CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council handed out $150,000 in grants to improve the city’s

baseball diamonds, a high school pool and a pair of deteriorating tennis

courts.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The council approved a slate of 10 grants to act as seed money for

projects around town. Each grant is given to a group as a portion of the

total project budget.

After a handful of council members objected to the process under which

the package of grants appeared on the agenda, a majority approved them.

The grants were given to AYSO Region 143, Friends of Huntington

Harbour, the Huntington Beach High School Foundation and seven other

groups.

Mayor Debbie Cook joined Councilwomen Connie Boardman and Grace

Winchell in opposing the grants. On May 8, the Community Services

Commission had approved all the grants except for the $12,000 given to

the friends group to restore tennis courts at Harbour View School.

The commission had asked for more information on that grant before

approving it. During her public remarks, Winchell said she didn’t want to

“violate the process” by approving the item before the commission.

In voicing his support for the approval, Councilman Ralph Bauer said

he didn’t want the grants to get caught up in “bureaucratic mumbo jumbo.”

WHAT THEY SAID:

“It’s the duty of this council to support tennis courts at Harbour

View,” Bauer said.

Vote: 4-3

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council voted to support adding the Santa Ana River to a

federal list of impaired water bodies for trash problems.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The council threw its support behind an effort by Newport Beach and

environmental group Defend the Bay, based in that city, to secure the

listing.

The Environmental Protection Agency maintains what is known as the

Impaired Water Bodies 303d List, which was created by the Clean Water Act

of 1972. The list flags an impaired area, so cleanup standards can be put

in place.

Vote: 7-0

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

NEXT MEETING

When: June 17, 7 p.m.

Where: Council chambers, 2000 Main St.