Header image with Photo of Supervisor Pat Bates. Followed by office information
January 15, 2010

Pat Bates's Picture


Welcome to this edition of the Fifth District Report, an electronic newsletter keeping you updated about the events taking place in Orange County and in the Fifth District. It is my hope that you find this distribution informative and I would encourage you to contact me regarding any thoughts, comments, or concerns you may have.

PatBates@ocgov.com


IN THIS ISSUE...

1. BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

2. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

3. COUNTY CONNECTIONS

4. SOUTH COUNTY NEWS

5. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

6. HEALTH HERALD

7. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

8. CRITTER CHRONICLES

9. NOTES FROM THE FIELD

10. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

11. FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP


OUR STAFF...

Chip Monaco:
Chief of Staff

Don Hughes:
Policy Advisor

Sergio Prince:
Policy Advisor

Kristen Thornton:
Policy Advisor

Ray Grangoff:
Policy Advisor

Sabrina Ross:
Policy Assistant

Katie Angotti:
Policy Assistant

Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager

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Volume 4 Issue 2
BOARD BULLETIN BOARD

New Board Chair and Vice-Chair

During our final meeting in 2009, the Board of Supervisors elected a new Chair and Vice-Chair for the 2010 calendar year. First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen was selected to serve as Board Chair and Third District Supervisor Bill Campbell was appointed to serve as Vice-Chair; both of whom assumed their new roles this week at the January 12 Board meeting.

As outgoing Chair, I presented highlights of the County’s accomplishments in 2009 during my term as Chair of the Board. My remarks also outlined a number of Fifth District accomplishments in 2009 as well as my goals for 2010. To view a copy of my presentation, please click here.

As one of her first duties as Chair, Supervisor Nguyen also shared the annual State of the County address. To view the State of the County, please click here.

Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness

In August 2008, the Board of Supervisors came together and agreed that it is unacceptable to have homelessness in Orange County. To that end, the Board established a working group which was tasked with developing a comprehensive plan of action – the Orange County Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The working group is comprised of a diverse group of community stakeholders including representatives from non-profits, faith-based organizations, city governments, county government, and businesses.

On Tuesday, the Board approved the County’s draft Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The plan follows state and federal strategies for ending homelessness and provides a roadmap for best practices to allocate funding. The goal of this plan is to implement positive systemic changes throughout Orange County that will make the way we address homelessness more efficient and effective.

There is no doubt that solving our homeless problem in Orange County will improve the quality of life for everyone that lives in our community. Please review the plan by clicking here.

Performance Audit Request for Harbor Patrol

The Board received and discussed a report which provided an analysis of the County’s Harbor Patrol services. As you may know, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department provides Harbor Patrol services in all three of Orange County’s harbors; Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Dana Point. Of those, Dana Point is the only harbor owned and operated by the County of Orange.

The purpose of the report, which focused primarily on the non-County owned harbors, was to address the question of whether the cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach should share some of the costs of patrolling their harbors as well as to examine ways Harbor Patrol could be more efficient. While the report provided valuable information, it lacked the necessary documentation on fee structure and the costs related to service delivery throughout Orange County’s harbors. Therefore, I felt it was premature for the Board to make any policy changes or decisions without first being provided more substantive data to review.

To that end, I supported a motion made by Supervisor Norby to direct the County’s Performance Auditor Director to review our Harbor Patrol services and provide the Board with recommendations on a proper scope of service and funding stream for our Harbor Patrol division. As the Board moves forward on this issue, my goal is to ensure that citizens who utilize our harbors continue to be provided quality public safety services and that the cost of providing those services is fairly allocated. As always, I will continue to seek input from the South County boating community and regional patrons of Dana Point Harbor on this and any issue that pertains to our County harbors.

OCERS Board Appointment

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the appointment of Wayne Lindholm, Fifth District resident, to serve as a member of the Board of the Orange County Retirement System.

Mr. Lindholm has 34 years of experience in the private sector construction and development industry. He is Past President and a current active member of the Irvine Chamber of Commerce and Vice-Chair of the Lincoln Club of Orange County. Mr. Lindholm has also served for five years as the Governor’s appointee to the California Apprentice Council.

I would like to offer my congratulations to Mr. Lindholm and I look forward to working with him.

TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

New OCTA Chair and Vice-Chair

At Monday’s Orange County Transportation Authority Board meeting, Director Jerry Amante, Mayor of Tustin, was elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors for 2010. I am honored to announce that I was elected to serve as Vice-Chair for this year. I am looking forward to working closely with Director Amante and the Board in the coming year to address the many challenging transportation issues ahead of us.

Cell Towers Complete on The Toll Roads

On Wednesday, the Toll Roads hosted a reception to celebrate the completion of four new cell towers along the 241 Toll Road from Irvine to the 91 freeway.

National providers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon have all installed cell equipment and are now operational and Metro PCS will be on-air later in 2010. The new towers not only provide seamless coverage to toll road drivers but also provide enhanced cell coverage for hikers using the surrounding areas and visitors to the Orange County Zoo.

The eight year project was a partnership between Sprint, telecommunications infrastructure company Mobilitie, the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency and Caltrans. The four cell sites were designed to blend in with the environment and be visually appealing.

To view more information about the Cell Towers, please click here.

Southern California Transit Forum

On February 5, transit agency officials and transit-focused advocates and leaders will join together for the Southern California Transit Forum. Representatives from the Orange County Transportation Authority, Orange County Business Council and numerous other public and private stakeholder groups will share views and consider potential solutions to meet the current transit funding challenge in our state. This forum provides a wonderful opportunity for those who have a strong interest in transportation policy to get involved in the process to preserve the future of transit in Southern California.

Invited keynote speakers include James Earp, California Alliance for Jobs and California Transportation Commissioner, and Therese McMillan, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, who will share their perspectives about the transit funding crisis.

The event is open to the public and will take place at Chapman University, on Friday, February 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To learn more about the Transit Forum and to register for the event, please click here.

San Clemente Working with OCTA, CPUC on Railroad Noise

The City of San Clemente is working in conjunction with the Orange County Transportation Authority and the California Public Utilities Commission to test a new warning system for railroad crossings within the city. The new system could potentially replace the need for trains to blow their horns at crossings by utilizing stationary horns that can be directed away from nearby homes offering residents much relief from the noise.

While the City is continuing to seek a federal designation as a Safety Quiet Zone, which is a lengthy process, OCTA officials say using these “wayside horns” could be a way to offer noise relief to residents in the interim.

An additional round of testing for the wayside horns is scheduled for end of this month. I will continue to provide updates on this issue in future newsletters.

COUNTY CONNECTIONS

O.C. Firefighters Leave for Haiti

Orange County’s California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5 has been deployed and is awaiting departure for Haiti. The Task Force is one of 28 in the nation that has responded during national and regional emergencies and will, for the first time, travel internationally to respond to the devastation caused by Haiti’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake that occurred earlier this week.

This elite group of paramedics, search dogs, communication specialists, and other public safety personnel rescuers includes members from the Anaheim, Montebello, Orange, and Santa Ana Fire Departments. The Task Force will sift through rubble in search of missing people and provide much needed medical care to the 9 million Haitians and 45,000 Americans on the island affected by the quake.

The United States Government has mobilized resources and manpower to aid in the relief effort. For ways that you can get involved, please click here.

LAFCO Unveils New and Improved Website

During the January 13 LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) meeting, the Commission received an oral report on the new OC LAFCO website. While the previous website contained important information, the design and structure was out of date and hindered easy access. The new and improved website allows the public to better understand LAFCO’s role in Orange County as well as provides the opportunity to review ongoing projects, keep track of upcoming agenda items and contact LAFCO staff. For more information about LAFCO, please visit the new website at www.oclafco.org.

SOUTH COUNTY NEWS

TIP Volunteers Needed

The Orange County Chapter of Trauma Intervention Program (TIP), a national non-profit organization, is seeking individuals to join a team of volunteers trained to provide emotional and practical support to victims of traumatic events.

These modern-day Good Samaritan's are called to emergency scenes to comfort individuals shaken by any crisis event. The winter training session kicks off in February for volunteers to work in the local area. No experience is necessary.

For detailed information, visit www.TIPOrangeCounty.org. Information is also available by calling (714) 343-0738 or by e-mailing TIPIncCEO@aol.com.

FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

South County Boy Scouts Represent at Rose Parade

If you were among the millions who kicked off 2010 by watching the Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on television, you may have seen four of our very own Fifth District Eagle Scouts marching alongside the Boy Scouts of America float. Congratulations to Eagle Scouts Jeffrey Cohen (Mission Viejo High School), Matthew Overmyer (Mission Viejo High School), Robert Work (UC Davis), and Jason Kopczynski (Tesoro High School) from Troop 636 in Trabuco Canyon for being selected among many applicants to represent the Boy Scouts on New Years day!

This recognition was especially important because 2010 marks the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th year anniversary. This was the first Rose Parade float created by the Boy Scouts since 1950 and it was titled “Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey.” The float was awarded the National Award for the Best Depiction of Life in the USA, Past, Present or Future.

California Grand Prix in Long Beach

Mission Viejo Nadador standout Chloe Sutton, a resident of Ladera Ranch, will be competing this weekend, Friday through Sunday, in the 2010 Southern California Grand Prix of Swimming in Long Beach. This is the second meet of the eight meet USA Swimming Grand Prix Series which has a grand prize of $20,000. With an impressive showing in her first meet, Chloe currently sits in 3rd place. Also competing in the event will be Olympic Gold Medalist, Michael Phelps. Good luck Chloe!

HEALTH HERALD

South County Medicare Workshops

Every year the Medicare system changes and sometimes the changes can be pretty confusing. Fortunately, several South County cities are holding seminars to offer information about the new changes and to answer any questions you may have. These seminars also provide great opportunities to learn whether you may be eligible for Medicare and how to sign up to receive benefits.

Laguna Niguel- “Medicare Made Simple” The City of Laguna Niguel will be hosting a licensed Medicare benefit expert at the Sea Country Senior and Community Center on Thursday, January 21 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. To register or to receive more information, please call (949) 425-5151.

Mission Viejo- “Roadmap toe Medicare” On Tuesday, January 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center will host a Medicare seminar for residents of the City of Mission Viejo. The program is free but seating is limited so please reserve a seat by calling (949) 470-3062.

Laguna Beach In Laguna Beach, trained volunteers are available by appointment on the fourth Monday of every month from 12:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. to provide information to seniors about Medicare as well as answer questions regarding other medical services. To schedule an appointment, please call (949) 497-2441.

If you cannot make any of these events you can always refer your questions to the County of Orange’s Office on Aging by calling (714) 567-7500 or toll free at (800) 510-2020. For more information about the Office on Aging, please click here.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS

Regional Water Treatment Plant Shutdown

A planned shutdown to the Regional Water Treatment & Distribution System will limit water supplies for South Orange County from Sunday, January 24 through Sunday, January 31, 2010. During this time, many cities will be reliant on stored water resources.

Customers are urged to turn off all sprinklers, refrain from using water outdoors and eliminate unnecessary water use during the week. Please check with your city to learn whether you may be affected by mandatory water restrictions.

For more information on the Diemer Water Treatment Plant shutdown, please click here.

CRITTER CHRONICLES

Low-Cost Pet Clinic

The cities of Aliso Viejo and Mission Viejo are teaming up to a host a low-cost Pet & Vet Clinic on Saturday, January 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Family Resource Center located at 24671 Via Iglesia in Aliso Viejo.

Dog vaccines include the four-in-one vaccine (DA2PP) and the Bordetella vaccine. Cats vaccines include the three-in-one vaccine (FVRCP). Dog and cat rabies vaccines are $6 each. DA2PP and FVRCP vaccines are $15 each and the Bordetella vaccine is $12. Pets can also be micro-chipped, with registration and lifetime monitoring, for $28. For more information, call 949-425-2519 or e-mail gduran@cityofalisoviejo.com.

NOTES FROM THE FIELD

Irvine Ranch Historic Park Improvements

Work has begun on the Irvine Ranch Historic Park in order to provide safe access for all park visitors per ADA standards and to improve traffic flow. The improvements will include new sidewalks and ramps, traffic signals and an underground drainage system. Additionally, the park will receive enhanced landscaping, which will maintain the native plants of the ranch while helping to improve water conservation.

The construction, which is anticipated to last until spring of 2010, may result in detours for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists and may impact parking. For more information, please click here.

SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR

Laguna Beach Music Festival

The Laguna Beach Music Festival will run January 18 through 25 and feature world-class musicians performing in celebration of the “relationship between music and film.” Organized by Laguna Beach Live, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the Laguna Beach Chamber Music Society, the festival will feature concerts and lectures, and offer chances for visitors to watch rehearsals for free. For more information, please click here.

Ski and Snowboard Trip

The City of Laguna Niguel is hosting a day-trip to Snow Summit for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders on Monday, January 18 (Martin Luther King Holiday). This trip is for experienced teens only. Participants will meet at Crown Valley Park at 5:45 a.m. and return at 7:00 p.m. the same day. For more information, please call (949) 425-5100 or click here. To register online, please click here.

Money Basics for Teens

Does your teen want to learn how to manage his or her cash? The City of Laguna Niguel wants to help! On Thursday, January 21 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the City will be holding a free class for teens ages 14-19 with a parent to learn about a wide variety of money-related issues including credit cards, debit cards, credit scores and reporting and much more. The event will be held at the Crown Valley Park View Room. Seating is limited so please call (949) 425-5100 to register. For more information, please click here.

Sock ‘til you Drop

Ladera Ranch Elementary School is inviting parents to come out to the school’s Fifth Annual Sock Hop on Tuesday, January 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the school’s multi-purpose room. Make sure to arrive on time because the first 300 guests will receive complimentary hot dogs from Jerry’s Wood-Fried Dogs as well as a bag of chips and a bottle of water. For more information please contact Nicole Hudson at tidefamily@cox.net or call (949) 364-1844.

Free Tennis Clinics

If you’re looking to learn a new sport this year, why not try tennis?! The City of Mission Viejo is offering first-time tennis players the chance to receive a free lesson through February. Clinics will be held at various locations and times throughout the month so please click here to see all the listings. For more information or to register, please contact Brian Gruner at (949) 859-4348 ext. 5761 or email him at bgruner@cityofmissionviejo.org.

FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:

  • Presented a 2009 Year End speech at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Click here to view my presentation.
  • Participated in a press conference for the unveiling of OC Community Resources’ new Mobile Service Center for the Homeless. Click here to view a photo from the event.
  • Received an update from OC Public Works on improvements to the Planning Department’s Permit Counter
  • Attended a meeting of the Public Safety Working Group comprised of the Sheriff, DA, CEO, Supervisor Campbell and myself
  • Officiated the swearing in of the new Board of Directors at the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce Installation Dinner
  • Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of former Fifth District residents Ron Young and Sergeant Jerry Pierson
My office also:
  • Met with County Librarian, Helen Fried, regarding potential future improvements to South County libraries
  • Participated in a Rancho Santa Margarita Sphere of Influence working group meeting
  • Chaired an OC Fire Watch Community Round Table at the Orange County Fire Authority Headquarters in Irvine. For more information on OC Fire Watch, please click here.
  • Attended the Commencement Ceremony for the 12th graduating class of the Orange County Leadership Academy
My staff and I look forward to continually providing you updated information in our Fifth District Newsletter and website.

Please feel free to contact my office with your concerns, comments or questions at (714) 834-3550.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your Supervisor for Orange County's Fabulous Fifth District.

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