Spin City’s Dog Park

During a campaign speech last year, incumbent Frank Ury said the Dog Park wouldn’t cost more than $850,000. The dispute now is whether it has reached $1.1 million or $1.4 million. For those watching the process, the true cost is closer to $2 million.

Phase 1 of the dog park occurred nearly 10 years ago when then-city administrator Rick Howard was in charge of finding a dog park site. He had no real job in city hall, so he drove a city vehicle around town, photographing the city parks. He occasionally displayed his handiwork at council meetings -- slideshows of parks – claiming none of the sites was suitable.

Phase 2 of the dog park consisted of push-polls paid for by taxpayers. In 2006, a poll found some support among residents who were asked to choose from a list of proposed projects. Public opinion turned against a dog park when residents learned it would cost $1 million. By 2008, a similar poll showed only 3 percent supported a dog park.

Phase 3 of the dog park was when the city staff proceeded in 2009 to design a dog park with almost no public support. The city hired a contractor to design a dog park at Alicia Park. The plan was scrapped when neighbors of the location opposed a dog park near their homes.

Phase 4 of the dog park was when it was designed for Oso Park. The council had deemed a dog park should not be near a school, homes or city park. The Oso Park location violated all three criteria, and the dog park site was again rejected by neighbors. In November 2009, the Oso Park neighbors filed a lawsuit against the city, adding legal fees to the dog park’s cost.

Phase 5 of the dog park was the selection of its current site on Felipe. The Felipe site isn’t the first phase, and the cost didn’t reset to zero. Those wanting to know the cost should include charges for the fiascos at previous locations. Prior to starting work at the Felipe site, the city made a bad real estate swap, trading the city’s 7 buildable acres near the animal shelter for the 3 acres on a steep hillside near Felipe. The city of Rancho Santa Margarita held title to the three acres where the dog park is being built.

When a council candidate forum was held in October 2012 prior to the city election, the dog park was discussed. That’s when Ury indicated the dog park would cost $850,000. Here’s the source for Ury’s remark: http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-375680-ury-park.html

Ury said: “According to city documents, the initial phase of the park's development, estimated at $850,000, includes grading, drainage, turf irrigation, fencing and construction of a gravel parking lot.”

The “initial phase” now means preliminary work at the Felipe site. The word “initial” indicates there’s more to come. The city has released selected costs revealing $1.4 million has been spent to date, as stated in an Oct. 18 OC Register story, http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-531856-dog-city.html

The numbers within the article don’t add up, nor do they include the loss from the land swap. As an additional unmentioned cost, the city agreed to restore grassland, as required by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, on the 3 acres formerly owned by the city of Rancho Santa Margarita.

Whatever “phase” the dog park is in, it clearly isn’t the last one. The dog park has no lighting, seating, curbs, sidewalks, restrooms, trees, shrubs or any other features that will be added.

According to city documents, $21,834 was raised by a group, but no one knows the amount of taxpayer money that was used for overhead in fundraising or for “donations.” With CAL-Cards in the hands of 30 city employees and City Manager Dennis Wilberg spending up to $30,000 without council approval, try doing the math. Until taxpayers have a council majority of responsible adults, no one is going to know the costs.

The dog park is the city’s fiasco, and the fiasco manager is Keith Rattay. He said during a council meeting that “residents had approached the city” volunteering to help with planting. That’s not exactly what happened. Taxpayers paid for the city staff’s literature about the dog park, which included a plea for help. A 10-year-old saw the request and responded.

When citizens – especially children – want to do good deeds and perform acts of charity, they should be directed to charitable causes. When citizens call city hall, asking for information on where to perform charitable work, the city staff should either respond with a list or charities or answer “we don’t have that information.”

Rattay provided the following spin in the Oct. 18 OCR article cited above:

“We wouldn’t even be bringing this up except that we had requests from residents to do the planting,” Rattay said. Rattay said one of the City Council’s goals is to involve the community in city projects and planting in the park would provide that opportunity. “Basically, we’re trying to accommodate the residents,” he said.

Asking for volunteers to perform manual labor after taxpayers have been fleeced by city hall does not “accommodate the residents.”

Battle Takes Form in SJC

San Juan Capistrano City Council majority members asked for an investigation of the minority members during the Nov. 5 council meeting. When the city attorney explained to the majority members what they were asking for, they realized they were voting to investigate themselves as well.

The controversy grew from a closed-session meeting in August when majority members banned newspapers from public property.

The OC Register reporter who sat in the audience throughout the meeting didn’t have an article about it in OCR the next day. She instead wrote that the council declared Nov. 8 to be “Michael Graves Day.” The failure of OCR to provide unbiased community news was a factor in the 2009 formation of an independent community newspaper, Community Common Sense, which recently expanded into Mission Viejo, http://www.ccsense.com/

An attendee wrote about the Nov. 5 meeting:

Majority City Council Bans Newspapers! – San Juan Capistrano
Posted on 08 November 2013.

Tuesday night I went to the City of San Juan Capistrano council meeting. Over one month ago, the Council went behind closed doors and decided to ban newspapers from city property because one of the newspapers (Community Common Sense) contained information unfavorable to the majority on the Council! This majority consists of Sam Allevato (who will be facing a recall), Mayor John Taylor, and Larry Kramer.

I was at Tuesday’s council meeting to support the remaining minority Councilmen, Derek Reeve and Roy Brynes, because the Council was going to take a vote on whether to investigate them (Reeve and Brynes) for wrongdoing on this matter. Unbelievable! After many of the residents voiced their concerns and urged the majority to drop the investigation and allow the newspapers back onto city property, the majority on the Council would have nothing to do with it. Even their City Attorney tried to tell Sam Allevato, Larry Kramer and Mayor John Taylor that they might possibly be opening up the investigation into their own wrongdoings.

Public meeting expert Terry Francke, General Counsel of CalAware, believes the only violations made were by the majority on the Council! http://octeapartyblog.com/2013/11/08/majority-city-council-bans-newspapers-san-juan-capistrano/

For additional information, go to: http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/public-meetings-expert-the-city-council-may-have-violated-state-law

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.

12th Annual Concert of Thanksgiving, fundraiser for Teen Challenge, dinner and program – two events: Mon., Nov. 11, Orange County First Assembly, 1440 East Santa Clara, Santa Ana, and Tues., Nov. 12, Ocean Hills Community Church, 32222 Del Obispo, San Juan Capistrano. RSVP to Omar Tellez, P.O. Box 236, Santa Ana, CA 92702, (714) 835-8822, omar.tellez@teenchallenge.org

Big Bucks Bingo, Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m. early bird and 6:45 p.m. regular games, Mission Viejo Elks Lodge, Marguerite and La Paz, Mission Viejo, 949-830-3557. 
http://www.mvelks.com/

Fashion Island Holiday Tree Lighting, Fri.-Sat., Nov. 15-16, 5:00 p.m., visit Santa on the Atrium lawn (through Dec. 24), Neiman Marcus-Bloomingdale’s Courtyard, Fashion Island, (949) 721-2000, http://www.shopfashionisland.com

St. Kilian’s Recycling Drive, Sat., Nov. 16, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, held on the third Saturday of each month. Organized by Knights of Columbus; acceptable items include aluminum, paper and plastic. No glass or cardboard. Lower parking lot, 26872 Estanciero Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 472-1249, http://www.stkilianchurch.org

Concordia University Handbell Invitational Concert, Sat., Nov. 16, 4:30 p.m., free admission, Concordia University Center, 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, (949) 854-8002, http://www.cui.edu/AcademicPrograms/Undergraduate/Music/tabid/302/ctl/Details/Mid/2322/I temID/170/Default.aspx

Soka University concerts: solo piano recital by Vladimir Feltsman on Sun., Nov. 17, 3:00 p.m.; Jay White’s tribute to Neil Diamond on Sat., Nov. 23, 7:30 p.m., Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4278, http://www.performingarts.soka.edu

La Vida Drum Circle, Sun., Nov. 17, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., group meets on the evening of every full moon (Nov. 17, Dec. 17, Jan. 16, Feb. 15, etc.). Drummers should bring their drums. Firewood is appreciated for the bonfire, Aliso Beach, Aliso and Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 275-7544, http://www.lavidalaguna.com/things-we-dig/

The Laguna Playhouse presents Val Kilmer in “Citizen Twain,” Thurs. – Sun., Nov. 21-24, The Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, (949) 497-2787, ext. 1, http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com

Mount of Olives Church, Sun., Dec. 1, (first Sunday of each month) bring food for the SHARE Food Drive, http://moochurch.org/share . Mount of Olives Church, 24772 Chrisanta Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 837-7467, http://www.moochurch.org/

Holiday Ice Rink, Irvine Spectrum Center, private and group skate lessons are available, open daily through Feb. 17, Giant Wheel Court, Irvine Spectrum Center, 71 Fortune Drive, Irvine, (949) 753-5180, http://www.skatespectrum.com

Political and Government Events Calendar

Veterans Day, Mon., Nov. 11, at the Nixon Library – free events all day. At 11:00 a.m. featured speaker Bryan Bender of The Boston Globe will discuss “You Are Not Forgotten: The Story of a Lost World War II Pilot and a Twenty-First-Century Soldier’s Mission to Bring Him Home.” Patriotic music includes a concert at 2:00 p.m.; 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org

Saddleback Valley Unified School District regular board meeting on Tues., Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m., 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Personnel and Salary on Wed., Nov. 13, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Mon., Nov. 18, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Finance and Information Technology on Wed., Nov. 20, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., Nov. 21, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., MNWD Main Office, 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://mnwd.com/board-of-directors-2/

OC Veterans Advisory Council, Wed., Nov. 13, 6:00 p.m. The council meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Veterans Service Office, Conference Room A/B, 1300 S. Grand Ave., Building B, Santa Ana, https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/occr/occs/veterans/advisory/default.asp

Santa Margarita Water District meetings: Finance Committee on Fri., Nov. 15, 7:30 a.m.; Board of Directors on Wed., Nov. 20, at 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com

Nixon Library concert on Sun., Nov. 17, Lotus Bud Gu Zheng Academy, doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 2:00 p.m. 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org

Orange County Board of Supervisors will hold a regular meeting on Tues., Nov. 19, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://ocgov.com/cals/?ViewBy=7&CalDate=1/15/2013&EventDateID=89649

Capistrano Valley Republican Women Federated, Wed., Nov. 20, 11:30 a.m., at the Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club Drive, San Juan Capistrano. This month, the organization is hosting its annual luncheon. CVRWF usually meets on third Wednesdays of most months. Call (949) 240-6799 for reservations, http://cvrwf.org

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Nov. 21, 7:00 p.m. SRA meets on third Thursdays (except in July, August and December) at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo. For information call (949) 769-1412.

SOC912, Fri., Nov. 22, 6:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m., Norm Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. A $5 donation at the door will help pay for costs; free to first-time visitors and young people through age 24. http://www.meetup.com/SOC912/events/145277542/

Holiday Open House hosted by State Senator Mark Wyland, Wed., Dec. 4, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., supporting his food drive for Serra’s Pantry. Needed items include canned items (tuna, chicken, vegetables and fruit) or dry pasta, Guests are invited to enjoy conversation and refreshments, 27126A Paseo Espada, #1621, San Juan Capistrano. Please RSVP to (949) 489-9838. (Paid for with private funds, not tax dollars,)

Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT! for America will hold a General Meeting on Mon., Dec. 9. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m., at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. Note the change of date to the first Monday of the month for this meeting.

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet on Wed., Dec. 11, 7:00 p.m., 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/

The Buzz

A good-hearted Mission Viejo resident organizes an annual drive to collect warm clothing for needy people. Here’s her request:

Hello everyone.

It's that time of year when I start collecting coats, jackets and sweaters to take up to the Union Rescue Mission in LA. Any item you no longer want will be appreciated, as long as it is in fair condition. I don't have time to do repairs. The Mission accepts clothing for men, women and children. Give me a call and I'll be happy to stop by and pick up your items. I plan to go to the Mission the week before Thanksgiving. Thank you again for your continued generosity. – Cecelia, (949) 212-9315

***

A Mission Viejo resident reported seeing city employees from Code Enforcement taking down garage sale signs on Saturday morning, Nov. 9. She said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Code Enforcement working on a weekend. To have them going after garage sales signs on a weekend is over the top. Neighbors should be allowed to put up signs whether they are having a garage sale or alerting people to look for a lost dog. If the city is taking down garage sale signs on a Saturday morning, the intent is to thwart the sale. No one should miss that point.”

***

Two Mission Viejo council candidates who ran as a slate in 2012 are trolling for dollars again. Housing industry lobbyist Wendy Bucknum is still running for a council seat, and Frank Ury says he’s a candidate for the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Both ran on Other People’s Money last year, shaking down contractors and vendors. Bucknum and Ury recently visited a contractor who indicated their solicitation sounded more like a threat. Bucknum and Ury said they might send business his way in return for a donation and he could lose out if he didn’t support them. Bucknum and Ury visited him during business hours when they theoretically should have been at work.

***

Bucknum’s job as a housing lobbyist includes attending political club meetings where she encounters her targets – elected officials. She tells the rank-and-file club members she works for “Laguna Woods.” She instead works for Professional Community Management, and her clients are politicians. Last year, she had a long list of such weasels who sell their votes. One of them recently complained that he wouldn’t endorse Bucknum again because she “didn’t do what she said.” He didn’t specify what she was supposed to do for him in 2012.

***

The threat of toll lanes on the 405 freeway might do the trick of waking up the electorate. During the Nov. 4 city council meeting, Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht advised citizens to fight back by using a famous line from “Network” – “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Councilman Ury gave the opposite advice – don’t worry, be happy. He’s on the Orange County Transportation Authority, and he’s recommending that toll lanes should be added on the 405. He also says South County won’t be affected “because it already has toll roads.” It’s another whopper from Ury. Here’s the link demonstrating what will really happen in South County http://www.ocregister.com/articles/toll-534852-lanes-freeway.html

For the benefit of readers who might be blocked by the OC Register’s paywall, following is the essence of the article:

The Orange County Transportation Authority board is set to vote Friday [Nov. 8] on a plan that, if adopted, will misuse billions of our tax dollars that are currently designated for freeway congestion relief, to instead build toll lanes on the I-405 “freeway.”

But that's not all of the misappropriation that is planned.

The real plan, as outlined in the article and a map graphic in the July-August issue of Westways magazine, is to eventually have these toll lanes running throughout Southern California, on every Orange County “freeway.”

To accomplish this, billions of our Measure M tax dollars that have already been spent widening other county freeways and building connectors will also be sucked into this toll road scheme. It is unconscionable that this massive redirection of billions of our tax funds can occur without voter approval.

Interestingly, the language in both voter-approved Measures M and M2 includes no mention of the term “toll,” but the term “freeway” is used dozens of times. Clearly, voters voted for freeway improvements, not for toll roads.

OCTA tells us that their I-405 toll option “adds one general purpose and one express lane.” What they don't say is that the existing carpool lane also becomes an “express,” or toll lane. The net effect is that where we currently have five lanes available for free, we will still have only five free lanes after our billions are spent and gone.

The other dirty secret is that the proposed I-405 toll lanes will improve the drive times only for those who pay to use them. The rest of us will see little improvement in traffic congestion or travel time for our massive investment

***

Mission Viejo residents who attended the Nov. 5 San Juan Capistrano council meeting said majority Council Members Sam Allevato, John Taylor and Larry Kramer are not satisfied, although they control every vote. The majority members demonstrated intolerance for dissent, even it if meant violating the Brown Act and trampling citizens’ freedom of speech and freedom of the press. An attendee reported, “It did not turn out well for the majority members. They appear to be in hot water, along with their city manager and city attorney. The city attorney’s first concern should be to protect the city, which he isn’t doing. At one point, he stopped the meeting to advise Roy Byrnes privately he should not give specifics of the closed-session meeting. But he didn’t advise the majority members of the liabilities the city would face as they groundlessly proceeded to accuse Reeve and Byrnes of wrongdoing. It’s going to backfire.”

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