May 10, 2011 - Laguna Hills City Council Meeting
All Council Members were present
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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 beginning with the March 22, 2011 meeting. Try it out and see what you think.
*** See the 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 Laguna Hills City Council Members at - ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us

PRESENTATIONS and PROCLAMATIONS – Sharry Graham presented, the OC Chapter of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving’s (MADD), 2010 “DEUCE AWARD” to Deputy Scott Watson for amassing 74 DUI Arrests in 2010 in this small city of about 33,000 people. There was a great deal of applause. Lt. Doan, Laguna HIlls Chief of Police, introduced Deputy Watson who has been serving Laguna Hills for 4 years, and has developed an expertise in the identification and apprehension of drunk and impaired drivers. Chief Doan announced that he has commandeered Deputy Watson to move to traffic enforcement on a motorcycle in Laguna Hills in the near future. Every year MADD recognizes police officers for their efforts in reducing or eliminating drunk driving on our roadways while continuing to remind everyone that drunk driving is not a victimless crime and is proven to have a tragic effect on families and communities throughout the nation. Sharry Graham noted that her son had by hit by a drunk driver going 85 mph on Crown Valley Parkway in 2002.

PUBLIC COMMENTS - Amber Quartz from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and Robert Alverado, a firefighter announced that on Saturday, May 21 they will be collecting funds for MDA on the corner of Avenida de Carlotta and El Toro Rd. They noted there are about 2000 people afflicted with Muscular Dystrophy in Orange County. Council Member Bressette clarified the location with instructions to - Go on El Toro Rd. come up PDV make a right turn toward the freeway look for the firefighters with the big firefighter's boot, and please put cash in the boot to help. The money collected for 43 neuromuscular diseases goes to health care for those with the disease in Orange County and a for a summer camp for children with these diseases.

Warren Wittaker, Laguna Hills Resident said he had 2 concerns about the area of Stockport Park in Laguna Hills.
1.  The hillside on the north end of the park near the play equipment is mostly bare dirt on a steep unstable slope. He suggested planting some trees there to help correct this condition.
2.  He was concerned about safety and security in this park which is a very late night and early hours of the morning party spot. He suggested preventive measures for this. Ken Rosenfield, City Engineer and Director of Public Services confirmed bare areas on the slopes and noted that children play on those areas trampling the landscape. He said there is no evidence of gross instability. Additionally many old trees had to be removed from that area leaving stumps and roots behind which are difficult to remove due to the steepness of the slope. He noted that this park is scheduled to for renovation in the next fiscal year. Mayor Pro-Tem Carruth inquired about security lighting in the park and Ken Rosenfield responded that the lighting in the park is mainly for the walkways not for security. Carruth suggested cutting back vegetation as necessary so that late night parties in the park could be more clearly seen. Council Member Kogerman confirmed how unsightly this area is and noted pipes for sprinklers are exposed where dirt has eroded. She suggested fencing is needed to protect slopes and grow plants.

Everette Stone, Laguna Hills Resident inquired about the area of Ridge Route between Moulton and the Freeway, and identified this area as not looking good, not in keeping with the rest of Laguna Hills and asked if something could be done to improve it. Ken Rosenfield, Director of Public Services, City Engineer responded that this area is scheduled for renovation in 2 years.

Meg Gorham, Laguna Hills Resident (Win-Win-Meg) announced 3 new developments.

1. She has recruited some Fast Food eating establishments and Coffee Houses for every day rather than just on Wednesdays for a "Win-Win-Everyday" to assist the fund raising effort for Safe and Sane Grad. Night. The next new development is Win-Win-At-Your-Service for Hair Salons, Nail Salons, Cleaners, and Car Washes who are also interested in joining.

2. There will be a SUPER WIN-WIN-WEDNESDAY on June 22 with 5 Italian food vendors, so you can eat all day and all night and Win-Win-Wednesdays will now be all year long instead of just the months leading up to graduation.

3. She thanked the City for their check and said it was hugely appreciated and because she was unable to attend the last city council meeting she asked for clarification regarding references at that meeting to the City also providing additional Police Services for Grad. Night. She noted that the Grad Night fund raising group has a budget for about $2000 for security and they must sign contracts for that very soon, so they may not have to spend that money if the City is donating additional police services.
Lt. Doan, Laguna Hills Chief of Police stated historically there is no dedicated officer for the event, but the area car does spend a lot of time there, as time permits. We don't put somebody on the property during grad night itself. Officer's are there more than they would be on any normal night but not dedicated to that event. Mayor Songstad said there's a car that spends some additional time there outside. Council Member Bressette said it was referenced at the last city council meeting that the City did spend additional funding for security for Grad. Night, over and above the $4000 in the budget so is that not true? City Manager Bruce Channing responded that Public Safety Benefit is the rationale for the $4000 the City gives each year to this effort but noted no additional money spent for police or other security for the event. Mayor ProTem Carruth spoke at length about how having police in the area increases security for Grad. Night, but noted no additional money spent for police or other security dedicated to Grad Night.

(**Editor's Note - At the 4-26-11 city council meeting, it certainly sounded to us as though the City was also donating some police services, so, we went back to the recording of that council meeting and took another listen to see who said exactly what about furnishing police services as an additional contribution to Grad Night and this is what was said: Council Member Bressette said, "I'd like to move that the City Council match the $1,500 raised by Laguna Hills Grad Night and issue a check as soon as possible." Mayor Pro-Tem Carruth said, "The $4000 that we appropriate every year in addition to law enforcement, we have our deputies that drive through the parking lot and are always there just moments away if there are any problems with the event itself that too is a commitment and too we have committed resources from the City to insure that we create a safe environment at Laguna Hills High School." She also suggested individual contributions from the Council and said she was donating $200.  Council Member Lautenschleger said, ".... I think the $4000 we contribute plus the law enforcement, that goes along with it, is a great contribution but I think that's what this City should limit itself to." Council Member Kogerman, said " .... and it is truly a public safety event.... as Mrs. Carruth says a gift of public funds, we're doing that, we're doing above and beyond the $4000...." Council Member Songstad said, "I would be happy to match Mrs. Carruth's contribution."- Mayor-Pro-Tem Carruth contributed $200, Council Member Bressette stated he contributed $500, Council Member Kogerman contributed and Mayor Songstad stated he would match Mrs. Carruth's contribution.)

LHHS STUDENT LIAISON REPORT by Lyndsey Kaan - A week from last Saturday was the swap meet at LHHS and Teen Darkhorse (Teen division of the 3/5 Marine Support Group) made almost $1,100. This Saturday is Prom night and the theme is Masquerade. Last show for Little Women, the amazing Spring Musica,l is May 11, 12 and 13. More testing and that's it.

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 documentation of information from the city.

CONSENT CALENDAR - Warrant Register = $356,346.67

Items of interest from the Warrant Register - Animal Pest Management Services was paid $500 for a Coyote Assessment March 11, 2011  (**Editor's note -  Citizens never received a formal report on findings from this "Assessment" and Citizens were promised last year that the Coyote Problem would be agendized at a City Council Meeting but so far that hasn't happened either.)

Items of Interest from the Consent Calendar: **Items on the Consent Calendar are placed there by City Staff:

Item 4.3 – 3rd Quarter Financial and Treasurer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2010-11 – Unaudited information from the City states year to date funding sources by the end of the quarter totaled $13.7 million and funding uses were approx. $17.2 million. The City states discrepancies here are primarily related to timing issues and the revenues and expenditures are expected to be met by the end of the fiscal year with general fund revenues projected to come in at 8% below budget and operating expenses 6% below budget. The City’s funding sources include general fund revenues, special revenues (including grant funds) and debt financing. Staff Recommendation is receive and file this report.

Item 4.4 – Zoning Text amending Temporary Uses in permit Seasonal Strawberry Stands. Staff Recommendation – adopt the Ordinance

Item 4.5 – Progress Payment for La Paz Rd. widening.

Item 4.6 - Award of Contract for Energy Efficient Project to the low bidder Robert D. Gosney Construction for $164,634.00 to enhance or protect an un-named natural resource. Fiscal Impact to the City = $174,071.00 from a grant obtained from the CA. Energy Commission.

Item 4.7 - 2011 4th of July Celebration. 3 fireworks packages were presented to the City Staff: 1. 665 shells for $24,675 = 16 to 18 minutes 2. 532 shells for $23,500 3. 590 shells for $24,000 Staff recommends package #1 for the 2011 event. The City provides entertainment and activity free of charge every year and will include carnival rides, games informational booths, food booths and entertainment. The report states 11,000 people attended last year.
Fiscal Impact to the City for the 4th of July Event is expected to be $52,500.
Staff Recommendation – execute the agreement with Pyro Spectaculars, Inc.

Item 4.8 – Status Report on Florence Sylvester Senior Center Upgrades – In July 2010 the City received a Federal Community Development Grant of $52,000 for Public Improvements at the Florence Sylvester Senior Center. The City has also recently been informed that it has tentatively been awarded $63,750 to implement energy efficiency improvements at the Center specifically the installation of a solar panel system.

VOTE - Consent Calendar was passed 5 - 0 as a block of items without comment on any of the individual items.

Items Pulled from the Consent Calendar for Discussion- NONE

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.

Staff Recommendation is to conduct a public hearing and approve the Conditional Use Permit. (**Editor's note this is the gas station for which the City recently paid a total of $1,590,431.54 for a 15 foot wide 2,500 sq. ft. portion of the property to accommodate the right-of-way for the widening of El Toro Rd at Avenida de la Carlota. The amount paid includes the land and rebuilding this 30 year old gas station to include a Food Mart.)
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 its smaller size (16,160 sq. ft.) due to the Carlota St. widening, site design and signage.

Mayor Pro-Tem Carruth asked if the placement of the convenience store and the gas pumps in the design could be reversed to place the food market at the corner where it would be seen from the street and the gas pumps in back rather than the other way around as it is now designed, and asked if the architectural styling could be made to look more like the old California style. Vern Jones, Community Development Director explained there was no way to put the convenience store at the corner without reducing the 20 foot setbacks, cutting into the landscape significantly and redesigning the building to flatten it into a more linear facility which may make it less functional, also the building being closer to the corner would block the visibility.

Planning Agency Public Comments - The Project Architect and George Pearson, owner of the gas station for 20 years, spoke and said they had worked hard with the help of Vern Jones, Community Development Director and Vern's staff to get a design that accommodated everything in the smaller area, the pumps and the new convenience store as well as ample room for vehicles to enter and exit and to accommodate the large truck that refills the tanks, etc. The convenience store and the pumping station were designed using tan colors and facade treatments that were recommended by the City, and all the signage and landscape were also designed to conform, etc. There were no additional speakers from the community. Mayor Pro-Tem Carruth stated, "I think I've been persuaded that perhaps reversing this is not going to work even with the potential for some more space in the driveway" and she asked again about the architectural style.
VOTE was 4 - 1. The dissenting vote was Mayor Pro-Tem Carruth who said she could not vote for this because she was not convinced that this plan could not have been reversed in this significant entry point to the City.

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS – NONE

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS - **These Items are authored by City Staff

Item 7.2.1 – Results of the 2011 Biennial Citizen Survey with a request to cancel the 2013 Citizen Survey. (**Editor's Note - Please see a synopsis of this survey with all of the comments from citizens who offered suggestions for the City posted on this blog site below this issue of the Laguna Hills Watch Dog.  Just below the Citizen Survey is a another special edition synopsis of the big April 19, Budget Session with a listing of all the favorite projects for the City suggested by council members and city staff. This survey is reported here, by city staff, to have cost $16,850.00.  It was reported in the January 11, 2011 City Council Meeting Staff Report that the City would save $18,000 by eliminating it and in the April 12, 2011 City Warrant Register the City is reported to have paid the University of North Texas $8,425.00 for the Citizen Survey so we will continue to monitor for any additional payments to the U. of No. Texas to see if we can determine the actual cost. Staff is again asking the Council to cancel the next city survey scheduled for 2013 claiming that it will cost $18,000 and the difficulties with a decreased amount of telephone land line numbers are too great.)

Assistant City Manager Don White reported study results and suggested, for the second time this year, that it be eliminated in the future because it was not random enough related to not enough phone numbers published in the white pages now so skewed to older residents missing some of the younger population from 18 years old up.

Mayor Pro Tem Carruth asked Don White what our options were and asked for any insights from the survey vendor as well.  Don White replied voter registration is also skewed to an older demographic.  He said the City of Laguna Hills uses a "not for profit vendor" for their Citizen Survey and noted that most of the survey companies that operate in CA. and work for other cities are for profit. He stated, "They have not been as up-front, I think, with the problem that they're all facing." The other cities around are still doing the phone surveys and are typically using voter registration. He suggested possibly doing the survey through City Views, mail in surveys or Facebook. Mayor Songstad stated it was concerning to him to eliminate it entirely because it is picking up valuable information from citizens who have lived in the city a long time. He suggested keeping the money in the budget and checking again in another 2 years. Council Member Bressette said this is the 9th Biennial City Survey and is a valuable tool for the community to use to tell the City Council what they think. He stated electronically taken polls are in progress now and should be better in 2 years. He also asked Don White about the question that incorrectly asked residents if their dog was licensed "with the City." (Editor's Note - ** No dogs are licensed with the City in Laguna Hills, they are all licensed with the County Animal Shelter in Orange who provides all of the Animal Care Services for Laguna Hills.) White responded that he did not believe residents were confused by that question in the survey because it came after other questions about animal care services. Council Member Kogerman suggested that the City combine the Alert OC (emergency call notification to residents and business owners system for any emergencies in the City) with the Citizen Survey in the future because the Alert OC System has e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers that can be separately contracted to use for the survey. She added that other communities have done this. Lt. Doan, Police Chief for Laguna Hills added Blackboard Connect runs Alert OC and although we don't use it for this now we can contract with it for information for the Citizen Survey. Success requires residents to opt into a program to be used for this as a non-emergency program, so actively asking for this information from citizens would be needed to develop a data base.

VOTE - Leaving the money for the survey in the budget as a placeholder for the next 2 years passed 5 - 0.

7.2.2 City Employee’s Compensation Study Presentation - The study report by Doug Johnson with Ralph Anderson & Associates compared the Compensation for Laguna Hills Employees to 17 other cities in Orange County. The findings to date were NOT published on the City website for residents. (Editor's Note - **This was a preliminary, incomplete and somewhat dependent upon overhead projections study report that basically concluded there were no urgent findings. If you are interested in more detail please listen to the recording online on the City web site.  A summary of the study is posted below)

Doug Johnson from Ralph Anderson & Associates said the study is looking at understanding market trends in categories such as: base salary, benefits, both isolated and cumulative, and the prevailing practices concept: if 90% of the market agencies have this benefit and you don't or the reverse. Also looking at overall city position, historical practices and specific job classifications. He said there is no Private Sector data to present tonight.

Looking first at base salaries, then benefits then the mix. Two other items internal vs. external equity and pay delivery method are not the focus tonight. Tonight's focus is the City's position in the market place and benefits in a study of a sample of 17 cities.

City Position and Historical Practices - This City is paying 5% above the market average to recruit and retain employees. This City minimizes long term liabilities by retaining the 2% at 60 retirement formula benefit and encouraging cash outs of sick leave, and excess vacation benefits. He said most organizations in the public and private sector target being somewhere between the 50th and 75th percentile in the market place range. He said employees in this city were interviewed to be sure the jobs were understood and could be fairly compared with job positions in other cities in the study. He said in this city most jobs are right around the arithmetic mean of the market place + 5% with a few outliers that do not match with this policy. He added that this City is at the overall rating of 61 percentile in the market of the 17 cities studied, so this city is above 60% of the market agencies and another 39% are above this city.

Benefits - Looking at employer costs starting with base salaries and building in benefits. Starting with two major cash benefits - deferred compensation and retirement pickup. The second group examined is Insurance benefits including health, dental, vision but the study is not looking at office co-pays, deductibles, or how good the benefits are, etc. He noted that the rate structure was just recently changed for health care benefits. He did not mention looking at the Employee and Employer Contributions the City pays for health care premiums for the employee and their dependents?

(**Editor's Note - See this recent news story for more on the Health Care Premiums issue: OC Watchdog Lavish health benefits slashed in Laguna Hills, Tustin http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/05/12/lavish-health-benefits-slashed-in-laguna-hills-tustin/82833/  

Doug Johnson continued that they also looked at leave benefits and auto allowances. He looked at only one job "Administrative Job" as a tool to illustrate the use of comparisons with other cities and largely referred to charts projected on screens at the meeting to explain this.

In summary he said Laguna Hills pays 100% of the Retirement Benefit pickup (paying both the employee and employer contributions) and most cities have richer retirement benefits but are moving away from 100% retirement pickup now. Laguna Hills still has the 2% at 60 retirement plan and the retire at 55 plan is a big incentive now for many employees. He said the City has a hybrid retirement plan consisting of both PARS (defined contribution) which requires a 3.5% of salary contribution for non-management and 6.5% of salary contribution for management employees and PERS (defined benefit) retirements. He said that this city's Health Ins. Benefits, Dental and Vision Premiums are the 2nd highest in this sample of 17 cities. Holiday, Sick Leave and Vacation Benefits, with no administrative leave benefit in this City, were found to be 3.2 days, on average, lower than the market place.

Council Member Kogerman asked how the cars for the City Manager and Assistant City Manager were factored into this report and asked for a non-management vs. management breakout in the final study report. Doug Johnson responded that this report did not factor in the cars bought for the City Manager and Assistant City Manager and that would be a part of a further refinement of the study. Related to the City Manager and Assistant City Manager, Johnson said assigned vehicles and auto pools are hard to capture in this type of study and it is not common to provide assigned vehicles, mileage reimbursement is what most organizations do or an auto allowance for management jobs and $368 is average auto allowance in this study. In Laguna Hills auto allowances range from $300 to $650.

Johnson added a final report will be in about 2 weeks, but City Manager Channing stated this cannot be brought back on the Agenda until the 1st meeting in June although council members will get their information sooner.



OTHER BUSINESS - **These Items are authored by Council Members

Item 8.1.1 City Council Member Kogerman requested a revision of the online “Public Officials’ Compensation Report for the year 2010. Kogerman asked that the City Council direct staff to revise the report by incorporating the changes indicated in the “Background” of this item and have the revised document available for City Council review in the June 14, 2011 meeting.
(** Editor's Note -  To see more on this issue in this recent News Story please click on the link below)  Councilwoman: Public pay report inaccurate, self serving
http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-299908-report-council.html

Mayor Songstad questioned Council Member Kogerman's request for a revision of the Public Officials’ Compensation Report for the year 2010 stating his recollection was that a few weeks ago we approved this, so he is wondering why she is bringing this up again now.

Council Member Kogerman said this report that is supposed to be “AT A Glance” tables currently contains extensive text that is not relevant to the intended topic and is more reflective of a public relations effort than transparency and accountability for citizens and contains some factual errors. She noted that council members and residents expressed much discontent with the current online report. She said it was far from perfect but a step in the right direction in that it was the only notification to citizens of the awarding of performance bonuses by the City Manager to others on the management team and the only look at the City's payment to one manager's retirement health care savings plan of nearly $60,000. She said by recently initiating a discussion with staff on the content of the report, Council Member Bressette has opened the door for its revision, so rather than amending the report incrementally in a piecemeal fashion over time it should be streamlined by highlighting the information that promotes the original goal of transparency and eliminating extraneous and self serving information. She said our Citizens want to know what we are spending. She requested that the discussion for this be in an open meeting forum in the interest of transparency. She also noted the following errors: This is supposed to be a compensation report for 2010 but the health care benefits estimate what we will be paying for 2011.  Mayor Songstad asked why not revise it next year?

Council Member Bressette said he felt compelled to correct inaccuracies in Mrs. Kogerman's statements saying 2 or 3 council meetings ago he brought up the fact that there were some mechanical issues with the report related to accessing information from it online. The City Council then directed him to meet with staff and review these concerns with staff privately which he did. He continued that at no point in time did he take the intent of the city council to re-open this issue. Didn't think it was appropriate to spend much more time with Mr. White than was spent with the mechanical issues. He said he thought any further discussion of this issue has to wait until July. He concluded with let's be very clear that I don't think there is anything I did to open the door for this discussion.

Council Member Kogerman noted other factual errors in the report such as saying that council member are required to participate in calPERS, that is not the case, as she did not participate in that plan and chose a less costly one. Kogerman agreed to discuss this in July but not to wait another year.   Mayor Songstad said he does not agree that there are inaccuracies in the information and everybody on the council except you is required to stay in PERS.

No Vote - The issue was deferred until July of this year

(**Editor's Note This exchange between Council Members Kogerman and Bressette was puzzling to us at the LH Watch Dog so we asked Council Member Bressette for clarification. He responded with the following: I do support the “At A Glance Tables” (AAGT). As you may remember this was my issue with Bruce (referring to City Manger Bruce Channing) as early as March of 2010. You will remember I had my head handed to me by Songstad, Lautenschleger, and Scott over this issue. This did not deter me from pursing the issue. I am still just as committed to the ease and transparency that the Compensation Report should have.

Tuesday night was not the time to get anything accomplished with this council. They were tired and this is a huge issue. Time right now has to be focused on the biennial budget. I felt I did support the issue, and kept it alive by saying we need to get back to it after the budget. I saved the issue from being swept under the carpet for another year. We do not need to wait until the end of the year to address this issue, but we do have to wait until July. I do not agree with everything raised Tuesday night, but support the general issue of tables instead of verbiage. The Compensation Report still needs attention.   Randy

Council Member Bressette further clarified a technicality that we who are not city council members are unlikely to perceive, explaining that if this issue had been brought to a vote at the 5-10-11 City Council Meeting there could have been a substitute motion with a 3-2 vote to leave the compensation report as is until next year so he saved that from happening by not having any vote taken and left it with everyone knowing it will come up again in July.)

MATTERS PESENTED by MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS

Council Member Bressette - The OC Fire Authority is competing against another foundations to win $50,000 from the Pepsi Corporation. People can help put smoke alarms in all the residences in OC by going on the web site to vote for OCFA's smoke alarm program. You can click on http://www.refresheverything.com/oc-install-inspect-protect   to vote for this project to help OCFA get this funding from Pepsi.

Council Member Kogerman asked that council direct staff to return, after the completion of the budget process, with a report on the estimated costs of procedures to implement a city-wide campaign to gather contact the information needed, e-mail addresses, cell phone #s and unlisted land line phone #s, etc. for Community Emergency Notification and the Citizen Survey including information on the best ways to do this. Mayor Songstad said this sounds like a significant work effort so why not just get a report getting an estimate of cost of staff time to do this, after we are through with the budget. Kogerman responded it would be acceptable to get a report of what would be involved and what the cost would be. Mayor Pro Tem Carruth - Perhaps the longer we wait the better off we'll be even in a year methods may improve so perhaps waiting a couple months is a good idea. Council Member Bressette - If we defer this until after the budget potentially we'd have to wait 2 years to do it based on it potentially being a Major Plan. So perhaps sooner than later would be better. City Manager Channing if the purpose for the campaign is encouraging more involvement in the OC Alert program contact sooner may be better. Bressette said I would prefer to see it sooner rather than later, a staff report in the next 2 meetings on what the OC alert contractor says about this.

Council Member Lautenschleger - 2 day Annual SCAG Meeting report - OC is doing its own sustainable community stragegy and there is support from SCAG. In the last decade we lost a million two hundred thousand jobs in So. CA. Interesting study and a local profile for the city came back from this.

Closed Session – None

Next regular City Council Meeting is Tuesday May 24, 7 pm, at City Hall.  A synopsis of the Results of the Citizen Survey are posted on this site just below this report and the PUBLIC BUDGET WORKSHOPS have been completed and there is a synopsis of the April 19th, 5 hour Special Budget Session posted here below the Citizen Survey Report. There will be a PUBLIC HEARING on the City Budget in June.
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City Council & City Manager Report Card - 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.

Bressette - P Voted for continuation of the Citizen Survey

Carruth - P Voted for continuation of the Citizen Survey

Kogerman - P Voted for continuation of the Citizen Survey and (A+) for problem solving a probable solution (A) for authoring Citizen Friendly Issue of revising the On-line Public Official's Compensation Report for Calendar year 2010.

Lautenschleger - P Voted for continuation of the Citizen Survey

Songstad - P Voted for continuation of the Citizen Survey

City Manager - F failure to be pro-active for citizens in looking for, finding and reporting solutions to a reported problem with the Biennial City Survey rather than suggesting canceling it. P - Success in working with business owner in the city to problem solve the difficult problem of how to reconstruct a gas station and convenience store on a smaller lot, that would still be convenient for citizens to use, at the corner of El Toro and Avenida de Carlota thanks to Vern Jones and his Dept. of Community Development.

INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers:

The City Manager's Employment Contract, and Health Care premiums for part time City Council Member's and all their dependents paid by taxpayers is outrageous, but no additional police services or money for Safe and Sane Graduation?  

In Laguna Hills the Taxpayers pay the entire cost of health 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.

What a skewed agreement.  My wife once worked as a department head, management level, for Irvine Co. She got a nice but not indulgent health plan and we got a good rate for us but it was deducted from her pay. That's how it should be, family doesn’t work for city. This run amok benefits, paycheck fringe benefits, hidden, obscure benefits is all hog wash and the “Bellish” trade in/cash outs of accumulated leave and best salary years “scheme” to boost retirement should be OUTLAWED.

Part time council members getting FULL TIME benefits for families is outrageous. That is how private business goes out of business. Forgot, this is not private business just Bell spending of taxpayers money held in fiduciary trust. With an employee who gets 100 % paid solid gold benefits, for himself and 100% for family members this is like having additional employees who aren't doing the work.  Do the math on this what happens in the long run?  In Europe with their more conservative and fiscal balanced mind set and actual balanced budgets, looking many years ahead to retirement, 60 to 70 % of pay is on very good day.

The City will need to overtax and cut programs to pay for “Laguna Hills' BELL behavior and we can’t give a piddley $1500 to a safe and sober graduation?  How about asking the city manager, since he got a 60k car, to cough up a few dollars for the kids and why is it an issue that police services should be involved in graduation? That should not even be a question. If we did not have safe and sane graduations the police may have to go scoop up the killed or injured kids (that happens many times for the cities who DON’T have safe graduations) it would not be a problem to pay for police attendance to that “event”  Mr. C - With a daughter graduating next year

Signage Issues in the City?
With all the fuss about sign regulations in this city why doesn't the city do something about that giant Halloween Poster in the window of the vacant  building that used to be Circuit City?  It just screams abandoned building, and looks ridiculous being there all year long.  Lilly

Contact 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/  

May - WWW Celebrates MOMs
May 11 Mother's Market & Kitchen - Restaurant & Juice Bar
May 18 Latte Da
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 SUPER WWW with 5 ITALIAN FOOD VENDORS 

HOW TO  SUPPORT THE 3rd BATTALION, 5th MARINE DIVISION - Adopted by the City of Laguna Hills

Any 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 by clicking on this link - http://www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us/  

Please see the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adopted Marines Facebook page created by Karen Robbins by clicking on this link - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laguna-Hills-Team-Darkhorse/132765660119128  and share it with your friends!! Team Dark Horse also now has beautiful white cotton t-shirts for sale, with blue stars on one arm, red stripes on the other arm and the small Dark Horse Head in black on the left breast or large Dark Horse head on the chest. There are also great looking caps to match.

*** Team Dark Horse made $885.00 in the LHHS Swap Meet on April 30 thanks all of you who donated, bought or bought items. Very Special Thanks goes to: Mav Bressette who organized the group and missed much of her high school reunion weekend to pull this together and make it work on short notice. Council Member Randy Bressette, Mav and Randy and Mav’s son Matt, and Matt’s friend Norianne, Bob Dickson, and Dick Nagle all worked hard for all those hours to decorate, make signs, organize and make those sales. Meg Gorham paid for our spot at the Swap Meet and she and Teresa Bonutto worked with the Teen Dark Horse high school kids who helped all day to make this a success. Teresa and Mav purchased Team Dark Horse hats for the students to wear while they sold the donated items. Janet Kazarian (our Swap Meet Guru) got us all the tables and tarps we needed for the event, donated a lot of items and was our director for success. Council Member Lautenschleger assisted with pickup and delivery. Micki and Gerry Zettel came out early Sat. to help us place the donated items and many students spent the whole day helping. This was truly a Community Event.  Mike Bland 

Eli, the bomb sniffing Labrador Retriever, arrived at to Camp Pendleton to reunite with the Marines who returned from Afghanistan on April 29, 2011. “When a sniper’s bullet struck Pfc. Colton Rusk, the first to reach his body was his best friend Eli – a bomb sniffing, black Labrador so loyal he snapped at other Marines who rushed to his fallen handler.” “After Rusk died Dec. 6, his parents decided they wanted to adopt his dog…….It was only the second time that a U.S. Military dog has been adopted by the family of a handler killed in combat. “- From Register News Services.

In April 2011, the 3/5 Marines, Dark Horse Marine Battalion, returned from their deployment to Afghanistan and on April 29, there was Memorial at Camp Pendleton, CA. honoring the 25 fallen Marines and more than 200 others who were wounded. Kathy and Darrell Rusk, the parents of the 20 year old fallen Marine Pfc. Colton Rusk, and Brady and Cody, Colton’s brothers, flew from Orange Grove, Texas to attend that Memorial and brought Eli with them to reunite with and comfort the Marines Eli had protected in Afghanistan.

Mike Bland and Dick Nagle, from the Laguna Hills 3/5 Marines Support Committee attended the Memorial Service and met Eli and the rest of the Rusk family. Mike told us that although the support committee had raised money to help Eli make the airplane trip here from Texas with the rest of the Rusk family, Darrel Rusk told him that South West Airlines not only flew Eli for free, but allowed him to fly in the cabin and when Darrell returned to his seat, after visiting the bathroom Eli was sitting in his seat. Darrell Rusk said approximately 20 family members attended the Memorial Service and hundreds of the Marines greeted Eli.

The Memorial Service was attended by approximately 2000 people including the 3/5 Marines. Eli greeted Mike Bland with a big, friendly paws on the chest jump and Mike reported that Eli was completely quiet during the entire 2 hour Memorial Service. Eli wore a red, white and blue saddle blanket halter uniform with a handle on top and a ring for attaching a leash. It featured 5 silver stars and read 3/5 Dark Horse, USMC Eli, IDD Bomb Dog, In Memory of LCpl. Colton W. Rusk – KIA 12-6-10. Pfc. Rusk was given a promotion to Corporal posthumously. On KFI radio on May 13 at 8:25 am Bill Handel reported that the Rusk family said when the family brought Eli home for the first time he ran immediately to Colton's room, sniffed around and that is where he now sleeps.

To see original story of Eli and fallen Marine Colton Rusk click on: http://ocpets.ocregister.com/2011/02/03/family-adopts-fallen-marines-service-dog/82914  Eli was adopted by the family of fallen 20 year old Marine, Colton Rusk, who worked with Eli and loved him in Afghanistan. Click on http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-marines-memorial-20110430,0,7771264.story  to see the reunion story in the LA Times 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  Click on 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
For a roundup of Laguna Hills police calls - published May 11, 2011 click on:
http://www.ocregister.com/news/block-300013-disturbance-drive.html and go to - www.ocregister.com/saddleback  for more.

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