Condo owner agrees to fees

The owners of a Treasure Island condominium that is being used for short-term lodging will pay fees to the city in lieu of the transient occupancy tax, commonly known as a hotel bed tax, City Manager Ken Frank said.

The fees are expected to amount to $5,000 a year.

The condo was purchased by a company called Exclusive Resorts, which purchases properties in attractive settings around the world, Frank said.

Clients buy into the company and have use of the properties.

“This is substantially different from a timeshare, so it would not be prohibited by city ordinance,” Frank said.

“We learned that Exclusive Resorts was not paying any transient occupancy tax on the use of this unit, since individual clients were not paying a specific amount to use the unit. The clients are, in fact, partial owners.

“However, under the development agreement with the Montage, city staff maintained that bed tax was due on any of the condos which are used for short-term lodging.”

The city reached an agreement with Exclusive Resorts in which the firm will pay the fee. The revenue will escalate with inflation.

Chamber elects a president, adds to board

The sales tax increase was not the only election in town this week.

A new president and two new members were elected Wednesday to the Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

Dave Sanford will serve as president. New board member Bill Buss was elected secretary, and newcomer Dave Hicok will serve as treasurer.

The latter two replaced Kathy Conway and Veronica Nice, who retired from the board.

Chris Lutz was tapped as first vice-president and Chris Lange as second.

Returning board members include immediate past president Dennis Junka, Dennis Myers, Iqbal Bashir, Michelle Clark, Bob Dietrich, Anne Morris and Tom Simpson.

-- by Barbara Diamond

Toastmasters seek to reestablish club

Toastmasters International is hoping to re-establish a club in Laguna Beach. The city had a Toastmasters until March 2005, when it disbanded. The club is dedicated to fostering improvement in public speaking.

Ken Filetti, a local official with Toastmasters, is seeking interested participants. He can be reached at (949) 581-3109.

Campbell endorses Harkey for state Senate

Newly elected Congressman John Campbell has endorsed Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey to succeed him in the state Senate, adding to her prospects for election.

Harkey also has been endorsed by Orange County Supervisor Tom Wilson and 11 local officials, including Laguna Beach Mayor Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider, Mission Viejo council members John Paul Ledesma and Frank Ury, and San Juan Capistrano Mayor Wyatt Hart.

Three of the five supervisors have endorsed Harkey -- supervisors Bill Campbell and Jim Silva had already announced their backing.

Such support for Harkey could make it a tough race for Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman, who was the first to declare his interest in the seat.

As soon as Campbell resigns, the governor has 14 days to set a special election, which will be in roughly four months, with an open primary in about two months.

-- by Alicia Robinson

South Coast Water District elects officers

The South Coast Water District board of directors elected 2006 officers Dec. 2, selecting Joel Bishop for president and Ingrid McGuire for vice president. Officer elections take place annually, and officers serve for one calendar year.

Bishop has been a South Coast Water District director since 1996 and a resident of Dana Point for 10 years. McGuire has been on the board 10 years and is a former mayor of Dana Point.

“The district’s core mission is to provide 100% safe drinking water to homes and businesses in our community and to remove wastewater for treatment in an environmentally sensitive and fiscally responsible way,” Bishop said.

“To that end, one of my top goals for 2006 is the continued maintenance, repair and replacement of our water and sewer infrastructure.”

South Coast Water District has a five-member board. Each director serves a four-year term and is elected at-large.