Keith Hemstreet's misinformation of Hermosa Beach City Council Candidate, Jeff Duclos - response

By Joy A. Kennelly

I have requested Keith to update his : http://www.smalltownhermosa.blogspot.com with accurate information, but until he does so I want to clear the air in case people read it and believe what he says about Jeff Duclos which is erroneous.

Because others might have similar questions, here's the dialog that occurred privately between Keith, Jeff and myself. Please take a moment to read it if you will.

Original comment from Keith:

"Hello Joy,
Duclos makes a big point of not accepting tax payer financed health care if he is elected to the Hermosa Beach City Council.  I have found that people are quick to give away benefits they don't need.  Do you know where he gets his health insurance from?  I'm wondering if he gets it from Cal State Northridge?  Wouldn't that be from the tax payers?  I sent him an email, but have not heard back.

Also, have you signed up for his newsletter?  If you do, you get a message asking if you want news from Ron and D Williams  Groups.  I did a search on that name, and I found political contributions around the country.  Any idea who that is?  I'm still looking.

Keith

I knew Jeff responds to everyone whose email he receives and figured he just hadn't seen the email and I was right.

Here's Jeff's prompt response to Keith which is what I've asked him to post out of courtesy:

"Thanks for the opportunity to respond.

I did not get your email, Keith. If you don't mind, please resend it to my [email protected] address so I can make sure there is not a problem there.

To your questions: I currently have basic HMO coverage which I pay for. I am only a part time instructor, so I don't get the health care package offered full time Cal State staff. I'd love to have fully paid health care for myself and my family. I do not give this benefit up lightly. I can assure you, my wife is not happy about my decision. But it is not right to do so. To accept these overblown benefits at the taxpayers expense would make me another part of the problem, of a system that is over-compensating senior staff and attracting people to city government for the wrong reasons. My pledge to serve my community has nothing to do with acquiring paid benefits or political career building. It's about contributing to building a better city and giving back to Hermosa Beach for the life it has afforded my family for 30 years. That's the way the best of our council members from the pat looked at the job. We are about to have three new School Board members taking on a very tough and often thankless job. They are receiving no compensation. But I should ask for paid health care, a car allowance and retirement benefits for a position that is not, by definition, a career job?

As to your last question, I use a system called Constant Contact to distribute my email newsletters and messages. It is very efficient and affordable, but you do have to accept some advertising. I'll look into this company you mention. I was not aware of it on the email and thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Jeff"

And here's my response to Keith:

Hi Jeff, Thanks for responding so quickly to Keith.

Keith - I have known Jeff personally and professionally for a very long time. He is very straight shooting, speaks the truth, thinks about the long-term consequences before making decisions and loves Hermosa Beach.

Please consider voting for him! If you're at all questioning his abilities, please take the time to call him on the phone or meet with him. I'm positive you will walk away with a good idea of the man.

Unlike most PR professionals I've met in Hollywood, he is not a spin doctor and basically operates from a truth-based position (as do I.) Hope this helps! I think the other candidates you're choosing (Fishman and Midstokke) are great selections and Jeff will definitely make a great addition to your roster!

Tell your friends and family. We need quality, straight shooting people in office who put the community first - like Jeff Duclos.

That's all. Just had to clear the air and defend the candidate I believe will do best for Hermosa. My computer has been fighting a virus which has in turn greatly slowed me down, but just bought a new antivirus system and it's whacking away.

More to come.

Comments

[Roger Eldon Bacon]

Big Business In Hermosa Beach . . .

It is obvious this blog by Joy A. Kennelly was induced by Michael Keegan. She writes, “That’s what I feel like after what I learned yesterday. When I realized that part of the reason poor, poor, poor Roger Bacon of the Ralphs shopping center is so against the tax hike isn't just because his store would get taxed, but all of a sudden the entire office complex that he collects rent from tax-free would incur a tax. No wonder this man is so upset.” This is an idiotic statement; the five office suites (7,000 SF) on my property are is a minuscule portion of the shopping center, equaling about 14% of the entire shopping center space. The rest of the shopping, center inclusive of Ralphs Fresh Fare market and satellite retail space is approximately 50,000 SF. All of the tenants of Ralphs Shopping Center, including the office suite tenants, pay city license fees and their share of real estate taxes of which approximately 23% goes to the city of Hermosa Beach. Over the past 32 years the Ralphs Shopping Center has paid more sales tax than anyone else in the history of Hermosa Beach. What has Michael Keegan contributed monetarily to our city – ZERO!! He has taken $33,000 for automobile allowance during his tenure as city councilman and refused to give it back! I have donated $40,000 to the restoration of the Vetter Windmill, $155,000 to the Hermosa Beach Educational Foundation, $42,500 to the Surfers Walk of Fame. Michael Keegan and his Chicago tactics and his incidents with the Hermosa Beach police over drinking issues which never seem to stop. P.S. Why would you want to increase license fees, what Mr. Keegan tried to proposed, during a recession? We still have 35 business vacancies on Pacific Coast Highway.
This is a last desperate fling for Hermosa Beach votes by Councilman Michael Keegan. Did you know a majority of the Hermosa Beach policemen and firemen do not support Michael Keegan in his re-election bid? Did you know Michael Keegan has approved of drinking on the beach at Sunset Concerts At The Beach and the annual drunken Ironman competition? Your councilman Michael Keegan, who lives in Hermosa Beach and is the councilman for Hermosa Beach, has never opened a business in Hermosa Beach; he opened businesses in Manhattan Beach, Torrance/Lomita, Westwood, Pasadena, Northridge, and two licensed locations at LAX. All of these locations, except Manhattan Beach, have been closed. Why not Hermosa Beach? He should show some sort of patriotism for his city.
This blog has evidently been fostered and directed by Michael Keegan. Michael Keegan how low can you get? To supposedly have people write for you and the information is completely bias by you and generally not accurate.

Michael Keegan’s reported on his form 601 that he loaned $5,261.13 of his own money to his re-election campaign and has collected in the most recent report period $2,861.00 from his constituents. Keegan, Bacon beat you again! I have collected $3,900.00 from businessmen who want you out.

“Kick Hermosa Beach Councilman Michael Keegan out and back to Chicago.”

[Keith Hemstreet]

Hello Joy,

I have printed Jeff Duclos' response to the missing email on my blog here:
http://smalltownhermosa.blogspot.com/2009/10/jeff-duclos-response-to-my-previous.html

and here:
http://smalltownhermosa.blogspot.com/2009/10/jeff-duclos-fails-smell-test.html

I apologize to Jeff Duclos for my incorrect conclusions about his health insurance. I still do not think that it is honest to cite the 2006 endorsement from the Daily Breeze when that paper does not endorse him in this election.

But I would like to recommend that Mr. Duclos contact CSUN, because it is my understanding that he is eligible for health insurance even if he Lectures only 6 hours per year.

Joy, thank you for playing intermediate here.

Keith