Costa Mesa may send mayor to D.C.

Costa Mesa city officials are looking to send Mayor Steve Mensinger to a conference in Washington, D.C., as the city’s representative.

The trip to the annual National League of Cities Congressional City Conference, from March 7 to 11, is estimated to cost $2,500. More than 1,000 officials from cities nationwide are expected to participate.

According to the league’s website, the conference helps attendees focus on federal policy issues of local importance, as well join the league’s bipartisan lobbying efforts.

City staff contend that attending the conference will allow Mensinger “to hear directly from policy makers and leaders on the issues of timely importance. It will also allow the mayor to garner current information on the federal policies that affect cities, the latest funding opportunities and emerging practices that can be implemented in Costa Mesa.”

Allocation of the $2,500 will be up to the council’s discretion during its meeting Tuesday. City CEO Tom Hatch may also attend, at an additional cost.

If Mensinger is approved to go, it will be the first time in recent memory for a Costa Mesa representative to attend the Congressional City Conference.

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League of California Cities membership

The council will also consider a request from Councilwoman Sandy Genis for the city to reactivate its membership with the League of California Cities, a Sacramento-based legislative advocacy group. Nearly all California cities, or 98%, are members, according to city staff.

Exceptions in Orange County include Anaheim, Orange and Tustin.

Annual dues are an estimated at $25,288, as well as an additional $606.91 for the league’s legal efforts.

Costa Mesa was last paying dues to the league in fiscal year 2009-10, but dropped it the following year.

The city is still a member of the Assn. of California Cities, Orange County.