The Buzz column, Aug. 31

More than a third of 177,000 signatures were thrown out – including plenty of valid ones – in the 2005 attempt to recall all seven CUSD trustees. Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley took heat from constituents for showing favoritism toward the trustees (to the point of breaking the law), but his bosses – the county board of supervisors – brushed everything aside following a whitewash investigation. As an interesting connection, Director of Voter Services Kay Cotton had recently gone to work for Kelley. She was previously a senior staff member in Supv. Tom Wilson’s office. As recently revealed in grand jury testimony, Cotton and Kelley illegally gave CUSD officials access to confidential recall signatures in January 2006. Wilson initially opposed an investigation of the registrar’s office (why would he oppose an investigation unless he already knew what happened and who did it?). Even after the fit hit the shan with the CUSD recall and a similar snafu with a Newport Beach initiative, Kelley was promoted from acting registrar to permanent registrar by the board of supervisors.

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Mission Viejo welcomed Congressman Gary Miller on Aug. 30 with a full house in Atria del Sol’s community room. Miller’s topic was “What’s really going on in Washington, D.C.” Audience members asked a range of questions, with greatest concern centered on illegal immigration and national security.

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John Moorlach, Orange County’s second district supervisor, will speak in Mission Viejo at Atria del Sol, 23792 Marguerite Pkwy., at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18. Moorlach, a C.P.A. who worked his way up in accounting firms, became the Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector in 1995 after correctly stating Bob Citron and his crystal ball were both cracked. Moorlach made headlines last week after he asked his hand-picked successor in the treasurer’s office, Chriss Street, to step down following allegations of falsifying bid documents to cover up improper contract awards.

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Blog reader response: “The numbers the Southern California Association of Governments gave Irvine (creating 21,097 new affordable housing units in seven years) shows how crazy these people who want artificially created low-cost housing. First, the government picks my pocket to provide corporate welfare for developers who build housing that a community doesn’t want. Then, someone who hasn’t earned or saved for a home is suddenly entitled to become a homeowner. Then, a judge decides the homeowner can sell the home at market value to a yuppie. Why not save time by giving cash directly to everyone with a low income?”

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Those attempting to recall two Capo school district trustees think it will be easier the second time around. Be sure to note the elected officials wanting to attach their names to this recall. For the record, no elected official in Mission Viejo actually worked to reform the district. Councilwoman Trish Kelley was all google-eyed over former administrators James Fleming and David Doomey (DO-me) throughout the entire first recall. Only Councilman John Paul Ledesma stood up to former superintendent Fleming, challenging his false statements that Measure A bond money couldn’t be used at Newhart.

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Comment from a resident: “Have you ever tried to rent a meeting room in a city building? I tried calling and mostly got recorded messages, but I did find out all transactions go through one person who works part-time in the library. Be sure to call a long time in advance, because it could take awhile. I never talked with the right person. I still didn’t know if the room I needed was available, as no other employee could access the schedule. My impression is that these people are courteous but not helpful. The rooms were expressly built for our use, and we are paying for them with tax dollars whether someone is using them or being prevented from using them.”

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The Community Services Commission will consider how to incorporate more artwork in the city. One doesn’t have to look far for artists, as Mission Viejo has an art guild with many members who are talented artists. When the city hall was a new building, the city paid thousands of dollars for matting and framing pictures that looked like inexpensive prints one would find in a magazine. At least one artist approached the city to suggest that local artists should exhibit their work in prominent places in city hall. A city employee said no, because the city’s insurance wouldn’t cover the theft of such artwork. The artists said they would release the city from any liability in the event of theft or damage, but the city still said no. Perhaps it’s time to ask again. The artists were agreeable to loaning their work on a rotating basis, whereby art would be in place for several months at a time