OC Political

This came over the wire from Supervisor Bill Campbell’s office on Friday…

Welcome to this edition of “Bill Campbell’s Third District Report,” an electronic newsletter keeping you updated about the events taking place in the County of Orange and in the Third District. It is my hope that you find this distribution informative and I would encourage you to contact me regarding any thoughts, comments, or concerns you may have. bill.campbell@ocgov.com IN THIS ISSUE… 1. BOARD ACTION 2. TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR AGENCIES UPDATE 3. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 4. LOSSAN UPDATE 5. LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION   OUR STAFF… Laura Cunningham Chief of Staff Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda Christine Compton Deputy Chief of Staff Irvine Louis Bronstein Policy Advisor Orange, Orange Park Acres, Villa Park Michael Johnson Policy Advisor Silverado, Santiago, Modjeska, Trabuco Canyons Whitney Ayers Policy Advisor North Tustin, Tustin Renee Chinchilla Office Manager/Executive Secretary Brent Kuluris Executive Aide Click here to subscribe. Click here to unsubscribe May 11, 2012   Volume: 10 Issue: 17 BOARD ACTION Santa Ana River Kayak Program– The Board unanimously authorized Orange County Coastkeepers to conduct a recreational kayak program on the Santa Ana River. Subject to the limitations and requirements of their permit from OC Parks, trips will be led by experienced guides on weekends from May through September. The program, known as the Santa Ana River Connection, will provide recreation enthusiasts with an outdoor adventure experience that will help them connect with the Santa Ana River and its watershed. For more information, please click here. Countywide Mass Notification System– The Board authorized the Sheriff-Coroner to execute a Memorandum of Agreement with Orange County cities, public universities and water agencies to participate in the in the county’s countywide mass notification system, AlertOC. The system is used by the County of Orange and participating agencies to issue warning and instructional messages to residents and businesses during times of emergency. For more information and to register your number with AlertOC, please click here. Tustin Family Campus Agreements– The Board selected New Alternatives to serve as the provider of residential home services for the transitional-age youth, ages 18-25, at the Tustin Family Campus. This program provides support in a structured residential setting for youth who have graduated out of the foster care system and are living independently for the first time. The Board also selected PROTOTYPES as the provider for the mother and child residential cottage at the Tustin Family Campus. This program provides residential support for up to 15 mothers and their children who are in recovery from substance abuse. New Alternatives and PROTOTYPES are the existing providers of these services, and both were recommended after receiving the highest scores through a competitive bidding process. To learn about New Alternatives, click here. For information about PROTOTYPES, click here. OC Human Relations Commission Appointment– The Board appointed Dr. Ruben Barron from Yorba Linda to serve on the OC Human Relations Commission. Dr. Barron is serving as the Third District appointment on the Commission. I want to thank my previous Third District Commissioner, Vince DeVargas, for his many years of service to the community through the Commission. Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan Review Board– The Board approved the appointment of John “Jake” Reed (Lt. Col. USMC, ret.) to the Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan Review Board. To read his resume, please click here. TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR AGENCIES UPDATE Traffic and Revenue Update– The Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (F/ETCA) reported toll revenues of $8,773,978 and transactions of 4,587,361 for the month of April. Revenues were up 4% and transactions were down 2.7% compared to the April 2011 figures. The San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency reported toll revenues of $7,571,578 a 5.3% increase from April 2011. The SJHTCA transactions were 2,064,637 for the month of April which represented a 0.6% decrease. All Electronic Tolling Planning– Both the F/ETCA and SJHTCA Boards of Directors received an update on the TCA’s planning effort to move the SR-73, 133, 241, and 261 toll roads to all electronic tolling (AET); thereby, eliminating cash payment methods on the toll roads. The update focused on the financial benefit AET would have for the Agency. According to the model presented to the Boards, AET provides the agencies with an $11.68 million present value savings from a reduction in capital investments and operation costs. To view the presentation, click here. TCA Mitigation Update– The F/ETCA Board of Directors received an update on the Agency’s mitigation sites and Mitigation Monitoring Program. The Agency currently monitors over 2,100 acres of mitigation land. The presentation showed that many acres of the mitigation are doing well and that the native habitat is flourishing. To view a copy of the presentation, clickhere. Spring Native Habitat Program– Yesterday, the F/ETCA and the SJHTCA Board of Directors received a presentation on the TCA’s Spring Tour and Native Habitat Program. The presentation overviewed this year’s Spring Tour Program. To view the presentation, click here. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 91 Express Lane Traffic and Revenue Data– During the month of February, traffic on the 91 Express Lanes increased 4.3% compared to April 2011. The revenues also increased in April by 0.6% compared to April 2011. Bike to Work Week– In anticipation of the annual “Bike to Work Week” hosted by OCTA, a kick-off rally was held on May 10th at the Metrolink Station in Orange. Participants rode their bikes nearly three miles from the Orange Metrolink Station to OCTA Headquarters in Santa Ana. Congratulations to my colleague, Supervisor Shawn Nelson for his participation. For a picture, click here. OCTA Bike to Work Week will be held from May 14 through May 18. LOSSAN UPDATE Capital Corridor Tour– On Monday, I traveled to Oakland to tour the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority with members of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Corridor Board of Directors. The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority was formed by six local transit agencies in Northern California to take over the passenger rail service being provided by Caltrans. The Capitol Corridor currently provides inter-city passenger rail services along a 170-mile corridor in Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, San Francisco, and Santa Clara Counties. By taking the service from Caltrans, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority was able to increase on-time performance, service levels and ridership. I toured the Capitol Corridor because the Authority is similar to the model that the LOSSAN Board of Directors is pursuing in Southern California. While in Oakland, I toured the Amtrak Maintenance Facility and I rode the Capitol Corridor Train to Martinez and back to Oakland. To view pictures from my tour, click here. LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION Kermore Island Annexation– The Commission approved the annexation of an 11.47 acre unincorporated territory to the City of Stanton. The island, known as the Kermore Island, is located south of Cerritos Avenue, west of Western Avenue, north of Syracuse Avenue, and east of Knott. The land use in the area includes single family and multi-family residential with commercial uses for animal kenneling. For the staff report and a map, please click here. LAFCO Budget– The Commission adopted its FY 12-13 Budget which includes a one-time draw down of $200,000 from reserves. The draw down from reserves will be used to refund to each of the 28 member agencies, and will keep the annual apportionments level for at least FY 13-14. Last Friday, I met with Ken Berrick, President and CEO of Seneca Center and former Bay-area State Assemblywoman Dion Aroner. We discussed Seneca’s Center’s merger with Canyon Acres and Kinship Center, and their mission to serve the children and families in Orange County. To read about the formal partnership, click here. For information on Seneca Center, clickhere. I spoke at the Orange Chamber of Commerce monthly Business Issues Breakfast and gave an update on the County Budget, the Redevelopment Agency dissolution process, and the June primary election. To view my presentation, please click here. For pictures, please click here. Mary and I attended the annual Denim and Diamonds Dinner and Dance hosted by the Orange Park Acres Association. The evening included dinner, music, dancing, and a silent auction. This year’s Gary Bandy Award for the outstanding community volunteers was awarded to Rex and Nancy Vance. For pictures, please click here. I toured the Yorba Linda Spur construction site. This project is part of the Santa Ana River Interceptor (SARI) Relocation Line and consists of relocating and replacing the SARI sewer mainline with a new 54-inch diameter pipeline on the south side of the river just north of the Riverside (91) Freeway. A new 15-inch diameter gravity sewer is being constructed along La Palma Avenue and the Santa Ana River Trail to capture flows from the north side of the river. During my visit on Tuesday, I was able to view the preparation of the Microtunneling Boring Machine (MTBM) and its various components. The contractor has completed the preparation of the 30 foot launch pit and is undergoing on-site preparation for lowering the MTBM for drilling operation of the 20-foot deep, 800 foot long trench for the 15 inch pipe. For pictures, please click here. Mary and I attended a World President’s Organization (WPO) Golden West Chapter meeting at the new headquarters and studios of KOCE PBS SoCal in Costa Mesa. We received a welcoming presentation by Mel Rogers, CEO of KOCE. The group watched the video taping of the Real Orange program with co-hosts Ed Arnold and Ann Pulice. We all participated in the production of a “mock” news program, with some of us manning video cameras and fulfilling production support jobs while others were the “talent.” For pictures, please click here. Mary and I joined the Orange County Legatus Chapter for open space tours conducted by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. The group completed the evening at Giracci Vineyards in Santiago Canyon. Everyone was impressed by the natural beauty right here in Orange County. For pictures, click here. I attended the Tustin Community Foundation awards luncheon to honor local volunteers. For pictures, click here. ANNOUNCEMENTS 2012 Green Fair– The County will host its third annual Green Fair on Thursday, May 17 from 10 am to 2 pm in the Orange County Civic Center Plaza, adjacent to 333 W. Santa Ana Boulevard in Santa Ana. The Green Fair showcases eco-friendly products and services in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of environmental stewardship. For more information about the Green Fair, please click here. OC Public Works Open House– On Saturday, May 19, Orange County Public Works will host their annual Open House at 2301 North Glassell Street, aka, “The Glassell Yard” in Orange. This fun and informative event is held each year in honor of National Public Works Week, a celebration that occurs in May of every year. The public is welcome and festivities begin at 10 am and end at 2 pm. This year OC Public Works has invited students from engineering clubs at local high schools and campus chapters of engineering associations from colleges to visit the Open House to learn about internships with the County or future career opportunities. The event includes games, opportunity drawings, complimentary hot dogs and drinks and tunes by the OC Band. Another highlight is the Collector’s Car Show, always a hit for classic car buffs. For more information about the event, please contact OC Public Works’ Operations & Maintenance at 714-955-0200. Irvine’s Young Masters– The City of Irvine, in conjunction with the Assistance League of Irvine, will kick off the Young Masters Art Program this Saturday, May 12th, from 1-4 pm at Irvine City Hall. The Young Master Art Program is a two-week exhibit showcasing one exceptional piece of art from each elementary classroom in the Irvine Unified School District. This year, nearly 450 works will be on display at Irvine City Hall. For more information, visit www.irvine.assistanceleague.org or call (949) 798-5020. Yorba Cemetery– Join OC Parks for the Annual Blessing of the Historic Yorba Cemetery on Saturday, May 12. Gates open at 9 am and a Catholic Mass will began at 10 am, followed by a Native American Blessing to honor and remember the people buried within the Yorba Cemetery. Tours of the cemetery will be available after the conclusion of the ceremonies. The cemetery is located within Woodgate Park in Yorba Linda. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (714) 973-3190. Mother’s Day Concert– On Sunday, May 13, enjoy a free Mother’s Day concert by the New Orange County Children’s Choir at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace. Doors open at 1:15 pm and concerts begin at 2:00 pm. For more information, please click here. Don’t Dog It!– Dog days are coming to OC Parks this Saturday, May 12th from 9 am to 2 pm at Peters Canyon Regional Park. Don’t Dog It! is a family event featuring giveaways, prizes and more from local dog vendors. The event is free and parking is $3. For more information, please click here. Mary and I would like to wish all mothers, mothers to be, and grandmothers a Happy Mother’s Day! It is a pleasure to serve the constituents of the Third District. Please pray for our armed forces and our foreign services personnel.