The City Council on Monday recognized a local Pop Warner team, welcomed new commissioners and were treated to a delightful solo guitar performance.

The Council recognitions are meant to pay homage to those in the City who make Mission Viejo a great place to live, work and play. 

The evening began with a rousing solo guitar performance by musician Tim Johnson, who launched the popular Lord of the Strings series with his wife Tina nearly a decade ago. Johnson demonstrated his talent and diversity by playing jazz, blues and other styles. He spoke about the Lord of the Strings program, which continues to grow in Mission Viejo – evident by Saturday’s full house – and several impressive upcoming programs the community can look forward to.

Members of the JPW Black Wolverines for Saddleback Valley Pop Warner Football were recognized for their vast accomplishments and impressive victories this past season. The team of 9 to 11 year olds is the best team in four states after winning the Wescon Regional Championships in Arizona. They later clinched third in the nation and received a “Sportsmanship” award at a competition in Florida. The team’s ascent to the championships was paved with victories along the way. Led by Head Coach Mac Fitch, the Wolverines ended the season playing a total of 16 games.  Mayor Dave Leckness and his Council colleagues congratulated the players and coaches for their hard work and for making Mission Viejo proud.

The final recognition of the evening included City Clerk Karen Hamman administering the Oath of Office to some of the City’s commissioners. They included Community Services Commissioners Joyce Saltzgiver, Edwin (Ed) Althof, Sharon Campbell, Brian Porter, Wendy Bucknum and John Maginnis.  Commissioner Brian Skalsky was unable to attend and will be sworn in before tonight’s Community Services Commission meeting. On the Investment Advisory Commission, Mazi Bahadori was sworn in. Commissioners Dominic Nolan, Peter Bastone and Scott Whelchel will be sworn in at a later date.  The Planning and Transportation Commission welcomed Robert Bruchmann, William (Bill) Ernisse and Steven Spillman.  Rick Sandzimier was unable to attend and has already been sworn in.

The City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of the month at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.  For more information, visit the City’s website at www.cityofmissionviejo.org.

When the City Council reconvenes on January 3, Council Member Dave Leckness will serve as Mayor and Council Member Frank Ury as Mayor Pro Tem. The council members were selected to serve in the one-year posts by their colleagues during the City Council’s annual reorganization Monday. 

This will be the first mayoral stint for Leckness, who was re-elected in November after first being elected by voters in February in a recall election. Ury, who was first elected in 2004, served as Mayor in 2009 and Mayor Pro Tem in 2006 and 2008.

During Monday’s meeting, newly elected Council Member Rhonda Reardon and re-elected Council Members Trish Kelley (who has served as Mayor this year) and Leckness were sworn into office by City Clerk Karen Hamman to begin their four-year posts.

Among a sea of supporters, Council Member John Paul Ledesma, who was termed out, was honored for his vast contributions to Mission Viejo.

The City Council meets the first and third Monday of the month in Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 Civic Center. The Dec. 20 meeting was canceled due to the holidays.

For more information, visit the City’s website at www.cityofmissionviejo.org.

Newly elected Council Member Rhonda Reardon and re-elected Council Members Trish Kelley and Dave Leckness will be sworn into office tonight to begin their four-year posts.

During the council’s meeting, Council Member John Paul Ledesma, who was termed out, will be honored for his vast contributions to Mission Viejo.

Ledesma, who has served this community since 1998, will be honored by Orange County Supervisor Patricia Bates and will receive accolades from representatives from the offices of Congressman Gary Miller, Senator Mimi Walters and Assemblyman Jeff Miller. Lt. Mike Gavin, Chief of Mission Viejo Police Services, will present Ledesma with a Sheriff’s appreciation plaque. 

During tonight’s meeting, the City Council will also select a new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to serve for the upcoming year.  Kelley has held the mayoral post this past year. Leckness has served as Mayor Pro Tem since he was first elected by voters in February in a recall election. 

The council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 200 Civic Center. For more information, visit the City’s website at www.cityofmissionviejo.org.

The City Council on Dec. 6 is expected to certify the results of Tuesday’s election in which City voters re-elected Mayor Trish Kelley and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Leckness and elected Rhonda Reardon, a retired business manager, to office for 4-year posts.

According to the unofficial results from the Registrar of Voters, Kelley was the top vote getter with 18.6 percent followed by Leckness who received 13.4 percent of votes. Reardon, who also received 13.4 percent of votes, trailed Leckness by two votes.

Kelley has served on the council since 2002. Leckness was first elected by voters in February to replace former Councilman Lance MacLean who was removed from office in a recall election.

At the Council’s Dec. 6 meeting, Kelley, Leckness and Reardon will be sworn in and Councilman John Paul Ledesma, who was termed out, will be honored for his vast contributions to Mission Viejo.

An updated list of results (votes/percentages) will be posted today at 5:00 p.m. on the Registrar of Voters website at http://www.ocvote.com/live/gen2010/results.htm.

The City Council meets the first and third Monday of the month. Its meeting agendas are posted on the City’s website. For more information, visit www.cityofmissionviejo.org.

With Election Day just days away, the City is reminding voters that the polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2.  

Residents can find their specific polling place by calling the City Clerk’s office at 949-470-3052; the Registrar of Voters at 714-567-7600; or by visiting the Registrar of Voters website at http://www.ocvote.com/vote/polling.htm.  Just enter an address in the fields provided, and the site will confirm the polling location and provide a copy of the voter’s sample ballot.  

The public can also view “live” election night results beginning at about 8:00 p.m. through the following link: http://www.ocvote.com/live/gen2010/results.htm.

Monday is the last day the public can register to vote in the November 2 General Election.  

Voter registration applications are available at Mission Viejo City Hall (200 Civic Center); the Mission Viejo Library (100 Civic Center); and at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center (24932 Veterans Way).

An on-line voter registration form is also available through the Orange County Registrar of Voters web site at http://www.ocvote.com.

City Hall and the Mission Viejo Library will be open late Monday, Oct. 18 to help residents file their voter registration applications.  City hall will be open until 7:00 p.m., with the library staying open until 9:00 p.m.

For more information on the November 2 election, visit the City’s Election Information web page at http://www.cityofmissionviejo.org/DepartmentPage.aspx?id=11261. Detailed information is also available on the Registrar of Voters website at http://www.ocvote.com/election/gen2010/gen2010.htm.

The race is on. As of today, 12 candidates were officially lined up for three open Mission Viejo City Council seats in November. The deadline to file papers ended today.

On Nov. 2, voters will consider the following candidates: Patricia “Trish” Kelley, a City Council Member; Brian Skalsky, City commissioner; David “Dave” Leckness, a Mission Viejo Councilman/businessman; Rick Sandzimier, a Mission Viejo commissioner/businessman; Fred Carr, a local businessman; Ken Golemo, a consumer marketing consultant; Mark Dobrilovic, a commissioner/financial advisor; Sam Mamola, a trust attorney/businessman; Bill Barker, a registered professional engineer; Rhonda Reardon, a retired business manager; Lance MacLean, an FDIC operations specialist; and Neil Lonsinger, a retired service executive.

The public can review the “Candidate Statements” at the close of business on the City’s website at http://www.cityofmissionviejo.org/DepartmentPage.aspx?id=11261.

Three more candidates – Rick Sandzimier, Fred Carr and Ken Golemo – have qualified for the November City Council election, joining Mayor Trish Kelley, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Leckness and City Commissioner Brian Skalsky who officially qualified for the race last week.

Sandzimier is a Mission Viejo commissioner and businessman; Carr is a local business man; and Golemo is a consumer marketing consultant. The candidates will vie for three seats currently occupied by Mayor Kelley, Mayor Pro Tem Leckness and Council Member John Paul Ledesma, who is not eligible for re-election due to the City’s term-limit ordinance.

Four other candidates have filed papers but have not yet qualified. They include Mark Dobrilovic, a commissioner and financial advisor; Sam Mamola, a trust attorney and businessman; Bill Barker, a registered professional engineer; and Rhonda Reardon, a retired business manager.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6 to file nomination documents and statements of qualification for office.

For more information, call 949-470-3033.

Mayor Trish Kelley has become the first official City Council candidate in the November election, after filing her nomination documents on Thursday and officially qualifying for office today. She is joined by City Commissioner Brian Skalsky and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Leckness whose candidacies also became official today.

Twelve other residents have pulled papers for three open seats in the City Council election. The posts are currently occupied by Mayor Kelley, Mayor Pro Tem Leckness and Council Member John Paul Ledesma, who is not eligible for re-election due to the City’s term limit ordinance.

The candidates who have pulled papers so far include Daniel Avery, web designer; Bill Barker, registered professional engineer; Donna Bourassa, MVEA treasurer; Fred Carr, businessman; Mark Dobrilovic, financial advisor; Ken Golemo, consumer marketing consultant; Neil Lonsinger; Lance MacLean, former Council Member; Sam Mamola, trust attorney/businessman; Rhonda B. Reardon, retired businesswoman; Richard (Rick) Sandzimier, a planning/transportation consultant; and Steven D. Sperling, Esq., an attorney.

City Council Candidate Nomination Papers are available during the nomination period that began on July 12 and ends next Friday, Aug. 6. Candidates have until 5 p.m. that day to file nomination documents and statements of qualification for office. The deadline extends to Aug. 11 only if an incumbent is not running for re-election and does not file papers by Aug. 6.

Candidates must be registered voters and reside in the City of Mission Viejo.

For more information, call 949-470-3033.

The filing period to run for municipal office opens at 8:00 a.m. on July 12. City Council Candidate Nomination Papers are available for three 4-year terms during the nomination period that ends on Friday, Aug. 6. The Municipal Election takes place on Nov. 2, 2010.

The incumbents currently occupying two of the seats up for election are Mayor Trish Kelley and Mayor Pro Tem Dave Leckness. Council Member John Paul Ledesma is not eligible for re-election due to the City’s term limit ordinance.

Candidates have until 5:00 p.m. Aug. 6 to file nomination documents and statements of qualification for office. The deadline extends to Aug. 11 only if one or both of the incumbents eligible for re-election do not file nomination papers by the Aug. 6 deadline.

Candidates must be registered voters and reside in the City of Mission Viejo. Nomination papers must be signed by not less than 20 nor more than 30 registered voters in Mission Viejo. Each candidate is required to file a Statement of Economic Interests disclosing investments and interests in real property when the nomination papers are returned for filing. There is no charge for filing nomination papers.

Candidates can also prepare a statement that includes name, age and occupation and a brief description of no more than 200 words about the candidate’s education and qualifications. The statement is filed with the nomination papers and is included in the sample ballot materials mailed to voters. The charge for providing this service is $1,154 and is payable at the time of filing nomination papers.

The candidate’s packet containing the nomination papers and related election materials needed to run for office will be available starting Monday, July 12. All forms required for nomination and election to municipal office are furnished by and filed with the City Clerk. Appointments to obtain the candidate’s packet and review the information with the City Clerk are highly encouraged. The City Clerk’s office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. City Hall is at 200 Civic Center. For more information or to make an appointment with the City Clerk, please call 949-470-3033.