Mission Viejo Buzz - 03/28/09

The Buzz column, March 28

All-mail ballots would save the county $200,000 per election, according to Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley. In the Mar. 23 OC Register, references in an editorial and a political column describe the county board of supervisors moving toward an official decision. The supes voted last week in favor of legislation that would allow elections to be done by mail as a cost-cutting measure. The Registrar of Voters supports the idea, saying the financial benefits would also save jobs in his department as the county is cutting back.

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If all-mail ballots are in, Councilman Lance MacLean’s best arguments against recalling him is out. While most folks supporting a recall think the cost of a special election is not a deterrent, reducing the price would make it more palatable to those who first look at the price tag.

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The Mission Viejo council received a financial report on March 2 indicating the city is continuing to increase spending while revenue decreases. Deficit spending prevailed during the six-month period ending Dec. 31. For details, check Brad Morton’s blog, http://missionviejodispatch.com/2009/03/02/mv-financials-revenue-down-spending-up Of particular note, the unappropriated discretionary reserve fund fell to $700,000 for the six-month period. While MacLean touts the city’s “$28 million in reserves,” all except $700,000 is allocated, encumbered or already spent. The city received $20,620,582 and spent $25,515,071 in the six-month period. As examples of responsible adult leadership, Rancho Santa Margarita and San Juan Capistrano city councils are responding to the same economic downturn by cutting back.

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Is MacLean correct that an activist group is attempting a takeover of city hall to reconfigure intersections? While it’s factual that an official committee meets to discuss roundabouts, the purpose is evaluation. Why would a council member criticize residents who are volunteering their time to discuss traffic improvement? Drivers stuck in traffic can consider the merits of thinking outside the box. While roundabouts might not be the answer, creative thinking doesn’t hurt. A former member of the city’s planning commission suggested placing meters at the east end of Crown Valley Parkway in Mission Viejo. Just as meters on freeway ramps control the number of cars entering the freeway, meters could also pace the traffic entering Mission Viejo from points east. Installing meters wouldn’t take three years, which the CVP widening has taken.

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What’s the latest palm tree count on Crown Valley Parkway? Residents report 50-plus mature palm trees have been installed at an estimated cost of $10,000 each. According to a city official, the project involves 400 additional trees, including palms. A resident suggests changing the name to Crown Valley Porkway to reflect the waste of taxpayer dollars on trees, pillars, “art” objects and a thoroughly mismanaged project.

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City Hall’s goals for Crown Valley Porkway clash with drivers’ objectives. Drivers think CVP is a thoroughfare that should keep traffic moving. City administrators envision an arboretum where medians become delightful gardens and meditation opportunities for those stopped in traffic. Mayor Frank Ury is so uninformed about CVP that he claimed in his August 2008 campaign literature that the widening project was finished. The city staff is now completing its vision by placing traffic hazards (trees and pillars) in medians and on roadsides, inches from traffic lanes. When drivers accidentally jump the curb, they can park abruptly against a pillar or tree and incur personal injury and major property damage. Taxpayers will next be dinged for “art” objects atop pillars for the alleged enjoyment of drivers.

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Do the city manager’s job responsibilities include policing what is said on the street? On March 27, City Manager Dennis Wilberg engaged in a conversation with a recall supporter who was gathering signatures at a storefront. The worker is a well-informed follower of city politics. Wilberg observed the worker tell a voter that the city council had considered a proposal from Sunrise to build housing on the golf course. All five council members have admitted to private conversations with the developer, and four of them (three are still on the council – MacLean, Ury and Kelley) accepted campaign donations from the developer’s PR agent. Wilberg corrected the signature-gatherer by stating the developer had never officially presented a proposal to the city. Technically, that’s correct. All the presenting by the developer – including cash to campaign treasuries – took place outside of public view.

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While Wilberg receives a point for clarifying an issue with a recall supporter, wouldn’t his effort be better spent by correcting misstatements by council members and informing the entire city? As an example, should Wilberg have allowed Ury to proclaim the Crown Valley Parkway project was finished in August 2008? When Wilberg engaged in a storefront debate about a golf course proposal, a recall proponent was standing in back of him, observing that he did succeed in distracting the worker to the point the voter walked away without signing the petition. However, while Wilberg was still talking, two residents came up to the table and took the worker’s attention away from Wilberg by demanding to sign the petition and venting their anger. Wilberg may have realized he wasn’t stop two motived voters from signing, and he quietly walked away.