When I looked at the Mission Viejo City Council agenda and read the Consent Calendar for Oct. 17, I saw that the contract for the Crown Valley Parkway widening project going to Roger Faubel was the most egregious. I sent an alarm to the Honorable Mayor and City Council. When voting on the contract, four members fell for the folly and voted $100,000 to a campaign contributor using the reference of a Lake Forest Project as an excuse.

FAUBEL CATCHES THE BIG ONE and it's not a Fish Story -it's plain fishy!

What were they thinking, four of our council members? My confidence is lost on this one!

The El Toro widening project in Lake Forest involved total destruction of long-term businesses, major off-road demolition, removal of blocks of existing establishments, use of eminent domain -with many major disruptions, serious displacements, some total loss of businesses, as well as the widening of El Toro Road, which is a huge redevelopment project. Mission Viejo is only widening a parkway.

Winning the types of contests (League of California Cities Helen Putnum Award) is really very dependent on how the proposal is written up (another excuse for Roger's riches). IT'S PLAIN FISHY!

Faubel was credited for saving you and me from the El Toro Airport. What a laugh! Faubel's mailings were grotesque during the airport fight. I remember noticing how classy Irvine's mailings were and how much more professional and so much more convincing. Faubel's mailers were an embarrassment. I doubt his junk mail helped at all. The grass-roots effort and such officials as Supervisors Todd Spitzer, Tom Wilson and, finally, Chris Norby did it with all of our hard work and support.

Watch for the next report of campaign contributions. By the way, what are the city staff, council, commissions, Chamber of Commerce, etc., here for if not to provide the public outreach Faubel is charging $100,000 to provide?

City Manager Dennis Wilberg confirmed at the Nov. 21 council meeting that Faubel had at first declined the contract and then accepted it.

Dorothy Wedel