New group rallies for Costa Mesa Job Center

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Out of the recent sentiment floating around City Hall

that the Job Center is the hub of many community problems, a local group

has emerged to defend the city-funded employment center.

Friends of the Costa Mesa Job Center is a new group of residents and

business owners who say they are troubled by proposals to close -- or cut

back -- the Placentia Avenue center. Led by Bill Turpit, who is also

involved in the Latino Business Network and Latino Community Network, the

group’s goal is to make the City Council understand that the Job Center

is an asset to the community.

“We believe it could be improved to better address the concerns of the

community,” Turpit said Thursday. “But we don’t believe it should be

closed.”

Since Councilman Chris Steel was elected last year, the heated issue

has found its way back to the forefront of community debate. Making good

on a campaign promise, Steel reignited the controversy by demanding the

city take another look at the center’s merits.

In September, when the issue was last addressed at a council meeting,

changes appeared imminent for center. At the meeting, council members

unanimously agreed to postpone a decision on the center’s future and to

ask staff to come up with possible remedies to the problems.

The issue is scheduled to be heard again March 18.

Stacia Mancini, a recreation services division manager who is

overseeing the study on the center, said initial research proves the Job

Center is successful.

“We’ve done a tremendous amount of work and learned that other cities

want to model their job centers after ours,” Mancini told the audience at

a Latino Community Network meeting.

Mancini admitted there are ways to improve the center but said overall

it is a success in its current location.

Turpit believes a small but vocal group of residents has spread a

divisive message about those who use the center. The Friends of the Job

Center say they exist to counteract that sentiment.

Councilman Gary Monahan has already met with the new group. He said

various positions were discussed, but he didn’t learn any new

information.

Monahan still believes employers should help pay for the center, which

would increase the revenue and perhaps make the center self-sufficient.

If the employers refuse to pay a small fee, then they are overly greedy,

Monahan said.

“As much as you have to enforce the loitering laws on those looking

for work, the real key is to cite the employers who are picking up the

workers,” Monahan said. “They are not paying taxes on them, they’re not

checking identification, and for the most part not paying them a decent

wage.”

The group plans to lobby council members and get residents involved in

the debate. A recent newsletter calls for residents to speak out at

meetings and write to the council and local newspapers.

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 lolita.harper@latimes.comf7 .

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