The Buzz

Mission Viejo’s July 1 council meeting was more bizarre than usual. For example, the contractor (All City Management Services – ACMS) that provides crossing guards to help schoolchildren cross streets was poised to have its contract renewed. However, some of the guards had attended several council meetings to protest the new contract’s reduction of their hours. The council hadn’t negatively reacted until two ACMS managers spoke from the public microphone to announce diminished service for the cuts in hours and pay. (Item No. 30, view the video: http://missionviejo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=1000 ) The crossing guards in the audience at first applauded their managers’ remarks but then changed their mind when the council said ACMS would not get the contract. The city staff indicated no Plan B had been prepared, and city administrators could not provide the name of another qualified bidder for the contract. The discussion also revealed ACMS wasn’t the lowest bidder.

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With budget matters at stake during the July 1 council meeting, some groups in the audience were competing for taxpayer bucks by attacking other groups’ pet projects. Also on the agenda (Item No. 28) was the dog park, which received an additional $888,888 from the council majority (Leckness, Kelley, Ury). Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht recommended other sites for a low-cost dog park that wouldn’t negatively impact adjacent homes. The council majority forged ahead, throwing more money into an oversize parcel with unstated costs, including an unfavorable land swap with the county. Schlicht reminded the council majority that a city survey demonstrated residents didn’t support a dog park, and those who wanted one didn’t support an expensive one. The additional cost of $888,888 was mistakenly reported by the OC Register as being funded by park fees from developers. It is not, as park funds were already spent. Nothing new, but City Manager Dennis Wilberg tripped himself up when he was asked about funding. His answer was unintelligible, but he indicated dog park funds would come from park fees.

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Of the three council members supporting the $888,000 addition, Leckness is up for reelection in November 2014, and Ury appears to think he is running for higher office. Trish Kelley terms out in 2014 (when she completes three terms after promising she would serve only one term and “NEVER” participate in negative campaigning). Three council seats will be up for election in November 2014. Leckness will likely run again, and at least two council wannabes are jumping up and down at every public meeting – Wendy Bucknum and Bob Breton. Bucknum was the electronic billboards proponent who lost her council bid in 2012. Breton was on the council years ago before stepping down following a snafu to fund the library. Several architectural firms said Breton coerced them to donate to a campaign for a chance to bid on a contract. Maybe he thinks it was so long ago no one remembers http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/robert-d-breton

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Another group that was represented at the July 1 council competition for tax dollars was a homeowner association. The HOA member said city hall should beautify the medians along La Paz between Marguerite Parkway and Olympiad Road. Apparently, some residents don’t understand why the La Paz median improvements abruptly end at Marguerite or why certain corners have a million lights at Christmas. The top administrators in city hall (who live in Lake Forest, Irvine, etc.) like to have nice surroundings on their drive to work. As for La Paz east of Marguerite, city hall occupants don’t venture beyond the community center. Besides that, city hall has already created a display for residents at La Paz and Olympiad. It’s a staging area for equipment, signage and portable toilets that are used during city hall events.

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Councilman Dave Leckness threw a temper tantrum during the meeting when two of his pet projects were voted down. He wanted tax dollars for more “art” (Another Rattay Travesty) along Crown Valley Parkway and recharging stations for electric vehicles. After the items were rejected, Leckness’ first attacked Trish Kelley, and then he said Ury wasn’t smart enough to vote for the recharging stations. The budget discussions revealed how aggressive city hall has become at pursuing grant money. As one question, how many city employees are on the payroll as grant writers? As another matter, should a city bragging about its affluence and hefty reserves be grabbing tax dollars (“grants”) for the sake of changing banners every other week on street corners, erecting stone outhouses, placing oversize brown pots and junk on medians and decorating “bears around town”? The result of the city’s grant writing has largely been make-work projects and growing the city staff to 270 employees.

Another item that didn’t get unanimous support was the city’s lobbyist, Townsend Public Affairs, essentially asking taxpayers to fund a layer of bureaucracy between voters and their state legislators. Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht added into the public record the lobbyist’s political donations to campaign funds, in support of her comment that vendors are buying influence. She also pointed out that Townsend lobbies for other cities, and Mission Viejo is competing with Townsend’s other clientele for the same tax dollars. Since tax dollars are not “free,” elected officials should start saying no to more debt.

The city’s two-year budget passed with a 3-2 vote. On her “no” vote, Councilwoman Schlicht explained she did not accept that raising staff’s pay range was acceptable following the vote earlier this year for a pay raise. She added that the budget contained too much social spending at the expense of infrastructure, and the city is increasingly competing with the private sector. Councilman Ury likes to say “the council owns the budget,” but the council majority forgets the taxpayer has to pay for it.

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“If you just set out to be liked, you will be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and would achieve nothing.”  ― Margaret Thatcher

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Col. Joe Snyder, a retired Marine, former mayor of Dana Point and a member of VFW Post 9934, is spreading the word about an upcoming event in San Juan Capistrano. The VFW is among organizations partnering with Torch 1975 to sponsor a golf tournament at San Juan Hills Golf Club on Mon., July 15, benefiting the military, their families, Wounded Warriors and Veterans’ issues. Torch 1975 was founded by Jessica Nguyen, a POW’s daughter and war survivor / victim. The golf tournament celebrates the centennial birthday of President Gerald Ford and commemorates his humanitarian act in 1975, authorizing $2 million to evacuate Asian American orphans from Saigon who would otherwise have been slaughtered. Known as Operation Baby Lift, it resulted in 2,700 children being adopted in the United States, plus 1,300 in other countries. To learn more about the July 15 golf tournament, call (714) 323-4400 or visit http://www.torch1975.org