What Does Community Spirit Mean?
Staff editorial

Maybe city staffers learned the phrase “engaging the community” at a League of Cities seminar. Top officials in city hall seem to think they can waste any amount of money by saying residents “participated.” As an example, city employee Keith Rattay groundlessly claimed “10,000 people enjoyed the easel display” during the city’s weeklong 20th anniversary party. He next claimed that “150 volunteers donated more than 800 hours” constructing the easels. A review of public records shows that a city contractor constructed the easels at $45/hour. The community did NOT participate – almost no one took pictures, the community at large didn’t give a rip about photos of leaves and rocks, and the entire project bombed.

After the community center expansion ran three times over budget, a resident made public comments at a council meeting thanking the council for spending the money. As the resident spoke, city employees assisted in the dog and PHONY show by projecting photos on the big screen in the council chamber. As the coupe de grace, they showed a photo of the late Norm Murray, as if anyone who dared to complain about the expense would be desecrating Norm’s image. To the contrary, Norm was a fiscal conservative who is remembered for his selfless service, not for mismanaged boondoggles.

What’s the newest plan to burn tax dollars? The Rose Parade float is already running up bills, and its public kickoff was held a week ago. The city staff has begun a campaign to “engage the community” in float-building. Apparently, residents are supposed to believe that a pointless activity like gluing together poppy seeds builds community spirit, regardless of how inappropriate the project is. Rose Parade decisions – all of them – have been made by city hall officials. They selected a contractor to create the design, and residents were not invited to participate. Councilwoman Trish Kelley appointed herself and Councilman Lance MacLean to serve on the Rose Parade ad hoc committee, and the community can butt out until poppy-seed gluers are needed.

Somehow, city staff members think Mission Viejo residents are either so shallow or confused that they need city hall’s bad ideas to participate in their own community. Nearly every church in town needs volunteers to perform a wide range of good deeds. Other volunteer opportunities abound, and entire families can participate in meaningful, productive and genuinely helpful endeavors. Building a float isn’t one of them, even with the promise of seeing it on TV for 15 seconds. The float, including the cost – $350,000 and rising, shows that a few community members would rather follow a Pied Piper down Pasadena Avenue than help human beings in need or build something that endures more than 15 seconds. Plunging $350,000 in tax dollars on a float is inexcusable.

The float, just like the easels, will be trashed and thrown away. Raw materials and other items of value will be destroyed for no good reason except to perpetuate activities for city hall staff members who have no real jobs. The only skill some of them have is to hide behind residents when throwing money away.
 

Easelgate Update
Editorial staff

Activist Lisa De Paul-Snyder fired another round at top city officials who are trying to cover their easel tracks. City records from her two prior document requests reveal that Easelgate began long before the city’s March opening of photos displayed on 500 custom-built easels. On Aug. 8, De Paul-Snyder sent new requests to the city to obtain public records. The following four points comprise her email to the city, which she shared with this blog:

1. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to preparations for and cleanup following the Veterans Day event held at the Civic Center in November 2007. B) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “banner boxes” mentioned in J.C.I. [Jamey Clark’s] invoice number 635011, dated, 11/12/2007, including the disposition of the ”banner boxes” and current status (number, condition, location).
2. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the contractor C & D Electric from July 10, 2002, to August 8, 2008, inclusive. B) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to Miracle Playground Sales of Corona, CA, from July 10, 2005, to August 8, 2008, inclusive.
3. A) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) as well as written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “Torch Walk” mentioned in W. Keith Rattay’s, 6/18/08 memo and “breakdown of the statistical information requested”, a.k.a., Public Records Request 08-156 MYMV Gallery, to Dennis Wilberg, hereinafter referred to as KR’s Overview. B) List of the 150 volunteers and names and contact numbers for local, churches, scouts and school groups mentioned in KR’S Overview as well as all communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, release forms signed, evidence of insurance coverage or bonds posted, pertaining to said persons or groups. C) Any and all records (receipts, invoices, checks issued, bids, work orders) and written communication, including but not limited to: letters, memos, e-mails, pertaining to the “larger easels” mentioned in KR’S Overview. D) Any and all records of communication including but not limited to, letters, memos, e-mails, with Jamey Clark, and or Jamey Clark, Inc. from July 10, 2007, to August 8, 2008, inclusive.
4. Documents and/or forms and standards applied in evaluating city staff personnel for preparation of each employee’s performance review, including any revisions, changes, expansion or augmentation of scope of employee performance subject to review.

Top city officials have complicated their lives every time they’ve tried to explain why hundreds of easels were trashed on a hillside in April. A public employee should know better than to lie to the media, but that’s what city administrator Keith Rattay did every time he responded to a question. He made further false statements when providing an “overview” in his June 18 memo to City Manager Dennis Wilberg. On July 1, Rattay called Saddleback Valley News reporter Lindsey Baguio and tried to jump ahead of an obviously bad news day when the city released 59 pages of documents to De Paul-Snyder. His attempt to spin the story backfired. City hall’s dead silence following the release of 2,000 additional pages on July 23 might be the first sign that officials realize the depth of their problems.

School Update
Editorial staff

Capistrano USD: On Aug. 8, prosecuting attorneys asked OC Superior Court Judge Carla Stringer to delay the trial of former CUSD administrators James Fleming and Susan McGill, who face felony charges. The trial was scheduled to begin on Aug. 12. The judge granted the delay and set another pre-trial hearing for Oct. 3.

A total of eight candidates are running for four CUSD trustee seats:

• Area 1: (Darnold's seat, open for filings until Aug. 13) Jack Brick and Don Richardson
• Area 2: Incumbent Sue Palazzo and Andrea Kooiman of Mission Viejo
• Area 3: Incumbent Duane Stiff and Mike Winsten, a business attorney
• Area 5: Incumbent Ken Maddox and Gary Miller, a retired teacher

Check out Jim Reardon’s blog, http://nzj1hn215k.blogspot.com/2008/08/dept-of-education-approval-declares.html for his post regarding San Juan Hills High School’s deficiencies when measured against California Department of Education standards. An excerpt from Reardon’s blog explains how CUSD originally got approval for the site:

”CUSD accomplished this trick by doing the site development process backwards. They bought the land, designed the school, and even started construction before obtaining approval from the state. CUSD was committed to the site -- in fact, they owned it and construction was under way -- before it was approved. In the application for approval, CUSD set the projected enrollment of the school at a very low figure that made it appear that the school would comply with the state standard. The state was tricked!”

Reardon indicates CUSD was successful in proceeding with the new school for at least two reasons: they kept the information secret, and the public wasn’t paying attention.

The issue of diminished bus routes will be discussed at the Aug. 11 CUSD board meeting.

Saddleback Valley USD: Not all students at Trabuco Hills High School lined up immediately to retake their AP tests. After a judge on July 31 ruled against revalidating their scores, some said they had scheduling issues or they were discouraged over the course of events. Retesting began last week.

School officials are reviewing the Aug. 2 incident of a 14-year-old falling 40 feet when he stepped on a skylight while skateboarding on the gymnasium roof at Trabuco Hills High School. The teen was treated at Mission Hospital for broken bones and bruises. School administrators and the Sheriff’s Dept. are working together to determine how to prevent students from accessing the roof. The teen had climbed a lifeguard tower and went from one rooftop to another to reach the spot where he fell through the skylight.

The next Saddleback Valley USD board meeting will be held on Tues., Sept. 2, beginning at 6:15 in the SVUSD board room. School begins Thurs., Sept. 4.

Countywide school districts: Dana Point resident Dr. Ron Lackey continues to raise awareness regarding the dollars that should be used to benefit special students throughout Orange County. Money has been put into a fund to fight special ed students and their parents instead of serving their needs. Below are excerpts from his Aug. 9 letter to a county official:

“We continue to be greatly disappointed with the failure of the Orange County Board of Education to take any action to assist in dissolving the Orange County Special Education Joint Powers Agreement "Alliance,” which has amassed almost half a million dollars, and these funds are housed at the OCBE.

”It is indeed pitiful to think that the 28 Orange County School Districts, as well as the OCBE collectively have, in effect, "conspired" to use limited public special education funds to appeal decisions made by the California Office of Administrative Hearings in cases where school districts have not prevailed in Administrative Hearings pertaining to the program/placement/services of handicapped children in Orange County. To have OCBE employees participating in the giving of funds from this "kitty" in continuing to fill the pockets of participating attorneys is just not right!!!

”We will be in contact with all Orange County school district School Board Members as well regarding the tithing of 50 cents per annum per Average Daily Attendance in order to fill the coffer being housed somewhere at OCBE.”

Lower Curtis Reaches New Heights
Editorial staff

The city is again converting the open space along Olympiad Road at Lower Curtis Park to a dump. Watchdogs have been observing piles of dirt grow from just a few truckloads on July 27 to more than 100 mounds on Aug. 8. Viewed from the east, the mounds rise to 25 feet in height. Brad Morton broke the story on his city news blog, http://missionviejodispatch.com on Aug. 8.

As a similar situation in 2003, the city staff’s snafu at Lower Curtis occurred when Granich Construction was a city contractor. Lacking legitimate work for Granich, the city created a bogus grading project. First, various city contractors dumped tons of debris in the Lower Curtis open space. Next, the city paid Granich more than $200,000 to spread it around. City staffers falsely claimed debris was piling up due to illegal dumping by unknown culprits. Residents who lived nearby said it was primarily the city’s own contractors, including Granich and others involved in slope work or making sidewalks compatible with ADA standards. Eventually, the city staff admitted to circumventing the council. The grand jury declined to investigate a citizen’s complaint because the council had approved payment to Granich, giving the appearance of approving the work.

Beyond zoning issues of turning the area into a landfill, the open space below Curtis Park is a wildlife corridor, gnatcatcher habitat and an environmentally sensitive area. Because a stream borders the parcel, it is protected by the Dept. of Fish and Game. Any disturbance of the environment should be reported to Fish and Game – and it will be.

Last week, Brad Morton contacted the city manager, who said the dirt is being transported from the Crown Valley Pkwy widening project by All American Asphalt. Wilberg said the reason for dumping it at Lower Curtis is to “save money” by avoiding transport to another location. His explanation doesn’t hold water, and since when do city hall’s spendaholics care about saving money?

Those who recently walked the site noticed signs of earlier dumping. A mound of considerable height (10-15 feet when viewed from the east) has been compacted. In the newer phase, approximately 100 truckloads (mostly dirt, but also sand, asphalt and broken concrete) have been added. From the soil colors and composition, the 100 truckloads came from approximately 35 different sources.

On Aug. 6, a resident reported to this blog that a truck belonging to San Juan Capistrano rentals dumped a load at Lower Curtis, exited and locked the gate. Will the city claim unknown culprits with keys to city locks are “vandalizing” the area with illegal dumping? Contrary to the city manager’s statement to Morton, the mounds include debris and other materials, not just dirt.

A resident reacted to the city manager’s claims: “I disagree with his story. You can tell by looking at the different mounds that they’re not from the same location. I’m frequently on Crown Valley, and there is no excavation going on – certainly nothing of a magnitude to claim all this material is coming from the road widening. The areas being worked on are fairly flat, and the walls are already in place. What he’s saying is ridiculous and obviously false to anyone who is paying attention.”

This is a city manager who has no trouble fooling the council and his list of “Mission Viejo’s 30 Most Confused Residents.” Everyone else is free to call his bluff.

The Opposite of Green
by Lisa De Paul-Snyder

Here is another example of the city administration touting one theme, "BE A GREEN MACHINE..." while spending lots of money doing the opposite.

Lower Curtis Park, an open-space wildlife habitat, is again being used as a dump. Aside from the direct harm being done to the area, what about the air and noise pollution generated by hauling and depositing hundreds of truckloads of dirt and debris? How much fossil fuel is being burned in this wasteful endeavor?

The city maintains that the dumping is due to the Crown Valley Parkway widening, which is being done to allow more pollution-spewing vehicles to chug through Mission Viejo on their way to newer, nicer, cleaner neighborhoods. How very GREEN!

Editor’s Note: We have an overall view of Lower Curtis Park here and a view of the huge dirt piles that are being dumped here.

The Buzz

Councilwoman Gail Reavis surprised a lot of people with her Aug. 8 announcement she won’t seek reelection. A few days prior, she was still courting Casta del Sol voters by promising to preserve the golf course. What happened during the past week that changed her mind about running? When her announcement broke on another blog, a resident posted, “Gail probably calculated her chances of winning and decided she didn’t want to risk it.” How big a factor was the attack team of Council Members Frank Ury, Trish Kelley and Lance MacLean? Her decision not to run was a sure way to avoid defeat as well as a bloodbath.

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When an incumbent doesn’t seek reelection, the deadline for challengers to file is extended into the next week. Those who completed the filing process by the original deadline of Aug. 8 are Councilman Frank Ury and challengers Neil Lonsinger, Rich Atkinson, Cathy Schlicht, Michael Williamson and Rebecca Price. At least four others considered running.

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In another contest that affects a portion of Mission Viejo residents, the Capo school district board of trustees has four seats up for grabs. Area 1, which is currently represented by Trustee Mike Darnold, has an extended filing deadline of Aug. 13 because Darnold isn’t seeking reelection.

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A friend of Trish Kelley emailed the councilwoman and copied this blog, indicating she’s tired of hearing about easels. Oh, really? Kelley has a history of supporting top-dog administrators who lie to the public. During the 2005 attempt to recall all seven CUSD trustees loyal to then-Supt. James Fleming, Kelley supported the corrupt administration. She practically swooned whenever then-Deputy Supt. David Do-Me (Doomey) came to a council meeting to tell lies at the public microphone. Ms. Clueless was involved in the PTA while CUSD administrators were redirecting Mission Viejo tax dollars to build facilities everywhere else. Those who succeeded her as PTA leaders immediately saw what was wrong. Ms. Kelley’s supporters should tour Newhart Intermediate School whenever they need a reminder of her poor judgment.

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Community activist Dale Tyler rolled out the Mission Viejo Right-To-Vote Initiative on Aug. 8, and residents have begun the signature-gathering process. Readers with eagle eyes may have seen the public announcement among legal ads in the Aug. 8 Saddleback Valley News. Approximately 100 residents have thus far offered to circulate the petition and gather signatures. They have six months to collect approximately 6,100 signatures of Mission Viejo voters.