Us versus them continues to hurt Costa Mesa

Geoff West

For years, a tight-knit group of Westside residents, referred to as

the “improvers,” have waged a battle with the city powers-that-be,

hoping to resurrect their part of our city from the signs and causes

of decay.

They have participated in study after study, attended meeting

after meeting and joined committees, hoping to affect change in their

part of town. Members of their group have stood before the City

Council, Redevelopment Agency and Planning Commission and made

impassioned pleas for changes in the circumstances they feel cause

the decline in their neighborhoods. These targets have included the

Job Center and numerous charities on the Westside, as well as the

Orange Coast College Swap Meet -- all of which fit their definition

of “magnets” for undesirable elements in the community.

They have also targeted businesses on the Westside, some of which

they claim are poisoning their downwind neighborhoods with noxious

airborne pollutants. They have espoused re-zoning the Westside bluffs

industrial area, assuming that such an act will force out many of the

businesses located there -- and the jobs they provide to “undesirable

elements” -- under the guise of putting that land to its “best and

highest use,” upscale single family homes.

Among other complaints are the proliferation of vending carts and

produce trucks prowling their neighborhoods and the general

untidiness of the area, despite the fact that more infrastructure

improvement and beautification dollars have been spent by the city in

that part of town than any other in recent years.

Other complaints have ranged from the very serious -- a rising

crime rate and increased gang activity -- to others less important in

the grand scheme of things -- the “illegal” use of soccer balls in

some parks, for example.

The improvers have managed to get two sympathetic candidates,

Chris Steel and Allan Mansoor, elected to the City Council by clever

manipulation of the process, and have high hopes of acquiring a

majority on the council at the 2004 election. That potential majority

was stifled recently when Eric Bever stepped aside and allowed Mike

Scheafer to become the appointed candidate to replace departed Mayor

Karen Robinson.

They have participated in the Community Redevelopment Action

Committee, which has also frustrated their efforts to make changes

occur. At least one of their number has recently called for a

perpetuation of the group, stating that “We didn’t get what we

wanted.”

All these years of effort and, in their eyes, rejection have

resulted in what might be best described as an “us versus them”

mentality by many members of the group. The tension among some of

their members is quite obvious. This may have been a result of

disappointment in Chris Steel -- a man they felt would effectively

champion their cause when elected to the council. He has, of course,

proven to be a dismal failure in that regard -- providing no

leadership in the resolution of issues important to the group.

As acting mayor, when given the chance recently by Robinson’s

departure, he not only failed to lead, but he has been unable to

build alliances necessary to achieve majority votes on many Westside

issues. It appears that, despite his role as mayor pro tem, he has

been shoved off into a corner recently and his opinions given little

credence by the other council members. It’s highly unlikely he will

manage enough votes to be re-elected in 2004, which is good news for

a city desperate for leadership.

While most residents of this city are sympathetic to the issues

that concern the improvers, the possibility of a narrowly focused

majority on the City Council causes a good deal of apprehension among

other members of the community. This is especially so when

considering the underlying philosophy of one of their most outspoken

participants, Martin Millard, a City Hall activist known for his

controversial views.

As long as the group remains closely aligned with him, their

motives will also be suspect. As long as he appears to be pulling

strings behind the curtain, it will be assumed that they share his

philosophy on race. Clearly, it is their choice to make.

* GEOFF WEST is a Costa Mesa resident.