And They’re Off!
Staff editorial

According to the city clerk, 13 residents have inquired about running for Mission Viejo City Council. As of this writing, eight have pulled papers: Jim Woodin, Michael Ferrall, Trish Kelley, Brian Skalsky, Neil Lonsinger, Lance MacLean, Bill Barker and Justin McCusker. Diane Greenwood earlier filed her intent to run but may have dropped out. Also saying he’ll run is Councilman John Paul Ledesma, whose July 9 wedding may have preempted political activities.

Lonsinger’s jumping in was a surprise to almost everyone. He was appointed to the Planning Commission in January 2005 by Kelley. During his first year on the dais, he did not actively participate in meetings. Unless he garners community support, he increases MacLean’s chance of survival if he pulls any votes away from the other challengers.

Adding irony to the situation, Trish Kelley apparently asked Lonsinger to manage her campaign when no one else would. He said no. Lonsinger does have a reputation for donating $1,000 to his favorite city candidates. Fund-less and floundering, Kelley could use $1,000. Her only fundraiser in four years allegedly netted $5,000. For $5,000, she could send a mailer or buy signs but not both. Kelley appeared to sell her vote to Steadfast, but she wasn’t savvy enough to get nearly what other council members received. Kelley lately is trying to cozy up to supporters of the Capo school board recall. A recall activist said, “It won’t work. She supported Fleming and the trustees throughout the recall and now claims she was neutral. Kelley has flipped on everything else – and now the recall, six months after the fact.”

Councilman Lance MacLean is toast. He’s become almost as unpopular as Susan Withrow and Sherri Butterfield, and he did it in half the time.

Jim Woodin and Michael Ferrall are the two challengers most likely to knock out MacLean and Kelley. Woodin joined the front lines two years ago against high-density housing. Incredibly, the man is campaigning the old-fashioned way, walking precincts and asking residents for their vote. Ferrall serves on the Community Services Commission, and he routinely says no to big government, irresponsible spending and degrading the city with high-density housing. He’s putting his own money into his campaign.

At the shallow end of the political pool, Brian Skalsky is a 20-something kiddo. He’s spoken a couple times at council meetings, and he nicely thanked the council for approving high-density affordable housing on Los Alisos Blvd. According to his three supporters (literally), he’s an affordable housing advocate. If a platform to ruin neighborhoods weren’t the death knell, his few ties to the adult world allegedly go directly to former City Manager Dan Joseph.

Justin McCusker is Councilman Frank Ury’s candidate. Ury has been working on endorsements for McCusker from Republican bigwigs. If anyone cares what a few good old boys think about Mission Viejo politics, they’ll be directing voters to support a virtual unknown who has yet to attend a council meeting. McCusker, accidentally mispronounced by a resident as “McClunker," could follow Ury’s 2004 precedent of getting a ton of campaign cash from San Diego Co.

Bill Barker is another candidate whose reason for running appears to be self-gratification. Regarding his claim of having a Web site, Candidate Barker has registered a domain name, which he plopped on a generic domain parking page. Take a look at . Categories on the page include Gay Dating and other interesting headings that won’t improve Barker’s political stature. Candidate Barker recently made public comments about thoughtless people who park in handicapped spaces. He should be concerned about where careless candidates park their domain names.