Legal Costs, Annexation, Labor Contracts On Council Agenda*
The Costa Mesa City Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, September 2, 2014 after a month-long hiatus. The meeting begins in Council Chambers at City Hall at 6:00 pm., but a Closed Session precedes it beginning at 4:30 p.m. You can read the complete agenda HERE.
*(NOTE: In the Tuesday (today) edition of the Orange County Register it was reported that this meeting had been cancelled. WRONG! This meeting is still scheduled for tonight!)
CONSENT CALENDAR
There are eight items on the Consent Calendar - items which most likely will not receive separate discussion and be voted upon in one vote. However, I'll mention a few of them here and provide you with links, just in case you're interested.
INTERESTING EXPENDITURES, AGAIN
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Item #3 is Warrant 2521, HERE. I'm sure you'll find some of the entries of interest. Here are a few that caught my eye.#0181936 - Costa Mesa Senior Center (Final Payment) - $61,000.00
#0181938 - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Crime/Excess Liability/Property - $443,521.96
#0181941 - City of Huntington Beach, (Helicopter Services, 6/14) - $20,545.00
#0181942 - Civil Source (Staff Suppport, Inspect. & Construction) - $67,598.05
#0182006 - Keyser Marston Assoc. (Various Homeless Consulting) - $6.770.00
#0182012 - Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (Legal) - $4,554.00
#0182051 - Trauma Intervention Program (Annual TIP Fee) - $14,061.00
#0182075 - Jones Day (Legal, CMCEA, 6/14) - $36,753.75
#0182129 - Government Staffing Svcs, (Mgt. Analyst/Proj. Mgr) - $6,480.00
#0182191 - FTOG, Inc. (Interim Buyer, 7/7-8/1/14) - $5,940.00
#0182200 - Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (Various negotiations) - $24,123.00
#0182202 - Prudential Assigned Settlement (Whitlock/Olsen) - $294,000.00
#0182283 - Interwest Consulting Group (Bldg. Inspection, 6/14) - $12,355.00
#0182432 - Jones & Mayer (Olsen) - $73,451.75
#0182437 - IDS Group, Inc. (Architect.Svcs/Plan Review) - $46,505.00
#0182441 - Pamela Olsen (Settlement-Whitlock/Olsen) - $100,000.00
#0182489 - Employment Development Department (Unemployment 4/1 - 6/30/14 - $9,175.00
#0182492 - FTOG, Inc. (Interim Buyer, 8/4-8/15/14) - $2,340.00
#0182561 - Synoptek, LLC (Implement. Mgt. SunGuard CAD) - $12,660.00
SALARY RANGE INCREASE FOR RESERVE COPS
Item #7, HERE, is a much-needed salary range adjustment for Reserve Police Officers.MORE PLANNING CONSULTING COSTS
Item #8, HERE, is yet ANOTHER extension of the contract with Lilley Planning Consultants for an additional $225,000, taking the contract, which began in November, 2013 for $100,000, to $480,000!WHITTIER COLLEGE EXPANSION LOAN
There are three (3) public hearings on the agenda. The first, HERE, is a so-called TEFRA hearing for a loan not to exceed $100,000,000 for improvements to the Whittier College of Law campus in the City.
UNHAPPY ANNEXATION SECOND READING
The second public hearing, HERE, is the second reading of the Santa Ana/Colleen Island Annexation plan. This issue has had only lukewarm support from the residents of this island of county property. Many speakers have observed that their large lots have created a special character in their community and that the minimum lot size in this proposal of 6,600 square feet - about 1/3 the size of the existing lots - will negatively impact the surrounding properties. Coincidentally, there is a big chunk of land in the middle of this site for which development is planned by some of the same players who bid on the Orange County Fairgrounds a few years ago. I expect the council majority to approve the second reading and proceed with the annexation.WITHOUT EVEN A KISS!
It seems somehow strangely significant immediately following the Labor Day holiday that the third public hearing is the Civic Openness In Negotiations (COIN) hearing of the proposed contract between The City and the Costa Mesa City Employees Association (CMCEA). I've read the staff report, HERE, and the summary of conditions, HERE. It seems to me that the employees who fall under this contract, both current and future, gave away a lot so they could keep their jobs. Read through the summary and make your own judgement.REPLACING TWO FIRE STATIONS?
The final item on the agenda is New Business #1, HERE. This is Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger's proposal to hire an architectural firm to provide conceptual development for the replacement of fire stations #1 and #2. There is no estimate of cost, but whatever it is will be covered out of the municipal piggy bank - CEO Tom Hatch's slush, er, contingency fund. You know, that million bucks the council has given him to use any way THEY want.THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!
That will be it until the next meeting on the 16th.
Labels: annexation, CMCEA, COIN, Legal Costs, Steve Mensinger
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 9/02/2014 12:48:00 AM
3 Comments:
I noticed there is no "description" of work listed after the names of Jones Day law firm.
Our legal costs are completely out of this world, and we need to stop it.
If the residents don't vote our mayor out in November, they will get what they ask for.
Stop this madness. Vote for Foley and Humphrey. We need some sense in our financial situation at city hall.
By council, you mean the 3 bobbleheads who vote in unison every time - except for the train contract. What happened Gary?
The meeting would be a lot shorter if there wasn't all that useless public comment, which includes comments from the two women on the board. Why aren't they home baking cookies?
I was at the council meeting and disgusting doesnt start to describe this council...Monahan changing his vote on 6600 lots for Colleen annex, Mesinger diatribe, outrageos, Righeimer, there are not words to describe his arrogance and hutzpah....What was Harold's purpose last night?...Harold is a tough NY boy, a tough minded businessman. Why stand up and announce his problem via Veneiza and CMTV? Go to the source/person and use your great communication skills. It appears the love of "what is best for Costa Mesa " has been put aside for personal issues. This saddens my heart
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