Will Council Use Vector Control for Another Power Play?

I can’t recommend strongly enough that the City Council excuse existing council members from holding a position on the Vector Control Board unless there is no viable candidate from the community who expresses interest in the position.

This is in response to Item 14 of the City Council Agenda for Nov. 19. Although it might seem like a big deal who represents the City on the Orange County Vector Control Board -- it is. And here’s why.

Over the last four years, we have seen the difference between a representative who wants to own the position and take control of the responsibility compared to an elected official who wants to pad his resume. In 2016, Councilman Scott Voigts was appointed by his Council colleagues over resident Bob Holtzclaw, and the reason given by some council members at the time was Voigts’ experience in “governance.”

Here’s what happened when City Council members Dwight Robinson, Andrew Hamilton, and Voigts himself, entrusted the position to one of its own.

In May 2017, Vector Control approved two new positions, one of which was going to work in this area. Voigts didn’t let us know.

In June 2017, Vector Control approved a response to a Grand Jury Report; Voigts didn’t let us know. Vector Control also discussed the comeback of Red Imported Fire Ants; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In July 2017, Vector Control received a presentation on its role in emergencies and disasters; Voigts didn’t let us know. Vector Control also launched a public awareness campaign; Voigts didn’t let us know. Vector Control also approved a pay raise for the district manager; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In August 2017, Vector Control celebrated its 70th anniversary; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In September 2017, Vector Control discussed an outbreak of flea-borne Typhus in Garden Grove, where our City Manager commutes from every day; Voigts didn’t let us know. Vector Control also received a presentation on the Wolbachia bacterium used in mosquito control; Voigts didn’t let us know. Vector Control also changed its travel and expense policies; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In October 2017, Vector Control again discussed the outbreak of Typhus in Garden Grove -- so it was clearly a big deal -- and Voigts didn’t let us know.

In November 2017, Vector Control discussed carriers of the West Nile Virus in Santa Ana, which is well within the 25-mile commute range via motor vehicles; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In December 2017, Vector Control learned the results of using Wolbachia-infected male mosquitos to mitigate the dangers of vectors in Orange County; Voigts didn’t let us know.

In fact, elected official Scott Voigts showed such egregious malfeasance of his responsibility on the Vector Control Board that the Council eventually changed it rules mandating that its commission and board representatives file a written report once per quarter -- at the very least.

To compound matters, when Voigts was confronted with these facts, he went into denial mode and accused the messenger of being a “paid political hack” who was bringing Voigts’ lack of reporting to light for political purposes only because he would be up for reelection in 2018; Voigts was so oblivious to his dereliction of duty that he could not acknowledge he had spent the last eight months of his two-year term on Vector Control keeping information away from his constituents while at the same time being paid a $100 monthly stipend. For those eight months, Voigts was paid $800 and the City got absolutely nothing from him.

When pressed in front of a large Council meeting crowd, Voigts downplayed it and said the only thing he could think of that he didn’t report on over the last third of this entire term -- think about that for a minute, the last 33 percent of his two-year term -- that might have been relevant was the purchase of a new set of tires for a Vector Control vehicle. According to Voigts, disaster preparedness was not relevant. A Grand Jury report was not relevant. An outbreak of Typhus was not relevant.

And if nobody challenged Voigts when this subject came up the last time, he might still be the representative on the Vector Control Board.

To his credit, Voigts at that time removed himself from consideration for the position and was replaced by the non-elected official, Bob Holtzclaw, who should have been appointed in 2016 but wasn’t because he didn’t satisfy Robinson and Hamilton’s “governance” threshold. But here’s what happened when the position was taken away from Voigts and Holtzclaw was appointed for 2018-19; Holtzclaw had a 100 percent attendance record (which Voigts did not have) and delivered monthly oral reports during the public comments of the City Council meetings. That’s 21 meetings, 21 oral reports. That’s the way these things are supposed to work.

On top of that, Holtzclaw has donated his $100 monthly stipends to military relief organizations.

Unfortunately, this Council is comprised of individuals who want to keep all the power amongst themselves, even if it’s at a disservice to the residents they are sworn to protect. And Vector Control is very much a public safety position. To my way of thinking, the Council should turn the next appointment into a four-year position and reappoint Holtzclaw, who has served on Noise & Abatement and Finance committees, until he doesn’t want to do it anymore.

There is no question that non-elected officials who are willing to take ownership of their responsibility can provide a service to the City that far exceeds someone who is politically motivated to use such meetings as a means of trying to acquire political equity and photo opportunities.

The City Council should not hoard such positions for themselves, but provide an opportunity for talented and responsible citizens to contribute their strengths to the village.