January 18, 2006 - Top Stories
While conceding that they probably can’t stop the proposed 118 acres, 300 unit Orchard Run project at this stage, VC planners voted to send a strong message that they have grave misgivings about the project.
At their Jan. 9 meeting the group rejected the project, proposed for Lilac Road & Betsworth, until the following conditions are met:
1. Trails/pathways are to be consistent with and connected to the VC Proposed Trail System (13 foot wide trails).
2. Access to Community ballfields and park are to be acceptable to the VCPRD (VC Parks & Recreation District) with one time controlled access point. Further, DR Horton will construct bathrooms & storage facilities, well water storage tanks, and provide stub outs for reclaimed water. DR Horton is to continue to work with VCPRD to come to mutually acceptable solutions.
3. Redistribution of about 14 parking spaces to Lime Wood from Orchard Loop.
4. Pathway in Neighborhood B will be widened and lighted.
5. Southern recreation area shall have a barn type building, more parking and a basketball court added.
6. Southern access to Old Road (about 1000 feet) be built and an IOD (irrevocable offer to dedicate) offered. (Emergency Road or 3rd entrance improved all weather 24’/32’ road).
7. All traffic mitigation measures implemented.
8. Inconsistencies with community plan resolved.
9. Open Space incorporated in accordance with SPA (Specific Plan Amendment) provisions.
The group is advisory to the county Board of Supervisors and Dept. of Planning & Land Use (DPLU), so its votes are not the last word.
The project has been before them four times since December of 2003. Its various incarnations have been a part of VC’s development landscape for over 23 years. D.R. Horton Development Group recently acquired the project from John Belanich.
Because it has been around so long, and because it is a specific plan called for in the current community plan, Orchard Run has facets that current county regulations would not allow today without more mitigation such as traffic impacts on Lilac Road.
Most of the group’s concerns were brought up when members reviewed it last December.
Their position is not shared by the VC Parks & Recreation District, which sent representatives to the meeting.
Park facilities on Lilac Road are adjacent to the proposed development.
Parks Pres. Eric Jockinsen said his board prefers that, instead of opposing the project, the planners approve it but itemize their concerns in their letter to DPLU.
He noted that the developer is negotiating with the district to provide sound barriers such as walls and shrubbery between the ballfields and the houses.
Horton has also committed to building permanent rest rooms back of the ball fields, said Jockinsen.
The district is also interested in getting reclaimed water from the project’s sewer plant.
The park would have to refigure its irrigation system to use it. However it would address the problem that the ballfields’ wells run dry each summer. Additionally, the developer is talking about putting in a 5,000 gallon storage tank for the park.
The parks district also wants to hook up its nine acres on the corner of Lilac & VC Road to the project’s sewer system.
“That acreage’s ground water is so high that it won’t take a septic,” noted Jockinsen.
“It’s kind of a win, win for parks,” said Jockinsen. It would be “a shortsighted vote” to reject the site plan, he said.
Thure Stedt, the engineer representing Horton, insisted that the developer is committed to providing improved access to Lilac Road, covered equestrian facilities, water tanks, and rest rooms at the ballfields.
The project has 119 more parking spaces than the County requires. An upcoming new plan will address many of the planning group’s concerns, he said.
However planners were concerned that these promises were not written.
Larry Glavinic, whose subcommittee is working on the project, said the group could address its concerns in one of two ways: 1) Deny the map or 2) Approve the project and list their concerns.
“This thing is very far along in the process,” said Glavinic. “I’m not sure that our denying the site plan will deny this project and stop it. But at least when you put your concerns down they are documented and someone can address them.”
Planner Debra Hofler said that former planner Mel Schuler has serious concerns about this project.
“There’s a reason this project has been going on for 23 years,” she said. “The reason is that it’s not a good project. It does not conform to the community plan and there are so many things wrong with it that we are opening ourselves up.”
Planner Oliver Smith said he was concerned that so many issues were being addressed verbally but not in writing. He said he preferred that the group specify how the Orchard Run plan does not meet the existing community plan.
The new Valley Center-Pauma School Supt. Lou Obermeyer has been in charge for two weeks now.
The Roadrunner decided to see how she’s settling into her new job.
Q: Dr. Obermeyer, now that you are settling in, what are you doing to get acquainted with the staff?
A: I’m spending the first several weeks meeting all of our employees.
I’m attending each school's staff meeting and have also met with various employee groups such as food services, M and O, etc.
I try to put myself in their place and know that VCPUSD has not had a new superintendent from the outside in a long time, so I want to tell people a little bit about my background, both professional and personal. After sharing information I encourage people to ask questions about things they are curious about or want to know more about. I’m also visiting each school and every classroom so that I can see the wonderful things that our teachers and employees are doing.
Q: What are you doing to get yourself known in the community?
A: I’ve been a Rotarian for several years and am joining the VC club. I'll also attend each service organization to meet people. I'll be attending events in the community so I can meet people.
Q: What do you see as the important issues facing the school district this year?
A: As I meet with people I’m asking questions to learn more about our district. This information is helping understand issues we are facing and will help me begin to see where we may want to go as we look to the future. Our immediate need is to settle contract negotiations with employee groups. We value all of our employees and we want to bring this issue to closure as soon as we can. I’ve learned that we have a declining enrollment and we are down about 50 students this year.
This impacts our district's budget by approximately a $303,000 decrease from anticipated revenue. With state budget cuts the past three years, we've had to spend down our reserve in order to avoid budget cuts and reductions. We’ll be looking forward to the new budget to see what funds will actually be appropriated for K-12 education.
Q: What long term goals do you have for the district?
A: I plan to be here long-term as superintendent but have not formulated long-term goals yet. But here’s some thoughts about long-term goals –
1. Maintain fiscally sound district.
2. Maintain the trust that has been established between and among employees, business and community members.
3. Continue to provide a top quality educational program for our students while exploring opportunities to refine existing programs and create/design new programs to meet our students needs.
4. Maintain the integrity that has given our district an outstanding reputation in San Diego county
I will be working with our board, administrators, management teams and key players to set short-term goals that will support the long-term goals that will continue to move our district forward.
Q: What is the most important thing you would like the community to know about you and your style of leadership?
A: My leadership style is to work with people to try to create the best education program possible for our students. As a leader I feel that it is important to be available to meet with people and to be a frequent visitor on school campuses. I want people to feel that they can talk to me, share information and know that I will listen and consider what they have to say. They also need to know that I may not always be able to solve the problem the way they'd like to see it solved, but I'll work with them and then do what I feel is best for our students.
Q: This is the first time in many years that we haven't had a contract with our employees unions in a timely manner. Explain why this is happening.
A: It is my understanding that our teachers have gotten retro [pay] when the offer has not come by that time. Teachers have also shared that they are doing more due to the mandates that we now have from the federal government as a result of NCLB and the state's accountability system.
We appreciate our teachers and all of our employees and want to compensate them for their hard work. A 1% increase is equal to about $280,000, and with the declining enrollment we did not receive about $303,000 that we had expected.
So,we must be sure that we remain fiscally sound. Any increase in health and benefits must have assurance that we will be able to afford the increase for the next three years by the superintendent and the business manager. The county office of education then has responsibility to certify this same information. I am hopeful that we will be able to bring this issue to closure soon.
Jan. 28 is the deadline to turn in applications for the Miss VC Pageant, which will be held March 25 at the new Maxine Theatre.
Over the years the focus of the Miss Valley Center Pageant has evolved from a traditional beauty queen pageant to a community scholarship pageant.
Miss Valley Center becomes a queen for a year, serves as an ambassador for Valley Center throughout San Diego County at many fund-raisers and receives a scholarship, as do the princesses.
Entry deadline is Jan. 28 at the mandatory orientation, held at Ann’s School of Dance, 28630 Valley Center Rd. at noon. Bring a family member or friend.
The pageant features an essay contest, onstage speeches, 15-minute interview with the judges and an onstage impromptu question. The fun part is the opening dance which is not judged.
Rehearsals will be Thursdays 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Feb. 2 - March 25 at Ann’s School of Dance. There is no entry fee.
This year’s pageant, themed “Opening Night,” will be on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Maxine Theatre.
The Valley Center Pageant Assn. sponsors and produces the pageant with help from the community.
Entries are available from VCHS, VC Library, Mimi’s Nails, Video Playhouse, or contact Debra at 751-1051, jockinsen@aol.com, or Karen at 749-1863, vcpagassoc@valleycenterinternet.com
Over the past three years the school district’s reserves have fallen by $5,648,265 or 64.3%, according to a report released at Thursday night’s board meeting.
Trustee Lori Johnson pointed out that the recent audit had noted that the school’s reserve in the last three years went from 18% to 3% and that 3% is the desired percentage.
The audit report stated: “For a district this size, the state recommends available reserves of at least 3% of the total general fund expenditures, transfer out, and other uses.”
“This is the important part to me. We are just squeaking by,” said Mrs. Johnson.
Downward pressure on the reserves has come from the state’s budget crisis, from expenditures for the Maxine Theater, and from declining enrollment, which has shaved about 50 students off the number attending local schools since last year.
At the same time the district has not yet come to an agreement on salaries with either the classified or teachers unions. Although that has not affected the reserves, obviously the impasse is related to that since the school district’s wriggle room for salary increases might be limited by a lack of funds.
In 2003, the available reserves were $7,109,851. In 2004 they were $3,107,040. In 2005 they were $1,264,845.
The current budget envisions reserves of $2,903,934, which would raise them to 7.73%.
School Farm
In other business the board heard a curriculum report on the primary school’s second grade farmer’s market, held annually at the Gang Ranch school farm.
The farmer’s market, held the last Friday of October, teaches kids a variety of economic concepts. Kids take turns being buyers and sellers.
Students study a product all the way from the farm to the market. They package the product and advertise it. Then at the market they buy and sell.
Last October 240 students participated, from every school in the district.
“Farmer Curtis” Martineau runs the farm . Teachers go over to the farm every Friday.
The farm program integrates writing, listening and speaking, second language development, math (weighing, measuring, graphing, counting, sorting, packaging, comparing); visual and performing arts (chants to sell products, posters, marketing strategies; P.E. (the kids are put to work) walking to the farm, working on the farm. Students visit the farm once or twice a month.
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Thursday’s meeting was a short, low-key meeting, the first of new superintendent Lou Obermeyer.
Board Pres. Henry Van Wyk welcomed her and then presented a plaque of recognition to last year’s board president, Barbara Rohrer.
The board also voted in closed session to expel a student. As is always the case in expulsions, the name of the student, or what school he attends, was not released.
The annual Valley Center Jazz Benefit Concert Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m. at the Maxine Theater will feature the San Diego Jazz All Stars Big Band.
This band brings together the top 18 jazz musicians from San Diego to Los Angeles, many of whom who are music educators and teachers, including Valley Center’s Jeff & Laralee Beck, and Christopher Hollyday.
They will play instrumental classics like In The Mood and Take the A Train. For an early Valentine’s Day treat the concert will include jazz vocals like Our Love is Here to Stay and the beautiful Somewhere from West Side Story.
The evening begins with the award-winning Middle and High School Jazz Bands and High School Advanced Choir.
All proceeds from the concert will go to the Valley Center Music Boosters.
The Music Boosters support the children and teachers involved in orchestras, choirs and bands at all of the Valley Center schools.
Tickets are $10 cash at Country Junction Deli or Maxine box office or $12.50 credit card online at http://maxine.vcpusd.net
The Valley Roadrunner
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