[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6528271,"mediaKeyId","3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c","parentId",3411618,"title","Residents, program leaders urge Lake Forest council to restore Boys & Girls Club CDBG funding after recent cut","audioSeconds",1815,"startMs",1354000,"endMs",3169000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c&start=1354&end=3169","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c/thumbnail_1354000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6528271/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Residents-program-leaders-urge-Lake-Forest-council-to-restore-Boys-Girls-Club-CDBG-funding-after-recent-cut","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528271-256a9eb123d291743367fb9191de23d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154049&Signature=aLT06JCkfevUmV3-xHoeKr4GmApNDRt5-0Y81Zo4KhA-XaHKtXB1GWKe2fQm~TX3FIGEt0C94PPlhTFaEFQRyvY1-z21wR3FOC~5SRp6DHES2fZ-ItO7ZAPBCoOBrEMVURuCPDBghowGSRQTYGAJP1KMN4i1vrg1z0FH~aSN4Cr9gnG~3x85xW881R317M-d9QyfidygfeFUj5c2dCU6FoCAGM-7S8qzgFjXKA08FjiltEUAzCDIHCmVYdV92iUPk3N9y26Dum246XG6lIbM3ILRGjzZMfaPK0hNElswKLKIRn0TJ3mcjWrevkTPiKSH7iljjoVqUivFHbsr67mjCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lake Forest, CA","date","2025-05-20T00:00:00Z","article","Lake Forest — Dozens of residents, parents and Boys & Girls Club representatives pressed the Lake Forest City Council on May 20 to restore Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding that council members reduced at a prior meeting.

The most direct appeals came from Terry Anderson, who identified himself as an El Toro resident since 1982 and a Boys & Girls Club board member and treasurer. Anderson apologized for earlier communication gaps and described the club’s operations and staffing needs, saying the program “spends 75% of its money, give or take, on staff” and relies on community support because it provides programs at no charge to families.

Pam Estes, chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, said the club served about 150 Lake Forest young people in the last 12 months through out‑of‑school programs and that operating Mountain View cost the organization “over $150,000 a year.” She said enrollment at the Mountain View site was 32 children and that the program depends on community support: “We never turn anyone away because of financial circumstances.”

Several residents described childcare gaps that they said the local club helps fill. Morgan Sibley, a Lake Forest parent, said both she and her husband work full time and face a limited supply of affordable after‑school care; without community programs like the Boys & Girls Club, she said, families may be driven to expensive private preschool alternatives.

Other public speakers—including Reid Buck, Lindsay Buck, Andrea Alexandra and Joyce Ardo—expressed disappointment that the council reduced the club’s allocation. Reid Buck, a teacher who said he represents students in primarily Asian American schools, praised the council for recent heritage month proclamations but criticized the process used to change CDBG allocations without public input. “No last minute changes should ever be made without an open hearing for the public to voice their support or opposition,” Buck said.

Multiple speakers linked the club’s finances to the council’s May 6 budget actions. Commenters said the council cut the Boys & Girls Club allocation from a staff recommendation of $12,000 to $7,000 at that meeting; Mayor Pro Tem (name not specified) told the speakers on May 20 that the grant amount approved would be $7,568 after a HUD adjustment. Speakers asked the council to restore the $12,000 allocation or to reopen the discussion.

Council members acknowledged the comments and the challenges of distributing limited CDBG funds. Council Member Serbo and Council Member Yu urged improved communication between the city and nonprofit partners; several council members said staff and the Boys & Girls Club have been in conversation since the May 6 decision and expressed appreciation for the nonprofit’s community work. No motion to revise the prior CDBG allocation was made at the May 20 meeting.

Why it matters: CDBG allocations fund local social services that provide affordable child care and youth programming; speakers warned that cuts to a single program can reduce options for working families and for low‑income households.

What’s next: Commenters asked the council to contact the Boys & Girls Club and to consider restoring funding at a future meeting. City staff and some council members said they will continue coordination with the nonprofit; no formal action to change the May 6 allocation was taken on May 20.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Regular Meeting May 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lake Forest — Dozens of residents, parents and Boys & Girls Club representatives pressed the Lake Forest City Council on May 20 to restore Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding that council members reduced at a prior meeting.","taxTitle","Lake Forest City, Orange County, California","taxId",4518,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528264,"Council awards construction contract for Heroes Park field renovations to reduce ponding and improve safety",426,3937000,4363000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c&start=3937&end=4363","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c/thumbnail_3937000.jpg","/articles/6528264/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Council-awards-construction-contract-for-Heroes-Park-field-renovations-to-reduce-ponding-and-improve-safety","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528264-b0b09a8d593a52370eb4503c93f7ba8d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154049&Signature=UDxGE92ymNuRPZe5yS1-So7qbdmPy1LFerSTh0gS78Jh-GAmkq78oRBdMRVNiTkEN49aBoJIgpl5qraMDclN1w-NFfeVQaWuYAFTwYLKa8dN7z27nIGWqNBxIcL6e9qWuVX2kB4lroWQ-i-RCUkigz9momDC6ZSMNapuK7R2fMu8pJ3gCQxvRFkwOA20~fmN9XBYSl8CSz9D9NXc7OaoxOwVKvsw0XD4~ICBY-nIot-7CFeW-MD~o7awRtNjVX-5VLcjQs~RyU90FESCyZmZhlDwNZUZd5ffnE12DmAql1V3WSbBK14fe6NtwPj0P8q1ub0Pfp-tUe224cduT-zGvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lake Forest — The City Council on May 20 awarded a construction contract to renovate two baseball fields at Heroes Park, approving a more extensive scope than the project’s original estimate to address long‑standing drainage and safety problems.

Maintenance Services Manager Michael McConaughey told the council fields 1 and 4 have not had recent major improvements and that persistent “lips” and uneven grading between infield and outfield cause ponding and safety hazards for players. After design work, staff concluded the remedy requires complete removal and reconstruction of the infields and outfields, laser leveling, new pitching mounds, irrigation changes, warning tracks and permanent outfield fencing.

The expanded scope raised the construction bid above initial estimates. McConaughey said the original simple scope was estimated near $306,000; the final design and bids pushed the total project budget, including construction management and contingency, to about $989,000. McConaughey explained the city added construction management to coordinate concurrent park and lighting projects and to limit change orders.

George Akerian, vice president of the Lake Forest Little League, spoke in support of the renovations, calling Heroes Park “the league’s hub” and noting the fields host hundreds of games and practices: “Enhanced player safety, improved field playability in all weather conditions, reduced maintenance for both the city and the league,” he said.

McConaughey said the city will close portions of the park to vehicular through‑traffic during construction for staging, but pedestrian and bike access will remain. Staff recommended and council approved the contract award with the schedule aiming to complete work through the summer so fields reopen for the Little League season by Labor Day.

Why it matters: The renovations aim to reduce field downtime from rain, improve player safety and enable the park to host tournaments and regular play with standard warning tracks and fencing.

What’s next: Construction is slated to begin after the current Little League season and continue through summer; staff will manage staging and public access during construction. The council approved the contract; the motion passed with the mayor absent.","The Lake Forest City Council approved a construction contract on May 20 to renovate two baseball fields at Heroes Park, including full infield/outfield regrades, new warning tracks, permanent outfield fencing and irrigation revisions; the bid exceeded the original scope and raised the project budget to about $989,000.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528268,"Lake Forest council approves Orange County Sheriff contract adding one deputy for FY 2025–26",1635,4109000,5744000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c&start=4109&end=5744","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c/thumbnail_4109000.jpg","/articles/6528268/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Lake-Forest-council-approves-Orange-County-Sheriff-contract-adding-one-deputy-for-FY-202526","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528268-a021122e54c6e802de53dd600d2f6359/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154049&Signature=CLg9UqxMQt~l31I1K4mwbo0OX8WZNOQJQ0cvsXFSnF-Lr1qrgO1c6rjt3ey4eJ5ysSTwvxdLI4BVrEmJpsYff1marC8WpeTxFg-~tYejvyBQw3S3XLh4rc0dGNx~0FPmC-ACAfqDbGDNJMsIFrg7R4SgCTzX3lZMK23S4UFAJab9yOVNxoon7b6GDw-9ViOuMg~wrFSanexUROggUQuaVjDMaiUumL3SZ0pwP1KD4Qn2seSlwUnurXstzXe57ID6zvJ-1vsLv60zqe2zYEuqjCyuR7AzJMi-yhtqck4dXEKGjUuay~n4w~QIwYCTUxS9hFX0FQ2z9SLReRDENqjNyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lake Forest — The Lake Forest City Council approved a renewed contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on May 20 that includes one additional patrol deputy for fiscal year 2025–26, city staff said.

Deputy City Manager Sean McGovern presented the proposed contract and summarized 2024 statistics. McGovern said the sheriff’s contract is cost‑efficient for the city and noted several performance measures: an increase in calls for service between 2023 and 2024, a small increase in average response time for priority 1 calls (to about 5 minutes, 11 seconds), and a decline in preventive patrol time that staff attributed to increased time consumed by administrative, reporting and non‑priority calls. McGovern said Lake Forest remains below the Orange County average for part‑1 (serious) crimes.

McGovern reported the proposed FY 2025–26 agreement would cost the city about $22.7 million overall — a 6.45% increase over the current contract — and that adding one deputy accounts for about one‑third of the year‑to‑year increase. The city’s long‑range financial forecast, staff said, built in higher contract costs and could absorb the change.

During Q&A, Council Member Tetimer asked whether adding deputies would address the increase in call volume and response time. A sheriff’s representative explained the patrol allocation model: higher consume time (administrative burdens, lengthy follow‑ups and complex social‑service calls) reduces time available for preventative patrol. The sheriff’s representative said adding personnel increases the odds of having available deputies for fast response to priority calls. Council members also asked about data per capita and expressed interest in continuing the patrol staffing evaluation.

Council Member (name not specified in transcript) moved to approve the contract and Council Member Tedermer seconded; council discussion concluded and the mayor declared the item approved. A sheriff’s representative and local chief were present for questions. McGovern said the recommended approach — adding one deputy now and reviewing staffing further in subsequent years — came from the city’s public safety ad hoc group and staffing analysis.

Why it matters: Police staffing levels affect response times, preventative patrol presence and the city’s ability to handle increases in calls for service related to population growth and business development.

What’s next: The contract will take effect for FY 2025–26 and staff said the public safety ad hoc group will continue to analyze staffing needs and potential additions in future years.","Council approved a new contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for fiscal year 2025–26 that adds one deputy to the city’s patrol for the coming year; staff said the addition responds to population growth, rising calls for service and a slight uptick in response times.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6528270,"Lake Forest says traffic signal synchronization cut travel time, cost commuters $2.6 million per year in savings",195,2169000,2364000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c&start=2169&end=2364","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3411618-d44fb183be2e75c423e91040785b773c/thumbnail_2169000.jpg","/articles/6528270/Lake-Forest-City/Orange-County/California/Lake-Forest-says-traffic-signal-synchronization-cut-travel-time-cost-commuters-26-million-per-year-in-savings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6528270-91f517e0dc10cc67887b8daa784955d9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771154049&Signature=PtO9tO6G46I-q0jhUYN711qziFojbr07lMMvSQgi1V-gy5S5NB69RdlkBuQ361AuD~ZxYgqz84ZG2x5~hGGq7WyRkeT0KcKc5kBgZ3LmLGYIL67-7a~GWUBkHyZvsg1UjJ2D8ZmQrecyBFvT90FG-PJdBWjjGdAD9tJLrz0dWOSqKImox-15P6fPAqbXd19ioKWrGZ9sNhsErwIj0x7kBaN6ICesnq01O5FOIG6oF9MKoFFbbOzGaI9YO~SH9aQ3bYF4SoRcU0u5jYWyz6YA4GrmnnJUsMipeXy0Gh--qtLIVfCl440y0OQPDhoII9Kcahysy~wK4cdUx~wsg0VRZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lake Forest — The city presented final results on the Lake Forest traffic signal synchronization project on May 20, saying the corridor upgrades reduced travel times, cut the number of stops and are expected to produce sizable annual savings for commuters.

Traffic Manager Tran Tran told the City Council the project upgraded timing and infrastructure from State Route 133 in Irvine to Portola Parkway, partnering with Caltrans and the cities of Irvine and Laguna Hills. Tran said the work included new video detection systems and upgraded communications from copper to fiber to support real‑time monitoring.

“Reductions in travel times range from 9 to 19%,” Tran said, and he reported reductions in stops and in delays while increasing travel speeds by “10 to 24%.” He said the improvements benefit “over 54,000 drivers each day” and that OCTA’s formula for travel‑time, vehicle maintenance and emissions savings produces an estimated annual benefit of approximately $2,600,000. Tran said the total project cost across partners was about $1,600,000 and that the City of Lake Forest’s share was roughly $275,000, producing a benefit‑cost ratio the city calculated as about 5:1 over three years.

Council members asked how residents should report timing problems. Council Member Cervantes asked for the resident reporting mechanism; Tran pointed to the city’s “Contact Us/Ask Lake Forest” website and app and said reports trigger staff review of logs and real‑time video feeds. Tran also explained the mix of detection systems: upgraded fiber communications, video detection and remaining in‑road sensors.

Council members asked for detail on the $2.6 million savings figure; Tran said it is a cumulative OCTA calculation that includes travel‑time savings, reduced vehicle maintenance and lower fuel emissions.

Why it matters: The project affects a major arterial route used by tens of thousands of daily drivers; improvements in travel time and reliability can affect commute costs, emissions and traffic flow throughout the corridor.

What’s next: Tran said timing plans will be further enhanced over time and staff will monitor resident reports through the city’s portal. No formal council action was required for the presentation.

","City traffic manager reported a completed signal synchronization project along El Toro corridor that the city says reduced stops and travel times, improved detection and is projected to save commuters about $2.6 million annually versus a $275,000 Lake Forest share of the project cost.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents, program leaders urge Lake Forest council to restore Boys & Girls Club CDBG funding after recent cut

Council awards construction contract for Heroes Park field renovations to reduce ponding and improve safety

Lake Forest council approves Orange County Sheriff contract adding one deputy for FY 2025–26

Lake Forest says traffic signal synchronization cut travel time, cost commuters $2.6 million per year in savings