"...As Others See Us"

The Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote - “Oh would some power the gift give us, To see ourselves as others see us.” Here’s how others saw us.

Yesterday I gave you my perspectives on the City Council meeting Tuesday night. Today I want to share unsolicited e-mails that were sent to me. I have edited out personal details. Today’s e-mails are from residents who live outside Lake Forest. Tomorrow we’ll see what our local residents had to say.

MISSION VIEJO

“It’s midnight and [we] are just now getting home from what was the most disturbing city council meeting I ever witnessed in my life. Watching the Lake Forest City Council in action is truthfully shocking! The meeting started when the Mayor started with council comments, which normally don’t happen until the end of the meeting so they could all begin hurling insults at one another early.

These people hate each other. They could care less about getting the city’s business done. There was so much grandstanding every time it was their turn to talk they would NOT even discuss the matter at hand. Four of them [Voigts, Hamilton, Robinson, Nick] continued to go over and over stories about somebody taking somebody’s election sign, or taking money from a business for their election or some other misdeed they believed was done to them. There were two of them [Voigts, Robinson] that seemed to lecture members of the public sitting in the audience and if the crowd got super tired of the childish behavior and tired from witnessing the council’s inability to get business done, (I am not kidding you more than half of the time these people never talked about the actual agenda item at all), then the egomaniacs would lecture the residents. THIS WAS INSANE. One guy [Robinson] told the crowd they needed to settle down and if they wanted to stay until 5:00 am to get through this meeting that was fine because he refused to conduct business until they were quiet.

This was bizarre. Everyone said so too. At one time one of the council members [Nick] decided he wanted to give testimony (to himself I guess) and he came down to the public microphone and made a statement about how he always supported their cops. City clerk looked at the city manager and shrugged.

Both city attorney and the city manager had to ask what the heck some of these council people were saying when they were making a motion. Several times they would say, Mayor [Voigts] such and such, could you tell us one more time WHAT YOUR MOTION IS.

WOW!

Their Mayor is in a wheel chair. I wanted so much to like him but he was so rude. We left. I can’t actually say for sure other than telling the Grand Jury they would continue to work with the county but would also look at other options, not sure what was accomplished. They were too busy stroking their own egos. Glad I never have to go to an LF council meeting again. I don’t know why I expected them to care about their animals, they don’t care about the residents or each other for that matter.”

LAGUNA HILLS

“I have attended, and spoken at, many city council and county supervisorial meetings. Last night, the Lake Forest City Council meeting was the topper!

The lack of regard and respect for the opinions and interests of the citizens of Lake Forest; the lack of preparedness for the meeting (it was patently obvious some council members had not read the latest Grand Jury report regarding the Orange County Animal Shelter), (nor did they apparently understand the contractual issues with the Orange County Sheriff); the total absence of civility and decorum in a public meeting and the obvious self-interests involved with some members was appalling.

Nonetheless, the City of Lake Forest has a real opportunity to be part of a coalition for the benefit of their citizens and their animals by joining with Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills to explore the cost/benefit of developing a South County Animal Shelter.”

Tomorrow we’ll look at what our residents said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 3 pm to 5 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a mini town meeting every month. The next meeting will be on August 15 at 2 pm at the El Toro Public Library.

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