Mike O’Connor resigns from planning group




Mike O’Connor

Mike O’Connor

At Monday night’s planning group meeting member Mike O’Connor announced his resignation from the group. He has served for two years.

“I wanted to express my thanks to the group, which is a wonderful example of people working together for the community,” he said. He said he still intended to serve the community and hoped to remain on some of the planning group’s subcommittees, which include non-planning group members.

Planner LaVonne Norwood thanked O’Connor “for all of the hard work you did to fight Measure B.”

O’Connor later said to the board and members of the meeting that he intends to endorse candidates for the Board of Supervisors who will do something about the fact that the County won’t take responsibility for fire protection. “That is one reason I am resigning from this board is because I will be endorsing candidates.” He called it a “crime” and a “shame” that the County has never amended its charter to make providing fire protection one of its basic duties, as most other California counties have done.

O’Connor was very active in the fight against Measure B, the Lilac Hills Ranch Initiative. At one point he drove a privately owned fire truck with the words “No on Measure B” up and down the county, campaigning against the initiative.

He begins a term on the Valley Center Fire Protection Dis- trict board on December 19.

O’Connor’s resignation letter to the planning group is shown below:

From: Michael O’Connor <firemanmic@aol.com January 9, 2017

I have decided to resign my position on the Valley Center Planning Group as Jan 10, 2017, I feel that the group has made our community aware of the projects coming to Valley Center, I have learned a lot about our governing system and hope to help in the future of our town. Regards to all members please tell Ann to take care.

Michael O’Connor

The Ann that O’Connor sends a greeting to is Ann Quinley, vice chairman of the group, who was gone on vacation from Monday night’s meeting.


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