• City Council Meeting: January 2020

An interesting meeting. One that I've described as being like Christmas from my standpoint. Many items I've been eager to see taken up, came together. I'll highlight those in the body of the blog.

TOP NEWS FROM THE MEETING

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• $750 awarded to two local non profits
• Temporary Sign Ordinance adopted
• Weed Abatement Program adopted
• $10,000 given to Santa Rosa Plateau for fire restoration
• "Keep It Clean Wildomar" program to address litter in town
• Continued Sidewalk on Mission Trail beginning in February lasting through April

The second order of business was a short presentation where $750 was awarded to SWAG ($500) and Friends of the Library ($250). The money was "won" in a drawing at a December luncheon put on by MHeT (Manufactured Housing Education Trust). 

L-R: Mayor Dustin Nigg, Marsha Swanson, Bridgette Moore, Ben Benoit, Joseph Morabito, Aaron Petroff (SWAG), Connie Nadar (Friends of the Library) and Ashlee DiPhillipo (SWAG).

The meeting started with the annual presentation of acknowledging the previous year's mayor, Marsha Swanson. Followed by a brief presentation by EVMWD where they discussed PFAS (Polyfluoroalkyl Substances). Chemicals that are measured by PPT (Parts Per Trillion).

I asked how long they stay in the environment, and was told that they are considered to be "forever chemicals".

To illustrate PPT, it was suggested that a 1 PPT would be equal to a single drop in a container the size of the Rose Bowl.

2.3 Zoning Ordinance Amendment (Signs) 

(58:00 mark of the video at the bottom of the blog)

Here's the background on this. Without being too self serving, sign blight in Wildomar has long been a bugaboo of mine. 

I pushed for this, and with the help of fellow councilmember Ben Benoit asking for a subcommittee in the middle of 2019, we were able to work with staff to come up with an ordinance that will give the city the proper tools to keep sign blight to a minimum.

If you're asking what do I mean by "sign blight" harken back to what the intersection at Inland Valley and Clinton Keith looked like a few short months ago.

These illegal banners at Inland Valley and Clinton Keith were removed in late 2019.

Our sister city to the north has a few areas that need attention, and this is what it looks like when one sign is allowed to stand. It invites many copycats (see before and after examples below).

As seen near the far entrance to Costco in LE January 2020.

According to Google maps, this is only 11 months earlier.

As seen near the far entrance to Costco in LE Cambern Ave, January 2020.

Signs are like rabbits. This was taken in February 2019.

Wildomar Rap policy update

I've learned a lot the first year on city council when it comes to posting blogs. We have a good group of council members and though we don't always agree, we respect our differences and move on once the item is over.

With that in mind, if I have a disagreement with a council member(s) during a city council meeting, I'll either not mention it in the blog, or I'll not name the council member. 

With the above established, though this was approved 5-0, one member of the council was initially on the fence, and suggested that such an ordinance wasn't very "business friendly". 

If you tend to share that POV, please go back and look at the photos above and tell me if allowing unregulated signs (especially in the public right of way) is something you want or not in Wildomar.

One reason why Wildomar doesn't look like the examples above is because I've personally removed far more signs than I can count (and believe me, I've done a lot of driving throughout SWRiVCo since being elected in 2018, and those are NOT the exception in many areas). 

Without naming specific retail locations, I bet you can think of a location or two where there is sign/banner blight... with so many signs or banners (many of which have long since faded and are torn) that you have no idea what's being advertised. 

The new ordinance will allow temporary banners for special promotions, up to four times a year. If you're interested in the nuts and bolts of the ordinance, please follow this link and jump down to page 529.

This won't take effect for several weeks, and our economic development department will reach out to the businesses that are currently in breach and explain the new rules.

Another key provision in this ordinance deals with developer signs. When the subcommittee first met, I didn't even know that these signs were illegal.

On the Clinton Keith southbound off ramp there were 6 such billboards, all advertising developments in other cities, that just took it upon themselves to put them up. As you drive on the freeway, or other major roadways that lead out of town, you'll see this pattern repeated over and over again... but not for much longer.

This is part of my "Christmas" description where a lot of good things for Wildomar came together at one time (yeah, my letter to Santa this year wasn't one he usually gets). 

3.1 Establish Speed Zones on Mission Trail, Palomar Street, Bundy Canyon Road, and Corydon Street

The point of this was to make it so that we can write speeding tickets. You may be thinking, "If it's a street in the city, and someone is going fast, just right a ticket... what's the big deal? Sheesh!!!" 

If you don't want to lose time and money by getting pulled over, then CHOOSE to travel at the speed limit and don't drive like a dolt.

Great, but we're talking about state rules, and logic doesn't always intersect with Sacramento's version of reality.

3.3 FY 2019-20 Mid-Year Budget Report

This was a big item because it came with nine "Decision Packages." Blue means it was adopted, Orange means it was tabled for now. None were rejected outright.

1) $10,000  Minor SFR Parking Code Update 

2) $75,000 Weed Abatement Program

3) $5,000  Santa Rosa Plateau - Fire restoration Fund 

4) $180,000  Fire Station 61 - New Driveway 

5) $20,000 Fire Station 61 - Septic System Repair/Replacement

6) $80,000 Fire Station 61 - Replace Gate and Fencing 

7) $43,000 City Clerk Department Enhancements 

8) $30,000 Speed Survey Package

9) $34,000 SWAG Enhancement

Here is my thinking on the various decision packages

1) Just like any other place of business, there are often things that are necessary but basically run in the background. This is one of those.

2) Weed abatement has been another of my pet issues. Last year was particularly bad. We had rains that caused a super bloom of poppies in Elsinore, and a super bloom of weeds everywhere else. 

We haven't had the proper mechanism in place to do what other cities routinely do... ticket properties that refuse to knock down their weeds, and if necessary, do the abatement and then bill them. This was Christmas present number two for me. 

3) This item went off the rails a couple of times, but ended up being approved... for double the original asking price.

As much as I really appreciate the Santa Rosa Plateau, I was not in favor of this. 

Once a year we are awarded federal money to distribute to local non profit agencies and last year we had a total of $17,000 (CDGB). But this wasn't CDBG money, it was general fund money.

2019's CDBG money was divided in half to two different groups. HOPE and Assistance League. HOPE aims to feed local people in need, and Assistance League clothes underprivileged school kids with their program "Operation School Bell".

For as terrific as nature education is, and it is —especially up in the Santa Rosa Plateau, I wasn't comfortable with giving them a portion of our tax dollars, even at the modest amount of $5000. 

Santa Rosa Plateau spokeswoman Ginger Grieves gave an impassioned plea for the funds. 

I asked if they've approached other public entities, like the school districts. It was almost like I was on Venus speaking in a distinct Martian dialect. No one seemed to get why I'd ask such a thing, and I was told that such a request would be "inappropriate".

Wildomar Rap opinion time

Obviously I'm still new to elected office, and I still haven't bought in that the school district is somehow better or different than city hall. It's still taxpayer money from the same taxpayers. 

How puzzling, in my opinion, that the city can be asked to dole out money to an entity that isn't even in the city (gateway to the plateau or not), but it would be viewed as "inappropriate" to ask a school district, that is funded by the same residents, and whose kids are the ones that get the lion's share of the benefits in the first place.

I hope I never get so used to the way government is run as to not at least question the above form of logic.

Ginger mentioned that she was approaching the other cities in the area, and also asking them for the same amount.

I asked for a clarification, if the larger cities, with far larger budgets, were being asked for the same figure of $5000. That was confirmed. 

I then asked what they were prepared to give to Wildomar in return. 

Seriously, you want $5000 from our general fund, I think we should have gotten something in return. 

I suggested free hiking for a month. I even suggested making it in August (arguably the hottest, least attractive time of year to hike), but I was told that they didn't control that part of the plateau. 

It was at this time that Mayor Nigg said, "I have my own thoughts with this. I've been contemplating this... and Joseph, I'm probably going to blow your mind right now [...] I'd like to actually increase the amount, from $5000 to $15,000." 

For about five seconds, I thought the Mayor might say, "Sorry, but no." Boy, did I get a wrong number on that one. ☺

You have to watch the video... at that moment I made the international motion of one's mind being blown.
Mayor Pro-Tem Moore suggested $10,000 instead of the Mayor's $15,000. I countered with $2,500 because we're a small city in both population and budget, but knew that I would be the odd man out, and acknowledged that on mic.

The Mayor came back with a quote from Sons of Anarchy, "I accept that."

Wildomar Rap opinion time

This is how government is supposed to go. Not everyone will agree and once an item is voted on, it's time to move on without rancor... especially if one finds themself on short end of the vote (me in this case).

Now if we could only get the higher levels of government to follow suit. (I'm shouting at you Sacramento and DC) 

For the record, I bumped into Ginger Grieves the next day and congratulated her on getting the money, and encouraged her to use the opportunity to guilt the other cities into emulating their little brother city's generosity. ☺

Here is the 15 minute video segment of the Santa Rosa agenda item.
4, 5 and 6) The driveway and the gate were tabled, but I have a feeling they'll be coming back in six months. I simply am not for those items the way they're packaged. 

The driveway is about water runoff after washing the vehicles and they were asked "a couple of times by city code enforcement to not wash the engines."

Thinking outside the box with Wildomar Rap 

What are they using to wash their vehicles with that would be harmful to the environment? I'm talking about in real terms.

It's our fire department and our public works/code enforcement so how about we tell the PW/CE peeps not to worry about them washing the vehicles and seek out other violators. It's not as if any of that runoff actually gets anywhere near the channel, nor is it toxic. 

Seems like a better option than tearing up a driveway that works, that gets NO traffic on it —yes, there is a 50,000 pound vehicle, but it travels at about 2 mph while on the driveway— and spending an estimated $180K to appease the authors of unrealistic legislation up in Sacramento.

When it came to the gate, with their increased staff size it's difficult for them to get all their staff's vehicles behind the gate. Okay, I get that.

So I suggested, that since we're Wildomar (rural and all that... especially where the fire station is) that they don't need an electronic gate. It was said the the mechanism is what is the bulk of the cost, and we know that such a thing will be costly over time with maintenance. 

I further suggested that they could easily operate the gate manually, which was greeted with snickers from one council member, "We're not asking the firefighters to do that."

I don't get it

We're talking about the most fit members of our community, and it seems reasonable to me to ask them to open and close a gate by hand in order to save the taxpayers many tens of thousands of dollars. I'm just weird that way. I'm fiscally conservative, in both rhetoric and practice.

Making sure the septic system is in proper working order is a no-brainer.

7, 8 and 9) Without the proper tools, the job can't be done. These items are needs and didn't require any debate.

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From the city manager's report we learned that the Mission Trail sidewalk construction in Sedco, phase 2, will begin in February and last through April depending on rain. 

Keep It Clean Wildomar was introduced, which the city will elaborate on soon. 

Last bit of info was a story related by the mayor that on the first day of our new medic squad's service, they delivered a baby on the freeway at night.

The action in the video below doesn't begin until about nine and a half minutes in.

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In normal situations we can rely on common sense to guide us, but what do we rely on in situations which involve forces we know nothing about?
– EG Marshall (CBSRMT)

Wildomar Rap has heard about these "normal situations" and is looking forward to encountering one at some point.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• City Council Meeting June 2019: Special Meeting Budget

Before the two hour meeting started, Wildomar's new police motorcycle was revealed. After the meeting the council posed for a group shot around it.

Mayor Marsha Swanson sits on the new City of Wildomar Police motorcycle. From left to right: Councilmember Ben Benoit, Mayor Pro-Tem Dustin Nigg, Councilmembers Bridgette Moore and Joseph Morabito.

The key agenda items included the CR&R rate increase and the coming two year budget.

background information on the CR&R item

2.1 CR&R Annual Rate Adjustment
There were 17 emailed protest letters. The protest letters were part of the Prop 218 format that allows rate payers to weigh in on the matter. (12:20 mark of the video)

Thought on Prop 218
I learned years ago that the requirements of Prop 218 make it next to impossible to stop a rate increase. It takes 50% of the ratepayers (one per household) to send in their protest to stop a rate increase.

The 50% threshold might as well be on the moon. I can't imagine ever amassing even half that number, even if the public were well organized and very determined.

The trash rates are pegged to the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and go up almost every year. The key difference this year is that the CPI used had been changed.

The previous CPI was called: Los Angeles/Anaheim/Riverside Metropolitan Area

That CPI was changed to two different CPIs. The LA CPI became Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim Area (which carried over the existing historical data), and a new one, Riverside/San Bernardino/Ontario (which was given a new baseline of 100), came into existence.

There were three public speakers, two had donated time from others. The key topic of "senior rates" was brought up and later incorporated into the process when CR&R's Alex Braicovich said they'd be happy to sit down to negotiate a senior rate, as soon as possible. 

I anticipate this coming online sooner than later (that's as close to a pinpoint that I can confidently post at this point).

When it was my turn to speak, I read from my prepared comments:

Uh oh, he's at it again... lol.

Let me state this: I understand the need for inflation-based rate increases and have never had an issue with them, inflation is a fact of our monetary system.  

My primary concern had been regarding which CPI to use this year. 

It was based on the fact that the previous CPI had been changed so that Riverside County was put into a new one, which appeared to be roughly 30% lower than the LA-Long Beach-Anaheim CPI we previously were part of, and that caused the initial stir.

I’ve spent many hours on this topic. I’ve met with residents and I had a meeting with CR&R’s Alex Braicovich to discuss it. 

I was willing to make a big stink about this issue, and then more facts were presented. 

First, at the meeting I had with Alex, and then an email from the BLS (bureau of labor statistics) which confirmed that the new Riverside CPI didn’t have enough data points for year over year comparisons yet, that won’t happen until January 2020. 

Also, nearby cities that have been dealing with the same new CPI, have defaulted to the legacy CPI for this year.

Once I learned that info, I saw more of the picture, and understood better the choice that was made for this rate increase. 

Could it have been more clearly stated from the start? Yes.

Could the mailer have been less confusing, all three times it was sent out? Yes.

But when it comes to the nuts and bolts of the yearly, inflation based rate increase, it’s no different than any other year. 

3.1 Biennial Budget
I love traditional baseball stats and can balance a checkbook, but unless you're a CPA type (which I'm not even close) budget meetings can glaze over one's eyes in no time. 

The preponderance of the budget is to keep the city working. There is very little significant change year over year, so I will be focusing on the eight "decision packages" that were put before the council.

This is a scan of my scoresheet.

All of the items were touched on, but most didn't generate much discussion. Items 1, 3, and 4 were things either already in the works (1 and 3) or things we are compelled to do by the state (4).

Item 2 CDBG
This is where the city is allocated money to distribute to grant funds to local nonprofits (CDBG - Community Development Block Grant). This year there were three applicants: Assistance League, HOPE and Merit Housing (Wildomar Assisted Senior Living).

There was a little over $17,000 available and it was split evenly between HOPE and the Assistance League. 

Item 5 was adopted, but pushed off until the second year of the two year budget.

Item 6 sign code update
This is something I've wanted to see since before I even started this blog. My aim in promoting this is to de-junk-ify Wildomar's main corridors where advertisements are posted at intersections, on fences or just in the public right of way with H-wire frames... feather signs were mentioned too.

We'll see about that.

We currently do not have a temporary sign ordinance and Councilmember Benoit suggested that a subcommittee be formed to work with staff to put together an ordinance that best reflects the needs and desires of the community. 

Let me just say...

I fully support the success of our local businesses, and I know that signage is important in getting your name out there. 

The disconnect comes from a very small percentage of businesses that have chosen to post banners and signs at key intersections. Those signs make our city look shabby. There is also the copycat effect as shown by the following image.

There were no signs here in 2015, and within a few years it's gotten completely ridiculous. What will it be like if we don't demand some standards?

Often times the signs are left up so long that they become frayed or faded, exacerbating the problem.

Item 7 RV Parking Ordinance 
I wasn't sure what was going to become of this item. In many parts of the city, where the residents are part of an HOA, RVs, trailers, boats and abandoned cars are already addressed (or should be). 

In the rest of the city, it's a matter of residents calling in violators of such codes. That's fine, but it hasn't worked all that well in practice.

The original decision package suggested 4 hours a week to look for illegally parked RVs. As much as I wanted this taken care of, I thought it a bit overkill.

Before I had a chance to chime in on the item, Mayor Pro-Tem Nigg suggested an alternative. Basically, instead of 4 hours looking for RVs, he suggested 10 hours of an additional code enforcement officer. 

As with the new motorcop (Officer Hansen) that will be coming online next week, that will systematically address the traffic hotspots in town, I'm envisioning these new hours to be dedicated towards looking for obvious disregard of community standards. A proactive approach to the problem, which would include RVs, and not be focused on them.

It'll cost more than the original proposal, but nice things cost money, and I'm ready for Wildomar to start looking nicer where it's previously needed some TLC.

Item 8 Sedco Basin Park Rehab (1:48:30)
This was not adopted. The $22,000 figure was just to gather information. 

There were plenty of other noteworthy items but I've run out of time for this blog.

I suggest that if you'd like more than my brief recap, please watch the video starting at the 45 minute mark.

Below is the video for the entire meeting. Note, the first seven minutes are dead air.

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True, a little bit of wisdom may be a dangerous thing, but a great deal of ignorance is usually fatal.

– EG Marshall CBSRMT 1975

Contrary to popular speculation, Wildomar Rap isn't usually fatal.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• City Council Meeting October 2017

All meetings should be like this one was. 

Substance without shenanigans. 

As fun and delightful as Miss Miller (and the rest of team Cantankerotti) can be, her absence allowed for an entire productive meeting to start and finish within an hour. That and no front loaded presentations that often take up to 45 minutes. ☺

There was much gone over in the meeting and I'll share the parts that I found most pertinent. 

Public Comments on non agenda items

• Maureen Kennedy told the council about her concerns concerning crime in her area (near Gafford).

I'm going to post the video of her comment to show you what you can expect when you go to a city council meeting looking to give a public comment. It's just good people seeking to help other good people. 

2.1 Allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDGB) Funds
This is where local non profits come and state their case as to why the city should give them money. The money is given to the city by the feds (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be specific), to then apply to projects that will help areas of need within the city.

Click link to read more

The bulk of the money ($127K) that the city had to deal with this cycle, is going to a capital improvement project: The Sedco/Mission Trail Sidewalk Construction Project.

The rest of the money (a whopping $20,677 to be exact) was bid upon by four local non profit organizations.

• Assistance League of Temecula Valley asked for $15,000
• HOPE asked for $25,000
• Merit Housing asked for $10,750
• Rancho Damacitas asked for $10,000

In the end, the Assistance League and HOPE each got $9,000, with the remaining $2,677 going to Rancho Damacitas.

Based on the stats, that the Assistance League had helped clothe 123 kids from Wildomar, at $125 per student, has to be the best bargain going. 

Basic arithmetic tells you that the AL spent about $15,000 on Wildomar kids this year as part of their "Operation School Bell" project.

The odd man out — again, was Merit Housing. They are the people behind the Wildomar Senior Assisted Living off of South Pasadena St. 

I was glad to see Councilmember Marsha Swanson lay out why she wasn't in favor of including Merit Housing among the groups getting Wildomar CDBG monies.

"Merit Housing, that runs Merit Housing over there, they're a non profit, but that's not who owns it. That project is owned by a huge company, Merit Housing, I believe, that's what the tax rolls say. Everybody that lives there pays rent. We've asked them over and over to open as a cooling zone for our residents during the Summer —they have to have the air on for their people and they have the room, and we can never seem to get any cooperation, and they don't come here [to ask for the CDBG in person]. To give them money to raise someone's salary, doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

— Councilmember Marsha Swanson

The video of the 25 minute agenda item is below.
 3.1 Professional Services Agreement Re: 27 Acre Park

Suffice to say it's exciting to see the 27 acre future park getting closer to opening... at least in part. 

There will be three community workshops in the coming weeks and months that were billed as being "fun and interactive". 

• November 16 was mentioned as the likely date for the first workshop, but it wasn't set in stone. If you watch the video, you'll hear a bit of wavering about it. If you're signed up for city emails, just keep an eye opened for the official announcement.

• Something termed a "popup workshop" was mentioned, to be held at the yearly Breakfast With Santa event. This year it's slated for 

It's always dicey when city staffers try and give details of future projects. Many times things outside of their control come into play and cause unwanted delays. 

Still, Assistant City Manager Dan York talked about the first likely development for the new park.

"The input that we heard, at least up to this point in time, the community would like to have some amenity right off the bat. Whether it's walking trails, or the like. Our first phase [...] we'll try to get something opened to the public sooner than later; hopefully within the next year or so."

—Assistant City Manager, Dan York

The video below is just seven and a half minutes. If you're interested in the future park site, it's well worth your attention.

3.3 New Planning Commissioner Appointment

As most of the regular readers of Wildomar Rap know, long time Wildomar resident and planning commissioner, Stan Smith died in August. Which left an opening on the Wildomar Planning Commission.

How delightful it was to read in the agenda packet the name, Mason Ballard. He was chosen to finish the term that runs concurrent with Mayor Pro-Tem Ben Benoit.

He's a relative new comer to the area, but he and his family have already laid down roots in the W. They are active in the community and it's good to see such alacrity when it comes to public service. 

Watch the video below of him thanking the City Council for partnering with Wildomar Little League, for the past season's TOC that was held at Marna O'Brien park, to get a taste of his enthusiasm.
The city manager report had a ton of great info in it.
First was a reminder about the State of the City event, which will be next week, October 19th. All are welcomed, but you need to get your FREE tickets ahead of time.

 City of Wildomar's 2017 State of the City 

Below is a graphic from the report that details the beginning and ending dates for three projects that have been in the pipeline for quite awhile.

Watch the video (below) for more details.

• Malaga Park is located on the southeast corner of Mission Trail and Malaga at the city line between Wildomar and Lake Elsinore.

Let's hope that this fence will be coming down when the new Malaga Park is done.

UPDATE: VIDEO NOW INCLUDED

Info about the Bundy Canyon project

begins at the 3:00 mark of the video.

Also mentioned at the meeting were: 

• An Elks Lodge spaghetti dinner fundraiser for shooting victim Chelsea Romo. It'll be October 22nd. Use this link for more information.

• Trunk or Treat at Marna O'Brien park Saturday, October 28th. If you'd like to be one of the "vendors" that pass out candy, contact the city for more information. There is no cost, other than the candy you pass out.

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Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.

– Albert Einstein

Wildomar Rap values success, but has a very different definition of it than most 21st century denizens.