In honor of the life lost and those injured in the recent shooting during a luncheon of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church at the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, the Third Laguna Hills Mutual board opened its meeting May 17 with a moment of silence.
“Anytime there is violence, as it relates to any people, especially any hate violence, is especially reprehensible,” board President Robert Mutchnick said. “Even though it was outside of the Village, it happened to us. It happened to our neighbors. It happened to our friends.”
On May 15, a gunman opened fire during a Taiwanese luncheon at the church, killing Dr. John Cheng, 52, and wounding five others. Churchgoers tackled him and hogtied his legs with extension cords while disarming him, officials have said.
Anti-harassment policy
Third board members discussed at length the proposed creation of an inter-board committee to address allegations of harassment, abuse and intimidation across all relations – residents, Village Management Services staff and board directors.
The six-member committee would consist of two members from each board – Golden Rain Foundation, United and Third – and would work with Village Management Services representatives, legal counsel and other relevant individuals to impose discipline as appropriate, according to a VMS staff report.
The committee would be modeled after the Village Traffic Hearing Committee.
“It saddens me to be in a place where we as volunteers, (who) serve our community, and staff have to have such a mandate,” Director Annie McCary said. “We are attempting to put in place some rules and some regulations so that we can feel safe to do our job, and not only do our job, but walk in this community.
“People that harass have got to know that they cannot do this and get away with it,” she said.
Beyond state and federal definitions of harassment, abuse and intimidation, the policy mentions shouting; stalking, such as following someone around to intimidate or “make a point;” disrupting organized activities in progress; and excessive telephone calls, according to the staff report.
The board approved the motion, 7-4-0, to put the proposal on 28-day notice to discuss input from board and community members.
COVID-19 update
The adjusted daily COVID-19 case rate in Orange County remains in double digits, averaging 13.7 cases per 100,000 residents as of May 24, according to the OC Health Care Agency.
The testing positivity rate – the number of swabs and spit tests that return positive for the coronavirus – has risen to 5.5%, with the health equity rate – the test positivity of disproportionately impacted neighborhoods – following at 2.4%.
Cumulatively in the city of Laguna Woods, there have been 1,140 COVID-19 cases and 77 related fatalities.
Resale report
The average resale price for a unit in Third Mutual in April was $630,767, up from $494,285 in April 2021, according to a VMS staff report. Resales year to date numbered 160, up from 141 the year prior. Sales volume in April was $27 million compared with $13 million in April 2021.