2009-2010 County Budget- The Board approved the 2009-2010 County Budget on Tuesday. The final budget reflects changes made to the base budget during the public hearings on June 9th and 10th, including a 5% pay reduction for elected officials and executive management. In addition to adopting a final budget, the Board approved resolutions to allow internal borrowing to ensure that County operations will remain constant if the State of California defers payments to counties. To view the budget presentation, please click here.

Resolution Honoring Chip Prather- Chair Bates presented a Board Resolution to Orange County Fire Chief Chip Prather on behalf of the entire Board commending his 39 years in the fire service. To read the Resolution, please click here. For pictures, please click here.

Sheriff Service in Villa Park- The Board approved the 2009-2010 contract between the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Villa Park in the amount of $1,092,696 to provide law enforcement services to the area. Total staffing includes four deputy sheriff positions and 50% of an investigator position that is shared with the County.

CAST Medical Services- The Board approved an agreement with The Regents of the University of California for medical evaluations and prevention services for children who are victims of child abuse. The physician hired by The Regents under this agreement will provide the clinical oversight to the Child Abuse Services Team (CAST), and will participate in community-based education on the identification of child abuse. CAST is a twenty-year collaborative project operated by the County’s Social Services Agency, the District Attorney's Office and the Health Care Agency. CAST provides experts to conduct forensic interviews and forensic medical examinations while supporting victims and family members. Through this collaboration, the number of interviews a child must provide to police in instances of abuse is reduced.

Irvine Historic Park Improvements- The Board approved the plans and specifications for improvements to the entrance of Irvine Historic Park. Located at the corner of Irvine Boulevard and Jamboree Road in the City of Irvine, Irvine Historic Park includes both OC Parks Headquarters and OC Public Libraries’ Katie Wheeler Branch Library. In addition to new sidewalks and enhanced landscaping, the project involves modifications to the drainage along Irvine Boulevard and to the existing traffic signal at Irvine Boulevard and Old Myford Road. For a project location map, click here. For renderings of the future improvements, click here.

Sidewalk Gap Closure in North Tustin- The Board awarded a contract to West Coast Structures, Inc. for construction of an eight foot wide sidewalk to close the gap along the west side of Newport Boulevard from Greenbrier Road to approximately 100 feet northerly in the unincorporated area of Cowan Heights. In addition, the project will install a retaining wall behind the sidewalk and remove the existing curb and gutter at Greenbrier Road in order to allow the construction of ADA compliant pedestrian access ramps. For a project location map, please click here.

Street Sealing on Unincorporated County Roads- The Board awarded a contract to Global Road Sealing for the crack sealing of various local, collector, and arterial streets throughout the unincorporated areas of Cowan Heights, Dana Point Harbor, Lemon Heights, Northwest Tustin, Panorama Heights, Santiago Canyon, and Silverado Canyon. Crack sealing is used on pavement showing extensive cracking and is considered an effective corrective maintenance operation providing for improved ride quality, appearance, and safety.

Road Repair in Orange-El Modena- The Board awarded a contract to Hillcrest Contracting, Inc. for repair work of various curb, gutter, and sidewalk repairs in the unincorporated Orange-El Modena area. The project involves removal and replacement of damaged sections of existing curb and gutter; sidewalks; drive approaches; and access ramps in the unincorporated Orange-El Modena area. The work also includes removal and replacement of adjacent asphalt concrete pavement sections as well as planting of trees at locations where about 17 trees had been removed due to uplifting of the sidewalk. Removal of trees was recommended by the County's Arborist.

Restoration of Wildlife Habitat at Mason Regional Park- The Board awarded a contract to Natures Image, Inc. for the restoration of wildlife habitat and support for permit mitigation requirements in Mason Regional Park. In December of 2003, the County declared an emergency and initiated the removal of sediment and vegetation from San Diego Creek Channel to improve flood protection. The Federal and State permits for this emergency project include mitigation measures that require the County to restore habitat. This project will restore approximately 10 acres of habitat in Mason Regional Park located between Ridgeline Drive and Culver Drive in the City of Irvine. This work, along with the Talbert Nature Preserve Habitat Restoration, fulfills the mitigation requirements for the San Diego Creek emergency and interim flood control protection projects. Improvements include grading; bluff erosion control; weed eradication; native grassland and coastal sage scrub planting; irrigation system installation; and hydroseeding. For a project location map, please click here.

Bids for Public Works Projects- Due to the competition among firms applying for public works projects, the County achieved significant savings on the projects listed above. The following table shows the winning bid verses the engineering estimate, along with the total amount of savings, and the percentage difference:

Project	Firm Name	Winning Bid	Engineers Estimate	Saving	%Difference
Newport Boulevard Sidewalk Gap	West Coast Structures	$366,431	$419,450	$53,019	˜ 13%
Street Sealing of Unincorporated Roads	Global Road Sealing	$149,000	$184,000	$35,000	˜ 19%
Orange-El Modena Road Repair	Hillcrest Contracting	$151,296	$285,202	$133,906	˜ 47%
Restoration of Wildlife Habitat	Natures Image, Inc.	$722,835	$1,299,476	$576,641	˜ 44%

Woodgate Park Improvements- The Board adopted the Fiscal Year 2009-2010 benefit assessment levy for County Service Area 22 which funds the County’s landscaping and maintenance costs for Woodgate Park. Woodgate Park is a 2-acre park located within an unincorporated island in East Yorba Linda. In 1997, the assessment levy was approved by the property owners in County Service Area 22 at a maximum of $96.11 per year. The Fiscal Year 2009-2010 assessment amount is $95.70, which reflects no change from the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 assessment. For a map of County Service Area 22, click here.

OCTA CEO Appointment- On Monday, the OCTA Board of Directors unanimously appointed Will Kempton as the Authority’s new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Kempton has 35 years of experience in the transportation industry. He has served as the Executive Director of the Santa Clara County Traffic Authority, was a partner at Smith, Kempton & Watts, and for the past five years has served in Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration as the Director of the California Department of Transportation. The OCTA Board of Directors welcomes Will Kempton to OCTA. I am confident that Mr. Kempton will bring a wealth of experience to the Authority upon his official start date of August 3, 2009. For more information on Mr. Kempton, please click here.

511 Update- The OCTA Board of Directors approved a cooperative agreement with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO) authorizing Orange County’s participation in the 511 Motorist Aid and Traveler Information System being developed for the Southern California Region as required by Federal law. This cooperative agreement will allow OCTA and METRO to jointly develop the 511 system for the Los Angeles metropolitan area. 511 is a transportation information system approved by the Federal Communications Commission in 1999 to provide a designated nationwide three-digit telephone number for traveler information. By the end of this year, travelers in Los Angeles and Orange Counties will be able to call 511 and obtain real-time traffic data, trip planning capabilities, including transit, rideshare and bike information.

Metrolink Ridership- During the third quarter of FY 2008-09, overall Metrolink ridership remained slightly decreased. Weekday ridership on the Orange County lines has decreased by 2% compared to the third quarter of last year. Ridership was up 2% on the OC Line, down 4.6% on the 91 Line, and down 11.2% on the Inland Empire/OC line. Weekend ridership has increased. Compared to the same quarter last year, weekend ridership is up 10.5%. The decrease in the weekday ridership reflects the economic impact that the recession has had on the community.

ARTIC Update- The OCTA Board of Directors also received an update on Phase One of the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC). Earlier this year, Jones & Stokes Associates, Inc. was hired to complete the environmental clearance and advanced conceptual design documents for ARTIC. Parsons Brinckerhoff/HOK was hired to complete the architectural and engineering work required for the project. As part of Monday’s presentation, the Board was presented the conceptual design for ARTIC. The design focuses on light, open space, and transit. To view the presentation, which includes the conceptual design, please click here.

Thirty Years of Safe Driving- I would like to congratulate OCTA Coach Operator James DaVanzo on thirty years of safe driving. The OCTA Board honored Mr. Da Vanzo on Monday for his stellar safety record.

Lennar Heritage Fields- The Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors passed a resolution recognizing Lennar Heritage Fields for the use of their property in Irvine for various training exercises including: structural and wildland firefighting, defensive driving, and urban search and rescue. To view the resolution, please click here.

New Ladder Trucks- The Executive Board approved the purchase of two 100’ ladder platform trucks in the amount of $2,120,207.40. This purchase replaces two of the oldest front line trucks in the Orange County Fire Authority fleet. Construction time for each new vehicle will be about 12 months.

Retirement of Chief Chip Prather- The Board approved a resolution commending retiring Chief Chip Prather for his dedication to the Fire Service. After the presentation the Chief gave an inspiring speech. To view his comments, please click here.

Decline-in-Value Reviews- Orange County Assessor Webster J. Guillory informed the Board that his office has completed the annual decline-in-value reviews for the FY 2008-2009. This year, the Assessor reviewed over 280,000 properties, including homes, townhouses, condominiums, and commercial properties, purchased between 2002 and 2008. The average tax savings for homeowners whose property has been reduced in value will be between $1,000 and $1,400. Notices of Value will be mailed between July 2 and July 8. For questions about Notice of Value, please contact the Orange County Assessor’s Office at (714) 834-2727.

Fourth of July Travel Advisory- John Wayne Airport (JWA) is reminding those traveling from July 2nd – July 6th to give themselves at least two hours to find parking, check luggage, and go through security checkpoints. Travelers should also be aware of ongoing construction just south of Terminal B. To see available parking options, and traveling tips, please click here.

Last week, I attended the dedication of the Imperial Highway bridge at Orangethorpe Boulevard in Anaheim and Yorba Linda, and the dedication of the Santiago bridge in Santiago Canyon. The Imperial Highway Bridge overcrossing was opened for two lane traffic in each direction. However when completed it will accommodate three lanes in each direction. To view pictures from the Imperial Highway bridge dedication, click here. The Santiago Canyon Road Bridge is located near Silverado Canyon Road. The project, a joint collaborative effort between the citizens in the community and the County, set out to retain the rural character of the area while making necessary repairs to the bridge’s barrier railings, seismic integrity, bike lanes, and fixing cracks in the bridge deck. It is believed that this is the first time weathering steel has been used on this type of railing anywhere in the state. I would like to thank Silverado Canyon resident Linda May for her work with the project. To read comments she gave during the ceremony, please click here. To view pictures form the Santiago Canyon bridge dedication, click here.

I attended the Elected Official meeting for Growth Management Areas (GMA) 3 and 7. GMA’s are a function of Measure M and distribute street and road funds for local projects.

I toured the University Park Branch Library in the city of Irvine with Councilwoman Christina Shea, a representative of Mayor Pro Tem Larry Agran, and several members of the Friends of the Library. The purpose of the tour was to observe the expansion and interior renovations currently underway at the branch. I then traveled to Heritage Park Branch Library, also located in the city of Irvine, to see the additional computer work stations that have been added to serve those residents who are using Heritage Park Branch Library due to the closure at University Park Branch Library. Branch renovations at University Park are expected to be complete for the re-opening on September 28, 2009. For pictures from the University Park Branch, please click here. For pictures from the Heritage Park Branch, please click here.

I met with the new President and CEO of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce, Tallia Hart. To view pictures, click here.

I met with Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens to discuss upcoming issues facing the Sheriff’s Department and the County.

I met with Orange County Probation Department staff to discuss the Los Pinos facility which is located in the Cleveland National Forest, and is currently operated by the Probation Department.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Villa Park Annual 5k Run/Walk- The City of Villa Park is hosting its 5th Annual 5k Run/Walk on Saturday, June 27th. The race will begin promptly at 7:45 am at the Villa Park High School track. Race proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Villa Park Library. For more information, please click here.

Irvine Lake Blues Festival- The 12th Annual Irvine Lake Blues Festival will be held on Sunday, June 28th, at Irvine Lake. For more information please click here.

North Tustin Fire Prevention- The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is hosting its “Ready, Set, Go” program this weekend in the unincorporated areas of North Tustin, including Cowan Heights, Lemons Heights, and Panorama Heights. OCFA will conduct door to door canvassing where firefighters will educate residents on how to prepare for wildfires by creating defensible space, fire resistant building construction features, and evacuations. Firefighters will be in the neighborhoods on the 27th, and 28th from 1-5 pm. For more information, please click here. To schedule a free wildfire home consultation, please call (714) 573-6200.

Pet Fair- Orange County Animal Care will host a pet fair on Saturday, June 27th, from 10 am to 2 pm at the OC Animal Shelter. For more information, please call (714) 935-6301, or click here.

Congratulations to former Third District policy advisor Anna Peters on the birth of her twin baby girls, Abby and Sydney. For a picture, click here.

FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS

Orange’s Annual 3rd of July Event- The City of Orange is hosting its annual Orange Salutes the Red, White and Blue celebration, featuring Orange Community Master Chorale of Santiago Canyon College on Friday, July 3rd, from 4 pm to 9 pm in Fred Kelly Stadium at El Modena High School. Tickets are $5 for anyone over the age of two. For more information, please click here or call (714) 744-7278.

Anaheim Hills 4th of July Concert- The Canyon Hills Community Council and Anaheim Hills Rotary Club will hold a series of 4th July activities. This year’s celebrations begin with a Patriotic Choir Concert and Ice Cream Social on Saturday, June 27th followed by several fun activities on Saturday, July 4th. For a list of event dates and times, click here.

Brea’s Annual Country Faire- The City of Brea will hold its 30th Annual Country Faire on Saturday, July 4th from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm at City Hall Park. Day-long festivities begin with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast from 7am - 11 am, followed by the Brea Ministerial Association morning service. The fair officially opens at 10 am with entertainment until 4 pm. For more information call (714) 990-7771.

Irvine Police Association’s 4th of July Concert- The Irvine Police Association is hosting its annual 4th of July Fireworks Celebration and Concert on the Green. The event will take place at Irvine High School. Tickets are available on an advance sale basis or at the gate. Prices are as follows: $40 per family (2 adults and up to four children), $12 for adults, and $7 for seniors and children. For more information, call (949) 724-0488 or visit here.

Orange Park Acres Parade- The Orange Park Acres Association will host its annual 4th of July Parade on Saturday, July 4 from 9 am to 11 am. The parade route starts at Orange Park Blvd. and Frank Lane next to the Salem Lutheran Elementary School, which is on the corner of Santiago Canyon Road. For more information, please click here.

Tustin’s 4th of July Fireworks Show- The City of Tustin is hosting its annual 4th of July fireworks display and celebration at 6:00 pm at Tustin High School. For more information, please call (714) 573-3326.

Yorba Linda’s 4th of July Spectacular- The City of Yorba Linda is hosting its annual 4th of July Spectacular at Veterans Park at 4:00 pm. The afternoon entails food, music and games. Fireworks begin at 9:00 pm and last about 20 minutes. For more information, call (714) 961-7181.

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

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