Friday, August 26, 2011

City Responds To Appeal Denial

CITY'S RESPONSE TO APPELLATE COURT RULING
Not unexpectedly, earlier this afternoon Costa Mesa's Interim Communication Director, Bill Lobdell, issued a press release addressing the denial by the 4th Appellate District Court of the City's writ of mandate petition.


DUARTE: "I
T'S DIFFICULT"
In his press release Lobdell quotes Contract City Attorney, Tom Duarte, as saying, " Obtaining writ relief is difficult. It is even more difficult still where there is a right to appeal the original ruling, which is the case here. The City will now proceed with a formal appeal of the trial court's preliminary injunction ruling."

LIKE A NIGHT AT THE BELLAGIO
So, I guess we
just continue to chug along, having Contracting Committees evaluate RFPs and wait for the litigation on this issue to finally come to an end. I can almost hear the billing process for Jones & Mayer and the lawyers for the OCEA spinning like slot machines gone wild.

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26 Comments:

Anonymous ILoveParrotBayNJuice said...

The law firm who prepared the writ of mandate was Jones Day. The law firm who prepared the response after the failed attempt was Jones & Mayer.

So did we pay twice for this one of many failed attempts? (sarcastic tone) I know we the taxpayers did. Where is all this money coming from? Perhaps from the $6.5M vehicle replacement fund or the $5M ABLE fund?

Any idea how much this failed attempt cost the costa mesa taxpayers? I know city hall is flooded with public information requests these days so why not request a few more? Or the city can truly earn a REAL A+ rating and REALLY be trasparent by simply publishing it!

8/26/2011 04:13:00 PM  
Anonymous RickandJenn said...

This is exactly the outcome you get when you allow the union to impose its awful MOU with horrible provisions for the residents. Folks, remember this type of stuff when these agreements come up. Lets continue to elect strong leaders who won't allow these horrible agreements to continue to hurt the residents and taxpayers.

8/26/2011 04:27:00 PM  
Anonymous DickandJane said...

This is exactly the outcome when the City does not follow the rules and it's own policies in regards to outsourcing. Folks, remember this type of stuff at election time next year. Lets elect strong leaders who will do what is right for the citizens of Costa Mesa instead of a failed political ideology. All the current council majority has done is cost you, the tax payer, thousands of dollars in their failed attempt at outsourcing.

8/26/2011 05:50:00 PM  
Anonymous Hang in There said...

How the heck did we let the MPH contain provisions that prioritize out of town workers over residents?

Can't ever let that happen again.

This is a marathon, not a Sprint. Jones Day will crush them in the long run.

Sometime in September all those signs come down. The lines are already shorter at Council.

Hang in there Costa Mesa

8/26/2011 05:54:00 PM  
Blogger feral390 said...

Rick and Jenn...always good for a laugh. This isn't from any MOU, it's from the Government Code regarding general law cities.
I noted in the $3,000 a week spin masters press release he states these appeals fail 93% of the time. Even a degenerate gambler would stay away from those odds.

8/26/2011 05:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Is wish a dog ate my homework lobdell said...

Marathon Runner I am... this fight will continue with the employees and the citizens prevailing over the Bullies of the City Council who think they can disregard rules and run the city like Bell. You can't fight us and fight us and you will never win. Like it has been said time and time again.. (LISTEN UP FOR ONCE) this is a GENERAL LAW CITY...there are rules and regulations that must be followed. Period. A court of law will always rule with within the law. Deal with it.

8/26/2011 06:59:00 PM  
Anonymous As the Pub turns said...

Somewhere at a dark dank pub near you the news was just delivered:

Barry, who is pouring drinks: Guys I can't be bothered with this news. Its like the busiest day of my week. Its Friday you know, theres gotta be what, 4 people in here besides the three of you?

Sven who has to put his phone down for the moment: I don't know Tim, this is all just noise really. You know I'm gonna just vote after you do and i'll follow your lead. By the way now that we've got that debt taken care of, the boys need new jock straps...

Derek: a full, lone beer sits at the table, like he was never even there...

Tim: Sven, where's Derek?

Sven: If you mean the life size doll we use for the meetings and put Derek's badge on, I've been using him...for the uh, carpool lane...

Attorney friend, aka: Money T, walks in...

Tim: Damn it. We cant use the city is broke anymore. I cant talk about the streets when ours are fixed, PERS is up and so is crime...Money T, what do you think?

MoneyT: (Thinks to himself- cha-ching, Jesus, that county supervisor guy went all in for 5mil...we should be able to bilk these guys for 2-3 at least...all I gotta do is agree with everything, it'll be their fault and BOTH my masters are happy) He responds: Guys, This is just a minor setback. 7% of the time, it works everytime...

Tim: Thats it! Send that to Phil for an immediate press release! Minor setback, we are plugging ahead, 7% of the time, it works everytime!

8/26/2011 07:34:00 PM  
Anonymous Level the playing field said...

At what point does common sense prevail for the Council and they do a cost analysis of the potential savings versus the ongoing legal fees? What is the best case time frame for the lawsuit to be resolved?
If you save $1 million in salaries and benefits but you spend $2 million in legal fees to win the court battle what have you accomplished? Other than showing everyone how you bankrupted a private company?

8/26/2011 07:52:00 PM  
Anonymous Mike 1 said...

This is the outcome you get when the city council charges into things like a bull in a china shop...

8/26/2011 09:20:00 PM  
Anonymous Whoopee said...

As the pub turns: were RickandJenn cleaning the toilets with Millard?

8/26/2011 09:30:00 PM  
Anonymous MickandJune said...

these legal fees won't change your taxes one dime so don't fret about it and take comfort that we are a general law city.

8/26/2011 10:35:00 PM  
Anonymous Nick on the outs? said...

Yikes. At first I heard that Nick B might have been on the outs with OCEA. Not challenging for Union enough, to soft.

Then came Costa Mesa, perhaps seen as an opportunity. He went to the Democratic Comb in Sac & declared Costa Mesa the new Wisconsin. And many other heavy handed Union tactics.

Now the rumors are the Nick B might have gone to far. By taking such a harsh stance, not only has he challenged Costa Mesa, but perhaps Nick has awoke surrounding Cities.

There is talk starting to occur in other General Law that are expressing concern that if similar action is required regarding outsourcing, that that decision may not be an option. That out of town City workers will be able to participate on committees , and residents cannot participate.

Appears this concern might be emerging and taking hold in the County.

8/27/2011 08:42:00 AM  
Anonymous JennandRick said...

Do RickandJenn even know anything about government? Their comments reflect a total lack of knowledge about the subject. Only blind loyalty to the political lackies on the council.

8/27/2011 08:43:00 AM  
Anonymous Ha! said...

Keep spending Riggy....Keep spending!!!

Marty? You say that the union "imposed" a MOU?

How so? Facts?

Ha!

8/27/2011 11:30:00 AM  
Anonymous Bob-Carol-Ted-Alice said...

I have a business on Lido and noticed a couple of lawyer types looking at some of the yachts up for sale... when I asked my neighbor if he was going to make a sale, he told me, "it's looking good, they're just waiting for a check to clear."... anchor’s away Costa Mesa.

8/27/2011 11:54:00 AM  
Anonymous OCLonghair said...

I had the privlege working for a man that was involved in a lawsuit with the City of Long Beach. It had many of the same issues CM is dealing with today. His case took over 5 1/2 years and when it was finally over, he received $$,$$$,$$$.$$ (an undisclosed amount, but I know how much), the law firm was fired, six of the eight supervisors were fired or asked to retire and every council member involved at the time either left mid-term or was not re-elected.

WE CAN ONLY DREAM...

8/27/2011 12:05:00 PM  
Anonymous 90210 is Union Model said...

Beverly Hills has an average Pension cost of $3.2M per employee. 1 City Employee for every 33 Residents.

Looks like old Dave Snowden Sr will not be coming here popping off anymore. Now that the Pension cat is out of the bag, requiring a CPR to get access to the info.

Beverly Hills is now the role model of the Unions … the new Bell.

Read Here http://bhcourier.com/article/Local/Local/Average_Beverly_Hills_Employee_Pension_Over_32_Million/79865

8/27/2011 01:59:00 PM  
Anonymous living wages are for idiots said...

Rick and Jen wouldn't be cleaning the toilets since they outsourced that job to some illegal. That is the republican way afterall- and so much cheaper.

8/27/2011 08:01:00 PM  
Anonymous Mike 1 said...

Did anybody understand a word that 'Nick on the outs' wrote? That was confusing as hell... what a bunch of hogwash. Put down your pipe!

8/27/2011 08:33:00 PM  
Anonymous Jamie Pratt said...

90210 try growing some balls as opposed to jealousy.

8/27/2011 11:20:00 PM  
Anonymous David Silver from the original 90210 said...

90210, you're one of those people who still thinks its about money. Wake up, what Righeimer is doing to costa mesa has nothing to do with money!

There are hundreds of agencies who offer pensions to their employees and they're not doing what costa mesa is doing.

Placing hate on a fine police chief is ridiculous. What's even more ridiculous is that costa mesa thought chief stavely was going to sit quietly while the councilmen & hatch destroy the city with their illegal outsourcing scheme with the help of morally bankrupt law firms who nothing more than to say yes to whatever they want and ring the cash register after every law they break!

8/28/2011 10:51:00 AM  
Anonymous Ask Beverly Hills for Help! said...

Thanks for the info 90210! I read that Beverly Hills was sending help to Bell. Perhaps they can send some help to Costa Mesa!

It's no secret the clowns on the dais have refused to increase fees or even charge fees for decades.

Do you think Beverly Hills is stupid enough to only charge $200 for a business license to their Jewel Rodeo Drive Shopping outlets?

Only Costa Mesa is dumb enough to charge only $200 for a business license when it houses the nation's top grossing mall.

This is basic people. Charge a percentage of total sales!

Fact is, Costa Mesa's "crisis" isn't about money or they wouldn't be able to hire such expensive firms like Jones & Mayer who's billing at a rate of over $1.2Million a year. Let's not forget Jones Day, their twice outsourced legal "experts" to defend an illegal outsourcing scam.

Righeimer & Mensinger have a history of running businesses into the ground. Costa Mesa isn't broke now, but after these clowns are done with their self serving political agenda to get ahead in politics, they will be!

8/28/2011 02:03:00 PM  
Anonymous Alex said...

RickandJenn, how about you finance the council's mistakes?

We all want reduced salaries and sustainable pensions. We just don't want incompetent council members making bad decisions.

Our council failed at saving the city money. Their next mistake sounds like it will be bringing in Chinese investors to buy up our town. The Rigged council sucks and I can't think of any reason at all to keep them around. We used to have such great council members too. When these turkeys are done our city will look like Irvine but owned by China.

8/28/2011 04:03:00 PM  
Anonymous Alex said...

RickandJenn, have you done us a favor yet and outsourced yourselves to illegal immigrants or a call center in India??? Lots of us are waiting...

8/28/2011 04:12:00 PM  
Anonymous stop racing to the bottom said...

Actually Alex, not all of us want lower salaries because some of us understand that we live in a capitalist society where certain jobs make more money than others for various reasons such as difficulty, training needed, danger, or expertise needed. To that end, we understand that police officers and fire fighters should be paid a fair compensation for their work. And while, yes, it is a choice to go into the profession, much like it is a choice to be a soldier in the United States, the answer is not to make the people who choose this job have to pick up a second job to pay the mortgage. I for one, would like a well rested cop patrolling the streets, instead of one who has been moonlighting at a bar to pay for their kids' pop warner uniform.

8/28/2011 08:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Investigation said...

Good news. We are hearing the grape vine indicate a demand for a new audit.

This audit will offer forensic insights comparing the speaker cards of Costa Mesa City Council and those of the Fair Board.

We await the conclusion to se if in fact many of the Council whiners are also whinning at the Fair Board.

Traditional methods of follow the money will be used. They will also introduce new techniques termed follow the whackos.

We anticipated Greg Ridge and Sandy Genus to top this list

Stay tuned for this exciting investigation intending to shed sun light on community gadflys and conspitacy theorists.

8/29/2011 10:13:00 AM  

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