Report to the People - April 2018

This report covers the period from Mar 1 to 31. It represents the views of Mayor Gardner and does not reflect official City policy. These reports are produced monthly. Past copies are available on request.

INVOLVING PEOPLE

One of my main concerns is to involve more people in our local government.

Office hours are every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm. Inquire at the Clerk’s office. Occasionally things change, so be sure to check first. BTW – Mayor Pro Tem Basile has office hours on Monday from 10 am to 12 pm.

Town Square – Lake Forest Town Square has over 700 members and growing, providing valuable input on issues facing the council as well as general issues. Your votes and opinions are used to guide my decisions. Please join.

Minute with the Mayor – Every week I produce a 1-minute video summary of what’s going on in the city. Check it out here.

Listen and Learn – To date I’ve met with over a dozen groups around the City. If you have a group and want to share your concerns, let’s get together.

Town Hall Meetings – Last meeting was Feb 15. Next meeting will be May 17 at the Lake 1 clubhouse at 7 pm.

The Patch – In case you were unaware, I post a column in the Lake Forest Patch, usually 3 to 5 times a week (to date there are over 1,000 up there), and you should feel free to comment there.

Twitter – I now have a twitter account. Click Here. You can reach me @DrJimGardner.

I’ve changed the format for this month because we are doing so much that the length has gotten unwieldly. Let me know if you like the new format (short and sweet) or prefer the former method which was wordier.

PROJECTS COMPLETED - 2017

• Reptile Rescue opened. - March 2017
• Pet Adoption Center opened. - April 2017.
• Civic/Senior Center Ground breaking. - May 2017
• City Hall opened 5 days a week every week – June 2017
• General Plan update - approved June 2017. Expected 2019.
• SFR Ordinance – Approved July 2017. Comprehensive ordinance to provide balance and cohesiveness to single family residential areas.
• Veterans Park approved - September 2017
• The “Shop and Dine Lake Forest” mobile app. - Oct 2017.

PROJECTS COMPLETED 2018

• Expanded “Shop and Dine” week to month long – Feb 2018.
• Live Streaming Council meetings on FB – Started Feb 2018.
• Updated City Events Calendar to Yearly – Completed Feb 2018
• Mayor’s Councils – Approved Feb 2018. HOA Roundtable 3/20, Business Roundtable 4/25.
• Takeaways – Approved Feb 2018. We now provide takeaways after Council meetings, promoting local businesses and upcoming events.
• City Manager Report – Approved Feb 2018. First report due April 2018.
• Council Committee Reports – Approved Feb 2018. First report 3/20
• Weekly Legal Issues Update – Approved Feb 2018. First report March 2018.
• Mayor’s Award – Approved March 2018. Given as appropriate.
• New “Welcome to Lake Forest” video – Completed Mar 2018
• New slide show for people waiting for City Council meetings – Completed Feb 2018
• New Greeter for City Council meetings – Completed Feb 2018
• Police Parking Citation Analysis – Completed Feb 2018
• Weekly “Mayor’s Minute” video – Started Mar 2018
• Paying off Bond Obligation – Approved Mar 2018. Payoff before Dec 2018. This act will make us completely debt-free, save us $1,000,000 in interest payments.
• Intersection Collision Report – Completed 3/20.
• City Information Kiosks – Model kiosk presented to HOA Roundtable in March. Now being used at city events.

PROJECTS UNDERWAY

• County repair to Aliso Creek riverbed – After months of negotiations, in March Mayor Pro Tem Basile got the County to respond appropriately.
• Village Pond Park renovation under way. Expected Fall 2018.
• Upgrading 10 parks in the City - Comes to Council Summer 2018. Construction 2019.
• Mobile App 2.0. Beta version available Summer 2018. Release Winter 2018.
• Ethics Committee – Approved 2/6. Mayor Pro Tem Basile and Col. Cagley working with City Attorney. Expected Summer 2018.
• Campaign Funding Reforms – Approved 2/6. Submit to ROV in July 2018 for voter approval in November.
• Real Term limits - Approved 2/6. Submit to ROV in July 2018 for voter approval in November. Opinion Poll on Lake Forest Town Square shows 75% prefer 2 term limit.
• Traffic and Parking Commission – Approved 2/20. Expected to begin July 2018.
• Search for no-kill shelter options – Approved 2/20. Now looking.
• Increasing classes on safety for children. First one Feb 2018. Advanced class offered in April.

• Search for Meals on Wheels Location – Approved Feb 2018. Col Cagley and I are busy looking.
• “Pop Up” City Halls – Approved Feb 2018. First one in April 2018.
• Exploring Buses for FHR Elementary – Mayor Pro Tem Basile and Col. Tom Cagley are working on this. SVUSD will not provide buses.
• Revision to street sweeping – Underway. Mayor Pro Tem Basile and I are working with staff. Proposal expected in July.

CRIME

In 2015 major crimes were up nearly 30% but in 2016 they were down 16%. Last year (2017) they were up 5%. In 2018 (Jan only) we are up 70 %. The biggest increases in 2018 are in stolen vehicles (+174%), Larceny/Theft (+125%), and robbery (+25%). In Jan 2018 there were 1 homicide, 0 rapes and 10 aggravated assaults in the City. To check it out for yourself, Click Here.

In a related matter, last year the Council voted to join with a dozen other cities to explore ways to provide police services. Councilman Nick and I proposed this study a few years ago, but we lost 3 to 2 and the study had to wait.

Concern with school shootings prompted me to meet with the SVUSD Supt. and our Chief of Police. I asked the Chief to address the Council and we produced a separate video to share (Click Here).

Meanwhile, on April 23 we are having our first “advanced” Child Safety class. Sign up soon. I’m sure it will sell out.

ISSUES

Homeless – As the hapless Board of Supervisors changes from one idea to the other, generating more responses in the past two months than they did in the past two decades, the City is waiting for some type of concrete plan to emerge so we can respond appropriately. Meanwhile we continue with our full-time Homeless Liaison Officer, our enforcement efforts, working with other agencies, and moving forward with our own affordable housing plans.

Sanctuary City – The issue was referred to our City Attorney who is preparing a response and we expect to address this issue at our second meeting in April.

Net Neutrality - The issue was referred to our City Attorney who is preparing a response and we expect to address this issue at a future meeting.

VOTING RECORDS

More than 90% of the votes by the Council are unanimous and relate to ordinary business of the City. In about 10% of the votes, the issues are more complex and there are not unanimous votes. Here are the results for 2018 for votes that were not unanimous –

• Approve EIR contract (1/16) – Gardner opposed
• Drone ordinance (1/16) – Basile abstained
• Voigts to be on TCA committee (1/16) – Gardner opposed
• Drone ordinance (2/6) – Basile opposed
• No raise for Council members (2/6) – Cagley, Robinson “yes”, Voigts abstained
• Put Council raise on ballot (2/6) Cagley abstain, Robinson opposed.
• Campaign contribution limits (2/6) – Robinson opposed, Voigts abstained
• Campaign contribution disclosures for RFPs (2/6) – Voigts abstained
• Grant consulting contract (2/20) – Voigts abstained
• Lease park lands to private non-profit to build clubhouse and parking lot (2/20) – Gardner opposed.
• Adopt drone ordinance (2/20) – Basile opposed.
• Spend $60,000 to study community choice aggregation (2/27) – Gardner opposed
• Spend $40,000 to study no-kill shelter feasibility (2/27) – Voigts abstained
• Purchase video equipment instead of using staff’s own equipment (2/27) – Voigts abstained

NETWORKING

I attended the following meetings/events (along with fellow Council members)

• Mar 1 – Briefing with Police Chief on school shooting preparedness (Gardner)
• Mar 1 - Dog Park Shade Ribbon Cutting (Gardner, Basile, Cagley)
• Mar 2 – Read Across America (Gardner, Basile, Cagley)
• Mar 2 – Private tour of OC Shelter (Gardner, Voigts)
• Mar 5 – Parade Committee (Gardner)
• Mar 6 - Office Hours (Gardner)
• Mar 6 - City Council Meeting (All)
• Mar 10 – Pet Expo (Gardner, Cagley, Voigts, Robinson)
• Mar 13 - Office Hours (Gardner)
• Mar 13 – SCORE Seminar – Legal Issues (Gardner)
• Mar 14 – Chamber of Commerce Mixer (Gardner, Cagley, Voigts)
• Mar 17 – First Responders Grab and Go (Gardner, Basile)
• May 18 - Faye Martnick Retirement (Gardner, Basile)
• Mar 20 – HOA Roundtable (Gardner)
• Mar 20 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Mar 20 - City Council Meeting (Gardner, Cagley, Robinson, Voigts)
• Mar 22 – Meet the Candidates (Gardner, Basile)
• Mar 23 – Ribbon Cutting 786 Wireless (Gardner, Cagley)
• Mar 23 – Lakeview Learning Center Fundraiser (Gardner)
• Mar 24 – Bunny Blast (Gardner, Basile, Cagley)
• Mar 26 – Jim Sax Committee (Gardner, Basile)
• Mar 27 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Mar 28 – Soroptimists “Live Your Dream” (Gardner)
• Mar 30 – ETWD Water Wise Garden Opening (Gardner)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Apr 2 – Parade Committee (6:00, Sports Park)
• Apr 3 - Office Hours (4:00, City Hall)
• Apr 3 - City Council Meeting (6:30, City Hall)
• Apr 10 - Office Hours (4:00, City Hall)
• Apr 11 – Meet the Mayor (5:30, Mercedes Benz of Foothill Ranch)
• Apr 11 – Lake Forest Farmers Market (4:30, Sports Park)
• Apr 12 – MADD Police Awards (11am, 8888 Los Coyotes, Buena Park)
• Apr 12 – Ribbon cutting - Y-Tel (5:30, )
• Apr 14 – Pop Up City Hall (8 am, Lake 1 Clubhouse)
• Apr 17 – Office Hours (4:00, City Hall)
• Apr 17 - City Council Meeting (6:30, City Hall)
• Apr 20 – Ribbon cutting – Landsea (10 am, )
• Apr 23 – Advanced Child Safety classes begin (6 pm, City Hall)
• Apr 24 – Office Hours (4:00, City Hall)
• Apr 25 – Business Roundtable (11:30, City Hall)
• Apr 25 – Lake Forest Farmers Market (4:30, Sports Park)
• Apr 26 – Senior Awards (11:30, City Hall)
• Apr 27 – Medal of Valor (11:30, 17900 Jamboree Rd, Irvine)
• Apr 28 – Special Needs Resource Faire (9 am, Sports Park)
• Apr 28 – Ribbon Cutting – McDonalds (2 pm, 24511 Trabuco Rd)

That’s a total of more than 60 hours during the month of March attending meetings/events. This doesn’t include any preparation and/or follow-up as a result of the meetings/events.

Most of the events are FREE but some may charge admission. Be sure to check. I plan to be at most of these events so please come by and say hello.

CONTACT

You can discuss issues at the Facebook page Lake Forest Town Square.