2012 DP 103
(Photo courtesy of Daily Pilot)
TIME FOR FUN
The list is full of politicians, sports heroes, educators, philanthropists, business leaders and a whole lot of just plain folks who make a difference in the community.
OLYMPIANS TOP THE LIST
We can all speculate about who should or should not be on the list, that's part of the fun. However, I doubt that anyone will disagree with the choice of our Olympians to top the list. So, "#1" is actually 22 names of local Olympians - a good start for this list.
LANZILLO ON THE BOTTOM
The bottom slot is occupied by Private Investigator Chris Lanzillo, whose presence at Skosh Monahan's gin mill in the run-up to the recent election certainly did create controversy. Yeah, he deserves to be down there...
GREAT CHOICE
Number 2 surprised me, but I sure don't disagree with it. Sandy Genis' activism and successful election to another tour on the Costa Mesa City Council certainly makes her worthy of this lofty position.JUST RIGHT
And, it's somehow appropriate that she is ranked above #3, new Mayor Jim Righeimer.
GOOD CHOICEIt was good to see Robin Leffler on the list this year. Her role as the President of Costa Mesans For Responsible Government (CM4RG), that broad-based grassroots organization that was instrumental in the defeat of Jim Righeimer's Charter in November, certainly qualifies her for a position on this list.
LOBDELL...
It was interesting to see City of Costa Mesa Communication Director Bill Lobdell's name on the list. Not that he doesn't deserve the recognition - he certainly does - but I smiled when I saw it because the original DP 103 was created by Lobdell and Tom Johnson when they both were with the Daily Pilot.GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
I also smiled when I saw the name of Jess Gilman, retired legendary School Resource Officer, on the list. Sadly, it took his retirement for folks to fully appreciate his value to the Costa Mesa schools and the community in general.ME, TOO...
Oh, yes... I'm on it again. I'm down there at #91, sandwiched between Amy Senk - publisher of Corona del Mar Today and the BEST BLOGGER in our area - and super activist Mike Scheafer. That's pretty darn good company, if you ask me.
ENJOY
Labels: Amy Senk, Bill Lobdell, Chris Lanzillo, DP 103, Jess Gilman, Jim Righeimer, Mike Scheafer, Robin Leffler, Sandy Genis
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 12/26/2012 09:29:00 AM
20 Comments:
Geoff,
Thanks for the kind words. As you know, I truly loved my job working with and protecting the wonderful folks of Costa Mesa. Unfortunately, the political climate was uncomfortable and made it very difficult to be positive and upbeat.
I am truly grateful for the people I have crossed paths with. Costa Mesa and its diversity is a gem.
Happy New Year to you, Geoff. I hope that 2013 is a great year for you. Please continue to tell the truth and thank you for allowing dissenting opinions on YOUR blog.
Some say I was an "out of towner" who only came to Cost Mesa for a paycheck. I had more time ON DUTY than some of the whiners who live here and called me names.
As an outsider, I knew when your children were upset, when they were in trouble, when they were sick, when they broke up with their love, and when they were buried in homework. Yep, I was an "out of town union thug."
All the best to the kind folks of Costa Mesa. You are the best!
Peace,
Jess Gilman
aka Officer G
Thanks for the nice words Geoff, but it shouldn’t be my name alone on the DP list. CM4RG did what we did together. A lot of talent, a lot of thought and a whole lot of time from a lot of dedicated people went into our accomplishments this election. Our members worked hard to raise the awareness of what is going on politically in Costa Mesa and we’ll keep doing that. CM4RG is a very diverse group, with a lot of strong personalities and divergent views on many issues, but we are united about the kind of government we need for Costa Mesa, and we’ll keep active.
Our mission statement is: Costa Mesans for Responsible Government is a grassroots, non-partisan organization formed to encourage and promote high levels of openness, accountability, integrity, and responsiveness in our City Government.
It’s a pleasure to be part of such a dynamic bunch of people and I am proud to be associated with all the great folks who are CM4RG.
I thought that guy tearing down political signs should have made the DP 103.
what did cm4rg do? they lost two of three seats on council, didn't defeat an incumbent, told lies, inflamed every situation, and continue to attack with venom. they will go the way of R2R. Robin is too emotional and tells the big lies.
Robin Leach...you mean Eric Bever?
@ Robin Leach--that guy and and the whole "sign gate" incident wasn't really that big of a deal, and is absent for a reason.
Thanks to Jess Gilman and all of CMPD. They've weathered unwarranted attacks by the real thugs in this town.
Robin and I don't always agree politically, but she's the real deal. Just like Sandy Genis and Wendy Leece. With Geoff West included, at least there are four sane Republicans in CM.
An incredible HUMAN BEING. Thanks to you Jess, it's extremely sad the situation that was created that clearly has cost Costa Mesa residents very good servants.
Daily Pilot 2008:
“There are so many kids that don’t have any leadership in their lives,” Gilman said. “It gets frustrating. These are the kids I try to reach out to.”
One student Gilman established a strong relationship with was recent Estancia graduate Abby Koff. Known to her as “pops,” Gilman and Koff’s friendship began after Koff’s father died when she was in elementary school. She struck a close bond with Gilman, her DARE officer at the time.
“He has played a big part with me and I am sure with others,” said Koff, who will be heading off to Harvard at the end of August. “He is genuinely a good person and I don’t think you find many of those these days.”
Gilman will receive the award at the School Resource Officers Assn. annual conference Aug. 27 in San Diego. He will be presented with the award by the president of the association, Craig Hampton, and California Secretary of Education David Long.
DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.
How come Fitzys propaganda golf cart wasn't on the list? If you saw that thing around town, you know how important it was to this past election and the local community. I propose a "Write In" list with the 2012 propaganda golf cart at the top of the list.
We beat back your precious charter by 20 points, #9. We took all of your bogus arguments and ripped them to shreds. We stood toe to toe with an organized political machine and lost a close race - a LOT better than anyone expected.
Where is CM4RG going in 2013? Wouldn't you like to know the truth. You're going to have to hit back a little harder if you want us to go away, though.
We think PD should promote some of the senior cops. That makes them at will. No more PO bill of rights. That way you promote them, fire them and change culture.
Gilman gone, Huggins out. Only a couple left from the thug days. Chamnes will be forced to step down as union boss.
Soon we will have a PD we can trust with good leadership in place. Culture changed.
To the rest of unhappy public safety, we think you should leave. If anyone else will hire you, take it
Dear Culture change
Boy do you need to study up.
PO Bill of Rights is state law, applies to ALL police officers inclduing the chief at the department.
No one is "at will" but the chief.
Remember when then sheriff Mike fired his assistant sheriff George? He screwed that up because he forgot that even at will police officer bosses, are under the bill of rights - and what happened? George won, county paid, and of course George and Mike both went to jail for different things.
What kind of culture do you think needs to be fostered? What do you actually know about creating, fostering or changing orgnaizational culture other than having read those words on the business page of the Register? I think not much or you would know that to create or change a culture takes both time and energy but first the person doing the changing must know what culture they want in the first place. Given the things you say its pretty clear to this writer that you have no idea what the current culture is, and therefore you have no idea how to change the culture even if you actually have a vision, which I doubt.
Culture Change: a stupid mistake like that could only be worthy of Mensinger. Who is "we"? The "we" in this blog would be glad to see you go though...don't let the door hit you in your fat ass on the way out.
Mike H: you beat the charter by 20 points with the help of the UNIONS and 500K.
You were close in the election but lost. Do you realize that ballot position can actually help your vote totals? Being number one or last in that field was a HUGE help. That is why Stephens got more votes than Weitzberg, the same slate but being number one gives you about 4% extra votes. I don't for a minute think the cm4rg will go away. The name may change but there will always be a group of malcontents who find each other and get a laugh out of things like Mansewer, the BM's, Messy,Colon,puppets, bootlickers, etc. and make up the big lies. They feel safe and secure in the group, never having really been accepted in society at large, feeling old, ugly, fat, dumb or whatever. They want to be on TV. And their vote counts. A force that must be dealt with for sure.
If CM4RG weren’t effective #9 wouldn’t be squawking here. CM4RG definitely raised the consciousness of CM about the councilmen’s version of a Charter. As is obvious, that vote crossed party lines and there was not broad support for the policies they would have liked to put in place. We helped bring one candidate to a decisive first place victory. We demonstrated to the councilmen that retained their seats that this City doesn’t give them a majority mandate for the way they have operated in the past. Only 125 votes separate the total votes given to the 3 candidates CM4RG endorsed from the total the mmm’s got. Therefore our hope going forward is that the new council will be more inclusive and respectful of the diverse City they represent.
#9, We don’t ever intend to inflame but to inform. If Councilmembers don’t like it when we hold them accountable for things like taking credit for street improvements that a previous council approved or that the proposed charter allowed no-bid contracts, or their outsourcing scheme was a huge case of “fire, ready, aim”, they can get angry and emotional about it if they want but it’s simply facts. If we disagree with them, and if disagreement is considered inflammatory, that’s not very mature or democratic. If you can find any inaccuracies in anything CM4RG said or wrote please let us know immediately with documenting facts and I will publicly apologize for my own mistakes or on behalf of the group. We pride ourselves on our accuracy and the thoroughness of our research.
Since I heard misinformed nonsense again about us recently and some ignorant person may repeat it here, for the record CM4RG is not associated with any employee associations or unions. We refused to take any money from any of them. We respect and greatly appreciate our City employees, however our view is independent from theirs.
Troll #9 (That you Fitzy? Taking a break from job search?):
"..there will always be a group of malcontents.. get a laugh out of things like Mansewer, the BM's, Messy,Colon,puppets,bootlickers."
Don't forget Napoleon, Das Rigmarshal, Boss Hogg, Jimbo, Steve-O, Airport Bully Stevie, Biff Mensinger, The Drunk Elf, and The Golf Cart Butt-Kissers.
"..feeling old, ugly, fat, dumb or whatever. They want to be on TV."
Why are you criticizing your master Righeimer??
Robin claims the accuracy and thoroughness of frog research is something they are proud of. What a laugh. They are often way off base, always biased. If a political enemy is doing a good job they could care less, it ceases to be about good government but a witchhunt for a gotcha moment. Again, ballot position means a lot. Subtract over 500 votes for Stephens due to that alone. They should do some research on ballot position to compliment their "thoroughness". All the incumbents won except for a seat picked up on water by the OCGOP. But you definitely are thorough at council meetings, with the same group of 8 repeating the same thing for 3 minutes and thus putting off the important business to the late hours when it is more difficult to make good decisions. If you are for good government, let the government get to the vote on the agenda items. You don't need to be on tv to say the same thing for three minutes each. Just one needs to say it and the rest can say they agree in about ten seconds, not three minutes. Could shave a couple hours off the meetings and get better governance.
#9 tells the big lie about "the big lie." As Robin said, CM4RG has gone to great lengths to ensure that our statements are true and accurate. We have endeavored to refute the big lies told by others (Council majority and their followers). Everyone is "biased," and being "off base" is a matter of perspective; that's the closest #9 can come to identifying CM4RG "lies." I will second Robin's offer to own up to any proven inaccuracies from CM4RG. Will #9, or anyone else, do the same for their people?
how the heck is weitberg on this list? no one ever heard of him and all he did was get whacked in a council election. man, influential? what a joke. nice guy but MIA in CM
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