• City Council Meeting January 2017

The meeting opened with the ceremonial Passing of the Gavel from 2016 Mayor Bridgette Moore to 2017 Mayor Tim Walker. Followed up by a brief presentation to the 2016 mayor. (Both in the video below)

Next was a fitting moment of silence to honor Mayor Pro-Tem Ben Benoit's father who passed away in December.

Presentations
• Library update: The librarian mentioned the teen book club, the knitting and crochet club and the Friends of the Library having meetings this month.

• Fire Department update: Busy month of December as they participated in several community events, and going on 230 calls. Of which 75% were medical related, with a total of 54% being handled by station 61.

Public Comments (on non agenda items)
• Ken Mayes talked about the pitfalls of installing a water fountain at the dog park.
• Monty Jordan, interim director of Animal Friends of the Valleys, wanted to put a face with the name and encouraged people to come visit the shelter and "welcomes questions anytime."
• Miss Miller pronounced Councilmember Benoit's name "Ben-note". I couldn't tell if she was honoring his father or slamming him with her comments involving him. She lost me when she blamed last year's gas leak in Porter Ranch for all the rain this year and the freezing temps in the midwest and eastern parts of the USA, and Europe. 

All this time I had been thinking that rain in the rainy season was normal, and that freezing temps were just part of Winter. 

Consent Calendar
This is comprised of items that generally don't need to be discussed, though a council member or member of the public can "pull an item" for discussion or comment.

While Kenny Mayes was discussing his concerns that the rules of engagement for pulling an item weren't clear enough, there was an interruption (in the form of loud whispers at the city clerk's desk, being handled by Deputy City Clerk Janet Morales).

This interruption lasted nearly 90 seconds. Tell me Sir Lame-a-lot, why is it that the rules of decorum don't apply to you? Why do you insist on making a spectacle of yourself instead of following the rules set out for everyone else?

Lo and behold it was Gerard Ste. Marie making a repeat performance of his August 11th interruption.

Link to August 2017 blog that mentions it

 We get it, you know you have no actual basis for your deeds and your only other option is to gum up the works any way you can. Nice work if you can get it... I guess.

It's the actions of guys like this that have driven the prices of houses into the stratosphere, making it next to impossible for the young generation to ever realistically purchase a home of their own in California.


2.1 Nova Homes Residential Project

The developer wants to build 77 condos that range from 1700sf to 3100sf on 11.25 acres.

A few more details of the project can be found in the blog covering the October Planning Commission meeting. 

Link here

The project is located between George and Iodine Springs

about 250 yards north of Clinton Keith.

These are condos, not apartments, which is something our area can use. 

Funny thing, a letter came five months after the close of the public review period —by the same guy that interrupted tonight's meeting. Full of the same horse hockey that is always put forth by that contingent. 

Public Comments
• Miss Miller came out against this project (stunner, right?). She mentioned burring owls and snakes that she's seen slither from one hole to another hole across the street (that is one charmed life she leads). She left off with "Plant hemp, not buildings."

Due to the last minute letter, this item was continued to the February 8th meeting.

2.2 McVicar Residential Project
This project calls for 48 lots on 19.2 acres. It even came with the approval of a nearby resident that usually has little good to say about anything.

In the deal, the developer will be improving Palomar with curb, gutter and sidewalk even where his project doesn't touch (from the intersection north past Plow Boys).

That didn't stop Miss Miller from babbling on for more than her three minutes until Mayor Tim Walker had to invite her to leave the podium.

This passed 5-0

2.4 Urgency Ordinance Extending a Temporary Moratorium Pertaining to Private Marijuana Cultivation and Non-medical Marijuana Facilities

The long and the short of this is that the city council will take the next 10 months and 15 days coming up with how the city will deal with retail marijuana shops. 

There is no rush since the state has already made it crystal clear that they won't be issuing such licenses themselves until 2018.  

You can be for or against the idea of recreational pot shops in town, but that has no bearing on this agenda item. It makes sense to measure twice and cut once on such a weighty issue as this.

If this issue is important to you, then you need to be signed up for the city email blasts. There will be many workshops, and other meetings, where this will be discussed, and everyone's input is welcome and encouraged.

Public Comments
• Kenny Mayes thought that there was no reason to delay since "hundreds of other cities, with the help of their citizens, are already passing regulations". 

"Hundreds"? There are 482 incorporated cities in Cali, so I guess that's possibly a real number. But that statement would suggest more than 50% of the cities, which is no way accurate. 

• Miss Miller almost came unglued as she nearly shouted "Ten months? It's going to take you ten months to figure this out?"

She then suggested that the council might have connections with the pharmaceutical companies, and showed some worry that big pharma (my phrasing) might reduce the strength of weed making people need to buy twice as much. 

This is where I'll insert the video of her 4 complete turns at the lectern. It's 12 inglorious minutes, but hey, she has her fans. If she wanted to, she could be a YouTube star with followers all over the world.

Below is a video link to Item 2.4 in its entirety. 
Oddly enough, it's more than three minutes shorter than the Miss Miller video, and three of those are from her.

In it you'll hear the city attorney lay out the point of the ordinance, the public comments, and the council discussion — including the "homework" that Councilmember Nigg said he did.

3.2 Master Drainage Plan
This was mostly a non item in my view. It was about paying the contractor that finished the Lateral C-1 project on Palomar. Thing is, the contractor really misrepresented the city according to resident Tom Gavaghan. 

I liked the council's concern for what this resident went through. 

After the meeting, several staffers met with him looking to make this right... let's hope that happens quickly.

Watch the video to hear how a construction company, that pulled a check from Wildomar, disrespected a local family.

3.3 2017 Special Events Calendar
This should have gone through without any dissent, but Kenny Mayes spoke out on the injustice (my word) of the "same old events" being offered. (could he have been talking about the egg hunt, 5ks, movies, concerts, trunk or treat, and breakfast with Santa?) 

He wants to see park events aimed at seniors and teens.

Hey, I agree with trying to get something for seniors on the books, but if you ever go to a park event you'll see that there are plenty of "seniors" there. Often with their grand kids.

Just like people don't read city council agendas while buying stamps at the post office, more often than not people that are advanced in years have no interest in park events. 

Then again, if there was a shuffleboard or bocce ball court at the park, maybe they'd come from miles around. 

Is there a senior citizen version of an Eagle Scout Project? 

If so, I know someone that should head a team of seasoned citizens in building such a thing. I'm guessing that the city would warmly embrace such an idea.

First look at the 2017 special events calendar.

•          •          •

Take time for all things: great
haste makes great waste.

— Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790

Wildomar Rap would like to encourage that part of the Cantankerotti contingent to show more haste when it comes to their document dumps. The guy on the twenty dollar bill wasn't counseling the likes of you to dawdle as you insist on waving your flag of ineptitude.