The next Santa Ana City Council meeting is coming up this Monday, at 5:30 p.m., at Council Chambers, at City Hall. Yes, this meeting will be televised. A revised agenda is available online. Here are a few things to keep an eye on:
- The City Council will review vacancies on city commissions and boards. New council members David Benavides (Ward 4) and Michele Martinez (Ward 2) will also resign from their respective positions on the Planning Commission (I thought that was Benavides’ occupation, as per his ballot designation?) and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- There appear to be vacancies on the Community Redevelopment/Housing Commission, the Environmental & Transportation Commission (ETAC), the Youth Commission, and the Personnel Board.
- Item 22c – it appears that the City will be spending more money on light poles and fixtures, via the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency. Sounds good to me.
- Item 22d – apparently the City is buying hybrid mid-size vehicles for its Public Works Agency. Are these vehicles the most cost-effective option available? Or is the city just engaging in the latest fad?
- Item 22e – the City is buying over $200,000 worth of compact trucks from George Chevrolet – a dealer in Bellflower. Why aren’t they buying these from local Chevy dealer Guaranty? Maybe the two dealers are related somehow? Shouldn’t the city try to spend money in our city – at least for tax purposes?
- Item 22F – The City is also spending over $200,000 for vehicle maintenance – at dealers in Orange and La Mesa. Again, shouldn’t we try to spend this money in our city? Maybe the city did try to do so. Did they try hard enough?
- Items 22 g and h – More vehicle purchases, this time with dealers in La Habra and Anaheim.
- 22j – The City finally spends some money in Santa Ana as they opt to buy fire uniforms from local vendor, Carmen’s Uniforms.
- 22k – The City buys another hybrid vehicle.
- 25c – The Zoo issue comes up again after being previously continued. Will Parks and Rec director Gerardo Mouet actually submit a properly written request this time?
- 25j – The City opts to spend over $170K on steam cleaning. Wow! That is a lot of money. I am told this is to be done in the downtown area and that the funds come from an assessment paid by local business owners.
- 29a – Target donates $2K for use by our police department special investigations unit. Thanks Target!
- 31a – McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, at 2791 N. Main St., wants to stay open later. Why not? This is a great place to hang out – it is a favorite of my friends on the OC GOP Central Committee as well.
- 65b – The big item of the evening. Jose Solorio has resigned from the City Council – and now the council members will be advised as to how to go about replacing him. I am told that the council is split as to whom to appoint. This looks like it is going to a special election. The key vote is likely Benavides. Will he go with the Pulido faction’s choice, if they have one, or with the other side’s choice? He says he is an independent councilman. Now we will find out if that is true – or if he is a Pulido puppet. I am betting the council will not come to an agreement, and we will have to spend over $300K on a special election. Might be money well spent. Or it might have paid for a lot of pothole repairs…
- 75a – Another juicy item. Kelly’s Auto Body wants to expand. Do their neighbors feel good about that? We’ll find out. The Planning Commission already said no. What will the City Council do? This could go either way.
- 75b – The shopping carts are coming! Actually, they’re going. The City is establishing a shopping cart containment program, whatever that means.
- 80a – The City is buying a bunch of houses. Not sure what this is all about.
- 85a – Whoa! A Charter Amendment regarding Mayoral Term Limits! Interesting. I wonder what Benavides will do with this item. Didn’t he promise, many times, during his campaign to support mayoral term limits? My goodness – this item really puts him on the spot. I’m guessing he remains a Pulido puppet and says “no se puede” to mayoral term limits.
- 90a – Public comments – show up and let them have it! But give kudos to Martinez, Alvarez and Tinajero for showing fiery independence against the Pulido cabal.
I have a question regarding point 14 of this post. Are you implying that if Benevides chooses to vote with the mayor on this issue that it proves he is a puppet of the mayor? If so, then I would have to disagree. Isn’t there room to say that he may simply disagree with the choice of the other group?
Also, isn’t it written in the comment standards for this blog that comments are not to be personal attacks? If so, maybe the posted articles should adhear to the same standards. I find it altogether unhelpful to keep repeating that someone is a “political puppet” without adressing the issues at hand.
Art..I really appreciate you going into such detail BEFORE the council meeting. I know it’s a lot of work but if you can keep this up for all the meetings I believe it will be harder for the council and staff to stealth an item in without the public being aware. The great part is your editorial detail. The agenda’s themselves don’t mean much to the average person but your information tells us whose the $$$ behind the item and what to watch out for. Don’t forget Kelly’s Auto owner Ben Mendoza’s son is married to Mike Metzler’s daughter. Expect Big Mike Metzler to speak on his behalf!! Ben has give LOTS of $$$ to Politicians so expect the council to overturn the Planning Commish and rule against the neighborhood unless the public puts up a HUGE stink, and even then they may do it,
Dear Anon: I don’t believe what Art is writting is a personal attack. A personal attack would be, Mr/Mrs So and So has a Grandma that wears Army boots or some other non-related comment. David is in office now and needs to get a thicker skin or he will not survive. As Carlos Bustamonte found out, once you are elected residents watch your votes and will let you know if they don’t like them. David is in the wrong business if he can’t take that. The truth is all past S.A. councils voted together on 90% of all agenda items ( Even the old Moreno/Richardson councils) but there are certain votes that are remembered and those are the ones that generate the most attention and have the most politcal fallout no mater how they vote.
I couldn’t agree more with Anonymous comment #1. All this talk of “political puppets” and “cabals” is completely unhelpful. Our civil discourse needs a lot LESS of this kind of language.
I think your definition of “independent” is really interesting.
If Benavides, Martinez & Tinajero vote against anything Pulido votes for, they are independent good guys. If they vote with Pulido on anything, they are now part of his “cabal”. What happened to the concept of working together for the good of the entire City?
Posters 1,4 and 5,
Benavides can put a stop to all of this postulating by voting in the independent fashion that he PROMISED he would. I am told that the Pulido opponents have come up with a reasonable choice for Ward 1. There will be a lengthy appointment process, and then we will see if Benavides opts for the consensus pick, or of he automatically sides with Pulido.
We will also take the full measure of Benavides when the mayoral term limits amendment is voted upon. He PROMISED to support mayoral term limits. Watch him go back on his word.
Poster 4 – I am quite aware that I am not being helpful to Pulido getting his way like he always has. I am not sorry about that. Civil discourse is fine, but Pulido and his machine are the ones in power. I have no power to change that except for the power of my words. As such I reserve the right to write about what our mayor and our city council are up to. I will do so before they vote and afterwards. There is no other way I can affect change. If you don’t like it, I am sorry about that, but you can always opt to ignore this blog, or at least my posts.
Moreover, it’s not like we lack diversity of opinions here. My own fellow bloggers often disagree with me. That is fine – I encourage free discourse here at the Orange Juice. You may all rip me as much as you like too. That won’t stop me from questioning those who hold power. I will always question them – all of them.
Finally, there will be times that I will support something that Pulido or his puppets do. No one can be wrong all of the time. Even these bumbling, greedy, power-hungry political hacks are capable of good – once in a long while.
[An often misunderstood thinker, Machiavelli points out the important connection between republicanism and individual liberty. Unlike the classical republicans, Machiavelli is among the first to foresee the modern distinction between “the public” and “the private.” In an often neglected but very important treatise titled The Discourses, Machiavelli does not believe that there is a natural or God-given way of organizing the political order. To Machiavelli, it is the task of “politics” to create order in the world, and the objective of politics is to strive to gain, maintain and use power.] Citation .
Please join me at City Council this Monday 4th of December, 2006 when I will present to the council Machiavellian reason why is it necessary to appoint Solorio’s replacement rather than submit to special election and why should council solidify its power by way of building power of each council member.
-Stan
Pedroza,
Since I can’t add any “F-bomb”, as you like to refer to “Fuck you”, after I submit my post, the Recycle Bin displayed next to my post is simply a symbol of your mental disorder. I feel sorry for you because eventually you will end up to be institutionalized or like your brother.
Enjoy.
Art, you say that you have no power to change the status quo…
“I have no power to change that except for the power of my words.”
Actually, YOU could run for City Council and become an agent for change, instead of labeling the very giving, sacrificial men and women who have already done so and won a spot on council.
Words are fine…action is even better.
Stanley,
I hate to break this to you – but everyone’s post has a little trash can next to it. That allows my blog team to delete posts – and you can delete your own posts too, as you have done in the past. The cans are just a sign that our blog is moderated. My mental state has naught to do with it.
C’mon Stanley. You need to stop with the F-bombs. You are bringing the level of discourse down. You are capable of writing without expletives. Why do you insist on writing like an angry 8th grader?
Finally, please stop referring to my family. You are just making yourself look bad. Pick on me all you want – but leave my brother out of it. He never cared for politics and he certainly would not have tolerated you.
N2justice,
I don’t live in Ward 1. However, I do live in Ward 3. Let’s see what happens to Bustamante. If he somehow wins his supervisorial race, I will take a look at running for Ward 3. Otherwise I may do so in two years when he comes up for re-election.
However, there are a lot of fine people in Ward 3. I reserve the right to back a good candidate that might emerge.
In the meantime I will continue to do what I am doing now – keeping an eye on our council and Mayor and writing about their every move. That is the best I can do at the moment.
BTW, our Founding Fathers often wrote letters about the politics of the day. I don’t pretend to be anywhere near as eloquent as them, but I do embrace their spirit of challenging those in charge. It is our responsibility to do so when our political leaders betray us in order to fatten their wallets and accrue power for selfish means.
Art: “I hate to break this to you – but everyone’s post has a little trash can next to it.”
I see only my posts hawing trash can next to it.
Art: “Why do you insist on writing like an angry 8th grader?”
I told you many times that my profanity is used as a form of satire to combat political correctness which is probably the most oppressive socialistic doctrine out there. I doubt that angry 8th grader, same as you and OJ drinkers, can comprehend that.
Stanley,
It would appear that you are having difficulty with the English language. Satire (as defined by dictionary.com) is: Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity. It is further defined as the use of sarcasm to upset an opponent.
Profanity, on the other hand, is the use of “abusive, vulgar, or irreverent language,” according to dictionary.com.
You sir are neither witty nor sarcastic. You are merely abusive and quite vulgar. I have said this before and it bears repeating – you are not as clever as you think you are. You owe all our readers an apology.
Don’t forget Stanley that we had to go to moderated comments because of your base inability to communicate without using a drunken sailor’s glossary.
The 85a item is just posturing. Charter amendments require a vote of the people.
The council alone can’t change this, and if they appoint Jose’s replacement, there will be no special election to include this vote.
PEACE!
Art, I do appreciate your post on the Council Meeting Agenda.
I think it is probably the most important post out of all trial balloon posts so far.
Join me tonight, I will try to influence council on 65b and 85a.
No need to publish this.
-Stan
Art,
Your logic is so twisted, I can’t believe it.The only thing you care about is being against Pulido.
You said ” Benavides can put a stop to all of this postulating by voting in the independent fashion that he PROMISED he would. I am told that the Pulido opponents have come up with a reasonable choice for Ward 1. There will be a lengthy appointment process, and then we will see if Benavides opts for the consensus pick, or of he automatically sides with Pulido.”
So, Martinez, Alvarez and Tinajero have come up with a candidate. If Benavides doesn’t become *their* 4th. vote, he will be going against the consensus. What consensus is that? What about his opinion of that person? What if Benavides comes up with someone else and Pulido & Bustamaznte like that person better?
Is Benavides now expected to just be the 4th. vote for Alvarez & Co.and give up his right to his own opinions? Is that your definition of being independent?
Art,
You called it.
David Benavidez voted against placing term limits for the Mayor on the next ballot.
Shame on David.
I’ll never vote for him again.
Art stated: “Don’t forget Stanley that we had to go to moderated comments because of your base inability to communicate without using a drunken sailor’s glossary.”
Well Art, if you believe that I am responsible for your decision to moderate the comments, then stop moderating!
Lets see what will happen.
You can’t allow some jerk to control your blog.
Especially if you want to run for Ward 3, because we do not need another lady on the council.
-Stan
Stanley,
Are you kidding? Didn’t you Czechs overthrow the commies in a non-violent “Velvet Revolution?” Doesn’t get any softer than velvet…
Historically your country of birth was used and abused by both the Huns and the Avars, according to http://www.wikipedia.com. Who knows Stanley, you might not be as white as you claim to be…maybe a little Attila in ya?
Later the Turks came in and had their way with your ancestors. It sounds like your country was the doormat of Europe for every invading force.
No wonder you want to lay down for Pulido. Giving up is in your blood. Why fight it? You might as well be French.
Art, I am impressed with your ability to to search the central European history. Especially the Hungarian Attila who actually was fighting Romans and never put his foot into Bohemia. Ironically It was my wife knowledge of Attila when I met her which impressed me so I would ask for further date.
Turks never made it into Bohemia. They were defeated in Vienna Austria with substantial help from Bohemians (See Wiki. Battle of Vienna)
The Czechs are know as Bohemians and the area which is now called Czech Republic is called Bohemia surrounded by Sudetenland (subject to famous Munich treaty) on the west. So historically Czechs have never committed any major massacres in Europe with exception for removing of about 2,000,000 Germans from the Sudetenland after WWII innocent women, children in very brutal way thousands died. It was ugly and well kept secret.
Look up Jan Hus, Jan Ziska,1420-1620 dominating central Europe by forming Protestant religion and successfully resisted to Crusaders. They also started first socialistic City Tabor without using any money. The Prague was center for alchemy while everywhere else science was prosecuted. i.e. Galileo, Bruno etc.
The only thing I claim is that the Bohemia was and is always technologically number one in central Europe. From inventing soft contact lances, Budweiser Beer, composer Dvorak “The First American Symphony”, tennis Navratilova to the sophisticated radar which was used in Yugoslavia to shoot down US stealth F-17 bomber recently.
So the Bohemians are not such ladies.
The problem is that Bohemians had always sign treaty with poesies like French, Brits and USA who stabbed them in the back. Gen. Patton stood with his tanks 100 Km from Prague and would not help in 1945 uprising. So the Russians had to go all the way from Berlin to help.
In 1968 when I was forced to exile as young Air Force Officer in failed Prague Spring Uprising it was usual cowardly USA who sold Czechs to Breznew.
I was actually fighting Russians hand by hand. While you wave Mexican flag in USA screaming “la raza” I was waving Czech flag on Czech soil standing on Russian tank.
-Stan
“In 1968 when I was forced to exile as young Air Force Officer”
Forced into exile?
Czech’s gain is America’s loss.