COSTA MESA COUNCIL MEMBERS CERTIFIED AND SEATED

SETTING THE SCENE - Thursday evening, December 5th, 2024, the Costa Mesa City Council held a Special Meeting at which the results of the 2024 Municipal Election would be certified and the four council members would be sworn in and seated.

THE RESULTS - The following images show the final results of the Costa Mesa City Council races.  We elected a mayor and three council members.

MY PLAN - Because this was to be the final time Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Harlan would appear on the dais - he was defeated by Jeff Pettis in the election by 82 votes - I planned to attend this meeting and speak during Public Comments.  Alas, circumstances  intervened and I was unable to leave the house.  I did watch the entire proceedings via Costa Mesa TV with great interest.  More about that further down the page.

MY "COMMENTS" - I spent a good amount of time writing, and re-writing and re-writing the words I wanted to say to fit within the 3 minute time provided.  Not unexpectedly, I had much more to say that could be crammed into that short time, so it took a lot of tinkering to make it fit.  Then, I couldn't make the trip to City Hall and chose to NOT call it in.  What follows is the transcription of my planned comments.  And, yes - I could read it in precisely 3 minutes.

                                                  ***

Good evening! 

My name is Geoff West. My wife and I have lived in the same home on the Eastside for more than 51 years. . 

Congratulations to Mayor John Stephens on his re-election. I’m very pleased he will be at the helm for two more years. 

Congrats to Council-member Loren Gameros for his return to the dais

Congratulations to rookie council members Mike Buley and Jeff Pettis for their victories, too.

I was disappointed that Planning Commission Chairman Adam Ereth lost his race. His dedication to the city, education and experience guiding that commission would have been valuable on the city council.  

I was VERY DISAPPOINTED that Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Harlan was defeated. His loss by only 82 votes shows the value of every vote.   I’m grateful to him for his service to our city both as a planning commissioner and as a member of the City Council. His intelligence, professionalism, preparedness, steady hand, wisdom, insight and courteous, calm demeanor will certainly be missed. 

To council members Buley and Pettis - thank you for stepping up to the challenges you now face.  If you do the job we’re hiring you to do, you will do your homework to understand the difficult issues before you. You will consult with our excellent staff to help you.

Those positions up there on the dais are supposed to be non-partisan, so I hope you will be able to park any partisan political agendas you might bring with you at the door and do a good job representing ALL Costa Mesans, not just those in districts 1 and 6, and not just those with whom you share a political party affiliation. 

As a “Reagan Republican” I have longed for a strong, intelligent, conservative voice on the council. I hope you two can become those kind of voices and work with your fellow council members in a conciliatory manner to craft decisions that are best for our city.  Departing council member Harper set a very low bar - we expect and deserve more from you. 

While I don’t agree with everything they’ve done, I must tell you that the most recent Democrat-controlled councils - those led by Mayor Stephens and Supervisor Katrina Foley before him -  have done a terrific job guiding our city through some very tough times. Through their efforts, and those of our excellent city staff, we managed to navigate through the calamity that was Covid, all the while balancing the budget and keeping essential services operating.  When they took over following the previous, disastrous, heavy-handed, Republican-led regime they had a huge job ahead to help restore effectiveness and confidence at City Hall - which they have done. 

During the recent campaign we heard lots of misleading partisan yapping about the poor condition of our city.  We hope that is behind us and that all of you up there will work together to meet the challenges ahead - like how to meet the onerous demand by the State that we plan for 11,760 more dwelling units, for example. 

Many of us will be out here watching and will be offering suggestions and critiques as you guide our city - we hope you listen. 

We know this will be a serious disruption to your personal and family lives. Thank you all for your service. 

                                                          ***

THE PROCEEDINGS - The meeting lasted 2.5 hours and was launched with singing of America the Beautiful and the National Anthem,  the Pledge of Allegiance, a Moment of Solemn Expression and presentations to outgoing council members  Jeffery Harlan and Don Harper.  Lots of kind words were said by City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison about both men, presentations were made by former mayor and current County Supervisor Katrina Foley and State Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris.  Photos were taken.  Proclamations were presented.

OHIO HOUSE - City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow gave a brief comment about the very recent favorable ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on the "Ohio House" case, which has been in the legal process for a decade.  Mayor Stephens also addressed it, affirming that the city had spent $20 million litigating this case and, because of the far-reaching impact of the decision, cities all around the country will benefit from this battle.

PUBLIC COMMENTS - A few people stepped up to speak during Public Comments, led off by former council member and activist Jay Humphrey, festively adorned in his holiday shirt. His was the high point.  Others spoke, but the low point was the rant by James Peters, the man who ran against Stephens and lost, badly.  My assessment of him early in the campaign season was that he was a rabid right-wing MAGANUT.  His presentation affirmed my opinion when he basically said the election was fraudulent and if the council certified it they would be subject to legal action.  He ended by threatening  the potential wrath of President-elect Donald J. Trump!  Sadly, several of his sycophants called in to echo his rant.  It was pathetic and the wisdom of the electorate by rejecting him was loud and clear.

OUTGOING SPEECHES - Both Harlan and Harper were given an opportunity to "say goodbye".  Not unexpectedly, Harper used his time to weep about being outnumbered on the dais.  At one point he said he wasn't going to read a list of missteps he thought his council colleagues made - then did!  He demonstrated his partisan incompetence and will certainly not be missed.  Adios!  Harlan, on the other hand, made a very sincere, moving speech, talking about how much he had enjoyed his tour as a public servant.  He mentioned that, unlike Harper, who couldn't wait to get off the dais, he loved it there and loved helping to solve problems for the city.  As I said in my letter, his wisdom will be missed.

INCOMING SPEECHES - Following a short break to evict Harper and Harlan and juggle the seating on the dais, each of the elected and re-elected council members were given an opportunity to speak.  

Mike Buley, who defeated Planning Commission Chairman Adam Ereth for the District 1 seat vacated by Harper, led off.  Unfortunately, a technical glitch produced no sound for a minute or two.  When it finally came on and we could hear him speak he was very impressive.  He thanked many who helped and advised him during his campaign.  Unfortunately, that included former council members Steve Mensinger and Jim Righeimer - two men who nearly destroyed our city almost a decade ago with many ill-advised and illegal actions.   If Buley is "guided" by those guys, he will require close observation.

Loren Gameros, who ran unopposed for his District 2 seat, spoke briefly with gratitude to those who helped him.

Jeff Pettis, who managed to defeat Harlan by a narrow, 82 vote, margin, spoke with much less skill than Buley and affirmed his dedication to District 6.  I only hope he does not prove to be the marginally competent council member that I anticipate.  We'll see.

Mayor John Stephens then spoke about his commitment to our city and thanked his family for their support.  His was a very moving speech.

CHOOSING A MAYOR PRO TEM - The final item on the agenda, now that the new council was seated, was to select from their members a new Mayor Pro Tem to replace the departed Harlan.  Mayor Stephens nominated Councilman Manuel Chavez, Gameros seconded the motion and the vote to choose him was 6-0, with Councilwoman Arlis Reynolds absent.  I've watched Chavez grow during his six years on the council and have no doubt that his selection was a good one.  Congrats to him.

NOW WE WAIT - Now that we have a new council selected and seated we must wait to see what kind of an impact Buley and Pettis make on city governance.  Both men tilt hard right politically, in contrast to their peers on the dais, who lean left.  I have no doubt that Buley is a very smart fella.  I'm not so sure about Pettis - his body of work on his YouTube channel would indicate otherwise.  My hope is they will provide more breadth to the important discussion and decisions made in the future.  Fingers crossed...

THE MEETING VIDEO - Here is the link to the Costa Mesa TV YouTube recording of this meeting.  It's worth a couple hours of your time.  You can fast-forward through the boring parts.

https://www.youtube.com/live/oz1CahOxANI

ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER THANKSGIVING DAY

LOTS OF THINGS FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL

Here we are, on Thanksgiving Day, 2018, and I’ve decided to write another entry on this blog.  I have more to say than I feel comfortable trying to squeeze into a Facebook post, but my Facebook buddies can read this because I’ll link to it. As an old coot, I’ve seen many of these Thanksgiving Days and every year I am, indeed, thankful for the wonderful things I have in my life.  I’ll list a few for you and maybe it will stir some memories of your own.

THANKFUL FOR MY SWEET SUSIE

Right at the top, I’m grateful for my sweet, loving and VERY patient wife, Susie.  We’ve been married for 51 years - and counting - and through it all she has been at my side, supporting me as we waded through five relocations, a couple career changes and, for the last more than 15 years, as I tried to enlighten the public with my political (and other) observations.  She’s been there as health issues slapped me around.  She is the BEST thing that ever happened to me in my life - and I’ve had a LOT of great things happen to me!

THANKFUL FOR MY PARENTS

I’m thankful for my family.  My parents, Bob and Dorothy West, were both hard-working people who did everything within their power to create a loving home for my two sisters and me.  Through their example we saw good, caring people.  Through their simple lesson of kindness and friendliness to others we learned a lesson that cannot be acquired through a costly education.  We learned how to treat people.  I learned to read sitting on my Mother’s lap at a very early age and that became foundational for everything I’ve done in life.  While working with my Father I saw, through his example, that through hard work, honesty and fairness a person  CAN succeed in business.  Although never wealthy, they found ways to permit us to do things that interested us - to help us to spread our wings.  I’m not sure we fully understood the sacrifices they made on our behalf until much later in life.  I miss them every day.

THANKFUL FOR MY SISTERS

I’m thankful for my two younger sisters, Linda and Cheryll.  I’ve learned a lot as I watched them navigate life, though the good and bad times.  I admire both of them for their steadfastness, the choices they’ve made and their accomplishments wives, as single Moms and as mothers to three wonderful children and grandmothers to a half-dozen lovely grandkids.  I’m thankful for my elder step-sister, Margaret, but have lost touch with her and her boys.  Things happen like that.

THANKFUL FOR AUNTS, UNCLES AND COUSINS

I’m thankful for my aunts and uncles, all of whom have now passed, and for their kids - my cousins.  They all have played a major role in my life and I’m happy some of us still remain in contact.  I love them all.

THANKFUL FOR SUSIE’S FAMILY, TOO…

I’m thankful for the wonderful family I became part of when I married my sweet Susie.  Her immigrant parents showed the world what newcomers to this country can accomplish.  They were smart, hard-working, kind, genteel, people who knew how to laugh and spread love to all around them.  Her three brothers are wonderful, successful men, who married wonderful women and who have become parents of nine great children and are now grandparents to eleven terrific kids.  I love them all.

THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS, OLD AND NEW

I’m thankful for old friends and new.  As we have traveled through life we’ve met some wonderful folks, many of whom have become not just correspondents, but good friends. I still meet a few high school classmates for lunch quarterly, but those numbers are dwindling.  I still have lunch most weeks of the year with a man I’ve known since the first day of kindergarten.  We share great childhood memories and a love of sports, so there’s never a loss for things to chat about.  We will celebrate our 60th high school reunion next year, when we will gather with many of our classmates to, once again, share wonderful stories of our lives.  I’m very lucky to have remained in touch with so many of those folks who helped shape the early years of my life.  Sadly, there will be many fewer this year than in years past.

THANKFUL FOR LARRY MOORE

I’m thankful for those friends who have passed on.  Life and circumstance takes its toll… sometimes much too early.  Those of you who have followed this blog know that I lost my best friend for 57 years, Larry Moore, 15 years ago when he succumbed to injuries from a motorcycle accident.  As I sat at his bedside for the six weeks he was in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit in that Las Vegas hospital, trying to help the doctors attending him to make the decisions that would return him to us, I spent a lot of time contemplating our lives together.  I almost always smiled - sometimes laughed out loud - as I thought about our adventures together.  It was almost like a Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn story.  And, of course, there were times when I had tears running down my cheeks, too.  Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my friend.

THANKFUL FOR OTHERS, TOO…

And, there were many others who were part of my life that have left us.  Each of those, whether friend or family, made an impression on me and my life and I’m thankful for them.

THANKFUL FOR MY MILITARY BUDDIES

I’m thankful for the men with whom I shared a service commitment during the middle 1960’s, when the Vietnam War was heating up.  Some, like me, were draftees - summoned to serve due to the pending escalation of that war.  Others were volunteers, most of whom had signed up before Vietnam began to boil.  Together we shared the obligation of military service, even though it was not popular at the time.  I’m still in touch with some of them, or their surviving families, and am grateful for those relationships.

THANKFUL FOR MY BOSSES

I’m thankful to those men who helped nurture and shape my life in the business world.  Most of them are now gone, but certainly not forgotten. They saw things in me that I did not, and advanced my career much more rapidly than I could have expected.  They taught me to trust my gut in many circumstances, just as they trusted theirs when it came to opportunities made available to me.  When I leaped, head-first, out of a safe business nest into the world of consulting, it was due  in great part, to the confidence they had in me.  It turns out they were right.

THANKFUL FOR THE EDITORS

I’m thankful for those editors of local newspapers who published my early submissions and encouraged me to write more.  Many of them offered me a column, for which I have always been thankful, but always chose to respectfully decline.  I didn’t want to write on assignment.  I may occasionally submit something for them to consider and I’ll always be thankful if they print my thoughts.

THANKFUL FOR THE KIND WORDS

I’m very thankful for the kind words and encouragement of those who felt my contributions to the community were worthy of recognition.  It’s heady stuff when the blog, the work product of a simple, old guy with too much time on his hands, is recognized as the best in Orange County - twice - and when the editors of the Daily Pilot chose to include my name of those 103 individuals they felt were “influential” in the community - several times.  

THANKFUL TO THE CITY STAFF

I’m thankful to the men and women who work for the City of Costa Mesa - many of whom have become my friends - for, not only their professionalism and steadfastness in bleak times, but for their recognition of my support for their efforts.  A high point of my life was the day they presented me with a plaque of gratitude.

THANKFUL FOR YOU, TOO

I’m thankful, of course, for those of you who have read this blog over the years.  I’m thankful for those who chose to participate in the discussions here, to keep the dialogue going on important issues.  We’ve had some interesting discussions, where some of you tried to show me the error of my ways - usually unsuccessfully.   I will always be thankful for those discussions.

THANKFUL FOR MY DOCTORS

In recent years I’ve been very thankful for the doctors who now attend me more often than I would like.  I’ve worn a couple of them out and had to replace them with new guys.  Still, now that I’m well into my seventh decade of existence, it’s not unexpected for joints to need lubrication, critical parts to need tuning up and more attention paid to this old carcass in general.  I’m thankful for their patience as I ignore too many of their suggestions.  I’m working on that.

THANKFUL FOR FACEBOOK, TOO

On that note, I’m thankful to still be here, pounding on this keyboard, sending my thoughts to you all.  I’m thankful for you and my Facebook buddies - I hesitate to call them “friends” because darn Mark Zuckerberg has actually diluted what that word once meant!  Still, I’m thankful for his creation, which allows me to stay in touch with friends and relatives who live far away - to share their lives on an almost second-by-second basis, with photos of personal and family triumphs (and tragedies, too).

YOU WON’T SEE MUCH FROM ME

Now that this election is over and, for all intents and purposes, the races are decided, it’s very unlikely that you will see much more from me here.  I’m generally pleased with the outcome and look forward very much to watching Mayor Katrina Foley and the new team that will join her on the City Council dais next month begin to re-establish the goals of our city to conform with the wishes of the voters, so clearly stated in the last two elections.  Although there will always be something to write about in my town, I’m going to try very hard to let someone else do it.

ENJOY YOUR LIFE - JUST THROW THAT BALL!

And now, Susie and I want to wish you all a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  I have been, and continue to be, thankful for the part you’ve played in my life.  I hope you find ways to share your love over this holiday.  You just never know what kind of a curve ball life will throw you - like our 4 year-old great-nephew, Chase, who was diagnosed with leukemia last week and faces years of chemotherapy ahead - so be sure those you love know it.  If there are things you want to do, do them.  Play this game of life like you’re the Rams and Chiefs last Monday night - just get out there and throw that ball!  We love you all…

"The Brand Is Strong" - Really? Explain!

CONTEMPLATING THE MANTRA
A friend and I were chatting today about the inane mantra, "The Brand Is Strong",  chanted by a few of the Riganista sycophants - Mesa Water District President Jim Fisler is the most prominent of the bunch.  He barfs up that phrase like one of those dolls where you pull the string in his neck and he just rattles it off - The Brand Is Strong.... The Brand Is Strong...  He's beginning to sound like a parrot - GAWK!  The Brand Is Strong... GAWK!

ABOUT "THE BRAND"...
So, that got us thinking about "The Brand", which we must presume is the "Costa Mesa" brand, right?  And we wondered how one measures the strength of "The Brand"?  Certainly, it must include how frequently the name is included in major locations, businesses, public buildings and the like, right?  That got us beginning to list major destinations in our fair city, trying to identify those which actually carry the name of our city, Costa Mesa - The Brand - in their names.

SHOPPING CENTERS?
Let's see.. how about starting with shopping centers.  The only one I could find with the name "Costa Mesa" in it is the "Costa Mesa Shopping Center", a recently-refurbished center at 175 East 17th Street, at the corner of Orange Avenue and 17th Street.  It contains a Von's market and a CVS Pharmacy and not much else.  I'm betting that very few people knew that was the name of the center.  Other major shopping venues in the city include:
South Coast Plaza
MetroPoint
Harbor Center
The Triangle
The Lab
The Camp
South Coast Collection

NO PARKS WITH "THE BRAND"!

How about public parks?  Well, NONE of our thirty public parks include the name "Costa Mesa".  We do have the Costa Mesa Golf Course - a city-owned, privately-operated facility in our city.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS
What about public buildings?  Well, we have the Costa Mesa City Hall, the Costa Mesa Police Headquarters and the Costa Mesa Neighborhood Community Center, but that's going to be replaced by a library.

LIBRARIES?
Speaking of libraries, we have three  All are county facilities and are called Costa Mesa - Donald Dungan Library, Costa Mesa - Mesa Verde Library and the Costa Mesa Technology Library.  Only the Technology Library includes the city in the proper name.  The Donald Dungan Library is scheduled to be converted into a meeting facility.

ENTERTAINMENT?
What about entertainment venues?  Let's see... I find these:
Segerstrom Center For The Arts
South Coast Repertory
Orange County Fair and Events Center

SCHOOLS?
What about schools?  Well, we have Costa Mesa High School, period.  As far as higher education, we have:
Orange Coast College
Coast Community College District
Vanguard University of Southern California
Whittier Law School
WestMed College
National University
Coastline Community College
Pacific College
University Of Phoenix
Usa Bartenders School
American Career College
Small World Schools
Ridgecrest College
Wall Street University
Centaur College

CHURCHES?

How about churches?  I looked at a couple lists of churches in Costa Mesa and only two have the name of the city in the title - The Costa Mesa Seventh Day Adventist Church and Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa - which is actually in Santa Ana!

AUTOMOBILE DEALERS?
How about automobile dealers?  Certainly some of the many dealers in our city - along the Harbor Boulevard Of Cars - and elsewhere, include the name of our city in their business name, right?  Here's a list.  You'll recognize some of them.  Others, not so much.  They all have business addresses in Costa Mesa:
Bullet Performance
OC Autosource
Newport Coast Auto
CarMax
California Beemers
Absolut Motor Cars
Precision Motors
SC Car Zone
Lamborghini Newport Beach (it's in Costa Mesa)
SC Motors Inc
AutoNation Honda
Carmart LLC
European Collectibles
Bass Motorsports
Jeepster Auto Sales
Nash Auto
Connell Nissan
South Coast Toyota
South Coast Mitsubishi
Theodore Robins Ford
Connell Chevrolet
Performance Limited
Mangione Motors
Orange Coast Buick GMC Cadillac
Southern California Auto House
Coastline Motors, LLC
South Coast Acura
Ferrari of Newport Beach (it's in Costa Mesa)
Orange County Monster Carts
Star European
Executive Auto Sales
South Coast Subaru
Orange Coast Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Executive Autohaus
OC Motors
House of Luxuries
Classic Auto Appraiser
Sisco Cars
Evan Paul Motorcars
Coastal Custom Automotive
996 Motors
Platinum Auto Sales
Newport Motors (it's in Costa Mesa)
Orange County Autobahn
Ferrari & maserati of Orange County
Strasse Automotive
OC Luxury Imports
Garry Roberts & Company
California Auto
TruSpeed
Harbor Motor Sports
Boanta Cars
Sunny's Buick-Costa Mesa Pontiac GMC
Lotus of Newport Beach - Newport European Motorcars, Ltd (it's in Costa Mesa)
South Coast BPG
California Autos Group
Costa Mesa Auto Sales
Newport European Motorcars
AutoKennel
Rolls-Royce Motor Car Newport Beach Newport European Motorcars (it's in Costa Mesa)
Performance Ltd
BMAC Auto
Orange Coast Fiat
Eurocar

ONE!  Only ONE car business has "Costa Mesa" as part of its name!  ONE!

LODGING?

Next I took a look at hotels and motels, trying to find those that might think "Costa Mesa" is a "Brand" worth including in the name of their place.  I found two:
Costa Mesa Marriott Suites
Costa Mesa Motor Inn (a dump which is about to be demolished and replaced by apartments!)
The rest had names like:
The Westin South Coast Plaza
Hilton Orange County
Ayres Hotel and Suites in Costa Mesa-Newport Beach
Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa Orange County
Avenue of the Arts Wyndham Hotel
Best Western Plus Newport Mesa Inn
and on and on...

SEARCHING FOR "THE BRAND"

I looked at sites that listed things to do in Costa Mesa.  Most included shopping at South Coast Plaza, dining at The Lab and/or The Camp, the Segerstrom Center and driving the Pacific Coast Highway (which is NOT in Costa Mesa).  Other prominently mentioned things are visiting the Orange County Fair and taking in entertainment at the Pacific Amphitheater.  No "Costa Mesa" in those names!

THINGS TO DO...

TripAdvisor has a list of ten "Things to do in Costa Mesa":
Orange County Performing Arts Center
Pacific Symphony
Teatro Zinzanni
Fairview Park
America's Family Pet Expo
California Scenario
TeWinkle Park
South Coast Repertory Theater
Makerel Flat and Goat Hill Junction Railroad
Lions Park

Do you see the name "Costa Mesa" anywhere in there?

HOW ABOUT "FUN" PLACES?
I found a site via our friends at Yelp that listed "Fun Places To Visit On A Day Off!", presuming you are in Costa Mesa.  Well, here's that list of things of fun things you might do or visit:
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Trabuco Canyon)
San Clemente Pier
Dana Point Harbor
Mission Viejo Library
Aliso Viejo Ice Palace
Back Bay Loop Trail
Irvine Regional Park
San Clemente City Beach
Disney California Adventure Park
T Street (San Clemente)
Laguna Beach
Disneyland Resort
The Shark Club
Patsy's Irish Pub (Mission Viejo)
Whiskey Girl (San Diego)
Elvis!? Karaoke Studios (Fountain Valley)
Universal Studios Hollywood
Griffith Observatory
Museum of Tolerance
Page Museum (in Los Angeles)
The Queen Mary
OC Fair and Event Center
Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar (Long Beach)
Aquarium of the Pacific
KQ Ranch (Julian)
Laguna Playhouse
Surf City Comedy Club (Huntington Beach)
California Science Center
Natural History Museum
Taste of Aliso Niguel

Getting the picture?

REALLY?  IS THAT IT?

Help me out, here.  If "The Brand Is Strong", wouldn't you think we'd find that "brand" plastered all over businesses, public places, etc.?  I find it pretty frustrating when one of the few places in our city to proudly and clearly identify itself with our city is the Costa Mesa Sanitary District!  Is that our brand?  Sewer and trash?!  No offense intended to our friends at the Sanitary district - they do a great job of managing our waste, but c'mon!

EXPLAIN, PLEASE - OR ZIP IT!
I, and many of my friends, really like living in Costa Mesa.  We liked what used to be the eclectic feel of the place before the current dictatorship gutted the city government and tried to convert the city into an infill Irvine.  I hope President Jim will register to post here and explain to us EXACTLY what "The Brand Is Strong" is supposed to mean.  Otherwise, just give it a rest!  We're tired of hearing that mindless rhetoric, thank you very much.