Page 1 - The Friday Flyer ● JUNE 14, 2019

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • JUNE 14, 2019

Street Carts of CL to host Canyon Canines caters CL summer Taco
to local dogs Tuesdays are back

community Poker Run Pg. A7 Pg. A14 Pg. A22

Pack, Wrap and Post Debby

Gagnon,
owner of
celebrates 24 years and Post,
Pack, Wrap

celebrates
24 years in
business.
BY DONNA RITCHIE a hobby business she had of wrapping and mailing
EDITOR, THE FRIDAY FLYER gift packages. That business was called Pack, Wrap
Debby Gagnon has been packing, wrapping and and Post.
posting for nearly a quarter of a century. It was 24 Pack, Wrap and Post became an official United
years ago this month that she opened the community’s States Contract Postal Unit in June 1995. Today,
local post office, Pack, Wrap and Post. Her business Pack, Wrap and Post offers mailbox rental, certified
is one of few businesses in the Canyon Lake that have and international mail services, registered mail,
survived for the long haul. stamps and services such as notary, FAX, document
Debby and her family relocated from Redondo scanning, copies and packing and shipping supplies.
Beach to Canyon Lake in December 1986. The family Debby said she loves everything there is to love
owned an independent insurance adjusting firm, which about being a small businesses owner. She also
they were able to relocate to their home in Canyon loves Canyon Lake.
Lake and eventually to a space in the Towne Center. “Part of why I fell in love with Canyon Lake
A business called Mail World was located next door is because we are Small Town USA,” Debby said.
to their office. When the owner decided to close the “You can get involved in this community and, if you
business, he asked Debby if she would be interested in want to put in the time, you can make a difference.”
taking over his 12 mailboxes. She agreed. And that is what Debby has done – as a resident,
At first, it was just a side business, with the insur- as a business owner and as an organizer of numerous
ance adjusting business and later construction being community events. She is the recipient of both Busi-
the family’s main sources of income. “Since I never ness of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards.
intended to open up a mailing business, I was basi- Debby has been active in the Canyon Lake Cham- PHOTO BY KRISTA SMITH
cally flying by the seat of my pants and learning on the ber of Commerce for more than 24 years. “I jumped
way,” said Debby. She incorporated the mailboxes into uuCONTINUED PAGE A16

City to address rising

fire protection costs

With Canyon Lake’s contract for cording to the city, these drastic increas-
fire protection and emergency med- es have thrown the city’s budget into a
ical services expiring at the end of the structural deficit. If not corrected, the
month, the City Council on city’s budget deficit of nearly $670,000
Wednesday night faced an- will quickly eat away at its General
other proposed agreement Fund reserves, estimated at $3.7 mil-
with the County of River- lion.
side that demanded signifi- As the current budget situation is
cant cost increases in order for the not sustainable, the City Council and
county to continue providing these city staff are in the process of evaluat-
services to Canyon Lake. ing potential options. In order to solicit
Since 2014, the amount the county public input, and in the interest of full
has charged the city for providing transparency, the City Council is hold-
fire protection and emergen- ing a special meeting on Monday, June
cy medical services has risen 17, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber
from $1,262,969 to an esti- at City Hall.
mated $2,264,080, an increase Following a staff presentation and
of more than 79 percent in just five public input, the Council will deliber-
years. ate and vote on the proposed 12-month
City revenues, while also growing, agreement with the county for fire pro-
have not been able to keep pace. Ac- tection and emergency medical services.