Councilman’s trip fills the bill

Alicia Robinson

Lobbying in Sacramento may have saved Newport Beach millions of

dollars. On a trip to the Capitol this week, Newport Beach City

Councilman Steve Rosansky persuaded legislators to change a bill that

would have required the city to pay fair market value for an 18-acre

parcel owned by Caltrans.

The city has worked for more than three years to get the land for

a park. Under an earlier bill, the city would have paid $1.35 million

to the state and then leased the property from the state parks

department.

But in May, the Assembly passed a bill allowing the state to

charge fair market value for a number of surplus properties, which

could have jacked up the parkland’s price to $18 million.

In a Senate committee hearing Tuesday, the California Department

of Transportation parcel was taken out of the bill.

“We don’t have a signed lease yet at this point, but we’re

certainly in a better position to work with the Department of General

Services because the sale will be off the table and they’ll kind of

be forced to work with us,” Rosansky said.

Things could still change. Rosansky said he was worried that the

bill could be rewritten before it gets to Senate floor. The city also

has discussed buying the property outright rather than leasing it

from the state. That would cost more, but Rosansky wouldn’t disclose

possible prices.

“It’s safe to say that the city is not interested in paying

significantly more than the deal that we have in place,” he said. “We

do perceive a value in owning it, and that would lead to a higher

price than the [$1.35 million] but nothing outrageous.”

A PROMISE KEPT

Just as she promised when joining the Orange County Transportation

Authority Board in January, former Newport Beach Assemblywoman

Marilyn Brewer will step down from the board today because she’s

running for office.

When she was appointed as one of two public representatives on the

18-member board, Brewer signed an agreement saying she’d quit if she

planned to solicit or accept political contributions. In early June,

she announced that she’ll seek to replace Rep. Chris Cox, who has

been appointed but not yet confirmed to head the Securities and

Exchange Commission.

She said she’s not sure if other board members had to sign such

agreements, but added, “I’m a woman of integrity, and so I’m going to

comply with it.”

Once she officially resigns, which she said she expects to do

today, she’ll put her full efforts into campaigning and fundraising.

Brewer said she’s in the process of finding a headquarters and

putting a campaign team together.

HE’LL DRINK TO THAT

Here’s to steaks and beer. Costa Mesa City Councilman Gary Monahan

will celebrate the fifth anniversary of his restaurant and bar, Skosh

Mohanan’s Steakhouse & Irish Pub, today. He’ll donate 10% of the

evening’s sales to the nonprofit group Talk About Curing Autism.

Skosh Monahan’s is at 2000 Newport Blvd. in Costa Mesa. For

information, call (949) 548-0099 or visit the Talk About Curing

Autism website at https://www.tacanow.com.

MAYOR’S AWARD NODS

Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor is soliciting nominations for the

Mayor’s Award, which recognizes volunteerism and service to the

community. City residents and people who work or volunteer in Costa

Mesa are eligible. The mayor will choose honorees.

Anyone wishing to nominate someone should write a letter

explaining why that person deserves the award. Letters can be

submitted through the city’s website at

https://www.ci.costa-mesa.ca.us, faxed to (714) 754-5330 or sent by

mail to P.O. Box 1200, Costa Mesa, CA 92668.