The Cambria Center for the Arts offered local artists and writers the opportunity to collaborate for the current gallery exhibit. Painters created works, and writers composed a short accompanying piece. The only limit imposed was 250 words maximum. I selected a painting titled “Late for the Bakery” by artist Cindy Stiles. Her work set me thinking beyond bread and cake. I offer this poem entitled “Our Daily Bread.”
Late to the Bakery – Artist Cindy Stiles
Our Daily Bread
A tinkling bell announces arrivals. Sights, scents lead to temptation, salvation. What to touch, what to taste? Answers lie half-hidden behind the counter, beckoning in tall glass cases.
A complement of diversity stands in service, ready to meet wants, needs. To the left, day-old offerings, To the right, shining richness. Extravagant decadence? Let them eat cake. Essential sustenance? Let them eat. Feed the hungry. Sate the beast.
Day passes. Resources dwindle. Redistribute across racks and shelves. Make it seem like more, or at least enough.
Toiling, feeding others so they can feed their own. Family, community, travelers. The lost.
Who will be fulfilled? Who left wanting? Who will be left tomorrow?
Or the next day?
A tinkling bell announces departures. _________________________________________________
In addition to the gallery collaboration, photographer Nigel Paul (who I wrote about here) exhibits his stunning works of creatures who call the area home.
The table stands next to the front door, up the stairs or down, depending on whether one is coming or going. The deep red color, now faded and worn around the edges, reminds me of New England autumns, where barns sit in fields of drying grasses, bracing for the coming snows.
The table saw its share of snowy Connecticut winters. Now, it serves in the mild Mediterranean climate of California’s central coast. Its main enemies are sunshine and scratches from things dropped or scraped along an edge. Grocery bags, recycling bins, and grandchildren brush by or bump against the graceful lines of its simple, sturdy design.
The table holds keys for cars and doors. They drop on the way in and scrape on the way out. The miscellany winds up in the miniature brass bathtub atop the wood. It is adorable, clanky, and whimsical.
A particular key, attached to a yellow plastic tab with “Marian’s Key” written in Sharpie, has been living in the tub for a while now. It looks like several others cut at the local True Value hardware store. The tag is always angled to the left, pointing across the street to where Marian’s house stands.
Much like its owner, the house is both simple and elegant. The more you get to know them, the more the sophistication and effortless ambiance delight and surprise. From the beautiful oak that shades the front to the “oh my!” delights of the outdoor spaces, there is no shortage of oases. What at first glance looks to be a single level unfolds into a multi-tiered journey into serenity. Outside, a turn to the right at the rear of the home reveals a luscious blooming preserve, rosemary bushes sharing their signature aroma with brilliant flowers and shrubs.
None of this happens by accident.
The home has evolved over the twelve years we have been neighbors. A thoughtful renovation, done lovingly over months, transformed the property. A soft sage green seats the place into the environment rather than imposing itself boastfully on the neighborhood.
The landscapes are all Marian. Many days, I look across the street to see her with a sun hat pulled low and garden gloves tight, wielding an arsenal of garden tools and, on occasion, brute strength to place, move, plant, gravel, and stone the perimeter. She’s never quite satisfied with how things lay but doesn’t grumble about it.
Soon, she will have a new place to transform, closer to her family, farther than the short walk across our shared street. Many friends and neighbors are both happy for her and sad for ourselves.
A lot of things change over twelve years. We age, we struggle. Families grow closer and move farther apart. Life brings health and heartache, each in a different measure. We selfishly hope for one more page, another delicious paragraph, a pithy phrase in a breath-stealing sentence. We slow, but we do not stop. We will move on to the next chapter and remember the stories that came before.
The red paint fades as the bathtub’s brass patina grows warmly tarnished. The yellow-tagged key’s title may rub away, but each color will remain vibrant in the picture etched in our hearts.
Public Records Request initial documentation received. Not a position on the current bond issue – just data for folks who may want to look at official records first-hand.
These reports cover buildings, infrastructure and slope investigations, violations, recommendations and non-recommended options.
Critical additional information requested from CCHD will include any remediations taken since these documents were filed.
Corresponding documentation requested from CCSD, particularly any additional reports from the Fire Department/Fire Marshal.
For me, there is only one personality who stands atop the Gadfly Hall of Fame. The late, great Clay Tiffany and his masterpiece of Public Access Television, “Dirge For The Charlatans.”
Clay Tiffany’s unusual appearance and voice were the epitome of a smirk, underscored by his signature catchphrase “all right?” Standing tall, his blazing red afro, permanently scowling face, and wardrobe that always looked culled from the rack labeled “1950’s muckraking reporter” at the local community theater wardrobe closet. He was awesome.
Tiffany was relentless. His diatribes were part Perry Mason and part Perry White. A pugnacious fearlessness led him into constant verbal, legal, and, sadly, violent physical confrontations with elected officials and public servants throughout the small village of Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, New York.
Recklessly Tough
Clay never let anyone intimidate him, sometimes to his detriment. Mayor, commissioner, judge, clerk, and police departments all exchanged shots with him. Even then-Westchester County District Attorney (and later FOX spectacle and currently US Attorney for the District of Columbia) Jeanine Pirro heard from him, loudly, publicly, and obnoxiously. Some of those shots were nearly deadly.
Briarcliff police officer Nick Tartaglione was often the target of Clay’s accusations of corruption, civil rights violations, violence and intimidation; pretty much anything a novelist or screenwriter might throw into the mix to create a character of “bad cop.” Nick did not like that and allegedly assaulted Tiffany several times, once beating him nearly to death. This attack triggered an FBI investigation, a major lawsuit with a significant settlement in Clay’s favor, and Tartaglione’s dismissal from the police force. (A dismissal that was later reversed, with Tartaglione being reinstated and receiving back pay.)
Tartaglione went on to bigger and worse headlines, including this one:
Clay Tiffany passed away in March of 2015. Concerned neighbors notified police when they hadn’t seen him for a few weeks. He had no known family. His vast archive of videotapes of “Dirge For The Charlatans” remains unavailable. However, an effort is underway to convert them to digital and produce a documentary on the life of the most fantastic citizen journalist/Community Gadfly few people ever saw. I hope to see it completed and shared.
Buried Treasure, All Right?
To quote veteran Westchester journalist Phil Reisman in his piece “Dirge for a gadfly.”
“Tiffany told the truth as he saw it. Even crazy people can be right sometimes, but Tiffany’s problem was that it all got lost in the paranoid noise.”
Interesting
Since I first posted this piece I have been contacted by multiple Documentary filmmakers and investigative journalists interested in Clay Tiffany’s story. These inquiries have raised some interesting questions. How did Clay Tiffany really die? What other Clay investigations touched deeper into the political and business worlds of Westchester County and beyond? A rewatching of another of his Dirge For The Charlatans broadcasts reveals a host of names (around the 40-minute mark) who are now in very public national positions.
What happened to all of Clay’s tape recordings, his files, his connections? Just how many nerves did he get on during his escapades? And where are the Dirge For The Charlatans tapes? Will they ever reappear?
I don’t think Clay Tiffany, our investigative reporter and world-class Gadfly, would let these questions go unexamined. All right?
Peace Out
I often think of Clay Tiffany while following the local cast of unique citizens, mentally overlaying his trademark smirk and the incredulous “All right?” he would add for emphasis.
The Cambria Community Services District has proposed retiring the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission (PROS) and replacing it with a Standing Committee. As vaguely defined in the Board discussion of July 20th, the objective is to bring PROS in line with the other existing standing committees. The benefits of this structure will be, uh, umm, er, – well, I’m not sure there are any.
As a critic and a supporter of the PROS Commission, I admire the passion of past and current Commissioners to protect and nurture the areas under the PROS charter.
However…
The problem has been the lack of tangible action that stems from the Commission not having a clear, easily understood charter supported by a set of policies and authorities linked to a primary mission.
Over the past year, new participants have brought momentum to PROS activities, barbering issues down to an identifiable set of actions and finding success despite the absence of a healthy organizational structure and governance.
Good, but not sustainable. Hence, the proposed change to the PROS raison d’etre.
What’s The Goal?
What changes with this realignment? What problems are solved? There may be some administrative improvements, but how will this conformity improve the practical operation of an unfunded, murkily defined, and under-resourced organization?
Is the cart being placed before the horse?
Clarity brings Clarity
The Board should invest in an organizational expert to address these complexities. Simply put, the rasher of maps, plans, documents, and rules and requirements built up over the life of PROS needs untangling, simplifying, and memorializing so everyone who wants to understand the rules can go to a single, vetted, accurate source. Create a simple, clean set of responsibilities, define an organizational structure to manage against those responsibilities, and implement a governance model.
A Road Map
A good start would be to take each component of the organization’s title and articulate a set of definitions for each subset.
What are Parks?
What is Recreation?
What is Open Space?
What exists today?
What is the desired future state?
What are the requirements for successfully managing each of the areas?
What are the funding sources for each practice?
Who functionally manages these departments?
Who manages all the interdependencies, complexities, and competing objectives of each function?
Who manages the critical knowledge base and oversight required by outside agencies, existing authorities, and future project opportunities?
How will the existing plans and obligations be examined, integrated, tossed aside, or restructured?
How will budgeting and fiscal oversight be managed?
And on it goes.
Whatever structure – Commission, Committee, Legal and Defined Parks and Recreation department- must be thoroughly reviewed and put before the public before moving forward.
In The Meantime
Interested citizens can attend the next PROS meeting and see where current projects and activities stand. The session is Tuesday, August 1st, at 10:00 am at the Vet’s Hall. The meeting will also be accessible via Zoom. For Agenda and Zoom links, visit the CCSD Website HERE.
Upcoming August 10th and 17th CCSD Board meetings will have the proposed changes on the agenda. Board schedules appear on the CCSD Website under the Calendar section.
The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space ad hoc team continues to move forward with discussion and action on finding activities to enhance the recreation options in the area of the East Fiscalini Ranch designated for a community park. Though there have been many suggested uses, along with a well-researched Master Plan, not much has happened outside the development of the dog park.
The committee has taken an open and inclusive approach to revisit the possibilities for the land, actively engaging with and seeking input from every corner of the community. Over the past months participation in community meetings has grown, attracting interested and concerned residents into the discussion. The overarching philosophy of the ad hoc is – every voice matters, and every concern or suggestion is captured and discussed. The results, to my eye, have been terrific.
The forum takes on the concerns in a collaborative, positive way, with questions encouraged, responses backed with facts and data, with none of the harshness and pugnacious attitudes often seen in public discourse. I leave the meetings recharged, believing that things can happen without frivolous conflict.
Such was the outcome of the meeting held on Saturday, April 1, at the Chamber of Commerce building. Community members took the lead in further defining three main project opportunities. They presented what the projects are, what they could reasonably cost, and how they would fit into the footprint of the designated area.
Community member Shannon Sutherland led the discussion on exercise stations. Shannon did fantastic research, contacting various manufacturers and providers of such stations. Options discussed included everything from simple, pressure-treated, build-it-yourself stations to powder-coated metal fixtures and extruded, molded resin modules. Each option has plusses and minuses, and as the conversation moves forward within the PROS Commission, it will be refined and shared with the community and the CCSD Board.
Community members Mark and Susan Garman presented their work on the proposed Disc (frisbee) Golf course. The enthusiastic pair have invested a good amount of their time visiting systems around the county and brought a collection of photographs and descriptions of styles and materials used to build and maintain different-sized options. It was clarifying to see the pictures, as they demonstrated the ease of integrating this low-impact, environmentally sensitive, and accessible sport into the existing natural beauty of the East Ranch. The Garman’s research also included a first-pass look at potential costs for a course’s design, build, and maintenance. The figures are subject to change after a more detailed review by a course designer and all the appropriate staff to ensure compliance with the existing EIR and use conditions.
PROS Commissioner Kermit Johanson presented his findings and recommendations for enhancing the existing trails to accommodate runners and ensure ADA compliance. He shared a color-coded topographical map showing where the enhancements would fall within the existing footprint and a rough estimate of cost and effort based on configuration, materials, and labor sources.
Each presenter fielded questions and concerns and, in collaboration with the PROS ad hoc members, will present the information to the full PROS Commission, get input, and formulate a unified presentation to the CCSD Board and the public at an upcoming Board meeting.
After all the presentations and discussions, the attendees were asked – Do you support moving forward with the next steps for the proposed projects? Every hand went up in favor, including representatives of the CCSD Board, Beautify Cambria, Cambria Community Council, concerned residents from the surrounding neighborhood, members of the business community, and long-time residents and parents.
The PROS Commission will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 4, at 10:00 am at the Vet’s Hall. The session will also be available via ZOOM.
Beautiful Cambria is home to a diverse range of people, from toddlers to seniors, long-time residents, new arrivals, and a healthy stream of visitors drawn to this special place and a community that embraces and protects the natural beauty and uniqueness of the environment. Cambria is also home to rare and sensitive species and habitats that must be protected. Balancing the needs of all, and using the resources and open spaces under the care of the Cambria Community Services District wisely, is a serious responsibility.
The Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission (PROS) advises and assists the Cambria Community Service District Board of Directors with identifying potential issues and opportunities to manage and advance the uses of Cambria’s open space.
PROS is looking for projects to increase Cambria’s outdoor recreation options. The current focus is on the East Fiscalini Ranch, which is home to Cambria Dog Park. The Commission has put together an ad hoc committee to gather community input on three options and drive community engagement through feedback and active participation.
The East Ranch
There are three potential projects for the East Fiscalini Ranch. Each option is low-cost, has a low environmental impact, and is accessible to a cross-section of the community.
The selection process has been thoughtful and deliberate, with PROS and community members sharing ideas on what would make good sense for the community and those who visit.
The three projects under discussion are:
Multi-use trails that loop around the east ranch, utilizing the existing paths. Upgrading the current trail system will give greater access to safe, easy walking, jogging, and potential light bicycle use.
“Exercise stations.” These popular, low-profile systems provide simple, easily accessed stops for walkers, runners, seniors, and children to stretch, do simple strength/resistance exercises, and other low-impact opportunities to enhance outdoor time.
Disc (Frisbee) Golf is an increasingly popular activity that requires minimal equipment and offers a self-paced, casual, or competitive activity that most people can enjoy. Options include an environmentally friendly course that offers different challenges to the casual enthusiast or more advanced player.
These three options under consideration will take advantage of the beautiful outdoor environment while being sensitive to the unique environmental characteristics of the East Ranch, as well as the concerns of the surrounding community.
Your Input Is Valued
Community input is most valuable and influential at the beginning of any project. This engagement helps get a true sense of what the community sees as beneficial and viable. It also provides an opportunity to voice concerns and objections. All feedback is welcome.
Here are a few ways to engage.
The Ad Hoc team welcomes everyone to attend an in-person meeting. The in-person gatherings have been lively, open, and very productive. The next session is Saturday, March 4th, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in the Cambria Chamber of Commerce Conference Room, 767 Main Street.
Volunteers are manning the Farmer’s Market with information, maps, a simple, informative petition, and, most importantly, open ears.
The next PROS meeting will be held via ZOOM and at The Veterans Memorial Hall on March 7th at 10:00 a.m. Public comment is encouraged and welcomed. Find Links and Agendas on the Cambriacsd.org website.
Updates
PROS will provide updates and information regularly through cambriaca.org
Social Media platforms will be used sparingly, generally for meeting notifications or critical updates. The goal is to foster robust community discussion without the challenges faced by unmoderated and often misinformed social media exchanges.
Once the project selection process is complete, the team will focus on the detail. Design, cost, impacts, and benefits – all the parts and pieces needed to be defined before anything moves forward. Again, the current objective is to reach a consensus on the “what” before diving into the “how.”
Consider how you would like to help shape the discussions and decisions for Cambria’s outdoor recreation. Your voice matters.
I’ve been challenged to write something funny about the Policy Committee meeting held on October 27th, 2022. Try as I might, I can’t top the first seven minutes of the session. Heck, the Daily Show could not have scripted a better segment.
GREMLINS!!!
Login gremlins ran roughshod over the proceedings. Every gag appeared, from the “I can’t see you, I can’t hear you, can you hear me?” bit to the reading of ghost attendees, resurrected from a previous PROS Commission meeting. As if in a Halloween Funhouse, faces appeared and disappeared randomly, mystery phone numbers popped up, and garbled voices bled into the crosstalk from a dental office in the great unknown. Spooky, boys and girls!
IMPS!!!
The merriment continued with a member of the public introduced as a “troublemaker.” Perhaps it was a mischievous prankster, turning the citizens into less severe attendees, or a clever Jester subtly winking to the gathered members. Nice one! It fit right into the day’s spirit, where several gender-based “compliments” were shared to acknowledge the leadership of two women on the committee. You go, girls, amirite?
SHADOWS!!!
The adventure continued. Shadows crept across the face of the host, darkening his countenance and sharpening every feature. The light struck so as to draw a dark symbol atop his face, not quite The Iron Mask nor the helmet of Sir Gregor Clegane. An homage, perhaps, to the days of Theatre Macabre? Christopher Lee smiles somewhere on the edge of whatever universe he now inhabits. Chilling!
WIZARDS!!!
As in any good Chiller Thriller, a scene of near-normalcy slid into the event. On the surface, calm and unthreatening. But wait, what is this we hear? No, it can’t be! Facts! Details! Strategic Thinking! Competence, no, excellence! How cruel to tease with these things. Thankfully, the spell of reality was broken with the ultimate sleight of hand – turning one thing into something it is not. The perfect delivery of the classic “Back To Ye Olde Tricks.” Brilliant!
BIG FINISH!!!
As the budget for the production ran out, the storyteller scrambled to tie up loose ends and set the scene for the sequel. Finally, stumbling, it ends. Not with a grand reveal or unexpected twist. Siskel would not be pleased; Ebert, maybe a little.
Cambria’s difficult and upsetting process of raising utilities rates has run its course, ending with an unsuccessful Proposition 218 protest. The new rate structure goes into effect with the July 2022 billing cycle.
Increasing rates for the utility services require the Cambria Community Services District to follow concrete legal steps in the preparation, presentation, discussion, and approval of increases. It falls to the ratepayers to accept or reject the increases approved by the Board of Directors.
A Simple View
Over the past years, critical infrastructure, maintenance, and plant upgrades have been a challenge, with sufficient funding levels always difficult to obtain. Previous rate increases have allowed the water and wastewater operations to keep running, though each addition came with the caveat that it will not be enough to do all that needs doing.
The District contracted an outside firm, Bartle Wells Associates, to conduct a rate study. They looked at current and projected costs, defined by the District, and at the revenue available to support those needs. The rates need to meet operating expenses and cover the costs to finance more extensive infrastructure programs, particularly in the Wastewater Treatment enterprise.
Committee Work
The Resources and Infrastructure Committee did much of the heavy lifting. They worked with District staff and Project teams from PGE to drill deeply into the details, identify projects, build cost models, design and propose project approaches, and reprioritize tasks to develop a solid set of projects and the numbers that went along with them.
The Finance Committee kept pace, adding additional expert eyes to the process.
These citizen-staffed committees, formed after many rounds of public demand for more community involvement in the governing process, provided review and input on issues and opportunities within their respective charters. Each committee’s range of experience and expertise added richness to the inputs and outcomes. Their work provided additional opportunities for residents and ratepayers to have insight and input into the decision-making process.
District Finance Leader Pam Duffield was central to all the activity. Her rational voice and deep knowledge kept everyone on track and, most importantly, reading from the same financial fact sheets.
The output from these teams was foundational in providing Bartle Wells with the information needed to construct accurate and fair rate hike proposals.
The Recommendation
Bartle Wells proposed three years of increases for the Water and Wastewater funds. A third category – inflationary adjustments – would allow further increases under the Proposition 218 rules. These increases would be available in years four and five.
Ratepayers have the right to submit a protest against any proposed increases. A total of 50% plus one protest is needed to defeat the increases. The number of ratepayers or property owners responsible for paying the utility bill determines the actual numbers.
There were 479 valid protests. The spirited campaign fell far short of the required number.
On May 24, Board Secretary Leah Reedall responded to my initial Public Records Request and followed up, as promised, with this additional detail on June 2.
“In response to your May 24, 2022, request for a breakout count of protests by enterprise category, along with the number needed for the Proposition 218 protest to be successful, the following is the informal count:
Enterprise
ProtestCount
RequiredCount
Water
479
1975
Sewer
468
1923
Inflationary Adjustments
473
1923
This tally is not a tabulated, validated count of protests, but rather an informal count made by me and, for accountability, a department manager.” Leah Reedall, June 2, 2022.
Percentage of the required number for successful protests:
Water – 24.35%
Wastewater – 24.33%
Inflationary Adjustments – 24.59%
Extrapolating that to the total number of eligible protesters tells a bigger story.
Water – 12.13%
Wastewater – 13.42%
Inflationary Adjustments – 12.30%
So, nearly 88% of ratepayers did not protest the hikes.
Whether seen as a victory or a loss, my sense is there were a few very critical reasons ratepayers overwhelmingly allowed for the rates to go forward.
Good Communication
The process took place openly across multiple meetings, with the information and discussion available for all interested parties to review and challenge. The articulated need for the rate hike was supported by data and vetted over months by the District staff, Board, and standing committees.
The CCSD Board, under the leadership of President Donn Howell, did an excellent job of presenting the facts around the need for the increases. Multiple articles from Board members/Committee Chairs were published in the online community news publication (www.cambriaca.org) and clearly and succinctly addressed every aspect of the increases. This series provided additional information to help the public understand the District’s perspective on why rate increases are needed. I reached out to the Editor/Publisher of cambriaca.org for data collected on the articles, but they cannot currently track to that level. “To your question: unfortunately, we cannot separate local/community “hits” from all other out-of-town hits. This is a particular problem now that we are using the Newspack platform that distributes the cambriaca globally.” John Rohrbaugh, May 28, 2022
The CCSD website was well-stocked with information on the Proposition 218 process, and data shows that a relatively small number of visitors took advantage of that resource. Stats provided by District Analyst Haley Dodson on June 3, 2022, reflect that:
Warts and All
All of the committees and Board’s work took place in full public view. For as much of the public that chose to participate. It was all out there, warts and all. Mistakes were made, identified, and rectified. Intense public scrutiny and involvement were vital in ensuring issues were adequately addressed.
Transparency
There is a long-held, oft-repeated belief that the CCSD is not “Transparent.” I find this puzzling. My personal experience is that the access to meetings, staff, leadership, and Board members is reasonable, even exemplary. The District website is information-rich, and the openness of staff and Board members to engage with the public is very good.
Board Leadership – Great Staff Work – Rigorous Committee Work – Aggressive Community Outreach – Vigorous Community Involvement
Expectations
My expectations are, I believe, reasonable. I do not expect every action, engagement, issue, or discussion to be fed directly into my inbox. Nor do I wish every legal or personnel issue to be disclosed before resolution. As a citizen, it is my responsibility to determine the level of effort I need to exert to feel comfortable with my level of participation.
It would be wonderful to have every issue broken down to the simplest explanation and tailored to my personal preference, no matter how complex or fluid. That is an unrealistic expectation.
It would be lovely if our community would take a few beats, breathe deeply, and examine our approach to dealing with the people – yes, people – who we elect, hire and depend on to keep this challenging District running in these extraordinary times. Perhaps we might substitute a bit of kindness for hostility. Gee whiz, maybe this big defeat might mean many more people see things in a different light. Would it hurt to listen and maybe adjust? It isn’t the passion, the faith, or the cause that is in question. It is how we fight. To Each, His Dulcinea, I say.
There is joy in watching Beautiful Cambrians in action. Technology allows us all to view, read, and comment on everything local from politics to parades, clean-ups and tear-downs, wind, waves and water. Always water.
While I enjoy the immediacy our modern technology offers, I miss the nascent days of emerging cable television, and the delight that is local Community Access. Yes, that self-produced, low-quality programming that features ordinary folks with passion and particular points of view.
Party on, Wayne! Party on, Garth!
Glendora
Many cable companies across the United States devote airtime and technical facilities to community members who want to share themselves with anyone with a television and basic cable. Every week you can tune in and watch in amazement colorful characters who hold some, uh, unusual philosophies. Sure, there are notorious staples like Glendora, a behatted grandma-type whose fascinating life and career have spanned decades. But the fun ones were so predictably unpredictable that they became must-see TV.
Locals
Before moving to Beautiful Cambria, I lived in Danbury, Connecticut. My cable provider at the time, Comcast, provided an in-house production studio where citizen journalists and community activists could learn how to produce their shows. In addition to local government happenings, the operation featured a dizzying amount – close to forty hours a week – of locally created and produced programming on Public Access channel Twenty-Three. These weekly broadcasts were a perfect place to blend politics and prevarications, hobbies, and peeves, all under the banner of free speech. Well, mainly free. After all, there needs to be some modicum of decency even among the fringe.
Those Guys
There were earnest folks interested in sharing their knowledge of everything from Dolly Madison to doily making. They often made me go, “Aww, how sweet is that!”
Channel Twenty-Three also hosted a cast of unsavory characters who were, to put it delicately, misogynist racist anti-immigrant anti-government anti-religion anti-civil discourse idiots. It was simultaneously appalling and hilarious as these knuckleheads spun their conspiracies and winked “you know what I’m talking about” plans to clean up this country. Want to know the “real” meaning of The Constitution? – Big T. was the guy, a mini Alex Jones before InfoWars. Sovereign Citizens loved John McGowan and Bones, though sadly, McGowan’s campaign for Mayor didn’t quite go as he hoped. Nor did his Sovereign Citizen defense during his trial and conviction for rape. Kevin Gallagher was Q-ish before it became a brand, sharing odd theories and interviews with odder guests, with the occasional musical performance by a local musician or group. More than once, one or the other of these shows would be disciplined and taken off the air for a few weeks while the furious host would do battle with the powers that be at the station. They too were fun to watch! The outrage! The indignation! The pinball logic! And finally, resolution. Until the next time… A quick peek at Danbury’s current broadcast lineup shows that some of these hosts are still on the air, merrily rocking and roiling along.
(Comcast’s Community Media Studios still offers these opportunities to intrepid citizens looking for an outlet. Here in Beautiful Cambria, Coast Union High School, under the guidance of Dan Hartzell, offers students even greater access to the technologies and education to take their talents far beyond the local airwaves.)
The Legend
For me, there is only one personality who stands atop the Gadfly Hall of Fame. The late, great Clay Tiffany and his masterpiece of Public Access Television, “Dirge For The Charlatans.”
Clay Tiffany’s unusual appearance and voice were the epitome of a smirk, underscored by his signature catchphrase “all right?” Standing tall, his blazing red afro, permanently scowling face, and wardrobe that always looked culled from the rack labeled “1950’s muckraking reporter” at the local community theater wardrobe closet. He was awesome.
Tiffany was relentless. His diatribes were part Perry Mason and part Perry White. A pugnacious fearlessness led him into constant verbal, legal, and, sadly, violent physical confrontations with elected officials and public servants throughout the small village of Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County, New York.
Recklessly Tough
Clay never let anyone intimidate him, sometimes to his detriment. Mayor, commissioner, judge, clerk, and police departments all exchanged shots with him. Even then-Westchester County District Attorney (and current FOX spectacle) Jeanine Pirro heard from him, loudly, publicly, and obnoxiously. Some of those shots were nearly deadly.
Briarcliff police officer Nick Tartaglione was often the target of Clay’s accusations of corruption, civil rights violations, violence and intimidation; pretty much anything a novelist or screenwriter might throw into the mix to create a character of “bad cop.” Nick did not like that and allegedly assaulted Tiffany several times, once beating him nearly to death. This attack triggered an FBI investigation, a major lawsuit with a significant settlement in Clay’s favor, and Tartaglione’s dismissal from the police force. (A dismissal that was later reversed, with Tartaglione being reinstated and receiving back pay.)
Tartaglione went on to bigger and worse headlines, including this one:
Clay Tiffany passed away in March of 2015. Concerned neighbors notified police when they hadn’t seen him for a few weeks. He had no known family. His vast archive of videotapes of “Dirge For The Charlatans” remains unavailable. However, an effort is underway to convert them to digital and produce a documentary on the life of the most fantastic citizen journalist/Community Gadfly few people ever saw. I hope to see it completed and shared.
Buried Treasure, All Right?
To quote veteran Westchester journalist Phil Reisman in his piece “Dirge for a gadfly.”
“Tiffany told the truth as he saw it. Even crazy people can be right sometimes, but Tiffany’s problem was that it all got lost in the paranoid noise.”
Peace Out
I often think of Clay Tiffany while following the local cast of unique citizens here in Beautiful Cambria and mentally overlay his trademark smirk and incredulous “All right?” he would add for emphasis.
Thoughts From The Back Of The Room 