Mission Viejo Buzz - 03/21/09

The Buzz, March 21

An alert Buzz reader responded to a statement in last week’s column. One paragraph questioned how city administrator Keith Rattay had managed to become the person in charge of almost everything in city hall. The reader correctly stated that Rattay is the director is public services and has never been the director of public works as stated on the blog. The reader is correct – thank you for the catch.

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Another reader updated information about mature palm trees being planted along Crown Valley Parkway. The cost has been estimated at approximately $10,000 to purchase and place each tree. The reader’s comment: “I don’t know about the cost per tree, but your total for the number of trees is way low. You stated 15 trees were added, but the workers are still planting trees. It’s more like 50 new palm trees now, and there are new ones near the intersection of Crown Valley and Marguerite. It is worth finding out the total cost because taxpayers should revolt over a $500,000 tree-planting binge.”

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Cost isn’t the only problem with placing mature trees in medians or close to a roadway. Traffic deaths in Mission Viejo along thoroughfares often result when a driver hits a tree, wall or other immovable object. Safety is the foremost consideration, not how the roadside looks. Trees and pillars along Crown Valley are hazardous, particularly in medians. Daytime driving is not as risky when traffic is barely moving, but most of the traffic deaths result from high-speed crashes at night.

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OC Register columnist Frank Mickadeit made a reference to City Councilman Lance MacLean in his March 19 column. Mickadeit’s column makes fun of Irvine’s “Great Pork,” and the reference to MacLean is with regard to his anger issues. Mission Viejo’s council is known countywide as a circus and an embarrassment.

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Check out a humorous article in last week’s OC Weekly about OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens revoking the concealed weapon permit of Orange County political bigwig Michael Schroeder. Go to http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/breaking-news/sandra-say-it-aint-so/ . Reporter R. Scott Moxley pokes fun, saying “Schroeder's weapon isn't always his fat checkbook. This time, it's a handgun he's been allowed to conceal for years thanks to a CCW permit given to him by his pal, former Sheriff Mike Carona.”

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Papers released last week by Capo school district attorneys include the files of CUSD ex-superintendent A. Woodrow Carter. Carter’s emails and text exchanges contain raunchy references and “adult language.” Look for links to the documents in this week’s article about CUSD. An allegation against Carter describes his attempt to get support and endorsements for his favorite CUSD board candidates in the November 2008 race. One of this blog’s contributors made a public records request several months ago while trying to discover whether or not Carter had contacted county schools Supt. Bill Habermehl for endorsements. Such contact would be illegal. Habermehl’s office didn’t provide any documents in response to the blog contributor’s official request for public information. This week’s CUSD update shows that Carter asked Hebermehl and others for endorsements, support and other help for his choice of candidates.