Campaign season brings lots of new email to my in box. The following letter of endorsement came from someone named Stan Sewitch:
Quote:
Fellow San Diego Citizens,
I have known and worked with Barbara Bry for over thirty years. I knew her when she created Athena, the professional organization for women in science and technology that has done more to advance women in the field of science, technology, engineering and math than any other organization in this county. I knew her when she was the head of operations for CONNECT, co-founding the entrepreneurial accelerator, instrumental in the creation and growth of literally hundreds of San Diego companies by connecting entrepreneurs with educational institutions, industry, and financing avenues.
Barbara understands more about what it takes to create economic opportunities than anyone who has served only as a politician or a public employee. She knows what it means to make payroll, create returns to shareholders, and build for the long term.
And with all of that, she is humble. Her ego doesn’t “eat” her ability to be empathic. Quite the contrary. Her empathy is primary. She cares deeply about the entire community, not just one part or another. She seeks out advice and different perspectives. She has an open mind, interested only in the solutions to seemingly intractable problems, which she will find, no matter what.
I’m voting for Barbara Bry because she is the best kind of leader, someone who sees that leadership is needed, looks around and there’s literally no one better to step up. She is a servant leader who will do the right thing in our community’s best interest.
I invite you to do your own research. Then join me in electing Barbara. For our own good.
Stan
It's a fine letter, and I am sure Stan has good justification for his endorsement. But Stan is omitting the other side of Barbara Bry's track record - the failed policies and resulting deaths at the Torrey Pines Gliderport during Barbara Bry's term in office. So I sent Stan a reply;
Quote:
Hello Stan,
I have read your message below, and I appreciate your comments.
However, I have known a different Barbara Bry in these past 3 years than the woman you've described.
I first met Barbara Bry during her City Council campaign in 2016. Several members of our hang gliding club met with Barbara in her campaign office to express our deep concerns about the abuses and mismanagement of the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Barbara listened politely, but refused to make any commitment to address the issue stating that she would know more once she was in office.
Fine, so shortly after being elected, we met with Barbara again. She made a great suggestion during the meeting that the City might allow recreational flying via a signed waiver/permit process. But Barbara never followed through with the implementation. That was three years ago. We presented the same problem to the County of Los Angeles shortly after our meeting with Barbara, and in 3 months they had a waiver/permit process in place and operating. Why hasn't Barbara followed through?
We met with Barbara again this past summer. We brought a dozen or so concerned hang glider pilots whose names read like the "Who's Who" of hang gliding. We had world champion pilots and the founders of the sport of hang gliding at that meeting. Barbara listened politely, but again did nothing to follow through. Why?
There is clearly deep corruption in the city's Real Estate Assets Division. The overwhelming bulk of the city's wealth is in its real estate holdings, and the unbid carry-over of the Torrey Pines Gliderport free lease (expired since 2008) is just the tip of the iceberg.
Barbara has been given the authority to act in this matter by a letter from Mayor Faulconer's office during Sherri Lightner's term. In that letter, Faulconer deferred to Sherri Lightner on Gliderport matters since it was "in her district". Barbara could step up and use that authority to create proper oversight of the Torrey Pines Gliderport, but she has failed to do so. Why?
Finally, March 9th will be one year since the tragic double deaths at the Gliderport. The City has conducted no investigation into those deaths even though it is widely known that neither pilot held the ratings to fly at that site. They were allowed to fly there by the concessionaire for profit. Those deaths are on Barbara Bry's record - in this life and the next.
If you've known Barbara for 30 years, then please ask her why she has done nothing in the past 3 years to fix the problems at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. Please send me her reply. Until then, I can only see her in the light of her actions ... or more appropriately ... her inactions.
Sincerely,
Bob Kuczewski
858-204-7499
) I got a Call from Barbara Bry herself. The call lasted 41 seconds. Shortly after I had said "Hello Barbara", she asked me if I were Bob Kuczewski. Of course I answered "yes", and she immediately replied that she would not participate in the interview and hung up.
