Hats Off To Wastefulness

Rose Parade watchers who saw Mission Viejo’s float on TV might wonder why the city was barely mentioned.

Those viewing Mission Viejo’s float on KTLA Channel 5 said the announcers gave Julie Foudy (who no longer lives in Mission Viejo) three mentions and Greg Louganis (who never lived in Mission Viejo) two. Louganis’ dog got more TV coverage than the city. The announcer glossed over Mission Viejo except to say the official city flower is a rose. All other recognition from the city taxpayers’ $360,000-plus expenditure went not to the city but to Tim Estes of Fiesta Parade Floats of Pasadena, the float’s designer.

A month ago, Councilwoman Trish Kelley said an entry in the Rose Parade would be a national TV ad for Mission Viejo – as if having a float would equate to a Super Bowl ad. Kelley was quoted in the Jan. 2 OC Register, claiming the float would bring homebuyers to the city. Does her balloon ever land? Kelley fails to grasp that a built-out community with zero tourist attractions doesn’t need a $360,000-plus national TV commercial.

This blog’s contributors were correct to challenge the float’s flawed engineering. TV commentator Stephanie Edwards said the designer had to “take a couple swipes” at the water issue, adding that water ran out of the pool unless it was on level ground. Edwards also mentioned the weight of the water. Two weeks ago, a blog reader noticed that the city’s estimate of weight was off by 64 tons. The projected size of the pool (specified as 20 feet long, 10 feet wide and 12 feet deep) was scaled back considerably. As seen on TV, the pool looked more like a rectangular horse tank with a ladder borrowed from a construction site – not a class act for $360,000-plus. The crucial measure is how deep the water is, not how “deep” the structure is, and the tank obviously didn’t contain enough water for diving.

Edwards gave high praise to Estes for re-engineering on the fly – adding a lower pool to catch water as it splashed out of the upper pool. The water in the lower tank was then pumped back into the upper one, but apparently not fast enough (if the pool was full in the first place). By the time the float was in view of cameras, the pool appeared shallow. A “diver” paused on the platform, as if trying to gauge how to jump in without injuring herself. She chose a belly flop for her moment on national TV. The artist’s rendering of the float showed an elevated diving board which, like the lake and sailboat, went missing on Jan. 1.

Despite its high cost, Mission Viejo’s float reflected a bygone era prior to animation, high-tech or other special effects of modern floats. With the city’s attempt to smooth over its bad judgment by engaging volunteers, it attracted children young enough to need childcare. For the price tag of a professional float, Mission Viejo’s entry lacked the ingenuity of floats costing much less. Ironically, its flat scenes, amateur approach and lack of pizzazz caught the attention of judges, who awarded it their Special Trophy. The float isn’t just an overpriced and inappropriate boondoggle. It can now be touted in city-issued press releases as an award-winning, overpriced and inappropriate boondoggle.

During the Rose Parade, announcers talked about students in marching bands and others who traveled great distances and paid their own way. Some had bake sales and washed cars to raise money. The entire cost of L.A.’s float was donated, and most other entries relied on corporate donations or sponsorship. By contrast, Mission Viejo officials raided their own city’s dwindling treasury. City staffers advertised extensively to attract volunteers as a PR scheme, offering “free” meals, “free” transportation, “free” parting gifts, “free” parties and a ton of fun. Wouldn’t that define community DIS-service – volunteers who participated to entertain themselves – taking without giving? Bottom line, the float provided no benefit to the community.

The parade is over, and the money is gone.