Liar, Liar...

"JIM RIGHEIMER IS A BIG FAT LIAR"

That phrase was spoken to the mayor during the bifurcated public comments section late in the evening Tuesday, October 21st.  You can watch Anna Vrska express her opinion near the end of this video clip, HERE.  Here's yet another example...

RENFRO SIGNS IN ON GROUP HOME ORDINANCE
Earlier that day, at 2:52 p.m.,  after reviewing the text of the proposed Group Home Ordinance that was to receive a second reading at the council meeting that night, resident Carrie Renfro, who lives on Buoy Street, in the heart of a part of town significantly impacted by the Group Home problem, wrote to four council members - Mayor Jim Righiemer, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Mensinger and Councilwomen Sandra Genis and Wendy Leece with the following note:

"I applaud the city for finally taking some action regarding the out of control proliferation of group homes in our city; however, I am writing to ask that you reconsider the currently proposed ordinance.  The ordinance is not well written and only covers a portion of the residential areas. Further, it does not address the parolee situation.  I think it would be wise to wait a few weeks to see if the SCOTUS takes up the Newport Beach case which could have a huge bearing on how CM should proceed.  The current ordinance in its format will most certainly open us up for a lawsuit, which would further hold up any future ordinance. I figure if we are going to be tied up with lawsuit, let’s at least start with a city wide ordinance that is well crafted in the first place.  Thanks.

Carrie Renfro"

You may recall that Righeimer held one of his little mini-town halls on Renfro's side yard to discuss the infestation of Group Homes not too long ago.

RIGHEIMER RESPONDS...
At 3:26 p.m. that afternoon Righeimer responded to Renfro with the following note:

"Ms. Renfro,

Thanks for your email. The ordinance at this point applies only to R-1.
Our attorneys will start drafting R-2, R-3 etc. once and if the ordinance
is approved. Because the character of R-1 neighborhoods is different than
r-2 or r-3 neighborhoods, the ordinance will also be different.

Our ordinance is also very different from Newport Beach¹s. Newport already
lost in court and is asking for the U.S. Supreme court to take the case.
There is 20% chance they may take it. Meanwhile we have written an
ordinance we think can get though the courts once it is challenged.

Lastly, the ordinance was recommended by the task force that I put
together. Lisa Morlan, who is a founder of TBON, is OK with this ordinance.

Thanks again for your email.
Respectfully,
Jim

James Righeimer
Mayor, City of Costa Mesa"

MORLAN SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Following the council meeting at which the ordinance received approval several of the members of the grass-roots organization Take Back Our Neighborhoods (TBON) expressed concern about it, and the statement made by Righeimer above in which he stated categorically that TBON member Lisa Morlan "is OK with this ordinance."  He also identified her as a founder of TBON.  She's a member, not a founder.  The letter below, written to Renfro by Morlan at 2:04 p.m. on 10/22/14, explains in no uncertain terms Morlan's viewpoint on the ordinance and Righeimer's falsehoods in his letter.

Hi Carrie...Thank you for forwarding the email Mayor Righeimer is sending out...

First of all, I never received a copy of the group home ordinance to review prior to it being shared at the 1st planning commission.  I missed the last week of the Task Force meeting when the ordinance was voted on and finalized by the Task Force (I was in Washington).  I'm not even sure if a final draft was given to Task Force members to review.  How could I possibly endorse the City's propose group home ordinance without having access to it?  I would have wanted to thoroughly go through it with a fine tooth comb before giving it a thumbs up or down.  I did request a copy of the ordinance draft before I left for vacation; however, Rick Francis from the City told me I couldn't have one because of confidential and legal concerns.

For the record...this is my where I stand on the issue:

1.  The mayor should not be putting my name, or TBON's name on any email.  He did not ask me if I endorsed the current group   home ordinance.

2.  I will call/email Mayor and ask him to remove my name from any email, letter, or publication he hands out to the public.

3.  I believe Costa Mesa needs an ordinance to better regulate the over proliferation of group homes in Costa Mesa., but the current one did not have my stamp of approval.  I never had access to view the final proposed ordinance.

4.  I do believe the City attorney's did work very hard to research information to compose the ordinance.  I do know they spoke with the former mayor of Orange and the attorney who crafted their group home ordinance, Newport Beach council, League of Cities, experts in the field including Hoag Hospital.  Data of negative impacts (past and current) have been collected and reviewed, including emails/letters of complaints from Costa Mesa residents.  I do not have any reason to believe the City attorneys who worked on the ordinance were swayed to do anything illegal, unethical, or half-assed.  It is my belief the composing of the ordinance was done professionally, responsively, and with good intent (Yes...I know...many will probably shake their heads over my comment).  I understand why people are doubtful...there have been too many lies, and who can Costa Mesa citizens trust on council.

5.  I believe the group ordinance is a good start; however, it does need refining...which I hope and pray the City will do.  Would I like to see the current ordinance cover all of Costa Mesa...absolutely yes.  However, from a legal standpoint, I do understand the City attorney's recommendation to start of with R1 first.  Do I like that...no.  But I'm not an attorney who has expertise in how to battle the many law suits that are going to undoubtedly happen.  Court battles are a whole different ballgame.

6. My greatest concern is that the City will not have the manpower, such as code enforcement, and the means withal to implement/enforce the group home ordinance.  Even if the group home ordinance is crafted to cover all R1 and R2 neighborhoods, and written in a manner that earns everyone's approval, who is going to enforce it?  How is it going to be enforced?  How many City employees are going to be needed to effectively and consistently handle this?

7.  Lastly, I am NOT the founder of TBON!

Please feel free to share my email with others.  If there are further questions, please feel free to call or email.

Best regards,
Lisa Morlan

THANKS, LISA...
Morlan certainly grasps the issue and has an excellent perspective on the problem and the barely marginal solution provided by the Group Home Ordinance.  A couple speakers Tuesday night opined that the City was in for some serious legal problems with this ordinance.  One even told us that our "pockets are not deep enough."  He's probably right.
 
A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE TRUTH
I don't know exactly what Righeimer's problem is with the truth, but he certainly has one.  This is only a recent example of him misstating the truth - the list is too long and painful to recount here.  He just seems to make things up as he goes along, apparently expecting that nobody will notice.

JAY HUMPHREY IS CORRECT...
This is just one more reason he must not be returned to the City Council.  As Jay Humphrey said in a recent Daily Pilot commentary, HERE,  "This council election is, more than anything, about trust.  Whom do you trust?"

Eastsiders Throw A Nice Picnic, Again

ANOTHER NICE EVENT
Sunday, on a clear, cloudless, slightly-breezy day, my friends of the Eastside Costa Mesa Neighbors Group (ECMNG) held another community picnic at Harper Park.  It was a great chance to see some of my fellow-Eastsiders and their families.

LOTS OF FUN AND FRIENDSHIP
The crowd seemed smaller than in previous years, but those who attended seemed to be having a wonderful time.  Members of the ECMNG leadership team were busy organizing and conducting events, so I didn't get photos of them. 

IMAGES OF THE DAY

Here are a few more of the images I captured today...

 

Newport Mesa Unified School District Trustee and announced City Council Candidate Katrina Foley is greeted by former Interim Fire Chief and Eastsider Tom Arnold

 Fellow council candidates Jay Humphrey and Harold Weitzberg enjoyed the fellowship

Eastsider Police Chief Tom Gazsi chats with residents

Eastsiders Lisa Morlan, Jamie MacLeod and Mary Spadoni smiled for the camera

Gazsi and Foley planning campaign strategy?  If so, whose?

Team Weitzberg

Interested bystanders

Family fun in the sun

"Preserve Our Neighborhoods" Task Force Formed

DEALING WITH GROUP HOMES

Yesterday the City of Costa Mesa announced, via a press release, HERE, the appointments of seven individuals to the "newly formed Preserve Our Neighborhoods Task Force".  Keen observers will recall that Mayor Jim Righeimer announced the names of the individuals he appointed to this group at the last council meeting Tuesday.  I wrote about it HERE.

WHO ARE THESE FOLKS?
The names of the individuals appointed are Jeremy Broderick, Kerry McCarthy, Scott McClane, Joe McGreevy, Lisa Morlan, Tim Sesler and Larry Weichman.  A few of those are familiar names, while others are brand new.  Sesler and McCarthy are Riganista insiders, currently appointed to other committees.  Sesler - a lawyer, which I mention only because Righeimer made a big deal about it at the council meeting -  is a planning commissioner and also serves on the Pension Oversight Committee.  McCarthy, wife of Planning Commissioner Colin McCarthy, also serves on the Charter Committee.  Weichman is a highly-respected realtor and volunteer in the community  Morlan, a fellow Eastside resident, has been one of the most vocal residents on the issue of Group Homes recently.  Apparently Broderick runs sober living facilities locally and McGreevy lives in the belly of the beast on the Eastside.  I have no information on McClane at this point.

ACCOUNTABLE TO WHOM?
The press release says this task force "will explore ways to lessen the negative impacts of group homes on Costa Mesa residential communities."  It will be very interesting to see how this evolves.  As I understand it, because it is a "task force" - clarified for me by Communications Director Bill Lobdell this morning, in which he said this is like a "mayor's committee".  He compared it to Wendy Leece's Town Halls, in which she ran the whole thing and the city supported it.  As I understand it, as a "task force" this group is not subject to the Brown Act, which means they can meet whenever, wherever they wish and have no responsibility for any kind of public reporting of their activities.  I'm just a teensy bit uneasy about that...

DOESN'T SQUARE, MR. MAYOR
Righeimer is quoted in the press release as saying, "The city is committed to spending the resources needed to maintain the character of our Costa Mesa neighborhoods and their safety."  I'm trying to square that comment with his behavior over the past three years, in which he has almost single-handedly destroyed one of the best law enforcement organizations in the state.

SO FAR NO EVIDENCE ON THE "NUISANCE ORDINANCE"
He goes on to say, "The City Council recently passed a nuisance ordinance that will help curb bad behavior in our neighborhoods, and we are looking to the task force come up with other solutions that keeps the integrity of our neighborhoods without discriminating against any group."  OK, I get that, and recall that he told us at the last council meeting that dealing with the Group Home industry - which he described as a "billion dollar industry" and likened it to the pornography industry when comparing the impact on communities - was going to be expensive.  He said, "This is gonna cost a lot of money - litigation does."  He said "It's going to be a long, hard, painful road."

YES, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM
Let there be no doubt - the Group Home issue is a HUGE problem for our neighborhoods and I'm happy the City is moving forward seeking solutions.  Righeimer told us last Tuesday night that Newport Beach made big mistakes in it's handling of their Group Home problem and are now paying millions in legal fees/settlements as a result.

WITH FINGERS CROSSED....
According to the press release, this new task force will convene for the first time "within the next few weeks and establish a regular meeting schedule."  I'm keeping a positive thought about this process and hope their combined concerns,  passion and backgrounds - whatever they are - can facilitate some solutions to the issue that other cities have not yet discovered.