A Letter from Adam Nick, Candidate for Lake Forest City Council

■ Web Site: www.NickforCouncil2012.com

■ Email: adamnick1776@gmail.com

■Telephone:  949-812-0920

My name is Adam Nick. I am a Candidate for Lake Forest City Council.

It is my sincere hope that you take the time and read this letter as I believe it will help you make an informed decision for whom to vote as your next councilperson.

Let us keep in mind that, in a democracy, nothing is more important for keeping a government in check than a well-informed electorate.

Now, in a great part, what sets us apart from most of the rest of the
world is our Constitution.  One major fact in our Constitution is that the government derives its power from the people; not the other way around. Accordingly, Elected Officials work for us. If they do a good job, we can re-elect them. If they do NOT do a good job, we can elect someone else who will.

THAT is why I am running. I believe I can do a better job for you as your City Councilman.

Our community has grown and our City vision needs to grow with it; Imagine our teenagers from 50 years ago having a nice Senior Center to call their own… Imagine our toddlers of 10 years ago having a Youth Center where they can have good, clean fun… Imagine our entire Community benefiting from our own local city hospital…

We have now been a City for ever twenty years on this Council’s and Planning Commission’s watch (and on the same City Manager’s watch, Robert Dunek, for sixteen years of the twenty), and yet we, unlike many of our neighboring cities, do not have a Senior Center, Youth Center, our own Community Hospital, or even a dog park.

Over the years, we have rented the building that houses the City Hall and have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent expense. Indeed, we have probably paid more in rent in total in the last two decades than it would have taken for us to actually buy a similar building, in which case today we would have probably owned it outright, except NOW we have nothing to show for after all this money that we paid for “rent”.

On this Council’s and Planning Commission’s watch, the expansion and reclassification of the Musick Jail to house a more dangerous class of felons went unchallenged by Lake Forest while all the City had to do was to follow the lead by the Irvine City Council which initiated legal action to stop expansion/reclassification of the jail and this is while Irvine does NOT even have any resident that lives anywhere near the jail and Lake Forest has thousands of residents living within a walking distance of the jail.

And, what adds insult to injury is that this marked lack of progress has been while our City manager, Robert Dunek, is paid annually somewhere in the mid $300,000.00 range, which, indeed, nears our President’s annual salary of $400,000.00, and let’s even put aside that, unlike our City Manager, our President is NOT off every other Friday.  And, this is while Council members are spending every year thousands of dollars in personal expense reimbursements for things such as taxi rides.

In contrast to the status quo at our City government, I believe any government must operate in a manner similar to a profit-oriented business – that is with the utmost efficiency and with an appreciation that resources, no matter what, are scarce – which means the optimal value for each dollar must be achieved.

The possibilities are endless and yet within reach – IF - we have a responsible, experienced team of City Council members to implement smart, practical planning for a better Lake Forest. I have a clear vision that will guide the Council onto that path but I need your help (please visit my website’s Nick’s Vision tab).

I believe my 30 years of Lake Forest residency (including 7 years in Portola Hills and 3 years in Foothill Ranch), my experience as a local business owner, and my 21-year professional experience as an Accountant and Auditor collectively qualify and enable me to be your best representative - to be your best advocate - on the City Council.

As your City Councilman, I will make certain that YOU, THE RESIDENTS,
COME FIRST.

We need to be courageous enough to take on the establishment to alter the
status quo, balance budgets, and prioritize the City’s needs based on nothing
but the best interest of those who live and do business in Lake Forest.

Together, we can and we will:

• Improve our City’s infrastructure; protect and improve our quality of life; uphold American Principles and Values; and plan for even a more prosperous future.
• Stop wasteful spending, Reform City Management excessive compensation, Eliminate self-serving agendas, End cronyism, and Eliminate the influences of Special Interest, because “No one is above the Law”.
• Establish benchmarks for our City government, dismantle local bureaucracy, and put the brakes on government incompetence.
• Insure that our City Officials understand that our Residents expect responsibility, Integrity, and Accountability at all levels.

My fellow Citizens, the truth is that Lake Forest City Council has needed new blood for a long time.  We can now do something about that for that you do have in me someone who is decent, qualified, and willing to take away from his own life and successful businesses to help our City.

My fellow Lake Forest Residents, together, we can make Lake Forest the shining city that it can be.  It is about "We, The People" - Our Families, Our Children, Our City, and Our Future.

I thank you for the time you have given me to read this, I respectfully ask for your support and your vote, and please contact me if I can help clarify anything for you.

Adam Nick

*Lake Forest City Council includes Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills.