Costa Mesa council fills seat on Senior Commission
Costa Mesa City Council members took a number of actions during their meeting Tuesday night. Here are some of the highlights:
Senior commissioner appointed
Council members decided to appoint Gary Parkin to fill a vacant seat on the Senior Commission, a seven-member body that advises the council on issues related to the Costa Mesa Senior Center.
They picked Parkin out of a field of seven applicants to serve the remaining term of former Commissioner Ernie Feeney, which expires in February 2021.
Parkin is also a member of the city’s Historical Preservation Committee. In his application for the Senior Commission, he wrote that he would “like to be more active in our city” and that, as a retiree, he has “time and knowledge available to help support the Senior Center.”
Senior commissioners receive a $100-per-meeting stipend.
Councilwoman Katrina Foley voted against Parkin’s appointment.
She nominated Charlene Ashendorf for the post, but Mayor Steve Mensinger, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer and Councilman Gary Monahan dissented.
Meeting rescheduled for Argyros event
Council members voted 3-2 to reschedule their Oct. 18 meeting on account of an event at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts honoring Julianne and George Argyros.
The meeting will instead be held Monday, Oct. 17.
Mensinger said the event was important to attend to recognize the Argyroses’ philanthropic efforts, which includes $13.5 million to redesign the plaza at the Segerstrom Center.
“I think $13.5 million as a gift to the citizens of Costa Mesa for this is well worth the move,” he said Tuesday.
Foley and Councilwoman Sandy Genis voted against rescheduling the meeting, saying they didn’t think it was proper to change it so some council members could attend an event.
“We’ve never canceled a meeting for city business so that we could attend a ribbon cutting or a party,” Foley said. “That’s just never been done.”
Righeimer said the meeting isn’t being canceled, it’s being moved a day ahead, so “the business of the city will be handled.”
Genis said she thinks the public “is entitled to some consistency on meeting dates.”
“This is a very nice event, and I think that it’s very nice that they’re honoring the Argyroses, but I daresay that if it was that important for them to have members of the Costa Mesa City Council present, they wouldn’t have chosen the date that they chose,” she said.
Snoopy House contracted approved
With no discussion, council members unanimously authorized city Chief Executive Tom Hatch to enter into a two-year contract with Altadena-based Show Development West to provide lighting and entertainment services for the annual Snoopy House holiday display at City Hall.
The city has contracted with Show Development West since 2014 for the long-running holiday tradition, which features “Peanuts”-themed displays. The new agreement will be for an amount not to exceed $50,000.
The display started in 1966 at the Eastside home of Jim and Linda Jordan and moved to City Hall in 2011. It attracts an estimated 80,000 visitors each year.
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
