May 31, 2006 - Top Stories
About 5,000 people attended this year’s Valley Center Western Days festival.
The cool, yet ultimately sunny Saturday brought out lots of folks, not just from Valley Center, but from all over, who pitched their tents (figuratively, if not actually) along the parade route to get the best seating.
The top winner in the parade was the Valley View Casino float, which won both top place for commercial entries, as well as the Sweepstakes Award, which is the top honor for the parade. For the first time in probably two decades we don’t have a list of all the parade winners to present to our readers, as the completed accurate list was not available on press day (Tuesday) from the Western Days Committee. We were assured, however, that the list will be available to print in next week’s edition.
There were over 90 entries, with some of the most popular being the Tin Lizzies of the San Diego Shriners, the VCHS Roaring Jaguar Marching Band, Citizen of the Year J.R. Peters, and, of course, the new Honorary Mayor, “Left Eddie” Hatzakis.
The “Mayor’s Race Showdown,” Friday night pitted Left Eddie, candidate for the Optimists, against the VC Chamber of Commerce’s standard bearer, LaVonne Johnson. The Optimists turned in receipts for more than $10,000 while Mrs. Johnson turned in $3175.
“It was a landslide!” declared the loser, who said she was delighted that “Left Eddie” took the day. “I’m excited that Eddie got the mayor’s crown. He’s a great guy and he really appreciates it. He really gets more out of it than I would have gotten. I’m glad that he won,” she said.
The new mayor, was, of course, ecstatic, and thoroughly enjoyed being in the place of honor in the parade, and in meeting his public on Saturday at the festival.
Mrs. Johnson, who was also in charge of the vendors and the carnival at the festival, reported that both were big sellers. She told The Roadrunner: “We did hit our guarantee of $20,000 for the carnival. We exceeded that and actually brought in about $25,000 and change.” The Chamber gets $2,000 from the first $20,000 and a percentage of the remainder. “I personally am so excited,” said Mrs. Johnson. “I knew it would go over well. It went very, very well.”
She got lots of positive comments from people who liked the new arrangement at the fairgrounds that provided a lot more elbow room and kept people from being shoulder to shoulder. “We set things up differently and made traffic flow around the hall and to the back where the food vendors were. Which then led people to the carnival.” All of these changes made it easier to navigate the event.
She also praised this year’s vendors. “We always have really good vendors every year. But this year’s vendors were absolutely better than last year.”
J.R. Peters, who was in charge of T-shirt sales, reported that sales were “pretty close to a thousand, although we won’t have exact figures until later.”
Sometimes change is good and that is certainly the case with the 2006 Valley Center Stampede Rodeo. Held at Bates Nut Farm this year, the new venue offered wide open spaces, cool breezes and plenty of parking as well as a scenic drive.
The usual was present: mouth watering food, a slew of horses, steers and sheep, and plenty of cowboys and cowgirls looking for a good show. And they found it.
Announcer Doc Boene kept the crowd in stitches for the length of the rodeo and his sidekick, Rodeo Clown and Barrelman Mike Hayhurst, entertained the kiddies with skits and activities inside the arena.
Locals from around the county competed in Mutton Busting, Calf Roping, Barrels, Chute Dogging and team roping and the show wrapped up with some professional bull riding.
Friday and Saturday nights ended with folks taking a turn on the dance floor to the sounds of Hillbilly Noise and Working Cowboy Band. Then they slid off their dancing shoes and slid into bed, worn out from the days’ events.
Joyce Holmes, Rodeo Committee member said, "The attendance seemed about thesame but I think it was a great turnout. We had a fabulous crowd and actually ran out of seating. Having it at Bates was much better. It was dust free with better parking. Everyone loved it and we are looking forward to next year." That’s it cowboys and girls. Until next year.
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This year’s rodeo at Bates Nut Farm was a huge success according to committee member Geraldine McHugh. It was easy to see that as people crowded into the stands and onto hay bales to watch the events.
First up was Mutton Bustin’, always a crowd favorite. Those youngsters held on with all their might to those wild beasts…err...sheep. Most managed to make it out of the gate and a select few actually made it to the other end of the arena. The crowds went wild.
Calf Roping followed with local contestants. Marcus Bahogia took first. Cameran Elston came in second. Mason Malone and Ricky Price followed in third and fourth.
Next up was the National Pro-Rodeo Association Calf Roping. Donnie Dougan made the fastest rope, taking first place. Following was Frank York in second, Terry Pfankuchen in third, Scot Nelson in fourth and Ron Warne in fifth.
In barrels, the Valley Center locals were split into D-1, D-2 and D-3 divisions. In D-1 Alyssa Elston took first place, Destri Davenport was in second, Markie Bahogia came in third and Shari Ransford took fourth. In D-2 Joyce Bahogia placed first. In D-3 Alexa Dillberger took first place, Shelby Stormant came in second and Delia Davenport was in third.
The NPRA contestants took their chance as well in Barrels. Wanda Waltershire came in first followed by Robbie Warne in second, Lauren Herron in third and Kristie Dougan in fourth.
Kelly Dollens and Robbie Warne were the only contestants to place in Breakaway Roping, taking first and second respectively.
Bryan Hunt came in first in Chute Dogging with Hill Goedhart in second, Stan Ware in third, Dustin Wiley in fourth and Hector Dominguez in fifth.
In Team Roping header Ed Necochea and heeler Chris Roseberry took first place. Markie Bahogia and Marcus Bahogia came in second. Marcus Bahogia and Wade Hooker were in third. Cody and Lonnie Songer came in fourth. Roy and Lonnie Songer took fifth.
Results from Broncs and Bullriding were unavailable but cowboys were thrown to the ground, guaranteed.
After two years of education cuts California schools, including Valley Center’s, are getting some money back that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger “borrowed” to keep the general fund solvent. That, combined with ten suggestions from the Budget Reduction Committee composed of teachers and residents that may save $600,000 this year, could help the district overcome a nearly $1 million deficit this year.
At the May 11 special budget session, VC-Pauma School District Finance Director Pam Moe gave an overview of the governor’s budget message. Two years ago Schwarzeneg-ger made a deal with educators and legislators to hold back $5 billion from education, with the promise to repay it later. With the governor’s budget message last week came the first payment back to education. Two billion dollars are expected to be paid back to the state education fund, said Mrs. Moe. The balance will be repaid over the next three years.
The cost of living increase (COLA) is also expected to be 5.92% for next year, beginning in July, compared to this year’s COLA of 4.23%. The payback will come in the form of one-time money that can be used for state mandates that were unfunded the last two years.
“We hope that by May 19 we will get language that will tell us what this actually means to this school district,” said Mrs. Moe.
Where Cuts Will Come
At the same meeting Supt. Lou Obermeyer talked about the work of the Budget Reduction Committee, which submitted 67 suggestions for saving money. “I want to be conservative in cutting the budget,” said the superintendent. “This budget does not include any layoffs or cuts in student programs. I’d like to go slow because we may see the economy turn.”Dr. Obermeyer recommended following ten suggestions.
They include:
• Reducing budgets for individual school sites by 50%, for an estimated savings of $250,000.
• Not filling an audio visual aide tech position that is becoming vacant, for a savings of $107,700.
• Not replacing high school vice principal Mel Schuler when he retires later this year, for a savings of $100,000.
• No longer lease Adams Park Pool for use by elementary school students, saving $30,000. Note: The high school will continue to use the pool.
• Eliminate the elementary supplemental art program, taught by Madge May. According to the district she is retiring. Her position won’t be replaced. Estimated savings is $16,000.
• Wash buses every other week instead of every week, for an estimated savings of $14,000.
• Move teachers from portable classrooms at the lower elementary and middle school to permanent classrooms, saving $5,000.
• Not replace an instructional aide at the Gang Ranch who has resigned. Estimated savings is $6,000.
• Possibly replace five copiers with a networked printer, for a savings of $2,400.
• Not replace a special ed teacher who has resigned, saving about $60,000.Mountain School to Stay Open for One Year
One suggestion NOT followed was to close Palomar Mountain School. Trustee Lori Johnson asked about that issue. Dr. Obermeyer said that she is recommending to keep the school open for another year. She met with Palomar residents several times and thanked them for coming up with a plan to give the community time to increase enrollment at the one room school.“You have really brought us a viable alternative,” she said, directing her comments to Tom Cunningham, who heads the Palomar Mountain committee that is working with the school district. She noted that Palomar residents have pledged to raise $25,000 for next year’s operating expenses, and have already raised $15,000. She added that Olivia Leschick, director of special projects, is working with State Senator (36th District) Dennis Hollingsworth’s office on a bill to reauthorize Necessary Small Schools funding, which the school once got from the state.
Cunningham is working to identify and seek grant funding and sponsorships from businesses and foundations for the school. “The following year, if nothing comes through and they don’t have twelve students enrolled, we will have to look very seriously at closing the school,” said Dr. Obermeyer.
Mrs. Johnson asked what the mountain community’s deadline is to accomplish these goals. That hasn’t been decided yet, said the superintendent. “We would like to have further conversations on this. I would think the date would be by next February,” she said.
Charge for busing?
Another suggestion made by the Budget Oversight Committee was to charge for busing. Trustee Don Martin said charging for busing is not a good idea. “It doesn’t make much sense having kids walk to school in Valley Center,” he said. On that issue Dr. Obermeyer said, “I think we have to be mindful that having our children walk to school would be very unsafe. You have to weigh the impact it has on attendance, and with declining enrollment attendance is very important to us.”If parents have to pay for busing traffic will probably increase because more parents will drive their children to school, she said. “If this is something that we do we would need to have meetings with the community and have people give us their thoughts.”
In School Suspensions
Another of the cost cutting suggestions is to have “in-school suspensions” rather than send the student home. The district wouldn’t lose the ADA for the offender. “I have talked to Lucy [Haines] and Ron [McCowan] [current and future principals at the high school] and we want to look at making that happen next year. Without hiring another position,” she said.In answer to a question from Trustee Wendy Zeugschmidt as to whether she was “comfortable” with the district’s budget having a 3% reserve, Dr. Obermeyer replied, “I never am comfortable with a three percent reserve. I hope that the board will have a long-term goal to increase the reserve,” said Lou. “Anytime we dip below three percent we have to make it up.”
SCI Consulting Group was hired at the May board meeting to study an election to raise the funding base for the VC Fire Protection District. So far the fire board has made NO commitment to go to an election. SCI will perform a study that will help it make that decision.
Gerard Van Steyn, president of SCI, a Fairfield firm, explained what his company will do for the district. The first phase is to find out what residences are looking for in fire services, he said.
To accomplish this SCI will conduct a survey of the district’s residents. The survey will be mailed in a form that will be purposely designed to look like a ballot, said Van Steyn. It will also be very short, one page, on one side. It will ask whether the public would favor a mail in election or a general election if the board decides to go for an election. In addition to telling the board how the public views an election, the survey is also designed to enhance the public’s education about the fire district. If the survey shows support for an election it is likely that the board will vote sometime next year to schedule one.
According to Director Dan Thornton, “The board hasn’t decided whether to go to a mail in ballot or a general ballot. We are leaning towards a mail in ballot.” The ballot measure could not be scheduled before August of 2007. If everything goes as well as possible, the earliest date that the district could get revenue is January 2008.
If the voters approve the funding increase, SCI will make the arrangements with the County Assessor Treasurer. “So we’ve got a year to put this thing together, get it out, get it completed and give the data to the treasurer assessor,” commented Director Weaver Simonsen.
Acting board Pres. Mel Schuler commented, “No matter what we do there’s a cost associated with trying to raise money. There’s no free lunch. To find out whether to have a mail ballot or a general election, it’s going to cost money. But it’s important for the public to know that this is a necessity, we clearly need to take action.”
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