Report to the People - June 2016

This report covers the period from May 1 to 31. It represents the views of Councilman 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.

Town Square – Lake Forest Town Square has over 500 members and growing, providing valuable input on issues facing the council as well as general issues. Please join.

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

Mini Town Hall Meetings – Next meeting - Sat. Aug 13, 2 to 4 pm, at Foothill Ranch Library.

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). The City Attorney advised me not to respond to comments lest I inadvertently violate the Brown Act (some of my colleagues are known to comment using pseudonyms), but you should feel free to comment there.

SPECIFIC ISSUES

Animal Services – The “Gang of 3” voted against having our own local animal shelter. Click Here for the sad details. Since that time, two more cities joined RSM and Laguna Hills in exiting from the County. Click Here. As predicted our high costs (nearly $600,000 per year) are going to get even higher and we budgeted nearly $900,000 for next year and that might not be enough. We could have had better service, better care, less death, no killing of kittens and puppies, for less money and kept the bulk of our expenses in Lake Forest. Instead the Gang of 3 voted to stay with the County. I’m grateful for Councilman Nick’s support in this effort, but in the end, the Gang of 3 had the votes. If we recall the Gang and/or if Councilman Robinson is defeated in November we will have one last chance to cancel the contract and develop our own local service.

Village Pond Park – We are still waiting for something to happen. For some unknown reason the City is stalling, continuing to have unsightly and unsanitary conditions. The City is not enforcing the feeding prohibition (only 3 citations have been issued in nearly a year) and there are many days that go by when the sidewalks are not being swept. I will raise the issue once more at the next Council meeting.

Crime –There seems to be a high number of crimes appearing on the FB Neighborhood Watch page for the City. Major crime in Lake Forest rose 29% in 2015 compared to 2014. So far the crime rate has lessened somewhat, down 5% on a year–over-year basis through April, but that’s from an all-time high. My colleagues (Voigts, Robinson, Hamilton) continue to say everything is OK. Click Here to view for yourself. Here is another recent article that shows that crime in Lake Forest is getting out of hand.

Civic/Senior Center –Click on the links for the latest story on the Civic Center and the Senior Center. These new projects are vital to our quality of life. If you haven’t been involved yet, it’s not too late. I’ll let you know when the next meeting takes place.

Seniors – The City failed to let anyone know that the newly conceived Portola Park would be right next to a senior affordable housing project with 58 units. This wasn’t raised at any of the workshops and hence resources for seniors didn’t make it into the plans. I’ve asked the Parks Director to re-conceive the plans to accommodate the needs of the seniors who will live right next door.

Bad Economics – My colleagues, the Gang of 3, refused to consider using naming rights as a source of generating $1,000,000 or more toward our new Civic and Senior Centers. (Click Here). Then they voted to spend $1,500,000 on a new General Plan which is neither required nor useful. (Click Here).

Sober Living Homes – I got some good information about what we can do if there are problems with a sober living home in your neighborhood. Click Here to learn more.

RECALL

Recall signature gatherers collected more than 8,100 signatures and turned them in (7,782 were needed). Click Here for the story. We are waiting for certification from the Registrar of Voters, which should happen by June 2. If successful, we should have a special election in September. Stay tuned.

ELECTION

The June 7 primary election is coming up. Here are my recommendations -

• · US Representative – GREG RATHS (a real American hero)
• · State Senator – JOHN MOORLACH (doing a good job)
• · State Assembly – DEBORAH PAULY (best of the bunch)
• · Central Committee – JEFF LALLOWAY, DEBORAH PAULY.

There are 6 people to elect to the Central Committee. Most of them I don’t know. But I do know some of them enough to know that they shouldn’t get your vote. They are part of a cabal that is ruining the Republican Party in Orange County.

DO NOT VOTE FOR –

• · Scott Voigts
• · Todd Spitzer
• · Fred Whitaker

Click Here to get a different perspective from Col. Tom Cagley.

Propositions

• · 50 – Suspend Legislators Salaries – YES
• · A – Ethics Commission – YES YES YES
• · B – Require Fiscal Impact Statement – YES

NETWORKING

Last month I attended the following meetings/events.

• ·13 – Secrets & Strategies to Business Success (8:30 to 1 pm – Sports Park)

· May 14 – Clean Up Aliso Creek (9 am to 11:30 am – Cheery Ac & Fernback St)

· May 17 –

• May 1 – Rancho Fiesta Days (11 am – Heritage Hill)
• · May 1 – Underdog Fund Raiser
• · May 2 – 4th July Committee (6 pm – Sports Park)
• · May 3 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · May 3 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• · May 7 – Lake Forest Garden Sale (8 am to 1 pm – Lake 1)
• · May 7 – Civic Center Workshop #2 (10 am to 12 pm – City Hall)
• · May 10 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · May 10 – City Budget Workshop (6 pm – City Hall)
• · May 13 – Secrets & Strategies to Business Success (8:30 to 1 pm – Sports Park)
• · May 14 – Clean Up Aliso Creek (9 am to 11:30 am – Cheery Ac & Fernback St)
• · May 17 - Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · May 17 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• · May 18 – Commercial Broker Workshop (11:30 to 1 – Sports Park)
• · May 21 – Sports Park Open House (2:30 to 5:30 – Sports Park)
• · May 24 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• · June 1 – Child Safety Academy (6 to 7:30 pm – City Hall)
• · June 4 – Boys and Girls Club Fund Raiser (6 pm)
• · June 7 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · June 7 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• · June 9 - Planning Commission (7 pm)
• · June 10 – Lake Forest Job Fair (9 am to 12 pm – City Hall)
• · June 11 – Music in the Park (5:30 to 8 pm – Baker Ranch Promenade)
• · June 11 – Dino Days (1 to 5 pm – Nature Park)
• · June 12 – Dino Days (1 to 5 pm – Nature Park)
• · June 14 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · June 16 - Parks and Recreation Commission (7 pm)

• · June 18 – Open Softball Tournament (8:30 am – Sports Park)
• · June 21 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• · June 21 - City Council Meeting (7 pm – City Hall)
• · June 26 – Summer Concert – Mick Adams and the Stones (5:30 to 7:30 – Sports Park)
• · June 28 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)

Most of the events are FREE but some may charge admission. Be sure to check.

CONTACT

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