Friday, January 06, 2012

Charter Suggestions, Timetable Correction And RDA Meeting

SPEED BUMPS ON THE ROAD TO NIRVANA
This morning Interim Communication Director Bill Lobdell issued a press release, the text of which will be found below, that presents us with links to 66 suggestions and proposed amendments to Jim Righeimer's Charter. The link also includes the text of that first draft - the cut and paste version that he's trying to foist off on the voters of this city as the only logical step to Nirvana - his view of a perfect municipal world. Hmmm, now that I think a little more about it, Righeimer does have a kind of Buddaesque quality about him. Anybody want to rub his tummy for luck?

TIME TABLE FINALLY CLARIFIED

In the press release Lobdell also finally clears up the murkiness of just exactly when t
he amendments and suggestions may be submitted. Previously, several city officials have implied that no substantive changes would be accepted after the Special Council Meeting next Tuesday, January 10th. He clears this up by telling us that the City will continue to solicit input leading up to the second required public hearing on February 14th. Additions and suggestions will be continuously posted between the two hearings. This is good news and, in my opinion, turns a terrible, inconsiderate attempt to jam Righeimer's Charter down the throats of the voters into a slightly less onerous attempt to manipulate the situation for Righeimer's personal political gain. It's still a bad idea, but now slightly less-bad.

REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING TUESDAY, TOO
Tuesday will be
a very interesting day. It is my understanding that there will be a meeting of the Redevelopment Agency - the City Council in a different dress - at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the disastrous recent decision by the California Supreme Court that effectively shuts down redevelopment agencies state-wide and permits the State to siphon off funds from the agencies. In our case, the question of the $10 million loan the City made to the RDA at it's inception as seed funds remains up in the air. We hope some light will be cast on this on Tuesday - we would not want to have the State snag those dollars.

CHARTER MEETING AT 7 P.M.
The Special City Council meeting - the first of the two mandatory public hearings o
n Righeimer's Charter scheme - will be held at 7:00. Both meetings will be held in City Council Chambers. By the end of the evening we should have a pretty good idea of 1) the future of our redevelopment agency and the $10 million loan and 2) the attitude of the City Council about the recommendations for changes in the Righeimer Charter.

TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE, WITH LINKS

Here's the text of Lobdell's press release, including links to the amendments received so far.

COSTA MESA, CALIF - The City of Costa Mesa has posted on its website (www.costamesaca.gov) today 66 suggestions from residents for additions, deletions or edits to a proposed city charter, or local constitution, that will be discussed at a special City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The suggestions are attached and also can be found here.

“We’re pleased with such a great response from our residents,” said Mayor Gary Monahan. “Each suggestion will get careful consideration, and I look forward to Tuesday’s first public hearing on the charter.”

The City will continue to solicit input leading up to the second required charter public hearing on Feb. 14. (Previously, it was mistakenly reported that no new additions to the charter could be considered after the Jan. 10 meeting.) Between the two public hearings, the City will post the charter suggestions on its website on a regular basis.

Charters, which have been adopted by 120 California cities, give cities a greater degree of local control than that provided by the California Legislature. A charter for Costa Mesa would have to be approved by the majority of local voters.

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3 Comments:

Anonymous RichyD said...

Questions and suggestions UP TO the 14th. The meeting on the 14th, what is the meeting for???? Questions taken at this meeting? Citizens suggestions accepted at this meeting or is the charter a done deal by that time?

1/06/2012 03:05:00 PM  
Anonymous Judy Lindsay said...

I suggest scrapping the childish cut and paste draft; and allow proper research; timeliness for citizens intelligent, thoughtful input; respect for citizens input in the form of a citizen's committee;, formation of a possible draft based on thoughtful, thorough, reasoned citizen and citizen's committee research. A one man formulated charter draft is ridiculous as a great many citizens will have to live under the terms of the charter. Sent this day to the city website asking for suggestions.

1/06/2012 03:19:00 PM  
Anonymous Mike M said...

If there was a 'like' button on here, I'd click on Judy's comment. Work on that, Pot Stirrer...what kind of operation you runnin' over there? Fight the Power!

1/07/2012 12:00:00 AM  

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