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      <title>Red Words</title>
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         <title>Reynolds sentenced to probation</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>By Andrew Edwards<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Mike Reynolds, who served as Redlands' elected treasurer for more than two decades, was formally sentenced to three years of probation Thursday after having pleaded guilty to a felony charge of forgery.</p>

<p>Judge Michael Des of San Bernardino Superior Court also ordered Reynolds to serve 30 days at Glen Helen Rehabilitation Center with eligibility to do the time through a weekender or work release program.</p>

<p>Reynolds was also required to pay nearly $38,000 to the city of Redlands in restitution. Deputy district attorney John Goritz confirmed during Thursday's court hearing that the payment has already been made.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/09/reynolds_sentenced_to_probatio.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:23:13 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>San Bernardino&apos;s Arson Dog and Classic Cars</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>This is a San Berdoo-, rather than a Redlands-related post, but my blog password connects me to Red Words so I'm posting here.</p>

<p>Jerry Moya, who is hosting a fundraiser today for Diesel, the Fire Department's arson dog, called me and asked me to put out word that he's inviting classic car owners to show off their rides at the event.</p>

<p>The fundraiser is set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Jerry's, 1248 West Fifth Street, San Bernardino. Moya and others are trying to preserve the city's arson dog program, which could be cut because of San Bernardino's massive budget problem.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/06/san_bernardinos_arson_dog_and.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:56:19 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>City Manager could get new contract</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>While meeting with reporters Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Jon Harrison mentioned that contract renegotiations with City Manager N. Enrique Martinez could result in a new agreement by the April 15 City Council meeting.</p>

<p>Martinez's current contract is dated March 20 of last year. The five-year deal gives him a base annual salary of $218,000 per year. </p>

<p>Martinez was hired to whip the city's budget into shape. There was some controversy during the immediate aftermath of his hiring, as he had been placed on administrative leave from the city manager's post in Lynwood. A report leaked from that city revealed that Martinez neglected to inform his Lynwood council members that he married a subordinate while in office there. </p>

<p>That report exonerated Martinez of a more serious allegation of improperly using Lynwood's money to remodel offices. At the time, Redlands council members said they were aware of the allegations and defended Martinez's record and character.</p>

<p>Since then, council members have generally had positive things to say about Martinez's work in Redlands. Although the city manager's proposals to raise sales taxes and undertake a complicated plan that would have used water payments to create an endowment for city projects were rejected, Martinez has promised that Redlands will avoid red ink and Harrison on Wednesday voiced his approval for the city manager's fiscal efforts.</p>

<p>"He's been able to get the departments to step up and work with the funds we have," Harrison said.</p>

<p>Measure F, a new levy on distribution centers, is another of Martinez's proposals. Voters ratified that tax in November.</p>

<p>Contract negotiations have been held in closed session over the course of recent weeks. </p>

<p>A new contract could be voted upon in public session during Tuesday's council meeting,.</p>

<p>"If it's not agreeable, we'll go back to the table," Harrison said.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/04/city_manager_could_get_new_con.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:58:25 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>State of the City</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Mayor Jon Harrison met with inland reporters Wednesday afternoon at City Hall to preview his upcoming state of the city remarks.</p>

<p>Harrison plans to deliver his remarks April 17 at the University of Redlands. Representatives from city departments are also slated to be on hand to chat with Redlanders about their work.</p>

<p>Over the past year, City Hall's finances have generated several news stories dealing with officials efforts to keep the city's budget in the black. Before fiscal 2007, Redlands went five straight budget cycles without adopting a balanced budget.</p>

<p>The city now has a law that mandates a balanced budget. Harrison said Wednesday that Redlanders shouldn't expect any major revelations regarding city finances to be made during his speech next week.</p>

<p>The mayor did say that adopting a balanced budget for fiscal 2009 would pretty much trump any other considerations. That could mean that City Hall goes into a holding pattern for the next few years and refrains from launching major initiatives or even shrinks city operations or payroll.</p>

<p>"Every indication is that the economy is going to stay pretty flat," Harrison said. "We're not looking for opportunities to expand nrograms," he said. </p>

<p>"I don't know at this time if there are any cuts," he added. "If that's what it's going to take to bring it to a balanced budget, that's what the manager is going to bring forward to us."</p>

<p>Harrison did not say that the city is abandoning all major projects. He said City Hall is working on plans to develop a more systematic approach to tackling significant capital investments, such as road repair or a new police station.</p>

<p>This kind of planning has been lacking in past years, Harrison said.</p>

<p>"We've never gotten them into a queue, if you will, of how we're going to get them done," he said.</p>

<p>Harrison said his speech next week will also highlight environmental policies, which, by all indications, are close to the mayor's heart.</p>

<p>He said recreational projects like trails and the more businesslike concepts of rail transit and mixed-use development (i.e. Residences and businesses in the same blocks. The theory is that people will live closer to their workplaces and not have to burn fuel while commuting).</p>

<p>Harrison said the federal government has not taken up this guantlet and it's up to cities to use their powers to reduce oil consumption and pursue other policies intended to protect the environment.</p>

<p>"The opportunity we should embrace is how we can become a leader in the energy economy," he said.</p>

<p>A third point Harrison mentioned is his intent for Redlands' government to be more visible to the public. He said he wants to institute a schedule of community meetings (at least four per year) to talk policy with Redlanders.</p>

<p>"The community said last year that we were just not listening and explaining what was going on," he said.</p>

<p>The State of the City event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. April 17 in the Casa Loma Room at the University of Redlands, 1200 East Colton Ave. Refreshments, but not a full dinner, will be provided.</p>

<p>There's no fee to watch but reservations are requested. Harrison said he's hoping to draw a full crowd of Redlanders to the event.</p>

<p>Information: (909) 798-7511.<br />
</p>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:16:51 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Council says &quot;yes&quot; to Promenade deal</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>There weren't a lot of fireworks at Tuesday's City Council sessions, hence the focus on the Redlands Bicycle Classic in the print edition of The Sun. The biggest news of the evening was the council's approval of a development agreement with Chicago-based General Growth Properties concerning the Redlands Promenade, a planned shopping center that would be built south of the 10 Freeway, west of Eureka Street.</p>

<p>The four-year deal locks in the city's existing development rules and fee schedule. The agreeement also commits City Hall to install traffic signals around the project and make other "regional improvements" such as sewer and drainage improvements. The agreement describes these regional improvements as work that "was contemplated to be constructed by the City without regard to the proposed Project."</p>

<p>The council voted 4-0 to seal the deal, Councilman Jerry Bean recused himself, explaining that he had a conflict of interest relating to a source of income.</p>

<p>Martin Vahtra of General Growth Properties said the company could pull building permits within a month's time.</p>

<p>"Our goal is to get into the ground as quickly as we possibly can," he told council members.</p>

<p>Other City Council actions on Tuesday included:</p>

<p>-The council voted 5-0 to approve a lease agreement with Omnipoint Communications, AKA T-Mobile, that's needed for the company's plans to build a cell tower at Hillside Memorial Park, which is the city-run cemetery. </p>

<p>The deal calls for T-Mobile to shell out $1,999 per month for the first year of contract. T-Mobile's monthly payments would jump to $2,100 for the next four years. After the first five years of the term, the city can hike rents by 18 percent for the next five-year term.</p>

<p>T-Mobile does not yet have the ability to construct the tower. The Planning Commission has yet to grant that permit.</p>

<p>No one at the meeting spoke in opposition to the proposed tower. A different T-Mobile tower that's been proposed to be built near homes along Country Club Drive has aroused serious opposition among a group of neighbors who have protested that proposal based on their worries about the radio frequency-emitting tower posing a possible health risk and an unwelcome sight from their homes.</p>

<p>-The council accepted an $18,750 donation from the Redlands Noon Kiwanis Club for landscaping along Eureka Street's median between Pearl Street and Redlands Boulevard. Several motorists entering Redlands from the 10 Freeway use Eureka Street and it's no exaggeration to say that area could use a little sprucing up, given its proximity to some vacant land and a few buildings that have seen better days.</p>

<p>Mayor Jon Harrison recused himself from the formal vote to accept the money because his employer, ESRI founder Jack Dangermond, was one of the donors.</p>

<p>-The closed session agenda included contract negotiations between Harrison and City Manager N. Enrique Martinez. There was no report of any decision made at the council meeting.</p>

<p>Martinez was hired as City Manager in March of last year. He then inked a five-year contract with a base salary of $218,000. While new to Redlands, Martinez had a rocky relationship with inland media outlets (including The Sun) that stemmed from coverage of the fact that he was hired while on administrative leave from duties with the city of Lynwood.</p>

<p>Martinez's defenders in Redlands said at the time that he was being retaliated against for refusing to comply with unethical behavior in Lynwood, a city that's not exactly known as a home to transparent and effective governance. The Los Angeles Wave newspaper has recently reported that three former Lynwood council members - including a pair who were in office when Martinez worked in Lynwood - have been ordered to stand trial on charges of misusing public funds.</p>

<p>During the past year, Martinez's achievements include the city's first balanced budget after five straight years of spending-heavy budgets and a reorganization of city offices, including the much-trumpted "One Stop Permit Center" that was intended to make it easier for people to do business with the city.</p>

<p>Although some of Martinez's ideas have fallen flat (remember the Mill Creek water rate plan?) council members have consistently  told this blogger that they've been pleased with his work in Redlands over the past year.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/04/council_says_yes_to_promenade.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:38:17 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>New community development chief in town</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Redlands has a new department head in place at City Hall.</p>

<p>The Redlands Daily Facts, The Sun's sister paper, has reported that Oscar Orci has started work this week as director of the city's Community Development Department.</p>

<p>Orci most recently worked in Banning, where he held the same position for three years. Community Development is where plans for new homes and businesses get processed, so the business that goes on there is important to all the Redlanders who want to see more economic development occur and/or concerned about the possibility that some parts of town (like San Timoteo Canyon) may be the scene for too much construction.</p>

<p>Orci's arrival at City Hall follows the Rosemary Hoerning's entry into Redlands government. This blog reported last week that Hoerning started work as Redlands' Municipal Utilities & Engineering chief after serving as Upland's assistant public works director.</p>

<p>Here's the entire article as published on the Daily Facts' Web page:</p>

<p>City welcomes Orci<br />
By JESSE B. GILL, Staff Writer<br />
Article Launched: 03/26/2008 12:20:22 PM PDT</p>

<p><br />
New Community Development Director Oscar Orci. REDLANDS - The city has filled one of its holes at the department head level. <br />
New Community Development Director Oscar Orci spent part of his second day on the job in a Planning Commission meeting, where he was formally introduced by Assistant Community Development Director Robert Dalquest. </p>

<p>Dalquest served as the interim community development director following the January retirement of Jeff Shaw, who held the position for 21 years. </p>

<p>"It's been three months since Jeff retired," Dalquest said. "We'll be using Oscar's experience to deal with the land-use issues we deal with." </p>

<p>Orci joins the Redlands city staff after a three-year stint as community development director for the city of Banning, where he approved plans for thousands of houses. </p>

<p>"I counted projects for over 4,000 homes," Orci said. </p>

<p>Before working in Banning, Orci has worked in La Quinta, Rolling Hills Estates and the city of Torrance. He said he has worked almost exclusively in a supervisory capacity in his 20 years of working in urban planning after graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in city planning. According to Dalquest, Orci's experience will prove to be an invaluable resource to Redlands' Planning Department. </p>

<p>"Oscar will bring his experience in working with other cities to help us with the way we do business," he said. </p>

<p>When Orci described his decision to come to Redlands, he said he wanted to be a part of the deliberate </p>

<p>plan of development of one of the most historically rich communities in Southern California. <br />
"All I had heard is that Redlands was a tough city but it was also a beautiful city," Orci said. "I can only imagine that the two things are related. I've heard that the city's careful about their development here. They want controlled, orderly development with a nice aesthetic." </p>

<p>Orci said he is glad to join the Redlands city staff and get to work on moving projects through the Planning Department. </p>

<p>"It's a welcome challenge. There's a great professional organization and staff here," Orci said. </p>

<p>Orci said it might be too early to start thinking about his specific goals for Redlands as he is still getting acquainted with his surroundings, but he said he has some ideas about the direction he'd like to see Redlands take. He said Redlands' commitment to being environmentally friendly is an attitude he will be able to bring over from his time in Banning. He also wants to help the planning department to continue to preserve the unique look of Redlands. </p>

<p>City Manager N. Enrique Martinez also welcomed Orci and his experience to the Redlands city staff. </p>

<p>"We're very happy to have him on board," Martinez said. "He's worked for four cities in the past and he will definitely be an asset to our organization." </p>

<p>Tuesday's Planning Commission meeting was a short one, wrapping up in just under an hour, and Orci said he liked what he saw. </p>

<p>"So far so good," he said. "But this is only my second day." </p>

<p><br />
E-mail Staff Writer Jesse B. Gill at jgill@redlandsdailyfacts.com</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/new_community_development_chie.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:55:51 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Prisoner reentry</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The Inland Empire Cops & Clergy Network's forum on prisoner reentry is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning.</p>

<p>Prison overcrowding and the Sacramento's ongoing budget deficits raise the possibility that several prisoners will be granted early release. </p>

<p>That's not a certainty, however. Word from the California prison guards' union is that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's announced plan to shunt more than 22,000 nonviolent prisoners from their cells as a cost-saving measure is merely a scare tactic to make other unpleasant  budget choices (e.g. taxes) a more palatable. </p>

<p>Only time will tell whether thousands of inmates will be released ahead of schedule. But unless California wants to start handing out life sentences to car thieves and stick-up artists, criminals will eventually be back on the streets regardless of what happens.</p>

<p>Thursday's forum is intended to spur discussion on what can be done to transform ex-cons to productive individuals. The Cops & Clergy Network wants to establish an environment where churches and law enforcers create a system to make rehabiliation actually happen.</p>

<p>Members of the public can attend, but there is a $25 fee at the door. The event is scheduled to be held from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Day Harvest City Church, 1125 B Research Drive in Redlands.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/prisoner_reentry.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:45:06 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>More on Wackenhut</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>I received an anonymous phone call from a reader who asked why a story that ran in Monday's edition of The Sun headlined "A boon to police" did not mention an earlier problem involving a Wackenhut employee who served time for sexual assualt.</p>

<p>It's a fair question. Florida-based Wackenhut provides custody services for Redlands (and Rialto) Police and Monday's article followed up a previous report that Redlands and Wackenhut each agreed to pay a local woman a $22,500 settlement after she alleged she was sexually assaulted by another inmate when a Wackenhut employee was supposed to be watching her.</p>

<p>The answer to the reader's question is simple. I didn't catch the previous case (the defendent was Darrell Jeffers) when I did an archive search for any local problems involving custody officers. In the article, police offered a case that Wackenhut and other contractors give departments the ability to keep officers on the street while contract emplouees deal with arrestees. </p>

<p>Although I did not ask Redlands Police about the Jeffers case when I wrote my article, police Capt. Tom Fitzmaurice said the downside to contracting for custody officers is that police doesn't have as much control over staffing issues as they would if custody officers were hired directly by the city. San Bernardino Police Lt. Scott Paterson, who also had positive things to say about outsourcing, similarly said last week that if his city hired its own custody officers, San Bernardino officials could conduct their own background checks on jailers.</p>

<p>It would be also fair to mention that Paterson said some contract officers have gone on to become city police officers. It's not this blogger's place to say whether cities should or should not outsource their jail operations. However, the reader who left the phone call was correct that the article could have provided a more complete picture on the history of the issue.</p>

<p>Here's an article from eight years ago on the Jeffers case:</p>

<p>Police say incarcerated jailer</p>

<p>sexually attacked second woman</p>

<p>PALM SPRINGS  A former jailer serving a one-year sentence for having sex with a female prisoner at the Redlands jail now faces allegations that he sexually attacked a woman at the Palm Springs jail.</p>

<p>Darrell Jeffers, 41, of Beaumont remained in West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday, where he is serving the one-year sentence for sexual battery.</p>

<p>But police recommended this week that the Riverside County  district attorney’s office charge Jeffers with 25 counts of oral copulation and one count of rape with a foreign object in connection with the allegations of a 30-year-old female inmate of the Palm Springs jail.</p>

<p>The woman alleges Jeffers sexually abused her multiple times at the Palm Springs jail from January 1998 to April 1999, police said.</p>

<p>Jeffers was transferred to the Redlands jail in November and was arrested April 6 on the sex charges there.</p>

<p> Moreno Valley resident Ranette Sanchez told police that Jeffers groped her, forced her to expose her breasts and subjected her to an unreasonable search while she was in custody at the Redlands jail in October on an outstanding warrant.</p>

<p>She said Jeffers called her at home and sexually harassed her even after she was released.</p>

<p>At the time Jeffers was a contract employee hired as a custody specialist through Wackenhut Corp. He was fired after the allegations were filed.<br />
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         <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:07:42 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Rental plan moves forward</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The City Council decided Tuesday to move forward with an effort to craft a new law that would increase regulations for rental properties.</p>

<p>The proposal is not yet completed, but the council voted 4 to 1 to continue work on a law that would require landlords to purchase a rental license, register contact information with the city and allow inspections of apartments and rental homes.</p>

<p>Council members also favored a provision in the law that would allow landlords to reduce licensing fees by participating in the Crime Free Multi-Housing program, which this blogger understands to be an educational effort to teach landlords how to keep unsavory people away.</p>

<p>The plan boils down to a proposal to give code enforcement more resources and more authority to go after irresponsible landlords. Jerry Bean, who cast the sole vote against the proposal, voiced his concern that overly-aggressive inspections could result upstanding landlords getting caught up in a bureaucratic tangle.</p>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:10:00 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Taxes?</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The possibility of new taxes has returned to Redlands. City Council members and high-level staffers gathered during the evening for a goal-setting workshop, during which City Manager N. Enrique Martinez lamented that his colleagues were more interested in naming things they wanted to do (like build a new police station) than looking for new ways to pay for city business.</p>

<p>"I didn't see anything about going to the public. We need to raise fees," Martinez said. "We can't do this all by balancing the budget."</p>

<p>After some discussion, Councilman Jerry Bean suggested that City Hall explore the possibility of collecting more revenue by raising Redlands' paramedic tax. Bean's remark seemed wasn't so much a specific proposal to increase that levy than an indication of his willingness to increase taxes if citizens would agree that City Hall needs more cash.</p>

<p>"That should be a major objective, to look for revenue streams that would be palatable to the public," he said.</p>

<p>The City Council recently nixed an unpopular proposal that would have collected new revenues through a water rate hike (possibly as high as 15 percent). The complicated reasoning behind that proposal centered around Martinez's contention that a decades-old accounting error meant that the city's water utility owed money to the general fund; thus new water revenues could have been transferred to the general fund. </p>

<p>Bean, a fiscal conservative, strongly opposed that idea on the basis of his view that Martinez had essentially proposed a stealth tax. However, during that controversy, Bean never said he was adamantly opposed to new taxes. His insistence was that City Hall should be more straightforward in asking Redlanders for money. New taxes require a public vote, something that would not have been required if the above-mentioned water rate proposal went forward.</p>

<p>Councilmembers Mick Gallagher and Pat Gilbreath sounded reluctant to go forward with new taxes. Both stressed the idea that City Hall has some work to do before Redlanders would be willing to open their pocketbooks.</p>

<p>"We've got to build the trust margin," Gilbreath said. "One year is not going to do it. They're still watching us."</p>

<p>Martinez became City Manager in April. Since then, he convinced the council to pass a balanced budget law and shepherded through a balanced budget after a five-year period during which the council used savings to pay for city business while allowing planned expenses to exceed revenues.</p>

<p>In a similar workshop held about 11 months ago, Martinez publicly broached the possibility of new taxes. Redlanders debated proposals to hike sales and bed taxes over the summer while also discussing a proposal create a new business license tax for distribution centers. </p>

<p>Of those three proposals, only the distribution center tax made it onto the ballot. City voters ratified the tax in November.</p>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:26:12 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Cancer expert: Cell tower won&apos;t kill you</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>John Morgan, a doctor of public health with the California Cancer Registry, said on the phone today that a proposed cell tower wouldn't elevate cancer risks around a south Redlands neighborhood.</p>

<p>The California Cancer Registry collects statewide data on cancer. Morgan said he wouldn't be able to justify diverting resources from a known cancer risk like tobacco use to focus on public worries about cell towers.</p>

<p>He noted that people opposed to cell towers for various reasons often zero in on fears that the technology will increase cancer risks.</p>

<p>"People will use cancer as an argument for things they want or don't want," he said.</p>

<p>Cell company T-Mobile has proposed a new tower that would be built in the 1900 block of Country Club Drive. The 60-foot tower would be disguised as a cypress tree and surrounded by homes.</p>

<p>Several residents went to City Hall at 9a.m. Monday to speak against the proposed tower at Monday's Environmental Review Committee meeting. Objections to the tower included a possibly negative affect on area aesthetics, property values and concerns about increased risks of cancer.</p>

<p>The speakers included Javier Sanchez, who identified himself to the panel as a doctor working for Kaiser Permanente. Cell phone towers transmit radio frequencies (RF), and Sanchez told panel members that he has read studies showing that exposure to RF energies can increase risk of lymphoma, endocrine cancer, brain cancer and melanoma.</p>

<p>However, the Federal Drug Administration and World Health Organization report that cell towers are not likely to pose serious cancer risks. Although Monday's hearing was conducted under the understanding that federal law prohibits local governments from blocking cell towers on the basis of health concerns, tower opponents argued that there is enough medical uncertainty to insist that city officials be as cautious as possible.</p>

<p>T-Mobile wants to build the tower on city-owned land, and Redlands would get $25,000 annually if the City Council ultimately approves a lease with the cell phone company. Tower opponent Scott Reading contended that since the proposal centers on city property, Redlands officials are not bound to approve T-Mobile's plan.</p>

<p>"The city, in its capacity as owner of the property, can lease to whomever it wants," Reading said.</p>

<p>If Morgan, the FDA and WHO are correct that the cell towers are not dangerous, that still wouldn't answer the question of how close cell phone companies should be allowed to build homes to residences. Many people could still object to towers on the basis of not wanting to look at them when they look out their backyards.</p>

<p>But a T-Mobile representative said Monday that the proposed tower is needed to solve some customers' complaints of poor cell service around southern Redlands. Take away cancer concerns and there's still enough of an issue to motivate residents to attend something as dry as a public hearing.</p>

<p>The environmental panel ended the meeting by deciding to hold future discussions in late April.</p>]]></description>
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         <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:25:11 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>New utilities director hired</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Redlands has a new face in town.</p>

<p>Rosemary Hoerning, most recently Upland's assistant public works director, is now head of Redlands' Municipal Utilities and Engineering Department.</p>

<p>The department was formed by recent merger of the Public Works and Municipal Utilities departments. The hybrid agency is in charge of water delivery, wastewater and streets.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/new_utilities_director_hired.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:17:58 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>Superintendent Rhodes: No teacher layoffs</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>Here's a nod to David James Heiss of the Redlands Daily Facts for covering the Redlands Unified School District's board meeting on Tuesday night. </p>

<p>This blogger spent Tuesday night covering a gay marriage debate at University of Redlands that avoided controversy on the touchy topic since neither of the speakers actually opposed legal recognition for same-sex couples. The debate was little more than a friendly argument on whether the government should use the word "marriage" or phrases like "civil union" and "domestic partnership" to describe same-sex couples.</p>

<p>I'm expecting my story on the debate to appear in Thursday's issue of The Sun. In the meantime, here's The Fact's rundown of the school board meeting.</p>

<p>School district avoids layoffs<br />
David James Heiss, Staff Writer<br />
Article Launched: 03/12/2008 02:08:20 PM PDT</p>

<p><br />
The Redlands Unified School District anticipates having a balanced budget through the next couple of years, despite a $16 billion state budget shortfall that will reduce district revenues. <br />
Vince Christakos, assistant superintendent of business services, explained at Tuesday evening's school board meeting how the district can expect to meet budget demands without layoffs. </p>

<p>Christakos presented the district's second interim financial report during the meeting. </p>

<p>Multi-year assumptions for the district include a 4.94 percent cost of living adjustment for next year, and a cost of living adjustment reduction to 3 percent for 2009-10; a flat 6.99 percent deficit; no growth; 3 percent annual rise in utility expenses; half of Citrus Valley High School's start-up costs next year and start-up costs for Citrus Valley in 2009-10; and anticipated additional budget reductions in 2009-10. </p>

<p>The district expects an $8.9 million deficit for this year and an additional $5.5 million loss next year. </p>

<p>Due to higher interest rates on cash reserves and higher rents from district-owned citrus groves near Redlands East Valley High School, and an unexpected rise by 75 in the average daily attendance for this fiscal year, revenues increased. </p>

<p>Revenues for the first interim of 2007-08 were $166,862,309; and for the second interim they were $169,600,882. </p>

<p>Expenditures for the first interim were $175,787,417; and for the second interim expenditures were $175,069,513. </p>

<p>Ending balances were $11,624,428 and $15,080,904, respectively, with beginning balances of $20,549,535 and $20,549,535. </p>

<p>During closed session, the school board approved eliminating general fund contributions for three elementary school assistant principals, effective in June. </p>

<p>The three people, identified only by employee numbers, will be offered teaching positions or other administrative positions, or their respective schools may use categorical funding to maintain their salaries. </p>

<p>Superintendent Lori Rhodes itemized a budget reduction plan for 2008-09, which included a hiring freeze that will save the district $1.1 million, and consolidating campus kitchens to reduce encroachment and combining them into a newly opened central kitchen, which would save $1,450,000 annually. </p>

<p>The district would also eliminate roving teachers-on-assignment and keep them permanently in singular classrooms, while leaving seven classified positions, two counselor positions and two high school support teaching positions vacant, which would save an additional $800,000. </p>

<p>By reducing administrative and clerical staff through attrition and increasing bus and field trip rates, and relying on state and music art funds to support arts programs, the district could save an additional $1,377,000. </p>

<p>Her cuts included the elimination of maintaining the three assistant principal positions using general funds. </p>

<p>Rhodes expressed regret in having to make program cuts, but told the board, "I believe our criteria to determine which items we put on this list keeps cuts as far away from the classrooms as possible. </p>

<p>She also said the district promised to "continue to maintain accessibility of our programs for our students. We were cognizant of the effects layoffs would have," and assured "RUSD will not be issuing layoff notices" this year, because the human resources department has closely monitored retirements and attrition. </p>

<p>Board member Ron McPeck said, "The district must operate within the parameters the state gives us, and so we get to do the dirty work our state legislatures don't want to do," despite his observations that the Legislature has the capacity to raise funds while the district does not. </p>

<p>In other action, the district adopted a resolution to grant an easement and substructure conveyance to Verizon California Inc. at Citrus Valley High School. </p>

<p>The district also announced the hiring of Scott Bohlender, assistant superintendent of educational services for Rim of the World Unified, as Redlands' next assistant superintendent of educational services, which was the position Rhodes held for several years before being promoted to superintendent at the beginning of February. </p>

<p><br />
E-mail Staff Writer David James Heiss at dheiss@redlandsdailyfacts.com</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/superintendent_rhodes_no_teach.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:48:30 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>More cameras for downtown Redlands</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The Police Department is on pace to increase its use of surveillance cameras in Redlands following the City Council's decision to favor a plan called the "Downtown Security Enhancement Program."</p>

<p>The council voted 4 to 1 in favor of the plan on Tuesday. Councilman Jerry Bean voted no because he objected to the use of redevelopment funds to buy camera technology.</p>

<p>"If we use the RDA (Redevelopment Agency) as a piggy bank, we are going down a very dangerous path," said Bean, who argued that redevelopment money would be better used on infrastructure improvements and brick-and-mortar type projects.</p>

<p>The plan calls for the purchase of 30 new cameras, many of which would be placed Downtown. </p>

<p>"We're almost positive that we'll be able to push the images to officers' cars," Police Chief Jim Bueermann said.</p>

<p>The plan calls for the electronic eyes to be used at intersections, parking areas, pedestrian areas and "ingress and egress points."</p>

<p>The council, acting as the board of directors for the Redlands Redevelopment Agency, approved the use of $252,400 in RDA funds for the cameras. The entire plan could cost $550,000. The difference would be financed through multiple grants.</p>

<p>During Tuesday's meeting, Bean and interim redevelopment director Steve Dukett both seemed to be at least a little ticked off during the debate over whether it would be appropriate to spend RDA funds on a public safety program.</p>

<p>Bean contended that the project should be financed by the general fund, but Dukett offered his view that the cash-strapped city would not be able to allocate general fund dollars to new cameras.</p>

<p>"I would suggest that you would not have funds to do this for the next several years," Dukett said.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/more_cameras_for_downtown_redl.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:34:46 -0800</pubDate>
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         <title>City salaries</title>
         <description><![CDATA[<p>The City Council is likely to approve an $11,000 increase to staffers' salaries during Tuesday's 3 p.m. meeting.</p>

<p>The proposal is listed as a consent calendar item. Those are generally approved as a package without debate.</p>

<p>The estimated cost to increasing the maximum monthly salary for the city's top staffers (including Police Chief Jim Bueermann, Fire Chief Jim Drabinski and Finance Director Tina Kundig) is estimated to cost the city $6,000.</p>

<p>The remaining $5,000 would come from raising pay for four lower level postions that are benchmarked off the minimum wage. The state minimum wage increased to $8 per hour at the start of the year.</p>

<p>The salary increases would be approved as part of a resolution that also reassigns various city positions to different departments to be consistent with recent reorganizations of Redlands bureaucracy. For example, parks and trees positions would be switched from Public Works to the new Quality of Life Department.</p>

<p>One notable change is the near-elimination of the City Treasurer's Office. Seven positions, including Assistant City Treasurer, would be transferred from the Treasurer's Office to a new Revenue Division within the Finance Department.</p>

<p>The Finance Department would absorb Treasurer's Office duties in the wake of criminal charges being filed against Treasurer Mike Reynolds last year. In December, Reynolds pleaded not guilty to the District Attorney's allegation that he misappropriated public funds by transferring about $38,000 from an account under his control to the city's general account. </p>

<p>Reynolds' attorney, Patrick Milligan, said he had no comment on the potential transfer of city employees out of his client's office. </p>

<p>He did offer a comment on Reynolds' case.</p>

<p>"We're just in the process of putting together the case together for trial," Milligan said.</p>

<p>Reynolds next court appearance is a disposition and reset hearing set for April 16, according to the District Attorney's Web site.</p>]]></description>
         <link>http://www.insidesocal.com/sb/redwords/2008/03/city_salaries.html</link>
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         <pubDate>Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:16:38 -0800</pubDate>
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