Many of us felt a certain degree of satisfaction in seeing officials from the City of Bell led away in handcuffs, even if the vision of Frank Rizzo in a 68-Short orange jumpsuit may cause serious trauma. But we don’t need to look that far from home to find so-called public servants gorging at the public trough.
At last night’s Costa Mesa City Council meeting (September 21, 2010) a member of the public rose to report that board members of the Mesa Consolidated Water District receive $207 per meeting plus another $1,050 per month in benefits, including top of the line health insurance. Since they can get paid for up to ten meetings per month, that’s a total of $3,120 per month for a part-time job. And they get that $207 even if they attend a meeting for only twenty minutes. And meetings can be loosely defined, too. Watch out if you see a water board member at Ralph’s. If you stop to say hi, it could cost the ratepayers $207.
But that’s not all. Costa Mesa’s part-time planning commissioners make $400 per month, regardless of what they actually do. In August 2009, Council Member Wendy Leece requested that the City Council reconsider this salary, in view of the tough economy facing the City, pointing out that other cities in Orange County pay their planning commissioners significantly less—if they are paid at all. The council majority disagreed with her position, so Costa Mesa planning commissioners are still paid $400 per month.
Since then, Costa Mesa’s planning commission typically met just once a month for three or four hours, as shown below:
– – – – Month ——— Number of meetings— – – – Total Time––– – – Pay per Hour
- September 2010 1 3 hr 44 min $107.14
- August 2010 1 6 hr 4 min $65.93
- July 2010 1 2 hr 42 min $148.15
- June 2010 1 3 hr 51 min $103.90
- May 2010 1 4 hr 46 min $83.92
- April 2010 1 3 hr 39 min $109.59
- March 2010 1 2 hr 15 min $177.78
- February 2010 1 1 hr 43 min $233.01
- January 2010 2 4 hr 59 min $80.27
- December 2009 1 3 hr 45 min $106.67
- November 2009 1 2 hr 37 min $152.87
- October 2009 2 6 hr 27 min $62.02
- September 2009 1 1 hr 25 min $282.35
Total Time = 47 hr 57 min = at $108.45 per hour.
Monthly pay ranges from a mere $62 per hour up to over $282 per hour, with an average of $108.45 per hour, for a so-called volunteer position! Even if they require time to prepare for the meetings, say an amount equal to the time spent in the meetings, they would still make over fifty bucks an hour, as “volunteers”. Of course there’s all that time they spend monitoring the Police Department, too.
Outraged yet? How about this: Also at last night’s meeting, the Costa Mesa City council reviewed its conflict of interest policies. A good thing.
However, during the meeting it was pointed out that certain types of consultants provide critical advice on financial matters and other issues where they could have conflicts of interest and thus should be covered by the code, too. As the City cuts in-house staff, they would be more likely to turn to outside consultants.
An example of such consultants would be those assisting in negotiations for the $96 million purchase and lease of the Orange County Fairgrounds, including one individual who was apparently considering employment with the lessee with whom the City was negotiating. The City Attorney advised that it would be a bad idea to extend the conflict of interest policy to consultants because the consultants wouldn’t want to comply with the policy. Do we really want people who refuse to abide by a conflict of interest policy advising the City Council?
Anyone else hear bells?
With the picture of Righeimer, it must be one of those police union folks who are pissed off at those holding them at bay as that it clearly gives it away.
This stuff cracks me up. We have the City of Bell with something like $5.6 MILLION that has been misappropriated and you are all hung up on someone getting a $400 per MONTH stipend to sit on a planning commission?
I also find it interesting that you would only use gavel to gavel time to calculate your average pay.
I would bet that if you were held accountable for your ‘gavel to gavel’ work day, and not compensated for all the other time you spend ‘at work’ your pay per hour would jump dramatically.
Folks who are gunning after the commissioners always say that they should research and study their books before the meetings. Where is that time in your calculations? Where is the time for meeting residents of the community and do site walks to prepare for the meetings?
I get so tired of the made up frothiness that we see from the union side. At least be honest.
“This stuff cracks me up. We have the City of Bell with something like $5.6 MILLION that has been misappropriated and you are all hung up on someone getting a $400 per MONTH stipend to sit on a planning commission?”…… hmmm
Perhaps you should look at Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters who retired and Pulido call him back because Walters is allegedly the best, forget the crime in Santa Ana, and now he collects pension plus salary somewhere in 400K range.
This scam is going on all over the California because the socialists and Liberals are in charge.
No question about the insane salaries.
In no case do I see the City Managers worth more than around $150K.
They say that they are ‘managing’ these giant budgets, but the reality is more often than not, they are sending a giant chunk to the Sheriff and the OCFA.
I just don’t like the pettiness of going after someone who is making $400 per month on a stipend and ignoring the millions.
What a crock “going after someone who is making $400 per month on a stipend”
If you dont watch the small stuff, it will shortly become BELL sized.
Yea, that makes sense. The house is on fire, so we make sure to touch up the paint on a window sill. Multimillion dollar budget deficit, out of control public employee unions…
Ha ha, ” The house is on fire, so we make sure to touch up the paint on a window sill”
Not really, you put up the matches, before the highbrows light the house on fire to cover their tracks.
The planning commissioners have a lot more to do than what they do on the dais, 400 a month is nothing compared to the safety officials pensions. Focus dear. Oh, city council in my city “cashes out” unused medical benefits. Does the council in Costa Mesa cash out? I hear they do but can’t confirm, they don’t post that info. Do they get paid to serve on vector control, octa, etc.? Also, does the water district post compensation info on website? Maybe those “20. minute meetings are quite rare. Maybe they don’t claim money for them. Too much hysteria going on, not everyone is Bell. Maybe there should be a minimum time to qualify for a planning commission or water or sanitary meeting?,Total comp at water seems to max at 10 meetings according to you. This is hardly bells ringing. Maybe no one should be paid for their jobs, is that what you think? What is fair in your mind? What kind of job is being done by these officials. If it is a good job you are getting a bargain. How much debt do their respective areas carry in unfunded pensions, are the sewer or water pipes blowing up, sewers backing up or water not coming through?
Try doing your research. The real outrage in Costa Mesa is the total compensation for public safety and the sweetheart early retirement deals fire got. The mere mention of trimming public safety pay gets met with ferocious opposition, personal attacks and free t-shirts, yet do police and fire ever offer to take a cut or contribute to their own retirement? No. The police took furlough days, but wouldn’t budge on anything else, while fire cares so much about the people that they allow lower staffing levels so they don’t have to lose anything. You pick on the planning commissioners and their $400 for lots of work between meetings while ignoring the elephant in the room.
Isn’t old Jim Righeimer a “carpetbagger?” He conveniently moved to Costa Mesa from Fountain Valley at the beginning of his last campaign.
Wasn’t old Riggy the campaign manager for Dana Rohrabacher? The same Dana who boosted Mansoor to victory in 2006.
This is the same Riggy who was appointed to the Costa Mesa Planning Commission after having lived in the city for only 7 months and filing his application AFTER the filing deadline. On the night of Riggy’s appointment Mansoor rejected a loyal foot-soldier – not once, not twice, but three times, so he could appoint Righeimer. It was pure partisan payback to Dana for his support.
All that being said, Riggy is a sleazy guy and a guy who knows how to get things done with a con-artist’s style. His past should be made public….. http://www.righeimer.com
Mesa Water District Board – Conflict of Interest?
Let’s not have another ‘Bell’ situation in Costa Mesa’s back yard!
Conflict of Interest? You, the water rate payer, be the Judge!
My opponent, Shawn Dewane, is running for two opposing Water Boards in the same election on November 02, 2010. For the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Board and for the Mesa Water District (MCWD) Board
Serious Questions:
Who will he represent at water board functions? Who will pick up the cost OC Water or Mesa Water District…. I hope not both!
What if the Board of the Orange County Water District discusses rate increases? Can he still vote in the best interest of Mesa? This is a Conflict of Interest?
Peter Meuter