Setting the record straight: Robert Elster, Emergency Disaster Preparedness Council Vice-chair, clarifies his views on undergrounding

This is in reference to Barbara Diamond’s December 8th article on the Laguna Beach City Council Meeting of December 5th. While I was quoted twice in the article, some sort of an honorable recognition I suppose, in part I was misquoted and would like to set the record straight. I am firmly in support of undergrounding of utilities within the city, particularly along major evacuation routes from the city.

In paragraph eight of the article, Ms. Diamond incorrectly grouped me with Judy Mancuso in claiming that the proposed survey would be “be spun to get the response the council wanted…”  While this was Ms. Mancuso’s assertion, it was not mine.  My comment was that the proposed survey of 500 residents seemed to be an inordinately small number, roughly two percent of the Laguna Beach population, and suggested that the survey size be increased.  

I did suggest that the survey, particularly of a larger population, would also be an opportunity to personally ensure that the residents surveyed were fully informed, before they responded, of the proposed General Obligation bond purpose, the proposed Community Facilities District, and the financial impact to each of the surveyed residents of both the GO and the CFD.  That’s not spinning the survey.

In paragraph 10, I was also quoted regarding the danger of telephone poles and lines falling in an earthquake and blocking egress routes for residents.  While true that I did mention earthquakes, the major point of my comments was that overhead utility lines and poles are threats in more ways than just starting fires, and are more common occurrences. For instance, downing of poles and electrical lines due to traffic accidents can block streets and impede first responder access to accidents, as well as disrupting commercial and residential traffic; this can happen, and has, on both major arteries / evacuation routes and on feeder streets in Laguna Beach neighborhoods.  Replacement of damaged poles and overhead power lines can further disrupt traffic.

Robert E. Elster

Vice-Chair, Emergency Disaster Preparedness Council

Laguna Beach