Great Park Board Members Fire Back at Shea and Choi

Both the LA Times and the OC Register had stories about yesterday’s Great Park Board meeting yesterday, but neither story does the tone of the meeting much justice.  So here’s a link for you with video: http://irvine.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=19&clip_id=1365.  Just skip ahead to the discussion on the search for the Great Park CEO for Director Bill Kogerman’s 9 minute rip on Shea and Choi’s shenanigans that starts at about the 1:38 minute mark of the video.  Kogerman is a retired USMC Lt. Colonel with a low tolerance for bullstuff.  Blistering video.

The money quote from Kogerman:

“Choi and Shea’s actual contributions to the creation of the Great Park are insignificant compared to their obstructive political campaigning.”

More after the flip: 

Irvine Mayor Beth Krom makes an eloquent speech about former Great Park CEO Marty Bryant and how he atoned for mistakes in his youth.  Krom also talke about how board members made time for the interviewing process with the recruiter to ascertain the type of person and experience they were looking for in the CEO position; only two board memebrs couldn’t meet in person and did this over the phone and we, the viewer, was left with the impression that the two who didn’t make time for face-to-face meetings were Shea and Choi.

But the true star of the show was Lisa Mills of the Mills Group who effectively blew huge holes in Shea & Choi’s charges that a national search wasn’t really conducted.  About 150 resumes from 13 states and five countries came in for the Great Park CEO position. 

And as far as the search committee’s work and recommendations went, there was great enthusiasm for the top candidate for the job (a person whose late twin brother worked for Larry Agran more than 20 years ago). Agran himself reveals he barely knew the brother applying and shared the enthusiam of the candidate along with the rest of the board; hardly cronyism that Shea and Choi make it out to be.  Agran admonished the press for not doing a thorough job of investigation but I’d remind the chairman that he could do a better job of being proactive with our MSM friends too.

What viewers came away with was a sense of the detail and diligence the chair and board went through to whittle down the candidates.  Also, a bit about the legal challenge that pits the right of board members to seek records and the rights of privancy guaranteed to individuals applying for the job.  A local case in Lake Forest, sided with the right of privacy for the individual over the need of the board member to view recorcds.  Confidentiality is the number one concern expressed by candidates applying for work according to Mills. In short, there is no doubt a national search was in fact conducted.

Lastly, there was a statement by Shea alluding to putting up her own “personal” money to file the lawsuit.  In the suit itself, Shea and Choi seek to have their legal fees reimbursed meaning taxpayers would have to pick up the tab should they be successful in their suit. 

I’ve watched the meetings and city council meetings onine for awhile.  If oen could construct a drinking game by which you need a down a shot everytime Shea says “I don’t understand” or Choi says “I’m not prepared,” bring a designated driver.  You’ll need one.