INSIDE CITY HALL Here are some decisions...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are some decisions coming out of Wednesday’s meeting of the

Newport Beach City Council.

HARBOR HIGH POOL

The city will up its contribution to Newport Harbor High School

for its swimming pool renovations. The council agreed Wednesday to

budget another $94,000, bringing to $250,000 the city’s contribution

to the $1 million renovations of the pool.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city had agreed to pay a portion of the school district’s cost

to renovate the pool because the city holds recreation and exercise

classes there. Originally, school officials had planned to split the

work into two phases, which would help stretch the cost over two

budget cycles. But when work began, it became clear that it would not

be cost effective to split the job. They decided to do it all at

once, and the council agreed that the city would adjust accordingly

the amount it’s chipping in.

SEASHORE DRIVE STORM DRAIN

The regional water quality control board wants the city to work

harder to clean up pollution at a storm drain that empties into the

Santa Ana River. City officials already feel they’re doing a pretty

good job at implementing a plan to keep pollutants out of the storm

drain.

The council agreed to send a letter Santa Ana Regional Water

Quality Control Board answering the board’s request for an update on

the city’s efforts to limit runoff there.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city will continue with its plan to educate residents near

Seashore Drive about keeping pollutants out of the water, to make dog

waste bags available and install filters in the storm drain.

CABLE TV ORDINANCE

A voluminous ordinance to govern the city’s relationship with

cable TV providers was continued to a later date after the council

agreed that the matter needed more time and attention. The ordinance

will lay the groundwork for the city to negotiate its contracts with

Adelphia and Cox Communications.

WHAT THEY SAID

“This is going to increase our cost of doing business,” said Phil

Urbina, government affairs manager for Adelphia Cable, commenting on

the draft ordinance.

WHAT IT MEANS

No date has been set to bring the matter back before the council,

but the impending expiration of the city’s agreements with its two

cable providers loom early next year. So there’s definitely an

incentive to move along.