Council Majority Melts Down

During the Apr. 1 Mission Viejo council meeting, Councilman Frank Ury said he “talked with several council members throughout the course of the day” about an item on the agenda. He made the statement at 2 hours and 48 minutes into the meeting. What did he mean?

The item being discussed was No. 21, "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mission Viejo Making Determination of the City Council of the City of Mission Viejo Regarding San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Restarting Units 2 and 3.” A video of the meeting is available online at http://missionviejo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=941

The Brown Act is a California law prohibiting elected officials from conducting secret meetings. It requires city councils, county boards and other local government bodies to keep deliberations in front of the public. If local elected officials communicate with each other outside of public view, the discussion may not involve a majority of the council or board. With Mission Viejo’s council of five members, only two of them could discuss an item.

Asleep at the wheel during the discussion was City Attorney Bill Curley. His reaction in response to Ury’s statement he had talked to several council members: “Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z.”

Residents who voted for clowncil majority members Frank Ury, Dave Leckness and/or Trish Kelley should watch the April 1 video, particularly where Ury tells a resident to “pound sand.” His statement occurs at 3 hours and 23 minutes into the meeting.

Councilman Dave Leckness taunted residents who spoke at the public microphone. He indicated having only three public speakers in favor of the resolution amounted to nothing. However, zero residents spoke in opposition.

Compare the April 1 showing of genuine support for the council resolution to the Feb. 13 Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing in Dana Point when busloads of union members arrived to cheer on Southern California Edison. The union members received Costco gas cards in return for their support of SCE – now that’s the kind of support Leckness understands. http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/feb/15/san-diego-trade-union-members-attend-public-meetin/

The meltdown on April 1 had nothing to do with nuclear energy. At 3 hours and 47 minutes into the meeting, Leckness interrupts, insults and talks over everyone else. He tells Mission Viejo resident Joe Holtzman that the mayor is “generously” allowing him to speak for one minute. By contrast, SCE’s representative went to the microphone numerous times and spoke for as long as he wanted.

Council members favoring the resolution in support of safety at San Onofre were Council Members Cathy Schlicht and Rhonda Reardon, who have not taken campaign donations from SCE.

Those opposing the resolution were Council Members Ury, Leckness and Kelley, who have taken campaign donations from SCE. Leckness is up for reelection in November 2014. Kelley terms out in 2014, and Ury terms out in 2016.