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May 4, 2012
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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. SOUTH COUNTY NEWS
4. SAFETY SENTRY
5. HEALTH HERALD
6. ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS
7. COUNTY CONNECTIONS
8. SENIOR SENTINEL
9. NOTES FROM THE FIELD
10. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT
11. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR
12. 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
Ruth Strachan:
Office Manager
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| BOARD BULLETIN BOARD |
Third Quarter Budget Report
The Board approved the Third Quarter Budget Report for FY 2011-12.
Total expenditures are tracking slightly over budget by 1.78%, with revenues coming in at 2% below budget for property taxes and 3.85% below projections for General Purpose Revenues, while Public Safety Sales Tax and Health and Welfare Realignment revenues are tracking at 2.35% and 5.17% above projections, respectively. These variances are due to timing of the County’s expenses and revenue streams from State and Federal funding streams.
The Board approved a draw on reserves to provide $11.4 million to the Sheriff’s Department due to revenue shortfalls from the Federal and State governments to house inmates in our jail system, as well as establishing an $11.3 million reserve for Mental Health Services Act Revenues for future uses.
Overall, 65 positions have been deleted this Fiscal Year, with a total five year reduction of 1,708 positions since 2007-08, bringing the total workforce done to 17,257 from 18,675.
For more information, please click here.
Prima Deshecha Landfill Gas Header Extension Project
OC Waste & Recycling is responsible for managing the County’s solid waste disposal system, including South Region Landfills, consisting of the active Prima Deshecha Landfill and five closed solid waste disposal sites. The Prima Deshecha Landfill opened in 1976 to meet the solid waste disposal needs of the southern portion of Orange County.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors awarded a contract to SCE Field Services for the Landfill Gas Header Extension Project located at the Prima Deshecha Landfill.
Landfill Gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of decomposing waste and is comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide. To comply with regulatory requirements in the prevention of LFG emissions or migration, OC Waste & Recycling continues to install horizontal and vertical collection wells to capture and control LFG. These collection wells draw LFG by vacuum pressure through a header pipeline to the Landfill Gas Utilization Facility, which converts the LFG into approximately 6.3 megawatts of electricity.
The Landfill Gas Header Extension Project will complete the header pipeline loop for Zone 1 at Prima Deshecha Landfill, which will optimize collection system efficiency and effectiveness by increasing and equalizing overall header pipeline vacuum pressure.
For more information, please click here.
Public Safety Grants
The Board approved applications for several public safety grants. Three District Attorney grant applications were approved, including a $550,000 grant to fund efforts to deter drunk driving; a $184,238 grant for domestic violence prosecution; and a $360,459 grant to help prosecute insurance fraud.
The Sheriff also had three grant applications, which included $175,000 to improve trace and toxicology equipment at the OC Crime Lab; $1,250,000 in federal Operation Stonegarden funds to improve and enhance border security; and $300,000 for an offender re-entry program.
Finally the Probation Department had an application in the amount of $494,780 to help with efforts to reduce the prison population.
For more information, please click here.
Orange County’s Ocean Water Protection Program
The Board accepted a $25,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant and a $93,322 agreement with the State to support Orange County’s Ocean Water Protection Program. For more information, please click here and here.
California’s Health & Safety Code mandates coastal counties to seasonally monitor ocean recreational waters at all public beaches for concentrations of indicator bacteria and conduct public health notifications when bacteria levels exceed State standards.
Orange County’s Ocean Water Protection Program uses funding from these agreements and other County General Funds to perform weekly sampling of ocean and bay waters to conduct bacterial analyses, determine compliance with State standards, respond to sewage spills, and conduct a public notification program. Public notification includes posting warning and closure signs, maintaining a telephone hotline, and making closure and posting information available through the internet, including the social media outlet Twitter.
For the past several years, a demand to develop new or revised water quality standards and an interest in employing faster testing methods have been at the forefront of this program both at the state and national levels. The EPA has been conducting research to develop new recreational water quality criteria by October 2012. Orange County contributed to this effort by participating in a Rapid Indicators Demonstration Project in the summer of 2010, and the EPA was able to use the results of this first-in-the-nation study to help form their recommendations.
Orange County will continue to collaborate with various groups to further the program and provide residents and visitors with accurate and timely ocean water quality information.
To find out if there are any closures, warnings, or advisories at any beach in Orange County, please call the Closure and Posting Hotline at (714) 433-64000, please visit the website at ocbeachinfo.com or get Ocean Water Quality Updates on Twitter at twitter.com/ocbeachinfo.
San Clemente Library Branch Expansion Project
The Board approved an Agreement with Kishimoto Architects, Inc. to design plans and specifications for the San Clemente Library Branch Expansion Project. The San Clemente Library expansion was made possible through the collaboration of the City of San Clemente, Orange County Public Libraries, and the Friends of San Clemente Library.
The current branch library will expand into the former senior center located in the same building. The library’s square footage will expand from a current 9,856 square feet into a 14,252 facility. The remodeled library will include new carpeting, new lighting, a new public desk, new expanded children’s area, enhanced technology, two family restrooms; and will also feature a new and larger Friends of the Library bookstore fronting Avenida Del Mar.
For more information, please click here.
Four New Members Appointed to CalOptima Board
The Board of Supervisors appointed four new members to the CalOptima Board of Directors, filling the seats added by the Supervisors in December and completing the 11-member CalOptima Board. The representatives attended their first meeting yesterday, May 3 and will serve until April 30, 2016.
The following are the new CalOptima Board members and their seats:
- Ellen Ahn – Affiliation: Executive Director and Social Worker at Korean Community Services in Buena Park. Board Seat: CalOptima recipient or representative of a 501(c)(3) that serves CalOptima members
- Samara Cardenas, M.D. – Affiliation: Pediatrician at Anaheim Regional Medical Center. Board Seat: Representative of an Independent Practice Association or health network.
- Viet Van Dang, M.D. – Affiliation: President at Viet Van Dang, M.D., Ophthalmology in Westminster. Board Seat: Practicing physician.
- Steven Knoblock – Affiliation: General Counsel at Multimedia LED and Of Counsel at McKenna Long & Aldridge in Irvine. Board Seat: County resident/non-consumer.
For more information, please click here.
Orange County Crop Report
Every year, the County’s Agricultural Commissioner compiles Orange County agricultural production information and forwards the report to the California Department of Agriculture. Many people are not aware the County’s history began with agriculture. Much of that industry is now gone, as the County evolved into the suburban community we see today. While the industry has shrunk over the decades, Orange County still has a strong agricultural production, as shown by our Annual Crop Report.
The report compiles data on livestock, nursery stock (potted plants, flowers, ornamental trees, etc.), tree fruit and berry crops, vegetables and field crops (barley grain, lima beans, garbanzo beans, pasture, etc.) The total gross price at the first point of delivery for Orange County agricultural products for the 2011 calendar year was $145,897,704, representing a 3 percent decrease compared to the 2010 overall income.
Highlights of the 2011 Orange County Crop Report include:
- Strawberry value increased 7 percent due to an improved value per ton.
- Nursery stock value decreased 12 percent due to a decrease in production.
- Field crop values increased by 32 percent primarily due to a rise in value per ton.
- Vegetable crop value increase by 12 percent due to an increase in production.
To view the full report, please click here.
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| TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION |
I-405 Improvement Project Express Lane Alternative
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is in the process of studying various alternatives for improving traffic on the I-405 between the SR-55 and the I-605.
Three alternatives are currently being evaluated in the environmental document. Alternative 1 would add one general purpose lane in each direction between Euclid Street and the I-605. Alternative 2 would add two general purpose lanes in each direction; and Alternative 3 would add one general purpose lane and one express lane, which, combined with the existing carpool lane, would operate as a two-lane express lane in each direction from the SR-73 to the I-605.
Last week, the OCTA Board of Directors received a presentation on how Alternative 3 might be financed, if that option is selected. The presentation evaluated three separate finance and delivery options: self-financing, alternative payment, and public-private partnership. To view the presentation, please click here.
I am interested in hearing your thoughts on the three build alternatives, as well as the three financing alternatives for Alternative 3. If you would like to share your opinion, please email me at PatBates@ocgov.com.
May is National Bike Month
As reported in my newsletter last week, May is National Bike Month and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has special events and promotions planned. In addition, everyone who pledges to participate and track their biking miles online is automatically entered into a countywide raffle to win great prizes!
To pledge, please click here. For more information, please click here.
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| SOUTH COUNTY NEWS |
2012 South County Job Fair
Is your company looking for talent? Are YOU looking for a new and fulfilling job? If so, I invite you to attend our second annual South County Job Fair on Thursday, May 10 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. I’m pleased to host the 2012 South County Job Fair in partnership with the Orange County Workforce Investment Board and the City of Mission Viejo.
This is a FREE event for jobseekers and recruiters. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, bring copies of their resume, and visit with a recruiter on-site from the Orange County Business Services Center to receive one-on-one resume critique service. Parking is also FREE.
For more information, please click here and here.
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| SAFETY SENTRY |
DUI Task Force Deploys Extra Patrols for Cinco de Mayo
The Orange County DUI Task Force (Avoid the 38) will be deploying DUI saturation patrols throughout Orange County during Cinco de Mayo weekend, starting at 6:00 PM Friday, May 4. Additionally, CHP will be deploying saturation patrols onto freeways and in unincorporated county jurisdictions to stop, test and arrest impaired drivers who fail to use a designated driver.
For more information, please click here.
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| HEALTH HERALD |
Bat Found in South County Tests Positive for Rabies
A bat recently found on La Paz Road in Laguna Niguel Regional Park has tested positive for rabies. Anyone who had recent contact with a bat in the vicinity of Laguna Niguel Regional Park is asked to call Orange County Health Care Agency Epidemiology at (714) 834-8180 so a nurse can evaluate the risk for rabies.
The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a small animal and is transmitted to people through a bite from a rabid animal. Most cases of human rabies in the United States in recent years have resulted from bat strains of rabies, as bats have very small teeth and their bites may go unnoticed.
For more information, including preventive actions, please click here and here.
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| ENVIRONMENTAL MEMOS |
OC Green Fair 2012
Please join us at our third annual OC Green Fair on Thursday, May 17 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Civic Center Plaza in Santa Ana, as we continue the exciting momentum in raising public awareness of environmental concern.
The County's mission is to raise awareness regarding environmental concerns on how consumers can reduce their impact on the earth by selecting sustainable, eco-friendly products and services, reducing energy consumption, conserving water, and limiting their dependence on fossil fuels.
The Green Fair is FREE to the public and will feature green products and services from approximately 100 vendors, FREE vendor giveaways, door prizes, networking, food, and much more!
For more information, please click here.
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| COUNTY CONNECTIONS |
Join OC Public Works at the Annual Open House
On Saturday, May 19, Orange County Public Works will host their annual Open House at 2301 North Glassell Street, aka “The Glassell Yard,” in Orange.
This fun and informative event is held each year in recognition of National Public Works Week, a celebration that occurs each May. The public is welcome and festivities begin at 10:00 AM and end at 2:00 PM.
This year, OC Public Works has invited students from engineering clubs at local high schools and campus chapters of engineering associations from colleges to visit the Open House to learn about internships with the County or future career opportunities.
The OC Public Works booths will include: OC Flood, OC Survey, OC Planning, Agricultural Commissioner, Watersheds, and OC Road, along with booths from other County agencies.
The event also includes games, opportunity drawings, complimentary hot dogs and drinks and tunes by the OC Band. Another highlight is the Collector’s Car Show, always a hit for classic car buffs.
For more information, please click here.
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| SENIOR SENTINEL |
OC Animal Care Celebrates Older Americans Month
May is Older Americans Month, and OC Animal Care is celebrating with special adoption incentives for senior citizens adopting new pets from May 1 to May 31.
Adopters ages 55 and over will receive a discount on pets ages 3 and over. Don’t miss the Super Senior May kick-off celebration Saturday, May 5!
For more information, please click here.
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| NOTES FROM THE FIELD |
2012 Enduro Stuff Cup Tour Starts Tomorrow!
As announced in my newsletter last week, mountain bike races and clinics are planned at Santiago Oaks Regional Park, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Irvine Regional Park, O’Neill Regional Park and Caspers Wilderness Park from May through December this year, with cash prizes being awarded to first through third place participants of each race.
Saturday, May 5 introduces the first-ever mountain bike race through Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park and Laguna Niguel Regional Park. The race will traverse some of the most legendary trails these parks have to offer.
The races will continue at Irvine Regional Park and Santiago Oaks Regional Park on July 14.
On August 25 mountain bikes will race through O’Neill Regional Park on short laps with high elevation gain and great single track climbs and descents.
A fourth race at Caspers Wilderness Park will be held in late fall. The race date and details will be announced soon.
The first 15 racers in each category throughout the race tour will acquire points and overall series winners will receive custom Path Bike Shop prizes at the last race at Caspers Wilderness Park.
For more information, please click here and here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT |
South County Surfers Claim State Championships
South County high school surf teams won both sections of the Scholastic Surf Series High School State Championships at Oceanside Harbor recently. San Clemente High School (SCHS) captured the Section A title for coastal schools, while Aliso Niguel High School (ANHS) won the Section B crown, reserved for inland schools, for the third consecutive year.
In the Section A competition, the SCHS team placed first in men’s shortboard, men’s longboard, women’s longboard, and coed bodyboard. The SCHS Tritons also took second in the women’s shortboard contest, behind surfers from Dana Hills High School.
In the competition for inland schools, ANHS won the coed bodyboard contest; and San Juan Hills High School won the men’s longboard event.
Several students also experienced individual honors. Noah Cardoza and Ben Cardoza from San Juan Hills High School placed first and second, respectively, in men’s shortboard; Danielle Wyman from Dana Hills High School won women’s shortboard; and Makala Smith and Lulu Erkeneff from Dana Hills High School placed first and second in women’s longboard.
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| SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR |
Aliso Viejo: Soka University's International Festival
Soka University’s 11th annual International Festival in Aliso Viejo is Saturday, May 5 from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM, as part of Orange County’s Imagination Celebration. Wear international attire and celebrate your heritage. Admission is FREE. Parking is FREE at the Ziggurat Building with shuttle service every 30 minutes. For more information, please click here.
Mission Viejo: Arts Alive Festival
Celebrate Mission Viejo’s artistic creativity and rich cultural arts at the sixth annual Arts Alive Festival. This fun-filled Festival is from 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM Saturday, May 5; and from 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM Sunday, May 6 at Oso Viejo Park and the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way. For more information, please click here and here.
San Clemente: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
The 22nd annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta takes place Saturday, May 5 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM at Max Berg Plaza Park in San Clemente, 1100 Calle Puente, featuring traditional live entertainment, scrumptious food items, a children’s activities arena, and much more! For more information, please click here.
Lake Forest: Rancho Days Fiesta
OC Parks and Heritage Hill Historical Park present the annual Rancho Days Fiesta on Sunday, May 6 in Lake Forest. Highlighting the historic Serrano Adobe, Rancho Days Fiesta explores what it was like to live in California in the mid-19th century. The event will take place from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. For more information, please click here.
Laguna Beach: FIRST SUNDAYS
Laguna Beach Live presents the Ceora Winds Trio for the FIRST SUNDAYS on May 6. The series is an afternoon of FREE chamber music and art at the Laguna College of Art & Design, with the concert at 3:00 PM and the Art Gallery opening at 2:00 PM. For more information, please click here and here.
Laguna Niguel: Family Fun Night
Join Scott Land, master puppeteer, for his musical variety show, featuring singers, dancers, jugglers, and more. This fun show for the whole family is Friday, May 11 at 7:00 PM at Crown Valley Community Park in Laguna Niguel. For more information, please click here.
Laguna Hills: Children’s Spring Concert
Bring your family and friends to Stockport Park in Laguna Hills on Friday, May 18 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM to enjoy the wonderful sounds of the award-winning children’s band, “The Happy Crowd!” For more information about this FREE Children’s Spring Concert, please click here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP |
In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
- Met with representatives from Southern California Edison to provide a briefing on Fifth District transportation projects.
- Met with Children and Families Commission of Orange County appointee Dr. Katherine Ahn.
- Presented a certificate of recognition in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony for Family Assistance Ministries in San Clemente.
- Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of Dr. Lee Alan Hartman.
My office also:
- Attended the Laguna Niguel Chamber Government Affairs Committee meeting.
- Presented a certificate in memoriam in honor of Daniel Mendez on the occasion of the third anniversary of his passing.
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.
For an ADA version of our newsletter, click here.
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