No Board Meeting this week

In reverent observance of Memorial Day, there was no regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Supervisors this week.

Our next Board meeting will be held Tuesday, June 2. For Agenda & Meeting Information, please click here.

Live Internet broadcasts of Board of Supervisors meetings are available and archived as video-on-demand. To view live and/or past Board meetings, please click here.

Orange County Fiscal Year 2009-10 Budget

In the coming weeks, the Board of Supervisors will be reviewing and voting on the County’s Fiscal Year 2009-10 Budget. Although the full impact of last week’s Special Election and what it means for Orange County is not yet fully known, our finance managers have been prudently preparing next year’s budget on the worst case scenario, anticipating the State will pull the Proposition 1A trigger and borrow $2 billion in property tax revenue from local government which amounts to approximately $49 million for Orange County.

The Board will be looking at all of our options to balance revenue reductions while ensuring minimal impacts to the services we provide. With regards to the public safety portion of the budget, it is my highest priority that the Sheriff’s Department’s reductions do not impact the delivery of law enforcement services to our communities. As Chair, it is my goal to continue the Board’s commitment to identifying and cutting unnecessary spending within County departments through this difficult budget process.

Pension Lawsuit Update

Last Friday, Superior Court Judge Helen Bendix issued a tentative ruling in the County’s pension lawsuit against the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS). As expected, the Judge did not rule in the County’s favor; however, she commented on the potential for appealing her decision.

Going forward, with the lawsuit will require filing an appeal to the higher court which the Board will discuss following the Judge’s entry of final judgment and her commentary on the reasons for her ruling.

2nd Annual South County Senior Summit a Huge Success!

On Tuesday, I was joined by the Orange County Office on Aging and South County Senior Services to host the 2nd annual South County Senior Summit. This extremely popular event, held at the Laguna Hills Community Center, was attended by over 600 South County residents.

The focus of this year’s Senior Summit was “Baby Boomers, Their Parents, and Technology”, and featured two leading experts in caregiving. Columnist Jane Glenn Haas of The Orange County Register spoke about senior care issues that Baby Boomers and their parents face and Susan Ayers Walker, nationally renowned senior technology expert and founder of SmartSilvers Alliance, discussed and presented emerging technology designed to support the aging-in-place process.

Being that the Summit took place the day after Memorial Day, the program began with a fitting Tribute to Veterans ceremony. The Color Guard from Laguna Woods’ American Legion Post 257 proudly presented the colors and their Chaplain, Pastor Ray Fico, delivered an inspiring invocation. Laguna Hills Mayor Joel Lautenschleger led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance which was followed by a rousing rendition of the National Anthem performed by students from the South Orange County School of the Arts.

Attendees also heard informative presentations by Karen Roper, Director of OC Community Services, John Parent, County Veterans Service Officer, Sylvia Mann Director of the Office on Aging, Marilyn Ditty, Director of South County Senior Services, and Dr. Michele Cheung, Deputy Medical Director for the Health Care Agency’s Epidemiology program, who provided an update on the Swine Flu’s impact on Orange County.

I wish to thank all our Senior Summit sponsors, especially our Platinum Sponsors – CalOptima and SCAN Health Plans – whose generosity helped make this event possible, as well as the amazing volunteers who helped during the event. I also want to thank our gracious City Sponsor, the City of Laguna Hills; and our Media Sponsor, COX Communications, who filmed the event. For information on Cox airing dates, please click here. To view the Senior Summit program, please click here. To view photos of the 2nd annual South County Senior Summit, please click here.

June 14 Bus Service Change

On June 14, the Orange County Transportation Authority’s quarterly bus service change will take effect. Due to cuts in State transit funding and declining sales tax revenue, OCTA has been forced to reduce its bus operations budget.

The routes to be affected by the service change include: 20, 24, 25, 33, 35, 42, 46, 60, 66, 82, 167, 177, 191, 213, 453, 454, 462, 463, 472, 473, 480, 482, 490, and 701. Click here to learn more about the affected routes.

Approximately one week prior to the service change, look for OCTA’s June 2009 Bus Book on buses and in schedule racks throughout the county. The eBusbook for June 2009 will be available the last week of May.

For the latest printed changes to bus routes due to detours, road closures and service adjustments, check the Riders’ Alert by clicking here.

Click here to view the Service Change brochure.

Dana Point Pedestrian Bridge Dedication

On May 22, I joined the members of the Dana Point City Council to dedicate the newly completed pedestrian bridge that now towers over Pacific Coast Highway at Dana Point Harbor Drive. Construction of the bridge was approved by the city council in 2006 as part of an estimated $7 million grant-funded improvements project to widen Pacific Coast Highway to relieve heavy traffic congestion.

As the new “gateway to the city,” the bridge, complete with elevators, appropriately pays homage to the distinct beach culture of the historic coastal town by way of its four beautiful, colorful mosaics which were created by local artists and are locally-themed. The striking edifice will not only serve the city by improving traffic flow, but it will stand out as a unique South County landmark for all to enjoy for years to come. Click here to view photos of the bridge.

California Coastal Commission Hearing

The California Coastal Commission has confirmed June 11, 2009 as the hearing date for the City of Dana Point’s Local Coastal Program Amendment (LCPA) for Dana Point Harbor.

The Dana Point Harbor LCPA is an update to the existing LCP which was transferred to the City of Dana Point upon its incorporation in 1989. This LCPA will set the framework for the future of Dana Point Harbor, which is why this amendment is so important not only to the Commission but also to the City of Dana Point, the County of Orange and to many Harbor boaters, merchants and members of the community.

The Coastal Commission Hearing will be held in Marina Del Rey. For specific agenda information, please click here. All those interested in providing input on the amendment are encouraged to attend the hearing.

Poche Clean Beach Project

On May 22, 2009, I joined County staff in hosting the dedication of the Poche Clean Beach Project in the City of San Clemente. The $3 million urban-runoff treatment facility will filter and clean water that flows to the coast at Poche Beach through the Prima Deshecha Canada flood-control channel. The treatment process includes an inflatable dam to divert runoff into the treatment facility. Then, solids are removed and the water is sand-filtered and run through an ultraviolet disinfection unit before it is discharged back into the channel. The treatment facility, under construction since October 2007 at Pacific Coast Highway and Camino Capistrano, is designed to treat up to 800 gallons per minute.

I would like to especially thank the City of San Clemente, MiOcean and the California State Water Resources Control Board for their support and participation in this important project. These partners were integral in assisting the County with getting the project approved and constructed. Click here to view photos of the event.

Mary’s Trail Opens at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

On Saturday, I joined OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation to dedicate a new nature trail at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Mary’s Trail, named after Mary Fegraus who is the founding executive director of Laguna Canyon Foundation, is an easy quarter-mile loop for hikers. Adjacent to the Nix Nature Center, the trail provides park visitors of all ages and abilities with an introduction to the natural features found throughout the park. Interpretive signs along the trail engage visitors in using their senses of sight, smell and hearing to discover the coastal canyon habitat.

These kinds of trails are very important because they offer access to our wilderness parks that provide safe, inviting portals for the public to experience nature. Mary’s Trail was also conceived to link with Little Sycamore Canyon trails and the larger network within the Laguna Coast Wilderness and surrounding parkland.

I’d like to thank the Laguna Canyon Foundation for its efforts to preserve approximately 20,000 acres of South Coast Wilderness including Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park as well as other wilderness parks and preserves in the cities of Irvine, Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods.

Orange County values partnerships with organizations like the Laguna Canyon Foundation and we especially value our collaborative partners in these tough economic times. I want to also thank Mary Fegraus for all of her hard work for the past two decades.

Click here to view photos from the event.

Astronomy Night at Riley Wilderness Park

Join OC Community Resources for a fun-filled night gazing through telescopes at the wonders of the night sky on Saturday, May 30. Astronomers will be on hand to answer questions for inquiring minds. The event will be held at the Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park, 30952 Oso Parkway in Coto de Caza, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Future Astronomy Nights will also be held on June 27, August 15 and September 26. For more information, please contact the park at (949) 923-2265. Information about OC Park is available at www.OCParks.com

Mission Viejo Town Hall

The public is invited to meet Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Lt. Mike Gavin, Mission Viejo’s new Chief of Police Services, in an informative Town Hall meeting on June 9. The meeting will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Mission Viejo City Council Chamber at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.

Sheriff Hutchens will discuss the department’s new S.A.F.E program which has been implemented to foster better Strategy, Accountability, Focus and Evaluation. For more information, call (949) 470-3015.

South Orange County Chamber Toastmasters Chapter Forming

The South Orange County Chambers of Commerce is looking to start a South County chapter of Toastmasters International, a public speaking organization. The Chamber is holding a meeting on Monday, June 1 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at Polly’s Restaurant in Laguna Hills to give community members the opportunity to witness a Toastmasters meeting in action and to determine if they’d like to join the group. To RSVP or for more information, please contact Clement Pepe at (949) 583-9206.

• Presented certificates of recognition at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the City of Aliso Viejo’s Aquatic and Conference Centers
• Attended the Audit Oversight Committee meeting
• Participated in County department budget briefings