Foothills Sentry July 2023

Page 5 Foothills Sentry July 2023 Circulation … 40,000 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. Printing by Advantage, Inc. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 © Foothills Sentry 2023 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Jef Maddock graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager Kathy Eidson officemanager@foothillssentry. com notice limited the public’s right to speak, and that commenters should be given the three minutes they had counted on. It’s not appropriate to change it on the spot, Erickson added. Three minutes per speaker prevailed. Take the plunge John Ortega inveighed that at that rate, the board wouldn’t get to the discussion item about the proposed Villa Park High swimming pool (which had already been moved ahead on the agenda) until 11 p.m. As there were students who wanted to speak on that item, he said, that meant keeping them up late. “OK,” Ledesma said. “Let’s vote to take comments on the pool first,” reversing his decision to give the floor to the non-agenda item speakers. Those public comments, taken out of order and hours before the Villa Park pool update was heard, further delayed the topics requiring board action. And there was still an hour’s worth of Item 6 speakers to accommodate. Many of those speakers admitted they lived outside the district, did not have children or any personal experience with OUSD. They railed against the teachers' union and claimed teachers were “grooming” kids to become gay, lesbian or transgender. They lamented that “real history” was not taught in schools, that children were coerced to attend drag queen story times, and that the recall of Madison Miner and Rick Ledesma was funded by Planned Parenthood. A local pastor offered prayer and religious support because, “the district needs that.” In and out A parent who attends every board meeting and supports the recall, noted the commonality of the commenters. “You stacked the comments in favor of those against the recall,” he said. “You told them how to submit comment cards. None of these people were here when the cards were submitted. One person probably submitted them all.” Later, another speaker noted that “none of those people are still here. They came with talking points that they are making in other places, and walked straight out the door. We,” he said, referring to the parents who have attended every meeting, “are still here.” Sometime between the last board meeting and this one, someone found that the board bylaws state that if a meeting goes beyond 10 p.m., the board must vote to extend it. At 20 minutes before 11 p.m., the board extended the meeting until 12. A little before midnight, it was extended to 12:45 a.m., then later, to 1:20 a.m. Each vote to extend required a discussion about the length of the agenda, the need to address action items, the value of the information items, the urgency of the consent calendar, and the public’s expectation that they would be allowed to comment on all agendized topics. Down to business After finally hearing two of the four action items, the Local Control and Accountability Plan just after 11 p.m., and the 2023- 24 proposed budget at 11:20, the board debated what topics could be continued to another meeting. After considerable back and forth, it was agreed to hear the remaining two action items (district reserves, an easement to Anaheim), and the consent calendar. Presentations about deferred maintenance and the "Out of Order OUSD" continued from page 5 comments back to Item 6. Few people knew of the change and filled out comment cards for Item 17. Board members themselves weren’t aware of the change. Both Erickson and Andrea Yamasaki noted that Ledesma was changing the rules and moving things around without notice. Two dozen speakers, however, somehow knew to list Item 6, not 17. Ledesma was prepared to give them the floor. There were 24 speakers for that topic, he said, so each person would be limited to one minute. Board bylaws give the public three minutes to make their points, but many public agencies limit speaker time when the schedule demands it. A 15-minute board discussion ensued, with some members noting that non-agenda comments have been held until last, and, if that has changed, then Item 17 comments should be taken at the same time. There was haggling over Ledesma’s one-minute rule, with suggestions for two minutes or 1.5 minutes instead. Yamasaki pointed out that changing the time limit without VPHS pool would be continued to a future meeting. Ortega insisted that the pool presentation be given that night. He pointed out that the pool consultants had waited five hours to be heard and should be given that opportunity. Ledesma acquiesced, allowing the pool presentation to follow the consent calendar. Ortega had been off in his earlier estimation that the pool discussion would be close to 11 p.m. It started at 1 a.m. And ended abruptly at 1:47 a.m. Members of the public have continually asked Ortega about his possible connections with the ORCA swim group. ORCA uses OUSD pools and would benefit from an Olympic-sized pool at Villa Park. A parent had, this night, asked Ortega if he had a family member affiliated with ORCA. He did not answer. In the waning minutes of the meeting, Yamasaki asked him again if he had a family member working with ORCA. She said the public needed to know, in the interest of transparency. He refused to answer. Yamasaki asked again. And again. Ortega got up to leave, and Rick Ledesma immediately adjourned the meeting. Pet peeve Dear Editor: A dear friend whose 15-year- old dog just died asked for help in finding a new fur baby. I asked her to try Orange County Animal Care (OCAC) in Tustin, as the animals there have little chance to make it out alive, or even be seen, as they are locked away and the public is not allowed to interact. The shelter is usually at full capacity and euthanizing many beautiful adoptable animals. I warned her that the shelter doors are not open to the public and that you must make an appointment. You can select two dogs/cats to meet in person. It would take 140 visits to the shelter to see all the animals available for adoption. OCAC should be ashamed. How should our tax dollars be spent at OCAC? Pretty simple. • Prepare companion animals for placement in loving forever homes. Provide them with proper medical care, maximize opportunities for socialization and adoption, and address treatable (and possibly induced) behavioral issues positively and proactively. • Provide transparent and honest metrics that link to relevant performance goals. Like any other homeless shelter, animal shelters should be focused on successful outcomes, which is placing homeless animals in compatible homes. That said, accurately measuring and reporting the negative outcomes in euthanasia, extended length of stay, drops in adoptions, are critical to understanding areas for needed improvement. • Have the three taxpayer- funded empty surgical suites dedicated to low-cost spay and neutering programs. Despite the $35 million taxpayers funded to build the shelter, and the annual $29 million funding to run it, it should not take 140 visits/appointments to see the animals needing homes. The OC Board of Supervisors is responsible for oversight, as are the cities that pay the OCAC for inexistent animal services. Taxpayers and animals deserve better. Over the last five years, length of stay increased over 100% for dogs, and 60% for cats. Euthanasia rates increased to 5%, despite a 25% reduction in intake of new animals. Return rates have increased for both dogs (10.6% to 11.7%) and cats (4.2% to 5.2%). The numbers are going in the wrong direction. Michelle Schumacher OC anmal activist VP Rotary Endowment awards scholarships Villa Park Rotary Endowment Fund awarded four scholarships to graduating Villa Park High and Santiago Canyon College students. The fund has been endowed by three families. The Scott Family Scholarship Fund awarded two students pursuing health care careers with $2,000 each. This year’s recipients were Sarah Hussein, who plans to become a physician’s assistant, and Grecia De La Cruz, who has been accepted in the Chapman University Pharmacy Program. The Rich Freschi Memorial Fund awards $1,000 to a Villa Park High School graduating student pursuing a vocational school education and career. This year the award went to Adolfo Vergara, who will be attending school to become an auto mechanic. TheMark R. Schmidt Memorial Fund of $500 is awarded to a Santiago Canyon College student who best embodies leadership qualities, academic success, the Rotary spirit of “Service Above Self,” and intends to continue their education at a four-year university. This year’s recipient, Samantha Quezada, had an outstanding academic career at Santiago Canyon College; she received the SCC President’s Special Recognition Award for her outstanding academic achievement and contributions to the school. Quezada will be attending a leadership seminar at Stanford University and intends to study law. The Endowment committee is made up of Villa Park Rotarians: Chairman Bill Underwood, and Pam Dunn, Vito Canuso, Roy Berelowitz, Mark Hurd, Jose Vargas and Stephen Ashley. Villa Park Rotary meets on Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. at Villa Park City Hall; new members are welcome, see rotaryclubofvillapark.org. Orange council rejects added restrictions on leaf blowers A proposed city ordinance to further restrict leaf blower noise and boost enforcement was rejected by the Orange City Council, May 23. The ordinance, amending leaf blower restrictions already in place, was introduced by Councilman John Gyllenhammer, at the request of citizen complaints about the incessant, disruptive noise caused by the gas-powered gardening equipment. The proposed ordinance would restrict the maximum decibels allowed for leaf blowers to 65 decibels, reduce the hours that leaf blowers may be operated in residential areas (8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday), and extend responsibility for violations to property owners as well as leaf blower operators. Enforcement would be easier under the amended ordinance. The original 70 decibel maximum required that noise measurements be taken from 50 feet, meaning the complainant had to be equipped with a measuring device and follow the movement of the blower from 50 feet away. Because most leaf blowers display the maximum noise level on the equipment itself, code enforcement would need only to look at it to see if it exceeded 65. Several city council members objected to the language in the new ordinance, as well as the need for the ordinance itself. “Leaf blowers are not a burning issue,” Denis Bilodeau asserted. “As of Jan. 1, gas powered mowers and leaf blowers won’t be sold in California. The issue will take care of itself. It would be awkward to confront your landscaper and examine his tools. We should leave the ordinance as it is.” Kathy Tavoularis said she was uncomfortable with making the property owner liable; a property owner shouldn’t be responsible for the equipment a gardener is using. She agreed with the lower decibel level and reduced hours of operation, but being able to cite the property owner is just “one more thing property owners have to put up with in Orange.” John Gyllenhammer explained that the current code was written in the 1990s and is unenforceable; it was in the spirit of enforceability that the new code was drafted. “I don’t expect an uptick in violations," he said. “It just gives residents an opportunity to engage.” “This ordinance is worthless as it stands,” Mayor Dan Slater added. “Ordinances get old, they need to be updated. Either the old ordinance needs to be entirely thrown out, or we can tweak it to benefit citizens and be enforceable. Residents have asked for this.” Gyllenhammer said he was willing to delete property owner liability from the ordinance. “So, we’re going after the gardeners?” Jon Dumitru asked. “They’re already struggling, and we want to regulate them out of business.” Mayor Pro Tem Arianna Barrios abstained from the vote. Ana Gutierrez was absent. The vote was three (Dumitru, Bilodeau, Tavoularis) against, two (Gyllenhammer, Slater) in favor. Womans Club to hold evening meeting The Woman’s Club of Orange is reaching out to women in the community who may not be able to attend its regular daytime programs. All are invited to an evening meeting on Monday, July 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be at the Clubhouse, 121 S. Center St. For more information about the many activities and philanthropies and membership, see womanscluboforange.org .