-- Compiled by June Casagrande INSIDE CITY...

-- Compiled by June Casagrande

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are some decisions out of Tuesday’s Newport Beach City

Council meeting:

FICUS FALLOUT

The 23 felled trees in Balboa Village were far from forgotten

Tuesday night as council members scheduled a special discussion on

the trees that were removed last week. Some speakers were angry, some

were supportive. And most were surprisingly civil. The public

discussion was scheduled in response to the passionate public

reaction and widespread media attention to the city’s decision to cut

down the trees on Sept. 18. As pointed out by City Manager Homer

Bludau, the trees had been slated for removal years before. Balboa

Arbor Society members implored the council to save the two remaining

Main Street trees, either by leaving them in place or by replanting

them in a city park. Staff, however, said it’s not likely the trees

would survive replanting. Others said that it’s time to create a

comprehensive and clear city tree policy.

WHAT THEY SAID

“Mourn the trees. They’re a loss for all of us. But I’m asking you

to get past the anger,” Mayor Tod Ridgeway said.

CELLULAR ANTENNAS

Since City Councilman John Heffernan asked in April whether the

city wants to get into the business of renting space for cellular

antennas, city leaders have been diligently looking into the pros and

cons. Their final answer: a resounding “yes.” Council members voted

unanimously Tuesday to accept a policy that will allow the city to

rent space on its buildings, towers and poles for companies to place

their cellular antennas. Future deals could mean about $30,000 per

year per location. In the same vote, council members also agreed to

pass to second reading an ordinance that will govern installation of

the antennas, regardless of whether they are on city or privately

owned commercial property. That ordinance will come back for a final

vote on Oct. 8.

HOME-BUYER ASSISTANCE

A lease-to-purchase program will likely be available for a small

number of home buyers, council members said. The council voted

unanimously to enter into a joint-powers authority that will help

qualified home buyers having trouble coming up with a down payment.

The $309,750 home price limit leaves just 40-odd units in the city

eligible. Buyers must not exceed the $105,860 income limit for a

family of four.

AIRPORT EDUCATION GRANT

The $3.6-million grant awarded to the Airport Working Group and

Citizens for Jobs and the Economy last year for airport education was

the subject of a specially scheduled discussion among council members

and the public. A presenter for accounting firm Vavrinek, Trine, Day

& Co. LLP discussed the findings of a survey of the group’s

expenditures. About 74% of their reported expenses were reviewed by

the firm, which found no irregularities. Councilman John Heffernan

said that, in the future, such grants should benefit from the

efficiencies of competitive bidding. He also said it might be

improper that one of the largest recipients of grant money, Dave

Ellis, has worked on council campaigns for council members who

approved the grant. Ellis and his firm received about $458,000 for

consulting, advocacy and other professional services.

WHAT THEY SAID

“I suggest that there’s an appearance of conflict there,”

Heffernan said.