La Mesa Council

HOW THE CITY OF LA MESA GAMES THE SYSTEM - PART 2



By Joseph Glidden

 

How the City Games the System to Keep Its Residents Uninformed, Unengaged, and Uninspired.

April 11, 2017 (La Mesa)--The Strategic Planning Workshop is arguably the city council’s most important public meeting of the year. Police, Fire and city employees are always well represented, but few residents are in attendance. The city does little to promote civic engagement. If anything, it actively discourages community involvement in the following ways:


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HOW THE CITY OF LA MESA GAMES THE SYSTEM—PART 1



 

How the City Games the System Through Sampling Bias

By Joseph Glidden

April 10, 2017 (La Mesa) --At its annual Town Hall Meetings, the City of La Mesa gathers skewed data that is then uses to make important decisions at the Strategic Planning Session held later in the year. While the town hall meetings might give the illusion of civic engagement, the data collected is misleading at best. Once again the City Council is busy with the irrelevant, at the expense of the essential.  

La Mesa has been holding annual town hall meetings for the past 10 years. One on the east side of town and the other on the west. Over the years and at both locations, the concerns voiced by residents have been conspicuously similar. Why would this be so?


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LA MESA COUNCIL CONSIDERS SPONSORSHIP OF CAR SHOW

May 24, 2016 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa City Council meets today at 6 p.m. in City Hall. 

The agenda includes a proposal for the city to take over sponsorship of the “Back to the 50s” car show, an event formerly organized and funded by the La Mesa Village Merchants Association.

Council will also weigh changes to parking requirements in the downtown commercial area, as well as  whether  to approve proposed transportation and street improvements.


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LA MESANS MEET CANDIDATES AT CHAMBER DEBATE

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Mayoral candidate Mark Arapostathis and Mayor Art Madrid (top); City Council candidates (left to right) Bill Baber, Patrick Dean, Mary England, Pete Gregorovic, Guy McWhirter

September 25, 2014 (La Mesa)—Candidates  for La Mesa’s mayoral and city council races made their cases to voters at a forum held by the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce last week, tackling issues ranging from future development to public safety, pensions, and homelessness. 

Art Madrid, who has served as La Mesa’s Mayor for over 24 years, faces a challenge from Councilmember/teacher Mark Arapostathis.  Five candidates are vying for two open seats on the La Mesa Council. They are Bill Baber, an attorney and La Mesa-Spring Valley school board member; Patrick Dean, a chef and member of  La Mesa’s Community Services Commission; Mary England, president of La Mesa Chamber of Commerce;  Pete Gregorovic, a business attorney and youth sports leader; and Guy McWhirter, an insurance agent.

For key points made by each candidate, as well as links to video opening statements and raw audio of the debate, click "read more" and scroll down.


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LA MESA RACES HEAT UP : ARAPOSTATHIS TO CHALLENGE MADRID FOR MAYOR

 

Ewin to step down, leaving two vacancies to fill on Council

By Miriam Raftery

April 6, 2014 (La Mesa) – The filing deadline isn’t until  August for La Mesa’s city council and mayoral races.  But at least two candidates have already declared their intention to vie for Mayor.  Art Madrid announced on East County Magazine’s radio show that he is seeking reelection. Listen to interview here.  Councilman Mark Arpostathis held a press conference to announce he plans to challenge Mayor Madrid. View video of his announcement here.

Whether Aropstathis wins or loses the mayoral challenge, it will open up his seat on the city council.  In addition, long-serving Councilman Ernie Ewin announced this week that he will not seek reelection and has further indicated he will not run for mayor, San Diego Rostra reported. That leaves two open seats on La Mesa’s  council –and a potential shift in the balance of power and priorities for La Mesa.


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LA MESA CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS UPDATE OF PARK STATION PROJECT

 

By Janis Mork

March 27, 2013 (La Mesa)- At yesterday’s La Mesa City Council meeting, Councilmember Ernie Ewin requested an update on the status of the Park Station project, a proposed 18-story mixed use building. 

City manager David Witt asked Bill Chopyk, Community Development Director, to discuss the process. 


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FROM LAWN MOWERS TO TRAVEL PERKS, WATCHDOG GROUP WEIGHS IN ON LA MESA COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS

La Mesa Citizens Oversight Group has sent a letter to council members voicing concerns over three items on the  agenda for the upcoming city council meeting Tuesday. The group advocates for  “open, accountable, cost-effective, efficient government, and for opposing unnecessary taxes, fees, regulations, and policies."


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LA MESA MERCHANT CLAIMS 'DECEITFUL' DEPICTION OF LOCAL BUSINESS IN COUNCIL CANDIDATE LOTHIAN'S CAMPAIGN MATERIAL

By Miriam Raftery

October 29, 2012 (La Mesa)—The owners of Hunter’s Carpet in La Mesa have sent a letter to Council candidate Laura Lothian, with a copy to the City Attorney, contending that Lothian’s campaign falsely represented the carpet company’s property as an eyesore. 

“The picture you promote as “typical trash” in the city is a gross misrepresentation,” the owners wrote.  “Evidently it’s your practice to be deceitful during your political campaigns,” the letter added, noting that the tactic is “similar to your last election campaign.” Lothian displayed a photo of the property in campaign materials touting a need to eliminate blight. 


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LA MESA COUNCIL WEIGHS PBID, HEARS IMPASSIONED TESTIMONY

By Miriam Raftery

 

 


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LA MESA SPOTLIGHT: CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE PATRICK DEAN


It’s All About Priorities

 

By Kristin Kjaero

 

In Part Four of this series on election races in La Mesa, East County Magazine spotlights City Council candidate Patrick Dean. For this series we asked all candidates the same set of questions on local issues, with an open invitation to bring up anything else they would like to discuss at the end of the session. 

September 15, 2010 (La Mesa) – Quality of life issues lead La Mesa City Council candidate Patrick Dean’s priorities, from his personal approach to life to his visions for the City.


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3 POLITICAL EVENTS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16


September 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Political wonks, mark your calendars! Three major political events are slated for September 16th.

La Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosts a forum for La Mesa mayoral and council candidates. East County Democratic Club has a forum on ballot initiatives plus state legislative and Congressional candidates. In addition, the Eastlake-Bonita Democratic Club has candidates for legislature, school boards, and more.


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LA MESA CHAMBER INVITES YOU TO "MEET THE CANDIDATES"

 

Mayor, Council candidates to participate on panel Thursday, September 16
 

August 25, 2010 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce has invited all candidates running for mayor and city council to share their views in a free public forum on Thursday, September 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa. Thus far, both of the  mayoral candidates and five of the six Council candidates have accepted the Chamber's invitation. They are:
 

 


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