Engardio’s Betrayal and Ongoing Misrepresentations Justify His Recall

Editor:

Supervisor Joel Engardio promoted Prop. K by falsely characterizing the Upper Great Highway as a road that “lost its utility,” “was closed for sand removal 65 days every year,” and “if car-free would save on the $1.7 million yearly spent on maintenance because it would not need sand removal as often.” 

Voters were led to believe the Upper Great Highway was hardly used anymore by vehicles, practically abandoned, useless, and a financial drain. Engardio said diverting traffic would bypass the neighborhood and be unproblematic. His engineered campaign photos showed huge Sunday crowds, but those were rare, citywide events staged to sell Prop. K, and not a reflection of the public’s desired daily use of it, as the political spin inferred. 

The Facts:  

The Highway is Essential

Thousands of vehicles used it day and night. Engardio hid the words “commercial traffic” from the Voter Guide pretending closures would only affect private cars. Now big rigs, huge grocery vans, trucks, motorcycle caravans and heavy traffic barrel past homes, schools and churches disturbing the peace, polluting the air and endangering our once quiet beach community. 

Sand Removal Closures

In 2024, sand was removed from the highway only 14 times. Two lanes were temporarily closed in only one direction at a time while vehicles drove on the other two lanes until it fully reopened, usually by evening rush hour on the same day. It was not closed for 65 days a year as Engardio claimed. 

Current Sand Removal Costs

Since becoming Sunset Dunes “Park” in April 2025, sand was removed more often than in all 12 months of 2024. Sand removal is now more frequent, more labor-intensive and more expensive, requiring heavy machinery and hand-shoveling around new park structures. 

Future Sand Removal Expenses

Rec. and Park wants WEEKLY sand removal on Sunset Dunes, which will be exponentially more frequent and costly than before, but there is no funding. That $1.7 million to Public Works for sand management never happened, was a complete fabrication by Engardio’s Prop. K campaign, and the truth is Public Works hasn’t received even $900,000 annually for sand removal in well over a decade. 

Engardio misled voters to push his agenda. He’s now misrepresenting facts again to fight his recall. We can no longer trust our Supervisor.

We feel unsafe, betrayed and unrepresented. 

Vote Yes on Prop A by Sept. 16, 2025. Recall Joel Engardio.

Judi Gorski