The question-and-answer segment of the show was riding on rims as soon as it began.
There are at least a few characters in Costa Mesa who — having tired of chasing Guinness records for consecutive hours of Wheel of Fortune viewing — seem to spend their time poring over the anesthetizing history of the 55 Freeway extension, concocting conspiracies and mastering tactics for commandeering a public meeting.
One chap controlled the podium for nearly 10 minutes, firing accusations of deception and fact mangling. He never asked a single question.
To Mansoor’s credit, he politely cajoled the man to resign the throne so others could participate.
And if the 150 or so folks who showed up are a representative sample of the 110,000 who call Goat Hill home, then this community is alarmingly ignorant of what its municipal government is doing while they muddle through their daily routines.
An ample number of folks hadn’t a clue that Newport Boulevard is on the cusp of being widened between 17th and 19th streets. This cluelessness reigns despite an extensive environmental study and numerous public meetings on the project over at least the last four years.
Too, the city’s denizens have trouble keeping their eye on the ball. Costa Mesa’s new Public Service Director Peter Naghavi — previously the city’s transportation chief — got sucked into the maelstrom for half an hour to discuss unrelated traffic issues on Costa Mesa’s residential streets.
