By Pall Gudgeirsson, Assistant City Manager and City Treasurer
Rain… I Don’t Mind
(Lennon/McCartney)
Sitting out on the patio on a perfect San Clemente night, enjoying the sounds of the waves, trains, and rain…and pondering a topic for this column. So why not just put down some random thoughts to get to 500 words? No numbers, just words.
• Rainy Day Reserves are critical when you never know what will hit next. We got ‘em but we sure hate to use ‘em.
• Why do capital projects always cost more than we expect? Just like home projects, the unexpected always seems to happen.
• A balanced budget is easy to produce when you know how to keep spending in check. Don’t spend it till ya got it.
• How many of you are glad the election is over?
• Fine revenue from tickets is down. That is good and tells me our citizens are behaving. Or that the cops are educating our citizens.
• Have you been to Fisherman’s Restaurant and noticed all the fantastic improvements? I like the blue awnings, the wood floors and the granite in the bar. Hope the guests who camped out to get a Thanksgiving dinner reservation enjoy the feast.
• Time flies. Week 12 of football season, the Chargers are out of it, and I’m ready for college bowl games. Go Huskies.
• Hope I see a bunch of San Clementians at the Dana Point Turkey Trot. Sure wish we had an official road run in our village by the sea. I say we do it. Any takers?
• The Rolling Stones are 50 and I remember buying their first record. Come on.
• The elves have creatively selected and put up the new city Christmas tree. Check it out at the Community Center. I can’t wait to see the decorations. Don’t forget the downtown Puttin’ on the Glitz. Shop local and keep the bucks in town.
• If you missed the hundreds of birds and pelicans last week at North Beach, see the pictures on the City’s web site. Alfred Hitchcock ain’t got nothing on us.
• Nothing like a bike ride across town on city bikeway paths on an early Saturday morning. Thanks to Pete van Nuys for my Breezer. Urban Bicycle Outfitters at North Beach for rentals and sales. That is a plug.
• Have you tried coffee from the clover machine at the Starbucks at Ocean View Plaza? Quite a buzz.
• Start thinking of a name for the city’s Municipal Golf Course restaurant naming contest. I came up with Alice’s Restaurant, which means you have a chance to win. Great classic Thanksgiving song though. Looking forward to lots of improvements and a new wedding site.
• Ole Hanson was the first out of town developer. He didn’t do a bad job for a guy from Seattle.
• The lights will shine at Linda Lane shortly after Thanksgiving. “Shine…the world looks fine.”
I got to 514 words and it was hard not to use numbers. Off to run the Big Sur half-marathon. Rain in the forecast but I don’t mind.
