Amended Council Agenda Assures A Short Meeting
SMALL AGENDA PROMISES SHORT MEETING
The Costa Mesa City Council will meet again tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 beginning at 5:45 p.m. for what will likely be a relatively short meeting. Then, again, with this council, one never knows. Two items were yanked from the agenda shortly after noon today, so you can read what remains of the full agenda HERE. My fingers will be crossed for a ten o'clock departure.
PARK FEES PULLED
The first of the two items removed was Public Hearing #3, the "proposed 2015 update to the park in lieu impact fees". No indication was given about why this time was pulled and, as of press time here at the old Cauldron, nobody was available for comment.
FORENSIC AUDIT PULLED, TOO
The second one, New Business #2, "Information regarding a forensic audit for the 60th Anniversary Event", was also removed without comment, although considering the fact that the Orange County District Attorney chose to not move forward with his investigation last week, one can read between the lines. Katrina Foley said for the record that she would NOT support such an audit. I don't disagree with her on much, but do on this one. Besides, it's VERY unlikely that there were three votes for it, anyhow.
Moving forward to what's left of the agenda, taking it from the top...
CLOSED SESSION
There is a Closed Session beginning at 5:00 p.m. at which three items will be discussed:
1 - Existing litigation, City of Costa Mesa v. Civic Center Barrio Housing
2 - Labor negotiations with the Costa Mesa City Employee Association (CMCEA)
3 - Existing litigation, CMCEA v. City of Costa Mesa
PRESENTATIONS
There are three presentations:
1 - Signature Academy Program
2 - Mesa Water District's Water Conservation Measures
3 - City of Costa Mesa's Water Conservation Mandate Implementation
On those last two, we're hoping to hear something from the city about slackening up code enforcement on brown lawns, since it doesn't make any sense to fine residents for brown lawns when Mesa Water will ding them for using too much water.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Following Public Comments and Council Member Comments they will move on to the Consent Calendar, which has eleven (11) items this time. These will be voted upon as one vote unless someone wants to pull one for separate discussion, in which case it will be moved to the end of the agenda for discussion. If you're interested in any of the items on the agenda, please go down through the list. Most are pretty straightforward.
HOW WE SPENT OUR MONEY
However, as has been my practice, I'm going to give you a little tease about Warrant #2536, HERE, by listing a few of the entries to pique your interest. I'm taking my entries from the top, in case you want more info.
City of Huntington Beach - $23,590.00 - helicopter svc, Mar. 2015
Civil Source - $28,000.00 - Constr. Mgt. Svcs, Mar. 2015
Complete Landscape Care, Inc - $59,213.18 - Bear/Yukon Bldg Mod. Proj
G4S Secure Solutions, Inc. - $120,193.59 - Jail Facilities Svcs, Feb and Mar. 2015
Jones & Mayer - $154,376.34 - Legal Svcs (a long list of them)
Lilley Planning Group - $23,655.00 - Planning Consultant Svcs (doesn't say for when)
US Bank - $33,937.86 - Retreat/Luncheon, Sales Tax/Misc Proc.Card Purchase. WHAT?
Accountemps - $5,418.30 - Temp. Svcs, various
Allied Nationwide Security, Inc. - $1,345.56 - Security Guard Svcs, 3/16-3/31 - Assume for Sr. Center.
CBI Noor, Inc - $11,350.00 - Harbor/McArthur Sign Solar Lt/Bear/Yukon Proj
Government Staffing Services - $11,047.75 - Temp svcs, April, various
Hyatt Legal Plans, Inc. - $1,872.00 - Prepaid legal svcs, 4/15
Jones Day - $11,068.25 - Legal svcs. CMCEA, Jan. 15
Keyser Marston Assoc. - $6,690.00 - HOME policies, Nghbrhd Imp, Mar. 15
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $10,650.50 - Labor Neg. various
Meyers Nave - $5,202.50 - Legal - Fairview Park
Randstad Technologies, LP - $12,610.00 - Temp IT Support Staff 3/2-4/5
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth - $4,352.00 - Legal, various
Hilton Costa Mesa - $10,322.09 - 2014 Employee Svcs Awards Bal.
CSG Consultants, Inc - $2,446.40 - Bldg Pln Chk/Insp + Fire Plan Review
Government Staffing Svcs - $13,120.00 - Temp Staffing, various (again)
Pacific Municipal Consultants - $4,500.00 - Consulting Svcs for Group Home
Quickstart Intelligence - $1,900.00 - IT Prof. Dev.
Safe Moves - $3,860.00 - Bicycle Education Services
Civil Source - $22,250.00 - Staff Support, various Engr.
Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau - $227,300.11 - BIA receipts for March, 2015
Scientia Consulting Group, Inc. - $32,938.00 - On-site Tech Support, 2/22 - 5/2
Commercial Cleaning Systems, Inc. - $8,481.72 - Addl Fee - WAGE INCREASE
Interwest Consulting Group - $10,783.50 - Bldg Inspt. Svcs.Mar. 15
Traveltech Enterprises - $7,920.00 - Sr. Center Travel, various
All City Management Services, Inc. - $18,803.60 - Schl Crsng Guard, 3/1-4/11
Merchants Building Maintenance, LLC - $25,960.98 - Janitorial Svcs
Accountemps - $7,605.38 - Fin. Temps, various
Of course, there's much more on the Warrant list itself. This time we spent more than $185,000.00 on legal services; $40,250.00 to Civil Source; more than $25,000.00 to Government Staffing Services; more than $45,000 on IT support.
BIA REAUTHORIZATION
Public Hearing #1, HERE, is the Business Improvement Area (BIA) reauthorization and resolution to levy annual assessment. Don't blink... this one won't take long.
GIVING AWAY LAND
Likewise, Public Hearing #2, HERE. This is the hearing for the vacation of a portion of Fullerton Avenue at 155 Flower Street. This one also seems like a no-brainer, although there may be a few people unhappy with the City giving away land to a developer on general principles.
VICTORIA STREET DEVELOPMENT - AGAIN
Old Business #1, HERE, is the second reading of the rezone for the planned development at 1239 Victoria Street. This one passed on a 3-2 vote last time and there's no reason to assume otherwise this time around. The last time few neighbors showed up.. I wonder if more will make it to this meeting?
APPOINTMENTS
The final item left on the agenda is New Business #1, HERE, the appointments to the Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee, Bikeway and Walkability Committee and the Pension Oversight Committee. This one could get interesting, particularly if the council chooses to appoint Santa Monica resident Brent Stoll, who professes a "passion for bikes and commercial real estate interests in Costa Mesa" to the Bikeways committee again instead of one of the other eighteen (18) applicants. If they do that they must waive Council Policy 000-2, HERE, which REQUIRES members of such committees to be a resident of Costa Mesa. Every other applicant is either a current resident, about-to-become a resident or has been educated in Costa Mesa. Plenty of other choices area available to the council - you can read their backgrounds HERE - without violating yet another city policy to place an outsider on the committee. The Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee is a slam dunk for Mayor Steve Mensinger and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer. The choices for the Pension Oversight Committee are sparse, but it looks like there are a couple qualified individuals in the hopper.
The Costa Mesa City Council will meet again tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2, 2015 beginning at 5:45 p.m. for what will likely be a relatively short meeting. Then, again, with this council, one never knows. Two items were yanked from the agenda shortly after noon today, so you can read what remains of the full agenda HERE. My fingers will be crossed for a ten o'clock departure.PARK FEES PULLED
The first of the two items removed was Public Hearing #3, the "proposed 2015 update to the park in lieu impact fees". No indication was given about why this time was pulled and, as of press time here at the old Cauldron, nobody was available for comment.FORENSIC AUDIT PULLED, TOO
The second one, New Business #2, "Information regarding a forensic audit for the 60th Anniversary Event", was also removed without comment, although considering the fact that the Orange County District Attorney chose to not move forward with his investigation last week, one can read between the lines. Katrina Foley said for the record that she would NOT support such an audit. I don't disagree with her on much, but do on this one. Besides, it's VERY unlikely that there were three votes for it, anyhow.Moving forward to what's left of the agenda, taking it from the top...
CLOSED SESSION
There is a Closed Session beginning at 5:00 p.m. at which three items will be discussed:1 - Existing litigation, City of Costa Mesa v. Civic Center Barrio Housing
2 - Labor negotiations with the Costa Mesa City Employee Association (CMCEA)
3 - Existing litigation, CMCEA v. City of Costa Mesa
There are three presentations:
2 - Mesa Water District's Water Conservation Measures
3 - City of Costa Mesa's Water Conservation Mandate Implementation
On those last two, we're hoping to hear something from the city about slackening up code enforcement on brown lawns, since it doesn't make any sense to fine residents for brown lawns when Mesa Water will ding them for using too much water.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Following Public Comments and Council Member Comments they will move on to the Consent Calendar, which has eleven (11) items this time. These will be voted upon as one vote unless someone wants to pull one for separate discussion, in which case it will be moved to the end of the agenda for discussion. If you're interested in any of the items on the agenda, please go down through the list. Most are pretty straightforward.
HOW WE SPENT OUR MONEY
However, as has been my practice, I'm going to give you a little tease about Warrant #2536, HERE, by listing a few of the entries to pique your interest. I'm taking my entries from the top, in case you want more info.City of Huntington Beach - $23,590.00 - helicopter svc, Mar. 2015
Civil Source - $28,000.00 - Constr. Mgt. Svcs, Mar. 2015
Complete Landscape Care, Inc - $59,213.18 - Bear/Yukon Bldg Mod. Proj
G4S Secure Solutions, Inc. - $120,193.59 - Jail Facilities Svcs, Feb and Mar. 2015
Jones & Mayer - $154,376.34 - Legal Svcs (a long list of them)
Lilley Planning Group - $23,655.00 - Planning Consultant Svcs (doesn't say for when)
US Bank - $33,937.86 - Retreat/Luncheon, Sales Tax/Misc Proc.Card Purchase. WHAT?
Accountemps - $5,418.30 - Temp. Svcs, various
Allied Nationwide Security, Inc. - $1,345.56 - Security Guard Svcs, 3/16-3/31 - Assume for Sr. Center.
CBI Noor, Inc - $11,350.00 - Harbor/McArthur Sign Solar Lt/Bear/Yukon Proj
Government Staffing Services - $11,047.75 - Temp svcs, April, various
Hyatt Legal Plans, Inc. - $1,872.00 - Prepaid legal svcs, 4/15
Jones Day - $11,068.25 - Legal svcs. CMCEA, Jan. 15
Keyser Marston Assoc. - $6,690.00 - HOME policies, Nghbrhd Imp, Mar. 15
Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $10,650.50 - Labor Neg. various
Meyers Nave - $5,202.50 - Legal - Fairview Park
Randstad Technologies, LP - $12,610.00 - Temp IT Support Staff 3/2-4/5
Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth - $4,352.00 - Legal, various
Hilton Costa Mesa - $10,322.09 - 2014 Employee Svcs Awards Bal.
CSG Consultants, Inc - $2,446.40 - Bldg Pln Chk/Insp + Fire Plan Review
Government Staffing Svcs - $13,120.00 - Temp Staffing, various (again)
Pacific Municipal Consultants - $4,500.00 - Consulting Svcs for Group Home
Quickstart Intelligence - $1,900.00 - IT Prof. Dev.
Safe Moves - $3,860.00 - Bicycle Education Services
Civil Source - $22,250.00 - Staff Support, various Engr.
Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau - $227,300.11 - BIA receipts for March, 2015
Scientia Consulting Group, Inc. - $32,938.00 - On-site Tech Support, 2/22 - 5/2
Commercial Cleaning Systems, Inc. - $8,481.72 - Addl Fee - WAGE INCREASE
Interwest Consulting Group - $10,783.50 - Bldg Inspt. Svcs.Mar. 15
Traveltech Enterprises - $7,920.00 - Sr. Center Travel, various
All City Management Services, Inc. - $18,803.60 - Schl Crsng Guard, 3/1-4/11
Merchants Building Maintenance, LLC - $25,960.98 - Janitorial Svcs
Accountemps - $7,605.38 - Fin. Temps, various
Of course, there's much more on the Warrant list itself. This time we spent more than $185,000.00 on legal services; $40,250.00 to Civil Source; more than $25,000.00 to Government Staffing Services; more than $45,000 on IT support.
BIA REAUTHORIZATION
Public Hearing #1, HERE, is the Business Improvement Area (BIA) reauthorization and resolution to levy annual assessment. Don't blink... this one won't take long.GIVING AWAY LAND
Likewise, Public Hearing #2, HERE. This is the hearing for the vacation of a portion of Fullerton Avenue at 155 Flower Street. This one also seems like a no-brainer, although there may be a few people unhappy with the City giving away land to a developer on general principles.VICTORIA STREET DEVELOPMENT - AGAIN
Old Business #1, HERE, is the second reading of the rezone for the planned development at 1239 Victoria Street. This one passed on a 3-2 vote last time and there's no reason to assume otherwise this time around. The last time few neighbors showed up.. I wonder if more will make it to this meeting?APPOINTMENTS
The final item left on the agenda is New Business #1, HERE, the appointments to the Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee, Bikeway and Walkability Committee and the Pension Oversight Committee. This one could get interesting, particularly if the council chooses to appoint Santa Monica resident Brent Stoll, who professes a "passion for bikes and commercial real estate interests in Costa Mesa" to the Bikeways committee again instead of one of the other eighteen (18) applicants. If they do that they must waive Council Policy 000-2, HERE, which REQUIRES members of such committees to be a resident of Costa Mesa. Every other applicant is either a current resident, about-to-become a resident or has been educated in Costa Mesa. Plenty of other choices area available to the council - you can read their backgrounds HERE - without violating yet another city policy to place an outsider on the committee. The Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee is a slam dunk for Mayor Steve Mensinger and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer. The choices for the Pension Oversight Committee are sparse, but it looks like there are a couple qualified individuals in the hopper.Labels: 60th Anniversary, Bikeway and Walkability Committee, Brent Stoll, Katrina Foley, Litigation, Pension Oversight Committee
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 6/01/2015 09:44:00 PM
3 Comments:
I remember seeing Jim Drain's name and application refused on the first go-round and assumed (because it was a unique last name), that it was the same Jim Drain who repaired one of my bikes years and years ago. I am also gonna take a stab and guess he is in some way related to Theresa Drain (perhaps husband-wife) and make the leap that that relationship might have quashed his chances. If so, it is beyond dispicable.
The rats and cockroaches run for cover as soon as the light goes on...
Honeyman,
That good man is my husband of 20+ years. He has been a "wrench" for as long as I have known him, and much of his career has been in the cycling industry. He probably did work on your bike, and as such, you know his depth of knowledge and love for the sport. He has volunteered and participated in charity work for encouraging safety in cycling. He also spent many years marketing for industry lines, so his technical knowlege and connection to potential industry support would be of a benefit to turning Costa Mesa into a cycle friendly city. We even had our own shop for several years.
Not to worry, he will be at the meetings to offer as much support as he can. He doesn't need an "appointment" to do the right thing.
Post a Comment
<< Home