WHAT A YEAR!

Dear Loyal Readers (and the rest of you, too)

THANKS FOR STOPPING IN...
I can't believe we're a week away from yet another new year! Yikes! I want to thank each of you for taking the time to stop in at A Bubbling Cauldron from time to time, to see what kind of drivel I'm spewing.

COMMENTS WELCOME, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WRONG!
I know from comments posted and from separate email correspondence and phone calls that some of the views I've expressed struck a chord with you. I also know that some of you disagree completely with what I've written. That's OK - I'm always happy to hear an opposing viewpoint, no matter how wrong it might be.

THE NEWPORT-MESA BEAT
This blog is mainly focused on Costa Mesa issues, with a little slop over into Newport Beach from time to time. I'm always happy to share my "wisdom" with our friends over there in the high rent district.

A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER
This year in Costa Mesa has been one unlike any other I can recall in the more than three dozen years I've lived here. The budget travails alone would make it unique, but when you combine that with the potential sale of the Fairgrounds, it has made an amalgam of chaos that's almost impossible to explain. And that's just at the local level. When you consider that our trainee president is trying to turn the greatest representative republic in history into just another socialist enclave, I, for one, will be happy to see this year end!

ROEDER LEADS A STRONG TEAM
The budget problems were managed effectively by the City Staff, led as always by the best city manager in Orange County (at least), Allan Roeder. He and his team faced tremendous obstacles trying to find a way to balance the budget and maintain city services at the same time. The strength of the bench in Costa Mesa municipal government was apparent when, out of the blue and in the midst of the whole budget turmoil, Finance Director Marc Puckett left his position for reasons that have not been, and probably never will be, made known. The remaining Finance staff and the rest of the senior management team just hunkered down and all pulled together to help produce a budget that would work.

SAYING GOOD-BYE TO RETIREES
Many elements of that budget were necessarily nebulous. For example, one "great unknown" was just how many staffers would take advantage of the enhanced retirement package. Hopes were that maybe 50 of the 145 or so eligible might decide to bail out early. If that was the case, management was expecting to replace only 25 of those, which would result in an annual budget savings of around $3.5 million. As it turned out, slightly more than 50 have chosen to retire and, based on the analysis by the management staff, only six will be replaced. That resulted in a savings of over $3.6 million in this fiscal year alone - virtually doubling the anticipated savings. The final numbers are still fuzzy, but that part looks like it worked out just fine.

WE'LL KNOW IN A MONTH
By the end of January the staff will have prepared their mid-year budget review, which should tell us just how close we will come to the targets created last spring.

THE FAIRGROUNDS SALE!
Then, the city had the biggest curve ball of all - the potential sale of the Fairgrounds - thrown at it. This issue has brought together some very diverse constituencies, all fighting the sale. It's created some new friends and more than a few new adversaries. Carpetbagger Planning Commission Chairman Jim Righeimer launched his "Save The Fair" effort, which was viewed by many as a smokescreen to facilitate the scurrilous attempt by members of the current Fair Board to form a non-profit group to purchase the fair after having hired a former legislator - Dick Ackerman - to go to Sacramento specifically to facilitate the Fairgrounds being placed on the block. Hearings were held, emissaries were dispatched to Sacramento to plead for the sale to be quashed, a bill was introduced by Assemblyman Jose Solorio - AB1590 - to stop the sale and the governor was contacted and encouraged to kill this bad idea. The City and The County of Orange agreed to form a joint powers authority for the purpose of bidding on the Fairgrounds - a choice of last resort if the sale cannot be stopped.

PROCESS IS MOVING FORWARD
As of this writing the sale process continues to barrel down the track with sealed bids due by January 8, 2010, which will be opened on the 14th and an auction comprised of qualified potential buyers will commence. Fingers all over Orange County are turning blue from being crossed in hopes of the sale being stopped.

And those two items were just the "big" two that faced Costa Mesa this year.

MORE BUDGET PROBLEMS AHEAD
Next year the budget difficulties will certainly continue as property tax revenues are certain to decline and sales taxes, already dropping, will likely continue to show weakness as our trainee president and his band of anarchists attempt to turn the strongest economy in the world into a second tier country.

ONE MORE TIME...
So, I want to thank every member of the Costa Mesa city staff, from Allan Roeder on down to the guys driving the street sweepers, for their efforts to keep the municipal wheels from coming off. 2010 will find many fewer people in place to meet the demands of our residents. It's going to take a whole lot of patience on our part as calls for service are delayed.

WITH FINGERS CROSSED...
2009 has been, in many ways, a truly terrible year. I hope, with fingers turning blue, that 2010 will be better - even if it only is a little better. I hope you all have a good year.

Here's some more Christmas Cheer for you today.

MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR - O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL