Moorlach's New Chief of Staff

I was having lunch with Bill Campbell Chief of Staff Matt Petteruto on Tuesday of last week and ran into Supervisor-elect John Moorlach and his designated chief of staff Mario Mainero. They joined us while Matt and I munched, which gave me a chance to get to know Mario a little better.

All I knew about Mario had been gleaned from Peggy Lowe's Total Buzz post two weeks ago. I already knew he was law school dean and possessed a statistics back-ground, but I wanted to know if he was more than a number-crunching law professor. I've known John Moorlach for 15 years and know he thinks good governance as much a function of sound philosophy as technical proficiency -- and I can a, attest his selection of Mario Mainero reflects that view.

Mario Mainero is a thinking man and a philosophical conservative, the kind who will not forget to return to first principles when formulating or criticizing county policies. As an conservative law school professor, he is accustomed to being in a philosophical minority -- a situation that either Finlandizes conservatives or renders them even tougher advocates for conservatism. I can tell Mario falls into the latter category, which makes me confident he will not become so blinded by policy details that he fails to see the forest for the trees. In other words, he won't allow the devil of bureaucratic details cause him to forget the "why" of government's existence and purpose.

I don't know the rest of the staff Moorlach has assembled other Kathy Moran, whom I've been acquainted with since the early 1990s. Kathy has been an OUSD watchdog for years, and in that capacity went toe-to-toe with the school district unions and bureaucracy for years. She will never allow a desire to be liked to trump her desire to be an advocate for taxpayers and transparent government -- a role in which she will be unyielding. The county government unions are not happy that John Moorlach is going to be a supervisor, and Kathy Moran's  presence on Team Moorlach can only add to their gloom.

I'm looking forward to seeing John, Mario, Kathy and the rest of Team Moorlach in action.

Comments

[642]

"The county government unions are not happy that John Moorlach is going to be a supervisor, and Kathy Moran's presence on Team Moorlach can only add to their gloom."

Sounds like the kind of leader OC needs, someone to really snap those troops inline, someone tough enough to punch them in the nose, slap them in the face, put them down, get those boots on top of them..... they are only the people doing the job for you....

Funny how that will not work.

Leaders lead, not taunt, embarrass, harass, put down, antagonize, or make "them gloomy"
But, then I was talking about a leader.....too bad you were not

[642]

"why" of government's existence and purpose.

Why does it exist? What is it's purpose?

Governments are instituted to SECURE human rights

The purpose of government being instituted is to SECURE HUMAN RIGHTS - NOT GRANT RIGHTS

Now, given the above, it would behoove Supv. Moorlach to focus on those exact requirements. And the rights of those who work for him is as important as the rights of those who have elected him. Government is not what you seem to be making it, it is not petty squabbles over who retirements, or pay, or giving the work to the private sector, it is about protecting the rights of the citizens or people of the County of Orange, be they employed by the county, or living in it, or passing through it.

Supv. Moorlach has a responsibility to the citizens that is even higher than that which he had as Treasurer, he is going to have to become a leader, a protector, a surrogate father in a sense. Not only of those who live in his district, but those who live around it, work in it, work for him, or work for those who live in it. He is going to have to move beyond his single minded focus of the hideous, greedy, ugly, lazy county employee and their Union is the problem with the county, or the nation.

He is going to have to become something he has not had practice at, and that is leading. So, far he has cried wolf, decried non-existent exploits, stirred up emotions to those whom he has an appealing message, and stirred up neighbors against neighbors. But, he has not yet provided leadership, on direction, or support for future directions beyond a small, tightly circled small factor of it is the fault of the employees who have caused all the problems in the OC. He needs to show a improved method of communications, improved direction of securing the citizens of Orange County a better life.

His first fifteen minutes is up. If he is to go down in history as a true governmental leader he has much to do, and fighting with his employees and partners is not a great first step. A overriding majority of county employees cannot afford to life in Orange County, the pay and benefits of the county barley keeps even with the local economy. For all the lambasting given to them over their retirement packages, I see no one going back over the years to see what they have given up to get them, keep them or how much they (the employees) pay to have them. Focusing on one small insignificant fact to the exclusion of the thousands of others impacting live in the OC is not for a leader, it is for media seeking headlines and circulation, or blog hits, all of which are money based, called ad revenue.

Corporate America will one day realize that focusing on making money, will have excluded them from the much needed loyalty of employees, and that ultimately customers do know and believe it not only company loyalty but company honesty. We have not yet seen the effect of putting money ahead of loyalty, it takes time, but the day will come when we will pay for our greed, both corporate and individual. Hopefully Moorlach will get over his irrational focus on what he things make good headlines and get on with being a leader.

Time will tell.............. it always does

[union leader]

I believe that Supervsor elect Moorlach will have an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate leadership while serving on the Board of Supervisors. It is very clear that the American people have sent a loud message that the bickering and hatefullness in partisan politics is no longer acceptable. Equally clear the American people are tired of the politics that has sent middle class working families into a death spiral. Consider these facts:
1. In the past 20 years, the number of families declaring bankruptcy because of a health emergency has gone up 2,000%
2. The median income for nonelderly households fell more than $2,572 from 2000 to 2004
3. The costs of medical care, housing, and food have seen double digit increases from 2001 to 2005. Gas, fuel, and oil prices rose 43.7% over the same period
4. Families have taken on a tremendous amount of debt in order to make ends meet. As of September 2005, the total U.S. household debt stood at 121% of yearly disposable income.
5. The average pension for County employees after the pension change rose to about $25,000 a year. In addition County employees do not recieve Social Security and pay the full costs of the pension increase.

We all understand politics and what sells in political campaigns. The truth often gets blurred and tempers rise. That is all part of the game. But governace and leadership is not a game. The people of this Country and this County want to see all sides working in a positive and colaborative manner towards sound, rsponsive and efficient government. I doubt that idealouges on any side of the aisle will last very long in our current political environment.

I think that what kind of leader Mr. Moorlach wants to be is up to him and, as was stated earlier, time will tell. One thing he has now that he has never had to deal with is a constiency at a level that will ask a great deal of him and his staff. He seemed giddy that Measure M might fail but that is no longer on the table for him. He seemed to want to be a spoiler but was convinced not to be, though I doubt he had the ability to move the needle much. He was in the minority, though not vocal, that did not do anything to help advance what 70% of the voters said recently about the future of transportation in OC. Let's hope his conservative principles are applied in a manner that support what is right for the good of the whole while still maintaining what he sees as right.

[Bootstrap]

“Workers of the World Unite” Good grief! I haven’t heard such Bolshevik pap since Reagan got elected in ’80.

“And the rights of those who work for him is as important as the rights of those who have elected him.” Wrong! These two ‘rights’ aren’t equal or even in the same ballpark.

“he is going to have to become a leader, a protector, a surrogate FATHER in a sense. Not only of those who live in his district, but those who live around it, work in it, work for him, or work for those who live in it.”

Just plan creepy. On some base level, commies always look to make their government masters into a “father figure.” Kim Jong-il is revered as a “father” to his people as were all the other socialist strongman through out history.

“much needed loyalty of employees” All this harping on LOYALTY. Again creepy. Anyone with common sense should fear government workers who are loyal to their bosses.

A big hearty congratulations to John Moorlach for picking a staff who will work for the voters and taxpayers.

Union thugs and bullies be on guard. ‘Father’ Moorlach is watching out for the taxpayer.

[OCNative]

Moorlach won 69.6% in the June election after the unions spent millions to defeat him. I think the voters gave him a mandate to carry out an agenda that is not beholden to unions.