Mission Viejo Buzz - 12/03/11

The Buzz

Capistrano school district update on Brown Act violations: So, did CUSD lie to the public, the District Attorney and the courts throughout the last year and then engage in a yearlong cover-up? Given newly discovered internal emails, incompatible statements are evident regarding the district’s claim that no discussion took place about the furlough restoration on Dec. 13, 2010. This material is now in conflict with CUSD’s internal emails. The documents include the signed Opposition to Demurrer to Second Amended Complaint (here) and Request for Judicial Notice (without attached exhibits) in Support of Opposition to Demurrer to Second Amended Complaint (here).

              ***

Several readers responded to mention on this blog of trees throughout Mission Viejo that need maintenance or removal. This blog could make a list of trees on major streets that are ready to fall over with the next “wind event.” On the subject of tree maintenance, a reader emailed: “Palm trees near the pillars on Crown Valley haven’t been maintained since they were planted several years ago. They’re shaggy with dead fronds, just like the ones directly across the street from the drive to city hall. More and more trees are added with no concern about taking care of them.”

              ***

Traffic has been backing up – even worse than usual – on the northbound side of Marguerite between Saddleback College and Oso. Drivers’ ire mounts when they reach the area where “workers” have parked their trucks but no one is working.

              ***

On the Dec. 5 council agenda, City Attorney Bill Curley will bring Keith Rattay’s contract out of the closet. For months, the council has discussed the weird proposal to give Rattay – an employee who reports to the city manager – a contract. Someone needs to explain: 1) why an employee who doesn’t report to the council should have a contract, 2) why this matter has been discussed secretly in closed session, and 3) why Rattay wants a clause whereby he can’t be fired for misconduct. By the way, what misconduct does Rattay have in mind?

              ***

Also on the Dec. 5 council agenda is the check register for two weeks, $327,240.15, dated 11-11-11, and $2,515,800.52, dated 11-18-11.

              ***

John and Ken railed (on Talk Radio AM 640) last week about the costs of Occupy LA. The LA council voted 12-0 to allow the protest to continue when they could have shut it down after one day. City workers, including 1,400 policemen, dismantled the illegal campout, with costs rising to millions of dollars for protestors’ 60-day takeover of a city park. City workers, including some in hazmat gear, removed 60,000 pounds of trash.

              ***

Following numerous Mission Viejo Tea Parties, volunteers went around to all four corners of La Paz and Marguerite, looking for any debris that might have been left by up to 700 attendees. They couldn’t find any trash – not even a gum wrapper.

              ***

At this writing, the latest presidential polls were reported prior to Cain’s Dec. 3 decision to suspend his campaign. Results of Rasmussen’s sample of 1,000 likely voters, in percentages: Gingrich 38, Romney, 17, Cain 8, Paul 8, Perry 4, Bachmann 4, Santorum 4, Huntsman 3. For a summary of presidential polls, go to http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html