Schizophrenic Council Meeting Planned For Tuesday

SPLIT PERSONALITIES AHEAD
The Costa Mesa City Council meeting next Tuesday, January 17th, with the council scheduled to change personalities more often than a runway model changes outfits, that it might seem it suffers from multiple personality disorder. More about that shortly.

HARBOR SOARING EXTENSION
I already mentioned the Warrants and thoroughly vented my spleen on the subject of legal fees in my earlier post, so I won't go there again. However, also in the Consent Calendar is the proposal for an extension of The City's agreement with the Harbor Soaring Society for one year for the use of space in Fairview Park. You can read the staff report HERE.

PAYROLL AUDIT RESULTS AND RESPONSE
We also had the results of a payroll audit conducted by an outside firm that says, basically, we're OK with some minor procedural changes. If you really want to read the staff report you'll find it HERE.

FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS...
OK, deep breath now, because this is where it's going to get very complicated. As was discussed during the Joint Meeting of the City Council/Redevelopment Agency last Tuesday, the staff and legal counsel recommended that a Housing Authority be formed for the purpose of assuming the assets of the RDA, which is scheduled to be dissolved February 1st, as I understand it. We are assuming that the actions they will take Tuesday will somehow shelter the assets of the RDA and keep those funds in the city, although they will NOT be part of the General Fund.

As I read the staff reports - there are lots of them - this is what will happen:

CLOSED SESSION, THEN REGULAR MEETING AT 6:00
First, following the City Council Closed Session at 5:00 the council will reconvene in open session and process the agenda through the Consent Calendar, including Public Comments and the CEO Report.

COUNCIL/RDA
Then, it will adjourn and reappear as a Special Joint Session of the RDA and Council, HERE, at which time they will take Public Comments, Agency Member Comments then consider a resolution, HERE, amending the Enforceable Obligation Payment Schedule, HERE, and the Initial Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule, HERE, and transmitting that payment schedule to the City, as successor agency. The City Council will accept the amended Initial Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule from the Agency. The Joint session will be adjourned.

COUNCIL/CMHA MEETING
Then a Special Joint Meeting of the City Council and the Housing Authority will be convened, HERE. More Public Comments will be taken, and the council, wearing two new hats, will consider forming a brand new agency, the Costa Mesa Housing Authority, HERE. The process will involve five (5) separate resolutions. Those are listed below, plus the list of Housing Authority bylaws and Asset Receivables. Each is a "hot link", just click on it to read the item.

Attachment 1: City Council Resolution -formation
Attachment 2: Housing Authority Resolution- formation
Attachment 3: Housing Authority Resolution Approving Bylaws
Attachment 4: Proposed Costa Mesa Housing Authority Bylaws
Attachment 5: City Council Resolution – declining Agency’s housing assets and functions
Attachment 6: Housing Authority Resolution – accepting Agency’s housing assets and functions
Attachment 7: Housing Asset Receivables

ANOTHER QUICK CHANGE
Once that is completed the Special Joint meeting will be adjourned and the regular City Council meeting will be reconvened. Whew!

NO "TARGET" ISSUE
On the rest of the agenda we find the withdrawal of a Public Hearing regarding Target Store operating hours. I didn't give you a link because it's been withdrawn.

CONTROVERSIAL PROJECT IS BACK AGAIN
The second Public Hearing is review of the Planning Commission's determination of the proposed improvement of the Villa Venetia and Pine Brook Village Apartments. There is a two-part staff report, HERE and HERE, along with a Supplemental Memo, HERE and Photos, HERE.

AL WANTS HIS MONEY BACK
There is no Old Business, but under New Business is a request from property owner Al Morelli for a refund of his fee for the review of the Target operating house, mentioned above, HERE.

MAYOR'S CHARITY DINNER PROPOSAL
Finally, there is a request, apparently generated by non-elected councilman Steve Mensinger for the formation of a "Mayor's Charity Dinner", HERE, which, on the surface seems like a nice, feel-good kind of thing for our city. However, it does give me a little twinge because it seems to be another smoke screen - much like the Snoopy House - that may distract us from the really important issues at hand. I read the staff report and wish there was a little more clarity on just how the funds generated by this dinner would be used. And, heck, it might give Mayor Monahan a chance to dress up in something besides his wee kilt.

THAT'S ALL, FOLKS
That's it for the weekend. I've wrung myself out posting today and now you have the weekend to digest all this stuff over the three-day holiday. I'm going to spend a big chunk of my weekend watching football.

ELECTRONIC WASTE DISPOSAL
If you find yourself looking for something to do, The City is hosting an Electronic Waste Collection event at the City Hall parking lot both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. So, bring all that hard-to-dispose-of electronic stuff - computers, printers, copiers, fax machines cell phones and toner cartridges - on over. Read more about it HERE.