WEEKS LIKE NONE OTHER...
The last couple weeks will be memorable in the annals of Costa Mesa lore. Things happened that have most likely never, ever happened before throughout the entirety of Costa Mesa's history.
IMPROPRIETIES?
For example, after a rousing success with the 60th Anniversary Celebration the end of June, it looks like there's trouble in River City. Two employees - those responsible for coordinating the event and guiding the activities of the committee appointed to plan the event - were placed on administrative leave and, a few days later, boxes of "stuff" were observed being moved from the 5th floor of City Hall to the Police Department, a few yards away. Nobody is 'fessing up to moving the stuff, but logic tells us that it was likely one law enforcement entity or another.
INFORMATION FLOWS SLOWLY
We do know that Public Records Requests for information dealing with the financials of the 60th celebration have been responded to very slowly, in part, apparently, because much of the information requested is buried in the bowels of that "stuff".
A REAL "WHO DUNNIT?"
And then we have the Great Trail Mystery - the decomposed granite pathway that was installed on the sly, running along the Fairview Park side of the fence between the park and Waldorf School. There are reports of men being seen installing the path - which encroached significantly on at least one federally-protected vernal pool. Although he denied knowing anything about the path, when he was shown photographs of it marked with flags showing the delineation of the boundaries of the pool, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger shifted into a different mode, apparently exclaiming something to the effect, "
Well, what do you expect the kids going to school to do - walk through weeds?" So, one presumes that Mensinger had prior knowledge of the path, and that it was "all about the kids" - his mantra for almost every breath he takes. It has been reported that folks have photos of the trail being installed, and that there may be a familiar face or two in them. We'll see.
THE FEDS DEFENDING THE FAIRY SHRIMP
One thing is sure... now that the federal government is involved - yep, they know about this transgression and apparently are
NOT happy about it - extraordinary measures will be taken to discover who installed the path, and who authorized it. It's my understanding that penalties could range from a simple slap on the wrist and the requirement to rehabilitate the destroyed pool to much more severe penalties imposed on the city for it's failure to be the good steward of those pools as agreed upon many years ago.
THE LAWSUIT
And then we have
THE BIG EVENT - the lawsuit filed by Mayor
Jim Righeimer, his wife
Lene, and Mayor Pro Tem
Steve Mensinger against the Costa Mesa Police Association - the rank and file officers charged with keeping us safe every day. The suit also involves Private Investigator
Chris Lanzillo, the law firm of
Lackie, Dammier, McGill & Ethir for which he had worked and 25 John Does - unnamed folks they may wish to fold into the lawsuit later.
THE COMPLAINT
The forty-three (43) page document includes fourteen (14) causes of action in which Righeimer, his wife and Mensinger claim significant damages arising out of the much-publicized event last year when Lanzillo followed Righiemer out of councilman
Gary Monahan's bar, called the police to report him driving erratically, followed him home and observed our most highly decorated DUI enforcement officer,
Kha Bao, speak with Righeimer and resolve that the mayor had not been driving under the influence. Then, it is alleged, that Lanzillo tried to run Mrs. Righeimer down when she approached his car. Personally, I have a hard time with that last part, since the CMPD officer was still there and certainly would have seen such an act and arrested Lanzillo on the spot for assault with a deadly weapon.
PLENTY OF ERRORS
I've gone through the entire "Complaint for Damages" several times and it doesn't take long to find mistakes in the document, including inaccurately describing the mayor's election dates and ignoring the fact that Mensinger was elected to his position. And, adding a little amusement to the document, in Paragraph 71 the text states:
"Defendants' conduct, directed towards Plaintiffs,
as described herein, especially with respect to the INCIDENT, was
outrageous and extreme and beyond the bounds of conduct tolerated
by civilized society. It was carried out intentionally, or wonton
disregard of the probability of causing Plaintiffs to suffer
emotional distress." I guess it's pretty serious when Chinese dumplings are involved, huh? I guess it's too much to ask your high-powered lawyer to run a spell check program, huh?
BOILERPLATE COMPLAINT
Peppered throughout the complaint are two paragraphs, boilerplate, describing the damage done to the plaintiffs. Examples are paragraphs 81 and 82, which read as follows:
81. Defendants'
above-noted actions were the legal and proximate causes of
physical, psychological, emotional, and economic damages, and
damage to their reputation Plaintiffs have suffered and continue
to suffer to this day. These actions of Defendants have also
resulted in Plaintiffs incurring, and will require them to incur
into the future, expenses for medical and psychological treatment,
therapy, and counseling.
82. As a result of the above-described conduct, Plaintiffs
suffered and continue to suffer great pain of mind and body,
shock, emotional distress, physical manifestations of emotional
distress, embarrassment, loss of self-esteem, disgrace,
humiliation, and loss of enjoyment of life; have suffered and
continue to suffer and were prevented and will continue to be
prevented from performing daily activities and obtaining the full
enjoyment of life; have and will continue to sustain loss of
earning capacity; have and will continue to suffer damage to their
business reputation; and have incurred and will continue to incur
expenses for medical and psychological treatment, therapy, and
counseling. They have also suffered economic business loss as a
result.
THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF - IF TRUE
I don't know about you, but I think that's pretty darn serious, particularly since it's repeated over and over and over in the Complaint. I honestly worry about the physical and mental well-being of our mayor and mayor pro tem and wonder, considering the apparent extent of their "injuries" in this case, how they can be expected to fulfill the duties of the jobs to which they were elected. I mean, these disabilities seem very severe, which will certainly be borne out when all their medical records and financial records are subpoenaed and when they are deposed for the trial.
SHOULD THEY STEP ASIDE?
Perhaps, in the interest of their health and financial well-being, we should ask them to step down and permit those chairs on the dais to be filled with people more temperamentally suited and physically and emotionally more stable. Both Righeimer and Mensinger have frequently complained about the pay for the hours they devote to city business. It would seem appropriate, especially under the circumstances, that they step aside so they can devote more time to providing a good life for their families and to get their mental faculties back in order. Of course, reading that complaint, it seems they doubt they will
EVER be able to accomplish that.
WHAT ABOUT STEVE?
I don't get the damages to Mensinger, but maybe he's a very sensitive guy. From what we know now, he was not followed home, but was left at the Monahan's bar when Righeimer took off and was followed by Lanzillo. Is he mad because he'd have to buy his own Diet Cokes? I guess we'll find out when he's called to testify about the damage he's suffered and the loss of income. Doesn't one have to have a job to lose income? Just askin'...
WHERE'S GARY ON THIS ISSUE?
And, as I read those complaints, I wonder about Gary Monahan. After all, if we believe the story Lanzillo is apparently telling folks, he was in Monahan's gin mill with an attractive associate to entrap him into some kind of an illicit affair. You'd think that if
ANYONE should be feeling persecuted and be stressed out about this event it would be Monahan. And yet, he is not a party to the lawsuit. Doesn't that seem just a little peculiar?
TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY
And, as I read those complaints, I couldn't help think of the employees of the city who have suffered in the toxic workplace created by those two men for more than two years. It seems to me that
EVERY ONE of the phrases used apply precisely to most, if not all, the current and past employees who have had to deal with the capricious, thoughtless, heavy-handed methods those men have tried to use. I wonder whether any of them - or all of them - have read this complaint and considered filing a similar action against Righeimer and Mensinger? Seems like something to consider, doesn't it?
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE A LEADER CAN MAKE
All this chaos that has transpired over the past couple weeks - and, actually, for the past couple years - has made me contemplate just what kind of leaders we have trying to run this city. I do know more than a little bit about leadership, having made a very nice living identifying and recruiting leaders in industry for more than three decades. As I was contemplating Costa Mesa's leadership over the weekend a Facebook friend fortuitously posted a very interesting seven-minute video clip featuring several Harvard University professors and others who addressed "
The biggest mistake a leader can make", which you can view
HERE. But, before you click on that link, here's a sneak peak of some of the things they cited:
- Putting self-interest ahead of the best interests of the institution or organization they run.
- Betraying trust.
- Being certain. If you think you know everything, why bother to listen?
- Failure to live up to their own values.
- Being so enamored with their vision that they lose all capacity for self-doubt and lack the ability to look at the consequences of their actions.
- Personal arrogance and hubris. It's demotivating for most in the organization and increases the chances of making big mistakes.
- Acting too fast. Step back and consult, then act.
- When it's all about the leader, not in service of something bigger.
- Not being authentic, consistent and predictable.
- Not being self-reflective. Failing to hold up a mirror to themselves and consider their impact on other people. The worst leaders just bulldoze, plow through life, not learning through their mistakes.
DEJA VU
I watched that tape and, as I suspect many of you will, had this feeling of deja vu - like I've heard this all before.
NOT THESE GUYS
I've known some outstanding leaders in my lifetime - including some in this city - and was fortunate enough to work for a few of them. The majority on the City Council - the people elected to lead this city - share none of the characteristics of those men and women I recognize as outstanding leaders.
WILL THEY STEP DOWN?
Perhaps Jim Righeimer and Steve Mensinger will step down to preserve their own mental and physical well-being - and to permit them to earn a living - and allow us to place true leaders in their chairs on the dais. This city needs those kind of people in leadership roles - right now!
*******
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Labels: 60th Anniversary, Chris Lanzillo, Comment Registration, Dammier, Fairview Park, Gary Monahan, Jim Righeimer, Lackie, McGill & Ethir, Steve Mensinger
Dimel's letter in the old Mailbag is accompanied by another, by David L. Boyd of Costa Mesa. We presume this is the self-same David L. Boyd who was just re-elected to a seat on the Orange County Board Of Education. In his letter Boyd pillories the men and women of the Costa Mesa Police Department for what he has apparently pre-judged as their complicity in the events of nearly two years ago involving Mayor Jim Righeimer, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger and Councilman Gary Monahan. Apparently he feels that the CMPA should not have exercised its right to appeal a recent decision in the case. He tells us that he thinks the men and women of the CMPA - who put their own lives in jeopardy every day to keep ours safe - should just shrug off their own rights in the case. And, I find it curious that, while this case and the issues involved in it have been swirling around for nearly two years, Mr. Boyd chose to submit his letter for publication AFTER his seat on the Board of Education was secured. Perhaps it's just a coincidence.
