• City Council Meeting June 2018

This meeting was heavy on public speakers on non agenda items, but first let me share some photos of two eagle scouts and then the honoring of Wildomar's first employee to retire.

If you'd like to hear more about the Eagle Scout projects, watch the video at the bottom of the blog to hear each describe them in detail. The camera wasn't in a great spot, but you'll still hear all the descriptions. ☺

Eagle Scout – Clyde Ryker Watson with the 2018 Wildomar City Council.

Eagle Scout – Morgan Donovan with the 2018 Wildomar City Council.

Terry Rhodes with the 2018 Wildomar City Council.

PUBLIC COMMENTS (on non agenda items)
I counted 13 public comments, the bulk of them mentioned the burgeoning homeless encampment problems hitting Wildomar. This segment of the meeting took thirty-five minutes.

1) Peter Piccone shared his concerns about the homeless, and reminded the council about the "broken window" theory.
2) Joseph Morabito talked about his candidacy for Wildomar City Council, and the need for regular town hall meetings, a newsletter issued by the city, and the need to put some teeth into code enforcement.
3) Jorge Acosta talked about impounds that one of the trash companies is threatening him with on a rental property of his.
4) Eric Dye discussed the homeless and how they are a blight on the area around Prelippe and Inland Valley Drive.
5) Kenny Mayes with borrowed time spoke about live streaming, the freedom swing, district maps needing to be posted and talked about the charity that was the beneficiary of the recent 5K called ALS1.

Wildomar Rap opinion time:
The claim is that the charity, not the promoters of the 5K, doesn't have their paperwork in order that the State of California demands before collecting monies in the name of charity.

If that's so, then Mr. Mayes' concerns are legit. If that charity truly hasn't gone through the red tape that is required, then why would the city put their seal of approval on such an event (and the literal city seal on the flyers too)?

If he's factually in error, then why wouldn't the city make a declarative statement showing that all such paperwork is entirely in order.

I know that the people behind the event are solid as a rock. This issue, if there is one, would be between the state and the charity and possibly the city, but not them.

6) Kiyoe MacDonald spoke about a home in her neighborhood that is being used as an Air BNB hotel. That there are multiple RVs on that property and she's concerned about how they discard the human waste. 

7) Dorothy Nader also spoke about the Air BNB issue.
8) Connie Nader talked about homeless and transients.
9) Patty Hatch asked that Cottonwood Canyon, a dirt road, be graded.
10) Becky Frederick discussed the homeless and thieves in her area.

At this point Mayor Ben Benoit broke with protocol (where discussion isn't allowed during public comments on non agenda items) to respond to the issues of the homeless in town.
"We are working on bringing the ordinance forward that the Sheriffs Department talked about, that they have in Lake Elsinore. Another big issue we're trying to bring forward is weed control, [so the city] can go in and clean up the properties. This will allow us to go in and clean up the property and then put [a lien] on their tax bill. We know the county used to do in this area, it's something we've been needing to do for a long time."

11) Miss Miller took a contrary stance to the homeless issue, and called them "home challenged" wanting them to convert the long abandoned Jean Hayman Elementary School into apartments for homeless people (yeah, that'll work out perfectly). She asked, "Did any of you think outside of your republican box?" Referring to Assemblywoman Melissa Mel-IN-dez (as she pronounces it) and her trouncing the democrat opponent last week. She also accused the Assemblywoman of "lining her pockets with federal and state grants she gets for low income state housing". We don't need anymore buildings in California. 

As a candidate for city council, I've sworn off making caricatures of people that I disagree with at city meetings. But that doesn't mean I can't make a caricature of myself resisting the old habits. ☺

I love Miss Miller. I was so glad to see she made it to another meeting; it had been months since the last time she stopped by.
12) Gina Castanon discussed contract services and the Lew Edwards Group.
13) George Cambrero spoke about water and sewer rates.

The City Manager report was bumped up to the front of the agenda and the key takeaway I got involved live streaming video of city meetings. 

The story is, it'll be unveiled in time to live stream the September 12th city council meeting... (anyone want to go to Vegas with me to see if any of the bookmakers are willing to lay odds on that?)

"There are a number of items that staff has to work through" was my favorite quote... especially when there were no follow up questions asking what those items were. Maybe the council knows, maybe they don't know... but we know that the general population doesn't know. We'll just hold tight until it happens.

2.1 Notice of Intent to Hold a Public Hearing for Placing Liens on Parcels with Unpaid Charges on Trash Collection Services
This was tabled until the next meeting, but there was one person there that this was affecting, Jorge Acosta who spoke during the public comments at the top of the meeting by mistake.

City officials took his info and were going to contact him the following day.

Wildomar Rap opinion time:
This seems to come before the city council periodically. Due to public health concerns that could crop up, if a homeowner chose to opt out of trash collection, it could cause issues with all sorts of nasty issues getting into the general community. 

Therefore, it's basically the law that you be part of the trash collection apparatus. What I've seen happen more than once is that landlords get hit with tax liens when their renters choose not to pay the bill.

PRO TIP:
If you're a landlord, keep the trash bill in your name, and pay it yourself. Just roll that cost into the rent and you won't have to worry if your tenants are current or not on the bills, giving you a bad name with the trash collectors.

2.2 CSA 103 Cervera Greenbelt
This has been moved to it's own blog. Look for it in a day or two... including the video. If you're from Windsong Valley, this will interest you directly. If you're from other parts of the city, you'll still be interested if you like watching political sausage being made.

LINK TO BLOG ABOUT CSA 103

3.1 Breslin Family General Plan Initiation Proposal
This came before the planning commission last month. This is something that won't amount to anything so there's no need to spend much time on it.

However, I can give you a brief recap. A family found that they were the proud owners of a relatively worthless chunk of land (a long story). 

The ara in question, with an overlay of a possible MHDR project on it.

They've been trying to sell it for about four years, but there are no takers since it's really shoehorned into a less than desirable location (the freeway in your front yard, and on the general plan as Estate Density Residential that allows 1 unit per 2 acres).

They'd like to increase the density to MDHR (Medium Density) which would allow from 5 to 8 units per acre. 

In the end, just like the planning commission told them: You're better off saving your money, this won't fly here. 

The entire item is in the video at the bottom of the blog, including Miss Miller's comments where she started off saying, "This is a good thing." But that wasn't about the landowners hoped increase in density, it was that they were seeking guidance on what they could put on their land. 

She suggested an orchard (about the 42 minute mark in the video). 

3.2 FY 2018/19 Budget Amendments
This starts at about the 1:02:00 mark in the video.

Budget items are difficult to recap, but I'll add some of the highlights that caught my attention.

One of the slides during the presentation.

• There is a $2M surplus, which is about 15% of the budget.
• Shade structures will be installed at Marna O'Brien and Windsong park. (No date established yet)
• Wildomar will be having its own Fire Marshall (actually shared with Lake Elsinore)... which is very important and helpful for those looking for permits, but may turn out to be vexing for established businesses based on this quote by the City Manager:

"Eventually working this into a weed abatement program, helping out not only with weed abatement, but with life and safety issues with business inspections. We have a number of businesses that (inaudible). Typically you (the business owner) experience an annual inspection, of your business. To make sure it conforms and is safe for the community and the public to enjoy your services. "

"As we phase it in, we'll be phasing in fees that will help pay for the cost of those services."

"The idea is that it will ultimately there would be no cost impact associated with that service by the time this is fully up and running."

Wildomar Rap opinion time:
It's good that this won't be adding to the budget, and it's good to be safe, but a yearly inspection is just another fee heaped onto all the other fees that local businesses have to endure to keep their doors opened in California. Also, there was no discussion of which types of businesses will be exempt. 

• Animal shelter coverage will be going up from 5 to 8 hours a day.
• $93,000 increase in recurring budget.
• Police service levels are "back up" to 2011 levels.
• "We have funds for 2011 service levels. We don't have funds for 2018 issues." (read: homeless encampments)

As part of the budget discussion, the proposed one additional penny sales tax increase was brought up by Mayor Ben Benoit.

"What I'm concerned about is that we're going to go to the public about a sales tax increase, because I want to be very certain that this is going to be spent on police, fire, code enforcement-homeless, and roads. I think those things we could spend all the dollars on very easily, and I want to make sure it's going to those particular things. I also want to talk about what our admin fees might be overall for those."

"I just want to be certain that we're putting forward something that everyone understands that it's for those particular items and we're going to make sure our admin fees aren't 25%, right Dan?" (Glancing over at assistant city manager Dan York who earlier had said 30-35% is common for Admin fees on another issue. One minute video of his comments below). 

Everything that was said in the video above is true, and it's also why the average American doesn't like, or trust, their government... on nearly every level. It's not something that Wildomar city staff came up with (charging ridiculous fees for mundane services), but listen to what is "normal" when it comes to things government spends tax money on.

The question is, if you are ok with an additional penny added to your sales tax, where do you draw the line on the vig, errr... I mean, the administration? 

Would you be chipper about having a third of it siphoned off for administration? How about 20%? How about 10%? If such things matter to you, perhaps you might want to drop a line to the city and see if they have a firm number for you before you step into the voting booth this November.

♦

It'll be nice come this September, when I can back off of my pledge to upload every city meeting until the live streaming gets installed. Until then, below is the meeting sans public comments (in the video higher up in the blog) and the Cervera greenbelt which will be in a stand alone blog.

LINK TO BLOG ABOUT CERVERA GREENBELT

•                •                •

"We are not retreating - we are advancing in another Direction."
– General Douglas MacArthur

Wildomar Rap isn't a fan of happy talk, even when it's coming from a badass general like D'Artagnan of the A.E.F. aka Beau Brummel of the Army.

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