Laguna Hills Watch Dog
Laguna Hills City Council Meeting - March 27, 2012

Features Directory

**Special Announcements - You can now see and hear City Council Meetings on the City's Web Site, CONTACT LAGUNA HILLS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS at - ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us

** From The Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines support group - The 4th annual LHHS SWAP MEET is Saturday April 21 at Laguna Hills High School This is a Community Swap Meet for the school. It raises funds for all the school clubs, sports, music and other activities and funds for Team Dark Horse to use to Support our City's Adopted 3/5 Marines at Camp Pendleton. **Please help the Marines and/or the High School by bringing all your donated items to the High School before 6:45 am on Sat. April 21 for the high school groups and the Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines. All funds raised go directly to the High School Groups and to the Marines. For more information you can contact Micki Zettel at gezette@msn.com or Dick Nagle at rnagle74@cox.net

**Citizen Alerts for future City Council Meetings will be listed on the blog site within 4 days prior to a meeting - Consider attending a meeting that interests you.

** Presentations and Proclamations - None
** Public Comments -  Widespread Parking regulation changes in 2009, Traffic Commission Meetings not always held at scheduled times, Need for partnership between LHHS and the City re. publication of Special Events, Request for continued support from the City for Safe and Sane Grad Night at LHHS. 
** LHHS Student Liaison Report Jeena Bonutto, alternate Adam Wong - Girl's Basketball update, Music Program honored, Jr.vs Sr. Powder Puff Game, Every 15 Minutes reenactment of consequences of Drunk Driving. ** Consent Calendar - Warrant Register - $916,373.48
** Items of Interest from the Warrant Register - $14,432.50 for Spring Issue of City Views
** Items Pulled from the Warrant Register-None
** Items of interest in the Consent Calendar - City's General Plan Annual Report
** Items pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion - None
** Planning Agency Public Hearings - None
** City Council Public Hearings - Administrative Reports - "Planning Department Information" now linked to current Planning Projects on City web site for residents to view. 
** Matters Agendized and Presented by Council Members - Unsafe Conditions re. sidewalks on both sides of La Paz Rd. where children travel to school at Valencia Elem. ** City Council Member Comments - Carruth - Community Center Open House and Senior Summit, Kogerman - clarification of State Law-Not Mandatory for speakers at council meetings to give their names and addresses, Bressette - Requested Traffic and Parks and Rec. Commissions to always meet at each of 6 scheduled meetings per year. Lautenschleger - Questions cause of traffic backups on La Paz in area of new I-5 interchange.
** Closed Session - Conference with Labor Negotiator Daniel Cassidy, Special Labor Counsel regarding the City Manager's Terms and Conditions of Employment.* City Council Members Report Card - How did they score?
* Information, Comments, Questions, Concerns from LH Watch Dog Readers from the previous blog post including Win-Win-Wednesday + Comments on: Candidates for City Council for 2012,  How to receive the LH Watch Dog automatically, Importance of LHHS to the Community, City Views, Incorrect Animal Services Information from City.
* How to support our 3/5 Adopted Marines and Updates - Request for Swap Meet Donations * News Stories and Blogs about Laguna Hills - find more in the OC Register online under "City-by-City News" - "Laguna Hills".
* City Council Members Say the Darndest Things in Public
* Crime in your Neighborhood
* Instructions for Writing a letter to the Editor of the OC Register Newspaper
Laguna Hills City Council Meeting

Laguna Hills City Council Meeting - March 27, 2012 

All council members were present except Council Member Songstad
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See information for Win-Win-Wednesdays 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 - None

PUBLIC COMMENTS -
First Speaker - Clarence Hauschild, Laguna Hills resident, said he is the one with the imported antique barn that was restored and reconstructed in his backyard facing La Paz Rd. in Laguna Hills. He said he had planned to present this at the Traffic Commission Meeting but the Traffic Commission meeting last week was canceled. He said he has been in his home for 12 years and his barn is used as a museum where he holds Open Houses for groups from the community. He noted that when he moved here parking was allowed on La Paz in the area below his home but now has been rezoned to No Parking. He noted that the terrain of his lot is very steep so without parking on La Paz he has only foot traffic access from his house so can't show his barn. He said he spoke to the Nellie Gail Ranch HOA and they agreed with opening parking on La Paz to his area. He noted that La Paz Rd. is plenty wide enough for parking below his home so there is not a danger for parking there. He presented photos to the council members and suggested extended the Valencia School parking 1000 feet to the West on La Paz.

Ken Rosenfield, Director of Public Services, City Engineer responded that new parking regulations were adopted in Oct. of 2009 in an effort to unify parking regulations throughout the City, smooth traffic flow and allow for bike lanes and eliminate truck parking. Some exceptions are made to serve Community Interest such as parking for Valencia Elem. School and the City allows parking for some special community events with frequency being a consideration. He noted that all properties that back up to La Paz have no access rights, by recorded track map, to La Paz Rd. Ken noted that there is some access from La Paz Rd. through a Southern CA. Edison access trail and Nellie Gail Ranch Owners Equestrian Trail which runs parallel to La Paz, right up to the barn. He stressed that the purpose of the change in Parking Regulations was to not allow parking on arterial highways. Ken added that the next Traffic Committee meeting is the 3rd Wednesday in May.

Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger asked about the frequency of events at the barn and Mr. Hauschild responded no more than once or twice a year but he would like to be able to park his car on La Paz Rd. to access the barn. Mr. Hauschild added that parking on the trails is actually against the association rules and the trails are not usable by vehicles for much of the year.

Council Member Kogerman asked, When you built that barn did you have access? Mr. Hauschild responded, Yes, at that time parking was allowed and it took about 2 years to finish the barn. Then apparently in 2009 they took the parking away. Mayor Carruth referred Mr. Hauschild back to the Traffic Commission for their next meeting in May.

Editor's Note - In the Laguna Hills Watch Dog Archives we found the new Parking Regulations listed under the Consent Calendar of the Oct 13, 2009 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting. This Item was not pulled from the Consent Calendar and discussed at that meeting. - Arterial Highway Parking Regulation Signage - Staff report says - On Sept 16, 2009, the Laguna Hills Traffic Commission recommended establishment of consistent parking regulations. City Staff performed investigations of Parking Control Signage on Arterial Highways throughout the City and noted inconsistencies and conflicting signage such as No Parking Anytime and No Stopping Anytime. Some roads that contained signage did not have a Resolution for the signage because signs were placed under direction of the City Engineer as part of City Council Approved Projects. In other areas there were No Signs and No Resolutions noted where signs needed to be placed, etc. Also, all right turn pockets need to have No Stopping Anytime signs regardless of what controls exist elsewhere on the streets. For traffic safety No Stopping Anytime signs have been posted on streets with no adequate shoulder width to accommodate vehicles. Staff utilizes the verbage "Entire Block" on these signs to save money through reducing the # of signs by 2/3. This study concluded there are currently: 37 No Parking Anytime signs required, 30 No Stopping Anytime signs required and, 41 No Parking Anytime signs that need to be removed. These can reportedly be installed at other locations where needed. The Cost is estimated to be $10,000.00 and funds are reportedly available in the 2009-2010 Public Works Maintenance Budget

Second Speaker - Meg Gorham, Laguna Hills Resident and founder of the LHHS popular fund raiser Win-Win-Wednesdays - Meg thanked the council for the Community Bulletin Board that is now functioning well for W-W-Wednesday at the Community Center. She noted that Villa Roma was the Win Win Wed. restaurant for the Wednesday following this meeting. She also noted that after she attended the Council Meeting 2 weeks ago, she thought about the reported decline in attendance and revenue from Community Events and looked on the City web site to learn more about Community Events that are coming up. She said she put an article about Earth Day and information about the City Community Services Survey Request in the LHHS newspaper HAWK HAPPENINGS last week but was surprised and concerned to find that the City's Earth Day Event was not listed on the face page of the City web site and she could not find it on the event calendar or anywhere else in the City web site.

She noted that there is a lot of opportunity for calendar listings on the City web site and would like to add a few things from LHHS's calendar to the City's calendar. On Thursday April 19 there is an important event, the LHHS Open House with food and music, vignettes from the Drama Dept, and open classrooms. Meg said she would like to see this posted on the City web site in an effort to create a real reciprocal partnership between the City and the High School. Another important event coming up on Saturday May 5 is the Athletic Booster Casino Night fund raising event with a local live band. The first 2 weeks of May, the very family friendly Spring Musical "Into the Woods" is being presented and finally the Grad Night Preview Event. She said all these things are very important to LHHS and she encouraged a partnership between the City and the School for these things including the City publishing some of their events in the LHHS HAWKEYE Publication.

Third Speaker - Teresa Bonutto, Laguna Hills Resident and Co-chair for LHHS Grad Night 2012.  Teresa thanked the Council for their annual support for Grad Night since 1992. Teresa read a letter of request for continued support from the LHHS PTSA that has been working all year on Safe and Sane Grad Night, an all night event scheduled this year for June 14 at 9pm. She noted there are 417 seniors graduating this year and through donations and a work program for those who can't afford Grad Night it is their goal to have all 417 seniors attending Grad night this year. She explained the LHHS is one of only 2 schools in their district who have Grad. Night on campus. She noted that the annual donation from the City is important and very much appreciated. She concluded by inviting the council and the community to the Grad Night Preview.

LHHS STUDENT LIAISON REPORT by Jeena Bonutto, alternate Adam Wong -
Mayor Carruth Announced Jeena as #12 on the LHHS Girls'Basketball team to much applause. Jeena apologized for missing two meetings due to paying in the semi-finals and finals for the Team. She said although they didn't win she was "so proud of our girls." She noted that their final game was played in Sacramento and there was a tour of the Capital provided for the girls that was an amazing experience. She said that their school was also well represented by the Music Program that was just named the Best Overall High School Music Program in the San Diego Classical, a real honor. She said the Drama Program is doing well and David Shaffer was just named first place for costume design at the 2012 Fullerton College Student Festival, so students all over the high school are doing a great job of representing Laguna Hills. This Friday is the infamous Junior-Senior Powder Puff Game. The biggest thing the school is preparing for right now is the "Every 15 Minutes" Drunk Driving Program. It's a reenactment of a drunk driving accident to heighten awareness of drunk driving and it reinforces that impact drunk driving has on our lives. Every 15 minutes somebody is affected or killed by a drunk driver and this amazing program realistically portrays that. It's next Monday and Tuesday April 2 and 3. She thanked the Council for their support for that program.

Editor's Note - The Laguna Hills Girls basketball team won a CIF-Southern Section Championship and advanced to the CIF State finals. Although they lost the State Final in Sacramento to Bishop O'Dowd, it was a great season for the Girls Basketball team at LHHS who had won 11 in a row prior to this defeat and this was Laguna Hills' second time in a CIF States Girls Basketball Final. The first time was in 1997 so a huge Congratulations to this team for advancing all the way to the finals!
Congratulations also to the LHHS Student Resource Officer (SRO) Brian Gunsolley who spotted smoke coming from the High School art rooms at 5:30 pm Friday March 23 and called the OC Fire Authority. According to a 3/26/12 report in "Our Towns South" by Chris Boucly in the OC Register newspaper damage was limited to a classroom and caused by some items near a kiln and there were no injuries.

MINUTES - City Council Approves 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 always a significant delay for the public related to timely documentation of information from the city.

CONSENT CALENDAR - Warrant Register = $916,373.48
Items of interest from the Warrant Register - $14,432.50 to Faubel Public Affairs for the Spring Issue of City Views and 2012 Activity Guide

Items pulled from the Warrant Register - None

Items of interest from the Consent Calendar -

Item 4.3 - City's General Plan Legally Required Annual Report - The online staff report gives synopses of the Land Use, Mobility and Housing Elements, Conservation and Open Space, Noise, Safety and community Services and Facilities Elements. It states that the Laguna Hills Mall and Oakbrook Village Shopping Center are examples of development opportunities zoned for a range of mixed uses including residential. It also states the Regional Housing Needs Assessment or RHNA number assigned to Laguna Hills for the planning period 2008 to 2014 was 8 consisting of 2 very low income units, 1 low income unit, 2 moderate income units and 3 above moderate units. During that time 1 new affordable unit was created so far. This report also notes that the Volunteer Connection Day the City holds every year allows the City to annually re-qualify for its designation as a Tree City by the national Arbor Day Foundation.

Item 4.4 - Progress Payment # 12 for La Paz Rd. widening at I-5 = $304,660.04

Items Pulled from the Consent Calendar for Discussion - NONE
VOTE - Consent Calendar Passed 4 - 0

PLANNING AGENCY - None
PLANNING AGENCY PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
Planning Agency Public Comments - None

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS -

Administrative Reports - 7.1 City Manager Bruce Channing announced a recent change to the City web site. The new Community Development Director David Chantarangsu and his staff made changes that place City Planning Dept. Information onsite for residents to see. David Chantarangsu, Community Development Director stated "Planning Department Information" is now linked to all the current Planning Projects, Zoning Applications, general descriptions of projects, the address, the case # and some other basic information submitted by the applicant and hearing dates for the projects. Plans can now be downloaded and residents can call or e-mail the staff planner and ask questions, etc. Final plans are not yet available but should be shortly.

MATTERS AGENDIZED and PRESENTED by CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS **These Items are authored by Council Members. The council member who authors an item also does the research for that item -

Item 8.1.1 La Paz Rd. Sidewalk Widening - Mayor Carruth, presented her report that states: Two issues, that have been discussed over the years, do not meet ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) Standards.

1. The sidewalk in the Northeast corner of La Paz and Paseo de Valencia is too narrow. It presents a challenge for parents, children and crossing guards gathering at a collection point before crossing La Paz Rd. to Valencia Elem. School. Mayor Carruth added that this sidewalk involves more complicated issues such a Right of Way Acquisitions.

2. The sidewalk capacity on the Southeast section of La Paz from Champlain to Paseo de Valencia is also too narrow and there is a slope failure, from a slope that has no retaining wall, encroaching onto that sidewalk. These problems in addition to the increase in the speed limit from 35 to 40 mph in that area increase the safety risk for children walking to Valencia Elem. School. Mayor Carruth added that this side is used by children and parents with strollers and requires people to walk single file.
The report continues that the too narrow sidewalk on the Northeast corner of La Paz is not scheduled for discussion until the 2013 budget hearings, but the La Paz Southeast sidewalk widening deserves consideration this year. The Mayor points out that because the Saddleback unified School District is responsible for the slope and the La Paz Southeast sidewalk is under the control of the City of Laguna Hills the project might be a collaborative effort with both parties engaged in identifying Grant funds.

Mayor Carruth's recommendation was that the City Council direct staff to return with a report detailing the cost of a retaining wall along the La Paz Rd. sidewalk, the prospect of getting Grant Funding and the process to establish a partnership with the Saddleback Valley Unified School District to share the cost of the sidewalk widening.

Council Member Kogerman stated she is supportive of this. She said we talked about this before and all the residents in the area are very concerned. She noted that the ADA Law requires a 36 inch clearance but with all the shrubs and mud, etc. we are lucky to get a 33 inch clearance on this South sidewalk. She continued that the ADA further recommends that routes for children to school be 5 to 6 feet wide. She added the problem is that the school district doesn't have money, we have a limited budget so she urged the staff to come up with as many creative solutions and recommendations as possible in terms of financing options, etc. She suggested the possibility of lending money to the school district.

Council Member Bressette stated he has been speaking with Valencia Elem. School and members of the school district about this issue and this has long plagued students, school district has done their best with sad bags. etc. with their very limited budget. He said parents have told him that they actually walk in the street with their kids around parked traffic when the mud on the sidewalk is all the way to the curb. He said it's high time that we step forward and take care of the issue, and the children and he said he wants to see funding options also from the City's General Fund and, if we need to, an option to amend the budget for this year. He said he understands there are a couple of design ideas floating around in the City Engineer's mind and he would like to see those on paper.
VOTE - Request for a study presenting solutions for this problem was passed 4 - 0

Editor's Note - Because no dimensions were given in this report for the existing sidewalks or for ADA sidewalk standards, we checked the ADA Standards and went to the site to measure and walk both sidewalks. We found that Council Member Kogerman's information above about the ADA requirements and the problems with the width of these sidewalks was correct. For more ADA information and recommendations for sidewalks for children going to school, you can go to http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/engineering/sidewalks.cfm and http://katana.hsrc.unc.edu/cms/downloads/Checklist_Accessible_Sidewalks_Crossings.pdf
The sidewalk on the side of La Paz where the school is located was narrowed, often to 33 inches in width by the intrusion of bushes from the poorly maintained slope running parallel to that sidewalk. We noted that this situation could be immediately improved through trimming of the shrubs on that slope to get them off the sidewalk, shorten them and angle them back toward the school while the City does a study to figure out a way to raise funds to replace the sidewalks and correct the slope conditions permanently.  We also spoke with people associated with the school system who told us that the school district does have maintenance crews to take care of safety hazards like this and suggested that parents from the school call the district to report this safety issue.  Also If the school for any reason does not respond or cannot afford to do the relatively small amount of immediate trimming that is necessary, can't the City add the trimming of these bushes to their Earth Day Projects for volunteer residents who can be supervised by the City?

Although these sidewalks have been a safety problem for many years the last time they came up in a council meeting, to our knowledge, was April 12, 2011 from Council Member Kogerman.
This is what Assistant City Manager Don White had to say about issues like this at the March 12, 2011, Laguna Hills City Council Workshop entitled - Get to know your Laguna Hills City Council Members' - Mission, Vision, Values, Policies, Practices, Procedures and Favorite Major Plans for the Biennial Budget for 2011-2012, Under VALUES Assist. City Manager Don White spoke about "Process vs. Product" and said  many government agencies anger citizens because the accent is on the process which takes longer and costs more. He said that in Laguna Hills the accent is on product or achieving results and staff decided the City needs to articulate a new Mission and has distributed a handout of Building Blocks for Success.  A list of Values established was Protect the Environment, Financial Stability, Small Town Feel, and Focus on Children.

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS -

Mayor Carruth said the Community Center Open House was very nice and the "I Can Make a Difference" group from LHHS met at the Community Center this year with good suggestions for increasing Special Ed. Programs at LHHS and making the Special Ed. Kids feel more comfortable at LHHS. She also said she attended the Senior Summit this year and was pleased that Laguna Hills is on the team now.  Mayor Carruth is referring to the annual Pass Through Grant for the Florence Sylvester Center for repairs and improvements if the Center qualifies every year and to the transportation for seniors that is not well used yet but is reportedly being evaluated this year for possible changes aimed at increasing use by Laguna Hills Seniors. She thanked the staff for all their good work.

Council Member Kogerman said she had asked that the City Council Meeting Speaker Forms be revised to reflect State Law that it is Not Mandatory for speakers at Cioty Council Meetings to complete the speaker forms and to give their names and addresses but is voluntary courtesy and helpful for the council if the speaker needs any type of response. She noted that the speaker forms had been revised to reflect this message to residents and requested that the Council Agendas be revised in the same manner.

Council Member Bressette asked Ken Rosenfield, Director of Public Services, Why the Traffic Commission Meeting was canceled for this month? Ken responded there were no issues of urgency on the agenda. Due to the lack of agenda items it was concluded that there was no need to meet. Council Member Bressette responded that obviously Mr. Hauschild wanted to come. He said he disagreed with that conclusion and he thought it was a shame that city government wasn't available at the time that we say our commissions are going to be meeting. He noted that this City Council voted over his dissension to reduce the number of annual meetings of the Traffic Commission and Parks and Recreation from 12 to 6 times a year so he would hope those commissions would meet, if for no other reason than to take public comments.

Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger said he attended the Open House at the Community Center and it was well attended. He thanked the staff for their work. He said the dedicated lane at La Paz to go onto the I-5 has been opened up and he has noted confusion problems related to going North or South causing backups. Ken Rosenfield, City Engineer responded that the open lane is where that lane will be permanently for both north bound and south bound when the project is completed. The barrier rails are temporary until a median island is built and there is both permanent and temporary signage there now. There is a plan to add a third lane for East bound La Paz between McIntyre and Cabot in the future that will help improve that capacity. Mayor Carruth confirmed the confusion at that intersection. Ken said there will be additional signage in the future to clarify. 
Editor's Note - Thank you to Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger for asking about this issue on behalf of Citizens.  We agree that we have found this area of La Paz to be backed up every time we have used it no matter what time of day. 

CLOSED SESSION – 10.1 States the City Council shall convene in Closed Session to consider the Conference with Labor Negotiator Daniel Cassidy, Special Labor Counsel regarding the City Manager's Terms and Conditions of Employment. then reconvene in regular session in the City Council Chamber and report on whether any reportable action was taken.

The Next regular City Council Meeting is Tuesday, April 10, 7 pm, at City Hall. Contact Laguna Hills City Council Members at ccouncil@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us ================================

CITY COUNCIL and 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 - A+ for requesting that both the Traffic Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission that each meet 6 times a year always meet at each scheduled session, if for no other reason than to take public comments.  P - Voting for City to do a study to solve the unsafe sidewalks problem near Valencia Elem. School. 

Carruth - A for requesting study to solve the solve the problem of unsafe sidewalks near Valencia Elem. School.  P - Voting for City to do a study to solve the unsafe sidewalks problem near Valencia Elem. School.

Kogerman - A+ for clarifying for residents that it is Not Mandatory but voluntary for speakers at City Council Meetings to complete the speaker forms and to give their names and addresses and requesting that this be made clear for residents on Speaker Forms and in the City Council Agenda Reports.  P - Voting for City to do a study to solve the unsafe sidewalks problem near Valencia Elem. School

Lautenschleger - P - Voting for City to do a study to solve the unsafe sidewalks problem near Valencia Elem. School 

Songstad - ABSENT

City Manager - A+ - for the additional transparency related to the "Planning Department Information" now being linked to all the current Planning Projects on the City web site by Community Development Director David Chantarangsu and his staff, for residents to see.

INFORMATION, COMMENTS QUESTIONS and CONCERNS from Watch Dog Readers:

About Candidates for City Council in 2012

Anonymous said...Glad to hear we have some good candidates for City Council. One question I will be asking all candidates is about having the City pay for their Health Insurance coverage and participation in the CALPERS pension program. City Council members are not employees, rather they are elected public servants. It is ridiculous, that the Citizens of Laguna Hills should pay for insurance for council members and their families when those council members have successful businesses that could provide health insurance. Likewise for pensions. I would ask that all candidates for City Council publicly state that they will not accept nor participate in either the Health Insurance or Pension program, as current Council Member (Kogerman) does. I am also a strong proponent of more citizen involvement. Not only the planning commission, but I think the City should adopt a citizen based Audit Committee to oversee the policies and procedures of the city and the fiduciary duties of the City and it managers.

Anonymous said...Good to have candidates for City Council but when will we hear from them? I can't find any candidate web sites for them. Where can we ask them questions? What is the follow up after this announcement?

Anonymous said...Please tell your previous blogger that the Formal Public Announcement for 2012 candidates for City Council Raghu Mathur and Andrew Blount will be Mid-April and their candidate web sites are under construction now.

About How to Receive the Laguna Hills Watch Automatically

Anonymous said...I just subscribed to your feed which, for me, is setup to show in my email program. So I'll continue to get your posts in my favorite email program. It's no problem. The RSS feed link is at the bottom left of the pages on the blog site which might be hard to find for those who don't even know to look for it.

About the Importance of Laguna Hills High School to the Community

Anonymous said...In your Feb. 28, 2012 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting Report, you said Mayor Carruth thanked Council Member Kogerman for attending and representing the City at the WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) meeting at Laguna Hills High School on Sunday Feb. 26 at 4:30 during the Academy Awards Presentation. As a parent of a student and on behalf of many other parents of students at LHHS, we thank her too and we certainly wonder why this meeting was not more of a priority for all the Laguna Hills City Council Members. Apparently Council Member Kogerman was tagged to attend this very important meeting when both the Mayor and the Mayor Pro-Tem couldn't or wouldn't attend. We have no Jr. High School in this City and this is our only High School. It is a hub of activity and a source of pride for a great many Laguna Hills Residents so I expected that all the council members would attend this meeting, not just shove it off to the one they apparently consider lowest on their priority pole but who also appears to be the work horse of the group. Concerned Laguna Hills Parent

About City Views Publications

Anonymous said...Relative to Laguna Hills' City Views, a taxpayer funded publication, there is an agency that Monitors these types of publications and Responds to Complaints regarding featuring elected officials and/or inappropriate campaigning that goes beyond serving informational purposes only - The FPPC (Fair Political Practices Commission at: www.fppc.ca.gov/ )
Communications paid for with public monies by a state or local government agency are subject to Regulation 18420.1 - which states:
(b) For the purposes of subdivision (a), a communication paid for with public moneys by a state or local governmental agency unambiguously urges a particular result in an election if the communication meets either one of the following criteria:

(1) It is clearly campaign material or campaign activity such as bumper stickers, billboards, door-to-door canvassing, or other mass media advertising including, but not limited to, television or radio spots.

(2) When considering the style, tenor, and timing of the communication, it can be reasonably characterized as campaign material and is not a fair presentation of facts serving only an informational purpose.

Anonymous said...Considering the previous blog about the Fair Political Practices Commission - (2) When considering the style, tenor, and timing of the communication, it can be reasonably characterized as campaign material and is not a fair presentation of facts serving only an informational purpose, perhaps it is time to remind Lautenschleger and others that if a city has to go back 5 years to find something to brag about they are not working hard enough in the present and are not definitely not making an honest presentation to the citizens.

Anonymous said...I had to laugh when I read Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger saying it's okay to brag in City Views about any kind of City award, and he doesn't care what it is. I couldn't believe he said that so I checked the city web site to hear him on the audio feed. Amazing, it appears that's the way the City operates, brag about anything you can find to brag about and hide everything you can't brag about?

About Animal Care Services and Incorrect Information in City Views

Anonymous said...The pricey taxpayer paid Spring Issue of Laguna Hills City Views presented Incorrect information regarding Animal Services. City Views said "After the successful two year campaign, the City's compliance rate has increased to 58% - a ten point jump that placed Laguna Hills second among all Orange County cities that contract with the OC Animal Care." The additional $11,000 the City says they spent for canvassing through the end of 2011 brought them to Third place, Not Second.
To see the correct information Go to: http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Info%20OC/Departments%20&%20Agencies/OC%20Animal%20Care/Shelter%20Statistics
Estimated Dog License Compliance at the end of 2011 in the 17 Cities and the Unincorporated areas that contract with the Orange County Animal Shelter
1. Villa Park - 79.77%
2. Yorba Linda - 66.78
3. Laguna Hills - 58.66
4. Orange - 54.35
5. Unincorporated Areas - 53.20
Laguna Hills still has a very low compliance rate and they have to force their residents to comply. This City also conveniently missed the point that if the City shared a good local City Shelter rather than the 70 year old 53% kill rate shelter 20 miles away, residents would be much more motivated to voluntarily license their pets.

Anonymous said...Portland Veterinarian said... Thanks for sharing this, we are really in one and touched with people who are striving to help rescue these poor animals. May your blog flourish more. Have a blessed day!

WIN WIN Wednesdays!! is an ongoing series of restaurant fundraisers, a project of the Laguna Hills High School PTSA. Students, their families and members of the general community dine out for a great meals, and in return the restaurants donate a percentage of their proceeds to the LHHS PTSA. It's good for us AND it's good for local restaurants, hence the concept of WIN-WIN.

Year long fundraising projects like Win-Win Wednesdays allow the PTSA to fund many worthwhile programs such as "Every 15 Minutes" (a vividly realistic drunk driving prevention presentation), the Award Winning "I Can Make a Difference" program and the Safe and Sober all night "Grad Night" party that Keeps our kids not only safe but in Laguna Hills and on campus continuing a 23 year tradition that makes us HAWK Proud! ** For Weekly Flyers & Schedule go to our web site at www.WinWinWednesdays.com

** Bring the WWW!! flyer to these participating restaurants on these dates and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the LHHS PTSA or now you can sign up for an e-blast at WinWinWednesdays@gmail.com to have the weekly schedule and flyers for Win-Win-Wednesdays e-mailed to you.

April 4 - CA. Pizza Kitchen - LH Mall - 11 am to 9 pm
April 11 - Golden Baken Ham and Deli - LH 6 am to 5 pm ** It's Win Win Wednesdays EVERYDAY now at Golden Baked Ham. Be sure to bring a flyer and go any day of the week**
April 18 - Hot off the Grill - LH - 7 am to 10 pm
April 25 - King's Fish House - LH - 11 am to 9 pm
May 2 - Quiznos - LH - 11 am to 9 pm

** Be sure to "LIKE" us on Facebook to help spread the word and Don't forget to see our "WWW Everyday" Partners like Its a Grind Coffee House, Alpha Cleaners and Golden Baked Hams on our web site. Bring the flyers for these everyday partners and Support the businesses that support us!

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. The Non-profit Corporation 501 (C) (3) status has been approved so all donations are tax deductible. E-mail Mike Bland at 35bland@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, etc. The city's e-mail for the 3/5 is 3/5-support@ci.laguna-hills.ca.us 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/

*** The Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines support group, Team Dark Horse, needs donated items for the 4th annual LHHS SWAP MEET on Saturday April 21 at Laguna Hills High School. This is a Community Swap Meet for the school. It raises funds for all the school clubs, sports, music and other activities and funds for Team Dark Horse to use to Support our City's Adopted 3/5 Marines at Camp Pendleton. **Please help the Marines and/or the High School by bringing all your donated items to the High School before 6:45 am on Sat. April 21 for the high school groups and the Laguna Hills Adopted 3/5 Marines. All funds raised go directly to the High School Groups and to the Marines. For more information you can contact Micki Zettel at gezette@msn.com or Dick Nagle at rnagle74@cox.net

Please see the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adopted Marines Facebook page by clicking on this link - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laguna-Hills-Team-Darkhorse/132765660119128 and their web site at http://teamdarkhorse.org/ and share them with your friends

NEWS STORIES AND BLOGS ABOUT LAGUNA HILLS: Click on the links below to see the stories.
Rancho councilman wants colleagues to forego benefits http://www.ocregister.com/news/petrilla-346622-benefits-council.html

New Reports with 2011 Statistics for the 70 year old Orange County Animal Shelter that Laguna Hills still uses for it's citizens

Fewer Animals Killed at OC animal shelter in 2011
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fewer-338291-killed-shelter.html?pic=1
Total euthanasia rate of 53%. Fewer were killed in 2011 because fewer were impounded at the County Animal Shelter in 2011. January 31, 2012 Teri Sfzora

Three out of four cats still don't leave shelter alive http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2012/02/16/three-out-of-four-cats-still-dont-leave-shelter-alive/148403/  Teri Sforza OC Watchdog
Kill Rate for Cats at the OC Animal Shelter in 2011 was 74% and only 17% adopted, down from 19% in 2010

Euthanasia Rate Stuck at Nearly 50% at O.C. Animal Care http://ranchosantamargarita.patch.com/articles/shelter-euthanizes-fewer-animals-in-2011 County Shelter finally admits killing animal for space in this story.

Fred Smoller,The Brandman University Professor of Public Administration, "who offended the power elite" when his Master's Degree students won awards assisting Council Member Kogerman to research the total compensation of City Managers in Orange County has just resigned from his post. Why did this happen? - Click on http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/10/12/professor-who-offended-power-elite-resigns-post/109833/

LAGUNA HILLS CITY WORKERS: 12 PERCENT UNDERPAID? http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/09/01/laguna-hills-city-workers-12-percent-underpaid/95765/  

Which city council makes the most money? http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/07/11/which-city-council-makes-the-most-money/88311/#comment-169311

LA Times: Laguna Hills City Manager Salary http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-oc-salaries-20110621,0,1126677.story

In O.C., city pay can be steep, but it’s not ‘abusive’ June 20th, 2011 http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2011/06/20/in-o-c-city-pay-can-be-excessive-but-its-not-abusive/85631/#comment-165059

June 9, 2011 ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT - Compensation Study of Orange County Cities http://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/comp-study-oc-cities/Compensation-Study-of-Orange-County-Cities.pdf

City manager says compensation is fair http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-303264-channing-compensation.html

Political rebel faces an uphill battle http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-303262-kogerman-channing.html

Councilwoman: Public pay report inaccurate, self serving http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-299908-report-council.html

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/

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: 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."

CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY the DARNDEST THINGS IN PUBLIC! - Memorable and surprising Public Quotes from City Council Members

February 14, 2012 - Mayor Pro-Tem Lautenschleger said, about concerns from grandparents regarding exhaust fumes from Alicia Pkwy. blowing onto the sports field at the Community Center - "The prevailing wind is always off the ocean blowing East so it's blowing from the soccer fields onto Alicia and across that way."

Another fact checking problem. The Santa Ana Winds which are most common from October through March blow from the East to the West - from Alicia Pkwy. and Paseo de Valencia right on to that sports field.

November 27, 2011 - Regarding the ordinance establishing parks as “Child Safety Zones, Council Member Joel Lautenschleger stated, “Let's make one thing perfectly clear, there have been no sex crimes against children in the City since we incorporated."

Should have done some fact checking before speaking so boldly, Mr. Lautenschleger. According to information from the OC Sheriff's Dept. there have been 32 child molests in Laguna Hills in the past 11 years. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.

January 10, 2012 - Council Member Songstad said, "I find it interesting that we are in a discussion where we are being asked to provide less information rather than more information, I thought transparency was all about providing more information."

To clarify for Council Member Songstad "Transparency" is not simply an amount of information - Merriam-Webster Dictionary (Transparency) - free from pretense or deceit, easily detected or seen through, obvious, readily understood, characterized by visibility or accessibility of information. Wikipedia (Transparency Behavior) - Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. All organizations have a transparency culture, but few have a culture of transparency, i.e., a culture of being aware of transparency and incorporating it routinely into how things are done.

October 11, 2011 - Regarding Intent to Vacate Public Service Easements (Tree Pockets) along Paseo de Valencia and between Alicia and La Paz. Mayor Songstad concluded with, "Alright its been moved and seconded. Everybody understand what the action is here? We're setting a public hearing, blah, blah, blah. All in favor"

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 Mayor 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 20 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 2012 with 19 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 check the Saddleback Valley News every Friday or click on - www.ocregister.com/news/saddleback

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