Tag Archives: Wildomar City Manager

An email sent to the City of wildomar

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An email sent to the City of Wildomar on Monday morning details the condition of our parks as they were on a beautiful Sunday morning. This email was sent to the City Manager, Gary Nordquist, Councilman Ben Benoit, 1st Distric, Councilman Dustin Nigg, 2nd Distrct, Councilman Timothy Walker, 3rd District, Councilwoman Bridgette Moore, 4th District, Councilwoman Marsha Swanson, 5th District.
It was also sent to the members of the Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee members, Sheila Urlaub, Doug Ames, Scott Rux, Shelley Hitchcock and Steve Regalado. Three of those emails were returned as undeliverable. A look at the City of wildomar parks website shows it has not been updated in at least 9 months.

The following conditions were noted during a walk thru of the parks on Sunday morning March 18, 2018

Windsong Park
The restroom facility was filthy

The gate on the southwest corner was broken

The fence on the northwest corner has been cut allowing access to the Creek Garden area

The electrical box on the west fence, near the Creek Garden is bent and has been for months.

Marna O’Brien Park
Automobiles have been driven on the fields during the evening, park cameras should be used to identify the culprits. This city has on two occasions gotten quotes for gates to secure the parking lot at night, these parking lot gates should be installed.


The restroom plumbing is still taped together, and has been for months, resulting in an unsightly appearance.

The drinking fountain, installed as a scout project, does not work and hasn’t in over a month

The “Freedom Swing” is still locked, even after the city spent $31,000 to re-install it 2 years ago.

Regency Heritage Park
Two swings remain missing, the two that remain still have no safety harnesses. In a city with a total of 7 swings to have 5 out of commission is unconscionable.

The drainage for the tot lot still has not been fixed.

Anchor supports for the chain ladder nearest the ADA ramp are exposed creating a safety hazard.

Basketball hoop still bent, has been since April 2014, nets in disrepair.

BBQ missing, has been since April 2014

New plants in area with broken sprinkler

For this the residents of this town more than $350,000 to maintain our parks in this condition.

Activism Pays Off for Residents of Wildomar

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Activism saves residents of wildomar money.

Map of CSA 103 Drainage/Landscape 2017

Starting in the tax year 2009/10 the City of wildomar continued collecting $20.00 annually from 1,076 homes located in the original section of Windsong Valley. (One of the homes belongs to a local blogger with a camera & a drone).
This was the result of the City of wildomar passing Resolution 09-59 on August 26, 2009 by a 5-0 vote.

Resolution 09-59 that established the charges for CSA 103 Drainage/Landscape

Leading up to that Resolution the city paid for a report that was not included in the staff report presented to the City Council members nor the public in the agenda packet.

Resolution 09-35 that authorized the study to determine the fee to be added to the tax bill for the city

Fast forward to 2017 city council meeting held on April 12, 2017 a local activist asked the the city council to include the staff reports generated by LAFCO at the time of annexation into CSA 103 Drainage/Landscape and approved by Resolution of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors when this tax was first approved to be placed on the tax bills of 1,076 property owners. (That number in 2017 had increased to 1,082 property owners.
After that meeting city staff approached the activist and claimed they did everything they could to gather the information necessary to place this tax on the appropriate tax bills of residents. This effort included interviewing past contractors that maintained the landscaping, period. They never produced the Resolution from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors making this tax legal, nor did they include the staff reports detailing what was to be maintained with these funds.

A resolution by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for CSA 103 Lighting exist and does have a staff report detailing the number of street lights with their lumens and their location.

LAFCO Staff report detailing what CSA 103 Lighting pays for

In the city staff report given on June 14, 2017 Agenda Item 2.2, for the tax year 2017/18 charges CSA 103 Drainage Landscape appears.

While preparing to ask the same questions of city staff about these reports for the 2018/19 property tax year, the activist became aware that this tax was no longer on the tax bill of 1082 residents.

Your welcome residents of wildomar.

How much did wildomar received in STEP Grant from Office of Traffic and Safety for 2017

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Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grants received by Eastvale ($95,000), Lake Elsinore ($90,000), Menifee ($110,000), Moreno Valley ($380,000), Murrieta ($110,000) Norco ($85,000), Perris ($110,000), San Jacinto ($95,000).

According to a document released by the State of California-Office of Traffic Safety a Grant Agreement was signed by Sheriff/Coroner Stan Sniff in September 2017. In it is the following information.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded a $1,688,994.00 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a year-long program of special enforcement and public awareness effort to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department will use the funding as part of our contract city’s ongoing commitment to keep our roadways safe and improve the quality of life through both enforcement and education.

The city’s receiving funds listed at the end of the report include the following:
Coachella
Eastvale
Jurupa Valley
Lake Elsinore
Menifee
Moreno Valley
Norco
Palm Desert
Perris
San Jacinto
Temecula

Wildomar will receive nothing.

The contract signed by Sheriff/Coroner Stan Sniff
Attachment-9395

Is Wildomar About to Get Trump’d

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This is a proposed park that will use precious Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to construct. These monies have been handed out with the following intent :

“The program allocates annual grants to larger cities and counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. To achieve these goals, program-funded projects must satisfy one of three U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) national program objectives required in 24 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 570.208: provide a benefit to low- and moderate-income persons, prevent or eliminate slums or blight, or meet other urgent community development needs due to disasters or other emergencies.”

This project, Malaga Park or Gateway Park, first came to light in December of 2013 when the city set aside $100,000 of CDBG money to fund the proposed project which will consist of landscape architecture, planting,irrigation and aesthetic improvements and the installation of walkways, paths and monument sign. 

Because this project meets none of the above, except maybe providing refuge for those leaving a neighboring facility (not the doctors office) it proves once again that a Federal Program is being abused by local officials. These abuses have resulted in now 2 administrations trying to eliminate it (CDBG).

Barack Obama’s FY 2012 Budget to Congress stated:

While flexibility may be one strong characteristic of the CDBG program, the use of funds and how states and communities distribute their funds lead to resources spread across many activities, diverse constituencies, and geographies without clear or focused impact. This makes the demonstration of outcomes difficult to measure and evaluate.

President Trump’s upcoming budget proposal calls for slashing funding for a block grant program primarily because it was difficult to determine whether it was getting the desired results. “The federal government has spent over $150 billion on this block grant since its inception in 1974, but the program is not well-targeted to the poorest populations and has not demonstrated results,”

Also, ostensibly to better the lives of low-income residents, the city proposed to “pave and repair sidewalks along Wildomar Rd. and Secdo Blvd. at a cost of $91,867 for FY 2015-16.

The city set aside another $75,533 to purchase a property to be used as a community garden in FY 2016-17

Lastly, and the only project designed to really help a depressed area, the city set aside for FY 2017-18 $110,067 in funding for a Fire Hydrant project that will decrease the risk of loss due to a fire and increase the fire protection system currently in place in the target area, primarily the Sedco area of Wildomar. (After a local eating establishment had perished in a fire)

It has been said “The CDBG is a $3 billion program that ostensibly goes to developing poor communities but mostly goes to Graft, Corruption and Waste. It blows massive amounts of money on wasteful projects, while seeing huge chunks disappear into administrative costs.

The Heritage Foundation, called the Community Development Block Grant program a “slush fund for urban mayors.”

The CDBG program is chock full of cronyism and corruption and should be eliminated. Much like the corrupt city redevelopment agencies, what actually ends up happening is that this money gets funneled by politicians to friends with connections for various projects that aren’t really about helping the poor at all. http://reason.com/blog/2017/03/16/the-community-development-block-grant-pr

 

The Embarrassment Continues in Wildomar

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On February 11, 2017 I wrote an article about the poor condition of the City’s ball fields.

In that article was a video of a gentleman pumping out water from the first and third base area.

Early last week the city attempted a poor fix for this flooding by bringing in material of unknown origin (the origin will be known and reported when the city pays the invoice). This material was used to fill-in what was deemed the low spots, therefore the problem, around 1st and 3rd base.

Today after approximately 0.50 (one-half inch) of rain in a 12 hour period the flooding is back only worse as it has spread further into the infield.

The problem is a result of no maintenance on these infields since the city took over the parks from the county. These fields need to be laser-screed to ensure the water flows away from the infield. This process will require that the drainage swales are not higher than the ball fields.

This poor state of maintenance extends to all three fields currently in the one city park.

This city also needs to eliminate the gophers before someone breaks their leg.

The embarrassment continues well into the evening

Santa’s Dough and the Annual Report Go “Poof” in a Puff of Smoke

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Santa’s Dough has disappeared like Santa up the chimney right along with the Measure Z Annual Report.

It appears that the Measure Z Oversight Committee’s reviewing of the the funds collected during the Breakfast with Santa starting in 2013 has come to an end, this along with preparing the Measure Z Annual Report.

During the February 2016 Oversight Committees meeting Agenda Item #2.2 Special Events several events will no longer be funded with funds from the Measure Z Parcel Tax, amongst them is Breakfast with Santa (a co-event with the Rotary Club)
Wildomar Night at Storm Stadium (a co-event with the Chamber of Commerce) and Drive-in-Movie (a co-event with Wildomar Little League). These events will now be funded through the Wildomar General Fund. Good luck keeping track of that money.

This still leaves the question of what happened to the original $4.000 budgeted for the 2016-17 as shown in the 1st Quarter Report.

In the Mid-Year Report this $4,000 has disappeared from the Revenue Summary: Breakfast with Santa (a category that no longer exist) and has been switch to the Revenue Summary: Special Event Revenue which had no budget listed.

Finally, the Measure Z Annual Report is usually reviewed, approved and forwarded to the City Council during the January February meeting. This year the last mention of this report was during September 8, 2016 meeting item #2.2 Annual Report Writing Process wherein “It was the consensus of the Committee to prepare the Annual Report from the Committee to the City Council.”

One Million Dollars Gets You What ?

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The amount of revenue collected through the Measure Z Parcel Tax since it was passed in November of 2012 is $994,624.00 just shy of one million dollars.

Since the Measure Z Oversight Committee is unable to explain where almost $300,000 goes every year I figured I would give the public a little insight.
First off, when Measure Z was enacted and the parks re-opened on April 12, 2014 the city was paying $870.00 plus supplies per month for Janitorial Services at Wildoslavias three parks.
In June of 2014 the cost went up to about $1400.00 per month.(There appears to have been no contract)
November 12, 2014 a new contract with a new company was approved, on consent calendar Item #1.7, by the City Council which brought the cost up to $23,620 annually ($1968.00 per month) per the staff report.
This contract was relatively short-lived as in June of 2015 another company was doing the work by way of an emergency purchase order for $4,500 per month, this went on until April of 2016.
At this time a contract was again approved on the Consent Calendar, Item #1.5, with another company increasing the monthly cost from the previous contract to 15/16: $3,824.53, 16/17: $3,974.09, 17/18: $4,123.65 these charges do not include supplies as the vouchers show separate invoices for supplies.
What have we gotten for this 357 percent increase (357%)

Let’s take a look through pictures.

On Monday, December 12, 2016 at 10:52am we find this at one of our parks.

Notice the trash

We know the cleaning crew had been around because there was a new liner in the nearest trashcan

This is 10:00 in the AM

Then we take a trip over to the city’s premier park, in the afternoon of another day, and find these conditions:
Picture take December 16, 2016

Picture taken December 16, 2016

 

We also find this character (gray object leaning up against the concrete pillar next to the tree) sucking up the city’s power with his cell phone out of view of the parks cameras, while hiding behind one of the little league container.

This individual was present at this park again on Friday, December 23 at approximately 1:00pm

This is another of the parking lot electrical receptacles put in for the failed Farmers Market, now used by various individuals to power there phone chargers, vans, boom boxes, etc.

It seems the city hasn’t figured out what a circuit breaker breaker is for.

Picture take December 19, 2016

A return trip on Monday afternoon shows the conditions of the previous Friday still exist
Picture taken December 19, 2016

OK so the first time was a Friday afternoon, December 16, 2016, the second time was a few days later on Monday morning, December 19, 2016.

The above picture was taken a week after the first one, Friday, December 23, 2016 and the following picture a full eleven days, on December 27, 2016

The grounds drying out and someone is back in business.

These problems show a lack of caring on the part of the city.
A couple of new problems also show a lack of attention by city staff where-in some has turned the ball fields into an off road course.
Taken December 19, 2016

Twice since re-opening the parks the city manager has gotten quotes for gates to lock-up the parking lot at night, still no gates.

Some will say, well this is all during a week where it has rained some.
I say what are we the citizens paying over 325,000 dollars a year for.

Salaries paid to city employees to operate and maintain our parks totals $37,100 last year, this should be sufficient to monitor the contractors hired and take of the little things.

These contracted expenses of $126,800 last fiscal year are not being wisely spent.
It appears that the expenditure of $184,900 on Marna O’Brien Park alone is a total waste as no one is walking these parks daily to ensure that are clean and safe for city residents, this includes the city employee assigned to this task, the company contracted to provide “Facilities Maintenance and Janitorial Services” at a cost of $3,824.53 per month or the landscape company that is paid $34,003 annually (just for Marna O’Brien Park) to be responsible to maintain the lawn and shrubs where the campsite was located.

Further evidence of the sloppy work being performed by those employed to provide safe clean parks is found in the boy’s/men’s restroom.

Picture Taken on July 11, 2016


Picture Taken 5 months later December 23, 2016


Now we can add the other sink, $300,000 annually and we get duct tape.

The drinking fountain nearest the basketball courts has been missing its decorative buttons since day one of the parks opening.

Picture Taken April 17, 2014

Picture Taken November 16, 2016
The city can’t even spend a couple of bucks to make it look presentable.

The mayor of this berg insist on using scout projects to enhance the parks, they do the jobs the citizens are paying good money to be done professionally, money that is not being spent as the current reserves of the Measure Z Fund is in excess of $100,000.00.


These were replaced earlier in the year but a lack of proper supervision has resulted in numerous pieces of hardware coming off.

Ever wondered what happened to the bucket so prominently displayed in the first Annual Report FY 2013/14


It found a new home on the other side of the park

Back to scout projects


This fence should be straight and taut

A month later, Zip ties should not have been used

Here is another scout project gone awry in less than a year

These containers were for the collection of recyclables, they were installed just over a year ago.

Ever wonder how much this project has netted the city ?, or any charitable group ? The answer is zero

Now there is talk of another scout project, the installation of a drinking fountain for dogs at Regency-Heritage Park aka The Dog Park aka Open Channel A of the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan

A drinking fountain is a good idea for a dog park, but, only if the dog park is in proper location and can actually be used.
Here is a picture of the entrance to “The Dog Park” on Christmas Eve 2016. Ho Ho Ho!

Welcome to the locked gate that goes up after every rain event in Wildoslavia
This is a flood control channel after all, soon to be widened by County Flood Control. This widening will increase the width of the current channel which is 10 feet wide by 18 inches deep to 40 feet in width by 6 feet in depth, taking away an approximately 30 foot wide strip of the dog park.

 

This flood control channel that is home to the dog park also has a Tot-Lot as a part of its amenities. This is what it looked like most recently.

Look Ma, no swings. The two bucket swings have had no safety belts since the parks re-opened.
Notice the water logged “engineered surface” the cost several thousand dollars.

Back to the scout projects, these bulletin boards were placed in the parks in June of 2015

ViviLnk

By the middle of July they looked like this

ViviLnk

They were repaired by the city and now look like this, a year later.

As for a lack of safety of all citizens one only has to look at the Rabbit Hole.

The protective wire has been folded back, I guess water couldn’t flow fast enough with it covering the hole.

 

HO HO HO Where is Santa’s Dough ?

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LOOK MA NO MONEY

The following was brought up, in part, at the wildomar City Council meeting of December 14, 2016. My Public Comments were apparently deemed inappropriate for a local blogger as my comments must have hit the cutting room floor. Included at the end of this article are my Public Comments in there entirety from my notes.

Since the Measure Z Oversight Committee was charged with looking after the collections starting with the Breakfast with Santa 2013 that responsibility has been waning.

(The comingling of revenues raised by this event was questioned since the beginning with city staff and the city manager expressing their opinion that this was appropriate).

This event had been held at Wildomar’s Fire Station 61 since 1979 with volunteer firefighters making the pancakes. The station was always working with various community leaders and groups to come up with different fundraisers to help offset the costs of up-grading and purchasing new state-of-the-art equipment needed in helping save lives and property. In 2004 they served about 300 residents to raise money to replace its out-dated emergency squad vehicle. A new one would have cost about $80,000.
http://myvalleynews.com/local/spark-of-love-toy-drive-to-aid-needy-families/

Today this event is monitored by the MEASURE Z OVERSIGHT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. This is made clear by the following statement:

The Special Event revenues reflect the Breakfast with Santa event wherein the City partnered with the Rotary Club.

The above line is found in the Measure Z Oversight and Advisory Committee Annual Report for FY13-14 on page 15 of the report found at: http://www.cityofwildomarparks.org/measure-z-documents
Also included in the above Annual Report is the following on Page 7 for the
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 2013 (Held December 21, 2013)

Park Services Highlights
Breakfast with Santa event was conducted at the Fire Station on Gruwell Street. Over 250 guests participated in the event. Total net revenues were $1,109.63.

During December, the Breakfast with Santa event was conducted at the Fire Station on Gruwell Street. Over 250 guests participated in the event. Total revenues were
$1,644.00, expenses were $968.75, (refer to attachment 2). The revenues were
originally recorded in the general fund and now have been transferred (except $50.00 which will be transferred at the City’s mid-year report on 2-11-2014) to the Measure Z fund, where the expenses were incurred.
The above comments are included in Agenda Item #2.1 FY 2013-14 Mid Year Report, Staff Report Discussion of January 23, 2014
Also found at http://www.cityofwildomarparks.org/measure-z-documents

On January 16, 2014 the Wildomar Rotary Club received its cut
Voucher 202951 01/16/2014 Vendor 000214 Rotary Club of Wildomar
Invoice #11314 Breakfast W/Santa Fundraiser $484.37

Even in the most current Agenda Packet for the Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee this event has its own line and budget in the financial reports

What has happened since the first year of the Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee’s oversight of the event called BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 2014 (Held on December 13, 2014)
May 28, 2015 Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee Agenda Item #2.1
FY 2014-15 3rd Quarter Report
Page 8 of 20 shows that the city budgeted $4,200 and brought in revenue of $4,418.00. (December 2014 Breakfast with Santa)
The only expense found in found in the 3rd quarter report is Stan Argent- Breakfast with Santa 300.00

In March of 2015 the Wildomar Rotary Club received its half of the revenue generated after expenses.

Voucher 204466 03/05/2015 Vendor 000214 Rotary Club of Wildomar
Invoice #30515 Breakfast with Santa Fundraiser $1,339.00

According to City of Wildomar Vouchers (shown below) a total of $877.22 was spent on various supplies. The city also spent $1,177.11 on 4 Grills for community events add to that the $300 from the 3rd Quarter report above brings the total expenditures for the 2014 event to $2,354.33.

Revenue in of $4,418 minus expenses of $2,354.33 leaves $2063.67 divided by 2 gives the city of wildomar and the Wildomar Rotary Club $1,031.83
(How is it the Rotary Club received $307.16 more than the city)

Voucher 204188 12/18/2014 Vendor 000067 Petty Cash Invoice #79
Petty Cash Replenishment Breakfast with Santa $ 13.46

Voucher 204192 12/18/2014 Vendor 000186 Rightway
Invoice#59557 12/13/2014 Breakfast with Santa $ 209.90

Voucher 204238 12/30/2014 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #121214 Breakfast with Santa Supplies $ 21.59
Invoice #121214 Breakfast with Santa Supplies $ 28.08
Invoice #121214A Breakfast with Santa Supplies $ 29.16
Invoice #170 Breakfast with Santa Supplies $ 93.31
Invoice #41847 Breakfast with Santa Supplies $ 12.48
Invoice #4900-5852 Four Grills for Community Events $1,177.11
Invoice #7 Breakfast with Santa Health Permit $ 87.00
Invoice #8055 Propane for Breakfast with Santa $ 252.83

Voucher 204262 01/08/2015 Vendor 000773 South Shore Deli Provisions, Inc.
Invoice #57073 Supplies for Breakfast W/Santa $ 308.00

Voucher 204295 01/22/2015 Vendor 000011 CR&R Inc.
Invoice #276984 12/16/14 Additional Pick-up Breakfast w/Santa $ 40.53

Voucher 204388 02/12/2015 Vendor 000067 Petty Cash
Invoice 81 Breakfast w/Santa $ 33.71

After all is said and done for Breakfast with Santa 2014 the Annual Report shows nothing.

Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee Agenda Item #2.2
SUBJECT: FY 2014-15 Annual Report
Makes no mention of Breakfast with Santa Revenue (2014)

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 2015 (Held December 12, 2015)
Now let’s look at the Breakfast with Santa 2015
July 7, 2016 Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee Agenda Item #2.1
SUBJECT: FY 2015-16 3rd Quarter Report
(Page 7 of 14)
255-3556 Breakfast with Santa Budgeted $4,000 Actuals as of 3/31/16 $0.00

That is until December where the Agenda Packet shows the following
September 8, 2016 Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee Agenda Item #2.1
SUBJECT: FY 2015-16 Year End Report – Pre Audit
(Page 19 of 110)
255-3556 Breakfast with Santa Budgeted $0.00 Actuals as of 6/30/16 $0.00

But what about all the expenses shown in the city vouchers listed below:

2015
Voucher 205573 12/10/2015 Vendor 000649 Mint Print Media
Invoice #950 Banner for Breakfast with Santa $ 51.84

Voucher 205576 12/10/2015 Vendor 000526 Print Postal
Invoice #12537 Breakfast with Santa 2015 $ 340.20

Voucher 205577 12/10/2015 Vendor 000186 Rightway
Invoice #120115 Breakfast with Santa $ 209.90

Voucher 205697 01/14/2016 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #00001 Breakfast with Santa Propane $ 27.77
Invoice #106 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Supplies $ 125.31
Invoice #1167803 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Supplies $ 28.08
Invoice #19 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Supplies $ 209.93
Invoice #451167793 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Supplies $ 30.24
Invoice #47100 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Supplies $ 32.31
Invoice #8992 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Health Permit $ 97.25

Voucher 205698 01/14/2016 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #20232 Breakfast with Santa 2015 $ 15.60
Invoice #3161897 Breakfast with Santa 2015 Tarps $ 12.92

These expenses total $1,181.35

The Wildomar Rotary Club received a check

Voucher 206017 04/07/2016 Vendor 000214 ROTARY CLUB OF WILDOMAR
Invoice #40716 BREAKFAST W/SANTA FUNDRAISER $1,142.08

With no revenue recorded (not even from the 8 sponsors) not sure how that happened.

2015 is also the year the Mayor stated that the city’s proceeds would be used to purchase emergency radios for the city and some of it was

Voucher 205550 12/10/2015 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #239019 CEMETERY EMER EMER RADIO SUPPLIES $ 33.92
Invoice #899103591108 CEMETERY EMER EMER RADIO SUPPLIES $ 29.64
Invoice #9585034 CEMETERY EMER EMER RADIO SUPPLIES $ 83.91
Total $147.47

Voucher 205697 01/14/2016 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #9960267 UV-5R DUAL BAND EMERGENCY RADIOS- CEMET $226.53

Voucher 205776 02/04/2016 Vendor 000006 Wells Fargo
Invoice #172663 Power Supplies for Disaster Net Radio $161.75

TOTAL $535.75

If the Rotary Club received their one-half then what happened to the rest of the city’s half amounting to $606.33

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 2016 (Held December 10, 2016)
So far there are no numbers to look at, the most recent Quarterly Report for FY16-17 shows a line item for a budget of $4,000

Will the lack of accounting and oversight continue into the New Year. With there being as many as 15 sponsors this year the money will be substantial.

The next question that needs to be asked:
If Measure Z budgets for this event, are not the revenues the property of Measure Z.
If that is so, how is it the city can spent any of this money on anything other than parks related expenses.

My notes from the evening of December 14, 2016

Public Comments

Since the beginning of the Measure Z Oversight Committee the task of accounting for the Breakfast with Santa funds has belong to the committee, according to staff, with Measure Z funds budgeted for this event and the revenue line 255-3556 Breakfast with Santa one would believe this to be true.

For the 2013 Breakfast there was a budget of $1600, the committee saw most of the invoices and receipts and the results, $1,109.63 net revenue was included in the FY13-14 Annual Report. Of this $484.37 was shared with the Rotary Club

Since that time there has been virtually no accounting of the monies budgeted, spent or brought in.

Breakfast with Santa 2014 showed that $4,200 was budgeted, in only one quarterly report (the other quarters showed nothing budgeted) but $4,218 was brought in of which $1,339.00 was shared with the Rotary Club, a single expense of $300 was recorded. These numbers got no mention in the FY 2014-15 Annual Report.

Breakfast with Santa 2015 showed that $4,000 was budgeted but the quarterly reports show no expenditures even though $1,142.08 was shared with the Rotary Club. Per our Mayor the city’s cut was to fund Emergency Radios which this city spent $535.75 for such radios, what happened to the rest of the money.

Pre-audit numbers for FY15-16 show absolutely nothing budgeted nor any actual revenue brought in. There are also no expenses recorded.

For this years Breakfast with Santa 2016 $4,000 has been budgeted, we will have to wait and see if it gets any mention at all.

WILDOMAR where the LIGHTS are ON but NOBODY’S HOME

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On two separate Friday nights November 4th and 11th, 2016 the lights at, wildomar’s premier park Marna O’Brien, have lit up all three ball diamonds. This would in most cases be a good thing as the citizens pay dearly with an annual Measure Z Tax for this pleasure used by a few.

1104162112-01

But, this is wildomar where on the two nights mentioned two fields sat empty while one team played, this condition existed from 9:00pm – 10:00 pm on both evenings that I know of. At a calculated cost (2009 study) these lights cost $33.20 per hour per field to operate. With all three fields lit up it was costing the taxpayers of this city $99.60 per hour of operation. These lights had been on since 5:30pm both evenings until 10:00pm a period of 4.5 hours for a total cost of $448.20 each night.

user-fees-parks-2009

As the parks are closed to the general public at dusk, the sports leagues using these fields are supposed to by City of wildomar Resolution 09-64 pay a prorated share for these lights. That share was per the Resolution to be $5.00 for the use of each field and $15.00 per hour per field for the lights. There is no way to know if anything is being collected by the city as the Measure Z Oversight Committee has never seen any documentation verifying this. The last Oversight meeting brought to light that the teams were paying nothing for the use of the fields in exchange for the teams maintaining the fields, for themselves as they leave them in unplayable condition for everyone else. This is a clear violation of Resolution 09-64

How much abuse are the citizens of wildomar to take at the hands of an uncaring staff.

Wildomar Library Less Than Significant

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While studying an EIR (Environmental Impact Report) for a group of condominiums awaiting approval to be built in Wildomar one can’t help wonder what these people are thinking when they declare an increase in population no matter how insignificant, in this case 630 individuals or a 1.9% increase, to be less the significant

The wording in the EIR section entitled: SUMMARY OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES FOR THE PROJECT: Impact: reads as follows
The proposed project would not result in adverse physical impacts with the provision for, or the need for, new or physically altered library facilities.
Mitigation Measure: No mitigation measures are required
Significance after Mitigation: Less than significant

Further on in the Summary of Impacts it continues with this statement
The project would not result in a cumulatively considerable contribution to adverse physical impacts due to the construction of new or expanded library facilities.

This statement is parrotted in another Mitigated Negative Declaration presented to the Planning Commission the month before.
Any impacts would be considered incremental and less than significant.
Page 104 of 147
http://www.cityofwildomar.org/uploads/files/minutes/2016-10-19-agenda-packet/Item%202.1%20-%20Attach%20A-Ex%201%20-%20Nova%20Homes%20IS-MND%20Document.pdf

Back to the EIR
Under the Heading Libraries is the following declaration
The City of Wildomar is a member of the Riverside County Library District (RCLD), which
operates 33 libraries throughout Riverside County and has an annual circulation of 3.4 million
items (Christmas, 2010). According to the City’s General Plan, the County Library System has
District-wide standards of 1.2 volumes and 0.5 square feet of library space per capita. The
Mission Trail Library located at 34303 Mission Trail, is the library nearest to the project site,
approximately 2.7 miles north of the project site.

To show you how old the numbers here are the current Riverside Library system has 35 libraries and 2 bookmobiles. It’s circulation in 2012 was 3,724,657. It’s collection consist of 1,626,646 in 2012.

So let’s look at what should be:
Looking at Wildomar
The Wildomar Library on Mission Trail is 5,384 sq.ft.. With a population of 35,168 (January 2016) the square footage should be 17,584 sq.ft..
We are currently at 30 and half percent. Even below the county deficit.
Square Footage per the General Plan rate of 0.5 sq.ft. per capita for Riverside County based on the current population of 2,189,641 (2016) should be 1,094,821 sq. ft.
The current square footage is 360,757 a deficit of 734,064 square feet or about ⅓ of what it should be.
To be fair when the Mission Trail Library, now known as the Wildomar Library, was built it served an estimated population of 20,000 and was 5,000 sq.ft., undersized by half then. With a County Standard of 0.5 sq.ft. per capita it should have been 10,000 sq.ft..

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Volumes in the Collection
Wildomar Library contains 20,682 volumes where it should contain 87,920 this is a deficit of 67,238 or 23.5% of what we should have.
Per the General Plan the requirement is 2.5 volumes per capita
The EIR in question states 1.2 volumes per capita, that is the number of volumes on hand in per California Library Statistics 2012.
The total collection volume should be 5,474,103 volumes. The current collection in 2012 is 1,540,455. This is a far cry from what it should be with a deficit of 3,933,648 or 28% of what should be in our libraries.

The latest statistics for the Wildomar Library aka Mission Trail Library are 158,380 visits with 69,236 items checked out 2015-16, 69,236 visits with 2,280 children attending programs throughout the year.
2013-2014 Fiscal year had 152,401 visits and 69,236 items checked out.
Visits are up 4% from years previous.
Population 2014 – 33,718
Population 2016 – 35,168 and increase of 4%

The last monies collected for the library was by the County of Riverside, before cityhood, was a Development Impact Fee (DIF) for books only. This money, approximately $167,000, turned over to the city mid-year 2014 will purchase just under 7,000 books at the County’s estimated cost of $25 per book. But where to put them.

When this money runs out that’s it

Realizing the Impact to the County of Riverside they updated their DIF in 2014 to include this chapter:
http://planning.rctlma.org/Portals/0/genplan/general_plan_2014/EnvironmentalImpactReport/04-17_PublicFacilities_2014-04-07.pdf

Page 67 of 75
Ordinance No. 659 – Development Impact Fees Program: Under this ordinance, all new residential, industrial and commercial development is required to pay development impact fees commensurate with the level of new development proposed in order to offset impacts to existing and future public facilities. For library services, the ordinance establishes a base per-dwelling unit fee for both single- and multi-family homes; $341 and $286 per dwelling unit respectively. The ordinance enforces the program by stating that “no building permit shall be issued for any Development Project except upon the condition that the Development Impact Fees required by this ordinance are paid.” These funds are collected and used to provide both library services and construction of new facilities pursuant to the Public Facilities Needs List maintained by the County of Riverside and updated annually.
Riverside County General Plan Policies: Policy LU 5.1 in the Riverside County General Plan aids in the prevention of significant impacts to libraries. It directs the County of Riverside to take action to ensure that development does not cause growth to exceed acceptable levels of service. In terms of libraries, this is implemented through requirements for development fees to be paid as part of project Conditions of Approval. See Section 4.17.6.B for full text of the policy

b. Compliance with Existing Mitigation Measures from EIR No. 441
In EIR No. 441, prepared for the 2003 RCIP General Plan, Mitigation Measure 4.15.6A was imposed to reduce impacts to libraries to less than significant. This measure remains applicable to this project and would lessen impacts to libraries by setting a performance standard that must be met by new development proposals. This standard is implemented with funds collected pursuant to County Ordinance No. 659, as discussed above.
Existing Mitigation Measure 4.15.6A:
Riverside County shall provide a minimum of approximately 0.5 square foot of library space and 2.5 volumes per county resident.
F. Libraries – Level of Significance After Mitigation
With the implementation of the above-listed existing General Plan policies and existing Mitigation Measure 4.15.6A from EIR No. 441, GPA No. 960 would have a less than significant impact on libraries.

Notice the Fees for Libraries of
$341 for single family homes and $286 for multi-family homes (the fee is per Dwelling Unit)

The City of Wildomar chose not to include a DIF for Library Construct or Books when they adopted their fees in 2014.

It’s a sad state when two of our council members, both of whom proclaim they are members of the “Friends of the Mission Trail” Library, and claim they are pro library have not called for a Developer Impact Fee therefore this city collects no money for books or buildings.