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May 25, 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. PAT’S PERSPECTIVE
2. BOARD BULLETIN BOARD
3. TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
4. SAFETY SENTRY
5. AIRPORT ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES
6. HARBOR HAPPENINGS
7. TAX COLLECTOR COLLECTIBLES
8. REGISTRAR REGISTER
9. COUNTY CONNECTIONS
10. CRITTER CHRONICLES
11. NOTES FROM THE FIELD
12. FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT
13. SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR
14. 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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| PAT’S PERSPECTIVE |
In Observance of Memorial Day
A great president once noted that of all the national anthems in the world ours is the only one that ends with a question: “O say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
Of course, since our nation’s founding, the answer to that question has always been a resounding “yes!” This is not due to luck or chance. We remain free because in each generation there have been brave citizens willing to give their lives in defense of liberty.
This weekend, we celebrate Memorial Day and honor those soldiers, sailors and airmen who made that ultimate sacrifice. Please use the opportunity of the holiday to remember and give thanks to those fellow citizens who have done so much to keep us living in the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
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| BOARD BULLETIN BOARD |
Agreement with School District for Trailer Parking
The Sheriff's South Operations Division has two DUI Enforcement trailers, which are used primarily for sobriety checkpoints in all contract cities in South County. One of the trailers is larger and can also be used as a command post during emergencies. The smaller trailer carries cones and road signs and can be used for emergency road closures. Because there is no room to park the trailers at the Aliso Viejo Station, they are currently stored on an unpaved lot at the James A. Musick Facility in Irvine, approximately 10 miles away.
Capistrano Unified School District has a facility located within one mile of the Aliso Viejo Station, which includes a paved parking lot with unused space and is more centrally located in South County. The District has agreed to allow the Sheriff's Department to park the trailers on their property at no cost to the County.
For more information, please click here.
Agreement for SEC/Home Detention Program utilizing GPS
Orange County has implemented a Supervised Electronic Confinement (SEC) Program since 1986; and since July 2008, GPS technology has been utilized. The goal is to monitor select adult offenders outside of prison, thereby reserving jail beds for more serious offenders.
Offenders are charged a daily monitoring fee to be on the Program, which is based upon a sliding fee scale according to income. Other fees include an application fee, drug test fee and alcohol monitoring fee. Acceptance to the SEC Program is not based upon ability to pay, and those accepted into the program cannot later be rejected due to a legitimate inability to pay fees.
The Probation Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on March 12, 2012, seeking qualified vendors to provide full-case management supervised electronic confinement/home detention program services utilizing a global positioning satellite system. As a result of the RFP process, the Board selected the top ranked firm, Sentinel Services LLC, who is also the current contractor for this service.
For more information, please click here.
Legislative Issues
The Board voted to take positions on several pieces of legislation. Most notably, the Board sought clarification on Trailer Bill 12 07175, which is part of the Governor’s May Revise. Trailer Bill 12 07175 would require the County Treasurers’ office to offer loans to private nonprofit charter schools.
Private charter schools do not currently work or bank with the County Treasurer office, as do our public schools. This is of significant concern as it not only comingles private and public dollars, but requires the County to provide unsecured loans.
Finally, State law, which governs the operation of our County Treasury, prohibits the County from loaning any funds to private entities. While the State Department of Finance supports this legislation, the Board of Supervisors is concerned about the constitutionality of this provision.
Charter Schools are one of the bright spots in our public education system. I have long been a strong advocate for strengthening Charter Schools. However, we must be certain that this trailer bill is in keeping with the State Constitution before the Board can offer support for such a law change.
To read the amendments in our Legislative Bulletin, please click here.
Implementation of AB 109 Public Safety Realignment
The Board held a study session regarding the implementation of AB 109, the legislation enacted to realign public safety responsibilities. The State legislation has saddled the County with the responsibility of managing lower level offenders, adult parolees and juvenile offenders. These individuals are referred to as “non-non-nons,” which means they have not incarcerated for violent, serious, or sexual offenses.
The realignment is being implemented by various members of the County’s public protection community, and the study session held by the Board was an opportunity for each partner to highlight their actions as they implement these new responsibilities.
The Board heard presentations from the Sheriff, Probation Department, District Attorney, Public Defender, Health Care Agency, and the Garden Grove Police Department, providing the City’s perspective.
For more information and to review the presentations, please click here.
Day Reporting Centers
The Board approved a contract with BI Inc. for day reporting services, as part of the County's implementation plan for public safety realignment and post release community supervision.
A portion of the County’s realignment implementation plan concerns adult regional day reporting centers. These centers are an important part of evidence-based supervision and programs for the new offender populations that are now under County jurisdiction. I applaud the Probation Department for partnering with the private sector to help meet our public safety goals.
For more information, please click here.
Meeting the Mental Health Needs of the Deaf Community
The Board approved a mental health worker certificate program focused on serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. The first of its kind in the United States, this program will train and certify 25 workers in the next two years to reach out to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community and assist those in need of mental health services. Classes will be offered at Saddleback College to American Sign Language speakers and members of the Deaf Community.
This program was identified for implementation by the Orange County Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Steering Committee, which is tasked with advising the Board of Supervisors on mental health needs of the community. Committee Members and community representatives identified the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community in need of specialized workers, who would have both the language skills and cultural sensitivity to reach out to this underserved community.
For more information about this program or the Mental Health Service Act program please click here and here.
San Juan Creek Bike Trail at PCH Funding Agreements
The San Juan Creek Bike Trail at Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in Dana Point is highly used by people from all over the County. The trail is often inundated with water during the busy summer beach season due to a sand berm that naturally forms across the mouth of San Juan Creek, blocking urban runoff from draining to the ocean.
The pool that forms behind the sand berm was designated as critical habitat on September 2, 2005, by the Federal government, and breaching of the berm is not permitted by the regulatory agencies. Therefore, a project is being funded through a partnership of the County, the City of Dana Point and the Orange County Transportation authority (OCTA) to reduce flooding of the bike trail by constructing a concrete U-shaped channel under the PCH Bridge, separating the bike trail from the creek.
The total cost of the project will be $750,000, with $442,500 funded through a Transportation Enhancement grant from OCTA and the balance from the City of Dana Point and the County.
For more information, please click here.
Poche Clean Beach Project Operations & Maintenance
The Board approved renewal of a contract with the South Coast Water District for the Poche Clean Beach Project. The Poche Clean Beach Project included an urban runoff treatment facility located at the outlet of Prima Deshecha Canada Channel that diverts and treats dry weather runoff from the channel prior to its discharge to the beach.
The Project was originally designed to discharge treated water directly to the beach. However, permits from regulatory agencies require that the treated water be discharged back to the channel. As a result, the treated flows are re-contaminated and the effectiveness of the project has been diminished.
This agreement will provide for the discharge of the contaminated runoff into the sanitary sewer system, thereby preventing the runoff from reaching the beach and pooling behind a natural sand berm. The $200,000 cost for the project will be split by the County and the City of San Clemente, with 40% of the funds coming from the County and 60% from the City.
For more information, please click here.
Laguna Niguel Branch Library Expansion Project
The Laguna Niguel Branch Library Expansion Project involves a complete renovation of the existing library building and an expansion to add 3,810 square feet to the facility. Construction began October 2010 and was expected to be completed by October 2011.
However, County staff identified significant construction deficiencies in the work by the former construction contractor. To facilitate correction of the construction deficiencies, the Project's plans and specifications needed to be modified by Thirtieth Street Architects, Inc., the design engineer.
Additional design work is also necessary to correct latent deficiencies to the existing building, which was built in 1987, and bring the facility up to current California Building Code, California Electrical Code, and International Code Council Standards.
The Friends of the Library (FOL) also requested changes requiring extra work, which will be offset by a donation of an equivalent amount by the FOL.
To that end, the Board approved the Third Amendment to the Agreement for Architect/Engineer services with Thirtieth Street Architects, Inc., as well as acceptance of the financial donation from the Friends of the Library to support continued progress on the remodel and expansion of the Laguna Niguel Branch Library. The project completion target date for the Laguna Niguel Library is August 2012.
For more information, please click here and here.
Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
The Senior Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (SNEMT) program provides transportation to eligible older adults who are in need of cost-free transportation to and from medical appointments, dentists, therapies, exercise programs, testing and other health related trips.
To that end, the Board approved renewal of Agreements with St. Anselm's Cross-Cultural Community Center, Age Well Senior Services, Inc., and Abrazar, Inc. for the continued provision of SNEMT program services to eligible older adults throughout Orange County.
For more information, please click here and here.
Orange County Child Care Priorities Report
The California Department of Education (CDE) requires Local Planning Councils to assess the local need for subsidized child care funding provided through the CDE and to prepare a report that ranks subsidized child care priorities for FY 2012-2013. CDE requires that all counties utilize a consistent formula for determining the subsidized child care need in each zip code, using the same cut-off level for each priority ranking based on the size of the county.
As our Local Planning Council, the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council developed its needs criteria based on the low-income-eligible population identified in the 2000 Census, and the current number and location of available CDE-subsidized child care slots. To that end, the Board approved the "Local Planning Council Orange County Priorities Report FY 2012-2013."
For more information, please click here.
Conveyance of Ortega Highway to Caltrans
With the County portion of the Ortega Highway Widening Project now complete, the Board granted the improved Ortega Highway road right-of-way back to the State of California to be owned and maintained by Caltrans.
In 2008, the County acquired the right-of-way in order to widen the portion of the roadway between the City of San Juan Capistrano border to 1,900 feet east of Antonio Parkway from two to four lanes.
Since the area is unincorporated, the sidewalks and local storm drains will continue to be owned and maintained by the County of Orange.
For more information, please click here.
Certification of County Maintained Road Mileage
A portion of the State Highway Users Tax Fund, which is distributed to counties, is computed on the basis of the number of miles of maintained roads in each county. As such, state law requires every county to annually submit a report to the State Controller, tabulating the additions and deletions to its mileage of maintained streets and highways.
The annual maintained mileage of streets and highways for the County of Orange has experienced a net decrease of 1.9 miles since the last maintained mileage certified by the Board on May 24, 2011. The new total is 319.4 miles as of December 31, 2011. This net decrease reflects the relinquished jurisdiction of 4.5 miles in the former unincorporated County area known as Sunset Beach to the City of Huntington Beach and the addition of 2.6 miles of Trabuco Creek Road as a public road adopted by the Board on March 15, 2011.
For more information, please click here.
Airport Commission Appointment
The Board approved my appointment of John M. Clarey to the Orange County Airport Commission. A vacancy in the Fifth District seat on commission was created by the resignation of former Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais, who moved out of state.
Mr. Clarey is a resident of Shady Canyon, the community in Irvine that was recently added to the Fifth District through the redistricting process. I commend Mr. Clarey for his commitment to public service and look forward to working with him.
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| TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION |
Pacific Electric Right-of-Way Project Study
Officials from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) hosted three open houses in Orange County last week to present the findings of their Alternative Analysis Study for potential transit options along the former Pacific Electric Right of Way from Los Angeles Union Station to the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center.
Planners are considering options along the corridor, including a no-build alternative, transportation systems management, bus rapid transit, streetcar, light-rail and low-speed magnetic levitation trains (Maglev).
The open houses in Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Buena Park provided an overview of the study process and evaluation results for each alternative.
As part of the open house format, community residents asked a number of questions, including project costs, schedule and quality of life issues. SCAG will compile questions and comments from the open houses and provide them to both their technical and policy advisory committees in anticipation of a final report and recommendation.
Planning officials expect to complete the study in June. OCTA and LA Metro own the corridor and serve as agencies of jurisdiction in their respective counties. In Orange County, OCTA will solely make final decisions related to the development and disposition of the right of way.
For more information, please visit the project website or contact Philip Law, SCAG project manager, at (213) 236-1841 or law@scag.ca.gov.
Angels Express: Meet Former Angels Player Bobby Grich
The Angels Express special train service is back again this season to all Angels weekday home games that start at 7:05 PM.
On Wednesday, May 30 at 4:30 PM, the Orange County Transportation Authority is hosting a Special Tailgate Party at the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Metrolink Station, 28200 Forbes Road, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.
Get ready for the Angels game with FREE food provided by Jerry’s Dogs along with live music, games and giveaways before boarding the train. The train to Anaheim departs at 5:50 PM.
Also, here’s your chance to rub elbows with Bobby Grich, Angels’ former 2nd baseman, six-time American League All Star, and the first player elected to the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 1996! He’ll be at the station to meet fans, sign autographs, and ride the Angels Express with fans to the game.
For more information, please click here.
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| SAFETY SENTRY |
Memorial Day Weekend Holiday DUI Crackdown
Memorial Day weekend is the first holiday travel period of the summer season and this, coupled with many college and high school graduations, will see friends and families gathering to celebrate, often with alcohol. Law enforcement is reminding everyone to make plans now for those weekend trips and celebrations to use a 'Designated Driver' to avert arrest or worse, a deadly drunk driving tragedy.
For more information, please click here, here, and here.
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| AIRPORT ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES |
Memorial Day Weekend: Air Travel Tips
Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the summer travel season and is traditionally one of the busiest travel periods of the year. John Wayne Airport (JWA) expects Airport traffic to be heaviest on Thursday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 29.
Visitors to JWA during the Memorial Day holiday weekend should be aware of ongoing construction activities around the Riley Terminal, exercise caution when navigating Airport roadways and follow posted speed limits. See detailed map for more information.
For more information, please click here.
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| HARBOR HAPPENINGS |
Boating Advisory: 10 Safety Tips for Memorial Day Weekend
In recognition of National Safe Boating Week, which culminates with Memorial Day weekend, OC Dana Point Harbor would like to provide 10 boating safety tips. For more information, please click here.
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| TAX COLLECTOR COLLECTIBLES |
Property Tax Sale Auction
The Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector announced the next tax auction is Thursday, May 31, at 10:00 AM in the Board of Supervisors Hearing Room at 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Building 10, in Santa Ana.
All bidders must pre-register on May 30, and registration information is available online. To register your email for tax auction information, please click here.
Interested bidders can obtain a registration packet and a bid card on Wednesday, May 30 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM at the public counter (G58) in the Office of the Treasurer-Tax Collector. A $5,000 refundable deposit (cash/cashier’s check only) and valid photo identification are required to register.
For more information and to view the list of properties for sale (updated daily), please click here and here or call (714) 834-3411.
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| REGISTRAR REGISTER |
2012 Voting Rights Act Compliance Update
The Orange County Registrar of Voters (ROV) has released their 2012 Voting Rights Act Compliance and Bilingual Outreach update.
The report presents a thorough picture of the ROV´s Community Outreach Program, including their compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act. A unique report among election officials, this 2012 updated report focuses on progress made since the ROV published their first report in 2010. The report is designed for any citizen or group interested in outreach efforts in Orange County elections.
For more information, please click here and here.
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| COUNTY CONNECTIONS |
OC Public Works Achieves High Honor
The Orange County’s Public Works Department is proud to announce its national professional accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA). On May 14, OC Public Works received news that their OC Engineering Division became APWA’s 81st accredited agency and the tenth agency in California to have achieved this honor.
Full accreditation signifies that, on a daily basis, an agency meets or exceeds standards of performance in areas such as engineering, street/drainage, construction, emergency response, maintenance, surveying and traffic operations.
For more information, please click here.
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| CRITTER CHRONICLES |
Animals for Armed Forces
OC Animal Care and the Animals for Armed Forces Foundation would like to honor and say thank you to our dedicated service men and women by providing free adoptions during their Animals for Armed Forces event Saturday, May 26 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The adoption discount applies to current, former/retired military personnel or their immediate family members. For more information, please click here and here.
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| NOTES FROM THE FIELD |
Dr. Sue and Her Amazing Arthropod Zoo
OC Parks and Laguna Canyon Foundation are proud to announce their next Weekend at the Nix Nature Center event – Dr. Sue and Her Amazing Arthropod Zoo – full of intriguing live insects and arthropods, from walking sticks to scorpions.
This fun family-friendly event will be held Saturday, June 2 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Nix Nature Center in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Little Sycamore Canyon Staging Area (west side of Laguna Canyon Road/SR-133, approximately 3.5-miles south of I-5/405).
For more information, please click here. To RSVP (required), please click here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT |
South County Water District Receives Prestigious Award
First accredited as a District of Distinction in 2007, El Toro Water District was recently reaccredited for a record third time. Awarded by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF), District of Distinction is one of the most prestigious local government awards in California.
The El Toro Water District, which supplies water to the City of Laguna Woods and portions of the Cities of Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo, was honored with the 2012 reaccreditation award at the Association of California Water Agencies 2012 Spring Conference & Exhibition this month.
El Toro Water District is one of only four districts in the state of California to receive reaccreditation as a District of Distinction for three consecutive years. For more information, please click here.
South County Schools Win Awards for Top PAL Programs
Three South County schools’ PAL (Peer Assistance Leadership) programs were honored by the Orange County Department of Education this month during surprise campus visits.
The Peer Assistance Leadership program is known for the development of youth leaders who conduct outreach on their school campuses through conflict management, peer helping, teen teaching, tutoring, and mentoring.
Canyon Vista Elementary School won the 2012 Outstanding Elementary PAL Program award, while Newhart and Niguel Hills middle schools won the award for Outstanding Middle School PAL Program.
Award winners were chosen based on their efforts to implement creative and innovative practices to enhance youth engagement and connectedness at schools as well as in the community.
More than 140 public and private elementary and secondary schools in Orange County have PAL programs. The goal of the student peer leaders is to reach out to other students to help create a positive culture, improve attendance, increase school connectedness, and promote alcohol, tobacco, other drug, and violence free lifestyles.
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| SOUTH COUNTY CALENDAR |
Rancho Santa Margarita: Rancho Fest 2012
The City of Rancho Santa Margarita invites you to join local businesses, family and friends at Rancho Fest 2012 – a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend for kids and adults alike – on Friday, May 25 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM; and Saturday, May 26 from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM at Central Park, 30842 La Miranda. For more information, please click here.
Laguna Hills: Memorial Day Half Marathon
Memorial Day, Monday, May 28 marks the 14th annual City of Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half Marathon, 5k, and 10K, honoring the United States Marine Corps Dark Horse Battalion. This favorite Memorial Day running event takes place in the beautiful South County cities of Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods, and Laguna Niguel. For more information, please click here.
San Clemente: Memorial Day Observance
The City of San Clemente invites the community to participate in its Memorial Day Observance on Monday, May 28 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon at the San Clemente Community Center at 100 North Calle Seville. For more information, please click here and here.
Mission Viejo: Memorial Day Ceremony
The public is invited to commemorate Memorial Day with a special ceremony at 8:30 AM on Monday, May 28 at the Mission Viejo Civic Center, 200 Civic Center. The Civic Center courtyard will also feature the American Heroes Tribute banner display May 21–30 to honor and remember military personnel who lost their lives serving our country. For more information, please click here.
Aliso Viejo: Tuscia Operafestival
The first cultural event of the “Italian Opera Festival” will take place Wednesday, May 30 at 7:00 PM at the Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, in Aliso Viejo. For more information, please click here and here.
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| FIFTH DISTRICT WRAP-UP |
In addition to my many meetings, briefings, and other supervisorial activities, I also:
- Attended the Laguna Niguel Chamber of Commerce’s 30th anniversary celebration.
- Participated in the Laguna Niguel Republican Women Federated annual fashion show and fundraiser to raise funds for scholarships.
- Adjourned the Board of Supervisors meeting in memory of OCGOP Chairman Emeritus Thomas A. Fuentes of Lake Forest; and Robert Cheney, Martin Falk, Max Kirkham, Ray Keysers, Jim Manning, Norman Marcovich, Philip O’Dowd, Kenneth Rook, Frank Smith, Tommy Stout, Lawrence Swanson, and Harry Williamson of Laguna Woods American Legion Post 257.
- Attended the memorial service for OCGOP Chairman Emeritus Tom Fuentes.
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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