October 9, 2002 - Top Stories
Sept. 23 three Pauma Valley men were honored for pulling a CHP officer from her burning car on March 9.
The three men, Damian Pinal, owner of Jilbertos restaurant in Pauma, Manuel Medina, Enrique Pinalas, both cooks, witnessed the accident in front of the restaurant on Hwy 76 that left two people dead in one car, and a CHP officer, Debby Grady, pinned in a burning squad car with a broken leg.
The accident occurred around 8 p.m., involving a 1996 Dodge pickup and the CHP car.
The three men forced the door open, got the CHP officer out and put the fire out with an extinguisher.
The plaque awarded to the men reads, in part “You placed your own life in jeopardy to protect the life of another and in doing so, the life of an officer was clearly saved.
Pinal has owned Jilbertos for nine years. He owns a total of seven restaurants in Escondido, Borrego, San Diego and Oregon.
Rich Rudolf thinks some planning group members are flirting with conflict of interest violations.
Rudolf, the secretary of the planning group, wants Robert Hancock, Eric Laventure and Frank Shoemaker to get official rulings on possible conflict of interest before they are allowed to vote on its related to the Valley Center Road median strip or the two “nodes” of the Country Town.
Two of the three, Hancock and Laventure, are candidates for reelection to the board.
Rudolf has been raising this issue since February, but finally asked that it be put on Monday night’s planning agenda. In an email to planning group Chairman Larry Glavinic, Rudolf wrote:
“I suggest we require members Hancock, Laventure, and Shoemaker to obtain written opinions from the FPPC (Fair Political Practices Commission) before they vote on anything related to the north or south nodes of the country town in the GP 2020 Update process, or Valley Center Road Improvements, including the medians.
“I had hoped with plenty of advance warning that the affected members would call or write the FPPC and obtain legal guidance on whether their ownership of real property and/or businesses within the country town, and immediately adjacent to or near Valley Center Road, required them to disqualify themselves from participation on related matters. Although I have raised the concern repeatedly, the affected members have continued to participate and vote on matters related to the road improvements and median, and the country town portions of the GP 2020 Update.”
One of the three targets of Rudolf’s letter, Eric Laventure, was not amused.
In an email last week Laventure wrote, “I’m certainly a little dismayed by these recent actions. I’ve talked twice to the FPPC and have gotten two different answers. I’m done with them; I’m going to submit the question to County Counsel since they would represent me.”
Laventure, who is an owner of Bear Valley Feed, added, “I find it somewhat egregious that local business owners are viewed at with such contempt and that our view point shouldn’t be heard. Well, I guess that we can be heard we just can’t vote? Let’s take this a step further and say that certain people shouldn’t be voting on Hellhole Canyon area issues because they are on the board for that group, is this not the same thing and now Kaela [Laue, a candidate for the planning group] is a real estate agent, if she gets elected then she won’t be able to vote either, where will it end?”
By DAVID ROSS
The first residents of Woods Valley Ranch will arrive by next May, says the president of the project’s development company.
James Delhamer, president of the California Division of Newland Communities gave an update on the project at Monday’s VC water board meeting.
Lot grading is nearly complete, he said. Storm drain construction is 70% done. The builder has started clearing for road widening.
It will take 12 weeks to widen Woods Valley Road in front of the the development and to install a traffic light at the intersection of Woods Valley & VC roads.
Grading for the golf course is nearly done. Seeding of the front nine has begun and will start on the back nine soon. The front nine will be playable in mid-November. The course will be open by January, Delhamer predicted.
A temporary 7000 sq. ft. clubhouse will be built during the next few weeks and will remain until a permanent clubhouse is built.
His company is negotiating sales with four to five builders for the Ranch’s 270 buildable lots. Delhamer expects that the first model homes will be up by May.
Don Bunts, engineer of the project’s sewer plant, also was available to take questions.
Water District Mgr. Gary Arant noted that the district has gotten many calls from people concerned about the grading and the reclamation plant.
He tells them that the County has regulatory control over grading and that the sewage plant is regulated by the State Water Quality Control Board until it is transferred to the water district. Once that happens VCMWD will have responsibility for safety oversight.
“There’s a lot of oversights involved here,” said Arant. He added that the developer, “has gone to a great expense to ensure that nothing impacts the project that should not.”
Two VC high school grads who allegedly vandalized the high school and continuation school on separate nights were united by a common thread when arrested.
Why did they do it?
“We were just bored.” was the reply from both Derek Westrich, 18 and Jesse Morgan, 18, who both graduated from VCHS last year.
There were two separate incidents. Morgan was involved in vandalism to the continuation high school and to the Lusardi Construction trailer parked on the property. Broken mirrors and lenses and damaged construction equipment added up to about $2500 in damages, according to Gary Pay, superintendent of grounds and maintenance.
Morgan and his six cohorts, five of them minors whose names cannot be reported, had apparently done similar acts previously.
So the district put an employee in the construction trailer and, on Sept. 23, the vandals struck around 11 p.m. They kicked signs, tore signs off the the door, threw a handicapped sign in the dumpster.
The seven arrested, besides Morgan, included kids from Carlsbad, Escondido and Fallbrook.
The second incident occurred Sept. 27 around 12:30 a.m. Security called police after they heard broken glass alarm at VCHS. Deputies arrived and encountered a car leaving the lot.
Westrich accused of throwing oranges at the front door of the high school and at the electronic marquee, led deputies on a 100 mph chase down Cole Grade toward VC Road. He blew through a roadblock set up at Miller, turned left on Fruitvale, crossed MacTan and at that point there was no way out.
Police found the car in orange grove and arrested Westrich shortly thereafter.
Westrich also told police, “I was bored.”
Editor’s Note: Candidate Tom Bumgardner was unavailable to be interviewed for this series.
* * *FRAN DEWILDE
Fran Dewilde is an incumbent candidate for the Valley Center Parks & Recreation board.
A statement from her will be followed by a Q&A conducted by The Roadrunner.
Statement
I have lived in VC and watched its needs grow and change since 1967. Married, I have one daughter, two stepsons and assorted grandchildren. I have been involved with recreation and human services most of my life. I was a teen-age director of the Kansas YWCA for four years; program director of Army Services Clubs in Japan for two years; social work supervisor of Children’s Services, San Diego County for 22 years and a Realtor in Valley Center for seven years.
I have been president of the VC Chamber of Commerce and Vaqueros Horse Club and I am a director of Vaqueros, Ag Boosters and VC PR District. I was chairman of our Western Days Parade for 23 years and the 1994 Citizen of the Year.
I am devoted to making VC a better place to live by continuing to provide facilities for youth that can fulfill their needs for activities, fostering fun, responsibility and sportsmanship. Adults and seniors also need a place for activities, a quiet place to walk or ride and enjoy nature and to hold social events. I am committed to providing current services and increasing our scope of activities and locations through Prop. GG.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: My background and experience in both recreation and human services and my knowledge of the needs of our community and what we need for both youth, adults and seniors. We need facilities for all three.
Q: Do you support Prop. GG? Why?
A: Yes, because while volunteers meet a lot of needs they can’t meet them all, and we need more land for more facilities. VC is 93 square miles and a lot of the kids are too far away to use the facilities we do have. We badly need a new community hall. The one we have is booked solid on weekends, at night and a lot during the day. Because it’s an historical building we can’t expand it, even if we had the room. But the land around it is pretty much used for Western Days, art exhibits, weddings and parties. We have the nine acres at Lilac & VC Road but we need money for construction and our PLDO funds won’t cover that.
Prop. GG will give us $14 per year per parcel, providing the basis on which we can borrow. That’s something we don’t have now. Our PLDO funds can only be used for capital expenditures. User fees don’t cover our needs.
We also need our own horse facility. About a year ago the County cancelled our 30 year lease which had been in place for 15 years. They replaced it with a three year lease. They did that because they are having trouble with other landfills. If they can do that with a 30 year lease they can cancel a three year lease at any time.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: Yes.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To respond to the needs of the community. To form a well-balanced system of parks and rec, both of different facilities and geographical areas. We need to plan to meet the future community needs for recreation and parks.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: I have a really strong belief in all of the needs of the parks and rec district and I do listen to what people say that they need and want. Whether it’s more passive parks (I hear that a lot), ballfields, and larger facilities community hall and such things as pools, skateboard parks, etc.TERRY VAN KOUGHNETT
Terry Van Koughnett is a candidate for the VC Parks & Rec. board. His statement below is followed by a Q&A interview with The Roadrunner.
Statement
As our community grows, we must develop and improve our Parks & Recreation services. A tax increase might be the best answer, but it might not be the only answer. We must begin this process by making the existing facilities more attractive and increasing user participation.
All funding alternatives need to be examined and detailed plans and options need to be completely defined, with various budget alternatives presented for community support.
There are many opportunities to develop our parks that will provide greater benefits to our community within current budget limitations. Additional park areas should be considered within the scope and needs of our community with a goal towards open space preservation, development of the existing facilities and accessibility for the local citizens.
This is the time for our Parks & Recreation department to grow to another level in line with our growing needs. I want to apply my planning skills to the issues of community services and develop existing facilities for the benefit of the community with or without additional tax funding. Community planning and Parks & Recreation planning should go hand in hand. Visit my website, valleycentertimes.com, for more information on Valley Center and the challenges we face.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: My business experience and education and my desire to improve facilities for the community.
Q: Do you support Prop. GG? Why?
A: I think it’s an alternative. I’m not sure there’s been enough consideration of alternatives. I’m not sure it’s the right answer or the best answer or the only answer.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: No, I have a longtime rental agreement on 18 acres.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To maintain and develop parks and recreation facilities and to plan for future growth.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: As I see VC growing, I think it’s time to grow services as well. I believe I can bring a business point of view to this growth.TOM LITCHFIELD
Tom Litchfield is a candidate for the VC Parks & Recreation board. A statement from him is followed by a Q&A conducted by The Roadrunner.
Statement
The inspiration for running for this office originated with a call to serve from a couple of current board members. I accepted the challenge with a firm belief that VC needs a strong Parks & Recreation Dept. and that I have something to offer to the community.
I bring a background of small business management, tax and financial expertise as well as 11 combined years of volunteer service on other community boards. My family and I have been residents of VC for the past 15 years and have every intention of remaining here through our retirement.
As we’ve watched the inevitable development in our community we’ve had great concerns about the amount of dedicated open space set aside for parks, sports and recreation. We have 47 acres of P&R managed facilities. For a population of 20,000 residents we are short some 165 acres based on county benchmarks. VC has one of the lowest ratios of parklands to population in the county. It would be a shame for members of our growing community to have to go to Escondido just to have a barbecue, play baseball, compete in soccer or football or to ride their horse.
Other objectives include the active management of our current facilities, upgrades to equipment, and the ongoing financial health of the district. I’d appreciate your vote and commit to serving the community well.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: My small business background. Twenty years of people management. Fifteen years in the community so I think I have an understanding of what those needs are.
Q: Do you support Prop. GG. Why?
A: Yes I do. The funds it will raise are necessary for the development of additional parkland and the maintenance of what we already have.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: Yes.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To maintain, develop and plan for recreational spaces for the community of Valley Center.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: I have a strong belief that parks and recreational facilities are necessary for the health of the community.MILO MCGARRIGLE
Milo McGarrigle is a candidate for the VC Parks & Recreation board. A statement from him is followed by a Q&A conducted by The Roadrunner.
Statement
I’ve been coming to the Valley Center area and watching its growth and development for 25 years and moved here last October. My parents have lived in Pauma Valley for 28 years.
I’m a former concierge for the Metropolitan Club in northern Kentucky. I then worked as a contract manager for Cincinnati Parks & Recreation Dept., supervising volunteers and coordinating vendors and events sometimes entailing 500,000 participants.
My vision is to provide balance between the park side and the recreation side of the board.
I want to take steps to build a legacy for the future of the parks. I want to see more open space, rebuilt or new community and multi-function athletic fields. I’d like to see something centralized, similar to Grape Day park.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: Leadership. If given a task I’ll follow through with it and give leadership to see that it is carried out. My previous experience on a major city’s parks district.
Q: Do you support Prop. GG? Why?
A: I do definitely. It’s paramount to getting operating funds for the park. If the lawn mower breaks, we can’t fix it but we can buy a new lawn mower under the current system.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: Yes. I’ve lived here for ten months with my lovely wife, Janet.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To oversee the maintenance operations and the procurement system of the parks system, both fiscal and developmental.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: Because I’ll do a good job and I’ll be their representative with a vision of creating a world class parks and recreation district. I support establishing liaisons with other parks and recreation districts and recreational organizations, like Daley Ranch and Bell Gardens, to cooperate on trails, functions and with Pauma Valley, because currently there is no way for the kids who go to Pauma elementary to participate in events up here because of transportation limitations.TIRSO RUIZ
Tirso Ruiz is an incumbent candidate for the Valley Center Parks & Recreation board.
A statement from him will be followed by a Q&A conducted by The Roadrunner.
Statement
Sports is something that I have always had a passion for and understand from firsthand experience. Getting involved and serving on the VC Parks and Recreation board is an excellent opportunity for me to give something back to the community in the area that I enjoy and know best. Currently, I serve on the VC Girls’ Softball board, coach a 12U winterball girls’ softball team and play on a 40 and over baseball team. I have worked for United Parcel Service for 27 years as a driver and will retire in 2005.
I favor the annual tax levy of about $15.00 (Prop. GG) per parcel to give the VC Parks & Rec. Dept. a “real” budget to work with. Purchasing more land for playing fields for all sports is at the top of my agenda. Designing multiple-use fields so that all sports can benefit from the same parks is important. Keeping cost to a minimum for field use is also important if we are to keep sports affordable for families.
In keeping with our rural atmosphere, I would like to see a park with riding arenas for horse shows and riding lessons where a family with horses can spend the day riding and picnicking. We also need a “brand new” senior citizen center where many activities can take place like games, guest dinners, concerts, etc.
I also think the Parks & Rec. Dept. should provide leadership and help local sports clubs organize tournaments, rodeos, equestrian shows, and other activities that benefit the clubs and the community. I will do my best to seek all areas of opportunity to make VC a wonderful place for both kids and adults to enjoy sporting and social activities.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: My strongest qualifications are my experience in community service with youth activities. I’m very enthusiastic about community development, specifically in relation to parkland, playing fields for all the youth sports in town, soccer, little league, girls softball. I’ve been president of the VC Girls’ Softball league for three years. I believe the league has much improved since I became involved, with the help of very good volunteers that I’ve had to work with. I’ m still very active in sports right now.
Q: Do you support Prop GG. Why?
A: Yes. It’s very crucial at this time to the parks department in order to be successful in not only purchasing more land for park use and community buildings, but also to maintain facilities once they are built. It will also provide much needed funds for staff, both in the community center offices and to actually maintain the parks and any facilities that are built. Without this initiative it will be very difficult for the district to expand from what we have now.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: Yes.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To oversee all of the business workings of staff of the district, to make decisions on purchases of land for park use and constantly be aware of the needs of the community as far as recreational facilities, ample facilities for youth sports and senior citizens needs.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: Because I am dedicated to this particular cause, the cause being finding more land, helping to develop facilities for boys, girls and senior citizens so that we can enjoy recreation to its fullest. I have a proven track record of being dependable and being an on hand working volunteer in town.ERIC JOCKINSEN
Eric Jockinsen is an incumbent candidate for the VC Parks & Recreation board. A statement from him is followed by a Q&A conducted by The Roadrunner.
Statement
I’m the current president of the board. It’s been a pleasure over the last nine years to serve the community in various different functions, not just parks and recreation department.
I hope that we can move forward as a community, get all of the groups to work together, do a little long-range planning as the Valley and surrounding areas grow. That’s the kind of leadership that the Valley needs, for people to stand up and make the hard decisions that need to be made. You can’t always please everybody but you do what will be best for the majority of people, not just the special interest groups.
Q: What are your strongest qualifications for office?
A: Leadership. Making tough decisions. Thinking about all the different ramifications of a decision.
Q: Do you support Prop. GG Why?
A: Of course. The Valley needs to do some planning. If they are not planning for the future expansion of their parks, they will end up with no place for the kids to play, for square dancing to be held, and for meetings. Prop. GG is probably the least expensive thing they will ever get as far as a long term growth potential for VC. One little $1.16 per month will take care of their parks district for 25 or 30 years to come.
Q: Do you own a home in VC?
A: I do, 16 years worth.
Q: What is the function of the parks board?
A: To establish and set policies for the management, expansion, maintenance of all of our facilities and future facilities. It also is the function to make well-educated financial decisions, since it is public money that we are spending.
Q: Why should people vote for you rather than your opponents?
A: Experience. Not only working with the parks district but a hundred other varied things. Knowing a little about a lot of things helps in varied ways when an issue comes up about what needs to repaired at a ballfield, or advice to the maintenance crew on how to do something. Also I’m a small businessman myself. I understand budgeting, profit and loss statements, things that relate to running your district as a business, which it is. You have income and expenses and the two have to meet somewhere in the middle.The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
Copyright © 2002, Palomar Community Newspapers, dba Valley Roadrunner. All rights reserved. This content may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of the Valley Roadrunner.