Lake Forest council approves consent items including unarmed security contract; wildlife corridor item continued

The Lake Forest City Council on March 4, 2025 approved routine consent-calendar items that included a one-year agreement for unarmed security guard services and an award of contract for contract administration and construction inspection for El Toro Road projects, and continued consideration of a partner charter for the Irvine–Laguna Wildlife Corridor to a later date.

The consent calendar groups routine matters for a single vote unless a council member or member of the public asks to pull an item for separate discussion. Council members moved and approved the remaining consent items in two motions; items 2, 5 and 6 were approved together after public comment, and item 4 (the wildlife corridor partner charter support) was continued to a future meeting after a council member requested more information and a meeting with the applicant organization.

Public speakers raised concerns before the votes. Resident Andrew O'Connor told the council the unarmed security contract's scope and coordination procedures were “very vague,” asking who would be the city's dedicated account manager and how guards would be deployed and supervised. He asked whether guards would be dedicated to Lake Forest or rotated among assignments and whether they would coordinate with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Another public speaker, Joseph Petit, raised accessibility concerns about the city's parking-permit system during public comment.

Council members acknowledged the public comments and approved the consent items. Council discussion about the continued wildlife-corridor item focused on a desire for more information about the organization’s plans and how its work would relate to Lake Forest. Council authorized a continuance to allow staff and at least one council member to meet with the organization before the council takes further action.

Votes at a glance - Consent calendar (items 1 and 3): approved (unanimous). Motion recorded as passed; individual roll-call votes were not listed in the public transcript. - Consent calendar (items 2, 5 and 6): approved (unanimous). Item 2: minutes of the Feb. 18, 2025 meeting; item 5: agreement for unarmed security guard services; item 6: award of contract for contract administration and construction inspection services for the El Toro Road projects. - Item 4 (partner charter support for the Irvine–Laguna Wildlife Corridor): continued to a date to be determined for additional information and meetings.

Council and staff did not provide additional detail at the meeting on some of the operational questions raised by speakers (for example, the identity of the contract account manager or specific deployment patterns for private guards). Staff indicated they would follow up on requests for further detail and public records as required.

The motions passed unanimously. Councilmembers and staff noted they will return with more information on the continued item and respond to public records requests mentioned during the meeting.