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Best, worst, least, most and touchiest of the year
Jim Drummond - Political Perspectives
Yorba Linda Star - January 5, 2006 - Viewpoints Section
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Excerpts:
Before tackling what promises to an eventful year, let’s take our annual look back at the best – and not-so-best – of the past year.
Best news for Yorba Linda: The private Friends Christian High School and public Yorba Linda High School made steady progress, with officials from both schools voluntarily working with residents to eliminate negative impacts on neighborhoods.
Best decision by school trustees: Retaining class-size reduction options in 59 kindergarten, 95 first-grade and 92 second-grade classrooms for 5,490 students.
Second-best decision by school trustees: Selecting the names Gualberto Valdez Middle School and Yorba Linda High School for campuses set to open in 2007 and 2008.
Best decision by City Council: Renaming Valley View Sports Park as Veterans Park, thanks to local American Legion and VFW leaders and tireless activist Sue Fenwick.
Fastest action by the sign police: A few anti-redevelopment signs reading “Got Blight?” were removed from the Old Town area within hours of their appearance.
Slowest action by the sign police: Dozens of signs for a “Hot Tub Blowout” at an out-of-town business remained on roadways throughout the city for two weeks.
Busiest, and shyest, professional political consultant: Dennis DeSnoo, who has worked for all five sitting City Council members and Old Town developer Michael Dieden. DeSnoo said he doesn’t grant interviews and acts aggressively to keep his name out of the newspapers.
Most questionable political tactic: City Council members delayed a public vote on the right-to-vote initiative until June because of the busy holiday period, but rushed Town Center zoning rules to final approval just five days before Christmas.
Touchiest subject with City Council members: The solicitation of campaign funds from developers, city contractors and other individuals and businesses that profit from council decisions. The practice doesn’t reflect this community’s high expectations for its leaders.
Worst expenditure of public funds: The large legal fees from two government agencies – the Yorba Linda and Orange County water districts – suing each other.
Least fair City Council practice: Allowing some supporters greater leeway than some opponents when enforcing public comment time limits at council meetings.
Best hopes for reasonable future development: The current petitions seeking to overturn the City Council’s new zoning rules, and the right-to-vote initiative on the June 6 ballot.
Most embarrassing gaffe in a $300,000 document: A rushed environmental impact report confused Old Town with Anaheim’s Platinum Triangle, listing a build-out of 9,500 residential units and 5.5 million square feet of commercial/office space.
Most embarrassing moment for a downtown developer: Michael Dieden’s refurbishment plans for his Main Street headquarters didn’t meet a city-determined “standard of quality.”
Best evidence of the too-close ties between developers and the council: The misleading Dec. 31 mailing to residents signed by council members but organized and paid for by the same developers who are in negotiations with the council. Who’s really running this city?
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