Over the Edge (Again)

Ex-councilman Lance MacLean was recalled in the Feb. 2 Special Election. Despite his official removal, there he was on Feb. 15, sitting in the center seat on the dais at the beginning of the council meeting. Does this council operate in a parallel universe?

Here’s the essence of a comment from a blog reader. city staff with the blessing of the city attorney and the majority of two (Kelley and Ury) found a new way to short circuit the rules. The reader emailed, “Look at rule No. 5, (*11384) Majority Vote Required to Recall the incumbent.

"If the majority vote on the question is to recall, the incumbent shall be removed from office upon the certification of election results and swearing-in of his or her successor."

After the election was certified by the Registrar of Voters, MacLean was no longer a member of the city council. Dave Leckness should have been sworn in, which could have been done during a private ceremony with his supporters. A formal swearing in could have taken place at the next meeting, which did happen.

To top it off, after MacLean was removed from office on Feb. 2, he was paid for the entire month of February.

Comments on an OC Register story included a reader’s question about why Saddleback Valley News and OCR haven’t investigated the allegation of MacLean’s domestic violence. SVN employee Niyaz Pirani asked the reader for more information.

A reporter who gets a news tip should have the initiative to pick up the phone. Instead of asking readers’ opinions, why didn’t the reporter call MacLean to ask about his history of domestic violence? If that call doesn’t provide newsworthy information, the next call should be to the president of the deputies’ union. A police union that threw at least $105,000 into an anti-recall campaign has access to police records. Information about the destruction of MacLean’s court records in September 2009 is available for public review.

This matter isn’t going away despite OCR’s refusal to reveal MacLean’s most egregious anger issues. When comments first broke on OC Weekly two weeks ago, the statement about OCR and SVN covering up for MacLean was an allegation. A question now is how much longer critical information will be ignored by the media.

SRA Rejects CUSD Recall

During its Feb. 18 meeting, the Saddleback Republican Assembly Board of Directors approved a resolution opposing the recall of two Capistrano school district trustees. The resolution was also approved by SRA’s membership during the Feb. 18 meeting.

Preamble

Saddleback Republican Assembly, a unit of the California Republican Assembly, supported CRA’s endorsement of Ken Lopez-Maddox and Mike Winsten for election to the Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees. SRA finds both trustees to be responsive and responsible representatives, and their performance has been courageous during tough economic times. SRA continues to support these two dedicated leaders.

WHEREAS, Trustees Lopez-Maddox and Winsten have kept their promises to focus on keeping money in the classroom and balancing the budget, and

WHEREAS, Lopez-Maddox and Winsten have kept their promises to provide
transparency, honesty and open government, and

WHEREAS, Lopez-Maddox and Winsten have demonstrated effective leadership, even while under constant attack from the union, and

WHEREAS, the objective of the recall is not about education, children, parents,
constituents, schools, leadership or responsible representation, and

WHEREAS, the recall is an attempt of a union and its allies to control a school board, while Lopez-Maddox and Winsten seek positive change and reform.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Saddleback Republican Assembly opposes the union-backed recall of CUSD Trustees Ken Lopez-Maddox and Mike Winsten and urges voters in the CUSD area not to support or sign the recall petition.

(/s/) Matt Corrigan
President, Saddleback Republican Assembly
February 18, 2010

ACT for America Meets March 8

The Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT for America will hold its general meeting on Monday, March 8. The group will meet at the Norm Murray Community Center, meeting room Sycamore-B. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. Film producer Cyrus Nowrasteh will speak for approximately 45 minutes, followed by Q&A.

Message from Bruce Mayall, Chapter Leader: “Bring a friend. Recruit, Recruit, Recruit for ACT! for America! Come early to network. Seating is limited. A $5 donation is appreciated to help cover our costs.”

CUSD Update

Email from a CUSD parent: “The district has posted a new fact sheet [dated Feb. 19] regarding labor negotiations. Unlike CUEA (the teachers union) the district, as a public agency, may only post FACTS. CUEA may post any propaganda it chooses to inflame the membership and any other parties, including community members, to gain sympathy for the union’s side in the negotiation process. Keep in mind that the role of CUEA is to negotiate the best possible salary and benefit package for its members (teachers). CUEA’s mission does NOT include advocating for students.”

As examples of factual information, CUSD teachers are among the highest paid (not the lowest as claimed) teachers in Orange County. Teacher salaries have not been cut, while administrators have taken 10 percent pay cuts. A “rumor” being circulated states that CUSD teachers have been resigning at a very high rate. To the contrary, the turnover last year was 5 percent, the lowest it has been in the past three years.

Anyone wanting to follow the negotiation process or other topics can access the district’s Web site, www.capousd.org To read the Feb. 19 fact sheet, (click here).

The group launching the effort to recall Trustees Ken Lopez-Maddox and Mike Winsten began again, after the first attempt met legal challenges. Of proponents in the second try, all but two reside in San Clemente. SJC resident Kevin Murphy was listed as a proponent in the first version but not in the second. Murphy was instrumental in the 2005 recall attempt of all seven Fleming-era trustees.

Capo constituents who are following the recall discovered that six of the 10 current proponents are either union members, married to union members or in some way associated with the union. CUEA has denied it is backing the recall.

The Buzz

Are TEA Partiers trying to form a third party? According to a Feb. 17 email from the group’s national organizers, they are not: “Tea Party Patriots is issuing this statement in order to make it clear that we are not associated with any attempts to form a third party. Additionally, we believe that such efforts are unproductive and unwise at this time. The history of third party movements in this country is one of division and defeat. We believe that it is instead time for all Americans to rise up and demand appropriate reform within their own parties. The mechanisms exist for citizens to participate in their parties, and to drive their parties in the right direction.” National team members include Debbie Dooley, Mike Gaske, Kellen Giuda, Ryan Hecker, Jenny Beth Martin, Mark Meckler, Sally Oljar, Diana Reimer, Billie Tucker and Dawn Wildman.

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If homeowners associations could be awarded for civic awareness, Casta del Sol and Palmia would be tops in Mission Viejo. Both HOAs scored well on voter turnout for the Feb. 2 recall election in which Lance MacLean was removed from the city council. Voters in all precincts in Casta del Sol and Palmia overwhelming supported the recall. Congratulations to these civic-minded residents who weren’t fooled by a deputies’ union or stink bombs launched by the ex-majority of MacLean, Ury and Kelley.

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City Manager Dennis Wilberg compiled a few eclectic paragraphs for his Feb. 19 insider newsletter, “The Week That Was.” One of his topics was the retail center on the northeast corner of La Paz and Marguerite Parkway. Ralphs completed its store renovations last fall, and ARCO has a proposal before the Planning Commission to add a 24-hour convenience store. The entire retail area – from Ralphs to Trader Joe’s and beyond – has become an obsession for city hall. Any talk about apartments on top of stores has been swept under the carpet, but that’s temporary until voters pass the Right To Vote in June.

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Wilberg also mentioned the completion of some road repairs and a plan to repave portions of Alicia Parkway, Olympiad Road and Trabuco Road. Streets in greatest need of repair can be found in many neighborhoods throughout the city. Residents should call city hall, (949) 470-8405 to report street damage. Otherwise, potholes and wide cracks in the roads less traveled could remain indefinitely.

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Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht has made a formal request to appeal a Planning and Transportation Commission decision (Resolution No. 2010-11482). The subject is the city’s plan to expand the Marguerite Tennis Center. To add 20 parking places and space for basketball courts, the plan calls for bringing in 4,000 truckloads of dirt. Some residents are astounded that the commission approved the plan without an Environmental Impact Report. Read more about the issue on Brad Morton’s Mission Viejo Dispatch, http://missionviejodispatch.com/?p=14941

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A resident calculated the impact of the dirt-hauling project alone: “If it truly is 4,000 truckloads of soil, then that would be 40 business days at 100 loads per day. 100 loads per day would be 12 loads per hour during an 8.5-hour workday (assume 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).  That would mean a truckload every 5 minutes for an eight-week period (two months) assuming no weekend work.”