DO NOT ENTER!

Tonight’s Costa Mesa City Council agenda includes a closed session on the following item:

Conference with Real Property Negotiators – Property: 88 Fair Drive. Agency Negotiator: Allan Roeder, City Manager. Negotiating parties: State of California, Under negotiation: price, terms of payment. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8.

88 Fair Drive happens to be the Orange County Fairgrounds. I’d sure like to know how the City Council got to the point of discussing price and terms of payment before they even publicly voted whether or not to pursue the purchase. Was there a special meeting? No such meeting was noticed. Did the City Council meet privately to decide to pursue a purchase?

It would seem they have the cart before the horse here, preparing to negotiate before they have decided whether or not to pursue purchase. They must also decide whether to pursue purchase on their own or in partnership with others.

The public must be included in an open discussion as to whether the city should go it alone or join a consortium with others, such as the proposed foundation which would give unelected, self-appointed political schemers a majority vote. Whether or not to join a private foundation is certainly not a permitted exception to public discussion under open meeting laws.

Of course if they do decide to join the proposed foundation without the public, they will be joining kindred spirits. As covered by the Daily Pilot, it seems the Thirty Second Agricultural District Board/Orange County Fair Board may already be violating open meeting laws.