Grants Stir Controversy

Additional information is emerging about the contentious council meeting earlier this month.

During the Dec. 2 meeting, Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht wanted to discuss $75,000 in grants that had been awarded to organizations on Nov. 18, as recommended by the Community Services Commission. One organization receiving a grant was a program for teens, which includes abortion counseling. Another organization received funding to give cell phones to homeless people. No one on the council would second Councilwoman Schlicht’s motion to allow discussion.

Also on Dec. 2, Councilwoman Schlicht tried to get the council to pass a resolution in opposition to toll lanes on the 405. Again, no one would second her motion. When it was clear the others wouldn't support the specifics of her resolution, she asked if they would at least pass a resolution to oppose toll lanes on the 405 -- which they would not do.

To review the above actions during the Dec. 2 council meeting, watch the video at to http://missionviejo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=14&clip_id=1266

Regarding Councilwoman Schlicht’s motion to discuss the grants, the matter had been on the agendas of four public meetings:

1. Sept. 17, the Community Services Commission interviewed grant applicants
2. Oct. 15, the Community Services Commission recommended the grants
3. Nov. 18, the council approved the grants as recommended.
4. Dec. 2, Councilwoman Schlicht brought back the item for discussion.

Is anyone on the council trying to act like Congress – e.g., voting to approve legislation without knowing what's in it? 

During the Sept. 17 commission meeting, Commission Chairman Bob Breton specifically confirmed that the organization offering counseling for teens presented abortion as an “option.” The commission voted 6-1 to award the grant, with Commissioner Steve Magdziak dissenting. Reardon as mayor has two appointees on the commission, Bob Breton and Judy Bullockus, both of whom knowingly supported a city grant for an organization that offers abortion counseling to teens.

The Dec. 2 council meeting marked the fourth airing of grants, although no one seconded Councilwoman Schlicht’s motion. When other council members wouldn’t allow discussion, Councilwoman Schlicht later used her council comments to spell out what the grants covered, including abortion counseling and cell phones for homeless people.

At the time Councilwoman Schlicht made the motion for discussion, silence followed. Mayor Reardon then attempted to move to the next item despite two people in the audience who had turned in speaker cards. One of them, Joe Holtzman, asked if he could speak. Reardon told him to be quiet or he would be removed from the room. Reardon obviously didn’t want a discussion of the item. Councilwoman Schlicht then asked the city attorney about procedure and, after some discussion, Holtzman was allowed to speak.

In Holtzman’s comments from the public microphone, he revealed that a commissioner should have recused herself on Oct. 15 when a grant was discussed because she had a conflict of interest. He mentioned no names.

The next speaker, Wendy Bucknum, said she had done nothing wrong by staying on the dais during the discussion on Oct. 15.

The question everyone should ask is why Bucknum had turned in a speaker card for the item on Dec. 2. It appeared the city staff and/or council majority members had anticipated that Councilwoman Schlicht was bringing back the grants item in order to embarrass Bucknum over the conflict of interest. However, Councilwoman Schlicht’s council comments later on demonstrated that her intent was to discuss the grants. A city employee or a council majority member may have alerted Bucknum she should try to deny she had a conflict of interest. They guessed wrong about the nature of the discussion, and Bucknum needlessly identified herself as the person Holtzman was talking about.

The council majority members looked foolish for refusing to second a motion to discuss the grants. They looked even more foolish when one of the majority members indicated later she didn’t know what kinds of activities she had voted to fund.

The council majority’s refusal to second Councilwoman Schlicht’s anti-toll lane resolution was ridiculous. Mission Viejo residents should remember the four council members who refused to support any resolution against toll lanes are Frank Ury, Trish Kelley, Dave Leckness and Rhonda Reardon.