Community Commentary: ‘New Council’ bringing about necessary change

Have you been enjoying the revolution in Costa Mesa?

I have, as have many of the people I know who want an improved Costa Mesa.

Of course, those who are for the status quo and who don’t like change have a different opinion.

What we have going on in Costa Mesa today is a revolution in the way government operates in our city. The old order is passing away, and the new order is taking over.

In the past, what often happened was that people would talk a good talk before getting on the City Council, but once seated they became eunuchs and did little. Many often became human rubber stamps for whatever staff put in front of them.

This New Council (caps intended) is different. It is making the changes that are necessary. Of course, the status quo folks are fighting back with constant smears and threats, but to their credit the New Council is standing its ground.

Now, some will say that this isn’t really a new council at all because there are only two new members. I disagree. The two new members have acted as catalysts for change and have invigorated the council.

One interesting thing to me about this whole process that is unfolding in front of our eyes is that the terms liberal and conservative are once again showing themselves to be inadequate to describe those involved.

One usually thinks of conservatives as the ones who don’t want change. They want to “conserve.” Yet, it is the conservatives on the council who are bringing in change, and it is people who would probably call themselves liberals who, for the most part, are fighting the change.

Meanwhile, the Les Miserables of Costa Mesa are the home-owning citizens and stable residents of this city who have had to put up with seeing our city slowly decay under the aegis of some (but not all) former gelded city council members who did little but smile and attend social events with the beautiful people.

And, while the process we see unfolding now may seem to some to be a little like a scene from “Marat/Sade,” to others of us it appears that things are moving in the right direction and at about the right speed for the good of the majority of the citizens of this city.

Costa Mesa needs change. We can’t stand still. We’ve tried that for too long. We’re in a river of time, and it is carrying us toward the rocks.

Fortunately, the New Council has finally picked up the oars and is steering us away from disaster.

Now, we have a council that seems to fully understand that it is individuals taking responsibility and actually doing things that matter and that talk is cheap.

The Bastille has been stormed, and the representatives of the beleaguered citizens of this city are inside as the New Council and they are now in charge of this city and are starting to spend our money to actually fix our city instead of just sending it to far away cities in the wallets of employees.

Vive la Revolution!

M. H. MILLARD is a resident of Costa Mesa and publishes the CM PRESS blog.