Who’s in Charge?
Staff editorial

How do approximately 140 Mission Viejo city employees manage to look busy when many of them have no real jobs? They brainstorm until someone says, “Let’s break a world record by having the longest photo gallery in history!” Another says, “Let’s enter a float in the Rose Parade!” Another one says, “Let’s make a career of the few projects we have. We can take years widening Crown Valley Parkway!”

A responsible city council would react badly to all the above. But Mission Viejo doesn’t have a responsible council, and they’re not in charge anyway. The employees run the city. The administrative staff makes decisions and occasionally allows the council to approve what staff members decide.

The city of Mission Viejo as a small-government model is broken. Incorporated in 1988, this contract-based city would, in theory, never require a large city staff. City Hall had 86 employees in 1997 when Mission Viejo was nearly built out (population approaching 90,000). While the number of residents inched up slowly, the number of city employees grew dramatically, now at approximately 140 FTE. If the staff had increased proportionately with the population (currently 98,000), the city would now have 94 employees. With no housing developments, business centers, roads, etc., being built, essential work at city hall continues to diminish.

In comparison with Mission Viejo, the city of Rancho Santa Margarita has fewer than 20 permanent employees and a population of approximately 50,000. That’s not comparing apples to apples, but the contrast is stark. Clearly, Rancho doesn’t have the same mentality as Mission Viejo, where staff members create make-work projects and the council approves new hires.

Following build-out, Mission Viejo’s staff should have stopped growing as the city shifted from building to maintaining infrastructure. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that city planners and engineers are encouraging new, high-density housing projects that residents don’t want. Otherwise, engineers can end up stapling photos on easels at the city’s record-breaking photo display.

Those who read the endless schedule of city-sponsored events are amazed at the sheer number of taxpayer-funded activities. A few events are appropriate and appreciated, as demonstrated by large crowds. In a city with 98,000 residents, a good turnout would be thousands of people. Instead, many city-sponsored activities are poorly attended. With too many staff members and no real jobs, the make-work activities are plentiful but poorly conceived. After running out of ideas for legitimate government services, the city has involved itself in teaching parenting, coining logos and wasting a great deal of staff time to promote “character” words.

Residents who know something’s wrong see a lack of leadership on the council to stop the insanity. City staffers have effectively diverted the attention of council members by engaging them in worthless activities. Those easiest to fool attend every program, event, non-event and activity in town instead of going through the check register or noting which city staffers actually have jobs.

Mission Viejo activists haven’t worked together in years to improve the cast of council characters. The activists continue to be united on ideals but at war over candidates. The November 2008 election is shaping up as another high-stakes, nasty battle with at least seven residents running or posturing to run. Maybe it’s time for activists to reunite on electing reform-minded leaders instead of splitting the vote and changing nothing.

We Already Have the Best Leader
by Bo Klein

When Sheriff Mike Carona was dealing with his legal issues in January, he appointed Sheriff Jack Anderson to take charge as the acting sheriff. Anderson was given the responsibility because he was the best person who could immediately take charge under pressure and run OCSD in an efficient and competent manner.

Anderson had already proven his abilities while he was the officer in command of all South County. He was in the hot seat while handling the devastating wildfires in October, organizing and directing the emergency response that saved lives and property through his execution of the disaster plan.

Perhaps when Carona made the decision in January to give the responsibility to Anderson, he thought he would be exonerated by the courts. If that were the case, he would want to return to the department after his absence was handled by the most competent man available to show that our county has an excellent portfolio of well-trained personnel. Acting Sheriff Anderson had already demonstrated his superior abilities and knowledge of operations, and he was further tested during the fires. Jack has continued to lead in an exemplary way ever since he accepted the top responsibility.

Sheriff Anderson also has shown outstanding courage and insight into finding remedies for Carona’s management deficiencies. Jack has suggested removal of highly trained and highly paid OCSD deputies from serving four long years as guards in our jails. Our policemen need to be on the streets preventing crime, not guarding criminals already incarcerated. Assigning such personnel to jails is a huge waste of training and an unnecessary expense to taxpayers. Acting Sheriff Anderson has shown courage in presenting this proposal. He risks a reaction based on police-union perceived fears of layoffs, and such groups oppose his excellent idea. Forcing new deputies to perform guard duty (as took place under Carona's plan) for four long years may actually bias a new officer’s approach in later dealings with law-enforcement issues with the general public. Anderson's proposal was made prior to the recent debacle and beating death of an inmate, and Anderson apparently foresaw such dangers of Carona's system.

Anderson’s plan, which will save a huge amount of money, removes policemen from jails, replacing them with lesser-paid professional jailers. It allows a budget surplus that could be applied partially to the pensions of deputies and could fund a new Justice Center of courts and central police headquarters in South County. It would ensure both the retirement pay of union police members and better service to our communities.

It appears this county has the right and proven man, Jack Anderson, in our top cop spot. The Board of Supervisors should be encouraged by everyone to keep him in that role. Beyond that, voters should decide in the next election if Jack is to continue serving as Orange County Sheriff. I would like to see what other innovative concepts Anderson has to offer, and he should be granted that opportunity.

Weasels in the Easels Update
Editorial staff

Nearly three weeks ago, a Mission Viejo resident saw custom-built art easels in a pile of debris on city property. Approximately 200 easels from the city’s 20th anniversary photo display had been dumped near the city maintenance yard off La Paz Road. The rubble was visible from the road behind Michaels craft store.

City administrator Keith Rattay was quoted in the May 2 Saddleback Valley News, claiming the city’s 500 easels would be divided up. He said the city would keep 250 and give 250 to churches and schools. Contrary to Rattay’s statement, residents learned approximately 200 easels had already been taken to a dump.

Someone who saw the easels in the county dump on El Toro Road in Lake Forest reported the find to another city blog. Activists followed up on the information and saw the easels, which, by that time, were under truckloads of landscaping materials.

One of the activists said, “I want to know what the easels cost. Actually, I want to know what the whole project cost – 500 easels, 500 cameras, developing and printing 500 24-inch-square photos, laminating them and having city employees orchestrate the whole thing. It was such a waste of money. I am amazed with Rattay’s story, claiming half the easels would be given to charity. He was trying to make himself look good, and he got caught in a lie.”

Activists called the Orange County Register and Saddleback Valley News to request a follow-up article about Rattay’s statement conflicting with easels found at the dump. A reporter went to the dump with a photographer on May 14, and an article will follow.

Thank you to community activist Brad Morton for breaking the news on his blog.

Sunrise Has a Couple Bad Days
Editorial staff

A blog reader called attention to a May 16 Register article about Sunrise Senior Living. Sunrise is the developer trying to rezone the Casta del Sol golf course, proposing a 300-unit assisted-living project at the south end of the property. Activists following the process say the entire golf course will be carved up for development if the council approves rezoning.

On May 15, a jury awarded $1 million in punitive damages to relatives of a woman who died while being cared for in a Sunrise facility in Laguna Hills. In a separate verdict, the same Superior Court panel awarded $1 million on May 14 to relatives of another resident who died in the Laguna Hills Sunrise facility.

In the matter decided on May 14, the decedent’s children filed a wrongful death claim against Sunrise, alleging “Sunrise Senior Living purposely understaffed facilities in ‘a scheme to place profits over people.’” [Orange County Register, Local page 3, May 16]

According to the Register, the trial also highlighted the Sunrise facility’s violations, which have been investigated by the Department of Public Health. In December 2004, the state agency found the facility understaffed, failing to run background checks on some staff members and providing inadequate investigation of complaints. The facility was cited twice in 2007, and one of the incidents involved a patient being sexually molested.

The blog reader providing the information said, “After being fined $2 million, will Sunrise still have enough money to pay off council members for rezoning the golf course? Oh, I guess it will. At the price Mission Viejo council members sell their votes, it’s chump change.”

Connie’s Recommendations
by Connie Lee

I’ll be voting as a Republican in the June 3 Primary, and my recommendations are based on personal interviews and comparing backgrounds and voting records.

Vote for six candidates from a field of 11 for the Orange County Republican Central Committee, which directs the county’s Republican Party. The Central Committee is often criticized for being controlled by good old boys and their lobbyist friends. The best remedy is to stop re-electing good old boys. Here are my top six.

Ann Hagerty: tireless Republican worker; selfless, generous, informed, intelligent. Highly ethical leader of Republican groups. Mission Viejo resident.

Jack J. Anderson: former Planning Commissioner for Mission Viejo who supported residents against the Steadfast housing mess; candidate for permanent Sheriff.

Todd Spitzer: termed-out Assemblyman, informed, articulate, won’t be run over. Feisty and outspoken. Not popular with everyone, but liberals can’t stand him – it works for me.

Sally Connolly: true-blue Republican conservative; hardworking woman who has earned sainthood for Republican volunteerism. Ethical, principled Mission Viejo resident.

Dorothy Wedel: Mission Viejo resident who led the battle against the Steadfast housing mess as a Planning Commissioner. Outspoken, feisty leader who won’t be run over.

John Williams: Mission Viejo resident who serves as Orange County’s Public Administrator. Long record of public service and a solid Republican conservative.

All of the above are Mission Viejo residents except Todd.

For judges, I’m recommending Republicans Nick Thompson, Jon Fish, Kermit Marsh and John Nguyen. Except for Nguyen, each race has at least one reasonable alternative. For example, you won’t go wrong by choosing Mike Bartlett over Nick Thompson.

On the Measures, vote yes on 98, no on 99. Measure 98 is the real protection against eminent domain. Measure 99 is a sham, deliberately worded to confuse people.

In the 42nd District, Congressman Gary G. Miller, unopposed; excellent voting record.

For State Senator in the 33rd District – this race has deteriorated to attacks. I’m going to make some people unhappy with my split recommendation, and I am ignoring the mud-slinging. Choose Mimi for her work for Republican principles. Choose Harry as a good Republican leader. Despite the mailers, both oppose illegal immigration.

State Assembly, 71st Assembly District: I am recommending Jeff Miller, and I have interviewed both Jeff and Neil. Jeff gave straightforward answers and cited his record of conservative Republican leadership. To my questions about background and ethics, Neil sometimes said “I’m a Christian” without answering. By the time he insulted my religion (Catholic) and implied Catholics aren’t “saved” because they don’t believe what he believes, I concluded he is unsuited for office. Neil’s hit pieces center on an alleged indictment of Jeff, which is false (May 17 OC Register has an article on this).

Whether or not you agree with my picks, please take the time to vote on June 3.

Reader Comments

Traveling at 5 mph Isn’t Rosy
Mitch Kronowit, Mission Viejo

Regarding the Rose Parade float: If the city council members want to ride a mechanized vehicle traveling at 5 mph in stop-and-go traffic, they can just drive down Marguerite Parkway.

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Artful Dodger?
Dale Sandore, Mission Viejo

Mr. Rattay's claim of lack of storage space for the trashed easels seems somewhat disingenuous given the EMPTY rooms in the city hall, library and the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center. What a load of hogwash from the city.

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Correction to CUSD Recall Information

An alert reader noticed incorrect Trustee Area numbers regarding the Capistrano Unified School District recall election, to be held on June 24. The challenger running in Trustee Area 2 is Sue Pallazo. Ken Maddox is among challengers running in Trustee Area 5.

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Art Appreciation
Anonymous

Your recent editorial cartoon is dead on.  Keep up the good work

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Balance needed
Anonymous

A reader asked for coverage of Saddleback schools, saying school news and editorials have been about the Capo school district. The blog staff acknowledges the current imbalance and will do better in the future.

The Buzz

Residents of Palmia and surrounding areas in north Mission Viejo need to watch out for the latest tactic by UDR Pacific, the developer of the former Kmart property on Los Alisos near the 241 toll road. A well-placed source is saying that UDR wants to put apartments at that location instead of townhomes. UDR’s representatives would probably want to increase the density and change other aspects of the development agreement they signed in order to get the high-density townhomes approved. UDR representatives agreed to one set of promises in order to get permission to build, and now they want to break their promises. Whatever they want, it can't be good for Mission Viejo or the residents surrounding the UDR site.

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The Capo school district recall election will be held June 24. It’s a special election, and voters won’t see the CUSD recall on the June 3 Primary ballot. Four candidates have emerged as challengers to replace two trustees, Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper, who are recall targets. None of the parents who have led the reform effort are among the challengers. Who can blame them for staying out of the fray? The district is nearly bankrupt and in constant crisis over leadership, management and irresponsible spending.

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A candidate for state assembly has a Mission Viejo connection that hasn’t been mentioned. Neil Blais is politically close with Roger Faubel, the P.R. agent for Sunrise, the care-facility corporation trying to rezone the Casta golf course. Blais touts his endorsements, and Faubel was among the first to sign on with Blais. According to a political insider with a good memory, Faubel was the campaign consultant for Blais when he first ran for the Rancho Santa Margarita council. Faubel served on the Mission Viejo council as an appointee – not for long, but long enough to push for a policy of benefits for domestic partners of city employees, in effect since 2000. Voters can react accordingly in the June 3 Primary.

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What are the options for city hall administrator Keith Rattay after he misrepresented what happened to 500 custom-made easels? He indicated all of them would all be put to good use after the city’s 20th anniversary celebration, with half being stored and half to be given away. The city has made no comment following the revelation approximately 200 of the easels turned up in a dump. At least two queries from school principals followed the information in the newspaper that 250 easels would be given to churches and schools. Two questions warrant an answer: why was money wasted on a photo display in the first place, and how will city hall deal with an administrator’s lie to the public.

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Mission Viejo’s council race is six months away, but it’s already a discussion topic. Two incumbent council members, Gail Reavis and Frank Ury, are up for reelection in November. Ury’s backing from the Orange County GOP power club will ensure him endorsements and funding from out of town. He ran in 2004 on a platform of burying the power lines that run across the city’s northeast side, but the power line issue had already been settled before the election. The California Public Utilities Commission said no to burying the new lines, and residents rejected paying to bury the lines by taxing themselves as a special-assessment district. Ury’s win by a wide margin was an indication a lot of people weren’t paying much attention. Ury has spent the past 3 1/2 years ignoring all those who were concerned about power line issues.

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A city hall insider says Ury and failed 2006 council challenger Diane Greenwood will run as a slate in November for city council. This would be an odd pairing, given that Ury claims to be a right-wing, anti-abortion Republican. Greenwood was a longtime Democrat prior to changing her voter registration at the time she decided to run for a council seat. She reverted to her roots during the 2006 campaign, being endorsed by a pro-abort women’s caucus and another far-left group.