Camera Club bestows awards B-1
Fate of Fallbrook Golf Club? C-1
Marching Warriors conquer London D-1
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February 4, 2016
Griffiths, Lucy resign from Rainbow Water board
D e L u z , R a i n b ow , C a m p P e ndl e t o n , Pa l a ,
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Volume 20, Issue 5
Could saving trails jeopardize water project?
Debbie Ramsey Managing Editor
Two members of the board of directors of Rainbow Municipal Water District (RMWD) have resigned from their positions. According to Rainbow General Manager Tom Kennedy, Jack Griffiths has resigned his Division 2 seat and Robert (Bob) Lucy his Division 4 position. Lucy resigned his position Jan. 26.
see RESIGN, page A-4
Fallbrook Healthcare District to fund NCFPD ambulance Joe Naiman Village News Correspondent
Fallbrook Hospital closed in December 2014, which has caused North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD) ambulances to transport patients to hospitals further away. The Fallbrook Healthcare District continues to lease the Fallbrook Skilled Nursing Facility and is also involved in
see AMBULANCE, page A-4
thisweek
Debbie Ramsey Managing Editor As the effort continues to preserve the Santa Margarita Trails for future public use, a question begins to form. Given that the land in question is smack dab in the middle of the plan for the Conjunctive Use Project and being sold to Western Rivers Conservancy, which Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) has worked with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton for years to create, could it jeopardize the project? “Whether the sale of the property would involve a decision between receiving funds for construction
of new, local water supply versus maintaining existing hiking and equestrian trails, the board feels that both objectives can be accomplished,” said Brian Brady, general manager of FPUD. At FPUD’s board meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, a group of equestrians, members of the Trails Council, and other users of the recreational Santa Margarita Trail system, increased their pleas for long-term protection of the property via a “recorded, floating easement.” The group also presented the board with a petition signed by approximately 1,327 individuals and local business owners. In addition, several of the attendees asked to address the
board during the Public Comment period. “I don’t believe you should sell the Santa Margarita River,” said equestrian Arlyne Eyerman, who originally moved to Fallbrook in 1968. “If you do, you need to add the floating easement before the close of escrow. I want to know what steps have been taken so far.” “We are talking about conserving one of the last free-flowing rivers,” said Trails Council president Donna Gebhart. “We want to make sure this is preserved for many reasons. For those who don’t know, the Santa Margarita River trail is part of the Lion Corridor – from Palomar Mountain to the ocean.”
The 1,400-acre Santa Margarita River property was placed into escrow last year so it could be transferred to the Western Rivers Conservancy, with the end goal of holding the property in perpetuity as a conservation easement with Camp Pendleton. Camp Pendleton indicated that it would pay 50 percent of the $10 million market value and would find an additional partner to pay the other half of the fair market value. “From FPUD’s point of view, the goals [of the property sale] are multiple,” said Brady. “One is, of course, to receive the value for
see TRAILS, page A-4
Aiming for a goal
Village News
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Ken Seals photo Members of the committee to save the public use of the Santa Margarita Trail hold a copy of the petition that was presented to the Fallbrook Public Utilities Department board at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, from left, Arlene Eyerman, Susan Spunt, Sherri Lenfers, Lita Tabish, and Donna Gebhart. A group of horses and riders using the trail on Jan. 27 is in the background.
Lady Warrior Jocelyn Urbina kicks the ball to her Fallbrook teammates during the Jan. 27 game against Mission Vista. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie. See more photos on page D-6.
Shane Gibson photo