Welcome to this issue of Janet’s Journal, a First District Report designed to keep you updated on issues and events concerning our communities in Orange County especially in the First District.

I am proud and honored to represent over 600,000 people within the First District covering the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and the unincorporated community of Midway City.

I hope you will find this journal informative. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Supervisor Janet Nguyen

Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com

IN THIS ISSUE...

1. Board of Supervisors

2. Janet Around the First District

3. Local Issues

4. Requests for Proposals

5. Community Events

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Free Seasonal Flu Shots at the County Community Services Center

I am partnering with the County Health Care Agency's Public Health Community Nursing Program, Westminster Mayor Margie Rice and Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do to offer free flu shots at the County Community Services Center on Friday, October 16, 2009.

The flu shots will be available to the first 400 people who arrive between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will be administered by a public health nurse. These flu shots do not cover the H1N1 "swine flu" virus. All those wishing to receive this seasonal flu shot must be at least 2 years of age and in good health (no colds or fevers). Flu shots suitable for pregnant women will not be available at this event.

Location:	County Community Services Center 15460 Magnolia Street Westminster, CA 92683 (714) 889-4105
Date:	Friday, October 16, 2009
Time:	10:00 am - 3:00 pm (For Flu Shots)

While commonly referred to as the flu, the technical name for these virus borne illnesses is influenza. Influenza can cause serious illness and even death, especially in young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and persons of any age who have medical conditions that place them at increased risk. Influenza illness causes tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths in California each year.

For updates on seasonal and H1N1 influenza, please refer to the Orange County Health Care Agency website at http://ochealthinfo.com/h1n1/index.htm or the California Department of Public Health website at www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/SwineInfluenza.aspx.

To prevent the spread of influenza, it is essential to use good hygiene. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or cough into your upper arm; put used tissues in a wastebasket; and wash your hands after coughing or sneezing, and stay at home if you are sick.

Congratulations to First District Appointees

I recommended and the full Board of Supervisors approved these appointees to the following County Committees and Commissions:

Mr. Ki Hong Park of Garden Grove was appointed to the Orange County Human Relations Commission.

Mr. Pho Van Pham of Westminster was reappointed to the Assessment Appeals Board.

Dr. Leslie Mayo of Garden Grove was appointed to the Animal Care Community Outreach Committee.

I would like to congratulate these individuals and thank them for their willingness to serve.

Congratulations to CalOptima's New Board Members

On Tuesday, September 29, 2009, my colleagues and I on the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Chung Bui and Dr. Margarita Pereyda to the CalOptima Board of Directors. Last year, I led an effort to amend the County Ordinance to provide for greater Board involvement in the selection of future members to the CalOptima Board of Directors. This recruitment was the first that resulted from that effort.

This new process called for the formation of a Selection Review Committee which reviews applications, interviews finalists and ultimately presents two recommendations for each vacant position on the CalOptima Board to the Board of Supervisors. On June 8, 2009, the Health Care Agency initiated a preliminary recruitment and screening of candidates to replace two CalOptima Board members whose terms will end on September 30, 2009.

Approximately 1,200 notices were sent out to hospitals, health care organizations and medical associations. Of the applications received, 18 met the requirements for these positions and passed the initial screening. This Committee reviewed the 18 applicants, interviewed 6 finalists and submitted four recommendations to the Board for consideration. From the four recommendations, the Board voted to appoint Dr. Chung Bui and Dr. Margarita Pereyda.

I would like to personally thank all of the applicants who have taken the time to apply. I particularly applaud the applicants' desire to serve. The extremely high level of caliber of all candidates made our selection very difficult. Particularly, the four finalists, who were recommended to the Board of Supervisors, are incredibly qualified and I appreciate their desire to serve a population in need.

Dr. Chung Bui has more than 30 years of experience as a physician. He has been active in his community and professional organizations, such as the California Medical Association Foundation, the Asian Health Center and the Vietnamese Community of Orange County. His application and his interview showed a holistic approach to health care, yet with a practical consideration for preventative medicine, cost control and performance-based care decisions that is so necessary and pertinent to today's concerns over the cost of health care in our community. Dr. Bui will also bring to the CalOptima Board his insights into cultural preconceptions and practices that may unintentionally undermine the effectiveness of the care provided.

Dr. Margarita Pereyda is the Medical Director of the Share Our Selves (SOS) Free Medical Clinic in Costa Mesa and is a member of the Community Medicine Department of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach. During her tenure as medical director, SOS has evolved from a small, volunteer organization providing basic primary care to become today a major medical clinic, offering chronic care, disease management and an active case management program. Dr. Pereyda's primary interests include health care access and an interest in private-public partnerships, together with effective use of health information technology in community health centers.

Dr. Pereyda is a Fellow of the California HeathCare Foundation Health Care Leadership Program and is an advisor to the Clinic Leadership Institute. She is a Trustee on the Irvine Health Foundation Board, Chairs the MSI County Task Force and sits on the MSI Quality Committee and is a member of the Orange County Correctional Health Services Quality Committee. She was selected as an Orange County Physician of Excellence in 2008.

In looking at the backgrounds of Dr. Bui and Dr. Pereyda, I think everyone would agree that they will be a tremendous asset to the County as members of the CalOptima Board of Directors.

Addressing Homelessness in Orange County with the Federal Stimulus Package

On September 22, 2009, the Orange County Board of Supervisors selected the organizations that will provide services under the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). Through the work of these organizations, the HPRP will provide critical homeless services and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk individuals and families.

The largest part of the HPRP is the General Financial Assistance program, which prevents homelessness by providing short-term housing assistance for expenses such as rent, security deposits or moving costs. The HPRP also coordinates the efforts of all Orange County homelessness service providers by establishing a centralized call center and information system, as well as a one-stop resource center for homelessness services.

The HPRP is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, commonly referred to as the Federal Stimulus Package.

On-Call Surveying Service Agreements

In order to augment OC Public Works' capacity to check parcel and tract maps, the County will contract with architect-engineering firms to do surveying work on an "on-call" basis. After reviewing the qualifications and proposals of nineteen firms, the following firms have been selected:

Huitt-Zollars, Inc.; Carol Knox, Land Surveyor; Johnson-Frank & Associates, Inc.; D. Woolley & Associates, Inc.; and Coast Surveying, Inc.

We would like to thank all of the firms that participated in the selection process and extend our congratulations to the firms selected.

OC Waste & Recycling Agreements Approved

The Board of Supervisors recently approved agreements between OC Waste & Recycling and several firms affiliated with landfill engineering and geological services:

Bryan A. Stirrat & Associates and Geosyntec Consultants will be providing engineering support services for North Region Landfill Operations. LSA Associates, Inc. will provide biological support services for South Region Landfills. SWT Engineering will provide solid waste and landfill related engineering services and Advanced Earth Sciences, Inc. will provide geotechnical and geological services for the South Region Landfills.

Orange County's Fourth Quarter Budget Report

The Fiscal Year 2008-2009 is over for the County of Orange and the Fourth Quarter Budget Report was presented to the Board of Supervisors on September 22. The report discusses the recession and the State's budget issues and their impact on Orange County and its residents.

The Orange County economy has shown signs of both retraction and growth. Unemployment continues to grow, while other indicators show some slowing of decline and even growth in some areas. For the County this means lower than normal revenues for some time to come. In FY 2008-09, the County brought in almost 25% less than it had budgeted in revenues. However, because of preemptive cost containment strategies such as layoffs, furloughs and wage increase deferments, the County spent 31.5% less than budgeted.

The Governor signed the State budget bills on July 29, 2009. Although County departments are still vetting the full impact of State budget actions, it is already known that the State will borrow $62.6 million of the County's Proposition 1A funds to be repaid with interest by June 30, 2013.

CSAC's Award Orange County's Departments

It is my honor to congratulate three of our outstanding county programs in winning the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) 2009 Challenge Awards competition which honors innovation in county government.

Challenge Award Recipient: The AB 939 Surcharge Program

Merit Award Recipient: Mobile Clinics for the Homeless

Merit Award Recipient: Tracking Automated Graffiti Reporting System

This year, CSAC received nearly 200 Challenge Award entries for its four population categories. An independent panel of judges with expertise in county programs and issues selected the award recipients.

Again, congratulations and thanks to the dedicated county staff responsible for the success of these exemplary programs.

OCTA

OCTA in Financial Compliance, Develops Corporate Credit Card Procedures

The Internal Audit Department completed a review of investments for the period July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008 and found that OCTA is in compliance with its debt, investment and accounting policies and procedures.

The Internal Audit Department also recommended that OCTA develop policies and procedures to govern the issuance and appropriate use of corporate credit cards, with review and approval of card activity. Management has drafted these new policies and is awaiting approval by the OCTA CEO, Will Kempton.

Independent Compliance Audit Looks Good

As required by an agreement with the California Department of Transportation, an independent audit of compliance with the State Transportation Improvement Program - Planning, Programming and Monitoring Program has been completed by the professional accounting firm of Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio and Associates, PC for the fiscal year 2006-2007 work program. The audit found no exceptions and there were no audit recommendations provided.

Prop 1B Public Transportation Modernization, Improvement and Service Enhancement Account Nominations

Proposition 1B establishes the Public Transportation Modernization, Improvement, and Service Enhancement Account (PTMISEA). This account provides $3.6 billion for investment in transit capital by eligible transportation agencies throughout the state. The available allocation for programming in fiscal year 2009-10 is $18.57 million.

The OCTA Board voted to direct these funds to the Metrolink Service Expansion Program and the Orange County Grade Crossing Safety Improvement Program. By funding the rail program projects with the State PTMISEA funds, it will preserve Measure M and Renewed Measure M funds that are more flexible and could be applied toward future operating expenses.

Public Outreach Project Approved

The Board recently voted to obtain the CALTROP Corporation for comprehensive public outreach services for the West County Connectors Project.

A $400 million undertaking, the purpose of the West County Connectors Project is to enhance mobility by constructing two new direct high occupancy vehicle (HOV) connectors and a new second HOV lane in each direction on the I405, the 22 Garden Grove Freeway and the I605. The project also will include the reconstruction of three bridges, as well as delivery of other operational and aesthetic improvements.

Given the project's scope, complexity and relevance to the commuting public and major stakeholders, OCTA and the Board agreed that a professional outreach consultant will help provide strategic and tactical communication services throughout the process.

Video Surveillance Systems to be Installed at Some Metrolink Stations

The OCTA Board recently approved an agreement with the cities of Fullerton, Santa Ana and Tustin to implement video surveillance systems at the Fullerton Transportation Center, Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and the Tustin Metrolink Station.

This video surveillance is in compliance with security assessments made by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and are funded through the use of FTA Grant Program 5309 monies. OCTA will take the lead on the procurement of a design-build contract with the cities of Santa Ana and Tustin, with the cities providing support. Upon completion of installation and acceptance by OCTA and all three cities, the cities will assume ownership, operation and maintenance of the video surveillance systems.

Drainage Improvements at the Pacific Electric Right-of-Way in Santa Ana

In recent years, there have been drainage issues at the Pacific Electric Right-of-Way (PEROW) between Susan Street and the Santa Ana River. This project seeks to ease those drainage problems along the PEROW.

The project consists of replacing 570 feet of existing earthen channel with a u-shaped concrete channel from Susan Street to the Willowick storm drain outlet, along with regrading and compacting 1,275 feet of earthen channel, adjacent to Willowick, to direct the storm water run-off into an existing Orange County Flood Control District storm water system. The completion of this project will mitigate the drainage issues on the PEROW within the section of the improvements.

Airline Traffic at John Wayne Airport Increases over Previous Year

While the economy is still struggling to rebound, John Wayne Airport (JWA) experienced a slight increase in airline passenger traffic in August 2009, as compared to the same month in 2008.

In August 2009, JWA served 833,962 passengers, an increase of .04 percent when compared to the August 2008 passenger traffic count of 833,655. Commercial carrier flight operations increased 3.6 percent, while commuter carrier, or air taxi, operations increased 19.6 percent when compared to the same levels as recorded in August 2008.

It is significant to note that JWA enjoyed this increase in passenger traffic even with the total number of aircraft operations decreasing compared to a year ago. There were 17,757 total aircraft operations, or take-offs and landings in August 2009, a decrease of 6.5 percent when compared to the 18,982 total aircraft operations in August 2008. General aviation activity, which accounted for 52 percent of the total aircraft operations during August 2009, also decreased 15.1 percent when compared to a year ago.

John Wayne Airport is owned and operated by the County of Orange and serves more than nine million passengers annually.

John Wayne Airport Receives $8.8 Million for New Checked Baggage Screening System

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently awarded John Wayne Airport approximately $8.8 million for the construction of an inline baggage handling system at the new Terminal C. The system is schedule to come on-line in late 2011 and is expected to enhance the TSA's efforts to strengthen security at airports nationwide. The approximately $8.8 million will come from 2009 fiscal year funds.

In-line baggage handling systems use state-of-the-art technology to quickly screen baggage for explosives, while streamlining the ticketing and boarding process. The systems also provide on-screen resolution capabilities for transportation security officers, which reduces the number of re-scans and physical bag searches.

For more information about the Transportation Security Administration, visit www.tsa.gov. For additional information regarding John Wayne Airport, visit www.ocair.com.

Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins Grainger Branch Manager Ashley Potts, District Sales Manager Kevin McClaskey and Government Account Manager Lori McAllister on a tour of the Grainger facilities in Santa Ana.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen swears in the new officers of the Garden Grove Kiwanis Club at its Installation Dinner on September 10, 2009.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins Westminster Mayor Margie Rice, Westminster Councilman Frank Fry and his wife Marilyn and Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Matthew Harper at the September 11th Remembrance Ceremony at Freedom Park.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins Orange County Commissioner Alan Woo at the Asian Pacific Islanders Community Health and Resource Fair.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen welcomes HSBC Bank to Garden Grove at their Grand Opening Ceremony.

* The following articles are for informational purposes only and are not necessarily intended to imply endorsement or support.

County of Orange
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To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com.