Some fault Council for lack of transparency on selection process

East County News Service

July 2, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council has appointed Yvonne Garrett as the new City Manager, replacing Dave Witt, who is retiring on August 5 after 31 years with the Planning Department.  Garrett has served as Assistant City Manager Director of City Services for a decade. 

By Leon Thompson

February 29, 2016 (Maryland Avenue Elementary School, La Mesa) – An overflow crowd attended the Town Hall meeting with the La Mesa City Council on February 20^th to discuss the City’s future.  Mayor Mark Arapostathis greeted the attendees.

In this part of La Mesa the subject of group-homes was very much on the minds of nearby residents.  The concentration of group-homes in this neighborhood is five times the normal number.  

Deadline swiftly approaching; residents voice displeasure 

By Kristin Kjaero

September 7, 2015 (La Mesa) -- A controversy arose at the August 11 La Mesa City Council meeting when Friends of the La Mesa Library President John Schmitz noticed that a contract for the city to hire a consultant to conduct a Civic Center/Old Police Station Feasibility Study and Master Plan did not include a permanent library building. He requested that the Council add the library back in, as it was included in earlier Master Plans. Despite this omission, the Council approved the study as is, without the library.

The Council will review a Staff Report on the issue of "Interim" vs. "Permanent" library on its agenda for tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., in which Staff takes the position that the City is not obligated to build a "permanent" Library building.

Rooftop solar rules and objections to SANDAG “San Diego Forward” EIR are among key topics

East County News Service

July 11, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council will meet Tuesday, July 14 at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers.

Items of interest on the agenda include an ordinance to streamline rooftop solar applications, traffic calming measures proposed for Harbinson Avenue,  and a letter to SANDAG regarding the regional draft Environmental Impact Report San Diego Forward. Appointments to City commissions will also be made.

By Kristin Kjaero

April 14, 2015 (La Mesa) – A retirement, traffic circle safety on Harbinson after a crash, and permitting  projects after construction (from a chicken coop to a cave) were topics before the La Mesa City Council tonight.

The unmistakable star at the La Mesa City Council meeting today was Max, who is retiring at the ripe age of 7. That’s because Max is a chocolate lab and Police narcotic dog. Together with his handler, Officer Derek Cox, they have recovered over 2,700 grams of narcotics and made more than 156 felony narcotics arrests. To show he was on the job one last time, Max pawed up to inspect the Councilmembers’ desks as Cox made the rounds shaking hands. As handlers and dogs form such a strong bonds, Max is being allowed to stay with the family he loves.

Council also heard city’s quarterly financial report and filled Parking Commission vacancy

By Janis Russell

February 13, 2015 (La Mesa)- At the La Mesa city council meeting Tuesday,  former Police Chief Ed Aceves presented the quarterly crime report-and some good news:  crime last year declined from 2013. Chief Aceves said the crime rate overall is down, “the lowest it’s been since 2011.”

He also presented  charts.  One showed that in 2014, there were no homicides.  However there were  16 rapes, 68 robberies, and 124 aggravated assaults (assault with some type of injury). The aggravated assault  had the biggest increase from 2013. 28 robbery cases were cleared, or solved, in 2014.

East County News Service

January 25, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Here are some of the most important items on agendas of our local boards, commissions and councils this week in San Diego’s East County.

East County News Service

October 31, 2014 (La Mesa)—Guy McWhirter cancelled his radio interview last week, stating that he needed to assist his daughter, who is expecting a baby soon.  He asked for questions to respond to in writing. 

You can hear the radio interviews with the other four candidates, and read highlights from their interviews here: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/la-mesa-candidates-air-depth-views-interviews-east-county-magazine

For McWhirter’s written responses to our questions, click “read more” and scroll down.

Four of the five candidates sat down for in-depth radio interviews with East County Magazine. 

Hear their full interviews here (listed in the order they aired on KNSJ); or to read highlights click "read more" and scroll down:

Patrick Dean: http://kiwi6.com/file/bchwu7qbqx 

Pete Gregorovic: http://kiwi6.com/file/78puh4vuq3

Bill Baber:  http://kiwi6.com/file/t8a9fxd7io

Mary England: http://kiwi6.com/file/qn2jcyft15

Updated 11/1/14: Bill Baber has clarified his position on recusals and raised questions over possible conflicts of interests by Mary England.  See his remarks in the text below.

Update October 31, 2014: Guy McWhirter, who was not available for a radio interview, provided written responses to our candidate questions today, after the story below was published. Read his responses here.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: L. to R.: Bill Baber, Patrick Dean, Mary England, Pete Gregorovic, Guy McWhirter

October 30, 2014 (La Mesa) –La Mesa has two open seats on its City Council, since long-time Councliman Ernie Ewin is retiring and Councliman Mark Arpostathis is running for mayor.  Five candidates are running—and the winners could swing the Council in new directions for the future.   Overall, this year's pack of candidates brings extensive experience and enthusiasm to the contest to represent the citizens of La Mesa.

The first in a series of essays from No Term Limits in La Mesa to examine the underlying assumptions and principles around term limits, whether they are “needed” or work as claimed, and just what side effects they may bring with  them.

By No Term Limits in La Mesa

September 24, 2014 (La Mesa)--Proponents of term limits claim that term limits are needed because incumbent advantage makes it impossible for a challenger to win. But is this assumption really the case?

By Miriam Raftery

April 14, 2014 (La Mesa) - La Mesa’s City Council voted down a proposal by Mayor Art Madrid that would have banned Councilmembers from using their cell phones during public meetings, including closed sessions.  Mayor Madrid argued that since members of the public in the audience are asked to silence their cell phones, council members should, too.

By Alex Riggins

October 23, 2013 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to once again delay a vote that could put term limits for the mayor and the city council on ballots next year.

After nearly an hour of discussion by the council and public comments, Councilmember Ernie Ewin motioned for the matter to be delayed once again so that he and the council could have more time to decide if they will put the matter on the ballot themselves.

“I want this to be vetted, and to give us all a chance to come back and really think about this,” Ewin said as he motioned for the delay.

By Janis Mork

September 12, 2013 (La Mesa)- At Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, Council got a status report and update of  a revised and scaled down Planned Business Improvement District (PBID) development plan  from two members of the PBID  Formation Committee, Lynn McRey and Bill Ratan.  Council voted 4-1 to stop funding consulting fees for the faltering PBID effort,  dimming prospects for a PBID in La Mesa’s future. Mayor Art Madrid was the lone dissenting vote.