January 2 Council Meeting Summary
Editorial staff

The first council meeting of 2007 was relatively short and quiet. Not many residents came to watch the meeting or see Councilman Lance MacLean receive acknowledgement for serving as mayor in 2006. Mayor Gail Reavis complimented MacLean for keeping meetings short.

Reavis stated her priorities as mayor for 2007, which include maintaining infrastructure, safety, property rights and dealing with affordable housing goals. She said her objectives include recertification of the city's housing element and moving forward with economic development.

Following discussion of the proposed restroom at Melinda Park, the council rejected bids, including the lowest received by the city ($404,458 by Hondo). The council directed city staff to send the project out for bids again. A city staff member reported that only four companies bid on the project, and some potential bidders declined to respond because of ambiguity in the bid package. The motion to request bids again passed 5-0.

The Council reconsidered an item continued from December, an appeal by Nine Star, a retailer in the Kaleidoscope center, for a 500-square-foot skateboard and bike demo area. The Planning Commission rejected the project on Aug. 28. Six tenants spoke in opposition to the project on Jan. 2. One of the shop owners expressed his concern about noise, safety, image of the center, traffic and issues regarding crowds. He said the project would strain
the facilities without providing additional revenue. The spokesman for Nine Star presented a petition signed by 300 people in favor of the project. He added that safety and security issues have been addressed. A motion to deny the project passed 4-1 with MacLean dissenting.

Council members chose their appointees for commissions, with all nominations receiving unanimous approval. Those appointed for Planning Commission are Richard Atkinson (Kelley), Rick Sandzimier (MacLean), Annette Beecham (Ury), Richard Schweinberg (Ledesma) and Dave Leckness (Reavis). Appointed to the Community Service Commission are Patti Bennett (Kelley), Ron Ruef (MacLean), Tim Reid (Ury) and Brian Skalsky (Reavis). Ledesma was undecided on an appointee and will nominate someone at a subsequent meeting. Both Reavis and Ledesma as mayor and mayor pro tem, respectively, chose senior citizen representatives, Ron Harris and Anna Boice.

Appointees for the Investment Advisory Commission are Kevin Moran (Kelley), Duncan Merritt (MacLean), Patrick Imburgia (Ury) and Mary Hugar (Reavis). Ledesma was undecided on his appointee.

Reavis made the following selections for city representation to various agencies: Foothill/Eastern TCA -- MacLean with Ury as alternate; Measure M -- Ury with Ledesma as alternate; San Joaquin TCA -- Ledesma with Reavis as alternate; Joint Powers Insurance Authority -- Reavis with Ledesma and staff member Irwin Bornstein as alternates; El Toro reuse -- inactive, no representative; Fire Authority -- Kelley with Ledesma as alternate; Orange County Council of Governments -- Ledesma with Ury as alternate.

Reavis chose council members to serve on ad hoc committees after making a motion to dissolve all current ad hoc committees. The motion passed 5-0, and three ad hoc committees were formed. Reavis and Ury will serve on the YMCA negotiations ad hoc committee; Reavis and MacLean will comprise the affordable housing ad hoc committee, and Kelley and Ury will serve on the senior transportation ad hoc committee.

Reavis announced city manager Dennis Wilberg and city employee Karen Wylie will continue working on the city's economic development.