Yesterday, we mentioned that there was probably only one last tranche of documents from the county’s big PRA dump worth posting. Here it is – a long e-mail exchange between Supervisor Mark Lovelace and Arcata businessman Jonathan Speaker, Chief Operating Officer of Streamguys, an Internet content delivery firm.
[Full disclosure: Lost Coast Communications, the LoCO’s parent company, works closely with Streamguys, and contracts with the company to provide streaming audio for KHUM and KSLG radio. Also, Streamguys sponsors those streams. Finally, your correspondent begrudgingly counts Speaker as a personal friend.]
The conversation – which stretches all the way back to March 19, thanks old e-mails being included in later replies – was prompted by Speaker’s publication of a guest op-ed piece in the Times-Standard. The op-ed, titled “Mr. Lovelace – How About You Focus on the Third?,” took the position that in office Lovelace has ignored certain issues important to his district, including broadband redundancy, airline travel options and raw milk.
Lovelace wrote to Speaker on the day this op-ed was published, listing, in response to the op-ed, the work he has done in office relating to the issues Speaker said he was concerned about. There was some back and forth between the two, which got contentious at times, then the conversation petered out.
Lovelace revived it on April 3, a couple of hours after he got an e-mail from Rob Arkley, which was detailed in a previous post. In it, Arkley told Lovelace “[a]pparently, you recently made Jonathan Speaker laugh with your baseless and wild assertions of your “accomplishments” – a reference, it would seem, to Lovelace’s original e-mail. Lovelace wrote to Speaker:
So I understand that now, instead of engaging in conversation you are simply forwarding our personal e-mail exchanges to Rob?
The conversation started up again, and pretty quickly went downhill, with Speaker accusing Lovelace of “acting like a hurt little girl.”
Follows: the entire exchange of e-mail between Lovelace and Speaker up to April 4, cleaned up in friendlier HTML and reorganized into chronological order. You can get the original document, as released by the county, at this link.
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: March 19
Hi Jonathan. I read your letter in the TS today, and I’m frankly baffled. You seem to be attacking the Supervisor who has been working hardest on the issues you claim are most important to you.
As best as I am aware, I am the only Supervisor who was willing to step in to deal with the mess regarding the airport, to improve the flow of information, to provide alternatives for stranded passengers and to improve operations and service. I believe I’m the only Supervisor who has attended any Airport Advisory Committee meetings in the last 2 years, and as the Chair of RREDC I worked with Gregg Foster to strategize about his meetings at the Network 101 conference to try to attract new air carriers to ACV.
As best as I am aware, I am the only Supervisor who has travelled to meetings around the State and in DC to meet with representatives from the CPUC, the CASF and the Whitehouse to get funding for both redundant and ubiquitous broadband. I have led the Board’s efforts on broadband, and was instrumental in getting $7.8 million specifically re-dedicated for broadband in the highway 299 corridor, as well as another $4.2 million for the IP Networks project over Highway 36 which is scheduled for completion this year. I have also provided support for the Redwood Telephone proposal and other projects.
As best as I am aware, I am one of only 2 Supervisors who are willing to even meet with the raw milk advocates, and the only one who is actively trying to make progress on that issue. I have met with them as recently as last week and outlined an approach that could hopefully get the votes needed to make raw milk available to those who want it.
I am also the only Supervisor who has worked to build support across the State for Stephen Pepper’s marine highway project, making a presentation on his behalf to all of California’s coastal counties, and promoting the project to Congressman Thompson and to Senators Boxer and Feinstein in DC.
Along with these issues, I have also taken the lead on the Williamson Act, the Klamath dams agreements, marijuana issues, Richardson Grove and ocean renewable energy. I helped secure over $10 million for numerous conservation projects around the County, kept the Coroner an independent elected office, established the Law Enforcement Liaison Committee, saved quality childcare for 77 children (and 61 local employers), helped institute a prescription drug discount program that is on track to save County residents over half-a-million dollars in its first year and launched full, daily bus service for Southern Humboldt.
I have helped numerous constituents with assessment issues and with navigating complex permit processes, in some cases saving them thousands of dollars and valuable time. I’ve responded to complaints of potholes, illegal dumping, grow-houses and road maintenance issues, sometimes trimming brush and cleaning gutters myself.
I have helped provide loans and start-up capital for small businesses, funding for early childcare programs and support for our fishing industry. I helped institute curbside recycling in unincorporated areas and approved projects to generate electricity from food waste and from methane from landfills.
In visits to Sacramento and DC I have helped protect funding for County services, for roads and infrastructure, for fire districts and rural ambulance services. I’ve advocated for funding for workforce training, for childcare and children’s health programs, for a regional trails system and numerous other issues.
I am quite proud of the work that I am doing and in my accomplishments, and would put my record up against anyone else in Humboldt County. If you feel that my efforts have fallen short on those issues that are most important to you, then I would ask you who has done more and worked harder on this same suite of issues, and on the numerous others I have listed.
Mark
From: Jonathan Speaker
To: Mark Lovelace
Date: March 21
First, I don’t see it that way, second, your referring to yourself in the 3rd person, never a good sign … Bus rides for southern Humboldt, what does that have to do with the 3rd?
You ever provide paychecks to people while in the private sector? I am looking for fulfilled promises and actions, not process and hand shaking. I really don’t think you are qualified to help with the economic side of what is coming, and I am not big fan of on the job training for situations like this.I wouldn’t run on the bang up job of the airport situation and the great new communications, try running on expanded services and economic gains for those of us that live and work in the 3rd. You remember the 3rd don’t you?
Here is what you told me- (attached)
I put in the letter that you were well intentioned, which I believe.
Jonathan
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: March 21
3rd person? I used the word “I” almost 30 times. I have no idea what you mean by
If your issue is that I should focus exclusively on the 3rd District then why mention raw milk, broadband and the airport? These are all County-wide issues, as are childcare, roads, the Williamson Act, garbage, timber, fishing, workforce training, law enforcement, emergency services, renewable energy and trails. Every issue I listed affects the 3rd District and its residents, as does public transit. I would think you would see value in helping people get to town so they can attend classes and be a part of the workforce.
I’m glad you kept that economic development plan. I see it as a punch list of exactly what I’ve been working on for the last 2 years.
Mark
From: Jonathan Speaker
To: Mark Lovelace
Date: March 21
So I will take that as a ‘no’ you have never actually created jobs in the private sector?
Example of 3rd person:
You seem to be attacking the Supervisor who has been working hardest on the issues you claim are most important to you.
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: March 21
Well, as production manager for a local manufacturer I helped that business grow 500%, and as a manufacturing consultant I helped grow other businesses around the country by improving their production methods. I also employed numerous consultants, sub-contractors and suppliers.
Mark
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: April 3
So I understand that now, instead of engaging in conversation you are simply forwarding our personal e-mail exchanges to Rob?
Mark
From: Jonathan Speaker
To: Mark Lovelace
Date: April 4
Personal email exchanges? Any email that comes from Humboldt.ca.us is not personal-Mark-your brown act band needs to be renamed, it’s not a joke.
I sent our PUBLIC conversations to a list of people- mostly media- hank, DaveR, Kevin, Rob, TonyS, blogs, and many business leaders, Rob Hepburn or Rob Arkley? Kay Beckman or Alex Stillman? Peace and Freedom, Vets for Peace or neo-Republican makes no difference to me- I am seeking to reach out to those concerned about our infrastructure and revenue generating base. Your lack of economic guidance in our county has pushed me to seek out a real Progressive candidate that supports capitalism and understands that the tax base is what supports all the social programs we need as a community, so save your lip service for your inner circle
I will also be taking our conversation and my criticism directly to the people via a weekly column in the Arcata Eye.
All the best,
Jonathan
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: April 4
‘Personal’ and ‘private’ are two different things. I am well aware that any and all e-mails are public, and it is certainly within your right as a member of the public to do with them what you wish.
I have no issue with you forwarding my response to you so broadly. Perhaps I should even thank you for doing so as I am quite proud of the work that I have been doing for the people of Humboldt County. However I had assumed that you had a desire to engage in personal dialogue. On that point, apparently I was wrong.
Mark
From: Jonathan Speaker
To: Mark Lovelace
Date: April 4
Don’t act like a hurt little girl with me Mark, I could give a rats ass what you desire. Focus on your job, and the 3rd district, you’re a highly paid executive.
Show me our fiber redundancy, show me anything other than your hand shaking, process and lip service.
-j
From: Mark Lovelace
To: Jonathan Speaker
Date: April 4
I have influenced State and Federal policy regarding funding priorities for rural broadband, I have helped obtain major funding for specific projects and I have helped with permitting and easement hurdles. I will readily admit that I have not been out there hanging cable myself. Wouldn’t you say that’s the job of the private sector?
Mark
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