Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Howdy friends and neighbors of the hills!

It's still August right?  I thought Halloween was in October?  So why does it feel as if certain people in our community are playing "trick or treat" already?

It's come to my attention that a new community activist group has made it's presence known in the City of Montebello.  Ordinarily, I'd offer a hearty welcome to such a venture and encourage folks to get involved in helping their community,  Lord knows we need more of such folks, but there are a few things about this particular group that just don't "smell right."

The group calls itself "Montebello Forward."  This group has it's own website and they set up a booth at last Thursday night's Concerts in the Park performance.  The two ladies manning the booth looked friendly enough and they were smiling and having a good ole time asking passersby to sign their list, yet some concert goers seemed a mite bit perplexed about who they were.

They had a big banner displayed on their booth with the web address for their organization.  Their website proclaims:

We are a brand new group of Montebello residents who love the City of Montebello. Some of us have lived here most of our lives. Others of us have been living here just a few years. But we all have something in common: We love Montebello and we care about the future of our community. 

“Why now?” you might also be asking yourself. 

We’ve decided to organize Montebello Forward because Montebello needs our help. Now. Our city has so much potential to be a great place to live, to work and to raise a family. But to realize that potential we have to organize ourselves and move forward to make important changes. Our streets need to be fixed. Our sewer system is old. Many of our sidewalks are broken or are being lifted up by trees that have not been trimmed. We need to fix our parks and playing fields so our kids have safe places to play. We need to find ways to bring more money into our community so we can help our police and fire departments protect us and our homes. 

The only way we can help is to become informed, get involved and take action. That’s why we formed Montebello Forward. We are informing ourselves about what’s going on in Montebello. We are getting involved by attending City Council meetings and other community events. We are going to take action by supporting ideas and projects that will help Montebello become all that it can be.

Well, that all sounds good and dandy but, if you're a regular fan of watching Montebello council meetings on the city's public access channel, you may have noticed  something eerily "familiar" about those two ladies. "Montebello Forward" was "introduced" to the community at the August 14, 2013,  Montebello City Council meeting by two ladies.  They were the same ladies who sat in the "Montebello Forward" booth the next day at the Concerts in the Park.  No surprise there.

But folks, you gotta pay attention to the names of the people who get up to speak during the "public oral" section of the meetings. (Public speakers are asked to "state their name" for the record.)

Surprise, surprise!

Cook Hill Properties LLC, the wannabe developer of our beloved Montebello hills, has a "partial list" of their supporters posted on their website and guess what?

There are two names on that list that match the names of the ladies from "Montebello Forward."

Innocent coinkydinky?  I wasn't sure at first until I heard these ladies were including a copy of Cook Hill's latest propaganda advertisement folded up inside their own literature!

That smell is getting stronger!

Then there are these photos taken after the concert:

Cook Hill Properties' head honchos stop by to chat
with the ladies of "Montebello Forward."

Need a hand taking this down ladies?

Almost done, and since the concert aint over yet,
you'll beat the traffic outta the parking lot!

PU!   Crack the windows and grab the broom!  I smell a couple o' skunks under this house!

Now I was told by folks who were at the park, that "Montebello Forward" managed to get a few souls to sign their list.  The question is, who else gets to see this here list?

Now that's a real concern folks because I've also been informed  that Cook Hill Properties LLC just sent out a short email article to their supporters about these two ladies and their group,  "Montebello Forward":

A Mother and Daughter Duo Set Out

To Move Montebello Forward

The email confirms that the ladies of "Montebello Forward" are the same ladies listed on Cook Hill's website. I reckon we now know which "ideas" and in particular "projects" they intend to support to "help Montebello become all that it can be."

  Hhhhmmmmm . . .

Oh, but wait!  Here's the real scary part!  According to Cook Hill's email description of these ladies:

Both are passionate, energetic forces who aren't just talking about making Montebello a nicer, better city. They're doing something about it. They're setting out to build an army of Montebello residents to effect positive change in the community they love so much.

They're setting out to do what?!!!!!  Forget the broom Pa and head for the root cellar!  The zombie apocalypse is upon us!!!!!

[Shiver!]

 It may be August but there sure is a chill in the air.

Daisy Mae