Rick and Mission Viejo Council Woman Gail Reavis notified me that she will not be seeking a third term on our city council. Her official statement precedes my remarks.
Just received from Gail Reavis. “My Husband Rick, retired 15 years ago. For the past 12 years he has put his retirement on hold to work with and to support me in two very important undertakings. First to stop the airport at El Toro, and for the past 8 years to run my campaigns and support my work as a Council woman, Vice Mayor and twice as Mayor of the great City of Mission Viejo.
For us, this has not been a part time job. We have been called at midnight, weekends, holidays and have had trips interrupted to get back in time for meeting and events in and for the city.
We did this together, without reservation for 8 years because we love the wonderful City of Mission Viejo.
After much soul searching, we believe in term limits and, if the voters had had a choice, we believe they would have chosen 8 years, two terms, instead of 12 years and three terms limit. While I could run for another term, I made a statement two months ago, in open session, that I felt two terms and 8 years should be the norm. I am living up to that statement.
My husband will celebrate his 76th birthday on September 1st. We have a world to see and travel plans we have put on hold for 12 years.
On May 23rd we decided together not to wait any longer to enjoy these years we have together, by traveling the world. Most of you know we enjoy cruising and our next trip is already booked. We now can plan several longer trips in 2009, because we will not have the duties of the city council to attend to.
It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the residents of Mission Viejo.
I will still be here to contribute, but for now it is family and friends first.
GAIL REAVIS
While we all have our flaws, myself included, Gail has been a devoted citizen of our city which predates her first election victory in 2000. While there are those from central or north county that supported an international airport at MCAS El Toro, lobbying as a private citizen, Gail joined the Base Realignment and Closure Committee to clean up the base. She attended virtually every meeting of the Board of Supervisors opposing that re-use option. As an opponent of any commercial aviation reuse of El Toro, Gail was very active in TRP (Taxpayers for Responsible Planning) and both the Measures F and W anti-airport campaigns which followed.
Having attended many of our city council meetings I can honestly report that she has been the most consistent conservative Republican member of our council during her eight years in office.
Ask anyone who serves on a 4-1 elected Board how welcome you are by the majority when you defeat one of their chosen. In January of 2000 Roger Faubel was appointed by the council majority to complete the term of their close friend Councilman Tom Potocki who died the prior December. Even with their endorsements, and his spending a Mission Viejo record of $80,000 in his campaign, the Reavis team and the Committee for Integrity in Government supported Gail’s bid to displace Roger Faubel that November resulting in a major upset.
However, she now had to interface with that same majority who preferred a status quo. In January of 2001, one month after taking the Oath of Office, Gail found something strange on the Check Register that council members routinely approve at every meeting. In this case it was an expenditure of $6,286 for a new desk and leather pad for our former city manager, which at the time, became a countywide news story. I recall the city manager, when questioned about the cost, responding that “this desk will be here long after I’m gone.” Well, he is gone but the desk remains.
Since that date she has not been afraid to fight for what she believes is in the best interest of the citizens. A major concern for Gail is that the city not engage in adding housing at the Casta del Sol golf course. She opposes spending $300,000 for a Rose Parade float and voted no on the last of a dozen Change Orders on our Murray Center expansion where that tab was $350,000.
Yes, we have discussed her 2005 claim against the city for which I offer no defense on her behalf. I am reporting events, not justifying them. Over the past eight years I have expressed my disappointment in some of her actions as well as offering praise when I feel she has used good judgment in her voting on key issues.
Let me take you under the covers of our “class act” city council.
What is sad about the “contact sport” of public service is that she took a risk and assisted incumbent John Paul Ledesma and challengers Trish Kelley and Lance MacLean in their clean sweep victory in Nov 2002 where we unseated the mayor and vice mayor as blogged previously. Word on the street is that this new gang of three, along with Councilman Ury, have hand picked their candidate choice to replace her this November. At this point Gail has trumped their alleged plan by deciding not to run. No, I am not building a case for a possible Brown Act violation.
Yes, politics is a strange endeavor. Only two years ago I assisted in the campaign of another Mission Viejo challenger who was also supported by Councilman Ury. In public meetings he stated his desire to unseat the very same three incumbents and supported his choices, listed first, second and third on the November 2006 ballot. While we were very close with one candidate, all three eventually lost.
Yet here we are less than two years later and all is forgiven. Sure!
Some additional trivia. Gail appointed Frank Ury to the Financial Advisory Committee and later as her representative on the Community Service Commission, his launching pad for his first term.
And some question why we can all find qualified and honorable residents that have decided to avoid local political service.
This is wonderful news! She is by far the most rude woman I have ever encountered. She was at a public event and screamed at CSUF student volunteers for (A) not knowing who she was and (B) not finding a place for her to sit a head table (for free) at a high profile event. Good riddance!
My exposure to her has been limited to a few public meetings, and her conduct fits what Sweet says. Rude, confrontational, accusatory, arrogant, just oozing venom as though eager to have a fight. While not a resident of the City of MV, I have to believe that her effectiveness was less than it otherwise would be if she conducted herself in this manner most of the time. That said, hope she and her hubby get to enjoy their travels and other plans. Waiting until he is 76 is risky, given the realities of actuarial tables.
This is the first sensible thing Gail has done since being elected. the term limits excuse is a laugh — she couldn’t get re-elected if she ran against Bob Citron.
Larry,
Your arrogance is amazing! Are you trying to tell us that you, the “committee of integrity” and Gail are the sole reason Trish, Frank and Lance were elected? Give me a break.
Reavis not running is the smartest thing she has done in 8 years. What is amazing about her statement is that she claims to have family that want to be around her and that she actually has any friends left. Good riddance to a megalomaniac who’s only distinction from you is the fact that she actually won 2 elections and you have lost ALL 3 of yours. You are as irrelevant now as you always have been.
Who Will Guard The Guardians
Yo surely do have a big mouth as yo use you rkeyboard behind the curtian of secrecy. At least I ran for public office using no outside funding and came very close to knociing off incumbents in both city counci races. You, on the other hand, sit in the council chambers yet do zippo for the community but complain.
With regards to Trish Kelley. Perhaps you should ask her who her campaign manager was in 2002 when she won on her first attempt at elected office. Or perhaps ask her husband Jack with regards to the success of her campaign due in great part by my efforts as he shared with me at that time. I still have around a dozen thank you notes from her somewhere in my archives.
It was a tema effrot and I sutrely played a major role as the CIG and the Friends of MV.
Live with it. Regrettably, many of us do.
As you can see you hit a hot button which trumps my spell verification but not the passion of my candor.
You might also be the person who exchanged emails with me off-line earlier this evening. Show some courage and add your name if you wish to gain any credibility.
Larry,
Don’t let the anonymous coward at 7:34 get you fired up. You and I and others here don’t just sit behind a keyboard lobbing anonymous insults, we actually put ourselves out there, roll up out sleeves and try to fix what we see as broken by being part of a solution. You’ve ran, I’ve ran, Arts running. Win or lose we tried to make a difference and still do. Anonymous cowards do nothing and never will.
Gail probably calculated her chances of winning and decided she didn’t want to risk it. While she was a target for some people, three real menaces are still on the council — Ury, Kelley and MacLean. Fortunately, voters have a chance to remove Ury in November.
Who will guard the Guardians.
I think I know who you are and we did exchange emails today. Perhaps we can meet (equal distance from our homes) at Flo Jo and I will give you a copy of Scott Taylors (STA)comments on that 2002 election where he called the Kelley campaign “brilliant.”
In reflecting back to 2002 Scott ran JP’s and Lance’s direct effort while the grass roots and Friends of MV, the SRA unit of the CRA, where I served as president, contributed heavily to the Revolution that blew away your incumbent close friends.
MV Citizen.
Good observation. I did speak to Gail after sending out the blog announcement where she did not have any content control of my addition.
May he rest in peace. CIG co-founder Milt Jacobson pressed hard for Term Limits in MV. We were forced to make a decision. Three Terms or no cap at all. While we asked for a two term, eight year limit, that city council, let by deceased member Tom Potocki, fought hard to block that option on the Ballot.
Thomas.
Thank you for your kind words. Over the past 16 years I have particpated in many elections as a supporter. You do need a thick skin when stepping into the arena. Jeff Flint recently commented that his campaign war chest to extend Measure M tax was $2.4 million. As one of the opposition Ballot authors and traveling around the County as a campaign spokeperson, I can report that our small “grass roots” team spent a whopping $999, or less, for a limited quantity of yard signs that we placed around the county. Talk about David and Goliath. Folks. That is “chump change.”
Hey, we just lost the Prop 98 property rights protection Ballot Measure while being outspent by millions of dollars. When I awoke this morning I realized it’s a new day. The same applies to campaigns.
I say this to indicate that my losses go beyond my personal campaigns. However I will continue to do my part while many others stay home and gripe when they are not happy with election results.
Email reply from a highly recognized County Republican worker. Some people have a positive input.
“Thank you so much Larry for sending out this fabulous announcement about two conservative and dedicated Republicans.”
Gail Reavis has a large fan base, especially with seniors, as well as the finances to easily win another term. We all know this, if we are honest.
Kudos to Gail for having a LIFE other than a “public life”. It takes grace and dignity to step down and let go of “power”.
We have all been left wondering how MacLean was brazenly able to take the podium after his arrest at UC Irvine. What ever happened to shame?
If Ury is re-elected, then we can only hope that the next councilmember will not fall into the trap of being bullied by Ury & MacLean, while Kelley looks innocently on.
Haya Sakadjian
http://www.MVcell-out.org
“Guarding the Guardians Guards” is a bitter, frightened woman. She won’t meet you to discuss anything Larry.
Why should she?
You have contributed more than your civic share; both in the forefront and in supportive roles. Now you contribute through your journalism and on-line show.
Your contributions have gone further than personal ambition. You have legislatively lobbied for causes of social justice and public welfare.
The world is a better place because of people like you.
Haya
Haya, if you think Reavis has a fan base in MV, you are totally off your nut.
Here in Palmia, the sr community she lives in, we call her the “Princess of Palmia” because of the pompus way she acts and the way she treats people.
It is great she pandered to you about cell towers, it is sad you cannot recognize that it was all she was doing for you, pandering.
She was probably more worried about her margin of loss than anything else. That, and the fact that the only person who would talk to her in the city was Larry. That is the reason for his lovefest on this post.
People can’t wait for her to be gone.
“Haya Haya” again with the anonymity??
and the cruelty?
just be an adult, state your name.
Reavis never pandered on Cell Towers. She was human and she made mistakes, guess what? just like you.
We disagreed over cell tower hazards, and as a result of the entire council, we lost our right to live without 24/4 radiation from Temple Elat’s antennas.
Still, I applaud Reavis for knowing when to let go. Kelley, Ury and MacLean are licking their chops. And she doesn’t care. Good for her!
What has been your injury that has caused your cruelty?
Larry, by the way was one of Gail’s outspoken critics. Were you aware of that “Doin'”? Have you not watched council meetings?
Larry calls it like he sees it.
It is a credit to Reavis and anybody who can take it as constructive feedback, and in the end understand that it was never personal.
Unfortunately, public citizens have too long been the cusualties caught in the crossfire of this MV council Wild West shoot out.
Bravo to Reavis for gettin’ off the saddle while Kelley, Ury and MacLean desperately cling to theirs. FYI Reavis doesn’t care what you think.
Larry:
Maybe Southern California Edison came up with enough bucks to defeat Reavis.?
Just like the money they gave to Kelley, ladesma, and MacLean to defeat Greenwood in the last election.
So just who does own Mission Viejo ??? Follow the money trail to Frank Ury !!
This was posted to Red County Blog just last week by Jubal. Lots of insignt.
———————————————
Yes, that’s right, she sued the city of which she is a councilwoman.
Larry assumes Paul Glaab is gathering material for a “hit piece” against Reavis.
I hope Larry is right, and if so, someone ought to give Paul Glaab a medal…make that two medals if the negative mailers knocks Reavis out of office.
Larry Gilbert non-judgmentally presents some details of Reavis’ $10 million lawsuit against her city, and uncritically repeats her lame excuse that she only filed the lawsuit to “get their attention” and that she “never intended to seek any funds.” Yeah, that’s about as believable as a letter to Penthouse. Doesn’t everyone know that pursuing a $10 million lawsuit through the court system until a judge tosses it is another way I’ve saying “Just kidding!”
Filing a lawsuit for a humongous damage award as a sort of litigious “cry for help” is what you and I know as a frivolous lawsuit and an abuse of the tort system.
Not that we should have been surprised first by the lawsuit, or subsequently by Reavis’ ludicrous explanation — which even if true, is equally disqualifying. Reavis is, for example, the only person in the history of the Orange County Business Council to be escorted by security from an OCBC event (she had a…conniption when she wasn’t comped to the event in question).
So a big “gracias” to Paul Glaab for his spadework in what I presume will be the public service of informing Mission Viejo voters about Reavis’ lawsuit against their city seeking $10 million of their money. The IE committee should also give Reavis’ equal time by mailing out her lame rationalization.
And be sure to remind them how her attorney sued Mission Viejo for reimbursement of the legal bills she racked up while suing Mission Viejo. I’m sure it will go over big with the voters.
#4 Who will Guard the Guardians
As I took time out to watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics I left out another minor comment yesterday.
If I am not mistaken you were in attendance back in Dec 2002 when JP, Lance and Trish were sworn into office.
Normally that distinction is handled by the City Clerk while it could also be performed by a judge, member of the clergy or family member.
Perhaps you can answer why both John Paul Ledesman and Trish Kelley asked me to perform that role as I do not fit into any of the above categories. After all, in your view, I am a loser.
We do have photos of my administering the Oath to each of them if your memory is getting cloudy.
Unlike the other “cowardly lion” at least we knew Bert Lahr portrayed that role in the Wizard of Oz. You shall remain anonymous to our readers but I know who you are. See at city hall.
Haya. Thank you for your words of support.
Just as I have hammered our city council for allowing a float builder to begin preliminary work before a contract is presented to the council and residents for viewing and approval, I will continue to call it as I see it. You can’t put your head in the sand when you see stupidity in action that uses taxpayer money. We are still $250,000 in the hole for an idiotic disbursement of seed money to a non-profit over which we admittedly have zero control.
How would you feel if you put $400,000 dollars into any bank and could only withdraw $177,500?
In a sense that’s what happened to us. While the MV foundation boasted of raising over $1 million dollars in the first 12-18 months towards the cost of the Murray Center expansion, like fools, our reckless council majority provided over $400,000 in seed money towards that objective. We do need to credit salesman Robert Zuer. He did a great job convincing our council that he could pull off this magic based on his prior fundraising experiences. What people forget, as is the case in SAC, the dot com days are history. That bubble has burst. So too has charitable giving during the current recession for those who may be out of the country.
The real reason.
Larry doesn’t assume anything regarding the mayor of another city making a Public Records request in our city just as we enter the campaign season.
For whatever reason, if he had a concern why didn’t he make the request when the event was in process three years ago? Are we that stupid?
High above.
Keep your eyes glued to Frank Ury’s 460’s and track any and all campaign contributions received from the BIA or similar “special interests.”
That will fill in the blanks on your question.
Larry, thank you for letting us know whats going on in MV. As always the post/comments are inside stories that remain unclear without the shared experiences so many of you obviously have.
As I read through the comments and recalled previous coverage of MV here and elsewhere it seemed to me that everything swirls around one individual. So perhaps an uninformed outside observation is of some value. I think Frank Ury may be a really bad guy that hasn’t gotten caught yet. Of course he may be a knight in shining armor but I wouldn’t bet that way.
Oh and Larry? Anonymous comments may be the most liberating aspect of the blogisphere. Stop being a bully about posting that way. The only effect of that is to stop free expression. I realize that venom and invictive are difficult to hear and often unjust but its good to know that they are there. Dont make the mistake of reacting to them as if everyone else automatically believes everything thats written.
What will Paul Glaab do with all his spare time now?
http://www.MVcell-out.org
“Anonyms”: I think freedom of expression is important too! but it’s one thing to express opinions fairly like you did;
it’s another thing to abusively sling “verbal” attacks from behind a curtain. Same meanness we often see on the road behind the buffer of our vehicles.
When the insult slinger doesn’t divulge his/her name, how can we be sure it’s not one of our elected representatives? clergy? educators of our children? People in authority whom we otherwise trust. People living double lives.
It’s to Larry’s credit that he does not delete the posts which have been vicious towards him. I think that says enough about Larry’s respect for freedom of expression.
http://www.MVcell-out.org
#24 anon.
Art Pedroza established a great policy that enables anyone to post comments and be in the loop as we debate the posts. At times readers must refrain from identifying themselves as they can now offer candid inputs that overwise would never reach the outside world. Case in point might include teachers or Board members of the SAUSD. We do enforce some limited control as to personal attacks and non essential language simply to make a point.
This individual is known to me and perhaps I should do as suggested and not take the bait.
“Anon 24”:
As to our “inside” stories; I personally do not think that “Frank Ury is a really bad guy that hasn’t gotten caught yet”.
I think he is just a man trying to make a living by mixing his government connections with corporate opportunity. “Corporatization” is not illegal in this country.
IF Frank Ury uses his local gov seat to proliferate cell sites which may one day form the network for his ViejoTech muni Wi-Fi contracts, he would surely be in good company with the big names (Weinberger, Schultz of Bechtel. Cheney of Kellogg, Brown & Root/Halliburton to name the few). Privatization through political connection has become the American way.
Unfortunately, Frank’s municipal Wi-Fi business happens at the expense of families like mine, who suddenly find themselves looking out their living room window at 50 foot cell towers hosting 39 cellular antennas.
It would seem that Frank does not believe cellular technology is harmful, and that’s how he is able to pursue his business goals with a clear conscience. I DO NOT believe there is any intention by Ury to do harm.
Obviously, when someone has a business/financial interest they are not likely to be objective. I do say that at the very least, Frank Ury should have recused himself from the committee to choose ATS/Glaab for the “Wireless Master Plan”. Ury should have recused himself from any vote having to do with antenna proposals, period.
Gail Reavis, whom Larry’s article was about, was one of the councilmembers who sought to make fair and legal decisions over cell tower permits, and did not have financial interest to do so. As opposed to Ury, Glaab and ATS/Ignenari who do.
At least when Gail voted against the cell tower community, we could be sure that it was not out a covert agenda relating to stock options.
I cannot say the same for Ury.
Juice readers. On thursday morning I sat in a two hour Ethics Training session held at the city of San Juan Capistrano. The attorney who presented that material was Edward Kotkin representing Woodruff, Spradling & Smart. In their 38 page booklet are numerous nuggests on how to avoid any possible crossing the line that applies to all elected officials, appointed officals and city staff.
A quick selection of one graph from page 14 reads as follows:
” Step-5. Is Financial Effect of Decision upon Your economic interest Material?
Effect upon an economic interest in a source of income:
1. Your source of income is directly involved in government decision:
any reasonable forseeable financial effect upon a source of income to a public official is deemed material
2. Your source of income is a business entity that is indirectly involved in government decision:
Same standards as are applicable when official business entity is indirectly involved in government decision
3. Your source of income is a non-profit entity or government agency that is indirectly involved in government decision
per monetary thresholds, similar structure to standards apply for business entities.
Page 16. Is it reasonably forseeable that decision will materially effect your economic interest?, YES, if substantially likely that one or more of the materiallity standards applicable to that economic interest will be met as a result of the governmental decision. Some factors to be considered:
1. Extent of past, present or future business activity related to your economic interest in question, in the jurisdiction..”
This is just the tip of the iceberg as you walk through the minefield of time delayed bombs.
Based on a quick read of the material there is a good chance that local citizens may inquire of the FPPC about these points with regard to one or more south county elected officials business interests.
As to Frank Ury just what has he done during his four years on the council? Let me answer it very simply–nothing but disappoint people.
He had the opportunity to be a leader but chose to be s sniveler and a back biter. Teaming up with Paul (Mr ATS) Glaab is just an example of his lack of moral compass. It seems as if self interest over the publics interest is Ury’s agenda.!!
High above.
Are you suggesting I send him Pastor Rick Warren’s book, the Purpose Driven Life? If so you can get the answer by reading the first four words which begin “it’s not about you.”
I thought I would try once again to see if there were any answers to my previous questions regarding how much money the lawsuit Gail Reavis filed against the City of Mission Viejo and several of its Councilmembers wound up costing the City. Unfortunately there is no answer on this blog….no information whatsoever… While Larry likes to portray himself as a “fiscal conservative” and claims he works hard to find wasteful spending, he doesn’t seem to care about the likely hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money that was wasted as a result of the frivolous lawsuit Gail Reavis filed against the City. Instead of looking into this rather substantial waste of taxpayer money that was a result of Gail’s action he compliments for finding out how much some furniture cost.
I do have to agree with the first four commenters. After that there was no real substance in this post and it seemed to become (as did previous posts) more of a chat room for Larry and Haya. Unfortunately this is not a blog where one can find much factual information.
Dear Concerned. Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent? Never happened. Show the readers your proof of that outrageous claim?
Furthermore. Last week I submitted a Public Records request into the city to see copies of their response to Paul Glaab’s request to see those figures. The city has 14 days to respond to document requests so don’t be so quick to accuse me of dodging your question or withholding information from the cowardly lions who will not reveal themselves.
There is no substance in this post?
I was reporting that a twice elected incumbent in our city was not running for reelection. In fact I had that scoop the night before and waited until it was to be made public. That’s the story, and it is a news story that was also sent to the print media by both the Reavis’s and myself shortly after 4 P.M. on Friday.
As to my credentials as a fiscal conservative I will match up against any current or former member of our council. Name names.
Regarding the legal related costs incurred by the city. I had no input into any litigation nor costs associated with same. Hello. I am not Gail’s campaign advisor. I would also argue that, based on recent ethics training, there may have been mistakes made by counsel where the closed session issues may have been avoided or mitigated whatever the final cost became. Find something else to fill your day.
Have a great week!
sorry “Concerned”,
there is no more that can be done about the legal fees that were incurred by the Reavis lawsuit.
Nor can anything more be done, it would appear, about the $300,000 that Kelley & MacLean set aside for the grand “float”.
Nor can anything be done about the $200,000 that Ury & Maclean advised the city to pay ATS for a “Wireless Master Plan”; when the city of San Clemente got ATS to do it for free.
And it’s far too late to argue over those million dollar change orders for the Norm Murray center.
The only thing it’s NOT to late for is to vote the right city council members into next term of office.
http://www.MVcell-out.org