12-02-2014 Council Minutes Adj Regular Oath of OfficeAPPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 10, 2015
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF AN ORANGE, CALIFORNIA
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING December 2, 2014
The City Council of the City of Orange, California convened on December 2, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.
in a Regular Meeting in the Council Chambers, 300 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, California.
6:00 P.M. SESSION
OATH OF OFFICE CEREMONY
I. OPENING
1.1 INVOCATION
Reverend Jeannie Martz, Trinity Episcopal Church
1.2 PRESENTATION OF COLORS
Orange Police Department Color Guard
1.3 PLEDGE OFALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Lia, Robert, and Simone Bilodeau
1.4 NATIONAL ANTHEM
Orange Police Department Officer Dan Norman
1.5 ROLL CALL
PRESENT - Alvarez, Whitaker, Smith, Bilodeau
ABSENT - Murphy
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None
3. LEGAL AFFAIRS
3.1 RESOLUTION NO. 10833 (E1100.0)
A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Orange, California, reciting the fact of the
General Municipal Election held on November 4, 2014, declaring the results and such
other matters as provided by Law.
MOTION
- Alvarez
SECOND
- Bilodeau
AYES
- Alvarez, Whitaker, Smith, Bilodeau
ABSENT
- Murphy
Moved approval of Resolution No. 10833
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
4. SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO CO UNCILMEMBER DENIS BILODEA U
Comments by outgoing Councilmember Denis Bilodeau:
I want to first thank my wife, she has been so supportive of me these last eight years. It
has not always been easy. Sometimes, Tuesday nights were rough. I have not been home
to help with homework and things like that. And she has been so tremendously
supportive, as well as my children. It's been so wonderful to share my family with all of
you. And you have all been so supportive of me.
Now, when I arrived here eight years ago, it was the result of the tragic loss of Steve
Ambriz. I served as his Planning Commissioner and Steve and I were very close. Steve's
widow Bridget had endorsed me, but had it not been for these tragic series of events I
wouldn't even be up here on the dais. I visited Ambiz Park recently to reflect on my time
up here on the dais and my friend Steve. One thing I came to realize was there is not a
photo of Steve at Ambriz Park. So I made something - here is a photo of Steve when he
tried out for the Fullerton Flyers professional baseball team. He was quite proud of this
and it was actually in the Orange County Register. Steve and I had both worked for
Supervisor Todd Spitzer, and I don't know where Steve got this skill but somehow he got
the Orange County Register to write an entire article about him trying out for a
professional baseball team. I'm sure he acquired that skill from Todd Spitzer. We all
teased him about that quite a bit. As my last directive as a Councilmember, I want to ask
staff to hang this inside the Community Room at the Park so everyone will know who
Steve Ambriz was and that he was almost a professional athlete.
I've been very blessed, and when I came here I knew that time would pass quickly. I
wanted to try to get some things done and just a few things that I am proud of include
working with Todd Spitzer - he deserves much of the credit, we were able to get a safety
median funded on Santiago Canyon Road where Steve had his tragic accident, and that
will prevent more accidents at that location in the future. I am very proud of that.
Greg Lewin of the Fire Department mentioned the emergency vehicle preemption - that
was little bit of a battle I had with our former Public Works Director who didn't quite see
it my way; but luckily I was able to identify grant funding to get that apparatus installed
on the signals and that reduces response times and keeps our Firefighters and the
motoring public safe. I am very happy that was done and now that is actually continuing
on in other areas of the City where it will now get installed.
I am very proud that I permanently banned red light cameras in the City of Orange. They
actually have never been used, but at times vendors would come forward to try to sell the
City on that kind of a revenue stream - sort of in the depths of the recession. I just
wanted to make sure we never went down that pathway.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
4. SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO COUNCILMEMBER DENIS BILODEAU (Continued)
Working together with Shirley Grindle and the Santiago Greenway Alliance, we installed
many miles of new bike paths along Santiago Creek. There is still much to do and there is
some grant funding opportunities coming up next year and I know that the Mayor is going
to lead the way and get new projects funded.
I am very proud that we saved the library system from privatization. That is something
that is near and dear to my heart. The volunteers and the employees at the Library all
watched my kids grow up and they all know my children by name and it has been so
touching whenever I go to the Library and they know me and my family and the
community. They do a tremendous job.
I have a small gift for my colleagues. As you know, I always wear an orange tie to the
Council meetings. Councilmember Murphy always reminded me that there is a very fine
line between a tasteful orange tie and a clown tie. So, hopefully I never crossed that line.
My wife and I went shopping and we procured orange scarves for the ladies and orange
handkerchiefs for the men.
I have one other thing. Every year in the latter part of January, the Longhouse of the
Orange Skies, which runs the Indian Princess and Indian Guides program, has a pinewood
derby car race at the Village of Orange mall. And, as you know I am the five year
defending champion of the Mayors 500 pinewood car race. Every year the Longhouse
comes here about a week before the race and hand out these car kits and nobody really
has time to manufacture them. I am happy to tell you that the Longhouse made the
decision that they are going to include Water Board members in all future races. So, I will
still get to try and defend my title and I actually, tonight, brought pinewood car kits for all
of you. Now, over the holidays you have time to make cars to challenge me in late
January.
Now I want to thank the City staff for all the support they provided me over the years,
including the City Manager's office, and Irma Hernandez and Debbie. The Economic
Development Department, the Public Works Department including the Water Department
who are near and dear to my heart, our Police and Fire Departments, who are second to
none in Orange County. The Parks and Recreation Department, our Library system, the
Human Resources and Finance Department and even the Waste Management company
who I see represented here tonight. And last but not least, the City Attorney, I want to
thank him for all his support over the last eight years. Attorneys don't always get thanked
here unfortunately.
With that, I want to congratulate my successor, Kim Nichols on her great victory. I
watched Kim on the Orange School Board and she did a tremendous job there for the
citizens of Orange. And, I know she will do a great job here. I wish you all the success in
the future. I may be watching on Tuesdays.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
4. SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO COUNCILMEMBER DENIS BILODEAU
The last thing I wanted to say - my wife and I have been married for 22 years. We were
actually married on the third of July and so my wife has endured eight years of fireworks
shows on our anniversary. This year there will be no fireworks show, we will go out and
have a nice dinner and maybe we will drop the kids off at Auntie Tita's house for the
fireworks show and we will go from there.
With that, I thank you all and God bless the City of Orange.
S. OATH OF OFFICE
City Clerk Mary Murphy administered the Oath of Office to:
Councilmember -Elect Fred M. Whitaker
Councilmember -Elect Kimberlee Nichols
Mayor -Elect Teresa "Tita" Smith
Comments by newly elected Councilmember Fred M. Whitaker:
It is a true honor to be re- elected to this Council. One name goes on the ballot but
anybody who's been involved in politics at all knows that it is not that one person. It is a
complete team effort. I can't thank my family enough. My wife kind of knew what she
was getting into. We met in politics, so, honey, I couldn't do this without you. When we
realized it was really a race this year, Mignon was back in old staffer mode and got all the
precincts organized and all things organized like I could never do.
My Dad and his wife Arlene are here. My Dad and my brother, thank you for making the
calls and Charlie, walking precincts. Dad and Charlie have always had a contest as to how
many they could call. That has been fabulous. I am honored to have my Dad here, a
World War II veteran. You are fabulous Dad; I got my love for public service through
you.
To my son, Jack, involuntary servitude kind of explains what being the son of a
Councilmember is, walking precincts. Now, it did help that this year was a government
class year for Orange Lutheran, and you were also able to help by bringing out your
friends. I think we had good family planning, because four years ago our oldest daughter
was in government class and had to do this and brought her friends out; so Jack, you got it
four years later.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Councilmember Fred M. Whitaker (Continued)
It's not just your family it's the entire community. I want to thank my colleagues, Denis,
Tita, Mike and especially my long time friend Mark. It is a high honor when those with
whom you serve say unanimously that we want you back here and serving with us. You
can't ask for better than that. And, to have all the former Mayors, Carolyn Cavecche,
Mayor Beam, Mayor Coontz, all say that we want you there. It's really special.
To the City staff and our Public safety people for the City of Orange Police Association -
I can't thank them enough for their support. Even when we didn't agree they said I was
somebody they thought should serve. But most of all it's the citizens of Orange that you
have to thank for giving you the trust to be here.
I'm proud of what we accomplished over the last four years. We made the tough choices
along with our employees to adjust our pensions, we balanced our budgets for three years,
and we have done lots of innovative programs. I would encourage you to go to our
website - we have received more awards than any other City for innovative programs
from both the Orange County Business Council and the Association of California Cities.
Madam Mayor, this last year, it's been my honor to be Mayor pro tem, representing you
here whenever you couldn't.
So, what would I like to do over the next four years to build on those accomplishments. I
think that I can bring my leadership for the second phases of what we need to do with
pensions. We all know that the CALPERS charges are rising faster than our revenues. But
there are innovative things that can be done. If you look at some of our sister cities, Irvine
and Newport are finding ways to pay down liabilities in a shorter amount of time. So we
can save the citizens on the interest costs.
We are a 126 year old city. We have aging infrastructure. If you have ever tried to park in
our beautiful Old Town, sometimes you just have to say - I can't have lunch here today
because I can't park. If you have ever been to our City Hall, it's probably a monument in
and of itself. There are lots of things we need to do to take our City into the next 126
years. I think we have to be creative and I'm willing to do that.
Orange is a very historic and conservative community. We are also not afraid of new
ideas and I like that. I think that I can offer leadership that honors both new ideas and
preserves our past.
One thing I can tell you is that whether you agree with me or disagree with me. You will
always know where I stand. I pledge to provide service that is worthy of the trust you
have placed in me. And I look forward to working with each of you. Thank you.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Councilmember Kim Nichols:
Madam Mayor, thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to be here. First, I
want to acknowledge Denis and thank him for his eight years of service to our
community. Sitting here and listening to all that you were saying, I realized that we have
more in common than I know. And as been stated here this evening, your service is
greatly appreciated, and thank you for all that you have done.
I am so honored and so humbled to have been elected to our City Council and to stand
here with this group of respected public servants. I hope to be able to earn the confidence
that this community has placed in me. I certainly intend to do so every day and in
everything that I do while I serve this community as your City Councilmember.
This City is so very special. All of us who live here, all of us who have raised our families
here, who operate businesses here, know what a wonderful City we have and what a
wonderful community we have. I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of the City of
Orange. I also feel a sense of responsibility to this community. Responsibility to insure
that our City is fiscally sound and that we stay close to its roots while we address the
issues and challenges that face us.
I know we must be responsible stewards of our City, that we can leave it for the next
generation, and that it is at least as special as what was entrusted to us at this time. I know
that begins and ends with a strong sense of community and fundamental values.
For me this campaign was always about community. It was about the people in our
community deciding for themselves what they wanted and whom they wanted as their
representative without outside influences. It was about citizen government and it was
about local community control.
I want to say thank you to all of my supporters. Certainly, to my core campaign group,
and you know who you are. Endless tireless hours on my behalf - I will be forever
grateful for all you did. Those who worked hard supporting me in my campaign, those
who knocked on doors, placed signs, held house parties, donated money, made phone
calls, and gently persuaded your friends to vote - your efforts truly made a difference in
my campaign.
I want to say a special thank you to Mayor Smith for her continued support and the
confidence she has shown in me in this campaign and for the future. Councilman
Alvarez, thank you for your guidance and support that you have shown from the
beginning. Councilman Murphy is not here this evening, but I am very grateful for the
advice and the wisdom he provided me during this campaign.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Councilmember Kim Nichols (Continued) :
I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my family. My mother is here this evening.
Mom, I love you and thank you for making the effort. My husband Steven, my three
children, I have one here this evening. I could not be more fortunate to have the most
extraordinary children in the world, Caitlin, Jeffery, and Shannon. Caitlin is in LA
working and Jeffery is in northern California so he couldn't be here. The three of you are
my world and thank you for everything you have done to show your support and love for
me.
I'm so appreciative of the opportunity to serve this City and I am very much looking
forward to working with this outstanding Council under the leadership of our great Mayor
and working with our community. I am proud and so hopeful for our future. Thank you
one and all and let the work begin.
Comments by newly elected Mayor Teresa "Tits" Smith:
I am very very humbled and I am pleased to be here for a second term as your mayor. I
want to thank so very many people and there is a risk of doing that in forgetting some.
But, I am going to take the risk anyway. I want to thank everyone who endorsed me for
this second term as mayor. I am very proud of the percentage of votes that we garnered
this election.
At the same time, I want to acknowledge my opponent, Mr. Eugene Fields. Eugene, you
were such a gentlemen during the whole campaign. We ran an upfront, positive campaign
and I really tribute you and give you great credit for that. I hope that you will join us as an
active citizen of Orange and I thank you for coming here tonight.
I want to thank all of those who endorsed our campaign. For Public Safety to endorse me
once again, for Police and Fire, you acknowledge what I have hoped to be reality; public
safety in the City of Orange is my absolute number one priority.
We are a beautiful town, a safe town, a town with a spirit of community that everyone
talks about and loves. The infrastructure of that, and the underpinnings, are because we
are a safe community. That is very intentional, it is not by accident. I credit our Police and
Fire Departments for all these years - our 126 year old Police Department and our almost
110 year old Fire Department for how safe you keep us and how credible you make us as
a community in the state of California and the United States of America.
I also want to thank the Orange Management Employees Association who stepped out
and endorsed me as well. I appreciate that support from our City staff. I was
acknowledged and endorsed by three business groups - our own Chamber of Commerce,
the Orange County Business Council, and the Orange County Taxpayers Association
headed by our former Mayor, Carolyn Cavecche.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Mayor Teresa "Tita" Smith (Continued):
Business, especially small business, has been the lifeblood of our City for all these years.
It needs to grow and continue for us to be prosperous and to recover. We have had a great
run in the last couple of years. But, we are certainly not back at the economic stability and
prowess that we would like to be. So, I pledge to you that I will continue to support
businesses large and small to make us the most viable business community in the County.
I am also appreciative of the Orange Park Acres Association and to the Foothill Sentry for
their endorsement. We have worked very hard to craft good open space for our City and
we hope to garner more of that as time goes on.
I am also grateful to the Orange County Register for their surprise endorsement. The
reason I am grateful is that the Register is a presence in our community that commands
transparency. It gives us the opportunity to broadcast our success. I thought it was just
lovely that the Register choose to endorse a female, grandma, democrat in the City of
Orange. There was a day that the Register would never have stepped out that way. Oh,
and a Catholic, that was my fourth. But, I am very very grateful.
I also want to thank publicly, our wonderful City staff. I want to start with our City
Manager's office under John Sibley's leadership. It has been an absolute pleasure to work
with the City Manager's office these ten years. The City Manager's office and the Clerk's
office are the two departments that put together our evening tonight, including our lovely
reception.
Denis did a great job naming our departments. We are so blessed to have the staff we
have here. Not many cities can sport a staff that went without a raise for four years, gave
up a day of work a week for four years, and gave up the cash -out of their vacation money
for four years, so that our City could remain with a balanced budget. Our staff did that,
and more, and our citizens are grateful for that. We are back now to a small raise,
working those Fridays, and vacation cash -out is back and we are looking forward to more
financial success as a City.
I am especially grateful to all of those who helped run our actual campaign. You know
who you are, I'm not going to give up my campaign secrets and name you all publicly. I
thank you very much. And, especially all those people who I've never met that put signs
in their yards and told their neighbors to put signs in their yards. It's such a wonderful
experience that not everyone will have. I am glad that I have been able to experience that
on your behalf.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Mayor Teresa "Tits" Smith (Continued):
The support and the love that people have for the City of Orange and our democratic
process, is a partnership. I remember ten years ago the very first thing that I wanted to see
if I could make a difference with was something very simple. Next to Hart Park on the
south side we have the Bob Hoyt Memorial Orange Grove. Bob Hoyt was someone my
Dad grew up with all his life and he was a former Mayor of the City of Orange. Ten years
ago that grove was just about on the way out. There were hardly any leaves on the trees,
very little fruit. I said that I thought that either we should take care of it or take it out.
Because Bob Hoyt was still in our community and it's his memorial grove, it needed to be
shaped up. All I had to do was mention that to our City Staff and wheels went into
motion. I ask each of you to take a look at it now. Today you see big, beautiful trees that
bear fruit; we have had some new plantings and removed the trees that had lived their full
life.
To further demonstrate the partnership in our community - that fruit has been picked over
the last eight years or so. My good friend Pat Barrios is here in the audience - she
spearheaded the first movement to pick that fruit and to distribute it to seniors and
families that needed that fruit here in the City of Orange. That, to me, is the demonstrated
partnership between the public and private sector. I am very proud of that and I do ask
you to take a look at that grove. It represents to me my life on this Council, from
Councilwoman and Grandma, to Mayor.
I want to also acknowledge my family. I know that you have heard that my family has
been here for five generations. My grandparents Herb and Ynez Hoefs came here in the
1920's; my grandparents John and Jewell Smith came here in the 1920's as well. They
are the four that constitute our five generations of being here in Orange. Tonight when I
stood up to take the Oath, I had my Dad with me. We are so blessed to have our Dad,
Gene Smith, Student Body President Orange High School class of 43. I am so proud of
that. Also, Dad was the catcher on the first Orange High CIF championship baseball
team, back in those days too - and our Mom Joan as well.
Our folks taught us to love Orange, love our community, love our church, and to love our
family. To me, that is what Orange is all about - faith, family, and service to our City. My
brothers and sisters, half of them are here tonight. Thank you very much for being here,
really appreciate that. Also here are a sprinkling of nieces and nephews and then Patrick
our youngest of our four children. Our fifth generation is sitting here, in uterus. He's our
Grandson, he has not quite appeared to introduce himself to us yet. Our grandchildren are
our fifth generation in Orange. That was how we had four generations stand up with me
for the Oath.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Mayor Teresa "Tita" Smith:
The success, vitality, beauty and strength of Orange is not based on this City Council, nor
on any other single elected official or any other single elected Council. Indeed, all of
those people and all of those Councils have contributed to who we are today. Rather, I
think that the success, vitality, beauty, and strength of Orange is the responsibility of each
and every citizen of Orange, every business owner, every City staff member, every school
official, every non - profit volunteer, every parent, and every neighbor.
We are so very proud of the community we share, the community of Orange that we have
built. Really, since the days of the Spaniards. The Peralta family was here in the 1770's
and one their descendents, my friend, Sister Eileen McNearny, who is a Sister of St.
Joseph's is a Peralta. The Yorba family, who we went to school with at Holy Family
back in the 50's; the Grijalva family to whom we dedicated our sports gym - those
families are still in this community as well. This has been a special place for a very long
time.
Mr. Chapman and Mr. Glassell picked the site and gave us the formal setting for our
Plaza, the first business community and the first residential community. How insightful
that those gentlemen were here for us.
I also want to acknowledge that we are a community who has been filled with Veterans
who have served our Country all these years. I did a real quick survey that just occurred to
me tonight that each of our parents have served our Country. My Dad was in the Navy,
Fred's Dad was in the Army, Mike's Dad was in the Navy. These men and women who
have served our Country have never been afraid to go to service on our behalf.
This evening marks just one moment in history in little ole Orange. But it is an evening
where we can rededicate ourselves to each other. As we rededicate ourselves to each
other, we rededicate to our Country, to a democratic nation where we choose our leaders
and voice our concerns and roll up our sleeves to work together to protect our freedoms.
That ultimately is what it is all about.
I am so proud to lead you in saying that it's a time when we once again purposefully say
Orange is our home, it's our workplace, it's our center for learning, and it's our center for
cultural expression. With our varied backgrounds, with immigrants from all over the
world, living in Orange, we have a beautiful beautiful community.
We know it is not enough to simply have a beautiful home. It requires constant attention,
constant repair, maintenance, fixture replacement, and time. It is also true in our City.
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES December 2, 2014
Comments by newly elected Mayor Teresa "Tita" Smith:
It is my intention to continue for the next two years to work with public safety to keep our
community safe, to grow our economy, to protect our water and our land, to improve our
school sites, to help those in need, and to raise our children to be citizens of Orange and
ultimately citizens of the United States of America.
This is our nation, our country, our home. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for
this brief opportunity in the colorful life of Orange, to serve you and our City as your
Mayor.
I am both humbled and energized to once again be sworn in as the 43rd Mayor. I thank
you, I thank my precious family, and I thank God. I ask God's blessing on you and of
course our America. Thank you so much.
6. BENEDICTION
Father Patrick Rudolph, St. Norbert's Catholic Church
7. ADJOURNMENT
Adjourn to the George Weimer Room for a reception in honor of the outgoing and newly-
elected officials.
The next Regular City Council Meeting will be held on Tuesday December 9, 2014, at
6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, with Closed Session beginning at 5:00 p.m., if
necessary.
Declaration of Chief Clerk, Robert Zornado, declaring posting of a City Council agenda of an Adjourned
Regular Meeting of December 2, 2014 at Orange Civic Center kiosk, Police facility at 1107 North
Batavia, and the Main Public Library at 407 E. Chapman; all of said locations being in the City of
Orange and freely accessible to members of the public at least 72 hours before commencement of said
adjourned special meeting.
M MURPHY
CITY CLERK
4rt�f -2�
,117ERESA E. SMITH
MAYOR
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