Laguna Hills Watch Dog - HEADLINES/ ITEMS OF INTEREST for the Tuesday, September 24, 2013 LAGUNA HILLS CITY COUNCIL MEETING - 7 PM at City Hall


** Consider Attending a Council Meeting to express your opinion on items of interest to you or just to observe.  Citizen Alerts/HEADLINES for future City Council Meetings will be listed on this blog site within 4 days prior to a meeting.


SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

GET FIT and ENJOY the TRAILS OF LAGUNA HILLS - Mayor Launches Saturday Morning Walks

Continuing her Saturday morning tradition of meeting with residents, Laguna Hills Mayor Barbara Kogerman is launching a “Walk with the Mayor” program meeting every Saturday.  Walkers can meet the Mayor at 9 a.m. this Saturday, Sept. 28, in front of the Community Center at Alicia and Paseo de Valencia in Laguna Hills.

Kogerman’s Saturday morning walks promote the City’s Get Fit Campaign. Participants will be visiting a different trail each week and getting fit while having a captive audience with the Mayor.  Kogerman said, “Our first walk will be brief due to an unexpected commitment but participants will be welcome to continue on their own.”  We’ll complete the loop at a leisurely pace, and have everyone back at the Community Center by 11:00. 

Participants should bring water, wear comfortable shoes and use plenty of sunscreen. Dogs on a leash (with doggie bags) are welcome.  We’ll also pick up trash along the way.  “Fresh air and exercise, pleasant scenery, good conversation, and sprucing up our trails – what better way to spend a Saturday morning?” Kogerman asks.

To learn more about the City’s trails download the City’s new interactive app via the smart phone’s app store by typing Laguna Hills in the search bar to install the app.  Go to “Places,” then tap on “Trails” to find a map and directions.  Or visit the City’s web site at www.ci.laguna-hills.ca.us.  Go to “Departments,” tap on ”Community Parks,” and use the interactive map (not available on iPads).  Check the City’s calendar of events for each week’s walk site.


** YOU CAN LISTEN TO YOUR MAYOR, Barbara Kogerman. ON FM RADIO- KSBR (88.50). 
Interviews  with Mayor Kogerman by Dawn Kamber of Saddleback Community College's FM radio station will be played in 30-second spots, every hour and half-hour from 6 am through 9 am on the day of and two days after each council meeting. The regular programming is easy-listening jazz.


** WIN-WIN-EVERYDAY  See our "WWW Everyday Partners - Alpha Cleaners, Golden Baked Hams, ToGO's, Subway, Supercuts, Latte Da Bagelry & Grill on our web site at: http://www.winwinwednesdays.com/   Bring the flyers for these everyday partners and Support the businesses that support LHHS!


LAGUNA HILLS' CITY COUNCIL MEETING FEATURES DIRECTORY for Tuesday, September 24, 2013

1.  CLOSED SESSION - None

2. PRESENTATIONS and PROCLAMATIONS:
Item 1.1 - Report from Laguna Hills High School Student Liaison Kerstyn Gonzales for the 2013 Fall Semester
Item 1.2 - Fire Prevention Week

3. CONSENT CALENDAR and WARRANT REGISTER: $771,237.09
Items of Interest from the Warrant Register - None

Items of interest from the Consent Calendar:

Item 4.3 - Claim Against the City for $175,000
Item 4.4 -  Award of Contract for the La Paz Open Space Improvements to the apparently low bidder - Environmental Construction, Inc for $1,073,627.85. 
Item 4.5 - Bicycle Corridor Improvement Program Funding Application

4. CITY COUNCIL/PLANNING AGENCY PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Item 5.5.1 - Conditional Use Permit and Site Development Permit to make Courtyard Renovations and to construct a pool and Fitness Center at THE HILLS HOTEL

5. CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS: 
Item 6.1 - Zone Change and zoning Text Amendment to Title 9 of the Laguna Hills Municipal Code to establish and Hospitality Overlay Zone.

6. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
Item 7.2.1 - PUBLIC COMMENT on the Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment for the I-5 widening project from State Route 73 to El Toro Rd.

** From the August 27, 2013 LAGUNA HILLS CITY COUNCIL MEETING - We are still waiting to hear why the City of Laguna Hills paid an additional $46,117.00 on August 27, 2013 for fiscal year 2012-13 to OC Animal Control after we were told by Assistant City Manager Don White on April 16, 2013 that this year the City is not going to pay anything for Animal Care Services because the canvassing has shifted that burden to the residents related to a significant increase in revenue for the City related to license fees, in addition to usual fines and other fees, etc. He said the City still has a $28,000 credit going into the 4th quarter


7. MATTERS AGENDIZED and PRESENTED by COUNCIL MEMBERS and MAYOR - None


** Information, Comments, Questions, Concerns from LH Watch Dog Readers from the previous blog post

ABOUT: The City Manager's offer to pay some of his "Employee portion" of his PERS Retirement Benefit 

ABOUT:  Assist. City Manager's failure to explain to the taxpayers why the City is paying more money to the County Shelter after he told us there was no more to pay this fiscal year and there was a $28,000 credit.


** The 3/5 Marines adopted by the City of Laguna Hills

Team Dark Horse says THANK YOU, **BE SURE TO GO TO THE TEAM DARK HORSE web site at http://teamdarkhorse.org/ to SEE HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE HELPING. Team Dark Horse now has PayPal online, in addition to its mailing address, and see the Laguna Hills 3/5 Adopted Marines Face book page by clicking on this link - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laguna-Hills-Team-Darkhorse/132765660119128?ref=ts&fref=ts

**The Marine Corps Birthday Ball is coming up for our City's adopted 3/5 Marines.  Do you have gently used ball gowns, prom dresses, or formal wear taking up space? Team Dark Horse will be happy to take them off your hands!!  For the wives of young and enlisted Marines, the cost of an appropriate dress can be prohibitive.  That's where you, and Team Dark Horse come in.  We will be collecting gently used formal wear up through September 21st in a collection box at the Nellie Gail Ranch HOA office.   ** Any questions please contact Karen Robbins at itskr@yahoo.com

***  The new Commanding Officer of the 3/5 Marines, adopted by the City of Laguna Hills - Lt. Col. Robert Rice and Sargent Major Ruiz will attend the Oct. 8, 2013 Laguna Hills City Council Meeting and tell us about the Commanding Officer's  vision for the 3/5 and what the 3/5 will be doing for the next 2 years.