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Letter: Candidate Kosel Throws Darts to Hide Poor Record

In the latest letter to the editor on the heated election campaign for Kensington's governing board, resident Lisa Caronna says incumbent Cathie Kosel spreads falsehoods to distract voters from a poor voting record.

To the Editor:

This is the first letter I’ve ever submitted to a newspaper but I feel it’s important to share a few facts on the Kensington Board election choices.

There's a reason that we have seen such a negative campaign from Cathie Kosel and her supporters: When you don't have a good record on positions valued by most Kensington voters and your strategy is to “throw darts” rather than do the real work to create positive change, you create fear and distract the voters by making accusations and saying things that are simply not true.

Ms. Kosel seeks to steer voters away from her own poor voting record and performance:

 1) She signed the ballot argument and actively campaigned against Measure G, a parcel tax measure in 2010 which was crafted to ensure the continuation of our independent police force, yet now she says she has always supported an independent police force;

2) She voted for the contract with the Kensington Police Officer’s Association but now distances herself from that vote at every opportunity;

3) She filed many unfair allegations against the Chief of Police that resulted in delays to completion of his required annual performance evaluation. She walked out on two meetings related to his evaluation;

4) She does not fulfill her committee responsibilities. For instance, she was appointed to, and agreed to serve on, the original ad hoc Park Buildings Master Plan Committee. However she attended only one meeting and didn’t even bother to attend the public workshops. She was also on the Solid Waste Committee that changed its meeting time especially to accommodate her personal schedule and she still didn’t attend those meetings! What does it take to get her to fulfill her basic commitment to public service? 

In short, it appears Cathie Kosel likes to “throw darts” and create chaos around any real public process and doesn’t think she needs to actually participate in the dedicated sustained work to create the change she claims to strive for.

Join me in voting for Patricia Gillette and Chuck Toombs. They will consider the various viewpoints of Kensington residents, focus on efficient and effective use of existing resources, and do the real work to keep Kensington moving toward a safe and fiscally responsible future. No more dart games. It is time to move onto real participation, civil discussion and responsible decision-making.

– Lisa Caronna
   Kensington 

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El Cerrito Patch welcomes letters to the editor (up to 450 words) and guest columns (more than 450 words) from members of the community. Those interested in contributing can write to elcerrito@patch.com. To see past letters to the editor, please click here. Past guest columns can be found here.

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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
gretchen davidson May 16, 2013 at 02:50 pm
Was that what i heard in the middle of the night on Wednesday? I thought i was dreaming. It soundedRead More like some sort of loudspeaker.
Robin M. Blind May 15, 2013 at 09:16 pm
Gee...are you SURE that alarm IS coming from Portola Middle School? Um...I suppose that you ARERead More sure! Yes...it IS turbo-annoying but I had assumed that it was some stupid car alarm.
Dorothy Coakley April 8, 2013 at 08:02 pm
Good thought, Julian.
Julian April 8, 2013 at 11:32 am
I've spoken with him, he is educated, intelligent and articulate. He is also angry and sometimesRead More irrational. I dont know his story but his "street art" stands on its own legs. If you would like to help him, and yourself, buy and enjoy his art.
Rita Wilson April 7, 2013 at 09:51 pm
A neighbor of mine on Colusa tried to give him food when he was on Colusa, but he refused, so IRead More never tried. Dorothy, is that the shelter near the Berkeley Historical Society/Veteran's Building? Perhaps he would need a ride to it. Perhaps he's concerned about leaving his things there if he can't be there during the day. I'm afraid I don't know enough about it.
Dorothy Coakley March 27, 2013 at 04:36 pm
I did mention that I'm donating 10% of my royalties for "Midnight" to the EC's Open SpaceRead More fund, didn't I? I'm a Down-home Ten Percenter.
Dorothy Coakley March 27, 2013 at 04:31 pm
Lucy, I like the idea in principal, but in reality I think it would just give ECPD more work to do.Read More "People hanging out" doesn't necessarily translate to a friendly,fun-filled, folksy kind of environment. It *can* mean quite the reverse. "Midnight On the Ohlone" sounds like a new recording. Something like "I left my little babeeeeee, down by the tracks....and now I want her back....she's a needle in the haaaaaaay staaaaack...' Arhoolie awaits.
Lucy March 27, 2013 at 12:58 pm
What a great idea for pocket parks!!! I am all for them. Instead of spening a big amount on oneRead More (which we don't have space anyway), I would like to see many mini parks of $20,000 along the Bart tracks. With more visibility and people hanging out, it would make Bart paths safer too, especially the one around fairmont park. Really mini pocket parks just needs some play structures, benches and tables there.