Category: Costa Mesa Fire Department

Moving right along, so to speak!

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, Candidate Forum, City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Family Fun, Home beautification, Mayor's Race, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership, Newport Mesa Unified School District, Parks & Recreation Commission, Parkway Trees, Safety & Security, School Board

Greetings, Mesa Verde!

To say that we’ve just gone through a year of hell would be an understatement! Which is why I haven’t posted as often as I otherwise would have. But here we are…March 11th marked the 1-year anniversary of the Coronavirus Pandemic. It has NOT been pleasant and many folks that I know – including Laurie and I – were infected. The good news is that nearly all of us made it through that gauntlet and we’re witnessing a huge uptick in vaccines getting into the arms of our citizens. And happily, the ‘powers that be’ have seen fit to move us into the more relaxed “Red” status where we can start returning to “normal.” And THAT is good news, indeed!

From time to time, I and many of our board members are asked, What IS Mesa Verde Community, Inc., and what do you do? These questions have been answered, but with so many moving into the neighborhood recently, and to serve as a refresher for some of our “legacy” residents, I thought I’d share a few of the things we do.

  • Host City Council/Mayor Candidate forums every other year
  • Conduct Annual Meetings featuring presenters of interest to our neighborhood
  • Advocacy
    • One Metro West
    • Bikeway & Walkability Committee’s initiatives (Tanager Drive bike trail, Canary Drive bike ramp to Fairview Park)
    • Tanager Park pool initiative
    • Small Cell tower initiative
    • Various issues with CMPD (speeders through the neighborhoods)
    • Parkway (easement) tree program (under Beautification)
  • Ongoing interaction with CMPD, CMFD and NMUSD
  • Supporter of Mesa Verde Living magazine, distributed monthly to 3,000 households in Mesa Verde
  • Manage, restore and replace Mesa Verde community signs in a timely manner
  • Redesigned community website
  • Created social media presence (Facebook, Nextdoor)
  • Community newsletters, email blasts and surveys
  • Several “Info Nights”
  • Community picnic in 2018 and 2019
  • …and so much more!

As was mentioned earlier, the pandemic created a huge distraction and one of the things that may have “fallen through the cracks” is membership in MVCI. Membership has always been voluntary, and this includes the MVCI Board of Directors. Membership dues are the lifeblood of the organization and without them, none of the activities would be possible. Dues are only $20 a year…less than a few trips to Starbucks, and we need your help so that MVCI can continue its 50+ year record of service to the community. Please join or renew today! The membership app is on this website and PayPal is available. Also, feel free to share your input with us at admin@mesaverdecommunity.org.

MVCI is continually looking for “new blood” to participate, including joining the Board of Directors and we encourage residents to get involved. I will be stepping down at the end of March, as is “President Emeritus” Bob Juneman. We haven’t been able to hold an Annual Meeting for two consecutive years due to the pandemic, but the remaining board members have agreed to remain in place until elections can be conducted. The board has also unanimously selected Robin Leffler as President.

Although I am stepping out of my role as MVCI President, I will be staying on as the organization’s technical advisor. To that end, I want to express my gratitude for all the kind words and graciousness that have been sent my way.

See you around the neighborhood! ~Terry

 

Thoughts From The Neighborhood

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, Candidate Forum, City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Mayor's Race, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

As many people know, for the last few months, the “President’s Corner” has been published in the neighborhood magazine, “Mesa Verde Living.” Because I felt it redundant to post the same article on the website, I have refrained, having not done so since the January/February edition.

That being said, there is still a lot going on that’s worthy of commentary, so for those who look forward to these posts, here we go…….

The COVID-19 debacle has left us reeling and wondering just what “normal” is going to look like. As a business owner myself, my heart goes out to all those entrepreneurs scrambling to resurrect their businesses, and their livelihoods. Some actually did fine during these last 2+ months and they are to be applauded. Some were able to “pivot” their businesses to be of support to others, and businesses designated “essential” were supremely helpful to everyone and all of our first responders deserve our most sincere gratitude.

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As I’m sure everyone knows by now, MVCI’s Annual Meeting was postponed. The board ultimately reached a decision to cancel the meeting until its regularly scheduled time in 2021. All incumbent board members who were scheduled for re-election will hold their seats until next year. Officers will remain in place, as well. One bit of sad news is that board member John Leffler resigned for personal reasons. We will miss John and his many contributions, and wish him well, going forward. The MVCI City Council Candidate Forum will likely not take place this year, either, but be aware that Districts 1, 2 and 6 have candidates up for election (four-year term), along with a two-year term for Mayor. Elections are scheduled for November 3.

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One Metro West is still out there under consideration. The City Council would prefer to enact an amendment to Measure Y that would effectively exempt developments north of the 405 Freeway, and in the process, grant Rose Equities a “green light” to proceed without going before the voters. As it stands now, the project and any amendments to “Y” have been tabled, in favor of a broader review of development in the city. There are several parcels that should be considered in earnest, including those on Harbor Boulevard, so stay engaged! All development isn’t bad, and we all have a stake in how Costa Mesa moves forward. Remember: Good development has a positive effect on the city’s income and a robust growth strategy can help minimize the need for new or increased taxes for residents.

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Restaurants are opening again, as are many other retailers, barbers, hair and nail salons! Be sure to go and patronize them and thank the ones that stayed open during the pandemic!

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Sadly, racial disharmony has crept back into our lives. We have GOT to find a way to get through this barrier…once and for all. I watched an interview with former NFL tight end Benjamin Watson and he really captured the essence of what we need to be doing: In order to make any meaningful change, “…we have to be willing to be uncomfortable, willing to be honest, a willingness to not be offended and not to offer ‘what-about-isms’ when people talk about the way they feel.” If we’re not willing to move into this kind of dialogue – family, friends, neighbors and loved ones, nothing will change. If that happens, we all lose. If you’d like to see the full Ben Watson interview, click here.

That’s it for now. Let’s all take the high road and make our community and the broader world around us a better place.

Until next time, stay well, and stay safe!

~Terry

President’s Corner — July, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Candidate Forum, City Council, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Family Fun, Home beautification, Mayor's Race, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership, Neighborhood Survey, Newport Mesa Unified School District, NMUSD, Parks & Recreation Commission, Parkway Trees, Retail Shopping, Safety & Security, School Board, School District, Tanager Park

 

Hello Mesa Verde, welcome to the dog days of summer. Every year about this time I wonder why we haven’t installed air conditioning in our home. Then, about the time I get ready to make the call, the beautiful Fall weather arrives, and another year goes by.

On occasion I am asked, “what exactly is Mesa  Verde?”  Our Board of Directors defines Mesa Verde as bounded by the River on the west, the 405 Freeway to the north, Harbor Blvd on the east, and the north edge of Fairview Park and the public golf course on the south, including Mesa Verde Collection, 27 Seventy Five, Longwood Greens, and Azulon. More importantly, it is our home, a wonderful community in which to enjoy our lives in comfort and harmony. A treasure to be protected and cherished. We hope you agree.

As I mentioned last month, Karla Stagman, has joined us as our Beautification Chair. Karla and her husband bought their home on Alabama Circle in 2000, and love life in our beautiful community. “I believe that with neighbors working together, Mesa Verde will continue to be one of the top neighborhoods in our area.”  Karla sees her role as an opportunity to collaborate with all of our members to bring a voice to all of Mesa Verde. As a local realtor, Karla sees the “power of true community to enhance the beauty and value of our properties.“ If we raise consciousness about community appearance, it will keep Mesa Verde economically viable and “Beautification will become a fun project.”

There is a new order of things in Costa Mesa. Last November brought a “sea change” to   how our city is governed. Our City Council increased from five to seven members. We changed from an “at large” to a six-district voting system, with an “at large” Mayor. We are finding that the costs of running a growing city are increasing faster that the revenue to pay for it, exacerbated  by the exploding unfunded pension liability, now close to $300,000,000. To quote from the 2019-2020 budget message, “The past six years have marked unparalleled prosperity for Costa Mesa and the recovery from the Great Recession has continued, becoming the longest period of economic growth in history. During that time, the City has also been faced with challenges such as addressing homeless issues and defending itself in lawsuits filed by sober living facilities.”  What this all means is that we need to be prepared for tougher times ahead and be patient.

5G technology is coming, and with it some new concerns. Our Board member and Treasurer, Carri Lang, has been “Bird dogging” this issue for us…click here to see her update and to see the actual letter sent to the City Council under my signature, click here.

Finally, as my term as President expires soon, this is my final President’s Corner. At our August Board meeting we will elect a new leader. Looking back over the past several years, the first thing that comes to mind is how fast time flies! What has our Board of Directors accomplished and how has our association grown? Let’s take a look:

~ We increased our Board from 9 to 11 members.
~ Established the position of Data Manager
~ Initiated videotaping of our annual meetings, viewable on our website HERE
~ Sponsored our traditional Candidate Forum in 2018
~ Initiated our Annual Neighborhood Picnic in 2018, continued in 2019
~ Held first public information meeting jointly with the Newport Mesa School Board and local school principals.
~ Replaced or reconditioned our Mesa Verde gateway signs
~ Advocated in support of the Tanager Drive neighbors to help arrive at an equitable solution to the proposed bike trail
~ Established a Mesa Verde Bulletin Board on our website for the use of our residents
~ Established a close working relationship with our police department to reduce speeding and traffic violations in Mesa Verde.
~ Completed several neighborhood surveys and reported results
~ Enhanced our website and broadened our social media coverage to include Facebook (check here) and Nextdoor (go here).
~ Published four newsletters, mailed to over 3000 Mesa Verde residents
~ Established our “Lifetime Membership.”
~ Initiated our Mesa Verde Volunteer Group (If you have a little extra time to devote, please consider volunteering)
~ Created our first self-guided “Water Wise Garden Tour”

Alas, my biggest disappointment is that we have not significantly increased our membership. We’ve added several new members, including seven lifetimes, but quite a few old members have not renewed. Why not? That’s a question we need to address. And, we will!

As I trust you can know, most of this costs money, and your membership dues and donations are our only source of revenue. Can you guess what I’m asking you to do? Click here and go directly to the membership app.

My thanks to our Board of Directors for  granting me the honor and privilege of serving as your President these two years, and to all of you for your support and encouraging words. A special “well done” to the tremendous help from our volunteer group.

I know that you will accord our new President your continued support.

Respectfully,
Bob

President’s Corner — May, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Family Fun, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

We are pleased to welcome Charles “Rus” Purcell to our Board of Directors. Rus is a retired Geologist and has lived in Mesa Verde since 1975. Over the years he has been involved with City activities, including revamping the Mesa Verde Homeowners Association in the 1980’s. He was a participant in the TRIP Committee for Costa Mesa dealing with the Harbor Boulevard of Cars, and served on the Parks and Recreation Commission in the 90’s. Rus has been an active member of our MVCI Volunteer Group, and we look forward to putting his many talents to work for our Association.

As we approach Memorial Day, it is appropriate to remember how it all began. On May 30, 1868, General John Logan gave a Special Order to decorate the graves of their fallen comrades. Thus, Decoration Day was established, later re-named Memorial Day and declared a Federal holiday in 1971. I’m told that Harbor Lawn-Mt.Olive Memorial Park in conjunction with the Freedom Committee of Orange County always puts on a good show. This year it will be on May 27th, from 11:00-1:00. As we celebrate the day, let us thank the many service men and women who have given their lives to preserve our freedom.

Our MVCI second annual picnic is in the rearview mirror. Those who attended were treated to master BBQer Terry Wall’s burgers and dogs, the best in town. The kids were delighted when Captain Darren De Fruiter, CMFD, and his crew with their “Big Red” Fire Truck came by for a visit. With eyes big as saucers they listened to the fire fighters explain the equipment and will probably have some good stories to tell their friends who missed it. A huge thank you to Captain De Fruiter and his crew, to Brenda Emrick who arranged the visit, and to Chief Dan Stefano and the CMFD for their graciousness.

 

Those who define the seasons tell us that Summer begins on June 21st, astronomically, and June 1st, meteorologically. To me, Summer begins when the sun comes out in the morning and the days and evenings are warm. So, take your pick. Whatever, I’m ready. Ready for the beach, boating on Big Bear Lake, and maybe a little travel. How ‘bout you?

Bits and pieces from City Hall: Our newly hired City Manager, Lori Ann Farrell Harrison,
will report for duty o/a July 1st. Ms. Harrison is currently the Assistant City Manager of Huntington Beach. Also, the proposed budget for Costa Mesa for FY 2019-2020, can be viewed on the City’s website. Total budget is $173+ million, with the General fund budget at $149 million. We will be dipping into reserves for several mil next year, as unusually high costs for litigation and the new homeless shelter have strained our financial resources. Let’s hope we can get back to balancing revenues with expenses before the next downturn arrives!

I’ll wind it up here. Thank you to all our members who have paid your dues this year. We appreciate your support; it is our sole source of revenue. If you have not yet joined for this MVCI year, April 2019 – March 2020, please consider doing so now. (https://wp.me/P6Zz7F-1o)

Thanks for spending this time with us.

‘til June,
Bob.

President’s Corner — February, 2019

Posted on by Terry Wall in Annual Meeting, Civic Activity, Community Action, Community Beautification, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Home beautification, Mesa Verde, MVCI Board of Directors, MVCI membership

Don’t miss Costa Mesa’s biggest event of the year: Our MVCI ANNUAL MEETING, March 26. Come cast your vote for the re-election of four of our Board members, plus a discussion of membership opportunities and our avenues of communication. Then sit back and listen to Mesa Verde’s own Bill Burke thrill you with his record setting mountain climbing exploits.

March 26th
Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall
1701 W. Baker Street, Costa Mesa (Corner Baker and Mesa Verde Drive West)
6:30 Refreshments, meet and greet.  7:00 Meeting

Calendar it now! You won’t want to miss this one.

On February 5th, we held our first joint meeting with the Newport Mesa Unified School District, to inform Mesa Verde residents about what’s going on in our schools.  Board President Charlene Metoyer moderated a panel consisting of five of our school principals, discussing what their schools are offering our students. Thirty or so brave souls ventured out despite the rain, State of the Union address, City Council Meeting, and maybe even a hangover from the Rams’ Super Bowl loss.  Our first attempt; if demand calls, we’ll give it another go next year. Let us know.

We are still working with CMPD on slowing down the speeding in Mesa Verde. Please keep us informed of violations you observe, keeping in mind that the police need specifics to work with. All part of keeping Mesa Verde a safe place to live.

Last month we announced the creation of our new MESA VERDE BULLETIN BOARD, for your use in posting information of interest to MV residents. It will be up and running soon, so keep your eyes out for it. When it goes “live,” you will see a separate tab for it at the top of the page. In the meantime, if you’d like to share any upcoming activities of events, please forward them to admin@mesaverdecommunity.org.

We are looking for a volunteer Data Input Manager. Because of the privacy associated with handling these records, this incumbent will also be a Board member. The position requirements are detailed in the PDF that can be accessed by clicking this link: Membership Database Manager

Our membership count continues to grow, albeit slowly. Renewals are due by March 31st, so why not take care of it right now? You can download a membership application from this website (https://mesaverdecommunity.org/services/).  Also, please help us recruit your friends and neighbors residing in Mesa Verde. Our members are our assets, and the lifeblood of this association, and your dues our only source of revenue.

Finally, look for our March MVCI NEWSLETTER to hit your mailbox around mid-March. And thank you to our MVCI VOLUNTEERS who are joyfully preparing to help us with labeling and mailing. Would you like to serve your community as a MVCI VOLUNTEER? Please contact me at bob@juneman.com and I’ll be happy to explain what is involved.

See you at the Annual Meeting!

Cheers, Bob

President’s Corner — October, 2018

Posted on by Terry Wall in Candidate Forum, City Council, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Mayor's Race, Mesa Verde, MVCI membership, Safety & Security, Volunteers

Hello neighbors,

Halloween approaches, but with this warm weather I wonder about the frost on the pumpkin. Maybe it will be a nice evening for the trick or treaters. Got your costume ready?

Our recent candidates forum was very successful. All ten candidates for City Council and Mayor participated, and all performed well. I believe our audience gained a better perspective on the issues facing our community. You may view the entire forum by clicking here.

Our work with the CMPD on traffic issues continues to bring results. Citations for speeding and other violations have increased since the beginning of greater vigilance. Thank you Lt. Bakkila and the traffic division. We will continue to pursue this effort and report to you periodically on the results. Please keep us informed of particular hot spots. Be specific as to time, location and type of violation. To give you an idea of the magnitude of this effort, here are some stats on citations so far this year:

Mesa Verde Drive            20
Adams                             452
Baker                                182
Oriole                                   7
Tanager                              71
Gisler                                 26

The recent grand opening of Fire Station One was a huge success. The facility is a beauty and fully operational. Just another example of “keeping Mesa Verde Safe”. Hats off to our City staff, Chief Stefano, and the CMFD for pulling off the building of this great new asset.

The “Shops at Mesa Verde” are progressing nicely if not quickly. Descanso is scheduled to open the first week of November, and Stylists will open soon with a grand opening set for late November. We will soon see a whole new look for this area.

We are looking for a volunteer “Data Manager” and possible Board member to manage the data base for our growing membership. If interested, please send an email to info@mesaverdecommunity.org, and put “Data Manager” in the subject line.

Finally, thank you and congratulations to Leah Ersoylu, our newest Lifetime member. If you have not renewed your membership for this year (Apr 1 – Mar 31), this is a great time to do so. Click here  to access the application form (PDF).

‘Til next month,
Happy Halloween!

Bob

President’s Corner — June 2018

Posted on by Terry Wall in Civic Activity, Community Action, Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa Fire Department, Family Fun, Mesa Verde, MVCI membership, Retail Shopping, Volunteers

Hello again, time for my June commentary.

First, thank you to our newest Lifetime Members:

                      Chris and Tracy Clevidence and David and Nancy Walden

Our Lifetime Club is growing. Please refer to the MEMBERSHIP LIST posting as of June 1st. There was a considerable drop off from the 2017 membership year, so If you haven’t tendered your dues for this year (Apr 1- Mar 31), now is a good time to do so. We are working on setting up “auto renew” to make it simpler for our members, so bear with us. PayPal sign ups are also being refined and will include the auto-renew feature. Stay tuned for more on this.

For the past few months you have likely noticed new construction in the center at Harbor and Adams. So, what’s going on?  This past Friday, we posted a update, courtesy of the Segerstrom Co.,  owners and operators of the center, with information on the new section of “The Shops at Mesa Verde,” as well as  what’s happening at the old Acapulco.

Bet you’ve seen some coyotes running around the community. The California Fish and Wildlife Department is very concerned that a big part of the problem is us. (We have met the enemy and he is us! – POGO)  If you want to know why and what we can do about it, click here.  Really good stuff!

Looks like the new fire station at Adams and Royal Palm will now open in September, ….. or maybe October? Stay tuned for news on a grand opening and guided tours, courtesy of CMFD and MVCI. Our patience will be rewarded, I’m sure.

Our cadre of MVCI volunteers is growing, now numbering seven. This is a great opportunity for you to serve your community without an obligation to time commitment. We will call on you from time to time for special projects. My goal is to reach 20 by March 31st. Will you help me? Contact me at bob@juneman.com for more info or to enlist.

Stay connected to MVCI via our website. New postings often.

and…..

PLEASE REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

Thank you,  ‘til July,

Bob