OC Political

Kudos to Allan Bartlett and Anthony Kuo for live tweeting the Irvine City Council meeting last night and allowing me to follow the juicy details.

In news that should come as no surprise to anyone the Irvine City Council passed 3 reform items at their meeting last night:

Item 3.2 was an amendment to the “Orange County Great Park Corporation Articles of Incorporation” which was detailed in the following way

1) Adopt the Certificate of Amendment of Articles of Incorporation attached to the memorandum dated December 31, 2012 establishing the composition of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors to be five directors, who shall be the persons serving as the duly elected or appointed members of the Irvine City Council.

2) Reiterate that the personnel of the Orange County Great Park Corporation are employees of the City and, consistent with previously adopted City Council resolutions and a voter-approved initiative (“Measure R,” effective 2008-2012), shall operate under the general supervision of the City Manager.

3) Direct the City Manager and City Attorney to prepare documents effectuating a change of meeting times and days of regularly scheduled meetings of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors, as recommended in the memorandum dated December 31, 2012, for the Board of Directors’ approval at the earliest possible date.

4) Direct the City Manager to direct Orange County Great Park Corporation President/CEO Ellzey to immediately schedule a special meeting of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors at 10:00 a.m. on January 10, 2013 in the City Council Chambers for the purposes of 1) removing the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board and electing a new Chair and Vice Chair; and 2) adjusting meeting times and days for all future regular meetings of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors.

In simplified terms this agenda item would remove the members of the Orange County Great Park Board of Directors that are not on the Irvine City Council.

Item 3.3 was agendized to immediately terminate the consulting contract with Forde & Mollrich as well as Townsend Public Affairs. This item was fairly straight forward in the way it was worded.

Immediately terminate all existing contracts with Forde & Mollrich and with Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. in accordance with the termination clauses included in the respective agreements.

Item 3.4 was the item meant to conduct an audit of all Orange County Great Park contracts in excess of $50,000. The item was laid out very clearly and is meant to uncover at least a little bit of waste I would assume.

1) Direct staff to solicit proposals for the performance of a comprehensive contract compliance/forensic audit of Orange County Great Park contracts in excess of $50,000, including any and all work efforts associated with the Orange County Great Park.

2) Appropriate $250,000 from the Orange County Great Park reserves (Fund 180 fund balance).

3) Appoint a two-member City Council subcommittee (and City staff) to work with the auditor to receive periodic updates of findings, and bring information to the full City Council.

In a meeting that was very contentious and dragged out into the early hours of the morning it became apparent that the new Republican majority is on the same page about reform. All 3 agenda items passed with Larry Agran & Beth Krom being the lone dissenting voted on items 3.2/3.3. Item 3.4 passed on a 5-0 vote which doesn’t surprise me based on the political ramifications that a no vote would mean.

One comment that struck me was when Agran pointed to the City of Tustin and the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station as an example of a development that has not moved. I often find myself traveling down to The District for a shopping trip to Whole Foods or to eat at Ra Sushi. Unless I am mistaken The District is part of the Tustin Marine Corps Air Station site.