Whew! Is This Year Finally Over?

TREADING LIGHTLY, WE PROCEED
Well, we made it, my friends. 2010 is just about over and 2011 is staring us squarely in the face, daring us to proceed.

A VERY SPECIAL YEAR
I think most will agree that, in the case of Costa Mesa, this year had been one to remember - or forget, depending on which side of the issues you've been on.

BUDGET PROBLEMS CONTINUE
We've had the ongoing budget mess, which continues to this day. We'll find out just how deep the doo doo is on January 11th at the City Council study session. Until then I guess we just tap our toes waiting.

IS THE FAIRGROUNDS FIASCO OVER?
It looks like there's a good chance the whole Orange County Fair and Event Center sale thing may be in it's death throes. Jerry Brown takes over as governor on the 3rd and nobody's talking about his position on the sale of State real estate assets to balance the budget. Opponents of the sale, including members of the Fair staff, are holding their collective breaths until some word comes from Sacramento following Brown's coronation. The next legal step scheduled is a hearing by the appellate court early in February... until then, more toe tapping.

LEADERSHIP TURMOIL
From a leadership standpoint, Costa Mesa has some strange things going on. Two years ago Finance Director Marc Puckett left under a cloud - one that persists today. He finally landed on his feet in a similar job in Petaluma in November. Then word comes that he's bailing out of that one as of next week. Yikes.

SHAWKEY, SMITH AND MORGAN
Then, very recently, the City announced that both Chief Christopher Shawkey and his top command officer, Captain Ron Smith, were both placed on Administrative Leave. No word why, but the announcement were on the same press release, so some folks presume the reasons are related. Captain Les Gogerty was asked to step up on an interim basis to fill the command vacuum. And, Fire Chief Mike Morgan retired in November, only to surface as the interim chief in Newport Beach a couple weeks later. Geez!

ROEDER ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT!
And then the topper - City Manager Allan Roeder, who has held that job for a quarter century and been with the city for three dozen years, announced that he's retiring the end of March! That was a shocker to most observers. Certainly, Roeder has earned the right to retire, but he's such a positive fixture - a face of stability - that it's just a little disconcerting to think of him out of office.

HATCH NAMED TO REPLACE HIM!
But, the City Council solved that immediate angst by selecting Assistant City Manager Tom Hatch to replace Roeder. This news was met with universal acclaim in City Hall and was an excellent early Christmas present to the staff and residents alike. Hatch is a perfect fit for this city at this time. He's got great credentials and has become fully immersed in city issues during his four years as Assistant City Manager. This is really good news. To give you a little taste of Hatch, you can watch the City Talk segment he taped last August HERE. Trust me, it's a half hour well spent and you'll understand after watching it just why those who have been working with him feel his selection to replace Roeder is a good one.

FOLEY TO BE REPLACED TUESDAY
On Tuesday the City Council, led by new old mayor Gary Monahan, will select a replacement on the dais for the departed Katrina Foley, who finally officially tendered her resignation today following her election to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board last month. There are many solid candidates from which the council can select a replacement for Foley, but the smart money is betting on Planning Commissioner Steve Mensinger. I've written much about Mensinger in the past and will likely write some more before the council meeting. For now, suffice it to say that he wouldn't be my first choice from the candidate pool available.

RIGHEIMER'S OPPORTUNITY
2011 is going to be another year full of challenges. The budget dilemma may provide the crack in the door for Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer to jam his foot through it and try to become the tip of the lance of state-wide municipal employee pension reform. Ever the eager opportunist, he will likely try to use that issue to springboard him to higher office in the not-to-distant future. Dana Rohrabacher's congressional seat will be contested again in two years...

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE
So, dear readers, friends and neighbors, we here at A Bubbling Cauldron wish you and yours a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. I'll leave you with a little video clip that expresses my feelings right about now. Be safe, be happy and celebrate the new year surrounded by those you love.