| November 7, 2014 |
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Volume 2 Issue 43 |
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| Supervisor Spitzer Attends Ebola Response Demonstrations at St. Jude Medical Center and UC Irvine Medical Center |
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Teresa Frey, RN; Supervisor Todd Spitzer; St. Jude Medical Center President & CEO Lee Penrose; Director of OC Health Agency Mark Refowitz; OC Health Agency Division Manager Disease Control and Epidemiology Marc Meulman; Deputy Medical Director for Epidemiology, Physician Specialist Infectious Disease Preparedness Michelle Cheung, MD, MPH, FAAP; Health Care Preparedness Program Manager Mike Steinkraus; St. Jude Medical Center Vice President, Public Affairs and Marketing DruAnn Copping |
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(Portions courtesy of OC Health Care Agency)
Supervisor Todd Spitzer attended Ebola Response Demonstrations at St. Jude Medical Center and UC Irvine Medical Center. UC Irvine Medical Center provided an expert panel that discussed hospital preparedness and challenges; protocols being implemented at UC Irvine Health; clinical issues; and training. Panelist and participants included Chief Executive Officer of UC Irvine Medical Center Terry Belmont; Medical Director Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Susan Huang, MD; Director Critical Care Services William Wilson, MD; and Chief Nursing Officer Karen Grimley, RN.
St. Jude Medical Center provided a guided tour and demonstration where the group was able to view an Ebola training and simulation area in the hospital. Supervisor Spitzer and OCHCA leadership were able to view the proper management and handling process of a fictitious patient, including the donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by the patient care team in accordance with CDC guidelines.
“After attending the demonstrations, I have even more confidence that our hospitals are preparing to meet the needs of future patients, even when it comes to uncharted waters like Ebola. Orange County is blessed to have such talent and developed resources available to them,” Supervisor Spitzer said.
In the event of an Ebola case in Orange County, the county’s emergency operations plan will be used to ensure a coordinated approach to monitor and limit the spread of the disease. The OC Health Care Agency routinely works closely with hospitals, health care providers, law enforcement and other government entities to ensure that Orange County is well prepared for any public health threat, including Ebola. |
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St Jude Medical Center
UC Irvine Medical Center |
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The risk of contracting Ebola in the United States and in Orange County is very low.
Additional information about Ebola is available on the Health Care Agency website and can be viewed by clicking here. The California Department of Public Health has established an Ebola hotline call center to respond to public inquiries related to Ebola at (855) 421-5921 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. |
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| Supervisor Todd Spitzer Leads the Race at the Dinosaur Dash in Tustin |
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Tustin Mayor Al Murray, Superintendent Tustin Unified School District Dr. Gregory A. Franklin, Supervisor Todd Spitzer, Tustin Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Puckett, and Tustin Unified School District Board Member Lynn Davis. Photo taken by Jim Garling |
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| The 24th Annual Dinosaur Dash was held Sunday, November 2 at The Market Place in Tustin and Supervisor Todd Spitzer helped to start the race. The Dinosaur Dash featured 5k and 10k timed races for all ages, a 2k non-timed "Fun Run/Walk" and a non-timed 50k/15k bike tour. |
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Photo taken by Jim Garling |
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| 7,380 runners and bikers participated in four events. Officials from the school district, city & county government, and event sponsors were recognized from the stage and Tustin Unified School District students did a terrific job singing the national anthem. The family event also included community booths, activities for children, food and music. All proceeds from the race supports the Tustin Public Schools Foundation and TUSD schools. For more information about the Tustin Public Schools Foundation, click here. |
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| Supervisor Todd Spitzer Provides a County Update to the Association of California School Administrators Retirement Group |
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Supervisor Todd Spitzer met with the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Retirement Group of Orange County to provide an update on the important issues facing Orange County. As a group made up of mostly retired principals and superintendents, the ACSA Retirement Group works to address and advocate for education based policy issues.
“As a former Board Member in the Brea-Olinda Unified School District and as a parent, education holds an important place in my heart,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “It is important that people get out there and talk about what is needed to ensure our students with the top-notch education and educational facilities that they deserve.”
ACSA’s Retirement Committee confront several major retirement policy challenges, such as the issues related to Social Security laws, STRS unfunded liability, earnings limitation laws, earnings spiking regulations and, most recently, protection of purchasing power and the attempt to reconfigure the Supplemental Benefits Maintenance Account through the State Budget Bill. |
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| Voters Approve Nelson-Spitzer Measure E for FPPC to Enforce County Campaign Finance Rules |
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E-County of Orange, Authorize Ethics Commission to Enforce County Campaign Finance Rules
Completed Precincts: 1863 of 1863 |
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Vote Count |
Percentage |
| Yes |
220,178 |
56.4% |
| No |
170,394 |
43.6% |
| * Indicates Incumbent Candidate, if any |
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Spitzer will launch a countywide discussion on ethics in Orange County
By a decisive 56.5%-43.5% margin, Orange County voters approved Measure E, authorizing the State Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to enforce Orange County’s local campaign finance ordinance (TINCUP). The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to place Measure E on the ballot at the urging of the Board’s Subcommittee on Ethics, which consisted of Chairman Shawn Nelson and Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
“The voters are clearly not satisfied with the way campaign finance laws are currently enforced in Orange County,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “There is clearly a mandate for change to the way TINCUP is enforced.”
With the passage of Measure E, the County is authorized to contract with the FPPC to enforce TINCUP, provide audits of campaign finance reports, and provide training on campaign finance rules. A ballot measure was necessary because amendments altering TINCUP require the approval of County voters. In the absence of a contract with the FPPC, enforcement reverts to the previous enforcement mechanism, investigation by the District Attorney.
Upon legislative authorization of the FPPC contracting with local governments, Orange County will be first in line to pursue an FPPC contract. Constitutionally, the FPPC only has civil enforcement powers and must refer criminal matters to the District Attorney or the Attorney General. Similarly, every local ethics commission in California, including those in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, faces the same constitutional limitation, so they too have only civil enforcement powers and must refer criminal matters to the District Attorney or the Attorney General.
“Upon legislative authorization, I am committed to ensuring Orange County’s FPPC contract has four key elements: enforcement of our local campaign finance ordinance, auditing of County elected officials and candidates, training for all those who are trying to do the right thing in complying with our campaign finance rules, and advice for those who wish to stay on the right side of the law,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “No FPPC contract with Orange County makes sense without the four elements of enforcement, auditing, training, and advice.”
TINCUP’s campaign contribution limits for County elected officials remain unchanged by Measure E, and no FPPC contract can alter them. The TINCUP campaign contribution limit formula cannot be changed without voter approval via another ballot measure.
Measure E is based on San Bernardino County’s successful pursuit of an FPPC contract. San Bernardino County received legislative authorization in 2012 for an FPPC contract that went into effect in 2013.
As part of the work of the Subcommittee on Ethics, Chairman Nelson and Supervisor Spitzer went on a fact-finding mission to San Bernardino, meeting with San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Janice Rutherford, their County Counsel, and other San Bernardino County staff. There, Chairman Nelson and Supervisor Spitzer learned about the FPPC enforcement mechanism in San Bernardino County.
“I thank Chairwoman Rutherford and the San Bernardino County staff who provided critical information for us regarding the FPPC providing enforcement, auditing, and training at the County level,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “They paved the way for California counties, and Orange County voters have approved that path.” Spitzer plans to launch a countywide discussion on ethics.
After a series of scandals in San Bernardino County, Chairwoman Rutherford was elected on a platform of reforming her County, and FPPC enforcement, auditing, and training for County officials has been the centerpiece of her reforms. |
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| Voters Approve Spitzer’s Measure G to Reform Supervisorial Vacancies, Refusing to Allow Gamesmanship with Board Vacancies |
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 By a landslide of 70.5%-29.5%, Orange County voters approved Measure G to reform procedures related to Supervisorial vacancies. The Board of Supervisors unanimously placed Measure G on the ballot at the urging of Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
“The voters have sent a clear message that the Board’s appointment power must be used for caretakers, not permanent appointees who can use incumbency on the ballot,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “Whenever possible, the voters’ choice, not the politicians’ choice, should hold elected offices.”
Measure G did not change prior existing rules that require special elections for Supervisorial vacancies that occur within the first three years of a four-year term.
Under prior existing rules, any person who won a plurality of the vote in the primary for Supervisor was entitled to fill any vacancy in the final year of the term for that Supervisor’s seat, giving that person an incumbency advantage in November. A provision permitted Supervisors to fill certain types of vacancies in the final six months of the term with any appointee, including a person on the November ballot for Supervisor, giving that person an unfair incumbency advantage.
Measure G amends the rules for final-year vacancies. If any vacancy occurs between January and June in the last year of a term, Measure G now requires the winner of the June primary to win a majority of the votes, not just the plurality, in order to fill the seat. The Board may only appoint to fill vacancies that occur before July, and the appointee cannot be on the November ballot for Supervisor. Vacancies in the final six months of a Supervisor’s term will remain vacant until and unless a person wins a majority of votes in an election for Supervisor in that district.
Under existing rules, the Board had the power to appoint any person to fill the vacancy, including selecting someone who would run for Supervisor on the November ballot, giving them an unfair incumbency advantage without having ever been elected by the voters. Measure G changes this by permitting only caretaker appointments. The caretaker cannot be on the November ballot for Supervisor, ensuring that no November candidate has an unfair incumbency advantage.
Measure G is the fourth Orange County Charter Amendment, but the first that modifies the existing charter, rather than creating new sections. The Orange County Charter was created in 2002 when voters approved Supervisor Spitzer’s Measure V, which took away the Governor’s absolute power to fill Supervisorial vacancies, instead leaving it in voters’ hands, with a limited appointment power for the Board. |
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| Voters Send Supervisors Nguyen and Bates to Senate, Cause Special Election in First District, Add Steel and Bartlett to Board of Supervisors |
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Left: Michelle Steel, Supervisor-Elect Second District; Right: Lisa Bartlett, Supervisor-Elect Fifth District |
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For only the third time in the last 100 years, a majority of seats on the Board of Supervisors will turn over in a three-month span. Supervisors Todd Spitzer of Orange and Shawn Nelson of Fullerton will be the only current Supervisors still remaining on the Board. This will also be the first transition governed by the rules under Measure G, which passed Tuesday.
Supervisors John Moorlach of Costa Mesa and Patricia Bates of Laguna Niguel are termed out. Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel of Surfside was elected to succeed Moorlach while Mayor Lisa Bartlett of Dana Point was elected to succeed Bates. Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) was elected to the State Senate to succeed Mark Wyland (R-Solana Beach).
Supervisor Janet Nguyen of (R-Garden Grove) will vacate her seat on the Board after being elected to succeed Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) in the State Senate, but Nguyen’s Supervisorial term will not expire until January 2017, so a special election will be held in early 2015 to fill her remaining term.
“I congratulate Supervisors Nguyen and Bates on their elections to the State Senate, and I will miss having them and Supervisor Moorlach on the Board,” Supervisor Spitzer said. “I look forward to having Supervisors-Elect Steel and Bartlett on the Board, along with whoever will win the First District special election.”
Below is the timeline of the Board transition:
- Following the resignation of Supervisor Nguyen, the Board of Supervisors would have 3 days to call a special election (which would have to take place not less than 56 days nor more than 70 days after the vacancy occurs).
- The person receiving the highest number of votes would fill the vacancy (with no run-off).
- Candidate filing would start the next business day after the call of the election at 8:00 AM and candidate filing would end no later than 5:00 PM on the 43rd day prior to the election.
- December 1: Supervisors Bates and Nguyen sworn in as State Senators; Mayor Bartlett sworn in to succeed Bates five weeks early (had Measure G not passed, Bartlett could not be sworn in on December 1)
- January 5: Supervisor Moorlach terms out; Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel sworn in to succeed Moorlach
- Late January/Early February: Special election to fill the two-month long vacancy in the First District seat previously held by now-Senator Nguyen
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| Voters Replace County Assessor |
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Assessor-Elect Claude Parrish |
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For only the second time in the last half-century, a challenger unseated a sitting Countywide elected officeholder. By a 53%-47% margin, Orange County voters elected former Board of Equalization Member Claude Parrish as Assessor over incumbent Assessor Webster Guillory. Guillory had previously defeated Parrish four years ago by that same 53%-47% margin. Guillory had been first elected Assessor in 1998.
“I congratulate Assessor-Elect Parrish on his election, and I look forward to working with him on behalf of the people of Orange County,” Supervisor Todd Spitzer said. “I thank Assessor Guillory for his years of service to the people of Orange County, and I will miss working with him.”
For the first time in sixteen years, multiple new Countywide officeholders will be sworn in to office simultaneously. In addition to Assessor-Elect Claude Parrish succeeding Webster Guillory, Auditor-Controller-Elect Eric Woolery will succeed Jan Grimes, who opted not to run for the seat in this year’s elections. Parrish and Woolery will be sworn in on January 5.
Including Parrish and Woolery, this will mark five new Countywide officeholders in the last four years, after Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen took office in 2013, Superintendent of Schools Al Mijares took office in 2012, and Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich took office in 2011.
The only other time in the last half-century in which a sitting Countywide officeholder was defeated for re-election was in 1990, when John F. Dean defeated Superintendent Robert Peterson’s bid for a seventh four-year term. |
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| Post Silverado Fire-Debris Flow Plan Silverado Canyon Community Meeting |
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The Post Silverado Fire-Debris Flow Plan - Silverado Canyon Community Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00 PM at the Calvary Chapel of the Canyons, 8002 Silverado Canyon. The meeting is being held as a follow up effort to the Town Hall Meeting where Supervisor Todd Spitzer joined fire, public safety officials and County emergency service providers in presenting a fire restoration plan after the Santiago Canyon Fire where over 960 acres burned.
“Residents will find this meeting a helpful resource on how to be prepared for the upcoming rains,” Supervisor Spitzer said. The focus of the meeting will be on debris flow preparedness and response. |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| Free Admission All Day on Veterans Day at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum |
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(Portions courtesy of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum)
The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission all day on Veterans Day. A commemoration and patriotic celebration will begin at 10:00 AM to honor the men and women who have courageously served our nation and will include a spectacular show of All-American tunes from the renowned 90-member Placentia Symphonic Band. |
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America Recycles Day – Día de Reciclaje – Ngày Thu Gom Phế Liệu
OC Community Household Hazardous Waste Centers to Commemorate America Recycles Day on November 15
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(Portions courtesy of OC Waste & Recycling)
Orange County residents are invited to help commemorate America Recycles Day on November 15, by bringing in their hazardous waste to one of the county’s four community Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers and taking the national “pledge” to keep America beautiful by remembering to Reduce→Reuse→Recycle.
Visitors will be given family/individual America Recycling Day “pledge” reminders. In addition, each visiting vehicle will receive a voucher for a free pizza from Papa John’s (while supplies last) and coupons for free children’s tickets to the Discovery Cube Orange County.
Household hazardous waste includes common cleaning/gardening/painting/workshop products or materials that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable or reactive ingredients. Home hazardous waste also includes propane tanks and other flammable items, as well as electronic waste such as computer monitors, radios, TVs and video game consoles. For a full list and pledge information, go to: www.oclandfills.com or www.AmericaRecyclesDay.org |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| Clerk-Recorder Special Saturday Opening |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| Pet of the Week |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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| Events Around the District |
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Click on the image above to view a PDF version. |
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Anaheim
2014 Veterans Day Ceremony
Saturday, November 8, 10:00 AM
Anaheim Veterans Monument, 241 S. Anaheim Blvd.
Drought Tolerant Plants
Saturday, November 8, 2:00 PM
East Anaheim Branch Library, 8201 Santa Ana Canyon Rd.
Irvine
Northwood Memorial Candle Lighting Ceremony, Veterans Day Ceremony
Sunday, November 9, 3:00 PM
The Northwood Memorial, 4531 Bryan Ave.
Veterans Day Ceremony, City of Irvine
Tuesday, November 11, 11:00 AM
Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza
Orange
Veterans Day Tribute
Tuesday, November 11, 2:00 PM
Veterans Memorial at Depot Park, 100 N. Atchison St.
Silverado
Post Silverado Fire-Debris Flow Plan Meeting
Wednesday, November 12, 7:00PM
Calvary Chapel of the Canyons, 8002 Silverado Canyon Road
Tustin
War Comes Home with Authors Frank McAdams and Marco Martinez
Wednesday, November 12, 7:00 PM
Tustin Library, 345 E. Main Street
Farmers Market
Wednesday, November 12, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
El Camino Real & 3rd St
Villa Park
Toddler Storytime
Tuesday, November 18, 9:30 AM
Orange County Public Library - Villa Park Branch, 17865 Santiago Blvd.
Yorba Linda
Veterans Day, Free Admission at Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum
Tuesday, November 11
Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd.
Juggling Show, David Cousin
Thursday, November 20, 6:30 PM
Yorba Linda Public Library, 18181 Imperial Hwy.
For questions or comments regarding Spitzer’s E-Newsletter
please contact the Supervisor's office staff at: (714) 834-3330 or Melanie.Eustice@ocgov.com
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