EL TORO UPDATE - APRIL 2001

Base Interim Use:

Earlier this month, my staff and I spent the day at El Toro. Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) Director Gary Simon held an all-day meeting to discuss the direction to take with interim use of the former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. Chuck Smith and his staff, a rep from each Supervisor's office, CABACO staff (the current base maintenance and community services program contractor), and a few LRA staff rounded out the group.

I've got to tell you folks---It is a bit eerie out there; it's a town with everything but the people running all around. It's outrageous that the base is standing there dying. And folks still say the base is simply a loser. I just can't accept that. We simply aren't doing what it takes to get the job done right.

The gist of the day was to decide if there is a better way to run things at the base, to keep costs down. We took the entire morning to review CABACO's operations. The County pays CABACO a significant amount of money to run the Community Services Program operations (CSP), base maintenance, and Master Lease support. Perhaps part of the solution is to change the structure of CABACO's contract and how the County pays them, but that is not enough.

The rest of the day ended up being a sobering discussion of the future full of red ink unless major changes happen very quickly. Yes - I agree, and that is why I have been touting use of the Housing all this time, not to mention, saying yes to the dozens of requests for short term use activities out there. All this time and we have only had three or so events….Come on, who is being fooled here? Not me, and I'm sure not you, the public. We need to start accommodating more events and/or business requests to enter into agreements as soon as possible, rather than make up reasons why we can't fulfill these requests. The response I get is, "but Supervisor, there are amendments and permits and CEQA trip count limitations, etc." I say…..We need to make this stuff work - PERIOD! There is no legitimate reason why that base should not be making money NOW!

Folks, I took a look at the profit/loss statement for the CSPs - it's not good. But that isn't the story-the story is, why? We are to believe that the only activities at the base making money are the child care centers and the agricultural leases. Even the golf course shows a loss! WHAT? The toughest loss to swallow is the RV storage. That program has had a waiting list. Now, finally, after some serious pounding of my fist on the table, we are going to make the Officer's Club available for special events, and we may even put out an RFQ for a caterer to lease the facility. Yes, now we're talking!

Now, on to the big ticket interim uses. The County/LRA/CABACO contracted with a firm at the end of March to do basically a health and safety analysis on about 10 buildings for interim use. Only 10- are they crazy? What about the other 33 or so buildings included in the Master Lease. Maybe I need to blow the wake-up whistle louder this time. I know this can be turned around. We need to just redirect some of the effort the LRA is putting into the airport plan, into the interim use. But wait, maybe that is the problem…..We need to hire someone who makes a business out of leasing commercial space. What a concept! Point some of the spending in the right direction.

That idea may not make my colleagues or the LRA Director happy. I see dollar signs all over that base. Time is the big factor here. My colleagues want to bulldoze buildings and I want to use them. Today is already too late. Stay tuned, I am not letting this issue go by without a fight! Come March 2002, this airport plan will be worthless…..then what--we will have wasted precious time by not activating as many facilities as possible at the base.

Housing:

Yes, I am still very involved with a strategic plan to use the base housing north of Irvine Boulevard. I struck out with my first at bat……I'm still looking for a home run with the City of Irvine, if possible. I'll keep you posted on this issue. It's too important an issue to let go. However, I may need some extra innings before winning this one….so hang in there. I'll keep you posted.