MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST
The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lake Forest held Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the Lake Forest City Council Chambers, 100 Civic Center Drive, Lake Forest, California, was called to order at 5:30 p.m. with Mayor Voigts absent.
ROLL CALL: Council Members:
Mayor Pro Tem:
Mayor:
City Manager:
City Attorney:
Acting City Clerk:
CLOSED SESSION
Doug Cirbo
Mark Tettemer
Benjamin Yu
Robert Pequeno
Scott Voigts ( arrived 6:30 p.m.)
Debra Rose
Matthew E. Richardson
Thy Merritt
1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957(B)(1)
TITLE: CITY ATTORNEY
ACTION: Closed session was conducted.
INVOCATION: The Invocation was provided by Chaplain Serena Cummins, Orange County Sheriffs Department.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of our Country was led by Brownie Troop # 2523.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: City Manager Rose had no action to report.
REPORT FROM STUDENT LIAISON: A report from Maya Lowrey, Student Liaison from El Toro High School, was received.
PRESENTATIONS: ( Item Nos. 2 — 5)
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Yu, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Pequeno, to approve Presentation Item Nos. 2 — 5. The motion was carried by a vote of 5-0.
2. PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE MONTH OF MAY AS ASIAN AMERICAN
AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Acting City Clerk Merritt to provide a presentation. Reed Buck offered public comment in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month proclamations.
ACTION: The Proclamation designating the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was approved.
3. PROCLAMATION DECLARING THE MONTH OF MAY AS JEWISH AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Acting City Clerk Merritt to provide a presentation. No public comment was offered.
ACTION: The Proclamation designating the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month was approved.
5. RECOGNITION OF DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER
THOMAS WHEELER FOR THIRTEEN YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF
LAKE FOREST
City Manager Rose introduced this item and provided a presentation. Director of Public Works Wheeler offered remarks. No public comment was offered.
ACTION: The Director of Public Works/City Engineer was recognized for his thirteen years of service to the City of Lake Forest.
4. LAKE FOREST DRIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION PROJECT - UPDATE
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Traffic Engineering Manager Tran to provide a presentation. No public comment was offered.
ACTION: The Presentation was received.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Terry Andersen, Board Member and Treasurer for the Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach, apologized for lack of communication regarding their application for Community Development Block Grant funds and provided an update on programs offered in Lake Forest by the Boys and Girls Club.
May 20, 2025 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 2 of 6 Pam Estes, CEO for the Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach, apologized for lack of communication regarding their application for Community Development Block Grant funds and provided an update on programs offered in Lake Forest by the Boys and Girls Club.
Reed Buck expressed opposition to a decrease in Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boys and Girls Club.
Morgan Sibley expressed opposition to a decrease in Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boys and Girls Club.
Lindsay Buck expressed opposition to a decrease in Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boys and Girls Club.
Andrea Alexander expressed opposition to a decrease in Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boys and Girls Club.
Joyce Ardo expressed opposition to a decrease in Community Development Block Grant funds to the Boys and Girls Club.
CONSENT CALENDAR: ( Item Nos. 6 — 12)
STATEMENT READ INTO THE RECORD:
Mayor Pro Tem Voigts: There is an agreement on the Consent Calendar with the County of Orange for waste disposal services. ! am an employee of the County of Orange, but 1 do not work for the department that generated the agreement. Because the County of Orange is a public agency and because 1 do not work for the department in question, I have determined that 1 have a non - interest in the agreement and will vote on this item.
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Pequeno, seconded by Council Member Yu, to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 6 — 12. The motion was carried by a vote of 5-0.
6. MOTION TO WAIVE READING OF RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES ACTION: Said Ordinances and Resolutions which appeared on the public agenda were determined to have been read by title and further reading was waived.
7. MINUTES OF THE BUDGET WORKSHOP OF THE CITY COUNCIL HELD ON APRIL 29, 2025
ACTION: The minutes were approved as submitted.
8. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL HELD ON MAY 6, 2025
May 20. 2025 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 3 of 6 ACTION: The minutes were approved as submitted.
9. PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING MAY 18-24, 2025, AS " NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK"
ACTION: A Proclamation designating May 18-24, 2025, as National Public Works Week in the City of Lake Forest was approved.
10. NOISE ORDINANCE UPDATE
ACTION: A second reading was conducted and an Ordinance entitled: AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 11.16 OF THE LAKE FOREST
MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO NOISE CONTROL AND FINDING SAID
ACTION TO BE EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY ACT was adopted.
11. FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT WITH DATA TICKET, INC. FOR
PERMIT PARKING SOFTWARE
ACTION: 1. The First Amendment to the Parking Permit and Citation Processing Program with Data Ticket, Inc. for administration of a parking permit processing program and parking citation processing services was approved. 2. The Mayor was authorized to sign, and the City Clerk to attest the First Amendment with Data Ticket, Inc., substantially in the form attached.
12. SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE 2009 WASTE DISPOSAL AGREEMENT
WITH THE COUNTY OF ORANGE
ACTION: 1. A Resolution entitled: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE 2009 WASTE DISPOSAL AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF ORANGE was adopted. 2. The Mayor was authorized to sign, and the City Clerk to attest, the Second Amendment substantially in the form attached.
DISCUSSIONIACTION ITEMS: ( Item Nos. 13 — 15)
STATEMENT READ INTO THE RECORD:
Mayor Pro Tem Voigts: I am an employee of the County of Orange, but I do not work for the department that generated the law enforcement agreement. Because the County of Orange is a public agency and because I do not work for the department in question, 1 have determined that 1 have a non - interest in the agreement and will vote on this item.
May 20 2025 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 4 of 6
13. LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF ORANGE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-26
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Deputy City Manager McGovern to provide a presentation. No public comment was offered. Council questions were asked and answered by staff and Orange County Sheriffs Department Captain and Chief of Lake Forest Police Services David Pultz.
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Pequeno, seconded by Council Member Tettemer, to: Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Agreement with the County of Orange for Law Enforcement Services for Fiscal Year 2025-
26. The motion was carried by a vote of 5-0.
14. HOLIDAY LIGHTING DISPLAY UPDATE
City Manager Rose called for a 5 -minute recess. Mayor Voigts left the meeting at 7:56 p.m. The meeting reconvened from recess at 8:00 p.m. with Mayor Pro Tem Pequerio presiding.
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Recreation Manager Blethen to provide a presentation. No public comment was offered. Council questions were asked and answered.
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Cirbo, seconded by Council Member Tettemer, to: 1. Receive and file a presentation from staff proposing garland additions for the 2025 Holiday Lighting Display was received and fled.
2. Direct staff return at a subsequent City Council meeting with contract documents necessary to effectuate the addition of garland displays for the 2025 Holiday Lighting Display. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Mayor Voigts absent.
15. AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE HEROES PARK FIELDS RENOVATION PROJECT ( 2410)
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Maintenance Manager McConaha to provide a presentation. George Apkarian provided public comment in favor of the contract. Council questions were asked and answered.
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Pequeno, seconded by Council Member Tettemer, to: 1. Approve contract documents for construction of the Heroes Park Fields Renovation Project ( 2410). 2. Adopt a Resolution entitled: A
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE 2023-2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN; AMENDING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-25. 3. Find the apparent low bidder, Southern California Landscape, to be non - responsive for failure to submit the required bid bond, and award the contract to the next lowest May 20 2025 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 5 of 6 responsive and responsible bidder 4. Award a contract in the amount of 839,759.60 to Marina Landscape, Inc. 5. Reject all other bids received and authorize return of the bid bonds upon receipt of the executed contract documents from Marina Landscape, Inc. 6. Authorize the Mayor to sign, and the City Clerk to attest the contract with Marina Landscape, Inc. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Mayor Voigts absent.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Rose had nothing further to report.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Council Member Cirbo: Council Member Cirbo acknowledged the sacrifice of military personnel who died in service and invited
people to attend the Memorial Day ceremony at El
Toro Memorial Park.
Council Member Tettemer: Council Member Tettemer reported on his attendance at Senator Choi's Open House and a tour of the
Orange County Animal Care Center.
Council Member Yu: Council Member Yu acknowledged the sacrifice of military personnel who died in service.
Mayor Pro Tern Pequeno: Mayor Pro Tem Pequeno reported on his attendance at Senator Choi's Open House and a tour of the
Orange County Animal Care Center. He
acknowledged the sacrifice of military personnel who
died in service and thanked staff for all their hard
work.
ADJOURNMENT: The Regular Meeting of the City Council was adjourned at 8:23 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
THY MERRITT
ACTING CITY CLERK
May 20 2025
APPROVED:
ROBERT QUENO
MAYOR O TEM
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