While today is my last day as a Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commissioner, I have many things to be thankful for. First and foremost, the city staff at Costa Mesa City Hall are second to none. They all care and love this city with the utmost in respect for keeping it a beautiful place to live. While we all know they are doing more with less money, they are doing a great job at maintaining a level of professionalism to make things happen and get the job done. I have the privilege and honor to work with great people, City Manager Alan Roeder, incoming City Manager Tom Hatch, Peter Naghavi, Steve Mandoki, Bruce Hartley, Lisa Mcpherson, Joyce Santos and the many others that I know I did not mention. Thank you all-

As I reflect back on the last four years, I am most thankful for the valuable learning experience it provided me. I became a Parks and Recreation Commissioner out of the love for our great programs, parks and sports facilities. The desire to improve upon what was already a great thing had been the driving force behind everything I did as a commissioner. I can tell you that any and all decisions I made; the votes I posted were always given with great thought and not without public consideration. Not once did I make a decision that I felt were political in anyway. Not once did I make a decision based on my political future. But rather, I made decisions based on what I thought were the best decisions for our city. Period. Besides, who was I fooling; I’m just a Parks and Recreation Commissioner right? I mean, I can count on my hand the rare instance that any member of the city council every called to disuss important issues with me regarding the decisions we were making at Parks and Recreation. In the last four years, I was Vice Chairman for one year, Chairman for two years, and commissioner for one year. You would think that the council members would care enough about our city and issues concerning Parks and Recreation that they would want to have open communication with our commission but, not once did I ever receive a call from Mayor Mansoor, Councilman Bever, and Councilman Monahan.  And then it came to me; they are the politicians. Wow what a realization. Revelation. I was so naive to think that they actually cared about our city. But don’t get me wrong, some of them did call me…. Katrina Foley who has moved to the Newport Mesa School Board which is a great place and position for her, she cares. Wendy Leece who has been all but alienated by her fellow council members has little she can do, but she does care. I received calls by them, but they are out. Literally. The only other calls I got where when they asked for me to endorse them for their campaigns; Councilman Monahan, and Councilman Righeimer you are welcome. I can tell you that I received many, many, many calls from then Planning Commissioner Mensinger, now Councilman Mensinger and believe me, once I did not do something his way, I knew my commissioner days were heading for the highway. And so the reality of that is coming to fruition today.

Now I know where you are all heading with this, Kurt is just salty and upset he did not get reappointed… He’s just taking it out on the City Council. While it is easy to say that, the answer is no. No I am not mad. But rather, I am saying all this because I think the citizens of Costa Mesa need to wake up and take part in Costa Mesa’s future. We all need to stand up and be heard. At the same time, we need to demand that Costa Mesa City Government actually talk to each other. That Commissions and Council meet every other month in a public forum to discuss important issues and items that are going to shape the future of our city. What has been the status quo should be status no. No more. Important decisions need to be made and how can we really achieve greatness in our city government when the right hand doesn’t talk to the left. That a council member doe not even have a conversation with commission members unless it’s at a ribbon cutting and the media is around. This is what needs to change.

That is of course just my opinion; let it be known that I have always had an appreciation for all those members of the community that go before our city government on a regular basis to voice their opinions. While many of us think they are whacky and even crazy for doing so, at least they step out on that limb. It now it looks like I have joined them!

Kurt Galitski

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