Answers and jabs at candidates forum

COSTA MESA — Among the six City Council candidates on the Nov. 7 ballot, there is just one incumbent and one former councilman. But that hasn’t stopped some of the others from running on their records, or being forced to defend them.

Five of the six candidates for the two open council seats answered questions and subtly sparred with each other Wednesday at a forum in the council chambers. Restaurant owner Mirna Burciaga was unable to attend.

None of the questions directly addressed the current council’s plan to train some police for immigration enforcement, but several candidates brought it up anyway, with planning commissioner Bruce Garlich suggesting the city should cooperate with the county on its program to give some sheriff’s deputies federal immigration training, but adding that a city program would not be necessary.

Mayor Allan Mansoor continued his repeated criticisms of the 1901 Newport development, which includes a four-story parking structure and 145 condos, as a project that’s too dense at a particularly congested intersection.

As at other forums, Mansoor pointed out that “two of my opponents here tonight supported that, and I don’t think that’s the kind of development we should be attracting to Costa Mesa.”

Garlich, who voted for the project as a planning commissioner, responded to the barb at his earliest opportunity.

“It met all of the requirements of our code,” Garlich said. “It meets the requirements for traffic.”

Later, Garlich needled parks commissioner Wendy Leece about voting against lights for several sports fields in August but claiming to have fought for more fields.

“We do have a crisis as far as a need for lighted fields … but we have to weigh those needs with the quality-of-life issues, the peace and quiet of the homeowners” around the Farm Sports Complex, Leece said.

When the candidates were asked about drawing new business, one interesting and relatively new idea came from former Councilman Mike Scheafer. Riffing on Huntington Beach’s Surf City trademark and noting Costa Mesa’s skateboard-related businesses, he suggested, “How about Skate City, U.S.A. — Costa Mesa? I think that would be a nice draw.”

Author and hair stylist Chris Bunyan said he wants to bring citywide wireless Internet service to Costa Mesa, and he again pledged to donate his pay as a councilman, if he’s elected, to the local library fundraising campaign.

As at earlier forums, nearly all candidates listed improving public safety among their top concerns, with Mansoor saying he will fill Police Department vacancies and Garlich calling a decision to renovate the police station rather than build a new facility one of the worst council moves in recent years.

The forum will be rebroadcast on CMTV-24 at 8 p.m. today and Saturday, at 6 p.m. Friday, at 1 p.m. Sunday, and at 4 p.m. Monday. It can also be seen on Time-Warner Cable’s on-demand service on Channel 001 beginning Wednesday.

Yesterday’s debate was sponsored by the Daily Pilot, the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and Time-Warner Cable. Pilot Publisher Tom Johnson moderated the forum.