By Emily Aguilar

EASTVALE– This month’s council meeting began with an experiment. At Mayor Ike Bootsma’s request, the meeting held on Wednesday the 9^th began at 7:00 pm rather than 6:30 pm. Bootsma was eager to test two factors as a result of this experiment: one, he wanted to see if the time change would better accommodate the gap between council meetings and budget workshops; and two, he wanted to see how the community would respond to the time change.

Before tending to the schedule change, the meeting began with a closed session, where in which the council discussed the performance evaluation of City Manager Michele Nissen and two conferences with legal counsel regarding an existing litigation and an anticipated litigation.  After the two-hour closed session, a majority of audience members had left. A sense of awkwardness filled the air as the council overlooked the mostly empty seats.

The first item on the agenda was a Public Safety Commission update. Recently, individuals have been racing around Citrus and Scholar during school hours, which has stirred concern in the community. At the Public Safety meeting, citizens addressed not only the speeding, but also vandalism that has been occurring in neighborhoods. One resident pitched the idea of setting up cameras to find the perpetrators. Other concerns, specifically at the high school, are crosswalks and the heavy traffic on the streets. Community residents are looking forward to working with the city and the school in order to help the students be safe.

Next on the agenda was an update on the civic center/library project. Since August 2015, a library subcommittee has sought to build a new library and a city hall. The main discussion on this topic was determining where these new buildings will be located. There are now five possible locations being considered for the new civic center, all of which span from 9 to 16 acres. Before any action is taken, staff requested that the council bring back their contract agreement with the Riverside Economic Development Agency (EDA) to help in choosing, funding, and ultimately purchasing a plot of land to develop the civic center. The EDA has had a positive history with Eastvale developments; for example, they helped choose and purchase the land for the developing Fire Station 31. The council motioned to set up a contract discussion for the next council meeting.

The council quickly approved a construction update on Fire Station 31. Horizons, the current construction team for this project, has been paving, making concrete footings for walls, and establishing building pads. Within the next 6 weeks, city staff will grant the Fire Station Street Improvements bid package to help with further construction. Ultimately, Horizons intends to complete their phase of the 300-task schedule by December 5th. Council received and filed this information.

The council then addressed the outcome to their time change trial. The time change had a negative impact because the closed session, which typically lasts about thirty minutes, ended up lasting two hours. Because the audience was left alone for such a long time, most of them grew impatient and left by the time the council had returned. The council decided to have closed session meetings at the end of the regular 6:30 meetings.

Moving on to Council Communications, Council Member Rush discussed the possibility of distributing newsletters to the city residents in order to pass on information about local events. Mayor Pro Tem Tessari also proposed the idea to see if the city could re-implement creating an infrastructure financing district. If feasible, staff will look into it. The meeting was adjourned to 3 o’clock on Friday.

Two weeks later, on March 23, the meeting began with a series of good-byes and a distribution of recognition awards. Bill Link celebrated his retirement from the council that evening. While receiving a recognition award, Link shared a few affectionate jokes and words with the councilmen, who were “really appreciative of all [his] hard work” over the past two years. Also leaving her position with Eastvale was Code Enforcement Officer Allynn Evans, who would be moving to Texas. Bootsma, a former Texan himself, gave Evans his blessings. The last series of awards were given to two Riverside Police Department officers, Officer Jackson and Officer Merrell, for having effectively responded to an attempted theft and assault case, which ultimately saved the lives of a local couple.

The Community Foundation Update was about preparation for April 5th’s State of the City event. Afterwards, the Public Safety update once again addressed the racing problem off Citrus and Scholar. Residents are concerned for their children’s safety, and the Community Foundation is doing their best to assuage the citizens’ concerns.

The Student Liaison update was delivered by Ayo Banjo, who stated that ERHS was holding an open house event that evening. Also occurring at Roosevelt was the 4th annual Relay for Life Event, expected to be held on April 30th. In other school news, Eastvale Elementary was set to celebrate its 10-year anniversary soon.

During the Public Comments, Linda Cerone took the podium to make two announcements. Her first announcement was an invitation to National Prayer Day, which will be held on May 5th at the Eastvale Community Center. Cerone also encouraged the audience to partake in the Relay for Life event, which is a cancer fundraising event.

Before concluding the meeting, City Manager Michele Nissen briefly announced that ERHS would be holding their Every 15 Minute event on April 5th. She also stated that on Thursday March 24th, the city would begin work with the grant writer they had recently hired. Following Nissen’s topics was an announcement regarding a problem with the CDA Waterline Project. That afternoon it was discovered that a steel plate is interfering with the base waterline. It will most likely stunt progress on the project for the time being. Moving onto the Committee Reports, Lorimore asked council and staff that they prepare to “move forward” in finding someone to fill in Link’s now empty seat. The councilmen agreed to focus on this idea in the next meeting. There was an announcement that there will be a SCAG meeting for District 4 at the Riverside County Administration Center. Bootsma once again invited the audience to visit Roosevelt on April 5th for their Every 15 Minute event, and the meeting was adjourned.

Photo by JAB Photography

Staff Reports

Eastvale – The City Council has selected Ike Bootsma as its mayor and Joseph Tessari as its mayor pro tem for 2016.
Each December, the council selects a new mayor and mayor pro tem from among its five members. Bootsma, a retired cattleman, has served on the council since its incorporation in 2010.
The appointments to the one-year terms took effect immediately during the Dec. 9 council meeting.

In a city-issued press release, Bootsma said he is proud and honored to be selected by the city council to continue to serve as mayor.

“I look forward to working with the community for the best interest of Eastvale,” Bootsma added.
Tessari says he is honored to have been chosen as mayor pro tem and will do his best to maintain the growth and prosperity of the community.
Both mayors are to serve a one-year term in their assigned positions.
Eastvale residents are encouraged to meet their mayor and new mayor pro-tem by attending a regular City Council meeting held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 6:30 p.m. Council meetings are held at Rosa Parks Elementary, 13830 Whispering Hills Drive.

By Emily Aguilar

The city council heard lots of ideas from a range of sources — from students to professionals — during its regular council meetings in December.  The agenda included several commission appointments as well as a request to amend a section of the Ranch at Eastvale’s Specific Plan to create more street space.

To begin the evening, Eastvale Community Foundation’s Sharon Link previewed a few events that residents can look forward to in 2016, such as the State of the City event to be held on Tuesday, April 5. Link also stated that the Annual Sponsorship Drive will begin in January, and that applications are now open to those interested in being a sponsor.

Next, a Public Safety Commission representative stated that they are looking at distributing safety liaisons throughout the school district.  They also wanted to recognize Student Resource Officer Deputy Chad Thompson, who apprehended a homeless man asleep on a CNUSD campus in late 2015.

The council then took a moment to recognize local boy and girl scout troops for their contributions and active participation in the community. The council also awarded John Canvot, who has diligently worked to improve Eastvale’s growing communities.

After the small award ceremony, the council moved on to appointing a new mayor and mayor pro tem; Ike Bootsma and Joseph Tessari were unanimously selected. The council also announced their appointments for the Planning Commission, which included Karen S. Patel, Howard Feng, Daryl Charleson, Larry Oblea, and Bill Van Leeuwen. The council then announced the appointees for the Public Safety Commission: David Flores, Anwer Khan, Christopher Hook, Sean Parilla, and Christian DeCosta. These appointments were motioned for approval. The council then announced their regional appointments, including the Western Riverside Council of Governments, Regional Conservation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, Southern California Association of Governments, and Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District. Each member also stated which sub-committee they would appoint; which included the Eastvale Finance Committee, School Committee, Economic Development Committee, Eastvale Parks Commission, City Hall Relocation Sub-Committee, I-15 Interchange Design Committee, Fire Station Design Committee, and the Library Committee. These appointments were motioned for approval by the council.

Julia Sung announced the upcoming events that local schools will be able to look forward to before the end of the school year. One of the events mentioned was Eleanor Roosevelt High’s Winterfest, which was held on December 12. She also mentioned that River Heights Intermediate School (RHIS) is asking for donations to fund their Positive Behavior Program — a program that awards students for good behavior, such as earning good grades.

For the Public Comment section of the evening, Wives of Law Enforcement and Firefighters (WOLFF) representative Dani Medrano presented Mayor Bootsma with a plaque to honor the city’s dedication in respecting and protecting those who make it an obligation to keep the city safe. Afterwards, RHIS ASB leader Catherine Green asked if people were willing to make donations to support the school’s Adopt a Soldier Campaign. The campaign is centered on mailing gifts to soldiers currently serving in Iraq, and the ASB committee is eager to bring joy to those who continue to defend the country.

All items on the consent calendar were approved, so the council decided to listen to the Public Hearings. The first item, the consideration of the Leal Master Plan, was taken off the agenda list. The following item was a recommendation to repeal ordinance 859 and adopt a personal water efficient landscaping model for the new Eastvale homes. Because of California’s drought, the state requires every city to organize a water ordinance (a plan to regulate and retain water) by the end of the year. Cities failing to do so will have to adopt a state-organized water ordinance, which would not benefit the city because the plan would most likely not address personal conflicts the city needs to address when it comes to water usage. Eastvale’s water ordinance plan would apply to the development of landscape areas that are 2,500 square feet, and will include sprinkler and nozzle efficiency as well as less turf grass. The council motioned the idea. The final item was a request to amend a section of the Ranch at Eastvale’s Specific Plan. The Ranch will be located at Hellman and Limonite. It was asked that the Ranch’s design be minimized in order to create more streets in the area. The council approved the recommendation, which will ultimately reduce the plan from 2.2 million square feet to approximately 1.8 million square feet.

Following the Public Hearing, the council then changed focus over to the business items. The first item was a request for Eastvale to fund the reconstruction of the bridge over the Santa Ana River going into Norco via Hamner. The bridge, which was first built in 1939, is in need of being replaced as a result of its structural deterioration, hydraulic deficiencies, and its inability to support heavy traffic. The proposed bridge is set to include 4 to 6 lanes, sidewalks, multi-purpose lanes, and channel improvements to support the rising of water. Overall, Eastvale would have to pay a cost not exceeding $240,000 for the next three years. The idea, though necessary, did not sit well with the council, who agreed that they did not see the need to pay for a project Norco should be taking care of. After some discussion, the council decided to set the proposal aside and discuss it in the future during a joint meeting with Norco. Although this item was not motioned, the recommendation to approve an agreement for Fire Station No. 31 to execute testing laboratory services with Geocon West Inc. was approved.

Before concluding the meeting, the council members took a moment to share their committee reports: Adam Rush announced that on Dec. 4, Perris celebrated the inauguration of its first public transportation ride, and Clint Lorimore announced that California Gold would be hosting an event in Los Angeles on Jan. 7. Finally, the council members wished everyone happy holidays and adjourned the meeting.

Regular City Council Meetings: 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month
Location: Rosa Parks Elementary 13830 Whispering Hills Drive, Eastvale, CA 92880

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale– In honor of Veterans Day, the City Council Meeting was held on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Even though the meeting was held a day earlier, the agenda was no less serious as it usually is.

Skipping straight to the Public Comment, the council was introduced to Eastvale resident Thomas Tallagua, who came to talk about a problem in his neighborhood. In his unnamed neighborhood, Tallagua stated that an abundance of families have been moving into houses, causing the streets to overflow with more cars than necessary. The problem has escalated to the point where police involvement has been addressed.

“It looks like East LA,” he claimed. In order to solve the problem, Tallagua pitched the possibility of the city warranting overnight parking permits. According to his research, San Dimas had a similar situation, and they solved their problem with parking permits. The council said they would look into the idea.

All items were passed in the Consent Calendar, so the council then focused on the City Council Business items. The first to speak was Bob Williamson, the project manager for the construction of Fire Station No. 31. Throughout the construction process, the developers have received an abundance of support, the most recent being that the City Clerk received 18 bids from various construction companies to help fund the creation of the fire station. One such bid came from the Horizons Construction Company for $4,107,000, leading to the Notice of Intent to Award the Project. In his presentation, Williamson asked the council if they could use the award to reallocate previous appropriations with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for $875,000, seal the contract with Horizons, as well as execute other appropriate funds and documents to move forth with the project. After consideration, the council motioned all requests.

The following speaker, George Alvarez, presented his topic on constructing new traffic signals on Sumner and 65th Street. In his presentation, Alvarez stated that nine engineering firms have offered to fund and design the traffic signals. Of the nine, the one most appealing was Advantec Consulting Engineers, who are willing to provide $16,392 to construct and design the signal lights. Alvarez asked the council to approve the plan, which they happily did.

Moving onto City Manager and Staff Reports, it was announced that Fire Station No. 31 will be celebrating their intended Ground Breaking celebration on Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. It will be a public event, and many are welcome to come. Also, it was stated that Clara Barton Elementary School has changed their year-round schedule to match that of local high schools and middle schools. This means that Clara Barton will no longer follow the traditional track schedule, allowing the entire student body to be in school and out of school at the same time.

For the City Council Communications report, it was announced that the city will be looking forward to numerous street projects, such as the traffic signal project on 65th and Sumner, as well as the construction of a high pressure gas line extending from Limonite to Citrus and Harrison to Hamner.

Before the conclusion of the meeting, Don Hook was introduced and welcomed as the newest member of the Eastvale Foundation. The council said they look forward to seeing her helping with city projects. Afterwards, Council Member Lorimore announced that he will be going to Northern California to analyze water construction projects. Finally, the council wished everyone a happy Veterans Day and Marine Birthday, and stated that the next meeting will be in December.

Photo By: Emily Aguilar
New Eastvale Motor Cop Aaron Hownbeck was welcomed by Eastvale City Council on Thursday, Oct. 28. (Pictured L-R) Mayor Ike Bootsma, Mayor Pro Tem William Link, Councilman Adam Rush, Officer Hownbeck, Councilman Clint Lorimore and Councilman Joseph Tessari.

“Big Ike” Pumpkin, New Motor Cop Welcomed While Residents Put Brakes on Trucks

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – A pumpkin by the name of “Big Ike” was just one of the “spooktacular” moments during Eastvale’s bimonthly City Council meetings. There were also some newly awarded construction contracts for Chandler Street and River Road street improvements as well as discussions on the Hamner Traffic Signal Synchronization Project.
Here are a few highlights from the City Council’s Oct. 14 meeting.

During Presentations and Announcements, the council proclaimed Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31, and Freedom from Workplace Bullies Week, Oct. 18-24. Certificates of appreciation were presented for the City’s 5th Birthday Celebration. Additionally, the Vice-Chair of the Public Safety Commission Chris Hook provided an update and it was decided that a joint workshop will be held.

During the Public Comment, community members discussed their upcoming events. Roth Heng of the Eastvale Garden Group presented the City Council with a pumpkin named “Big Ike.” The group was seeking the Council’s support in creating a community garden in the future. Noah Reyes of Live 2 Give Crusade organization discussed a thanksgiving food drive to be held Nov. 22.

Preparing for the winter storm and revised water efficient landscaping regulations were discussed during the City Council Business. City staff recommended that the City Council prepare an updated water efficient landscape ordinance; propose changes to the City’s regulations to expand the requirement for landscaping plans and permits to cover re-landscaping of existing homes and businesses; and update the City’s zoning code and design standards and guidelines to be consistent with the new landscape ordinance.

During the City Council Communications, Councilmember Rush discussed the bridge collapse on the 91 freeway. Councilmember Tessari discussed the recent annual conference of the League of California Cities. He asked staff to look into hiring an economic development consultant. Councilmember Lorimore discussed the recent annual conference of the League of California Cities. He discussed a tour of the central valley to examine water infrastructure with Western Municipal Water District. Mayor Bootsma expressed his concern for trucks that are speeding in the City. He noted that the City’s 5th birthday celebration was a great success.

The City Council’s Oct. 28 meeting spotlighted a new hire in the Police Department’s Motor Division. Here is a review of what occurred during the Oct. 28 meeting:

Before the meeting, the council agreed to move their closed-session items to the end of the evening.

After closed session, the Community Foundation discussed the city’s military banners. They announced with enthusiasm that they were currently working on four new banners, and are always happy to take in new applications. They took this opportunity to say that two military banners were taken down because they were not placed on the proper street. Afterwards, the Foundation informally presented the new Vice Chair of the Public Safety Commission Don Hook, who will be officially approved in the next meeting.

Someone who was formally introduced to the council by Chief of Police Jason Orin, however, was the city’s new motor officer, Aaron Hownbeck. Hownbeck is a former Marine who fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and has trained officers as well. He has served as an officer for 12 years, and he will be monitoring Eastvale drivers who “jeopardize the lives” of our citizens. Hownbeck told the council that he would “hate to see anything happen” to the residents and vowed to keep the city safe.

The Student Liaison Julia Sung announced that all schools in the area had concluded Red Ribbon Week, which promotes drug prevention education and healthy, drug free youth.

Sung also mentioned that Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) is looking forward to organizing a winter festival, which is still in the planning stages. Updates will be announced as event moves forward.

There were three items for the Public Commentary section of the evening. The first to speak were two Eastvale citizens named Kenith C. and Louis R., who addressed the illegal trucking by Bellegrave and Sumner. The men feel that it is unfair to keep these drivers in their neighborhoods since it is not permitted for them to be there. While the council is aware of the issue, they admit that they are unsure of what they can do. They were especially uncertain of what to do since those trucks come from Ontario; they most likely cross their neighborhood because Eucalyptus is closed off. Although Kenith did display his annoyance with the council, one city manager promised to talk to the two men personally at a later time.

Chamber of Commerce President Arie briefly discussed that membership with the Chamber has increased to 124 members. He also invited the council to attend its chamber meetings every second Friday of the month from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

The final presenters were Chris Villamore and her husband, who are in a “battle” with the Homeowner’s Association. They are currently living next to a resident who has six exposed antennas throughout the property. The family has found that they have faulty WiFi access and have trouble using other electronic devices such as their cellphones because of their neighbor’s excessive antennas. Villamore has reached out to countless people ranging from the FCC to the police, all of whom have not helped the couple because the city does not have an ordinance on the sizing and amount of antennas homeowners can display. The council advised the couple to file a report to the city manager, and they promised to look into both this particular situation as well as looking into the municipal code in order to see how they can deal with this problem like this in the future.

All items were motioned in the consent calendar.

The only item in the public hearings was a request to have the Leal Master Plan taken off the calendar to discuss at a later date.

The three items in the city council business, all of which had to do with street projects, were motioned. The items included approving a contract with the All American Asphalt company to work on Chandler Street and River Road improvements, approving a contract with Crosstown Electrical and Data Inc. for the Hamner Traffic Signal project, and finally, approving a grant application submitted to the development of Safe Routes to School master plan.

To conclude the evening, the city manager announced that the city will be working alongside other districts to clean up public spaces such as Walmart, Corona Park, and locations near Citrus Street. Council member Lorimore spoke of his experience at an ERHS event to raise awareness for breast cancer, and stated that he had a good time. Council member Rush stated that he will be going to Washington DC to lobby federal funds that will help with the construction of the 91 freeway.

The next city council meeting will be held Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Rosa Parks Elementary. City Hall will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day.

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – From the groundwater pipeline expansion project to ongoing school traffic concerns, the

Eastvale City Council rolled up their sleeves and took action on some of the City’s toughest issues during the September meetings.

On Sept. 9, the Public Safety Commission provided an update on traffic problems during school hours. They will be working together with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department to educate the public on traffic safety and hopefully provide some solutions to the issues.

New City Planner, Malinda Lim, was introduced and welcomed as one of the newest members of the City staff.  Council also officially recognized the week of Sept. 17 to 23 as “Constitutional Week,” in commemoration of the 228th anniversary of the drafting of the United States Constitution.

During Public Comments, a resident spoke about the faulty mosquito pesticide application, and asked for a better notification protocol to warn the City of any future pesticide applications.

During Public Hearings, the Council motioned to rename Cleveland Avenue to Scholar Way between 58th St. and Bellegrave Ave. They also motioned to informally name Fire Station No. 31, forthcoming on Chandler St. and Selby Ave. – as the “Chandler Station.”  Council also discussed the possibility of hosting a 5^th Annual State of the City address in 2016.

One item that was not motioned was to approve the future Schleisman Road and I-15 Interchange on the Master Plan.  The presenter suggested amending the Master Plan, which would require $150,000 over a ten year span.  The Council agreed that there were other priorities, and chose not to take action at this time.

The Council also reviewed the updated ALUC Open Space Requirement for the Sendero residential development, which was rejected in June because of spacing infringements. The new plan, which reduced the number of units from 323 to 312, made improvements to the original map, and was both criticized and praised by Council.

The City Manager report announced that the Library Subcommittee would hold its first meeting on Sept. 14.

To conclude the meeting, the City announced it would be holding a 9/11 Flag Ceremony at Cal Fire 27.

The Sept. 23 Council meeting opened to the Community Foundation announcing the City’s 5^th Birthday celebration would be held on Oct. 3.

Next, the Chino Basin Desalter Expansion Project – which will provide 10 million gallons of drinking water to Eastvale and surrounding cities – was highlighted. Chino Basin Desalter Authority General Manager, Curtis Paxton, presented construction updates on the upcoming project – which will require the installation of several groundwater pipelines that will extend from Bellegrave Ave. to Harrison Ave. and 65th Street. While the addition of water will not excuse the City from regulating water use, it will increase the water supply. Paxton emphasized that “safety is our concern,” saying traffic would be regulated on Bellegrave Ave. when construction begins.

Council then approved the second ordinance reading of the Goodman Commerce Center Specific Plan.

All items on the Consent Calendar were approved.  The staff also announced the annual Food Truck Festival at Ramirez Intermediate on Sept. 25, and International Walk To School Day, which will be held on Wed., Oct. 7.

Council then reviewed a proposal for JCSD’s Capacity Charge, a developer impact fee planned to collect more than $67,000 from new Eastvale citizens to provide water for the growing City.  After listening to this and other projects that would increase fees, Council stated that there is a “lack of outreach” that would affect economic principles.

Moving on, Council approved the Freeway Agreement with the State Department of Transportation to allow the City and/or state to maintain and regulate the construction of roads and right of way traffic.

City Staff reported that Gov. Brown signed AB-107 – with Mayor Bootsma calling the bill a “joke.”  This bill was meant to make a county whole, but there isn’t any money coming into the City at this time.  Two Council members will have to attend a meeting about the bill on Sept. 28.

Before the conclusion of the meeting, the League of Cities Golf Tournament was announced, to be held on Oct. 12.  Also, the outbreak of West Nile Virus cases is currently the worst Riverside County has seen in years.  As a result, the City will take action to help keep its citizens safe.

Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale
On Aug. 26, Kelly Howell, a founding member of the Eastvale Community Foundation, was awarded with a certificate of appreciation for her dedication to the City’s development (L-R Joe Tessari, Howell, Clint Lorimore, Sharyn Link, William Link, and Mayor Ike Bootsma).

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – The August City Council meetings primarily focused on events, programs, and projects that would benefit the development of Eastvale.

The first Council meeting took place on Aug. 12, where the Public Safety Commission announced the success of the traffic safety map for back to school week. They also mentioned the community’s desire for a Neighborhood Watch leader.

During Presentations and Announcements, Rob Bishop, who is part of the Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF), said the group and the Riverside County Transportation Commission have collaborated to work on road projects in the city. TUMF states they will work with Eastvale not only on projects, but will also provide updates on road works and fees based on public growth through NEXUS studies every five years.

Next, Khuzaima Rangwalla and Zahra Rangwalla, two Eastvale City Hall interns, were recognized for their volunteer work. The City was also recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) because they have been successful in arresting 54 drivers for DUI in 2014.

The Student Liaison, Julia Sung, reported that Michael Reagan will be present for the official opening of Ronald Reagan Elementary on Aug. 28. As a result of Reagan’s opening, nearby Clara Barton Elementary has seen a decrease in students, and as a result, there is less traffic for parents to drop off and pick up students. Also, this school year will be the tenth anniversaries for Eleanor Roosevelt High and Harada Elementary.

During Public Comments, Hari Dhiman from the Eastvale Chamber of Commerce elaborated on his hope to reorganize the Chamber, and invited the public to the Evening Mixer on Fri., Aug. 21.

The Council motioned for all items on the Consent Calendar to be approved, including authorizing the Mayor to execute the amendment to the Joint Powers Agreement of the Western Riverside Council of Governments to add the Morongo Band of Mission Indians to the WRCOG Governing Board.

For Council Business, discussion began on initiating projects for flood plain and open lot space in the southwest quadrant of the City, and a professional services agreement with the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center to offer workshops to aid small businesses.  The item that brought about the most debate was the proposal to hire a professional lobbyist for the City, surrounding the controversy of Assembly Bill 113.  A motion was passed 3-2 with regard to the hiring of Joe A. Gonsalves & Son short term.

The City Manager report focused on the completion of the Schleisman Road Project the week of Aug. 2, the selection of a Motorcycle Officer for the Eastvale Police Department, and staff members coordinating City tours.

Before adjournment, Council spoke about the success of National Night Out, and Mayor Bootsma mentioned formulating a committee to support the building of a new public library in Eastvale.

The Aug. 26 meeting began with an update from the Eastvale Community Foundation Update.  Sharyn Link shared some details for the City’s 5^th Anniversary celebration, and mentioned that Council members were welcome to enter a float in the parade.  Link also announced that the Foundation would be donating $5,000 toward the creation of a new City Library.  Council thanked the Foundation for their generous donation.  Kelly Howell, the founding member of the Foundation was also recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her dedication to the City’s development.

Next, two new staff members were introduced to the council: Chris Hanson and Ramon Gibbons.  Hanson will work for the City’s water regulation, and Gibbons will be working in Fields Services.

For the Student Liaison Report, it was announced that Ronald Reagan Elementary will have its official opening on Fri., Aug. 28.  Also, ERHS is looking to hold a Winter Festival, possibly on Dec. 12.  The event will include games and booths.

There were no public comments, and all items on the Consent Calendar were approved.

Moving on to the Public Hearings, the Council was introduced to the proposal of amending the Goodman Commerce Center Plan. The amendments included approving Chapters 1 and 2, which focused on redefining glossary definitions, and increasing the size of the Business Park area from 40,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet. The motion was approved.

Under City Council Business, Items 9.1 through 9.4 were approved, agreeing to topics such as renaming Cleveland St. to Scholar Way (between 58^th St. and Bellegrave Ave. by Sept. 9, and allocating $2,500 to support the International Walk to School Day event taking place Oct. 7.  For Item 9.4, Mayor Bootsma and Councilmember Tessari were motioned as the two new library subcommittee participants to ensure the development of the future library. While the Council is eager to create a new library in Eastvale, Tessari took the initiative to propose the possibility of creating a Civic Center to accommodate a new city hall and library; his recommendation was motioned. Item 9.7, which was intended to find funding for state and local transportation infrastructure, was not approved, as the Council believes that receiving the funds could lead to an increase in taxes.

The City Manager staff announced the 9/11 Memorial Event would take place at Cal Fire Station 27. Also, it was announced that a sign, promoted by the Goodman Commerce Center, will be erected on the freeway front facing the I-15 freeway. The sign will be 30 feet tall and 150 feet long, and it will be made of with reflective material that will illuminate images as drivers pass by.  Advertisements placed on this sign can also benefit the City by promoting businesses in the area.

Moving onto Council Comments, Mayor Bootsma stated that he will be meeting with Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA); and that he will visit the Reagan Elementary grand opening ceremony.  Before adjournment, he encouraged everyone to participate in the International Walk to School Day event on Oct. 7.