Surprise: council votes are sometimes 5-0
A divided City Council has been at the center of attention lately, including comment in this column devoted to the many 3-2 votes pitting the John Anderson, Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing majority block against the Jan Horton-Jim Winder minority faction.
The split votes deal with important issues: an ethics ordinance, council member conflict- of-interest policies, the eastside sewer situation, a police services study and other matters.
But the battling governing body members also agree on a few topics, and, surprisingly, the consensus comes on weightier items than approving the minutes or warrant register.
Here’s a look at some issues garnering the hard-to-attain 5-0 votes in past weeks:
--Two unanimous actions—a Jan. 19 vote “to explore various mechanisms to construct a new library in the Town Center” and a March 16 vote on allowing a request for proposal for a library building program to proceed—indicate council support for a new facility.
Financing for a new building might come from two sources: funds accumulating in the library capital improvement budget since the loan for a 1992 renovation was paid off in 2005 and bonds backed by property tax revenue from the city’s Redevelopment Agency.
The Agency sold bonds in 2005 for a new fire station that has yet to be built, and more could be sold, supported by the $20 million in the increased property taxes collected in the Town Center and Savi Ranch redevelopment project areas each year.
A building program document “will generate a feasible cost range” for a new library, according to a report prepared by Library Director Melinda Steep. The 32,400 square-foot facility completed in Tustin last year cost $29.3 million, including furnishings.
--Unanimous votes relating to the Veterans Memorial certainly weren’t controversial, but the balloting proved the often-feuding officials can at times act in the city’s best interests.
A well-intentioned idea to rename the section of Valley View Avenue between Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway as Veterans Way was deftly turned aside as costly for the city and the 20 residences and businesses with Valley View addresses.
Instead, the council directed staff “to develop directional signs to call attention to the memorial,” which was dedicated at Veterans Park last year. A prior council voted to change the park’s name from Valley View Sports Park in 2005.
Council also approved adding bricks to honor veterans and active duty military personnel to the memorial’s Walk of Honor and a commemorative plaque for Sue Fenwick, “whose efforts were instrumental in the construction and erection of the memorial.” Information on purchasing bricks is available at www.ylvma.org.
--A quick council “consent calendar” vote approved a fourth one-year contract extension for trimming city-owned trees with no price increase from the current $37.35 per tree fee.
The split votes deal with important issues: an ethics ordinance, council member conflict- of-interest policies, the eastside sewer situation, a police services study and other matters.
But the battling governing body members also agree on a few topics, and, surprisingly, the consensus comes on weightier items than approving the minutes or warrant register.
Here’s a look at some issues garnering the hard-to-attain 5-0 votes in past weeks:
--Two unanimous actions—a Jan. 19 vote “to explore various mechanisms to construct a new library in the Town Center” and a March 16 vote on allowing a request for proposal for a library building program to proceed—indicate council support for a new facility.
Financing for a new building might come from two sources: funds accumulating in the library capital improvement budget since the loan for a 1992 renovation was paid off in 2005 and bonds backed by property tax revenue from the city’s Redevelopment Agency.
The Agency sold bonds in 2005 for a new fire station that has yet to be built, and more could be sold, supported by the $20 million in the increased property taxes collected in the Town Center and Savi Ranch redevelopment project areas each year.
A building program document “will generate a feasible cost range” for a new library, according to a report prepared by Library Director Melinda Steep. The 32,400 square-foot facility completed in Tustin last year cost $29.3 million, including furnishings.
--Unanimous votes relating to the Veterans Memorial certainly weren’t controversial, but the balloting proved the often-feuding officials can at times act in the city’s best interests.
A well-intentioned idea to rename the section of Valley View Avenue between Yorba Linda Boulevard and Imperial Highway as Veterans Way was deftly turned aside as costly for the city and the 20 residences and businesses with Valley View addresses.
Instead, the council directed staff “to develop directional signs to call attention to the memorial,” which was dedicated at Veterans Park last year. A prior council voted to change the park’s name from Valley View Sports Park in 2005.
Council also approved adding bricks to honor veterans and active duty military personnel to the memorial’s Walk of Honor and a commemorative plaque for Sue Fenwick, “whose efforts were instrumental in the construction and erection of the memorial.” Information on purchasing bricks is available at www.ylvma.org.
--A quick council “consent calendar” vote approved a fourth one-year contract extension for trimming city-owned trees with no price increase from the current $37.35 per tree fee.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 AM
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