The Buzz column, June 1

The column this week is comprised of reader feedback, giving blog staffers a break.

Reader comment following an April 7 Buzz item about Mission Hospital’s low-quality sculpture on the corner of Crown Valley Parkway and Medical Center Drive: “It’s not art. It’s temporary storage for scrap metal. Storage units are expensive, and the hospital is storing its scrap metal on the corner for free.”

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The Buzz last week indicated parents of autistic children should check out the benefits of Polfit’s intensive therapy. Reader response: “Polfit is therapy/fitness for children with CP, brain damage and muscular problems. Go to the Website www.polfit.com to learn more about it. Their work with autistic children is limited because most autistic children don't need the intensive therapy. You can also look on myspace.com or go to www.myspace.com/morethanwords_results.”

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From a resident who attended the May 28 Memorial Day event at City Hall: “I couldn’t believe it when Lance MacLean started giving a tribute to the late Norman P. Murray. Does anyone remember when Lance MacLean, Trish Kelley and Bill Craycraft voted to prevent Murray from continuing to serve on the Planning Commission in 2004? MacLean is not worthy of mentioning his name.”

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Published in the June 1 Saddleback Valley News: Resident Stanley E. Miller wrote a letter to the editor asking why the city allows Waste Management to bill residents three months in advance for trash collection. A blog reader responded, “What do we expect from council members after they accept thousands of dollars from city vendors for their campaigns? The incumbents in the last election had almost no residents campaigning for them except their immediate family. They were able to win because they were funded by city vendors. Incumbents are now showing they are loyal to their primary financiers, the city vendors.”

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Incumbents are not the only ones accepting campaign cash and selling out the residents. A blog reader asked about a donation from the owner of the property next to Steadfast’s “Nightmare on Jeronimo,” saying, “I noticed the owner of the Unisys property donated in the 2006 city election to the so-called 1-2-3 council candidates, Diane Greenwood, Bill Barker and Justin McCusker. Why would he bypass the incumbents and donate to challengers? What promise did he extract from these three in exchange for the donation? I’ve since learned the owner went directly to city hall and offered his business property for rezoning to high-density residential. It is appalling to realize these three candidates sold out the residents even before the election was over. Did the people who campaigned for Greenwood, Barker and McCusker have any idea what they were supporting?”

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A reader emailed regarding the ongoing challenge by Disneyland, which succeeded in gathering enough signatures to put an Anaheim council decision for rezoning on their city ballot. “When Mission Viejo was considering a request from UDR Pacific to rezone its property on east Los Alisos from commercial to residential, Curt Pringle [mayor] of Anaheim was sitting in the audience on behalf of his client, UDR Pacific. It seems Pringle is now on the other side of rezoning in his own city and voting on behalf of Disneyland. First, I’d suggest Pringle had no business meddling in Mission Viejo’s rezoning issues. Second, it is clear Pringle will support the highest bidder rather than stand on principle.”

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Several comments this week were in response to ongoing turmoil in CUSD, including indictments of former superintendent Boss Fleming and former assistant superintendent Susan McGill. With regard to CUSD’s finding a new superintendent: “They will have difficulty filling the position. I don't think the public would want anyone who is ‘dumb’ enough to take it.” Another response, “I’m tired of CUSD trustees blaming the parents for anything and everything. They continue deflecting blame, and they are incapable of solving problems.” Another response, “I was disgusted to learn James Fleming had used the CUSD email distribution to send out his 800-word response to the indictments. After being charged with three felonies, he should have used his right to remain silent. Some of the trustees responded publicly, demonstrating their right to remain stupid.”