Hee-Haw Revisited

Mission Viejo residents who listen to KSBR, Saddleback College’s radio station, had a chance to hear comments from the city’s new mayor, Councilman Dave Leckness. A KSBR listener described Leckness as Mission Viejo’s new Hee-Haw mayor, adding, “After the embarrassment of Trish Kelley as mayor, I didn’t think it could get any worse, but it is.”

For those too young to remember the TV show that began in 1969, “Hee-Haw” included banjo music and bad jokes in a setting of Kornfield Kountry, a fictional rural community. The name “Hee-Haw” is the braying of a donkey.

During the past week, several Mission Viejo residents attended council meetings in Lake Forest and Rancho Santa Margarita to observe their new council members taking the oath of office. In the November council elections, Scott Voigts was Lake Forest’s top vote-getter, and Jesse Petrilla got the most votes in RSM. Voigts was sworn in on Dec. 7, and Petrilla took the oath of office on Dec. 8. Another newcomer on the RSM council is Steve Baric. Voigts is a former president of Saddleback Republican Assembly, and Petrilla is a member of SRA.

In both the Lake Forest and RSM city elections, voters removed council incumbents.

Mission Viejo residents who attended the RSM meeting said they were in awe after hearing comments from Tony Beall, who was unanimously elected as his city’s mayor. Beall spoke eloquently, emphasizing his commitment to preserving his city’s Master Plan and its exemplary city government. RSM has18 full-time employees. In contrast, Mission Viejo has approximately 150 full-time employees. While RSM still has land to develop – a reason to have planners and engineers on the payroll – Mission Viejo is built out. Beall referred to a project on the horizon – a sports park and an opportunity to add revenue-generating businesses – but no high-density housing.

While some might blame Mission Viejo council members for failing to represent residents, Mission Viejo voters failed on Nov. 2 to reject incumbents who lack common sense, intelligence, diplomacy and a record of responsible public service.