EDITORIAL

There is a way for good to come from the apparent fiasco that could

cost Orange Coast College hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

In recent weeks, Costa Mesa scrapped the college’s weekend swap meet,

for the time being, because OCC is only allowed to have the shopping

extravaganza one day a week, and with far fewer than the nearly 500

vendors who have been hocking wares recently.

Now, while the city was within its rights to do so given the

conditions placed on the swap meet, the decision turned out not to be

quite so simple. As recently as two years ago, the city approved the

swap meet’s operation. The sudden change of heart understandably shocked

both OCC officials and the vendors.

The fiasco appears to be that the inspection of the swap meet was done

on a Tuesday -- not the day to check on a weekend event. City officials

do say the inspection was not necessarily done mid-week. Possibly, the

date simply marks when the paperwork went through.

Whatever the truth turns out to be -- and it may ultimately be

impossible to determine what the Tuesday date refers to -- it does not

change the suddenness of Costa Mesa’s decision to crack down on the meet.

Until a few months ago, OCC officials had every reason to believe the

event met with city approval. They had it in writing, after all.

Given what can only be called the unfairness of the decision, it

behooves Costa Mesa officials to work with the college and rectify their

decision. And given that two years ago the swap meet met city criteria,

bringing back the full weekend event should be the end result of

discussions, even if some other conditions are put on OCC.

But even more good can come from this incident, which raises another

serious question: Are there other inspections that need to be done more

closely?

This incident provides a perfect reason for both Costa Mesa and

Newport Beach to evaluate their inspection process and make sure city

workers are doing their jobs.

Permits should be reviewed closely and fairly. And if either city

finds it hasn’t been doing its job, it should take responsibility and fix

the problem.