Hey, is this all just a ploy to sell houses?

Oh, I know, everything is about selling houses. Getting all those houses sold is a good thing. You don’t want vacant properties all over town. So MV will gain if we get all of Cathy’s foreclosures sold. Maybe this is just marketing genius unfolding before our eyes.

In our current circumstances, this council shows zero concern about the future. Or could we be misjudging the intentions of the council?

Maybe they want to bring buyers into town to buy up all the distressed properties on the market.

Afterall, the council was smart enough to cover the cost of the float by increasing membership dues for the rec centers.

I wonder how many change orders this project need.

I am not a MV resident, but if I was, I would be livid. This money should be invested in local community activities, not something that takes place in Los Angeles County!

“Currently, over 96,000 people call Mission Viejo home. Through it all there has been the powerful guiding hand of the Mission Viejo Co. The company not only laid the groundwork for a planned city, but also helped to develop community activities and created a Mission Viejo identity.

The company was a major sponsor of floats in the Rose Parade, Fourth of July displays at Lake Mission Viejo, St. Patrick’s Day parades and the internationally recognized Nadadores swim team.

But since Mission Viejo became a city on March 31, 1988, the company has begun withdrawing its heavy financial support of community activities. And with Mission Viejo development nearly completed, the company has begun looking across the San Diejo (I-5) Freeway to nurture its new planned community of Aliso Viejo.”

As I Google the history of MV participation in the Rose Parade it confirms that the developer of this master planned community, the Mission Viejo Company, first participated in 1977 with a float named “a dream come true.” WE had a brand new community trying to compete with Irvine and other communities to sell our master planned city concept and thousands of available homes known as “the California Promise.”
In 1978 our entry was labeled “day of the fiesta,” 1979 “the water babies,” 1980 “Baubles, bangles and beads” that won top prize, 1981 “summertime,” 1982 “Versailles,” 1983 “sweet days of love,” 1984 “springtime magic” and 1985 “sunday at the lake.” That’s all folks. Every one of these floats were privately funded.

Zippo participation over the past 20 years where we have had numerous residents serving on our city council.
In 1988 we became a city and have never invested taxpayer funds in this event. Never, until the ego driven “free wheeling” city council of 2007/08 who never invited the public or our subisidzed MV Foundation to participate in the funding.

Last Monday evening the city of Mission Viejo held it’s “mid cycle” budget review (as we approve a two year budget). You can view this meeting at the following link:
http://missionviejo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=193
To hear the city manager discussing the budget Jump To Agenda Item #5 and advance to the 16 minute mark. Between 16 and 19 minutes he reports that our revenues are essentially flat. We did not realize the 4.3 budgeted increase resulting in a shortfall of $2.3 million per year.

With that fact being publicly stated during a budget review, to move forward with a Rose Parade float is simply mindboggling. How can we justify spending $300,000 at this time. To repeat myself we are “sold out.” So not only are we not a destination, we have no homes for sale except a few dozen foreclosures. Great leadership by fiscal conservatives, or so they tell us.

They have a downtown, a pier, world famous surfing competitions and nationally televised volleyball matches. Huntington Beach is even featured on a reality TV show called Ocean Force. Huntington Beach has its own police and fire departments.

The city projects its General Fund Revenue to be over $185 million dollars.

According to its website, Huntington Beach, the third largest city in Orange County, has the highest personal income among the 100 largest cities in the US.

Looks like Huntington Beach respects the value of the dollar.

Norm

My sense is that the city council voted to have the mayor riding on the float. They have a problem in that the traditional rotation of the center seat occurs at the Dec 1st meeting. Will the new mayor ride or will it be the current Mayor. Will Trish Kelley stay as the mayor after the Nov election if one or more members of the council gets knocked off? They might even delay the rotation until after the parade. After all, this is vital city business being discussed here. And as we only enter the parade every 20 years this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be on the big stage. With all of the in-fighting at almost every council meeting there is not adequate space to keep all five on simultaneously.

I am returning from the grave to haunt each and every Mission Viejo big spender. My vibes tell me that the big spender behind this caper is your city manager–a one Dennis (Mr Rose Parade Committee Member ) who is the head fleecer on this caper. Never mind that city employees are destined to be laid off in the downturn. Full float speed ahead !!!

Maybe they could have some Easelgate mementos placed on the float along with a picture of fire station 24.

Grover
Watching the Shenanigans