Last Monday Mike Michaelson, a private citizen, addressed our Mission Viejo city council and staff on the delay in the widening of Crown Valley Parkway. He stated that “Crown Valley Parkway is a mess” and that “I never see anyone working out there.” He pointed out that he sees long lines of traffic on Crown Valley while there is no cross traffic at intersections between Marguerite and Interstate 5. He shared his frustration by reporting his communication with city engineers including Rick Schlessinger concluding that “they (MV engineers) seem to blame everything on SDG&E.”
As soon as he finished his public comments Mayor Kelley asked the city manager for an update on the CV Parkway project. She was immediately followed by councilman MacLean who stated “I’d like to get a date certain when this project is going to be completed.” Paraphrasing Lance he states having started this project when he was mayor in 2006. He added that he has been contacted by other concerned residents. Lance demanded that the city “get SDG&D ‘s representative here so that he can be duly chastised for their poor work on this project.”
Folks. Have you heard the words “grandstanding” or perhaps “pandering?”
Lance. As you claim to having been contacted by other citizens requesting the status of the widening delay, why did you not take any action until tonight, where your request was prompted by a citizen’s public comment?
Thank you Mr. Michaelson for bringing this concern front and center to their feet. There is a major difference between those who are proactive Vs others who are reactionary such as Trish Kelley and Lance MacLean.
Why did they wait this long to ask for a status report and projected completion date? Fortunately Mike put them on the spot.
That’s the problem with this council majority. They lack Contract experience. It’s so easy to begin a CIP but it takes a different talent to monitor the progress against a predetermined time frame.
There was a time in my life when employed by a military contractor where I was tasked to track a major electronics program where we utilized PERT charting. PERT being the acronym for “program evaluation and review technique.” The chart enabled us to create the “critical path” with milestones that may or may not have any slack time to allow for any unexpected delays. If we were able to accomplish this in the world of high technology, where final delivery was critical to the program, one would expect that tracking a road widening project would be somewhat easier to accomplish. Not with our majority who can quickly sign Contracts but fail show leadership in monitoring the outcome. Simply look at a dozen uncontested Change Orders on expanding a building at triple the initial projected cost.
Juice readers. Welcome to our inexperienced city council.
If you wish to hear and see this exchange simply go to the city of MV web site to view the public comments at the one hour and 30 minutes of the tape.
email response:
Larry:
Your welcome to post this to the Juice.
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Lance MacLean’s outburst was indeed pandering. He is fully aware what is going on, but to the occasions to bluster. So what took all of the council so long to ask the obvious question. Yes part of the blan can be laid on the infamous electric utility, but how about the City Manager who has overall responsibility for performance in the city. I t appears he is getting more and more out of touch from reality. He knew nothing about Easelgate, would not respond to me inquire on what eventually became Firegate.
While MacLain blusters and Kelley wants some answers I note those two and others on the council members are presenting the city manager a big fat pay raise. Not bad for being lost in a fog.
Also might I ask where Roger Faubel is in keeping the citizens appraised of the Crown Valley widening fiasco. As I recall he was given a”wad of money” to communicate to the citizens about this project. It looks like just another grab and run by one of the well know political contributors in our city.
City hall can’t be bothered with completing the road widening project because they spent the last year planning the city’s 20th anniversary party. Now, they’re working on the float. Sorry — no roadwork this year.
Roger Faubel gets paid whether he actually does anything or not, and the $100K is long gone after a couple pricey brochures and road signs that didn’t make a lot of sense. He’s been very busy crafting the hoax that Sunrise is “no longer interested” in the golf course property.