• City Council Meeting March 2016

There were a couple of presentations to open the meeting. First was recognition for two new Eagle Scouts from Troop 332. 

Ryan Bellinghausen, Brandon Benline, Bridgette Moore and Mario Herrera of Assemblywoman Melendez's office.

Brandon's project was installing the base for the Justin Hunt memorial that is located in the cemetery.

Ryan's project was building an enclosure around the porta potty at Windsong Park.

Below is a video of the proclamations. Be advised that this happened just a few feet from my camera, so the angles are not ideal.

The next presentation was for the 2015 Wildomar Queens.

Sarah, Alissa, Mina, Jessie Taylor, CarolAnn Darden and  Kylee Thomas.

The camera angles in the video below were even less ideal than the other video, but I'm still uploading it for posterity.☺
  
Fire Department update. Last month's stats:

• 268 calls for service, of which
• 217 were medical emergency
• 20 false alarms
• 1 commercial fire
• 2 other fires

Public Comments
This is where members of the public get three minutes to speak about anything that isn't on the agenda.

• Brent Benson spoke about a 2 year nightmare he's had with trying to get building permits to build a home.
• Andy Morris spoke about The Rotary Club's event next month, The Ultimate BBQ, which is April 16th at Marna O'Brien park.
• Dawn Schultz spoke about the third annual Operation Prom Girl even that is going to be April 2nd. Sorry, I didn't hear a location.
• Miss Miller mentioned that solar powered quinoa burgers should be sold at The Rotary BBQ.
• Marie Pritchett mentioned her non profit group that feeds the homeless called Community Good Deeds.

Miss Miller didn't sing for us, but I made a video anyway. I think she spoke four times, but the video only shows two of them. She had no idea what she was talking about. I mean more than usual that is. 

She thought the City Council CHOSE to go to districts, and the things she said were out of this world... if you know the facts of the case.

Then she double dipped by spouting off regarding something she had only read the headline to, but since it referenced CEQA, she couldn't contain herself... no matter how far off the mark she was about it.

I added some graphics, sound effects and some theme music... but I didn't add any laugh tracks though you hear laughter a few times. That's just the natural reaction of those within earshot.

2.1 Voting By-District Maps
We've been going over this since the first of the year. Though there were a few comments, it was all just review by this point. No need to elucidate further than Map A+ passed 5-0.

3.1 Grand Avenue Bike and Multi-purpose Trail  
This was an interesting part of the meeting and deserves its own blog. Here's a link to it.

3.2 WRCOG Framework Fund Program
This too deserves a bit more time, so look for a stand alone blog shortly. 

3.3 Fire Station Grant Deed Acceptance
Ken Mayes told the council that "the item must be continued until such time that the public has the opportunity to inspect all documents related to this item." 

Bob Cashman [BC] seemed to want the same thing based on the following exchange.

BC I know I would like to continue this item based on —I'm one of these that likes to see every little piece of evidence.

BM You can request [the documents] before the meeting you know.

BC I didn't realize some of this evidence was available. Maybe I could have but I didn't.

MS I'm happy to be getting a building, and some land, and being able to own some stuff in our own city. I think the fire station is very important to us. To be able to have that location, and to own that building, and to say that "Wildomar has its own fire station," I think it's real important.

TW We started this process back when [former city manager] Frank Oviedo was here, and we talked about getting this piece of property with the fire house on it. The conditions that we worked on last time were some of the things they needed to fix before we could take it over as a city, so it wouldn't be an encumbrance to us financially.  They've met all those challenges, they've paid for everything, and they've fixed it all up. We've talked about this many times before... it will be ours, finally. It's been fixed up, I like and let's do it.

BB I agree with Tim, we've been looking this over for a long time and as far as documents that the public hasn't seen, documents that I don't believe were attached to these reports. Dan [York], do we have the title reports in hand regarding those items?

DY Yeah, I have both of those. They're available and would be more than happy to provide them... I have them electronically.

BB Good enough for me.

With a 5-0 vote, Wildomar became the proud owner of its own fire station.

The way I understand it, this is a zero sum game. We already were paying for the fire station, but instead of being renters, we're the owners. 

[For those that didn't figure out the above initials. BC=Bob Cashman; BM=Bridgette Moore; MS=Marsha Swanson; TW=Tim Walker; BB=Ben Benoit; DY=Dan York.]

Future Agenda Items
Ben Benoit brought up wanting to have something done about donation bins that often get placed without permission. Be it from the city or even from the private property owners. 

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"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love." 

— Sitting Bull

Wildomar Rap reminds you: that Fettuccine Alfredo is just some fancy-pants version of mac 'n cheese.