Category Archives: Eastvale Chamber of Commerce

Eastvale Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Eastvale Mayor Not Running For Re-Election

Staff Reports

Eastvale – On July 14th, Eastvale Mayor Brandon Plott announced that he will not run for re-election in Eastvale.

“I have been very fortunate the last few years to serve as a Councilmember and currently as Mayor for the Great City of Eastvale,” said Plott in a Facebook post. “After some personal reflection and conversations with the Family it has been determined that I will not run a re-election in our City.”

Plott says his reason for not running for re-election is because he and his wife are in process of extending their family. They are progressing through the Foster to Adopt Program and are planning ahead as they move closer to their goal.

Eastvale Mayor Brandon Plott. Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale.

 “…I feel that it is best to make myself more available to the needs of my Family,” said Plot. “Furthermore, my workload is continuing to increase which plays another factor into this decision making process.”

“I will be forever grateful to the Residents and Constituents of this City. Your countless love and support during these years has not gone unnoticed,” said Plot. “I want you all to know that I have left nothing on the table. I have literally given a 100% energy and effort to this position in hopes to be the most suitable representative during these times. And it is my promise, that I will continue with that same energy and effort till the end of year….especially during these challenging times.”

He ended the Facebook post by thanking the community and saying how blessed he feels to have been able to serve as Mayor. He also thanked his wife, April, for her sacrifice as he served.

Plott has lived in Eastvale for several years and was born and raised in the City of Chino. He was elected Mayor in 2019 and he was previously a City Council Member for 3 years.

Brandon’s professional background evolves from the private sector and includes having worked in the field of Mergers & Acquisitions and as a Corporate Accounts Manager for a large privately-held Security/Fire Alarm Company, according to the City of Eastvale. “As a leader within the company, Brandon has a successful track record of generating revenues, implementing productive policies, and managing large teams in order to achieve growth.”

Brandon studied at Fullerton College, Brigham Young University, and California State University, Fullerton. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication from California State University, Fullerton. 

Councilmember Tessari Resigns

Staff Reports

Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale.

Eastvale – It was announced on Aug. 12 that Councilmember Joe Tessari will resign from the Eastvale City Council. “Joe and his wife Lanee are off to start a new adventure in the State of Texas,” stated the City.

Joe has made a huge impact on the city as a member of the City Council, Planning Commission, and he was a proponent of Eastvale’s incorporation from the beginning. He served throughout the City, first one of the City’s first Planning Commissioners until August 2014. He was then “appointed to the Eastvale City Council in August 2014, re-elected in November 2016, and continued to serve until today,” stated the release. “He also served as Mayor in the City of Eastvale in 2017.”

As a volunteer, he served as a Board member and Club President for the Eastvale Kiwanis Club for over 7 years. Tessari helped champion the Roadway Adoption Program, along with several other charitable events in our City.

“We wanted to take a moment to thank Joe for all that he has done for our community,” stated the City. “Best of luck to Joe and Lanee on their move to Texas. We’ll miss you!”

Does Eastvale Need Its Own School District?

Jennifer Madrigal

Eastvale – When the area of “Eastvale” first wanted to gain local control and map out what their destiny was, they began the “incorporation process.” Now with the many changes and growth in our area with over 60,000 residents, should the City of Eastvale consider developing their own school district as 15,000 of these residents are currently students? The idea of Eastvale becoming its own school district is one worthy of further investigation on the ramifications and the actual process.

So let’s examine the facts: The Corona-Norco School District (CNUSD) currently consists of thirty-one elementary schools, eight intermediate/middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, a middle college high school and three alternative schools. With the district serving over 53,000 students in the communities of Corona, Norco and Eastvale, CNUSD is the largest school district in Riverside County. Of the over 53,000 students in the district, 15,000 of them are Eastvale students.

Eastvale residents already pay a large amount of property taxes, special assessment taxes, a bond tax (Measure U), and also are asked to pay an additional $299m bond, on top of the $250 million general obligation Measure U Bond passed by voters in 2006.

“It was a huge process (to incorporate the city), but I believe it was worth the hundreds of hours of work,” said former Councilman Jeff DeGrandpre, who helped spearhead the process of the team who brought the decision to a vote. “It was tons of work, but now we have local control. We are right where we wanted to be as a community.”

Many smaller school districts have broken away from larger school districts for reasons from lack of accountability to simply a desire to run their own system. Walnut Valley Unified School District has a student population of 15,500 and became their own school district in the 1970’s when the area was in its infancy. Duarte Unified School District is a small district that serves about 4,700 students from the areas of Duarte, Bradbury, and the Maxwell Park area. Baldwin Park Unified has over 15,000 students and broke away from Covina Unified before the 1950’s. All of these school districts were part of larger areas that became smaller school districts and grew.

“We would support such a move if it benefitted our community,” said a group of parents at Clara Barton Elementary. “Especially if we have to pay for another bond. Our last bond, Measure U, we pay taxes on but only received 17% of that money.” Another parent felt they didn’t have enough control of the district and felt it’s because it’s too large. They all requested to remain anonymous because they’ve never researched the idea. “I never realized it was possible,” she said.

If Eastvale were to explore the possibility of separating from CNUSD and becoming its own individual school district, the California Department of Education requires a certain process to be followed. According to the California Department of Education District Organization Handbook- July 2010, this type of reorganization would seek to form one new school district of the same kind from parts of one existing school district of that same kind.

This type of reorganization is more commonly referred to as Unification. Although the exact method of Unification is based on a variety of factors, the first step in this process is a petition. This petition would then be presented to the County Superintendent of Schools and he/she would have 30 days to determine the legal sufficiency of the petition. If the petition is found to be legally sufficient, it is then sent to the County Committee on School District Organization and the State Board. A public hearing would then need to be held within 60 days to advise the public of the petition. After the hearing is held and within 120 days, the petition would need to be reviewed to see if it meets Section 35753 of the Educational Code.

These conditions are as follows: (a) The reorganized districts will be adequate in terms of number of pupils enrolled. (b) The districts are each organized on the basis of a substantial community identity. (c) The proposal will result in an equitable division of property and facilities of the original district or districts. (d) The reorganization of the districts will preserve each affected district’s ability to educate students in an integrated environment and will not promote racial or ethnic discrimination or segregation. (e) Any increase in costs to the state as a result of the proposed reorganization will be insignificant and otherwise incidental to the reorganization. (f) The proposed reorganization will continue to promote sound education performance and will not significantly disrupt the educational programs in the districts affected by the proposed reorganization. (g) Any increase in school facilities costs as a result of the proposed reorganization will be insignificant and otherwise incidental to the reorganization. (h) The proposed reorganization is primarily designed for purposes other than to significantly increase property values. (i) The proposed reorganization will continue to promote sound fiscal management and not cause a substantial negative effect on the fiscal status of the proposed district or any existing district affected by the proposed reorganization. (j) Any other criteria as the board may, by regulation, prescribe.

To maintain neutrality, the County Office of Education would most likely hire an independent consultant trained in evaluating this type of criteria. If the independent consultant does find the petition to be in compliance with EC35753, it is then passed on to the State Board of Education and they will determine if it is approved or sent to an election within the area affected. In most cases, this becomes a major obstacle, as a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) would need to be done, which can be expensive.

According to a source from the Department of Education, this is where most of these petitions “die”, mainly due to the large expense of the CEQA. This step often takes a few years due to the state pipeline and the Environmental Impact Study. If the petition makes it through all of these steps and wins in an election of the area affected by the Unification, then a new school district would be formed.

While there are many pros and cons to becoming our own school district, any action to do so would most likely come at a large expense, be extremely controversial as well as political, and would need to be thoroughly researched to truly understand the greater impact on the students and the communities involved.

“It took us 3.5 years to get the city incorporation to the ballot,” the former councilman said. “It’s definitely worth looking into, but a tough road because CNUSD is highly regarded within the state.”

(Michael Armijo contributed to this story.)

City Council Recap for November

By Tiana Goegebuer

The November 9th, 2016 meeting was attended by Council members Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma. The invocation was led by Pastor Mark Lee from Vantage Point Church, and the Pledge was led by Clint Lorimore. There were no Presentations or Announcements, so student Liaison Natalie Diaz gave her report, and then the meeting moved to the Public Comment section.

On the Consent Calendar, all Items were approved, with a few Councilmembers having abstained due to previous absences. In the Public Hearing portion of the meeting, Item 7.1 was passed 4-0, and Item 7.2 was approved 4-0. In the City Council Business section, Item 8.1 was passed 4-0, Item 8.2 was discussed, and the Council provided direction to the Staff.

The meeting adjourned with closing statements by the City Manager, City Staff, and City Councilmembers.

On Monday November 28th, 2016, the Eastvale City Council held a special meeting, which was attended by Council members Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma. Mayor Bootsma led the Pledge, and then the meeting moved directly into the City Council Business portion of the meeting.

The special meeting was called in order to discuss a 45-day ordinance previously put in place by the Eastvale City Council that would help to regulate the personal indoor cultivation of marijuana, as well as ban its cultivation outdoors.

According to the November 28th, 2016 City Council Agenda, “The Ordinance became effective when Proposition 64 passed on the November 8, 2016 statewide general election. Ordinance No. 16-09 will expire on December 10, 2016 unless extended by the City Council.” Thus, the purpose of the meeting was to determine whether or not to extend the ordinance.

City Staff recommended that the Council extend Interim Urgency Ordinance, thus “regulating personal cultivation of marijuana and banning outdoor personal cultivation” for 22 months and a number of days. After that period of time, the Council would revisit the ordinance and consider extending the ordinance for another year. The extension of the ordinance would not limit the Council from creating a permanent ordinance at any given time.

There is a permit process through the City that a person must go through in order to grow personal marijuana, and the maximum number of plants allowed per household is six.

The Council motioned to approve the Staff recommendation, and it passed 5-0.

Eastvale City Council Election Results

Staff Reports

Eastvale – The first casualty of “district voting” claimed its first victim last month as Brandon Plott from District 5 edged out Mayor Ike Bootsma to represent that particular area.

Other than the pressing Federal and State elections on the ballot this Tuesday, the City of Eastvale had three council seats up for election, where eight residents vied for seats of the newly formed Districts 1, 2, and 5.

District 1 saw Todd Rigby earning a spot while District 2 showed Joe Tessari kept his seat beating out his competitor.

District 1 encompasses the north east side of Eastvale, from Cloverdale through the Ontario border. Todd Rigby beat Mario Marroquin for District 1 City Council Seat, lasting a partial term of two years,

Contrary to district 1, City Council Seats of Districts 2 and 5 will last a full term of four years, 2017-2021.

District 2 encompasses the mid to north side of Eastvale, zigzagging from Schleisman, Scholar Way, through Citrus, Harrison, and Chandler, ending by River Road at the Corona border. Joseph Tessari will serve an additional term for District 2 City Council Seat.

The final district up for election, District 5, covers the west side of Walnut from Archibald Ave to the Chino border.

Ike Bootsma, who is retired, was a current councilman and Mayor of Eastvale, lost to Brandon Plott.

After growing concerns about the at-large voting process, Eastvale City Council approved Resolution No. 16-09 in April earlier this year, initiating the by-district voting process carried out for the first time in Eastvale on Tuesday. A by-district election system requires City Council candidates to reside in the District they are vying to represent and can only be voted on by residents of that specified district.

Many California cities have converted from at-large voting systems to by-district in order to ensure representation of minority populations within cities. The California Voting Rights Act prohibits an at-large voting system that is capable of influencing the outcome of an election, or reduces the possibility of a class to elect their choice of candidate.  In 2004, the city of Modesto’s voting system was challenged under the Act, resulting in the initiation of a by-district voting system and a cascade of other charges against cities throughout California, mostly coming from Southern California.

Switching to a by-district meant carving district lines throughout the City of Eastvale. Both four and five district maps were proposed to city council, which chose a five district representation. In June 2016, the City Council chose the final 5 district map out of three options proposed. More details about the conversion from an at-large election system to a by-district can be found at http://www.eastvaleca.gov.

City Council Meeting

By Tiana Goegebuer

The September 14th 2016 City Council Meeting was attended by Council members Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma. The invocation was led by Pastor Rob Norris from The Crossings Church.

Cub Scout Pack 803 lead the Pledge of Allegiance before presenting awards to Ike Bootsma, Richard Welch, and Jane Anderson for their work and dedication to the City. Student Liaison Natalie Diaz updated the Council on the local school’s upcoming events before the meeting progressed to the next Item on the agenda.

During the Public Comment section, multiple residents came forward to express their concerns about “birthing hotels,” where foreign mothers allegedly give birth with the purpose of having a child born as a U.S. Citizen. The residents claimed that there are approximately 12 apartments and 16 houses in Eastvale being used as a birthing hotels. They cited concerns about the safety, health, and even the effect on the housing market that these “businesses” will have on the community in the present as well as the future. In response to the statements made by the residents, the Council asked that the City Staff provide some form of report on the investigations and actions that are currently taking place to try and combat the problem and present the information at a future City Council Meeting.

After the Public Comment’s, the meeting moved to the Consent Calendar, and Item 6.1 was continued so that Staff could make amendments to previous minutes.

The Council then proceeded to 8.1, which authorized the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce to host the 2017 State of the City Address. It was approved 5-0.

8.2 authorized City Staff to spend the amount of $10,000.00 to administer the Military Banner Program. It was passed 5-0.

Item 8.3, the Chandler/Selby Project Award was passed 5-0.

8.4 was passed 5-0 in favor of awarding a contract to Econsolutions for Economic Development Consulting Services and authorized the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

The City Manager, Staff, and Council Members presented reports before the meeting closed at 8:23 p.m.

 

 

Eastvale’s August Town Hall Meeting Recap

The August 2nd, 2016 Town Hall meeting was held at Rosa Parks Elementary school. The purpose of the meeting is to update the community on the latest news from various departments and organizations, as well as give residents an opportunity to ask questions of the aforementioned groups.

Mayor Ike Bootsma opened the meeting by discussing past events, upcoming events, and upcoming projects taking place in the city. He stated that the construction on the 200 acre Goodman Commerce Center “…is one of the largest mixed-use developments in Southern California.” Amazon and the Volkswagen Group of America have both announced that they will be building a new Fulfillment Center and a training facility, respectively. The project is expected to employ over 4,000 people.

The Mayor then reflected on the recent Waste Clean Up event that took place at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. The event allowed residents to dispose of things such as electronics, mattresses, etc. with a total of 24.31 tons of waste being taken. Bootsma attributes a large amount of the success to the ERHS student football volunteers who braved the heat for hours, stating: “I really cannot give enough credit to our teenagers who do so much for our city.” The next Waste Clean Up event will take place on November 5th at Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate.

Mayor Bootsma then moved to discussing the new Map for the district elections that was approved by the City Council. The change took place immediately “in preparation for the November 8th, 2016 general municipal and special elections.” He then stated that the City Council nomination period is open and will conclude on Friday, August 12th 2016. The period is only open to registered voters in District’s 1, 2, and 5.

Bootsma closed by mentioning the upcoming events in the community, such as JCSD’s Concerts in the Park, National Night Out, a Moonlight Cinema event, and answered some questions posed by residents. For more information on the upcoming events, see the City of Eastvale’s website.

Next, the Lieutenant Scott Forbes gave an update on behalf of the Eastvale Police Department. He started by thanking the volunteers that put in many hours to help keep the city safe. Next, he discussed the slight uptick of crime seen in the recent weeks, which is not unusual in the summer months, the department’s average response time, and the issue of mail theft in the city.

Rafael Gonzalez gave an update on JCSD and the Parks Department, stating that the Eastvale Community Park is now in phase 2 of development. Another representative from JCSD mentioned current and upcoming events, such as the Concert’s in the Park, the Moonlight Cinema on August 13th, youth sports sign-ups, as well as a 5K and 10K on October 1st. Alison Loukeh, a Conservation Coordinator from JCSD, said that the biggest water usage problem in Eastvale stems from water run offs in the streets. She stated that a landscape class will be offered on September 17th, and that you can RSVP for it online.

Next, CNUSD Communications Director Evita Tapia Gonzalez stated that the school district is currently preparing to welcome back students for the 2016-2017 school year. She stated that the new STEM program is expected to fully open in either 2018 or 2019, and that a new elementary school is also coming to Eastvale in the next few years.

James Huffman and M. Visak from Animal Control presented information on the types of issues they have been taking care of, such as dogs returned to owners, citations issued, and animal cruelty investigations. Visak warned that the new developments surrounding Eastvale have pushed some wild coyotes into our neighborhoods, so extra caution should be taken to “keep your pets safe.” He mentioned that the Riverside County Department of Animal Services offers low cost vaccinations and licensing for pets.

Lastly, Eastvale City Manager Michele Nissen mentioned that the city is currently in the process of obtaining 2 grants that would help to fund school safety, as well as a Cops grant for law enforcement services

Council Recap

By Tiana Goegebuer

The August 10th, 2016 City Council Meeting was attended by Council members Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard (Dickie) Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma.

Natalie Diaz, the Student Liaison from Eleanor Roosevelt High School, kicked off the meeting by presenting her report to the Council. She discussed the quickly-approaching first day of school and back to school nights, as well as the progress of the STEM program at ERHS.

In the Public Comment section of the meeting, a representative of Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School commented on the construction taking place near the campus. He expressed his appreciation to the city for doing a great job working with the schools and construction companies to make after school pick-ups as smooth as possible.

Both items on the Consent Calendar (6.1-6.2) were approved 5-0.

There were no Public Hearings, so the topic moved to 8.1. The Council discussed making recordings of each meeting available to the public via YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud. Recordings of the meetings are currently available on the City website, but the new platform would allow listeners to toggle and listen to the portions of the meetings they would like to focus on, instead of having to listen to its entirety. Meaning, citizens who were unable to attend the meeting physically to would be able to hear the entire thing or just parts of it at their own discretion. The Council approved the use of YouTube as a platform to share the City Council Meetings 5-0.

The City Manager and Staff Members encouraged residents to attend Eastvale Day on September 10th at the LA County Fair. There will be an Eastvale Community Day parade at noon for which Eastvale Dignitaries will be in attendance, along with the 2016 Eastvale Community Hero, Jane Anderson. It was also discussed that the City had received a number of phone calls regarding the dead-end on Riverboat Drive, west of Hamner Avenue. The calls prompted the City to discuss looking into additional options that would alert drivers to the fact that it is not a through street.

The meeting ended with closing statements by the Council members.

The August 24th, 2016 City Council Meeting was attended by Council members Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma. The invocation was led by Pastor Ed Moreno from New Day Christian Church.

The Public Safety Commission updated the Council on their upcoming projects, which included updates on grant status, construction progress, and a few of the items on their agenda for the coming month. Next, Student Liaison Natalie Diaz gave her report on the events taking place in the local schools. She started by saying that “The school year is in full swing,” and then began listing some of the unique activities that each school will be hosting over the course of the next few weeks.

There were no Public Comments, so the meeting progressed to the Consent Calendar. Item’s 6.1 through 6.8 were all approved 5-0.

The meeting then progressed to the Public Hearings section of the meeting, and item 7.1, the Verizon Cell Tower Appeal, was presented. The applicant, Kevin Sullivan, a Verizon representative, presented the project and the information requested by the Councilmembers at the July 13th meeting. In a PowerPoint, Sullivan presented the design plans for a 50 ft. cell tower disguised as a palm tree that would be built on Grapewin Street. He discussed the improved coverage for Verizon customers that would be a result of the new facility, and said that the tower would not result in any material visual impact. At the request of the Council at the July 13th meeting, Sullivan also presented information on a few possible alternative sites for the facility. After Verizon evaluated the other locations, the conclusion was that from both a technical and planning standpoint, the Grapewin site was still the most effective and would cause the least impact to the surrounding communities. With that, Verizon asked that the City approve their requests to move forward with the project.

With the conclusion of the presentation, Mayor Bootsma opened the floor to comments from the public. Three citizens stepped forward one after another to state their support for the project, followed by three citizens who were opposed to it. Some of the concerns stated by those opposed included the possibility of the tower being a visual nuisance, that the antennas would not withstand the high wind speeds, and that there were better alternative locations available. Sullivan, representing Verizon again, addressed the concerns by saying that the structure would be sound and would look the way it was presented to the Council. After further questions and comments by the Councilmembers, the item was approved 3-2, with Simmons and Tessari voting against it.

Item 8.1 was approved 5-0. The Council then moved to Item 8.3, which was a report on the Roadway Adoption Program’s progress. The program allows local groups, people, and organizations the opportunity to adopt local streets and keep them litter free over a 1-year time period. The responsibilities of the individual or group would be to remove litter 6 times per year and write a report after each clean-up event. After 2 successful clean-up days, the “owner” of the roadway would have their name placed on a recognition sign on that street. Councilman Simmons and a citizen expressed concerns that the program would be used as a commercial endeavor that businesses would use as an avenue for advertisement. The Council voted to approve the draft of the Program 4-0 (Tessari had to step out to take a phone call), as long as the staff looked into ways to prevent the program from being used for advertisements.

The next Item on the agenda, 8.2, opened a discussion about the future of the Eastvale Community Foundation, which recently had 4 officer positions vacated, leaving the Foundation unable to conduct business. As a result, the Council voted to suspend the Foundation, have the City staff take over the books as well as the military banner program, and cancel this year’s golf tournament, and it passed 5-0.

The meeting concluded with closing statements by the City Manager, City Staff, and the Councilmembers. It adjourned at 9:45.

Eastvale Holds Elections Nov 8

Staff Reports

Eastvale, CA – As many have claimed they aren’t going to vote in this November election due to the choice of candidates, the City of Eastvale will need you to go out and vote anyway, as three seats are up on the City Council.

The City Council previously took action at the April 27, 2016 City Council meeting to initiate the process of converting to by-district voting for the November, 2016 election. The Council approved Resolution No. 16- 09 initiating the by-district process, and District 2 and 5 are for the full term of four-years and a Councilmember from District 1 for a partial term of two-years.

Districts 1, 2, and 5 are up for election and there are eight residents who are vying for those seats. In District 1, which encompasses the north east side of Eastvale, from Cloverdale through the Ontario border, you have newcomers Mario Marroquin and Todd Rigby vying for a council seat. District 2, which covers the complete opposite of 1, encompassing the mid to north side of Eastvale, zigzagging from Schleisman, Scholar Way, through Citrus, Harrison, Chandler, ending by River Road at the Corona border, you have emcumbant Joseph Tessari against newcomer Bashar Madani. And finally in District 5, current Mayor Ike Bootsma is defending his seat against Raul Gutierrez, Robert Hetrick, and Brandon Wilson Plott. District 5 covers the west side of Walnut from Archibald Ave to the Chino border.

The City Clerk is the local elections administrator and coordinates with the County of Riverside in the conduct of Municipal elections. This includes, but is not limited to, the preparation of necessary resolutions calling for General and Special Municipal Elections and declaring the result of the election, the coordination of the candidate nomination process and the receipt and processing of initiative, referendum and recall petitions. Regular elections are consolidated with statewide elections, scheduled on the first Tuesday of November of even numbered years to fill expired City Council terms. All election services are provided according the California Elections Code, according to the city of Eastvale’s website.

City Council members are elected at-large for a four year term. Council Members serve “staggered” terms, meaning that either 2 or 3 seats are open for election every two years. Council Members receive $400 per month stipend as compensation for their service.

Qualifications for Candidacy. To qualify as a candidate for member of the City Council, you must reside and be registered to vote within the jurisdiction at the time nomination papers are issued. More specifically, you must be:

  • Be registered voters at their current residence in the City of Eastvale
  • Residing in the district in which they are running
  • A citizen of the United States
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Not disqualified from holding office by the Constitution or laws of the State of California.

To become a candidate, you must first be issued a Nomination Paper which specifies the office you are seeking. You must obtain the signatures of at least 20 and not more than 30 registered voters within the City of Eastvale. A number of additional forms are required to be filed.
The nomination period ran from July 18, 2016 through early August 12, 2016. Write-in candidates must file a statement of write-in candidacy, a nomination paper and a Statement of Economic Interests, as well as other forms, during the period of early September 2014 through late October 2014. Signatures and voter registration information on the nomination paper will be verified in the same manner as a regular nomination paper. Write-in candidates’ names donot appear on the ballot or in the sample ballot pamphlet.

Voter registration forms are available at all public libraries, post offices and City Hall. To receive a registration form by mail, please call the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office at (951) 486-7200 or the City Clerk’s office at (951) 703-4420. Completed registration forms can be hand-delivered to the Registrar’s office located at 2724 Gateway Drive, Riverside, CA 92507 or Eastvale City Hall located at 12363 Limonite Avenue, Eastvale, CA 91752 or dropped off in any U.S. mailbox. No postage is necessary. For additional voter registration information visit www.voteinfo.net. (most information courtesy of the City of Eastvale)

 

 

Eastvale City Council Recap

July 13 City Council Meeting

By Emily Aguilar

The first city council meeting was held on July 13, which began with a legislative update from the League of California Cities representative, Erin Sasse. In her report, Sasse spoke about a series of bills being reviewed at the moment, such as AB 1575 which deals with regulating medical marijuana, AB 2291 which requires local governments to adopt ordinances as second units and prevents governments from repealing second unit, and SB 1387 which would add 3 additional statewide position to South Coast Air Quality Management District. After her presentation, Tyler Master gave a presentation on the WRCOG streetlight program. The program is aimed to assist WRCOG cities to adopt and afford streetlights in their jurisdictions. The presentation emphasized information on the project as well as the goals the project seeks to achieve.

Afterward, the city recognized city volunteers Chanel Chavez, Gilmar Tenes, and Adrianna Godfery. An additional person, Jose Raymundo, was awarded with a certificate of recognition, but he was not present. Anwar Kahn then delivered a Public Safety Commission Update in which he spoke about the Commission’s initial plan to develop a residential parking program, which did not go through during the Commission meeting. July 26 will be the next Commission meeting.

Before moving on, Officer Jason Horton took a moment to address the Black Lives Matter that occurred on June 9th. He reflected on the efforts the Eastvale Police Department took to ensure that an upheaval did not take place. Throughout the day, the police department tried to maintain peace, and thankfully, the protestors were ready to follow police orders for most of the event. He continued to compliment the protesters for being compliant and holding an overall peaceful protest, in spite of the initial altercation that occurred when some protesters broke away from the crowd and blocked the streets. Police followed efforts to make sure the protestors complied. The police department received numerous compliments from citizens inside and outside Eastvale for their organized, helpful efforts to maintain the protest civilized.

Afterwards, Natalie Diaz provided a Student Liaison report. It was announced that various CNUSD elementary schools had begun their school year this month. July 7th was the beginning of a new school year for Ronald Reagan Elementary School, and on the same day, they held a Parent Information night for the parents. Also occurring on July 7th was a Successful Parent Night event for Harada Elementary. Another information night took place at Eastvale Elementary. The ERHS Associate Student Body (ASB) club is currently at a leadership camp at UC Santa Barbara. July 28th will be registration day for ERHS.

All items were approved on the consent calendar.

The council then went on to discuss a proposal to install a 50-foot Verizon cell tower on 8306 Grapewin. The location where the tower would be built was chosen because the area was known for having poor reception, and if the towers were to be built, then Verizon customers would receive improved coverage.

City staff recommended the council to disapprove the tower because the Planning Commission discovered the zoning measurements did not meet the requirements that are set in the Eastvale Zoning Code. It was also discovered that the zoning area proposed would not help with reception.

Amidst discussion, Bootsma opened the floor for public comments. Out of the 18 individuals who arrived, 12 were not in favor of the tower. While residents such as Hicko Itokazu believed that the tower was necessary in order to increase coverage in the case of emergencies, other residents believed the tower would not increase coverage, take up space, some believed the tower would better “service Norco and Riverbend,” and others did not think the tower would be pleasant to look at.

Kevin Sullivan, a project representative, tried to defend the zoning and coverage criticisms. Council member Simmons commented that “enough was not done” in order to find a good site for the tower. Before rejecting the project, Council member Rush decided to give Verizon a second opportunity to review the zoning area and re-evaluate the project’s blueprints. The council motioned this plan, and a second  hearing will be held on August 24th. Read the article on page 1 for more information about the Verizon Tower.

Following the long discussion, the council quickly moved through the Business Items. The council motioned to approve law enforcement services between the city and the county, they approved to select Aegis ITS, Inc. as the provider for annual traffic signal maintenance, then they approved G.M. Sager Construction Company, Inc as service providers for asphalt and concrete maintenance, and they also approved MCE Corporation as the service provider for on-call miscellaneous services. One item the council did not motion was Council member Lorimore’s proposal to move the city manager report to an earlier slot in the meeting. Lorimore stated that the city manager report should be moved in order to allow audience members to hear the announcements that are usually given toward the end of the meeting. However, the rest of the council decided not to change the order of the council meeting.

Before concluding, Michele Nissen briefly spoke about the Public Works department and the efforts they have put into forming ideas that help the city effectively save money. She also mentioned that another Black Lives Matter protest was scheduled to be held on Saturday July 14th on Archibald and Schleisman. Lastly, Mayor Bootsma discussed a recent luncheon at Ontario Airport, where he had an opportunity to meet their new CEO.

Council member Lorimore adjourned the meeting in memory of the officers who died in the Dallas shootings.

 

July 27 City Council Meeting

By Tiana Goegebuer

The July 27 city council meeting was attended by Councilmembers Clint Lorimore, Adam Rush, and Richard (Dickie) Simmons, as well as Mayor Pro Tem Joseph Tessari and Mayor Ike Bootsma. The invocation was led by Pastor Tim Eaton from Edgewater Lutheran.

A recap of the Waste Clean Up event that recently took place at Eleanor Roosevelt High School was presented to the Council. The first of its kind in Eastvale, the event enlisted the help of some ERHS football student volunteers, and was considered to be a success. A student representative from ERHS accepted an award from the Council later in the meeting on behalf of the volunteers that participated in the event. The next Waste Clean Up event is scheduled for November 5 at Dr. Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School.

Christine Jamoralin was introduced to the Council as Eastvale’s new Fellow from the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG), and will remain with the city until the end of March. Other announcements included the selection of a golf event date by the Eastvale Community Foundation, as well as an update on the banner program.

In the Public Comment section of the meeting, a representative from the Public Safety Commission issued statements and raised some questions about possibly instituting parking permits in Eastvale.

6.1-6.5: The Council moved to approve the Consent Calendar. All items were approved 5-0.

8.1: The Community Development Block Grant was approved 5-0, authorizing the City Manager to execute the supplemental agreement for the 2016-17 community development block grant program year.

The City Manager’s report included information on the following: a proposal for economic development services, a Finances award received by the city of Eastvale, an increase in the median sales price for housing, and more. Various Committee’s then gave their reports, which included an update on road construction progress, an update on the new fire station, a Police Department update, etc.

The City Manager then thanked and said farewell to City Clerk Marc Donohue for his services to the city of Eastvale, which was later echoed by the Councilmembers.

The meeting closed with statements from the Councilmembers, and Mayor Bootsma extended an invitation to all to attend the following upcoming events: JCSD 60th Anniversary celebration, the Town Hall meeting, and the National Night Out. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

 

 

 

Commissions: Citizens Shaping the Future of Eastvale

Eastvale City Manager Michele Nissen

Eastvale City Manager Michele Nissen

By Michele Nissen, City Manager

In order to create the type of City that residents want to live in, the Eastvale City Council has appointed two citizen commissions to provide input and recommendations to the City Council.  These citizens lend their time, talent and expertise to the City Council.

The Planning Commission is a five-member commission composed of residents appointed by the City Council. The commission advises the City Council on land use and development issues, taking input and making recommendations on the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Design Standards and related matters.   As you see new construction around town, rest assured that the Planning Commission has reviewed the plans submitted after October 1, 2010 to ensure that the proposed projects are in the best interest of the City.

The City of Eastvale has a substantial group of public safety professionals living in the City.  The Public Safety Commission, also composed of a five-member commission, was created to utilize the rich talent pool of experienced citizens to provide recommendations on Public Safety issues such as:

  • Traffic issues
  • Neighborhood Watch
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Crime Prevention

These issues affect the quality of life in Eastvale. Having a group of professionals assist the City Council and staff in providing recommendations for improvements in public safety benefits everyone. The Public Safety Commission functions as an advisory board.

We highly recommend residents to get involved if you are concerned about the future growth of the community and public safety. Both Commissions and the City Council take resident concerns very seriously. Concerns can be heard during Public Comment or can be submitted to the City Clerk at MDonohue@eastvaleca.gov. The Planning Commission meetings are the third Wednesdays of the month and the Public Safety Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Both meetings are held at Rosa Parks Elementary School at 6:00 p.m.  (13830 Whispering Hills Drive, Eastvale, CA 92880)

Recently, the City announced the online availability of the audio recordings for the Planning and Public Safety Commission meetings on the City of Eastvale website (www.EastvaleCA.gov). Meeting recordings are uploaded to the City website within 24 hours after the completion of the meeting. The recordings are then live for thirty (30) days after which they are archived and available through a Public Records Request.

The City’s e-notification system is a great way to stay informed and get involved!  Sign up on the City’s website today: www.EastvaleCA.gov.

Should you have any questions or comments, City Hall may be reached at Hall (951) 361-0900. City Hall office hours are Monday-Thursday from 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, closed every Friday.

City Council Recap

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – At the June 8 City Council meeting, Eastvale’s City Councilmembers dealt with a plethora of urgent matters, the conclusion of the voting district topic being the forefront of discussion.

Samantha Waterman led the evening by presenting an update on the Cadiz Water Project. The Cadiz Water Project’s goal is to conserve water in Southern California and prevent mass evaporation. Eastvale is currently home to an underwater reservoir that is at threat for evaporation. In order to protect that water, the Cadiz Water Project has been pumping water from a 34,000 acre underground reservoir and storing it throughout Southern California. Bootsma expressed discontent with the project, stating that he believes that the plan benefits the company as opposed to the state as a whole. Waterman defended her position stating that the project would help with sustaining water during the drought, to which Bootsma passively agreed.

Afterward, newly appointed Student Liaison Natalie Diaz reported the Eastvale Elementary production of the Jungle Book at the ERHS Theater on June 14-15. Eastvale Elementary also held an awards assembly throughout the week of June 20, and their final day was June 24. Their school year was scheduled to continue on July 5. RHIS is also looking for business partners to help sponsor their academic and scholarship programs.

The first public comment was given by Hari Dhiman from the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce, who spoke about the success on National Prayer Day. Some upcoming events include an election for a new board member. Angelo Navarez, who is also part of the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce, announced that Vince Ferragamo was selected to be the guest speaker at the annual Installation Dinner & Awards Banquet on July 19. Lastly, Eastvale resident John Kopp recommended that the staff read The King of California, a book that covers the history of California’s water wars.

All items were approved on the consent calendar.

Finally, the council moved to the third installment of the voting boundary maps. Although there were two maps displayed in a PowerPoint presentation presented by Doug Johnson, it should be noted that there were actually three maps the council was able to choose from: Draft A, Draft B, and Draft C. Draft C is available only to the council.  In spite of the map they choose, citizens will nevertheless have to elect council members through their perspective districts, and they will have to vote for council members they wish to have represent said individual district.

In his presentation, Johnson assured that the maps were not only evenly divided by population, but that they upheld the California Voting Rights Act criteria. The only visible differences in the maps were that some districts appear smaller than others, or extend throughout different streets. Nevertheless, they are the same in terms of population. Another request during the presentation was to also adopt an urgency ordinance to officially change the voting system from an “at-large” voting system to a “by-district” election; this would be handled after the councilmen voted on a map.

After the presentation, John Kopp, a resident who had spoken during the public comment, expressed his desire to have the council choose map 5A. Nevertheless, the council decided in favor of Map C, much to Rush’s discontent. Rush was adamantly hesitant to motion Map C because it was not made public. In spite of Rush’s disapproval of the motion, the council adopted Map C as the official map in a 3-5 motion; Lorimore being the other council member to disagree. They also motioned to approve the ordinance.

Map C is currently available on the City of Eastvale website under the City Hall/City Council tab.

Afterward, the staff requested the council to increase Waste Management fees. Waste Management is allowed to increase their fees based on the costs of waste and recycling disposals and Consumer Price Index. Starting on July 1, the fees were set to increase by 2.33%, meaning that households would experience a $0.60 increase. The city also requested the council to shift the CPI method to the Water Sewer Trash Index. The council approved both requests. Additionally, the council approved a request to increase fees for hauling and picking up waste and recycled material.

The council also adopted a resolution to support the Active Transportation Program Cycle 3 Grant Application, which would provide money to install bike and walking routes for the Safe Route to School project. The city motioned to provide the project with $1,500,000.  The city also reviewed the grants the city had received and the budget fiscal plans for the upcoming year.

Before concluding the meeting, Nissen stated that she would be attending a meeting regarding choosing a site for the civic center; Bootsma congratulated Press-Enterprise journalist Sandra Stokley on her upcoming retirement; and Tessari congratulated Councilmember Lorimore on his election to the Republican Central Committee.

At the June 22 meeting, the Community Foundation announced they had elected a new board member who is specialized in human resources and office management. They also announced the wine and beer tasting that would take place at the Picnic in the Park; in addition to the adult entertainment band that would be present.

The council then took a moment to distribute two certificates of recognition, the first one going to Sandra Stokley, who was a journalist who had covered Eastvale events for the Press-Enterprise. She had recently retired, and the city wanted to show her their gratitude for her work. The city also recognized George Alvarez, who was retiring his position as the Manager of Public Works in the city.

Student Liaison Natalie Diaz shared some announcements about Eastvale schools. She informed the audience that Eastvale Elementary and Ronald Reagan Elementary ended their school year on June 21, while Harada was scheduled to end on June 24. School resumed for all three schools on July 5. Harada Elementary also held a few successful events, such as the father and son baseball game in Rancho Cucamonga and a mother and daughter screening of Finding Dory at Edward’s Cinema.

Chad Blaze was the only speaker for the Public Comment portion of the meeting. Blaze, a resident of Norco, thanked Eastvale for helping Norco modify issues near Hamner and Silver Lakes.

Before motioning the items on the consent calendar, Rush pulled item 6.9 and discussed it. The item was a recommendation to implement adjustments to animal control fees, and Rush wanted clarification on how the fiscal impact would offset the costs of contracting with the County for animal services. Nissen addressed Rush’s concerns stating that the city had decided to keep the fees as adopted by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in order to control the fees of cost recovery. The council then motioned the items on the agenda.

The council approved a resolution to adopt a proposed diagram for selected districts in Eastvale. The council then approved another request to adopt an annual operations and capital improvements for the upcoming fiscal year. In order to prepare for the 2016 League of California Cities conference set to occur on October 5 – 6, the council selected councilmember Lorimore to be the representative delegate while councilmember Tessari would be the alternative representative.

Once they were able to dive through a few easy topics, the councilmen were presented with the proposal to have pole-mounted observation cameras implemented throughout the city. The purpose of these cameras is to regulate illegal activity occurring on streets where crime is prominent, such as Bellgrave, where illegal street racing has been prominent recently. The footage on these cameras would be accessed by the public if they request it from the city, then a password would be provided for that individual if there was a valid reason for viewing the footage. Councilmember Lorimore was hesitant about the cameras, claiming that he feels that surveillance would be violating privacy, especially since these cameras may be placed near private property. In order to address his concerns, Lorimore was assured that cameras’ outcomes would be reviewed on an annual basis in order to ensure that the city was not abusing the city’s privacy. Ultimately, it was requested that the council approve motion to purchase three pole-mounted cameras with the company Security Lines US, who have been in service for 13 years throughout the West Coast, and they also asked the council to amend the fiscal year budget to amount $27,000 that was allocated from the gas fund. The council approved it by a 4-1 vote, Lorimore being the only one to oppose it.

After a long discussion, the council returned to the other topics on the agenda. The council approved a 2-year contract extension and a 10% rate increase with Michael Baker International in order to work with their contract planning services. They also extended another 2-year contract and a 7.5% rating increase with the Interwest Consulting Group to provide engineering, building and safety services, and public works. Lastly, the council approved a renewal contract with HdL Coeren and Cone for Property Tax Services.

Before concluding, Nissen reflected on her experience with Sandra Stokley, stating that she will miss working with her. She met with Patrick O’neil, who will be taking Stokley’s place, and she stated that she looks forward to making him part of the community. The city staff briefly spoke about the upcoming Picnic in the Park, stating that Silver Lakes will charge $8.00 for parking while ERHS would have free admission, and they also spoke about plans to regulate traffic and crime on those three nights. It was also announced that Eastvale would hold the League of California Riverside meeting for the first time on July 11.

Quarterly Town Hall Meeting

By Valerie Gutierrez

Eastvale– Eastvale’s second Quarterly Town Hall meeting of 2016 was held on Tuesday, May 10, at Rosa Parks Elementary. The meeting was conducted to update the community on the latest news from various departments and organizations during the last couple of months.

Mayor Ike Bootsma updated residents on the upcoming events taking place in the City of Eastvale.
Bootsma said the city has launched their E-Citizen App in partnership with Jurupa Community Services District (JCSD). This free App allows residents to report non-emergency issues such as graffiti, pot-holes, sewer leaks, landscape and water waste.

Mayor Bootsma continues to urge residents to stay informed of all the latest Eastvale news, agendas, events, and more by signing up for e-notification at http://www.Eastvale.ca.gov.

Bootsma announced that several new businesses have recently opened. At the Eastvale Gateway Center, Pacific Fish Grill restaurant, Juice It Up!, and Panera Bread have opened. Prestige Preschool has opened at the Marketplace at the Enclave and Tea Plus has opened at Corona Valley Marketplace.

After Bootsma’s announcements, City Manager Michele Nissen announced Vanessa Lopez as the newest Code Enforcement Officer for the City of Eastvale.

Officer Lopez has over 10 years of experience in the field working for the City of Gardena and Carson. Lopez’ duties include implementing programs such as rental inspection program, housing development and CDBG Funding. Lopez started working for the City of Eastvale on April 18.

Also mentioned was how the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has been staying busy these past couple of months. Captain Jason Horton, said that mail theft have significantly decreased the last several months after a key arrest on an individual that was connected to several mail thefts throughout the region, including Eastvale. Captain Horton also gave a warm recognition to the long time serving volunteers for the community of Eastvale who are eyes and ears for the deputy’s.

These community volunteers, “have collectively served thousands of volunteer hours [patrolling the community] you live in,” said Horton.

Traffic issues within the city are of concerning matter for residents living in Eastvale. Horton stated, “know that the police department is doing everything they can to help compact traffic issues and [educate residents].” The police department is working alongside all the schools and principals of the city to get updates on how they can help improve traffic flow.

Next, Dawn Hook presented herself as the new Eastvale Community Foundation director and discussed the following events.

The annual “Picnic in the Park” will be one of the biggest events hosted by JCSD on June 24 to 26 at Harada Park. Picnic in the Park is a three-day celebration that welcomes a summer season of non-stop fun in Eastvale. The event will have lots of fun activities for the kids, such as: picnic games, contests, inflatables, carnival rides, bike valet, food, merchandise, and community group information booths. But, adults will also get a kick out of this event because this year, Picnic in the Park will be hosting another beer garden.

On June 24, the event will kick off at 5 p.m. followed with a concert performance by Joshua Tree Band at 7 p.m. But it doesn’t stop there because on June 25, the community is welcome to come from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. They can also gather for a Fireworks show that will illuminate the sky at 9 p.m. To end the festivities, on June 26, a salsa making contest will take place from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Next, JCSD addressed residents about a recent decision made by the JCSD Board to raise the residency requirement of group one league from 65 to 95 percent residency. Park manager, Rafael Gonzalez, explained that the south-west corner of Citrus Street and Hamner Avenue stands for Eastvale Community Park that will begin construction this summer. The updates to the park will consist of a softball complex, more fields, and additional turf field for soccer and football, so it can be a multi-use park. For more information about upcoming events and updates on construction plans, visit (www.parks.jcsd.us).

Lastly, Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) reported that the STEM School program will open this fall. The program will be focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The two pathways that the program decided to take were the Health/Medical and Engineering path. The program will be looking for AP students but will be accessible for everyone else who desire to attend a four year college. STEM, AVID, and Puente are only one of the various programs that Roosevelt High School will be offering. A power point presentation was given to demonstrate how STEM will end up looking like. For more information and updates visit (www.cnusd.k12.ca.us/estem).

Eastvale City Council Recap

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – On the May 11 City Council meeting, the main discussion focused on districting. Residents stated that the city’s at-large voting system violated the California Voting Rights Act and was thus unfair — so much so that a lawsuit was threatened against the City. The council ultimately opted to adopt a by-district voting system. This means that residents will vote by district as opposed to voting at-large. In the next few weeks, the council will expect to partake in intense discussions about organizing these new districts.

While the council looks forward to these discussions, they were first presented with some calming topics. A few hours prior to the meeting, the council elected Richard Simmons as the new council member who will temporarily fill in Bill Link’s vacancy. This decision made the meeting begin late, but the council immediately went into discussion.

Lea Patterson from the Southern California Gas Company shared a PowerPoint presentation outlining the city’s pipeline project. Construction will be taking place in June on Citrus and Harrison. Following the presentation, Mayor Bootsma took a moment to make two proclamations: the first was presented to Dr. Aimee French from the American Lung Association in California Inland Counties in order to recognize the week of May 11th as Women’s Lung Health Week; the second proclamation recognized May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

The council then opened the floor to the Public Commentary portion of the meeting, and was met with four concerned Eastvale residents who were displeased with their neighborhoods. The first to express his anger was Andres Carrillo, who explained that an individual was living in an unoccupied location in his neighborhood. Another resident having issues with her neighborhood was Cindy Quach, who is allegedly being verbally harassed by one of her neighbors. Another resident named Isabel Hernandez testified in defense of Quach’s statements, and further asked the council to look into the case Quach had presented. The council assured that they would find a way to help Quach. While not necessarily a problem in her neighborhood, Amiro Alvara expressed opposition against the new districting method the council had to adopt, but unfortunately, the council explained that they could not do anything to change the decision.

All items on the consent calendar were motioned. Before the council could get to the heart of the meeting, they decided to first discuss item 8.2, which dealt with changing the city’s investment policy plan. The changes would include increasing the city’s allocations, align investments with California Government Code 53601, and add a 5% issuer limit for any non-government issuers. After making a motion to accept the new policy plan, the council finally moved to the main discussion of the night: the districting plan.

This discussion was set to be split into two, the first hearing being on that night and the second half was set to take place for the next meeting. Doug Johnson presented a PowerPoint that showed two sets of maps. The first one showed four different proposed maps that outline how each district would potentially look while another set showed five different maps. The second set would call for a single mayor at-large for all five districts. Johnson explained why each set met the necessary criteria for districting. After looking at the proposed maps, and hearing opposition and support from residents, the council discussed amongst them once more and decided to motion for five districts with one mayor at-large.

Going back to item 8.1, the council motioned to approve a Storm Drain tract on Archibald and Schleisman. The rest of the meeting consisted of talking about Richard Simmons as the new, but temporary, council member.

The second City Council meeting took place on May 25. At the beginning of the meeting, the council briefly re-introduced Richard Simmons, who would temporarily be replacing Bill Link until November. The council then plunged straight into the first order of business: the Public Safety Commission and Community Foundation update. To recap the Public Safety meeting that takes place every other Tuesday, it was stated that the meeting focused on setting up e-watches around neighborhoods as well as setting up a parking permit block, which they will discuss in their meeting at a later date.

The Community Foundation also stated that they are hard at work with setting up military banners. The Foundation has been receiving so many applications for military banners that they asked Bootsma for permission to set the banners up on Schleisman. Bootsma stated that he would like to have that proposal as a topic at a future meeting. They also announced that they are looking for new members to join the Community Foundation.

The council then moved on to recognize a number of Eleanor Roosevelt HS (ERHS) students who had volunteered their time to the city. The council also awarded certificates of recognition to graduating ERHS Julia Sung for her position as the Student Liaison.

The newest Student Liaison is Sophomore Natalie Diaz. Her first school update was short, announcing that Ronald Reagan’s first promoting class would graduate on June 24. She also announced that ERHS’s graduation ceremony, which is expected to include 10,000 family members, will take place on June 1.

The public comment was short, but touching. The Troop 724 Girl Scouts presented two craft books compiled of thoughtful life lessons, which will be displayed at the Eastvale Public Library.

After all the items on the agenda were motioned, the council was once again able to focus on the districting topic that will be taking up a good portion of council discussions for the next few meetings. Once again, Doug Johnson was present to show the council a series of five maps that they can choose from. Johnson reminded the five members that they are to choose a map that balances the population in each district. A few city residents shared their opinion about the maps, with some of them stating that they were in support of the districting and others showing discontent with the new system. Nevertheless, the council decided to look more in detail at the maps and make a decision on which map they will chose next meeting.

Moving onto other topics, the council motioned to approve the new unclaimed money policy, which meant the city would have claimed any funds that remain unclaimed for over three years. They also approved a request to adopt a lighting and landscaping maintenance. Lastly, the council appointed Simmons to lead the Planning Commissions and Public Safety Commission team.

The council concluded their meeting with a few announcements from the staff. Michele Nissen mentioned the opening of the new Amazon fulfillment center. Amongst other topics were the council’s plans for the upcoming weeks in regards to discussions about the city’s future.

City Council Recap

By Emily Aguilar

The Eastvale council welcomed April with a plethora of important topics pouring before them, so they didn’t waste any time at their April 13 meeting and went straight into discussion. The first meeting began smoothly by recognizing April as National Donate Life Month, which encourages people to become organ donors.

Then Erin Sasse, the Regional Public Affairs manager for the League of California Cities, presented an update on legislative actions taking place in Sacramento. Some of the bills Sasse mentioned include: SB-876, which deals with homelessness issues; AB-2501, which deals with condesity bonuses; AB2526, which limits parking; AB 2220, which states that cities with a population over 100,000 are required to participate in district elections; and AB 2614, which deals with operations of medical marijuana facilities.

Continuing with the topic of bills, Glenda Chavez gave a brief description about AB 1826. The bill, which was signed in October 2014, requires businesses that generate 8 cubic yards of organic waste to establish an organic recycling program by April 1. The state believes that the program will divert approximately 30 million tons of waste. This will help reduce climate change and preserve environmental resources. By January 2017, the state also requires businesses that generate 4 cubic yards of waste every week to create waste management programs. Also, by January 2019, the same would be required for business and multifamily properties that generate 4 cubic yards of organic waste per week. This is applicable to Eastvale because Waste Management will work to enforce the bill’s provisions on local businesses.

Breaking away from the serious discussion about bills and laws, Julia Sung delivered her student liaison report by providing some impressive details about Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS). Since there were so many ERHS seniors who were accepted into UCs, chair woman Janet Napolitano was scheduled to visit ERHS on April 14 in order to inform students about the UC system and encourage Juniors to apply to UCs next year.

Another interesting event occurring at ERHS is the new tradition they want to begin with this year’s graduating class: from here on out, the school wants to create a mural of the graduating seniors. The idea is still under development, but the school is eager to start the tradition. Sung also announced that May 13 will mark River Heights and Eastvale Elementary’s 10-year anniversary.

Although ERHS students may be excelling academically, a series of residents expressed their annoyance and concern of the students’ their poor traffic etiquette. During the public commentary, the residents stated that many ERHS students park their vehicles in local neighborhoods instead of the school parking lot. In addition, some students were leaving trash in the front lawns of their homes. The council stated that they would look into the situation.

Next, the council motioned all items on the consent calendar. Then, before the council discussed the proposed changes in the Goodman Commerce Center, they went into a closed meeting that lasted over an hour. When they came back, they were ready to discuss the topic.

At the moment, Goodman Birtcher has constructed one of two buildings that are set to take place at the Goodman Commerce Center. At the same time, road construction on Hamner, Bellgrave, and Cantu-Galleanu were set to take place on the week of April 18. But Goodman Birtcher wants to occupy the building before major road changes and other installations are created, so a series of changes have been proposed. Planning Director Norris presented these recommended changes, which included the proposal to install a generator for six months and letting construction take place inside the building regardless of the scheduled work hours.

Before the decision, resident Caroline Martinez asked the council not to motion the changes because she was worried that the changes would cause noise and traffic disruptions. But Norris responded that construction would be regulated so it would not cause any problems around residents.

After taking into consideration that sales tax would not come off the changes and that the commerce center will overall boost employment in the city, the council decided to approve the changes.

The council moved on to the business items, where they discussed another pressing topic. After Bill Link’s retirement last month, the council had to figure out how they would like to fill the vacant position. According to AB 952, if a council member resigns before it is time to elect or re-elect their position, the city council has to fill the vacant seat until the next election. The question presented at the city council meeting was how the council would fill the vacant seat: by special election or by appointing someone to temporarily fill the vacancy. If the council were to hold a special election, the fiscal impact would cost them $66,000. Ultimately, the council decided to appoint a council member who would fill Link’s position until the November 2016 election.

Continuing with the meeting items, the council proposed no action on appointing someone to fill the vacancy in city committee groups. However, the council did motion the approval to sign a contract with Teaman, Ramirez & Smith Inc. for professional auditing services, and they also approved a funding agreement for the BEYOND framework fund program, as well as authorizing City Manager Nissen to sign the documents necessary for funding.

To conclude the evening, Bootsma stated that he would be attending the next State of the City Meeting and both Rush and Lorimore stated that they would continue their involvement in the Riverside Transmit Meetings.

The second council meeting was held on April 27, which began with proclaiming May 5th as the National Day of Prayer in Eastvale. The day is supposed to bring people together and create unification through “the power of prayer.”

After the proclamation, the Eastvale Community Foundation update included that the military banner program is still looking for more people to register for a military banner. Also mentioned was that the Community Foundation would be providing scholarships for ERHS students. City Manager, Michele Nissen, added that the scholarships, which are CDBG-funded, do include qualifications. These qualifications will soon be published on the city website.

Then, the Public Safety Commission Update included a report on the events of their last meeting, where residents discussed the topic of the CCTV program. This program involves setting up cameras in neighborhoods.

Before moving on, Michele Nissen introduced the council to the City’s newest Code Enforcement Officer, Vanessa Lopez, who has over 10 years of experience in Code Enforcement. Nissen also mentioned that she started as a police explorer at the age of 13. She has implemented several cleanup programs in the cities she has worked for, and at the moment, she is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Next, the student liaison update was presented by Julia Sung. Sung announced the Relay for Life Event on Saturday, April 30 at River Heights Intermediate. She also announced that ERHS choir teacher, Mrs. Mendoza, will be retiring this year and that her final event with ERHS will take place on May 13. May 19 will also be Senior Award Night, where “very important guests” will arrive. Lastly, June 1 will be the ERHS graduation date.

Moving forward with the meeting, item 8.1 was taken off the agenda. Therefore, the council first focused on the recommendation to approve Parcel Map No. 36487. The plan will include 205 acres that will be used to build two one-million square feet of logistic facilities, and the second phase will focus on the construction of a hospital, park, and retail center. The council motioned the approval. The next two items were also approved: an agreement with Minigar & Associates Inc. to work on a truck route study and the City renewing their contract with Calfire.

The last discussion was about the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDF) that is threatening litigation because the city’s current at-large voting system violates California’s Voting Act Rights. In response, the city was presented with the possibility of establishing a by-district election system for the final item of the night. This recommendation presented two possibilities: the city could either be divided into 5 single-member districts, where each council member will serve and represent those districts; or the council could choose to divide the city into 4 districts, where a Mayor, who was elected at large, could serve for a 2-4 year term. Criteria for this division require the districts to be divided equally, with no more than a 10% deviation between districts, and the districts should be large based on the location where the council member resides. The districts will have to be redrawn every 10 years. At a minimum, this will cost $35,000 – 40,000. The council decided to divide the district into 5 sections. Read more about this decision in the article on page 1.

The meeting concluded after the city staff shared a few events they were looking forward to in the upcoming weeks.

Eastvale Chamber’s Official Newsletter

Read the Eastvale Chamber’s Official Newsletter in full size by clicking the picture below!
Things to see: A letter from the new Director of Corporate Sponsorship, the Eastvale Chamber Connection Breakfast at Buffalo Wild Wings, Upcoming Events in Eastvale, and the Welcome Center, which welcomes new people and businesses to the City of Eastvale.

2015-06-ChamberNewsletter-WEB

Eastvale Chamber’s Official Business Listing

 

Read the Eastvale Chamber’s Official Business Listing in full size by clicking the picture below!

2015-06-ChamberDirectory-WEB2

Eastvale Chamber: Hello Eastvale

Linda Ceron

Linda Ceron

Hello Eastvale:

It’s always a little bittersweet when someone who has put time into a company decides to pass the torch and move on. There are usually big shoes to fill and lots to learn for the one accepting that torch.

So how does one grab the torch and run with it?

I am Linda Ceron, the newly named Director of Corporate Sponsorship for the Eastvale’s Chamber of Commerce.  I am up for the challenge and come with a wealth of knowledge, experience and three decades of Sales and Marketing background working for a Fortune 500 company. I look forward to continuing on in the past Director’s footsteps, providing the high level of programs and services that our business community has come to expect. I am excited to work with each and every Chamber member, Town official and potential new member business.

The Chamber’s mission, in short, has always been “to make Eastvale a better place to live, work and do business.” We know that what is good for business is good for the community. If businesses prosper, then people work and communities stay strong. I am proud to take the torch and run with it.

Here are some key things the Chamber will do for you as a member.

  • We will keep you informed. The “information explosion” has hit businesses hard. There is so much new information out there that it’s impossible to keep up; healthcare, taxes, new federal and state regulations; business trends. Of course not all of this information is vital to your business, but a great deal of it is. That’s where the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce comes in. We function as a clearing house for information that’s important to local business. Through newsletters, seminars, monthly mailings, weekly e-minders, and networking events, we get the word out to our members in an efficient, timely manner.
  • We give you a voice. A single voice crying in the wilderness might have been effective in Biblical times, but in today’s ever changing business landscape there’s more truth to the old adage about “strength in numbers.” As an Eastvale Chamber of Commerce member, your concerns are our concerns, and we’ll use every bit of political muscle we have to make sure our members concerns are addressed in the proper forum.
  • Many times, working “behind the scenes” lets the Chamber achieve some very impressive results that significantly benefit one or all of our 170 member businesses. We haven’t achieved “wizard” status yet, but we intend to keep trying!
  • The Chamber improves our community. If your business is a work of art, then your community is the frame that shows it off. The Eastvale Chamber of Commerce knows that good citizenship is good business, so we are the synergistic focal point for Eastvale business interaction with the community. We maintain liaison with Town government, service agencies, and other area non-profits to make sure that Eastvale business resources are effectively utilized to benefit every segment of the Town’s population.

If you’d like to learn more about the great work we are doing here at the Chamber and in your community – or just say “hello,” please feel free to give me a call.  I look forward to helping grow your business.

 

Linda Ceron

Director of Corporate Sponsorship

Eastvale Chamber of Commerce

Upcoming Events Provided By Eastvale Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Breakfast Connection

Thurs., June 4, 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings (12411 Limonite Ave.)

Guest Speaker:  Sana Lana – ADP’s Senior District Payroll Manger, HR, Benefits, Workers Comp

 

Wed., June 10, 6:30 p.m.

Rosa Parks Elementary

Eastvale City Council Meeting

Speaker:  Chamber Director, Linda Ceron

 

Fri., June 12

Eastvale Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Board Meeting – 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Chamber Ambassador Meeting – 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

 

Thurs., June 18, 5 to 7 p.m.

Venue TBD – Contact the Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Evening Mixer

 

Wed., June 24, 6:30 p.m.

Rosa Parks Elementary

Eastvale City Council Meeting

Speaker:  New Chamber Director, Ben Odipo (Assistant Superintendent, CNUSD)

 

Thurs., June 25, 3 p.m.

Eastvale Chamber of Commerce

Chamber/City Manager Meeting

Become An Eastvale Chamber Board of Director

Do YOU want to get involved with the Chamber?
We are currently looking to fill our last Director Seat on the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. We are seeking motivated and driven individuals that have a passion for assisting the businesses in Eastvale
Requirements:
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be a member in good standing with the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce
• Must not serve as an Officer or Director for another local Chamber of Commerce
• Hard working and dedicated
• Has a passion for the economic growth of Eastvale
If the above sounds like you, please email your completed application to Vice President, Tobie Anderson, at tanderson@eastvalechamberofcommerce.org or mail it to the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce, 12523 Limonite Ave. Suite #440-428, Eastvale, CA 91752

Applications can be downloaded at http://www.eastvalechamberofcommerce.org