Winning isn’t everything

Dave Brooks

Bob Mellema is embarking on his first foray into a local politics, an

experience that he said will be educational even if he doesn’t like

his odds of winning.

“I’d say slim to none, and slim left town,” he laughed.

More than anything else, Mellema said he just wants to establish a

presence in his North Huntington Beach neighborhood.

“It’s not about chances, its about letting people know that you’re

running,” he said.

Mellema suggested he may be laying the groundwork for the next

campaign, , or maybe larger bigger ambitions.

It’s all part of the mystique that surrounds Mellema and his

hands-off approach to a campaign that appears to have very little in

the way of strategic planning.

Mellema admits that he hasn’t been to a City Council meeting in

several years, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to serve on the

dais.

He said he’s ready to tackle the city’s environmental concerns so

that he can put them on the back burner.

“The Bolsa Chica Wetlands is the last thing on my list to

consider,” he said. “I think the environmentalists are a small group

of people trying to convince the city to go one way,” he said.

He’s outraged over the ticketing of cars for street sweeping,

which he calls “totally absurd.” And he’s really annoyed by those

pesky police helicopters that fly overhead and make so much noise.

“They drive me up a wall,” he said.

As for fiscal responsibility, the city needs to get out of the

business of social programs, he said.

“I don’t know which ones, but I want to see social services

privatized: They’re a waste of time and money,” he said. “Those

things should be funded through donors, it’s the community’s

responsibility. Of course, I could be totally wrong, but that’s my

opinion.”

On other city issues, Mellema said he wasn’t ready to go in-depth,

but he did ring off a list of things he’s against: homosexual

marriage, state funded services for illegal immigrants, abortion and

the Federal Endangered Species Act.

Mellema said he gets most of his inspiration from the Bible and

his collection of self-help literature, both of which he reads daily.

When he’s not working, he enjoys fishing and hiking and is active in

his church.

“I think I have what it takes to make a great councilman,” he

said. “I will always listen and you can count on me to be at every

meeting.”