No Chairs Thrown As Jerry Springer Show Visits Planning Commission – Mayor Is ‘Two Bit Politician’ With ‘Testosterone Poisoning’
Written by 991KBU on July 21, 2020
NOTE: This story was corrected Tuesday night to reflect that Steve Uhring was appointed by Skylar Peak to the Planning Commission, not Rick Mullen (boldface below).
We turn to some rather small town politics that may be becoming the new normal in Malibu.
Last night … at a meeting … one planning commissioner called the mayor a two-bit politician.
Another planning commissioner … called the mayor’s recent statements a moment of testosterone poisoning.
These are the adults in charge.
You might recall that Malibu Mayor Mikke Pierson told the planning commission they were overstepping their roles … by setting policies that should be set by the city council.
That triggered another pie fight … first some name calling from Planning Commissioner John Mazza.
NEWSCART 75742 MAZZA CRONIES
“I was very disappointed that some two bit politician’s going to lecture me on him trying to cover for his cronies.”
Mazza … who has run for city council and lost three times … went on to denounce Pierson as a politician.
Pierson has run for office once and won.
And he vowed not to take direction from any politician.
Mazza … was reacting to a city council vote … a decision by the elected council members to overturn an appointed Planning Commission’s interpretation of city codes.
Mazza said the mayor is entitled to vote however he wants … and so is the council.
And so … he says .. is the Planning Commission.
NEWSCART 75743 MAZZA REJECTS
“And he got a majority.
“Fine.
“I can live with that.
“But to have him claim that we’re not doing our job and that we’re going outside what is assigned by law is by the way the city council can’t fire me.
“He doesn’t rule me.”
Of course … the laws referred to by Mazza do indeed give the city council the power to rule over the planning commission’s decisions … which is exactly what happened last week.
Mazza is appointed by one council member … Jefferson Wagner … whose term expires this winter.
Another planning commissioner … Steve Uhring … also went after the mayor.
NEWSCART 75746 UHRING TESTOSTERONE
“I just wanted to comment briefly on the testosterone attack that Mikke Pierson suffered it last week’s city council meeting.”
Uhring was especially upset that Pierson criticized the planning commission over the TDSF issue … when the Planning Commission proposed drastically cutting back the amount of construction already allowed on residential lots.
Uhring said the city council had asked for the planning commission to come up with a solution … but then blamed them.
NEWSCART 75746 UHRING VERTEBRAE
“Instead of looking at that report and clarifying the issue … Mikke used his 10 minutes of council comments to grovel and apologize to Don Schmitz for even coming up with the issue.
“I think that everyone who saw that agrees that Mikke lost a few vertebrae in that response.”
Uhring was apparently reading from a prepared statement … and was referring to Don Schmitz .. a frequent advocate for property developers.
Uhring is appointed by city councilman Skylar Peak .. and serves at his pleasure.
And Mullen was one of the board majority that went along to overturn the planning commission’s ruling on the house in question.
To be fair … even a long time city hall political veteran Jeff Jennings expressed surprise at what the city council said.
Jennings is chairman of the Planning Commission… a former mayor and two term city council members.
NEWSCART 75744 JENNINGS PUT IT ASIDE
“I understand that the whole business that happen at the last city Council meeting might be considered unusual extraordinary.
“But just as we move forward… Doing what remains and moving closer to an election… I hope we put this aside and focus on the business that was supposed to be focusing on and leave Malibu politics to some other form.
“Come on John just let it drop.”
Mazza let it drop … and moved on to thank PlannING Director Bonnie Blue for her work.
She is leaving her job a City Hall this fall.
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Malibu has another city council candidate … and this one will bring another level of controversy if elected.
Andy Lyon promises to throw sand in the gears of city hall.
Lyon has been a bitter and vociferous critic of Malibu’s city council and government.
He has spared anger very little in attacking city manager Reva Feldman … from the mic at City Council meetings.
Lyon is a Malibu native … a Realtor.
Three seats are being selected in this November’s election.
One of them is currently held by Rick Mullen … but it’s not clear if he is going to run for a second term.
