Residents who aren’t involved with the recall attended Monday’s council meeting to demand apologies from Lance MacLean. They went to the public podium saying MacLean knowingly lied and disparaged them from the dais based on their participation on local issues. MacLean was absent from the meeting.
Attorney Jim Krutcik told the Council that MacLean’s comments were inappropriate and “created a permanent scar on the city.” Krutcik and other neighbors apparently irritated the Councilman when they previously asked the Council to reject MacLean’s proposal to locate the dog park in Oso Viejo Park, which is near their homes and next to the Murray Community Center. Krutcik said MacLean falsely stated these neighbors engaged in hyperbole and were associated with the recall movement. He demanded an apology.
Dave Gove, another citizen who spoke about the dog park, characterized MacLean’s remarks as “self-serving fabricated rhetoric by Mr. MacLean filled with untruth and misinformation that Mr. MacLean knows is not true.” He also demanded an apology.
A third resident, who has sought City assistance in resolving a neighbor’s nine-year residential renovation project in Mission Ridge, accused MacLean of playing the race card when implying the Mission Ridge neighbors’ concerns may be motivated by the Asian heritage of the remodeling homeowner. She said she was shocked by MacLean’s comments on October 19. The neighborhood raised the nuisance and code violation issues long before the current homeowner purchased the property. She also demanded an apology, noting MacLean disparaged good citizens who also had not been involved in the recall movement against MacLean.
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I was at the meeting and noted two groups of residents were present in addition to Mission Ridge homeowners and Oso Viejo Park neighbors. Recall proponents attended, and MacLean’s supporters wearing red shirts sat together. As a recall proponent, I can attest that Oso Viejo Park neighbors and Mission Ridge homeowners haven’t been involved in the recall.
At the beginning of the meeting, the red-shirt speakers touted MacLean’s benevolent nature and sterling qualities. As the meeting progressed, the two neighborhood groups told how MacLean had misrepresented and insulted them. The red shirts were quietly leaving. By the time the discussion turned to allegations of a Brown Act violation by the majority members of MacLean, Ury and Kelley (M-U-K), almost no red-shirt MacLean supporters remained.
Two additional neighborhoods now understand why MacLean is being recalled. The recall is neither a personal vendetta nor is it a power grab as MacLean states. No one wants to “gut” the city or turn it upside down. MacLean is unfit to serve, and recalling him will end the predictability of M-U-K lining up their votes to steamroll residents.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Kudos for the neighbors of Oso Viejo Park for taking MacLean and his fellow MUKsters to task for their little self-serving dog park shenanigan. In my opinion, the recall election to boot MacLean out of his city council seat can’t come too soon – his behavior and and performance make his recall well deserved. It’s time to drop the curtain on his dog and phony show.
Isn’t it amazing: Our own, local government has been manipulating the outcome of decisions, much like others with a similar approach are doing in Washington, through the simple use of ‘bully’ tactics? If the M-U-K block can line up on any – or seemingly every issue, no wonder our city has such runaway spending. And this is not to mention the emotional impact on those sincere members of this community who’d dearly love to see both integrity and respect shine forth from each of the governing members of our beautiful City. I salute Connie Lee for giving us a first-hand commentary on the latest at City Hall.