Two "Healing" Events Scheduled Today
BEGINNING THE HEALING PROCESS
Weather permitting, today there are two events scheduled at Costa Mesa City Hall
designed to be part of the healing process in the wake of the tragic death of employee Huy Pham and the reaction to his death.
"CIRCLE THE CITY PRAYER" AT NOON
At noon a coalition of church groups will hold what they call "Circle the City Prayer", in which participants are invited to join them in encircling City Hall for a 45 minute vigil. According to the organizers, "This is a call to prayer, a call to lament, a call to ask God to heal our City and to hold out hope for our community." They go on to say, "We are asking that you wear something white as a sign of hope (no red please out of cultural respect)."
MEMORIAL EVENT AT 3:00 P.M SHARP
At 3:00 p.m. there will be a memorial ceremony on the East side of the City Hall in remembrance of Huy Pham. This originally was to be an "Employees Only" event but has since been opened up to all interested parties. At precisely 3:17 p.m. there will be a moment of silence.
MAY AID HEALING
The past few days since Huy Pham leaped to his death from the roof of City Hall have been very emotional and stressful for the employees of our city and for many members of the public, as well. Hopefully, events such as these two planned for today will aid the healing process.
COSTA MESA TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION MEETING
However, there continues to be events that will keep these wounds open. On Thursday Costa Mesa Planning Commission Chairman Colin
McCarthy will hold the inaugural meeting of the Costa Mesa Taxpayers Association at the now-infamous Skosh Monahan's pub. The original information on this group implied that it was designed as a support arm for the current efforts by the majority on the City Council to disassemble our city through outsourcing and the busting of employee organizations. We assume they will go forward with their event. Perhaps Gary Monahan, as their host, will throw on his kilt again and serve some leftover green beer. Here's the invitation to the event:
"FEET TO THE FIRE FORUM"
And, next Monday evening, the 28th, Orange County Register Columnist Barbara Venezia plans to hold another in what may become a series of "Feet To The Fire Forums". Originally, this was going to discuss the homeless issue in Costa Mesa. Then the focus shifted to "Outsourcing", and was to present Scott Baugh and Jim Righeimer opposing Wendy Leece and Orange County Employee Association President Nick Beradino as fresh meat for panelists Venezia, Register Columnist Frank Mickadeit, Daily Pilot Editor John Canalis, Newport Beach Independent Editor Roger Bloom and Voice of OC Editor Norberto Santana, Jr. Following the events of St. Patrick's Day, it looks like this event - if it is held at all - will shift again to a forum to discuss how to heal Costa Mesa. I'll let you know more about this one as it unfolds this week.
Weather permitting, today there are two events scheduled at Costa Mesa City Hall
designed to be part of the healing process in the wake of the tragic death of employee Huy Pham and the reaction to his death."CIRCLE THE CITY PRAYER" AT NOON
At noon a coalition of church groups will hold what they call "Circle the City Prayer", in which participants are invited to join them in encircling City Hall for a 45 minute vigil. According to the organizers, "This is a call to prayer, a call to lament, a call to ask God to heal our City and to hold out hope for our community." They go on to say, "We are asking that you wear something white as a sign of hope (no red please out of cultural respect)."
MEMORIAL EVENT AT 3:00 P.M SHARP
At 3:00 p.m. there will be a memorial ceremony on the East side of the City Hall in remembrance of Huy Pham. This originally was to be an "Employees Only" event but has since been opened up to all interested parties. At precisely 3:17 p.m. there will be a moment of silence.MAY AID HEALING
The past few days since Huy Pham leaped to his death from the roof of City Hall have been very emotional and stressful for the employees of our city and for many members of the public, as well. Hopefully, events such as these two planned for today will aid the healing process.
COSTA MESA TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION MEETING
However, there continues to be events that will keep these wounds open. On Thursday Costa Mesa Planning Commission Chairman Colin
McCarthy will hold the inaugural meeting of the Costa Mesa Taxpayers Association at the now-infamous Skosh Monahan's pub. The original information on this group implied that it was designed as a support arm for the current efforts by the majority on the City Council to disassemble our city through outsourcing and the busting of employee organizations. We assume they will go forward with their event. Perhaps Gary Monahan, as their host, will throw on his kilt again and serve some leftover green beer. Here's the invitation to the event:
"FEET TO THE FIRE FORUM"
And, next Monday evening, the 28th, Orange County Register Columnist Barbara Venezia plans to hold another in what may become a series of "Feet To The Fire Forums". Originally, this was going to discuss the homeless issue in Costa Mesa. Then the focus shifted to "Outsourcing", and was to present Scott Baugh and Jim Righeimer opposing Wendy Leece and Orange County Employee Association President Nick Beradino as fresh meat for panelists Venezia, Register Columnist Frank Mickadeit, Daily Pilot Editor John Canalis, Newport Beach Independent Editor Roger Bloom and Voice of OC Editor Norberto Santana, Jr. Following the events of St. Patrick's Day, it looks like this event - if it is held at all - will shift again to a forum to discuss how to heal Costa Mesa. I'll let you know more about this one as it unfolds this week.Labels: Barbara Venezia, Colin McCarthy, Frank Mickadeit, Gary Monahan, Huy Pham, Jim Righeimer, John Canalis, Nick Beradino, Norberto Santana, Roger Bloom, Scott Baugh, Wendy Leece
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 3/21/2011 08:58:00 AM
10 Comments:
You are not helping the healing with your critical posts. Now is the time for everyone to sit down and work out how to staff and run this City for the next 20 years, not the next budget cycle. That means that the employees and management have to work together, and the outrageous and totally inapproripate statements coming from posters on this blog and the Pilot, as well as public statements by the likes of Nick Beradino, only serve to keep the wounds open.
Huy Pham's death is a horrible tragedy, for which no one but Mr. Pham bears responsibility. Costa Mesa has seen countless layoffs, both within the City organization and throughout the private sector. Dozens of businesses have folded, with lifetimes of work and effort lost, families have lost their homes and retirements. None of these people chose to end their lives, does that mean that no one was to blame for their misfortune?
No one is to blame for Huy Pham's tragic death. You should work on promoting the healing.
Gotta agree with Healing because you are not helping. Piling on Monahan for his bad judgment doesn't help anything. He knows he was a dope and he knows that this is not rounds for recall. If you really want healing, back off and let the family heal.
Who's paying for the "free hors d'oeurvres? How about rental fees for the use of the restaurant? Does someone get a tax write-off for these expenses?
Just curious...
Your mouth is calling for healing but your hands are holding the knifes!
Is is the gathering call of all evils to come to the right place at the right time to celebrate?
Are you all wearing RED and the leprechaun will serve Bloody Mary?
Is it the Eye of Sauron on top of the triangle "New World Order"?
I could feel a chill running down my spine!
Healing and Enough,
So, your interpretation of "healing" is for the employees of this city and the residents, too, to simply roll over and ignore what the city council is trying to do? Puhleeze! St. Patrick's Day was bad enough from the beginning, with 6-month notices being delivered to almost half the staff, but Huy Pham's decision to take his life put an exclamation point on the day that cannot simply be ignored or assuaged by public demonstrations of grief at his passing.
Monahan made a HUGE mistake last week. Taking an hour from pulling beer taps to personally come to City Hall to see to his job wasn't too much to ask, was it? Will it cost him his political career in this city? I hope so. He's demonstrated that he only cares about himself and has worn out his welcome.
As far as "backing off" - why would I do that? You have no idea of the public outcry I've received since last week. This is a forum for discussion of important issues where ALMOST every comment is posted, regardless of viewpoint. The exception, of course, are those submitted as "Anonymous"... Thanks for your views. I understand them, but disagree with them.
How strange that two comments that sound almost exactly the same are the first two posts on your blog. It looks like Righeimer sent out a mass email to his supports again to have them try to discredit the people who don't agree with him. You guys fool nobody. But Righeimer isn't the first man in history to have a blind following.
In 1934 Hitler sent out his SS bodyguards to kill all his political opponents in what became known as the Night of the Long Knives. 85 people were "purged" during that three day period. It was the beginning of more atrocities to come.
Obviously I am not accusing Righeimer of a purge here; but what else does he have in store for the City of Costa Mesa and at what point will people wake up and stop this blind allegiance to this shell of a man and his accomplices?
The call for management and employees to sit down together was ignored long ago - by management. We'll see what kind of advice their well-paid consultants come back with, while we all pay for it.
I sure hope the new taxpayers group does not now become a target for the intolerant group. it is simply concerned folk and a PAC that may help offset the union $$. A good debate should not stop any healing. The timing could be better but this was formed before the tragic event. Hopefully some good ideas on finance and running the city can come forward during the meeting, perhaps ideas on how to save as many jobs as possible going forward AND provide for ongoing maintenance and capital improvements. All are welcome apparently so come be heard.
Hmmm... a time for healing.. sounds good in theory; however, lets go over a few facts. Take a look at Skosh Monahan's Facebook page. Toggle down.. to Thursday.. AFTER MONAHAN was told that Huy Pham had died.. did he stop posting drunk posts or drunk photo's..yes, the Mayor of Costa Mesa. How disgraceful and shameful. This photo's were taken by his own staff.. Secondly, he needs to resign and the city's healing can begin.
I agree w/ Pot Stirrer, rolling over and not speaking up against the bulldozing tactics of certain Council members, regardless of a tragic event, is irresponsible and not in the best tradition of our democracy. What has transpired in our city in the last few weeks is serious and disturbing; it calls for more discussion, not less. As for Monhahan, I have not seen or heard any evidence that indicates he feels he made an error in judgment with his actions on St. Patrick's Day. A true leader would have spoken up immediately and done the right thing; he chose to offer a "no comment."
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