POLICE UNION The council voted to shift...

POLICE UNION

The council voted to shift the position of police sergeant from

the police management association to the police officer’s union,

allowing the return of former union boss Russell Reinhart.

Reinhart had to resign from the Huntington Beach Police Officer’s

Assn. in March after Chief Ken Small promoted him to a management

position.

WHAT IT MEANS

Reinhart’s return is a significant reunion for the police union,

and Reinhart will likely find himself in a leadership role, perhaps

reelected as the union’s president.

During Reinhart’s four years at the helm, the police union was

able to land a lucrative pension deal and several major pay increases

for police officers.

SCHOOL PURCHASES

The council approved a plan to purchase about 8.6 acres of land

from the Fountain Valley School District.

Under the plan, the city will purchase 2.6 acres from the former

Lamb school site and another six acres from the former Wardlow school

site, used by the Huntington Valley Little League.

The city will take advantage of a state provision that allows it

to buy surplus school property at a greatly reduced rate. The city

will pay about $3.8 million for both sites -- roughly one-fourth of

their value.

Councilman Dave Sullivan voted against the proposal, arguing that

it raids the city’s park acquisition fund.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city will borrow about $1.8 million from the general fund to

cover the cost and get the remainder of the money from its park

acquisition fund.

In the meantime, the city will decide which sections of the school

sites it wants to purchase, while the Fountain Valley School District

begins looking for buyers for the remainder of the property. The

former school sites will likely be sold for residential development.

VERIZON WORK

The telecommunications giant has been tearing up city streets for

more than a year to install a high-speed Internet system said to be

one of the fastest on the consumer market.

The massive project to link every home and neighborhood has drawn

concern from neighbors who say their streets have been ripped up and

sometimes inadequately repaired.

This has been a particular problem for residents in private

homeowners associations with streets that don’t fall under the

jurisdiction of the city.

Councilwoman Debbie Cook introduced a ordinance requiring city

staff to draft a set of restoration standards so that homeowners

associations can ensure their streets are properly repaired.

The inspections could be done by private consulting firms, or the

associations could hire city inspectors to see that the proper work

has been done.

WHAT IT MEANS

Planning department officials will begin drafting the protocols

for street repair, and representatives from Verizon will be allowed

to assist and comment on the new regulations.

Cook said she plans to encourage residents to hire city inspectors

to ensure the work is up to code.