For those who have not been following this story the city of Mission Viejo budgeted between $300,000 and $350,000 for a Rose Parade float to celebrate our 20th anniversary.
Having just received a reply to my Public Record request it appears that the city council may have budgeted for, but never approved, any Contract for any firm to build a float for the Jan 1st Rose Parade.
So we have an ad hoc team of Mayor Kelley and Council member MacLean marching down the road with a verbal commitment for the float, front row tickets and reserved parking that have no official approvals?
The Mission Viejo Records Management Coordinator’s email begins with my request that follow:
1. (Is there a) Contract for the Jan 1, 2009 Rose Parade Float.
3. Does the float Contract contain an escape clause? If so, what is the penalty?
2. (Have we issued a) Purchase order or verbal commitment for Rose Parade seating and parking.
His reply reads:
Referring to #1 and #3. “In answer to these requests. This contract has not been finalized or approved by the City Council, so there is no contract to provide as yet.”
For #2 he reports that “it is my understanding that there may have been a preliminary verbal commitment for seating and/or parking.”
Wait a minute. Apparently the float Contract is already in some draft form PRIOR TO a council vote? A verbal commitment has been made for seating before the council votes their approval? Is this to be interpreted as a predetermined “slam dunk” and we become rubber stamps for this feel good expenditure?
Let’s see if our hammering this issue on the Orange Juice blog causes them to reconsider this waste of taxpayer money when they consider this item on the August 18th (or any later) Agenda.
OK readers. Now is the time to become part of this exercise. You can now become part of this countywide focus group. At a time when residents are struggling to make ends meet, some losing their homes to foreclosure, retired citizens burning through their savings to keep up with inflation, etc. should the council majority reject the upcoming Contract. Yes or no please.
I will share your inputs with the council as they vote this self promotion up or down.
Larry,
As much as I dont want to see money spent on a float either, really man…get a life. Enjoy your grandkids, smell the roses, walk your dog, have a good meal…SOMETHING.
You are gonna waste away a sad, angry, bitter old man if you don’t.
While I think you are a complainer with no life and whine too much and wast a lot of time….at LEAST you are conservative unlike some on this so called “blog”
HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA
NoHypocritesPlease.
I thank you for agreeing that this is a waste of taxpayer money.
However, for me, this issue goes deeper that strangers wasteful spending. Although I prefer not using the word “I” this is an exception. I have assisted every one of these five members get elected. We are talking some heavy lifting including Larry’s Pix where I have encouraged others to vote for these alleged fiscal conservatives. There are numerous people at our church who ask me whom to vote for as they trust my judgement and recommendations. While I don’t direct their decision I have shared the names of those candidates I am supporting.
And yes, I do enjoy our grandkids and walk our dogs every morning at 6 a.m. and again in the evening. Glad you noticed. Thanks for your sincere concern.
Email from a MV resident who was uanble to get on the blog directly.
Hi Larry: Our city government has got to get serious and be more conscious about how they spend our revenue. When they started this float business they said they were going to finance the cost by raising our Mission Viejo Recreation member fees and use some other sources. Well there is only so much money in the pot, we have been paying increased fees for the last year and the train has not left the station so lets get off of it now. When they spend our money they should be spending on those things that the citizens of MV can enjoy. At the present time they are spending our tax money on other amenities like the YMCA Margurite center, Natadore organization ad infinitum. Not only that but we also pay expensive incidentals like electricity, pools upkeep,and who knows what for these organizations. How much money does our city spend on the electrical energy that is wasted continually by not controlling the lighting of all of the ball parks. Just check it out sometime when you go by the ball parks on Olympiad early in the afternoon and in the evenings. No one is playing on the fields, no cars are parked and yet hundreds of high wattage lamps are burning brightly! Spend our revenue on our citizens not on bragging rights for Natadore and YMCA members who come from all over the region or on a useless float that is used one time only.
Time to call a halt to this latest city administration BOONDOGGLE !!!
Mission Viejo is not a destination city.
Mission Viejo is built out!
Mission Viejo has infrastructure needs that are going untended to–ref. our aging YMCA.
Send the city manger dressed up like Alice In Wonderland or the Mad Hatter–that would be more fitting for a Mission Viejo representation to the Rose Parade.
From the beginning, this was the city manager’s PERSONAL project and hobby. If you look at the city’s check register, he’s now charging the city for attending the lunches, meetings or whatever instead of paying for his hobby with his own time and his own funds. The estimated cost of the float doesn’t include staff members’ time. All employees are probably working on this one because they are bored, bored, bored with five years until the next city anniversary party.
MV has an incompetent city council that has no interest in overseeing city employees. Who could blame the staff for running amok and spending tax dollars on idiotic projects? Every day is a big party at city hall, paid for by Mission Viejo taxpayers. Did I imagine seeing that the city already contracted with a float designer?
Should the city continue spending from the reserves to fund frivolous projects? The council says yes, and the voters should say NO on November 4.
The Answer of course: Enter the “Doo-Dah Parade”
as the Greeter for the City of Mission Viejo! We
figure the Mayor could wear a Father Serra monk outfit and Scuba fins on her feet! Which is always important when you are trying hard and digging deep!
Observer.
Thank you for your assessment. We agree.
As to the float contract. the email response to my Public Records request was that NO CONTRACT has been submitted to or signed by the city council YET a vendor was already selected.
Therefore, while my sense is that work has already commenced, we should be able to walk away with no financial obligation. That’s my challenge to this council.
Wow, look at those gas prices!!