Three Captains Lawsuit Nonsense

 John Dooley

John Dooley and Larry Fortado are suing the San Mateo County Harbor District after Fortado's fish buying business was ordered to relocate a controversial hoist.  John Dooley is paying Fortado's legal fees because Dooley stands to profit from the hoist.

Larry Fortado, owner of Three Captains Sea Products, filed the lawsuit in San Mateo County Superior Court on Tuesday, June 4, 2015 alleging loss of income because he was denied use of a hoist he installed to offload fish from boats at Pillar Point Harbor.

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 John Dooley

Larry Fortado and his not so silent business partner John Dooley are mad as a hornets nest because a group of fishermen turned them in for neglecting to apply for a Coastal Development Permit for the hoist. 

After Coastal Commission staff met with fishermen a permit waiver was pulled off a 2014 Coastal Commission meeting agenda and a full permit was required. Three Captains neglected to provide the Coastal Commission with a complete permit application before or after the hoist was installed.

In 2015 the Harbor Commission passed a resolution that denied renewal of a one year probationary hoist agreement.

Larry Fortado and John Dooley swore to get even and filed a meritless lawsuit.  

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission vs. Three Captains' Sea Products

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) filed a complaint against Three Captains' Sea Products on Feb. 10, 2010 in San Mateo County Superior Court. 

The claim for relief included $120,097.27 in damages.

PSMFC made an administrative error in 2008 and 2009 while issuing checks for the California Salmon Disaster Relief Programs. PSMFC inadvertently double paid Larry Fortado, owner of Three Captains' Sea Products.  The total amount of the overpayment was $120,097.27. 

PSMFC and their attorneys sent Larry Fortado letters seeking reimbursement on July 31, 2009, Sept. 30, 2009, November 18, 2009 and Dec. 29, 2009.

After a jury trial was demanded Larry Fortado paid back the federal disaster relief money he owed PSMFC. 

Read the Complaint — Case No. 491958  

What's up with Peter Grenell's Bank Club?

It appears that Peter Grenell authorized the Harbor District web designer Georgia Wright to do work (web design and brochure design) for the California Maritime Infrastructure
Bank and Authority (CMIB/A).  During the Aug. 6th board meeting Grenell stated that Ms. Wright's company Market Web Consulting had never invoiced CMIB/A or been paid by CMIB/A.  He also said that Market Web Consulting had worked for the CMIB/A for about 8 or 9 years.

It appears that the San Mate County Harbor District may have been paying Market Web Consulting for CMIB/A work/billable hours.  Peter Grenell may have authorized spending Harbor District funds on the CMIB/A website and marketing materials.  Georgia Wright may have been told to bill the Harbor District for her time/work for the CMIB/A and told not to include the CMIB/A billable hours as a line item on Market Web Consulting invoices to the SMCHD.  Its possible that Ms. Wright lumped her CMIB/A hours in with her Harbor District hours and invoiced the Harbor District for both.

It's unusual that Peter Grenell invited Brian Foss, CMIB/A Board Member and past President and David Hull, CMIB/A Executive Director to be on the Harbor District committee to interview candidates for the Harbormaster position.  

At Aug. 6, 2014 Harbor District meeting Peter Grenell said that for about 9 years the Harbor District web design consulting firm Web Market Consulting had also been providing web design for the CMIB/A.  Read the Web Market Consulting Invoice.

During the same meeting Commissioner Brennan asked Peter Grenell if Web Market Consulting was paid to design and update the CMIB/A website. Peter Grenell said, "Number one, they don't get paid, they've never invoiced for their services. So there's no money changing hands. Number two, It seemed a matter of convenience to have Web Market Consulting pickup the rather minimal website needs of CMIA, that's how that happened." 

Commissioner Brennan asked if any SMC Harbor District staff, employees or consultants have engaged in any CMIB/A activities?   Peter Grenell said, "No."  2:10:12

Commissioner Brennan asked if any SMC Harbor District employees of Harbor Commissioners have attended any CMIB/A events or meetings?  2:10:42  

Peter Grenell said, "Harbormaster Scott Grindy attended the Northern California seminar, a one day thing in San Francisco."

Questions

• Who was on the interview committee when Scott Grindy was interviewed by Harbor District?  Read the PRA email below. 

• The email indicates that Brian Foss, CMIB/A Board Member and past President and David Hull, CMIB/A Executive Director may have been on the interview committee or in some way involved with the interview process. 

• Were any Harbor Commissioners on the interview committee?

• Did the SMCHD pay Web Market Consulting for any work for the CMIB/A?

CMIB/A Website Emails

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Grenell's Email About Harbor District Interview Committee

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Peter Grenell does more than nap at Harbor District office, he operates a bank

Is this a simple case of moonlighting?  Read the July 2, 2014 editorial in the Half Moon Bay Review.

If it is, Grenell's use of San Mateo County Harbor District resources, like the South San Francisco administrative office and the SMCHD email address, should keep Will Holsinger Esq. very busy...

Is Peter Grenell doing paid "bank" work during his SMCHD work hours when he's being paid by the SMCHD to do SMCHD work?  If so, isn't that double dipping? 

Is there a conflict-of-interest for the Harbor District? Is there a conflict-of-interest for Grenell? Is Grenell benefiting personally from the managerial fees the bank collects?  Is the Harbor District paying Grenell’s travel expenses for “bank” related meetings and conferences? Does Grenell’s terms of employment allow him to hold a position as President of a “bank” in addition to his management position with the Harbor District? 

The following is from the "bank" website:

Isn't this odd. The "bank" address is the same as the SMCHD office address.

Peter Grenell owns the bank/authority website. The domain name (CaliforniaMaritimeInfrastructureAuthority.org) was registered in 2005, and updated in September 2013.

From the WhoIs Record:

All this veiled banking kinda makes us wonder why Harbor Commissioners Jim Tucker, Robert Bernardo, Will Holsinger and Pietro Parravano voted June 4, 2014 in favor of extending Peter Grenell's contract through 2016?

“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and money system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.”

-Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company