The West Ranch Beacon – News & Commentary for the Santa Clarita Valley

Here is “My view from the bleacher seats in SCV” Jack Murphy’s column early for the holiday weekend. As a reminder, Jack’s opinions are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the West Ranch Beacon or its other contributors.

I never ever like to use other peoples material for my essays, but I have to this time. It’s not a cop out on my part, it’s just that I have not found a better story to describe the war on terror then this below. It’s short so please take the time to read it. I get worried and concerned as most people do when I see and read about Iraq. I want us to succeed and move on. But I always fear that the people of Iraq just don’t care enough to start to take control of the problem themselves. This is just something for all of us to think about. maybe its really NOT the people in Iraq we should worry about but Bin Ladin and his followers.

I don’t believe the below is a slam against Rep. John Murtha. I do honestly think that he is speaking from the heart and I do not denounce his intentions albeit wrong in my opinion.

I admit that if John Murtha speaks for the Democrat’s then I am happy because honestly, good or bad, he is the first one to come up with a real plan to be debated. And debate is a very good idea for us as a country. I am happy we debate. In France they riot over political questions and in Iraq apparently they blow up each others Mosques. Here we yell and scream and then write about it. I like our way better. I get to go to bed by 9 still and wake up to plant flowers or something.

Ok, here it is and its short. Taken from The Weekly Standard, July 3rd – July 10th edition. Scrapbook section. Author unknown.

Jack, Meet Osama

“When we went to Beirut, I said to President Reagan, ‘get out.’ Now, the other day we were doing a debate, and they said, ‘ well, Beirut was a different situation. We cut and run.’ We didn’t cut and run. President Reagan made the decision to change direction because he knew he couldn’t win it. Even in Somalia, President Clinton made the decision, ‘We have to, we have to change direction.’…We need to change direction. We cant win a war like this…At some point you got ot reassess it like Reagan did in Beirut, like Clinton did in Somalia. You just have to say, ‘okay, its time to change direction.”

Representative John Murtha,
Urging a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq,
meet the Press, June 188,2006

“We have seen in the last decade the decline of the American Government and the weakness of the American Soldier, who is ready to wage cold wars and unprepared to fight long wars. This was proven in Beirut when the Marines fled after two explosions. It also proves they can run in less then 24 hours, and this was also repeated in Somalia…After a few blows, [The Americans] ran in defeat…They forgot about being the world leader and the leader of the of the new world order. [They] left, dragging their corpses and their shameful defeat.”

Osama Bin Laden,
ABC New Interview, May 28, 1998

Jack Murphy

I originally set this blog up on a whim because I didn’t think that there was an outlet for me to publish opinion pieces, news that was relevant to our community and the occasional satire. Yes, you read that right, satire which would make me the occasional satirist.

The dictionary defines satire and satirist as follows:

satire n. 1. a) A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. b) The branch of literature constituting such works. 2) Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity.

sat•i•rist n. 1) One who is given to satire, especially a writer of satirical works. 2) a humorist who uses ridicule and irony and sarcasm.

Yesterday, I posted a piece titled “CalArts and Vista Valencia Golf Course Possibly to Annex into West Ranch!” in which I wrote in “sarcasm and folly” that some how an annexation was afoot for CalArts and the golf course. I laid out the theory that there was an un-named “river” running through the West Ranch community and that it was a “tributary” to the Santa Clara River. Complete bunk! A total joke that was poking fun at the way the City of Santa Clarita has tried to circumvent our community in regards to annexation. I even went so far as to call residents, which I am one, “pesky homeowners”.

Well, by mid-afternoon the prime mates and knuckle draggers at the local advertising circular (fish wrap) had their panties in a bunch and were calling County officials to find out if this was true. God help us all!!! Now, I have been told for years that apparently the local fish wrap regularly tries to piece together stories from other publications and that in recent months they apparently have been reading this blog daily to get information that is turned into content.

Let me tell you, there was a butch of us around the Santa Clarita Valley and the County who had a really great belly laugh yesterday. The phones were ringing and the emails were flying! It was absolutely astounding to us all that the local “paper” actually took the posting seriously even after I signed it “..sometime satirist”.

As for the simpletons at the “fish wrap”, here’s the thing, if I ever post an essay on say “Martians Buying Real Estate in West Ranch”, that there is “A Discovery of a New Sub-Continent west of I-5”, or maybe that “The Bureau of Land Management Okays new Kryptonite Mine”, just check and see how I signed the piece. If it says “satire” or “satirist” anywhere take it as just that, satire. Please don’t bother calling County Officials when you read some satire as it just wastes their time and makes you look like even bigger fools than you already are.

Los Angeles County Mayor Michael D. Antonovich, will hold a news conference announcing a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Santa Clarita and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to provide for the management and oversight of the open space dedications resulting from the Newhall Ranch and Westridge development projects. Approximately 4,350 acres of open space will be acquired and managed by the JPA. The JPA allows for the acquisition, development, improvement, management and conservation of park and open space lands dedicated for public purposes of passive and active recreation, wildlife habitat protection and conservation projects.

Speakers will include Paul Novak, Deputy, Office of Mayor Michael D. Antonovich; Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Director Russ Guiney; City of Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste; Joe Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy; Greg McWilliams, President, Newhall Land and Sherry Teresa, Center for Lands Management.

The press event is Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. on the west side of The Old Road street. There is a driveway entrance from southbound Old Road, halfway between Valencia Blvd. and McBean Parkway. Backdrop is the oak savannah of the initial 150 acres to be dedicated to the JPA. There is a dirt clearing that will accommodate parking. (Los Angeles & Orange County 2005 Thomas Guide page 4550, D6)

North Los Angeles County near “Grapevine” – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) advises motorists traveling over the upcoming July 4 Weekend on the northbound Golden State Freeway (I-5) north of Santa Clarita near the “Grapevine,” to please PLAN AHEAD and LEAVE EARLY to avoid expected holiday-related delays
– due to
an ongoing lane closure on northbound I-5 at Templin Highway, approximately five miles north of Castaic. The lane closure is caused by an earlier mudslide and ongoing slope stabilization repairs. Three northbound lanes and all southbound lanes remain open to motorists.

Motorists can expect delays of up to 30 minutes on Friday, June 30; Saturday, July 1; Sunday, July 2; Monday, July 3; and Tuesday, July 4.

The speed limit is reduced to 45 miles per hour in the construction zone for the safety of the motoring public. Motorists are also reminded that traffic fines are doubled in freeway work zones. In Santa Clarita and Castaic, The Old Road is a suggested alternate route during periods of congestion.

There is an advantage to knowing your community and Chris Fall recognizes that. After eight years with Waste Management and 11 years in the industry, Fall has embarked on his own business enterprise – Advantage Disposal. As president and CEO, Fall is already on his way offering roll-off bins and temporary services.

Advantage Disposal will start commercial routes beginning July serving the unincorporated areas of Santa Clarita and the Antelope valleys. He believes in a more personal touch and recognizes the frustration customers may have when it comes to dealing with large corporations. He has ordered his first set of trucks and bins and has been making the rounds to let the community know about the new service.

“I think I know what the community wants and what they desire,” Fall said. “I can provide that service. I know this business extremely well and I have people working with me that are just as knowledgeable.”

Fall said he learned a valuable lesson early on when it comes to business. “It is not as much of who you know, than it is who knows you,” he said. “I know a lot of people in both valleys and it is more about who is willing to say they know me and want me to provide their disposal and recycling service.”

“I am starting to feel the garbage love, so to speak,” Fall said with a smile

Fall has a proven record of his commitment to both the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. He serves as chairman of the SCV Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Antelope Valley Illegal Dumping Task Force and the regional advisory board of the Painted Turtle, a campground for terminal ill children, to name a few. Fall said will continue to support several charitable groups in town including the Lexus Jazz & Blues Festival, the Boys and Girls Club auction and the Hoefflin Foundation, “Evening Under the Stars” event.

“I am dedicated to these communities and I want to stay involved,” Fall said. Advantage Disposal is ready to serve your needs. Do you have the Advantage?
For more information, contact Fall at 661/252-0023.

Last year the City of Santa Clarita tried to annex the Valencia Commerce Center, which is in Castaic, by claiming a connection through a drainage ditch that ran under the 5 Freeway. At the time it seemed ridiculous to claim a connection essentially through a drainage pipe but then the whole Stonecrest annexation issue popped up a number of months ago.

What the Stonecrest annexation spotlighted was that the City of Santa Clarita could go down a dry river bed, bypassing the Stonecrest community, to annex the Cemex Mine. I started to think about that and realized that there is a river in West Ranch that crosses the 5 Freeway. That river starts high in the Santa Susana Mountains above Pico Canyon and makes itself known during heavy rainstorms. Last year it was a raging river during some of the worst storms in half a century and made its connection to the Santa Clara River known. Our river is actually a tributary to the mighty Santa Clara River that rages through the Santa Clarita Valley.

Although our river doesn’t currently have a name, I’m hoping that we can call it the West Ranch River, it nonetheless is a river bed and crosses under the Valencia Market Place, the 5 Freeway and cuts through the Vista Valencia Golf Course on its way to the Santa Clara River. This is the key to CalArts and the golf course annexing into the West Ranch area. Let’s face it, if the City of Santa Clarita has the option of going down the Santa Clara River bed to annex the Cemex mine then nobody should object to the West Ranch community going down a river bed to annex CalArts and the golf course.

CalArts will be the prize since the school pumps more than $33 million into the local economy annually. It is also an internationally known art institute which is just the kind of organization that would fit in nicely with our community. As for the golf course, well you just can’t have enough open spaces where folks can whack a small white ball towards a little hole in the ground.

Tomorrow, the Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich will be holding a press conference on the Old Road in the West Ranch community and I’m hoping that the official naming of our river will be part of that press event. Hopefully all the paperwork will have been completed by then. That will be the first step in being able to get this annexation going and we won’t have to deal with any pesky home owners, just a school and a business!

Dave Bossert
Commentator and Sometime Satirist

The West Ranch Beacon will be giving away thousands of dollars in FREE Sattellite TV systems at the Stevenson Ranch Fireworks Show this year. That’s right, FREE gift certificates that are worth up to $1000 will be given away (while supplies last) to anyone and everyone attending this years Stevenson Ranch Fireworks Spectactular. You don’t have to live in the West Ranch area to receive this FREE gift certificate, you don’t even have to live in California to receive one of these absolutely FREE gift certificate. All you have to do is show up to watch the Fireworks Show and you can get a FREE gift certificates worth up to $1000.
Each certificate is good for a satellite dish, up to four receivers with remotes, and installation all for FREE. What is great about this offer is that the certificates are completely transferable so if you want to give to a relative, friend or loved one anywhere in the 50 U.S. States FREE satellite TV you can!
Look for the booth at the Stevenson Ranch Fireworks show as you enter the park and get your FREE gift certificate courtesy of The West Ranch Beacon and Dish Direct!

With days to go before the submission deadline, there are currently only four candidates vying for the three seats on the West Ranch Town Council that are up for election. The deadline for candidates is this Friday June 30th for all applications and the $300 fee to be submitted.
The election is taking place on Tuesday July 4th at the Dr. Richard Rioux Memorial Park in Stevenson Ranch. The polls will open at 4:30 PM and will close at 8:45 PM. All registered voters in the West Ranch area which includes Sunset Point, Southern Oaks, Stevenson Ranch and Westridge are eligible to vote in this election.

A few days ago I met a resident of the Stevenson Ranch community, will call him “Bob”, and we had a nice conversation about the real estate market. Bob asked me, in the midst of this pleasant discussion about homes for sale, what the deal was with annexation. He was interested in knowing why we didn’t just annex so his kids could be treated as equals in regards to the City of Santa Clarita parks programs.

I asked him what he knew about annexation and he admitted that he knew very little. So I told him that was the point, the majority of the West Ranch community knows little or nothing about the whole question of annexation. I told him that the West Ranch Town Council has been trying to gather up information on the three options that the community has; annexation, city hood, and staying as is in the County. He was surprised that the community had options and agreed that the more un-biased information he could get the better he would be able to make a decision.

I pointed out to Bob that it is not a simple decision because there are so many services that the West Ranch area receives daily, weekly and monthly that our community needs to make a thorough comparison. This is something that our town council has been attempting to do over the years but it seems that it has gone in fits and starts with the City. It appears that every time we have sat down with the City to ask questions the meetings never seem to continue. At some point issues or items get brought up that the City just doesn’t even want to discuss.

One of the items that the City doesn’t want to talk about is the Mello-Roos bonds that many in the West Ranch area are paying off. By the way, a Mello-Roos bond issue allows for financing of public improvements and services. The services and improvements that Mello-Roos can finance include streets, sewer systems and other basic infrastructure improvements like, parks, libraries, museums and/or other cultural facilities. Bob had initially thought that the Mello-Roos bonds were for financing the schools and was surprised to learn that these bonds were actually used to put in the infrastructure in the community including the widening of the over passes at Lyons Ave and McBean Parkway.

I asked Bob a simple question, if you bought a new car and financed it over a 4 year period and two years into the payments were told to give that car to a stranger but continue to make the car payments for the remaining two years, would you? He said no, of course not! Think of the Mello-Roos bonds in the same way, why would you give the community away for nothing but continue to pay for the infrastructure? It just seems logical that we would talk about this issue.

But wait a second, not every one in the West Ranch communities is paying off a Mello-Roos bond! That’s right, some neighborhoods had the infrastructure costs amortized into the price of their homes and that certainly needs to be taken into consideration. That would have to be part of the discussion which would be adding to our collective education.

Bob realized at the end of our conversation that the question of annexation was a complex one and that our community does need to get much more information. This is something that the West Ranch Town Council has been having many conversations about with the County, LAFCO and the City over the years. It is a shame that the City keeps breaking off talks and instead tries to circumvent the Town Council and community when ever possible. That behavior is only prolonging the process and in turn making it increasingly more difficult to count annexation as an option.

Just as a reminder, it was about 5 or so years ago that Councilman Frank Ferry told the West Ranch Town Council that if we didn’t annex, the City would bury us! Still haven’t felt any shovels full of dirt dropping down on us yet………………….

Cameron Smyth, candidate for State Assembly for the 38th District, is confirmed to speak at the Stevenson Ranch July 4th Fireworks Spectacular. The event is scheduled to begin at 7:30 on Tuesday evening July 4th at the Dr. Richard Rioux Memorial Park located on Faulkner Dr. in Stevenson Ranch.
The fireworks show is being presented by the Stevenson Ranch Civic Committee in association with Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation and is a free event to the community. The park will open to the public on July 4th at 4:30 PM. Residents are encouraged to walk to the park as there will be no parking inside of the park and there is limited parking on the streets around the park.
More updates to come over the coming week.

Today I had an opportunity to hear Sen. John McCain speak at our Burbank office. He is not only a great American but also a very inspiring speaker. I have always liked the Senator for a number of reasons but mainly because he comes across as a very moderate and pragmatic individual. For me, he represents the every person in America, neither to liberal nor to conservative.

Senator McCain spoke for about twenty-five minutes before fielding questions from the audience. The three main topics he touched on were 1) out-of-control spending in Washington D.C., 2) Immigration, the hot topic today, and 3) the War in Iraq.

On spending the Senator was passionate about the fact that we are mortgaging our children and grandchildren in respect to the amount “pork” that is being earmarked onto legislation. One example was the recently passed Highway Bill which had over 1000 earmarks attached to it when it was signed. It included the now famous $200+ million dollar bridge to an island in Alaska that has a population of 50. If nothing is done about this now then later on down the road the American Public will have to swallow some very harsh medicine.

Sen. McCain spoke about the Immigration Bill that he and Sen. Ted Kennedy are co-sponsoring. He clarified what some conservatives have wrongly characterized as an amnesty program, which it is not. He strongly spoke about enforcing the immigration laws and punishing illegal immigrates for breaking the law, not rewarding them with amnesty. The Senator went on to say that our great country was built on immigration it should continue but legally.
On the Iraq War the senator told us that things are improving but that it will continue to be a tough road and that more serviceman and woman are going to be injured and/or die.

He went on to say that this is not a war against Iraq but a war against radical fundamentalists who are out to destroy our way of life. I could not agree more! I equate these radical fundamentalists in the Middle East with the German Nazi Party during the 1930′s and early 1940′s. They want to destroy everyone and anyone that has a different belief system and a different culture then they do. These Islamic Fundamentalists will stop at nothing to destroy Western culture. We must stay the course and fight these terrorists one by one, country by country until they decide to live in peace. He was hopeful that Troop levels could start to reduce significantly by 2008-2009.

Finally, Senator McCain talked about the bi-partisan’s in Washington D.C. and the fact that the system is “broken”. The lobbying scandals, the party bickering all of it isn’t working anymore. Amen! He believes that this is the most divided that Congress has ever been and believes that we may see this come out at the polls in November with lower voter turn out. It certainly is clear that system is not only broken at the Federal level, but at the State and Local levels as well.

He was asked if he was going to run for President in 2008 and smiled while being none committal. Senator McCain would certainly make an excellent President based on what I saw first hand. He was candid, funny and truly knew what he was talking about on the various topics that were discussed.

It is being reported today that Six Flags Company is planning on selling up to six of its parks including Magic Mountain here in the Santa Clarita Valley. The company is exploring a sale or the possible closing and dismantling of these parks.
The company is facing mounting losses and is looking for ways to reduce its dept load. In recent years Six Flags has faced various challenges including a proxy fight last year and declining attendance.
At Magic Mountain, there have been many problems associated with gangs and teens loitering without spending any money. This has apparently driven the family segment of the parks attendance away from the park. They may have been able to stem the tide of red ink had Magic Mountain management tried to cater more towards the local families.
I can tell you that I have never, in the 26 years that I’ve lived in the Santa Clarita Valley, ever stepped foot in Magic Mountain. In fact, it is referred to in the entertainment industry as “Six Stabs Tragic Mountain”. It’s no wonder they are having the problems they are currently. What’s more amazing is that it could be a great park for the entire family if they just tried to think outside the box.

Jack Murphy has been submitting occasional opinion pieces to the West Ranch Beacon for several months. Starting last week, Jack will have regular Friday opinion piece on our blog site titled “My view from the bleacher seats in SCV”. As a reminder, Jack’s opinions are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the West Ranch Beacon or its other contributors.

In my continuing effort to find out what a true moderate is I routinely visit my new friends at their local SCV blog sites. Tootsie Farklepants at http://liberalkudoscorner.blogspot.com/ and over at Matt’s site, http://www.bluesantaclarita.blogspot.com/. These are two liberal Democrat sites that reflect not only the feelings of the writers but their audience as well. There are other sites here locally, but they do not reflect the local flavor as these folks do. As for the other sites round town, their authors and writers are interested in their own opinions and no one else’s. They don’t read the other blogs and disparage the writers of other sites as nuts or wackos. Yet their sites offer no conflicting points of view and often tend to be harsher towards the opposition. Imagine Sean Hanidity with-out Combs but instead with Rush Limbaugh. Fun for a while but what’s the point? Debate is more fun and actually accomplishes things. But to be sure the “other” sites are not interested or invested, they mostly cut and paste from National News wires. Visit the two named sites above for a great taste of the Democrat points here in the Valley, they don’t cut and paste. They write like we do here in The Beacon.

I note these sites for you because I feel it is very important for you all to go there and explore and read. Both are very well written and the writers are very passionate. As with me you may not agree with all that they write, but I hope you find it an important part of your political maturation on a daily basis. You see, in order to actually be a moderate you have to be able to appreciate how others feel. You may not agree with them but you have to accept the fact that other people have opinions and that their opinions are important too. And recognize that many others offer the same opinion as them and one day those opinions may prevail in local and National politics. You have to be able to accept and move on. Dot org.

I go back to my original statement. A moderate is someone who places the good of the people before the good of the party. Period. I can think of a few politicians on the National stage that are moderates to me. Joe Lieberman is one for sure. Joe votes and speaks his mind and what he believes. It will never win him a presidential election as a result but he cares more about the policy then the position. Mark Warner is another. When he speaks you can see he is talking about policy and not politics. I may not agree with them, but It is so clear with these two men what they feel deeply. On the other side of the isle is Tom Tancredo. Yes, everyone’s favorite Republican to hate. Why? Because he talks policy over politics. Always has. The Republicans are mad at him and so are the Democrats. That’s the mark of a policy man not a politician. Not my kind of Republican however.

Locally here in SCV, lets look at the person everyone likes. Maria Guitziet. I have never personally met Maria, but I know her husband well enough. I respect her. I respect her opinion and I respect her philosophy. She is smart and dedicated and everyone knows that. She places policy above politics and it shows in her professionalism and skill. Have you ever met someone that said Maria is bias or out of the main stream? Nope. Not I either. That’s what we need more of here in the Valley. People Like Maria. I don’t care what Maria thinks about the Iraq wart or abortion or tax’s at this point. What I see is a smart lady who is open to new ideas and suggestions and puts forth policy based facts not fiction.

I am waiting for the person in my party to step forward and be “that” person. The person that everyone respects. Whether they agree with the base political foundation of that person or not, they respect her/him. There is nothing wrong with debate as it is healthy and usually leads to better well thought-out decisions. Is it Mark Hershey or Dwight McDonald in the GOP? Or is it Bill Kennedy? I don’t know.

Let’s find that person before the next election.

Jack Murphy
Political Commentator

The other day we received a call from a very nice woman at the Santa Clarita Guide inquiring about the details for the Stevenson Ranch Fireworks show this year. With the exception of major holidays, the Santa Clarita Guide focuses on recurring annual events or regular activities offered in the valley.
The Santa Clarita Guide is a result of five years of research and has become a useful resource to local businesses when trying to hire from outside of the area.

The Guide is the only online, photo-rich resource to the Santa Clarita Valley, including city, county, and state, federal and private organizations. While they include complimentary links to organizations such as The West Ranch Beacon, they do appreciate their advertisers–without whom they could not provide these services.

The Santa Clarita Guide does not intend to ever display traditional advertising, but rather provides viewers with photos of the places and businesses throughout the valley. Visitors to the Santa Clarita Guide will find out everything from the cheapest gas in the valley to whom to call when the neighbor’s dog doesn’t cease barking. They’ll learn where to go for treatment if bit by a rattler (only Henry Mayo has anti-venin in the valley), and they’ll find a comprehensive list of activities. Click on the headline above to link to their site or use this address: http://www.santaclaritaguide.com/IndependenceDayCelebrationsSCV.html

For many years the trash collection in the Stevenson Ranch community was picked up on Monday mornings like clockwork. That all changed this year when back in mid-April Waste Management decided, without community input, to switch the trash collection day to Fridays. This switch apparently was necessitated due to the new route specific contract that went into effect in the City of Santa Clarita according to Waste Management officials.
This switch was upsetting too many in the community who were very use to getting rid of their trash after the weekend. Now they were faced with garbage from the weekend sitting in the trash containers all week long and, to add insult to injury, the service became problematic. Residents have been voicing their dissatisfaction about the new trash collection day and the decline in service since the switch over several months ago.
In the past three weeks, there have been a number of conversations between members of the West Ranch Town Council, The Stevenson Ranch Community Association and Waste Management regarding these problems. Kevin Burke, the new territory manager for Waste Management, has been very responsive to the communities concerns and has taken this matter seriously.
At last nights Stevenson Ranch Community Association meeting, Kevin announced that the trash pickup in Stevenson Ranch will now revert back to the original Monday collection. He went on to say that Waste Management was committed to working with the community and that they will be looking at the reallocation of assets in the next week or so in order to bring back the Monday collection day. As soon as they are able to rework the routes a letter will be set out to the entire community notifying residents of the change from the current Friday collection back to Monday trash pickup.

Dear Darryl,
A friend of mine passed on a link to your column titled “Stooge of the City Council Gives up His Title” in which you partly give a critique of what it must be like to be on the local town councils. I realize that much of your veiws are from the “wayback machine” you like to ride. You did make several statements that I do agree with whole heartedly and other statements I don’t agree with at all.

Being on a local Town Council is a thankless job! It is also thankless volunteering in an area where there are many armchair quarterbacks (local and out of town critics) constantly throwing stones at everything you do. Most of those folks don’t participate in the betterment of the community. In fact, most of them don’t attend the local community meetings like the Town Councils or the community association meetings that usually happen on a monthly basis. Instead they just cause problems after the fact with misinformation, false accusations, and generally attempting to better them selves at the expense of the community as a whole.

Why do these Council volunteers endure? It’s simple, because all of the members care deeply for their families and for the betterment of the community, for creating a safe community, and for working towards a better tomorrow. Most people don’t want to get involved though because of the time commitments and the potential ridicule, harassment, and possible liability.

You are dead wrong though, on the assertion in your column, that some how “It has to hurt those town council members emotionally when they hear the annexation offers from Santa Clarita.”Won’t we get a say in the future?” “How do we know the City Council will care as much about West Ranch, Castaic, Agua Dulce, Acton — fill in the blank — as we do?”

Trust me; it will not hurt “emotionally” or otherwise one bit to see the governing issues of the West Ranch Communities get resolved as long as they do get resolved fairly. I would be happy to see the West Ranch Communities annex into the City of Santa Clarita or a new city formed or stay in the county! In fact, I would happy to no longer be involved in the political aspect of the community. Frankly, I would much rather continue being a community volunteer with the Stevenson Ranch Civic Committee doing events like the 4th of July fireworks show.

If you had attended the local West Ranch Town Council meetings you would have heard, on a monthly basis, that an elected group of volunteers has tried to investigate properly all the options available in regards to the communities self-determination. As recently as last summer a group of West Ranch Town Council members, myself included, embarked on a series of meetings with the City of Santa Clarita to investigate annexation. We had several meetings and the City was supposed to propose a second series of meetings that would have taken place in the fall. Our town council has not heard back from the City, they have not followed up. By the way, gathering all this information was intended to educate ourselves, our community and to be able to open up meaningful negotiations about a possible annexation into the City of Santa Clarita.

Darryl, you have to realize, there have been no “offers” from the City of Santa Clarita to annex! The City has taken the stance that we (the West Ranch area) would be lucky to annex into the City. In fact, a red faced and yelling Frank Ferry made that perfectly clear to me during his child-like outburst at a City Council meeting. By the way, City Councilman Ferry has done an enormous amount of damage with the rhetoric that has spewed from his pie hole.

I don’t, however, think that it would be fair for the community to just give ourselves away for free. If an annexation were to happen it must happen through a thoughtful and intelligent negotiation. If the City doesn’t want to participate in such a dialogue than an annexation of the West Ranch area isn’t going to happen anytime soon, if ever. You should know that if the City of Santa Clarita had been respectful of the West Ranch Town Council and taken us seriously a deal on annexation could have been done 5 or 6 years ago. It would be much tougher to forge a deal now, although not impossible. It is the Santa Clarita City Council and City management that have faltered on this issue due to the tactics and bad advice they are following.

Currently, the City has embarked on yet another bad tactic of once again circumventing the community and West Ranch Town Council by recruiting a person or two to run in this July’s West Ranch Town Council election. The City is trying to get an individual on the West Ranch Town Council that will happily push for an annexation with out any negotiation. That would be a disservice to the entire community. But hey, that’s politics right? Wrong! It is just another example of the complete disrespect and arrogance the City of Santa Clarita seems to have for the outlying unincorporated communities.

You are right when you said, “Santa Clarita must recognize the value of the town councils. It won’t work any other way.” Trying to circumvent the council by cherry picking a community or an area has not worked and will not work. Trying to stack the Town Council with stooges won’t work either! I am, however, all in favor of your suggestion that we “clear everything on the table right now and start fresh” which has been done now several times over the years. Unfortunately, I am not sure that the City folks are willing to do that based on their current activities.

The “One Valley, One Vision” is a great concept but the City clearly has viewed it as a “One City, Our Vision” program. That attitude speaks volumes of how the City operates and for the complete disregard the City has for the unincorporated communities in the Valley. Don’t worry, no one is planning on burning you at the stake as it would be a waste of some fine firewood.

-Dave Bossert

On Tuesday July 4th the Stevenson Ranch Civic Committee will present the 8th Annual Fireworks Spectacular at the Dr. Richard Rioux Memorial Park in Stevenson Ranch. This years show is set to be the biggest and best show to date with over 600 aerial displays and more than a 1000 ground effects being set off by our professional pyrotechnics crew.
Once again, for the 8th straight year, the event is free to the public. The show is generously funded through donations from local organizations and businesses including: Newhall Land/Lennar, The Stevenson Ranch Community Association, Waste Management, Advantage Disposal, Galpin Motors, Tim Reed/ Realty Executives, The Stevenson Ranch Community Church, and The West Ranch Beacon.
More updates coming over the next two weeks including special guest speakers.

Castaic (CA) – Weather, air quality, and fuel conditions permitting, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department will conduct annual wildland live fire training burns on the property of the Pitchess Detention Center/Wayside Honor Ranch. This is a Los Angeles County Sheriff facility located in Santa Clarita. This live-fire training is an integral part of the Departments preparation for the upcoming wildland fire season. These small training burns will be in a very controlled setting and will not involve more than an acre of light fuels at a time.

Residents in the area may experience some temporary noise pollution from water dropping helicopters, fire engines and work crews during the training burns. There may also be some temporary inconvenience from smoke odors, particularly to smoke-sensitive persons.

WHO:County of Los Angeles Fire Department

WHAT:Live-Fire training burns – less than 10 acres per day

WHERE:On the property of Pitchess Detention Center/Wayside Honor Ranch, LA County Sheriff facility

WHEN:Monday through Friday June 19 – 23, 2006
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Live-Fire training burns may be cancelled if conditions are not favorable and rescheduled at a later date.