Report from the Painted Rock Candidate Forum

Local candidates for the upcoming elections were on hand for tonight's (10/3/18) forum hosted by the Poway Chamber of Commerce and the Green Valley Civic Association (GVCA).  I spent a decent four hours there to get a better feel of the field.  Below are my impressions.  There is a quick endorsement and more details as to why further down.  I made notes of each question and who I thought answered it best.  This was used in figuring out who is the candidate most deserving of your vote.

The following local elections will be taking place on November 6th, 2018. 

• Poway Unified School District Board, District B
• Ginger Couvrette <- Vote for Ginger
• Kim Garnier
• Kevin Juza <- Avoid Juza like the financial plague
• Poway Mayor's Office
• Steve Vaus <- Vote for Steve
• Yuri Bohlen
• Brian Edmonston
• Emily Johnson
• Poway City Council District 1
• Dave Grosch <- Vote for Dave
• John Carson
• Peter Neild
• Jonathan Ryan
• Poway City Council District 3
• John Mullin <- Vote for John
• Joe Calabrese
• Poway City Council District "at large" Special Election
• Caylin Frank <- Vote for Caylin
• Torrey Powers <- Torrey is a strong second
• Tony Russo 

PUSD Trustee District B is mostly "North Poway"

This person serves as part of an oversight board of directors with the superintendent and technical staff.  They need to have a good grasp of the big picture, have good budgeting skills, fundraising skills, and a focus on what schools do: ie teach students.  PUSD Areas B & E also need to interface with the City of Poway, as there are shared used facilities.

The questions ranged from equality across campuses, through funding issues, through technology, and arts classes.

Ginger Couvrette

Vast experience across the spectrum of education (former science teacher), she's served on the City of Poway's Parks and Recreation Committee, she has started and grown a local successful business in Poway, she has many contacts in the City as well.  Perhaps most importantly, she also comes off as a person who knows how to build a consensus with stakeholders.  Buy-in is key for successfully executing strategic plans.  She appears to have a very strong understanding through experience of successfully working within a governmental style budget.  All in all, she is the strongest candidate.

Kim Garnier

Holy smokes, she comes off as really angry.  She has a very high regard for her intelligence (and she may indeed be really smart, I just don't know her that well).  Her general answer to finances is to cut everyone's salary or jobs, while keeping the focus on the students.  Not quite sure how that works.  Despite that, she does appear to have a strong grasp of how the PUSD is run, and perhaps a stronger grasp in how she thinks the finances have been vastly mismanaged.  A good point to remember, however, is that she has played a role in the downfall of high level members of the PUSD governing structure.  She is quite proud that no one has endorsed her.  She just does not strike me as someone who can work well in the group setting that is the trustee's board.

Kevin Juza

Is running a standard campaign with lots of signs and handshakes.  Seems like a friendly person.  Pretty sure he is endorsed by the teacher's union.  He has done a lot of volunteer work his child's middle school.  He led some sort of local school board that raised a lot of money for the school.  It sounded like a PTA related thing.  His experience is mostly on a single school level.  He had really poor answers to how to pay for things.  I strongly suspect it would involve lots of money that does not exist to pay for raises for teachers.  Unstated dependance on magical outside sources of money.  Perhaps a bond or taxes?  Not sure as he did not have great answers for the questions about money.

Recent news:  Juza was just endorsed by the PUSD Union and they dropped a huge block of money to get him elected.  It's a sure thing they'll get their money's worth.  But where's the money going to come from?  Not from bonds with the Billion Dollar Bond fiasco.  Teachers? Classroom technology?  In the end, like it or not, endless raises diminish our children's future's.  How? Through not getting access to learning tools or being able to participate in activities they don't know no longer exist.  Definitely don't vote for Juza.

Poway Mayor's Office

Steve Vaus

Understands the process.  Knows what people want in Poway (ie Safety, Prosperity, etc)  Deep knowledge of what's going on and how to run government.  Need more money?  Both grow the economy and cut the fat.  Clear and detailed answers to all of the questions.  Really on his game.  By far the strongest candidate.

Yuri Bohlen

Angry angry doom and gloom.  I thought this guy was supposed to be a comedian.  Don't vote for me and the City will be gone in 3 years.  One of the most negative candidates there.  Highly focused on rejecting the Poway Specific Plan.  Something about the city taking private vacant lots on Poway road and developing them.  Really strange.

Brian Edmonston

Lots of criticisms of the budget.  Would probably do well to serve on the budget committee.  Strongest of the three challengers, but that's a pretty low bar.  Balance budgets through cuts.  No acceptance of costs of development, but wants the benefits.

Emily Johnson

Wants Poway to be a more inclusive place.  Not quite sure what that means.  Something about LGBT and the homeless population.  There is pain in her voice.  She is sincere, appears to have a really good heart, and wants to make Poway a better place (or at least her vision of a better place).  Very young.  Just doesn't have the experience to be effective.

Poway City Council District 1

Dave Grosch

Excellent grasp of city planning and management.  Understands role of the City Council. ie limitations and powers.  Most reachable Councilman <- this is actually saying a lot as the entire council is easily reachable.  Heads above other candidates.

John Carson

Would focus on impacts of decision on people around the area.  Wants to rework the Poway Specific Plan.  This would lead to more stagnation on the Poway Road corridor.  Strongest challenger in a pretty weak field.  

Peter Neild

Seems nice.  Rambled a lot.  Meaning that when asked a question, just started talking about something else.  Some decent stories, though.  Really good knowledge of Poway's history as he's been here since just before it became a city.  No real agenda other than to walk around and ask the local residents what they want.  In practice, that does not work for any form of government.

Editor's note:  Peter Nield responded to this report and requested a link to his rebuttal of this, admittedly short, impression of his performance at the forum.  Although it does not change our analysis, it may influence yours.  I encourage you to take a look and make up your own mind.

Link to Peter Nield's response

You can see this link in the comments below as well.

Jonathan Ryan

Also very negative.  Appears to believe that he knows Grosch's voting record better than Grosch.  Inappropriately critical of some recent issues with the city and some of its contractors.  Appears not to fully understand the role of the council.

Poway City Council District 3

John Mullin

Keeping the City focused on it's core functions.  A very important part of what makes Poway the place it is. "you hear people here complain about some things, but you don't hear them complain about the smooth roads, about the balanced budgets, the city reserves."  Great quote.  Wants to see a number of projects and initiatives come to fruition. 

Joe Calabrese

Did not show up.  Quite disrespectful.  Really should have shown up.  This makes two forums he's missed.  I suspect he was "traveling" at home.

Poway City Council District "at large" Special Election

The closest race by far.  

Caylin Frank

Understands difference between "affordable" and "achievable" housing goals.  Strong focus on Safety (comes from a family of cops) In depth knowledge of governmental policy formulation.  Great knowledge of how the Council works.  Strong ties to the future of the city.  Really brings a lot to the table. 

Torrey Powers

Very strong challenger.  Family history in city.  Lots of volunteering.  Had a good idea of a backstop to Prop FF to require any property that survives a Prop FF vote to need another vote if owner wants to up zone it again.  Was the only unique idea I heard from anyone.  Although, I'm not sure if it would be legal.  Would not be a bad councilwomen, but is just not as good as Caylin.

Tony Russo

Rambles a lot.  Funny guy.  Clearly a good bar owner.  Does not have experience, significant opinions, or goals, it seems.  Would not work out as a council person.