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Mimi Walters’ tax-payer funded mailer extolling accomplishments for veterans didn’t mention the Great Park Veterans Cemetery – even though it is in her district.
A Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park has long enjoyed bi-partisan support. Alan Bartlett, Larry Agran, myself, and Lynn Fox agree: Build a Veterans Cemetery at the Great Park, the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.
So I eagerly opened the latest Mimi Walters mailer, “A Special report to the 45th district for Veterans, Service Members, and their Families”. Surely she’d tout this wonderful development in the middle of her own district!
While she extols four achievements, nary a word about the cemetery. Surely such a staunch supporter of our Vets and their families is pushing the cemetery project forward, right?
Let’s all call Mimi and ask: Why wasn’t the cemetery listed amongst her accomplishments for Veterans? what is she doing to move the project forward?
Mimi Walter’s office can be reached at (949) 263-8703
Republicans, in general, don’t care about veterans except for appealing to vets’ votes through claims of patriotism. Republicans are the key voters against programs that cost money, such as the VA. For some reason, many folks believe that wearing a flag pin and referring to the draft dodger John Wayne as a great American is all it takes.
*Small time bureaucrazy….It is totally amazing that the FEDS, the STATE and Private Industry have not come in to take the reigns of this totally uncontrollable Helter Skelter Kaliedoscope of various vet groups, long standing grandstanders and totally opportunistic elected’s…..that want a piece of the pie without making sure that there is an Veteran Cemetary Administration on site – and Organized areas for each of the five services. This is not Brain Surgery or Space Science…..it does however take common sense and a dedicated yearly budget which is sustainable. We understand Mimi’s frustration. Everyone wants to be in charge, get all the free lunches and not take any responsibility in the long term. American Legion, VFW and the OC Veteran Administration should be able to put together the Board of Directors of the Great Veterans Memorial Cemetary of Orange County….and then start collecting private donations along with county, state and federal grants., Many are called ….few can lead. But then, that would take some “willing cooperation”!
funniest post I’ve seen in days. aces
FULL DISCLOSURE: I serve on the OC Cemetery District Board of Trustees, and we have offered the Vets group our assistance in any way we can help. We have been looking for more property for years now, as we plan to meet the needs of Orange County’s residents well into the future, and are running out of space at our 3 beautiful locations. The minimum acreage to make a project like this work is at least 20 acres. Try finding at least 20 acres (preferably MUCH more) of flat, undeveloped land, in an appropriate location, in otherwise BUILT OUT ORANGE COUNTY that is affordable for what is basically “open space” land use, and in a City willing to forego the tax base of a site of that size. The OCCD’s years-long land search effort has taught us some hard lessons, and we have offered the Vets’ group our assistance so they may make use of our experience, and perhaps avoid some of the challenges we have dealt with. We have also made no secret of our desire to operate the location for the Vets group, if that is agreeable to the State veterans admin that ultimately will own the property. As the Winships point out it does take an ongoing budget, a sustainable business plan, and some common sense to run one of these, it is a highly specialized enterprise needing very specific skills, and our Cemetery District has been doing this very successfully for many, many years (next year our oldest cemetery will recognize its 150th anniversary of service to the people of Orange County.)
Other than that our negotiations have been confidential and in Closed Session, and public reports will be made available if anything comes of the effort. But even if there is no place for the OC Cemetery District to aid the Veterans’ group directly, we stand with them in spirit and will cheer them on when the ribbon cutting ceremony takes place-with or without us, simply because it is the right thing to do. This is one time when all involved are wise to set aside personal or political agendas and simply stand firm with those who stood in the path of danger for us.
For right now the process is dragging SLOWLY…there is ONE non-profit group that has been heading up this project, not a hodgepodge. But that non-profit group is represented by pretty much every branch of our military, and every political and religious affiliation you can imagine, which makes it very exciting to watch the progress they are making. These amazing men and women of the OCVMP have come farther than I ever would have guessed in the short time they have been engaged in this effort. I know the need and desire for the Cemetery has backdated their most recent efforts by quite a lot, but this one particular group has managed to knock it out of the park in terms of the ability to network and reach the right people and get things done. Commander Bill Cook is absolutely a force to be reckoned with, and if anyone reading this has not met him I encourage you to make his acquaintance and hear more about the details. Contact me for his contact info, I am easily found online.
Commander Cook was at the OC Cemetery District a few months ago, and updated our Board on progress, with very encouraging news. Despite rumors of 5 Points developers being less than enthusiastic, they DID commit IN WRITING to clean up of the site, since they cannot realistically sell million dollar homes with a view of blight, (while studies show they COULD sell homes with a view of a cemetery!) So the imagined and/or manufactured hysteria of the ground being some toxic dump that lacks funding to mitigate is (so far) unfounded.
The State has approved the bill that not only commits to the Cemetery, but commits SPECIFICALLY to THAT EXACT SITE, so any rumored relocation will require a vote of the State legislature to change the specifics, and I don’t see that happening without full buy in from the Vets themselves. They are the ones holding Aces and so far they have been an immovable force.
Mimi Walters (and others) may have become quiet about the project because it is in a stage that drags SLOOOOOWLY….grant writing for the Federal money is a long process, but it is my understanding that the Feds are VERY committed to funding the project, and for this particular grant being applied for, only ONE application has ever been known to be turned away, and that one was so non-specific that the admin could not determine what it was the group was asking for and kicked the app back. So it is possible Mimi Walters simply grew tired of people asking what is taking so long and dropped the subject until there is more to report. I don’t imagine she would be nuts enough to drop support of the Vets, that would be political suicide for anyone who tried it.
To the Winships,
First of all, thank you for your service to our nation, I know your concern for this subject is highly personal. I can truthfully tell you that NO design of any kind has been discussed at this stage, so it would be premature to believe that anyone has dismissed any specifics such as dividing space for each branch of the military. I do see one obstacle there, what happens when we are burying the long married couple in which the husband served in the Marines and the wife was an Army nurse? Are they not to be together? I am sure others have figured it out, but to my knowledge there has not been discussion of this level of detail yet, so jot down your suggestions, and again I encourage you to please contact American Legion Commander/Chaplain Bill Cook for details and a progress report.
*Thanks Cynthia…we applaud your efforts to get into this “Goridan Knot” of self aggrandizing personalities. ” Commander Bill Cook is absolutely a force to be reckoned with..” This comment however goes like this: Power corrupts..absolute power corrupts…absolutely!” No ONE lead dog needs to “Honcho Up” this project. You five equal Board Members: One selected from each service. Each one endorsed by one of the three major Veteran Organizations. When you say the process “is dragging the wagon”….it is purely so, because there are no monthly scheduled meetings which are open to the public with clear transparency and meetings with Representatives, from The State Senate, State Assembly, County of Orange – Board of Supervisors and the City of Irvine. Correctly identifying the Goals of the Project should encourage suggestions from outside the bubble! A closed process is guaranteed to kill the Golden Goose and all the Goslings! If seems that you want to do the right thing, but refuse to lead. Cynthia, as a member of the Board, you need the necessary votes to LEAD the effort immediately. This is not a five year plan to sell shoes in the USSR.. As far as the anecdotal story you tell about a Marine and his Army Nurse wife…….come on….The Cemetary
Administrator will be paid to do something. What about a Marine with five kids
that all died in different services? Would they be allowed to be buried in vault
like Vito Corleone? Get serious. A wife is one thing, the five kids need not apply. But that would be up to the OC Veterans Memorial Cemetary Administrator, purely dependent upon availability and any other complicating factors that might arise. We believe that ihis is a pure “Red Herring” and not something that might occur on a daily basis.. 20 Acres? Hmmm, Seems like and sounds like an arbitrary numer that Commander Cook…..may have Cooked Up! How many acres have already been alllocated? Cook seemed to think, that once we got those….we could TRY to get more later. Get the State invovled in the early going and of course contact the Feds for grant money and Ad Hoc Community Outreach and Veteran Service Coordination….including the payment of Burial and other family services.. There is little doubt that you have a big job….but without the correct Administration….you may be just whistling in the wind….for several years……and someone will get a bunch of free lunches, taking credit for anything positive and denying any foot dragging and holdup of the project.
*We found this one today in the Patriot Post ..
“The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men.” —Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 21
Why wasn’t the cemetery listed among her accomplishments for Veterans?
The answer is fairly obvious.
VOTES
Walters is concerned about the votes from the North Irvine residents who are in a bother about the bad feng shui chi they think will be brought to their properties from a nearby cemetery.