Monday, April 01, 2013

Big Changes Announced At Costa Mesa City Hall

HISTORIC CHANGES
In what will certainly go down in the history of this city as one of the most memorable days since the founding of the city - at least politics-wise - several announcements were made today.  Please read EVERY announcement, right to the end.


RIGHEIMER SAYS ADIOS
First, Mayor Jim Righeimer, apparently exhausted from all the criticism and abuse he's taken over
the past few years because of his bad ideas and even worse implementation plans, held a press conference to announce that he's had enough.  Righeimer will be abandoning his position on the City Council and will be moving back to Fountain Valley.  He said he hopes to spend more time with his family, making more money and working more closely with Representative Dana Rohrabacher and OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh helping to refine their plans build a wall around Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to keep any more undesirable liberal folks from crossing the borders.

MENSINGER ON THE PAYROLL

At the same press conference Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger, apparently wanting to be adequately
compensated for all the hours he spends prowling City Hall, accepted the position of Economic and Development Director - the job being vacated by Peter Naghavi.  He negotiated a hefty salary in the $200,000 range plus medical and pension benefits.  He mentioned that he will immediately recruit an Assistant Director, and expects Jim Fitzpatrick may be the perfect fit.  CEO Tom Hatch announced that he is excited about the challenge of working with two such fine men on his staff and looks forward to their first performance reviews at the end of 90 days.  Mensinger also announced that he will try to gain eligibility to play on the Estancia High School football team this fall, to try to recapture some of his misspent youth.

MONAHAN CONFIRMS SUSPICIONS
Separately, but also early this morning, long, long, long time councilman Gary Monahan confirmed the fact that he just doesn't have time to do the job as a city councilman, so he will officially only attend every third meeting for the next three years, when his current term expires.  He will continue to receive pay and benefits as though he was a serious council member, and thanked the voters of Costa Mesa for electing him last November again and invited everyone to his pub.
THE WOMEN TAKE CHARGE 

 In light of this news, council women Wendy Leece and Sandra Genis - who now make up the majority on the council and will undoubtedly be elected Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem respectively - announced their plans for an emergency ordinance to appoint former candidates John Stephens and Harold Weitzberg to fill Righeimer and Mensinger's positions, citing the urgency of the new Budget and the General Plan update as the reason for the haste.  They also announced plans to drop the lawsuit against the Costa Mesa employees and will seek a refund of part of the more than $1 million in fees charged by Jones Day in their feeble efforts on our behalf.  They also promised to bring a renewed spirit of harmony, teamwork and trust back to City Hall.

GOODBYE, CRONIES
They also announced their intent to disband the Finance Advisory Committee, citing its general uselessness.  They also plan to abandon plans for a Pension Advisory committee and, instead, will rely on solid staff work to help make their decisions. 

HELLO, MORE PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS

They also authorized the immediate implementation of Interim Fire Chief Tom Arnold's new organizational plans for the department and the immediate recruitment for the staff necessary for that implementation.  They will also authorize Police Chief Tom Gazsi to immediately begin recruitment for an additional ten officers, taking the authorized strength to 141 sworn officers - a number much more in line with recommendations made by consultants and senior law enforcement officials in the recent past.


ABANDONING "COIN"
Leece and Genis also indicated they will immediately remove Mensinger's  COIN scheme from the Municipal Code, citing the unnecessary, costly and divisive delays it creates in negotiating contracts with employee groups.

THIS IS THE DATE...

All of these changes will become effective on this date, April 1, 2013.....  GOTCHA!

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20 Comments:

Anonymous A better world said...

If only it were true!

4/01/2013 06:18:00 AM  
Anonymous sk said...

I was so happy (for a moment) when I read about Righeimer. This would all be wonderful except for the hiring of Mensinger and Fitzy, and that leads right into to my current focus "Ethics in government hiring practices". I read where the City of Maywood addressed this issue in 2009 when they passed measure M. The City stated "Measure M is designed to address the appointment, promotion, evaluation and discipline of new hires and current staff as well as attract and retain the most qualified city employees. This key measure will strengthen transparency and the use of professional guidelines in the city's hiring, contracting and bidding process." Government is supposed to follow practices that that allow all individuals fair and equal opportunity to jobs but that doesn't seems to be the case anymore. If the citizens want transparency why not include the hiring process? Doesn't every citizen want the most qualified person in a decision making position rather than someone's friend or old business acquaintance? Isn't that just as important as how much government employees are getting paid? Remember all the questions as to how Lobdell, Joyce and Francis were hired? Where were those jobs posted? Who else applied? And what about Mesa Water where a fellow board member was hired as General Manager? I think it is time to call for transparency in governemtn hiring.

4/01/2013 06:55:00 AM  
Anonymous succubus said...

West will quit calling the highly effective financial advisory board cronies, perhaps even going to one of their meetings, and seeing how much they bring to the table in this volunteer position. And Wendy Leece will actually come up with an idea and have it agendized instead of being the button pusher she has been for 6 years. And finally, alf and fuqua will not say "well said" to an article in the Pilot by a fellow frog. Leffler will not comment on an item at the council meeting is too far fetched so cannot say that will happen.

4/01/2013 07:17:00 AM  
Blogger Gericault said...

The part about Righeimer leaving the local scene for greener political pastures was looking promising. Too bad another jumped ahead of him running for Moorlachs BO'S Seat. Even though Righeimer is generally looked upon with disdain by other Republicans, Moorlachs gubernatorial coat tails might have been long enough to ensure a win for Riggy.
A better April Fools headline...Young Families Move where the grass is Greener. Embrace cuts to public safety and services. Young upwardly mobile families are flocking to Costa Mesa because the City is spending millions to rehab an existing school sports field. Recently Mensinger was breathlessly overheard , during an early morning constituency forced march, " if we build it , They Will Come". Unexplainedly, this was exclaimed while planting Contractor flagged stakes over Environmentally sensitive habitat areas in Fairview Park, where he was shortly thereafter , mauled by Council member Sandra Genis's dogs. For once in her life Councilmember Genis had "no comment".

4/01/2013 08:08:00 AM  
Anonymous Mary Ann O'Connell said...

Less an April Fool's prank and more a lovely dream. Thanks for the early morning chuckle.

4/01/2013 08:50:00 AM  
Anonymous Back to the Future said...

First I laughed, then I cried.

4/01/2013 08:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Fooled By Geoff said...

Geoff--ohh how I wish what you wrote was 100% true. What a great day it would be if just one of those stories came true, I'll let you decide which one would be the best.

4/01/2013 09:14:00 AM  
Anonymous Hahahahaha said...

Oh how I wish this post was true. The only thing that would make it better is if Fitzy would go back to wherever he came from...then it would be perfect! Have a great day everyone.

4/01/2013 09:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Spring is Sprung! said...

Fitzy, Riggy, and Mensy are Costa Mesa's fools EVERY month, not just April..

Fool me once, shame on me;
Fool me twice, OCGOP..

Q. How do you know if Riggy's living in your back yard?

A. It's not your yard any more. He used city money to buy it cheap, then sold it to a friend to build on. You're still waiting for your check.

4/01/2013 11:01:00 AM  
Blogger Mike H. said...

We now return you to our regularly scheduled nightmare, already in progress...

4/01/2013 11:13:00 AM  
Anonymous frank and earnest, a dear couple said...


Costa Mesa Left Waffles On Fairview Park
different priorites send mixed signal.

Well said sk, true to form. mean spirited but expected. you sit around doing nothing and watch in amazement as the Costa Mesa brand blooms under the guidance of the boyz. right alf? hi terri

4/01/2013 11:27:00 AM  
Anonymous 5150 said...

Dearest Fitzy,
To be frank and earnest, you need to start taking your medication. Schizophrenia is treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. Sk and alf can’t help you…you must help yourself.

4/01/2013 12:50:00 PM  
Anonymous Just hopeful said...

Geoff,

You must be a fisherman, realed me in hook ,line and sinker.
But, I have been opening bubbling cauldron wishing for that news for years. It's like a lotto ticket.
Just hopeful
Thanks for all you do,No joke

4/01/2013 12:51:00 PM  
Anonymous Tom Egan said...

Shucks! Here I thought I had finally awakened from a very long nightmare, only to find it was just a pleasant interlude like one courtesy of Ms. Succubus.

4/01/2013 01:14:00 PM  
Anonymous Disgusted Republican said...

When I read that the RIGmeister was resigning I had a brief moment of pure exaltation quickly followed by the realization that the news is just too good to be true and it's an April fools day joke. Cruel, Geoff, cruel!

4/01/2013 01:15:00 PM  
Blogger kwahlf said...

I wish many parts of your April Fool's joke were true!
Thanks for the chuckle and nice visions of what could be.

4/01/2013 04:25:00 PM  
Blogger kwahlf said...

Ah, succubus Chairman,
Coming from the biggest kisser upper in our city your comments are hypocrisy at its finest.

4/01/2013 04:32:00 PM  
Blogger just wondering... said...

*laughing so hard* I saw that coming!!

4/01/2013 04:52:00 PM  
Anonymous Conquistador said...

Hey Geoff.

You are just so wonderful!

We are all very amused with your little infantile Fool joke.

Keep them coming! It is fun to see the comments by your followers that appreciate your offerings. They seem to love it.

Even Tommy found it interesting enough to chime in. I always expected a bit more intellectual integrity from him but he has continued to surprise me lately.

Sorry, I have more important things to do. I hope you evolve out of this juvenile stage of your life.

4/02/2013 01:49:00 AM  
Blogger kwahlf said...

Interesting to see the true "haters"( your word,MM, not mine)here bashing you Geoff. You touch a few nerves with your accuracy and conclusions.
It sounds like the last basher is one of our councildudes. That is very interesting indeed considering his behavior on the dais was very accurately described by you as (one of) " a couple of seventh grade goof offs".
HE'S lecturing YOU about maturity?
Hypocrisy is one of their trademarks.

4/02/2013 08:29:00 PM  

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