The following is an email I sent to Del Mar City Manager Scott Huth on September 7, 2018:
Hi Scott – I hope all is well.
This morning on her 2nd birthday, I was walking my daughter down to the tot lot by the beach.
We stopped to check our mail at the post office and then continued down 15th toward Coast Blvd. I started smelling noxious chemicals – and then noticed one of the landscapers working on the corner (I assume it is City property) was spraying weed killer. Before we were overcome with it, I turned around went back up the block and crossed the street.
I have a few questions for you:
1. Were these workers there on a City contract?
2. Does the City know they are using chemical weed killers and spraying them in public without notice or regard to the environment?
3. Is the City of Del Mar ok with this?
4. Is anyone thinking about where those chemicals end up? Gutters, drains, sewers, beach and ocean ….
And most importantly,
5) What can be done to ensure that my daughter is never exposed to dangerous chemicals like in Del Mar again?
Thank you,
Joe Kennedy
To Scott’s credit, he answered the email on the same day, saying the City of Del Mar takes these types of things very seriously and that he would look into it…..
Since that time, I have to handed off to Peter Kiefer, Superintendent of the City of Del Mar Public Works Department, who handed me off to Joe Bride, Director of Public Works for the City of Del Mar. I have learned A LOT about the City of Del Mar’s policies – and that they continually refuse to answer very simple questions.
What I have learned is that someone at the City of Del Mar has approved the use of a chemical herbicide (weed killer) called Fusilade, which the manufacturer says is “suspected of causing cancer” and “fatal if inhaled.”
I have also learned that at least SEVEN people at the City of Del Mar – including current Del Mar Mayor Dwight Worden know about this situation – and have refused to do anything about it. They have all been forwarded the Fusilade Data Safety Sheet and been asked to tell their contractors not to use these dangerous chemicals. To this point, they have all refused to do ANYTHING.
It is very important to note that this chemical is being used improperly by the contractors – and on City property adjacent to public walkways, less than two blocks from the ocean and less than two blocks from the tot lot park – where lots of young children play each and every day.
If you are concerned about the City of Del Mar allowing it’s contractors to use potentially deadly chemicals in public spaces, PLEASE contact the following people and leave a comment here. If you would like to help distribute flyers to let other citizens know about this grave injustice, please contact News@LocalBusinessScoop.com.
Dwight Worden
Mayor, City of Del Mar
dworden@delmar.ca.us
Joe Bride
Director of Public Works, City of Del Mar
jbride@delmar.ca.us
Peter Kiefer
Superintendent, City of Del Mar, Public Works
dworden@delmar.ca.us
John Barnett
(Title Unknown – not currently listed on City Website staff directory)
jbarnett@delmar.ca.us
Clement Brown
(Title Unknown – not currently listed on City Website staff directory)
cbrown@delmar.ca.us
Scott Huth
City Manager, City of Del Mar
shuth@delmar.ca.us
John Peterson
(Title Unknown – not currently listed on City Website staff directory)
john.e.peterson.ph.d@gmail.com
