 |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
 |
||
|
Wording is a Hoax Mission Viejo residents were led to believe the council majority rejected the idea of rezoning neighborhoods to very high fire hazard severity zones (VHFHSZ). The council’s 4-1 decision (Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht dissenting) to use interchangeable wording is a hoax on 15,000 homeowners. Following is Councilwoman Schlicht’s letter, which is in the public record from the July 2 council meeting. July 2, 2012 To My Council Colleagues and the Citizens of Mission Viejo: It is my view that the City's June 21, 2012 press release is very misleading in what it is NOT stating, sort of like leaving out "landscaping" from the price of the Tennis Resort plans, as we later learned. Government Code Section 51179 allows changes to the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) maps if our city ordinances impose standards that are equivalent or more restrictive than state law. We have met those standards. Government Code Section 51179 (d) clearly states that those changes SHALL be final and SHALL not be rebuttable. As the city has met those non-rebuttable findings, Mission Viejo is NOT required to adopt a substitute map that includes ember intrusion hazard zones. The council has voted twice to reject the optional ember intrusion hazard zone maps. But now the council has proposed to accept and combine both the VHFHSZ and the optional ember intrusion hazard zone maps into a single map and then change the designation to Special Fire Protection Area (SFPA), which will encumber about 15,000 structures or about half of the city. The city's press release further states: "Some of the benefits to the SFPA are that it eliminates the state's record of VHFHSZ designation....as well as the state's vegetation clearance and fines, and does away with the state's real estate disclosure requirements for homeowners." That single sentence is distorting the facts on many levels. According to the staff reports and with concurrence from the OCFA, the city has met the findings for exemption from the state fire hazard maps, due in part because our vegetation clearance standards are greater than state requirements. Consequently, as the city is exempt from the fire hazard maps, the state does not have the authority to access fines; however, the municipal code and the OCFA have authority to levy fines for non-compliance. Secondly, the real estate disclosure requirement known as the Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement, per Government Code Section 51182, has indeed been eliminated because the city has rejected the fire hazard maps; however, the California Civil Code requires the disclosure of any known material facts that would have an impact on the value or the desirability of the property. In real estate, “disclosure disclosure disclosure “ is just as important as “location location location.” A property located in any kind of a special area, whether it be Mello-Roos or a Special Fire Protection Area, it should have to be disclosed to a buyer. One of the most important factors raised by the homeowners at the February OCFA meeting, was the concern about increased insurance rates, or cancelled policies. Comments have been made by public officials that creating this new fire hazard zone designation within the city should not have an impact on insurance coverage, as Cal Fire has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Insurance. However, if there was an impact, OCFA stated that California Fair Plan, an insurance of last resort, would be available. When I read the MOU, I was surprised to read that the Department of Insurance appears to be encouraging the insurance industry to pay attention to ember intrusion hazard zones. The top of page 5 reads: "The current inspection forms used by the inspection bureau(s) may not have incorporated a complete knowledge base conforming to national best practices and appear to focus only upon the distance to the hazardous brush with no attention to the impact of flying embers." My final comments on this June 21 press release, is the untimely notification to the 28 HOA management firms located within this proposed fire hazard designation. Not only is this insufficient time to notify homeowners who are now impacted by this greatly expanded zone, but the city placed the burden on HOA management firms when this is a city responsibility. Additionally, the city has not notified the families who do not live in a homeowners association, or the businesses within this fire hazard zone. Basically, the public has not been informed about this ordinance nor have had an opportunity to become fully aware of the implications of this pending ordinance. The letter of the law for noticing public meetings may have been met, but when virtually half of the city is going to be part of the Special Fire Protection Area (SFPA) designation, extraordinary means to inform the stakeholders should have been of the highest priority. Cal Fire acknowledges that public participation is an important part of the map process. In Mission Viejo, we have largely an uninformed public who were not given an opportunity to participate due to lack of knowledge. The city map outlining the SFPA lacked clearly defined boundaries, making it very unclear that about 15,000 properties will be registered in this zone. In reference to the June 18 OCFA Power Point Presentation, as well as city staff reports, it was clearly stated that the fire mapping process allows rejection of the fire hazard maps with "findings." It was explained that the city has met those findings based on its standards for vegetation management, fuel modification program and home hardening building codes. But apparently, even though Govt Code Section 51179(d) stated that findings cannot be challenged, the council majority appears willing to accept an optional creation of an ember intrusion fire hazard zone and thereby designating 15,000 homes into a Special Fire Protection Area. This new designation within our borders is a combination of the fire hazard maps that the council had rejected multiple times. The SFPA designation is a combination of the rejected Very High, High and Moderate Fire Hazard Maps. The SPFA designation is still a fire hazard zone. Real Estate disclosure laws as defined in the Civil Code, and I believe also in the Business and Professions Code, still require disclosure to the buyer. As earlier stated, the Department of Insurance is encouraging the insurance industry to include Ember Intrusion Fire Hazard Zones in its risk models. In doing so, the outcome for ember risk inclusion would make the insurance carrier become the enforcement arm by adding conditions for approval on policy renewals. OCFA Guideline C-04, dated 04/20/06, with an updated version currently being developed, makes the following two statements on Page 1 of 13: "The SFPA / VHFHSZ regulations were initially implemented on March 28, 1996 within designated portions of Orange County" "The SFPA / VHFHSZ have the same regulatory requirements." The US Forest Service acknowledges on its regulatory National Wildfire Programs Database, the OCFA SFPA / VHFHSZ guidelines and specific requirements including irrigation and groundcover. The City of Laguna Niguel Building Division has an OCFA Site Review Application #113 contains the following statement: The terms “SFPA” and “VHFHSZ” are interchangeable terms for high fire hazard areas designated by the State Fire Marshal. One of the questions found on the OCFA Planning and Development FAQ website: Do I need to submit plans for a gazebo, patio, or fireplace in my back yard? Such projects may require an evaluation by OCFA if adjacent to or in an area designated as a Fuel Modification Zone, Special Fire Protection Area (SFPA) or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ). The terms “SFPA” and “VHFHSZ” are interchangeable terms for a high fire hazard area designated by specific cities and the county. Contact Planning and Development at 714-573-6100 to inquire if your project is in this zone. Please submit the appropriate form, either the Accessory Structure Form or the Outdoor Fireplace Form in person or via fax to 714-368-8843. There is no charge for this service, and the process can generally be completed in 10 business days. Contact Planning and Development at 714-573-6100 to inquire if your project is in this zone I am emphasizing that “SFPA” and “VHFHSZ” are interchangeable terms for a reason. The Govt Code states that findings for exemption from the maps are non-rebuttable. The Resolution on this agenda tonight clearly states, with concurrence by the OCFA Fire Marshall, that there are "findings supported by substantial evidence" to reject the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) maps. I am disappointed that the council majority are pursuing a SFPA designation. As someone who is employed fulltime in the housing industry, due to the SFPA designation, real estate disclosures are a requirement and new conditions placed on renewing insurance policies are a possibility. The SFPA designation carries requirements not only for the 15,000 property owners, but also for the HOA's - and that has not even been fully disclosed. The proposed Ready Set Go program, which is incorporated as part of the Special Fire Protection Area designation, is a program launched by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). According to the April 5, 2010 IAFC press release, prior to launch, the OCFA was chosen to test and refine elements for the Ready Set Go program. As a pioneer for this program, is that why the OCFA is defiant in demanding that the city accept the twice-rejected ember fire hazard maps? In the proposed ordinance buried at the end of the back-up material, last sentence in Paragraph A(iii) reads: "Absent this areal designation the Orange County Fire Authority would not consent to the City Council's request for exemption from the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps." The Government Code Section 51179(d) is clear: Changes made by a local agency to the recommendations made by the director shall be final and shall not be rebuttable by the director. In my opinion, the OCFA is over-reaching - as a council, we cannot allow our community to succumb to an ordinance that will impact the private property rights of 15,000 stakeholders without their knowledge or consent. The proposed ordinance is making a declaration that the city has "satisfied the statutory requirements which authorize the City to determine that it is exempt from the map/zone adoption requirement set forth in California Government Code Section 51178." The city is exempt - period. If the Ready Set Go program is a voluntary program then it does not need a special zoning requirement for anyone requesting a consultation with the OCFA. But there appears to be more than meets the eye here, as the "property insurance companies will be active partners with the departments implementing the program this year" -- a quote from the April 5, 2010 IAFC press release. The 2012/13 OCFA Adopted Budget for the Ready Set Go program is as follows:
The Ready Set Go Consultation Sign up form contains this statement: OCFA will respond to your request as soon as possible. First priority will be given to residents that live in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Depending on the volume of requests, it may be several weeks or months before all requests have been fulfilled. Please do not re-submit your request So how is the OCFA going to be able to service an additional 15,000 property owners with 4 funded positions and a total county wide budget of $99,725? Why is it necessary to create a SFPA hazard map designation that has the potential to negatively impact the community when the program is implemented? As a proponent for all forms of public safety, I appreciate the outreach efforts of the OCFA, but question the methodology in attempting to force a fire hazard zone onto unaware and uninformed citizens. As we experienced in the 2007 California fires, and the wildfires burning today in Colorado, the results can be a catastrophic loss of life and property. We all recognize the importance of fire prevention measures and assessing the risks but the public needs to be part of the process - and it is they, the property owners, who need to agree to accept this OPTIONAL SPECIAL FIRE PROTECTION AREA, as the city has met the findings for exemption from the VHFHSZ maps, which are final and non-rebuttable. I would plead with my council members to step back and offer public workshops before voting on this legislation. Liabilities and risks need to be made known. Are adequate resources provided for fighting wildfires? What is the fiscal impact on the HOA’s common areas and open space maintenance? What will be the fees charged for the annual inspections? For the Ready Set Go program to be successful, you need public co-operation. Property owners need to be aware that in order to renew an insurance policy, the carrier might require fire-safe upgrades before renewal, such as enclosing eaves or replacing a deck with non-combustible materials. As a compromise, and since the OCFA states that“SFPA” and “VHFHSZ” are interchangeable terms, instead of creating a SFPA designation for 15,000 properties, let’s scale it back to include just the properties identified in the “VHFHSZ” maps, also known as Alternate 1. Reject the VHFHSZ maps, adopt our own scaled back version, and call it something different. And on the technical side - the city’s General Plan does not recognize a Special Fire Protection Area designation - would not creating any new zone require a General Plan amendment with public hearings and a CEQA process? |
||
|
Abuse Inspires Commendation During the June 18 council meeting, a city worker not only received an award, he got a special commendation from Councilwomen Trish Kelley and Rhonda Reardon. Did he do something unusual? No, he dialed a remote switch to turn the lights back on during a Little League game after they shut off automatically at 9:30 p.m. If that sounds worthy of a special commendation during a council meeting, keep reading to learn about the theatrics that went into covering for Councilman Dave Leckness’ abusive email. Following is a letter to the editor of this blog from Mission Viejo resident Lamar Kelsoe: I believe it is the residents’ obligation to help in any way we can to make sure that those elected to run our city do so in a professional and cost-effective way. Because the three major ball park high-intensity lights are visible from my home, I noticed lights were on for many hours after the players had left. On many nights the lights were on all evening, sometimes till midnight, with no one there. I made contact with the person in charge of managing the parks and mostly all I got was excuses that the coaches were not turning the lights off as they were supposed to, but he would try to fix the problem. Over the next year or so I drove to the parks forty to fifty times and confirmed it was still happening about fifty percent of the time. Because this is probably costing us TAXPAYERS hundreds of thousands of dollars over time, I emailed the council members to make them aware of the problem. It appears one council member, Dave Leckness, doesn’t want residents telling him how to do his job. Here is the quote, verbatim, from an email I received from Dave on City of Mission Viejo stationery and with City Seal. I guess it is Dave’s way of “BULLYING” me into keeping my mouth shut. Hi Lamar Do you have any idea how ridiculous you come off? When you type in all caps and say stupid-ass things in your email it makes it hard to take your comments seriously. To ask for someone to be replaced because lights were on our fields and only a few people were there is nuts. You don’t have all the facts and your running-off your mouth. -Dave Kelsoe received the official response from Councilman Leckness on May 31, complete with the city seal. It wasn’t a prank – Leckness actually wrote the email and put the city seal on it. Kelsoe prepared a draft of remarks he intended to make during the June 18 council meeting, revealing Leckness’ email. Kelsoe then emailed his draft copy to other Mission Viejo residents. One of the recipients is a Realtor who is a friend of Trish Kelley. In short order, the city staff was alerted a few days prior to the June 18 council meeting when Kelsoe intended to air the waste of lights being left on and Leckness’ response. The “award presentation” was put on the June 18 council agenda, likely in anticipation of Kelsoe’s criticism. Trish Kelley revealed during her June 18 “commendation” that the lights are programmed to be switched on from a remote location by phone. Those who watched the concocted award on June 18 can figure out that the same switch can be used to turn the lights OFF when the fields aren’t in use. It wasn’t the job of the person who received the award, nor should higher-ups imply he is to blame. The series of emails following Kelsoe’s May 31 complaint showed that City Hall had no reliable system regarding the lights. After Kelsoe complained, a worker was told to monitor the lights. Council meetings haven’t changed much since the antics of Susan Withrow and Sherri Butterfield offended enough voters to end their regime in 2002. For those with a high tolerance for a phony production, here’s a link to the June 18 video segment: http://missionviejo.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=761 , jump to Presentation No. 3. Without knowledge of why the commendation is being given, it seems odd for councilwomen to go to such lengths over the lights being turned back on. With knowledge of the setup, the staged performance of this “fun award” is sickening. Kelsoe attended the June 18 meeting, but he didn’t make public comments after the city staff set him up. He instead spoke during the July 2 meeting and read Leckness’ email into the public record. |
||
|
CUSD Update Dear PALs, I have been to many public meetings over the last five years; however, I have NEVER witnessed such a dysfunctional and offensive public meeting as I did on June 27 at the CUSD school board meeting. This meeting was truly an insult to constituents as well as students in CUSD. Every year I have watched CUSD make financial decisions to ease budget concerns at the risk of negatively impacting student learning. Class sizes are increased and furlough days are added with little to no regard for student success. Not to mention, LIFO (Last-In; First Out) laying off teachers because they are the newest to be hired (regardless of whether or not they have the proven ability to teach) continues to be the go-to solution for CUSD. Last Wednesday was no exception. The budget was passed 4-3 (Bryson, Addonizio, and Palazzo dissenting) with $51 million in cuts. The district administration negotiated a deal with CUEA that includes 5-15 furlough days and 1.2% salary decrease. By the way, teachers will get a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA = salary increase)
District official Jodee Brentlinger proudly stated the negotiations with CUEA went from “. . . us vs. them and resolved into we.” Unfortunately for students in CUSD, the “we” only included CUEA and CUSD district officials who negotiated behind closed doors. The most despicable part of the board meeting happened when the teachers’ contract and the budget of over $50 million in cuts were passed with little to no discussion. Trustees Alpay and Pritchard (both up for re-election this November) collectively and deliberately stopped any discussion twice by Trustee Addonizio, a long-time student-focused school board member. Please follow the link below to the article from the MV Patch. It also includes the actual audio of the controversial shutdown for discussion. You can even hear Trustee Pritchard laughing at Trustee Addonizio as he is trying to defend his actions. Expert: CUSD Goofed in Snuffing Budget Debate “When four trustees agreed to end debate of the teachers' contract and 2012-13 budget before it began, they broke the very rules they were invoking. But that doesn't undo the ultimate vote.” I would like to take this opportunity to thank Trustees Addonizio, Palazzo and Bryson for recognizing the need for discussion regarding the impact these severe budget cuts will have on students. Parents and constituents are actually entitled to hear comments from their elected officials, especially regarding cuts to student-centered programs and instructional days. Trustees Pritchard and Alpay should have taken more time to consider students as opposed to what appears to be setting themselves up for union sponsored re-election campaigning. I cannot implore to parents enough that you must stay informed and active in your child’s education. Attending PTA meetings and volunteering in the classroom are truly wonderful, but are still not enough. Vital decisions were made for your child and his/her education on June 27 at the board meeting. These decisions will not only affect your student’s ability to learn next year and for years to come, but it will affect how your child will compete for college admission compared to other students across the nation. Where were you on June 27? Your presence at the board meeting could have made a difference. Teachers have their union. Students have their parents. YOU are your child’s voice. It is time for YOU to stand up and use it. Julie Collier |
||
|
Non-government Events Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise and non-profit groups. Fun with Chalk, the 13th annual Street Painting Festival will be held on Sat.-Sun., July 14-15, featuring re-creations of the Old Masters and original works, all by noted artists from all over the world and all created on the asphalt surface of the Bell Tower Community Center in Rancho Santa Margarita. For more information, visit http://www.funwithchalk.org Mariachis at the Mission on Sat., July 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., second and fourth Saturdays each month, free with paid admission to the Mission, Central Courtyard, Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, http://www.missionsjc.com/ Concerts at Lake Mission Viejo on Saturdays: Three Dog Night on July 21, Hunter Hayes on Aug. 4, Leon Russell on Aug. 18 and Hanson on Sept. 1. Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. and are limited to lake association members and their guests. Call or visit the website for information, 949-770-1313, ext. 311, or http://www.lakemissionviejo.org National Rifle Association Banquet, Thurs., July 26, 6:00 p.m., Metro OC Friends of NRA, Phoenix Club, 1340 S. Sanderson, Anaheim, contact Mike Davis, (714) 368-0451, mdavis@nrahq.org, http://www.friendsofnra.org Shakespeare in the Park, “Merry Wives of Windsor,” Thurs., Aug. 23 and Sat.-Sun., Aug. 25-26, 6:00 p.m., the Dana Point Theater Company, Lantern Bay Park, Dana Point, (949) 291-5083, dptheaterco@hotmail.com Pageant of the Masters, through Aug. 31, 8:30 p.m. performances, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (800) 487-3378, http://www.pageanttickets.com Sawdust Art Festival, through Aug. 31, on the festival grounds, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-3030, http://www.sawdustartfestival.org |
||
|
Political and Government Events Calendar Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Mon., July 9, 7:00 p.m., including a Public Hearing, Request to Waive the Penalty for K-3 Class Size Increases for Fiscal Year 2012-2013, district office, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/ ACT for America, Mission Viejo Chapter, will meet on Mon., July 9, 7:30 p.m., featured speaker will be Bill Warner, Ph.D., director, Center for the Study of Political Islam. Doors open at 6:45 p.m., and the meeting begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. Program to be announced. ACT meets at the Norman P. Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, Tues., July 10, 6:30 p.m. Another board meeting will be held on July 24, 6:30 p.m., “if necessary.” District office, 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234.. http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/ Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Investment Committee on Wed., July 11, 9:00 a.m., Citizens Advisory Committee, Thurs., July 12, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Mon., July 16, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., July 18, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Thurs., July 19, 5:30 p.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx Santa Margarita Water District meetings: Engineering Committee on Fri., July 13, 7:30 a.m.; Finance Committee on Fri., July 20, 7:30 a.m.; Board of Directors on Wed., July 25, 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com Concert at the Richard Nixon Library, Sun., July 15, piano and strings trio. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Concerts are free and open to the public. Schedule is subject to change. Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/ Orange County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tues., July 17, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://egov.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors/Meeting%20Schedule Meet President Teddy Roosevelt, Tues., July 17, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Richard Nixon Presidential Library. Bring the family, interactive Q &A, photo ops, children’s activities and refreshments. 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org/ai1ec_event/meet-president-teddy-roosevelt/?instance_id=469 El Toro Water District meetings: Engineering, Finance, Insurance Committee on Tues., July 24, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., July 26, 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ETWD, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com/ Meet Hugh Hewitt, author of The Brief Against Obama: The Rise, Fall & Epic Fail of the Hope & Change Presidency, Mon., July 30, 3:00 p.m. radio broadcast and 7:00 p.m. lecture and book signing, Richard Nixon Presidential Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1161, http://nixonfoundation.org/ai1ec_event/meet-hugh-hewitt/?instance_id=471 South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, Mon., July 30. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, https://www.socccd.edu Saddleback Republican Assembly does not meet in July or August. The next SRA meeting will be on Thurs., Sept., 7:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be John Moorlach, Orange County Supervisor, Second District. SRA meets on third Thursdays at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo. For information call (949) 360-1717. |
||
|
The Buzz Act for America will meet on Mon., July 9, at the Norm Murray Community Center in Mission Viejo. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. Bill Warner, Ph.D., director, Center for the Study of Political Islam, will be the featured speaker. His topic will be “Gentle Persuasion – Opening Closed Minds: How to Convince Skeptics that Political Islam is a Grave Threat to America.” *** For Republicans in Casta del Sol who want to get involved in the November election, the Casta leader for the Republican Party is Dorothy Wedel. There seems to be some confusion because of a social group, the Casta Republican Club, which is unrelated to the Republican organization to Get Out The Vote. A Casta resident explained, “The HOA club went off track more than two years ago following a lack of volunteers to lead, and it now operates outside its own bylaws with a termed-out ‘president’ and no elections.” The HOA club was taken over by an Iranian woman from Irvine, with a shill in Casta who has no connection to the Republican Party. As for an outsider having a foothold in the HOA, it would be up to the Casta homeowners to end it. *** Casta Republican Chairwoman Dorothy Wedel has a stellar record as a leader, and she was mayor of La Habra prior to moving to Mission Viejo. Among her many accomplishments, she was president of Capistrano Valley Republican Women Federated, a city co-chair of Mission Viejo for the Republican Party, a Mission Viejo Planning Commissioner, 2005 Legislative Woman of the Year, and currently a Delegate to the State GOP, appointed by State Senator Mimi Walters. *** The Mission Viejo council majority has painted itself into a corner over fire hazard zones. Why would four council members (Ury, Kelley, Leckness and Reardon) go to such great lengths to perpetuate a myth that Special Fire Protection Areas are different from Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones? Orange County Register writer Chris Boucly is responsible for covering Mission Viejo, and his articles come across as press releases issued by city hall. Villa Park also renamed its Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones as “Special Fire Protection Areas.” According to the state fire maps, Villa Park’s Special Fire Protection Areas continue to be identified as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The terms are interchangeable, and the categories are one and the same. *** Anyone looking for information about the community will not find it in the Saddleback Valley News. The back half of the paper continues to be foreclosure notices, and SVN’s classified ads contain in-house ads for the OC Register and little else. Those looking for a garage sale or an apartment can turn to the Pennysaver. Meanwhile, city hall is dutifully buying full-page ads, such as the one in the July 6 SVN. In 2009, the city staff, led by city administrators Dennis Wilberg and Keith Rattay, pressured SVN and OCR not to publish any coverage unfavorable to city hall. Before OCR fell on hard times, it would not have bowed down to such demands, but that was a long time and a bankruptcy ago. *** Excerpt from an email forwarded by Bruce M. regarding the contrast between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. “Mitt will show us his birth certificate. He will show us his high school and college transcripts. He will show us his Social Security card. He will show us his law degree. He will show us his draft notice. He will show us his medical records. He will show us his income tax records. He will show us he has nothing to hide.” As of July 7, the Rasmussen daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama attracting 45 percent of the vote. Four percent prefer some other candidate, and six percent are undecided. Isn’t it amazing that an incumbent president who has refused to disclose his background can still attract 45 percent of the vote? |
||
|
To Comment on any of our articles this week please email us by clicking on this link. All emails will be held in the strictest confidence. If you want you comment considered for publication, please put “Publish” in the subject. |
||