March 19 Council Meeting
Staff editorial

The March 19 council meeting was an endurance test, lasting 4 hours and 33 minutes. Recent meetings don’t rival the 2 a.m. sessions Councilwoman Trish Kelley ran as mayor two years ago, but they’re increasingly drawn out and tedious.

An item of considerable interest to the public was the proposed ordinance requiring the city and its contractors to verify citizenship of employees. Councilman John Paul Ledesma initiated the item at the March 5 council meeting. The only opposition on March 19 was a Costa Mesa resident speaking at the public microphone, referring to illegal aliens as “victims.” Delivering a mixed message from the public microphone was Steve Guess, the campaign manager for Brian Skalsky, who failed to win a council seat in 2006.

Mission Viejo resident Steve Serra spoke eloquently in favor of the ordinance, and community activists Max MacDougal and Carl Schulthess also drew enthusiastic applause for their comments of support.

Schulthess said, “There’s nothing cheap about cheap labor.” He described the high price of illegal immigration to the community – extra burdens on schools, jails and the reemergence of disease that was all but eliminated prior to the flood of illegal immigrants.

Upon hearing the enthusiastic applause for Serra, MacDougal and Schulthess, Council Members Lance MacLean and Trish Kelley jumped in, attempting to repeat what residents said.

The council unanimously passed the ordinance requiring the city and its vendors to participate in the Basic Pilot Program of verifying employment eligibility, as administered by the Department of Homeland Security.

A second item of community interest was the proposed draft ordinance regarding regulations applicable to signs and amending portions of sign standards of the city’s municipal code. The council voted 5-0 to allow monument signs listing the name of the business center and up to three tenants. The council additionally directed city staff to explore an overlay zone for commercial highway businesses. At one point, City Attorney Bill Curley responded to a question about the city government’s exemption from its restrictions. He said, “It’s good to be the king.”

The council also unanimously approved the issuance of tax-exempt obligations for the California Statewide Communities Development Authority to finance medical facilities at Mission Hospital. Comments revealed the tax-exempt financing in no way puts the city at risk.

Continuing to take agenda items out of order, the council next heard a report regarding the city’s audit of the Capistrano Unified School District’s tax monies collected in Mission Viejo – redevelopment, Mello-Roos and Measure A funds. The council approved a $55,000 contract in June 2006 for the audit following public outcry over the deteriorating condition of CUSD schools in Mission Viejo, particularly Newhart Middle School. The auditor reported CUSD’s lack of cooperation, saying he had never before experienced such difficulty accessing public data. The auditor’s report thus far includes CUSD’s refusal to allow access or cooperate with the audit, failure to perform required tracking and reporting and not setting aside funds as required by agreement with the city of Mission Viejo.

Councilwoman Kelley said she was “disappointed” with the revelations. Throughout her history as a PTA member, Kelley supported former Supt. James Fleming, his key administrators and CUSD trustees who diverted funds from Mission Viejo schools to other cities and built a luxurious administration building in San Juan Capistrano. Throughout the 2005 attempt to recall all seven CUSD trustees, Kelley defended Fleming and fawned over the trustees, inviting them to make cameo appearances at Mission Viejo council meetings while parents supporting the recall attempted to get signatures against them.

The council directed city staff members to get cost estimates for developing a dog park. After years of studies, PowerPoint presentations at council meetings, formation of a citizen committee and a great deal of staff time, the potential sites have been narrowed to two. One is near the city’s community center and a second is at Alicia Park.

With almost no one remaining in the audience, the council voted 4-1 (Reavis dissenting) to spend up to $375,220 on a restroom at Melinda Park. The vote could end a controversy that’s gone on for years. Residents living near the park initially asked for enforcement of existing laws after complaining that park visitors were relieving themselves in bushes. Instead of enforcing laws, the city will now spend taxpayer dollars to provide restrooms for visitors. According to public testimony during past council meetings, the primary offenders include soccer players and other sports-team members who come from other cities to use the park.