As hard as I try to write something positive about our city council they throw me under the bus. At tonight’s Mission Viejo city council meeting I urged them to vote NO on offering “lifetime health care” for our part time city council. I even told them I would be writing a blog post on their votes once I got home.
Let me set the stage. At the May 13th council meeting our city council voted unanimously to terminate the City Councilmembers right to obtain lifetime medical benefits.
Fast forward to around 10:30 tonight when council member MacLean discussed a “strategic planning” meeting to be held on December 15th. Lance wanted to make sure we address the state of the economy as it relates to our finances. City Manager Dennis Wilberg responded telling us that his staff is monitoring our revenues and expenditures during this current recession pointing out the problems being faced in Sacramento.
Yet after I urged them to oppose lifetime health care on the very next Agenda Item Lance, Frank Ury and Trish Kelley voted to enable themselves to have lifetime health care after 12 years of continuous service and 50 years of age.
Prior to their vote, during my comments on this item, I asked the city treasurer why the potential cost of this benefit was not included in the Staff Report. Although the mayor nor staff responded, Councilman Ledesma followed up on my comment by reporting that the cost would be $257,000 per eligible employee (that also includes our “part time” council members who achieve three consecutive terms). This is based on a typical 24 year benefit. He said he may not have had a problem recently doubling their stipend but was not comfortable approving this item. Paraphrased he went on to state that “I don’t think it’s appropriate to give ourselves a benefit of $257,000 or more” and voted NO. Member Gail Reavis was out of state and missed this meeting.
The Resolution addressing the “policy regarding retiree health insurance benefits” does include an “opt out” provision but Trish, Lance and Frank could not vote fast enough to give themselves a shot at getting this taxpayer gift of public funds. Each of them would qualify if they get reelected in their next races.
Amazing. If I had not questioned the long term cost of this potential benefit they may have voted without a peep.
OCGOP. You keep rewarding the likes of Trish Kelley and Frank Ury, who at one time called themselves fiscal conservatives, as you gave them your highly treasured Republican Party endorsements. You should be proud of those selections. Those endorsements, in non-partisan races, lowers the bar for all the qualified conservatives in the party. It’s called the old boys’ club. We automatically reward incumbents unless they are a complete disaster.
Over time tonight’s vote has the potential to cost Mission Viejo taxpayers in the millions of dollars long after this current group is out of office.
PS: “Agenda Management.” I am remined that this item was posted on our Agenda at the first meeting after the election where Frank Ury was reelected. Who knows what the outcome would have been if the voters knew his position on this costly issue before Nov 4th????????
Readers who are familiar with Kelley, Ury and MacLean won’t be surprised at this. Being on the council is supposed to be part-time public service, but Ury and MacLean are unemployed and Kelley is a housewife. They’re surviving on Other People’s Money.
I hope Steve Greenhut and other columnists expose these three self-enriching trough feeders. Perhaps the myth that Ury is a conservative will now end. Republicans at the county level seem to have no idea who or what he is.
Larry:
Once again MacLean, Ury, and Kelley voted to pad their nest at the expense of the citizens of Mission Viejo. Using a totally phony potential of a law suit these three saw another opportunity to fleece the citizens of our city. I believe all who are knowledgeable of this issue and its history will be sickened by this vote. Shame on MacLean, Ury, and Kelley. The only way to stop this fleecing is to work to remove all three of these council members before they obtain “12 years of feeding at the public table”.
email from northern CA
This is UNREAL!
Boy, I want their part time jobs!
email from Mission Viejo
Larry,
Thank you for being on top of this issue. It’s unbelievable. I’m guessing other cities are doing it so they think they can , too. Talk about frosting on the cake when few can even afford cake in today’s economy. Of course, if we look at the float expenditures, this should come as no surprise. One wonder though if there is an end in site. This issue may be what brings them down for next election meaning it could work against them. However , they are both Mission Viejo sweethearts (Frank and Trish) and Lance is whole other story. I don’t think we can put anything past him. I hope you write a letter to Saddleback Valley News about this.
In response to the above email, saying Trish and Frank are “Mission Viejo sweethearts” is a stretch. Ury’s Nov. 4 re-election wasn’t impressive against Schlicht and Lonsinger, who spent relatively little and began campaigning rather late in the game. The voters’ sentiment toward Kelley can be seen in the failure of her candidate, Rich Atkinson. Kelley has the support of a certain group of residents who show up at every city function — either for the food or because they don’t have lives. The activists could remove both Kelley and MacLean with a recall, and they should do it.
Brings the term “career politician” to life.
and here I thought the “prestige” of being an elite, and the special interest pocket lining, and doubled salary was enough compensation for Kelley, Ury & MacLean.
I guess not.
Maybe next year they should add vacation time and 401K benefits into the package.