Foothills Sentry October 2020

Foothills Sentry Page 2 PEACE OF MIND PROTECTION for your home or business S E R V I C E S I N C SECURITY JADTEC 714 282 0828 jadtec.com ACO4202 October 2020 Circulation … 43,400 Published on the last Tuesday of each month and distributed to residences, businesses, libraries and civic centers. 714-532-4406 Fax: 714-532-6755 foothillssentry.com 1107 E. Chapman Ave., #207 Orange, CA 92866 © Foothills Sentry 2020 Publisher/Editor Anita Bennyhoff 1969-2013 Editor Tina Richards editor@foothillssentry.com Sports Editor Cliff Robbins sportseditor@att.net Graphic Designer Aimee Armstrong graphics@foothillssentry.com Advertising Sales Andie Mills advertising@foothillssentry.com 714-926-9299 Office Manager Kathy Eidson officemanager@foothillssentry. com The Best News In Town Since 1969 Split vote keeps Orange council pay at bay A city ordinance granting mod- est stipends to Orange council members failed to pass in a 2-2 vote at the Sept. 8 council meet- ing. Three votes are needed for any council action to proceed. The proposed ordinance was originally discussed during the June council meeting, when con- cerns were raised that the lack of compensation for members might prevent some citizens from run- ning in this November’s by-dis- trict election. Agreeing that the ”time is not right” in June, the council contin- ued the question of compensation until September. Were it to pass, it would have taken effect follow- ing the Nov. 3 election. Timing is everything With council members Mike Alvarez and Chip Monaco ad- vocating for the proposed $600 per month stipend, Mayor Mark Murphy and Councilwoman Kim Nichols held fast to the argument that the time was “still not right.” Monaco maintained that sti- pends might encourage people to run for office who would oth- erwise have to choose between staying at work or attending a council meeting. “There isn’t a right time for this discussion,” he said, “but it’s absolutely the right thing to do.” Alvarez agreed, noting that, “not everyone can afford to be here (on the council).” Nichols maintained that in light of today’s economy, now is the wrong time to introduce stipends for council members. “Commu- nications on this have not been global" she said. "There is some support for it; some people per- ceive it as political. My gut says now isn’t the right time. I’m not opposed to it in the future, just not right now.” Something for nothing Murphy, noting that city em- ployees were asked to work with- out getting the raises they were due, echoed Nichols’ remarks. While the ordinance stated that the stipend was optional, that council members did not have to accept it, Murphy and Nich- ols would not relent. They voted against the ordinance; Alvarez and Monaco voted to approve it. Orange council members re- ceived salary, health and retire- ment benefits until November 2011, when the then-council eliminated all forms of compen- sation. Orange, Tustin and Villa Park are the only cities in the county that do not offer compensation to council members. Tustin resi- dents voted to eliminate salaries and benefits for its council repre- sentatives in 2012. This Novem- ber, Tustin voters will be asked to reinstate a $600 per month salary with no additional benefits. North Tustin chips away at fire danger North Tustin residents cleared brush and plant debris from around their homes to participate in the community’s third annual “Chipper Day,” Sept. 12. The 2020 residential chipper program was sponsored by FCA Fire Safe Council, a committee of the Foot- hill Communities Association (FCA). With the increasing potential for wildfires in the area, and for the safety of all residents, home- owners were asked to inspect their properties and ensure there is ad- equate space to provide firefight- ers access and a safe area from which to defend an encroaching threat. Annual “Chipper Day” is a key resource to help North Tustin residents get rid of plant debris and dry vegetation. It is recom- mended home owners clear brush 30-100 feet from their homes to create a buffer between build- ings and any wildland around them. This defensible space zone around residential property is vi- tal, as it also reduces the risk fire will spread from one area to an- other. Each year, “Chipper Day” in- creases in popularity. During this year’s event, large volumes of material were processed from about 60 truckloads of vegeta- tion debris brought to the site on Overhill Drive, adjacent to Pe- ters Canyon Regional Park. Park West Landscape Inc. and liaison Roxie Bryant provided the chip- ping machine to dispose of plant material. The service was free to residents. Volunteers from Team Rubicon offered curbside pickup, when requested by residents. FCA President Rick Nelson and vol- unteers Roxie Bryant, John Sears, Bruce Junor and Tony Coco were on hand to help. Kathy and Walt Ashford brought lunch for vol- unteers and workers. The process was efficient, and all who came were in and out quickly. A load of logs and heavy brush is unloaded and dispatched into the chipper by Park West Landscape, Inc.