SAN CLEMENTE : Packard to Meet With City Council

To keep abreast of developments in Washington, the City Council will hold a breakfast meeting with Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad) on Tuesday.

On the agenda are several issues being discussed in Congress that will directly affect San Clemente, including the Border Patrol checkpoint, offshore oil drilling and a proposed regional airport in South County, said City Manager Michael T. Parness.

“We try to get together with him a couple times each year to touch bases on current issues,” Parness said, “and get some input from Congressman Packard on what’s happening in Washington that’s important to us.”

The meeting, which is open to the public, will be at 8 a.m. in the Ole Hanson Room of the city’s Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville.

Among the topics to be discussed will be the proposed airport, which has been proposed for Cristianitos Canyon, just east of the city.

City officials and Packard strongly oppose the site, which has also been turned down by the County Board of Supervisors.

“The airport is a major issue to the city,” Parness said. “Yet I don’t think we’ll talk much about it because (Packard) is so solidly behind us on this.”

Although Parness is in regular contact with Packard or his aides, the city manager said direct conversations between the legislator and the council are important.

“This is a good opportunity for him to sit and talk face to face with the City Council and simply make contact with them,” Parness said. “He gets a better feel for the issues and our range of concerns.”