Welcome to this issue of Janet’s Journal, a First District Report designed to keep you updated on issues and events concerning our communities in Orange County especially in the First District.

I am proud and honored to represent over 600,000 people within the First District covering the cities of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and the unincorporated community of Midway City.

I hope you will find this journal informative. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Supervisor Janet Nguyen

Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com

IN THIS ISSUE...

1. Board of Supervisors

2. Janet Around the First District

3. Local Issues

4. Requests for Proposals

5. Community Events

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On Tuesday, June 23, 2009, my colleagues and I voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2009-2010 budget. While we still do not know when and how the State will balance its budget, we at the County of Orange have taken the steps necessary to live within our means. While these belt tightening measures have not been pleasant, they have been necessary.

I would like to thank all the County managers and department heads who have provided excellent leadership in the face of difficult decisions during these tough times.

Notice to Homeowners: Property Assessment

The Assessor will be sending out property value notices next month. Please be sure to read your notice carefully. If there are two values shown on your assessment notice, the LOWER of the two values will be enrolled and that will be the basis for your 2009 property taxes. If you have only one value listed, that is your enrolled value and no temporary reduction in the value was made by the Assessor.

Examine the lowest value shown on your property assessment notice. That value represents the Assessor's Office calculation of the value of your property as of January 1, 2009, and does not reflect any homeowner's exemption that may apply. If you believe that the lowest value shown on your notice is higher than the market value as of January 1, 2009, then you should consider filing an assessment appeal. You must have evidence (usually comparable sales) to support a lower opinion of value. The comparable sales must be sales that occurred before April 1, 2009. Sales that occurred after April 1, 2009, and later are NOT admissible evidence.

The Assessment Appeals annual filing period is July 2, 2009 through September 15, 2009. It is important to note that there is NO CHARGE to file an appeal in Orange County. Although there are many fine tax agents doing business in Orange County, beware of companies who might be soliciting bogus comparable sales.

For forms and more information regarding Assessment Appeals, visit the Clerk of the Board's web site here, then select "Property Assessment."

Healthy Smiles for Local Children

Since 1981, the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) has received funding from the state of California for comprehensive dental disease prevention services given to elementary school students. To increase the effectiveness of both programs, Orange County has partnered with Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County (Healthy Smiles) to continue these services for our children.

The Board of Supervisors voted to support the Healthy Smiles proposal for both the dental disease prevention services and nutritional education component.

15th Annual Report on the Conditions of Children

The Orange County Children Services Coordination Committee (CSCC) is an advisory board comprised of 21 members that was established in 1982 to oversee the status of dependent children (under 18 years of age) within the County. CSCC began distributing annual reports in 1993.

The Annual Report of the Conditions of Children in Orange County provides comprehensive details on the present condition of children in Orange County, discusses changing conditions and establishes a baseline from which to measure future progress.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize funding for the 15th Annual Report. Last year's report found that both the First District cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove had the largest populations of children.

County's Proposition 1B Funds Allocation Update: Garden Grove Street Improvements

One of the numerous allocations in the First District approved by the Board was for the street improvements for the Central Garden Grove Overlay Project. Street overlay is commonly referred to as street re-surfacing. The first $500,000 of this Project comes from the first allocation of Prop 1B funds, and an additional $500,000 in the second and third allocations, for a total of $1 million. Proposition 1B State Funds, as approved by California voters for Roads and Highways Improvements, are distributed to all 58 counties.

The first phase of the Overlay Project involves 2 segments of Gilbert Street, from Orangewood Ave. to Chapman Ave. and from Garden Grove Blvd. to Trask Ave. This phase will also cover Taft St. from Century Blvd. to Trask Ave. and Trask Ave. to Westminster Blvd. The second phase of the overlay project involves rehabilitation work on 14 additional locations in the Central Garden Grove area.

"The streets in Garden Grove, as well as in other cities in the First District, are heavily traveled because so many people pass through the district to get to other areas of the County," said Supervisor Janet Nguyen. "If these roads are not maintained in a timely manner, they are much more costly to repair later."

The City of Garden Grove plans to use these funds to rehabilitate streets that are long overdue for maintenance work. While these streets are not considered major arterial roads in the County, they serve an important role in diverting local traffics off of our main thoroughfares. The project will also include replacement of concrete curbs and gutters. Construction on the first phase of the overlay project begins in August and continues through November, 2009. The City of Garden Grove hopes to begin construction on the second phase in September, 2009. All told, the City will rehabilitate a total of 403,951 square feet of roadway at the completion of this Project.

OCTA

Orange County Transportation Authority Hires New CEO

On Monday, June 22, 2009, the OCTA Board of Directors hired Will Kempton as its new Chief Executive Officer. Prior to accepting this new position, Mr. Kempton was the director of the California Department of Transportation. He was appointed to that post by Gov. Schwarzenegger in 2004.

Mr. Kempton is a 35-year veteran of the transportation industry and will begin his term as CEO on August 3, 2009. I hope you will join me in welcoming Mr. Kempton to Orange County.

Special Recognition and Appreciation

The Orange County Transportation Authority acknowledged the following men and women for their dedicated commitment to OCTA and our community in a special presentation at the June 22nd Board meeting.

Coach Operator James Da Vanzo was presented with an award for thirty years of safe driving. Resolutions of Appreciation were presented to June 2009 Employees of the Month: Larry Grewal, Coach Operator; Leo Diza, Maintenance; and Rita De Andrade, Administration. Orange County Sheriff's Deputy Timm Pusztai and Canine Foose were recognized as OC Sheriff's Department Employee of the Quarter.

Join me in thanking these individuals for their service to Orange County.

Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Garden Grove Mayor Bill Dalton, Garden Grove Councilman Andrew Do and former Garden Grove Planning Commissioner Nick Lecong break ground at the Central Garden Grove Overlay Project.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen joins Westminster Mayor Margie Rice and the city council, along with members of the Police Department in breaking ground at the new Westminster Police Department Headquarters.


Supervisor Janet Nguyen gives remarks at the annual Garden Grove Elks Lodge Flag Day Ceremony.

* The following articles are for informational purposes only and are not necessarily intended to imply endorsement or support.

County of Orange
There are currently many new bids to contract with the County of Orange. For more information, please click here.

To contact Supervisor Janet Nguyen, please call 714-834-3110 or email Janet.Nguyen@ocgov.com.