Costa Mesa Seeks Commissioners(Amended)*

PLANNING AND PARKS & RECREATION SLOTS OPEN
In a press release issued today the City of Costa Mesa is soliciting application for persons interested in filling positions on the Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission.  You can read more about those opportunities HERE. 


There has been a sporadic problem with that link.  Here's the application information:  

APPLICATION PROCESS – Individuals interested in serving on either commission are encouraged to complete an application form which may be obtained in person from the City Clerk’s Office or from the City’s website. All applicants must be a registered voter in the City. The completed form may be mailed or hand-delivered to: Costa Mesa City Clerk, 77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; or faxed to (714) 754-4942. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. The City Council will make selections from applications filed in a timely manner. For further information, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (714) 754-5327 or cityclerk@costamesaca.gov.

*A TOTAL OF FIVE POSITIONS

After I posted this entry I was advised by the Interim City Clerk, Brenda Green, that Ethan Temianka resigned his seat on the Parks and Recreation Commission when he captured a position on the Mesa Consolidated Water District Board in the last election.  So, there are now five (5) total positions available on the two commissions - three (3) on the Parks and Recreation Commission and two (2) on the Planning Commission.  The positions of Planning Commission Chair Colin McCarthy and Vice Chair Sam Clark expire in February.  The positions of Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Kim Pedersen and the open position previously held by Jeff Mathews - who was selected to fill Jim Fitzpatrick's position on the Planning Commission earlier this year - expire in February, too. Temianka's position expires in 2015.

ANOTHER HEAD FAKE?
I only hope this doesn't turn out to be yet another exercise in futility for folks who are actually interested in these positions.  The past couple times such solicitation were held the council played hot potato with them and asked for new applications - apparently because not enough of their cronies applied.  We'll find out soon enough if that's going to be their modus operandi again.

OVERPAID?
Planning Commissioners receive $400 per month for their service.  Back a few years ago a survey was done to determine if our commissions were appropriately compensated for their service.  At that time there were two planning commission meetings each month and the survey showed that Costa Mesa's planning commissioners were the highest paid of any city in the county.  The commission meet only once per month - and still gets $400 per month.  Maybe it's time to take a look at that compensation level again, since the council still seems bound and determined to cut costs everywhere else.  Certainly none of the commissioners are in this for the money, which probably works out to about $100 per hour per month if you only count meeting time.

A BARGAIN

The Parks and Recreation Commissioners are paid $100 per meeting and they only meet every other month, so each of them costs The City a whopping $600 per year - a bargain.

THANKS, IN ADVANCE

Good luck to those of you who decide to toss your hats into the ring for these jobs.  They take dedication and more than a little bit of time when done properly.  Thanks, in advance, to those of you who offer to serve our city.