Archive for March, 2010
Colette’s Kitchen Tips
BY DBARBER | March 31, 2010
Having guests over? Rick from Colette’s Events gives a lesson on how to fold a napkin so that you can place a name tag, menu, menu or special message inside. See the larger video. Coming up next week: smooth icing a cake.
The Market Returns
BY DBARBER | March 24, 2010
The Fullerton Market is open once again, bringing food, crafts and the ever-popular beer garden into the city’s Summer routine. The annual Thursday event will run through October 28. Video by DBP, music by Los Fabulocos, featuring Kid Ramos.
__________
April 7, 2010
High winds buffeted Fullerton today as unusually warm weather will continue through Thursday. Rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday.
In other news, there was a very small crowd at last night’s city council meeting. The light agenda helped keep the meeting short, helping Council member Sharon Quirk-Silva make a bus on time that took her to the airport. She and 20 representatives of the city are off to Fukui, Japan, as part of the Fullerton Sister City Association program.
_________
City Council Budget Hearing, March 23, 2010
The city council decided to not decide the issue of funding the Muckenthaler Cultural Center during a budget meeting Tuesday. After considerable comment from the public and board members of the Muck, as well as the Fullerton Museum Center, the council was at a stalemate as to where to make the most significant cuts. Several initial motions did not receive seconds.
Finally, council member Shawn Nelson moved that the council approve the overall budget reduction from the Parks and Recreation budget that had been put forth by Joe Felz, director of Parks and Recreation. (The Parks and Recreation budget houses the funds used for both the museum and the Muckenthaler).
The motion passed, 2-1, with council member Pam Keller abstaining. (Council member Dick Jones was not present). In effect, it allows the discussion to continue until the council votes on the full city budget in June.
At stake for the Muckenthaler is $80,000 given annually by the city and used for programs, matching funds and various other applications. The Fullerton Museum Center also receives city funds, and it is facing a reduction of $89,000 from its city allotment.
In his comments, Nelson suggested that the two institutions find a way to work together and combine services, hoping that such cooperation may reduce costs.
The other hot button issue of the hearing was library funding. After a presentation and comments from library staff, the council asked Library Director Maureen Gebelein to return with other proposals to keep the Hunt Branch Library open.
Google Fiber
BY DBARBER | March 19, 2010The City Council gave the go ahead Tuesday night for staff to apply to Google for selection as a test site for the Internet giant’s developing ultra high speed fiber network. If selected there would be no cost to the city and the current internet speeds experienced by most residents will reportedly increase dramatically.
This video is one of two produced by DBP to encourage citizens to go online to vote. Ballots can be accessed through the city’s site, www.cityoffullerton.com.
City Council, March 16, 2010
BY DBARBER | March 17, 2010
The calendar may say it’s too early for April showers and May flowers, but Fullerton is already reveling in spring-like blooms. Wayne Daniels’ to be exact. Tonight’s city council meeting opened by giving a Certificate of Appreciation to former Fullerton High School teacher Wayne Daniels, aka the Tulip Man, for the annual floral display in front of his Lois Lane home. Also honored was his neighbor, Randy Santa Maria, who is following Daniels’ tradition.
Equally impressive was the recognition by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the city council of 18 Fullerton police officers who had made at least 25 drunk driving arrests during the past calendar year. Lining the north wall of the chambers, the officers were greeted one by one by Mayor Don Bankhead, Police Chief Mike Sellers and a healthy round of applause.
In regular business, the city made official its support of a likely November 2010 ballot initiative called the “Californians to Protect Local Taxpayers and Vital Services Coalition.” The measure is expected to curb the state’s habit of accessing or repurposing funds otherwise designated for use by municipalities.
Council member Dr. Dick Jones pointed out the position of strength gained by keeping all city funds in local coffers rather than having to ask for it, and he moved to support the motion. Council member Shawn Nelson said that it is voters’ responsibility to vote on such initiatives rather than a city’s role to support a political initiative.
The motion passed 4-0, with Nelson abstaining.
In other business, the postings of legal notices in print publications will be stopped in favor of public postings at City Hall, the maintenance services building on Commonwealth Avenue, the museum plaza and the main library. Two new leases and one lease amendment at the airport were approved as well, as were speed limit restrictions in the area of Sunny Ridge Drive and Pioneer Avenue.
In the continued discussion about a future bicycle path that OCTA wants removed from the city’s General Plan, the council “received and filed” the staff report, leaving the issue unresolved until a bikeway or rail track needs to be built.
The consent calendar passed unanimously, except for items 2, 3, 5, 7 and 13, which were called out by council members Jones and Pam Keller. After some questions by Jones and a good luck wish from Keller, they too were passed unanimously.
Real Estate Reality Check
BY DBARBER | March 12, 2010Is now a good time to sell or buy? Cristal Drake explains why it may not be a buyer’s market. Larger Video
City Council, March 2, 2010
BY DBARBER | March 2, 2010
Saying goodbye “with mixed emotions,” Mayor Don Bankhead opened Tuesday’s city council meeting with a formal commendation of longtime Register reporter Barbara Giasone. Giasone is retiring after covering the city of Fullerton for numerous years.
The council quickly moved on to the more contentious issue surrounding a proposed Class I bicycle path that the Orange County Transportation Authority has asked to have removed from the Circulation Element of the General Plan update. Doing so would allow train service to be expanded between Fullerton and Anaheim. The proposed bike path would run along a railroad right-of-way adjacent to the tracks at the Fullerton station and curves south to the city limits.
City planning manager Al Zelinka recommended on behalf of the city staff that the request be granted, though there was considerable discussion as to whether or not the city actually owns the land, has the rights to the property or if the bike path designation was ever officially approved or developed by the city.
Resident Jane Rands spoke during public comments of OCTA’s lack of consideration of a Memorandum of Understanding developed in a previous meeting of the Bicycle Users Subcommittee, and resident Tony Bushala stated via email that the path does not really exist and therefore should not be subject to any city council action.
OCTA did not speak on its own behalf.
Council member Sharon Quirk made a motion to continue the discussion to the next meeting, when some of the maps and routes issues can be more clearly identified. Council member Shawn Nelson seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
Additional agenda items included an update on the General Plan Housing Element, presentations regarding Arbor Day, Majesty Christian Fellowship and the 2-1-1 Hot Line awareness.
FInally, council continued discussion of the city clerk’s recommendation that the required public notices typically published in general circulation newspapers be posted in public places rather than in print. Citing the general demise of the newspaper industry, Nelson urged the city to make the decision and not look back. “Print news is a goner.”
A motion passed, 4-1, to continue the item to the next meeting, with Nelson dissenting.
Photo and report by Davis Barber/FullertonStories.com