Contra Costa Herald

For failure to pass LCAP budget; District must operate under last year’s budget; board must act by Sunday to avert take over.

By Monica Velez, EdSource.org (republished with permission)

First Published June 27, 2024 – The West Contra Costa Unified School District may be on the verge of turning over control of its budget and day-to-day running of the district to the county after the school board rejected the district’s Local Control Accountability Plan on Wednesday night, limiting the chance of passing a 2024-25 district budget by July 1, as required by state law.

Without passing a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) — a document that sets district goals to improve student outcomes and how to achieve them — the board cannot vote on the proposed budget, said Dr. Kim Moses, associate superintendent of business services at West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD). The two are linked; the LCAP is a portion of the budget and gives the district a road map on how to allocate funding for its $484 million budget. The district risks losing local control over funding decisions. Trustees voting no said it didn’t reflect priorities of the community and was not transparent.

It’s a rare situation. Districts routinely pass budgets at the end of June to close the fiscal year and start a new one.

The vote on the LCAP failed 1-2-1 with President and Area 1 Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds voting in favor, Area 3 Trustee Mister Phillips and Area 5 Trustee Leslie Reckler voting against, and Area 2 Trustee Otheree Christian voting to abstain. Board Clerk and Area 4 Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy was absent.

District and Contra Costa County Office of Education officials warn that a failure to pass a budget and LCAP by July 1 will cede financial control to the county office. The district can still act by midnight Sunday to avert a takeover, but district officials are assuming that will not happen.

The district also would face difficulties getting the county’s approval of the budget. The state Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), which focuses on helping districts solve and prevent fiscal challenges, found in a recent analysis that the district had overspent, and concluded that the school board had been unable or unwilling to make cuts.

In a statement to EdSource, Moses wrote she was “deeply disappointed” that the board didn’t pass the LCAP. The responsibility to adopt the LCAP and 2024-25 school year budget will be in the hands of county officials. Until they impose the new plan and budget, Moses said, the district will revert to operating under last year’s budget.

“We are confident that the county will review our circumstance with a student-focused lens and do what is necessary to support our students,” the statement said. “In the interim, we will be able to continue processing payroll without interruptions, and we will be able to maintain all expenses related to the general operating costs within the district, such as utilities, required materials and supplies, and other operational necessities.”

But because the district is functioning on last year’s budget, some schools won’t receive the funds they need, and the district can’t move forward with new goals set, said Javetta Cleveland, a school business consultant for West Contra Costa.

“This is really serious to go forward without a budget — the district cannot operate without a budget,” Cleveland said during the meeting. “The district can’t meet or establish priorities without a budget.”

Cleveland asked the board to reconsider approving the LCAP and have the Contra Costa County Office of Education approve the LCAP with conditions that would allow revisions after receiving feedback from parents. But that didn’t happen.

Budget shortfalls

District officials are projecting a $31.8 million budget deficit over the next three school years, with about $11.5 million in shortfalls projected for the upcoming school year. The plan was to use reserve funds over three school years to make up the shortfall.

To address budget shortfalls, the board has also had to eliminate more than 200 positions since last year. The most recent cuts were voted on in March. But at the same time, the district was dealing with three complaints, including allegations that the district is out of compliance with the law because teacher vacancies have not been filled and classes are being covered by long-term or day-to-day substitutes, which district officials acknowledged was true.

“While the result of last night’s board meeting complicates an already challenging financial situation, members of the community should know that WCCUSD schools will continue to operate, and employees will continue to be paid as we work through the LCAP approval process,” said Marcus Walton, communications director for county office. “At this point, it is the role of the Contra Costa County Office of Education to support WCCUSD staff to address the board’s concerns and implement a budget as soon as possible.”

FCMAT conducted a fiscal health risk analysis on West Contra Costa in March and found the district is overspending.

While the FCMAT analysis concluded the district has a “high” chance of solving the budget deficit, it highlighted areas it considers high-risk, including some charter schools authorized by the district also being in financial distress; the district’s failure to forecast its general fund cash flow for the current and subsequent year, and the board’s inability to approve a plan to reduce or eliminate overspending.

FCMAT’s chief executive officer, Michael Fine, was not available for comment.

The vote

President Jamela Smith-Folds was the only trustee to vote yes on the LCAP. She said she wants to see more transparency but that it’s important to keep local control over the LCAP and budget.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that there are things we need to do differently, but I think everyone is acknowledging that,” Smith-Folds said. “Now the next step after you acknowledge that is to show change and consistency.”

Trustees Leslie Reckler and Mister Phillips voted down the LCAP. Phillips said it was because he doesn’t believe that what the community asked for is reflected in the document.

“I have consistently advocated for a balanced and focused budget since joining the school board in 2016,” Phillips said in an email. “The proposed budget was neither. With my vote, I invited our local county superintendent to the table. I hope that she will work with us to create a balanced and focused budget that prioritizes the school district’s strategic plan.”

Reckler said that for the last two years, she had continued to ask staff to show how programs and the LCAP performed, how community feedback is being incorporated, and how money is being spent.

“I’m frustrated I have to spend an entire weekend trying to figure out the changes in the LCAP. It should be self-evident,” Reckler said during the meeting. “This document seems to be less transparent than ever before. I don’t know how else to get your attention, and I won’t be held hostage. For these reasons, I am voting ‘no.’”

Trustee Otheree Christian abstained, saying that there needs to be more transparency in the LCAP but did not elaborate further or respond to requests for comments on why he chose not to vote.

Board member Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy was absent because of personal family reasons, according to his social media post. He called the vote a failure of the board, including his absence.

In a recent meeting with the District Local Control Accountability Plan Committee (DLCAP), made up of parents and members of community organizations, committee members shared their frustrations, saying they didn’t feel heard and needed more information about programs, Superintendent Chris Hurst said. Gonzalez Hoy said he agreed with the committee that there needs to be more transparency and in regards to spending priorities, community leaders need to be heard.

“With that said, what we should have done is ensure that this does not happen in the future and that the DLCAP committee is taken seriously in their charge,” Gonzalez Hoy’s post said. “Unfortunately, instead of advocating for that and ensuring this occurs, I believe that some on our board want certain adults leading our district to fail and that’s really what led to a vote last night.”

During Wednesday night’s meeting, many community members asked the board to stop making staffing cuts and to reject the LCAP and budget proposals, saying that both proposals didn’t meet student needs, and disenfranchised low-income, English learners, and students of color. Some speakers questioned if the LCAP complied with the law.

The district team that put together the LCAP said the planning document complies with the law, according to Moses, as do the officials at the county office of education that reviewed the document. The county gives the final stamp of approval after the board passes the LCAP, and if something needs to be fixed, they can approve the document with conditions, she added.

“I do know, with any large document, nothing is perfect in the first draft,” Moses said during the meeting. “I’m not sure if there is something we need to take a look at, but if so, I’ll restate this is a living document; if we do find that there is an area that needs more attention, we’ll give attention to that area.”

Moses said she agrees with the advocates — the district needs to serve students better. She and the district are committed to strengthening communication with the community and explaining how the strategies in the 203-page document are helping students.

As of Thursday evening, an emergency meeting has not been scheduled. The next board meeting is scheduled on July 17.

Monica Velez covers West Contra Costa Unified school district, student well-being and math.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

SB 1327 gets required two-thirds vote approving $500 million in annual tax credits

Funded by fee on large internet companies

SACRAMENTO – Senator Steve Glazer’s bill to help strengthen local newsrooms with $500 million in annual tax credits was approved Thursday, June 27, 2024, on a required two-thirds vote. It now moves to the Assembly.

The bill, SB 1327, was approved on a bipartisan 27-7 vote. A two-thirds vote was required because the bill assesses a Data Extraction Mitigation Fee on large Internet companies. It would distribute the money through tax credits to California news organizations.

“The passage today of my bill, SB 1327, is a step toward helping to revive news organizations across California,” said Glazer, D-7-Contra Costa. “Independent journalism is the lifeblood of our democracy by keeping our citizens informed on the workings of their government.

“This measure will mitigate the damage caused by platforms who use our personal data and their subsequent advertising profits to gut our mainstream news channels. I will continue to work with all stakeholders in the weeks ahead to chart a path forward that restores and expands independent news organizations, so critical to our democracy.”

Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-14-Oakland, who represents portions of West Contra Costa County and has her own legislation, AB 886, to help news organizations, applauded the bill’s passage.

“I am encouraged to see SB 1327 move forward, and grateful to my Senate colleagues for recognizing the importance of this issue,” said Wicks. “The advancement of Sen. Glazer’s bill will allow us to continue working collaboratively toward a solution that protects and grows newsrooms across California.”

See parade route

What are you doing on Saturday? Our 25th Anniversary Parade starts promptly at 9 am at 4th and Main Streets and will conclude at Civic Center Plaza. Grab your spot along the route to cheer on your faves. While out, why not grab a bite to eat before heading on over to Oakley Summer Fest?

Summer Fest will be held in Civic Center Plaza and on Main Street from Norcross Lane to Vintage Parkway starting at 11 am. We’ll have a kids area equipped with inflatable jumpers, a giant slide, trampoline bounce, and more! Be sure to bring $5 cash to purchase a wristband at this event at the Oakley Recreation tent next to City Hall.

#OakleyRecreation    #Oakleyturns25

Source: BAHFA

First-of-its-kind measure to help build, preserve more than 70,000 additional homes

Contra Costa County would receive $1.9 billion

By John Goodwin, Assistant Director of Communications & Rebecca Long, Director, Legislation & Public Affairs, Metropolitan Transportation Commission

The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, adopted a resolution to place a general obligation bond measure on the November 5 general election ballot in each of the nine Bay Area counties to raise and distribute $20 billion for the production of new affordable housing and the preservation of existing affordable housing throughout the region. BAHFA is jointly governed by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)’s Executive Board and by the BAHFA Board, which is comprised of the same membership as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).

The bond could create 72,000 new affordable homes – more than double what would be possible without a bond. Without more funding, only about 71,000 affordable homes will be built or preserved in the Bay Area over the next 15 years – a status quo that is failing to meet the needs of the people who live and work here.

Currently, the Bay Area doesn’t have enough homes for the people who live here. As a result of the region’s housing shortage:

• In 2022, 37,000 people were unhoused in the Bay Area.
• 1.4 million people—23% of Bay Area renters—spend over half their income on rent.
• High rents and home prices force people to live far from work, making congestion and pollution much worse, and putting a major strain on working families.
• Too many Bay Area residents live in overcrowded and unsafe housing.
• Vital employees and community members are leaving the area.

Wednesday’s unanimous vote by the BAHFA Board marks the final discretionary step in the process to place the measure on the November ballot. Under state law, each Bay Area county will now take a non-discretionary, ministerial vote to place the measure on the ballot in that county, in accordance with election deadlines.

The BAHFA bond measure currently would require approval by at least two-thirds of voters to pass. Voters throughout California this November will consider Assembly Constitutional Amendment 1 (ACA 1) — which would set the voter threshold at 55 percent for voter approval of bond measures for affordable housing and infrastructure. If a majority of California voters support ACA 1, the 55 percent threshold will apply to the BAHFA bond measure.

“Today’s vote is the culmination of so many years of effort by so many people all around our region,” observed BAHFA Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. “The Bay Area’s longstanding housing affordability problems affect all of us, our friends, our neighbors and our family members. This vote is about preserving opportunity for everyone.”

Source: BAHFA

The proposed BAHFA bond measure calls for 80 percent of the funds to go directly to the nine Bay Area counties (and to the cities of San Jose, Oakland, Santa Rosa and Napa, each of which carries more than 30 percent of their county’s low-income housing need), in proportion to each county’s tax contribution to the bond. In consultation with its cities and towns, each county would determine how to distribute bond funds to best meet its jurisdictions’ most pressing housing needs. These distributions would include:

• Contra Costa County: $1.9 billion
• Alameda County: $2 billion
• Marin County: $699 million
• Napa County: $118 million
• San Francisco County: $2.4 billion
• San Mateo County: $2.1 billion
• Santa Clara County: $2.4 billion
• Solano County: $489 million
• Sonoma County: $553 million
• City of Napa: $246 million
• City of Oakland: $765 million
• City of San Jose: $2.1 billion
• City of Santa Rosa: $242 million

The remaining 20 percent, or $4 billion, would be used by BAHFA to establish a new regional program to fund affordable housing construction and preservation projects throughout the Bay Area. Most of this money (at least 52 percent) must be spent on new construction of affordable homes, but every city and county receiving a bond allocation must also spend at least 15 percent of the funds to preserve existing affordable housing. Almost one-third of funds may be used for the production or preservation of affordable housing, or for housing-related uses such as infrastructure needed to support new housing.

Source: BAHFA

The California Constitution currently does not allow bond funds to be used for tenant protections such as rental assistance, but planned investments in new housing and affordable housing preservation will protect tens of thousands of low-income renters and vulnerable residents.

The BAHFA Board also adopted on Wednesday, resolutions approving the Authority’s Business Plan and its Regional Expenditure Plan, which explain the prioritization for use of the funds that would be directly administered by BAHFA.

Oversight and accountability provisions to be included in the BAHFA bond measure include the creation of a special bond proceeds account; establishment of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee that would review the expenditure of bond proceeds and report to the BAHFA and ABAG Executive Boards on whether the funds were spent appropriately; an independent annual performance audit; a requirement that all bond-projects be consistent with state laws on labor standards; a requirement that administrative costs not exceed the amount prescribed in state law; and a prohibition against any public official who voted to send the ballot measure to the voters bidding on any work funded with proceeds from the bond.

The ABAG Executive Board voted unanimously at its April meeting to adopt a resolution approving BAHFA’s Business Plan and its Expenditure Plan, as well as to endorse placement of the bond measure on the November ballot. In her remarks preceding the vote, ABAG President and Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos noted, “This is a remarkable milestone moment for our region. Housing stability is essential for our community to thrive, and this proposal is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

Read the Bond Report and learn more about the bond measure, here and here.

Arraignment scheduled for Thursday afternoon

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed charges on June 25th against two men who cut a utility line that severed 911 service for residents in Pinole, Hercules, and San Pablo.

31-year-old Jesus Francisco Arias-Ayala of Hayward and 49-year-old Daniel Antonio Mena-Diaz of Richmond were arrested by Pinole Police on June 22nd. On that evening, around 7:15 pm, officers responded to reports of a 911 system outage. They traced the issue to a bridge near the Pinole-Hercules city line on San Pablo Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found Arias-Ayala and Mena-Diaz under the bridge.

After a brief chase, both suspects were apprehended, arrested, and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.

After reviewing the case, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office charged Arias-Ayala with a felony for cutting utility line [PC 591], felony vandalism [PC 594(a)], a misdemeanor for resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer [PC 148(a)(1)], and a misdemeanor for possession of burglar’s tools [PC 466].

Mena-Diaz’s two felony charges are the same as Arias-Ayala, as is one misdemeanor charge of resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer.

Both men are scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 pm on Thursday, June 27th in Martinez.

Case No. 02-24-00829 | The People of the State of California v. Arias-Ayala, Jesus Francisco

Case No. 02-24-00830 | The People of the State of California v. Mena Diaz, Daniel Antonio

Officials, firefighters push in the new tiller truck at Con Fire’s Station 92 in Brentwood on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Photos: (left) Con Fire (right) courtesy of Brian Oftedal

Celebrated during “push-in” ceremony

By Allen D. Payton

Con Fire shared on their Facebook page on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, “In case you missed it! Last week, Contra Costa Fire pushed in not one, but TWO new tillers! Station 92 in Brentwood received a brand-new Pierce 100′ Heavy Duty Tiller.

This fire truck is capable of a 100-foot vertical reach, can support 1000 GPM @ 100 PSI, has 600 horsepower, and has a Cummins X15 engine!”

Station 81 in Antioch also received a new tiller truck. (See related article)

Known as a “push-in ceremony” the event was attended by Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis, Brentwood Vice Mayor Susannah Meyer, Councilmembers Jovita Mendoza and Tony Oerlemans, Contra Costa County Fire Commissioner Brian Oftedahl, and Con Fire Chaplain Fr. Robert Rein. They and several firefighters helped push the truck into the station.

A fire truck push-in ceremony is a long-standing tradition in the fire service. It dates back to the days of horse-drawn equipment when firefighters had to physically push the equipment back into the station after returning from a call.

Deputy Chief Aaron McAlister speaks as the Station 92 crew listens during the push-in ceremony. Photo: Con Fire

Burgis wrote on her official Facebook page wrote, – Celebrating the push-in ceremony for the newest apparatus at Fire Station 92 in Brentwood this morning. This $2 million…heavy duty tiller is now ready for use by the crew of Station 92 to protect the community. Thanks to Con Fire leadership, Con Fire Commissioners Mark DeMarce and Brian Oftedal, and Brentwood Councilmembers Jovita Mendoza, Susannah Meyer and Tony Oerlemans for prioritizing fire protection in Brentwood and throughout Contra Costa County.

According to firesafetysupport.com, Tiller Trucks are the most common and versatile fire trucks. They have a large scoop that can be used to pull water from a hose and transport it to the fire scene. They are also equipped with a ladder that can be used to reach high spots or rescue people trapped in a burning building.

Oftedahl wrote on his official Facebook page wrote about the ceremony – Another incredibly historic event in the City of Brentwood this morning. Brentwood now has its first ever aerial ladder truck, providing service to the businesses and residents of East Contra Costa County.

I feel honored to be part of the push in ceremony for Truck 92 and look forward to watching them serve our communities.”

Phone lines down twice in June due to theft of copper cables affecting Pinole, Hercules and San Pablo Police, some city departments

Calls continue to be answered by Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office

Third arrest for Daniel Mena-Diaz this year; third suspect still at large

By Commander Matt Avery, Pinole Police Department

At approximately 7:20 PM on Saturday, June 22nd, our Communications Center was alerted to a disruption in our 911 and business lines. Our dedicated communications staff promptly reached out to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, swiftly rerouting our 911 calls to their communications center. Simultaneously, our patrol units were dispatched to the area where the previous copper cable theft occurred on June 4th, which led to the disabling of our 911 and business lines. Upon arrival, three male subjects, in defiance of officers’ orders, fled into an open field toward a residential area.

Our officers established a perimeter with the assistance of Hercules officers. Recognizing the need for additional resources, they requested the aid of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office helicopter and a canine unit. This joint effort led to the successful apprehension of two suspects, with the third remaining at large. A thorough search of the scene revealed tools used for cutting copper cables, and one of the suspects was found in possession of such tools upon arrest.

The suspects are Jesus Arias-Ayala, a 31-year-old male out of Hayward, and Daniel Mena-Diaz, a 49-year-old male out of Richmond. Officers questioned both and they were later booked at the Martinez Detention Facility on the following charges:

• Jesus Francisco Arias-Ayala: felony vandalism and damaging telephone lines
• Daniel Antonio Mena-Diaz: felony vandalism, damaging telephone lines, and violation of probation

That same day, a message to the public was posted on the Pinole PD’s Facebook page reading, “Our phone lines are still down. AT&T is working on restoring service but we do not have an estimated time.

In the interim:

• Emergencies: call 911 and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office will transfer the call to Pinole Dispatch for police emergencies
• Non-emergencies: call 510-724-1111 or 510-900-4246 to be connected to Pinole Dispatch
• Records: call 510-914-0375 or email pdrecords@ci.pinole.ca.us

Additionally, many lines are down throughout the other City departments. Please visit: www.ci.pinole.ca.us for email contact information.”

Then, a week later on June 11th, a message was posted on the department’s Facebook, “911 PHONE LINE HAS BEEN RESTORED

911 service has been restored to the Pinole Dispatch Center. 911 calls in the cities of Pinole, Hercules, and San Pablo are being answered by our dispatchers.

The 911 and business phone outage was the result of two incidents where multiple phone cables were cut and stolen for their copper content. City staff has been working with AT&T and CalOES since the thefts to restore 911 service as well as establish temporary phone lines. City staff will continue to work with AT&T and third-party vendors to restore full telephone to all City departments.

Some Pinole and Hercules community members with traditional landline service also remain affected by the outage.”

Then in a post on the Pinole PD’s Facebook page on Saturday, June 22, the public was informed, “Our 911 and non-emergency lines are down again. The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office is answering 911 calls and transferring the calls to our Dispatch Center, which is operating on a secondary phone system.
For Emergencies

-Call 911: will be answered by CCCSO and forwarded to our Dispatch Center

-Text 911: will be answered by our Dispatch Center.”

Then, in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning, June 25, the public was informed by Pinole PD, “Our phone lines remain down. The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office is answering 911 calls and transferring the calls to our Dispatch Center, which continues to operate on a secondary phone system. We have restored our 510-724-1111 line but our main business line, 510-724-8950, remains down.” Alternate contact information was also provided.

911 calls for Pinole, Hercules and San Pablo continue to be answered by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office and transferred to our Communication Center.

• For emergencies, call or text 911 (text-to-911 is direct to the Pinole Communication Center)
• For non-emergencies, call 510-724-1111 or 510-900-4246
• For Pinole Records: call 510-588-1226
• Please visit https://tinyurl.com/3apnxxen for other Police Department contact information

Several business lines for other City departments are also down. For contact information for other City departments, please visit www.pinole.gov/contact/contact_us.

The incident is still under investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Pinole Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 510-724-111.

According to localcrimenews.com, this was the third arrest for Mena-Diaz this year, including on March 4th for warrants or holds and on May 8th for possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. He was also arrested in March 2023 for grand theft of lost property, obstructing or resisting an executive officer, and in November 2020 for trespassing.

According to localcrimenews.com, Arias-Ayala was also arrested in July 2023 by Emeryville PD for petty theft.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

One stop for your county service needs

Presented by Contra Costa Health Services in collaboration with the City of Richmond

Join us for Contra Costa County’s 6th Annual Summer Block Party where residents can make one stop for their county service needs from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, at 440 Civic Center Plaza, 27th and Nevin Streets in Richmond.

Public parking is available on Nevin Street at 27th Street. In collaboration with the City of Richmond, the County is hosting this family-friendly event where community members can conveniently connect with County and City staff and get support handling their important tasks.

“We are excited to bring this community event back to Richmond to serve our West County residents where they live,” said District I Supervisor John Gioia. “Residents will have a unique opportunity to access multiple services in one location, making it easier to take care of their county needs as well as enjoy an afternoon at this family-friendly community event.”

Contra Costa residents can connect with services outside of regular business hours. These include registering to vote, getting copies of vital records, applying for Veterans Benefits, CalFresh, Medi-Cal, or other programs. The Contra Costa County Library will present a live story time and have its Rolling Reader on site. The City of Richmond Fire Department will also roll in its fire truck. Plus, there will be Zumba by Rosa and several other community organizations sharing information and services.

Community members can enjoy a festive gathering, plus receive on-the-spot services and information from departments and programs such as Contra Costa Health, CONFIRE, Community Warning System, Public Works, Probation, District Attorney’s Office, and many more.

Contra Costa County has hosted this increasingly popular event since 2017. This is the sixth Block Party, which rotates to a different County location each year to provide opportunities for County staff to engage with community members across the County and make services more accessible to all.

2024 Summer Block Party

Thursday, June 27, 4 to 7 p.m.

Civic Center Plaza, 27th and Nevin St., Richmond 

Contra Costa County, in partnership with the City of Richmond, brings its annual Block Party to West County. Avoid having to make multiple stops to government offices or wait in long lines to take care of important tasks. Instead, bring the family and just stop by the County Services Summer Block Party!

Contra Costa County, the Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department, the Employment & Human Services Department, the County Library and County Public Works along with the City of Richmond are collaborating to provide a fun, festive event that offers a wide variety of on-the-spot government services at one single location. This will be the sixth year of the increasingly popular event, providing opportunities throughout the County to learn what’s available to you as a Contra Costa County resident.

Available services at the Summer Block Party include:

Sign-ups for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and CalWorks, information about childcare and preschool options, Records within Reach from Clerk-Recorder’s Office, Library Card Signups, Voter Registration, Clean Slate Program information, Contra Costa Television (CCTV) — and many more County programs.

County Departments Providing Services and Information

Clerk-Recorder-Elections
Contra Costa County Library
Employment & Human Services
Health Services
Probation
Public Works
Office of Communications and Media & Contra Costa Television
Join us for raffles, prizes, story time and MORE!

Federal investigation found housekeeping company restricted nursing home housekeeper from speaking Spanish

En Español, tambien

By Christopher Green, Deputy Director, EEOC San Francisco District Office

SAN FRANCISCO – Healthcare Services Group, Inc., which provides housekeeping and other services to healthcare facilities with 35,000 employees in 48 states, agreed to provide monetary and injunctive relief to an employee following an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

In a charge filed with EEOC, a woman employed as a “light housekeeper” at a nursing home facility in Concord, California, alleged that Healthcare Services Group prohibited her from speaking her native language of Spanish while in the workplace. The EEOC’s investigation found evidence confirming that her employer maintained a limited “English-only” rule. If applied at all times in the workplace or unless justified by business necessity, this type of policy violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin.

After the investigation, the parties engaged in a pre-litigation conciliation process resulting in a settlement. Healthcare Services Group will pay monetary damages to the housekeeper and will provide training for all California employees as well as separate training for all California managers and human resources personnel. The company also agreed to revise its California policies and procedures to include a clear statement that Healthcare Services Group will not restrict languages spoken by employees not performing patient care, and that employees have the right to speak their preferred language in the workplace. These policies will be issued in English, Spanish and any other language spoken by 5% or more of its California workforce. In addition, the company agreed to remove English fluency requirements from the light housekeeper job description, and to post a notice of the agreement for a period of two years.

“Restrictive language policies are only allowed if they are required to ensure safe or efficient business operation and is put in place for nondiscriminatory reasons. Client relations and customer preference do not justify discriminatory policies,” said Rosa Salazar, acting director of the EEOC’s Oakland Local Office. “We commend Healthcare Services Group for making important changes in their policies and training their entire California workforce to recognize and prevent this form of national origin discrimination.”

For more information on national origin discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/national-origin-discrimination. For related resources for small businesses, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/small-business-fact-sheet-national-origin-discrimination.

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.

Grupo de Servicios de Atención Médica Resolverá el Cargo de Discriminación por Nacionalidad de la EEOC

La Investigación Federal Encontró a la Empresa de Limpieza de Restringir a sus Empleados a Hablar Español

SAN FRANCISCO – Healthcare Services Group, Inc., que brinda servicios de limpieza y otros servicios a centros de atención médica y emplea a 35,000 empleados en 48 estados, acordó pagar $15,000 y brindar otras medidas cautelares a un empleado luego de una investigación realizada por la Comisión de Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo de EE. UU. (EEOC), anunció hoy la agencia.

En un cargo presentado ante la EEOC, una mujer, empleada como “simple limpieza” en un asilo de ancianos en Concord, California, alegó que Healthcare Services Group le prohibió hablar su idioma nativo, el español, mientras estaba en su centro de trabajo. La investigación de la EEOC encontró evidencia que confirma que su empleador mantenía una regla limitada de “solo inglés”. Aplicándose esto en todo momento en el centro de labores o a menos que esté justificado por una necesidad comercial, este tipo de política viola el Título VII de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964, que prohíbe la discriminación basada en la nacionalidad.

Luego de la investigación, las partes iniciaron un proceso de conciliación previo al litigio que resultó en un acuerdo. Healthcare Services Group pagará una indemnización monetaria al ama de llaves y brindará capacitación a todos los empleados de California, así como capacitación separada para todos los gerentes y personal de recursos humanos de California. La compañía también acordó revisar sus políticas y procedimientos de California para incluir una declaración clara de que Healthcare Services Group no restringirá los idiomas hablados por los empleados que no atienden a pacientes y que los empleados tienen derecho a hablar su idioma de su preferencia en el centro de labor. Estas políticas se emitirán en inglés, español y cualquier otro idioma hablado por el 5% o más de su personal en California. Además, la empresa acordó eliminar los requisitos de fluidez en inglés de la descripción del puesto de simple limpieza y publicar un aviso del acuerdo por un período de dos años.

“Las políticas lingüísticas restrictivas sólo se permiten si estas son necesarias para garantizar una operación comercial segura o eficiente y se implementan por razones no discriminatorias. Las relaciones con los clientes y las preferencias de los mismos no justifican políticas discriminatorias”, dijo Rosa Salazar, directora interina de la Oficina Local de Oakland de la EEOC. “Felicitamos a Healthcare Services Group por realizar cambios importantes en sus políticas y capacitar a toda su fuerza laboral de California para reconocer y prevenir esta forma de discriminación por nacionalidad”.

Para obtener más información sobre la discriminación por nacionalidad, visite https://www.eeoc.gov/es/discriminacion-por-origen-nacional. Para obtener recursos relacionados para pequeñas empresas, visite https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/small-business-fact-sheet-national-origin-discrimination (en inglés).

La EEOC promueve las oportunidades en el lugar de trabajo al hacer cumplir las leyes federales que prohíben la discriminación laboral. Más información está disponible en https://www.eeoc.gov/es. Manténgase conectado con las últimas noticias de la EEOC suscribiéndose a nuestras actualizaciones por correo electrónico .

Of 11,946 Contra Costa County employees, Administrator highest paid at $494,001

SACRAMENTO — State Controller Malia M. Cohen has released the 2023 self-reported payroll data for cities and counties on the Government Compensation in California website. The data covers 517,358 positions and a total of more than $40.72 billion in 2023 wages.

Users of the site can:

• View compensation levels on maps and search by region;
• Narrow results by name of the entity or by job title; and
• Export raw data or custom reports.

The newly published data includes 462 cities and 52 counties. The City of Hayward had the highest average city employee wage in California, followed by Atherton, Pleasant Hill, and Beverly Hills. The counties with the highest average employee wages were Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Monterey, and Ventura. The city employee with the highest total wages in California was a police officer for the City of Santa Monica, while the top 20 highest-paid county employees work in health care professions.

Data for Contra Costa County show 11,946 employees worked sometime during the year and were paid $1,137,258,564 in wages and $470,014,925 in retirement and health contribution. The highest paid employee was the County Administrator with $494,001 total pay, which included $466,378 in regular pay, $20,423 in lump sum payment, described as paid to the employee for one-time cash-outs (including, but not limited to, paid excess vacation and sick leave, and legal settlements), and $7,200 for other pay, described as any other pay not reported as regular pay, overtime pay, or lump-sum pay such as car allowances, meeting stipends, incentive pay, bonus pay, etc.

California law requires cities, counties, and special districts to annually report compensation data to the State Controller. The State Controller also maintains and publishes state and CSU salary data. Five counties and 20 cities failed to file or provided incomplete or late information. San Francisco is both a city and a county; the website reports San Francisco as a city.

Since the website launched in 2010, State Controller’s Office has published pay and benefit information on more than two million government jobs in California, as reported annually by each entity.

As the chief fiscal officer of California, Controller Cohen is responsible for accountability and disbursement of the state’s financial resources. The Controller has independent auditing authority over government agencies that spend state funds. She is a member of numerous financing authorities, and fiscal and financial oversight entities including the Franchise Tax Board. She also serves on the boards for the nation’s two largest public pension funds. Follow the Controller on X at @CAController and on Facebook at California State Controller’s Office.