On the March 19th Mission Viejo city council meeting was Agenda item #4 which reads:
Ordinance Requiring the City of Mission Viejo and its Vendors to Participate in the Basic Pilot Program that is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (0480-20)
In short what this means is that all of the city vendors employees must have valid documentation to be working on any new contracts issued on or after July 1,2007.
My unnamed source tells me that after the staff report was read four or five public speakers addressed the council of which all but one expressed support. After closing the public testimony each of the five council members discussed the importance of this Pilot Program before voting 5-0 to approve the Ordinance recommended by Mayor Pro Tem John Paul Ledesma.
I am also told that there were several network TV crews covering this hot issue including ABC, NBC, Telemundo and Univision. Although there was several deputies on the scene there was no visible protest activity.
As our city council meetings are broadcast live and tape delayed, including on line, you can watch this meeting in the next few days on your computers when it is posted.
Mission Viejo’s web site of this meeting is as follows:
http://missionviejo.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=4
If that doesn’t take you to the video than enter:
cityofmissionviejo.org/ccouncil/index.html
This will take you to the City Clerk page of Council Meetings
than click to “watch on line” etc.
PS: What’s your thoughts regarding the council mandate requiring all city contractors verify their employees immigration status as a condition of doing business for the city of Mission Viejo?
I have read that our city would be the first city in CA to impose this requirement.
Mayor Reavis, John Paul Ledesma, Lance MacLean and Trish Kelly led the way. Where was Frank Ury? It is my understanding Frank worried about violating peoples privacy. What? Did he even vote for it?
I don’t see anything wrong with this. I thought that was required already though?
People:
This nothing more than John Paul grandstanding. Look close at the cities contracts–they already specify supplier employment responsibilities–including citizenship and documentation. It is standard contract clauses that drive this—The city administration has been flat on it–by not enforcing it. Who are we kidding ??
How long will it take say–Spectrum Care Landscaping Company –to move their illegals to their work in Lake Forest–? Then they will take their documented workers to Mission Viejo–??
Zrudnic
Zrudnic. now that’s a unique name if I ever say one. no need to explain it to me.
With regards to your comments about John Paul’s grandstanding and existing verbiage in our contracts.
Many years ago Ronald Reagan stated: “we can accomplish anything together, if we do not concern ourselves with the question of who might receive the credit.”
Although the idea came from another individual, who is not a member of the council or any city commission, JP did place it on the Agenda resulting in a 5-0 result.
Regarding your comment on Mission Viejo’s Contracts. As the text of our contracts is not universal we will be adding that verbiage in all future RFP’s after July 1, 2007.
My sense is that there will be some faces missing from our current landscape maintenance contractor(s) employees once this Ordinance goes into effect. And yes, expect to see a cost increase in future bid responses.
And for anonymous. The vote was 5-0. Therefore Councilman Ury supported this Ordinance.