Notes, quotes and dust motes

Meanwhile, county officials, including Supervisor Dave Pine and County Attorney John Nibbelin, according to yesterday’s excellent news account by the Daily Journal’s Sierra Lopez, appear largely concerned that this whole silly episode was a waste of county resources.

Indeed, Nibbelin appears relieved that “folks here acted pursuant to law,” which, if you think about it, is more than a little unsettling.

This view finesses the real issue: misuse of power and favoritism. The independent investigator took note of this concern in the practice by Bolanos to “directly respond to the concerns of people he knows … (which) denies equal access and treatment to the San Mateo County public as a whole.”

The best part: Bolanos told the investigator he “would not have done anything differently.”

That would be ex-Sheriff Bolanos.

Yes, there is a new sheriff and we assume that she is not caught up in the apparent cronyism that colors the Batmobile incident.

Due, at least in part, to the nature of Bolanos’ tenure, the Board of Supervisors is being asked to install a sheriff’s oversight commission whose powers would include subpoena power, a step that has many people uneasy, including the new sheriff, and me.

If the board wants to go in any other direction, it would be an impactful sign if there were a little more concern that the Batmobile hoo-ha amounted to more than wasteful spending.

TESTY TIMES: I certainly was no help the last two weeks, when I wallowed in grumpiness. And letters to the editor certainly are no place to go looking for sunshine and rainbows, but two particularly testy comment caught my eye.

One letter writer objected to the Daily Journal’s practice of describing San Mateo Measure Y, the 2020 height limit measure, as having “narrowly passed.” It sounded dismissive according to the writer, who asserted the height limit is a done deal and urged that the paper move on. Putting aside that this characterization is entirely and factually accurate, that it narrowly passed means exactly the opposite of what the writer wishes to be so. That the measure passed narrowly means that debate over the city’s height limit is far from over.

Public sentiment is sentient. Perceptions change. What once was conventional wisdom can, over time, be turned into neither. Laws are changed. Some are overturned.

The other letter objected to the possible removal of the eucalyptus trees on El Camino Real in Burlingame, hardly a late-breaking issue. The writer said the removal “further pushes to erase the identity and life of our city.”

Oh, please. Although, maybe the writer is correct. Maybe the identity and the life of Burlingame is entirely wrapped up in a state road that, due to bulging tree roots, has been turned into a roller coaster, complete with rainy day water features. Plant more eucalyptus trees. Line Broadway and Burlingame Avenue with them. Change the name of the town to Euc City. When a tree falls, as it did the other day, blocking El Camino, for god’s sake, do not clean it up. Declare it a historical site.

IN THE DARK: That was no atmospheric river. That was a galactic gale. A transoceanic tempest. And, gee, in the space of about 10 days, the power was out again.

Libraries and anywhere else with Wi-Fi and available electrical outlets were the popular places to be yesterday. It was nice. People were sharing sockets and tables.

Although, given the number of people who chattered away — either in person or on the phone — it appears librarians no longer tell us to shush.

Meanwhile, I get cryptic messages from PG&E telling me the power is out — about 30 minutes after the power goes out. The text messages are masterpieces of nothingness — that the outage is “due to weather” (no kidding) and that crews are “on site” (yes, we all love and respect the crews). They predict when power might be restored, and then this gem: More info will be provided “when avail.” Which appears to be never, since that’s the last message they sent.

Maybe, to save the planet, we need to go all-in on electric homes.

But if we are going to do so, we will need a more reliable and more communicative provider than PG&E, once a model public utility that lost its way decades ago.

Mark Simon is a veteran journalist, whose career included 15 years as an executive at SamTrans and Caltrain. He can be reached at marksimon@smdailyjournal.com.