PRESIDIO MUMBO JUMBO

Since early 1994, the Presidio Nursery situated at building 1244 in the Fort Scott area has been doing an excellent job. Today, over 50,000 native plants are germinated and planted all over the Presidio. Kudos, to the numerous volunteers and the team leaders who have done so much and maintain a very high standard.

From the inception I have done my best to help the Presdio Nursery working with Sharon, Monica, Marc, Peter, Damien and so many others. All of them are very dear to my heart.

Forest Management at the Presidio is a must. How ever for a long period nothing was done. Too much money was spent on consultants who were told to give a detail account and the end result was that they produced a document that is difficult to implement. Perhaps the first document by Jones & Jones should have been executed dealing primarily with the Forest and natural habitats.

Since the volunteers have done so much and have contributed a lot to the Presidio, I strongly feel that every consideration should be given to those Interns, volunteers, and paid workers to live on the Presidio. The rents they pay should be discounted because they have gone beyond their call of duty to care for the Presidio. I have seen them toil long hours many a day in the rain, the fog, the sun, and when it is very cold. Always, with a smile of their faces. We all owe them the highest consideration. Sooner than later.

If it is true. that those I have mentioned above, have been served with notices to vacate their premises on the Presidio of San Francisco, since they cannot afford high rents, I think this is the highest form of injustice. One does not bite the hand that feeds you. I am requesting the powers to be, to be considerate to those that care for Mother Earth and really are the only ones who practice sustainability and green.

The National Park Service, the National Park Association, the Trust, and numerous other entities fully understand the role of the Interns, the volunteers, and the paid workers who work at the Nursery. It is their moral obligation to defend those who need help most and help them continue their work of love.

Right now, the various entities involved with the demolition of Doyle Drive and the rerouting of the new Doyle Drive are busy studying and improving their plans. The Department of Transportation, the Golden Gate Bridge District Transportation Authorities, the National Park Service, the National Park Association, the Trust, the City and County of San Francisco, and others are all involved.

It is important that the citizens be informed to give their input. One of the most important considerations are archeological issues. One must remember that less than five percent of the Presidio has been archeologically surveyed.

Right now specially on weekends the traffic on the Presidio increases by over sixty percent. One can imagine the bottle necks that will be created once the traffic from Doyle Drive diverts to the streets of the Presidio, many of them are so narrow. Accidents are on the increase.

Right now we do not have any entity to enforce traffic given the magnitude of the situation at hand. It is wrong to envision that the U.S. Park Police can do this. They lack the person power and the resources to undertake such a huge operation.

The Trust strongly feels that it is time to enforce parking meters on the Presidio. How they will do this is mind boggling. If one desires to enforce a law, there should be something in writing. One of the main contention is who will adjudicate the tickets written and enforce them. It would be wrong to presuppose the U.S. Park Police would do this. Right now adjudication of all tickets is executed by the City and County of San Francisco under a special agreement. I doubt the City and County of San Francisco would accommodate the Trust.

It is right that the Transportation amenities on the Presidio of San Francisco be attended to. Right now there is very little good that can be said about the transportation to and within the Presidio of San Francisco. Areas that are hard hit are Wherry Housing and the Fort Scott area. Even regular public transportation to the Main Post is unreliable.

There has been talk about a shuttle for years. Right now it is just talk. James Meadows has it on record that he wants to improve the shuttle service, if this is true, it is a step in the right direction. The Trust has millions, spends millions, so a couple of hundred thousands in this arena would do justice to hundreds at the Presidio of San Francisco.

Housing is a problem. Not so much because there is a lack of housing, but because GREED seems to be the word when it comes to housing on the Presidio. Rents are sky high!

The entity that manages to collect the rents from the tenants, thinks that it can bluff the tenants by enforcing rents, that it calls "fair market value". The Presidio does not meet the elements required to enforce "fair marker value" especially when the comparison is made to facilities available in the City and County of San Francisco. It would be one thing if the comparison was made to Stockton or some remote county.

When the Army was at the Presidio of San Francisco it was a working City. A real City within a City with all amenities. That is not so today and will not be in a long time. More over most amenities that the Army offered were discounted, today all the Trust wants is big money. This greed has to stop, if it does not, it will bring the fall of the Trust and those that cooperate with this quasi governmental entity, that few comprehend.

Multicultural Events and diversity in the workforce is a must at the Presidio. One must remember that a lot of the Presidio was built by people of color, the Native Americans, the Mexicans, the African Americans and so on. This is a fact. One should not rewrite history and deprive the people of color of good jobs and a role in the decision making of the Presidio of San Francisco. This does not mean that there are NOT some whites who fight for justice, there are, and these few are far and between and it is good that such brave women and men take a stand for what is right. Many of them work with me and know what fair play really is. I love them all.

The Unions should play a role at the Presidio of San Francisco. The National Park Service has a Union that works and the Trust has just formed one and wants it to work. Unions cannot work unless the workforce unites. If we are united, there is nothing that can stop us.

Today, management is playing one against the other. It is unfair to be unjust to your fellow coworker and follow instructions from management that adversely impact the workforce. We see this among a few who are doing damage and it not late for these few to play fair and cooperate with what is right and progressive to the workforce in general.

A trend has been started to call for meetings. There is so much that can be attained from meetings that are not focused and action prone. Good meetings require good leaders. Good leaders, know the way, show the way, and go the way. It is useless to gather people and make them deliberate for hours on end, make them listen to lengthy talks, and then just do as one pleases. This is happening again and again. The democratic progress is not one where principles of dictatorship are infused and exercised on a daily basis. Unfortunately the Presidio of late again and again witnesses such practices.

Right now very little, if nothing, is done to help the youth at the Presidio. Of course we fully understand that there are some programs for the youth, but none of these programs are substantial. It is important that the youth play an important role in the present and future progress of the Presidio of San Francisco. This is a must.

The Presidio has always encouraged Arts and Crafts. This is totally lacking at the Presidio today. There is some music but this has to be developed to embrace the living community at the Presidio.

Other social sports have to be developed. The biking community is moving in the right direction. Other contact sports require careful attention and this can come about with compassion and love for the sports in general by those who care and are concerned.

Right now the bottom line is greed and greed blocks many of the ingredients required to make a living community, progressive.