Unused tracks on Mare Island now bar way to development

This article is an affront to all Vallejoans. Lennar says the tracks are an impediment to creation jobs; what a total crock of c r a p! It is obvious that this writer Sarah Rohrs and the TH are in the pocket of these reprehensible Lennar pushers. The tracks, once removed will never be replaced. Lennar is the single most destructive element and road-block to future development on MI, the major cause of the stagnation of our once thriving Golden Goose. They must be stopped; lets ALL get together for one thing at least and throw these bums out of town.

Wanglow wrote:

This article is an affront to all Vallejoans. Lennar says the tracks are an impediment to creation jobs; what a total crock of c r a p! It is obvious that this writer Sarah Rohrs and the TH are in the pocket of these reprehensible Lennar pushers. The tracks, once removed will never be replaced. Lennar is the single most destructive element and road-block to future development on MI, the major cause of the stagnation of our once thriving Golden Goose. They must be stopped; lets ALL get together for one thing at least and throw these bums out of town.

I don't agree with you on alot of issues. However must admit I do so here. And why bother even thinking of ripping up the tracks if there are plans for possibly using them later? Ripping up and laying down track costs alot of money. Money this city can't afford to lose. I'm all for standing behing your idea. Now how shuuld we proceed further with this?

I guess the easiest way to begin is for anyone interested in getting control back from Lennar would be to start e-mailing every council member and the Mayor. I know some of these members and past members are influenced by this "developer" through either direct pay-off or indirect contributions, so these charletins will not be swayed. But perhaps there are other members who actually do care about our town and if enough local citizens make a loud enough noise maybe we can start to get control over what has been, up till now total corruption of the potential of MI.

I see Lennar has a BIKE path on the council adgenda Big Deal...Thats about what they want... Sorry folks Mare Island was GIVEN to them years ago!!!! LEX

I am lovin this productivity. This is what this blog should be about, not all the high school drama that's frequently here. I agree with the posts from Wanglow as well. Lennar is the biggest impediment to development on Mare Island. I took a drive out there last weekend, and was saddened by all that open space, and all those huge buildings just sitting there vacant and unused. Surely, this couldn't have been the intention for the use of Mare Island. The people need to speak up so that Mare Island represents Vallejo's, not Lennar's interests. They keep running wonderful businesses out of town, most recently the flower mart. Who objects to flowers?!?!

Well, some finally have opened their eyes regarding this issue and all it took was 2 front page articles.
A few here, including myself, have tried to get a rise out of you about the proposed removal of the tracks for some time, but no takers then, it just fizzled into the sand.
By the time we all wake up the deed is done people.
How many underhanded deals have to go down in this Burg before we will demand action that will benefit ALL not just a few vocal self serving ...
It will take a lot more than blogging here.

Now, the same vocal MI residents do not seem to mind that trucks carrying the supplies to their destination via the same roads they will have to travel. My guess is they would like to see the few remaining businesses leave the island.
The vision of some forward thinkers to incorporate the rail tracks into a public transportation system serving the greater North Bay area will probably go up into global warming!
Once these tracks are removed we will not see them re-laid anywhere else. If you believe otherwise you may be a dreamer as well as a fool!

Sorry, sometimes this site will double post, sometimes not at all. I seem to be having a trigger finger.

At the bottom of the article is an indication that Lennar is "working with" a dismantler to lease two drydocks for resolving the Suisun fleet inventory. The dismantler is qualified by the Maritime Administration, has both practical and staff expertise in environmental management and steel recycling, yet cannot get across the street with Lennar. The same thing happened with the shipbuilder that endured 3 years and two revised business plans "working with" Lennar until they gave up. In view of the fact that there was speculation about the financial vitality of the company, the company asked the old council to convene a study session to examine the proposal. This was declined. Staff and apparently this council do not intend to get involved with any business having problems getting past the gatekeeper at MI. We can only hope that in the protocols of bankruptcy that a federal judge will set aside agreements with Lennar to allow Vallejo to use the dredge ponds for commercial use (IT'S MUD) and impose a requirement to put the multi-million dollar assets of the 4 drydocks to use, for revenue AND hundreds of jobs.

No wonder the city is so broke letting LENNAR beat them out of income by the poor management of Mare Island. Who is getting the kick backs?????

This is exactly how Vallejo's City Fathers are ruining this City... they are chasing businesses out and by allowing Lennar to have Jason Keadjian to exacerbate the very problem of why businesses are not coming to Vallejo. How myopic can these people be?

These are the very reasons that I feel that Vallejo is in dyer need of a long over due total FEDERAL GRAND JURY investigation into all of these good ole boy ideas that have brought thi City to it's knees.

If you care about your City demand this investigation

JadedFuzz wrote:

<quoted text>I don't agree with you on alot of issues. However must admit I do so here. And why bother even thinking of ripping up the tracks if there are plans for possibly using them later? Ripping up and laying down track costs alot of money. Money this city can't afford to lose. I'm all for standing behing your idea. Now how shuuld we proceed further with this?

I sure hope you guys can get a committee together.

Get a FED investigation going and I think alot of this bull sh*t will stop...

Wanglow wrote:

I guess the easiest way to begin is for anyone interested in getting control back from Lennar would be to start e-mailing every council member and the Mayor. I know some of these members and past members are influenced by this "developer" through either direct pay-off or indirect contributions, so these charletins will not be swayed. But perhaps there are other members who actually do care about our town and if enough local citizens make a loud enough noise maybe we can start to get control over what has been, up till now total corruption of the potential of MI.

Please post these emails so that we can start email capaign. The corruption needs to stop.

Get a Federal investigation started

Stubop wrote:

This is exactly how Vallejo's City Fathers are ruining this City... they are chasing businesses out and by allowing Lennar to have Jason Keadjian to exacerbate the very problem of why businesses are not coming to Vallejo. How myopic can these people be?
These are the very reasons that I feel that Vallejo is in dyer need of a long over due total FEDERAL GRAND JURY investigation into all of these good ole boy ideas that have brought thi City to it's knees.
If you care about your City demand this investigation

I agree totally and lets see LENNARS profits on Mare Island as opposed to the citys in writing. Open their books!!!!!

During the late 40's, a train ran daily from Vallejo to Napa, carrying passengers. We called it the "Toonerville Trolley." Why bother trying to salvage anything on MI, all new business finds it feasible to move to Napa County or the Benicia business park.

If I wanted to open up a business on Mare Island, who would I have to speak to about renting a facility. Would I have to talk to The City of Vallejo or would it be Lennar? Who would I be speaking to in this senario???

Do any of you posters know?

willig wrote:

During the late 40's, a train ran daily from Vallejo to Napa, carrying passengers. We called it the "Toonerville Trolley." Why bother trying to salvage anything on MI, all new business finds it feasible to move to Napa County or the Benicia business park.

People of Vallejo need commerce and jobs on and near the Island so that the City can benefit from it, they don't need businesses going to Benicia or Napa.

I can envision a train running from the ferry building to Napa as great way of bringing tourists through Downtown restaurants and businesses on thier way to the Napa Valley.

The only thing that should be removed from Mare island is Lennar. The are completely out of sync with anything but their wants and everyone elses needs. With gas prices now at $4.00+ a gallon, every alternative to road transportation needs to be preserved, explored and enhanced.

It would also seem to me that since some of the businesses on Mare Island which are referred to in this article were established on the island well before Lennar came in and took over, that there must be some legal recourse for them to exercise.
After all, I don't see Lennar subsidizing the extra cost these business now incur as a result of increased transportation expenses they are experiencing as a result of this blunder.

Lennar has got to go.

Meanwhile, Chihak said Lennar is trying to bring in industrial uses for the island. Negotiations are in the works with a firm to use two dry docks to dismantle ships from the Suisun Bay mothball fleet, she said.

The new firm does not need rail service, she added.

Chihak (hak) Hacking money from Vallejo.
I can't believe Vallejo allows this but then look at all the trouble they are in.

THIS IS SUCH A NO BRAINER. THE RAILROAD IS NEEDED TO MOVE THE RECYCLED STEEL FROM THESE SHIPS.!!!!! If City Hall goes along with Lennar on this I would not be surprised..

This woman is speaking for Lennar and Lennar's greedy interests at the expense of the Valljo citizen!!!

If the Citizens of Vallejo don't get a Federal investigation started they are not only "Missing the boat but they are also missing the TRAIN!"

I don't know, but does the Navy have any say about the island as they do on Treasure Island? if so they might be interested in Lennars misuse of the property.

Ditto to that.
Can you imagine to amount of cars that could be taken off the road if we had rail going to the Napa Valley and transferring to the Ferry system right at the Waterfront, our Waterfront! It is my hope that we will be able to keep the Ferry where it is and it not be relocated to another town that has better connections with the political crowd.

This would not only benefit the environment but service industries associated with the increased customer loads would prosper.
That for once would be a good thing!

Get off your butts and come to the City Council meeting on Tuesday, fill out a speakers card and make your feelings known there that you are voicing here.