The Buzz

Last week’s blog announced Brian Skalsky would make public comments during the Aug. 19 city council meeting. Skalsky exposed council candidate Rick Sandzmier’s false claim that a Mission Viejo resident hit him with a vehicle several weeks before the 2010 city election. The police report Skalsky presented shows Sandzimier told police he had not been hit or injured. Skalsky also exposed Councilwoman Trish Kelley’s false claims on behalf of Sandzimier. This blog earlier discovered Kelley had emailed her accusations to many recipients – some of whom don’t know her. Recipients said the city – not Trish Kelley – had their email address, implicating city administrators for participating in the hoax by supplying the addresses. The question everyone should ask is why Trish Kelley and City Manager Dennis Wilberg didn’t denounce Sandzimier’s claims three years ago.

***

What’s the word from the city’s queen of character Trish Kelley? For September, the character word is “responsibility.”

***

A San Juan Capistrano resident made comments from the public microphone during the Aug. 19 council meeting. After she read a paragraph or two, she got to the point. She really, really likes the pillars on Crown Valley with all the art. She was talking about the stone outhouses (which cost $14,000 each) with the garish graphics that residents frequently criticize. But wait – is this “visitor” from San Juan Capistrano not the same person who was on the Mission Viejo payroll – with Keith Rattay – whose full-time job became making character flyers and posters for Trish Kelley’s character words? If so, how about full disclosure of the “visitor’s” connection to Keith Rattay?

***

The city of Newport Beach regaled its taxpayers with giant-size rabbits placed in a circle near the new $138-million city hall building, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/great-499738-bunny-million.html . Mission Viejo has A.R.T. (Another Rattay Travesty), and Newport has its own variety of pricey junk on city property. Rattay’s expenditures hardly sparkle with originality, as cities appear to compete in the same categories. Mission Viejo has mosaic-covered bears to rival Newport’s rabbits. Rattay’s stone outhouses resemble the odd structures lining the El Toro median near the Laguna Hills Mall.

***

Performing genuine charitable work should not be confused with being suckered into doing someone else’s job. A story that emerged in Rancho Santa Margarita pointed to young people from other cities being diverted into doing manual labor for Mission Viejo city hall. Such diversion is neither community service, nor are volunteers “giving back” anything to the community as the article claims. As for community service, city hall isn’t the “community” any more than the DMV or the Post Office is the community http://ranchosantamargarita.patch.com/groups/margot-ferrons-blog/p/two-scouts-brave-the-heat-to-build-fences--margot-ferron

***

The Toshiba Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point is Sept. 7-8. The Ocean Institute, which is hosting the festival, invites everyone to enjoy the sights and sounds of real working tall ships. Participating Tall Ships and Great Schooners will include the Pilgrim, Spirit of Dana Point, Exy Johnson, Irving Johnson, Californian, Bill of Rights, American Pride and Curlew. http://www.tallshipsfestival.com/

***

On Aug. 19, the city council majority approved (3-2 vote, Reardon, Ury, Kelly in favor; Schlicht and Leckness opposed) a Loud Party Ordinance. If the council approves it on the second reading (on Tues., Sept. 3), the ordinance will give police the authority to bill the host for police services to shut down a loud party. Residents who oppose the ordinance say it is unconstitutional based on its subjective nature. Having a variety of deputies acting without defined guidelines raises questions about due process protections, equal protection and fair and equal enforcement. Also of concern is the appeal process. The city manager is judge and jury. Issuing a bill for cost recovery vs. issuing a citation skirts the Constitution. Does the person receiving the citation have any administrative steps for a right of appeal to a court of law?

***

NPR radio station KPPC hosted a discussion of the party ordinance during a segment of the show “Air Talk.” On Aug. 22, the moderator interviewed Councilwomen Cathy Schlicht and Trish Kelley. Listeners who heard the interview forwarded information to this blog, indicating Councilwoman Schlicht was the clear victor for citing facts and making logical arguments. http://media.scpr.org/audio/upload/2013/08/22/noisyneighbors2.mp3