There was no regular meeting scheduled this week. The first Board meeting of the year will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 2009. The Board will elect a new Chairman and Vice-Chairman for 2009 during its regular session. Supervisor Janet Nguyen and I will take the oath of office for our new terms.

On Tuesday, Supervisor Pat Bates and I traveled to Sacramento to meet with Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss obtaining relief for local governments from some of the burdensome financial assurance requirements California Fish and Game has placed on mitigation projects. While in town, I had the opportunity to meet with Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (Sacramento), Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (Los Angeles), and Assembly Minority Leader Mike Villines (Clovis). I also met with several members of the Orange County delegation including Senator Mimi Walters (Laguna Niguel), Assemblywoman Diane Harkey (Dana Point), Assemblyman Jim Silva (Huntington Beach), Assemblyman Van Tran (Garden Grove), Assemblyman Chuck Devore (Irvine), and Assemblyman Jose Solorio (Santa Ana). During these meetings, I updated the delegation on the challenges facing Orange County. I also met with Senators Roy Ashburn (Bakersfield) and Rod Wright (Ingelwood) who I served with in the State Assembly. To view pictures from my trip, click here.

Foothill South Update- On Thursday, the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Board of Directors met to discuss the Secretary of Commerce’s recent decision against the proposed "green" alignment for the Foothill South extension to the SR-241 toll road. The need for traffic congestion relief in South Orange County is still present and will only grow worse over the next 10 years. The Board reaffirmed its commitment to providing congestion relief while protecting the environment and quality of life. The Board directed staff to explore the legal remedies and other road alternatives open to the F/ETCA. The Board also voiced a commitment to work with project opponents to find a solution which will provide the needed traffic relief and alleviate the concerns of the opponents

January Commission Meeting- The Commission held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. The Commission received a presentation from James Martling, Sperry Capital, on the Commission’s Investment Program. On January 20, the Commission’s Investment Oversight Committee will address the topics highlighted in the presentation and will develop a work plan for 2009. To view the presentation given to the Commission, please click here. The Commission also received an update from Scott Larsen, Homeaid Orange County, and Teresa Harvey, Precious Life Shelter, on the grant funding made available to the transitional shelters and community clinics at the December 2008 meeting.

Brea Landfill Fire Update-The City of Brea issued a press release updating the cause of ignition for the Brea Landfill Fire that ultimately merged with the Freeway Complex Fire. The fire was not intentionally set and was caused by nearby power lines supplying electricity to oil field equipment. To view the press release from the City of Brea, please click here.

Before Christmas, I toured the remodeled and expanded Villa Park Library with Villa Park Mayor Jim Rheins, Roland Wedemeyer, treasurer of the Villa Park Friends of the Library, and several OC Community Resources staff. For pictures, please click here.

During the holiday break, Mary and I along with our grandchildren visited the Orange County Regional Park and Zoo. For pictures, please click here. We also rode the Metrolink Holiday Toy Express. For pictures, please click here.

I met with Orange County Fire Authority Chief Chip Prather, and Deputy Fire Chief Patrick McIntosh to discuss the current state of the reserve firefighter program. The meeting was in preparation for the Fire Authority Board of Directors ad-hoc committee which is organized to evaluate the best possible use of the reserve force.

I met with East Orange County Water District directors Bill VanderWerff and Richard Bell, Municipal Water District of Orange County director Larry Dick and representatives from the Irvine Ranch Water District and the cities of Orange and Tustin. We discussed some future plans for the East Orange County Water District which serves the residents of North Tustin.

I met with a constituent and Orange County Animal Care Director Jennifer Phillips to discuss the County’s barking dog ordinance. For information on the ordinance, please click here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

2009 Point-In-Time Count and Survey of the Homeless- On January 24th, 2009, OC Community Services and its partners, Applied Survey Research (ASR), OC Partnership, and the Orange County Healthcare Agency, will be conducting the third biennial countywide homeless population count and survey. In order to ensure that Orange County continues to receive important Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding for homeless shelters and supportive services, a count of the homeless is required. The count brings together non-profits, County and local government, the faith based community, service clubs, and hundreds of individual volunteers from every region to help maintain eligibility for approximately $11 million in annual federal homeless assistance funding. This colossal task can only be accomplished through the efforts of dedicated volunteers. Interested individuals are encouraged to donate their time or resources needed to assist the County and its partners with the Point in Time Count. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, please click here or you may also contact Kelly Lupro, the County Homeless Coordinator, at 714-480-2744.

California Conservation Corps- I received an interesting newsletter from my friend, Jimmy Camp, with information about the California Conservation Corps. For more information, or to sign up for "Hardcorps", please click here.

It is a pleasure to serve the constituents of the Third District.

Please pray for our armed forces and our foreign services personnel.