City Revives Old Issues

The city posted the Sept. 21 council agenda, which can be found here

Item 26 on the agenda is a discussion about reinstating funds that were cut from the city library. A talking point during the signature drive to recall Councilman Lance MacLean was the council majority’s decision to cut library materials by 75 percent. The cut was in stark contrast to the council majority of Lance MacLean, Frank Ury and Trish Kelley (MUK) bestowing lifetime medical benefits on council members for three terms of part-time service.

Residents did not take the news well when recall proponents told them the council majority voted in July to reduce library funding. However, many residents had supported the recall on the basis of the healthcare benefits alone. Most of nearly 14,000 voters who signed the recall petition had already done so before the budget cuts were made.

The dog park is another topic that might be repositioned in the city staff’s effort to take the heat off MacLean. Documents numbering approximately 1,000 pages now accompany a new mention of the subject. Those wanting a dog park are watching a drawn-out version of “musical chairs,” with the city alternately proposing a site and then finding it unsuitable. In 2002, former city employee Richard Howard presented a detailed look at all the city parks – and various spaces in between – by photographing each area. No meaningful progress has been made since 2002. With the “normal” costs of a dog park provided by other cities (averaging less than $100,000), Mission Viejo could have built numerous dog parks instead of paying for at least seven years of studies. The city staff now estimates the cost of a Mission Viejo dog park at $1 million.

The city staff’s focus currently is back to Oso Park, after the council stated that a dog park should not be in any city park or near residences. Oso Park fails on both criteria, but perhaps some dog park supporters will still be fooled into thinking the city staff wants to consider their request. If pointless discussions can be continued until after an election to recall Councilman Lance MacLean, perhaps dog park supporters won’t bother to vote.

Those wanting a dog park are mobilized, and they gathered approximately 1,100 signatures in support of their cause. The current council majority obviously does not support building a dog park. In a low-turnout, special election to recall one of the MUK majority members, 1,100 motivated voters can make a difference.