SVN Performs in City Circus

The Mission Viejo City Council majority members – Trish Kelley, Frank Ury and Dave Leckness – tout themselves as being popular and in touch with residents. They are neither. In their reelections (Kelley and Leckness in 2010 and Ury in 2008), the large majority of residents didn’t vote for any of them

There’s no need to list reasons the majority members are unfit to serve when most voters already get it. In 2002, Mission Viejo voters dumped two arrogant and abrasive councilwomen, Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow. Among other factors, activists weren’t united in 2010 as they were in 2002, even after agreeing to work together.

Another factor in 2010 was City Hall’s stranglehold on Saddleback Valley News. In 2002, letters to the editor informed the community. Watchdogs and other leaders spoke out, and SVN published their letters instead of censoring them.

After mid-2009, no letters critical of City Hall appeared in SVN. City Manager Dennis Wilberg had tried putting his shills’ names on pro-City Hall letters, but he got creamed in responses from the community. City employee Keith Rattay made the mistake of speaking with a reporter, and she published his obvious lies for all to see. Wilberg next met with SVN and its owner, the Orange County Register. Activists captured Wilberg’s emails, which left no doubt he intended to silence the community’s voice in SVN.

Read this week’s Buzz column about Mayor Dave Leckness’ so-called article in Patch.com. City Hall had a big week, getting even more of its puff pieces into the Sept. 30 SVN. SVN editor Freda Freeman put her name on “Festival to unveil Evans’ book,” on page 6. Another one is on page 9, “Percy Jackson creator visits MV,” attributed to The Orange County Register. What kind of journalism is this? On page 2, the Mission Viejo reporter is allegedly Kristy Chu. Call the number listed, (949) 454-7343. Where is Chu?

Is Freda Freeman SVN’s one-person “staff”? Check page 3 with a heading of “News from the Community.” Except for reprints of briefs by OCR staffers Chris Bouckly, Erika Ritchie and Scott Martindale, all other items are attributed to “staff.” Photos on SVN’s Sept. 30 cover have no attribution, and the photo of a city eyesore (pillar) on page 3 is a “courtesy photo” with no attribution. Foreclosure notices and City Hall are SVN’s mainstays.

Three arrogant and out-of-touch council majority members are spending the city’s reserves and failing to hold City Hall administrators accountable. No one shines a light on them except for privately operated city blogs (City Hall’s publication isn’t a blog).

For another revelation on the corruption in City Hall, read Brad Morton’s expose on Keith Rattay’s new contract, http://missionviejodispatch.com/budget/controversial-city-hall-severance-pay/#comments . Why would City Manager Wilberg allow such a ridiculous agreement, and why would any council member vote to approve it? Keep in mind Wilberg covered his own backside during the 2-1-09 council meeting with a similar contract. Rattay likely knows all about Wilberg’s concerns and may have some of his own.