Mann: 'I do not leave the council dais with any regrets'

Menifee 24/7 photos: Kristen Spoon

In what amounted to his farewell address to the people of Menifee Wednesday night, outgoing Mayor Scott Mann offered thanks to his supporters and chastised his critics, saying, "I do not leave the council dais with any regrets."

Mann was presiding over his final City Council meeting after losing the Nov. 8 election to Neil Winter, who is scheduled to be sworn in at the next meeting on Dec. 7. During the council member updates portion of Wednesday's meeting, Mann spent 12 minutes covering a variety of subjects, condemning those he believes have unfairly spoken out against him.

Mann has agreed to pay a $60,000 penalty imposed by the Fair Political Practices Commission, which announced Oct. 14 that Mann had admitted to improper personal use of campaign funds in a case that dates back about four years. The proposed settlement, which is scheduled fo be ratified by the FPPC Dec. 15, calls for Mann to pay the entire fine by Dec. 1.

The mayor is accused of using a total of $44,894 from campaign funds for personal use, including vacation, travel, dining expenses, personal tax relief expenses, personal vehicle repair and registration, and personal expenses related to a family wedding in Malibu, according to an FPPC news release. Since the violation was announced, Mann has been attacked on social media sites and wound up losing the election to Winter by about 1,000 votes.

"I'd like to thank my family -- my wife Debra, my children," Mann said. "They read Facebook, they read Menifee 24/7, they read the hate, they read all the venomous comments. They endure the things we endure up here. And you know what? It doesn't have to be that way.

"We have people in this community who wake up in the morning ... they have a chip on their shoulder, they think there's corruption and black helicopters flying over City Hall -- and it's just not the case, When you hear those kinds of things, you need to take it with a grain of salt. And maybe someday, some of you residents will start regulating some of these venomous tongues that come and speak at that microphone."

One of Mann's most outspoken critics at the council podium each month, Katie Minnear, walked out at the start of Mann's comments moments earlier. As she left, Mann told her, "Have a good night, Ms. Minnear. You will miss my thanks to you."

Minnear was the resident who first made public the $12,400 check Mann convinced City Manager Rob Johnson to write to him to pay for a Havard leadership seminar that was not approved by the council. The check was voided after other council members learned about it and protested.

During his comments Wednesday night, Mann addressed Winter, who was seated in the audience.

"Congratulations, sir," Mann said. "I thought you conducted yourself wonderfully and you deserve the victory. No matter what the score is, just like a basketball game, if it's one point, the winner is the winner."

That comment was in stark contrast to Mann's comment to Menifee 24/7 the day after the election.

"Neil Winter didn't win this election," Mann said on Nov. 9. "I lost it -- with the help of a couple of my colleagues, the press and the Fair Political Practices Commission."

Mann continued Wednesday night by thanking council member John Denver, who has served on the council since its inception in 2008, and Greg August, who won re-election while running unopposed. Denver and August were the two council members who joined Mann in voting against a censure of Mann at the Oct. 18 council meeting. At the next council meeting, August reversed himself and joined the majority in censuring Mann.

"I want to specifically call out my colleague, John Denver," Mann said. "In 2018, when you term out, you'll be the longest serving council member in Menifee. I want to thank you for your friendship, your comraderie and your professionalism.

"I'd also like to thank council member August. I'm very grateful for your support of the vision, your candor, and your leadership."

Mann then turned to council members Lesa Sobek and Matt Liesemeyer, who made the motion to censure Mann and had previously withdrawn their support of the mayor.

"To Ms. Sobek and Mr. Liesemeyer, I appreciate our time on the council together," Mann said. "I think you'll continue to do good things -- and I'll have more to say to each one of you privately down the road."

There was no explanation of what that meant.

"I'm very proud of the accomplishments I've personally been involved with with these teams," Mann continued. "I do not leave the council dais with any regrets. After almost 10 years in the public eye, it's time for Scott to recharge his batteries."