Esteemed Council Members Graciously Duke it Out
Staff editorial

The council’s selection of the 2008 mayor and mayor pro tem was last on the Dec. 3 agenda. Almost no one stayed to the end of the meeting, which lasted more than five hours. The meltdown at the end was an ironic twist to the council’s earlier 4-1 vote to change Mission Viejo’s image to “gracious, esteemed and harmonious.”

If Mission Viejo residents are aware Councilman John Paul Ledesma is the current mayor pro tem, they might expect he would become the next mayor. Councilwoman Gail Reavis apparently thought so, and she nominated him at the first opportunity. A silent moment followed, and Ledesma seconded the motion. Rather than discussing Ledesma’s nomination, Councilman Lance MacLean next nominated Frank Ury as mayor. In the interest of harmony, MacLean should have instead set off a stink bomb.

In the discussion, MacLean spoke first, expounding on the “time-honored tradition of rotating the mayor.” Not true. The tradition is to prevent minority or disliked council members from becoming mayor. MacLean said, “We’ve always tried to rotate the mayor.” Also not true. Ury was next in line to become mayor a year ago, and MacLean was fully engaged in denying Ury the title.

Reavis spoke next, saying rotation isn’t the tradition. She mentioned Ury’s comments during the meeting when he implied his fellow council members were incompetent. Reavis also discussed Ury’s effort to unseat Kelley, Ledesma and MacLean in their 2006 reelection bids.

When Ledesma spoke, he bluntly said he didn’t trust Ury, who makes false accusations and uses innuendo when talking with out-of-town politicians. Ledesma said, “A mayor gives the impression of speaking for the city.”

Ury took the opportunity to speak, but he failed to persuade others he should be mayor. He instead renewed his attack against Reavis saying, “We’ve got a 10,000-pound moose on the table,” referring to her $10-million claim against the city. About his being mayor, he said, “There are people outside and inside the community who have a different perspective.”

Readers should stop and ask: who are these “people” living outside the community, and why do they care who serves as Mission Viejo’s mayor? Skip ahead to a comment made by Reavis after the vote. She said, “The Republican who called all of us (telling Mission Viejo Council Members to select Frank Ury as mayor) made some serious points.” The “Republican” friend of Ury who called council members is Scott Baugh, the Orange County Republican Party chair. Baugh also interfered in the 2006 city election, trying to unseat the incumbents and get his prot‚g‚ Justin “Justintime” McCusker on the council.

Reavis called for the vote. First, the council on Ledesma – Reavis and Ledesma for; Ury, MacLean and Kelley against. The motion failed. Next, the council voted on Ury – MacLean and Ury for; Reavis, Ledesma and Kelley against. The motion failed.

The lights may have gone on for Reavis: Kelley wanted to become the next mayor. Reavis nominated Kelley, and MacLean seconded. After throwing both Ledesma and Ury under the bus, Kelley demurely said, “I accept the nomination.” The motion passed: (Kelley, Reavis and MacLean for; Ury and Ledesma against). Kelley was no one’s first choice, but three council members jumped at the chance to prevent anyone else’s first choice from getting the title.

With hindsight, Kelley’s earlier silence makes sense. Rotation wasn’t her concern. She intended to elbow her way to the front of the line, this time pushing Ledesma out of her way.

MacLean nominated Ury for mayor pro tem, and no other nomination followed. The motion was approved 3-2 (MacLean, Ury, Kelley in favor; Reavis and Ledesma opposed).

Instead of a gracious, esteemed and harmonious exit, council members wiped the mud off their faces and avoided stepping in the moose droppings as they made their way out the door.