Foothills Sentry October 2020

Page 5 Foothills Sentry October 2020 Allyson Damikolas The deadline is the headline, especially for canyon residents eager to vote on Silverado- Modjeska Parks and Recreation District Board (SMRPD) member replacements for the nearly irre- placeable Tara Saraya (president) and indefatigable Francesca Duff (treasurer). The secretary posi- tion, two years remaining, was re- cently vacated, and will, by press time, likely have been filled via board appointment. In the race for the two positions on the ballot are Celeste Veerkamp, Julie “Rusty” Morris and Michelle Agopian of, respectively, Silverado, Silverado and Jackson Ranch. Veerkamp and Morris are run- ning as a two-woman slate. In response to questions about mo- tivation, residency, potential con- flicts of interest and the Sil-Mod Plan, all three candidates ex- pressed vigorous and unanimous support for our land-use bible. All affirmed their full-time resi- dency and understanding of this government position’s expecta- tions. Veerkamp credited her late neighbor and activist Connie Nel- son with inspiring her candidacy. Morris noted her time here, citing purchase of her very first property on Shadybrook in 1976. Agopian, who described herself as spouse of an active-duty Marine, dog- mom, and horse lover is “running as a Silverado businesswoman.” All registered canyon voters will receive vote-by-mail ballots. SMRPD is, with the cooperation (sometimes non-cooperation, in- tervention or obliviousness) of the supervisors, our singular self- governance entity. Failing grades It’s certainly hard to shock longtimeModjeska resident Geoff Sarkissian, but here’s his response to news of illegal dumping on the 150-acre property at 17345 San- tiago Canyon Road: “Look at the quantity—-230,000 cubic yards, that’s an enormous pile of some- thing.” Recent calls to county code enforcement revealed what might actually be the conclusion of a nearly 30-year saga involv- ing investigation and prosecution of likely disposal of green waste and construction materials, the landowner lately complying --- perhaps over-complying! --- with required remediation. Ironically, multiple complaints regarding owner Peter Katelaris’ alleged naughty behavior were the result of high-volume clean-up efforts begun in early summer, including restoration and a revised plan to address the safety threat (includ- ing fire) and negative environ- mental impact on two canyons and a federally protected pond. Public Works has more patience with scofflaws than do locals, with Mo Canyon residents an- noyed by earth moving, dredging and, yes, illegal legal grading day and night. Citation of this further violation moved, pun intended, the landowner, who lives next door to the property, to speed up long overdue work. Just add water Residents might recall a di- sastrous December 2010 debris flow resulting from a tenant and Civic engagement Registration deadline: Oct. 19 absentee landowner on Modjeska Canyon Road who’d conspired to allow construction site dumping that destroyed the “downstream” property of Chris Riegle and Mary Nolan-Riegle, landscaping and a Prius or two, and cost the county plenty to repair the road. Wagner understands Your (un)humble scribe faith- fully reads those weirdly titled email communiques from our Third District Supervisor, a com- mitment to both civic engage- ment and staying amused. Don Wagner’s recent “Supervisor’s Scoop” (insert scatological hu- mor here) didn’t disappoint, and led to an exchange for the ages, if your age is about 10, which would make you a fifth grader. Here, the original, to which a reader (me) responded with a query about which teachers’ unions exactly provided Wagner (presumably via constituents) “conflicting information.” “I understand many families and children are struggling out there with this situation, all of them determined to safely edu- cate their children but getting conflicting information from the State, the media, and, often, the teachers’ unions.” I admire civic poetry, so repro- duce in its entirety, the Scooper- visor’s response, noting a single reference to a faraway union with, of course, a reliable attack on the (Democratic) governor. “Your [sic] request clarity but seem to misread the sentence you quote. I did not say I have been provided conflicting information by teachers’ unions. I said fami- lies have been provided conflict- ing information. For example, the state originally said that schools were only going to be allowed to open on-line, and then allowed to open with waivers, and then al- lowed to open in person on Sept. 8, and now not allowed to open in person until Sept. 22 – and that is only if the governor does not again change the rules. L.A. Uni- fied’s teachers’ union reportedly said there would be no reopening until a list of other demands were met, irrespective of whichever of the governor’s three reopen- ing schemes was in place at the time. Meanwhile, local teachers’ unions were cooperating with the county on the waiver process. The media is reporting all of these differing and changing po- sitions. Dan Walters published a very nice column this week in the Register outlining the governor’s three schemes rolled out during the pandemic. These are conflict internally [sic] with each other. So yes, families are struggling with conflicting information from the State, the media, and often, the teachers’ unions.” Perhaps, as your Canyon Beat reporter does, other constituents and their families will find com- fort in the Supervisor’s insistence on conflicting information. Mayoral candidate urges debate on Measure AA Orange mayoral candidate Adrienne Gladson, at a virtual forum sponsored by the Orange Chamber of Commerce, chal- lenged Mayor Mark Murphy to a debate on Measure AA, the ballot measure seeking voter approval for the embattled Santiago Creek Project in East Orange. “Since Measure AA did not come up,” Gladson said, “we need to talk about this measure -- just the two of us. I’m ready to talk about this measure any day, any time. This is a critical issue on who people choose for mayor. We deserve to know the truth.” Gladson, a former chair of the Orange Planning Commission and a certified city planner, has raised planning, safety, and fis- cal concerns about the embattled Santiago Creek Project from the beginning. Murphy declined the opportu- nity to debate the issue. Villa Park Women’s League cultivates membership By Betsy Little The Baril’s lovely lawn was the setting for the VPWL 2020-21 kickoff General Meeting. Serenaded by Chris Arpad on his steel drums, members learned about small group league activi- ties, including Petal Pushers gar- dening group. Third District Supervisor Don Wagner recognized Marie Steu- ber and Eva Wyszkowski-Hart- man with proclamations honoring their service to VP – Community Service and Circle of Friendship awards, respectively. Frumpy Middle-Aged Mom Marla Jo Fisher will be the guest speaker at the Nov. 19 meeting. For infor- mation, see vpwl.org .