Report to the People - October 2017

This report covers the period from Sept 1 to 30. 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 650 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
• The Pet Adoption Center opened on April 24. At my instigation data about Lake Forest animals now available online (Click Here). Fees for seniors and for neutered dogs reduced. New public education officer started.
• 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

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. This process began August 1 and we held public meetings on Aug 10 and 17. City Council discussed again on Sept 5 and maps were due by Sept 19. Next meeting will be October 3 at which point we can begin to actually develop the districts.
• 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 9%. The biggest increases are in robbery (+56%), aggravated assault (+53%) ,burglary (+40%), and rape (+27%). In Jan thru July 2017 there were 14 rapes and 58 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.
• Release privileged material (9/5/17) – Hamilton in favor, everyone else opposed.
• Sign exclusive agreement for affordable housing contract (9/5/17) – Hamilton abstained.

NETWORKING

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

• Sept 5 – SVUSD (Gardner, Voigts)
• Sept 5 - Office Hours (Gardner)
• Sept 5 - City Council Meeting (Gardner, Basile, Robinson, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Sept 6 – Veterans Park meeting (Gardner, Basile)
• Sept 8 – Human Trafficking (Gardner)
• Sept 9 – Town Hall meeting (Gardner)
• Sept 12 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Sept 17 - Shop and Dine (Gardner, Basile, Robinson, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Sept 18 – Republican Central Committee
• Sept 19 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Sept 19 - City Council Meeting (Gardner, Basile, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Sept 20 – Senior Faire (Gardner)
• Sept 20 – Tour of Herbal Life (Basile, Voigts)
• Sept 20 – Chamber of Commerce (Gardner, Basile, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Sept 24 – Taste of Lake Forest (Gardner, Robinson, Voigts, Hamilton)
• Sept 26 – Office Hours (Gardner)
• Sept 27 – Leadership Academy (Gardner)
• Sept 28 – Nakase Tour (Gardner)
• Sept 28 – Veterans Park Planning meeting (Gardner)
• Sept 29 – Ribbon Cutting – Eagle Credit Union

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Oct 3 - Office Hours (4 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 3 - City Council Meeting (6:30 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 5 – Fund Raiser – Breast Cancer Survivors (5:30 pm – Lake 2 clubhouse)
• Oct 5 – Meet and Greet UnderSheriff Don Barnes (6 to 8 pm – 11 Spectrum Pointe)
• Oct 7 – Autumn Harvest (10 am to 8:30 pm – Heritage Hill)
• Oct 10 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 12 – County Library Committee (4 pm – Santa Ana)
• Oct 12 – Planning/Traffic Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 13 & 14 – Halloween Haunt (6:30 pm – Heritage Hill)
• Oct 17 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 17 - City Council Meeting (6:30 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 19 – Chamber of Commerce (5 pm – Lake 1 clubhouse)
• Oct 19 – Parks Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 24 – Office Hours (4 to 6 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 24 – Social Media Workshop (5 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 26 – Planning/Traffic Commission (7 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 27 – Strategic Planning (9 am to 3 pm – City Hall)
• Oct 28 – La Madera Silent Auction (10 to 11 am – La Madera Elementary)

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 January 2nd.

CONTACT

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