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. LIBRARY LESSONS & SESSIONS

5. NOTES FROM THE FIELD

6. SOUTH COUNTY SUMMER CONCERTS

7. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT

8. FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP

OUR STAFF...

Don Hughes:
Chief of Staff

Kristen Thornton:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Ray Grangoff:
Deputy Chief of Staff

Sergio Prince:
Policy Advisor

Sabrina Ross:
Policy Advisor

Brian Probolsky:
Policy Advisor

Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager

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ICE Contract

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Board unanimously approved an agreement to lease jail bed space to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as there is significant empty bed space in the County’s Jail System, which on average has over 2,000 empty beds.

In an effort to reduce the Orange County Sheriff’s Department budget shortfall, Sheriff Hutchens sought an agreement with ICE to lease 838 beds for federal detainees at the Theo Lacy Facility in the City of Orange and the James Musick Facility in the City of Irvine. As a result, the approved 5-year agreement will generate $31 million in revenue for this fiscal year and $35 million for subsequent fiscal years. To view the Sheriff’s July 20 presentation to the Board of Supervisors, please click here.

For over a year, the Sheriff has been in discussions with ICE to secure a contract, keeping the Board informed of her progress throughout. I have continually raised concerns over how this contract will impact public safety and its potential effect on communities neighboring the jails. First and foremost, the proposal would not have had my support if it meant the early release of Orange County inmates. The Sheriff has indicated the contract contains provisions allowing its cancellation should bed space be needed for our own inmates.

Additionally, I was concerned this contract could change the nature of our County jail population by either significantly increasing its size or changing the type of inmate housed in our system. However, the Sheriff has assured me these federal detainees are similar to inmates in our current jail population; and the number housed at Theo Lacy and Musick will not be any higher than in recent years.

As Musick Jail borders the Fifth District, the County and the Cities of Irvine and Lake Forest have longstanding agreements dictating the maximum amount and type of inmates that can be housed at the facility. The Sheriff has committed to the Board that she will continue to abide by these agreements, even with the new ICE contract. To that end, I have asked the Sheriff to provide my office and the impacted communities with regular updates on the state of the jail population and the ICE agreement.

In the end, this agreement provides substantial financial benefit for Orange County taxpayers, as the revenue it generates closes the shortfall in the Sheriff’s budget, enabling us to protect funding for patrol deputies and prevent closing portions of our jails. Fiscal benefits will also be realized at the federal level, as housing detainees locally reduces transportation costs, allowing for a more efficient deportation process. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor the results of this agreement closely and will keep you updated on its status.

Probation Department: Fewer Crimes, Fewer Victims

Chief Probation Officer Steve Sentman reported to the Board of Supervisors on the state of the Orange County Probation Department. Over the last few years, the Probation Department has made great strides in instituting new and innovative best practices. As a result, efforts of the Probation Department have enhanced public safety in Orange County and led to a more efficient criminal justice system. To view Chief Sentman’s presentation to the Board, please click here.

New Social Services Agency Director Appointed

The Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Michael Riley to serve as Director of the County’s Social Services Agency (SSA), effective July 30, 2010. He will succeed Ingrid Harita, who has served as SSA’s Director since July 2005 and is retiring from the County on July 29. Dr. Riley, who joined SSA in 1997, is currently the Agency’s Chief Deputy Director and served previously as Director of Children and Family Services.

I look forward to working with Dr. Riley as the new SSA Director and wish to thank departing Director Ingrid Harita for her many years of outstanding service to the County of Orange. For more information, please click here.

Helping Orange County’s Homeless Veterans

The Board of Supervisors this week authorized agreements with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans Administration (VA) to receive funds and administer the Veterans Administration Supportive Housing (VASH) Program.

The County’s VASH Program provides rental assistance for homeless Veterans referred by the VA. To that end, the Orange County Housing Authority has been awarded $1,667,412 for the initial funding year to assist 150 Veteran households under the VASH Program, which requires eligible Veterans to enter into a 5-year agreement to participate.

This vital program to help house our most vulnerable homeless men and women, who have served honorably in defense of our nation, also supports the goals and strategies of Orange County's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. To view the staff report on the County’s VASH program, please click here. For information on the County’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, please click here.

The Toll Roads’ Environmental Efforts

The Toll Roads is best known for providing a valuable transportation alternative to the County’s freeways and congested arterial streets without the use of public tax dollars. However, many people are unaware that The Toll Roads has also made significant contributions to Orange County’s natural environmental. To that end, The Toll Roads has contributed nearly $7 million to Orange County’s Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP), setting aside 38,783 acres of natural habitats, including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, grasslands, and riparian and other significant habitat types.

The Toll Roads helped develop the Central/Coastal Reserve and continues to provide ongoing financial support for the long-term management of these protected lands. Overall, more than 2,100 acres of open space has been set aside to offset the effects of building the toll roads, and the agency has made a serious commitment to ongoing management of native habitat mitigation areas. To highlight its long history of environmental restoration and stewardship efforts, The Toll Roads has created a short educational video. To view the video, please click here.

Assessor’s Annual Assessments

The Orange County Assessor has delivered the 2010-2011 Local Assessment Roll of Values, which includes all locally assessable property in Orange County. It is important to emphasize these property values are as of January 1, 2010.

This year, again, there has been significant inquiry from homeowners regarding Prop. 13. If a notice is not received by July 30, homeowners should contact the Assessor Department at (714) 834-2727 to verify their mailing address or to request a duplicate notice. For more information, please click here.

Free Filing of Annual Assessment Appeals

The Annual Filing Period for filing an assessment appeal began July 2, 2010 and will run through September 15, 2010. If you believe the value of your property is less than the assessed value established by the Assessor for the January 1, 2010 lien date, you can challenge your assessment by filing an assessment appeal. It is not necessary to use a tax agent or pay a fee to file an assessment appeal.

The Orange County Clerk of the Board has created an online e-file program that provides step-by-step assistance in completing your appeal form. You can locate the assessment appeals e-file program by clicking here. Workshops to better understand the appeal process and assist you in preparing for your hearing are held at various libraries throughout the County. Workshop schedules can be found by clicking here.

Orange County Receives 11 NACo Awards

In addition to my duties as an Orange County Supervisor, I also represent the County as an Alternate Member of the National Association of Counties, a national organization representing county government. As such, I’m pleased to report that eleven County of Orange programs were selected to receive a 2010 Achievement Award by the National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo’s annual Achievement Award Program recognizes the creative spirit of county government programs. For information about the 11 Orange County programs receiving this distinction, please click here. For more information about NACo, please click here.

OC Public Libraries Online Services

Featuring a variety of online services, now your OC Public Library never closes! To view a listing of online videos of Californians sharing their personal memories of life in the golden state, please click here. To download best selling audio books 24/7 to your PC, please click here. To view and/or download high quality historical images of Orange County, please click here.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park: Full Moon Hike

Join Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteer naturalists at sunset on Sunday, July 25, 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM, for a moderate, 3.5-mile hike through Laurel and Willow Canyons and up to Bommer Ridge for spectacular views under a full moon. Bring a flashlight and water and wear long pants, a jacket and sturdy hiking shoes. Inclement weather will cancel. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area (20101 Laguna Canyon Road, just south of El Toro Road intersection). Reservations required: (949) 923-2235. Event Fee: $2.00. Parking Fee: $3.00. For more information, please click here.

Dana Point: Concert in the Park

The City of Dana Point invites you to enjoy a tribute to the music of MoTown, featuring “Oreo Divas” at Heritage Park on Sunday, July 25, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Beach: An Evening of Classic Soul & MoTown

The City of Laguna Beach invites you to enjoy an evening with “Stone Soul,” an authentic revue featuring timeless Soul and MoTown hits from legendary artists, at Bluebird Park on Sunday, July 25, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. For more information, please click here.

Lake Forest: Two-Time GRAMMY® Award-Winner

The City of Lake Forest invites you to enjoy an evening with 2-time GRAMMY® award-winner Rita Coolidge and special guest Kina Grannis at Pittsford Park on Sunday, July 25, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. For more information, please click here.

Aliso Viejo: Classic Rock Concert

The Aliso Viejo Community Association invites you to enjoy an evening of Classic Rock with “The Answer” at Grand Park/Town Center Amphitheater on Sunday, July 25, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. For more information, please click here.

Rancho Santa Margarita: Rock-Dance Band

The City of Rancho Santa Margarita invites you to enjoy an evening with Rock-Dance band “Hello Cleveland” at Central Park in the Civic Plaza on Sunday, July 25, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. For more information, please click here.

San Clemente Pier: Bringing the Bands to the Sand!

The City of San Clemente invites you to celebrate ten years of live music on the beach with the sunset as your backdrop and free seating in the sand, featuring the band “2000 Pounds of Blues” on Thursday, July 29 at 6:00 PM. For more information, please click here.

Laguna Niguel: Beatles Tribute

The City of Laguna Niguel invites you to enjoy an evening with Beatles tribute band “Paperback Writer” at the Crown Valley Community Park Amphitheater on Friday, July 30, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM. For more information, please click here.

Ladera Ranch: 50’s to 90’s Variety Concert

On Friday, July 30, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, 6-piece show and dance band “Vanity Fair” is coming to the Town Green in Ladera Ranch with a fun, polished and exciting performance that is sure to get you on your feet! For more information, please click here.

Mission Viejo: Target Symphony in the Cities

On Saturday, July 31, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM, the City of Mission Viejo invites you to enjoy the 6th annual Target Symphony in the Cities concert held on the Village Green at Oso Viejo Park. Led by Music Director Carl St. Clair, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra will perform a musical repertoire, ranging from patriotic medleys to Broadway show tunes. For more information, please click here and here.

Laguna Beach Boys Soccer Team Wins National Title

The Laguna Legends, the boys under 14 soccer team from Laguna Beach, won the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) National Championship in Florida this month. The championship takes place every two years, bringing together 3,500 AYSO players from across the country.

To earn their national title, the Laguna Legends won eight games against teams from Alabama to South Central Los Angeles. Game 1 left one of their players with a broken arm, so the team proceeded through the tournament without any substitute players!

The Laguna Legends are Nathaniel Colburn, Taylor Davidson, Alex DiGenova, Traer Freeman, Zach Jacobs, Connor Jones, Nathan Lancaster, Brayan Rico, Rory Saunders, Isaac Shields, Chris Tellez, Willy Wheeler and Sam Wogulis. Congratulations to the Laguna Legends on their outstanding accomplishment!

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

• Attended a meeting of the Orange County Fire Authority Board of Directors.
• Received an update from representatives of San Diego Gas & Electric on 5th District projects.
• Attended the Orange County Medical Association 2010 Presidential Inauguration to present a Board resolution in honor of the outgoing President, Dr. Michael Hurwitz.
• Met with representatives of Aliso Viejo’s Christ Our Redeemer Church to receive an update on their gang prevention and intervention programs.
• Chaired the Orange County Coastal Coalition meeting. More on this in next week’s newsletter.
• Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of California Senator Dave Cox, who I had the pleasure of serving with during my tenure in the State Legislature.