Notes: Duvall, transparency, officers, Lindsey
--Former mayor and three-year state Assemblyman Mike Duvall met a Jan. 31 deadline for his latest campaign finance statement with a filing showing he has $2,870 left in his election treasury, after another $12,500 in civic donations made in December.
Duvall’s contributions include $3,000 each to the Richard Nixon Foundation; Amigos De Los Ninos, a non-profit that raises funds for challenged children; the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association; and $3,500 to American Hellenic Council, groups promoting Greek-American interests.
When Duvall quit the Assembly in September 2009 due to what he said was an incident of “inappropriate story-telling,” he had about $75,000 in his campaign account. As I’ve reported in past columns, he’s already given a commendable $33,600 to charities and a less laudable $21,500 to state and local politicians.
--City Council has agreed to consider a requirement that all changes “in council member salaries, compensation or reimbursement formulas be noticed, discussed and voted on as non-consent agenda items....”
The proposal is a wise move toward more transparency, if adopted at an upcoming meeting. The need comes from the council’s 5-0 vote increasing the five members’ “cafeteria plan” fringe benefit package a surprising 13.4 percent six months ago.
One problem with the unanimous vote: the $112 monthly increase was tucked into a 10-item “consent calendar” normally reserved for non-controversial items, such as warrant register and meeting minutes approvals, second readings and other routine matters.
Council members removed four items for separate discussions and votes, but the benefit boost was among six items approved without comment Aug. 17. As previously reported, council voted 5-0 Nov. 2 to separate council benefits from approvals for other city staff.
--Election of officers for three local governing boards presented no surprises for 2011, with only a slight hiccup for the Yorba Linda Water District, after Mike Beverage was chosen president and Phil Hawkins vice president of the district’s five elected directors.
Beverage’s recommendation that General Manager Ken Vecchiarelli be replaced as the board’s secretary was defeated 4-1. The district’s general manager has served as board secretary each year since the water district became a public agency 50 years ago.
Trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District elected Yorba Linda residents Eric Padget for a first term as president and Karin Freeman vice president, and named Placentia resident Carol Downey clerk.
For the North Orange County Community College District, Cypress resident Barbara Dunsheath replaced Yorba Lindan Mike Matsuda as president, and Fullerton’s Molly McClanahan was elected vice president and Buena Park’s Donna Miller secretary.
--Surprise: an individual has won a Yorba Linda City Council seat without a dime of debt left from the campaign. Tom Lindsey’s year-end financial filing shows he raised $25,283 for the 2010 election and spent $1 less.
Usually, candidates loan their campaigns a few thousand dollars and hope they can pay themselves back from future donations, a futile wish for most also-rans. My full report on campaign spending, including a cost-per-vote analysis, is coming next week.
Duvall’s contributions include $3,000 each to the Richard Nixon Foundation; Amigos De Los Ninos, a non-profit that raises funds for challenged children; the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association; and $3,500 to American Hellenic Council, groups promoting Greek-American interests.
When Duvall quit the Assembly in September 2009 due to what he said was an incident of “inappropriate story-telling,” he had about $75,000 in his campaign account. As I’ve reported in past columns, he’s already given a commendable $33,600 to charities and a less laudable $21,500 to state and local politicians.
--City Council has agreed to consider a requirement that all changes “in council member salaries, compensation or reimbursement formulas be noticed, discussed and voted on as non-consent agenda items....”
The proposal is a wise move toward more transparency, if adopted at an upcoming meeting. The need comes from the council’s 5-0 vote increasing the five members’ “cafeteria plan” fringe benefit package a surprising 13.4 percent six months ago.
One problem with the unanimous vote: the $112 monthly increase was tucked into a 10-item “consent calendar” normally reserved for non-controversial items, such as warrant register and meeting minutes approvals, second readings and other routine matters.
Council members removed four items for separate discussions and votes, but the benefit boost was among six items approved without comment Aug. 17. As previously reported, council voted 5-0 Nov. 2 to separate council benefits from approvals for other city staff.
--Election of officers for three local governing boards presented no surprises for 2011, with only a slight hiccup for the Yorba Linda Water District, after Mike Beverage was chosen president and Phil Hawkins vice president of the district’s five elected directors.
Beverage’s recommendation that General Manager Ken Vecchiarelli be replaced as the board’s secretary was defeated 4-1. The district’s general manager has served as board secretary each year since the water district became a public agency 50 years ago.
Trustees of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District elected Yorba Linda residents Eric Padget for a first term as president and Karin Freeman vice president, and named Placentia resident Carol Downey clerk.
For the North Orange County Community College District, Cypress resident Barbara Dunsheath replaced Yorba Lindan Mike Matsuda as president, and Fullerton’s Molly McClanahan was elected vice president and Buena Park’s Donna Miller secretary.
--Surprise: an individual has won a Yorba Linda City Council seat without a dime of debt left from the campaign. Tom Lindsey’s year-end financial filing shows he raised $25,283 for the 2010 election and spent $1 less.
Usually, candidates loan their campaigns a few thousand dollars and hope they can pay themselves back from future donations, a futile wish for most also-rans. My full report on campaign spending, including a cost-per-vote analysis, is coming next week.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
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