SQUID FRY 06.26.14 - Hiring Freeze…

Hiring Freeze… Squid’s been rejected by the best of them. There was the coffeehouse where Squid only lasted a week because Squid couldn’t keep Squid’s moccachinos and half-caffs straight. There was the receptionist gig Squid lost because Squid couldn’t stop stealing staplers.

But Squid’s never been dissed quite the way Berkley Inc., the clan behind the “201 Main Street” project in Oldtown Salinas, dissed Squid. The old Wells Fargo Bank building has been in the works as a restaurant/nightclub/event space/laundromat/whatever by developer Gerry Kehoe and his team since before Squid could legally drink.

Berkley Inc. boasts the place will eventually have seven entertainment venues. The website, www.201complex.com, projects soft openings for Giorgios (upscale Italian) and Ticino(coffee, sandwiches, salads, juices) July 15. They’ve already hired 21 staffers – and, strangely, listed the first names and last initials of those hires on the website.

Alas, Squid didn’t make the cut. And then Squid got the Berkley Inc. email: “After careful consideration, our executives have unfortunately decided to forego your employment. Due to the extremely sensitive nature of our grand opening, we must be extremely particular.”

Being that Squid is both extremely sensitive and extremely particular, Squid totally gets it. Squid wouldn’t hire Squidself, either.

Count to Three… Sometimes Squid will turn on a rom com when Squid can’t sleep. Sometimes Squid will count shrimp or politicians.

That count can be surprisingly tough, since local government involves lots of city council members serving on lots of different boards. Take the Fort Ord Reuse Authority board, which includes Marina City Council members Gail Morton and Frank O’Connell. At a meeting June 20, Marina Mayor Bruce Delgado chimed in during public comment to echo Morton and O’Connell’s concerns about FORA keeping and selling Preston Park. (The city has sued over it.)

Tensions were already running high – but they ramped up when Sand City Mayor/FORA board member Dave Pendergrass asked FORA attorney Jon Giffen to investigate a potential Brown Act violation. Pendergrass’ beef: By speaking publicly, Delgado effectively created a quorum, or majority of City Council – even though they weren’t at a publicly noticed council meeting, a Brown Act no-no.

Squid checked in with Chief Deputy District Attorney Terry Spitz. “That is an interesting problem,” Spitz says. “It would sound worthy of a request to the Attorney General for a formal opinion.”

Delgado’s take: “Anybody can go and speak. That’s our understanding. If I’m wrong, we need to know that.” If the DA and AG weigh in, he’ll know in spades.