BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

The Costa Mesa City Council is scheduled to decide on Monday whether

to free $800,000 for a project that could make City Hall and the Police

Facility safer in the event of an earthquake.

If the council does approve the retrofitting, it also will begin

seeking bids for the project.

The item does not require council discussion.

But Mayor Gary Monahan said council members should think before they

decide to commit the money.

“Why spend this kind of money on a building if we’re still looking at

moving City Hall,” he said, referring to ongoing talks about relocating

the facility to a vacant Spanish-style building on 19th Street and

Newport Boulevard. “We should seriously think first before signing this

off.”

The City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 77 Fair

Drive.

-- Andrew Glazer