Volunteer Government?

The whole case for a new City Hall in Newport Beach and
those against it on dedicated Park Land and those for any
alternative location other than its present location came
under fire yesterday! Phil Arst....the famous "Founder
of Green Light" has come up with an alternative solution
to all the Initiatives, Arguments and Distilled thinking.
Phil thinks it might be best to just "Downsize Big time".

Phil points out that Newport Beach has the 2nd highest
Public Employee ratio in Orange County, second only to
the elitist Laguna Beach...or Labeana Guch as we here
in Newport Beach call it. Phil believes we can cut
personnel and guess what? Yes, keep our old Newport
Beach City Hall with a simple new coat of paint. Phil
thinks we can control Government Spending, Reduce Pension
and Health Costs and make Government Efficient! Sounds
like pretty naive thinking to us. This thinking is quite
akin to spreading grass seed on manure and believing we
will never have to mow the grass!

OK, but let us not disregard Phil's idea without giving
it a good once or twice over. How about Volunteerism?
Right now, we need a good Volunteer City Attorney. You
know, someone who could work from home and use their
computer at home and make silly suggestions about adding
new consultants and City Prosecutors that could also work
from home. How about Lifeguards? Who needs full time
Lifeguards? Just call one when someone is drowning! It
could be like 911. Hey, everyone has cell phones right?
We are watching some overweight inlander bouncing up and
down in the waves.....we could call a Volunteer Lifeguard
to come running to the rescue.

We could go on and on about watching Bank Robberies or
seeing a house go up in flames....but you get the idea...
that we do need more Volunteerism in Newport Beach! Hey,
we were in the Citizens Police Academy #7...we know our
way around a squad car or cold sidewalk. We are ready
anytime to Volunteer to stop wrongdoing anytime we see it.

But Phil's sense is quite correct. Is there a lot of fat
on burner when it comes to Government? Any Government?
Of course there is! Do we need more efficient ways of
making Government work? All we can! Should we simply
laugh when someone wants to make our town a better place?
Never!

So, what can we do? We can start by keeping those well
paid Public Officials, Bureaucrats and Staff - aware that
we want a well run operation. We expect intelligent,
caring and well thought out respect for not just the City
but all the citizens within it. So, to Homer, Dave, Sharon,
Chief's Lewis and Klein....stay alert people! We expect
great things of you...and if we are going to spend $65 mil
for a new City Hall.......it better be efficient, elegant,
utilitarian and worth visiting! Phil..."keep thinking" it
is a very attractive thing to do for a responsible citizen!