EYE ON SJC
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LOCAL NEWS & IN-DEPTH REPORTING
SAN CLEMENTE City Council members seemed open to finding new ways of financing potential beach sand replenishment, including asking voters to pay into an ongoing maintenance fund, similar to the Clean Ocean Fee. Marine Safety Chief Bill Humphreys said the city is still in the running for a potential Army Corps of Engineers project that would provide for large scale work, between Linda Lane and T Street beaches. The city currently utilizes twice-yearly sand pushing to keep up the sand supply, but, Humphrey said, that does not stop the slow erosion of the beach. Mayor Tim Brown said he is open to asking city voters if they’d agree to tax themselves, to pay directly into a beach sand replenishment fund, since it would likely be an ongoing issue that could not be addresses solely from the city’s general fund.
DANA POINT
NEWS
NEXT DOOR WH AT ’S GOI N G O N I N OU R NE IGH B O R I N G TOWN S
In addition to widening Interstate 5 between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano to add a high-occupancy vehicle lane, and the reconstruction of the Avenida Pico interchange, the Orange County Transportation Agency is embarking on other projects to reduce congestion, ease traffic flow and improve local roadway safety. OCTA has begun work to sync traffic signals along Antonio and Crown Valley parkways. The project garnered approval from the OC Board of Supervisors, which includes partnerships with local cities. Work on Crown Valley Parkway will impact 30 traffic signals along 9 miles of road, from Pacific Coast Highway in Dana Point to Antonio Parkway in Ladera Ranch. New equipment will be installed in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel. The project is currently underway and is expected to cost $459,000. Log onto www.octa.net/I-5Pico for updates.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO’S TOP 5 HOTTEST TOPICS
What’s Up With... 1
…Byrnes’ Apology?
THE LATEST: City Councilman Roy Byrnes apologized last Tuesday for comparing fellow council members to World War II dictators and the Ku Klux Klan but maintained his belief that they acted similarly to Adolf Hitler’s intimidation squads while countering petition gatherers trying to recall Mayor Sam Allevato. “If I came up perhaps too emotionally or too steadfastly, then certainly you are due an apology,” Byrnes said to Allevato and Councilmen Larry Kramer and John Taylor. Along with his apology, however, Byrnes also referred to Allevato and his supporters as a “goon squad” and likened them to Hitler’s brown shirts, members of the Nazi Party who helped the dictator rise to power. “In my mind, it was not similar. It was identical,” Byrnes said. Byrnes’ statement followed demands for an apology from the three councilmen, as well as several residents who came up to speak. Kramer said Byrnes had “gone a step way too far.” WHAT’S NEXT: Recall supporters have until March 7 to gather 3,503 signatures, 20 percent of San Juan’s registered voters, to enact a special election. FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.
– Brian Park
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…the News Rack Lawsuit?
THE LATEST: Attorneys for a local newspaper that sued the city of San Juan Capistrano over a closed-session decision to remove news racks at city properties are challenging an attempt to remove three council members and the city attorney The Capistrano Dispatch February 28–March 13, 2014
from the lawsuit. Wayne P. Tate, the lawyer for Community Common Sense, filed papers last week challenging a motion filed by attorneys for the city, who wish to strike the names of Mayor Sam Allevato, Councilmen Larry Kramer and John Taylor, and City Attorney Hans Van Ligten from the lawsuit. “This argument, if sustained, will set the precedent that elected and appointed government officials are authorized to violate the First Amendment of the citizens they represent with virtual impunity,” Tate wrote. The city’s motion argues that the lawsuit threatens the four men’s freedom of speech, using the state’s anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, which is intended to protect citizens from litigation that threatens to silence or intimidate them from public participation. Last week, publishers for Common Sense announced that lawyers from the First Amendment Project, an Oaklandbased nonprofit organization, will join Tate as co-counsel. WHAT’S NEXT: The anti-SLAPP motion is scheduled to be heard in Orange County Superior Court on March 6 by Judge James Di Cesare. FIND OUT MORE: For the full story and updates, visit www.thecapistranodispatch. com. – BP
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…the Phone Scam?
THE LATEST: The city of San Juan Capistrano is warning its water customers of a potential phone scam that asks for credit card information to settle water bills. In a statement released by the city last week, a San Juan water customer reported that they had received a phone call requesting payment for an overdue account and to provide a credit card number.
The call was automated and prompted the caller to enter information through their phone keypad, according to city spokesperson Lori Doll. WHAT’S NEXT: The city said it does not contact customers for bill payments by phone, and if a customer receives a suspicious phone call, they should hang up and call the city’s water billing department at 949.493.1515. FIND OUT MORE: For more information, visit www.sanjuancapistrano.org. – BP
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…the Superintendent Search?
THE LATEST: The Capistrano Unified School District is asking for the community’s input in their search for the next superintendent. Parents, students, community members and CUSD employees are invited to participate in an online survey to provide their input on desirable attributes of the next superintendent. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, the school board selected national firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates to conduct the search. Superintendent Joe Farley announced that he will retire on June 30, after four years at the head of the district and a 40-plus-year career as an educator. WHAT’S NEXT: Two community forums were held earlier this week. The online survey, which will be up until Sunday, March 2, can be accessed at http://goo. gl/Q0DQvp. The search firm will take the public’s input and present that information, along with a leadership profile and candidate criteria, during the board’s March 12 meeting. The district expects to name a new superintendent in May, according to a release.
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FIND OUT MORE: For more information, visit www.capousd.org. – Brian Park
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…the TCA?
THE LATEST: Members of the Foothill/ Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency board unanimously rescinded a 2008 resolution giving the chairperson and CEO special contracting authorities made outside the public’s eye. With it, CEO Neil Peterson and Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett were stripped of the authority to cosign contracts outside the public’s scope. The 6-year-old board statute gave the two the authority to sign contracts worth up to $25,000 for legislative support and strategy measures. The CEO could executive such contracts alone, but extensions had to be approved by the chairperson. WHAT’S NEXT: At the body’s Feb. 13 meeting, Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer criticized the power. “Once an elected official is on the record as hiding from the public’s scope, trust is lost,” Spitzer said. Spitzer noted he believed Bartlett was acting within her authority as chair. The problem, however, was her authority was granted by previous boards, and the decision to continue the resolution was “hidden” in budget approvals, he said. Bartlett said she was following “standard operating procedure” and that nearly every other agency in Orange County operates under the same procedure, allowing an executive to sign for certain items. “Our policy is actually more restrictive, with regard to dollar amount,” Bartlett said. “We also have the chairman sign off on the resolution.” FIND OUT MORE: For the full story, visit www.thecapistranodispatch.com.
– Andrea Papagianis and Jim Shilander www.thecapistranodispatch.com