Daniel Borenstein, in his editorial, endorsed candidate Fernando Sandoval for Contra Costa Community College Board of Trustees Ward 5. But he has left out very important assets and characteristics of Mr. Sandoval that I would like to mention for those who would like to hear of his good character and important background that he would bring to the college board which I have found to be very inspiring.
As a person of color, I’m excited to know that we have a chance to elect Mr. Sandoval who will bring equity, diversity and inclusion to everyone entering their first year of upper education in addition to faculty and staff. Mr. Sandoval’s priority will be to keep first year students engaged and motivated to move on to either universities or well-paying skilled jobs. I have worked on community education projects with Mr. Sandoval where he has displayed his motivation, passion, sensitivity, and creativity to work with youth or those wanting to go back to school to improve their jobs and careers.
He has also recently written a book that inspires those to move on and improve their lives. He has spoken on identity, motivation and achievement to young students using his book as his historical journey. He also provides this book as a gift to others. I am a retired person now and I was even inspired by his book.
In addition to his passion for education, Mr. Sandoval also has a 25-year career in information technology and finance consulting with worldwide banking institutions and research corporations providing management strategies and budgeting models for economic recovery.
With this background, Mr. Sandoval will increase fiscal accountability and transparency to manage District funding that will support our taxpayers’ investment in our community colleges.
With Mr. Sandoval’s background, he has inspired many of us to support him including Faculty and Classified Professionals including over 40 Community Educators and Leaders and many elected officials. These important individuals are gravely disappointed in the incumbent and are looking to replace him with all that Mr. Sandoval offers; finding a breath of fresh air, commitment and inspiration with Mr. Fernando Sandoval.
Linda Olvera
Martinez
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By Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor
The only other races in which I’m offering endorsement, this year, other than those in Antioch are for the Oakley City Council.
As a neighbor living in Antioch since 1991, I’ve been watching the changes, growth and improvements in Oakley since I was on the Antioch City Council from 1994-98 when we voted to give up the land between Highway 160 and Neroly Road, which was part of our city’s sphere of influence, and make the freeway the city boundary. That helped give the soon to be formed city more of a sales and property tax base with the gas stations, hotel and other businesses located there.
Kevin Romick
I don’t always support someone for office who is running for their fifth, four-year term, wanting new blood, fresh ideas and perspective. That’s usually when things aren’t going well in a city, county, school or special district. But Oakley Mayor Kevin Romick is an exception. He has earned another term, having accomplished much during his time on the council, having helped guide Oakley to the successful city it has become.
Since that time, I’ve witnessed the council, with Romick being the longest-serving member, make wise decisions and create a community that is safe with a nice quality of life.
Following are Romick’s long list of accomplishments:
- Police – The city converted from a contract with the Sheriff’s Department to an in house Oakley Police Department which included hiring and processing approximately 35 sworn and professional support employees, equipping and construction of office space and evidence storage facility, selection and purchase of required safety equipment, implementing a new report writing and records management system and developing a policy and procedure manual
- Roads – When the city first incorporated many of the main roads, Main Street, Empire and Laurel Avenue on Oakley were 2 lane country roads without sidewalks, they are now functional 4 land roads. As a Board member to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, representing East County, oversaw the completion of the State Route 4 widening from Loveridge to Balfour and the extension of BART to Antioch
- Parks – When Oakley incorporated in 1999 there was one city park. Now there are 35, including East County’s first all abilities park and Oakley’s first dog park, five joint use parks and two parks managed by the East Bay Regional Park District – the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline and the Big Break Regional Shoreline. The city is also working with the state on a 1,200-acre marsh restoration project at Dutch Slough.
- Initiated the weekly Oakley Outreach email blast and consistent social media posts to keep the public better informed.
- Held Oakley’s first and annual Memorial Day event, Veterans Day event, National Night Out event, Heart of Oakley, Movies in the Park, July 4th Fireworks and Christmas Tree Lighting
- Worked with senior community to secure and update the old fire station as the Senior Center.
- Coordinated the construction of Oakley’s Veterans Memorial.
- Jobs – Romick’s and the city’s greatest and most recent accomplishment was the approval and opening the Contra Costa Logistic Center at the former DuPont site, and locating the Amazon distribution center there.
Claire Alaura
Councilwoman Claire Alaura has served the community well in her first term on the council. During her year as mayor, Oakley became the 16th safest city in California. She will continue her efforts. While Alaura pushing for and wants a new library for the city, instead of the combined one at Freedom High School, she and the supporters of that effort will need to identify a funding sources for both the construction costs and operation costs, as well.
She also gets credit for the Logistics Center and Amazon locating in Oakley. She deserves another four years on the council.
Aaron Meadows
For the third seat, the choice is clear and that should be local business owner and real estate broker, Aaron Meadows. He’s not only a lifelong, fifth generation resident, his mother’s family, the Cutinos have been in Oakley for 110 years. That’s a rare thing in California, these days.
Meadows community service dates back to before the city was incorporated, when he served on the Oakley Municipal Advisory Committee from 1993 to June 30, 1999. He currently serves on the Oakley Union School District Bond Oversight Committee.
Meadows also served on the Holy Rosary School Board of Directors from 2006-18, Delta Family YMCA Board of Directors from 2001-10. He’s been a member of the Rotary Club of Oakley since it was formed in 2019.
He has earned the trust of colleagues in the real estate industry having served on the Delta Association of Realtors Board of Directors from 2002 to 2011, and as treasurer, president-elect, and then president in 2007. Meadows also served on the California Apartment Association Contra Costa, Napa, Solano Board of Directors from 2014-19 and the Contra Costa Wine Grape and Olive Growers Association Board of Directors from 2005-08 representing the Diablo Vista Vineyards for which he’s been a partner since 1993.
His broad experience in real estate, property management, construction and the wine industry will help Oakley in its next phase as the city seeks to attract businesses to employ the residents. Meadows is committed to focusing on three areas once elected: first, public safety, which should always be the city’s first priority; second, economic development, specifically streamlining the permitting process for commercial projects; and third, bringing a solution to the lack of fire service for families and businesses.
He knows the leaders in neighboring cities of both Antioch and Brentwood and can work with them on a regional basis for issues affecting all of East County, such as local jobs, transportation and fire service.
I’ve known Aaron for over 20 years and can tell you he’s a straight shooter, does what he says he will and works hard to get it done. He has the experience, knowledge and commitment to the community that Oakley needs in a council member and will be a great addition to the city’s leadership team.
I’ve also known Kevin since he was first elected in 2004. You can be sure he’s a man of his word, tells it straight and has proven his commitment to listening to the public, and solving problems and addressing challenges the city faces to the satisfaction of the residents.
Please join me in supporting Kevin Romick, Claire Alaura and Aaron Meadows for the Oakley City Council in this year’s election.
Read More![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/JMendoza-MKleeman-Ford-Wholesale-100K-judgment-768x1024.jpg)
Judgment against Michael W. Kleeman and Jovita Mendoza from Ford Wholesale Co., Inc. of San Jose for $100,390.86 dated Oct. 16, 2007. Provided by letter writer.
Dear Editor:
Jovita Mendez is running for Brentwood City Council in District 1 and bragging about self-funding her campaign. That’s easy to do and say when you don’t pay your bills and you’re spending your creditor’s money. That’s because Jovita and her husband appear to have a judgement against them for over $100,000 from Ford Wholesale Co., Inc. of San Jose dating back to 2007.
In addition, she has judgements against her from Discover Bank beginning in 2009 for $13,590.60, with recent court records from late 2019 and early 2020, that appear to indicate the money Jovita took from them hasn’t been paid back. Additionally, court records show Jovita defaulted on a debt with Capital One in 2011.
![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jovita-Mendoza-Discover-Judgment.jpg)
Court records for Jovita Mendoza Discover complaint for $13,590.60 dated Feb. 17, 2010 and completed Feb. 25, 2020. Provided by letter writer.
Here’s the question, did Jovita ever pay those creditors back? If not, she’s spending their money on her campaign to try to get elected!
Yet, Jovita has the audacity and gall to attack other candidates for accepting campaign contributions from people, companies or organizations she doesn’t like. How hypocritical.
![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Jovita-Mendoza-Capital-One-Defaulted.png)
Court record of Jovita Mendoza default on Capital One complaint dated June 8, 2011 and dismissed on Aug. 29, 2012. Provided by letter writer.
The voters should reject Jovita Mendoza for Brentwood City Council. How can we trust that she will “be a good Steward” of our community and handle our tax dollars correctly, when she “appropriates” money from her creditors, avoids paying it back for years (possibly more than a decade!), uses “their money” to promote herself for city council and can’t handle her own personal finances?
Sincerely,
Leila Hauck
Brentwood
Please see above the proof of my claims and click here to see the judgments against Jovita on the Contra Costa Superior Court website.
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Contra Costa Health Services’ Public Health Nursing Car Seat Project will help parents and caregivers keep their children as safe as possible in the car thanks to a $83,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
The one-year grant from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021 funds a car seat education program that encourages the proper installation and use of child safety seats.
The grant funds the following activities:
- One-on-one/virtual appointments to inspect and install car seats.
- Child safety seat education classes for parents and caregivers.
- Child safety seats at no-cost to nursing case management clients and low-income families following education classes.
- Promote safety seat recycling and importance of discarding used and expired car seats
- Work with community partners to promote child passenger safety education.
“The Public Health Nursing Program in Contra Costa County serves vulnerable, low-income families who are impacted daily by health inequities,” said Program Manager Michelle Rivero, Program. “Our families struggle with meeting the basic needs of the children. Rent, food, clothing all become priorities over car seats, and many of our families use old, expired car seats. This program is a much-needed resource to help keep children safe.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 46% of car seats are misused.
“Car seats save lives,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “Keeping children safe in a vehicle is as important as ever, and funding for car seat programs play a vital role in ensuring the proper use of child safety seats.”
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. To find the right car seat for your child, click here.
For more information contact Rivero at (925) 608-5119 or Child Passenger Safety Technician, Jessica Recinos, at (925) 532-2152.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreBy Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney, Contra Costa County
Martinez, Calif. – On Tuesday, Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton announces a $1,498,750 settlement against New Jersey-based Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc. (“Bed Bath & Beyond”) as part of a settlement of a civil environmental prosecution.
The judgment is the culmination of a civil enforcement lawsuit filed last month in Ventura County Superior Court claiming that more than 200 Bed Bath & Beyond stores throughout the state (including Cost Plus, buybuy BABY, Harmon, Harmon Face Values, World Market, and Cost Plus World Market stores) unlawfully handled, transported and disposed of batteries, electronic devices, ignitable liquids, aerosol products, cleaning agents, and other flammable, reactive, toxic, and corrosive materials, at local landfills that were not permitted to receive those wastes.
“The protection of our environment and public health is always a top priority. This settlement acts as a deterrent to other companies as non-compliant companies will be held accountable for violating our environmental laws,” stated DA Becton.
The investigation was initiated by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office after a fire broke out on December 24, 2015 at the City of Oxnard’s Del Norte Transfer Facility in a load of store waste from the trash compactor of the Oxnard Bed Bath and Beyond store. The bagged store waste burst into flames when a city employee used a front-end loader to spread the freshly dumped trash pile. Investigation recovered numerous items of regulated waste, including several electronic items and hazardous waste, including lithium batteries and a small can of lighter fluid.
Following these Ventura County events, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office worked in conjunction with 30 other California District Attorneys, and the Los Angeles City Attorney, and local environmental regulatory officials to conduct a series of undercover inspections of Bed Bath & Beyond store waste around the state. These inspections, and other investigation, revealed that Bed Bath & Beyond sending regulated hazardous wastes from stores to local landfills throughout California.
When notified of the investigation, Bed Bath and Beyond took steps to cooperate and to dedicate additional resources towards environmental compliance and improving its existing regulated-waste management program, including by performing regular self-audits of its compactors and waste bins in California.
Under the final judgment, Bed Bath & Beyond must pay $1,327,500 in civil penalties and as reimbursement of investigation and prosecution costs, of which $124,000 will be paid to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, $16,400,to the Contra Costa County, Health Services Dept., Hazardous Materials Program. The company will pay an additional $171,250 to fund supplemental environmental projects furthering environmental enforcement in California. The retailer will also be bound under the terms of a permanent injunction prohibiting similar future violations of law.
Read MoreIn response to Tuesday night’s Brentwood City Council discussion on forming a new Lighting and Landscaping Assessment District (LLAD) to maintain entrances to the Deer Ridge neighborhood and former golf course property, candidate for Brentwood City Council District 3, Indrani Golden issued the following solutions for both that land and the Shadow Lakes golf course property. She wants to ensure the land is maintained and does not negatively affect the property values of homeowners in the adjacent neighborhoods. Deer Ridge Landscaping 2020-10-27 BCC mtg
“There are a variety of options,” Golden said. “At a minimum and for now, the city needs to require the former golf course owners to maintain their land, which is currently not happening. The city is issuing fines, which can be converted into liens.”
The city is currently working with the landowners to purchase the frontage entrance to Deer Ridge and 13 park strips. But the residents must first vote to form the new LLAD and assess themselves over $500,000 to be paid back over 10 years. In addition, Shadow Lakes owners said they will maintain nine golf holes, and they have remodeled the golf club, and will remove the barriers. Following are Golden’s five alternative solutions to the unsightly, weed-filled dry grass, barriers and closed cart paths.
Option 1 – The second option is to have the City also maintain the cart paths as walking trails and obtain easements from the landowners, while they keep ownership of the land.
Option 2 -The homeowners of Deer Ridge and Shadow Lakes can form assessment districts to purchase all the golf course land, in their respective neighborhoods, from the property owners and pay the City to maintain it, and allow the cart paths to be used for walking trails. That requires the owners to sell their land which they currently aren’t interested in because of the loans owed on the property.
Option 3 – The landowners can deed their property over to the City to create parks and maintain them out of the City’s General Fund. But the council will have to determine how to cover those costs. Again, that’s unlikely due to the loans on the property.
Option 4 – The landowners can reopen one 18-hole golf course on the entire property.
Option 5 – “But, if that can’t happen my favorite option is to have the land be used as mitigation by other developers who must be required, for every acre they develop in Brentwood, to purchase two acres of the land from the current landowners of the former Shadow Lakes and Deer Ridge golf course, and deed the land to the City for permanent open space,” Golden stated.
For more information about Indrani Golden, email her at indrani@goldenbrentwood.com, call her at (925) 204-9511 or visit her website at www.goldenbrentwood.com.
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Publisher’s Note: This is in response to an Op-Ed published on August 28. There have been challenges with our email account info@contracostaherald.com and although sent on Sept. 4 this Op-Ed was not seen until recently. For both the Contra Costa Herald and Antioch Herald, please for now, use editor@antiochherald to submit letters to the editor or opinion pieces. Thank you and apologies for any inconvenience.
Joshua Anijar says the Bay Area “deserves leadership that doesn’t divide us” (Op-ed, Aug. 28).
But as executive director of Contra Costa County’s AFL-CIO Labor Council, Anijar’s stock in trade is division. In the present case, that involves a cynical campaign to replace BART-Board incumbent Director Debora Allen in BART’s District One (South County and much of Central County).
Allen has been a voice of fiscal and regulatory sanity on the nine-member BART Board. So she’s appreciated by sensible BART passengers and attentive citizens at large whose taxes subsidize BART operations and capital projects — but not by Anijar and some other special-interest activists.
Allen’s rationality is particularly needed during the time of COVID-19 restrictions and outright shutdowns. As she wrote in July, BART has lost 88 percent of its ridership during the pandemic, with a resultant $35 million drop per month in farebox revenue.
But over Allen’s objections, the BART Board majority’s new budget foolishly increases operating expenses by 6 percent anyway, including a $32.5 million labor-cost increase.
Anijar’s breezy reference to “400,000 trips per day” represents merely an historical artifact; present reality is only 48,000 trips per day. Allen speaks for the grownup position: “BART’s failure to cut operating expenses will continue to worsen its grave financial condition and cause irreparable harm to the long-term sustainability of the system.”
Last year, following the fatal stabbing of a BART passenger, Allen wrote about BART’s obligation to insure safety on the system’s trains and in its stations. She noted insufficient police presence, rampant fare evasion, and aggressive panhandling as contributing factors in a widespread perception of unsafe conditions.
The 2018-19 Alameda County Civil Grand Jury documented similar concerns: “Violent crime on BART, including robberies and aggravated assaults, increased by 115% over the last five years…. Rider satisfaction with BART fell from a high of 84% in 2012 to a low of 56% in 2018…. [S]ince at least 2012, cleanliness has been a top concern for riders who responded to the survey.”
The Grand Jury report continued: “Respondents… cite ‘personal security in BART system’ as the second largest service rating decline…, just after fare evasion. Lack of visible police presence on trains and in stations has long been a concern of riders…. News reports of the three homicides in July 2018 and video in October 2018 of a man swinging two chain saws while riding BART reinforced worries among Bay Area residents about their safety on BART.”
So, Anijar’s assertion that Debora Allen’s Bart Board record “shows her to be unresponsive to public wishes and hostile to public input” is false. And her real-world track record is exemplary, not “shameful.”
Anijar’s primary interest, meanwhile, is presumably the next round of increases in BART-employee salaries, current benefits, and pensions. As is, nearly 1,000 BART employees receive total annual compensation already exceeding $200,000 (2019 figures, available at TransparentCalifornia.com).
Anijar has been busy on another front as well. He’s a principal coordinator and ballot-argument signer for Measure X, a regressive half-percent sales-tax increase for all of Contra Costa County, lasting 20 years, at a time of pandemic-driven financial distress for much of the County’s population.
The measure, appearing on this November ballot, advertises specific purposes — but it’s framed officially as a general tax instead, “solely for general governmental purposes and not for specific purposes.”
Representatives of County employee organizations demanded such a tax measure 15 months ago. And as a general tax, its proceeds could be used to “free up” current general-fund expenditures to pay for compensation increases, while backfilling the general fund with new Measure X dollars.
Arata is a co-founder of the Alliance of Contra Costa Taxpayers, and a signatory to ballot arguments opposing Measure X.
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Indoor swimming pools can reopen; bars can reopen outdoors; live entertainment for up to 50 people (requires pre-approval), more
By Contra Costa Health Services
More businesses and community activities can reopen beginning today in Contra Costa after the county’s data indicators for COVID-19 transmission showed improvement in October.
California today reassigned Contra Costa to the less-restrictive orange tier of its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, allowing for larger local gatherings for indoor worship services and dining, and the reopening of indoor pools, bars and bowling alleys.
But health officials caution that it is now more important than ever to follow the state health guidance for physical distancing and use of face coverings, to keep everyone safe and healthy during the holiday season and to avoid a return to the red tier.
Contra Costa’s adjusted per-capita case rate – the average daily number of new COVID-19 cases identified in the county per 100,000 population – stood at 3.7 on Tuesday, just qualifying the county to move into the orange tier.
The average daily percentage of COVID-19 tests that return positive in the county is 1.9%, with 4.9% or lower qualifying for the orange tier. That number for census tracts identified by the state’s health equity metric was 3.9% today, with 5.2% required for the orange tier.
Counties in the orange tier can allow:
- Worship services and other cultural activities indoors at 50% occupancy or 200 people, whichever is fewer;
- Indoor dining at 50% occupancy or 200 people, whichever is fewer;
- Indoor swimming pools;
- Bars and other businesses that sell alcohol without meals to open for outdoor operation;
- Family entertainment centers to open indoors for “naturally distanced” activities, such as bowling alleys, escape rooms and climbing-wall gyms, at 25% occupancy;
- Cardrooms to open indoors at 25% occupancy;
- Small amusement parks to open at 25% of occupancy or 500 people, whichever is fewer;
- Professional sports venues to open at 20% occupancy;
- Live entertainment to open with no more than 50 people, if approved by the Health Officer.
The county will remain in the orange tier for at least two weeks. The state could move Contra Costa into the less-restrictive yellow tier, or the more restrictive red tier, if its metrics qualify for one of those tiers for two consecutive weeks. The state updates the official numbers every Tuesday.
To reduce the spread of the virus in Contra Costa County, and to continue its progress toward reopening, county leaders urge the public to get tested for COVID-19 regularly, including people who have no symptoms of illness.
Contra Costa would not have qualified for the orange tier this week had it not tested more residents than the state average. California adjusts the case rates of high-testing counties downward to reflect their work controlling the virus. Without that adjustment, Contra Costa’s per-capita case rate this week would have been 4.1, which would not qualify for the orange tier.
Following the heath guidance for physical distancing and face coverings, practicing good hand hygiene and staying home when you feel sick are also key to continuing Contra Costa’s progress against the pandemic.
About 3,500 people get tested every day for COVID-19 in Contra Costa. By ramping up to test at least 4,500 daily, the county can more quickly notify those infected – particularly people with the virus who do not have symptoms – to prevent outbreaks and better protect community members at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 because of their age or health.
Contra Costa recommends that workers in jobs that bring them in frequent contact with the public, including all essential workers, consider a COVID-19 test every 30 days. Anyone who has symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing should also consider a test.
Call 1-844-421-0804 to schedule a fast, free COVID-19 test in Contra Costa, or visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to schedule online.
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![](http://contracostaherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Motel-6-Property-Value-Sale-info-10-27-20.jpg)
Assessor’s Parcel information for Motel 6 in Pittsburg. From ParcelQuest Lite website.
“In the interests of transparency” – Chief Assistant County Administrator Eric Angstadt
“The difference is primarily due to the below market purchase price” – from the appraisal
“This is a classic example of a gift of public funds” – County Assessor Gus Kramer
By Allen Payton
After learning that the county’s outside appraisal for the Motel 6 in Pittsburg was $16.7 million, and the purchase price offered by the Board of Supervisors of $17.4 million, was only 4.2% higher, it was learned today that the same motel sold for just $12 million in February 2019. In addition, it was assessed on January 1st, this year slightly higher at $12,226,480. After requesting a copy of the appraisal since last week, the County Counsel’s office released it, today “in the interests of transparency.” The appraisal shows last year’s “purchase price was modified to $13,200,000.” (See related article)
Asked for copies of what was believed to be both internal and outside contract appraisals from the Public Works Department Real Estate Division, Chief Assistant County Administrator Eric Angstadt responded, “I’m only aware of one appraisal. It was contracted out. I can give you what the topline is, but the appraisal is not available until after escrow closes.”
“The appraised value is $16.7 million at $96,000 per room,” he stated. “It’s 4.2% above the appraised value.”
Asked if the appraisal was done internally or contracted out, Angstadt said, “We always contract out appraisals. We have staff with real estate licenses. But I don’t believe we have any licensed appraisers on staff.”
“The state was very public about how much they were willing to pay, at $100,000 per room,” he continued. “So, it didn’t leave us with much room to negotiate.”
“We have not signed the purchase and sale agreement, yet. That will happen once we finish the due diligence. We are working our way through all of it. It’s scheduled to close escrow on November 10th,” Angstadt added.
However, Angstadt released the appraisal to the Herald, today after obtaining permission from the County Counsel’s office. It was done by West Hollywood-based HVS Consulting & Valuation, a Division of TS Worldwide, LLC which, according to their website, provides highly credible hotel valuations and appraisals.” (See page 13) HVS Appraisal – FINAL – Motel 6 – Pittsburg CA – 09
The sale price for the 41-year-old motel was $68,000 per room, last year.
In a search of the Assessor’s Parcel number for the property, which is 088-152-039 on the ParcelQuest Lite website, a link to which can be found on the Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s webpage and which any member of the public, county staff, Board of Supervisors and any appraiser can do, it provides the details of last year’s sale and this year’s valuation.
The closest comparable sale was the Ramada Inn, now Comfort Inn, in Antioch which sold in March 2017 for $50,000 per room. That’s a much higher end hotel than the Motel 6. Another comparable property, the Marina Bay Inn & Suites on Cutting Blvd. in Richmond near Pt. Richmond sold in August 2017 for $80,000 per room, and that’s in an area considered nicer than where the Motel 6 is located in Pittsburg.
“The real comparable sale is the property itself,” said County Assessor Gus Kramer, who has been an outspoken critic of the county’s purchase of the motel. (See related article)
“Did the appraiser back into the state’s and county’s number?” he asked. “How can the appraiser say the value of the motel increased in the last year by 45%? No property in the county has increased in value that much during that time.”
Asked when the property was assessed this year, Kramer said his staff did that on January 1st.
“This is a classic example of a gift of public funds,” he stated. “Just because the state is giving us this amount of money doesn’t mean we need to spend that much.”
“This is why local government is in trouble,” Kramer continued. “It’s not that they don’t have enough money it’s that they don’t manage what they have, well.”
An email was sent to all members of the Board of Supervisors, County Administrator David Twa and Angstadt asking them why there is such a difference in the value arrived at by the county’s contract appraiser as well as the offer price, and last year’s sale price and this year’s assessed valuation. They were also asked to confirm that the property in the online search was in fact the Motel 6, since it has the same address and the photo of it appears to be the motel. In addition, they were asked why the appraiser didn’t take into account the sale and assessed value for the motel and if they will now seek a second appraisal.
Text messages were also sent to Supervisors Federal Glover, in whose district the motel is located, Diane Burgis and Board Chair Candace Andersen informing them of the difference in appraised value and assessed valuation and to please check their emails.
The Board was holding a special closed session meeting, today beginning at 9 a.m. to discuss both Kramer’s lawsuit against the Board over allegations of violations of the state’s Brown Act open meeting law, as well as potential candidates to replace Twa who is retiring, this year.
The email and texts were sent between 11:08 and 11:10 AM Wednesday morning and the recipients were given a deadline of 1:00 p.m. to respond.
Angstadt responded with, “The appraisal does include a discussion and analysis of the past sale of the property and the reasoning, changes and circumstances that led to the appraiser assigning the valuation they did. As I said in our earlier discussion Government Code Section 6254(H) exempts release of the contents of an appraisal before the acquisition of the property is complete. Therefore I can’t directly answer your question about how they justified the higher value, but I can assure you they did discuss the issues you raised and their methods of determining the higher value they assigned to the property.
However, California Government Code § 6254 (2017) reads “Except as provided in Sections 6254.7 and 6254.13, this chapter does not require the disclosure of any of the following records:
(h) The contents of real estate appraisals or engineering or feasibility estimates and evaluations made for or by the state or local agency relative to the acquisition of property, or to prospective public supply and construction contracts, until all of the property has been acquired or all of the contract agreement obtained.”
A further question was asked if the county is prohibited from releasing the appraisal or just not required to and if they can release it to please provide it, as has been requested since last week.
In response Angstadt wrote, “I spoke with County Counsel and they said they we could disclose the appraisal at this time in the interests of transparency. A number of the issues you raised are discussed starting on page 13.”
Appraisal Explanation for Higher Value Than 2019 Sale Price
On that page, the appraisal provides the reason for part of the higher price. It reads, “The ‘as is’ market value opinion in this appraisal is approximately 27% higher than the February 2019 purchase price. The difference is primarily due to the below market purchase price, as described throughout this report.”
Please check back later for any responses from the Supervisors and any other updates.
Below is the information from the ParcelQuest Lite property search of the Motel 6 property located at 2101 Loveridge Road in Pittsburg.
Russell V. Watts , County Treasurer-Tax Collector
Property Address: 2101 LOVERIDGE RD PITTSBURG CA 94565-5019
Full Detail $14.95 The Full Property Detail includes everything displayed here plus completed information for those fields where “See Full Detail” is shown. If a field is empty on this page, no data is available, and the field will also be empty on the Full Property Detail.
Property Address: 2101 LOVERIDGE RD PITTSBURG CA 94565-5019
General Information
Parcel # (APN): | 088-152-039-9 |
Owner: | See Full Detail |
Mailing Address: | 25920 VIA MARGARITA CARMEL CA 93923-8313 |
Legal Description: | PCL MAP 78 PG 36 POR PCL A |
Use Type: | COMMERCIAL |
Tax Rate Area: | 007-004 |
Assessment
Total Value: | $12,226,480 | Year Assd: | 2020 |
Land: | $2,550,000 | Zoning: | |
Structures: | $9,424,800 | Use Code: | See Full Detail |
Other: | $251,680 | Census Tract: | See Full Detail |
% Improved: | See Full Detail | Price/SqFt: | See Full Detail |
Exempt Amt: | |||
HO Exempt: | N |
Sale History
Sale 1 | Sale 2 | Sale 3 | Transfer | |
Document Date: | 02/12/2019 | See Full Detail | See Full Detail | |
Document Number: | 19052 | See Full Detail | See Full Detail | |
Document Type: | ||||
Transfer Amount: | $12,000,000 | See Full Detail | ||
Seller (Grantor): |
Property Characteristics
Bedrooms: | Fireplace: | Units: | See Full Detail | ||
Baths (Full): | A/C: | Stories: | |||
Baths (Half): | Heating: | Quality: | |||
Total Rooms: | Pool: | Building Class: | |||
Bldg/Liv Area: | 43,352 | Park Type: | Condition: | ||
Lot Acres: | 2.905 | Spaces: | Site Influence: | ||
Lot SqFt: | 126,542 | Garage SqFt: | Timber Preserve: | ||
Year Built: | 1979 | Ag Preserve: | |||
Effective Year: | See Full Detail | ||||
**The information provided here is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed. |
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My Angel’s Inc. partners with The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, White Pony Express and The Pentecostals of the Bay Area to fight food insecurity in Eastern Contra Costa County
My Angel’s Inc., of far East Contra Costa County is joining The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County and White Pony Express to distribute food for 1,000 families at The Pentecostals of the Bay Area, located at 310 Central Ave in Pittsburg, CA from 9 am- until food resources are gone, on October 30, 2020.
This FREE food distribution will include up to two boxes of food items. Everyone is welcome to attend the drive-through style event. This major food distribution event will follow CDC guidelines for social distancing. All attendees should wear a mask. Food will be distributed either directly into the trunk of a car or truck beds. Walk-Up distribution is also available. You do not need to be a resident of Pittsburg to participate in the Major Food Give-Away.
My Angel’s Inc. is an Antioch based not-for-profit organization committed to nourishing those in need. Founder, George Guevara, saw a radical increase in food insecurity throughout Contra Costa County after the pandemic shut businesses down and left many individuals without a consistent source of income. He began to deliver food to many of Contra Costa’s unhoused population and then extended his mission to include partnerships with local food distribution agencies to co-host major food distribution events. My Angel’s Inc. is an increasingly vital asset to providing food to people in need.
My Angel’s Inc. is committed to continually addressing issues pertinent to food insecurity and will continue to collaborate with community-based organizations to help alleviate food insecurity and the struggles that accompany homelessness, and inadequate access to necessary resources, including housing, medical care, mental health wellness, and addiction.
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