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Politics & Government

City Council Applies the Heat After Attending the Fete

Former Councilman Neil Blais was honored at a pre-meeting reception, and then council members asked some tough questions about 911 response and a colleague's imminent departure.

City Council members for Rancho Santa Margarita put in a particularly long effort Wednesday evening as festivities included a pre-meeting reception honoring former Councilman Neil Blais that lasted for two hours in the Bell Tower Regional Community Center that he was so instrumental in getting built. 

Blais, part of the original council when the city was incorporated Jan. 1, 2000, was described as a trailblazer and honored with a commemorative street sign, "Blais Trail," among numerous certificates and awards presented by local dignitaries. One of the prevailing sentiments was the dignity with which he handled his loss in the November election in which he failed to retain a council seat by a mere 20 votes.

When the City Council meeting began—more than 30 minutes late because of the reception—Mayor Tony Beall presented certificates of recognition to students Haylee Embree and Mackenzie Wallevand from Melinda Heights Elementary School as a part of the student recognition program.

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Over the next 3-1/2 hours, council added five residents to a committee that originally allowed for adding only one, waived permits for temporary signs through the end of the year, transferred its 911 emergency services agreement due to new ownership, and discussed at length Councilman Jesse Petrilla's role in city business while in Kentucky for more than three months as part of a military commitment.

Mayor Pro Tem Gary Thompson and Councilman Jerry Holloway asked tough questions to representatives of American Medical Response Service and the Orange County Fire Authority in considering the transfer of an agreement between the city of RSM and Doctor’s Ambulance Service, which is selling 100 percent of its stock to AMR. Concerns surrounded the ability of AMR to meet standards of the agreement between Doctor’s and the city to provide emergency response services during 911 calls. Although Thompson voted for the agreement—Holloway was the only dissenting vote—he admonished AMR to not mislead the city in the future. Thompson felt the company misrepresented itself in a December letter to the city announcing its purchase of Doctor's and its commitment to keeping the same management team, which will change under the new agreement.

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The normally uneventful city manager’s report dominated council discussion with the presentation of an emergency item— for military training at Fort Knox, KY. Petrilla wants to continue to participate in council meetings via teleconference. Military obligation with the California Army National Guard will cause Petrilla to miss at least six consecutive council meetings. In order to avoid violation of the Brown Act, state law requires providing notice and a meeting location open to the public should Petrilla partipate in meetings from Kentucky, which operates on Eastern Standard Time. Councilmen expressed concern over the demands placed on Petrilla to satisfy his military obligation while at the same time trying to develop the city budget, a task that would be difficult should he miss even one budget meeting which is in addition to the regular council meetings.

Council directed the city staff to pursue answers to legal, logistics and technology questions, while Petrilla was asked to provide confirmation from the military that this was feasible. Once research is complete, a special meeting will be held to determine how to proceed.

The next regular meeting of the Rancho Santa Margarita City Council scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 23, the day after Petrilla is supposed to report to Fort Knox.

A continued discussion of permit fees for temporary business banners and commercial real estate signs led to a resolution to waive permits entirely until the end of 2011, although businesses will still be subject to city ordinances.

Council approved a resolution amending the Community Development Block Grant committee’s formation document to allow for all five residents who applied to the committee to be added because council did not want to turn away any volunteers. While the mentioned interest by four applicants, five were actually added; an error by city staff had previously inadvertantly excluded the fifth applicant's information. In its original form, only one applicant would have been accepted to the committee, as the committee allowed for five resident members and there was one vacancy. The committee determines the distribution of city funds to nonprofit organizations. 

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