Official Council Biography
Ms Smotrich was born in Chicago IL and moved to Los Angeles at the age of three. She and her husband, Thom, have lived in Rancho Mirage since 2001. They have one daughter and two grandchildren. She and her husband have been active in many charitable organizations, for which they serve on boards and host charity events at their home. She was trained in interior and exterior commercial property design, and she managed commercial real estate in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
Council Statements Regarding CV Link
In citing text from the meeting minutes, others' comment is not often included, and no ellipses are provided.7 May 2015
The City Council met in regular session.- "12. Consideration of Prohibition of the Route of CV Link Over Any Portion of Highway 111 or Bob Hope Drive, in the City of Rancho Mirage
- "Mayor Hobart indicated that CVAG is proceeding at a quick pace and continues to invest money in this project. He stated that he has a fiduciary responsibility to the residents of Rancho Mirage to fight for what is best for this City. He further stated that he is pushing for a joint meeting of all the cities so they can get the full picture and urged residents to speak out on this issue.
- "Councilmember Smotrich thanked Mayor Hobart for his leadership on this issue and for bringing the City Council up to date.
- "Councilmember Smotrich commented that far beyond the financial aspects of the CV Link are the safety issues. When motor vehicles are put together with runners, walkers and bicycles, she stated this presents a major safety hazard and is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Councilmember Smotrich will be addressing this issue at her CVAG meeting next week.
- "MOVED/ SECONDED BY HOBART/ KITE TO PROHIBIT THE ROUTE OF THE CV
LINK TO EXTEND OVER ANY PORTION OF HIGHWAY 111 OR BOB HOPE DRIVE WITHIN
THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0."
4 June 2015
The City Council met in regular session.- "Mayor Hobart noted there were many people who spoke in both support and opposition to the CV Link at the CVAG meeting; however, the significant and serious issue of the Operations and Maintenance (" O& M") funding once the project is completed is unresolved and, per the March 2015 Draft Master Plan, remains at a projected $ 1. 6 million.
- "Mayor Pro Tem Weill added that the CVAG Executive Committee voted in favor by a 6/ 4 vote to have a collective meeting of city council members, city managers and finance directors to receive input from each city about this issue. He also noted that of the two individuals at the CVAG meeting who represented other similar trails in California, neither project allowed electric vehicles on their trails.
- "Councilmember Smotrich reminded the Council that a few years ago there was an agreement by all Valley cities to fund a homeless shelter and each city pledged $ 103, 000. 00 to the project. As of last year, only three cities, including Rancho Mirage, have fulfilled their pledge and the project will likely not come to fruition. Councilmember Smotrich cited this as an example that just because CVAG agrees to something doesn' t necessarily mean it will actually happen. She stated she fears that if Measure A funds are used for the CV Link, it will likely receive priority over the other projects.
15 October 2015
The City Council met in regular session.- "CITY COUNCIL/BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
- "Councilmember Smotrich commented that a recent Desert Sun editorial was inappropriate, unfairly critical of the City, and harshly criticized Mayor Hobart. She said the article was self-serving to the newspaper and lacked any positive suggestions. She added that taking $ 1 million from Measure A funds to annually finance CV Link is contrary to its intended use.
- "12. Consideration of Resolutions, Ordinance and Ballot Measures to Protect the City of Rancho Mirage's Local Control of its Streets and Traffic and to Allow Rancho Mirage Residents to Voice their Opinions on Substantive Issues Pertaining to CVAG's Proposed CV Link Project and it's Cost to the Taxpayers.
- "A. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 107, that: ( a) prohibits neighborhood electric vehicles in certain areas and on certain streets within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage; ( b) prohibits a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Plan from including any area within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage unless the area is approved first by an ordinance of the City of Rancho Mirage; and ( c) prohibits any portion of CV Link or similar pathway from including any area within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage:
- "B. Introduce Ordinance No. 1099, 1st Reading, that: ( a) prohibits neighborhood electric vehicles in certain areas and on certain streets within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage: ( b) prohibits a Neiqhborhood Electric Vehicle Plan from including any area within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage unless the area is approved first by an ordinance of the City of Rancho Mirage; and ( c) prohibits any portion of CV Link or similar pathway from including any area within the jurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage:
- "C. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 108, that calls and notices the holding of an advisory election on the same date of the City's General Municipal Election, set for April 12, 2016, for the purpose of submitting to the City's qualified voters five advisory measures concerning the proposed CV Link proiect, which is a paved pathway proposed by the Coachella Valley Association of Governments ( CVAG) that will be approximately 50 miles long, accommodate pedestrians, bicycles and neighborhood vehicles that can travel up to 25 miles per hour;
- "D. Adopt Resolution No. 2015- 109, placing a measure on the ballot of the City's General Municipal Election asking the voters: " Shall the voters of Rancho Mirage require that any amendment or repeal of Ordinance No. 1099 that prohibits Neighborhood Electric Vehicles ( NEVs) in certain areas and on certain streets within the iurisdiction of the City of Rancho Mirage require prior voter approval?"; and
- "E. Designate the Mayor or his designee or designees on the Rancho Mirage City Council to prepare the Arguments in " Favor" of Measure 6 and the Arguments " Against Approval" of Advisory Measures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, on behalf of the Rancho Mirage City Council.
- "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/WEILL TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 107, PROHIBITING LOW -SPEED VEHICLES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE, AND REVISING THE LIST OF PROHIBITED STREETS BY STRIKING RAMON ROAD AND ADDING MAGNESIA FALLS DRIVE AND JOSHUA ROAD. MOTION CARRIED 5/0.
- "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/WEILL TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NO. 1099, 1ST READING, PROHIBITING LOW -SPEED VEHICLES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE, AND REVISING THE LIST OF PROHIBITED STREETS BY STRIKING RAMON ROAD AND ADDING MAGNESIA FALLS DRIVE AND JOSHUA ROAD. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
- "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/SMOTRICH TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 108, CALLING AND NOTICING THE HOLDING OF AN ADVISORY ELECTION ON THE SAME DATE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING THE VOTERS OF RANCHO MIRAGE TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON CERTAIN SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES PERTAINING TO CV LINK, INCLUDING STATED LANGUAGE MODIFICATIONS AND THE ADDITION OF BUTLER ABRAMS TRAIL TO ADVISORY MEASURE 5. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
- "MOVED/SECONDED BY HOBART/TOWNSEND TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2015-109, PLACING A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION ASKING THE VOTERS: " SHALL THE VOTERS OF RANCHO MIRAGE REQUIRE THAT ANY AMENDMENT OR REPEAL OF ORDINANCE NO. 1099 THAT PROHIBITS NEIGHBORHOOD ELECTRIC VEHICLES (NEVs) IN CERTAIN AREAS AND ON CERTAIN STREETS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY OF RANCHO MIRAGE REQUIRE PRIOR VOTER APPROVAL?" MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0.
- "MOVED/SECONDED BY
HOBART/SMOTRICH TO DESIGNATE THE MAYOR OR HIS DESIGNEE OR DESIGNEES ON
THE RANCHO MIRAGE CITY COUNCIL TO PREPARE THE ARGUMENTS IN " FAVOR" OF
MEASURE 6 AND THE ARGUMENTS " AGAINST APPROVAL" OF ADVISORY MEASURES 1,
2, 3, 4 AND 5, ON BEHALF OF THE RANCHO MIRAGE CITY COUNCIL. MOTION CARRIED 5/ 0."
Other Public Information
Rancho Mirage mayor touts city's economic growth, Desert Sun April 9, 2015
Iris Smotrich total pay and benefits $18,579.00 (2011), $43,416.00 (2012), $43,800.00 (2013), $55,441.00 (2015); transparentcalifornia.com
Iris Smotrich ballot statement, 2014; voteinfo.net
Smotrich suspected of complicity in gay slur against opponent; californiacitynews.org and detail. denial.
Smotrich economic interests statement; fppc.ca.gov
Smotrich wants to get residents involved in community activities; valleywoman.net
Smotrich said she is confident Ritz-Carlton will create breath-taking memories of a special paradise for residents and the valley’s guests. pe.com
Smotrich supports neoconservative Jeff Stone for 2016 36th U.S. Congressional District; votejeffstone.com
Smotrich supports neoconservative Jeff Stone for 2018 28th California Senate District ; jeffstone2018.com
Smotrich supports Gateway project for Section 19 (planned in 2014, a development of more than 3 million sq ft of commercial, retail, office, and restaurant space, wilh close to 2000 residential units 580 hotel rooms); http://junecorrigan.com/image/ranchomirage.pdf
Smotrich supports Benoit for 2013 Riverside Supervisor; http://www.johnbenoit.com/Endorsements
Smotrich supports banning drones in Rancho Mirage; http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/04/rancho-mirage-hobby-drones-ban/2052193/
Desert Sun endorses "Hobart, Smotrich and Hines for the four-year seats" in 2014.
Comment
It appears that Ms Smotrich was undecided about CV Link in May 2015, not having previously voiced an opinion about the CV Link routing, nor about the funding mechanisms for construction and maintenance. It was clear, though, at the 7 May council meeting that she had no understanding the route was a Class I bike path, and by extension a similar path for pedestrians and NEVs. The summary of her comment, "that far beyond the financial aspects of the CV Link are the safety issues. When motor vehicles are put together with runners, walkers and bicycles, she stated this presents a major safety hazard and is a catastrophe waiting to happen." Certainly her understanding might have been clarified at the next CVAG meeting, where she planned to address this issue.One of her frames of reference must be the equal spread of paying for Valley amenities. When discussing the use of Measure A funds on 4 June 2015, she warned it seemed likely that Rancho Mirage and only one or two other cities might fork up the funds: "[She] reminded the Council that a few years ago there was an agreement by all Valley cities to fund a homeless shelter and each city pledged $ 103, 000. 00 to the project. As of last year, only three cities, including Rancho Mirage, have fulfilled their pledge and the project will likely not come to fruition. ... Councilmember Smotrich cited this as an example that just because CVAG agrees to something doesn' t necessarily mean it will actually happen. She stated she fears that if Measure A funds are used for the CV Link, it will likely receive priority over the other projects."
When, by 15 October 2015, the Rancho Mirage objections had become fodder for many comments, Ms Smotrich revealed a new side, one similar to a protective parent: "Councilmember Smotrich commented that a recent Desert Sun editorial was inappropriate, unfairly critical of the City, and harshly criticized Mayor Hobart. She said the article was self-serving to the newspaper and lacked any positive suggestions." Her next remark indicated that she had begun to internalize the false assertions from Mayor Hobart: "She added that taking $ 1 million from Measure A funds to annually finance CV Link is contrary to its intended use."
By that date, too, Hobart had assured that the council was of one voice in rejecting CV Link on several aspects. Smotrich seconded the motion to hold an "advisory election" regarding CV Link and to specify that the Butler-Abrams Trail would be withheld as a potential route. (RESOLUTION NO. 2015- 108)
Smotrich also seconded the motion to allow Hobart control of the wording of the arguments for the measure results that the council preferred.
If ever Rancho Mirage is to connect CV Link from Cathedral City to Palm Desert, Iris Smotrich will need to be off the Rancho Mirage city council.
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