Topping this week’s actions in local government, the Lake Forest City Council is set to vote on a controversial residential development, and county supervisors again consider a massive $134-million contract with Xerox.
Tuesday’s meeting in Lake Forest is expected to be heated, with a decision expected on the first part of a plan to build about 220 homes in a mostly abandoned auto mall on the city’s northern edge.
The project’s developers have steered nearly $50,000 to support the new council majority. Questions have also been raised about whether the council majority violated the Ralph M. Brown Act in February when it voted to cancel an independent review of the developers’ feasibility studies.
Also Tuesday, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to reconsider a controversial $134-million computer contract with Xerox.
The vote was delayed last week amid questions about a $27-million price hike to the contract even before it has been approved, with few details from county staff.
County staff said that about $12 million of that increase was added by Xerox itself, despite a company executive assuring supervisors last November that Xerox would stick by its $107-million final offer.
There’s a chance that the vote could be delayed further, given that Supervisor Todd Spitzer isn’t expected to attend this week’s meeting.
Dana Point council members are also set Tuesday to vote on plans to sell a 3.2-acre park property just south of where Interstate 5 meets Pacific Coast Highway.
City staff have said that the land, which was purchased for $1.9 million in 1992 — $3.2 million in today’s dollars — has never been used and is inappropriate for a park.
Should the council move forward with getting rid of the land, a public hearing would be set for Sept. 17.
While some cities are holding special meetings this week, most councils aren’t meeting because it’s the fifth week of the month.
Here’s a rundown of what’s up for debate this week across Orange County:
Monday, July 29
Los Alamitos City Council Special Meeting – 6 p.m.
- Discussing upcoming zoning requirements from the state (Senate Bill 2 from 2007) that places new requirements for emergency shelters, transitional and supportive housing and single-room occupancy units.
- Approving contracts with the Los Alamitos Unified School District and City of Cypress for a school resource officer, at a cost of $179,000 this fiscal year.
- Appointing Interim Finance Director Linda Manguson as city treasurer, after “the departure of the City’s Finance Director and City Treasurer.”
- Increasing consulting contract by $14,600 to Fuscoe Engineering, Inc. for preparing a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) annual report
Closed Session
- Discussion of appointing a new city manager.
Tuesday, July 30
Orange County Board of Supervisors – 9:30 a.m. (Revisions)
- Approving a $134-million contract with Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc. for voice and data network services, extending current Xerox contract to Feb. 6 for $8.2 million and a $243,000 cost increase to SAIC, Inc.
- Renewing contract with Xerox HR Solutions for total benefits self-service administrator services at a cost of $2.2 million per year.
- Approving a resolution authorizing county Human Resources staff to access state and federal criminal history for employees, including contract and volunteer employees, performing licensing regulatory duties who have access to Foster Family Home licensing information.
- Approving contracts with Steve Connolly as executive director and John W. Harris as investigations analyst at the Office of Independent Review.
- Approve response to grand jury report “Fixing the Law — Cutting Through the Tangle of Child Support and Custody.”
- Forming a real estate ad-hoc committee composed of Chairman Shawn Nelson and Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
Dana Point City Council Special Meeting – 6 p.m.
- Approving resolution of intention to dispose of land on Via Canon that was purchased for park space in 1992 for $1.9 million but never developed.
Lake Forest City Council Adjourned Meeting – 7 p.m.
- Approving a general plan amendment, zoning change, development agreement, tentative tract map, site development permit and mitigated negative declaration for the Brookfield Homes development at the Foothill Ranch Auto Center.
Friday, Aug. 2
Huntington Beach City Council Special Meeting – 8:30 a.m. at the Central Library
- Strategic planning session with mayor, council members, elected officials, city manager and department heads, facilitated by Marilyn Snider of Snider and Associates.
Brendan Wiles contributed to this report.
You can reach Nick Gerda at ngerda@gmail.com, and follow him on Twitter: @nicholasgerda.