Bye, bye Beazley, bye, bye board.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 12:16AM So let’s review.
Multiple months ago our ‘loyal’ Orange County Fair Board decided to do their job. What was in the best interest of our Fairgrounds?
“Let’s set up our own Foundation, and we’ll buy it,” they said.
Forget about conflicts of interest, forget about responsibility, forget about our loyal vendors, etc, etc.
Our ‘fair’ Fair Board stood tall, backed by their CEO, Steve Beazley.
They stood tall against the criticism of the community.
They stood tall against the criticism of their vendors.
“If we don’t like the direction of the sale, we can simply void the proceeding,” was heard from their members.
And so, the Orange County Fairgrounds was put up for sale.
The community became outraged.
No problem, the board and their CEO stood their ground.
At times, you could notice that cocky grin on their mouths.
Vendor after vendor exuded their outrage.
Community member after community member expressed their concern.
The board, though, decided not to listen.
And, their CEO, again, with that cocky grin, agreed.
And so, as the story goes, the state agreed with that board and put the fairgrounds up for sale.
The bids came.
The state, hoping for some $180 million to help the state budget, got a high bid of $57 million.
That’s right, no typo here, $57 million. $123 million short of their goal.
Oops, wrong decision.
And so, the sale was cancelled.
So what’s next?
First off, Beazley, who lives in Costa Mesa is now requesting security help.
On tomorrow’s agenda is a request by Beazley for a home security system.
First off, I like Beazley. I like his wife Dianne. I know he has kids.
But, the request for help is unjustified.
You shouldn’t be allowed to roughshod the community and then, when they turn against you, you ask for help.
You want security, buy your own system.
The old adage is, dig your hole and then live in it.
Sorry Steve.
As far as the sale.
Everyone knows what’s coming.
The Governor is embarrassed by our Fair Board.
He’s embarrassed by our CEO.
They think they can shut off the valve when they want ... come again.
The hook is a comin’ as they say.
The Fair Board is done.
Kaput.
Look for the state to enter into an agreement with our hard working city.
They realize the value of the fairgrounds, and more importantly, its value to Costa Mesa.
So, tomorrow is a board meeting.
We should all meet to join in laughing at our board.
A ‘no’ vote should follow for the Beazley security system.
The Governor should ink a deal with the city and bid farewell to our Fair Board.
And all of us should remember them as Costa Mesa’s ‘Unfair’ Board.
Beazley, board in Tom Johnson
Reader Comments (9)
Wow, his home has been attacked and you blame the victim. Do you justify rape by saying "she was asking for it"?
And roughshod is not a verb.
You are equating being forcibly raped with one's house being "egged"......Unreal.
No, I am equating blaming the victim in any instance. How does anyone with an ounce of sense say that Beazley deserves to be called a pedophile in front of his neighbors because of a BUSINESS DECISION?
But what do you expect from a group who would cough "bullsh*t" under their breath during a board meeting.
That pretty much sums it up. They gambled with one of the most precious assets we have in this area. I'd stay away from voting for Ed Reno and Jim Righeimer as they are fair board member Dave Ellis candidates. Notice how Jim was only for enforcing zoning but did nothing to stop the sale?
NOTHING justifies the kind of treatment Beazley and his family have had to endure for 9 months! If you don't like the job he's doing, go to the Board meetings and tell them - and him - in that venue. To expose his wife and children to this kind of emotional duress is absolutely unacceptable.
Sounds like Tom is advocating harassment and violence against Beazley and his family. I guess that is the journalistic norm in the world of Beck and Rush.
With "friends" like Tom, why would the Beazley's need enemies?
It is unconscionable that Tom Johnson can say that anything Steve Beazley has done on behalf of the fairgrounds deserves vandalism and slander in return. Even worse is that he claims to know and like Steve and his family. That is a bunch of BS. So, Tom, if someone started delivering flyers claiming you are a child molester to the homes of your neighbors and egging your house because they don;t like the tone of your columns, you think they are completely justified in doing so?? "Johnson" is an apropo name for this jerk.
I'm still not convinced that this has nothing to do with the Fairgrounds sale. Beazleys been firing union members and reps well before the Fair debacle became public.The Derail the sale group didn't even really get started until after Nov.
Beazley makes a lot of money. These are high school style pranks. If he was truly in fear for his life, why didn't he just buy the alarm system immediately then ask for reimbursement later? I hope whoever is doing this to Beazley's home is caught. What they are doing is wrong, especially if it had anything to do with a labor dispute or his support for selling the fairgrounds to the fair board who probably promised him an even higher paying job.