Recall Update

Council majority members are trying valiantly to fight off Councilman Lance MacLean’s recall. After the recall election was discussed during the Oct. 5 meeting, Council Members Frank Ury and Trish Kelley attempted to help MacLean pose as a dog park enthusiast.

After years of ignoring dog park supporters, MacLean suddenly agendized a dog park to be located in Oso Viejo Park. During his comments, MacLean said that Bo Klein initiated the idea of a city dog park. From MacLean’s reference, observers might conclude Klein is his friend. When word traveled back to Klein, he reacted with surprise by saying he had no recollection of MacLean supporting a dog park since his 2002 election. According to Klein, MacLean told him several years ago during a heated discussion that there would never be a dog park in Mission Viejo.

In their great haste to help MacLean impress dog park supporters, city staff members skipped a few steps to create an instant dog park. They failed to notify homeowners near the site that a dog park was on the council agenda. They punted traffic studies, noise studies, environmental concerns and safety matters. They neglected to inform such interested parties as the homeowners association, school district and nearby middle school. They didn’t meet the legal stipulations with regard to posting a written agenda 72 hours prior to the council meeting.

A neighbor who lives on Pasatiempo, Karen Medeiros, wrote a letter to the council to demand the rescission or repeal the approval of the dog park in Oso Viejo Park. She states that the above acts of negligence form the basis for Brown Act and environmental litigation. The council has 30 days to respond.

What was the city attorney doing throughout this time that he forgot he is supposed to protect the city from litigation? He was busy crafting a press release about the phony push poll claiming that residents want to form a new school district in Mission Viejo without knowing any of the negative aspects including cost.

At the Oct. 19 council meeting, did MacLean throw down the race card in Mission Ridge, saying neighbors on La Paja Lane are discriminating? After a homeowner has annoyed everyone with a 10-year-long construction project, MacLean said the underlying issue is the homeowner’s Asian heritage. That’s not a first for MacLean, who also said homeowners along Los Alisos Blvd. were racists if they didn’t want another high-density housing project built in their overcrowded neighborhood.

MacLean told one of his supporters (who immediately informed a recall supporter) that he suspects Ury of plotting against him in the recall. It could be. As mayor, Ury is providing the rope by allowing MacLean to rant, insult entire neighborhoods and malign organizations without any attempt to shut off his microphone.