Report to the People - Nov 2017

This report covers the period from Oct 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 nearly 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.

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 Sept 9. Next meeting will be Dec 2 at 2 pm at El Toro 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), and you should feel free to comment there.

MY PRIORITIES

Here are issues that are well in motion -

• The new “Shop and Dine Lake Forest” mobile app is out. This is the first of two mobile apps that will transform our way of doing business in the city. Download it now.
• The Civic/Senior Center project is on schedule. Ground breaking was May 12.
• Village Pond Park renovation is under way.
• Comprehensive plans for upgrading 10 parks in the City achieved through 5 workshops. I attended all meetings. RFPs expected shortly.
• Developed a comprehensive ordinance to provide balance and cohesiveness to single family residential areas. Ordinance developed with City Attorney, passed through Planning Commission, and by Council. Now in effect and efforts being made to enforce.
• With Councilman Robinson we are re-purposing the Village Pond Park and converting to a Veterans Park, and re-doing Heroes Park to make it more appropriate as a memorial to fallen heroes. Click Here Meanwhile, we commissioned a company to draw up plans to develop affordable housing aimed at Veterans. We expect proposals in the next few weeks.
• Developed a comprehensive ordinance to provide balance and cohesiveness to single family residential areas. Ordinance developed with City Attorney, passed through Planning Commission, and by Council. Now in effect and efforts being made to enforce.

Here are the issues I am currently working on

• Pet Adoption Center to take on more responsibilities (e.g., counselling for owner surrender and owner requested euthanasia). Monthly data to be coordinated with County data. Discussions under way to handle strays in the future (probably next year)
• Retail. Develop a comprehensive plan for revitalization of retail space so we can compete with all the progress being made in our neighboring cities. Hopefully part of strategic planning sessions to be held in September. Working with Councilman Robinson and the LF Chamber of Commerce on this issue.
• District Elections. In the face of a lawsuit, and with legal costs mounting, Councilman Robinson joined Mayor Pro Tem Basile and me in voting to switch to district elections in 2018. Final maps will be approved on Nov 7.
• Mobile App 2.0. With City Manager have bids on our second app, the most innovative and far-ranging mobile app to improve communications between residents and the City.
• SVUSD. With Mayor Voigts we are trying to improve services by SVUSD and also improve traffic around some of the schools with the possibility of re-introducing buses in some areas (e.g., FHR, Serrano)
• General Plan. With the help of Councilman Robinson and Mayor Pro Team Basile, the Council unanimously agreed to restructure the General Plan to make it quicker, less expensive, and more focused. Click Here
• Crime – Two years ago major crimes were up nearly 30% but last year they were down 16%. So far this year we are up 8%. The biggest increases are in robbery (+70%), aggravated assault (+32%) ,burglary (+33%), and rape (+21%). In Jan thru Sept. 2017 there were 17 rapes and 75 aggravated assaults in the City. To check it out for yourself, Click Here. In a related matter, the Council voted to join with a dozen other cities to explore need 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.

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’s the list for 2017.

• Make $611,000 payment to County to build new shelter (1/17/2017) – Basile/Gardner opposed. We wanted to create a local no-kill shelter.
• Randomly decide who shall serve a 2 year Planning Commission term (1/17/17) – Gardner opposed.
• Give CR&R a 1-year extension (2/21/17) – Basile opposed
• Consider allowing residents to vote on City Council compensation (3/7/17) – Hamilton opposed.
• Getting a professional facilitator to handle Strategic Planning sessions so we can generate more effective plans (3/21/17) – Hamilton opposed
• Limit campaign contributions (4/18/17) – Hamilton, Voigts, Robinson opposed.
• Switch to district elections (5/2/17) – Hamilton opposed and Voigts abstained.
• Award senior bus mobility contract to AgeWell Services (6/6/17) – Hamilton opposed.
• Approve capital improvement budget (6/20/17) – Robinson opposed
• Table small cell wireless contract (6/20/17) – Voigts abstained.
• Ordinance to regulate drones (7/11/17) – Basile abstained
• Allow Council members one minute to respond to public speakers immediately after the presentation (7/11/17) – Basile opposed.
• Change public meeting time to 6:30 pm (7/18/17) – Voigts opposed
• Delay proposed lane change at Bake/Trabuco until other options were explored (7/18/17) – Voigts, Robinson opposed.
• Transition to district elections (8/1/17) – Hamilton opposed
• Reject turning transitional homes into affordable homes (8/1/17) – Robinson abstained
• Consider paying off our unfunded pension liability (8/15/17) – Robinson abstained
• Pay $30K to lawyers who are threatening the City with a lawsuit about district elections, but leave ourselves open to more and more $30K charges so that we don’t have to move to district elections (8/15/17) – Voigts and Hamilton in favor, Gardner and Robinson opposed, Basile abstained.
• Hamilton re-proposed his idea about opposing district elections at the cost of more lawsuits. Voigts and Hamilton in favor, Basile, Gardner and Robinson opposed. (9/5/17)
• Release privileged material (9/5/17) – Hamilton in favor, everyone else opposed.
• Sign exclusive agreement for affordable housing contract (9/5/17) – Hamilton abstained.
• Set recall election for Jan 2 (10/3/17) – Basile opposed
• Sign agreement for wireless towers (10/3/17) – Robinson opposed
• Hamilton re-proposed his idea about opposing district elections at the cost of more lawsuits. (10/3/17). Hamilton in favor, Voigts abstained, Basile, Gardner and Robinson opposed.
• Move district elections timetable up by 2 weeks to lessen the window of opportunity for the City’s liability. (10/3/17) Gardner proposed, no second.
• Issue new RFP for utility savings. (10/17/17) Voigts abstained.

NETWORKING

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

• Oct 3 - Office Hours (Gardner)
• Oct 3 - City Council Meeting (all)
• Oct 4 – Meeting with Chamber of Commerce (Gardner, Robinson)
• Oct 4 – Leadership Academy (Gardner)
• Oct 5 – Tour of ongoing city building projects (Gardner)
• Oct 5 – Fund Raiser – Breast Cancer Survivors (Gardner)
• Oct 5 – Meet and Greet UnderSheriff Don Barnes (Gardner, Hamilton)
• Oct 7 – Autumn Harvest (Gardner, Basile, Voigts)
• Oct 10 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Oct 12 – Underdog Rescue Fund Raiser at Jewelry Box (Gardner)
• Oct 14 – Lake 1 Community Garage Sale (Gardner)
• Oct 14 – Airbnb meeting with Lake 1 residents (Gardner)
• Oct 14 – Halloween Haunt (Gardner, Robinson)
• Oct 17 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Oct 17 - City Council Meeting (all)
• Oct 19 – Tip-a-Cop (Gardner, Basile)
• Oct 19 – Chamber of Commerce (Gardner, Basile, Robinson, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Oct 24 – WalMart Academy Ribbon Cutting (Gardner, Basile, Voigts)
• Oct 24 – SVUSD meeting (Gardner, Voigts)
• Oct 24 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Oct 24 – Social Media Workshop (Gardner)
• Oct 25 – Leadership Academy (Gardner)
• Oct 27 – Strategic Planning (all)
• Oct 28 – Ribbon Cutting Dunkin Donuts (all)

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Nov 1 – Heroes with Hearts
• Nov 4 – Soroptimists Dog Walk (8 am – Sports Park)
• Nov 7 - Office Hours (4 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 7 - City Council Meeting (6:30 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 9 – Planning/Traffic Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 11 – Handmadens (9 am – Lake 1 Clubhouse)
• Nov 14 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 16 – Parks Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 21 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 21 - City Council Meeting (6:30 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 23 – Planning/Traffic Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Nov 28 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)

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.

RECALL - ANDREW HAMILTON

Recall supporters submitted 10,141 verified signatures, from which anti-recall supporters withdrew 886. The remaining 9,155 were more than sufficient to meet the 20% requirement set by the Registrar of Voters. The special election to remove Hamilton and replace him with a new Council member is scheduled for Jan 2.

CONTACT

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