Mailbag: Commissioner’s commentary unfairly insulted officials

Re “Community Commentary: Pension problem deepening,” Feb. 4:

It is unseemly for a planning commissioner to disparage council members, whether past or present.

Yet, in his Forum piece, Colin McCarthy writes, “In Costa Mesa, our elected leaders were bullied by the unions into accepting one of the biggest taxpayer rip-offs around ...”

And later, “... this is a failure of leadership ...” and “... our local elected leaders need to better negotiate contracts ...” Further, he writes, “Our elected leaders also need to read the fine print and understand the details of what they are agreeing to.”

These were general insults.

He then commits lèse-majesté on the current mayor: “Two years ago I attended a community meeting in which an elected City Council member could not even articulate the details of the contract he had just voted for.”

Lucky for him he lives in Costa Mesa. On Dec. 8, an offense against the dignity of the reigning sovereign of Thailand netted Joe Gordon, an American citizen, two and a half years in prison.

Then he returns to insulting council members from the past: “We are now paying the price for the lack of education and understanding by our elected leaders.”

This reckless talk by a sitting commissioner moves me to echo the words aimed at Sen. Joe McCarthy by Joseph N. Welch in the Army-McCarthy hearings: “You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”

Tom Egan

Costa Mesa

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School board making poor financial decisions

Re “Barbot hired by board,” Former superintendent takes on job for the interim,” Feb. 2:

Let’s recap the saga of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board. This board provided a five-month paid administrative leave to Jeffrey Hubbard so that he could adequately prepare for his defense after he was charged with financial improprieties while being employed by the Beverly Hills Unified School District.

Deputy Supt. and Chief Business Official Paul Reed, awarded with an additional stipend, provided excellent leadership for the school district during Hubbard’s absence. Hubbard was found guilty as charged on two of the three charges facing him and he was sacked by N-MUSD.

Now the school board recommends that Hubbard be replaced by Rob Barbot for five months as a retired former superintendent requiring additional housing compensation to relocate to Southern California.

Is our local school administration so bereft of talent that a temporary replacement cannot be found to cover the time necessary to recruit a permanent superintendent? If the school board had to pay the proposed exorbitant compensation for a temporary replacement out of their own wealth, would they be more financial prudent about their decisions?

Charles Randolph

Balboa Island