HEADLINES/ a VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT and other ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST  for the

Tuesday March 13, Laguna Hills City Council Meeting                 
  

A Very Special Laguna Hills Watch Dog Announcement

A NEW VISION FOR LAGUNA HILLS

We’ve all heard at least one Laguna Hills citizen ask, “Why do we need a new vision for the City; don’t we have nice parks and good roads?”

But nice parks and good roads aren’t enough to make a city great. A great city needs exactly what’s missing in Laguna Hills—citizen participation. It’s not that our residents haven’t tried to participate effectively. They have, many times. Unfortunately the City Council majority that has dominated Laguna Hills’ political process for the past 20 years has resolutely minimized opportunities for our residents to contribute. The current Council majority has apparently determined that there is no room in the process for mere citizens to impact how the city is run. That Council majority instead reserves all creative thought and actions as their sole domain. For 20 years that system worked to obscure their failures to adequately, honestly, and transparently perform the work of our people. That system prevailed until the election of Councilmember Barbara Kogerman in 2010, with her efforts to make city matters more transparent.

But as we’ve witnessed in 2011, Councilmember Kogerman can’t solely undo 20 years of self-centered governance. Now I can officially tell you: true reform is on its way—a “New Vision” in the form of two incredible candidates for the City Council election on November 6, 2012.

I have met individually with these two candidates and last Tuesday evening I had the distinct pleasure of observing these two candidates standing tall in a room full of concerned Laguna Hills activists as they were peppered with questions. They each took the floor and elegantly delivered a New Vision for the City of Laguna Hills. This New Vision concentrates on promoting citizen involvement.  Yes, they support a citizen-based Planning Commission. Yes, they support greater involvement by the City for Business Development, Seniors, School District and Youth and Sports issues. Yes, they believe that good roads and parks are part of a great city’s governance. But foremost, their primary focus is how municipal governance addresses the rest of the needs of its citizens—needs that have for 20 years been overlooked, ignored or rejected.

WHO ARE THESE INCREDIBLE CANDIDATES?

Their names are known to a large portion of our citizenry.

THE FIRST IS A PROVEN COMMUNITY LEADER.

Dr. Raghu Mathur, who was instrumental in leading the community of Laguna Hills out of its unincorporated County-governed status and forming the City of Laguna Hills, has committed himself to a New Vision for Laguna Hills in his candidacy for City Council 2012. Dr. Mathur has been a resident of our community for the past 32 years.

Dr. Mathur has served as a President of the Laguna Hills Homeowners’ Association; Elected Member, Board of Trustees, Saddleback Valley Unified School District (9 years); President, Irvine Valley College (5 years); and the Chancellor, South Orange County Community College (9 years) where he oversaw all strategic planning, technology, compensation negotiations and managed a budget slightly under a half billion dollars.

He is married to Karuna and has two sons, both Laguna Hills High School graduates now in college. Dr. Mathur holds a B.S (Honors) in Chemistry, Geology, and Geography, an M.S. in Chemistry and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration. Dr. Mathur currently serves as the Chair, College of Education, Argosy University, Orange, California.

THE SECOND INCREDIBLE CANDIDATE IS A SUCCESSFUL SELF-MADE BUSINESSMAN.

Mr. Andrew Blount is the iconic self-made entrepreneur, who at eight years of age wrote computer software and sold his first program. Now with 30 years of hands-on experience creating commercial real estate and financial analysis software, Andrew is committed to applying his professional leadership in business growth, negotiation, marketing, and technology development to the needs of the City of Laguna Hills. Andrew came to California with $17 in his pocket and a passion to do something great. After 20 years of numerous business successes, Andrew has become the financially independent Investment Advisor and founder of Blue Cielo Capital Management.

Andrew never forgets his humble roots. He and his wife Michelle have a strong passion for both charity and community. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for the Orange County High School of the Arts, the Blounts grace the City of Laguna Hills with their extraordinary Christmas light show. This display features a plethora of dancing lights and multiple-story villages in their Laguna Hills home and helps the Blounts collect many hundreds of toys for needy children. Their 2011 Christmas spectacular was featured on the cover of the Orange County Register and drew thousands of delighted visitors. One of those 2011 Christmas visitors was a very special child with a life threatening ailment on an outing from his hospital and, accompanied by parents, forced to question his fate each new day. After visiting the Blount home, the little boy proclaimed with the biggest smile on his face, “. . today is the very best day of my life.” Tears flowed abundantly.

Besides his business acumen, genius, and common sense, Andrew’s core value remains his generosity. Having been blessed with numerous accomplishments, Andrew possesses the strong desire to give back to the community that he loves, Laguna Hills.

LAGUNA HILLS RESIDENTS AND THIS WATCHDOG BLOG HAVE LONG BEEN ASKING FOR A NEW DIRECTION –A NEW VISION—FOR OUR CITY.

NOW WITH TWO INCREDIBLE CANDIDATES, THAT IS WITHIN OUR REACH IN 2012.

THE REST IS UP TO US.

Jean Bland, Editor, Laguna Hills Watch Dog

other ITEMS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

1. Under PLANNING AGENCY PUBLIC HEARINGS Item 5.4.2 - AT & T has requested that this item be continued to the April 10, 2012 City Council/Planning Session Meeting
This is the Request by AT & T Mobility to add 2 additional microwave dish antennas to the existing Communications Facility located at 25655 Nellie Gail Rd. This item was previously presented on January 10, 2012. Laguna Hills Citizens spoke at that meeting and noted that the city council does have to power to request proof that the cumulative effects of the microwave dish antennas at this site do not exceed FCC Regulations so requested that the City Council do their Due Diligence in this matter and report the results to the community. Staff Report states a pre- installation electromagnetic energy report, alternatives analysis and more specific information on the technology alternatives were requested and the item was continued to March 13, 2012. The Report states now that some but not all of the requested information has been received so the AT and T has requested that this item be continued to the April 10, 2012 City Council/Planning Session Meeting

2. Item 5.4.1 Site Development Permit for Master Sign Program - a Request to Modify the Existing Master Sign Program for the Ashley Furniture Center at 24001 El Toro Rd. - where the old Circuit City Store used to be. Staff Recommendation - is to Approve the Request. The request is for an increase of the size of the El Toro Rd. monument sign from 4 feet to 5 feet 2 inches to accommodate a panel for the Laguna Hills Lodge and allow exposed LED lighting around portions of the Chick-fil-A drive thru restaurant building.