March 29, 2006 - Top Stories
Seventeen year old Holly Hart, a senior at VC High School was crowned Miss Valley Center 2006 at the first pageant held at the new Maxine Theater.
The brown-haired, green-eyed Hart is the daughter of Rick & Gail Hart.
The contestants were Gina Sannipoli, Whitney Bisplinghoff, Melyssa Dube, Malia Javier, Holly Hart and Jennifer Ensign.
Each of the contestants were asked an impromptu question during the proceedings. Hart was asked “What makes Valley Center so special?” She answered “What makes Valley Center so special are the wonderful people who live here and support the youth and give back so much to the community.”
In her description of herself, Miss Hart said she is “a young bloom, thirsty for the sun,” and added, “A youngest child, I love attention and I usually get blamed for everything, but I can usually talk my way out of it!” Her family is very active in 4-H and each year raises various animal projects.
Her philosophy in life is “Find God in everyone and acknowledge the differences but celebrate the goodness.”
During her high school career she has mascoted for the football team, including wearing that rather warm suit in Qualcomm Stadium when the Jaguars won the CIF league championship.
Joining her court was Whitney Bisplinghoff, second princess and First Runner-Up Melyssa Dube.
Bisplinghoff also won the Essay Contest. Her essay was on her thoughts about the Iraq war, which she read to the crowd, stopping several times when she was overcome with emotion. She also was awarded the Cover Girl Award and Miss Congeniality.
Winning the Director’s Award was Malia Javier.
Her pet peeve is when she is walking around in socks and steps in something wet.
It was the 39th annual Miss Valley Center Pageant, and first overseen by the new director Debra Jockinsen. However, the longtime director Karen Greene, was on the scene too, although she will soon be moving out of the state.
The role of master/mistress of ceremonies was shared by Eric Jockinsen and Tamara Damante.
Tamara Damante, who was Miss Valley Center in 1998 and is now the evening news anchor for KESQ TV in Palm Springs.
Jockinsen is owner of Erik Industries and serves on the board of directors and as vice president of the Pageant Assn. as well as being president of the Valley Center Parks & Rec. board.
The evening opened with a dance number from the musical A Chorus Line in which the six contestants and Miss VC 2005, Danyelle Barner showed their dancing skills.
The contestants then appeared first in sportswear and later in evening gowns.
Outgoing Miss VC Danyelle Barner spoke about her year as queen and then took one final turn around the stage to a standing ovation.
The judges included Dirk Broekema, founder of On Call Employee Solutions; Teammie Pontsler, department chairman and teacher at Vista Murrieta High School; Tom Grissette, a telecommunications consultant; Carl Johnson, a retired operations manager of a title and escrow company and David Thornton, leasing and retail manager in Old Town San Diego.
Once Valley Center’s Road widening is completed, in about two years’ time, tourists from all over the state and nation may begin making the pilgrimage to see the sights.
Because, you see, VC has something that exists in no other part of the state.
The State of California confirmed this week that VC Road has been designated as a Scenic Viewshed Corridor by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“This is a great honor for your community,” Reed Lafoon, director of the California chapter of the National Trust told The Roadrunner. “Of course, it carries with it a lot of responsibility!”
Motorists from all over the country will visit our highways and byways, stopping, taking pictures and filming videos.
How did Valley Center manage to luck out to this extent?
The community qualified because most commercial buildings are an architectural style known as “Mid-1960s Lower Middle Class Commercial,” commonly called by its nickname Faux Farmhouse Chaparral Bungalow Revival.
In the 1970s most examples of this style were razed in San Diego County and in the rest of the country. Merchants felt that they drove customers away who tended to confuse them with chicken houses.
Several store owners nationwide were convicted of arson in the 1980s when they couldn’t get permits to tear down their increasingly rare commercial buildings. Some brought in tractors in the middle of the night to accomplish the deed, and blamed local gangs for the “drive by bulldozings.” A few were perfectly willing to serve jail time in order to replace their buildings.
Fortunately Valley Center had its famous moratorium.
That decades-long event, while it had the collateral impact of destroying family fortunes and devastating property values, preserved a nearly lost architectural style for future generations.
Merchants couldn’t replace existing buildings, however much they resembled Depression-era CCC works projects. So they made the most of a bad deal.
They persuaded the County to enshrine the Faux Farmhouse Chaparral Bungalow Revival in the Design Review Guidelines adopted a dozen years ago.
One merchant, who helped to write the guidelines, was heard to mutter at the time, “I’ve had to live with this crappy building for 20 years! There’s no way in hell that future businesses are going to get out of that kind of embarrassment!”
Today VC celebrates an architectural style that once only graced the pages of Ripley’s Believe it or Not but is now enshrined in Architectural Digest.
How the world of architectural fashions turns!
As a Planning Group member put it, “In Valley Center we like our commercial buildings to look like old barns and our homes to look like tin lean-tos. Now that’s country!”
However, the good news doesn’t just apply to buildings.
California courts have ruled that motorists have a right to look out of their cars and see pleasing vistas.
Once the Scenic Viewshed Corridor becomes official, businesses and residences will be asked to change storefronts and front lawns to conform to what passing motorists expect to see.
Residents will also be asked (later required) to choose clothing from an approved list of “California Lifestyles” apparel.
“Californians have a face that we present to the world. We wear certain outfits when we ride bicycles. We wear recognizable styles when we take a walk. Is it asking too much for residents not to present a jarring picture to someone who is honoring us by stopping to sip a latte or refresh theirself with a Perrier?” said Granger Lamont, a newly minted VC resident (he arrived last week), who was immediately appointed to the new Clothing Design Review Board.
He pointed to attire commonly worn at Woods Valley Golf Course. “This will not do. Hello! Senior citizens wearing plaid pants and shirts with little lizards over the pockets! This is SO not happening! I didn’t move to Valley Center in order to see golfers with no sense of style!”
He added, “We must get the word out that you can no longer just throw on any old thing!”
April Fool.
Welcome to Rancho Déjà Vu – another murky San Diego real estate deal rooted in politics. This time it’s between County Supervisor Bill Horn and his Chief of Staff Joan Wonsley.
Further details emerged following revelations last week in The Roadrunner (first newspaper to cover the story), KFMB Channel 8’s investigative news report Wednesday, a press release issued by the supervisor after the newscast (which he declined to watch), and a guest appearance on the Roger Hedgecock Show the next day.
What the news media did not get was an interview detailing the “lease option agreement which was signed over two and a half years ago,” as Horn stated March 14, on the million-dollar Carlsbad house that Horn owns and Ms. Wonsley occupies.
The upscale “rental” generated income Horn failed to report on his Statement of Economic Interests, Form 700.
Horn's not talking. Not talking to The Roadrunner, despite three requests. Not talking to the daily press. Definitely not talking to television reporters anymore.
But Horn's definitely talking with his attorney, the high-priced James R. Sutton from San Francisco, to whom Horn's campaign still owes $10,971 for his efforts to change Bruce Thompson's ballot occupation.
Horn says he needs Sutton, because he finds the mandated Form 700, “very complicated.” Despite 11 years in office, he declared he needs his “own legal counsel with expertise in FPPC rules.”
The FPPC is the state's Fair Political Practices Commission charged with maintaining ethics in politics.
More than 400 elected officeholders in the region and top City and County executives routinely file Statements of Economic Interest annually, including all 15 members of the Valley Center Planning Group.
Horn did reveal in his press release (3/23), that counsel "has informed me that . . . I would need to amend my statement." The Roadrunner had called for such compliance last week in my column, "Public Documents, Private Secrets."
As to the real estate “agreement” with Wonsley, Horn refused to release a copy to the media although he told a radio audience he had given it to “my attorney and my campaign staff.”
Details continually emerged (and morphed) with Horn’s statements from the Board of Supervisors’ meeting (3/14), television news (3/22), his press release and the Roger Hedgecock Show (both 3/23). On the air, the accommodating Hedgecock allocated Horn ten minutes without the audibly stressed Supervisor having to face call-in questions.
While he admitted, on advice of legal counsel, that he bungled his financial reports, he went on to paint himself as the benefactor of an employee—Ms. Wonsley — in need.
But he criticized the past week’s reports as representing “the worst of election year politics,” specifically naming this Roadrunner columnist as an operative from his opponent's campaign. (In reality, I have never met Bruce Thompson and have no link to his campaign.) Thompson is the sole challenger to Horn in the June election.
Nevertheless "the Art of the Deal," Horn-style, is slowly emerging.
Contrary to my conjecture last week that Horn’s housing of his Chief of Staff was a generous employee perk, new statements by Horn reveal the extent of the financial dealings between the two County executives, previously concealed, but required by state law to be publicly disclosed.
Records at the San Diego County Office of the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk show that Horn purchased the Carlsbad investment home with his wife, took her name off the title and put all of the equity ($216,500) in his own name, stripping his wife not only of her half of the asset, but all future appreciation.
Horn now reveals he subsequently cut a deal with his Chief of Staff to enjoy the capital gain . . . provided she give Horn $349,261 and made 100% of the mortgage payments: $2,733 per month.
Horn calls this “sharing the cost.”
As to the annual property tax of $10,171 Supervisor Horn couldinvest the $349,261 entrusted to him by Ms. Wonsley (which was not actually invested in the house) at 3% and receive $10,478.
His “share” of the home’s yearly “cost” would then plummet to zero.
Only Horn can claim the depreciation and expense deductions, because he is still recorded as the sole owner, “as a married man, as his sole and separate property.”
Chief of Staff Joan Wonsley has no ownership in the property, is not on the title of the Carlsbad house, and has no protection from any “rent-to-own/option-to-purchase” contract filed with the County Recorder.
But Horn repeatedly claims they have an agreement, “notarized,” which he refuses to reveal. (Requirement for a notarized “agreement”: your signature on the paper has to match the one on your driver’s license.)
Horn, on the Hedgecock Show, described Wonsley as a renter (albeit one with a security deposit of $349,261) with an option to buy the house from Horn in 2008. Loan documents show 2008 to be the year the 5.125% interest-only payments on his $640,000 mortgage will end, and new, higher interest-plus-principal payments spike.
In this “lease option agreement,” is a purchase price specified? As Horn told Hedgecock, it’s “at the market price.” Apparently Wonsley must meet Horn’s price in 2008, or anyone else can then buy the house.
Where is Wonsley's $349,261 today? Does an escrow instrument exist or are they commingled with Horn's own funds? Horn left his reports with the County blank (In fact, he claimed this property was in the Family Trust, even as he took his wife’s name off the title). He has refused to make this document available to the press.
Wonsley's funds clearly didn't pay down the Carlsbad mortgage, or her rent covering the payments would fall to $1,243. But Horn keeps collecting $2,733 from her each month to pay his original loan, and e-mailed KFMB a scan of a typed “payment log” but no monthly checks. The $349,261 deposit is evidenced by a scanned, e-mailed copy of a cashier's check made out to Horn.
During her 18-month residency at the Carlsbad house, Wonsley made repeated efforts to conceal her address, including a bogus home address on Horn’s campaign reports (showing her fund-raising activity) by combining an Encinitas P.O. Box number with her mother's condo address in Laguna Niguel.
Other addresses included Horn's own P.O. Box in San Diego that also serves his campaign and his personal religious foundation, “Basic Faith.”
What is the purpose of the Horn/Wonsley real estate transaction? Other media have speculated that it serves a romantic relationship, but Horn's press release (3/23) states that “Joan is a valued employee and friend and that is all.”
Horn's new revelation of almost $400,000 over the past 18 months in payments from his subordinate runs contrary to the notion of the Carlsbad manse serving as a trysting spot. He portrays it as a robust investment favoring the supervisor, with a potential capital gain in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Note: Supervisors’ Chiefs of Staff are “at will” political appointees, without Civil Service protection. Horn has absolute power over her career and compensation. He grants Wonsley’s raises and sets her salary ($119,038 with a total compensation package of $177,389). She is the highest paid member on his staff.
A conflict of interest arises when she pays $2,733 rent to him each month, with a $349,261 “equity investment” by her in Horn’s property unprotected by recordation.
Had this been reported on Horn's Form 700, the situation might have set off reporters’ antennae long ago. But these are not the only entries missing from his Statement of Economic Interest. He fails to report payers of $10,000 or more from avocado wholesalers and from tenants in apartments he owns.
The KFMB Channel 8 report (3/22) featured Robert Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, who co-authored California's Political Reform Act. He found Horn's failure to disclose the names of tenants paying over $10,000 per year, incredible.
Horn said, “I don't name any of my tenants. I own lots of real estate in San Diego County. I don't name any of my tenants. Nor do I have to.”
Stern's response: “It seems very clear from the instructions right here in black and white that tenants have to be disclosed,” as he held up Form 700.
Following the telecast, San Diego scientist/civic activist Ian Trowbridge, the man who confronted Horn at the board meeting a week earlier, sent a written request to County Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard “that the County of San Diego immediately conduct a full audit of Form 460 filings by Supervisor Bill Horn and Form 700 filings by Supervisor Horn and his Chief of Staff Joan Wonsley - for the years 2000/01 through 2005/06.
“This audit should include an examination of all original receipts and documents to substantiate financial claims made in these filings.
“In my view, the multiple errors and omissions in these documents are either deliberate, and therefore criminal, or the result of gross negligence that cannot be mitigated by simply filing multiple amendments to the forms.
“I also request that the County conduct random audits of Form 460 and Form 700 filings of Supervisors Cox, Jacob, Slater-Price and Roberts and the Form 700 filings of their Chiefs of Staff for the years 2000/01 through 2005/06 to establish whether this problem exists in other Supervisorial Offices and, if so, how prevalent it is.”
San Diego County has no Ethics Commission as a watchdog. CAO Ekard replied that the County has no jurisdiction on reporting issues and that this must be taken up with the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Friday, Trowbridge filed his complaint with the FPPC in Sacramento.
Additionally, Trowbridge has written District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis requesting an investigation. Should she recuse herself due to potential conflict of interest as an officer of the County of San Diego, Trowbridge said the request for investigation would be made to State Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
Potential fines up to $5,000 for each incident of failure to report can be levied by the FPPC. Where the scope of the violation is considered "egregious," it can be a criminal offense.
* * *
Reporter Patsy Fritz served on Horn’s first election campaign and ran unsuccessfully against him in two later races. Horn appointed her to the Planning Commission in March 1999 and removed her in December of 2000 when it became apparent she would challenge him a second time. She has served two terms on the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association and is a regular Roadrunner columnist.
The VCHS Foundation will host the 8th annual Jaguar Auction this Saturday night, April 1 at 6 p.m. in the VCHS gym.
This is Valley Center’s largest fund-raising event. All monies raised go to the various VCHS clubs and teams and the VCHS Foundation endowment.
The fund-raiser is a live and silent auction. Here are just a few of the items that will be up for bid:
• Riding lawn mower, donated by Powerland Equipment
• $500 shopping spree from Major Market
• Asphalt driveway donated by George Weir
• Many Mercedes Benz items from watches and purses to a child’s size 300SL electric car, donated by Mercedes Benz of Escondido
• Many vacations to destinations such as Hawaii, Costa Rica, Mexico, Lake Tahoe, Big Bear, Palm Springs, and more
Many more quality items and services.
This year’s Master of Ceremonies is Lee Rumble. The auctioneer is Larry White.
The event is complemented with appetizers, desserts, and beverages.
Tickets are $10 and if you buy one you will be entered in a drawing for a big-screen TV system donated by Valley View Casino.
Questions? Call Jolyn Duff at749-6156 or Julie Stroh at 749-7863.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
Copyright © 2006, Palomar Community Newspapers, dba Valley Roadrunner. All rights reserved. This content may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of the Valley Roadrunner.