Jan
5
H G: Changing of the Guard
Filed Under 2012 Issues, Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities, Teamwork | 1 Comment
(Los Alamitos, 1/5/2012) Once again, our Highlands Guy brings up a new topic. . . and nails it! Well worth reading. . . and sharing! (bolding mine. . . Dave E)
By Highlands Guy: A good friend recently attended the Los Alamitos City Commissioners dinner.
It is an annual event to gather together local folks, volunteer and paid, to look at successes, generate ideas for the coming year, and put faces to those that communicate with each other via email and telephone.
It is a low budget, simple dinner to say thanks to your neighbors who spend time making our community a better place to live.
During the speeches and introductions of each Commission member, my friend noted that one characteristic that made an impression on her was, quite frankly, the Read more
Dec
11
Time for Kusumoto & Mejia to un-recuse?
Filed Under 2011 Issues, Los Alamitos Priorities, Teamwork, Trash contraact, Troy Edgar | 10 Comments
(12/11/2011, Los Alamitos) Monday night the Los Alamitos City Council has their third scheduled Closed Session on the trash lawsuit in eight days.
Troy Edgar is starting to sound like a candidate for a peace prize, and I mean that in a good way, because there’s a lot of wisdom in his words:
We all think we are right. Whether we are right or not, the community deserves better. Going about it unilaterally doesn’t seem like it’s in the best interests of the city. If we can use this opportunity to heal things that are much deeper than a lawsuit, I say, ‘Let’s do it.’”
While some have questioned Mayor pro tem Edgar’s Read more
Aug
14
Monday, 8/15/11 Los Al City Council Agenda: Sheridan vindicated?
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Decency, Los Alamitos Priorities | 5 Comments
(8/12/2011, Los Alamitos) The Agenda and all staff reports and attachments are now posted online (all 216 pages of them) for your perusal.
There’s lots of interest, including:
- Minutes of the last six Council meetings (click here for agenda, scroll down to page11 and following )
- Discussion of replacement options for City Clerk Adria Jimenez, who resigned Read more
Jul
28
What we should expect from City Hall
Filed Under City Council, Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities | Leave a Comment
Los Alamitos Public Works staff installing new glass cover over playground light at Little Cottonwood Park earlier today.
Once again our “Highlands Guy” wisely sets out fundamental priorities for any city, pointing out traps that keep too many cities, Los Alamitos included, from attaining both excellence and cost-effectiveness. Read on, & let us know where you agree and where you disagree.
A conversation about Los Al’s priorities should be both enlightening and productive.
by “Highlands Guy” (Los Alamitos, 7/28/2011)There are so many things that a city can get involved with that it’s easy to fall prey to feel-good kinds of activities that get in the way of a city’s control over their foundational mandates.
It is imperative that the city adheres to a strict course to provide:
- excellent public safety
- efficient municipal services, and
- access to a variety of parks and recreational opportunities.
Attention must also be focused on actions that support our local educational and environmental worlds.
Priorities
First tier priorities are those activities that have critical timelines, are part of contracts, and are legally required. These would include such items as: planning; roads; fire, police, and first responder actions; water, gas and electricity availability; adherence to building codes; recreation and parks; control of civil servants (remember when this appellation had real meaning) actions and benefits; and a clean and safe living environment.
Probably in the next tier would be priorities related to stuff like fulfilling past due agreements, enhancing governmental/business/educational partnerships, enforcing strategies for land use, and integrating the next generation into the decision making processes. This category should probably also deal with constituent to city communication issues, a two-way street that must be understandable and easy to use.
From a conversation I saw at a recent city council meeting, it was evident that there are scant follow-up actions, especially over the long haul. And it is heightened when council-persons and/or city employees leave office.
How about implementing a simple quarterly review process to evaluate all ongoing projects? The starting point for discussion could be a simple Gantt chart thrown up on the overhead for all to see. This is not to point fingers or criticize, but to see the successes and to address challenges for the coming months.
On the very bottom of the priority totem pole would have to be items that might be referred to as, ‘pet projects’ or fun or cool stuff. And while maybe good and worthwhile causes, these kinds of activities should only receive city time/energy/money components when everything else has been attended to and completed. In this category might reside involvement with churches, food trucks, and non-profits.
What else? Encompassing all city business practices we really should expect that the Council people and City Manager hold forth the highest standards and look out for our best interest when dealing with neighboring cities, employees, service providers, contractors, or other governmental entities.
The upshot of all the aforementioned is that it is the City’s duty to provide the best, most effective services at the most efficient price. We do not want or need frills that are not directly related to their mandate. The highest standards must be the watchword.
The city council needs to take care of things that they are mandated to look after, at a world-class level, and they will have no need to campaign to get re-elected.
…And that’s just the way I see it.
Jul
14
How the world sees Los Alamitos
Filed Under Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities | 3 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 7/14/2011) by “Highlands Guy:” How does the world see us?
I don’t mean just our friends in Seal Beach or Arcadia, but our families in Vilnius, Lithuania or Haifa, Israel, or a potential business owner from Bangkok, Thailand.
The face that we put forth via today’s Read more
Jul
11
Lexington & Los Al Blvds, & left turn into 24 hour fitness on Monday Council Agenda
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Los Alamitos Priorities, Parks and Recreation, Planning & Zoning, Uncategorized | 3 Comments
Monday’s 7 p.m. regular Council meeting has a heavy and interesting agenda, primarily consisting of 4 “Discussion Items,” 8 A – D on the agenda, in order:
8A: $35,000 for “Outreach” on Los Al Blvd.
(Pages 37 – 68 of the agenda package) The “Los Alamitos Blvd. Revitalization Project” seems to only focus on Los Al between Katella & Cerritos. When the Council first received SCAGs “Compass Blueprint” for Katella and Los Alamitos Blvd., I was surprised the Council immediately chose to focus only on this one city block of Los Al Blvd. Especially since the proposal was to slow traffic by narrowing the already congested artery which is the only through north-south street between Studebaker Rd. and Valley View.
Originally the Council’s idea was for the city to seek grant money to proceed. However, when none was forthcoming, the Council just Read more
Jul
7
Easier said than done
Filed Under 2011 Issues, Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities | 1 Comment
(7/7/11, Los Alamitos) by “Highlands Guy”
I have been making a concerted effort to be consistent with my admonition to live, work and play in Los Alamitos. But, alas, I must confess that it has not been easy and I have strayed far too many times over the past few years.
The reasons I think up are many and varied, but seem to be rooted in either my laziness or just a need for something that has a different kind of quality than the local options.
Play
The older kid, back home after his first year of dorm-life, wanted to play tennis like we did before university and before marching band addiction. So we’re talking five years ago. And just like then, our first choice, and those we Read more
Jul
4
2 versions of what the 4th of July is all about
Filed Under Decency, Los Alamitos Priorities, News you can use | Leave a Comment
(7/4/2011, Los Alamitos) It’s easy to forget exactly what we’re celebrating on Independence Day, but what took place 235 years ago today was truly one of the most significant events in the history of not just our nation, but our world.
It took great courage for the 56 signers to pledge “our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor” “for the support of this Declaration,” but their support was bolstered “with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence.” Thanks to their courage, and the sacrifices of so many, today we can sing “God bless America,” rather than “God save the Queen.”
Below is the entire Declaration of Independence, followed by a Read more
Jun
30
You’re from Los Alamitos if. . .
Filed Under Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities, Rossmoor | 9 Comments
(6/30/2011, Los Alamitos) Once again our Highlands Guy gets us thinking with his unique perspective. by Highlands Guy:
Maybe one way to judge how to tell how we’re doing, as a city, is to look at what local icon you identify with. Is it one that is actually within the city’s borders, is it close by, or is it something more amorphous?
Is this for fun? Well, yes. But if we really look at our collective answers, perhaps it will show us where to put our precious diminishing resources, or it may show that we’re doing pretty darned good.
What would be your first response to the question, “Where do you live?” Mine is Read more
Jun
10
Special Los Al Council Meeting 8:30 Monday morning, 6/13
Filed Under City Council Meetings, Los Alamitos Priorities | 1 Comment
(Los Alamitos, 6/10/2011)The Los Alamitos City Council will hold a special meeting this Monday morning to expedite approval of the final parcel map for the medical office condominium building that’s been going up for the past two years at 3742, across Katella from the Los Alamitos Medical Center.
The special meeting is needed so the document can record prior to June 20th, when the next Regular City Council Meeting is scheduled.
I’ve e-mailed city officials for more details, but City Hall’s closed today, and so far I haven’t heard back. I’m having some difficulty understanding why the City needs to spend our tax dollars to hold a Special Council Meeting because some medical office developer couldn’t figure out how to get his paperwork turned in in time for this past Monday’s Regular Council Meeting, but Read more
Feb
24
Is The Youth Center a “Sacred Cow?”
Filed Under Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities, Parks and Recreation | 14 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 2/24/2011) When our Highlands Guy e-mailed me the following post this morning, he included this comment to me:
“I’ve thought about this one for some time, but with all the more important issues, wasn’t sure if it is an appropriate time to put it out. I’ll bet it rankles a few feathers, but just thought it might reveal some answers that I have been unable to uncover.”
I’m not sure I agree with all his conclusions, but this Thursday’s weekly Highlands Guy post raises issues I wasn’t even aware of. Read on (bolding and headings mine):
(by Highlands Guy:) WARNING: ONE MAY GET UPSET BY WHAT THEY THINK THEY HAVE READ IN THE FOLLOWING TEXT. DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE. And rest assured, if you read the words carefully you will understand the real point. I am not in attack mode, I’m just asking some questions and these times call out for hard looks at everything, even sacred cows.
Over the years my experiences with the Los Alamitos Youth Center have been Read more
Feb
15
Time to “Fight on” or give up on LAMC traffic & conditions?
Filed Under 2011 Issues, City Council Meetings, Los Al Medical Center, Los Alamitos Priorities, Planning & Zoning | Leave a Comment
(Los Alamitos, 2/15/2011) As Bell’s ongoing crisis illustrates, most California cities lack many of the checks and balances our founding fathers put into our Federal government. A legislative branch (City Council), some supervision by state and federal courts, and that’s about it. Not even two houses in the legislative branch.
That’s one reason most cities require a second “reading,” or vote, by the city council to approve laws and other major items, such as the LAMC’s 10 – 25 year expansion plan & rezoning.
Another check and balance is the Planning Commission, which is distinct from all other commissions in that it is mandated by the state as an independent agency to protect against corruption or unwise decisions of the City Council. That’s why some of us still question the legality of the Council’s decision to Read more
Nov
18
On City Managers
Filed Under City Council, Highlands Guy's Thursday column, Los Alamitos Priorities | 5 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 11/18/2010) It’s Thursday, so it’s time for a break from Dave and some thoughts from our Thursday columnist, “Highlands Guy.”
Something’s got him thinking about City Managers, an interesting job, as you can see from this picture of our own Jeff Stewart kicking off his tenure here investigating compost at the Base a year and a half ago.
Our Highlands Guy offers good insights that have changed my thinking on a topic that, as he explains, should always be Read more
Oct
10
EIR on Tenet’s plan to double Los Al hospital bed count tonight @ 7
Filed Under 2010 Issues, Commission Meetings, Community News, Los Al Medical Center, Los Alamitos Priorities, Planning & Zoning | 3 Comments
Phase I: Build Tenet's biggest Los Al Medical Office Building yet between their brick building & "Total Care Pavilion" with a 6 level parking structure behind it.
(10/11/10, Los Alamitos) The first phase of the only public hearing scheduled on the hospital is today at the 7 p.m. Planning Commission meeting.
The plan will allow Tenet to lock in the right to build two additional, 4 story hospital buildings, one new office building, and two parking structures over the next 25 years.
The massive EIR is now online, well over 500 pages. This link takes you to the table of contents, which has the links to the individual sections.
A good place to start may be the Executive Summary, especially pages 11 – 13.
Or you may the table of contents (top link above) to decide where you want to start.
I found the summary table “Comparison of Alternatives on p. 20 of section 6.0, Summary of Alternatives helpful.
I also spent some time scanning through Section 5.3 on Traffic.
Keep in mind, this is a specific plan, that is, a “zone within a zone”. That means that if it’s approved Tenet can proceed without complying with the standards required of any other developer.
For example, if the standard is one parking space for every 500 sq feet of floor area for a normal development, in a Specific Plan the standard could change to one parking space for every 1000 sq fee of floor area.
I find it troubling that the city can Read more
Oct
28
Los Al Med Center meets with Community Activists
Filed Under 2009 Issues, Development, Los Alamitos Priorities, Planning & Zoning | 11 Comments
(Los Alamitos, 10/28/2009) (Intro by Dave Emerson:) There’s been plenty of noise and discussion lately about the Los Alamitos Medical Center’s future development plans. The LAMC apparently decided to be proactive and invited three of the “squeaky wheels” to their facility for a discussion this past Monday, 10/26/2009.
Those attendees have issued a very interesting report on that meeting. I was amazed to learn Read more