SPV Q&A - At Large Council

South Poway Votes

Questions and Answers –At Large

1. District Elections

A. Do you think the district elections are a positive or negative thing for Poway voters? Please explain your thinking.

B. Would you support a 4 district citizen’s commission to redraw/rebalance the district boundaries after the 2020 census or would you prefer that the council members do it? Again, please explain your thinking.

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Caylin Frank- declined to participate

Torrey Powers A. I believe district elections are a positive change for Poway because they provide better representation for diverse neighborhoods and ensure that all of the city’s residents have a voice in local government. For example, South Poway has been grossly underrepresented on the city council for years, and district elections will guarantee that these communities will now have a seat at the table. District elections also make elected officials more accountable to the residents they represent, fostering civic participation and strengthening our democracy.

B. I absolutely support a 4 district citizen’s commission to redraw the district boundaries after the 2020 census so they are fair and truly reflective of the communities, free from political influence and gerrymandering.

In 2017 the council redrew the districts for political gain. Council members voted to adopt an arbitrary map proposed by the Mayor, Steve Vaus, designed to protect their seats. They didn’t stop there. Even though the city has moved to district elections, they voted to make District 4, which represents South Poway, a city-wide election for 2018 to dilute the voting power of residents in the south part of the city. To add insult to injury, the entire City Council, led by Mayor Vaus, voted to appoint current council member CaylinFrank to an open seat three months after she moved to Poway, giving her the benefit of the incumbency and effectively rigging the elections in their favor. Powegians will not stand for these political shenanigans that undermine our democracy. Our city leaders have abused their power. That’s why we need to have citizens help make those decisions based on data and free from political influence.

Tony Russo– no response

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2. Park Needs Assessment

During last Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, City Manager Tina White mentioned that the last time Poway did a park needs assessment was in 2008. 

In the 10 years since that last assessment, Poway has added many residents, and the council has approved the Poway Rd Corridor Study, which will add thousands more residents, all without assessing if there are sufficient parks to serve their needs.

A. In your opinion, whose job is it to initiate a park needs assessment?

The council? The city manager? Both? Neither?

B. What kind of maps, data, metrics and other information would you find useful in a park needs assessment ? 

C. When discussing park needs, what is of particular concern to you?

Caylin Frank-declined to participate

Torrey Powers- 

A. Our city has a general plan which includes a Parks and Recreation needs assessment. I think we need to create a plan where the assessment is scheduled to be performed every ten years. If significant growth were to occur, that should trigger a needs assessment to be carried out sooner.

The Community Services Department, with the assistance of the Parks and Recreation Committee, would have the true pulse on this issue. If a need were to arise, they should report the need to City Manager who would in turn alert the council and advise them to plan for an earlier assessment. The Council is also free to, and encouraged to, initiate a Parks needs assessment as well.

B. Maps of the locations of all current parks would be compared to population density of each area. Parking availability would also be examined. A clear timeline would be established for completing this assessment.

I would include all neighborhood, community and pocket parks in the study areas. I would also included all available school recreational facilities, along with the skate park, swimming pools, and recreational parks and trails. Golf courses would not be included in this assessment as they are not intended to serve the general population of the community. 

C. Parks provide a huge community benefit that enhance our quality of life and should always be a part of any new development or city planning. One of my greatest concerns is having sufficient surface space to meet the needs of our residents and guests in addition to sufficient services and amenities. A good plan would provide for example: green space, shade, sports fields, playgrounds, in addition to providing rental space, educational programs and community events. 

Tony Russo- 

A. I believe that the council and the city’s manager can work together.

B. The can put together a special commission to oversee and report back to them.

Ther are many ways by seeing the amount of traffic that flows through the area, schooling that would possibly be opened and the number of actual families.

Let’s not try to reinvent the wheel common sense prevails.

C. First and foremost safety!!!!

The need to be have sufficient lighting. 

Second I truely believe the parks need some activities for the kids and grown up to utilize.

Third making it our cities park with the input of our people !!!

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3. Poway Road Specific Plan

The recently approved Poway Road Corridor Specific Plan allows for 1399 new residential units on Poway Road, between Oak Knoll and Garden Road. 

That amounts to adding 3456 new residents and 360 new employees to the area, most densely concentrated between Community and Carriage Rd. 

Which of the following statements best reflects your feelings about the new Poway Road Specific Plan (PRSP)?

a. Poway Rd looks run down and trashy. Bringing new businesses and new residential units to this area will spark a badly needed economic revival in Poway.

b. Poway Road may look funky, but I like it the way it is. I don’t want to see these familiar places torn down and replaced with upscale, chain stores. I want to see Poway’s hills, not 3 story apartment buildings. 

c. I thought Poway was all built out. I resent the state making Poway build more residential units. But if we have to build them, I would rather build on Poway Rd instead of opening up east Poway for development. 

d. Growth is inevitable. We should look to the future and forget about the past. 

Please add anything else you would like to say about the PRSP.

Caylin Frank-declined to participate

Torrey Powers--This question is at the heart of my concerns for the future of Poway. As I am concerned about many different aspects of the Poway Road Corridor Study, with that said I agree with a piece of each one of these statements regarding different sections of Poway Road. 

The committee was originally formed to get input from our community members. There was never any authority in the group that city staff had to follow when writing the specific plan. In fact, when the city finally started to follow the Brown Act that is when the developers really showed up and pushed the narrative that the only way to get anything done on Poway Rd was high density. Within a matter of time the citizens lost their voice. 

After that shift in focus, the developers were in charge and they negotiated for the setbacks to go away, greater height to buildings to allow higher density and less parking for residents, shoppers and visitors to increase their profits. 

None of these were in the best interest of tax paying residents, but were intended to max out the developer's profit. As a result, we are now at risk of losing our view of the hillsides and the ability to widen Poway Road. The developers also negotiated a way to avoid building 15% affordable housing by paying a fine of $500 per unit.

This process has defunded our Affordable Housing fund which then makes us, the taxpayers, liable for the shortfall. The bottom line is that now the developer don’t have to pay their fair share and we are stuck with covering this expense. 

Simply unacceptable!

If the current Council is allowed to continue in the direction they are going, then the developers will over develop Poway Road making it unaffordable for local small business. This will force us into having to accept more large box stores, greater traffic congestion due to higher density, and a severe shortage of available parking. None of this is in line with the quality of life we have grown accustomed to and demand in Poway.

Let’s not forget - where is the housing promised to our Veterans? Their are 44 affordable housing units zoned on city owner property on Poway Rd that are in current negotiations, will they be for Veterans?

Growth is inevitable and healthy if done correctly. Unfortunately we are not on that path with this specific plan or council. We need to course-correct immediately by voting in new like minded representatives. I believe it is possible to create a smarter, more responsible plan, with more citizen input, for Poway Road. 

Tony Russo-We can not keep looking at the past we only have the power to change the future. I my self as council would like to see if we can adjust the plan to make it a win win for everyone involved. Growth will happen . When one tree dies we need to plant another for us to have fruit for the future. Right now Poway needs to attract the right people in the right area. If this is done we need to work as a team on or infrastructure and traffic control so we all can prosper .___________________________________________________________

4. General Fund 

(short version) Do you think the city is transferring too many general fund expenses to our water, sewer, trash, LMD bills?

(long version) It seems as if the current trend is to transfer expenses that used to be paid by the general fund to residents. For example, when the City voted to extend a contract to an exclusive trash hauler, the contract included the provision that the City would get free trash service. That wiped hundreds of thousands of dollars off the general fund expenditures and added those costs to our trash bills. The City charges a “cost allocation” to our water and sewer debts, and to the landscape maintenance districts too. The cost allocation is a share of all of the costs of running various city departments. Our water and sewer bills get dinged for half the cost to run the legislative and administrative department in the City (city clerk, city manager, asst city manager, city councilmembers) as well as a portion of the costs to run the human resources department, some planning expenses and to pay the city attorney. This is in addition to paying for the city employees who work in the Public Works department. The City has also been charging the water and sewer ratepayers for all of the water that is used at city facilities including the parks and the pool. Last year, the City started paying a portion of those costs, but not the full costs. Why aren’t those costs paid by the general fund? Payments for a portion of the bonds to pay off the city hall building are charged to our water and sewer bills. But when the City sold the old water building on Poway Rd, a building paid for by water and sewer ratepayers, the proceeds of the sale were put into the general fund, not in the water and sewer fund. Revenue from using the water reservoirs as cell towers amounted to $610,194. All of it went into the general fund, none of it was used to reduce our water bills. The City took $5.2 million from the sewer fund and $2.6 million from the water fund and loaned it to the redevelopment agency. Some of those loans are over 25 years old. The City could pay it back with the proceeds from the sale of redevelopment property, but instead they are squirreling away over $9 million of that money to build a new community center. The general fund used to pay for all street landscaping. Then new developments had to form LMDs to pay for new landscaping Recently, the City tried to add more of us into the old LMDs. Now, they are talking about a city-wide LMD where they can transfer another general expense on to property owners. It seems as if assets go in the general fund, and debts are billed to us. Do you find this trend disturbing? What do you think should be done about it?

Caylin Frank-declined to participate

Torrey Powers-Yes, I find this particular instance disturbing, the borrowing money to the tune of 9 million dollars from the water and sewer fund to redevelopment as a loan and then refusing to pay it back, is unethical.

We need to keep utility revenue and expenses separate from the service revenues and expenses. The city should be able to repay that 9 million dollar loan, in way of an impactful and needed water CIP (capital improvement plan) that benefits the many and not just an individual $1.12 savings for everyone. 

For example, we could carry the purple pipes down from the business park along Community rd. all the way down to Twin peaks hitting the LMD’s, Hillary Park, Aubrey Park, andso on. 

Tony Russo-It all comes down to one thing and that is the the power that the council believes it has without the input of the People of Poway.

The water fund is to be used accordingly, instead the council believes it can move money around from general fund to the water fund and pay it back. This I believe is a tactic used to do it doesn’t need voter approval.

The easy way. Forget the voters,we will make all the decisions right? 

This unfortunately is going to continue unless we stop the gross over spending,stay within our budget and quit giving contracts that cost us a lot more than anticipated. We need to clean our city and the people whom run this circus of back and forth . Let’s start to use the money for things that are needed but let’s catch up first. No more rate increases, taxes or excuses

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5. Housing

There are 2 mandates requiring Poway to plan for and/or build certain kinds of housing, one from the state and the other from the redevelopment program. The state requires every jurisdiction to plan for a “fair share” of the housing needs for the future. Sandag is the local agency where the overall number of low, very low, moderate and above moderate housing numbers are divided up for San Diego county jurisdictions for each housing cycle (a period of about 5- 10 yrs). Poway and the other cities must then zone enough land at a density high enough to meet their allocation of houses in each category. These will be market rate homes, not deed restricted “affordable” housing.

The redevelopment program required that each agency spend a certain percentage of incoming redevelopment dollars on affordable housing. Affordable housing is deed restricted housing for low and moderate income people. People have to qualify by income level for such housing. Because affordable housing brings in less rent money than market rate properties, the financing for affordable units is more complex and difficult. The redevelopment agencies have been disbanded, but some existing affordable housing projects and programs still exist in Poway and are administered by the Poway Housing Authority. 

A. If it were up to you, where would you rezone land in Poway to accommodate Poway’s “fair share” allotment from the next housing cycle?

B. Do you think Poway needs more affordable (deed restricted for low and moderate income) housing? Why or why not. 

Caylin Frank- declined to participate

Torrey Powers- no response

Tony Russo- 

Part A 

The fair share housing could be rezoned where stoneride country club was. Not only will that clean up a mess that was made and possibly resolve two issues with one solution.

Part B

I thought about this long and hard. Low income housing is a requirement by the city .So where do we put them . One possibility there is property on Poway rd where jiffy lube and the Big brown old medical building are. This could be in conjunction of cleaning and upgrading the apartments that are in the back of that area .

I believe this could one resolution.

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6. Staff Residency

The city council members must live in Poway since their decisions affect the quality of life in the city in which they live. Senior management on the city staff make some administrative decisions concerning land use, zoning, and developments without taking them to the city council for approval. Should senior city staff management be required to live in Poway since their decisions affect the residents of Poway?

Caylin Frank- declined to participate

Torrey Powers no response

Tony Russo-I believe this should be a must, The city manager is perhaps one of the top positions in a city. How can you manage a city that you don’t live in and see on daily basis? The issues and concerns the people have are seen 90% of the time when not at your desk. When interacting with the people of Poway.

______________________________________________________  7. Water & Sewer Rates

Which of these would you support?

A. Cost allocations- only allow the city to charge for costs that are directly related to water and sewer. For example, currently half of all of the costs for the legislative and administrative department (city council, city manager, assistant city manager, city clerk, etc) are charged to the water and sewer bills. A change in cost allocations would require that employees keep a record and only charge for the time spent directly on water and sewer issues.

2. Change to a uniform sewer rate. Currently, the lowest water users pay the highest sewer rates.  Converting to a uniform rate would relieve an unfair burden on smaller volume users.
3. Disallow legal fees and cost of judgments to be billed to the water and sewer fund. Bill them to the general fund. 
4. When  assets paid for by water and sewer ratepayers are sold, put the money into the water and sewer fund instead of the general fund.
5. Insist that any rents or leases collected on water and sewer property or infrastructure be put into the water and sewer fund.
6. Pay back the $8 million borrowed from the water and sewer funds at an interest rate equal to the amount that Poway”s investment fund earned each year since the money was borrowed. Accelerate the repayments so that they money will be paid back within the next 4 years. 

Please share any other ideas you have to reduce water and sewer rates. 

Caylin Frank- declined to participate

Torrey Powers  no response

Tony Russo-First I think whom ever is elected the whole council in general needs to work on a plan on advising the tax payers the on the true usage of the water funds are being used for on other projects , 

The city at this time is using the water fund to be basically there revolving checking account.

Second the city needs to stop using the funds to pay all the admin cost unless it truely relates to hours spent on projects that requires thier input.

Last if the city does receive any funds from leases and general usage it then should automatically be put back into the water fund.

So if needed, it can be used accordingly.

The water issue will be a never ending battle. 

It’s needed, it’s free but like buying the gimmicks on tv we pay thru the roof for shipping and handling as a figure of speech.

This allows the city to raise rates and continue to pass the charge to the people of Poway.

If elected the process goo to be working together to stop wasteful spending,providing,educational excellence,and finally putting the people’s interest first.

The Problem Isn't That We Didn't Speak Up

I've been re-listening to the forum videos and one of the things that kindof pops out is the incumbents surprise that the candidates are criticizing the Poway Road Specific Plan. I heard John Mullin (and other candidates) state that there were many meetings over several years, and then ask why we didn't speak up back then.  Well, Mr Mullin, and Mr Grosch and Mr Vaus, we DID speak up then. We filled out sticky papers with our concerns and posted them along with many others, but when they staff compiled them into a report, our concerns weren't addressed.  By the time the final PRSP meetings were held, the developers were attending the meetings and those were the voices that were listened to, not ours.  The plan was changed to accommodate them, not us.

The problem is not that we don't speak up. The problem is that we are not listened to. Let me give another example. At the August 21, 2018 council meeting, newly appointed councilmember Caylin Frank proposed that the City buy the Metate parcel from the developer and make it into a park.  Four speakers addressed the council in opposition to this plan which they viewed as bailing out the developer. No speakers spoke in favor of the proposal. The council did not listen to the speakers. Without even taking a vote, Mayor Vaus decided to follow through with Caylin Frank's proposal and have the staff look into buying the site from the developer who tried to get it rezoned.

On September 19, 2018, a closed session was held between the city and the developer for property negotiations.  There has been no known purchase agreed upon, but there has been no notice that negotiations are closed either.

In addition to the speakers who were in opposition, I wrote a letter  to the council and submitted it before the August 21, 2018 meeting. My letter was also in opposition to the City's purchase of the Metate parcel from the developer. In my letter I asked the Council to address 4 issues related to the Metate parcel- 1) why wasn't the larger part of the Metate parcel deeded to the city after the lot split 2) why weren't the open space easements properly recorded and what does the City need to do to get them properly recorded on both Metate parcels 3) why doesn't the City's GIS site show that these parcels are part of the South Poway Cornerstone? and 4) how is it that the developer said he talked to the City and that the City told him there were no constraints to development when there is a long written history of constraints?  

It has been almost 8 weeks since I sent that letter. I have heard nothing back from the city manager, any member of the city staff or any council member. It isn't that people do not speak up about issues. Some people do speak up, but they are ignored.

I've heard the incumbent council members claiming they are the most accessible council ever.  They are all up for having a chat over a cup of coffee. I've had chats over coffee with council members. They smile and look concerned and DO NOTHING.  One of the reasons I formed the South Poway Votes facebook group is because I hoped our voices might be heard if we were "out there" in a more public way.  Maybe we will be heard if together we were a little louder.  But, instead of listening to us, or even acknowledging our concerns, they councilmebers responded by becoming  more entrenched, combative and defensive.  Reports came back to me that councilmembers were warning people to stay away from SPV, and not to associate with me.  All of the  incumbent candidates were invited to answer SPVs weekly questionnaire. All declined to participate, except John Mullin who answered one question and then dropped out. Yet, every  Councilmember candidate answered GVCA's  questionnaire.  Why do the incumbents want to answer our queries in private, but they are willing to answer GVCA's in public?

I want to take the moment to thank those candidates who were willing to answer SPV candidate questions. Thank you for acknowledging that our input and concerns are legitimate and that those of us who live in South Poway are an important and valid part of this community.  Hopefully, if you are elected, you will not forget this.

Oh, and to the incumbents who are still boasting about your accessibility and responsiveness, I'm still waiting for a response to my letter.

Who Caylin Frank Represents

On June 19th, Mayor Steve Vaus and Councilmembers Barry Leonard, John Mullin and Dave Grosch appointed Caylin Frank to fill the vacant council seat. There are a couple of reasons why the Council ignored 15 other applicants and chose Mrs Frank, who lived in Poway for less than 3 months on the day she was appointed.  One reason is because Mayor Steve Vaus and the other councilmembers really don't want an honest-to-goodness district 4 resident to get on the Poway Council.   Caylin Frank's appointment, gives her an incumbency advantage that could help her get elected in the November election and edge out any of the long term activists in south Poway in 2020, when district 4 finally will get to choose their own district representative.

But there are other reasons the Vaus and his agreeable councilmembers chose Caylin Frank. She has political connections. Caylin's mother is Christy Guerin, former mayor of Encinitas, and later, aide to Brian Bilbray. Kristin Gaspar, who also began as a Encinitas councilmember and after only 2 years in office became a county supervisor has been stumping for Caylin before she was even selected in fill the vacant seat.  Another big supporter in Tony Krvaric, who sees Kaylin as a rising star in his party. By rising star, I think he means that with enough money from developers, he might get her to higher office pretty quickly, just like Kristin Gaspar.

Caylin has other politically connected friends, and they just threw a big fundraiser for her on Wednesday, September 26th at the Waterfront Bistro, on Kettner Blvd., in San Diego.

The Waterfront Bistro was probably a lot more convenient location to hold the fundraiser than say, a Poway location, because Caylin's friends are not from Poway. Steve Vaus is listed as a member of the host committee, but most of the others are aides to Kristin Gaspar, or political consultants with downtown offices. Many have current or previous experience working for San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Some belong to a chamber of commerce group called San Diego Young Leaders and others belong to the Lincoln Cub, a conservative political group that supports increased development.  Some names, like Gaspar aide Dustin Steiner have popped up in news articles defending Frank's appointment in Poway. Frank has her supporters, they just are not Poway people.

Brian Pepin, the event chair (yeah, that is what is says) does live in Poway, although he is a fairly new resident, having moved here shortly before the Metate petition hit the ground. If you don't remember Brian Pepin's name, let me refresh your memory. Brian Pepin was the consultant for the Sacramento developers who wanted to rezone the Metate property so that 50 houses could be built there. Brian was on the scene when an NBC news crew covered the Metate neighborhood's reaction to the proposal for rezoning the parcel.  He got in his talking points: 

 "This is part of the beauty of Poway."The developer says the project is a reasonable proposal that would blend with the community.
"This wouldn't affect the hillside at all. It's a modest- sized parcel. We're not talking about 1,000 homes, we're talking about up to 50 on this corner lot,” Brian Pepin said.
Pepin is working with the land's owner on the housing development initiative. He also lives in Poway.
"Right now, someone could come in here and build a very large project here. We think the proposal that we're bringing to the voters allows people to have a say in what happens here."

Pepin also wrote a letter to the editor that was published in the Chieftain:

Better future for PowayAs San Diego County’s housing crisis continues to drive middle class families out of the region into neighboring states, a Poway property owner is proposing to build 50 single-family homes in south Poway at prices starting below the median home price of $734,000.
His proposal is straightforward: The current signature-gathering effort will allow Poway residents to vote on a 7.7-acre privately-owned piece of land in south Poway on the corner of Metate Lane and Montauk Street. The lot could presently be developed with a large home, church or a number of other additional uses.
The owner of the parcel has proposed up to 50 single-family homes that will match the character and zoning of the surrounding neighborhood. Poway law requires that the property owner go to the voters with his request to change the zoning to match the adjacent neighborhood (from “rural residential” to “residential single-family”). The owner, Kraig Clark, is following the city’s rules and gathering signatures in order to give Poway residents a voice in this November’s election. His partner, Todd Lutes, has reached out to nearby residents and community groups and plans to hold a town hall meeting this summer.
Unfortunately, in today’s world of fast-moving social media, there have been a number of rumors and misrepresentations about the proposal that aren’t true: it won’t remove any hiking trails and it sits on a mostly flat lot with no soil problems.
Instead, this proposal will provide an answer for couples hoping to raise a family in Poway and others who want an opportunity to call this wonderful town their home.
A website with more information on the proposal can be found at www.abetterpoway.com.
Brian Pepin

Poway(Editor’s note: Pepin is a political consultant working for the landowner.)

It was no rumor that the Metate parcel had soil problems. Plenty of city documents identified the problems. Half of the parcel was also part of the South Poway Cornerstone, an area of important protected biological resources that is part of Poway's sub area habitat plan.

Thankfully, the people of Poway refused to sign the petition to rezone Metate. The developer and Brian Pepin could not get enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot, even with signature gatherers who lied and impersonated city employees.

The story doesn't end here. The Sacramento investors bought the parcel at about 10 times what the previous owner paid for it. It is unlikely that they can sell it for anywhere near what they paid for it.
But, don't worry, new city council appointee Caylin Frank had a plan to help them out. On August 21st, Caylin Frank proposed that Poway buy the Metate parcel from the developer, and perhaps make a park there. Caylin proposed this solution without talking to anyone who lives near the Metate parcel or  anyone who was involved in the No on Metate Rezone effort.  At the August 21 council meeting, several members of the public spoke in opposition to buying the parcel and bailing out the developer. At least one other person (me) sent a letter in opposition to buying the parcel. Nevertheless the council decided to meet with the developer and make an offer anyway.

At the last council meeting on September 18, 2018, the council met in closed session to negotiate a price for the Metate property.

The council and the negotiating parties (did they come or did they have someone represent them?) did not come to an agreement. We do not know any details.  

What we do know is the Caylin Frank is not representing us, the people of Poway. She is pretty much ignoring that we even exist. The people she is beholden to are people like Brian Pepin and the downtown consultant and the political machine that got Kristin Gaspar elected.  If we want to have control of our future, we need to start making OUR voices heard. Choose wisely this November. 

Caylin Frank, Kristin Gaspar, Steve Vaus and Carols by Candlelight

On June 18th, at a special council meeting,  four Poway Councilmen picked Caylin Frank to be the interim city councilmember, filling Jim Cunningham's seat until a replacement could be elected in November.  Caylin Frank's appointment was an insult to the people of Poway because Mrs. Frank had moved to Poway less than 3 months before her appointment. She didn't know the people she was chosen to represent, and they had no idea who she was.

Caylin Frank's appointment was also an insult to the 14 other candidates who filled out applications, and gave presentations before the council that night.  None of their efforts mattered, because, by all appearances, the council had chosen Frank long before the evening's charade began.

I was not surprised Caylin Frank was chosen because I had heard rumors that Mayor Steve Vaus had found someone to appoint to the council.  But I wasn't the only one who got a heads up.   County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar seemed to know all about it, too.

On June 10th, Caylin Frank and Steve Vaus attended an event for Kristin Gaspar at Second Chance Beer Company.  In a video from the event that was posted on County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar's facebook page, Mrs. Gaspar can be heard  introducing Steve Vaus, and then introducing Caylin Frank:
"… Caylin's going to be a fantastic councilmember.  I want you to get to know her and help support her. This is her baby over here.  So you can imagine, I can really relate to her. "

Maybe Gaspar can relate to Frank because both of them are mothers of young children. Or maybe it is because they are both from Encinitas.  Frank's mother, Christy Guerin, was once mayor of Encinitas. Christy Guerin resigned that position to work for Brian Bilbray.  Her daughter, Caylin, got an intern  job with Bilbray for a while too. Kristin Gaspar also served on the Encinitas council. She was elected in 2014. Two years later, she ran for, and won an election for county supervisor. That is a super fast climb up the ladder for a political newbie. Maybe that is also how she relates to Caylin Frank. With Caylin's appointment to the Poway Council as a steppingstone, she, too, may have plans of moving up to a higher office, especially with the help of political insiders.

Caylin Frank has one solid Poway connection-  Steve Vaus. Vaus and Frank were facebook friends before she was selected to be the interim councilperson, representing Powegians she did not know.  Frank worked (and still works) as an aide to county supervisor Bill Horn. So Caylin Frank, Kristin Gaspar and Steve Vaus would have spent time together at Sandag meetings in addition to hobnobbing at campaign events for each other.

Vaus and Gaspar are also campaign donation buddies.  Vaus donated $350 to Gaspar's 2016 supervisorial campaign and Gaspar has already kicked in $100 for Vaus re-election.  Vaus started collecting donations in January, long before the nomination period began.   Gaspar also spent $2500 of her 2016 campaign dollars on Vaus'  so-called "charity fundraiser", Carols by Candlelight.  The code on the expenditure form is "MTG" which means "meetings and appearances".  By all appearances, it seems as if Gaspar used campaign funds to buy tickets to Vaus' gala production, Carols by Candlelight.

Carols by Candlelight is billed as a charity production put on by Steve Vaus. The website says that the net proceeds from Carols by Candlelight go to Rady Children's hospital.  But how much of Gaspar's $2500  donation ended up in Steve Vaus' pocket, and how much actually went to the charity  is not public information.

Back when Vaus was running for council in 2009, I wrote about his 'for profit" business, Carols by Candlelight. Vaus had sent me emails and hit me up to "be an angel" and  donate to the production of Carols by Candlelight. He was asking for thousands of dollars in donations back then, without disclosing how much money from the event went into his pocket, and how much went to the charity.

So, here we are,  9 years later. Vaus is still asking for thousands of dollars in donations: $15,000 to be a title sponsor; $10,000 to underwrite the band costs; $5,000 to underwrite travel costs of the performers; $2,500 for plates of food for the performers; $,1500 for stage decorations and $1,000 to underwrite raffle expenses. Vaus seems to be really raking in the donations now, compared to the lean years before he was on the Poway council. Some of the 2017 donors, who could benefit from  pleasing the mayor, include  Edco, Toyota of Poway,  and SDG&E. There is also a donation from a company owned by Paul Gaspar, Kristin Gaspar's husband.  Those Gaspars sure do like to give money to Steve Vaus.

There is something else on the Carols by Candlelight page which caught my eye.  Vaus now claims he is a nonprofit company with a nonprofit number. In the lower right hand corner of the Carols by Candlelight page, it says "Qualified 501(c)(3) Taxpayer Identification number 26-1722021. 4Community Solutions-dba Carols by Candlelight 18402 W Bernardo Drive San Diego, CA 92127.   But that nonprofit number is not for Vaus' company, Steve Vaus Productions, the company he names on his statement of economic interest forms filed with the City of Poway.  The nonprofit number Vaus is using belongs to a charity located in Rancho Bernardo called 4 Community Solutions.
4 Community Solutions was formerly called RB United and was set up to help fire victims.

4 Community Solution's website no longer seems to load. But before it went down I took screen shots of some of the pages.  I have also downloaded the groups 990 IRS forms. Carols by Candlelight appears to be the biggest chunk of money on those 990 forms. But nowhere on those forms is there information that all nonprofits have to disclose- how much of the money went to the charity and how much went for salaries and expenses and whatever else Vaus spent it on.

It is also uncertain how much money is collected by sale of tickets and from donations that people do not request a tax deduction for. Note that on Carols by Candlelight's webpage, all of the live donation links are directed to Steve Vaus, not 4 Community Solutions, the non profit, whose number Vaus has displayed and claimed is doing business as Carols by Candlelight.

Clicking on this donate button

gets you to this form:

Notice that the donation goes to Steve Vaus Productions, not 4 Community Solutions.
I looked up Steve Vaus Productions in guidestar. It is not listed as a nonprofit.
Steve Vaus Productions is no longer listed in the state of California corporation database, although, I do believe it was incorporated in California at one time. So maybe it is incorporated in another state.  Or maybe not.

I have contacted some of the purported officers from 4 Community Solutions, as I am trying to find out more about how this nonprofit has allowed Vaus to conceal how much money goes to the charity and how much money goes into his pocket.  They first person I contacted told me he had never heard of 4 Community Solutions or Carols by Candlelight. And yet this man who is an investment advisor was listed as the chief officer on 4 Community Solutions website before it quit loading and on fairly recent tax returns. I am still in the process of contacting other officers whose names are listed on the tax forms. So far, I am not getting any responses. But I will keep you posted when I do hear from them.

Note: Caylin Frank has claimed that Kristin Gaspar was referring to Caylin's applying to run in November election, not her upcoming appointment in the video, but I'm not buying her story.

Update (Sept 19, 2018): Apparently Kristin Gaspar spent another $2500 of her campaign donations on Carols by Candlelight tickets on 2 occasions. This form covers expenditures in early 2016.  That brings her total spending on Carols by Candlelight to $5000.

Update 2 (Sept 19, 2018) The Carols by Candlelight page   and the 4 Community Solutions webpages have both been changed since this blog was posted. Carols by Candlelight no longer has the "click to donate" button, instead all donation links open an email addressed to Steve Vaus.  The language about 4 Community Solutions has changed slightly on Carols by Candlelight:

Vaus is still implying that 4 Community Solutions and Carols by Candlelight are the same thing. In fact, Carols by Candlelight does not have a nonprofit number. It is not a registered nonprofit.





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