• Notes From the City Council Meeting Aug 13, 2014

Where to start?

How about that neither Gary Andre nor Israel Leija, the two challengers in this year's city council election, bothered to show up. Imagine that, they are wanting to lead this city but they can't find their way to city hall for a city council meeting. Before you suggest that they were "probably working overtime at their day job" they both filed as indigent so they could defer the $450 filing fee. Check out the video to see City Clerk Debbie Lee discuss what "Filing as Indigent" means in this race. The audio isn't perfect, but it's passable.

I hate to be an elitist here, but I can't imagine voting for someone that is "indigent" to be a leader of our city —especially when that person is a constant no show. No offense, nothing personal, but this isn't a job on par with coaching T-Ball where any volunteer is greatly appreciated.

Now let's highlight some other stuff... the real stuff.

There wasn't a lot on the agenda tonight... but it was fun to watch Council Member Bob Cashman vote against two obvious no brainers. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was reading his "objections" directly from talking points provided to him from a former city council member that couldn't figure out how to get reelected many years ago... and last I heard, doesn't even live in Wildomar anymore.

In fact, that same former city council member, that was asked by the voters to retire way back in 2010, sent a last minute missive to the council a couple of hours before the start of the meeting. A favorite, and ever so dull trick to try and put the council in a bind of some sort. Yawn... hey lady, grow the @%&* up already. You don't live here and no one GAS what you have to say about this town anymore. 

Note to the three incumbents running for reelection... if by some freak accident one of you doesn't retain his/her seat please do us a favor and DON'T go down Cantankerotti Lane. Nothing worse than the actions of a spoilsport that dines on a strict diet of sour grapes.

Matt Bassi had the job of summarizing the last minute letter on the topic of the zone changes, and here's what I was able to note from it.

"We did receive one written correspondence this afternoon, around 3:00 by Sheryl Ade, In her letter she had excerpts from the county zoning ordinance... in looking over her letter the four zone changes that will be affected by this code amendment, as well as the zone change for the four sites, are not intended to be planned residential developments. 

 She references that the code amendment should not be approved because these are not planned residential developments, intent behind what we're doing for the code amendments and zone changes is multi-family housing; not sub-divisions, not planned residential developments. 

 We feel that the comments we have here don't apply to what we're proposing tonight and should not affect the council's decision to move forward on this." 

Matt, next time just send it to the circular file from the get go.

Both 2.1 and 2.2 of the agenda were approved 4-1 with Bob Cashman voting no. 

That left agenda item 2.3 left to be discussed. It was dealing with temporary signs/banners. There were many good points made by all the members of the council, but particularly by Marsha Swanson and Tim Walker. That the proposed duration, that banners would be allowed, were too restrictive, and that the new ordinance was too vague in many respects.

Click here to read more about the banner discussion from the planning commission.

In the end, after about 30 minutes of discussion, the item was tabled so that it could be taken on more thoroughly later. The key from the planning department was that as things stand currently, all temporary signs/banners are de facto illegal at this point, and that they'd like to pass at least something basic so that businesses will be in compliance.

If I was Lord Protector of Wildomar I would be willing to have a liberal stance on banners, including Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men... but I would draw the line at faded, torn, dirty, and outdated banners... I'd also have jack booted thugs on the code enforcement payroll ready to give any scofflaws a ticket for disrespecting the community by having an eyesore out there.

Thing is, I'm guessing that most legitimate business owners aren't interested in junking up their storefronts with such things... other than the strip mall on Palomar just north of Central that is. What brain surgeon thought one coat of red paint was a good move? Yikes!

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A few last notes that I got from the council were:

1. Meeting dealing with Bus Schedules over the next ten years will be at the Library on Sept 8th from 4:00-7:00pm.
2. The Freedom Swing ribbon cutting is being postponed from August to September. Probably the 27th. Though all the money was collected in time, seems the manufacturer/distributor couldn't figure out where the UPS store was in his town.
3. Speed Trailers are going to be used now that school is back in session. Slow down and drive responsibly, especially in kid zones and around David A. Brown middle school.
4. SB69 and 1521 are still wending their way through the legislature. We'll know more in the next month on it. Be prepared to participate in a letter writing campaign... I'm told such things may actually work.

Last, but not least, were the dulcet tones of Miss Miller. She sang for us tonight... not once, but TWICE! I'm so bummed that she didn't get her paperwork in on time to qualify for the ballot. She spoke three times tonight and I uploaded a video with her speaking against growth, and then singing about it... I then added her other song as an encore. The singing starts at about the 2 minute mark.

Just to give her equal time, she left some handbills out in the hallway. This Friday and Saturday (August 15,16) she is hosting a demonstration at Clinton Keith and Palomar. Drop her an email if you'd like more details. What I admire about her is that she does research, to a degree, about the things she's concerned about and shows up to the meetings to speak to the council or planning commission... something one would expect from city council hopefuls... right G.A. and I.L.?

This is right down the street from my house. I'm gonna go... how about you?

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