Jan
31
News Flash: Special Council Budget Session at 4 Monday!
Filed Under City Budget, City Council Meetings | 1 Comment
Is the J.F.T.B. Pool ever going to break even?
Monday afternoon update: The word from our city clerk is that the 4 p.m. workshop will be on LosAlTV. But there’s nothing like being there in person!
(by Dave Emerson) Turns out our City Council is being more proactive this Monday than I originally thought.
A special budget workshop session is set for 4:00 Monday afternoon, 2/2/09, to discuss projected shortfalls and proposed cuts for the current Fiscal Year, which runs from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. Initial budget planning for Fiscal Year 2009/10 will also be discussed.
Staff now anticipates a decrease of $653,730 in revenue for the current fiscal year (7/1/08 – 6/30/09) and is proposing cuts totaling Read more
Jan
29
Agenda for Monday, February 2 Los Alamitos City Council Meeting
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Election Issues | 17 Comments
About the above photo:
(by Dave Emerson) I thought I’d let you be the first on your block to see the new photo of the Los Alamitos City Council that now graces the city website. Unfortunately, the caption and heading appear to be embedded in the image, so now it looks like we’ve got our Council welcoming you to my blog. [Insert comment or humorous remark here.]
Actually, the Council’s intent was to welcome you to the city’s website, which you can go to if you scroll down to the “Los Al City website” link under “Local info” on the column to your right (and the Council’s left).
In any case, I did think the photo was a nice idea of Mayor Grose, who’s trying to emphasize a team approach this year.
The agenda:
The agenda was posted early, so you get it early as well. Once again, it seems to be another reactive rather than proactive agenda, which is the way most organizations work. Hopefully some high priority items will eventually work their way onto the agenda.
Anyway, here it is. I hope to add some links where needed later. As always, your thoughts and comments are welcome.
AGENDA, Los Alamitos City Council
REGULAR MEETING, February 2, 2009 – 7:00 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Jan
20
Fire, and murder, on Farquhar
Filed Under Community News | 5 Comments
(by Dave Emerson)
Update, 1/29: According to the O.C. Register, the major suspect, Joseph Elijah Ettima, 25, a recent parolee is still being sought. Here’s important information from the Register:
Ettima, who is described as African American, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 155 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes, has an extensive history of violence involving weapons, police said. He speaks Spanish and has been known to wear Muslim or African clothing. He has used aliases including Jamal Harris, Yusuf Eligha, and Cuba. He is considered armed and dangerous.”
“Anyone with information about Ettima’s whereabouts is asked to call Los Alamitos Detective Sergeant Sharon Kerbow at 562-431-2255, ext. 405.
A family tragedy spread to impact neighbors at an apartment building near the corner(s) of Farquhar and Reagan last night. (Click more for details and Etima’s photo, and comments.)
Jan
20
Your comments (& mine) on Tuesday’s Council Meeting (1/20)
Filed Under City Council Meetings | 30 Comments
(by Dave Emerson) Tonight’s meeting of the Los Alamitos City Council doesn’t have a terribly heavy agenda, but I expect some interesting public comments about traffic around the Los Alamitos Race Track (LART), and you never know what might come up during Council Comments.
7:45 update: Public comments: Traffic
It was good to see several residents take the time to attend the Council meeting to speak up against Cypress’ request to break the new Katella median to allow left turns into the 24 Hour Fitness Center. Each speaker made some worthwhile points.
Even Chuck Sylvia had at least one interesting suggestion: Read more
Jan
20
Proud to be an American
Filed Under National Issues, Uncategorized | 7 Comments
A peaceful and amicable transfer of power
As someone who has met the ugly face of prejudice all too often, whether as a Realtor or back when I was teaching in the inner city schools of Los Angeles, or as a youth worker at Rev. E. V. Hill’s Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in South Central Los Angeles in the 1970s, I’m still amazed that this day has come.
I’m also proud of the way we transfer power in this country.
These are some of my thoughts on this historic day. Perhaps you’d like to share some of yours in the comments box below. Read more
Jan
20
Inaugural Bookends: Invocation & Benediction
Filed Under Inspiration, National Issues | Leave a Comment
Obama and Warren last year at Saddleback's Candidate Forum
(by Dave Emerson) Today’s Inauguration of the man from Illinois and Hawaii was kicked off with a few words from a man from Orange County. Actually, quite a few words.
The Inaugural Ceremony concluded with a benediction from Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Combined, the two prayers carried plenty of inspiration and wise requests.
Although controversial in some respects, and not as brief as it could have been, Pastor Warren’s prayer “touched all the bases,” with an appropriate emphasis on humility, a reference to the historic nature of this day, and appropriate requests for God’s blessing and protection on our new President and his family.
I’ll post the text of the invocation and benediction here once I can find them online. Hopefully also some of my thoughts about the historical events of today. I voted for McCain, but today’s peaceful transfer of power combined with the election of our nation’s first minority President make me proud to be fortunate enough to be an American.
You can share your thoughts in the comment box below. Read more
Jan
18
Agendas for Monday & Tuesday Council Meetings, 1/19 & 20
Filed Under City Council Meetings | 4 Comments
(by Dave Emerson) Turns out the Los Alamitos City Council is meeting twice this week!
Monday’s 4 p.m. Special Meeting
On Monday, January 19th, there’s a Special Meeting set for 4:00 p.m. After roll call and an opportunity for oral communications from audience members, the Council moves into closed session for two “conferences with labor negotiators:” First, with Interim City Manager Nita McKay and City Attorney Dean Derleth regarding negotiations with five different Police, management, and City Employees Organizations, then regarding negotiations with the Interim City Manager, who is unrepresented.
Tuesday’s 7 p.m. Adjourned Regular Meeting
I’ll let you peruse the agenda and staff reports for yourself, but it appears to me that there’s only one non-routine item, and that’s simply a change in a resolution from last year relating to staff medical insurance.
Here’s the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting (as usual, links are provided to available staff reports): Read more
Jan
13
Cat’s letter to the Council about the median
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Election Issues, Traffic | 13 Comments
Dave Emerson here. Former Mayor Cat Driscoll graciously forwarded to me a copy of the letter she presented to the Los Alamitos City Council last night regarding the proposal to cut a left turn pocket and openint to the 24 Hour Fitness Center into the newly constructed Katella median. Below is the letter in its’ entirety, with room for your thoughts and comments below.
Traffic, especially relating to Cypress development, has always been a key issue for Cat. Her letter is well worth reading.
Jan
12
Your thoughts & summaries of tonight’s City Council Special Meeting
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Election Issues | 5 Comments
(intro by Dave Emerson) Well, it looks like the public portion of tonight’s special Council meeting will be carried live on LosAlTV, giving you, the citizen, the opportunity to comment live as you watch, or delayed as you replay or watch a replay later this week.
If you have Verizon Fios or Cable and live in Rossmoor or Los Alamitos, it’s going on live. The bulk of the public session, as indicated in my agenda summary, will deal with the mid year budget review and how to correct the shortfall. (You can link here to a pdf version of some of the budget info the Council Members received.)
I’m going to again try my passive approach, so it’s up to you to let your fellow citizens know what you saw and what you think of it. Remember to keep your language polite and try to disagree relatively agreeably. (We want to build bridges, but Read more
Jan
10
Agenda for this Monday’s Special Los Alamitos City Council Meeting (Jan. 12, 2009)
Filed Under City Council Meetings | 3 Comments
(by Dave Emerson) Well, you sure can’t say our new Los Alamitos City Council isn’t investing time on our behalf.
I’ve been so busy holding for a hard sell from Verizon customer “service” reps that I haven’t even gotten my own post up on last Monday’s Council meeting and it’s already time to get the agenda up for this Monday’s Special Council meeting!
Now in a certain sense every Los Alamitos City Council meeting is special, as is every Los Alamitos City Council Member, but what makes this meeting Special is that it’s in addition to the regularly scheduled meetings. Read more
Jan
7
"You've just got to try Fios HD Extreme, Eve!"
(by Dave Emerson) Verizon is not your friend. But they sure want you to think they are.
The best analogy I can think of is that serpent who talked Eve into eating that apple back in the Garden of Eden, before he had ever incorporated Verizon.
I’m not saying Verizon is owned or operated by Satan. I can’t prove that.
But I can’t prove that it isn’t, either.
My sad saga started last week, when Barb found a Costco coupon for that HD TV we had promised each other for Christmas. Since then my new part-time job has been overcoming the misinformation given me by the customer service and billing people at Verizon’.
When the good old News Enterprise arrived today wrapped in a full color ad for Verizon FIOS, I decided maybe it was time to share my experience with my neighbors here in Los Alamitos. As well as anyone in this internet-connected world googling “Verizon Fios TV” or “Does Verizon FIOS include HD?”
So, with your indulgence, I”ll take a brief break from discussing Monday’s fascinating City Council meeting and share a few insights I’ve gained from my ongoing ordeal trying to get Verizon to give me the HD channels I’m already paying for.
Now for the juicy details: Read more
Jan
5
Your live comments on tonight’s City Council meeting
Filed Under City Council Meetings | 28 Comments
For those of you watching at home or with wireless web at the meeting, you can now make comments “live,” as the meeting happens.
The meeting should be on live on channel 3 for those of you living in Los Al or Rossmoor who have cable or Verizon FIOS.
As always, please try to use family-friendly language and avoid personal attacks. Vigorous, informed debate is good, but we’re all neighbors and learning to disagree agreeably is a good life skill and good for our little community as well.
We’ll kick the comments off by pasting in two comments already received before the main meeting even began, from the January 1 post that also includes tonight’s agenda:
First, Dig Doug left the following comment this evening at 5:15 p.m. (Apparently he was at the initial public part of the 4:30 meeting.):
Below you’ll find my response to Dig Doug’s comment, originally made at 5:42, and below that a comment box for your own comments. (If you’re still on the home page, just click the blue “read more” to continue. ) Read more
Jan
1
Los Alamitos City Council has lots to discuss at 2009’s first meeting
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Community News | 12 Comments
Mayor Parker, hat in hand, leading parade away from Pasadena to New Dutch Haven
(by Dave Emerson) Looks like the new Los Alamitos City Council will have so much to discuss on Monday, January 5, that it’s going to take two meetings to cover it all!
Special Meeting: At 4:30 the recruitment process for a new permanent City Manager is the only item on the agenda. After a period for public comment, the Council will move into closed session. (The agenda refers to the appointment of both interim and permanent City Manager, but Mayor Grose tells me the interim appointment was handled at the last meeting and the primary focus will be on recruitment of a permanent Manager.)
Regular Meeting: Scheduled for 7 p.m., the agenda includes several Commission appointments, Council Member assignments to outside agencies, and time for informal discussion of a number of significant items.
The agenda for the special meeting was pretty much summarized above; the agenda for the Regular Meeting appears below with links to more detailed info in blue and room for your comments following. As always, try to maintain a relatively respectful tone. There are certainly things I’d like to see handled differently, there are items that raise concern, but there are also some good ideas and good topics for discussion.
(We’ve made a minor improvement on this site for the New Year that will allow you to scroll through more posts more rapidly on the home page. Instead of complete posts appearing on the home page, you’ll see the first few paragraphs, then simply click the blue “more” for the rest of the post as well as the comments. You’re now one click away from the agenda itself. . . .) Read more
Did Mayor Grose misunderstand your question, or did he intentionally mislead you? There does not appear to be a legit recruitment for a permanent CM, just a select number of seat-warmer interim candidates.
You said:
“At 4:30 the recruitment process for a new permanent City Manager is the only item on the agenda. After a period for public comment, the Council will move into closed session. (The agenda refers to the appointment of both interim and permanent City Manager, but Mayor Grose tells me the interim appointment was handled at the last meeting and the primary focus will be on recruitment of a permanent Manager.)”
This could just be a temporary fill-in until Ruddat believes he can come back.