1999 Press Releases

(Santa Ana) - Additional information from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) over the weekend proved that there must really be a Santa Claus. Despite the Christmas Eve announcement of $2.4 million in grants for homeless programs, further releases bring the total to $6.8 million, announced Chuck V. Smith, Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

(Santa Ana) - The doors of the Santa Ana and Fullerton National Guard Armories open today to provide emergency shelter, along with enhanced services to help end the cycle of homelessness. Both armories are tentatively scheduled to remain open seven days a week through March 31.

(Santa Ana) - The Orange County Board of Supervisors this morning voted unanimously to initiate a Tender Offer program for the County's outstanding 1994A, 1996A and 1997A Pension Obligation Bonds (POBs). The Board is in a special meeting today for strategic financial planning.

(Santa Ana) - More than 100 representatives of non-profit organizations, state agencies, Orange County cities and County agencies will meet tomorrow to discuss ways to address the needs of the county's homeless and low-income residents. Representatives are also expected from the offices of Senator Barbara Boxer, Congressman Ed Royce and Assemblyman Scott Baugh.

(Santa Ana) - Orange County's Proposition 10 Children and Families First Commission will meet at 9 a.m., October 4 in the Planning Commission meeting room of the County Hall of Administration building, Santa Ana Blvd. and Broadway in Santa Ana.

(Santa Ana) - An Orange County program to streamline information became one of 12 programs named this week as the most creative in the state. The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) chose the innovative approach by the office of the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to receive one of CSAC's Challenge Awards. This year there were 176 entries from 36 counties.

NEW YORK, Sep 22, 1999 -- Moody's has raised the ratings on $1.5 billion of outstanding debt of Orange County, California. The stand-alone and underlying ratings on its Pension Obligation Bonds have been upgraded to A1 from Baa2; the underlying rating on the county's 1995 Refunding Recovery Bonds has been upgraded to A1 from Baa3; the underlying rating on the county's 1996 Refunding Recovery Certificates of Participation (COPs) has been upgraded to A2 from Baa2; the ratings on two pre-funded equipment financings and two fixed asset COPs have been upgraded to A2 from Baa3; and the county's equipment lease financing has been upgraded to A3 from Ba1

Santa Ana, Calif. (September 22, 1999) - Moody's Investors Service announced today that it has significantly raised the ratings on $1.5 billion of outstanding debt of Orange County. The County is now the second-highest rated county in California.

(Santa Ana) - The Proposition 10 Commissioners will hold their first formal meeting at 9 a.m. on September 15 in the Planning Commission Hearing Room, 10 Civic Center Plaza in Santa Ana.

(Santa Ana) - El Modena Pride Clean-Up Day will unite 21 County staff members and local officials including Fourth District Supervisor Cynthia Coad, County Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier, City of Orange Mayor Joanne Coontz and Orange Police Chief Andy Romero with more than 200 residents to clean up the El Modena unincorporated area. On September 11, neighbors will reclaim their neighborhoods through efforts such as graffiti removal, trash removal and other cosmetic improvements.

(SANTA ANA) - The Orange County Board of Supervisors last night appointed a physician with clinical, academic, executive administration, and public health experience as the County's Director of Public Health/Health Officer. Dr. Mark B. Horton becomes the County's highest ranking physician and will serve as the Health Care Agency's Medical Director.

(Santa Ana, CA) - More than 114 County employees and volunteers will be recognized tomorrow for their participation in a pilot program to mentor students at Santa Ana's Pio Pico Elementary School. The ceremony begins at 3 p.m. at the Santa Ana Police Department Community Room, 60 Civic Center Drive. White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Mickey Ibarra will be a guest speaker.

(Santa Ana) - The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed this morning to oppose the additional fees being requested by the law firm of Hennigan, Mercer & Bennett that handled bankruptcy-related litigation for the County investment pool.

Santa Ana, Calif. (August 3, 1999) - The Board of Supervisors this morning appointed Dr. Alberto Gedissman and Dr. Peter Hartman as at large members to the Orange County Children and Families First Commission. The appointments and term lengths comply with requirements set out in Proposition 10, the voter-approved Tobacco Tax Initiative and concludes the appointment process bringing the Commission to its full compliment of nine members.

Santa Ana, Calif. (August 3, 1999) - The Board of Supervisors this morning appointed Dr. Alberto Gedissman and Dr. Peter Hartman as at large members to the Orange County Children and Families First Commission. The appointments and term lengths comply with requirements set out in Proposition 10, the voter-approved Tobacco Tax Initiative and concludes the appointment process bringing the Commission to its full compliment of nine members.

(Santa Ana) - The Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council will hold a public forum July 21 to receive comments on unmet child care needs, barriers to accessing child care and other factors impacting those services. The comments will be incorporated into the development of a comprehensive child care plan for Orange County families. The public forum is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. at the Orange County Head Start office, 1440 East First Street, second floor, in Santa Ana.

(Santa Ana) - For 53 years Martin Bentson from Calvary Church in Placentia has volunteered for the Orange County Sheriff's Department in the Correctional Programs Unit. Bentson is one of 11 volunteers who will be recognized by the County of Orange on July 20 at the beginning of the regular Board of Supervisors meeting.

WHAT: County of Orange staff from Finance and Budget will distribute the 1999-00 budget workbook. They will also review highlights of the proposed budget and answer questions from the media.

(SANTA ANA) - The County of Orange has entered into a master agreement to place all public notice advertisements in the Orange County Reporter effective this month.

(SANTA ANA) - Beginning tomorrow the public can use the internet to listen to live audio broadcasts of the Orange County Board of Supervisors meetings. The meetings can be accessed by visiting the County of Orange website at http://www.ocgov.com and clicking "Supervisor's Online." Previously recorded Board meetings are also available on the site.

(Santa Ana) - For the second consecutive year, the County of Orange will participate in the City of Santa Ana's 15th annual Student Government Day. The two agencies will give local high school and junior college students a close-up look at the business of government.

(SANTA ANA) - Tomorrow night begins the first of a three-week pilot program to videotape, then broadcast meetings of the County Board of Supervisors. The three meetings to be taped are those of April 27, May 4 and May 11. The videotaping and production of the meetings are being donated by Time Warner Communications, the television department of Chapman University, and Comcast Cablevision. Tomorrow's evening meeting begins at 6 p.m.

(Santa Ana) - Four County of Orange departments and agencies have joined hands with community members to support National Volunteer Week. Beginning April 23, participants from communities across the county will volunteer their time and muscle in projects such as organizing a clothes drive for at-risk youth and distributing literacy information. Volunteers will also get involved in cleaning up beaches and riverbeds or building new bridges and trails in several county wilderness parks.

(SANTA ANA) - The Board of Supervisors at tomorrow morning's meeting is expected to approve the final step in a revamp of the Housing and Community Development (HCD) Department that was approved in December.

The application period for membership on the Children and Families First Commission has now closed. This commission is being established by the Board of Supervisors to receive and distribute revenue from Proposition 10, the voter-approved Tobacco Tax Initiative. More than 60 applications were received.

(SANTA ANA) - The Orange County Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for membership on the newly established Public Services Access Advisory Committee. This seven-member committee will help the Board achieve its goal of continuing to improve public access to County services.

(SANTA ANA) - The County of Orange's Area Agency on Aging has assistance available to help senior citizens locate appropriate housing. Call 567-7500 to obtain information.

SANTA ANA - Limited water and smoke damage resulting from a small fire last night in the County Hall of Administration in Santa Ana has caused the office of the Clerk of the Board to close for today.

(SANTA ANA) - Paula Burrier-Lund, currently the deputy executive director of the San Diego Housing Commission, has been selected as the County's new director of Housing and Community Development, County Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier announced today.

(SANTA ANA) - Students from Pio Pico Elementary School in Santa Ana will walk from their classrooms to the Board of Supervisors meeting on March 2. They plan to personally thank the 51 County employees who have given up lunch hours for the last four months to voluntarily mentor the students.

State Holds Public Forum on Workforce Plan (SANTA ANA) - The state of California invites the public to comment on the future direction of its workforce during a public review forum from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., February 24 at the County of Orange Community Services Agency, 1300 South Grand Ave., Building B, in Santa Ana.

(SANTA ANA) - Joanne C. Sokolski, Chief of Protocol for the County of Orange, has been twice honored for her work promoting stronger cultural, business and educational ties between the international community and Orange County governments and corporations. Sokolski volunteers an average of 60 hours a week in her position with the County.

(SANTA ANA) - A health care professional with leadership experience from both the private and public sector was named today as director of the County's Health Care Agency (HCA) by County Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier.