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The Buzz The city staff continues to prop up the Rose Parade with a false pretense of acceptance by residents. On the street, during council meetings, on blogs and during campaign events, residents’ outcry against the float is overwhelming. The city staff is using its Website and other forms of propaganda to promote its $300,000 boondoggle. According to the city’s latest spin, 3,000 people say they want to work on the float. Readers should keep in mind that the city staff fabricated “150 volunteers donating 800 hours toward easel construction.” When investigated by activists, city records showed that a city contractor, Jamey Clark, constructed 100 percent of the easels at $45 an hour. *** How exactly would the city “engage” 3,000 people to work on a float? Maybe it wouldn’t be a problem after all. When the city held its kickoff event for the project, only 15-20 residents showed up despite widespread publicity and the promise of a free meal. Those who attended the event said city staff members outnumbered residents. *** Look for an article in the OC Register about alleged crimes committed by Mission Viejo city staffers by involving themselves in the campaign of council challenger Richard Atkinson. Read the article online at Extremely helpful is Atkinson’s quote that, yes, he did claim he has the endorsement of the city staff, but it was an “error” on his part. Perhaps the “error” is that Atkinson didn’t realize city employees can be indicted for felonies for using their position, title and/or influence to interfere with an election. In the article, Atkinson backtracks, explaining that he happened to meet residents who support him, and “many” of them work for the city. Perhaps Atkinson also doesn’t realize how very few of the city’s 152.3 employees live in Mission Viejo, and none of the top officials live here. If he didn’t meet the “residents who support him who happen to work for the city” in city hall, how exactly did he find them? The D.A. should have questions a lot better than that one. *** Adding to the city staff’s woes about interfering with an election, Heritage Committee Chair Nancy Cho first told the Register reporter that she invited Atkinson to the city’s committee meeting “because he was a candidate.” Atkinson concurs that she invited him – he didn’t just show up. The OCR states that “Atkinson was introduced as a candidate running for city Council.” Cho’s quote: “There was nothing political that he did at the meeting.” Perhaps when Cho sees her remarks in the Register story she’ll realize just how big a problem she’s created for the city. As a follow up to the story, the FPPC determined the complaints are not within its jurisdiction and should instead be filed with the state Attorney General. *** To clarify the status of the Mission Viejo Right To Vote Initiative, it’s still in the signature-gathering phase, and the deadline is in December. Volunteers have collected thousands of signatures and expect to exceed the required number well before the deadline. |
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