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OPINION PAGES 16-17 COMMUNITY Fullerton bsCeALErNDAvR Peage 1r 3-15 O EAR FULLERTON’S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS • Est.1978 (printed on 20% recycled paper) • Y 40 #15 • MID SEPTEMBER 2018 Submissions: [email protected] • Contact: (714) 525-6402 • Read Online at : www.fullertonobserver.com PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD TAKEOVER ATTEMPT Buried in the September 18th Fullerton City Council agenda under Item #1"Board/Commission/Committee Reorganization” is a proposed amend - ment that would, if passed, dissolve the Fullerton Library Board and replace the members, after their current terms are up, with council members. If passed the pro - posed council takeover of the board will occur in two phases: two council members joining in 2019, and the remaining com - ing on as current library trustee terms expire. In addition, a new library advisory committee will be formed in 2020. The item will be considered at the Tues, Sept 18th council meeting at 6:30pm at city hall, 303 W Commonwealth. "One of the reasons for a Library Board is to provide some insulation from pres - sure of political groups. Turning over all functions to the council will remove any degree of separation,” said former long - time Library Boardmember Vince Buck. Two current councilmembers have spo - ken in public advocating the selling off of the Hunt Branch Library. Councilmember Fitzgerald has ques - THEY WON GOLD : Team USA Junior Pan American Jinen Kai athletes won gold at the international competition. tioned why the city is in the library busi - Congratulations to the team, parents, Dojo Senseis, and Senpais. 21 countries brought over 750 athletes to the competition. Photo shows ness at all and has suggested that the Elite Kata Team Natalie Hertogh, Sierra Estrada, Kaitlyn Shimohara, and Kalea Aradanas training. See page 8 for story. PHOTO BY MARC county could take over and run the Fullerton Public Library. Send message to the council at [email protected] Monitoring Contamination by Jesse La Tour Former President In an effort to protect groundwater wells began construction on September Obama Visits 7 . beneath the cities of Anaheim and 10th and are located along N. Yale Ave. A 7 S D . A standing-room crowd filled the ball - 5 C I Fullerton from which we get 75% of our The construction is expected to take three D 1 U A E . room of the Anaheim Convention Center N P drinking water, the Orange County Water to four weeks. Anyone with issues is asked T D O O E R R on Saturday, Sept. 8th to hear former N T District (OCWD) has begun a study to to call OCWD at (714) 378-8244. G A O R T A S President Barack Obama speak. Tickets to D I E T investigate and establish an area-wide According to a notice sent to neighbors E L N S M R the event were by invitation only. L A cleanup plan for a shallow aquifer that has from OCWD, water in Fullerton is cur - O P R T U P E Though the event was meant to show S F been affected by decades-old manufactur - rently safe to drink. The monitoring wells P ing pollution. This five-mile “plume” of will allow for soil testing, water sampling the difference between Democrat and contaminants is known as the North and mapping of the underlying aquifer. Republican policy, energize voters, and Basin Contamination. OCWD tests water from 1,500 loca - introduce and endorse democratic candi - The current phase of the OCWD proj - tions. When contaminants are found dates running in Orange County, Obama ect includes the installation of eight mon - above the safe level the well is shut down. also spoke to Independents and itoring wells at five locations, including Five wells have been shut down so far due Republicans: one right behind the Fullerton Police to contaminants. “I want to reach out to those…who say Station on Amerige Ave. Two additional to themselves, ‘I don’t recognize what’s continued page 5 going on in Washington right now, that’s T N not what I believe, that’s not who I believe E L by Jane Rands we are as a people and country’...If we L Candidate Forum at Library D A I don’t step up things can get worse.” C S 2 E Over 50 people attended a candidate answering questions asked by moderator, “There has always been a divide S E 0 R I E forum hosted by the Fullerton Barry Ross, Collaborative Boardmember 4 R between those with the politics of hope T V 6 R Collaborative at the Fullerton Library and VP of Healthy Communities at St. - R and the politics of fear,” said Obama. T E E 5 V Community Room on September 10 to Jude Medical Center. S N “Each of us as citizens must step up and 2 D B E 5 hear the candidates respond to issues not say we’re going to fight for the things we A - R O State Assembly District 65 4 typically discussed at such forums. believe in. There is no set of issues that we O R E 1 Republican candidate Alexandria T The Collaborative has a mission “to 7 U H can’t solve if we work together.”See the T C build and support a healthy community Coronado said she was going to send a video https://www.pbs.org/newshour/poli - N representative but didn’t. I for all Fullerton residents.” Member R tics/watch-live-obama-campaigns-for-con - Incumbent District 65 Assembly mem - O groups which focus on empowering at- gressional-candidates-in-california risk youth, health and wellness, homeless - ber Sharon Quirk-Silva responded to ness, and education formulated the ques - questions about reducing the incidence of tions that the candidates were asked. The obesity, taxes on soft drinks to reduce con - False Police Report complete forum can be viewed on the sumption, preparing children for kinder - Fullerton Collaborative Facebook page. garten, homelessness, affordable housing, Charges Filed in City Though all candidates for State childhood poverty, mental health and Manager DUI Case Assembly District 65, OC Supervisor drug addiction services for youth. District 4, and Fullerton City Council Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva said that Former FPD Sargeant Jeffrey Corbett, Districts 3 and 5 were invited to partici - she encouraged healthy eating as a teacher 45, Corona, was charged on Sept. 4 on a 4 pate - a few did not attend the afternoon and when she was Chair of the 3 felony count of filing a false police report 8 N Collaborative they built a garden for the 2 session. in the 2016 DUI incident involving for - R 9 1 O 5 E The Assembly and Supervisor candi - students. More recently, she sponsored AB A mer Fullerton City Manager Joe Felz. 0 T V 7 C dates were questioned individually by 2271 to help schools prepare fresh food R Corbett left the FPD on March 8, 2018. R X N E E for students. While she agreed that reduc - O Debra Stout, Executive Director of the O At 1:30am on Nov. 9, 2016 FPD offi - L S B T ing soda consumption is a good idea, she R Collaborative and a faculty member of the L cers were dispatched to a no-injury single B O E P did not support a tax because many fami - U L College of Health and Human car traffic accident in Fullerton. O L F lies cannot afford it. U Development at CSUF followed by all F candidates for City Council taking turns continued page 2 Continued on page 3 Page 2OBSERVER ELECTION NEWS MID SEPTEMBER 2018 ORANGE C OUNTY D ISTRICT 4 BOARD OF S UPERVISORS (some questions & answers not included due to space) The two County Supervisor Candidates Fullerton Mayor Doug Chaffee and La Habra Mayor Tim Shaw were each questioned separately. Their responses are juxtaposed here to The participating council candidates Greg Sebourn District 3 (second from left), and District 5 council candidates Vicki Calhoun, better compare their views. Jose Castaneda, John Ybarra, Ahmad Zahra and Paulette Marshall Chaffee sat together at the table during the question session. Asked how they could provide better support for health needs, Mr. Chaffee said the county health department continued from frontpage homes period.” She feels that education is Candidate Forum at Library the way to end generational poverty. should “reach out” and assess needs. 65th District Assemblymember Quirk- She also recently co-authored legislation She said the county failed to use the Mr. Shaw recommended continuing Silva said the “First 5 California” program to establish the Orange County Housing Mental Health Services (MHS) funds active transportation projects funded effectively prepares students for school Finance Trust and just prior to the forum received from the state so legislation was by OCTA like the 66 mile OC Bike and that she had worked on a Women’s delivered a $5 million check to Bridges at passed to allow the county to keep the Loop. Caucus Priority Bill to restore funding to Kraemer shelter. She said there is not unspent funds. She further encouraged Both agreed with the Association of early education that had been cut in 2007 enough affordable housing and that we Collaborative members to ask the County California Cities Orange County’s and 2008. are “not building enough [affordable] Supervisors to use the MHS money. (ACCOC) goal of 2,700 permanent supportive housing (PSH) units coun - DISTRICT E LECTION S YSTEM tywide. FULLERTON C ITY C OUNCIL D ISTRICTS 3 AND 5 Mr. Chaffee said he supports the Prior to the candidate questions and Joint Powers Authority Housing Trust answers, Fullerton City Clerk, Lucinda District 5 candidates Vicki Calhoun, • Active Transportation legislation devised by the ACCOC.