By Mark Orgill
An old joke offers the ham and egg sandwich to explain the difference between involvement and commitment: the chicken’s involved, the pig is committed.
I’ve lived in Laguna for 38 years. I’ve done business here, been involved in nonprofits, and was involved in forming the Civic Arts District. I am committed now, as I’m a City Council candidate. Here’s why I’m running.
One, I care about Laguna and am concerned the lack of best practices at the City means taxpayers don’t get fair value for dollar.
Two, I feel I can draw on my business and broad community experience to help improve public outcomes.
Three, I am willing to do the hard work of bringing competing interests, even bitter rivals, together to find common ground.
Naturally No. 3 can be tough. Yet here is the guts of good government: taking care of business despite the background noise.
In a small, spirited community like ours, tackling emotionally-charged issues, by definition, involves keeping the peace, so you can get good things done. It’s big rocks and steep hills, otherwise.
Yes, “getting good things done” means different things to different people. That’s why it’s crucial to sharpen our focus in rational, inclusive deliberations — to recognize where we agree, where we can negotiate, and where we must draw a clear, bright line based on principle.
What would I do? Low-hanging fruit and tall challenges can be found in any realm. There should be easy agreement concerning generally accepted municipal best practices and, specifically for example, eliminating the enormous and unacceptable backlogs in code enforcement and planning.
That said, the answer is not high speed at all costs. The ticket is proper focus and management. Our process can be streamlined and otherwise improved, especially with the benefit of considered input from those on the front lines, still our foremost concern must be preserving Laguna’s special charm.
Here is something we should all agree on, and I will insist on: citizens need not file a Public Records Act Request for information to which they are legally entitled. It’s high time transparency is a given.
Transparency and accountability are critical to maintaining trust in institutions, which provides the fertile ground for cultivating consensus, on anything. It’s easier with that foundation then to maximize meaningful citizen engagement—which in turn improves outcomes while strengthening community.
We can learn from cities doing this well but it’s hardly rocket science. It’s a straightforward process. The process involves public awareness, education, and timely noticing of impending major decisions, with calls to action; and then finally—it’s this sequence that enables — informed and thus meaningful participation.
There’s not enough of this at City Hall, in my judgment. It’s incumbent on city leaders to demonstrate their genuine commitment to open government. That culture starts at the top.
City leaders can play an honest broker role. I’m able and willing to do that: bring opposing parties together to identify useful commonalities. It’s my view, it’s been my experience, there is both virtue and practical value in this.
Some criticize my “reaching across the aisle”, so to speak, but that’s my style. For me it makes sense. Why not, through good listening and clear conversation, effectively narrow our differences, where we can, to areas where hopefully we learn to disagree more agreeably?
As a councilmember, I will champion proactive efforts to advance more, and more civil, discussion. I’ll work with anyone interested in what’s best for Laguna Beach.
Meanwhile please tell me your top three issues, and share your thoughts on what I should tackle first, if elected: markorgill4laguna.info
Mark is a 39-year resident of Laguna Beach and developer behind [seven-degrees], Sunset Cove Vilas, and the Civic Arts District.
Thank you candidate Mark Orgill for recognizing some of the issues affecting our city and presenting them in a respectful and professional message to voters. And certainly for stepping up to do something about them.
Laguna may finally have found a long-time, qualified business person with years of relevant and diverse business and community knowledge and experience that includes working with public and private sectors, regulatory agencies and our own city government system to lead with a commitment to all constituents and move away from the “them or us” leadership trend we’ve experienced since 2018.
Who imagined that an ingrained successful investor/developer and visitor promoter would actually step up to help get us back in balance? There’s inspiration and hope for Laguna after all. I am looking forward to hearing more logic, inclusiveness and vision to heal, improve and move our city forward and I know residents are anxious to have a public official who listens and will pursue plans that benefits all stakeholders. #Ressurectlagunapride.
California Public Records Act: Government Code §s 6254 & 6255 is an integral element that can and does hold public agencies accountable. Has Mr. Orgill even read it?
Due to a Cali Supreme Court decision a few years ago, I believe due to a legal challenge from a SF Bay incident (San Jose?) any high level appointed official at a public agency, any elected official, is vulnerable: You can get phone logs, emails, texts, etc., even if the party(ies) used personal devices.
This candidate obviously has zero experience as an activist, regardless of the category (enviro, civil/decision tree procedures, et al). Who are his advisors?
It’s a responsibility tool, and FYI an invaluable one, poorly understood and under-valued.
After acquiring a certain amount of empowerment due to my NGO’s activism (CLEAN WATER NOW), attributable to our high profile in the late 90s into the early 2000s, I can with all certainty state that subsequently, 95% of the time I make inquiries and get what I seek post haste WITHOUT sending a formatted, formal request. Just a simple email to the gatekeeper at whatever agency I am focused upon.
My experience has been that once clearly identified as genuine eco-leaders, CWN has had little or no obstructive gestures. Numbers and profile matter, that’s just being realistic.
Yes, sometimes begrudgingly (Moulton Niguel Water District tried to play “Hide The Ball” but lost).
Yes, I was forced to “rattle sabers,” formally notify them of my pending protestation filing with the OCDA’s office (part of CPRA procedural options) if they kept their intransigent “slo-roll” posture, but the turnaround was within a few weeks after they dug their heels in.
A simple email, a respectfully written inquiry usually suffices, a softer less confrontational approach has worked otherwise.
Granted newbies who have NOT acquired such a high profile, aren’t as readily identified or pose a threat, might need to push via CPRA formatted paperwork once or twice.
Yes, the inquiry MUST be very specific about what’s sought, but that’s assures a more refined response. Having the public making generalized demands, in a shotgun/umbrella fashion, could actually overwhelm gatekeepers.
And exemptions are critical: Personnel, medical, or similar Franchise Tax Board employees; Test questions and employment exam scoring keys; Preliminary drafts of documents; Records pertaining to pending litigation.
Savvy, seasoned activists and/or public agency watchdogs, pursuing accountability and transparency know all of this.
Perhaps if the general public engaged more often, did their basic Civics 101 homework, earnestly and diligently educated themselves regarding their legally entitled rights, they’d acquire what they wish more readily.
The price of a democracy, of liberty itself, is eternal vigilance.
As a Marine, I tell associates to be as if on guard duty, learn more and acquire the recon, the intel, the metaphorical weapons to ensure that vigilance are viably procured.
That’s what CWN did, early on got “shot” at a lot for being obstructionists or anarchists, but as Taoist Bruce Lee taught, “Be as water.” Water is persistent, fluid in its flexibility strategies.
Understanding procedures, protocols and policies might seem daunting, but help due diligence, assist anyone on the critical path of community engagement.
The system’s not necessarily broken. The arena of community involvement requires a few hours of homework, is that too much to ask? If so, then you’re lazy, have no excuse, just don’t participate.
Griping is a lame and a useless expense of the people’s time.
.
Roger, the question you ask here should be asked of all of our public officials including new candidates seeking public office. Hopefully it will be included in the upcoming candidate panel interviews.
“California Public Records Act: Government Code §s 6254 & 6255 is an integral element that can and does hold public agencies accountable. Has Mr. Orgill even read it?”
Congratulations Mark, great to see more committed residents throw their hat in the ring. Your essay is all super touchy feely but I’ve seen other candidates pledge to be moderate and restore civility as well. But unless you employ head butting, I’m sketchy on your methodology. More important is to understand what you want to actually accomplish while serving? What can you realistically do in 4 or 8 years, and what’s your longterm vision for town? You mention “getting good things done,” then tease us with “What would I do?” but then don’t really say much. What are the “low-hanging fruit and tall challenges?” It can’t just be to improve efficiencies in code enforcement and planning? How are we going to be more resilient in the face of crisis, address drought and fire, solve our mobility and parking issues, create more affordable housing? Do you believe Laguna is on the brink of overdevelopment, and do you support the Laguna Resident First Ballot Initiative to put development issues to a vote of the people? Let’s put some meat on that bone, please. Thanks!
MJ:
Thank you. As I transitioned from general contractor to land use analyst/consultant, I began attending a lot more public hearings.
And several things became apparent: Many of the elected officials and the general public, unlike ongoing, upper echelon professional staff, didn’t fully grasp both The Brown & the Cal Public Record Acts respectively, their transparency and open governance potential.
Many elected officials needed their full 4 year term to figure out where both Acts “light switches” are located. Some are so thick, elected in what are basically popularity contests, they never “get it.”
These officials and public players either never read them or did, but then promptly forgot their ramifications.
Maybe they never really comprehended their basic goals and objectives?
These 2 Acts should be seen as systems, were actually well thought out when enacted, and a candidate promising to prioritize waving a magic wand to make transparency instantaneous needs educating.
It would be interesting, if not outright hysterical, for public office candidates to take a “governance literacy test,” it could be pass/fail, but if they are in the dark and can’t pull a 70, then they shouldn’t be running.
Educating them on the wing, in real time at the public’s expense, seems counter-intuitive.
I mean, what exactly are they capable of if so ignorant?
And for God’s sake, I scream every time I hear or read a candidate say: “I love Laguna.”
Duh. Earth to candidate? You’re not unique…..We all do.
And claiming that you’re running because you wish to serve the people, feel uniquely qualified to perform at a high level of said service, a form of locally focused patriotism?
No. You’re doing it for yourself, for prestige, for power, etc.
Someone once said that power doesn’t necessarily corrupt but does attract the corruptible.
Politics and patriotism are relatives, they are the last refuge of scoundrels and scofflaws.
As you’ve noted elsewhere, MJ, once seated these keystone specie officials then anoint committee and board members out of political patronage, nepotism, worse choices if unexperienced.
And then we, the people, are saddled with empty-headed newbies with little or no knowledge, yet are in dispositive (critical decision-making) positions.
Who hasn’t watched one of these non-City Council meetings and thought in frustration and exasperation: “What idiot appointed this person?”
Would Mr. Orgill be able to vote on anything related to the Honaker projects?
I still find it peculiar that Village Laguna and LRF representatives are supporting Mark, a self proclaimed developer.
Attention Voters: Leadership and community benefit! Now that’s refreshing!
As a resident and non-member of any local organization or PAC, Mr. Orgill’s commitment to serve us at a time of such ugly political division is commendable. Whats that saying “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”?
As a long-time resident and real estate investor, Mr. Orgill actually has an in-depth understanding of our city history, government policies and building codes and enormous and sincere respect for our town. He also has the professional business and experience and temperament to lead independently and with confidence. Someone walking in to act as our representative with relevant credentials, who has given back to our city for years in community support and sweat equity-including his wife! And, clearly he is capable of making difficult business decisions when they are necessary. From what I read in the media, he is one of many who had differences and/or parted ways with Laguna Beach Co./Mr. Honarker.
His priorities are important to us and will lay the groundwork for a city operating at its best professional level and more importantly pulling together.
1. Focusing on our City Government Best Practices. Desperately needed!
2. Utilizing solid professional experience in land-use. construction and tourism impacts to improve community outcomes. Desperately needed!
3. Focusing on common ground and not division. Desperately needed!
THANK YOU Candidate Orgill.
Voters: Cast your vote for a healthy, well-run city and a leader bringing trust, transparency and pride back to Laguna Beach. #VoteOrgill2022!
A “real estate investor.” I love that.
B. Fried – more specifically “A long-time resident and real estate investor.”
IMO – it’s refreshing to have an experienced and knowledgeable relevant business professional and long-time invested stakeholder step up. What an undertaking!
Mr. Orgill and his wife have shown they deeply care about our city and residents quality of life and are willing to use their years of local engagement, experience and expertise to protect them and move us forward together. I love that.
What happened to the pejorative word developer you guys label every other “real estate investor” with? BTW, Sam Goldstein and Michael Ray are “long-time” residents too. But unlike Orgill, Ray hasn’t developed a single commercial project here. And Goldstein only one – not two. Oh, and they’ve both contributed tons to the quality of life in this city. How does Mark Orgill get a pass when he hasn’t even told us what he supports and what he doesn’t? Do you guys know something about this “real estate investor” that we don’t?
B. Fried. IMO – investors/developers like Sam Goldstein and Michael Ray founded the Political Action Committee (PAC) Liberate Laguna (rebranded as Laguna Forward PAC with Sam Goldstein and Cindy Shopoff as principals and Sally Sheridan as PAC Leader) and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a specific pro-development self-interest agenda in our town that doesn’t prioritize or protect the community or residents quality of life. Sadly, this isn’t out of line for Developers. Just ask our neighboring cities. Your assessment may be right, Ray hasn’t developed a commercial property here yet and Goldstein has one commercial building project completed so far but this should make folks ask themselves why are these two long-time investor/developers partnered if not to push their self-interest agendas?
Re:Mark Orgill. To my knowledge, Candidate Orgill isn’t part of this developer-driven take-down the VL group and takeover-the-town movement that was started by LLFPAC in 2018. He hasn’t insulted or worked to divide our entire community. From what I understand from my vetting, he is a considered a responsible and considerate local constructor/investor/developer who hasn’t pushed his views, bullied residents, nor spent mega bucks to fund and put public officials in power to get what he wants. I had the opportunity to meet with Mark awhile back and ask frank questions important to me. I did the same with new candidate Louis Weil who is also a RE investor who puts deals together for investors/developers. To my knowledge, unless I’ve missed his public messaging he hasn’t provided details on what he specifically supports either – only that he opposes the residents ballot initiative.
In my experience, most political candidates don’t get too far in the weeds until the formal public candidate interviews begin. Looking forward to this. If you are interested in specifics right now, I believe both candidates said to contact them directly. Give them a call.