• City Council Meeting July 2021

The Meeting started with a presentation honoring LEUSD Teacher and Board Member Stan Crippen for all his years of service to the community.

Stan Crippen and Mayor Pro-Tem Ben Benoit

TOP NEWS FROM THE MEETING

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• Final hurdles out of the way for 2021 Brewfest at Marna O'Brien park this October
• City Council Meetings to find new 6:00pm time slot
• Measure AA Committee welcomes Kathleen Kovich to the group
• Subcommittee of Mayor Nigg and Mayor Pro-Tem Benoit to look over possible direct election of Wildomar's Mayor
• City Manager Gary Nordquist's last day set for Jan 31, 2022

Police Department Update

Only 1 citation was written.

I was a bit surprised to see this year's number of fireworks calls doubling last years. I would have wagered that there were 100 calls from a handful of residents alone. Then again, posting on Facebook about an issue has never been factored into actual police stats.

opinion time regarding illegal fireworks

I'm a realist first and foremost. 

Therefore, when it comes to fireworks, littering, running stop signs in neighborhoods, etc. I recognize that there is no way that enforcement alone will do anything more than chip off a few percentage points of scofflaws that simply do not care about community standards. 

Such people know that the odds of being caught are minimal (like speeding on the freeway), and with California's new soft approach to prosecuting law breakers, they know that even if caught they'll most likely get no penalty of consequence. 

The key is in the hands of today's parents, to instill in their children that community standards are important to respect. 

In the meantime, knowing that we have neighbors that confuse celebrating liberty with shooting incendiary devices over our rooftops at 1am, it's best to find ways to cope. 

Also in the Police Department Update was news regarding the rash of 8 smash and grab break ins that occurred after 2am on July 5th. It was a spree that included 40 known incidences that appeared to begin in Temecula and finish in Hemet.

All the suspects have been identified, and one arrest has already been made. (This is at the 20 minute mark of the video below).

Deputy Dallin Chambers was introduced and is now part of the Wildomar special enforcement team.

Library Update

On July 28th they are celebrating their 28th anniversary and invite you to come on down for a cup of Starbucks coffee. They open at 10am and close at 6pm.

There is also a bookmark contest, so if you're an artist, or one in the making, please consider entering the contest. 😊

Be sure to stop by and see what's happening this Summer.

Code Enforcement Reinvigorated

As many of you already know, long time code enforcement officer Keith Ross passed away earlier this year. There has been a big hole to fill but now Wildomar is back up to full strength, and then some, when it comes to this department.

You may disagree with the idea of code enforcement in li'l ol' WillyMar, but 95% of the rest of us don't. 

If you're one that has been pushing the limits with code issues, take this as a friendly reminder to clean up your act. If not, the new officers are coming with the ferocity of a pitbull (and I'm not apologizing to pitbull owners if that comparison offends you).

If you get cited, send your complaint letters to jmorabito@cityofwildomar.org and I'll nominate you for the inaugural hardhead of the year award.

1.8 Baxter Village Medical Office Building Site

Grading is scheduled to begin "September to October time frame". The owner of the property will be securing the perimeter once grading has occurred to keep illegal dumping and trespassing in check. 

I guess that Baxter Off Road Park will finally be a thing of the past... but I'll only believe it after I see it. In the meantime, let's stroll down memory lane which includes images of the vaunted Brown House in this timeless parody video.

3.1 Santa Rosa Plateau Nature Education Foundation  Special Event Memorandum of Understanding 

This was on the agenda of the last meeting, but the wording of the item left a lot to be desired, so it was tabled. 

From the agenda: 

City participation would include, but not limited to providing the following and related services: perimeter fencing, restroom facility rental, janitorial services, security services, trash collection bins, traffic control, traffic barriers, on- site EMT/First Aid, parking, and shuttle service.  

The cost to the general fund for this event will be up to $15,000

If there are any funds remaining from the cost of facilitating the event at Marna O’Brien Park, the remaining amount will be used to promote and market the event through a plan developed by the Economic Development Department.

I see this as a win for the city. I think it’s good for a city to have a signature event, and though not all will support a beer festival (not everyone drinks alcohol), I’m sure that not everyone in Gilroy is excited about being known for garlic. 

Before Wildomar I lived in San Clemente, and they had their “Ocean Festival” where the main streets were blocked off for a 5-K and then a huge block party that went all the way down to the pier.  I remember the first year that I encountered it, I couldn't get across the street and was mad about it. In later years, after I'd had kids, I realized it was a great thing for the community.

Though it’s not for everyone, it’s still good for the city. 

—Councilman Joseph Morabito comments at the meeting

3.6 Establishment of an Ad-Hoc Re-Districting Subcommittee

Quick rundown on what this is about. 

First, after each census the political district lines get redrawn and the five districts that comprise Wildomar City Council need to be updated.

Second, last year the Mayor suggested we look at going from five council districts and rotating the title of Mayor to four districts and a Mayor that the entire city votes for.

I can see both good and bad things coming from that.

On the good side is that the voters would now have two people they could vote for instead on just one. There would be consistency with one mayor instead of constantly having to adjust to a new style. 

On the negative side if the elected Mayor is headstrong or difficult, doesn't seem to be putting in enough time, or is actually on the inept side there is nothing that can be done about it until the term is finished and the voters choose again.

The way it currently is set up, the Mayor is there for a year (usually) and then hands the gavel over to the next person in line (that's how it is in most smaller cities. In our area, only Menifee bucks that trend). If a mayor is in over his or her head, it would have less impact in the course of a year than over the long haul of four years.

Link to April 2020 blog with my views on the matter.

A novel idea was floated out by Kenny Mayes during his public comment.

He suggested keeping the five districts and then having a Mayor with limited powers that is voted in by the entire city. 

I don't know if it's doable or if it's permissible under California law, but if it is, I love that idea. Way to go Kenny, you knocked that one out of the park.

The next issue would be who should decide such a thing? 

Should that be the five city council members, or should it be put to a vote of the people?

There are arguments on both sides, but without some very persuasive reasoning against it, my stance is that it needs to be put on the ballot, and then retroactive term limits must be put on the ballot too; twelve years is enough. 

If in the end this goes forward, I have the perfect candidate for Wildomar's first elected Mayor. If that person isn't interested, then I'll throw my hat into the ring... seriously. 

The subcommittee will be comprised by the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem. I wanted to be on the subcommittee, but was happy to step aside for the two chosen. The big reason to not push wanting to be on the subcommittee was that it was the idea of the Mayor in the first place, and he should be on it for that reason. Also, because of the Brown Act, I couldn't have been on with the Mayor or Mayor Pro-Tem. 

This will take more than one public meeting, so please give it some thought, talk it over with your neighbors and plan on actively participating in this decision.

3.7 Approval of Master Equity Lease Agreement and Maintenance Agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management

The blog is getting long by this time so let me sum this up. 

We need city vehicles. 

Should we buy or should we lease?

I can't imagine how leasing is a better move than purchasing. Which is the case in normal years. Thing is, this hasn't been a "normal year" and there are issues in the supply chain that  is making new vehicles more difficult to obtain.

In the end it was a 5-0 vote to approve the item which will be to lease the vehicles. 

I argued against the idea of leasing, but under the circumstances, understood that our back was to the proverbial wall and we needed the vehicles.

My vote went from a no to a yes after I asked if this was a one and done vote, and it was established that it will be reviewed with each new budget. I'll be willing to look at the numbers at that time, but if they don't clearly show a savings by leasing over purchasing, my 2021 vote will be a NO from here on out.

It wasn't really highlighted at the meeting, but the city manager is in the last year of his contract and he was planning on retiring last year but agreed to stay on another year to help guide the city through the Covid state of emergency. His last day is slated to be January 31, 2022.

The task of looking for the next city manager will begin shortly.

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“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”
– Bertrand Russell 

Wildomar Rap wants to know if Berty used to kiss his mom with that potty mouth? 

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