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This will be an awesome event and it needs to be on your calendar.

Yorba Linda Fiesta Days
November 10th, 2012

Join us for a festival in the heart of Old Towne Yorba Linda!

MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
FUN & GAMES
PARADE FLOATS
MARCHING BANDS
BEER & WINE GARDEN
CRAFTS, FOOD BOOTHS
KIDS ZONE, TALENT SHOW
RAFFLE WITH CASH PRIZE
COMPETITIONS, COMPETITIONS, COMPETITIONS

5k Flyer

Schedule

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The Yorba Linda Woman’s Club will host its Fall Craft Faire on
Saturday, November 3, 9 am – 4 pm, and Sunday, November 4, 10 am – 4 pm, at the
Yorba Linda Community Center, 4501 Casa Loma Avenue, Yorba Linda.
Admission is free.
Call Louise on 714-777-2622 or email ylwccraftfaire@gmail.com for information.
“Like” us on Facebook @ Yorba Linda Woman’s Club Craft Faire for a chance to win
two free lunches during the Faire from our Club Room Cafe and ten Opportunity Drawing tickets.
All proceeds support scholar
ships and local charities.

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Esperanza High School Lacrosse
Esperanza H.S. West Campus
Starting September 19, 2012
EVERY Wednesday 5:30 – 9:00 pm
5 + food trucks to choose from per week-
SEE listed websites weekly for truck line-up

EHS Women’s Lacrosse Website: www.ladyaztecslax.net
Facebook: Esperanza Women’s Lacrosse
EHS Men’s Lacrosse Website: www.ehslacrosse.com
Facebook: Esperanza Mens Lacrosse

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Clear out some clutter, or buy more clutter. Teach your children about money. Have fun. Registration is already closed but you can still come and peruse the wares. Buy some gently used toys from kids so you can have more toys at your house.

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The city is citing UCYL for an Administrative Citation for violating municipal code 12.20.020 (Section Q). Posting of Signs in a Public park. Here’s the summary of that code.

City Code, Chapter 12.20, Section 12.20.020 Prohibited Conduct within Public Parks and Trails,

Paragraph Q.  “It is unlawful to distribute any handbills or circulars, or to post, place or erect any bills,

notice, paper or advertising device (banner) or matter of any kind.”  (IE: Easy-Up with banners attached)

 

1. Signs must have our name, address and phone number attached.  A label on the back may suffice.

2. Signs may not “resemble” traffic signs (John’s “Stop Sign”)

3. Signs shall not exceed 4 feet in height (as measured from grade) (Signs on easy up must be lower than 4 feet and NOT in any Park)

Here is the first letter from the City:

City Letter #1

Here is the second letter:

Here is the response from UCYL

Will the city prevail with this action?

Mostly likely, because even though IMO the UCYL have every right to do what they are doing, they are annoying the current powers that be. Since someone got annoyed, then city fines the annoyance hoping the annoyance goes away.

What do you think? Is the City / City Council stifling free speech?

Do you disagree with their stance of fining UCYL? Then sign the petition here:

http://unitedcitizensforyl.com/

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If anyone else wants to write on the site they can, but they have to know how to use WordPress.

There are 3 seats up for election this year. Jim Winder is termed out. Nancy Rikel and Mark Schwing are up for re-election.

Here are the 7 Candidates for this year for 3 City Council Seats

New Candidates:

• Todd Cooper
• Gene Hernandez
• Louis Knappenberger
• Kenneth Peterson http://www.klplaw.com/
• Craig Young http://www.craigyoung.org/

Incumbents:

• Nancy Rikel http://rikel4yl.com/
• Mark Schwing http://www.markschwing.com/

The post It's that time again appeared first on Land of Gracious Living.

The vote for or against the proposed OCSD Contract tonight has come after an arduous process, filled with spirited debate, late nights and passion, the likes of which I have not seen in Yorba Linda. This process has taken a palpable toll on this Council, City Staff, the competing agencies and the public. I had no idea when I placed a discussion about the upcoming renewal of the Brea Police Services Contract on the August, 2011 Agenda, of the firestorm it would cause. My original intent was that the Council direct Staff to begin to address the then current contract and commence negotiations with Brea early, in order to
clear Staff’s already full plate and allow them to concentrate efforts toward Town Center development, LMAD resolution, a new library and other City-wide issues. I was stunned at the actions which sprang from a subsequent night later in November, to terminate Brea’s 40+ year-old contract and direct Staff to prepare an RFP to commence competitive bidding for Police Services, against Staff’s recommendation. I voted against that motion, agreeing with Staff to allow Brea time to commence negotiations for a new contract and prepare a new offer. I understand and accept that even had Brea been allowed to complete a full review and submit a new offer to Yorba Linda during that requested period, an RFP and open, competitive bid was more than likely to still occur. I publicly acknowledge that an open bidding process was the right thing to do. However, I deemed granting a brief period of time for that review by Brea to be the courteous, respectful and right thing to have done then, and I stand by that today. Brea PD earned that right over the last 42 years, whether one likes or dislikes their services over those years.

The vote taken that November evening was the first of two major votes taken by this Council to direct the processes by which we would arrive at such a vote tonight- either for or against a binding contract for a particular agency. The second major vote occurred in April, 2012 at the now infamous 3:15 am vote. This was a vote to direct Staff to request that the OCSD prepare a contract for Police Services. I voted against that motion for two major reasons, as I stated that evening. First, I thought it unwise to invite a bigger government, Orange County Agency into our City, whose own needs, actions and policies could be placed before the interests of Yorba Linda, whose existence is governed by a County Board of Supervisors, whose costs are already born by us the taxpayers and whose presence brings with it a new political equation into our City. I refer to the political potentials that a large Union could bring to bear on our future elections and City government. I still believe that this may not be a fiscally conservative action in the long run. But all these fears would not preclude my vote for OCSD if I knew it was the best deal for Yorba Linda.

Second, I was convinced then, and I still am today, that the great majority of the residents that I represent prefer to maintain Brea as their policing agency, especially given that they have offered competitive pricing. I base this on the scores with whom I have spoken and who have taken the time to write and contact me. Their concerns are genuine. I fully understand that there are many who prefer allowing the Sherriff to come to Yorba Linda, and that feelings and experiences with Brea PD are not unanimously positive. I know that not all will be pleased with this Council’s final decision, but we who are duly elected must make that decision and hope that the community will rally behind their Police Department whoever it is. I believe it is imperative that our community supports its Policing Agency,
both to the citizens and the provider Agency.

The end result of the two major votes so far has taken away from me the surety that Yorba Linda is realizing its best option. From the beginning, this has been my greatest desire- to fully explore our options before I was asked to vote for or against any contract. In my opinion, the City has kept its word with OCSD in every regard, practically and legally. Based on the April vote, they won Council approval to submit a contract to Yorba Linda for Police Services. Tonight, that right has been granted and their contract lies before us. I thank them for all the hard work they have performed throughout the process. Staff and our City Manager believe that it is a reasonable contract. I agree. Is it the best contract? I’m not sure yet.

In order for me to cast my vote for this contract with good conscience, I need to understand how it measures up with alternatives. Much has been said about offers being made inappropriately by both the OSCD, who changed their RFP and further lowered their price the very evening of the vote regarding the RFP, and Brea, who submitted a late counter proposal a few weeks ago. Though I have not agreed with either vote, the reality is that this Council voted to 1. Proceed with the preparation of a contract by OCSD that includes that last minute offer for further discount, and 2. To not consider a late offer by Brea PD. Much
has been said about the integrity of the RFP process being compromised if those votes are not honored- even that others may never desire to respond to another Yorba Linda RFP in the future. I believe that agencies, vendors and bidders for City services will continue to respond vigorously to our future RFP’s, including any future Police Services. I also believe in preserving the integrity of any vote the majority of this Council makes.

Tonight, a vote will be taken that will change the dynamics of Yorba Linda for years to come. While I haven’t agreed with the process, I applaud the end results in terms of the financial benefits to the City. It’s time to take our hats off to all those who had the courage to pursue a better contract for Yorba Linda. Our City budget will continue to be under severe pressures for the foreseeable future, and austerity is a mandate- just look at San Bernardino, Stockton and other cities that will certainly follow them into bankruptcy proceedings. We can vote to accept the OCSD contract tonight and move forward, or we
can take a deep breath, acknowledge that we are under no rush to sign this contract since it doesn’t take effect until next May, and continue the vetting process to assure the City gets the best deal. Many have weighed in with their opinions on how best to proceed. Those who favor Brea may have to cede that OCSD is simply a better deal. Those who favor OCSD may have to hold up for a short period of time and see if their contract truly stands as the best deal. Surely it will stand up to a final scrutiny if it is indeed the best deal. All residents will have to move on, regardless of the final outcome of the vote, but there is absolutely no incentive that I’m aware of pressing us to approve a contract tonight. If there were urgency, I would understand, but I see none tonight. In fact, I see a rushed vote as flawed.

I do, however, see one solution, which I would urge my fellow Council Members to consider. After all the time and effort, tonight we finally have a contract in final form, with the aspects that many individuals have worked so hard to incorporate. This is the document against which other proposals should be compared. The contract before us is the direct result of Council’s award of the RFP to the OCSD. We all saw what happened when the RFP responses were vetted against each other. Because of the complexity of this RFP,
and by no fault of anyone involved, it seemed apples were oranges and peaches turned into cumquats somewhere along the way. Thankfully however, these nuanced differences in the three RFP’s seem to have worked together to produce a specific, customized contract from OCSD that Yorba Linda could live with.

But with this document in hand, which appears to be acceptable and recommendable by Staff and their experts, we could invite Brea and Anaheim, if and only if they are interested, to submit a “Best and Final” contract that addresses each point on this document, point by point, issue by issue and dollar for dollar. It is possible that neither of the other agencies can match what OCSD has offered us. Perhaps neither will even choose to submit. Thus, they will disqualify themselves. If they do choose to respond, we will have our apples and apples. No resident could dare purport unfairness, favoritism, or innuendo under this scenario. The City, I believe, would heal, rally behind the chosen agency and welcome them
as our police services provider for years to come. Doesn’t the winning agency deserve that? Don’t the residents deserve that? This action is a win/win for all involved. And what does it cost us; four more contractually insignificant weeks and one last invitation by Staff to Anaheim and Brea. I see nothing in the Contract before us tonight that refers to time sensitivity, expiration date, or penalty for the time of signature. The reason for this is because all parties understand that it doesn’t actually commence until May 3, 2012.

Under these circumstances, I will be the first to vote for the best agency for Yorba Linda, all my doubts dissipated. My sincere hope is that both my fellow Council Members and the Sherriff will see the wisdom in this line of thinking. The Sherriff did not ask for controversy, only to come to Yorba Linda and provide high level policing services. But here in Yorba Linda, the OCSD could establish a new level of professionalism. They could take an unprecedented higher road and agree to let their proposed contract measure up one last time against other offers. It must certainly mean something to OSCD to be willingly invited into Yorba Linda by the citizenry it serves, rather than solely by the vote of the electeds.
Together, we have one chance to get it right for Yorba Linda. For these reasons, I will be voting “No” for any motion that authorizes the signature of a contract now.

Therefore, I submit a substitute motion that Staff be directed to contact Anaheim and Brea PD immediately and solicit their interest in submitting a police services contract which directly addresses services and prices as outlined in the final OSCD contract, the resultant contract from which must be brought back to Council no later than the Council Meeting on August 21, 2012.

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