Santa Margarita Water Update

The awareness of corruption that was raised from the Cadiz proposal of last summer ( http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article225.html ) was evidently not enough for voters to throw out the incumbents from the Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors. Two incumbents were reelected on Nov. 6, and a third candidate, Charles Gibson, was elected to the board. Gibson says he is a “close friend” of board member Roger Faubel.

Following are examples from SMWD’s board meeting last week of how the board operates:

• The 50-page FY 2012 year-end June 30 audit did not agree with the page 6 handout to ratepayers. No mention was given in the audit of the legal contingent liability exposure relative to the seven active state lawsuits, and one pending federal lawsuit filed, all concerning Cadiz.
• The SMWD is losing money from operations and taking money out of their Rate Stabilization Fund, $2.2 million in the prior year and forecasting $1.5 million in FY 2013. False reports have been issued by Cadiz Inc. and SMWD regarding lawsuits.
• Despite the SMWD operating at a loss, they've hired Jim Leach, SMWD Director External Affairs. Leach is CEO of the South Orange County Regional Economic Coalition, a direct arm of the South Orange County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Another new hire is Joyce Crosthwaite, active Executive Officer LAFCO. (Note: Charley Wilson, SMWD Director is Chairman of LAFCO). Ms. Crosthwaite is a Harvard graduate and will become Dan Ferons direct assistant. Ms. Crosthwaite specializes in land development and CEQA law.
• Kristin Griffith, Director of Finance, presented a power point presentation justifying the reasoning for rate increase that totally perplexed the Board. They had no idea how or what the tables/graphs represented. Regardless, they voted unanimously to okay the resolution for a rate increase. Public Hearing(s) are to commence late summer 2013.

Council Agenda Alert

The following excerpts were forward by a watchdog with regard to items on the Mission Viejo City Council agenda for the Nov. 19 meeting.

At the [Nov. 19] city council meeting, the city attorney will verbally inform the council and the public that he has received from the attorney for Kaleidoscope an incomplete draft proposal for a development agreement for signage.

There is not any backup material, and there is nothing currently listed on the agenda for discussion. From past communications, we know that Sentinel Developers for Kaleidoscope are pushing for electronic billboards.

The public needs to be very vocal on its position to the introduction of this visual blight into Saddleback Valley. The city has received letters of opposition from the cities of Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills - yet the project is continuing to move forward. The city attorney has stated in an e-mail that nothing has been formally submitted and nothing is being promised.

If you remember before the election, the city manager stated that the public was receiving misinformation from a website and flyers; the citizens were told that the council rejected the sign proposals submitted by K-scope and the developer had dropped its plans to build digital signs along the freeway and the city is only listening to K-scope's plans.

Is the city listening to its citizens?

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise and non-profit groups.

Dana Point Turkey Trot, Thurs., Nov. 22, 5/K 10/K walk/run, benefits 5th Marine Regiment, Dana Point Harbor, (949) 496-1555, http://www.turkeytrot.com

Lake Mission Viejo Thanksgiving Day schedule, Thurs., Nov. 22, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., including boat rental from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Save the date for Santa’s arrival and the boat parade, Sat., Dec. 8. Call (949) 770-1313, ext. 200, http://www.lakemissionviejo.org

Sawdust Winter Fantasy, Nov. 23-25 and Dec. 1-2 and 8-9, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., artwork, entertainment, classes and demonstrations, 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-3030, http://www.sadustartfestival.org

Concert at Soka, The Romeros with Massimo Paris, Sat., Dec. 1, 8:00 p.m., Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4278, http://www.performingarts.soka.edu

Now enrolling, Happy Minds Kids Academy in the Gateway Center, 24000 Alicia Parkway, #35, Mission Viejo. Programs for infants, toddlers, preschool, pre-kindergarten and junior kindergarten, (949) 455-1212, http://www.happymindskids.com

Daily Guided Tours at the Mission during the week, Monday through Friday, 11:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. No advance reservation required, but a minimum group size is needed to proceed, Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, http://www.missionsjc.com/

Holiday Ice Rink in Spectrum. Outdoor rink is open daily, skating lessons are available. Check the website for schedule. Giant Wheel Court, Irvine Spectrum Center, (949) 748-8280, http://www.skatespectrum.com

Political and Government Events Calendar

El Toro Water District meetings: Engineering, Finance, Insurance Committee on Mon., Nov. 19, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., Nov. 20, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ETWD, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com/

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, Mon., Nov. 19. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5:00 p.m., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, https://www.socccd.edu

Orange County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tues., Nov. 20, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors/Meeting%20Schedule

Concert at the Richard Nixon Library, Sun., Nov. 25, annual performance of the Messiah, Yorba Linda Arts, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Schedule is subject to change. Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1161, http://nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Tues., Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m. “if necessary.” District office, 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/

Capistrano Unified School District invites parents and community members to a “Conversation with the Superintendent” on Wed., Nov. 28, 7:00 p.m., Aliso Niguel High School theater, 28000 Wolverine Way, Aliso Niguel; Board of Trustees will meet on Mon., Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m., district office, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/

Santa Margarita Water District meetings: Engineering Committee on Fri., Dec. 7, 7:30 a.m.; Finance Committee on Fri., Dec. 14, 7:30 a.m.; Board of Directors on Wed., Dec. 19 at 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Community Relations on Wed., Dec. 12, 9:00 a.m.; Engineering and Operations on Mon., Dec. 17, 9:00 a.m.; Finance and I.T. on Wed., Dec. 19, 9:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Jan. 17, 7:00 p.m. No general meeting in December. SRA meets on third Thursdays (except in December, July and August) at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo. For information call (949) 360-1717.

The Buzz

The OC Registrar of Voters is continuing to count ballots from the Nov. 6 election. As of this writing, 31,771 ballots countywide have not been counted – mostly provisional ballots. The percentages received by the six Mission Viejo council candidates have not changed significantly for several days. Incumbents Frank Ury and Cathy Schlicht are the projected winners.

CITY OF MISSION VIEJO Member, City Council
Number To Vote For: 2
Completed Precincts: 71 of 71

Vote Count
Percentage

FRANK URY
18,540
27.3%

CATHY SCHLICHT
15,671
23.1%

WENDY BUCKNUM
15,394
22.7%

ED SACHS
9,896
14.6%

RICHARD W. COLEMAN
4,663
6.9%

DESI J. KISS
3,640
5.4

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To view a breakout of votes by precinct, go to http://electionmapping.ocgov.com/OCElectionMapper/Map.aspx . Select a precinct and choose from items on the ballot to look at such results as candidate totals or how the propositions fared in each precinct.

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Community members are reacting with disgust upon hearing about the bullying tactics displayed by Council Members Dave Leckness and Trish Kelley on election night. Attendees who gathered at a Mission Viejo residence in support of Cathy Schlicht said Leckness and Kelley acted like they were sneaking into the house. A guest who was at the gathering gave his opinion: “During the next council meeting, Leckness and Kelley should tell viewers which ‘character word of the month’ they were demonstrating by trespassing.” The incident occurred after the first ballot count was posted by the Registrar of Voters, and Leckness and Kelley barged into the house when they mistakenly thought Cathy would lose. Kelley, with egg on her face the following morning, called Cathy to apologize.

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A government-initiated website “We the People” has been bombarded by more than 100,000 disgruntled citizens in 20 states, petitioning that their state be permitted to secede from the Union following Obama’s reelection. During a meeting last week in Mission Viejo, a political analyst said, “Are Californians wanting our state to secede? If so, are they aware California is a state the others want to get away from?”

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Email from a blog reader: “Check out the graffiti on the building across from the Jag/Land Rover building. It has a Ury campaign sign in the dirt. The reason it has dirt instead of grass is because the owner (also Jag/Land Rover owner) does not pay for landscaping, water nor maintenance, trash dumpster, electricity, etc., and vacated his building deliberately, likely to try and get a sweet deal from the city two years from now over a hotel or some other project on his site. This is the same guy who the council majority voted to subsidize, at the urging of then-CUSD Supt. Fleming, and the council rejected a state-paid onramp to favor the dealership instead of resolving Avery traffic jams. So, the city has actually financed blight... a vacated building conducting no business and generating no revenue and subject to vandalism and deteriorating adjacent property values and businesses...as I read blight. No city sales tax revenues from the vacated building are forthcoming, and the city is in deficit from sales tax revenues. I guess the auto dealership has not panned out for the city. That’s quite an economic development program.”

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