All Council Members were present and Attorney James Dodge took the place of Greg Simonian who was busy with the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council on this date.
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Special Announcements - You can now listen to every City Council Meeting online on the City web site at http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/ via an audio recording. Try it out and see what you think.
*** Laguna Hills Team Dark Horse will have a table at the Community Swap Meet at Laguna Hills High School this Saturday, April 30. This is short notice but please donate furniture, electronics, sporting goods, and all those things you have wanted to get rid of so you can actually use your garage! Please see more below under LHHS Student Liaison Report.
*** See the rest of March, April and May Line Up for Win-Win-Wednesdays Never Tasted so Good at http://www.winwinwednesdays.com/ see more under - INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers:
Contact the Laguna Hills City Council Members at - ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us
Presentations and Proclamations - None
Public Comments - None
LHHS Student Liaison Report by Lyndsey Kaan said AP and IB testing starts next week. Mr. Boulton’s Principal’s Newsletter #7 just came out for all those who would like to see it. There is an API dance this Friday. Hot Off the Grill is the Win-Win-Wednesday restaurant for this Wednesday. The Spring Musical, “Little Women” is from May 6 through May 13. Girl’s softball is undefeated, Boy's hockey won 8 – 1 yesterday.
*** The 3rd annual LHHS SWAP MEET is this Saturday from 7 am to 2 pm. Mav Bressette clarified that this is a Community Garage Sale for the school. It raises funds for all the school clubs, sports, music and other activities. No boosters involved here all involved are individual school clubs and groups and the 3/5 Marines. **Please bring all your items to be donated to the High School on or before 6:45 am this Sat. April 30 for all the high school groups and the Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines. There is a row of tables for the Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines so please leave your donated items at their tables for them and at the tables of any school clubs, groups, etc. to which you wish to donate items at the specific tables for them. Mav Bressette has taken the reins for the Dark Horse and is galloping to the finish line to benefit the 3/5 Marines and their families who are just now returning from Afghanistan so please help the Marines and/or the High School by donating your unwanted items to raise funds with no capital outlay. All the funds raised go directly to the High School Groups and to the Marines. For more information you can contact Mav at MavBresete@aol.com or Mike Bland at 35bland@gmail.com
Council Member Carruth offered that she attended the homecoming for the India Company of the Dark Horse Marines in Camp Pendleton. She said there were hundreds of people there, Mariner’s Church was there giving out cookies, drinks, stickers and t-shirts. She said she and Mr. Bland had the opportunity to visit with lots of parents who were fully aware of all the support from the City of Laguna Hills over the past 6 months. The wounded warriors were there to greet their brothers as well. She also requested that the 3/5 Banner at the Community Center be left there until after the Memorial Day activities so the participating Marines and their families could see it. – Vote all agreed to leave the banner in place until after Memorial Day.
Minutes - Recommendation that the City Council Approve the Minutes of the previous City Council Meeting for publication on the city web site. The minutes from tonight's meeting will not be approved for publication until the next city council meeting so there is a long delay for the public related to timely information from the city.
Consent Calendar - Warrant Register = $918,434.56
Items of interest from the Warrant Register - None
** Citizen's Survey for 2011 - cost is $8,425.00 and results should be in at the May 10, 2011 City Council Meeting.
Items of Interest from the Consent Calendar: **Items on the Consent Calendar are placed there by City Staff.
Item 4.3 - Amendment #2 to Community Development Block Grant & Home Programs - According to the staff report continued participation in this County of Orange Urban County designed to assist small cities (populations under 50,000) in the administration of Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds through the US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program will allow the City to block grant funds for the Aliso Meadows Condominium Association and facility rehabilitation project at the Florence Sylvester Senior Center that qualify. The City's participation in this program was extended for 3 years to June 30, 2015.
Fiscal Impact to the City - Staff Time spent on the projects to determine eligibility
Item 4.4 - Urban Village Specific Plan Amendment adding 117,000 sq. ft of retail space, making a revision to General Plan's Housing Element to establish a minimum residential density of 30 residential units per acre and reducing the amount of open space to 10% in the area of 240 acres bounded by Paseo de Valencia on the north and west, Los Alisos on the south and I-5 freeway on the east.
Item 4.5 - Progress payment for Citywide Pavement
Item 4.6 - Weed Abatement Program - Staff report states the 2011 Schedule is: March - Inspect properties in the City for weed abatement issues, April 26 - Adopt a weed nuisance resolution, April 27, mail notices to offending property owners of scheduled Public Hearing, May 24, hold a public hearing, June 20 Initiate City weed abatement for non-compliant properties, June 30 Send notice to property owners of abatement costs and scheduled public hearing, July 12 Hold Public hearing on weed abatement costs, July 26, Submit costs to County Assessor's Office. Notices will be sent to approx. 530 properties in the City.
Fiscal Impact to City - Approx. $40,000 - some of this amount will be recovered through tax assessments on private parcels and the rest is annual clearing of City owned properties. List of offending property owners is published online under Agenda for April 26, 2011 - City Council 2011 Weed Abatement Pgrm. #8 under Files.
Item 4.7 - Urban Forestry Grant for the Green Trees for the Golden State Program
Staff report states the City requested and received a grant through the State of CA in the amount of $100.000 ($75,000 grant and $25,000 in matching funds to be supplied by the City) for 600 15 gal. trees. City plans to plant 500 trees in vacant parkways in front of residential properties, in the area bounded by Alicia, Paseo de Valencia, Cabot Rd. and the I-5 freeway. The additional 100 trees are proposed to be planted along the bike trail between Via Lomas St. and Moulton Pkwy.
Fiscal Impact to City - $65,000 in matching funds.
Item 4.8 - Measure M2 Environmental Cleanup Allocation Grant Pgrm. - Staff report states the City is proposing to apply for a grant from the M2 Environmental Cleanup Allocation Program for funds to be used to meet Federal Clean Water Act standards for controlling transportation-generated pollution. Staff is proposing the installation of debris gates or retractable catch basin screens at 69 of the approximately 561 catch basins catch basin locations throughout the City. They will be install along major arterials, commercial, light industrial areas and residential areas. They are stated to have a life span of approx. 10 years. An estimated $2.8 Million in Measure M2 funds are being made available to eligible applicants including Orange County cities and the County of Orange the maximum grant is $100,000 per project. In their application the City States the population of the City is 33,500. It also says the City has installed debris gates at approx. 170 locations in the City since 2005. Inspections of the debris gates will e completed by the City's Street Maintenance Supervisor whose hourly salary plus benefits is stated to be $87.30 per hour - inspections over a 10 year period are expected to be $7,028.00. Catch basins are to be inspected and cleaned by hand annually prior to the rainy season and hourly cost for County Cleaning Crews is $64 per hour so this cost over 10 years is expected to be $17, 250.
Fiscal Impact to City - $65,000
Items Pulled from the Consent Calendar - NONE
The Consent Calendar was passed as is by a Vote of 5-0
Planning Agency Public Hearing - Item 5.4.1 - Conditional Use Permit Master Sign Pgrm. Request from G&M Oil Company, Inc. to reconstruct the existing Gas Station and add a new 1,316 sq. ft. convenience store located at 23991 El Toro Rd.
(**Editor's note this is the gas station to which the City just paid $1,590,431.54 for a 15 foot wide portion of the property to accommodate the right-of-way for the widening of El Toro Rd at Avenida de la Carlota)
Staff report states this request is for a complete redesign and reconstruction of the Chevron Gas Station site including new fueling islands and canopy and a new 1,316 sq ft. convenience store, new signage and new landscaping. The site is now non-conforming related to it's smaller size (16,160 sq. ft.) due to the Carlota St. widening , site design and signage.
Staff Recommendation is to approve the Conditional Use Permit.
*** This item was continued for the second time and will now reportedly be heard on May 10.
Planning Agency Adjourned
City Council Public Hearings - Item 6.1 - Amending the Zoning and Subdivisions section of the Laguna Hills City Code to permit Seasonal Strawberry Stands in Some Commercial Districts subject to the approval of a Temporary Use Permit.
Staff Report states - A proposed amendment adds strawberry stands under category of outdoor sales and Christmas Trees and Pumpkin sales are proposed to be included in this same section. This limits these temporary uses to commercial district, provides better protection for residential districts, are in line with surrounding cities and simplifies the code. Strawberry Stands are limited to 120 consecutive days per calendar year and there is a signage policy for the stands.
There were no Public Comments Vote – Passed 5-0
Administrative Reports - **These Items are authored by City Staff - None
Other Business - **These Items are authored by Council Members -
Item 8.1 - Laguna Hills High School Grad Nite Funding Request - The City donates $4000 to support this event each year. This year in a letter from resident Meg Gorham a one time request of an additional $1,500 has been requested to match the Win-Win-Wednesday Funds collected and to assist in providing a safe and sober alternative event for our graduating seniors. Meg pointed out in her request that in its first 4 months WWW has generated close to $10,000 in revenue in Laguna Hills restaurants.
Council Member Bressette asked pointed out the difficulty of raising funds this year and asked that this one time request be passed. Council Member Carruth stated she seconded this motion for purposes of discussion and said the council has supported this over the years and question the appropriateness of giving more gifts. She said we are donating police services for the event and asking for contributions rather than a gift from the tax payers. Council Member Lautenschleger agreed saying we have already given $4000. Where do we draw the line? $4000 plus law enforcement is enough. Council Member Kogerman agreed that it is a public safety event and giving public funds of $4000 plus.
Vote was 4 – 1 against giving the additional $1500. Council Member Bressette was the dissenting vote.
Council Member Bressette donated $500 of his own funds, Council Member Carruth donated $200, Council Member Kogerman also made a donation at the meeting.
Matters Presented by Mayor & City Council Members
Council Member Bressette stated this is Wildfire Awareness Week so need for weed abatement is now, plus attention to prevention of fires in the home through the OC Fire Authority. Check all your home smoke alarms and fire extinguishers to be sure they are in working condition now.
Closed Session - None
Next regular City Council Meeting is Tuesday May 10, 7 pm, at City Hall. The PUBLIC BUDGET WORKSHOPS have been completed and we will publish a Brief Special Report from the April 19th 5 hour Budget Meeting soon. There will also be a PUBLIC HEARING on the City Budget in June.
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City Council & City Manager Report Card - Number 8 for 2011
Categories - (T) Transparency for Citizens, (A) Accountability to Citizens, (CI) Championing Citizen Related Issue, (AG) Achieving Citizen Related Goal Grades - (P) Pass, (A) for Authoring a Citizen Friendly Item, (F) Fail, (A+) Extra Credit. City Manager will be scored related to online and agendized Staff Reports and Requests
**This was a mixed bag related to citizen issues so unable to determine grading for council members. If Songstad and Lautenschleger chip in it appears that the additional funding for LHHS Grad Night will have been accomplished.
Bressette -
Carruth -
Kogerman -
Lautenschleger -
Songstad -
City Manager - A - for combining and simplyfing the City Temporary Use Permits - Thank you to Vern Jones, Community Development Director.
INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers:
MAYOR SONGSTAD'S REMARKS ABOUT STATS FROM ABOUT IRVINE SHELTER
Mayor Songstad’s remarks about the animal statistics from the Irvine Shelter open up more interesting information. The Irvine shelter does not “adopt” animals from a rescue center. The Irvine shelter goes to “kill” shelters and transfers pets about to be euthanized. This is stated in the article that the Mayor found about the Irvine Shelter: http://www.ocregister.com/news/irvine-115908-ocprint-shelter-animal.html Because of this 3rd chance program, the citizens of Irvine can then go to a humane shelter and have a much wider selection. This includes many puppies from moms that would have been put down at the kill shelter. Irvine has over 500 volunteers and many of them, including myself, have fostered many, many puppies and kittens. At the county shelter that our city contracts with, puppies and kittens are euthanized because they are too young to be spayed/neutered and therefore cannot be adopted. Here’s how this win-win program allegedly “skews” the data. Assuming not any transfer pets were euthanized at Irvine, this would only change the euthanasia rate from 7.5% to 10.5% as compared to Laguna Hills animals being put down by the county at a 42% rate. The reason the Irvine rate does not change significantly is because The Irvine Shelter only euthanizes in accordance with the Hayden Act. The Irvine Shelter does not kill healthy adoptable animals for lack of space, and they go much further. They save puppies and the kittens whenever possible. Citizens of Irvine willingly donate money to make this transfer program possible. These dogs and cats are of the same caliber that the county shelter would euthanize by labeling them too young, too feral, or just plain not worth saving. Valerie Bromberg
THE SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS OF TRAILS ALONG ALISO CREEK
On Saturday the 16th of April, I accompanied Council Member Carruth on a tour of both sides of the creek from the I-5 overpass to Paseo de Valencia. Since she has been observing this area for several years during the creek clean-up days, she was able to confirm the tremendous amount of damage created by this year's storms. I also talked with Council Member Lautenshager who indicated that he had toured the bike path and noted the shear drop-off safety condition, I thought it would be good to acknowledge these two for making the effort to follow up on my concern for this issue. Both confirmed the need to get Supervisor Bates to tour the area and get the County moving on repairing the damage. Jonathan Bromberg
LIEs ON THE CITY WEB SITE
Go to http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/ , then go to Public Official’s Compensation Report, scroll down to Management Staff Compensation-City Manager, search for the small underlined word “here” at the bottom of the 3rd paragraph and click on it. You will find the “AT A GLANCE TABLE FOR CITY MANAGEMENT” for 2010. Take a good look and just as the Watch Dog said there is absolutely no mention of the City Manager’s $60,000 car purchased in 2009. All it says is “Auto Allowance - $0”. The City screamed at Barbara Kogerman for adding the price of the car to Channing’s compensation, the contract for the car states it’s being paid over 5 years with City funds and Channing's contract with the City of Laguna Hills states under Equipment A - City shall provide Channing with a City leased or owned Automobile for the term of this Agreement. Since this car is exclusively for Channing who uses it for City business and takes it home for his own personal use this should be taxable income for Channing but it is not mentioned anywhere in his online compensation report. This City continues to lie to the citizens and apparently believe we are all stupid and/or have faulty memories and will vote for them in every election because their names are on the ballot. If they lie about this, we know they are lying about many other things as well, so when and how do we get the transparency we voted for? Kathryn
(**Editor’s note – We got an answer to your question at the 4-19-2011 Laguna Hills City Council Budget Session when Council Member Kogerman asked Assistant City Manager Don White, “What is included in “personnel costs”? White responded, “All costs associated with personnel.” Kogerman’s then asked about the City Manager’s car not being included and White responded that was not a personnel cost and would be under Capital Outlay as an asset of the City. Unfortunately we are unable to answer your question about when do we get transparency because we don’t know, but we suspect it will not come easily from city council members who are entrenched in this system they created.)
Contact the Laguna Hills City Council Members at - ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us
WIN WIN Wednesdays Never Tasted So Good !
Here's the lineup for - WWW Global Cuisine - Please Download your flyers to give to each restaurant to get the 20% for Win-Win-Wednesday's Safe & Sane Grad Night for LHHS at http://www.winwinwednesdays.com/
April 27 – Hot Off The Grill at 25252 La Paz Rd. at McIntyre next to the 7-11.
May - WWW Celebrates MOMs
May 4 Polly's Pies - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Mother's Day Pie Orders
May 11 Mother's Market & Kitchen - Restaurant & Juice Bar
May 18
May 25 Ruby's Diner - LH Mall
June - Saluting Seniors 2011
June 1 California Pizza Kitchen - LH Mall
June 8 BJ's Brewhouse & Restaurant
June 15 Elephant Bar - LH Mall
June 20 LHHS PTSA's Grad Nite Preview Night Event
June 22 Special WWW Surprise TBA
How to support the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Division Adopted by the City of Laguna Hills
Donation Checks can be made specifically to "Laguna Hills Team Dark Horse" and mailed to - Team Dark Horse, 27251 Lost Colt Dr., Laguna Hills, CA. 92653. Non-profit corporation status is pending. e-mail Mike Bland at 35bland@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, for information, or about donations, etc. and the city e-mail for the 3/5 is 3/5-support@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us The City Clerk Peggy Johns is the City Liaison to the 3/5 Support Committee. Go to the City web site at http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/
Be sure to see the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adopted Marines Great new Facebook page created by Karen Robbins at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laguna-Hills-TeamDarkhorse/132765660119128 and share it with your friends!!
** Please remember to donate all your usable unwanted items to the 3/5 Marines at the Laguna Hills High School Swap Meet this Saturday – Please see instructions above under Laguna Hills High School Student Liaison Report and a Huge thank you to Mav Bressette who has pulled this Swap Meet together for the 3/5 Marines and to Win-Win Meg Gorham who donated the fee for the tables for the 3/5 at the Swap Meet.
*** Also thanks to all of you who have so generously donated funds to support the City's Adopted 3/5 Marines. Eli, the bomb sniffing Labrador Retriever, (to see original story click on: http://ocpets.ocregister.com/2011/02/03/family-adopts-fallen-marines-service-dog/82914 ) who was adopted by the family of a fallen 20 year old Marine, Colton Rusk, who worked with Eli and loved him in Afghanistan will soon have a reunion with the 3/5 Marines . Watch for this story in OC Register Newspaper.
2 news stories about the 3/5 Marines:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/19/marine-pays-tribute-brother-arms/
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Pendletons-35-to-Return-Home-118654254.html
News Stories and Blogs about Laguna Hills: Click on the links below to see the stories.
After attacks, city-manager-compensation sleuths win state award March 21st, 2011, posted by Teri Sforza, Register staff writer
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/03/21/after-attacks-city-manager-compensation-sleuths-win-state-award/78545/#comment-139633 Go to http://www.publicceo.com/ for more of this story.
No more $60,000 SUVs for city manager?
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/02/09/no-more-60000-suvs-for-city-manager/75030/
Gold-plated benefits? New councilwoman just says ‘no’ http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/01/18/gold-plated-benefits-new-councilwoman-just-says-no/72532/
OCREGISTER: Laguna Hills councilwoman says no to health benefits http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-282972-benefits-council.html
O.C. cities lavished health benefits on council members
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/12/06/oc-cities-lavished-health-benefits-on-council-members/69544/
Who has the best-paid city council in California? (updated)
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/12/02/who-has-the-best-paid-city-council-incalifornia/69418/
In Laguna Hills the Taxpayers pay the entire cost of heath care premiums for the elected part time city council members and their families. In addition, the City Manager's contract states "To the extent that payment of all or any portion of the dependent rate of premium, is not approved by the city council for all city employees, Channing shall be entitled to a salary increase or cash payment sufficient to cover the amount of premium or rate for dependent coverage not provided by the City plus applicable income taxes on that amount.
OCREGISTER: Kenneth Frank: In defense of city managers
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/city-277030-manager-laguna.html
"Citizens, in turn, must do their part to foster civic pride. They should demand that city council and planning meetings be televised and streamed online. And they need to become involved. In Laguna Beach, we have numerous homeowners associations and environmental, business and labor groups that encourage the exchange of ideas and enhance the interactivity between residents and elected officials.
OCREGISTER: Chris Norby: Local officials susceptible to 'Bell syndrome
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/elected-276253-city-syndrome.html
"Bell syndrome thrives where elected boards vote in lockstep, where groupthink is elevated, and skeptics are ostracized, and where top staff are seen as irreplaceable experts – with rubber-stamped salaries to prove it. Bell syndrome thrives when self-congratulation trumps self-examination."
State Controller John Chaing's Office
http://www.sco.ca.gov/noncompliant_reports.html#cities2
OC has two of state’s best-paid city managers
http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/09/17/oc-has-two-of-states-best-paid-city-managers/64492/
OC Register Editorial: City pay data belongs in daylight
http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/city-261556-compensation-cities.html
Proposed California law would sanction cities that pay excessive salaries
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-bell-legislation-20100812,0,4204782,email.story
* City Council Members Say the Darndest Things in Public? Memorable and surprising Public Quotes from City Council Members
June 10, 2008 - Mayor Allan Songstad said "We have to go through a bidding process and sometimes the low bidder is not always the best contractor, but sometimes that's what we're stuck with."
Thank you Council Member Songstad, that is exactly what we have been trying to tell you about the Laguna Hills City Council "sticking " the residents with the same bad vendor - The Orange County Animal Shelter for the past 19 years.
October 25, 2005 - Mayor Allan Songstad, speaking about the Laguna Hills City Council said, "When you've been doing business in a certain way for 13 years you're not likely to change that."
So true, Allan, so unfortunately true unless you change members of the city council.
August 19, 1994 - LHCC Member Allan Songstad - From the Los Angeles Times Newspaper Article Collections - Orange County Focus - August 19, 1994 LYNN FRANEY - Laguna Hills Councilman Declines to Run for Reelection With Councilman L. Allan Songstad Jr. declining to run for reelection, at least one newcomer will gain a seat on the City Council this fall. Songstad said he never intended to run for a second council term and that he is not a "career politician." That leaves space for at least one of the challengers, Cindy Greengold, Saeid Hariri, Grant R. Marcus or Charmane Riggs.
Now, in 2011 with 18 years on the Laguna Hills City Council we are guessing Council Member Songstad has changed his mind about being not being a "career politician."
"CRIME IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD"
www.ocregister.com/saddleback scroll down to "Local Maps" Click on OCSC Crime Calls in the pull down box that says "MORE" move the map to your area, and click on the crime icons for details that show calls to the OC Sheriff's Department. You can also see stats for Crime in Lake Forest & Laguna Hills on Fridays in the Saddleback Valley News that is delivered to our area. Weekly Crime reports in Laguna Hills By CLAIRE WEBB, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER http://www.ocregister.com/news/block-281462-report-drive.html See a map of all crime calls in the city in the past 24 hours by visiting ocregister.com/lagunahills The blotter was compiled by Claire Webb and consists of selected items from the Orange County Sheriff's Department web site, ocsd.org.There is more information at www.ocsd.org (the OC Sheriff's Dept.) click on "E-Services" for the pull down menu, next click on "Sheriff's Blotter" then click "Laguna Hills" for the 7 or 30 day view. LIVE TRAFFIC MAPS Caltrans Online Traffic Maps to instantly check traffic and any incidents on the 405/5 freeways at any time of day. On the tool bar, you can hit "Change Cities," and it shows whatever you put in there - inland, San Diego,etc. http://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?Region=Orange+County#lat=33.69964&lon=-117.80006&z=1
Contact all of the Laguna Hills City Council Members at: ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us phone: 949-707-2610 fax: 949-707-2614
WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR of the Orange County Register
Letters to the Editor: E-mail to letters@ocregister.com. Please provide your name, city and telephone number (telephone numbers will not be published). Letters of about 200 words will be given preference. Letters will be edited for length, grammar and clarity
