City Projects Unleashed
Staff editorial

Has anyone ever been seen working on the Crown Valley road-widening project?

It was reported that someone actually saw a worker last week. Or was it last month? But the sighting was not a productive crewmember, of course. Otherwise, why would this project have dragged on so long past the original projected completion date?

Prior rumors about the ever-continuing project mentioned worker sightings. However, the workers were actually contractors for the hospital, which managed the complete construction of a five-story parking structure and related five-story building while the city only has completed a small percentage of its own road-widening project.

As "real time" developers know, delays run up enormous costs over the original budget and are to be avoided, which the hospital clearly has done. But the city, which manages its own construction projects, has no apparent urgency to complete the Crown Valley project. City hall is undaunted by cost overruns from poor management or the never-ending traffic tie-ups inflicted on commuters.

No one knows what happened to the original road construction sign with the proposed completion date on it. Likely, it simply rotted out over the many months of delays. So, who's to ask the new date of completion? There’s no clear indication of when, and that seems to suit the city manager just fine. As an aside, the city manager was promoted without actual city manager experience, and it’s ironic he was in charge of public works prior to becoming city manager. Under his helm today, the expected Crown Valley, Oso and La Paz street improvements will likely stay in the "expected" category, perhaps for decades to come.

As another anticipated city endeavor, the projected cost of the proposed dog park rises and doubles each time the topic is discussed. Perhaps the projected cost is based on the inevitable cost overruns on just about every project the city takes on. Let costs run free as dogs in a dog park in a city that has no leash on its staff. One notable cost-savings suggestion on the dog park is to let the grading of the lot be done by the dogs themselves. Over the years, they can grade and level the park as they try to uncover certain buried bones of past management.

Open Letter – Request for Help
From a CUSD parent

As Orange County Register articles have indicated

http://www.ocregister.com/news/board-fleming-cusd-1783745-investigation-trustees
former CUSD superintendent James Fleming has the audacity to once again demand that WE, the parents and taxpayers in CUSD – many of whom he targeted with his enemies lists – pay for his and former assistant superintendent Susan McGill's criminal defense attorneys' fees.

In my opinion and based on all the evidence (lists, memos and grand jury testimony), there is no question that Fleming used our private education files to compile a political "enemies list” – for which he has been charged with multiple felonies. We have also learned from investigations and testimony that Fleming then sent Susan McGill and another CUSD official to the OC Registrar of Voters office to illegally obtain names of petition circulators from confidential recall petitions, and then used our private education files again to compile a second political enemies list – with our children's and spouses’ names and other confidential information on it, resulting in felony charges also being filed against McGill. McGill testified to the grand jury that she never even saw a list (for which felony perjury charges were subsequently filed against her); however, I have a copy of the "children's enemies list" that she and her secretary created for Fleming. It's startling to see it (and her accompanying memo describing it to Fleming) in black and white. It's disgusting to me that Fleming is now demanding that we pay to defend him and Susan McGill for their actions.

It would be completely offensive if the four Fleming-era trustees (Benecke, Draper, Darnold and Stiff) were to even consider paying legal defense fees, but I suspect that's what they may do at the Aug. 13 board meeting. At a time when the district is running a $9-million deficit resulting in an increase in class sizes while cuts are made at our schools, the last thing the trustees should be considering is spending our education dollars on defending Fleming and McGill for the actions they took against us and our children. 

I hope you agree that enough is enough. Let's put a stop to this travesty now. Please email the trustees at the following addresses. Please respectfully request that our trustees defend us - their constituents, not lawbreakers like Fleming and McGill. 

The Trustees' email addresses are:
sbenecke@cox.net
anna@annabryson.com
ljchristensen@cox.net
emaddoniziocpa@cox.net
trapper2@cox.net
mmdraper@cox.net
bajamike1@cox.net

cc it to:  slovely@capousd.org

Please pass this on to your friends and family. This is an ongoing process, but we are making great strides. You can and DO make a difference. Your support helped to get the grand jury transcripts posted online, and it will hopefully also result in even more media coverage.

If the trustees place it on the agenda as an action item, I plan to organize a protest to make sure they get the message loud and clear; that we will not stand by silently while they vote to take our kids' education dollars and waste them on defending lawbreakers.

With everyone's help, we can get this district back on the right track – you are making a difference!

Thank you for your support!

CUSD update
Editorial staff

Both the Capistrano Dispatch and the Orange County Register have generously provided the public with online access to 1,300 pages of grand jury transcripts regarding the Capistrano Unified School District. The grand jury investigation led to the May 24 indictment of former CUSD superintendent James Fleming and former assistant superintendent Susan McGill.

The Capistrano Dispatch link is
http://www.thecapistranodispatch.com/archives/CUSD_Grand_Jury_Transcripts.pdf

The link to documents at the Register is
http://www.ocregister.com/news/testimony-superintendent-fleming-1791599-former-trustees

Some CUSD parents who read the transcripts last week said CUSD acting superintendent Suzette Lovely helped create the lists of enemies by participating in high-level cabinet meetings where the lists were reviewed, discussed and enhanced with notes. They cited statements by Fleming’s secretary, Kate McIntyre. An article by an OC Register reporter challenges their conclusion, saying nothing implicates Ms. Lovely in helping create the lists. Given the consensus on most other issues, the question of Lovely’s involvement might be brushed off if she weren’t currently the district’s top official.

With testimony now available online, additional inquisitive minds will evaluate the claims of CUSD officials who “did nothing, knew nothing and can’t remember anything.”

Here’s a problem with the reporter’s challenge regarding Lovely. Parents who reviewed the entire testimony point to McIntyre’s specific remarks. Parents say, when the remarks are considered in totality, they reveal the lists were copied for a meeting of eight to 10 cabinet members who reviewed and discussed names on the lists and added information. McIntyre identifies Lovely as one of the high-level cabinet participants.

Additionally, at least some of the cabinet members named in the testimony as seeing the lists were at school board meetings when both Fleming and President Marlene Draper denied the existence of the lists. No cabinet member corrected their claims.

Parents and other community members have repeatedly asked why district employees who knew about the lists and other alleged wrongdoing didn’t come forward. Only former district employee David Smollar told the OC Register about the lists. One must consider the employees were (and some still are) high-level administrators with six-figure salaries. Even the secretary makes six figures.

What value did some of these highly compensated employees have except loyalty to Fleming and the ability to keep secrets? Community members who are interested enough to read the testimony should keep this question in mind.

Reader comments

No solutions – just more bad ideas

I have followed the lack of interest taken by the governing body of Mission Viejo regarding the problem of traffic in the area of Newhart Middle School, in the adjacent neighborhoods and on La Paz Road. If this council has its way, we can add more housing, crime, students and traffic to the existing situation. They proposed a gymnasium, dog park, enlarged community center and now 450 apartments above the stores to compound the problems. Where will the tot lot go? What else could one hope for?  Oh, maybe tents at the library and city hall with those portable outdoor showers for the homeless. The displaced merchants at the center could also operate from the parking lots in tents. Oh goody, a giant flea market.

Shirley Parmeter
Mission Viejo

Clarification on drug house story

One salient point was missing from The Buzz [July 21] account of the situation. The house at which the arrests occurred is an absentee landlord property. The renters have made a point of letting the neighbor know that they are well-informed of their legal rights. Although numerous residents have contacted the actual homeowner, no action has been taken. Apparently, as long as the rent is paid, he has no problem with the tenants. This is only one house. What will happen with a multi-unit rental property with legally protected "low income" tenants?  Let's not turn downtown Mission Viejo into a slum.

Lisa De Paul-Snyder
Mission Viejo

Everyone pays for bad decisions

McLean, Ury and Kelley shall be voted out of office in the next election.  They – all three – are highly incompetent, and they are wasting our money.

(Permission not given to publish name)

Reaction to blog editorial about hospital director’s opinions

Perhaps Mr. Bastone [hospital director] in his quest for public service should address the fact that Mission Hospital does not have a contract with any senior HMO. Medical care is his game, and the seniors are left out. He should stick to medical care and not worry about housing.

Shirley Parmeter
Mission Viejo

Keep the current sign and volunteers

Why do we need an electronic sign on La Paz and Marguerite? I am very distracted by the two signs down by the college. They cannot be read in entirety while waiting for the traffic light to change. We do not have to hire someone to change the signage. Why not let the volunteers continue their good work?

Dee Strubb
Mission Viejo

Off and Running, Running and Off
Editorial staff

If California voters don’t pass an initiative to extend term limits on the February 2008 special ballot, Assemblyman Todd Spitzer will be termed out of office in November 2008. Mission Viejo is in Spitzer’s 71st Assembly District.

Already vying for Spitzer’s seat are Mission Viejo Councilman John Paul Ledesma, Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais, Irvine Councilman Steven Choi and Corona Councilman Jeff Miller. Their race will be on the June ballot unless voters decide in February to complicate matters by extending state Assembly and state Senate terms.

Who would best represent Mission Viejo residents? It should be an easy question with Ledesma in the race. He won his first Mission Viejo election in 1998 by defeating incumbent councilman Larry Smith. He was reelected in 2002 and 2006. Some of Ledesma’s votes on zoning, affordable housing and redevelopment put him at odds with his base, but he has staying-power in a city that likes to dump incumbents.

Assembly candidate Blais raided Mission Viejo recently and picked off endorsements from former councilwomen Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow, whom he supported in their 2002 landslide demotion to oblivion. Does that not demonstrate Blais is out of touch with a city he hopes to represent?

A city activist remarked, “Blais erred by touting his association with the deposed queens. However, their record is benign when compared with the current Mission Viejo council.”

While Butterfield and Withrow aren’t likely to stage a comeback, perhaps they’re no longer the worst elected officials in the city’s history.

For amusement if nothing else, candidate Jeff Miller’s campaign last week sent an email about Blais’ fundraising. Blais had issued numerous press releases about his early success, but Miller’s email about campaign finance reports revealed Blais is wildly popular with his own banker. Of his money raised so far, $100,000 of the “outpouring of support” has come from Blais.

The Buzz column, August 2

Reader request: “I agree that the current city council members are just like the old ones, trying to put their names on everything. The large signs on slopes and roadways with all the council members’ names are outrageous. If the council members want to put their names on something, what about putting them on the blue plastic bags available in parks for people walking their dogs?”

***

Most of Mission Viejo’s problems are manmade. To be specific, its biggest problems are council-made. Here are a few of the recent ones caused by the council: 1) The affordable housing debacle resulted in two future slums and triggered a lawsuit against the city costing more than $1 million; 2) The council approved an electronic sign for no apparent reason, despite public outcry; 3) The council is meddling in private property rights at the retail center at La Paz and Marguerite and planning apartments on top of stores; 4) The council unanimously approved the contract for a consultant to create a Wireless Master Plan with a bonus to put unneeded cell towers in public parks.

***

Residents haven’t forgotten Councilman Frank Ury’s remarks when he talked about the fabricated advantages of the new electronic sign, “We can get rid of The City Outlook magazine.” Actually, they could get rid of the magazine at any time – who would notice except the city’s fluff-writers and the contractors who publish it?

***

Widening of Ortega Highway would alleviate some of the traffic problems in Mission Viejo, particularly with regard to future housing developments to the east. Caltrans recently released its plan to widen Ortega from two to four lanes between Calle Entradero and Antonio Parkway. The plan is being challenged by San Juan Capistrano. SJC homeowner associations have already protested against an alternative link from the 241 to the 73. A Mission Viejo activist has said San Juan Capistrano will try to avoid widening Ortega by extending Avery and/or rerouting Ortega traffic via an extension of Cow Camp Road, which would dead-end the traffic onto Antonio Parkway – north to Crown Valley to the I-5. The city of SJC is lining up legal help to challenge Caltrans’ plan. View the initial study at
http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist12/74_widening/index.htm

***

Not everyone has time to read 1,300 pages of grand jury testimony regarding the Capistrano Unified School District. An excellent sampling was penned by Jonathan Volzke of the Capistrano Dispatch,

http://www.cusdrecall.com/page11/page45/files/07-0713%20TCD%20Volzke.pdf
It doesn’t cover the entire range of issues, but it reveals top school officials claiming they have no knowledge of important business, policy, facilities, real estate or financial matters. Administrators testify they are either clueless or rely entirely on CUSD’s consultants or legal advisors to call the shots. The district is apparently run by self-proclaimed know-nothings.

***

Reading between the lies: A blog staffer who reviewed the transcripts noted that when Fleming appeared before the grand jury on April 26, 2007, he refused to answer every substantive question, based on his Fifth Amendment rights. Fleming’s next appearance in court will be on Friday, Aug. 10.

***

Forwarded by Editor-in-Chief Carl Schulthess. (Under age 40? You won't understand.)
My mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning. Our school sandwiches were wrapped in waxed paper in a brown paper bag, not in icepack coolers, but I can't remember getting E. coli.

We took gym, not PE, and risked permanent injury with a pair of high-top Keds (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air-cushion soles and built-in light reflectors. I can't recall any injuries, but they must have happened because they tell us how much safer we are now.

In school, we all said prayers and sang the national anthem, and staying in detention after school caught all sorts of negative attention.

I thought that I was supposed to accomplish something before I was allowed to be proud of myself.

I recall a kid from next door coming over and doing his tricks on the front stoop, just before he fell off. Little did his mom know that she could have owned our house. Instead, she picked him up and swatted him for being such a goof. It was a neighborhood run amok.