News: Council Member Nancy Gardner

city council district 6 v corona del mar & newport coast

Nancy Gardner

council member v newport beach, california

newsletter: march 2013

TRASH SERVICE RFP
What if we had concierge service for the elderly and disabled so they wouldn’t have to wrestle a can to the curb? Or special pick up days like sharps collection for diabetics or household hazardous waste? What about a recycling payback program or to raise money for schools or a community shred-it day to protect ourselves from identity theft? These are some of the additional services that may be suggested by companies responding to the city’s Request for Proposals. The RFP will ask for two responses. One is the cost of essentially duplicating what we do now—manual pick up, no separating of recyclables. The second is more flexible. There are certain suggested parameters (a two-stream approach—recyclables and trash-automation in areas that can handle it with options for those areas that can’t), and then the companies can include whatever bells and whistles they feel would be a good fit for Newport, perhaps the services above. Once the responses come in, we can all look at the options and decide if Dr.Pangloss was right and what we currently have is the best of all possible worlds, or if change is worth exploring.

LOWER CASTAWAYS
For old timers, this is the approximate area where Wil Wright’s was. For not-so-old timers, Wil Wright’s was an ice cream place (nesselrode bula, mmmm) between Dover, PCH and the bay, directly below what is now Castaways Park. This area came to the city as part of the development agreement for the expansion of Newport Center with the caveat that it was not for housing, retail or other commercial purposes. Harbor Commission will be discussing potential uses for the property at the March 13 meeting, 4:30 pm, Council Chambers, OLD city hall.

AS FOR THE NEW CHAMBERS
We continue to have LOLA (kinks—bad joke) with the technology. In the best of all possible worlds, if council members wish to speak, we click an icon on the computer screen in front of us. On his screen the mayor can see who wants to speak and the order in which we clicked. The problem is that if there is a power point on the screen, which is most of the time, all that disappears. Mayor Curry must have had a sore neck after the last meeting, swiveling his head like a snowy owl to keep track of us while we, as at a Sotheby auction, each had our unique way of attracting his attention, everything from a subtle glance (Selich) to an eager stare (Petros) to a crab-like wave (me). Meanwhile, the new city hall has brought the Centennial Mayor, Don Webb, back into the civic arena with the suggestion that the new site needs an accurate version of the city seal, not just the very tasteful (some would say boring) monochrome version currently on the chamber wall. Given his bent for research, Don has been able to go through the various iterations and unearth what he feels is the original version created by the well-known artist Rex Brandt in Bob Shelton’s living room all those years ago. I for one would like to see this version of the seal in the new chambers.

SQUIRREL NUTKIN
If you have children or grandchildren, you have undoubtedly read Beatrix Potter and probably The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Nutkin, the brother of Twinkleberry, is a naughty little rascal who is constantly pestering Old Brown Owl, and it is all too twee, particularly when you consider the red squirrels around here are not native and are pests, particularly in the yard. Last year, there was a great deal of my garden produce that went down their greedy gullets, but this year I’m taking back the yard. A quick look at our muni codes told me that BB guns, sling shots and other such weapons are illegal (just as well since I’m not exactly Annie Oakley), but voila! The nursery has a product that you scatter around the grounds to repel critters. I hope it works because otherwise my yard smells of coyote pee for no reason. If you have a different critter problem, the city’s Animal Control will respond to a trapped skunk, raccoon or opossum up to three times a year, and Orange County Vector Control can help you with rats. But squirrels? Nobody’s interested. They probably read too much Beatrix Potter.

OTHER ENFORCEMENT ISSUES
We have an excellent Code Enforcement team with the city who responds to a variety of complaints—and usually solve them. To report a code violation: call 949 644-3215 or email codeenforcement@newportbeachca.gov.

FUTURE TOPIC SUGGESTIONS

This is a two-way process, so please don’t hesitate to contact me with your ideas and opinions. My email address for city business is: NGardner@newportbeachca.gov. Don’t worry if you forget it. I’ll still be using the AOL one, too.

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Council Member Nancy Gardner

QUALITY OF LIFE Advocate FOR NEWPORT BEACH

City of Newport Beach | 3300 Newport Blvd | Newport Beach, CA 92663

Phone: 949.644.3004 | EMAIL: ngardner@newportbeachca.gov