A BUBBLING CAULDRON: Of Bikes And Bucks

FIRST MEETINGS FOR TWO COMMITTEES
Two re-constituted Costa Mesa committees meet for the first time today, will select officers and make sub-committee assignments for the work ahead.

FINANCE AND PENSION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The new Finance and Pension Advisory Committee, combined by the City Council recently to blend the technical expertise required for discussions of both the Pension issue and the broader Finance issues, meets for the first time today in Conference Room 1A at City Hall beginning at 4:30 p.m. You can read the agenda report HERE.

BLENDING THE TALENTS
This group is an amalgamation of old and new members of both the two previous committees, so it should be interesting to see how the backgrounds and personalities mesh (or clash) as they work to provide potential solutions for the City Council. The members of this committee are:
Jim Fisler
Robert Juneman
John Hinson
Wendy Leece
Al Melone
Nick Peterson
Tom Pollitt
Richard Riva
Ralph Taboada
Rebecca Trahan
Anna Vrska
Sandra Genis is the Mayor's Designee

PENSION WORKING GROUP?
I did notice on the agenda the selection of the Pension Working Group members. One of the reasons for combining the Pension and Finance committees was to save on staff time. I wonder if this sub-group will meet separately, how frequently and how much extra staff time will be required for this particular activity? It makes me wonder of the wisdom of combining the two committees if they're going to have a separate group discussing pensions. Curious, indeed.

BIKEWAY AND WALKABILITY COMMITTEE
Then, beginning at 6:00 p.m., the new Bikeway and Walkability Committee meets at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th Street. This is an earlier start time than previously and this is an unusual date due to the recent creation of this group. You can read this agenda report HERE.

The new members of this committee are:
Alan Engard
Jim Erickson
Michelle Fay
Robert Graham
Michael Habitz
Richard Huffman II
James Kane
Dan Leibson
Andrew Levins
Flo Martin
Cynthia McDonald
John C. Merrill
Kari Nieblas Vozenilek
Scott Porterfield
Ralph Taboada
City Council Liaison is Mayor Katrina Foley
Newport-Mes Unified School District Liaison is Dr. Kirk Bauermeister
Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce Liaison is Brent Stoll

START PEDDLING, RALPH!
This should be an interesting afternoon/evening for you committee-watchers. It will be especially interesting for Ralph Taboada, who has previously held leadership positions in both committees, as he sprints from one to the other today.

WON'T ATTEND, BUT WILL TRY TO REPORT ANYHOW
A previously-scheduled social event precludes me from attending either of these meetings, but I'll attempt to report of each from alternate sources.