Imagine with me, Please.

John Pulliam, CCC-PW's Lone Ranger has job security. We can imagine John going to his boss and saying, "I need job security! I want to do all the dumb jobs nobody else will do." So John, armed with a likely, very wrong map of the boundaries of the Iron Horse Trail is putting Yellow Tags on footbridges along the trail. Like I said, a really dumb job.

So, to help John with his dumb job, we, in the other community of Alamo, soon to be Diablo Vista CA, are working on replacing all gates with Drawbridges. Oh, and we will be moving all fences to the edge of our properties so the drainage ditches are within our fence line and can be bridged as we see fit.

Let's work on getting John a real job!

Hal, laughing outloud

Great Concept, Hal, Drawbidges!

We intend to package them a sell them at THD YardBIRDS. The kit includes:

* A ramp and hidge combination
* A non-slip surface for the drawbridge face
* A version of a garage door opener and lift mechanism
* A warning siren for when the Bridge is being lowered or raised
* An autographed picture of John Pulliam

Never have so many laughed so hard at something so completely a waste of time and taxpayers' money.

Vince, at trail's end

Posted as a courtesy by Alamo neighborhoods forum

Hal and Vince....maybe you should get the "real" jobs. Mr. Pulliam appears to be smarter than both of you put together! How do you two even live with yourselves posting such negative comments? Do you have an engineer's license? Are you an architect? Didn't think so. Stop posting rude comments because YOU put a structure on property that you DON'T own. Get real......liberal schmucks.

I don't get it, Kerri. Why does poking fun at bureaucrats make them liberal?

OK....so I shouldn't have said 'liberal schmucks'......but what you call 'poking fun', is really just name calling, a strategic tactic of many libs (ie. Barbara Boxer, Charles Schumer, Dick Durbin, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reed....the list goes on). Remember this the next time someone 'pokes fun' at your child. Get it?

......"HAL: I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a... fraid. Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in a Danville, CA community on the 28th of November 2007. My instructor was Mr. Kreigher, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you"......

......hey Vince....I suppose you would rather have taxpayers money used for socialized healthcare.......see how that is working for Cuba. Follow the rules or let the county cut an access path through your property and see how you like it.

Explain this to me like I am a three year old.....whose property are these footbridges on? Inconvenience and laziness do not overide property owners rights, even if the property owner is the county. No one likes a fair weather fan.....that is, of course, a fair weather fan.

My thanks to all of you for your responses to admitted humor.

To answer the questions raised:

#1 - I am not a liberal and neither in my pal, Vince. We are fiscal conservatives and politically radical. We belief that the government works for us and we don't work for them. Therefore if we (as part of WE, the People) don't like what our employees are doing, we will say so!

#2 - Liberal schmucks is unkind, but quite humorous, and I am not sure, Kerri, you weren't joining our humor with sardonic outrage. We have a fellow humorist that uses the name Frank to earnestly poke fun at such outrage by writing such postings as over-the-top outrageous humor.

#3 - Who's property is it? It is ours, WE, the people, whether we directly own it or it is county land. John Pulliam has put notices, for the most part, on bridges across open, and dangerous, drainage ditches that are on county property.

#4 - What John does not know is any grants or permits to various properties for such bridges as part of the Federal Right of Way Document, Southern Pacific Railroad, now held by Union Pacific Corporation, Omaha NE, with a copy held by Alamo neighborhoods forum. Such grants and permits impact any land transfer to the county as part of transfer of the SPRR Right of Way and cannot be denied in further county land use.

#5 - At issue, with the bridges removed, the individuals accessing the trail from their property through the drainage ditches are subject to injury that is more likely than if the bridges were left in place.

#6 - A far simpler result would be appropriate. Simply let the trail neighbors renew and apply for new bridge and crossing permits and protect the safety these bridges offer.

Admittedly, it isn't funny, but I hope it is informative,

Hal, in another community, Diablo Vista CA 94507

Now we are getting somewhere!

#1 - Being fiscally conservative does NOT make you a conservative. I could simply mean that you are cheap. Who knows? Politically radical sounds very liberal to me. Unproductive people on welfare (not the ones who have had 'bad luck') think that the government should work for them as well. It is far to easy to take advantage of the situation. A strong Republic is impossible without the give-and-take of the people and their government. You seem to expect no give and all take, because 'you do not work for the government, they work for you'.

#2 - Liberal schmucks is unkind, but ridiculing Mr. Pulliam is not? Double standards.

#3 - This is ridiculous, the county owns the land and you know it. Don't twist your rhetoric to make your point. The Republic is governed by the people, therefore ALL land is owned by the people? That's a stretch.

#4 - OK, so what is your point?

#5 - Not if they access the trail at the proper access points. You're assuming that everyone will 'jump the creek'. That's silly.

#6 - Finally, a suggestion with merit. How about approaching the proper authorities to work for a common goal as opposed to the patronizing approach you have taken.

Agreed, it isn't funny.....and unfortunately, besides #6, not very informative.

I was sitting outside myself today and reviewing several attempts to avoid communication about a truly insignificant issue of foot bridges. It does not take any intelligence to understand the trail is ours in the same manner that the county is ours.

As we face reality, we understand that stupidity is consistently arrogant and the commentary of stupidity expands on that point.

My pals, Hal and Vince, are working on draw bridges with flashing lights and sirens. That is exceptional humor and more than enough explanation of a proper response to dumb-ass county actions.

Fore Warn

Let us simply inform the county that Alamo neighborhoods forum will proceed through counsel to protect the safe access to the trail by all neighbors. We have the documents governing the intended access granted by the Southern Pacific Company and we will take regulatory, individual, class and civil rights actions to protest such safe and reasonable access.

We are filling notice with the county counsel that we expect John Pulliam and Public Works to be removed from further actions pending regulatory and court actions to protect trail access.

As notice,

Lisa Wright, Co-Chair
Alamo neighborhoods forum

Amazing that you let this stuff get to you.

Good luck with that.

We have a successful product! Today, in Alamo tests, our Iron Horse Drawbridge completed successful testing. With lights flashing and sirens wailing, the bridge lowered across the drainage ditch from a simple garage door remote command and then lifted again.

With a backlog of 112 orders, we are moving to production rapidly.

You just got to love those Contra Costa Market Makers. It use to be find a need and fill it, but now it is MAKE a need by government edict and fill it!

Thanks John, where do you want us to send the check?

Verne

So,what? Debris would be more likely to get caught in small pipes causing more damage to county property then the footbridges. Besides, the Iron Horse Trail is supposed to be public open space. The County should not have the authority to intervene in Alamo and Danville residents' houses where it does not concern them.

DRAWBRIDGE CONVERSIONS FOR IRON HORSE TRAIL FOOTBRIDGES

Dear Dolores,

Many, many people are calling for plans or actual product related to the DRAWBRIDGE designed for replacement of installed trail bridges.

For anyone wanting further description of the DRAWBRIDGE or access to plans, please write to the CDSI Information Site at halbailey@yahoo.com. CDSI will make sure each request is fulfilled with description and plans (conceptual) for do-it-yourselfers. At present, the designer is seeking contractors that are capable of producing each drawbridge to customer requirements.

I would like to thank Vince Kreigher for bringing together the expertise to create designs for manual and automated drawbridges. In addition, we would like to thank Bethany and community counsel for determining the legal usage of such drawbridges and the county liability if bridges are not available for convenient access to the Iron Horse Trail.

Hal Bailey
Member, CDSI Research Fellowship
CDSI Info: halbailey@yahoo.com

There are plenty of "convenient" access locations to trail other than one's backyard.

Dear Trail Users,

The Iron Horse Trail in our communities' property, as county property, and belongs to all of us. More importantly, within the SPRR right of way document that establishes access, each property along the trail had permitted access to the right of way including permits and grants for fence lines, bridges, crossings and, at one time, loading structures.

The drains are right of way drains and not part of county or state flood control division authority, thus to cross those drains using right of way permits and grants is established beyond county authority.

Contact Corporate Secretary, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha NE for a copy of the right of way document and maps of permits, grants and leases that establish access by neighbors. Also, contact State Senate Local Government Committee to better understand the State District that manages Contra Costa Flood Control Drainage.

Understand that Contra Costa County Public Works is simply a service agency to State District Flood Control and not the authority for such control.

Verne South

Posted by Vince Kreigher, Alamo neighborhoods forum

I got a heart-warming message from my father's friend Christopher Cringle. They cowboy'd up Pocatello way before Crisser discovered the time space continuum machine that let him be ubiquitous on Christmas Eves forever.

Well, anyway, Crisser reported that John Pulliam has donated all the bridges he removed so Santa's elves could make toys. Bless his heart. Crisser suggested that John start taking luxury cars from Alamo neighborhoods because they are so in demand by very, very good girls.

Joyous wishes at Christmas,

"I am meaningless as HAL"

Posted by Vince Kreigher in celebration of his pal's humor

Hal and Verne, whatever you guys are smoking, puff puff give!

Hello everyone. Just a quick follow-up on the bridge issue: if you believe the County has tagged a bridge in error, for example if you believe the bridge is on private property, please notify me and I will review it again. Public Works has already identified 3 bridges on private property that were incorrectly tagged. Bridges on private property will not be removed. I can be reached at (925) 313-2165. Thanks. John Pulliam, Contra Costa County Public Works Department.

Thank you everyone for enjoying the humor of the Footbridge saga.

Many thanks to John Pulliam for providing access and review for bridges on private property. It is good to know we have professional employees working with us "bosses" as we solve county issues.

As we look forward to the 1000 year flood that will form Stone Lake between the Iron Horse Trail and US680, we can always know we worked together to keep the waters draining and the Iron Horse Trail HIGH and dry.

Joyous wishes at Christmas to all,

Hal Bailey

Posted as a courtesy by Cristopher Cringle

Let's get back to building drawbridges on the Iron Horse Trail.

Be serious,

Vince