MY TAKE ON THE 11/8/22 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

HERE WE GO AGAIN - ANOTHER ELECTION!

My city, Costa Mesa, California, like many others in our state, is in the midst of campaign season for city, county, state and national elections.  On November 8th we will choose three city council members and a mayor, chime in on a very important municipal ordinance, plus vote for members of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District, Mesa Water District and the Orange County Board of Supervisors.  This is about the city races…

THREE SEATS PLUS MAYOR UP THIS TIME AROUND

There are three council seats available this time around.  The City began electing city council members by district PLUS a directly-elected mayor in 2018, having been extorted by a Malibu law firm into converting from at-large voting to “give our Latino population a greater voice in government”.  Costa Mesa is 37% Latino, most of whom reside in what is known as the West Side - those areas represented by Districts 4 and 5 - two of the seats up for election this time.  The remaining seat is District 3, an area roughly surrounding the Orange County Fairgrounds near the center of the city.

SOME NOT-SO-GREAT MEMORIES

Let's review some history so you can understand why I think this election is so darn important.

THE SCHEME TO HOLD CONTROL

When the city was forced to go to district voting the then-Republican majority, led by Jim Righeimer and Steve Mensinger, tried to quick pitch the process when putting the District voting on the 2016 ballot.  Instead of using the 5-District configuration preferred by 100% of the residents who attended all the meetings held by the demographer, they had him conjure up a 6-District and Directly Elected Mayor choice, figuring they could field a group of like-minded individuals to control the city council.  That was the only choice on the ballot for the voters to consider and it passed with 64.8% of the ballots cast.  In an interesting sidebar, the existing mayor, Steve Mensinger, was ousted, finishing 4th the race for 3 open council seats.  And, further demonstrating the ire of the electorate, controversial Measure Y was passed by an even greater margin - just over 68%.  That citizen-generated measure was designed to slow, or stop, development in the city by requiring a “vote of the people” if certain triggers were met.  Since that measure passed not a single project has moved forward - no “vote of the people” has been taken.

DISTRICT VOTING QUICK-PITCH BACKFIRED

In the next election - November 2018 - council members were elected by district for the first time.  Districts 3,4 and 5 - the same ones up for election this time around - chose new council members.  Interestingly, all three of them chose persons with a Latino heritage.  In District 3 United States Naval Academy graduate and former Navy officer Andrea Marr defeated a Republican-supported candidate soundly.  In District 4 Manuel Chavez - who grew up in that district and was the youngest council member ever elected - was chosen over a hand-picked contender favored by the council majority by a wide margin.  In District 5 local woman and MIT-graduate Arlis Reynolds defeated seated councilman Allan Mansoor - a former mayor and state Assemblyman - by more than 20 points!.  And, in the biggest news in that election, Katrina Foley - who had been ousted as mayor by the majority in a bit of pure partisan politics just a few months earlier - soundly defeated the woman who replaced her, long-time councilwoman Sandy Genis.  That was a stunner and certainly made the point that the voters had had enough.  

TRYING TO RUN THE CITY LIKE A BUSINESS FAILED - HUY PHAM DIED

One must think back on what it was like back then.  Republican activists - Jim Righeimer, Steve Mensinger, Gary Monahan and Allan Mansoor - controlled the city and made some very controversial moves.  For example, on March 17, 2011 - St. Patrick’s Day - their council decided to issue layoff notices to 213 “regular employees” - non-public safety staffers.  This was their idea of how to control large unfunded pension liabilities.  In a tragic result of their actions young maintenance worker Huy Pham, upon receiving his layoff notice, leaped to his death from the roof of city hall.  This was the darkest day in our city in my memory - 48 years and counting.  There was a huge public outcry and outpouring of sympathy for Pham’s family and his entire city family, too.  Monahan, who was mayor at that time, didn’t bother to come to City Hall to console grieving employees - he was too busy pouring green beer at his bar, muttering something like, “What am I supposed to do?  This is the biggest day of the year for me.”  That was a quote from a news reporter who sought comment from him as he pranced around his bar in his kilt.  Disgusting!  Even worse, courts later determined that the layoff notices were illegal!

POLICE/COUNCIL FRICTION

About that same time friction ensued between certain members of the City Council and the Costa Mesa Police Department.  The council members sued the Police Association’s law firm and the association.  That went on for several years, but was finally settled.  In the meantime, the toxic atmosphere created by that council provoked several members of the Costa Mesa Police Department to abandon their jobs, choosing to either retire early or bail out to another police jurisdiction.  For more than 8 months the Righeimer/Mensinger council refused to permit recruitment efforts to fill more than 50 vacancies.  It’s been more than a decade since all that was going on and we still have not achieved proper police staffing levels.  That same council decided that the A.B.L.E. helicopter program - a joint venture between Costa Mesa and Newport Beach that provided police helicopter support for both cities and was a model for all municipal helicopter programs nationwide  - should be disbanded.  They proceeded to do just that, selling off the assets - 3 multi-million dollar helicopters - and reassigning the pilots back into patrol duties.  That was another low-morale moment in the CMPD.  This group also decided to privatize both the police jail and street sweeping services - causing more layoffs.  It was rumored that the successful contractor for the jail services was operated by family members of Jim Righeimer.  That unfortunate experiment has failed and the jail is, once again, under control of members of the CMPD.

MANSOOR’S “ICE” PLAN

Another bellwether of discord was Allan Mansoor’s scheme to deputize every single Costa Mesa Police Officer as an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officer so they could randomly snatch up members of our Latino community and process them for deportation. For his efforts Mansoor was anointed as an honorary “Minuteman”.  That scheme failed, fortunately, but it terrorized the entire Latino community to the point where they seldom expressed concerns about city issues.  That has changed under the current council.  Recently we’ve seen Latino’s bravely step to the speaker’s podium and air grievances.  They know they will be given a fair hearing on issues important to them and no longer worry about being hunted down like stray dogs in the street and deported.

A TOXIC, ANTI-RESIDENT ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere in our city during those years was very tense.  That council decided that they were tired of hearing residents stand before them during the Public Comments segment of their regular meetings and gripe about issues - things that were important to the residents - so they bifurcated the public comments.  Only the first 10 people in the queue could speak early in the meeting.  Any remaining speakers had to wait until the very end of the meeting - sometimes midnight or later.  Few speakers stayed around that late.  At that time we saw several highly skilled senior staffers choose to retire early instead of dealing with the atmosphere created by that council.

WHAT’S MY POINT?

Well, in the four years since the core of the current council was elected - those choices clearly sent a message to the Republican establishment with the ouster of Mansoor and Mensinger and the rebuffing of Genis , who was soundly thumped as a directly-elected mayor by Katrina Foley not just once, but twice - a lot of important things have happened in our city and it’s appropriate to talk about how they were handled.

HOMELESSNESS

The city, for years, has had a growing homeless population.  The current council found a way to manage that issue by first contracting with a local church to provide temporary housing until a new facility could be created.  They then found and purchased an industrial building not far from John Wayne Airport and created a 70-bed shelter and worked out a deal with the City of Newport Beach to use 20 of those beds for a fee.  That system is working.

COVID-19

More than 2 years ago the hellish Covid-19 pandemic hit us, just as it did in every other city in America.  Our council, led by the tireless Mayor Katrina Foley (who has earned your vote for her seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors, by the way) and John Stephens as Mayor Pro Tem, helped provide the leadership to get out ahead of this issue before any other Orange County city.  Right off the bat they rejected the Governor’s scheme to house 60 infected people from an airliner in northern California at the under-used Fairview Developmental Center - right in the heart of our city.  They crafted emergency ordinances to govern mask-wearing, short-term rental assistance, rules to keep covid-affected renters from being evicted, and much, much more.  And, they made the tough decisions and managed to keep a balanced budget without tapping municipal reserves.

LACK OF HOUSING

Recently the State slammed our city with the demand for us to plan for 11,760 new dwelling units during the next 8 years (now 7 years), then told us our “Measure Y”, constraints passed by the voters in 2016, effectively created a roadblock to preclude the city from completing a required satisfactory Housing Element.  The failure to do so would cause the city to be penalized $100,000 per month, become ineligible for ALL State grant funds and - the worst part - lose all local control over development in our city - the State would take over.  So, with that gun to our head, in January the council appointed an Ad Hoc Committee of Mayor Pro Tem Marr, Councilwoman Reynolds and Councilman Jeffrey Harlan - a land planner and lawyer - to assess this problem and come up with a solution.  That effort resulted in what is now known as Measure K.  This ordinance, which is on the November 8th ballot, will basically de-fang Measure Y and thereby permit development of the much-needed (and State-demanded) new housing units, some of which will be affordable housing units.  To facilitate that action an Inclusionary Housing Ordinance is being crafted and will be presented to the council for consideration by December.

COMMITTEE ROUNDLY CRITICIZED

The Ad Hoc Committee has been roundly criticized by the people who conceived and marketed Measure Y, stating it would gut their product and “take away the vote of the people” on development decisions.  This, of course, is a flat-out lie!  Should Measure K pass next month ANY project submitted to the city for consideration will have to run the gauntlet of bureaucratic hurdles - including approvals from the Planning Commission and City Council.  At every step of the way residents or other interested parties have the opportunity to express themselves before those official bodies and/or write to them in detail with their concerns.  Measure Y was passed 6 years ago and, as I mentioned above, not a single project has been placed before the voters.  Any developer - every developer - will simply take their development dollars and expertise elsewhere when faced with spending tons of money and time, only to be informed that they now must go before the vote of the people.  Our city will shrivel under these constraints.  Our major commercial and industrial corridors will atrophy and our economic vitality will wither.

CITY COUNCIL CHOICES

I wrote all the above to make a point. This time around Mayor John Stephens, a former council member who was appointed mayor when then-mayor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors, is being challenged by Republican John Moorlach - a partisan who has held positions on the Board of Supervisors and in the State Senate.  Moorlach’s record in those roles is undistinguished, although some tout him as being a financial expert because he predicted the Orange County bankruptcy two decades ago.  Stephens, on the other hand, has been an instrumental part in leading Costa Mesa through a series of crises including the homelessness issue and the covid pandemic.  In both those cases Costa Mesa has led the way among all Orange County cities in dealing with those issues effectively, in great part due to the wisdom, energy and leadership of John Stephens.

OTHER SEATS

In this election only the seat occupied by Manuel Chavez is safe - he has no opposition.   Andrea Marr is being challenged by a Republican-supported newcomer, John Thomas Patton, who brings absolutely no governance experience to the party.  And Arlis Reynolds is being challenged by Rob Dickson, a former Righeimer/Mensinger sycophant who was part of “the problem” back in those days as he rubber stamped the council majority wishes while on the Planning Commission.  They have joined the creators of Measure Y to oppose Measure K - something our city MUST HAVE - and spread the lies provided to them.  This is not only disappointing, but very dangerous for our city.  Should all three of these men be successful that would change the balance of power on the City Council and combine them with lazy, hapless, hopeless, partisan hack Republican councilman Don Harper - the worst councilman in my memory - and we could be right back where we were nearly a decade ago.  This is NOT GOOD for our city..

ABOUT THAT “UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY”

Candidates Moorlach, Dickson and Patton constantly harp about the “unfunded pension liability” facing Costa Mesa, as though this is something this council created and fails to “fix”.  Well, this is not a new issue - every city council in the state that subscribes to the CalPERS retirement system is facing the same thing and THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT at the local level.  The problem is the way the system was conceived.  It is managed by a board that understands little about municipal finance.  Their plan is to receive a 7.5% annual return on their investments to keep their ship afloat.  However, if the markets in which they play fail to generate that kind of return they simply bill their subscribers - hence the “unfunded liability”.  The only way this actually becomes a problem for our city, or any city, is if every single employee decides to retire simultaneously.  Then there wouldn’t be enough cash in the till to fund the retirements.  Of course, that’s not going to happen.  Predecessor  councils - the Righeimer/Mensinger group, for example - decided to “solve it’ by putting a paltry million dollars each year towards the debt, knowing full-well that would do nothing at all to solve the problem.  Their other solution, mentioned above, was to lay off over 200 employees, and we all know how that turned out.  This “issue” is really a “non-issue”.  It’s a straw man to attempt to burnish the candidacy of Moorlach, a theoretical finance expert, and the others are just piggybacking the issue.  If Moorlach has a solution let him speak out for the public good.  Otherwise, he should quit barfing up that politically-charge rhetoric.

ABOUT THOSE DARN DEVELOPERS

Some non-incumbent candidates are making a big deal about campaign funding by “out of town developers”.  Well, yeah!  The city is in desperate need of housing - affordable housing, for the most part - and the people that build that stuff are…. DEVELOPERS!  Of course they want to see a council in place that will give them a fair hearing, and that will help with the negative quagmire Measure Y has created.  All that jabbering about “out of town developer money” is a smoke screen, designed to inflame the voters into voting against Measure K.  The smartest guy I know on land use and planning issues, current Costa Mesa Planning Commission Chairman Byron de Arakal, has expounded frequently, loud and clear, why Measure K is critical to the future of our city, and has given us example after example of what happens if we don’t comply with the State rules.  That’s good enough for me.

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT, NEIGHBORS

Yeah, I know… you’re saying to yourself, “But Geoff, you’re a lifelong Republican and you’re asking us to support Democrats!”  That’s true.  I’m asking you to support proven, rational, clear-headed, non-partisan leadership who have effectively guided our city through multiple crises simultaneously instead of a trio of partisan hacks who march to the tune that caused chaos in our city in the recent past.  Because the future of our city is at stake, I implore you to not be bamboozled by those who lie about the issues.  Please re-elect Mayor John Stephens, Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Marr, Councilwoman Arlis Reynolds and Councilman Manuel Chavez.  And, if you hope your children and their children will be able to afford to live in Costa Mesa, please vote YES ON MEASURE K. 

Byron de Arakal - "We Should Repeal Measure Z"

CONSIDERING MEASURE Z
At their meeting on Monday, February 24, 2020, the Costa Mesa Planning Commission considered, under Public Hearing #3, the discussion of creation of a new development fee and a committee to administer it per the only conditions of the onerous Measure Z that survived the vote.  You can read the staff report on that issue HERE.

THE VOTERS CHOICES IN 2016
In case you've forgotten, the voters voted heavily in favor of Measure Y, the slow growth measure.  It also passed Measure Z by a smaller margin.  As a result, only the elements of Measure Z that applied were those NOT included in Measure Y.  Here's what the votes looked like back in 2016.

THE CHAIRMAN SAYS "IT'S DISINGENUOUS - REPEAL IT"
Following the lengthy discussion, just prior to the vote being called, Chairman Byron de Arakal took a few minutes to explain why he was going to vote no on this issue.  I think it's important to understand just why he thinks Measure Z should be repealed, so here's a transcription of his entire explanation.

“I will not be supporting the motion and I’ll kinda give some reasons why. 

Principally, I think this fee and the ordinance that created it and the committee structure that it also created are wholey duplicative of fees we already have in place, and processes we have in place to administer park fees.  

As I mentioned in the meeting two years ago about this ordinance that a seven member, or seventeen member, committee to recommend to the council how these fee revenues should be spent should be a job that, if they are going to do it, should be recommended to the Parks and Recreation Commission and not the City Council.  We have a Parks and Recreation Commission for a reason.  

And, so this ordinance creates this big committee, and then it creates a new park fee - we already have essentially two or almost two, and now were gonna have three.  

Measure Z was created to chase voters away from Measure Y, and the only thing that could be placed in that measure to make it amenable to the voters to give them the notion to chase them off Measure Y,  is to say, “You know what, we’ll raise a bunch of money for your parks and your open space.”  - didn’t tell anybody that there are already thousands of dollars  per door for parks fees that get applied to these residential developments.  And so, it was really kind of a ruse, it was, you know, a magic show and I hated Measure Y, and still hate Measure Y, and I hated Measure Z, as well, because it was disingenuous.  It’s motive was disingenuous and how it was constructed was disingenuous, in my opinion.  

Now, having said that, we’re about to foist another fee on the development community, at a time when we’re about to have to figure out where we’re going to place 12,000 more housing units, principally, I think, in the area that just so happens to be in this area where this fee’s gonna be charged.  

Now, don’t think for a minute there wasn’t a motive for placing that fee just on this area, because there were people in this community that wanted no residential development north of the 405, west of Harbor and Fairview.  They didn’t want it, so they put a fee in place to chase the development community away because you’re just adding another fee on top of a park fee we already have.  

And so, ideally for me, I would love to see this commission recommend to the City Council that they place Measure Z on the ballot for a straight up or down vote on whether or not to repeal it - but that’s not gonna happen tonight.  

So, I’m gonna vote no on this motion because I think Measure Z was disingenuous from the beginning, I think it adds another fee to the development community, a development community we’re gonna need to meet our RHNA obligation in our new Housing Element.  And, ah, I just think it’s a big mistake.  And then we create this seventeen-member committee, that, who knows how political that could get?  And it cuts out the Parks Commission’s ability to make recommendations in it’s Capital Improvement Budget review because they’ve got this seventeen member committee who’s deciding now what happens to whatever pot of money comes out of this.  So, I’m going to be voting no." 

WHO?

When the Chairman said "...there are people in this community that wanted no residential development north of the 405...", we know who he meant - the sperm donors of Measure Z.

THEY VOTED HOW?!

And, this issue got curiouser and curiouser as the commission voted.  Commissioner Tourje was absent, but, as you can see from the image below, only three (3) commissioners voted "Yes" - Perkens, Russell and Zich.  Chariman de Arakal voted "No" and Commissioner Colbert and Vice Chairman Harlan abstained after consultation with City Attorney Tarquin Preziozi.  Fun fact - Harlan actually seconded the motion.

TO THE COUNCIL ON THE THINEST OF VOTES

So, now this issue will go before the City Council for consideration after the thinnest of votes to move it forward.  This should be interesting.

COMMENTS?
If you wish to comment on this entry you must go to my Facebook entry, which can be found on my page HERE.

Change Is In The Air - Look Out!

THE NEW TEAM IS SWORN IN
Last Tuesday evening the Costa Mesa City Council took on a very new look.  In the second segment of the meeting - held in the Senior Center because Council Chambers at City Hall is under significant renovation for the next few months - the results of the election held on November 6th was certified by the City Clerk, Brenda Green and were approved by the outgoing City Council.  Actually, only one person was "out-going" - termed out Jim Righeimer.  (Darn, there I go again, mentioning his name!)

KAREN ROBINSON PRESIDES
Then, the winners were sworn in by former mayor Judge Karen Robinson - a very special treat.

FOLEY CRUSHES GENIS
Katrina Foley was elected as the City's very first directly-elected mayor, defeating former mayor Sandra Genis by a huge margin.  This result was satisfying in many ways.  Genis was part of the council majority that deposed Foley as mayor last year without ever giving anything resembling a satisfactory explanation.  Foley conducted an energetic campaign, taking the high road and not responding to the vicious attempts to defame her name and record with lies and fabrications.  Genis, on the other hand, barely conducted a campaign and her representatives consistently took the low road.

DISTRICT VOTING A SURPRISE
The results of the district voting, also for the very first time in City history, was also very satisfying.  The candidates supported by the Righeimer/Mensinger/Genis/Mansoor group all failed miserably at the ballot box.

DISTRICT 3
Andrea Marr soundly defeated Mensinger supporter Brett Eckles in the District 3 race.

DISTRICT 4
Manuel Chavez crushed the developer-favorite Michelle Figueredo-Wilson for the District 4 race.  Activist Steve Chan finished far, far off the pace.

DISTRICT 5
Arlis Reynolds walloped former divisive mayor Allan Mansoor in the District 5 race.  Rebecca Trahan was also well off the pace in this race.

OOPS!
In the euphoria that followed the swearing-in ceremony, following the obligatory break so name plates could be properly placed and chairs juggled, Foley quickly re-conveined the meeting and nominated John Stephens for Mayor Pro Tem.  That motion passed, 6-0. It seems Mansoor was wandering around somewhere and was late returning to the dais, so the vote was taken without him.  I couldn't help but smile...

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR - CHANGE IS NEEDED
We learned a lot from this election.  We learned that the voters, once again, affirmed that they'd had enough of the Righeimer/Mensinger style of governance.  They emphatically made clear that the solid rejection of those practices by the passage of Measures Y and AA in 2016 was not a fluke.  They don't want to see rampant multi-story developments.  They don't want to see spot zoning to facilitate that kind of development.  They don't want to see our residential neighborhoods defiled by increased density as a result of the Small Lot Ordinance.  They don't want to see the saturation of Sober Living Homes in our city.  They DO want to see a City Council that considers the needs of the residents before the profits of developers and sober living operators.

A LATINO PRESENCE!
After the first "Righeimer" segment there were still more than 200 people in the packed room at the Senior Center, who cheered enthusiastically when each result was announced and each new member was seated on the dais.  For the first time in my memory covering City issues I saw throngs of Latino faces attending a meeting.  This is understandable, because there are new three members of the City Council with Latino heritage.  And, interestingly, there are four women on the council for the very first time, too.

RIGHEIMER'S SCHEME BACKFIRED!
Righeimer hijacked the discussion of a District Voting plan more than two years ago and replaced the preferred choice as determined by several public meetings - Five Members - with his Six Districts/Directly-Elected Mayor plan and had it placed on the ballot using his majority, with Genis and Mansoor.  Unfortunately, nobody wrote an opposing opinion for the 2016 ballot, so it passed.  It's likely that Righeimer thought this scheme would help him retain control of the council when he was termed out this year.  It failed... yet another scheme of his that failed.

CHIEF OF STAFF AND COUNCIL AIDS
Mayor Foley had placed on the agenda a plan for an existing Finance vacancy to be converted to a Chief Of Staff, which would report directly to her, plus three part-time aids to be shared by the six council members, reporting to the Chief of Staff.  This proposal was, to say the very least, controversial.  The debate and public comment on this plan went on for nearly two hours, including a period when clearly-frustrated former mayor Sandra Genis mouthed to someone in the crowd, "What do I do now?",  before new Mayor Pro Tem Stephens offered a motion that changed the reporting relationship of that position... it will report to the City Manager.  That's a good compromise.  Now, if only we had a City Manager...  The recruitment for the four positions is now underway, with a closing date of Friday, December 14, 2018.

A GOOD IDEA, PRESENTED PREMATURELY
I understand what Foley had in mind, but she probably should have made this proposal sometime in January.  There are no more meetings planned until the first week of January.  Perhaps she simply could have floated the idea and had a full-blown discussion and a more thorough vetting - the City Attorney apparently did not vet this proposal for legality.   Resident Eleanor Egan, a former member of the City legal department and Planning Commission, was among those who spoke to this issue  and advised against the proposal as presented.  Others spoke, as well, while Acting City Manager Tammy Letourneau looked on.   But, as I mentioned above, the issue passed on a 5-2 vote, with Genis and Mansoor opposing.  The screamers at the Costa Mesa Public Square have been rabid on this issue for the past week.  We'll see how this goes.

WHERE'S DUARTE?
And, since I mentioned the City Attorney, I found myself wondering just where Tom Duarte was Tuesday night.  His seat was capably filled by former City Attorney, Kimberly Hall Barlow.  It was nice to see her back, even if it was for one meeting.  You may recall she was replaced by Duarte several years ago.  There was speculation that it was because she pushed back on the Righeimer/Mensinger mob.  Duarte was more compliant.

THIS WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE GROUP
I have every confidence that this new City Council will work together effectively.  Foley has demonstrated her leadership during 2017, before she was deposed by Genis, etal.  The new, young council members have demonstrated through their campaigns and prior public service that they have the education, intelligence and energy to make a significant contribution to the future of the City.  It's unclear what kind of contributions Mansoor and Genis will be making for the next two years, when their at-large seats expire.  One thing is sure... the 2020 local election in which we will again elect a mayor and three district council members - Districts 1, 2 and 6 - will be a doozy, as the forces of the Dark Side will certainly attempt to regain control. The next council meeting will be Tuesday, January 8, 2019.

ADIOS, RIGHEIMER...

SAYING ADIOS TO RIGHEIMER IN A PACKED HOUSE
In the first segment of what was supposed to be a short City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 4th, the council  recognized departing councilman Jim Righeimer.   The temporary meeting room at the Senior Center was packed.  There were so many people in attendance that you actually couldn't hear the bingo numbers being called next door.  There was seating for about 150 people and there were at least another 100 in the room.  Fire Chief Dan Stefano had to make some adjustments so there was sufficient lane space in case of an emergency.

I DON'T LIKE HIM...
Let me say right up front that I don't like Jim Righeimer.  I don't like the way he's steamrolled his way though the governance of our city. I don't like the way he lies about important issues.  I don't like the way he arrogantly ignored the views of the people and chided folks from the dais.  Nothing has changed my opinion since then.  In fact, circumstances only reinforced my opinion.  I've posted more than 800 entries that included references to him over the years.  In fact, in May of 2017 - the same day I posted what was supposed to be my final entry here - I posted specifically about Righeimer, in which I referred to him as the worst thing that ever happened to our city.  You can read that entry HERE

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF WHY I FEEL THAT WAY
Since arriving in town as a shill for his friend (at that time) Dana Rohrabacher he's been a lightning rod for controversy.  Here are just a few things that come to mind that happened on his watch:

• In a clear bit of political payback for his role as Dana Rohrabacher's Campaign Manager which offered support in his re-election campaign, Allan Mansoor appointed him to the Planning Commission six months after his arrival in Costa Mesa from Fountain Valley where he had been a failed politician.
• As a Planning Commissioner (with no authority to do so) he braced officers during a DUI checkpoint, demanding they cease the operation and a meeting the next day to "talk about it".
• He orchestrated stifling public comments by bifurcating them, with only the lucky first 10 being able to speak at the beginning of the meeting.  The remainder would have to wait to the end - sometimes after midnight.
• Early on he unleashed his pit bull attorney friend, Mark Bucher, to try to keep me from writing about him.  When I told Bucher that I understood SLAPP lawsuits he crawled back under his rock.  Bullying is a way of life for Righeimer and his pals.
• He and his cronies on the dais created a developer-friendly environment to the detriment of the residents.
• Sober Living businesses flourished in residential neighborhoods.
• Legal fees skyrocketed as his philosophy was to litigate rather than negotiate.
• The Fire Association had to wait five years for a new contract.
• Fairview Park was placed in jeopardy by the creation of the Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Committee, stacked with pro-sports fields cronies.  Citizen participation quashed their attempts to pave over parts of that park and the group was eventually disbanded.
• Twice he tried to change the form of government from a General Law City to a Charter City.  He refused to listen to the residents in both failed elections.
• He placed issues on the ballot to oppose Measure Y, the Slow Growth Initiative and Measure AA, designed to protect Fairview Park.  The voters passed Y and AA overwhelmingly.
• His hand-picked pal, Steve Mensinger, joined in the management chaos and, after several years of ham-handed governance, was clearly rejected by the voters when he ran for re-election in 2016.
• He attempted to layoff more than 200 employees in what turned out to be a costly illegal move.  Young Huy Pham jumped to his death from the roof of City Hall when he learned he was to receive a layoff notice.
• He tried to run the city like a business, changing the title of the City Manager to Chief Executive Officer and hamstrung Tom Hatch in the process.
• He sued the Costa Mesa Police Association for alleged false accusations of DUI, a case that was settled years later with no culpability of the Association found.
• He sponsored the Small Lot Ordinance which changed the character of residential neighborhoods.
• He sponsored the Residential Overlays on both Harbor and Newport Boulevards, which are now being unraveled.
• His pal, Scott Baugh, reaped huge profits as the sole provider of food booths at the bogus 60th Anniversary celebration.
• His management philosophy of fear and intimidation chased more than 50 police officers away, to other jurisdictions or into early retirement.
• Refused to let then-Chief Tom Gazsi recruit to fill vacancies for 8 months.
• He folded-up the ABLE Helicopter program, the model for all municipal helicopter programs throughout the country.
• He chided, intimidated and vilified residents who dared to speak in opposition to him during public meetings.
• He and Baugh viciously attempted to dethrone their "friend", 30-year incumbent congressman  Dana Rohrabacher, in the 2018 Primary Election.  That failed and Rohrabacher eventually was soundly defeated by newcomer Harley Rouda, a Democrat.
• There's no doubt in my mind that he orchestrated the ouster of Katrina Foley as mayor late in 2017, most likely to reduce her profile for her announced run for directly-elected mayor this year.  Genis was elected as mayor and Mansoor was chosen as Mayor Pro Team.  Foley's ouster fractured many personal and political relationships throughout the city.  That gets laid right at Righeimer's feet.  I'm sure he thought it would work in his favor.... another failure!
• He hijacked the district voting issue a couple years ago and ramrodded the current Directly-Elected Mayor/Six Districts scheme, presuming that unpopular iteration would allow him and his mob to maintain control.  Again, another epic failure.  Instead, the results of the election produced an overwhelming sweep for candidates that supported Foley, who won the mayor's slot over Genis by a huge margin.  Districts 3, 4 and 5 all were won by really bright political newcomers and, astoundingly, all of Latino heritage.  The Righeimer mob - including two former mayors - were soundly thumped in each race.
• Still lingering is question about the role he may have played in the recent curious departure of City Manager, Tom Hatch.  Contractually,  if Hatch was fired he was entitled to a severance allowance of 9 months pay, plus one month notice - 10 months pay total.  That's more than $200,000!  But, he was not fired.  Hatch departed quietly, like a thief in the night, the Friday BEFORE the council had a chance to consider his employment - an item on the council meeting agenda for the following Tuesday.  So, it certainly looks like he quit, and was not entitled to severance.  The question remains... was his "quitting" orchestrated by Righeimer and his majority on the council - Genis and Mansoor - and relayed to him the week before the meeting?  If so, it would certainly seem to look like a Brown Act violation took place.  I hold no animus toward Hatch, but I'm very disappointed in him for skulking out like that.
• Through their arrogant disregard of what "the people" actually want, Righeimer and his OC GOP cronies have basically destroyed the party.  Orange County, formerly a bastion of conservative thinking, now has NO representation in the Congress and none in the State Assembly.  The State of California is now a "one party" state, which means fiscal hard times are ahead as tax-and-spend Democrats will have no check on their behavior.

SPEAKERS WERE MOSTLY RESPECTFUL - BUT NOT ALL

There was an interesting mix of speakers addressing Righeimer's departure.  Several of the usual suspects - minions like Tom Pollitt, Chuck Perry and Jim Kerins - spoke in glowing terms.  Others, like Teresa Drain and Terry Koken were less kind.  Righeimer's daughter spoke of her father - a nice touch.  His wife, Ilene, also spoke in loving terms of him.

HERKY-JERKY PRESENTATION
The "recognition" part of the meeting was a little herky-jerky.  At first then-Mayor Sandra Genis was going to give him a plaque on the dais, but then chose to step down closer to the audience.  This is my best photo of this segment of the meeting.

ADIOS... DON'T LET THE DOOR HIT YOU IN THE BUTT
So, it is with absolutely no sadness that I bid Jim Righeimer "adios".  For a dozen years he systematically tried to ruin my town by making it a haven for his developer-buddies. He leaves behind a record of failure.  Every major initiative he tried failed.   He created chaos and negativity in my city and left the stench of his partisan policies lingering in the air.  I hope I never have to mention his name here again, unless it's to announce that he's put his $3 million country club mansion (that's what he said it was worth) on the market and is moving to Colorado to continue his prairie dog hugging.
AND NOW, RAY, IF YOU PLEASE...

It's Time To Say Adios

CHANGE...

One of the certainties of life is change.  Most of us go through phases in our lives when things change - childhood, school, young adulthood, career(s), kids, empty nesters, retirement and... well, you get the picture.  Today I find myself at another one of those change points. 

SOME HISTORY

When I wrote my very first commentary to the Daily Pilot fifteen years ago it began a change in my life that has proven to be both positive and negative,  simultaneously - just as are most things in life.  From that embryo - and several dozen letters to the editor and commentaries in local newspapers -  this blog has emerged in a couple different iterations.  I wrote my first blog entry using a different blog host - I've referred to it as a "bare bones" blog - on July 9, 2005, cautioning us about the possibility of the use of eminent domain to facilitate change on the Westside of town.  I shifted to this site, where comments are permitted and images are accommodated,  on November 1, 2006.  Now - more than 3400 entries later, with tens of thousands of page views each month (3 million total and counting), several acknowledgements as a top blogger in the area and many new friends (and more than a few enemies) - it’s time for another change.  Although I know my efforts have made a difference in our community, it’s time for me to stop blogging.

UNANTICIPATED EVENTS

As some of you know, last year threw me a very significant curveball health-wise.  Last June a pulmonary embolism, apparently caused by a tumble I took a couple months earlier,  nearly cost me my life.  When the emergency room doctor told me I was lucky, because there were four things that could have happened and the other three would have killed me immediately, it got my attention.  Ever since that time I’ve been dealing with the after effects of that event and other little nuisances that happen during the course of this steady march to geezerdom and it’s slowed me down significantly.  Changes had to be made - including how I did this blog.

HEALTH DEMANDS...

No longer can I attend a meeting until midnight, then come home and write until dawn to meet the expectations of a few thousand people who have grown accustomed to my views awaiting them when they dragged themselves out of bed.  Now I go home, hit the sack and begin putting things together in the morning, with the end result being posted sometime after noon.  It takes longer because I must interrupt my composition to pry myself out of my chair to give this old body some exercise, lest another nasty blood clot manifest itself in a way that would have a very unhappy ending.

ANOTHER LIFE CHANGE

Last month my sweet and very patient wife - and caretaker of my new health protocols - decided to retire from the business she and her two younger brothers have successfully operated for more than four decades.  When she stopped going to the office it marked the first time in our forty-nine years of marriage that we both were out of a job - unless you count this as “a job” - and it’s been very interesting.

THE NEXT PHASE

Now we are planning this next phase of our lives together, which will include the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary in August and much more travel to many venues we’ve wanted to visit, but just couldn’t carve out the time to do so.  And, it will certainly include many more frequent visits to our favorite getaway on the Central California Coast.  We’re getting very excited about planning these adventures.  And, after many weeks of contemplation and consultation, I just don’t see a way to fold into those adventures the time it takes to continue writing this blog.  It’s not practical and not fair to her, even if I was up to it.  And, of course, there are these nagging health issues which have forced me to abandon my personal mantra - “You only have a certain number of heart beats and none should be wasted on exercise.” - and have caused me to contemplate an exercise program that will also cut into my day.  And, so, we move on...

 I'VE ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE DAY

I’ve enjoyed nearly every single second of the time I’ve spent presenting my thoughts for you, my loyal readers.  Some of you have become more informed, others have been entertained and more than a few have been angered.  I smile when I think of all those reactions to what I write.  Perfection remains an elusive goal.  I acknowledge that I’ve not always been correct in my views, but I’ve always tried to do my homework, study the issues, attend the meetings and provide my best assessment of what I’ve seen and heard.  Some of you have agreed with me and some certainly have not, but I’ve always appreciated your thoughts and have considered them carefully as I tackled the pithy issues facing our community.  I have always appreciated the kind words from those of you who have chosen to write to me. 

APPRECIATE THE PRAISE AND SUPPORT

I’ve also appreciated the praise and encouragement from professionals in the local media.  Former Publisher Tom Johnson and editors, Bill Lobdell, S.J. Cahn, Brady Rhoades, Tony Dodero and John Canalis of the Daily Pilot, for example, have encouraged me, tolerated me, edited and published my too-wordy submissions to make them better, and have chosen me to be part of the DP 103 list of those folks they considered to be influential in our community several times.  Obviously, despite their best efforts, I have still not mastered brevity.  I have abandoned that as a goal.  Many of those editors also offered me a regular column in that fine newspaper - a dozen times, in fact - and I thanked them, but gratefully turned them down.  I’m not geared to be “edited”, nor could I write “on assignment” - I write about what interests me.  I’m also grateful to other local publications and blogs who have offered similar opportunities, and to Gustavo Arellano and the editors of the OC Weekly, who selected my blog as the Best in OC a couple times.  And, of course, I’m grateful to my friend, Byron de Arakal, whose Daily Pilot commentaries many years ago provoked my very first efforts to influence the populace.  This has all been pretty heady stuff for an old guy with marginal writing skills,  a skull full of opinion and too much time on his hands.

THE GOAL

When I began this effort - that word really doesn’t seem right, since this has been less an “effort” than a pursuit of a passion - my goal was to encourage more folks to pay attention and get involved in local issues.  I take great pride in the fact that I’ve met that goal, and then some.  More people have become engaged in local issues due, at least in part, to some of the things I’ve written.

AFTER CONSULTATION AND CONSIDERATION...

I’ve recently tested the waters about stopping this blog with a couple very wise close friends who have asked me to consider simply just cutting back - attend fewer meetings, write fewer words, post fewer entries.  I appreciate that advice and have given it a lot of thought.  However, in my opinion, a big part of the value of what I’ve been doing has to do with continuity.  Attending most important meetings, hearing the comments and seeing the players in action has given me a perspective unlike most others.  If I were to curtail those activities it wouldn’t be long before I would lose the continuity of events and the quality of this product would decline.  I’m not eager for that to happen.  I guess I’d rather stop somewhere near the peak instead of sliding slowly downhill toward the abyss of insignificance.

HANDING OFF IS NOT AN OPTION

Others have suggested I find someone else to either share the writing or to take over A Bubbling Cauldron completely.  That is not an option.  What you’ve read on these pages has been my work product, based on my observations and my opinions.  No, I will retain the domain, toss some water on the flames that keeps this pot boiling and simply let it cool.  I might occasionally resurrect this site from time-to-time, so I suggest you go to image shown above on my Home Page and click on it to use one of the readers available to be alerted when a new entry pops up.  And, I will continue to post any future entries on my Facebook page and on my Twitter feed, too... but those will be few and far between.  And, because things continue to happen in this city, I suspect I’ll be reacting to events on both those platforms, too - just not via the blog.

SOME THOUGHTS...

Before I douse the fire under the old Cauldron I do want to leave you with a few thoughts - for whatever they are worth.

THANKS TO THE EMPLOYEES

First, I want to express my gratitude to every single employee of the City of Costa Mesa.  Much of what I've written has been about them.  I’ve gotten to know many of them quite well over the years.  The trauma many have endured, particularly over the past decade, has been very difficult for them, but they have persevered.  I’ve watched as previous council majorities tried to eviscerate the organization, leaving only anxious, beleaguered employees in the wake of that activity.  I’ve seen new folks come and go. I’ve seen many long term employees retire or simply seek a different pasture - I hesitate to call them “greener” - for a variety of reasons.  During all my contacts with City employees I’ve ALWAYS found them to be helpful, professional and eager to do a good job.  I will always be grateful for that.

THANKS TO YOU READERS

Second, to those of you have become loyal readers - thank you.  Those two little words hardly seem enough.  I have appreciated your participation in the issues of our times.  I know some of you balked when I was forced to require commentors to register, but many simply did the necessary confidential registration and continued to provide us with their insights.  As I’ve said many times, I’m very disappointed that folks with differing viewpoints refused to participate - comments that echo what I write are always welcome, but I much prefer a spirited, intelligent debate, with differing views provided.  Alas, that seldom happens.  On that note, I’ve ceased the registration requirement.  Anybody can now post a comment, but I still have to view each comment before approving it for publication.  If I think someone has attempted to use another’s identity I simply will not post it.  If someone posts language that will offend others, I will not post it.  I will post opposing viewpoints.  It really won’t be much of an issue, since there will be few entries on which to post comments.  In many cases I suspect our relationships will cease because I’ve stopped publishing this blog, since we have been bound together in our common interests on city issues and I’m walking away.  That will sadden me, but I do understand...

THE COUNCIL'S DOING OK, BUT...

Third, while I’m generally happy with the present configuration of the new City Council and the commissions and committees they have appointed, I’m not particularly pleased with how things have been going.  I agree with many of their plans for the direction this city will be taking for the next couple of years.  But, in my opinion, the strained relationships on the dais need to be resolved quickly.  The core of City Council - Mayor Katrina Foley, Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Genis and Councilman John Stephens - make up a group of dedicated, intelligent, clear thinkers who know how to frame arguments and persuade others.  I’m not unhappy that Jim Righeimer and Allan Mansoor are in the minority and I suspect we’ll see many 3-2 votes as the months progress... such is life.

MAJOR ISSUES AHEAD

There are several major issues that the new council majority will be working on that will effect all of us.  For example:

LIONS PARK PROJECT COSTS

The Lions Park Project, which replaces the existing Neighborhood Community Center with a new, state-of-the-art two-story library and converts the existing Donald Dungan Branch Library into a new, smaller community center.  The project also creates a new acre of public parkland.  Ever since this project was proposed the costs have escalated.  You all need to pay attention to that because there’s no doubt that trend will continue.

DISTRICT VOTING/DIRECTLY-ELECTED MAYOR

The Directly-elected mayor/District Voting scheme will begin implementation for the 2018 election cycle.  Candidates for that mayor slot are already jockeying for positions and folks are trying to figure out how they might run for the other vacancies.  It will take the next cycle, in 2020, to complete this metamorphosis.  Watch how this is managed by the City Council, and watch Jim Righeimer - who hijacked this process at the last minute and forced this new method onto the ballot - scramble for that mayor slot since he’s termed out of his council seat in 2018.

ROLLING BACK THE OVERLAYS

Undoing the Harbor and Newport Boulevard Overlays that were passed by the last regime as part of the General Plan update.  Those were developer-driven and tax our infrastructure, add horrendous amounts of traffic to our streets and are bad ideas for Costa Mesans.

SMALL LOT ORDINANCE

Revisiting the Small Lot Ordinance - another developer-driven change that has codified the dilution of protections for our neighborhoods to facilitate rampant growth throughout the city.

SOBER LIVING HOMES

Keep an eye on how the City deals with the whole Sober Living Home issue.  The most recent changes to our two ordinances might help, but there will certainly be lawsuits that will spring from our attempts to enforce our rules and that industry - a $35 billion business - will certainly test our resolve and our treasury.

HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS

How effectively will our City Council and staff deal with Homelessness in our city.  We’re told we have the greatest number of homeless individuals per capita than any other Orange County city.  Progress has been made, but there are no easy solutions to this issue.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public Safety is a top priority for the City Council.  Hold their feet to the fire on the staffing issues - the CMPD continues to be understaffed by about 20%, and that’s based on the bogus staffing level imposed by the previous administration.  We currently have no staff Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs), so patrol officers are forced to perform those duties.  We may not reach that staffing level until the end of next year, and that will still put us about 10% below the proper staffing level necessary to properly protect our residents, businesses and visitors.  Costa Mesa Fire and Rescue seems to be on the right track now, which is encouraging.

OUTSOURCING AND CONSULTANT COSTS

Outsourcing continues to plague our city.  Right now our entire senior management level in Development Services is made up of very expensive - and very competent - contract employees.  Most of the engineering done in the city is done by contractors, as is much of the inspection and plan check services.  Contractors operate our jail and street sweeping services and, as of the end of June, will do all park and landscape maintenance, too.  It’s important to manage those resources carefully, to be sure the residents are being properly served.

MANY IMMEDIATE MEETINGS PENDING

As I fold this tent up now I will remind you that there are plenty of things that should require your immediate attention over the next few weeks. 

PLANNING COMMISSION MONDAY

Monday there is a Planning Commission meeting, which I’ve already written about. 

BUDGET MEETING TUESDAY

Tuesday, however, is a Special Study Session beginning at 5:00 p.m. in Conference Room 1A at which the City Council will dig into a proposed budget that increases spending by more than 7%, to a total of over $155 million.  Read the staff report HERE.

SENIOR COMMISSION ALSO TUESDAY

Tuesday morning there will be a meeting of the unnecessary (in my opinion) Senior Commission meeting at the Senior Center at 9:00 a.m. HERE.

COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 16TH

The following Tuesday - the 16th - there will likely be another council meeting.  

COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETING ON THE 18TH

On Thursday, the 18th, there will be a Community Budget meeting at 5:30 in Conference Room 1A - a time for residents to hear about the budget in a casual, participative atmosphere.  These have been sparsely-attended in past years, but represent an opportunity for residents to get up close and personal with the budget process, ask questions and take away a much clearer understanding of how spending our tax money is prioritized.

YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN... BUT THERE IS HELP

Since I will no longer be reporting about these meetings for you in the future, I suggest you visit the City website, HERE,  frequently and check the Calendar to see what’s happening.  And, click on the Costa Mesa Minute on the left side of the page for the latest information, presented by Dane Bora and the CMTV team.  Also, click HERE to be taken to the “e-notification” page (there’s also a link at the top of the City Home Page) where you can sign up for any and all city communications and meeting announcements.  I suggest you just check the box at the bottom to subscribe to them all.  Public Information Officer Tony Dodero is doing a good job of pumping out information - particularly in his Costa Mesa Snapshot each week.  If you can’t make it to meetings, be sure you watch them on live CMTV or live streamed on the City web site or view them later.  Another GREAT community resource is Diane Hill’s United Neighbors Newsletter.  To subscribe, write to her at unitedneighbors@cmprepared.com. and include a telephone number so she can contact you before including you on one of her subscription lists.

READ THE LOCAL COVERAGE

And please do avail yourselves of the excellent Costa Mesa reporting being done by Luke Money in the Daily Pilot and Louis Casiano, Jr. in the Orange County Register.  Both do a fine job of covering the most important issues, and do so without the burden of having to provide an opinion - just the facts.

BEWARE OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Don’t be swayed by the bogus social media sites that have evolved in our city over the past couple years.  The Costa Mesa Public Square (CMPS), for example, was created by a resident, then was taken over by out-of-towners  intent on influencing the last election.  They failed, despite the fact that several elected officials and their appointed surrogates commented long and loud.  Some of the same folks swept in and snatched one site of reason and civilized discussion - Dennis Barton’s Costa Mesa site - when he passed away, and have turned it into a kind of Costa Mesa Public Square Annex.  Tom Johnson, mentioned above, opined when I was a guest on his radio show a year ago that the CMPS site was specifically created to counter the influence this blog was having on city issues.  I have no idea if that’s true or not, but others have attempted to defame the efforts that appeared here by creating blogs to compete - and they are long gone.

NOT AN EASY DECISION, BUT...

It is with very strong mixed emotions, and a lot of consultation and contemplation, that I’ve decided to stop blogging.  The site will remain open for your reference and, maybe, the occasional entry.  It has not been an easy decision, but is one I felt was necessary at this point in my life for the reasons mentioned above.  I wish you all well.  I will miss our interaction.  You probably have not heard the last of me, but - at least for awhile - this is adios.  Thanks, one more time, for your loyalty, friendship and your enthusiastic willingness to joust on issues.  You will always occupy a warm spot in my heart.  It’s been one of the great joys of my life to serve you.

ADIOS, AMIGOS...