"Sunday With Steve" Another Success

MEET THE MAYOR, AGAIN
Reports from the scene and city staffers tell us that the second "Meet The Mayor" event with Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger at City Hall yesterday was a success.

MOST ARRIVED EARLY AND STAYED LATE
The event, which is held in the conference room on the 5th Floor, attracted a reported "about 15" people.  According to reports, most arrived early and stayed through most of the time allotted.  It was scheduled from 2-4 pm, but there were still a few stragglers there after 4.  And, I understand there was a film crew there to tape an interview with The Rookie - a Fountain Valley Realtor was involved.

AND COOKIES, TOO!
According to reports, a couple people brought cookies, so we may be working our way to that "Tea With Steve" event I suggested a few weeks ago. 

SAME FORMAT - A GROUP CHAT
And, I guess no change in format was made this time - folks just dropped in without a scheduled appointment and had a group chat about whatever was on their minds.  Topics ranged from the Senior Center to Fireworks and others, too.  I know one late arrival - I actually stopped by City Hall at 3:30 to see what how many people turned out - brought a list of things she wanted to address, several of which have been mentioned repeatedly during the more formal Public Comments section of council meetings.

HATCH AND CRONIES
It's my understanding that CEO Tom Hatch carved out part of his Sunday to participate, along with Sharon Rodelius, who greeted all visitors at the front door and escorted them to the 5th Floor.  It is also my understanding that some of the residents who attended were familiar names - walking pals of the Rookie Mayor and at least one former council candidate.  I guess I was surprised that they would need to use a chunk of their Sunday for this event, since they seem to have ready access to Mensinger.

SAME TIME, SAME PLACE, NEXT MONTH
So, on we go.  Every second Sunday of the month, from 2-4,  Mensinger and the staff will make him available for a chat with anyone who shows up.  So far, it's unclear whether there has been any return on investment of that time.

Sunday With The Mayor A Success - Kind Of

A SEMI-SUCCESS
Based on reports from the scene and my little peek into the action last Sunday, Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger's Sunday meeting with residents was a success.  Well, not a complete success, but a good start, anyhow.

A BAKER'S DOZEN SHOWED UP
According to City sources, thirteen (13) people showed up beginning at 2 p.m. to chat with the mayor on issues important to them.  The last person left around 4:15 - a few minutes longer than anticipated.

NOT MUCH "PRIVATE TIME"
From reports I've received, the event was not exactly what some of the individuals had hoped for.  Many expected to have some private time with Mensinger during which they would present their question/issue to him for a personal discussion.  That's not how it played out.

MORE LIKE A GROUP HUG
According to sources, after the first person arrived and had a few minutes alone with Mensinger in the 5th floor conference room, another group arrived and joined in.  Then, a few minutes later, another group appeared.  It turned out that eight (8) people were chatting with the mayor on a variety of issues - kind of like a mini-town hall.  Sources tell me that those eight folks filtered out by around 3:15 or so.  Although I don't have any first person knowledge of the last hour of the confab, I'll presume the remaining five people  had a similar experience.

SECOND INSTALLMENT PLANNED
I'm told that there will, in fact, be a second installment of this event on February 8th, although I don't know if there will be any fine-tuning of the format.  It seems to me that if people take time out of the middle of their Sunday to chat with the mayor on something they think is important, then they should have his undivided attention for whatever period is allowed and not share that time with others.  That would also mean that he'd have to leave his cell phone off, but I'm not sure he could manage that kind of deprivation, even for a short time.

FINE-TUNING THE FORMAT
That, of course, would require some "scheduling", but that's not a problem. Sharon Rodelius was ready, willing and able to do that scheduling earlier in the week.  For example, if I felt the need to present an issue to the mayor privately that I thought might take fifteen minutes, I could request that amount of time with him on Sunday.  Others could do the same.

HOPE THE ROOKIE REPORTS
I hope the mayor will present his views on how this first event went from his perspective at the next council meeting next week.  I also hope they will do some tweaking of the process to provide private time with The Rookie.

EXPECTING TRUTH... DISAPPOINTED
Oh, yes, a reminder that one Julie Mercurio - if that's really her name - lied on Facebook about my presence at City Hall last Sunday, portraying my two-minute chat with Sharon Rodelius on the City Hall steps as "lurking" and said I had a camera with me - I didn't.  No lurking, no camera - only lies from Mercurio.  That's certainly something to remember when you read her posts on the Costa Mesa Public Square Facebook site - truth seems not to be important to her.

Of Thin-Skinned Sycophants And Liars

THE FUTURE DOES NOT LOOK BRIGHT
We're only two weeks into this new year and the tone for the near future has been set by supporters of the current council majority... and it's not pretty, my friends.

HOLD YOUR NOSE IF YOU VISIT...
Much as I really don't want to drive traffic to his almost incomprehensible site, over at CMCONSERVE, which uses the apparently copyrighted phrase "the right perspective in Costa Mesa", the blog operator - the pompous pontificator Dennis Popp - takes exception to comments made by speakers - more than three dozen of them - at the recent Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Meeting.  Popp, the portly blowhard who is a member of that committee and was a major functionary on Lee Ramos' disastrously unsuccessful council campaign last fall, so dislikes the critical comments presented by those folks that he compares them to terrorists!

"ACTIVISTS ARE AL QUAIDA TERRORISTS"!
That's right, terrorists!  In his entry of January 10, 2015, HERE, titled, "Fairview Park Activists/Terrorists", and sub-titled, " Fairview Park Al Quaida", there is little doubt that he is serious in his comparison to those folks who wish to keep Fairview Park in a natural state and not add playing fields to terrorists.  I encourage you to read this bilge-pretending-to-be-literature for yourselves, but will give you a little tease first.

STUPIDITY...
Speaking about those dissenting voices he says, "However, for a group of activists, collecting data about fields is the moral equivalent of mortal sin or maligning the prophet."

...ON DISPLAY
He goes on in a subsequent paragraph to say, "Like the disparate groups of radical Muslims, activists don't agree much about."  Really, Dennis?  Well, I can tell you one thing - those activists who spoke last Thursday evening agree that they don't want to see playing fields carved out of Fairview Park.

DEFENDING THE INDEFENSIBLE
He goes on to defend Ramos' vote to move forward with the three items on the agenda that dealt with playing fields and criticizes the person who stood and called Ramos out for telling her one thing during the campaign and voting 180 degrees different that evening.


DON'T DARE CRITICIZE THEM!
Popp's rant perfectly represents the attitude of the current council majority - they are big fans of his work, apparently.  He, and they, clearly cannot abide ANY form of criticism.  That's the problem when the council majority stacks committees with thin-skinned sycophants - they can't take it.

HE'S FORGOTTEN HIS OATH
Popp has implied in the past that he's a combat veteran.  For that service to our country I sincerely thank him.  However, he apparently has forgotten the oath he, and the rest of us who served in the armed forces of this country, swore to at the time.  We swore to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic.  That includes free speech.  He's about my age, so maybe he's suffering from early-onset dementia, but I remember that oath as clear as a bell.

CHATTING WITH THE ROOKIE
On a related topic, today was the first opportunity for residents to "Meet the Mayor" at City Hall on a Sunday afternoon.  The plan was for folks to show up between 2-4 p.m. to spend some quality time with  Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger one-on-one instead of presenting their comments, concerns and grievances to him and the rest of the council on the record during Public Comments at regularly schedule council meetings.  Due to an unanticipated, but very welcome, family social engagement I had not planned to attend.

AN UNANTICIPATED STOP
However, on the way home from lunch at one of Costa Mesa's best restaurants with our guests we did swing by City Hall to see what kind of a crowd showed up.  While they waited in the car I scampered up to the lobby steps and was greeted by the charming Sharon Rodelius, Executive Secretary, who was on hand to direct residents to their meeting with Mensinger.  She told me that a few people had showed up and were all on the 5th floor.  Apparently CEO Tom Hatch also had to blow off part of his Sunday, because he was up there, too. 

A QUICK STOP
My conversation with her lasted less than two minutes, then I returned back to the car and our guests, who had to head back home.  I was pleased that some folks had actually showed up to chat with Mensinger and wondered what the outcome of those meetings might be.

LIES...
Then, later this evening, a friend informed me about a lie published in the Costa Mesa Public Square Facebook Group page.  Julie Mercurio, who is now apparently the Admin for that site - I guess my friend, Bruce Krochman, has handed it off to her - published a scurrilous statement on that page.  I can no longer read what's published there because I'm no longer a member and the permissions have been changed since she took over.  To see comments you have to be a member.  Again, another example of the kind of "transparency" these folks work with.

...AND MORE LIES
The comment, under her byline, stated the following:
The first Meet the Mayor was today and 19 people showed up!!! I read there was great feedback which is good news!  The more disturbing news is that Geoff West who is a blogger in town was walking around outside with his camera and as one person termed it was "creepy".  Why would he not come in.
He denigrates so many so often, what would make him opt to lurk outside taking pictures vs coming in?

THE TRUTH
Well, I was not "lurking" and I had no camera with me.  Lies.... I spent 5 minutes, max.,  from the time I left our car until I re-entered it and the time not spent walking to and from the car was spent standing on the steps outside City Hall, chatting with Sharon Rodelius.   I "wouldn't come in" because I had nothing to say to the Rookie.  At the time I was there - around 2:40 p.m. -  eight (8) people had arrived and gone to the 5th floor and none had yet returned.  Heck, I didn't know if Mensinger had locked them in a room someplace, for goodness sake!  Only kidding... lighten up!

BE ON THE LOOKOUT
Since this "Julie Mercurio" person - I'm not even sure that's actually her real name - seems to be an untrustworthy sort, willing to spread falsehoods willy-nilly,  I suggest you use caution if you encounter her.  In case you wonder what she looks like, here's a little "selfie" I took of us in happier times at a council meeting this fall.  Hint: she's not the chubby old fella in the photo.

MORE LIES AND ACRIMONY AHEAD
So, it looks to me as though the next several months are going to be filled with more acrimony rather than the harmony many wish for.  That's a two-way street and it certainly won't happen when the spokespersons for the majority continue to puff and blow and prevaricate.  Too bad.

City Announces New Mayor's "2015 Listening Tour"

MEET THE ROOKIE!
Today the City of Costa Mesa announced a new program designed to provide five ways for residents to meet Rookie Mayor Steve Mensinger.  I've posted the entire text of the announcement for your reading pleasure below.

FIRST CHANCE THIS SUNDAY
I've spoken with Sharon Rodelius from the CEO's Office this afternoon.  She's running point on this program.  Although the City announcement does not require a call to schedule a time to meet with Mensinger on Sundays, she agreed that it would be a good idea to give her a call so they can plan that two-hour segment beginning this Sunday, January 11th.  I guess you'll just wander into the City Hall lobby and take the elevator directly to the 5th floor bunker, er, Executive Offices for your chance to chat with the Rookie.

DANCING?  GAME OF CATCH?
It's also unclear whether there will be dancing on the brand new hardwood floors in the Mayor's palatial, newly-renovated office.  Nor is it clear whether he will be tossing that football around with you, either.  As far as we know now, this will be a one-on-one chat opportunity.

FIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR...
So, you can meet with him on a Sunday; waddle with him on a Friday morning; slurp coffee with him at a time that works for both of you; drop him a little note at the brand new email address or invite him to visit your business, event or whatever.

Call Sharon Rodelius for more information.  Here's the City announcement:

*****

Mayor Mensinger announces '2015 Listening Tour'

Posted Date: 1/8/2015

Costa Mesa Mayor Steve Mensinger has announced a “2015 Listening Tour” to allow residents five ways to more easily access to City Hall and share their hopes and concerns with the mayor.

• Meet the Mayor. Mayor Mensinger will hold “Meet the Mayor” sessions at City Hall and other locations around town from 2 to 4 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. The first “Meet the Mayor” will be at City Hall (77 Fair Drive) on Jan. 11.
  
• Walk and Talk with the Mayor. At 5:30 a.m. on the third Friday of each month, residents can participate in the “Walk and Talk with the Mayor” for approximately a 90-minute walk. The group will meet at the Estancia High School parking lot (2323 Placentia Ave.) adjacent to the tennis court.
• Coffee with the Mayor. To set up a meeting over coffee, please e-mail Mayor Mensinger (mayor@costamesaca.gov) or contact the City Council’s executive secretary, Sharon Rodelius, at (714) 754-5107.
• Write the Mayor. E-mail the Mayor Mensinger at mayor@costamesaca.gov and you’ll get a response back within 24 hours.
• Invite the Mayor. Schedule permitting, Mayor Mensinger would love to accept your invitation to ribbon-cuttings, nonprofit meetings, public or private school classes on local government and more. To schedule an event, please e-mail Mayor Mensinger (mayor@costamesaca.gov) or contact the City Council’s executive secretary, Sharon Rodelius, at (714) 754-5107.

“I’m looking forward to listening to my fellow residents and finding out how we can continue to improve our fine city,” Mayor Mensinger said. “This will be a great learning experience for me, and I know residents will be impressed at the responsiveness of their local government.”
For more information about the “2015 Listening Tour,” please call the City Council’s executive secretary, Sharon Rodelius, at (714) 754-5107 or email her at sharon.rodelius@costamesaca.gov.

*****

WATCHING THIS WITH A WARY EYE

It's going to be very interesting to see how this scheme plays out.  Cynics might suggest that this is a way to try to diffuse critics privately, without all that nasty inquiry during official, on-the-record, public comments during council meetings.  I have no doubt that meeting with your top elected leader to discuss issues that are important to you is a good thing.  However, it might seem to some that this is another step to mute public criticism.  We'll find out soon enough.