CARLSBAD: Rancho Carlsbad leader pulls Kulchin endorsement

By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | Saturday, October 25, 2008 1:07 PM PDT ∞

CARLSBAD ---- A board member of one of Carlsbad's most influential homeowners associations has pulled his endorsement of incumbent Councilwoman Ann Kulchin, saying she hasn't been very responsive lately to his community's flood control concerns.

Russ Kohl, vice president of the Rancho Carlsbad Homeowners Association, said last week that he has asked Kulchin to remove his name from her published list of significant people who've endorsed her. He also sent out an e-mail announcing his decision to the 504 households in his gated, senior community along El Camino Real.

"It was a tough thing for me to do, but I had pretty much got to the point that I'd had it," Kohl said, adding that he's now telling people to vote for either Thomas K. Arnold, Keith Blackburn or Farrah Douglas for the two open seats on the council.

Two other candidates are also running: Glenn Bernard and Evan Delaney Rodgers. Kulchin is the only incumbent in the race, after Councilwoman Julie Nygaard decided not to run again.

Kulchin, who is seeking her eighth term this fall, said Kohl's announcement is unfortunate. She added that she hopes other Rancho Carlsbad residents will recall her long history of helping with various flood control projects, including the 84-inch storm drain project along nearby Cannon Road several years ago.

"I'm sorry (Kohl) feels that way," Kulchin said. "He's welcome to withdraw his support. Hopefully, we can work together in the future."

Rancho Carlsbad, which has one of the higher voter turnouts in the city, has had conflicts over the years with the city of Carlsbad regarding flooding concerns.

Residents have been pushing the city to improve floodwater control in their community, which has two creeks flowing through it. Their pressure on City Hall intensified after extensive flooding in New Orleans in 2005, then slightly diminished once the 84-inch storm drain was installed along nearby Cannon Road. In recent months, it has risen again as plans for a flood control basin east of the senior community appeared to be losing ground.

Kohl, who hosted a fundraising party in Rancho Carlsbad for Kulchin when she ran four years ago, said he has become increasingly unhappy with the way the city is handling the basin project, which also includes the relocation of Rancho Carlsbad's community garden and RV storage area.

There has been some speculation that the city might drop plans for the basin now that the 84-inch storm drain along the north side of Cannon Road is in place ---- some at City Hall have argued that it isn't needed anymore. There's also debate over who is going to pay for the basin installation and relocation of community garden/RV area.

Rancho Carlsbad residents want the city to pick up what they estimate to be a roughly $2 million tab, while city officials say that a developer to the east of the senior community will eventually pick up the cost as part of a proposed housing development.

Kohl said that Kulchin's answers at a candidates' forum in his community in early October were the final straw that caused him to pull his endorsement. During the forum, Kulchin said several times that a decision on a citywide flood control plan was indefinitely delayed last month because of Rancho Carlsbad's attorney.

Rancho Carlsbad residents note that their attorney wasn't the only one asking for the city to hold off on a decision. The city's mayor said at the council meeting that the item was being pulled from the agenda in part because council members also had questions, they note.

Kulchin, who wasn't one of the council members who asked for the item's delay, said last week that the topic will go before the council again Nov. 4 --- Election Day.