By Brooklynn Wong
Last week, Mayor Virginia Vaughn held another of her “Wake up Buena Park” events, this time at the newly-opened Dentists of Buena Park in the Target shopping center just off the 91 at Orangethorpe & Western Avenues.
These events are held regularly at various businesses in the community, to give updates on things going on in the City, and to give businesspeople, citizens and City officials an opportunity to mingle.
At the Aug. 9 meeting, the first speaking opportunity was given to Dr. Swati Shetty, one of the dentists on staff at Dentists of Buena Park. She explained that she has been in dentistry for 15 years, and this is her second location. She and other staff commented on how welcoming Buena Park has been to their business thus far. They also have periodic days where they open their doors to the community, and those who cannot afford to pay for dental work can come receive the care they need.
Police Chief Corey Sianez also had a turn to speak, and he plugged the city’s “See Something, Say Something” efforts, providing cards with information in different prominent local languages and a phone number to call. He encouraged people to err on the side of caution, saying that he would rather citizens call the police, have their situation checked out and have it be nothing, than to have never called at all and have it turn into something. The number is 714-562-3902. He also mentioned that the City Council has voted to approve having total surveillance camera coverage along Beach Boulevard.
City Manager Jim Vanderpool was the next to speak, and he gave updates on the ongoing beautification project along the Beach Boulevard corridor. He also brought up upcoming arts and entertainment events, including “Xanadu,” presented by Civic Theatre Under the Stars, playing the next two weekends at Ehlers Event Center, the Boo-uena Park series of Halloween festivities, and Grange Hall 39, a new dining area currently being built at the Downtown Buena Park mall.
Mayor Vaughn spoke briefly on the surprising industry scene in Buena Park, referencing the fact that there is now a Cadillac dealership in the Buena Park Auto Center, the Esterline Buena Park location where prominent advancements in the field have been made, and Yamaha, which has its corporate headquarters in Buena Park.
But the one thing people wanted to discuss most was homelessness. While not disagreeing with all his methods, City employees expressed frustration with U.S. District Judge David Carter and his policies. When all homeless at the Santa Ana Riverbed were evicted, the surrounding cities that they moved into were required to make accommodations to house them.
Buena Park officials said that they do have organizations and partnerships in the community that will help, so that if any homeless individual genuinely wants the help, they have the resources to provide.
Carter has threatened that if Orange County cities do not present him with a plan for how they will integrate and care for the homeless in their cities in the next month, he may temporarily lift anti-camping ordinances, allowing the homeless to sleep and set up in public in the cities.
But Buena Park does have a proposal that it is negotiating.
One upcoming event that Vaughn drew attention to was the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Nov. 15, where Mike Huckabee will serve as the keynote speaker. Medieval Times will serve as a new, and more spacious, location. Tickets are on sale now, and have sold out quickly in past years. Breakfast will be provided by Porto’s Bakery & Cafe.
See buenaparkprayerbreakfast.org.
