City Council Review - June 5

Tuesday night the Council met and here’s what happened

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

The Council voted to reject the $300,000 increase in the landscape budget and to seek revised proposals. Meanwhile the existing contract, signed 5 years ago, will continue with only a modest 5% increase.

PUT LAKE FOREST FIRST

I got approval for staff to bring back a local preference ordinance that will allow our Lake Forest businesses to have preference over outside companies when the bids are within 5%.

POLICE CONTRACT

Approved.

DISTRICT ELECTIONS

Council approved two ballot proposals. The first will let people express their opinion whether or not they wish to go to district elections.

Because of the lawsuit, we are switching to district elections in 2018, however, if events change on the legal front, we would be able to switch back, if that’s what people wanted.

FWIW - Every City that ever voted on this issue chose to go with districts, and no City that ever went to districts voted to go back.

The second proposal asks people whether or not they are so opposed to district elections that they are prepared to spend an unlimited amount of money to fight the case. Bear in mind that no City that fought against the law firm who is threatening us has ever prevailed over the company, and cumulatively cities have spent more than $20,000,000 in vain attempts to prevail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest where he serves as Mayor. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His Twitter handle is @DrJimGardner. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.

Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a town hall meeting every quarter. The next meeting will be Aug 16 at 7 pm at the Lake 1 Clubhouse (Ridge Route).