Mission Viejo Buzz - 12/31/05 - text only

The Mission Viejo Buzz, Dec. 27

Months ago, Council Member Trish Kelley asked city staff members about Mission Viejo’s disaster preparedness. Staffers didn’t answer, and the topic hasn’t resurfaced. With the Dec. 26 anniversary of last year’s tsunami in South Asian, the subject is again on people’s minds. City Hall has a full-time employee (annual salary exceeding $100,000) who is responsible for the city’s disaster preparedness plan. The lack of a response isn’t a good sign regardless of the salary. Even on a good day, many people calling City Hall get a recording.

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Memorial services were held on Dec. 22 for Evelyn Jacobson, who passed away Dec. 19. Milt and Evelyn Jacobson were married for 59 years, and she’ll be missed by many community members who knew her as Milt’s sweet-natured wife. Milt said, “Evelyn taught me what love is all about.” Evelyn supported community causes and attended many meetings and events with Milt during her 27 years in Mission Viejo.

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Councilmen Frank Ury and Lance MacLean appear to have dueling items on the council’s Jan. 3 agenda. Ury is proposing to divide the Planning and Transportation Commission’s responsibilities by creating a separate commission to deal with transportation issues. MacLean is proposing to disband the Planning and Transportation Commission’s ad hoc committee to deal with the city’s housing element and affordable housing. MacLean instead wants an ad hoc committee of council members to work on the city’s General Plan Housing Element and affordable housing. If the council approves both items, the Planning Commission will have considerably fewer responsibilities. During the Butterfield-Withrow era, planning and transportation commissions were combined to “reduce bureaucracy.”

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Will the new mayor, Lance MacLean, continue the tradition of Trish Kelley by allowing only three of the five council members to serve on any agency or board? Kelley wouldn’t allow Gail Reavis to serve on any board, and John Paul Ledesma received only crumbs as an alternate representative. When Reavis offered to serve on Vector Control, a position no other council member wanted, Kelley’s answer was consistent – no position, no appointment, no crumbs – not even rat and bug patrol. Reavis and Ledesma had empty plates for an entire year. Former Council Member Sherri Butterfield also invoked the right to exclude others during her queendom as mayor, refusing any appointment to Ledesma or Reavis.

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The CUSD recall failed, and trustees are now free to continue their spendthrift ways without a threat of being removed from office. Trustee Marlene Draper was quoted in the Register as saying the trustees needed to spend more effort communicating with the public. Perhaps she has a fat contract in mind for the trustees’ public relations man, Roger Faubel.

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The CUSD Parent to Parent Special Education Support Group met on Dec. 16 in Dana Point. Parents are uniting with the intent to file a class action lawsuit against the district for failing to provide education for children with special needs. Those wanting more information should call (949) 295-5050 or (949) 249-0629.

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