Council meeting summary, April 3

Many of those attending the April 3 council meeting came for school-related agenda items. Three council members – John Paul Ledesma, Gail Reavis and Trish Kelley – proposed an audit of Mission Viejo tax dollars received and spent by Capistrano Unified School District.

Council members said CUSD parents asked them to propose an audit of Measure A, Redevelopment Agency and Mello-Roos monies. Those who spoke during public comments pointed to the city’s aging and deteriorating school facilities while neighboring cities have new schools built with some of the Mission Viejo tax dollars.

Kelley spoke first, asking for an independent audit of CUSD’s receipts and expenditures of Mission Viejo Mello-Roos, Measure A and Redevelopment Agency funds.

Ledesma provided the most detailed information and pointed to the lack of equity with regard to facilities. He made a motion to approve his four-point proposal: 1) demand that school facilities be brought up to standards, 2) find out why students are bused in from San Juan Capistrano, 3) get bids for auditing receipt and expenditure of funds, 4) direct staff to explain funding in the City Outlook magazine. At one point, MacLean attempted to interrupt Ledesma, talking over him while Ledesma continued.

Reavis supported the audit, saying CUSD’s facilities in Mission Viejo need attention. She commended parents for their tenacity and cited a CUSD mission statement saying the community has the right to hold the school district accountable.

Neither Councilman Lance MacLean nor Frank Ury seemed interested in discussing the agenda item. Instead of discussing the audit, Ury asked the audience, “Do you want a speech or do you want to hear what we can do?” After chastising others for making speeches, he proceeded to make a speech, saying the council has no more authority than a citizen requesting public information.

Apparently referring to council members supporting the item, MacLean said, “I don’t like the hype I hear up here.” He then read a letter from CUSD Supt. James Fleming, saying the school board would meet April 24 to discuss the possibility of spending more money on Mission Viejo school facilities but not offering a time line. The mood of audience members suggested they didn’t like the hype coming from Fleming, given the condition of school facilities and the long-term problems. MacLean then suggested other council members “get out of town more often” to see that school facilities are worse in other communities.

Prior to the vote, Ury requested a division of the question to separate Ledesma’s four points. Ury claimed some of the statements weren’t “well thought out.” Ury’s motion to divide the question failed, and the council approved the item 5-0.

The council next considered Ury’s request for a feasibility study regarding the development of Sunrise Park. Kelley seconded his motion but asked the purpose. Ury harshly responded, “Did you read my agenda item?” When Kelley said she had, he said he would read it to her slowly. Ury’s motion for the feasibility study failed, with Ury and Kelley voting for and MacLean, Ledesma and Reavis against.

The council also approved a town hall meeting 5-0, scheduling it for May 8. The item was apparently requested by Diane Greenwood, who recently announced her intention to run for a council seat. Despite very low attendance this year at council meetings, no one asked why another meeting of any kind is needed or how much the meeting would cost.

What happened to common courtesy?
Letter to the editor

Wasn’t Monday night’s city council meeting a real show? Hopefully, the mayor’s temporary rudeness to his colleagues was caused by his desire to get home to watch the national college basketball finals that night.

Why did the mayor feel the need to turn on his microphone and attempt to interrupt and/or talk over Councilman John Paul Ledesma during the agenda item requesting an audit on how, where and for what use Capistrano Unified School District is spending OUR money? Isn’t much of this money raised by Mission Viejo taxpayers from our Mello-Roos, Redevelopment Agency and Measure A funds?

Does the CUSD superintendent need his Taj Mahal offices being built now, costing $32 million, up to perhaps $52 million when all furnishings and finishing touches are added? Should the superintendent continue busing more and even more students to overcrowded Newhart Middle School? Is it true that some students have to sit on the floor? I hope Mission Viejo taxpayers and parents will visit some of these decrepit facilities.

Did Councilman Frank Ury really need to slowly read his proposal for an athletic center to another colleague, accusing that person either of not reading or being unable to understand his plans? Whatever happened to common courtesy on this Mission Viejo City Council? Should not the citizens of Mission Viejo have the right to vote on any councilman’s pet project, especially when millions of dollars are involved?

Beverly Cruse
Mission Viejo

Reader reaction

Finally, there’s information about the political arena that is truthful and factual in the Mission Viejo NewsBlog. We’re not getting the facts in the Saddleback Valley News. I appreciate the information I’m getting in this new paper.

I do want to apologize for the recommendations I made to others in the 2002 city election. I recommended that everyone vote for council members who haven’t done a good job of representing the residents. The council members might be good and honest people, but they’re caught up in the city’s politics. We have council members who are influenced by money, not a true representation of what people want.

Something happens to people who get on the council. Those I knew before they ran for office changed after the election, and I’m wondering what happened to them.

Chuck Burzumato
Mission Viejo

The city needs a business development consultant
Letter to the editor

Mission Viejo doesn’t have a marketing representative to develop business community contacts and improve the city’s business climate. Mission Viejo also doesn’t need one more employee added to the city staff on a payroll that is already bloated. When comparing Mission Viejo to Rancho Santa Margarita, the payroll differences are glaring. Rancho Santa Margarita has 17 or 18 employees for a contract city and Mission Viejo has 133 or 134 employees.

Businesses contribute approximately one-half of the city’s income and represent about 10 percent of the city’s geographic area. Residents contribute about one-half of the city’s income and represent about 90 percent of the city as homeowners. Residents pay through property taxes and businesses pay through sales taxes and property taxes. These percentages are approximate, but the comparison illustrates the value of business to the city. With one cent of every seven and three-quarters (7.75 percent) of sales taxes going to the city, our city needs a healthy business climate.

Mission Viejo needs a non-employee marketing consultant who works on a commission basis and develops contacts for business improvement in the city. This person should be paid on a performance-basis only. New businesses mean more income to the city, and a contact working for the city adds muscle to the city business development program. Business symposiums should be sponsored by the city and the word disseminated in the Orange County community that Mission Viejo is serious about business growth.

James Edward Woodin
Mission Viejo

Failure to lead
Staff editorial

When Trish Kelley decided to run for office in July 2002, a sense of relief followed. Someone with her background as a community volunteer and PTA mom had more appeal than the self-serving incumbents, Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow. Kelley surprised a lot of people – particularly the two ousted councilwomen – by getting the most votes in the lopsided election.

Kelley didn’t run for office on her leadership or knowledge of how to operate a business. She was a mom and housewife. While qualifications for the council are minimal, basic competency shouldn’t be overlooked. Beyond representing the residents, council members make million-dollar decisions at every meeting.

How has Kelley fared with on-the-job training? Looking at her 2002 campaign promises might be the best way to measure how she’s grown into the job. Her promises included open government, civility at council meetings, improved city services, traffic congestion relief, sound fiscal management and transportation for seniors. She’s delivered none of the above.

Instead, Kelley prefers back-door deals, closed-session agreements and believing whatever the city staff tells her. The city staff – approximately 130 employees – can count on her vote. Civility at council meetings?
Absolutely not, and she orchestrated the destruction of the city’s best-ever planning commission. Traffic is far worse now than 3 1/2 years ago when Kelley began her reign of incompetence. The only residents who aren’t stuck in traffic are the city’s seniors who are stuck on their front porch, still waiting for a ride.

Not long after Kelley was elected, a seemingly objective resident said, “Kelley got in over her head. Her supporters persuaded her to run and didn’t look beyond the election when she’d have to lead. She appeared confused about who to trust. She couldn’t associate with the watchdog group (Committee for Integrity in Government) because the press was calling her a puppet. She began listening to the city staff instead of the residents.”

When Kelley wouldn’t listen to the residents, some of them – fallen members of the CIG – made the mistake of listening to her. They abandoned their ethical stance against redevelopment and began attacking each other instead of opposing big government. Her views are no different from the old gals she ran against in 2002.

Kelley can’t – or won’t – work with anyone else on the council. Considering where this council is going, it’s just as well they can’t agree on much of anything.

With poetic justice at its highest and best, Kelley is getting back everything she dished out in past elections. Gail Reavis worked hard in 2002 to get Kelley elected, and in 2004 Kelley worked like a maniac to get Reavis out. Kelley worked for Frank Ury in 2004, and Ury is lining up candidates to replace her. He announced at a public meeting he won’t endorse her.

Kelley lately has little to say as she sits on the council. She’s had little to say for more than three years, despite a lot of chatter about feel-good programs and which council members she’s going to throw out of office. Kelley fooled voters in 2002, and they should keep this in mind when voting this fall.

The Buzz Column, April 4

A story in the OC Register by Maria Hsin misrepresented the Mar. 20 council vote to provide wireless Internet access at City Hall. According to Hsin, making City Hall a WiFi zone is the “first step” in taking the service citywide. Said an insider, “Either she’s spending too much time listening to Frank Ury or she doesn’t understand the technology.” He explained, “The council didn’t discuss having the city provide everyone with Internet access at no charge, as was done at the civic center. In order to have citywide WiFi, a private company would do that, and residents would pay to access the network.”

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How quickly is Roger Faubel blowing through $100,000 the city gave him to “educate” the public that Crown Valley Pkwy is being widened? After the pricey VIP balloon-fest on March 24, two signs appeared on the median announcing the road-widening project. Motorists say the signs are a distraction, not an education. Consultants listed in Faubel’s original proposal are allegedly not working on the project.

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Planning Commissioner Brad Morton led the commission on Mar. 27 in slowing down traffic on residential streets near Trabuco Hills High School. A child was previously hit and severely injured by a car and is undergoing several surgeries. Residents had been asking for 10 years for relief from speeding drivers. Commissioner Chandra Krout annoyed audience members by panning speed bumps, saying she speeds between bumps. She apparently annoyed the adults on the commission as well, including Richard Sandzimier, who said comments from the dais should be responsible.

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In her usual hushed tones, Councilwoman Trish Kelley has “secretly” been telling everyone she thinks the Capo school district trustees might be unethical. After 3 1/2 years on the council and many years in PTA, does she finally have a clue she was bamboozled by her buddies who rule the Flemingdom? This is 180 degrees from Kelley’s public praise of the trustees – and they haven’t changed.

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Connect the dots. Six months ago, a story floated around the county that John Cavanaugh’s law firm had the job nailed as Mission Viejo’s city attorney. Cavanaugh is an acquaintance of Ury’s campaign consultant from Orange. Ury apparently couldn’t muster the votes for Cavanaugh behind closed doors, and the job slipped back to Richards, Watson and Gershon, the city’s old attorney. Who showed up at Diane Greenwood’s political get-together last week? John Cavanaugh. Greenwood is Ury’s prot‚g‚, a Republicrat who announced she’s running for council this fall. Ury would need three votes to flip the contract over to Cavanaugh.

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Meanwhile, Ury’s minions continue to block for him at public meetings. The pack, including some former watchdogs, bark, fetch and roll over on command. The 2002 election put an end to a council majority trying to name buildings after themselves. By comparison with Ury’s agenda and ties to special interest, the former council members were merely annoying.

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Ignorance of the law excuses no man … from practicing it. The city attorney amused everyone at the April 3 meeting, demonstrating how long he could talk without answering a question. Saddleback Valley News reporter Maria Hsin was absent from the April 3 meeting, and the only person sitting in the row reserved for the press read a magazine while he was there. The resulting SVN coverage should be about the same as usual.