City Manager's Update: Dec. 9, 2011

Mission San Juan Capistrano: A ground-breaking ceremony for the first phase in is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Mission. The Mission will construct their entry, gate house and gift shop project in three phases. Staff met with this week with the engineer to review the construction phasing, encroachment permits, and traffic control.

Dog Park: City staff has visited five dog parks including Dana Point, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Irvine, and Ladera Ranch. The Planning Commission will review the design concept for on Jan. 10, 2012 and provide final recommendations to the City Council in February.

San Juan Hills Golf Course Driving Range Lighting: On Nov. 22, the Planning Commission, on a 3-2 vote, denied lighting for the . The application has been appealed to the City Council and is tentatively scheduled for the Jan. 17, 2012 meeting.

Saddleback Valley Christian School: The school has obtained grading permits for . Plan check has been approved and the applicant may obtain building permits.

Toys: New, unwrapped toys are being accepted at City Hall for the city's adopted families for the holidays. The toy collection will run through Dec. 15.

City Council: The regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Dec. 20 has been cancelled.

Police Services: Sgt. Dominic Montalbano has replaced Sgt. Ray Ulmer as field sergeant, who has become the first administrative sergeant in San Juan Capistrano. Montalbano began his new assignment Nov. 18.

Although he is new to San Juan, Montalbano is a seasoned veteran with more than 26 years of law enforcement experience with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Montalbano began his career in 1985, working in jail until 1988, when he was transferred to patrol operations in the city of Lake Forest http://lakeforest-ca.patch.com/ and later in Dana Point.

He has served as a tactical officer at the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy, a field training officer in San Clemente and as a member of the Tri-Cities Directed Enforcement Team, which focused its investigative efforts throughout San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point.

In 2006, Montalbano was promoted to the rank of sergeant and was assigned back to the Central Men’s Jail. In 2009, Montalbano was selected to be a tactical sergeant at the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy. He was responsible for the administration of every aspect of the day-to-day academy operations, as well as recruit training and the supervision of his team of tactical officers, professional staff, video production staff and arrest-and-control training staff.

In San Juan Capistrano, he will supervise and mentor a team of deputies on patrol in the city. Montalbano will undoubtedly be a great resource for the deputies because of his experience and training. He is excited about his new position and looking forward to this new challenge.