Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Short Council Meeting Scheduled For Tuesday

SHORT AGENDA NEXT TUESDAY
The City of Costa Mesa released the agenda for the City Council meeting next Tuesday, February 3, 2015, beginning at the new time of 5:45 p.m.  You can read the agenda report HERE.

THE WARRANT
The Consent Calendar contains a few items of interest, among them is #3, Warrant 2529, HERE.  I'll select a few entries that caught my eye.  You may wish to scroll down to see if anything else catches yours.
  • Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau - $105,031.62 - November BIA Receipts
  • Costa Mesa United - $53,921.00 - Ath. Fac. Imp - CMHS/Estancia
  • Golden Star Technology, Inc - $19,544.03 - Computers for Sr. Center
  • Mayer Hoffman McCann PC - $17,415.00 - Transient Occupancy Tax Audit
  • Q3 Engineers Inc - $29,008.00 - Park Security Lighting Program
  • Accountemps - $3,101.08 - Temp Svcs, Budget Assist
  • CSG Consultants Inc. - $5,555.00 - Building Plan Check, 11/14
  • Costa Mesa United - $7,000.00 - Mesa Verde Classic Charity
  • Glenn Lukos & Assoc. - $5,167.11 - FP Vernal Pool, 10/16 - 11/28/14
  • Government Staffing Services Inc - $3,202.50 - Temp Svcs, Mgnt Analyst
  • Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $12,675.95 - Legal Negotiations
  • Meyers Nave - $4,053.50 - Legal, Fairview Park
  • Orange County Fair & Event Center - $4,863.50 - Fair Ground Hanger Rental
  • Professional Sports Field Maintenance - $8,488.00 - TeWinkle Athletic Complex Renovation
  • Pyxis Water Systems - $2,275.00 - TeWinkle Park Lakes Prev. Maint
  • Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth - $4,687.40 - Legal, Various
  • FTOG Inc. - $2,182.50 - Interim Buyer 1/5 - 1/16/15
  • Interwest Consulting Group Inc. - $10,448.00 -Sr. Bldg Inspector, 11/14
  • Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $3.095.00 - 2015 ERC Membership
  • Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $500.00 - 2015 Public Sector Conf.
  • Mobile Home Improvement - $13,045.00 - NIG-1845 Monrovia, Sp 11
  • Scientia Consulting Group, Inc. - $5,568.50 - IT Consultant 12/14 - 12/27/14
  • Traveltech Enterprises - $1,070.00 - Sr Center Travel 1/22/15
  • White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP - $10,525.00 - Audit Services
MENSINGER AND HATCH OFF TO WASHINGTON
There are some tract maps to be considered, but further on down on the Consent Calendar is #8, HERE.  This is a request for authorization by the council for Mayor Steve Mensinger's participation in the National League Of Cities Annual Conference.  This will cost approximately $2,500.00 and we are told our rookie mayor will participate in strategic policy committees, which may include the following topics:

• Community & Economic Development 
• Energy, Environment & Natural Resources 
• Finance, Administration & Intergovernmental Relations 
• Human Development 
• Information Technology & Communications 
• Public Safety & Crime Prevention 
• Transportation Infrastructure & Services

I looked down that list and just smiled...  Apparently CEO Tom Hatch will also attend this conference if the council approves it.  The money will come from Hatch's slush, er, contingency fund.

NO PUBIC HEARINGS OR OLD BUSINESS
There are no Public Hearings nor any Old Business items on the agenda.

BIKEWAY AND WALKABILITY COMMITTEE
New Business #1, HERE, is councilwoman Katrina Foley's request to establish a Bikeway & Walkability Committee.  Her proposal foresees a nine (9) member committee with the following objectives:

1. Focus on the review and update of the City’s Master Plan of Bikeways and improvements to be made to bikeways in the City; and 
2. Evaluate the walkability of our City in order to make recommendations for improvement to the City Council.

It will be interesting to see if the council supports the creation of yet another City committee.  I'm sure the majority still has a few cronies out there without a city gig.  We'll see.

NOT A PEEP ABOUT FAIRVIEW COMMITTEE
One thing that is NOT on the agenda next Tuesday is anything to do with the Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Committee.  This committee is stalled right now.  Staff reports necessary for the planned discussions at the meeting on Wednesday are not ready, so that meeting has been canceled and the next time they meet will be the first Wednesday of March.  However, there are two vacancies on that committee now, replacing the chairman, Dr. Richard Mehren and member Brett Eckles, who was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission earlier this month.  There has been zero information coming from City Hall on this issue.  It's not on the agenda, but could be added in time for it to be legal based on the Brown Act.  If not, the earliest this situation could be discussed officially would be the second meeting in February.  Getting two new members chosen - it would have to happen the first meeting of March - would be awfully tight.

MEET THE MAYOR ON THE 8TH
At the very end of the agenda is a short note reminding us that there will be another casual "Meet The Mayor" event on Sunday, February 8th at City Hall from 2-4 p.m.  You will recall that I was accused of "lurking" around the last one.  I don't know if this is going to be a more structured event than the last one.  As the date approaches I'll report back.

EARLY NIGHT?  MAYBE...
In any event, this meeting could be over before 8:00 p.m.  What a treat that will be!

Labels: , , , , , , ,

7 Comments:

Blogger Honeyman said...

"Mensinger" and "strategic" should never be used in the same sentence.

1/29/2015 07:22:00 AM  
Blogger Joe said...

Honeyman wrote:
"Mensinger" and "strategic" should never be used in the same sentence."

Me:
Why not:
"In 2016, voters wanted a NEW PATH for the city and made the strategic decision to not re-elect Mensinger."

1/29/2015 07:53:00 AM  
Anonymous David on Lorenzo said...

Go to the National League of Cities website and check out the annual conference details....what's the word? junket?

1/29/2015 03:31:00 PM  
Blogger The Pot Stirrer said...

Thanks, David. I did go there - http://ccc.nlc.org/ - and must say that it was interesting. I'm trying to imagine Steve in that environment. First thing off the bat is the "Diversity Breakfast"... Uh, huh... :-) And, the information says it's for, among others, "City Managers"... well, we don't have one of those anymore, so why is Hatch going? I did notice they have a "chaperon" rate... :-)

1/29/2015 03:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Heart for Costa Mesa said...

Who's chaperoning who?
Hard to figure out given all the dynamics of that relationship.

1/29/2015 04:15:00 PM  
Anonymous Where's My Coffee? said...

What a colossal waste of time and money just to have him sit there texting on his phone through the entire thing. I wonder what the true interest is in Washington? Inquiring minds want to know...

1/29/2015 05:47:00 PM  
Anonymous Casual Viewer said...

And why do Steve and Jim go to the Las Vegas conference every year?

1/29/2015 06:22:00 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home