Leaders anchored in service – with vision & purpose – should have a value-driven goal to maximize the greater long-term good with integrity. A servant leader – what a politician ought to be – must put the needs and well-being of others first, be conscientious, and credit results. As a Civic Councilmember, here are a few items of which I have accomplished since being elected:
- Effectively facilitated the donation – from the Chamber of Commerce and O’Connell Landscaping – of two OC Sheriff’s Department Bike Patrols to serve Ladera Ranch. The additional long-term services are being provided by the OCSD at no extra cost to Ladera Ranch residents.
- Proposed and approved – in a 6-0 vote – for a bylaw amendment attendance policy to hold councilmembers accountable on their attendance at public and private working council meetings. Once in effect, a councilmember stepped down.
- With the open seat, I successfully appointed my nominee to join the Council – a Democrat who is a senior management analyst in the Lake Forest City Manager’s office, has a bachelor’s in political science, a master’s degree in public administration, and a certificate in urban planning.
- As the unanimously appointed Treasurer, I have cut Council communication costs by over 30%, while increasing connection to the community through online outlets. In addition, I created the position of “Webmaster” to be appointed by the Council as a volunteer to operate the Council website and other social media pages.
- Worked with Ladera Ranch Community Services and the Teen Leadership Council (TLC) to create a position of “Vice Chair of Civic Issues” for the TLC. The VC of Civic Issues is a Ladera Ranch teen who attends Council meetings and reports back to the TLC on all major local political topics in the community, while allowing the TLC to voice their opinion to the Civic Council.
- Worked with the OC Public Works department on studying speed limits that were of concern by many residents in Ladera Ranch. The study resulted in my approval of innovative techniques – such as speed reduction markings – to lower the speed of drivers, which would in effect allow Public Works to legally lower the speed limit.
- My current venture on the Council involves plans for Ladera Ranch cityhood and governance. I am meeting with LAFCO and OC Supervisor Pat Bates to discuss Council recommendations, which include: A) a County Service Area (CSA) to create an ongoing study of the cost of services for Ladera Ranch as paid for by the County general fund. This is to answer financial questions of Ladera Ranch and start the conversation of cityhood. The proposed CSA includes the Rancho Mission Viejo (RMV) development. B) Establish a Municipal Advisory Council to include RMV. This will provide the Council with much needed resources as an important step before cityhood.
I recommend that Ladera Ranch become a city with the Rancho Mission Viejo development once phase three of development is complete. Phase three includes industrial and retail zoning, which when completed, will be vital for the financial success of the proposed city. Ladera Ranch on its own would not work as a city because it is a home-based community, which indicates that financial governance would be near impossible until revenue-producing industrial and retail is completed. Communities incorporate for services, which is why Ladera Ranch must wait for the right time where our costs our lowest and services are highest. (Note: RMV is a development next to Ladera Ranch and San Juan Capistrano. Once completed, the development will be larger than the current community of Ladera Ranch.)