Report to the People - March 2015

This report covers the period from February 1 to 28. It represents the views of Councilman Gardner and does not necessarily 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 2 pm to 5 pm. You’ll find me on the first floor. Inquire at the Clerk’s office. In February we had more than a dozen people stop by with inquiries about the impact of new homes on schools, arts in the city, etc.

Town Square – Lake Forest Town Square has 170+ members, all of whom are LF residents or business owners. They are providing extremely valuable input on issues facing the council as well as general issues. Please join. We need your help and involvement. Go to Facebook and search for Lake Forest Town Square – be careful not to sign up for the Illinois version.

Listen and Learn – In March I will be meeting with the Portola Hills HOA and in April with the Forest Gardens HOA. If you have a group and want to share your concerns, e-mail me.

Mini Town Meetings –Our next meeting will be Saturday March 14, 2 to 4 pm, at FHR Library. The Council agenda for the following Tuesday (Mar 17) will come out on Thursday (Mar 12), so you can preview the agenda and then come to the meeting and give me your opinions about the issues that will come up at the meeting. This is our chance to discuss issues in a forum that allows for more give-and-take compared to the formal environment at City Hall. E-mail me and I’ll send you an advance copy of my “City Council Preview” so that you’re fully prepared.

SPECIFIC ISSUES

Promoting the Arts in Lake Forest -Working with the Saddleback Art League and Modjeska Playhouse I got my Council colleagues to agree to actively promote the arts in our City. This means hiring local artists (and entertainers) for our City events, using the City Hall and Sports Park to have local art shows, etc. In conjunction with this, I am planning to put together a list of artists in Lake Forest so that the City can use locals when they book entertainers for City events. If you’re an artists (musician, singer, entertainer, balloon artist, face painter, sketch artist, etc.) please send me an e-mail.

Village Pond Park – I got consensus to put the feeding prohibition ordinance on the Council agenda for March 3rd.

Dog Park(s) – We created an advisory group to work with the City on plans to build dog parks, including the small one slated for Bake Pkwy and others that are created. Bob Holtzclaw is helping on this project. Not only will this group help with the planning of the park, they can help with the operations of the park. If you’re interested, please contact me.

Land Use – Slowly but surely I have been getting the City to provide a picture of all the land which the City holds. Land use decisions (e.g., Dog Park, community garden, community pool, etc.) are being made in isolation without any consideration for what we have in our inventory. With a complete picture of all the land we hold we will be able to make better decisions.

Seniors – Can you believe it? Lake Forest does not have a “Meals on Wheels” program. Instead nearly 100 seniors who live in Lake Forest have to be served by volunteers from RSM, MV, and LH. I’m working with the City to remedy this situation. And I began meeting with the Senior Advisory Group as we move forward toward designing and then building our senior center. I hope to have an update on this project in the near future as soon as the new Community Services director joins us next month.

Traffic – I have been talking to the TCA trying to convince them to offer an incentive for all new residents to use the 241 instead of the 5. This will reduce traffic from FHR and PH who come through the City to reach the 5. So far the TCA is interested, but nothing final yet.

NETWORKING

In February I attended the following meetings/events

• · Feb 2 – Meeting with City Manager
• · Feb 2 – Parade Committee meeting
• · Feb 3 – Meeting with Meals on Wheels to set up program for Lake Forest
• · Feb 3 – Meeting and tour of City Hall with Cub Scout Troop 629
• · Feb 3 - City Council Meeting
• · Feb 4 – Meeting with Planning Commissioner
• · Feb 4 – Meeting with President of Saddleback Valley Art League
• · Feb 5 – Hotel Roundtable
• · Feb 6 – Kiwanis
• · Feb 10 – Meeting with Public Works Director
• · Feb 10 - Meeting with City Manager
• · Feb 10 – Attending Saddleback Valley Art League monthly meeting
• · Feb 13 – Kiwanis
• · Feb 14 – Mini Town hall Meeting
• · Feb 17 – Meeting with City Manager
• · Feb 17 - City Council Meeting
• · Feb 18 – Tour of Carlsbad and Mission Viejo Animal Shelters
• · Feb 20 – Kiwanis
• · Feb 20 – Commercial Brokers Workshop
• · Feb 24 – Meeting with City Manager
• · Feb 25 – Meet the Mayor
• · Feb 26 – Councilman Nick Open Forum
• · Feb 26 – Fund raiser for Lake Forest Military Committee
• · Feb 26 – Tamarisk Park ADA Ramp Workshop with Homeowners
• · Feb 27 – Kiwanis

LEGISLATION

In February the Council voted unanimously on all issues, with the following exceptions –

• · Approve Francisco Baragas as Parks Commissioner (Gardner & Nick opposed)
• · Prohibit Council members from accepting money from companies doing business with the City (Voigts, Robinson, & Hamilton opposed)
• · Deny/postpone beer and wine license for Mobile Gas Station (Robinson opposed, Nick recused)

MISCELLANEOUS

Website changes. I am trying to get changes to the City’s website to make it more responsive to the community. Here are some of the changes I’ve proposed -

· Expand the City Calendar to include all city-wide events not simply those directly sponsored by the City government.

· Include a list of ALL volunteer activities in the City, not only those that are directly sponsored by the City government.

· Fallen Heroes page – a page dedicated to those firemen and police who gave their lives for the City.

Do you have any ideas? Please share them on Lake Forest Town Square. At my instigation the City put a survey on the City website to solicit your opinions. Please participate.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• · Mar 2 – Read Across America (9 am – Olivewood School)
• · Mar 2 – Parade Committee meeting (6 pm – Recreation Center)
• · Mar 2 – Listen and Learn - Portola Hills HOA ( 7 pm)
• · Mar 3 – Office Hours (2 to 5 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 3 - City Council Meeting (7 pm - City Hall)
• · Mar 6 – Kiwanis (7:15 – 8:30 – Mimi’s Café )
• · Mar 6 – Lake Forest Sports Academy Part 1 begins (Sports & Rec Center)
• · Mar 6 – Lake Forest Economic Summit (8:30 – 10:30 am – City Hall)
• · Mar 6 – “Alice in Wonderland” Preschool Party (10 am Sports & Rec Center)
• · Mar 7 – Home Depot Water Efficient Sale (8 am to 12 pm - Lake Forest Drive)
• · Mar 10 – Office Hours (2 to 5 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 10 - Saddleback Art League (6:30 pm – Murray Center)
• Mar 10 - Relay for Life Open House 96:30 to 8:30 pm – El Toro Library)
• · Mar 11 – Soroptimists International of Lake Forest (6 pm – Lake 1 Clubhouse)
• · Mar 12 – SVUSD Board meeting (25631 Peter Harman Way, MV)
• · Mar 12 – Planning Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 13 - Kiwanis (7:15 – 8:30 – Mimi’s Café )
• · Mar 14 – Mini Town hall Meeting (2 pm to 4 pm – FHR Library)
• · Mar 17 – Office Hours (2 to 5 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 17 - City Council Meeting (7 pm - City Hall)
• · Mar 19 – Parks and Recreation Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 20 - Kiwanis (7:15 – 8:30 – Mimi’s Café )
• · Mar 20 – Garden Club of Lake Forest (9:30 am – Lake 1 Clubhouse)
• · Mar 20 – City Leadership Luncheon (12:00 pm Sports & Rec Center)
• · Mar 21 – Kiwanis Garage Sale Fundraiser (Foothill Ranch)
• · Mar 24 – Avoiding Employment Related Litigation (5 - 8 pm City Hall)
• · Mar 25 - Soroptimists International of Lake Forest (6 pm – Lake 1 Clubhouse)
• · Mar 26 – Planning Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• · Mar 28 – Bunny Blast (11 to 3 – El Toro Park)
• · Mar 28 – Soroptimists Bras for a Cause Fundraiser (6 pm to 9 pm – Murray Center, MV)
• · Mar 31 – Office Hours (2 to 5 pm – City Hall)
• · April 3 – “Rio Party” for Preschoolers (Sports & Rec Center)
• · April 4 – Opening of Modjeska Playhouse
• · April 6-10 - Teen Camp (Sports & Rec Center)
• · April 17 - Lake Forest Sports Academy Part 2 begins (Sports & Rec Center)
• · April 24 – Secrets and Strategies for Business Success – TBA
• · May 1 - “Pajama Time” for Preschoolers (Sports & Rec Center)
• · May - Child Safety Academy

(Note – I plan to attend events in bold. Please come by and say “hello”)

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Here are some of the legislative issues on tap –

• · Baker Ranch desire to add 240+ more homes opposite Sports Park
• · Meritage Homes desire to add more homes in Foothill Ranch area
• · Appeal of 99 Cents Stores to be able to sell beer and alcohol (March 17)
• · More street sweeping parking restrictions proposed on Packer Place, Bandricon Lane, and Raymond Way.
• · Strategic planning for the next 5 years.

CONTACT

You can discuss issues at the Facebook page Lake Forest Town Square. Or e-mail me at DrJGardner@gmail.com