Menifee City Council Meeting - July 2, 2008
At tonight's city council meeting, the counil interviewed candidates for interim city manager. After the public portion of the meeting ...
http://www.menifee247.com/2008/07/menifee-city-council-meeting-july-2.htm
At tonight's city council meeting, the counil interviewed candidates for interim city manager. After the public portion of the meeting adjourned this evening, no interim city manager had been hired yet.
City Attorney Conflict of Interest
Jason Roth addressed the council with a question about a possible conflict of interest with the new interim city attorney. This attorney also acts as the city attorney for Canyon Lake.
He asked who would our city council consult with in case of matters involving a dispute with Canyon Lake.
Mayor Edgerton answered that they would hire a different city attorney just for that purpose. But he called on our interim city attorney, and posed the question to her. While I don't have "her" name, she responded that it's unlikely there would be a conflict of interest, since much of Canyon Lake's concerns are shared with Menifee's, such as Audie Murphy Ranch, Newport Rd Realignment.
In the matter of leaky septic tanks in Quail Valley, she downplayed the matter by saying that Canyon Lake has no interest in the water quality of its lake, since it doesn't own the lake. That was a comment I found rather difficult to accept, but she may be right since legally, the City of Canyon Lake has no responsibility. If people were to get sick from playing in the water, the legal responsibility falls on the Elsinore Water District.
I guess we just need to make sure we don't hire an attorney that also represents the water district.
Sales Taxes in Menifee
Nina Riley, a resident in Sun City, asked the council when will sales taxes be collected by the city. The Mayor couldn't give a specifc date, only that it wouldn't happen until after October 1, once the city becomes official. But even after that, he noted that sales taxes are assessed quarterly, so there may be further lag time.
Ad Hoc Committee for Inauguration Planning
Mayor Edgerton announced that there will be an ad hoc committee created for the planning of the city's inauguration. This will be further discussed at the next city council meeting.
County Transition Meeting
Mayor Pro Tem Kuenzi announced that Supervisor Jeff Stone will be hosting a "transition meeting" on Wednesday July 16, 6:00pm, at Heritage High School. The meeting will explain to the public how county services will be transitioned over to the new city.
Next City Council Meeting
The next city council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, at Paloma Valley High School, inside the theatre. The council will meet in private at 5:00pm, and then open up a public meeting at 6:00pm.
The subject of what time of day to schedule meeting is still a hot debate. The council members again this evening had disagreements on what time would be most prudent. Denver noted that there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and pushed for an earlier start time of 4:00pm.
To which Kuenzi asked if that would be the start of a public or private meeting, and she got no real definitive answer. Other suggestions came up for 6:00pm for a public meeting, to which some people in the audience complained was still too early for them.
Mann pointed out that these meeting are all "special" meetings, because the city is not yet official, and that nothing is cast into stone yet.
But I attended the 5:00pm public meeting today, and found myself as the only resident in attendance. The others were suits looking for a job. The 7:00pm public meeting was better attended, but there were still far more room-temperature chairs than warm ones. Though I'm not sure the council would get better attendance at a later time. 7:00pm is probably good in my view.
Sound System
The lack of sound system at the Kay Ceniceros Center makes it a difficult room to conduct a city council meeting. Council members found themselves having to nudge each other into speaking more loudly, which brought about some frustrating remarks.
The microphone at the public speaker's podium was weak, requiring each speaker to hold it right up to their mouth, to get an audible signal. Considering how many lips that microphone may have touched over its lifetime, I can understand no one wanting to get too close to it.
City Attorney Conflict of Interest
Jason Roth addressed the council with a question about a possible conflict of interest with the new interim city attorney. This attorney also acts as the city attorney for Canyon Lake.
He asked who would our city council consult with in case of matters involving a dispute with Canyon Lake.
Mayor Edgerton answered that they would hire a different city attorney just for that purpose. But he called on our interim city attorney, and posed the question to her. While I don't have "her" name, she responded that it's unlikely there would be a conflict of interest, since much of Canyon Lake's concerns are shared with Menifee's, such as Audie Murphy Ranch, Newport Rd Realignment.
In the matter of leaky septic tanks in Quail Valley, she downplayed the matter by saying that Canyon Lake has no interest in the water quality of its lake, since it doesn't own the lake. That was a comment I found rather difficult to accept, but she may be right since legally, the City of Canyon Lake has no responsibility. If people were to get sick from playing in the water, the legal responsibility falls on the Elsinore Water District.
I guess we just need to make sure we don't hire an attorney that also represents the water district.
Sales Taxes in Menifee
Nina Riley, a resident in Sun City, asked the council when will sales taxes be collected by the city. The Mayor couldn't give a specifc date, only that it wouldn't happen until after October 1, once the city becomes official. But even after that, he noted that sales taxes are assessed quarterly, so there may be further lag time.
Ad Hoc Committee for Inauguration Planning
Mayor Edgerton announced that there will be an ad hoc committee created for the planning of the city's inauguration. This will be further discussed at the next city council meeting.
County Transition Meeting
Mayor Pro Tem Kuenzi announced that Supervisor Jeff Stone will be hosting a "transition meeting" on Wednesday July 16, 6:00pm, at Heritage High School. The meeting will explain to the public how county services will be transitioned over to the new city.
Next City Council Meeting
The next city council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, at Paloma Valley High School, inside the theatre. The council will meet in private at 5:00pm, and then open up a public meeting at 6:00pm.
The subject of what time of day to schedule meeting is still a hot debate. The council members again this evening had disagreements on what time would be most prudent. Denver noted that there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and pushed for an earlier start time of 4:00pm.
To which Kuenzi asked if that would be the start of a public or private meeting, and she got no real definitive answer. Other suggestions came up for 6:00pm for a public meeting, to which some people in the audience complained was still too early for them.
Mann pointed out that these meeting are all "special" meetings, because the city is not yet official, and that nothing is cast into stone yet.
But I attended the 5:00pm public meeting today, and found myself as the only resident in attendance. The others were suits looking for a job. The 7:00pm public meeting was better attended, but there were still far more room-temperature chairs than warm ones. Though I'm not sure the council would get better attendance at a later time. 7:00pm is probably good in my view.
Sound System
The lack of sound system at the Kay Ceniceros Center makes it a difficult room to conduct a city council meeting. Council members found themselves having to nudge each other into speaking more loudly, which brought about some frustrating remarks.
The microphone at the public speaker's podium was weak, requiring each speaker to hold it right up to their mouth, to get an audible signal. Considering how many lips that microphone may have touched over its lifetime, I can understand no one wanting to get too close to it.
The time isn't so much of an issue for me, it's the day of the week. Can't they go to Thursdays or Tuesdays? Wednesday is no good unless it starts early at 5 for the public part, and I know many people can't make it that early. It's pushing it for me as well. Another day would be best. Even Monday. Can someone suggest that at the next meeting, as I am unable to attend Wednesdays?
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ReplyDeleteI think it's a conflict of interest to have the same law firm.
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