HOME RANCH EDUCATIONAL FUND City leaders...
HOME RANCH EDUCATIONAL FUND
City leaders will review various details regarding the
dissemination of $2 million in educational funds the city received as
part of the Home Ranch development agreement.
The Home Ranch development agreement, adopted last year, calls for
the Segerstrom family -- the dynasty family that owns the development
site -- to give $2 million in a lump sum to Costa Mesa high school
and middle school students when the first building permits for the
project are drawn. Costa Mesa High School, which serves grades six
through 12, will receive $1 million, and Estancia High and TeWinkle
Middle schools will split the other $1 million.
During a July study session, council members expressed
disappointment in the Segerstroms’ preliminary ideas to distribute
the promised money to the schools, saying their input was not sought
in the process and, therefore, the plan was lacking key points. The
council decided more work was needed to determine how the money
should be spent and who would be chosen to spend it before the city
turned over the funds to the schools’ foundations.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Expect the council to push for open meeting and public record
requirements regarding any foundation decisions. Other than that,
there are varied opinions on who should spend the money and how they
should spend it.
SEPT. 11 MEMORIAL
Councilwoman Libby Cowan is asking her colleagues to consider a
community memorial service commemorating the one-year anniversary of
the east coast attacks to honor and pay respect to those who lost
their lives.
Many similar events are being planned for Sept. 11 around the
country and while the city is anticipating President George W. Bush
will call for nation-wide observance, officials would still like to
coordinate a local memorial.
According to a staff report, Cowan is suggesting the memorial
involve school-aged children and police and fire department color
guard and that the city set aside $2,000 to promote the event.
The City Manager’s Office has suggested approval of the memorial
and encourages rapid action, given the short amount of time left to
plan, the report said.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
The council is expected to wholeheartedly endorse the community
memorial.
MOBILE HOME FINALE
Final details of the new law regarding motor home parking on city
streets will come before the council tonight for formal approval.
The new ordinance, which prohibits the parking of recreational
vehicles on any public street for more than 48 hours without prior
approval, was given preliminary approval last month after a lively
nine-month debate. Motor home owners battled city officials, who
previously attempted to ban oversized vehicles from streets with only
a 24-hour exception, and succeeded by pressuring them for a
compromise.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Council members are expected to give the law final approval.
DYKE MARCH
Leaders of a county lesbian organization were scheduled to come
before the City Council tonight to request that fees for a pride
march be waived.
The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center of Orange County
filed an application permit with the city for a special event permit
to hold the Orange County Dyke March and rally at, and around, Lion’s
Park. The march is designed to promote social change and pride in the
lesbian community, according to a staff report.
Organizers of the march have met with various city leaders to
discuss details of the event and as of press time Friday were still
negotiating an acceptable parade route. March officials previously
asked that fees, which total about $4,000, be waived but now say they
are more concerned with agreeing upon a visible route.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Council members are expected to deny any request to waive fees but
compromise with march coordinators about a workable route.
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