Trial Date Set For CMCEA's Litigation Against Costa Mesa
APRIL 9, 2012
This afternoon I was informed, on good authority, that Judge Barbara Tam Nomoto Schumann's court has set a trial date of April 9, 2012 in the litigation by the Costa Mesa City Employees Association (CMCEA) against The City of Costa Mesa.
INJUNCTION REMAINS IN PLACE
According to my source, there has been no other change in the status of the litigation. The preliminary injunction remains in place.
LEGAL FEES MOUNTING UP?
This has me w
ondering just how fast that old slot machine we have going with several law firms handling this case will be spinning. Five more months for lawyers at Jones Day at $495 per hour for even first year associates doing work on this case - Yikes!. I guess we'll just have to be watching the Warrants closely each month to see who is racking up big bills.
WHAT ABOUT THE RFPS?
It also has me wondering about the RFPs, some of which are now being returned. The injunction prohibits The City from outsourcing City jobs to private firms, so this date may become an anchor that will slow the process to a crawl. In the meantime, the RFPs will begin to stack up somewhere in City Hall, gathering dust, and the layoff notices issued to employees and extended recently will expire again.
WORD FROM THE CITY?
I
also wonder when, or if, we will hear about this date from City sources. Maybe in the next edition of the CEO's E-Briefing, scheduled for release Friday.
This afternoon I was informed, on good authority, that Judge Barbara Tam Nomoto Schumann's court has set a trial date of April 9, 2012 in the litigation by the Costa Mesa City Employees Association (CMCEA) against The City of Costa Mesa.
INJUNCTION REMAINS IN PLACE
According to my source, there has been no other change in the status of the litigation. The preliminary injunction remains in place.
LEGAL FEES MOUNTING UP?
This has me w
ondering just how fast that old slot machine we have going with several law firms handling this case will be spinning. Five more months for lawyers at Jones Day at $495 per hour for even first year associates doing work on this case - Yikes!. I guess we'll just have to be watching the Warrants closely each month to see who is racking up big bills.WHAT ABOUT THE RFPS?
It also has me wondering about the RFPs, some of which are now being returned. The injunction prohibits The City from outsourcing City jobs to private firms, so this date may become an anchor that will slow the process to a crawl. In the meantime, the RFPs will begin to stack up somewhere in City Hall, gathering dust, and the layoff notices issued to employees and extended recently will expire again.
WORD FROM THE CITY?
I
also wonder when, or if, we will hear about this date from City sources. Maybe in the next edition of the CEO's E-Briefing, scheduled for release Friday.Labels: CMCEA, Layoffs, outsourcing
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 10/27/2011 10:51:00 PM
25 Comments:
City services continue to slide down-hill fast. The lack of employees coupled with the inept newly hired outsourced contractors are leaving the City of Costa Mesa a dismal mess. Have you tried to get anyone to answer the phone at City Hall? Based on what I observed the city now has one employee doing the job of 4-5 employees who have left the city to seek employment elsewhere. The Administration staff is stretched to the limit, Engineers are doing their own paperwork and the phones are going unanswered into voice-mail. Good Customer Service? Costa Bell anyone?
Callie,
I guess you'll have to find other folks to constantly rant & complain to. Maybe you could start your own blog.
callie:
Good Customer Service? Costa Bell anyone?
Me:
The Riggmarshal and his gang don't care. Costa Mesa gets gutted so he can rant in his Richard Simmons voice in Washington.
Why won't the Council make a move either way on the DUI Grant money? Is it like a "pocket veto" where if they do nothing, they can't be accused of NOT getting it?
Why would a council who is "run" by a mayor who owns a bar, and where at least three of the members of the council regulary hold court there, and get their cronies whom they appointed to commissions to hold all of their functions in said bar want ANYTHING to do with DUI enforcement?
Their lack of action on the matter is in fact a pocket veto.
Big labor continues to use automatically-withdrawn money from public employee paychecks in an attempt to bankrupt Costa Mesa, and you fools blame the council?
Hilarious.
@Hilarious
What's hilarious is that you came onto this blog and made a stupid statement. Who said, anything about "Big Labor" attempting to bankrupt the council by taking money from employees paychecks.
Which one of the council members let you out of your cage to type on the computer. Now go away, grown ups are talking....=)
I just read our CEO's briefing for this week and I'm really happy to live in this City. He has a vision for the financial stablility of our City that outsources some services and prioritizes the residents.
I feel so sad for the haters on this blog who only see the negative in our town. I love living here, I don't envy the tough choices our elected leaders and City management have to make in these times. Every City is making them. Glad we are getting through it together.
For the rest of you, lighten up. It's Friday, it's a beautiful day in a beautiful City. Don't let the union haters poison your mindset. Everyone on here (both sides) could use more positive thinking now and then!!!
There is no "Big Labor" in Costa Mesa, genius. Not to mention all deductions to any employee group in this city are voluntary. It's not "automatic".
Stop looking for union ninjas to drop from the trees at every turn, like these ideological hacks on council want you to believe.
Callie, any idea of what cities are hiring? I want to leave but no one is hiring, not even Bell. everyone is cutting. Dang, i am 47, only 8 years from retiring too. I guess I will stick it out, can;t beat the pay and benefits at least.
Costa Mesa reminds me of what John Moorlach tried to do with the County a few years back. Moorlach lost in court about 3 times I believe.
The cost? MILLIONS
Who paid? Us taxpayers.
Bottom line: What Righeimer and the councilmen are doing is morally, ethically and lawfully wrong.
Why? Just to get ahead in politics at the cost of an employee's life and the livelihood of hard working employees who wanted nothing more than to serve the public and make an honest living.
Shame on Costa Mesa!!!
"Ron":
For the rest of you, lighten up. It's Friday, it's a beautiful day in a beautiful City. Don't let the union haters poison your mindset. Everyone on here (both sides) could use more positive thinking now and then!!!
Me:
MEMO
To: Trolls
From: Das Riggmarshal
Keep repeating talking points: Everything good, beautiful day, lighten up, haters bad. Riggy know best!
I'll be in Washington D.C. before you can say "Huy Pham."
Wow, April is 7 months past the expiration date of the 6-month pink slips. Over a year since this attempt to dismantle the city began. What was that "Just wait until November" noise the council sycophants threatened? It will be over a year before there begins to be any resolution. Meanwhile, like "Callie" said, the City struggles along. One employee trying to do the work of 3 or 4 because so many couldn’t take the toxic soup and left for cities happy to have them. All that Costa Mesa training and experience: Our tax dollars at work…in other cities.
The incredible irony here is if this Wrecking Crew had any sense, they world have done their homework fist. Then followed the rules, acted like responsible fiduciaries of the Public Trust, and accomplished constructive changes. We could have renegotiated lawfully with employee groups, saved jobs and lots and lots of money on lawyers, consultants and temps.
By now, we’d be able to outsource legally if it made sense, issue lay-off notices if necessary…and it could already be over. We’d have saved millions, protected our quality of life, preserved our city structure and never suffered the abuse and disrespect for the public we’ve endured. They wouldn’t need to spend our tax dollars on an expensive spin doctor and a handful of law firms. The City Council could have resolved this like civilized adults, not self-aggrandizing political opportunists. Now it will be resolved in an expensive and divisive legal battle. Those short-sighted opportunists we regret electing could have built up our community, instead they tore it apart.
Yep. Greed and opportunism will do that to you. As Ben Franklin said, "Haste makes waste". The legacy of the majority on this council will be the destruction of a once-very proud city - all for personal political gain.
all you whiners are living in the past and just can't stop rehashing everything that happened that you did not like. Get over it. A lot of good things have happened but you are so negative you missed them. Is this the way to live your life? Writing weird "Joe" memos, does he think they make anyone laugh except maybe ridge? they are lame, not even funny at all. The city has not been destroyed. In fact, it has been rescued. Go ahead and sulk about what has transpired and talk to each other about it ad nauseum. the council is now five steps ahead of you while Genis focuses on dog poop bags not being funded properly. the rest of us are off to the chili cookoff, the beach, halloween parties, and just enjoying life in a wonderful city. You are welcome to join us, just shut up about politics and some cop not getting to retire at 50. Epperson is enjoying the day I bet, join him if you don't like our company but just enjoy, the city is fine, this is no Bell and council doesn't kill its employees. You are listening to certifiable nuts if you think so.
Wow,Nervousguy, good use of partyline talking points, even if they are old and tired. If you didn't understand the word sycophant, in terms you are familiar with it means brown-nose.
FYI: The City already collected $15,000 from dog liscenses just for poop bags. If they can't find the money and claim they can't buy the bags, we have a BIG PROBLEM here. I'll bet they find it, cause misappropriation of designated tax money is kind of a no-no.
And yeah, guys with no sense of humor wouldn't think Joe is funny. His shtick rocks! We love it, thanks for all the laughs Joe and keep it up! Nervous, I know it's hard when your idols are the butt of the humor, but they make it so easy.
What a beautiful day! Think I'll go to the Chili Cook-off and visit with friends and neighbors who want to save our beloved City from this Wrecking Crew. (Good one, Heart for CM)
To: Heart for Costa Mesa,
But what if everything is going to plan? After all, the Republican Party is committed to fatally weakening the Democratic Party by drying up its (supposed) major source of funds, the hourly workers who’ve joined together to be strong enough to bargain with employers. (AKA “the hated unions.”)
Also, one of the perennial planks of the Republican Party platform is “smaller government.” If you take this together with their indebtedness to businessmen, it makes sense to do what they’re doing in Costa Mesa: while city employees flee the uncertainty, creating vacancies, the four councilmen hire private businessmen/women to do their jobs. This doesn’t necessarily reduce the number of workers, but it does reduce the number of city employees.
Look what they’ve achieved so far:
• They’ve already weakened Costa Mesa’s associations by attempting to lay off over half the city’s workforce. It has forced the associations to spend money on lawyers, signs, TV ads, etc. Since money is fungible, this automatically takes funds away from the normal union efforts to develop bargaining prowess. Score 1 for the four Civic Dementors, as I am now seeing them. Why call them Civic Dementors? They are sucking the soul out of my town.
o (If you haven’t read a Harry Potter book, here’s a link to a Wikipedia description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementors#Dementors Here’s a short description clipped from the article: “The dementors are soulless creatures considered to be among the foulest beings on Earth. They are soul-sucking fiends … )
• They claim to care about how much money goes to pensions. So, by driving a real employee to quit, it instantly stops the growth of that particular pension. It doesn’t eliminate CM’s responsibility for the pension accrued by the employee while at CM, but it limits it. Score another for the Civic Dementors.
• By reducing the number of regular city employees, the Civic Dementors can brag that they’re reducing the size of government, even while they’re contracting big time for private companies to do the same work.
o (This is magical thinking, akin to the Bush/Rumsfeld strategy of making it appear they weren’t sending a big military force over to Iraq. They only counted uniformed personnel, not the thousands of nonmilitary people doing the security, cooking, KP, construction, etc. that soldiers used to do. Did it save money? Well, would you do any of those jobs in the hellhole called Iraq for the same pittance we pay our real soldiers? Me neither.) Score another for the Civic Dementors.
• The Civic Dementors are earning big points with the Republican establishment by carrying this off according to plan. By sticking to the plan, even though berated by many, many, solid, long-time citizens, they are proving they’ve got the Right Stuff and can be trusted to keep doing it as they get promoted up the political ladder. (Although I don’t know how the Party can reward all four Civic Dementors, since there aren’t a lot of political paths emanating from Costa Mesa. Maybe they have other ways to reward faithful servants?) Score yet another for the Civic Dementors.
Jim Righeimer is no dummy. Actually, he’s very smart, although over the top aggressive. None of the other Civic Dementors are dummies, either. They are faithful servants, though, following the agenda of out-of-town Voldemorts. (Notice they have never deviated from the script? They wouldn’t even correct a contract that was missing the standard Not To Exceed limit on the amount of money an out-of-town law firm could charge. But then, that, too, fits the scheme of sending the maximum amount of our tax money to private firms. One must conclude it was part of the script.)
To: All Trolls
From: Das Riggmarshal
Here advance script for next week:
West bad, Egan bad, Joe not funny.
Genis not focused, obssessed with poop bag. Poop bag taxpayer pay for not here because Riggy take to buffet, fill so he and Menssy have snack on dais while texting each other.
Bever put poop bag on head to help city, fix hair.
Monahan fill bag with beer, sell more when someone new dies.
Lobdell fill bag with $3000 Riggy give him every week to make city poop smell nice.
Joe, I love it that West can count you among his supporters.
well cm taxpayer do u think Joes last memo here is funny? if so you must be in third grade. it is idiotic preadolescent scribbling. it keeps getting worse as he gets more aroused.
Trolls "with friends" and "nevernervous"
spewed respectively:
wf:
"..I love it that West can count you among his supporters."
nn:
"..it keeps getting worse as he gets more aroused."
Me:
Some trolls spend the whole day on their knees.
Everyone who reads this blog knows what you and your pals are and what you are doing.
The old days, when you and your weird uncle played secret games in your room, ended a long time ago.
Your masters have disrupted and attacked a great city for personal political gain. The truth will continue to come out in many different ways- some through satire, some through indictments.
One dead, many wounded, so Righeimer can get a seat in Congress.
Why would Fullerton residents spend all that time, effort, energy and money on a recalling and not Costa Mesa?
Ah, yes, residents support that action that is not supported in Costa Mesa.
Joe,
Nevernervous must be nervous or he would not bother to come on here to post. He could go over to that hateful blog where his comments would be welcomed with open arms, but he still comes here. I wonder why?
Hey, "No Support"- Actually, all those Fullerton recall supporters, is actually one half baked millionaire named Bushala. He has a vested interest in restacking that council so he can ramrod development projects through. Hey wait a minute...a developer using council for his own selfish interests. That sounds eerily familiar.
Justin, I hope you realize that OCEA has more money than anyone. And has demonstrated a willingness to spend it.
Yet no recall in Costa Mesa.
Why? Because the community supports the Council. I would bet my last dollar that the Union evaluated a recall and found NO support.
They are seeking candidates now. Perry Valentine, they will crush him on his pension. Sandy Genis could not carry her neighborhood in a run for Mesa.
Just wait. Unions, driven by entitlements & anger will screw it up. It will be entertaining to observe.
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