Councilwoman McCammack says she's not planning to run for mayor

There is a God!

Wendy McCammack's only interest is in helping her wealthy republican friends in her district. She cares about businesses because her husband's business only works if there's business around it (they have a printing shop). My family and I will never dream of voting for this lady who only thinks of herself as the only one with a valid opinion. And what's more when referring to a possible run for Mayor she states "At this point, there's no ...". This sounds like although she takes pride in San Bernardino she dares not venture into Mayor when San Bernardino is performing low, leaving us to think that she would rather have an easy term without solving anything. She soud just go back at playing the good old version of Sarah Palin in her district. (Morris as a legislature - hell no)

As it is far too early to endorse anyone running for the position of Mayor of San Bernardino, I am very concerned the voting public will have a short memory about the significant issues that have plagued and marred our town these last four years under the current administration. A word that describes this period of time is…disgraceful. San Bernardino deserves better, must do better and can do better in electing an individual who has the talent to pull together the entire City Team and work together towards achieving a common goal that is good for the City, the businesses and most importantly, the residents. If there are ANY positive things that have come about in these past years, they are overshadowed by the unbelievable never ending sequent of events that has marred and embarrassed San Bernardino to the point we have become the center point of many comments by media and other City officials in negative fashion.

The election clock has started once again in San Bernardino. Ticking time away to bring the citizens of San Bernardino closer to the always colorful and controversial Mayoral elections once again. A lot of unpleasant water has flowed under the bridge of San Bernardino in these past years. Promised improvements have not materialized. Crime and corruption in the heart of the one program that was supposed to be the solution to many of the ever present issues only provided another distraction from where the root of the main problem of San Bernardino lies. Throwing tons of money at it has not fixed a thing. Current leadership has failed or has been asleep at the wheel. Balancing the City budget appeared to be an insurmountable task for this Cities Leadership as it was not done once on time.

All the while the City has said good-by to a good portion of the business and new car dealerships that provided a big shot in the City’s tax base. Our next year’s budget will no doubt be even harder and painful to pass as a result. Coupled to this is the down turn in the housing market and the ever increasing number of repossessions of homes where there are no winners. Each of these major issues requires strong leadership and vision that remains lacking in San Bernardino. Trips to Mexico have yet provided a published report on that return on investment. Our current Mayor skirted the published nepotism laws by hiring his son as his exec yet is supposedly not on the City employment role. This too is an issue of being deceived by current leadership. Ethics can not be found or demonstrated.

Although the controversy that made the headlines a few short months ago about the PD leadership seems to have been shuffled to the back burner, it too has yet to be resolved. What has happened to the published unrest of the various PD leaders? A new Chief is inbound and his work at rebuilding waits. Lack of staffing within the F/D has just cost a family their home and almost their child. Again, litigation against the City seems inevitable as this sequence of events was predicted but ignored by this Mayor and select Council members by refusing to openly discuss and/or vote on a workable solution before hand.

Looking back I question if the citizens and voters of San Bernardino want more of the same or will they now step forward and elect new leadership (Mayor and Council members who’s term is up) who possess new innovative ideas and will know what works and what does not. They will need to have ability to recognize and understand the problems within the PD and FD and how to place resources in positions to effectively resolve them by building crime prevention and fire protection teams that works together making San Bernardino the City it can and should be. Our new City Manager will need the backing of the entire Mayor and Council Team if he is to be effective in mastering the challenges that are waiting him. Politics as usual will not work now, he will need help from each and every one.

Today our City is truly divided. Leadership must start at the top and bring the Council together working as a team with a common objective and goals. San Bernardino has not enjoyed this form of leadership in a very long time. Their correction action plan must compliment each Ward and effectively employ the stronger points of each Councilmember to assure success. Looking back, we the citizens and voters have not enjoyed this approach to date. Adversarial counter productive leadership actions have clouded or stymied progress and the ability to successfully address the hard issues and decisions that must be made today. Today, the politics in San Bernardino have but one thing in common, they agree not to agree. Leadership staffing remains incomplete.

Our next Mayor must confront this issue head-on. San Bernardino must be professionally run to climb itself out of the abyss it has sunk into over these last years. One individual can not nor will not be able to do it alone. However, a sharp dynamic team that is unified and focused with commonality and fortitude to redirect San Bernardino back towards the direction of becoming the All American City it once was. We just need a new leader. San Bernardino waits for that leader to step up and step forward and be identified.

LTR:
You write in eloquence confounded by fairy tales and wonderful dreams.
Sanbernardino , if you are truly a long term resident and can relate, has always had confrontational council SNAFU operations. Yes, the little lady just prior to Morris, was able at times to have some decorum, but she had her own agenda as do the members today, every one of them!
Mrs. Wilcox was admirable in her tenure , but the council reaked of cronyisms and criminal activities as Penman noted in the history of the "gang of Four" a few years back.
Your citing what SanBernardino needs is good and perfectionist at the least. It won't happen in this community, due to the nature of the beast. This has been a "GOOD OL BOY " town from too lnog ago and corruption was the staple for which this city's governement was built upon.
If there is only one in the "mud puddle " of city council/ Mayor, who has any hidden agenda, the others feel the competitve need put down,reject or get nasty, to "beat the other to the punch", get their own agenda thru and suck up the "face and space" time in the media.
I admit , there have been some come / go, who did have their ward's and the city's interest at heart. I really thought they were the right person. Politics in SanBernardino what that they are, and having poor will power to withstand out side influences, most have fallen from staying the course and falling into the dais bias and un-accord.
I for one , could not restrain my self, facing what many other good persons at the dais have faced.
Penman said it well, "IT IS A SHARK PIT", and I would imagine any new person is a sardine made to eat or must join the corruption.
Stand up against the corruption and you are chastised for that as well!
"Never Ending Story!"
LTR, you are not wrong, and I hope the current SNAFU stops soon and your thoughts come true.
Got any suggestions for leadership?

Although the Sun has yet to rise on this next election, it will no doubt be totally different that the elections that were held in 1967 when I first arrived in San Bernardino. Our City was a totally different place then as well. Downtown flourished, City wide employment was everywhere with Norton AFB a beehive of activity and the railroad adding immeasurably to the overall economy. Big shops in the malls were bustling with their goods to sell and on Friday and Saturday nights even the seniors joined the cruising on E St in the slow procession of having fun. Politics was a non-event in those times or at least they seemed to be. You never heard much about it. Yes, San Bernardino has changed and the changes we have witnessed not only in downtown but throughout the City can be paralleled by the leadership we have experienced. Nothing to brag about but a lot to read, witness and shake your head.

We have what we have today in terms of politicians and leaders. Each election we try to weigh the good and not so good and cross our fingers when voting in someone new in hopes they will have seen the light, heard the plea of the residents and promised what we all know is the undeliverable today. Our hope is only measured by our frustration that we have once again been disappointed. We have believed and allowed untold amounts of money to be poured into study after study, idea after idea chasing that rainbow in a place where it does not rain often. Hell, we have even allowed the studies to be studied only to be told we can have what it is we seek if we just bring more money to the table.

However, I still believe there are individuals out there that has also watched and witnessed what many of us have and now feels he/she can do better that what we have experienced. They will (if you will) still rides a white horse. They will be honest, uncompromising, un-beholding to special interests. They will have realistic vision, who can set attainable yet challenging goals for the leaders of this town to focus on and achieve. They will remember or still realizes this is the United States of AMERICA and will conduct city business according. They will earn the respect of the entire city staff to include the PD and FD and lead the entire team to pull on the rope of success at the same time in the same direction. (Yes I realize Superman is gone and Lois ran off and got married and now has great grand kids). But is it Superman we really seek as our leader or just someone with ethics and conviction to do the right thing without outside influences. A City Council that will work harder to work together in finding common ground for the betterment of San Bernardino and not some hidden agenda. A Council who is beholding only to the voters, honest, open and unafraid. I know these persons are there, we just need to find them and offer them a job where accomplishment is worth more than the money it offers and pride shines as bright as the Sun that illuminates the next election. San Bernardino can once again attain that title of All American City. All it will take is the right leadership and faith from the voters.

Sorry, the phone just rang and woke me up from my dreaming. I guess I got carried away here but I think what I have shared is true, how about you?

Until the citizens of San Bernardino decide to "pony up" the money to pay for councilpersons we will continue to get what we are "paying" for....

As for the Mayoral position, at least Penman and McCammack are doing us a favor and not running. Now if Morris will bow out, and Kelley not declare his candidacy MAYBE we can get past the problems that currently plague the leadership in this city. We need new blood. These long histories of disagreements and dislike have tainted City Hall too long.

Let's start over in City Hall since we have a new Police Chief and City Manager starting soon...we could continue the trend by not electing the already elected! DO NOT vote for an incumbent!

Andrew,

After reading your above editorial about McCammick and Morris the name Sir Isaac Lindsay appeared. If its the Sir Isaac Lindsay I'm aware of and I can't imagine there's another I would suggest that if he does run for Mayor you check into his background with Pomona PD and why he left that department.

This is a sad state of affairs for San Bernardino. I was hoping she'd run.

Wendy is a poor excuse of a human being along with penman! They believe they are above the law, they lie, cheat and scheme everyday they go to work. Wendy makes passes at married men and thinks she can get away with it because she has "power". penman forgets daily that he is supposed to uphold the law not bend it to his liking...fyi to both of you: YOU ARE NOT THAT IMPORTANT!! The morals and principles that "the public" think that they posess, they DO NOT! The people of S.B. would probably be(or maybe not) shocked to know that both of these people could be charged with crimes, be sued, and either pay fines or go to jail...this is the real reason why they are backing out of the run for mayor.

rockcandy: whether you like or hate those two elected officials, those are some slanderous remarks to make without proof. Put up proof and evidence or stop the blah, blah, blah. How would you like someone talking about you or your family and friends like that? People don't pay attention to hate-mongering. They pay attention to the truth. And, by the way, does "rockcandy" conotate an illegal substance? That might explain the remarks. And don't count McCammack out yet. If she was afraid of anything, she'd be stupid to have run for re-election to the city council. We would have exposed her long before now.

As a young policeman I had personal issues while employed by Pomona Police Department. Due to my immaturity we parted company. This was not due to any criminal action or anything that would reflect on my ability to be Mayor of San Bernardino. I have successfully ran my own Security company, Lindsay Protective Service for over 20 years. It should be noted that I have maintained a professional and personal relationship with Pomona Police Department both with management and staff.