Ill-conceived Project Was Wasteful
Letter to the editor

The closing comment by Keith Rattay, Mission Viejo Public Services Director, regarding the pile of easels [Or. Co. Register, “Ask us anything,” May 9], that the cleanup after a big event “just doesn’t happen overnight,” was technically correct if not entirely satisfactory. After the city learned that its monument to waste had been discovered, the pile was dismantled within 24, not 12, hours, begging the question, “Had no one alerted city hall, what would have happened to the pile of easels?”

If the city was planning to keep 250 easels and donate the other 250, why were they dumped haphazardly? A better question is, “How much did the city spend on these easels before throwing them onto a heap?”

But, wait! There’s more …

What happened to the 500 disposable cameras the city handed out to residents at no charge? Very few cameras came back with photos for the supposedly record-breaking display. Is there any list of camera recipients and those whose photos were in the gallery?

Where are the 500 grossly enlarged, laminated photos and “My MV” posters now? Was the record for “longest photo display” set and properly recognized? Was this ill-conceived project a costly failure from the outset?

Perhaps Rattay’s job title should be Director of Unwarranted Largesse.

Lisa De Paul-Snyder
Mission Viejo