The Buzz

Celebrate Veterans Day at the Nixon Library on Mon., Nov. 11, with free events all day. At 11:00 a.m. Bryan Bender of The Boston Globe will discuss “You Are Not Forgotten: The Story of a Lost World War II Pilot and a Twenty-First-Century Soldier’s Mission to Bring Him Home.” Enjoy patriotic music, including a performance at 2:00 p.m. by the Placentia Symphonic Band. Visit the Nixon Library at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org/ai1ec_event/honor-america-on-veterans-day/?instance_id=

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Learn how to sign up and use Facebook and Twitter at SOC912’s meeting on Fri., Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Attendees are invited to bring their cell phone and/or laptop for hands-on instruction. The group meets at the Norm Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. A $5 donation at the door will help pay for costs; free to first-time visitors and young people through age 24. http://www.meetup.com/SOC912/events/145277542/

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The agenda for the council’s Nov. 4 meeting is posted on the city website, http://dms.cityofmissionviejo.org/sirepub/pubmtgframe.aspx?meetid=2109&doctype=agenda

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When did Mission Viejo City Hall become the department of health, education, welfare and entertainment? Taxpayers would be outraged if they knew how much they’re paying for city administrators’ feel-good activities. Six month ago, Councilwoman Rhonda Reardon asked the staff to identify costs of city-funded festivals, parties and programs. Despite follow-up reminders, the staff has not produced a complete list. The initial directive was given during a council meeting to the city’s chief financial officer who makes more than $100,000 a year.

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While the city staff won’t report the cost of fun and games to the council during a public meeting, note an item published Nov. 1 in the Legal & Public Notices section, page 17, of the Saddleback Valley News. The notice is titled “City of Mission Viejo Cities Financial Transactions Report--Consolidated Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund Balance/Working Capital Consolidated Statement.” From the report:

Expenditures Net of Functional Revenues
               Total Expenditures  Functional Revenues  Net Expenditures
General Government   $9,841,839  $2,745,056       $7,096,783
Public Safety     19,939,007  2,032,544       17,906,463
Transportation     14,072,632  5,291,612        8,781,020
Community Development  3,483,734  2,632,207         851,527
Health          128,384    1,231         127,153
Culture and Leisure  16,528,182  5,293,579       11,234,603
Public Utilities       000
Other             000
Total$         63,993,778  17,996,229       45,997,549

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Could the category “Culture and Leisure” possibly be the information the city CFO was directed to report to the council six months ago? If so, no wonder city administrators have been sitting on it. The amount alone is outrageous. As an additional issue, the city is competing with private-sector services, programs, entertainment and everything else the government shouldn’t be doing. The category of Culture and Leisure doesn’t account for how many of the city’s 275 employees are involved in all of these non-essential activities. To calculate the true cost of Culture and Leisure, add the benefits and pensions of non-essential employees to the non-essential activities.

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Flea-borne typhus – it’s not just a disease, it’s a new topic for Councilman Dave Leckness to crack jokes about. Residents who tune in to almost any council meeting can observe Leckness making fun of Orange County’s Vector Control. Along with being Mission Viejo’s No. 1 embarrassment, Leckness was appointed by Mayor Rhonda Reardon as the city’s Vector Control representative. His only qualification (in contrast with competent people who applied) was that he wanted the appointment. During his reports on Vector Control activities, Leckness gets loud guffaws from the council majority when he jokes about death and disease in Orange County. According to the Nov. 1 OC Register, more than 100 cases of typhus have been reported in OC during the past seven years.

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During the Oct. 21 city council meeting, an audit of city-held credit cards was requested by Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht. Her tracking of CAL-Cards revealed 30 city staffers in eight departments are using the cards, and the expenses (now totaling more than $250,000 a year) have never been audited. Councilman Leckness said during the meeting, “Instead of only Councilwoman Schlicht digging in, maybe all the council members should be looking at the city’s check register.” Yes, it’s their job, which council majority members clearly aren’t doing. In November 2014, Councilmembers Leckness and Reardon will be up for re-election and Councilwoman Trish Kelley will term out.