Link
Freedom of religion means just that.
# # #
MORE ON THIS GUY DICKSON WHO'S A NEWBIE ON THE NO-PLANNING COMMISSION Dickson wrote this in 2008:
that you want to improve Costa Mesa. You want no such thing, as you've repeatedly advocated for a merger of Costa Mesa INTO Newport Beach.
I respect honest advocacy and people who stand up for what they believe in,
and but your repeated calls for wiping the municipal entity that is Costa
Mesa off the map, while claiming that all you want is improvement for Costa
Mesa, is completely disingenuous. So set the record straight, Mr. Millard,
do you want Costa Mesa to improve or disappear? "
I RESPONDED:
Dickson, I want to see the geographic area that we call Costa
Mesa improved. The name "Costa Mesa" and the corporate/civic entity that it
represents isn't worth anything if it doesn't benefit us and our families.
And, if it doesn't benefit us, then we shouldn't be wedded to the concept of
having it as a separate city. If we can improve the quality of life for the
citizens who live in this geographic area by merging with Newport Beach,
that's a good move for our citizens.
Unfortunately, I'm pretty much a voice in the wilderness on this, so you
needn't worry that the slums, the industrial buildings on our view bluffs,
the pollution, the gangs, the low school scores and other negatives will
soon go away.
Enjoy your misplaced jingoism, but be sure to lock the doors on your home
which has less value than it should have and stay out of certain
neighborhoods at night and don't breathe the air downwind of the
industrialized bluffs and if you have kids, you may want to put them in
Newport Beach schools.
----------------
And, here we are three years later and the slums, the industrial buildings on our view bluffs, the pollution, the gangs, the low school scores and other negatives are still here. Dickson is a status quo guy who won't rock the boat to improve Costa Mesa. That's not what we need on the no-Planning Commission.
# # #
NEW INTERIM POLICE CHIEF NAMED TODAY IN CITY PRESS RELEASE
Steven H. Staveley was named the City’s Interim Police Chief effective March 16, 2011. Mr. Staveley will succeed Chief Christopher Shawkey who recently announced his resignation on March 8, 2011.
Chief Staveley previously served the City of Costa Mesa as Interim Chief of Police from July 3,
2006 to January 3, 2007 after former Chief Hensley retired. Chief Staveley served for 20 years
with the Buena Park Police Department; as Chief for the City of Belmont and 9 years as Chief
for the La Habra Police Department. He has also served as Director of the Division of Law
Enforcement for the California Department of Justice, reporting directly to the Attorney
General. Following his tenure with the State, Chief Staveley served as Interim Chief of
Police/Director of Public Safety for the Burbank Airport Police Department. He has also served
as a private consultant to many law enforcement agencies and institutions. He currently is an
instructor at Golden West Community College.
“Chief Staveley is a familiar and talented fit as we immediately proceed in the recruitment effort
to select a permanent Chief,“ stated Mr. Hatch. During the next three to five months, Chief
Staveley will be fulfilling all of the responsibilities of Chief of Police and guiding the Department
as the recruitment process is completed for a permanent Chief.
# # #
CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT
Wendy Leece will waste everyone's time with a request to rehear the outsourcing decision. She knows her request is going to be turned down. This is just for show.
# # #
THE COSTA MESA HOMELESS TASK FORCE TO MEET
The Costa Mesa Homeless Task force is scheduled to meet tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16, at 5:30 p.m. in Conference Room 1A at City Hall.
The public may attend.
# # #
COSTA MESA COP ADMITS HIDING GPS DEVICE IN WOMAN'S CAR TO STALK HER
Link
Doesn't anyone make sure we don't have cops on the CMPD who have psychological problems?
And, doesn't anyone keep an eye on City owned equipment, or can cops just take and use whatever they want any time they want for any reason they want?
Is anyone checking to see if City owned computers are being used to threaten people?
And, what about the stink eye investigation?
Can cops treat the City owned helicopter as their personal property and give joy rides in the helicopter to butter up people that they want to influence into saying nice things about the program?
Can the cops just send two cruisers to park in front of a citizen's home after the citizen wrote a column in the Daily Pilot about some in the department being too cozy with illegal aliens?
# # #
ENGLISH TV PRODUCER SUSPENDED FOR ALL WHITE CAST
Link
Even a traditional English village must look like the Star Wars Bar in our Brave New World.
# # #
At last night's no-Planning Commission meeting we once again reminded the no-Planning Commission that fixing the Westside should be their top priority and that if we fix the Westside, we fix all of Costa Mesa.
Then, newbie Commissioner Robert Dickson officiously told us his door was always open. Ho hum. This from a guy who knows nothing.
Dickson is the guy who used to write anti-improver, Pollyannish crap in posts to the Daily Pilot. One of his posts was little more than a strung together series of gushy adjectives that sounded like a travel brochure.
He'd write this crap after improvers would indicate something needed improvement.
Our impression of this guy at that time was that he felt we should bury our heads in the sand instead of pointing out problems, because, in his view, if we pointed out problems Costa Mesa would get a bad rap.
The position of most improvers was and still is that you can't fix something in the City unless you point out that it's a problem that needs fixing.
# # #
AMERICA'S DECLINE TO BE GOP 2012 THEME?
Link to Politico column.
Of course America is in decline. We've become a nation that believes lefty nonsense about multi-culturalism and diversity being our strength. They're not. We've also become a nation run by dimwits who have sent our factories overseas.
We've constantly put weak, short sighted flunkies in power. And, I'm not just talking about Democrats. Look at three of the top people who are trying to be the presidential nominee of the GOP: Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee. These three are weak sisters.
# # #
Those are our opinions. Thanks for reading them.
Mr. Millard, I am a fan of your blog but this time I disagree with you. I know nothing of Mr. Dickson's past but when someone says "my door is opened to you" instead of spitting on him, you should welcome the opportunity to make a positive change. As a PC member, assume he now has a different perspective. He also said he is moving to the Westside, your neighborhood. He said he has a strong interest in making the changes you speak about all the time.
ReplyDeleteIf after say six months time, he proves to be blowing hot air, then give him hell. Until then, I suggest you take him up on his offer, sit down with him and make him your best friend. You don't have to like him, but it is surely a better approach than the one you just articulated.
To Frustrated Also: Many of us are tired of seeing people elected to the City Council or who are appointed to the two commissions who just sit there and take up space. This isn't the only guy who may be in that category, and we'll be going after the other dead wood soon.
ReplyDeleteIf Dickson really wants to improve the Westside, let's see him take action. It's up to him to prove that he's on the right track. The plans are already in place. He just needs to act.
And that also goes for Wendy Leece who lives in a gated community but who talks as though she's in the thick of the problems and who does nothing to improve the Westside and who just keeps enabling the charities that act as magnets.
Two thoughts: Is the stalker cop still on the force? If not, will he be able to get a job as a cop somewhere else? (He should be banned form any law enforcement position.) #2: The Republican strategy has a long history of failure. Americans don't want to hear bad news. Americans want a liar who will tell them that everything is OK and will be even better if they vote for him. I am surprised they would use this approach.
ReplyDeleteI again say, give Dickson a chance. He may have changed his ways. Take him up on his offer. Call his office today and show him the plans. Start a civil dialog. My experience has been they do not know everything and welcome constructive input. Your latest approach is not going to accomplish anything other than make him resent you. Your inputs have value.
ReplyDeleteRe. Wendy Leece, I have few good words about her when it comes to her politics. Yes, she is a nice person, kind, compassionate, and all that, but she is not what I want on council. She is a good mother image but that is not what Costa Mesa needs. I don’t want her making decisions that affect the city any longer. We need people who kick butt. We have that now except for her.
In addition, Ms. Leece actions are not consistent. Yes, we all know she lives behind the gates and is insulated from the blight with her CC&R’s, but I wonder how many folks know she is one of the city’s biggest case generators when it comes to code violations. How ironic that she supports many of the causes that create the problems in the first place, and then complains about them to Code.
CMPD officers have used the police helicopter as their personal toy in the past. I wish I could say more but it could cost some folks their jobs and create animosity in the dept.
ReplyDeletePlease give Rob Dickson a chance. I believe he has good intentions but appears to be easily lead astray.
About time! We need to clean-up our Police Department!!
ReplyDeleteI support Mensinger and Righeimer but also happen to know that Dickson is a good man - a man of good character. Even if I disagree with him from time to time, I support him because he will raise the character bar. Besides, I sometimes disagree with Mensinger and Righeimer, too.
ReplyDeleteMr. Millard, you bring up a lot of good points on your blog, but I can't agree that there are slums here and I don't know of anyone in or out of government who thinks there are slums here. It only hurts your credibility to say there are. OK if you don't post this.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous March 15, 5:13:00: Check out Fillmore/Coolidge or Mission/Mendoza or Shalimar to name a few areas.
ReplyDeleteBTW, when we were working on the Overlay Plans, a large part of the Westside legally qualified to be razed because of slum like conditions. We chose not to push that option for a number of reasons that would be too lengthy to go into here.
Martin, I agree with your impression of Rob Dickson. I think he's the wrong man for that job.
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, I've always thought we waste an awful lot of money keeping Costa Mesa and Newport Beach separate. It really should be all one area and renamed Newport Mesa.
Also, I've lived here all my life and take no pride in the Westside. It's an embarrassment, to put it mildly. It reminds me of Mexico, not California.
As for Wendy, she needs to be recalled.