Mission Viejo Buzz - 08/15/09

The Buzz

Word traveled among community activists that Capo school district last week settled a lawsuit filed by some of the constituents on former supt. James Fleming’s “Enemies Lists.” Fleming and other top district officials compiled the lists, mostly of parents who supported the attempted recall of all seven CUSD trustees in 2005. One of the lists resulted from an email distributed to key recall supporters. A second list was compiled by two CUSD administrators who visited the Registrar of Voters office to view recall petitions. The signed petitions are protected by law from such viewing, and only the proponents had the right to see them. In a separate action, Fleming and another former administrator, Susan McGill, have been charged with felonies for their part in interfering with the recall. Litigants in last week’s settlement were advised not to discuss details or talk about dollar amounts. No current Mission Viejo residents are involved in the lawsuits.

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A Mission Viejo political group is planning a Town Hall Meeting in late September. Watch this blog for announcements, including the date, time and location.

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The Aug. 14 Saddleback Valley News featured an article and a front-page photograph of “Mission Viejo’s Night Out.” The event was held at Florence Joyner Olympiad Park on Aug. 4 to “educate the public about crime prevention and awareness.” Has OC Register reporter Niyaz Pirani had a sampling of City Hall’s Kool-Aid? Given the absence of people in the photos, Mission Viejo residents apparently spent the night at home. A watchdog who attended the event said “it wasn’t under-attended, it was unattended.”

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Mission Viejo is called one of the nation’s “safest cities” for a couple reasons. First, the residents are, for the most part, law-abiding. Second, crimes are often unreported despite residents’ calls to the police. The constant hype about the safest city in the universe can lead people to believe there are no risks. A neighborhood near the lake has recently been hit with “crimes of opportunity” – thefts from unlocked cars.

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Mission Viejo residents who want to sound off to their U.S. Senators can write to Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510 and Dianne Feinstein, 331 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20510. Some political advisors recommend snail mail, saying it has more impact than faxes or email.

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City Manager Dennis Wilberg didn’t have much to say about city hall in his Aug. 7 issue of “The Week That Was.” He wrote about a new kiosk being added at the Shops at Mission Viejo that will sell Swarovski crystals. Wilberg also wrote about an arrest following a bank robbery. The only mention of city activities was about the annual street resurfacing project. Residents who want to know what’s happening in city hall can read the blogs, including MissionViejoCA.org, MissionViejoDispatch.com and the county’s premiere blog, OrangeJuiceBlog.com.

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Brad Morton published a letter on MissionViejoDispatch.com that’s a lot more enlightening than Wilberg’s description of city streets. Read the letter at http://missionviejodispatch.com/?p=10760#comments . Mission Viejo resident Allan Pilger calls Wilberg’s bluff that Mission Viejo streets are in better condition than the streets of a neighboring city.