The following Press Release can also be found on the www.missionviejoca.org web site.
Mission Viejo, CA. Let me state that I just contacted one of the key Lance MacLean recall proponents to get an update on their activities and was told that as of Sunday evening they have now exceeded 8,000 signatures towards the 9,350 valid signatures that must be submitted to our City Clerk on or before August 25th to qualify for the ballot. The mandated 9,350 is based on collecting signatures from 15 percent of the registered voters in Mission Viejo.
This volunteer informed me that, based on the facts justifying this action as stated in the petition, the vast majority of those registered voters approached by the volunteers have signed the petitions without the need for any hard sell.
The majority of their signatures have been obtained by standing in front of major grocery stores around the city and speaking to residents as they enter or depart.
There is one issue in question that cannot be defined as stated below. The cost of this election which can be mitigated by cooperative timing. The cost of providing lifetime heath care alone, which, according to an early estimate from Irwin Bornstein, our city Treasurer/Assistant City Manager, was just north of a quarter million dollars for each of the potential beneficiaries. As such that saving would surely exceed whatever the final recall cost may be. Larry Gilbert
Former Councilwoman Enters the Fray
Press Release
Mission Viejo, CA, June 6, 2009 – For a third time, former councilwoman Sherri Butterfield confronted storefront teams gathering signatures to recall Mission Viejo City Councilman Lance MacLean. She attempted to block residents from signing the petition by creating a scene. She seemed unaware that volunteer workers were taking her picture and videotaping her.
One of the volunteers described the incident, “Sherri just needed some attention. She tried to cause a disturbance in front of several people, and they ignored her. As soon as I asked her a question that made her the center of attention, she changed entirely and became somewhat civil.”
Another volunteer said Butterfield “suffers from post-trouncing syndrome.” Butterfield lost by a landslide in her 2002 reelection bid. She and former councilwoman Susan Withrow got only 5,487 and 4,781 votes, respectively. In comparison, a 2008 council challenger, Michael Williamson, received 7,085 votes as an unknown candidate who didn’t organize a campaign.
The petition lists eight reasons for recalling MacLean. The grounds are based on UCI police records, public records and council meetings. Without any specifics, Butterfield challenged the petition statements when she was in front of the store. She added, “The recall election is going to cost $250,000.”
When one of the volunteers asked about her source of information, Butterfield avoided the question by stating, “I was on the council, and I know.”
While MacLean wrote the $250,000 figure into his rebuttal, Councilman Frank Ury doesn’t agree with the amount of $250,000. He says it will cost $200,000. Another MacLean supporter who has harassed volunteers at storefronts says it will cost $100,000.
Recall proponents responded to MacLean’s $250,000 claim as a gross exaggeration in any scenario. Several factors will determine the cost of the recall. One is the potential of combining it with other ballot measures in the same election. Another is the county’s gravitation toward all-mail ballots to cut costs.
Butterfield also told the storefront volunteers that MacLean had not voted to give himself lifetime medical benefits for serving three terms. The vote took place on Nov. 17, 2008, and it passed 3-2. Others voting with MacLean in favor of lifetime benefits were Ury and Kelley.
Recall proponents expect to succeed in qualifying the recall for the ballot. They added that MacLean’s supporters have been ineffective at stopping the process.
Wow — with Butterfield jumping in to help MacLean, he can kiss his council seat goodbye. It’s over for him anyway, and he should move on.
Lets hope by kicking him out, the others (you know who you are) will stop their evil spending ways! Why don’t MacLean supporters ever threaten me, or cause a scene with me, when I am getting signatures? Pulling the Check register for the last 10 or so elections, it looks like it will be between $20,000 to $40,000 to hold the recall…a far cry from $200,000. Even if you took the larger number and doubled it, you would still be at about 40% of that $200,000 number!!! RECALL, and REPLACE!!!!
Keep the momentum going, and get rid of the bunch in city hall. They are ruining the city. Look at what they’ve done to Crown Valley — what an ugly, screwed-up mess! It’s not just the overspending. Mission Viejo is NOT the safe, family-oriented place it was five years ago. The decline is evident, although they keep a few thoroughfares looking good. When you get up into the neighborhoods, you see the decline (poorly maintained streets, slopes, parks), and the crime rate is WAY up.
Oh goodie, another election to work this year. Will it be in November?
Yawn. More sniveling from the spoiled crybabies and malcontents that make up MV.
Hector my man.
Good to know that you are still on top of the news, even when you don’t appreciate the topic or citizen rights that include the power of the recall.
By the way. Did you object when we recalled governor Davis?
Larry,
No, I did not object to recalling Gray Davis as he was a pandering, grandstanding, no conviction having scumbag of a governor. I hope he’s been reduced to working at McDonalds. However, I find it funny that some of those who live in arguably one of the nicest, most well-managed cities in southern California are never happy, who constantly piss and moan about the bogeymen at city hall. It reminds me of ASB chicanery in high school. I guess some people, even in their 60’s and beyond, never really grow up. This recall is more about you people not being able to control and pull the strings at city hall from the peanut gallery.
Hector, you are right it IS one of the nicest, and most well managed cities around….BECAUSE the residents don’t wan’t to put up with a city being run like Santa Ana!
Biggie,
Not on Mission Viejo’s worst day could it ever come as close to being the absolute disaster that Santa Ana has become. This recall was born from hysterics and bitter feelings.
lets hope not….on both points!
Hector.
Are you familiar with the multiple charges in the MacLean recall petition? Are you aware of Lance’s run in with the police at UCI?
There were other issues that could have been included. No the volunteers who are gathering signatures, along with the 50 plus who signed the original recall petition, are not operating based on hysterics.
Shortly after his first getting elected, with our carrying him across the finish line, we had to fight him against giving up $2.1 million from our redevelopment agency to an auto dealer with powerful family connections in Sacramento. Throughout the debate he said they would not accept a lower sum from our corporate welfare pot and never wavered form giving away the store. This strong opposition by Lance caused dissention in the ranks of his supporters. The council majority finally reduced the corporate welfare to $600,000 saving the taxpayers $1.5 million dollars as Lance failed to deliver.
We cannot afford having Lance remain on the MV city council.
Let me not overlook his re-election in Nov 2008 when he never mentioned a desire to have a float representing this bedroom community, without any marketing ROI/justification, in the Tournament of Roses parade. Shortly after being sworn in he pressed spending $400,000 for that float that he never discussed in any public forum or at any city council meeting. It’s called a gotcha and now it’s our turn to turn the tables on him.
South county does seem to move faster on problems within their local governments.
Santa Ana may be doing the best it can, considering that all the other cities of the county dump their human refuse in the county seat.
Cook, I think that is the point, we refuse to put up with the B.S. in much of South County, so when our elected officials step out of line over and over we act to remove them!
how many ounces in a liter?
deadwhitemale.
Did I see you at our city hall tonight with a deadwhitefemale?
On a serious note. Mission Viejo did convene a Town Hall meeting tonight led by sheriff Hutchens and our new chief of police services.
I gave up watching the Magic defeat the Lakers tonight just to hear what the OCSD was doing for our $15 million contract. You can read about the meeting on one of the MV or Register blogs.
Time for Lance to go—and take Uy and Kelley with him. They are all first class phonies.
Their out of control spending and Kelley’s absurd “goody two shoes PTA act” is getting tired.
Just tell me where to sign. Hell, I might want to help out. I’m retired, got lots of time. Call me 951-1122. Let’s clean house!!