Community Meeting January 24th

I hope I see you there!

Community Dialog with Community Development Director Al Zelinka

Community Development Director Al Zelinka has updated his schedule for his "Community Dialogue" meetings.

These are a great way to find out what's going on, make suggestions, and get answers.  Bring your friends, family, and neighbors!

The next “dialogue” will be held from 8-9 a.m. Tuesday, March 27, at the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

The schedule for the remaining “Community Dialogues” is as follows:

- May 8 – 6-7 p.m., Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave.

- June 28 – 6-7 p.m. Fullerton Main Library Conference Center, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave.

- July 24 – 8-9 a.m., Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

- Aug. 30 – 8-9 a.m., Fullerton Main Library Conference Center, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave.

- Sept. 27 – 6-7 p.m., Grace Ministries International, 150 S. Brookhurst Road.

- Nov. 27 – 8-9 a.m., Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

Further information about the “Community Dialogue” program may be obtained by calling Zelinka at (714) 738-3347, or by email at alz@ci.fullerton.ca.us.

Persons requiring special accommodations to attend a “Community Dialogue” are asked to notify the Community Development Department at (714) 738-6547 prior to the meeting.

Focus On West Fullerton - MONDAY at 6PM

Community Dialogue Changes Venue

(From City Press Release)

Due to a conflict in meeting locations, Fullerton Community Development Director Al Zelinka has rescheduled the site for his Thursday, Jan. 26, “Community Dialogue” public outreach program.

           

The new location for the January “dialogue” is the Fullerton Public Library Conference Center, 353 W. Commonwealth Ave. The meeting will run from 8-9 a.m.

           

The dialogues are designed to provide citizens an opportunity to discuss issues, concerns and hopes they have regarding the city’s growth and development. Zelinka started the dialogues as a means of helping his department meet the goals of its mission statement.

I encourage all Fullerton area residents and business owners to attend this meeting.  It gives everyone a chance to ask questions and make suggestions in an informal and friendly environment. 

Past meetings have lead to stepped up police and code enforcement as well as neighborhood-level problem solving. 

I have found these meetings to be much more productive than City Council meetings.

Community Dialogue with Community Development Director Al Zelinka this Tuesday

This Tuesday Communit Development Director Al Zelinka will be holding another "Community Dialogue" from 8am-9am at the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

These have been excellent opportunities thus far to speak with Al, voice your concerns and offer up solutions. 

Al believes community involvement in the planning process is "absolutely essential to achieving that goal and [he hopes] the public will take advantage of this meeting to share their ideas, issues and other information."

He will continue the bi-monthly dialogues in 2012. The schedule will be as follows:

- Jan. 25, May 24 and Sept. 27 – 6-7 p.m., Vision Center, Room 140, Grace Ministries International, 150 S. Brookhurst Road.

- March 27, July 24 and Nov. 27 – 8-9 a.m., Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

Further information about the "Community Dialogue" program may be obtained by calling Zelinka at (714) 738-3347, or by email at alz@ci.fullerton.ca.us.

Persons requiring special accommodations to attend a "Community Dialogue" are asked to notify the Community Development Department at (714) 738-6547 prior to the meeting.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR - Al Zelinka's Community Dialogue - November 22

Fullerton Community Development Director Al Zelinka will conduct a “Community Dialogue” Tuesday, Nov. 22, which citizens can attend and discuss issues, concerns and hopes they have regarding the city’s growth and development.

The dialogue, the last in the 2011 series of bi-monthly community meetings conducted by Zelinka, will be held from 8-9 a.m. at the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

Zelinka said he started the dialogues as a means of helping his department meet the goals of its mission statement.

           

“I believe community involvement in the planning process is absolutely essential to achieving that goal,” Zelinka said, “and I hope the public will take advantage of this meeting to share their ideas, issues and other information.”

           

Zelinka added he will continue the bi-monthly dialogues in 2012. The schedule will be as follows:

- Jan. 25, May 24 and Sept. 27 – 6-7 p.m., Vision Center, Room 140, Grace Ministries International, 150 S. Brookhurst Road.

- March 27, July 24 and Nov. 27 – 8-9 a.m., Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, 444 N. Harbor Blvd.

           

Further information about the “Community Dialogue” program may be obtained by calling Zelinka at (714) 738-3347, or by email at alz@ci.fullerton.ca.us.

Persons requiring special accommodations to attend a “Community Dialogue” are asked to notify the Community Development Department at (714) 738-6547 prior to the meeting.

Focus On West Fullerton - Recap

At Wednesday's Focus On West Fullerton Community Dialogue in the new Library Conference Center I was asked by a City official why I didn't blog about these positive events.  I gave the official my blog address (GregSebourn.Blogspot.com) and said that I was pretty good about announcing these opportunities when they came up.

So, I figured a recap of the meeting was in order.

Some of the officials present included City Manager Joe Felz, Community Services Director Al Zelinka, Police Captain Dan Hughes, and Council Member Sharon Quirk-Silva.  Noticeably absent from the panel was Public Works Director Don Hoppe. 

Also present were various commissioners like my self. 

I attended the meeting acting in my official capacity as the Chair of your Citizen's Infrastructure Review Commission (CIRC).  I took notes and asked questions. 

The somewhat informal meeting kicked off at 6pm with about 40 people present.  City Manager Joe Felz spoke briefly and gave a general State of the City report.  Community Development director Al Zelinka acted as the facilitator.

The bulk of the meeting consisted of Captain Dan Hughes and questions by residents.  One of the single best things I heard was from Captain Hughes who told the audience, "Hold me accountable."

Some of the discussions included crime prevention, crime mapping, and how to deal with the police department effectively. 

Also, discussed were quallity of life issues like tagging.  Captain Hughes described a recent crackdown on taggers that used a number of plain-clothed officers from the patrol division.

If you have a Police Department issue, please use the following phone numbers:

Front Desk 714-738-6816

Dispatch 714-738-6800 (press zero)

Capt. Hughes 714-738-6840 

My short mention of the lengthy discussion doesn't do justice in describing the depth and breadth of Captain Hughes' nearly 2-hour attempt to inform the public.

Many residents complained of poor lighting, deteriorating roads, and "abandoned" buildings.

Some residents proposed turning the vacant Fullerton Dodge property at 1100 W. Orangethorpe into a park.  Many were concerned about too much high-density residential development on the west side. 

Many of the comments and questions pertaining to lighting and roads would have been best directed to Public Works Director Hoppe.  In his absence, the other officials made attempts to address the concerns.

The people speaking need to use a microphone.  A large number of the residents appeared to be senior citizens and many told me that it was very hard to hear.

City Manager Joe Felz explained that the City is looking at a shift in the use of Redevelopment Agency funds.  Felz explained that state law requires 20% of the funds be spent on affordable housing.  The remaining funds could be spent on infrastructure needs like roads and sidewalks.  He said there were a couple of pending law suits which would ultimately decide if the money could be used in such a manner. 

Those who know me also know how I feel about the Redevelopment Agency.  Since this post is specifically to address the meeting, I will refrain from expressing my opinion of the Fullerton Redevelopment Agency.

Lastly, and most importantly, the department heads (PD, Community Development, City Manager) are talking to one another.  They are attempting to reorganize a downsized City Hall and address the issues which many feel were ignored by their predecessors. 

I will give the Citizens Infrastructure Review Committee a brief report on the meeting to share the concerns brought forward by the public.  Tentatively, the next CIRC meeting is scheduled for November 14 at 4PM at City Hall.  The public is encouraged to attend and speak about infrastructure related issues or just listen. 

Keeping Tabs On Your Community

 

Here are some links and contacts to help you stay informed with what is going on in Fullerton. Thanks to Community Development Director Al Zelinka who forwarded this to me to share with you.

• ELIST. Please follow this link to subscribe to the Fullerton eList (email and/or text notifications on a variety of topics of interest to you): http://www.cityoffullerton.com/about/citizen_support/elists.asp (this link also connects you with the Police Department’s iWatch service).

• FULLERTON GENERAL PLAN. Please following this link to learn more about The Fullerton Plan (as Zelinka noted, the first public review draft general plan is being reviewed by the City’s many commissions and committees for comments – except the Planning Commission; in October, The Fullerton Plan will begin the public hearing process with the Planning Commission and then City Council): http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/dev_serv/general_plan_update/default.asp 

• DOWNTOWN CORE AND CORRIDORS SPECIFIC PLAN. Following is the link to this project. As noted, it has not officially kicked off due to the uncertainty of redevelopment. Please review this site to get an understanding of the project. More will be posted on the website over the next several weeks. The City will be outreaching to the community to announce opportunities for involvement as soon as the project is kicked off. http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/dev_serv/development_activity/downtown_core/default.asp

• COLLEGETOWN. Following are two links with more information on Collegetown; additional information will be posted in the coming weeks. http://www.cityoffullerton.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6775 and http://www.cityoffullerton.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=6770

• CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION & PUBLIC NOTICES. Please check regularly the following link to learn of the upcoming (and past) items on the agenda of the Planning Commission and City Council – your participation in these decision-making meetings is welcomed and encouraged: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/about/meetings_live.asp#bodyTop . You can also follow the attached link regarding public notices: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/weblink8/Browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=380557 

• GRAFFITI REMOVAL. The following link provides information on the City’s graffiti removal services: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/maintenance/graffiti_removal.asp You may also report graffiti to: GraffitiH@ci.fullerton.ca.us and (714) 738-3108.

• CODE ENFORCEMENT. Information on the City’s code enforcement services may be found at: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/dev_serv/code_enforcement/default.asp You may also report code enforcement issues to the Code Enforcement Complaint 24-hour Hotline (714)773-5704. As noted last night, confidentiality is maintained for all who report issues.

• CITY SERVICE NEEDS. The following link is a central clearinghouse to assist the community in reporting issues. Please bookmark this link as it is a great resource for you to report a wide array (from abandoned shopping carts to broken sidewalks) of issues that may need attention by the City: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/about/citizen_support/service_requests/default.asp#bodyTop . Please always remember that City staff are here to serve you – by serving as additional eyes and ears of your neighborhood, City staff is more effective at addressing important quality of life issues.

• PROJECTS. Following are several links regarding projects. A) Engineering projects in construction: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/engineering/projects_in_construction/default.asp B) Engineering projects in design: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/engineering/project_development_n_design/default.asp C) Development activity: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/dev_serv/development_activity/default.asp

• SIGNALS. Several community members voiced concerns about traffic signals. Please follow this link to learn how to share your concerns with the Engineering Department. http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/engineering/traffic_engineering_n_signals/signal_complaints.asp You may also call: (714) 738-6899 or (714) 738-6845

• STREET CONDITIONS. Following is a link to the current street improvement projects. http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/engineering/projects_in_design/streets.asp Also, please see the Capital Improvement Program for the approved budgets for different capital improvements, including street improvements (any question re: the CIP can be directed to the Director of Engineering, Don Hoppe, at (714) 738-6845) http://www.cityoffullerton.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=7459 You can also report potholes and other street issues at the “City Service Needs” link above.

• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. As was discussed at the "Community Dialogues", there is much the City needs to do to proactively address economic development. Zelinka says the City, Chamber of Commerce, CSUF, and many other organizations and individuals have been focused on creating a strong proactive economic development program. The City economic development coordinator is Nicole Bernard – please call her at 714-738-4102 with any ideas you have. Some of the available resources pertaining to economic development include: A) EDAT – Economic Development Action Team (see http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/eco_dev/edat/edat.asp) B) “Fullerton’s Most Wanted Businesses” survey – please provide your input: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/eco_dev/edat/retailsurvey.asp#bodyTop C) Commercial and Industrial Property Search tool - http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/eco_dev/realestate.asp

It's easy to sit at home and post comments on blogs and complain on Facebook.  It takes character, concern, and desire to get up, step up, speak up, and offer up solutions for what most will agree is a broken and neglected community.  It's up to us.

Zelinka's Community Dialogues



Al Zelinka, Director
Community Development



Last night I attended one of Community Development Director Al Zelinka's "Community Dialogues" meetings.  About 30 residents and business owners attended the even at Grace Ministries Church on Brookhurst to hear Zelinka and voice their concerns.

Zelinka began with a state of the city from a planning perspective.  He noted that planning and community development had been out-dated and out of sync for perhaps several decades.

A shift from business as usual to long-term investment in the City's infrastructure was outlined.

The residents and business owners expressed their strong displeasure with the City's streets and the aesthetics along the main roads, Euclid, Orangethorpe, Brookhurst, and Magnolia to name a few.

Among the topics of discussion were the "abandoned" businesses like the old Dodge dealer on Orangethorpe.  Neighbors want the site maintained and free from vandalism.  Joining Zelinka was Building and Code Enforcement Manager Kirke Warren.  Warren said the City has been working for months to uncover who was responsible for the property and have come up empty-handed each time. 

Many questions about code enforcement were raised.  From graffiti to shopping carts, it seems residents are tire of the mess.  Although homelessness was brought up as was the task force on the issue, the discussion didn't progress beyond acknowledgment of the problem. 

Also discussed was a Planned Parenthood clinic on the west side, though details were sketchy.

My hat goes off to "Adam" who walked door-to-door in his neighborhood to tell residents about this meeting.  He was unanimously elected to represent the residents of those west side neighborhoods.  Zelinka gave him a credit for helping bring attention to these often overlooked areas and the quality of life issues they face to the attention of city staff.

Zelinka, a 3-year veteran of the City, is the first non-elected department head to step out into the community to ask how he can serve the people better.  After nearly 2 hours, Zelinka wrapped up with explaining that there is a shift afoot within City Hall to use Fullerton Redevelopment funds for the City's infrastructure.

The residents all commented that they want to know more about what goes on at City Hall.  They all expressed an interest in being involved.  As I said last night, the easiest way to know what's happening is to subscribe to the City's eLists. The site will take you through the process of setting up the customized service that will email you about upcoming public meetings and events.  And you have already paid for it with taxes!

You can also subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this website.

The next "Community Dialogues" meeting is scheduled for November 22 at the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce at 8AM. 

My thanks and appreciation goes to Al Zelinka for his willingness and effort to reach out into Fullerton and seek input.  I am impressed by his desire to empower residents with improving their neighborhoods.  Community input is a big step in the right direction.