Randy Bonner provides State of the City Address

By Randy Bonner
Former Mayor of Canyon Lake.

We had many major accomplishments in 2017. Citizens of Canyon Lake don’t always have the opportunity to attend city council meetings or watch on TV. Therefore, please let me introduce our council members – alphabetically. Council members are elected for a four-year term – serving yearly December to December, which is different than the fiscal year of July 1 through June 30.

Jordan Ehrenkranz is a five-time president of the POA. Jordan is in his 3rd term as a city council member and has served as mayor twice. His wife Jennie is a longtime director on the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Larry Greene is a retired fire chief for the City of Fullerton. This year, Larry is the chair of the City Finance, Administration and Planning Committee and a council member on the City Public Safety Committee. Larry is the president of the Canyon Lake Emergency Preparedness Committee. His wife Sparrow is a registered RN. Together they have a first aid canopy at the annual Fiesta Day and Car Show. Larry is the 2018 mayor pro tem.

Dawn Haggerty has been on the POA Board twice and served as the president of the POA. Dawn was voted by the council members in December 2016 as the 2017 mayor. She’s an active golfer.

Vicki Warren is a paralegal and was an exceptional council member and a supportive mayor pro tem. Vicki’s husband is always a partner in Vicki’s many involvements. Vicki was elected by council members to serve as the 2018 mayor.

Earlier this year, we had monuments installed that now welcome Railroad Canyon Rd. drivers when arriving from Lake Elsinore and Interstate 15 or Menifee and Interstate 215 into Canyon Lake. We hope they will stop by and shop at our Towne Center and Eastport Center visiting the several longtime and new businesses.

Canyon Lake Fire Station 60 reopened officially on Monday, July 3, with grand reopening speeches and a ribbon-cutting on Saturday, July 15. Thank you to the prior two councils that made this happen. The fire station had been closed for two years.

Nothing could make us more pleased than being in the “black” financially as a city in 2017. We appreciate our citizens for their support of the User Utility Tax. Our reserves are increasing. The Finance Committee and city council are carefully “watching” every expense.

We are proud that in 2017 we again became equal partners with the Animal Friends of the Valley and the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force, under the Lake Elsinore San Jacinto Watershed Authority (LESJWA).

In October, a decision regarding cannabis was decided for Canyon Lake. Medical marijuana was passed by the state citizens of California, but recreational, manufacturing, distribution and retail was not something that our citizens desired. While the state can make changes in 2018, it didn’t seem there was any reason to delay. The city’s decision was made in the fall instead of waiting until the end of the year.

Throughout the year, we gave proclamations recognizing those that have supported Canyon Lake. Attending the monthly Lake Elsinore Valley School District Student of the Month luncheon and witnessing Canyon Lake, Lake Elsinore and Wildomar senior high school students who have accomplished so much is impressive. Thank you to the students, their parents, grandparents, teachers and school administrations for making this a regular school year occasion. Sally Meyers and the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce have made this recognition happen.

Two Round-tables continued meeting monthly throughout the year. One Round table included the POA president, general manager and director of administration services; the city’s chief of police and lieutenant; EVMWD director of operations and district 1 director (also a Canyon Lake citizen); a representative of the security company; a city council member and the city manager. Our mission is finding common solutions to enhance the overall efficiencies of our “Bit of Paradise.”

The second Round-table met monthly to search out possible economic developments within the city. Members include the POA general manager; 40 percent owner of the buildings in the Towne Center; the president of the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce; a promenade citizen with 40 years of marketing with IBM and a successful businessman who has developed and built shopping centers throughout the United States; a city council member; city manager and the manager of administrative services.

As 2017 came near to the end, we had two special events in November – the Veterans Day Ceremony and the city’s Tree Lighting with a visit by Santa Claus arriving on our Fire Station 60 fire engine. Enough words cannot be said about the appreciation for the city staff and volunteers who made these events so meaningful.

A happy and prosperous new year to all! 2018 will be incredible under the leadership of the city council and the support of the superb city staff.




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