INSIDE SCOOP

-- Compiled by the Daily Pilot staff

Newport-Mesa Unified School Board Trustee Wendy Leece tried being a

team player recently and got a bad taste in her mouth in the process.

Leece said she signed her name in support of the controversial Home

Ranch project, recently approved by the Costa Mesa City Council, because

she was under the impression that the entire school board would be adding

their own John Hancocks.

But when the letter came out, Leece’s name was side-by-side with only

Jim Ferryman, the trustee she suggested should resign from the board

because of his arrest in charges of driving under the influence a few

months ago.

Leece now says she doesn’t want to have anything to do with the letter

of support.

Madame councilwoman, er... mayor

We want to tip our hats to new Costa Mesa Mayor Linda Dixon.

While Monday marked the first City Council meeting Dixon has moderated

in her formal role as mayor, she carried out her leadership role like an

old pro. (In no way are we calling the self-proclaimed “39 forever” mayor

old.)

She held audience members to the allotted three minutes of input and

helped steer council members toward appropriate comment times.

Lapses of confusion came when former Mayor Libby Cowan would ask a

question of city staff and they would answer back, “Well madame mayor, I

mean, Councilwoman Cowan...”

But it was all taken in stride. Just a little change to get used to,

council members joked.

Green(light) cheese

Southern hospitality or a trap? On the heels of a shocking revelation

by City Councilwoman Norma Glover that she hasn’t washed her walkway in

ages, yet another reason emerges to steer clear of her house.

At a recent council meeting, Glover was explaining to activist and

sometimes adversary Allan Beek how she strives to be accessible to her

constituents.

“I invite people into my house,” she told him. “I’ve had you at my

house, in my kitchen. I fed you bad cheese.”