union president Rich Lawhead said members are scheduled to vote today and Wednesday on a concessions package.

SB Now has yet to obtain the package's formal language, but Lawhead said the deal calls for officers to give up compensation in the form of medical benefits, uniform allowances and the ability to sell back vacation and holiday time.

Lawhead said today that surrendering the uniform allowance amounts to a $1,900 loss per officer over two years. He said Monday that the concessions would mean officers would lose a little less than $500 in compensation per month.

The union's acceptance of the concessions package could negate furloughs, which the city council imposed Feb. 19 to cut costs by reducing cops' paid time by four hours per week. A judge on Monday denied the union's attempt to obtain a temporary restraining order against furloughs.

In related news, the city and firefighters union have been unable to finalize an agreement on a concessions package. Sun reporter Stacia Glenn reported in today's edition that a City Council vote to ratify the deal has been postponed.

The city-firefighters agreement would have allowed firefighters to bank four hours of unpaid leave time per week in exchange for a 10 percent salary cut. The breakdown happened after interim City Manager Mark Weinberg added a provision to prevent firefighters from using the leave time before June 2010.

Firefighters' contract requires that all stations be constantly manned, and that firefighters who fill in for others' shifts be paid overtime. Weinberg said that allowing firefighters to use their new leave time before June 2010 risked an uptick in overtime costs.

"That will leave the city vulnerable for there to be a run on those bank hours, which has the potential to completely erase any of the negotiated savings," Weinberg said. "We're still giving them the same number of hours, the only thing that we wanted them to restrict was the amount of time they took off."

The City Council voted 4-2 tonight to rehire Police Chief Michael Billdt and assistant chief Mitch Kimball as contractors.

By technically retiring, Billdt and Kimball will be able to collect pension benefits from the state while also earning a wage from the city.

Councilmen Dennis Baxter, Tobin Brinker, Chas Kelley and Rikke Van Johnson voted to retain Billdt and Kimball.

Councilwomen Esther Estrada and Wendy McCammack voted against the plan.

A source informs me that ABC World News anchor Charles Gibson visited the Airport Cafe in San Bernardino today to interview locals about the recession.

Stay classy, San Bernardino.

Judge W. Robert Fawke this morning denied the Police Officers Association's attempt to block City Council-approved furloughs.

"I don't see that I actually have the power to step in and take over the legislative process under these particular circumstances," Fawke said in San Bernardino Superior Court.

The police union asserted that the furloughs, intended to save San Bernardino money by cutting police pay by 10 percent, violated the City Charter provision that sets a formula to establish salaries. The city countered San Bernardino faces a fiscal emergency and that the furloughs change officers' work schedules, but not their hourly rates.

This morning's decision does not end the case. Although Fawke rejected the union's plea for a temporary restraining order against furloughs, attorneys for both sides said the police officers' lawsuit against the city's action continues.