The Buzz

The most recent winner of “Best Political Cartoons in Orange County” is still MissionViejoCA.org. OC Weekly announced its Best of OC awards last week without replacing the 2009 winner, MissionViejoCA.org. Mission Viejo is target-rich with its corruption and buffoonery in city hall. Even in the city of Bell, the city manager doesn’t have cover in his contract for committing a felony. On the eve of the Feb. 2 recall election, the council majority approved City Manager Dennis Wilberg’s contract clause in which he cannot be fired if convicted of a felony unless it involves moral turpitude.

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A resident responded upon seeing campaign signs for Roger Faubel, who is running for reelection as a Santa Margarita Water District Director. An excerpt from the email: “Isn't this the man who proposed to change Casta Del Sol golf course into a park? Think about it! The decision is yours!” Faubel was appointed to the city council early in 2000 by majority members Sherri Butterfield, Susan Withrow and Bill Craycraft. Voters rejected him in the November 2000 General Election after he spent a record amount -- $80,000 – on a slick campaign. Faubel became a consultant for Sunrise, the developer that aggressively pushed for housing on the Casta golf course until running into financial trouble. Sunrise abruptly withdrew its plan, and news emerged about its insolvency. Sunrise also lost lawsuits and paid huge settlements following wrongful death judgments against its assisted-living facilities in Orange County. Two council candidates are falsely claiming they saved the golf course – voters beware.

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The weird-looking structures placed along roadsides by city staff members actually fit in once a year. The obelisks (e.g., on Marguerite Parkway near Estanciero) are an eyesore during the day, and they have an eerie orange glow at night. Halloween is the only time city hall’s choices make sense. With residents decorating their homes with ghoulish scenes and orange lights, the city’s Halloween structures are already lit. While residents are asked to take down their Christmas lights after Christmas, city hall retains its Halloween decorations year round.

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Break the cycle: a few politically active folks can’t stop saying “anyone” would do a better job than the council incumbents. In 2002, they campaigned for Lance MacLean. MacLean wasn’t touted as being better than the incumbents (Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow), but he had a different look. Soon after the election, residents realized MacLean’s views aligned with the old gals. In 2004, those who didn’t learn from their mistake supported Frank Ury as “anyone” but then-councilman Bill Craycraft. Among Ury’s first acts on the council was to replace slow-growth planning commissioners with “progressives” who wanted more housing projects – just like the old regime. It is far better to vote for only one or two known entities than to throw in a power-hungry candidate who has never challenged the incumbents on any issue.

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Last week, Councilwoman Trish Kelley’s campaign tactics included a series of vicious emails that are clearly libelous. Since her first election in 2002, she’s demonstrated no purpose other than campaigning for her next election. While dysfunctional council members are fully engaged in hammering each other, the city staff makes decisions for them. The city’s top administrators don’t live in Mission Viejo, and they generally operate without interference from the council majority. City staffers openly show their eagerness for the election to be over so they can get back to dismantling the city’s Master Plan. Some of them can hardly wait for their next project – razing the retail center at La Paz and Marguerite and rebuilding it with apartments on top. To stop this project, voters should reject the slate of Kelley, Leckness and Sandzimier.