City OKs $10,000 in Grants for Local Programs

Pet adoption info, shoe vouchers for needy schoolkids and domestic-violence prevention are some of the services the city decided to fund Wednesday night.

At its May 4 meeting, the City Council voted 4-0 to give $10,000 in grants to seven local agencies that help residents.

Here’s a list of organizations that will receive funding as part of the city’s Community Grant Assistant Program and how much they will receive, according to the city staff report.

• Ariel Rescue: Provides information and resources to Aliso Viejo residents about pet adoption—$1,000.
• Assistance League of Capistrano Valley: Provides shoe vouchers for needy school-aged children—$1,035.
• Laura’s House: Provides domestic-violence prevention programs, information and shelter—$1,000.
• South County Outreach: Provides food and other types of support for seniors, youths, the unemployed, people with special needs and people in crisis—$5,215.
• South County Safe Rides: Provides rides home for teens to prevent teen-alcohol related injuries and deaths—$500.
• Aliso Niguel High School Instrumental Music Boosters: Supports the school's music program and scholarships for student musicians—$1,000.
• Philharmonic Society of Orange County: Provides free-of-charge music programs to students, children and parents—$250.

Council member William Phillips said he wanted the staff to make sure residents are getting their money’s worth.

 “Make sure that if we’re giving a thousand dollars to whatever entity, we’re at least giving to our citizens, as opposed to citizens of another public community,” Phillips said.

“We can definitely follow up with each group during the given year,” City Manager Mark Pulone said in response.

Three organizations applied for grants but did not receive them: Don Juan Avila Destination Imagination, Laguna Beach Community Clinic and the Aliso Niguel High School Debate Team.

The staff recommended that the debate team and the Don Juan Avila program apply for the city Community Promotional Grant Program, which, according to the staff report, “is a better fit” for the programs.

According to the staff report, the clinic did not receive funding because "of the amount requested"—$20,000—and because there are other ways for residents to obtain similar services.

Other business

• Officials honored Sgt. Jack Songer, a 21-year Orange County Sheriff’s Department member, who has served the city for about 2½ years.
  Recently promoted to sergeant, Songer has been reassigned to Sheriff’s Custody Operations at Theo Lacy Correctional Facility. In 2009, Songer was named Aliso Viejo’s Deputy of the Year.
• The Council congratulated Azarian Gymnastics for its recent victory at the 12th Annual Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas.
  Head coach Perry Davies accepted the certificate on behalf of his young players, who competed with 1,700 gymnasts from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Mexico and the Cayman Islands.  
  Individual first-place awards went to Aliso Viejo residents Paige Weitz, Hailey Freitag and Ava Chao.

• The city approved the continued suspension of the Planning Commission for a year.
  Albert Armijo, director of Planning Services, said the city staff and the council have been handling the Planning Commission’s workload.
  A staff report lists a potential savings of up to $50,000.

• The City Council postponed a public hearing on proposed parking expansion at Soka University.
• Officials proclaimed May Water Safety Awareness month.
• Daisy Scout Troop 1381 of Canyon Vista Elementary led the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Mayor Carmen Cave and fellow council members Donald Garcia, Phillip Tsunoda and William Phillips attended. Council member Greg Ficke was absent.

Click here to read the full agenda.