Dwyer drops out of council race

-- Jose Paul Corona

City Council candidate J. Devin Dwyer withdrew from the race for

the City Council Monday.

Dwyer’s wife, Linda, 39, had an emergency Caesarean section last

week and it was discovered that she was suffering from toxemia, a

lethargic condition sometimes caused by the procedure.

She delivered the couple’s first child a baby girl, Sophia, who

despite having a heart murmur is doing well, Dwyer said.

Dwyer, who was scheduled to take part in a candidate forum

sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the American Assn. of

University Women, did not attend because of the medical emergency.

“I’m disappointed, I thought I had some good ideas, but my family

is more important at this point,” he said.

Linda and Sophia Dwyer are still in the hospital and are expected

to be released soon, he said.

Surf City’s fire services will remain city-run

The City Council decided at a special study session Monday night

not to consider the option of contracting for fire department

services with the Orange County Fire Authority.

The proposal, which was brought forward by Fire Chief Michael

Dolder, was rejected 4 to 2 by council members who said they were

happy with the existing service and voted against preparing a

detailed request for proposal, which would have cost about $36,000.

Dolder prepared the proposal in response to firefighters’ concerns

about possible cutbacks in fire department staffing levels because of

the city’s current budget crunch.

“I think we have an exemplary fire department,” Councilman Ralph

Bauer said. “There doesn’t seem to be any rationale as to why we

should go forward with this.”

Several council members said they would be reluctant to see

control of services leave the city.

“The benefits seem to be negligible,” Councilman Peter Green said.

The council members’ direct contact with Dolder wasn’t something

that they wanted to lose.

“I feel I can call someone immediately and get the problem

addressed,” Councilwoman Grace Winchell said. “I’m really in favor of

not taking any action.”

Mayor Debbie Cook and Councilwoman Pam Julien Houchen were the

only two members of the council to vote for the proposal.

Councilwoman Connie Boardman was not present at the meeting.

Businesses help by adopting storm drains

Three local businesses have donated $2,240 to help keep the city’s

storm drains clean as part of the Adopt-a-Storm drain program.

Hurricanes Bar & Grill, Huntington Beach Transmissions and

Fisherman’s Hardware are taking part in the program, which was

adopted by the City Council on May 20 and is based on the

Adopt-A-Highway program.

The program helps raise money to help local governments pay for

water pollution prevention efforts such as storm drain cleaning and

litter control through business sponsorships.

Businesses who take part in the program receive signs that are

posted in high traffic areas, which announce their participation in

the program. The signs also encourage people not to dump litter into

the storm drains because they lead directly into the ocean.

City’s south beach RV campground open

The city’s recreational vehicle campground is open and ready for

visitors. The abbreviated camping season started on Oct. 1 and will

run through the middle of December or until the South Beach Phase II

improvement project begins.

Reservations for camping for October and November are being taken

after Dec. 1, camping will be available on a first come, first served

basis. For more information, please call (714) 536-5280.

Sewage spills soil Huntington Harbour

County health regulators ordered sections of Huntington Harbour

closed Saturday after a moderately-sized sewage spill soiled three

swimming areas.

The environmental health division of the Orange County Health Care

Agency ordered the closures Saturday morning, after 5,000 gallons of

raw sewage spilled into storm drains that feed into the Bolsa Chica

Channel and then into the harbor.

The agency ordered closures for Sunset Aquatic Marina, Peter’s

Landing and Portofino Cove Marina, agency spokeswoman Monica Mazur

said. The closures were announced at 11 a.m. Saturday.

By Tuesday, the agency reopened the areas for swimming and diving.

Water samples collected at the locations showed that bacteria levels

had returned to acceptable levels, Mazur said.

The spill was caused by a blockage in the private sewage line at

Harbor Breeze Apartments, which are in the 4800 block of Heil Ave.

Several residents reported seeing the spill Friday evening, Mazur

said, but did not report it. City fire units arrived at the complex

Saturday morning.

The cause of the spill is still not known, Mazur said. However,

the spill could have been prevented if the property’s owner had

routed the building’s plumbing on a regular basis, Mazur said.

“Virtually every sewage spill is preventable with maintenance,”

Mazur said. “And if someone had reported it earlier, the city crew

could have been out there Friday night.”