The Capistrano Insider

The 241 Toll Road Extension Has a Name: The Tesoro Extension

Geez, if we're going to get the traffic, shouldn't be at least get the name? The Capistrano Connection even has a nice ring ...

From the Transportation Corridor Agencies ...

Using feedback from Board Members and the community, The Toll Roads staff has worked the past few months performing technical analysis to determine the location of the southern terminus of the 241 extension project – now called the State Route 241 Tesoro Extension.

The Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency’s (F/ETCA) Board of Directors voted to continue the engineering, environmental, traffic and financial analysis of the extension that will end temporarily at the future Cow Camp Road near San Juan Capistrano.  At a later date -- when the adjacent local transportation system is complete in the unincorporated area north of Ortega Highway and east of Antonio Parkway -- a permanent SR 241 interchange will be built at future “G Street.” The extension will be 4.8 miles long.

Cow Camp Road is planned to run parallel to Ortega Highway to the north of San Juan Creek and will be the area’s major east-west arterial roadway with two to three lanes in each direction. It is projected to carry more than 30,000 trips per day in 2035.  Ortega Highway will become a secondary road with one lane in each direction through the area and is estimated to carry 6,000 trips a day in 2035.

The SR 241 Tesoro Extension analysis is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2012 and construction could begin shortly thereafter. The construction cost is estimated at $200 million. The F/ETCA Board also approved a contract with Barclays Capital Inc. for development of a finance plan. Barclays has a long financial history with TCA and was instrumental in helping the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA) achieve successful debt restructuring in May 2011.

Bates: Orange County Moving Ahead on New Animal Shelter

One of the complaints/concerns of local animal-rescue folks is that the Orange County Shelter, where lost pets and strays are taken, is so far away. The county is working on building a new shelter in Tustin, Fifth District Supervisor Pat Bates says.

From Bates:

New OC Animal Care Center Update

The Board of Supervisors continues to make progress on the development of a new Animal Shelter. On January 24, the Board approved an Exchange Agreement with the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) for a land-swap of ten-acre parcels at the former MCAS Tustin Base. Five acres of the parcel to be received by the County, following release by the Department of Navy, has been designated as the site for a new Animal Care Center, which will replace the existing Animal Shelter currently in the City of Orange.

The planned Tustin site is centrally located in the County and easily accessible to all. OC Parks has been tasked with developing an 84-acre park directly across from the site, which will include one of the landmark blimp hangars. Conceptual plans have already been completed for the new Animal Care Center.

The County is continuing to work with the City of Tustin and SOCCCD to revise the documentation required by the Department of Navy as part of the Re-Use Process. It is hoped that a decision from the Department of Navy regarding conveyance can be obtained in late 2012 or early 2013.

Once the Department of Navy issues the decision on conveyance, construction plans will be developed and ground will be broken on the new site. Timing on construction will depend upon the actions of the Department of Navy and any requirements set forth in that action.

Previous cost estimates for the new Animal Care Center ranged from approximately $25 million to $30 million. Initial funding already has been set aside by the Board. Additionally, preliminary discussions have been initiated with an advisory group of city managers from the cities that contract with OC Animal Care regarding the balance required to complete the project, with more formal discussions on a funding agreement being initiated in the fall. Staff is also looking at other ideas for fundraising, including a non-profit fundraising effort.

Development of a new Animal Care Center is a high priority for the County and our partner contract cities. To that end, I will continue to provide updates on the progress as we move forward.

Lung Association Says OC Lagging in Anti-Smoking Effort; Pushes for Higher Tax

STATE OF TOBACCO CONTROL REPORT SHOWS ORANGE COUNTY FALLING BEHIND IN KEY TOBACCO CONTROL PRIORITY AREAS

Report card clearly illustrates importance of passing upcoming
California Cancer Research Act ballot measure

(Tustin, CA, January 19, 2012) – The American Lung Association released the State of Tobacco Control 2012, an annual report that provides grades to the federal government and all 50 states and the District of Columbia on four key tobacco control areas. In conjunction with this national report, the American Lung Association in California released the State of Tobacco Control 2012 – California Local Grades, which issues grades to all cities and counties in California on local tobacco control policies including those for smokefree outdoor environments, smokefree housing, and reducing sales of tobacco products. To view the complete report, visit www.lung.org/california.

In 2011, Costa Mesa made advances in protecting their residents from secondhand smoke by restricting smoking in recreation areas.  Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods each received an overall C grade, which is the highest grade in the county. The cities of Santa Ana and Seal Beach both earned an overall D grade. However, more still needs to be done at the local level to protect residents from the harmful effects of tobacco. The American Lung Association is working to increase public knowledge about local policies that protect residents, recognize leadership where steps have been taken, and continue to encourage leadership and political will where improvement is needed.

Once a national leader in tobacco control policies, California’s efforts are now lagging. The state received an F for failing to adequately fund tobacco prevention and control programs and a D for its low cigarette tax. California currently ranks 33^rd among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for its $0.87 per pack tax, far below the national average of $1.46. While California earned an A for smokefree air policies, the state received another F for poor coverage of smoking cessation and treatment services.

Both the state and local grades demonstrate the need for California to pass the California Cancer Research Act on the June 2012 ballot. “Now is the time for California to raise the grade,” said Jane Warner, President and CEO, American Lung Association in California. “The California Cancer Research Act is an historic opportunity for California voters to provide more than $855 million annually to fund research for cancer and other tobacco-related diseases as well as proven tobacco prevention, education, and law enforcement efforts which will prevent 228,700 kids in California from becoming addicted smokers.” The California Cancer Research Act is strongly supported by the American Lung Association in California, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. More information can be found at www.californiansforacure.org.

The California Cancer Research Act ballot measure would increase the state’s tobacco tax by $1.00 per pack and dedicate revenues to the treatment, prevention and, ultimately, cures for lung disease, heart disease and stroke, cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses. The measure also would triple state funding for tobacco prevention and cessation efforts.

In 2011, a total of 45 cities and counties adopted new tobacco control policies to protect their citizens from the harmful effects of tobacco. While many jurisdictions took action to adopt strong policies and improve their grades, a total of 355 cities and counties – 66 percent of all jurisdictions in the state – received an F for their overall tobacco grade.

“In 2011, cities in Los Angeles County, and especially Baldwin Park, Compton and Pasadena, continued to make tremendous strides in protecting residents from secondhand smoke exposure and keeping tobacco products out of the hands of kids,” said Sue Padernacht, member of the Leadership Board of the American Lung Association in California – Los Angeles. “But in 2012, elected officials and all California voters can do even more to raise the grades and save lives by passing the California Cancer Research Act.”

About the American Lung Association

Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is “Fighting for Air” through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lung.org/california.

Capistrano Hires Risk Manager Away from Irvine

From the city:

New Human Resources Manager named

Tom Bokosky has been selected as San Juan Capistrano's new Human Resources Manager. He comes to the city with a wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors. He begins his new post on Jan. 25.

Tom has worked as a Risk Management Administrator for the city of Irvine since May 2001. In his role with Irvine, a city of more than 219,000, he prepared and managed human resources and risk management budgets and determined the appropriate type and amount of property and casualty insurance protection required along with negotiating policy terms, conditions, and premiums with insurance companies. Among many other duties, Tom investigated liability and workers' compensation claims, negotiated employee benefits and implemented the city's first Injury & Illness Prevention Program. He serves as board member and Underwriting Committee Chairman for the California Insurance Pool Authority, a public agency insurance pool.

Before Irvine, Tom worked in the private sector as the Director of Risk Management for Remedy/Temp; a Workers Compensation Specialist for Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.; and as the Corporate Safety Director for College Health Enterprises. He has a bachelor's in Organizational Leadership, a Masters of Labor Relations from the California Public Employers Labor Relations Association and is a Certified Professional in Human Resources and a Certified Self-Insured Administrator (State of California).
Tom also served his country as a United States Navy Reserve Intelligence Specialist from 1986 to 1992.


Tom said he is excited about his new position.

"I look forward to working with a great team of professionals to transform beautiful and historic San Juan Capistrano's culture into a more service-oriented culture and to help make this unique city a better place to live and work," he said. "I am excited to use my experience in both the public and private sector to ensure our employees have the tools and support they need to increase customer service while saving the city money to better serve the community."

City Manager Karen Brust said Tom is a welcome addition to the San Juan Capistrano team.

"In addition to Mr. Bokosky's 21 years of risk management and human resources experience, he has the organizational development background to assist me in instilling an attitude of service-oriented performance to achieve a culture in the city focused on our customers," she said.

Tom will begin with a starting salary of $112,896 plus benefits. Similar to the city manager, he will contribute 100 percent of the employee's share of the retirement benefit with the Orange County Employees' Retirement System.

A Day on the Beat: What Those Deputies Face ...

You go through the Orange County Sheriff's Department Academy. You work your stint in the jail system for at least six years. You finally get your assignment to patrol the streets of a community, making San Juan Capistrano a safe place. Taxpayers shell out more than $115,000 to have you there, too.

And what do you do?

From this week's Sheriff's Blotter:

KEEP THE PEACE

Ridge Road, 29500 Block (12:47 p.m.)

Deputies were asked to stand by while a man and woman exchanged their cat. Dispatchers told the deputy the cat’s name was Miowi and that it was a 6-year-old orange tabby, “similar to Garfield.” The exchange did not go through, though – the man was not home.