Foothills Sentry - November 2024

Page 5 Foothills Sentry NOVEMBER 2024 JOHNSON MOTORCARS 34 Years of Specializing in the Service and Repair of Mercedes-Benz Gary Johnson 714-997-2567 982 N. Batavia # B13, Orange, CA 92867 gary@johnsonmotorcars.com @ ramblingroseoc State of the City offers municipal updates and celebrates citizens Chamber of Commerce President Rick Martinez congratulates Shel- ley Kim from the Duchess on Cam- bridge, named Small Business of the Year. Rick Martinez gives the Nonprofit of the Year award to the Orange Woman’s Club President Carol Allen and 1st VP Kathleen Stevens. State Senator Tom Umberg intro- duced Mayor Dan Slater. Mayor Dan Slater presents the 2024 State of the City. By Tina Richards The annual Orange State of the City, Oct. 18, was hosted by the Orange Chamber of Commerce and held at Chapman Univer- sity’s Musco Center. The high- lights were the announcement of the 2023 Citizen of the Year, Businesses and Nonprofit of the Year and a comprehensive over- view of the city’s successes and challenges presented by Mayor Dan Slater. Aaron Jacoby was named Citi- zen of the Year 2023. Jacoby has been quietly serving in numer- ous roles in the Orange commu- nity for years. He has acted as photographer and videographer for countless city events and ac- tivities and Orange High sporting events and concerts; he serves on the GOCAT Board of Directors; is president of the Orange High Vocal Music Booster Club; is a longtime supporter of Orange High School; and works to create OUSD booster clubs. Hotel Fera, a contributor of overnight stays for charitable events and cookies for ribbon cuttings, was selected as Large Business of the Year. The Duch- ess on Cambridge, an oft donor of gift baskets and centerpieces for Chamber of Commerce and nonprofit events, and the primary sponsor of the annual Duke of Or- ange event, took Small Business of the Year honors. The Woman’s Club of Orange, whose philan- thropies include literacy, health and the environment, and is the caretaker of the city’s roses, was awarded Nonprofit of the Year. Highs and lows Mayor Dan Slater began his remarks with the news that in an OC Register poll, Old Towne was voted best downtown in Orange County; Chapman, best univer- sity; Orange Home Grown, the best farmer’s market; and the Or- ange International Street Fair, the best festival. He noted that East Orange is home to the county’s best community college, SCC; and that Orange Park Acres, with 26 miles of dedicated trails, is the county’s largest and best eques- trian community. The biggest challenge facing the city is the budget deficit. Slat- er reported that the city council has been forced to make difficult cuts, and city staff is doing more with less. But, thanks to the city’s nonprofits, community members and businesses, not one of Or- ange’s traditional events --Treats in the Streets, Orange Tree Light- ing -- has had to be cut. In addition to creative staff work, grant funding has helped improve resources for the home- less, initiate a transportation pro- gram for seniors called “Go Or- ange,” and reinstated the crossing guard program, with thanks to Supervisors Vicente Sarmiento and Don Wagner. Homelessness in Orange is down, and some 500 seniors have signed up for Go Orange. Grants (Thank you, Congressman Lou Correa) have also financed 10 pickleball courts at Hart Park, and a new park in West Orange. Public safety is paramount The Police Department re- ports an overall 12% decrease in violent crime, and a 38% drop in commercial burglaries. Parking enforcement has been contracted to an outside vendor, and rev- enue from street sweeping tickets alone is expected to be between $1.5 and $3 million annually. The city Fire Department re- sponded to 17,927 incidents in 2023. Its enhanced ambulance program, focused on dedicated drivers who earn less than fire- fighters, added another ambu- lance to the fleet and reduced response time by one minute. Orange firefighters continue to respond to nonlocal emergencies, including the Airport Fire and the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton. The city is reim- bursed for that assistance. Slater related that Public Works’ achievements for the year include equipment and timing upgrades to the signals on Tustin Street, left turn signals at Batavia and Chapman, and an additional turn lane at Chapman and Hewes. Those improvements reduced queuing and traffic delays. The department removed 110,000 sq. ft. of graffiti, planted 900 trees, and manages the Adopt-A-Street Program, wherein residents and organizations maintain assigned portions of city sidewalks. Growth and grace Under the auspices of Com- munity Development, the mayor noted the addition of several new housing projects, business expan- sions, the new St. Joseph’s build- ing, and the approval of a new 40,000-sq.-ft. headquarters for MSI, a global distributor of floor- ing, countertops and tile, at North Batavia and Grove. Community Development also helped secure the 14-acre natural habitat, the “Chandler pit,” for the city, com- plementing Orange’s vision for a Santiago Creek “central park.” Following a recap of the Plaza Fountain Restoration Project, which, Slater said, represents the city’s resiliency, he turned to the budget deficit. Noting that the budget strain has been around for 14 years, he attributed the city’s financial upset to failing brick and mortar retailers, increased costs for labor and maintenance, and the grow- ing unfunded employee pension obligation. Responding to the suggestion that the city cut salaries to ease the budget burden, Slater explained that salaries for Police and Fire (70% of the budget) are at me- dian, and that city employees are 10% lower than median. Orange has frozen 40 positions, cut li- brary services, citywide mainte- nance and administrative servic- es. It has deferred $13 million in infrastructure improvements, $13 million in public safety vehicles and $4 million in parks. The predicted shortfall – with- out new revenue sources – is $26 million in five years. Slater ad- vised that the one-half cent sales tax measure on the November ballot has company. Twelve other OC cities have already passed a tax measure, or have one on the ballot this year. Most are for more than Orange’s one-half-cent goal. Rounding up revenue The city is taking further steps to increase revenue, including complementing Anaheim’s OC Vibe multi-billion-dollar devel- opment on its side of the Santa Ana River with hospitality, en- tertainment and housing elements on the Orange side of the river. A new economic development roundtable brings together a di- verse group of business owners, developers, community mem- bers, Chamber of Commerce and Chapman University repre- sentatives to develop programs and policies in Orange. An Orange Tourism Council, consisting of representatives from hotels, the Chamber, the Outlets at Orange, Hilbert Mu- seum and other stakeholders, is tasked with encouraging more visitors to stay, shop, eat and ex- perience Orange. The Shop Local program, launched earlier this year, offers monetary rewards for patroniz- ing local shops and restaurants. The city now has a dedicated economic development director in place. People power “The bottom line,“ Slater con- cluded, “is that Orange stands tall, and we are taking steps to meet the challenges before us. The silver lining that has emerged from the past year is the guarantee that no matter what, Orange will always have people -- whether community members or dedicated city staff -- ready to do the hard work to serve this city. If we remain committed to finding solutions and working together, I am confident that we will persevere through our chal- lenges and affirm why Orange is, and will remain, the best city in Orange County.” Congressman Lou Correa presents the Citizen of the Year to Aaron Jacoby. Photos by Tony Richards Old Towne merchants host Thrift and Vintage Walk 'n' Shop Bring your family and friends to experience the holiday magic in Old Towne Orange, Nov. 23. On that Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., stroll through Old Towne Orange's participating thrift and vintage stores for the annual Holiday Walk 'n' Shop event. Grab your free passport at participating stores, get a stamp at each location, and unlock ex- clusive restaurant discounts. No purchase is necessary to enter the contest -- just turn in your completed passport at Full Cir- cle Marketplace by 5 p.m. for a chance to win. The first place winner will receive a prize val- ued at over $600; second and third place winners will receive gift baskets with a variety of fun items. Participating stores include: Antique Depot/Antique Station; The Collection by Casa Teresa; Country Roads Antiques; Dee- Lux; Dragonfly Shops and Gar- dens; Elsewhere Vintage; Full Circle Marketplace; Groovy Ghost Vintage; JoyRide; Mr. C's Rare Records; Assistance League Now & Again Thrift Shop; Orange Circle Antique Mall; The White Rabbit; Wild Horses Exchange. In addition, there will be more giveaways at participating stores. The Assistance League's Now & Again Thrift Shop will be offering a chance to win a holiday basket with raffle ticket purchases. Proceeds support the nonprofit's 17-plus community programs. Friends Church, on Almond Street, will host a bounce house for kids and other festivities dur- ing the event. Parking is free. For more event updates, see alorange.org or fullcircleorange. com/walk-n-shop.