The Buzz column, Sept. 26

At one of the Back-To-School events this week, a friend of Councilwoman Trish Kelley claimed Trish had been threatened by another council candidate. The friend of Kelley said, “She even has to have an escort to her car.” What’s the basis of this outrageous claim? If Kelley were actually threatened, where’s the police report? Trish either needs to tell the public about this or admit it was all in her head.

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Who is supporting Kelley besides her PTA chums? The ire of Capo parents at Kelley should be off the charts. Kelley touted her PTA “accomplishments” and fawned over former Supt. James Fleming while Capo schools declined with leaking, smelly, rodent-infested portables. Newhart Middle School – the city’s only trailer park – should be razed. While Kelley was jointly on the PTA and council, a fortune in Mission Viejo tax money was diverted into other cities and the Taj Mahal administration building in San Juan Capistrano. Will the PTA moms again put all their chips on Ms. Clueless in Mission Viejo?

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Another group Ms. Kelley is courting is the city’s seniors. Kelley promised them a transportation program and the completion of the community center expansion. After Kelley’s four years on the council, there’s no senior transportation program, and the $3-million expansion has turned into a $10-million joke before breaking ground.

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One former Saddleback Republican Assembly member continued to be disgruntled over SRA’s endorsement of council candidates Jim Woodin, John Paul Ledesma and Michael Ferrall. The former member, who apparently is campaigning for Diane Greenwood, sent fiery emails to club members saying the club had been “hijacked.” Perhaps Ms. Greenwood’s fan club of three people should form their own organization. It could be called N.O.P.E. – Negative On Practically Everything.

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The Sept. 25 Planning Commission agenda included several items about parking and other neighborhood problems. A common complaint among homeowners revolves around high-density housing projects – illegally parked cars, bad neighbors, noise, trash, “scary-looking people,” – spilling over into neighborhoods of single-family homes. No one who complained about the mess seemed to get answers, satisfaction or even a sense that anyone cared about declining areas of town. Would any of them like a Trish Kelley or a Lance MacLean sign for their yard? Despite all the glowing claims of incumbents, things have definitely gotten worse. The council majority – which includes Kelley and MacLean – is causing new problems by approving high-density housing projects that contribute to parking problems, trash, noise, crime and grief for those who live nearby.

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A city hall insider sent an ominous message, “The council has been deciding things in closed session that will be revealed after the election. They’re keeping a lid on it, but the city is going to change dramatically, and it has to do with the affordable housing lawsuit, among other things.” Voters will have only one opportunity – November 7 – to dump the incumbents who continue to sell out the residents.