Inside the MacLean Recall

Proponents estimate the number of signatures collected to recall Councilman Lance MacLean will soon exceed 25 percent of the total needed. The projected date for reaching 25 percent is April 9, which will mark three weeks of soliciting signatures. With 9,300 valid signatures required to qualify for a special election, the signature drive should end well before the Aug. 25 deadline.

Proponents say they’ll keep going after reaching 9,300 to compensate for any signatures thrown out by the Registrar of Voters. People signing who are not registered voters account for a large percentage of disqualified signatures. Only Mission Viejo residents may sign the petition.

The effort to recall MacLean has garnered the support of well-known community members. Among those leading the signature drive are a current HOA president and three past presidents, the person who chaired the city effort to stop the El Toro airport, two past presidents of Saddleback Republican Assembly, the current president of the Casta del Sol Democrats Club, two current council members, a former chair of the Community Services Commission and a former Planning Commission chairman.

Signature collectors say Casta del Sol residents are well informed about MacLean, and they readily sign the petition because he favored housing on the golf course. Others who are eager to sign include those who have attended council meetings because of a particular problem (cell towers, power lines, school issues or rezoning). Parents fighting to keep O’Neill Elementary School open say MacLean failed to help them. Those living near Crown Valley Parkway make such statements as “Anyone responsible for such a mismanaged project should be thrown out of office.”

Signature gatherers note that MacLean has a few friends who say their friendship is a reason for not signing. The percentage of MacLean supporters is quite low.

As a side benefit of the recall, MacLean’s demeanor on the council has improved. He’s not nearly as combative toward Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht as he was prior to receiving notice of the recall on Feb. 2. Other remarkable changes since Feb. 2 involve the council majority of MacLean, Frank Ury and Trish Kelley MUK). For example, they’ve stopped talking about adding more housing in Mission Viejo. The push to add apartments on top of stores has become the kiss of death, with Councilwoman Trish Kelley claiming the council said “thanks but no thanks” to such a proposal for the retail center at La Paz and Marguerite. To the contrary, the council made no such statement. Another item off the table is the city’s idea to buy the vacant lot next to the new Target store (Jeronimo and Los Alisos) as the site for a city-owned affordable housing project.

Is the city staff’s slogan, “Make living your mission,” gone with the recall wind? After it became the brunt of jokes, perhaps the city’s top administrators decided to pack it in.

If the threat of recalling MacLean has already caused the MUK majority to slam on the brakes, residents can look forward to permanent changes by removing him from office.