New Council Seated Tuesday & More (Amended)
NEW COUNCIL TO BE SEATED TUESDAY
Well, the big moment is almost upon us. Next Tuesday the "new" City Council will convene at its regularly scheduled meeting and swear in the two members elected last month. Yep, current Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece and our old carpetbagging buddy, Jim Righeimer, will be sworn in and seated on the dais to begin their four year terms leading the city. They will join Eric Bever, Gary Monahan and, temporarily, Katrina Foley. The meeting will commence at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7th - Pearl Harbor Day.
CLOSED SESSION AT 5 TO DISCUSS ROEDER'S REPLACEMENT
(PLUS)
Before that happens, though, at 5 p.m. the "old" four, minus Righeimer, will go into a closed session to discuss the replacement of Allan Roeder as City Manager. Nobody is talking about what kind of an effort they are mounting to find his replacement yet - perhaps we'll get some kind of an indication following the closed session Tuesday evening. (Two additional items were added to the Closed Session late Friday evening. One deals with the appeal of the Benito Acosta case and the other deals with pending litigation)
FOLEY FOR MAYOR?
When the open session convenes and the new members are seated the first order of business will be selection of a mayor and mayor pro tem. This is going to be fun! In some venues, including Costa Mesa in years past, the person who was Mayor Pro Tem would be elected Mayor. I'm not sure that will happen this time around because Wendy Leece ruffled a few feathers during the final days of the campaign. How about this? Let's elect Katrina Foley as Mayor (for a week) then we can do it all over again when she resigns and a new council member is appointed to replace her? Sounds like fun to me!
The agenda for Tuesday's meeting, while not particularly long, does have some items sure to draw a crowd.
FINES FOR USING UN-PERMITTED TRASH HAULERS
Buried deep in the Consent Calendar, at #11, is a resolution to charge a $1,000 administrative penalty and deferral of Certificates of Occupancy for builders who fail to use a solid waste hauler permitted to do business in the city. Seems like a curious move in a city trying to encourage development.
RDA ANNUAL REPORT
Also in the Consent Calendar, at #13, is the Redevelopment Agency's 2010 Annual Report, which apparently tells us it is still in the black.
SEGERSTROM'S SENIOR HOUSING PLAN
The first Public Hearing - which theoretically will happen at 7:00 - deals with the planned Senior Housing Development at Mesa Verde Center. The three segments of this plan are long, as are the staff reports, but it actually shouldn't take too long on the agenda. It's a good deal and will almost certainly pass.
TEMPORARY BANNERS
Then come items dealing with new rules for temporary banners and perimeter walls on multi-family residential projects.
GET THAT JUNK CAR OFF YOUR DRIVEWAY!
The first Old Business item is the ordinance dealing with storage of inoperable vehicles on residential properties, so all you guys out there with project cars under a tarp with flat tires on your driveways are going to get "the word" Tuesday.
DON'T FEED THOSE CRITTERS!
Item 3 under Old Business is the ordinance that makes it "disorderly conduct" to fish or feed water fowl in city parks. This is aimed directly at the lake at TeWinkle Park. I suspect more than a few residents will show up for this one - particularly residents from Mesa Del Mar and College Park, who use this recreational facility frequently.
POOL CLOSURE?
Item 4 deals with adjustments to the Administrative Services budget for our current fiscal year. The three sub-sections involve a decision on whether to close the Downtown Community Pool or not; elimination of the ROCKS Program at some schools and an amendment to CDBG-R funds for the Whittier School site ROCKS Program.
BIKE TRAILS AND RECYCLING (AND BUDGET ITEMS)
Way down at the end of the agenda, under New Business, there will be a discussion of the feasibility study for a bicycle trail connection between the Santa Ana River and the Upper Newport Bay and, finally, a zoning code amendment for Recycling and Collection Facilities. (A third item was added late Friday - a review of the FY 2009/2010 budget and Calendar Year Financial Status)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
With that to chew on for the weekend, I leave you with my first of what may be many little video clips to get you into the holiday spending frame of mind. I present to you, one more time, Stan Freberg's GREEN CHRI$TMA$.
Well, the big moment is almost upon us. Next Tuesday the "new" City Council will convene at its regularly scheduled meeting and swear in the two members elected last month. Yep, current Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece and our old carpetbagging buddy, Jim Righeimer, will be sworn in and seated on the dais to begin their four year terms leading the city. They will join Eric Bever, Gary Monahan and, temporarily, Katrina Foley. The meeting will commence at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, December 7th - Pearl Harbor Day.CLOSED SESSION AT 5 TO DISCUSS ROEDER'S REPLACEMENT
(PLUS)Before that happens, though, at 5 p.m. the "old" four, minus Righeimer, will go into a closed session to discuss the replacement of Allan Roeder as City Manager. Nobody is talking about what kind of an effort they are mounting to find his replacement yet - perhaps we'll get some kind of an indication following the closed session Tuesday evening. (Two additional items were added to the Closed Session late Friday evening. One deals with the appeal of the Benito Acosta case and the other deals with pending litigation)
FOLEY FOR MAYOR?
When the open session convenes and the new members are seated the first order of business will be selection of a mayor and mayor pro tem. This is going to be fun! In some venues, including Costa Mesa in years past, the person who was Mayor Pro Tem would be elected Mayor. I'm not sure that will happen this time around because Wendy Leece ruffled a few feathers during the final days of the campaign. How about this? Let's elect Katrina Foley as Mayor (for a week) then we can do it all over again when she resigns and a new council member is appointed to replace her? Sounds like fun to me!The agenda for Tuesday's meeting, while not particularly long, does have some items sure to draw a crowd.
FINES FOR USING UN-PERMITTED TRASH HAULERS
Buried deep in the Consent Calendar, at #11, is a resolution to charge a $1,000 administrative penalty and deferral of Certificates of Occupancy for builders who fail to use a solid waste hauler permitted to do business in the city. Seems like a curious move in a city trying to encourage development.
RDA ANNUAL REPORT
Also in the Consent Calendar, at #13, is the Redevelopment Agency's 2010 Annual Report, which apparently tells us it is still in the black.
SEGERSTROM'S SENIOR HOUSING PLAN
The first Public Hearing - which theoretically will happen at 7:00 - deals with the planned Senior Housing Development at Mesa Verde Center. The three segments of this plan are long, as are the staff reports, but it actually shouldn't take too long on the agenda. It's a good deal and will almost certainly pass.
TEMPORARY BANNERS
Then come items dealing with new rules for temporary banners and perimeter walls on multi-family residential projects.
GET THAT JUNK CAR OFF YOUR DRIVEWAY!
The first Old Business item is the ordinance dealing with storage of inoperable vehicles on residential properties, so all you guys out there with project cars under a tarp with flat tires on your driveways are going to get "the word" Tuesday.
DON'T FEED THOSE CRITTERS!
Item 3 under Old Business is the ordinance that makes it "disorderly conduct" to fish or feed water fowl in city parks. This is aimed directly at the lake at TeWinkle Park. I suspect more than a few residents will show up for this one - particularly residents from Mesa Del Mar and College Park, who use this recreational facility frequently.
POOL CLOSURE?
Item 4 deals with adjustments to the Administrative Services budget for our current fiscal year. The three sub-sections involve a decision on whether to close the Downtown Community Pool or not; elimination of the ROCKS Program at some schools and an amendment to CDBG-R funds for the Whittier School site ROCKS Program.
BIKE TRAILS AND RECYCLING (AND BUDGET ITEMS)
Way down at the end of the agenda, under New Business, there will be a discussion of the feasibility study for a bicycle trail connection between the Santa Ana River and the Upper Newport Bay and, finally, a zoning code amendment for Recycling and Collection Facilities. (A third item was added late Friday - a review of the FY 2009/2010 budget and Calendar Year Financial Status)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
With that to chew on for the weekend, I leave you with my first of what may be many little video clips to get you into the holiday spending frame of mind. I present to you, one more time, Stan Freberg's GREEN CHRI$TMA$.
Labels: Allan Roeder, Eric Bever, Gary Monahan, Jim Righeimer, Katrina Foley, Merry Christmas, Wendy Leece
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 12/03/2010 03:58:00 PM
7 Comments:
Pot Stirrer, how long does Jim Righeimer have to live in Costa Mesa until he's no longer a carpetbagger. Isn't he going on 4 years now? Phu Nguyen didn't even live in the District when he ran unnsuccesfully against Allan Mansoor but we didn't see you make a stink out of that? The "carpetbagger" thing is so played!
Ah, Rich, probably forever...
So Jim Fitzpatrick has been sworn in on the Sanitation Board........has he resigned his planning commission seat?
As of Friday afternoon that was an unresolved issue according to the City Attorney. In response to my inquiry she replied that she works for the City Council and would tell them the answer first. OK, but the clock is ticking. The Planning Commission meets on the 13th, so it seems appropriate that she informs the council at their meeting of the 7th. It's not on the agenda for that meeting yet.
It seems strange that a Planning Commissioner might have to resign because of a conflict when a councilmember (Monahan) served on both bodies. Then, again, municipal government rules don't always make sense. I guess well see... eventually.
This has nothing to do with this specific post but anyway...I was just reading an AP article about California's liberal vehicle perks for state lawmakers. It made me wonder if Mansoor will accept a taxpayer funded vehicle and gas reimbursement, or if he will put his actions where his mouth is as a small government, cut-the-waste GOP'er.
A Resident, I saw that article, too. Had the same question. :-)Perhaps he could hone his skateboarding skills and get around the capitol that way! :-) We'll find out soon enough.
There should be an amendment to the City's Constitution (like the fairgrounds zoning amendment)for the following:
1 Set districts for council members. 4 or 5 districts (use water/sanitation if need be).
2 Elect the Mayor by voters, not by council consensus.
3 Make it policy that no elected official or persons working for the City (in any function) may NOT hold more than one seat or position while in the City's employment.
4 If an elected official or persons being employed by the City chooses to run for election, they must step down from their current seat or position at the time they announce their candidacy; if they are at the end of their term this would not apply.
This would help the voters of Costa Mesa elect the persons they want in office and not be forced to accept a person "selected" by their council buddies.
We got 2 years to collect votes and put it on the next ballot.
If anyone else thinks this (even a modified version of this)should be attempted let me know:
yourvotecounts@att.net
If you don't like this idea I will accept alternative ideas; but unlike Geoff, I won't take anonymous emails with anti-productive comments or remarks.
I'll let Bubbling Geoff know how it turns out.
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