Reader Comments: Q and A

“Where was Mission Viejo’s float in the Rose Parade? How much money did the city pay for a float that wasn’t even on TV?”

Residents who remember the council discussion are correct: on June 16, 2007, the council voted 4-1 (Reavis dissenting) to “set aside” $300,000 in the city budget for a float in the Rose Parade. The parade date discussed was January 1, 2009, not 2008. Mission Viejo’s city manager has a history of personal involvement in the Tournament of Roses Association, in case anyone is wondering why a built-out, bedroom community with no tourist attractions would have any reason whatsoever for participating in a parade in Pasadena.

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“The blog has published remarks indicating Councilwoman Trish Kelley is a dim bulb. I have observed she is adept at getting her way on the council. Is she really so dumb?”

Kelley has frequently been on the winning side because no one on the council can lead. Immediately following her 2002 election, Kelley positioned herself as the swing vote, where she was courted by both sides: big spenders (Lance MacLean and Bill Craycraft) and the more conservative council members (John Paul Ledesma and Gail Reavis). Kelley’s most recent success of elbowing her way into the mayor’s seat was an example of being manipulative. She refused to vote for anyone else as mayor, and when Reavis nominated her for mayor, she prevailed 3-2 by voting for herself.

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“What’s the stir about a secret city report concerning the power lines?”

Brad Morton uncovered a study conducted by Sage and Associates, and he reported the matter in his blog, www.missionviejodispatch.com. This issue goes back to the summer of 2006 when a resident stood under the power lines in north Mission Viejo to measure EMF and compared the readings with those from the previous summer. The new lines were supposed to reduce EMF at ground level because the lines are on taller poles. The resident claimed EMF readings from the new lines are higher, not lower. Whether or not residents are concerned about EMF, they should be concerned about secret studies, secret results and refusal by the city to disclose information upon request by a resident. Beyond the Dispatch article by Morton, residents might remember a flap during the 2006 city campaign. Council candidate Justin “Justintime” McCusker announced his knowledge of a closed-session discussion, claiming he had information what would “force Edison to bury its lines.” How did a candidate acquire closed-session information that no other resident could get (and is still unavailable to this day)? Keep in mind that McCusker as a candidate was foisted upon Mission Viejo voters by his mentor, Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh, and promoted by Councilman Frank Ury. Contradicting McCusker’s campaign remarks, Councilman MacLean said from the dais, “Anyone who claims the lines are going to be buried is lying.” Mission Viejo taxpayers paid for the study, and the results should be public information. The report should shed light on who is lying.

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“If you’re going to gather signatures for a city initiative [Dale Tyler’s Right To Vote regarding rezoning], why don’t you recall Councilman Lance MacLean while you’re at it?”

While MacLean well deserves to be recalled, backers of Tyler’s initiative believe the best way to deal with an untrustworthy council is to reduce the power of all five simultaneously.