Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Holiday FUN(draiser) in Downtown Richmond Thursday, Dec. 7

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About Richmond Main Street Initiative
Richmond Main Street Initiative (RMSI) is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to revitalizing historic Downtown Richmond, California as a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban village offering products, services, arts and entertainment that reflect our community’s rich and diverse heritage.  Our programs and events are a vital part of the urban village concept and serve to educate youth, businesses and community residents.  RMSI partners with the City of Richmond, property owners and merchants to implement a comprehensive, community-driven approach to developing and improving Downtown Richmond. www.RichmondMainStreet.org, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Reward increased to $5,000 in Blackhawk building vehicle collision, hit and run

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Damage from vehicle crash into building in Blackhawk on August 18, 2017. Herald file photos courtesy of CCSheriff

From CCC Sheriff Facebook page

The reward being offered in the August 18, 2017 vehicle collision into an office building in Blackhawk has doubled to $5,000. The reward, being offered by an insurance company, is for the positive identification and arrest of the suspect in this case. (See related article)

On that evening at about 10 PM, a black, newer-model Land Rover with paper plates collided into the office building located on Executive Parkway, across from Blackhawk Plaza. There was major damage to the office building.

The vehicle then fled and crashed into two parked cars on Center Way near the Chevron Station in the town of Danville.

The Land Rover was driven by a white male described as being in his early 50’s wearing a floral Hawaiian shirt. There was also a white female passenger possibly named “Gloria”. According to witnesses, the Land Rover was later towed from the corner of Indian Rice Road and Goldenrod Lane in Danville.

The male driver was last seen waving down cars on Crow Canyon Road. It is believed the occupants had just left a free concert at Blackhawk Plaza.

If anyone has any information about the vehicle (which should have sustained major damage), its occupants, or the name of the tow truck company, please contact the Blackhawk Police Department at (925) 736-1018.  You can also call the anonymous tip line at (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.

Faith leaders join striking machinists at Henkel Bay Point

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Contra Costa faith leaders speak to striking machinists at Henkel in Bay Point. Photo courtesy of CC Central Labor Council

By Margaret Hanlon-Gradie

Contra Costa faith community leaders had strong words for Henkel Bay Point this week when they joined striking Machinists in their fight for safe workplaces and a fair contract against Henkel Corporation. On Tuesday, Reverend Will McGarvey, Community Presbyterian Church and executive director of the Interfaith Council, Reverend Charles Glasper, True Light Missionary Baptist Church, and Senior Pastor Quentisha Davis Wiles, Pittsburg United Methodist Church walked the picket line and offered their prayers and solidarity to the strikers. The three faith leaders shared the letter they and 16 other Contra Costa faith leaders had written to Henkel, (also see below) demanding respect, dignity and safety for the workers and community.

“It is every employer’s duty to treat their workers with respect. The Henkel Corporation, however, ignores workers’ health and safety, promotes a culture of indignation, and consistently diminishes the workers’ ability to care for themselves. This is not how we are told to treat our fellow man. This is not God’s plan,” reads the letter.

The faith leaders addressed the strikers, offering material support for the upcoming holidays and invited strikers to call on their church families for assistance with the upcoming holidays.

“Be encouraged because what Henkel is attempting to do is wrong. Morally, ethically, and legally, it’s wrong…. so today I want to ask you to keep standing tall,” said Pastor Quentisha Davis Wiles.

The over 80 manufacturing workers have been on strike at Henkel Bay Point for 30 days. The workers are fighting for safety and respect at the workplace and have received support from much of the community. “We’re eternally grateful for the enthusiastic support we are receiving from the faith community. These faith leaders are putting their attention on the health of our spirits, as well as, our bodies, the two things this company has attempted to break,” said Henkel employee Will Morris.

Hanlon-Gradie is the Executive Director for the Contra Costa Central Labor Council.

Labor union members to protest Monday at Martinez Walmart for being open on Thanksgiving

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Asking for “Freedom to Spend Time with our Families”

By Margaret Hanlon-Gradie

Forget Black Friday! The Contra Costa Central Labor Council with Making Change will stage a protest on Monday Nov. 20 to tell Walmart to observe the spirit of Thanksgiving and allow workers time to spend with their families.

Action will be held Monday, November 20th between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm at 1021 Arnold Drive in Martinez.

According to the Making Change website, their “vision for American workers – in grocery, retail, and in our communities – is respect and dignity at jobs that pay fairly and guarantee workers a voice.

Working together with Walmart Associates, local UFCW members, and leaders in communities across the country, the Making Change at Walmart campaign is challenging Walmart to share our vision for a new way forward—a way that lifts all of us up.”

According to their website, the Labor Council represents 80,000 working families standing together for good jobs, healthy communities, educational opportunity, and a brighter future for people in all industries and kinds of work.

Hanlon-Gradie is Executive Director of the Contra Costa Central Labor Council.

East County leaders meet at EC2 Summit to discuss plans for local job creation

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By John Crowder

On Friday, October 20, representatives of four cities and the County came together to discuss economic development for the East County region.  The annual EC2 (EC Squared, which stands for East County Economic Collaborative) Summit, the brainchild of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce, is designed to promote job growth and economic opportunity in the region.  The event was held at the Antioch Community Center.

Moderated by Antioch Mayor Sean Wright, attendees heard from representatives from each of four cities; Antioch, Pittsburg, Brentwood, and Oakley, as well as a representative from the Contra Costa County Transportation Agency.

Presenters from each city highlighted resources and programs that are designed to stimulate economic activity.  Antioch’s presentation focused on the development of the waterfront, light industrial space, and the upcoming BART extension to the city.

The City of Pittsburg presentation highlighted a desire to move beyond heavy industry by shifting focus to manufacturing and their involvement in the Bay Area Manufacturing Initiative.  Also mentioned were marketing initiatives for the City, including the use of social media.

Oakley’s talk discussed how residential development is driving growth.  According to their presentation, they have over 5000 entitled residential lots, along with over 300 acres of industrial zoned land.  Emphasizing that as a city they are, “development friendly,” they noted a reduction in commercial impact fees of 40% and a streamlined project approval process.

The City of Brentwood touted their Economic Development Action Plan.  Some of their “game changers” include a business development center, full scale hospital, a Next Generation Technology Business Park, and a Farm to Fork program.

Contra Costa Transportation Authority Executive Director Randy Iwasaki discussed the East Bay as a “Corridor of Opportunity,” with a broad overview of how voter approved transportation initiative funds are being used.  The projects he mentioned included work on Highway 4, BART expansion to Antioch, and the Highway 160/Highway 4 Connector Ramps.  He also discussed future projects under consideration.

Antioch Mayor Sean Wright commented on the event, saying, “It was awesome to see all four cities and the County coming together to discuss strategies and work being done to bring jobs to East Contra Costa County.  Too many of our residents are spending too much of their lives commuting and we must double our efforts to bring those good paying jobs here to our region.”

His sentiments were echoed by Richard Pagano, CEO of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.  He said the important question is, “How do we work regionally to bring jobs to the entire area? A job in Antioch helps Oakley, and vice-versa.  That’s the paradigm shift we’re trying to effect.”

The television broadcast of EC2 can be seen on the following channels in November: CCTV – Wednesday November 15 at 12 pm and Delta TV – Thursday November 16 at 10 am.

San Ramon-based 24 Hour Fitness to pay $1.2 million penalty for consumer protection violations

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Settlement will also include costs and restitution for misleading customers by falsely promising guaranteed annual renewal rates to obtain up-front fees

MARTINEZ, California — Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton, in conjunction with Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, announced that on November 1, 2017, the District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Divisions reached a consumer protection settlement of $1.2 million in civil penalties against 24 Hour Fitness, Inc. The company must also pay $100,000 in costs to the County of Orange and Contra Costa, as well as pay restitution to the members who were misled by the promises of a low lifetime annual renewal rate in exchange for large up-front membership fees.

24 Hour Fitness is headquartered in San Ramon, Contra Costa County, California and has 400+ membership fitness gyms in 18 states, of which 140 are located in California. The allegations against 24 Hour Fitness state that between 2006 and 2009, 24 Hour sold pre-paid memberships in a false and misleading manner when 24 Hour sales representatives took large up-front fees for an initial 2 or 3-year membership period, with the promise that members would be guaranteed a low life-time annual renewal rate for life, as long as the member remained in good standing by paying their annual renewal fee on time. The up-front fees ranged from $600 to over $1400 with a promise of a fixed annual renewal rate between $29-$199 a year.

In 2006, 24 Hour made changes to the language of their pre-paid membership contracts that allowed for annual rate increases, but the District Attorneys alleged that 24 Hour sales representatives continued to sell these post-April 2006 memberships with verbal promises that their annual renewal rates would be guaranteed fixed for life. Consumers also believed they were misled by the verbal representations and in 2015, when 24 Hour began increasing annual renewal rates, they complained to the Company and the Better Business Bureau. They also started an on-line petition protesting the company’s broken promises.

The complaint alleges that 24 Hour refused to honor the verbal guarantees, so members who refused to pay the increased annual rate had their memberships terminated after having paid the large up-front fees or forced members to pay the increased rates.

The Settlement requires that 24 Hour Fitness allow pre-paid members to renew their memberships at the promised low annual lifetime renewal rate, if the member submits a claim form and declaration that they were told by a 24 Hour sales representative that their annual rate was guaranteed to remain the same for life.  All past and present 24 Hour Fitness members, who purchased post 2006 pre-paid membership contracts, or were updated to these contracts, and either paid the increase or were terminated for failure to pay the increase, will be sent a notice with instructions on how, where and when to submit their forms and declarations.

The District Attorney’s Offices want to make it clear that, if you receive a notice, it means you have one of the new contracts that allows for the increase, even if your rate has not yet been increased. It is important, that if you were promised a lifetime guaranteed annual renewal rate you must fill out the claim form and declaration to preserve or reinstate your guaranteed annual renewal rate. The restitution provisions of this settlement extend to qualifying pre-paid members nationwide.

24 Hour Fitness admitted no wrong-doing in the Settlement Agreement.

Deputy District Attorney Michelle Cipolletti from the Orange County District Attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit and Deputy District Attorney Dodie Katague from the Contra Costa Consumer Protection Unit prosecuted this case.

For further information, please contact DDA Dodie Katague at 925-957-8604.

Save Mount Diablo partners with real estate firm to raise funds for land purchases

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The Sand Creek Focus Area inside Antioch’s and the county’s voter-approved Urban Limit Lines is planned for 4,000 new homes, including 1,200 that are already approved. Photo by Michael Amorosa

Paragon Real Estate Group and Save Mount Diablo are pleased to announce a creative new partnership to further the protection of the Mount Diablo area as the real estate industry depends on quality of place.

The beautiful natural open lands of the Mount Diablo area serve as the nourishing and distinguishing foundation for the East Bay’s communities – from affording us with outdoor recreational and educational opportunities, stunning scenic vistas, critical wildlife habitat, water resources, and local agriculture to making our area a desirable place to live, work and visit.

With this partnership Paragon Real Estate Group and Save Mount Diablo are putting into action the recognition that we cannot take our natural foundation and competitive economic advantage for granted.  According to At Risk: The Bay Area Greenbelt 2017: “Across the eight Bay Area counties addressed in this report, Contra Costa County has the most total land at risk; about one out of every five acres of threatened land in the region is in Contra Costa.  Contra Costa also has the most land at high risk, land that could be developed in the near term.”  Further, it is projected that about 2 million more people will move to the Bay Area by 2045 which will put further pressures on the natural resources of the Mount Diablo area.

Paragon Real Estate Group is the first real estate company in our area to join Save Mount Diablo’s new program for real estate professionals.  Under this program, Paragon will provide Save Mount Diablo membership gift packages to all its clients at closings and other special occasions.  This will provide a unique and meaningful way to welcome someone to their new community and get them involved with the local non-profit organization that is helping protect their recent real estate investment and quality of life through its efforts to conserve the lands of the Mount Diablo area. 

“We are grateful for Paragon’s leadership and long-term vision in stepping up to join Save Mount Diablo’s new program for real estate professionals,” said Ted Clement, Save Mount Diablo Executive Director. “The real estate industry can do much to help us protect the natural beauty of the Mount Diablo area for the benefit of all.”

“At Paragon, we believe in the value of open spaces. Even with the enormous pressure for housing in the bay area, it’s important that we focus as a business on what we can do to contribute to the overall quality of life for all of our residents,” added Hank Perry, President of Paragon Real Estate Group of Contra Costa. “Among the many reasons people choose to live here are the love of the mountain’s natural beauty, and the many places it provides us to enjoy outdoor recreation with our friends and family.  We know the mission of Save Mount Diablo contributes greatly to all of our residents in this regard, and we choose to support it.”

The Save Mount Diablo membership gift package menu that real estate professionals can choose from in putting together a gift for their clients at closings follows:

About Save Mount Diablo

Save Mount Diablo is a nationally accredited, non-profit land trust founded in 1971 with a mission to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide recreational opportunities consistent with the protection of natural resources. Located at 1901 Olympic Blvd., Ste. 320, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596. Learn more at www.savemountdiablo.org 

About Paragon Real Estate Group

Paragon Real Estate Group is known for representing the most beautiful homes in the Bay Area, but it is more than just a residential real estate company. Diverse by design, our breadth of expertise also covers investment, new developments, commercial, and leasing. Our agent bench is deep: we hire the right people and help turn them into solid, high-producing agents with second-to-none support and training resources. Located at 1400 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94109. Learn more at https://www.paragon-re.com/

Contra Costa industrial businesses open doors to students for Manufacturing Day this Friday

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Central County high school students get first-hand experience of modern manufacturing

WHAT:

This Friday morning, close to 250 Contra Costa County Career Technical Education/Regional Occupational Program (CTE/ROP) high school students will be visiting local modern industrial businesses, in observation of Manufacturing Day.

National Manufacturing Day, started in 2012, is an annual celebration of modern manufacturing, during which manufacturers invite their communities — including students, educators, business people, media, and politicians — to their facilities in a collective effort to educate visitors about manufacturing career opportunities and improve public perceptions of manufacturing. By working together during and after Manufacturing Day, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, strengthen the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

WHO:

More than 250 students, currently attending CTA/ROP engineering/industrial-related courses at Antioch High, Mt. Diablo High, Concord High, and Ygnacio Valley High will be visiting local modern manufacturing businesses to get a first-hand look at their hosts’ operations, and possible career opportunities.

The Contra Costa County CTE/ROP serves nearly 12,000 students annually with classes in 34 high schools throughout Contra Costa and Alameda counties. Currently, there are 399 state-of-the-art career development classes in this program. CTE/ROP focuses on career preparation and exploration, hands-on experience, and academic excellence to prepare students for success in college and future careers. CTE/ROP provides students with the newest equipment, rigorous academic standards, and classes in emerging technologies. All of the CTE/ROP classes and programs are directed by and funded through the CCCOE. For more information about CTE/ROP classes, visit their website.

WHEN:

Friday, October 6, 2017; primarily between 9:00-11:00 a.m.

WHERE:

Fresenius (dialysis equipment manufacturer), 4040 Nelson Ave. Concord

Dow (Dow Chemical operations), 901 Loveridge Rd. Pittsburg

Bishop-Wisecarver (producers of custom complex assemblies, linear motion solutions and optimal embedded intelligence systems), 2104 Martin St., Pittsburg

QuickMount (solar roof mounts), 2700 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek

Granberg (chain saw mills and accessories), 1051 Los Medanos St. Pittsburg

Contra Costa’s CyberTran awarded U.S. patent for Transportation Internet

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Rendering of a CyberTran transit station. Renderings courtesy of CyberTran International, Inc.

Ultra-Light Rail Transit system vehicles travel throughout connected rail networks at low, medium and high speeds, direct to destination and at much lower capital deployment and maintenance costs

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA – CyberTran International, Inc. (CTI) offers the most innovative approach to solving the world’s traffic congestion problems. The recent patent approval for fixed guideway transportation systems, with lower cost of ownership and optimized benefits, validates what they’re calling the Transportation Internet technology. This system can be thought of as the computer-controlled technology solution to the problems of mass transit cost overruns and inefficiency.

Artist rendering of a CyberTran vehicle and station with overhead solar panels generating the power to operate the system.

CTI’s Ultra-Light Rail Transit (ULRT) is a mass transit system with the ability to build out Urban Circulator systems, Commuter Rail systems and High-Speed Rail systems and connect them to one network where small rail vehicles carrying up to thirty passengers can travel throughout the network Direct-to-Destination (nonstop). This allows ULRT to serve three separate markets, low, medium and high speeds! Until today all three markets have been served by three separate distinct technologies that can only be connected at transfer points where passengers have to disembark one system only to transfer to another to reach their destination.

Currently, CTI is closing in on funding for the purpose of demonstration and deployment. “Everybody wants to be second, nobody wants to be first,” said Dexter Vizinau, President of CTI.

Transit officials are hesitant to take a chance on a small and innovative company. The BART system started out as a demonstration project and the technology was the first of its kind. Today, CTI has approximately ten cities that are willing to be first, he explained.

In every major metropolitan region of the world, people are stuck in traffic. Today’s solutions aren’t working.

“Expanding today’s transit systems are too costly to build and maintain, yet transit officials continue to approach this as a solution, with little result,” said Neil Sinclair, CTI Board Chairman. “There’s a $78 billion backlog in transit systems maintenance in the U.S. and the only way to pay for it is to raise taxes. In the meantime, we’re all stuck in traffic with no end in sight.” That is, until today.

Overview rendering of the offline CyberTran stations.

“Our patent validates everything we’ve already proven,” Vizinau continued. “Two full-scale prototype vehicles have already been built and tested. The test vehicles have achieved speeds of up to 60 mph and have climbed a 10% grade, which means ULRT can go over the Sepulveda Pass in Los Angeles and also travel up the Grapevine Summit in Southern California. Bullet train systems and L.A. Metro-like systems cannot climb steep grades and therefore either have to tunnel or go around.”

By building out ULRT networks in cities at 35 mph, and then connecting them together throughout a region at 80 mph, ULRT becomes a commuter rail system like BART and Metro in Los Angeles. ULRT can handle the same throughput as BART during rush hour via the Transbay Tube. CTI can then connect regions with a high-speed line. The ULRT System design is flexible and can expand easily. Guideways and civil structures are manufactured offsite and assembled onsite allowing ULRT systems to be constructed more efficiently. CTI can construct long-distance systems in up to a quarter mile per day. The system was designed to reach speeds of up to 150 mph. (See related article)

CyberTran’s ULRT system also operates from solar power. Canopies of solar panels above the guideway can generate more than one megawatt per mile and eight times more energy than the system consumes, and supply renewable energy to surrounding communities resulting in a net gain to CTI.

Rendering of a possible CyberTran station on the second floor of an office building and campus.

Transit officials currently purchase transit systems from foreign companies. CTI plans to manufacture ULRT transit systems for a global market in Contra Costa County. “We’ve been to China five times in as many years. There are six hundred cities in China that can use this,” says Sinclair. Councilmember Rich Kinney of the City of San Pablo states, “West Contra Costa County in particular has to solve the I-80 corridor congestion issue to attract more businesses and jobs to our cities. This is our opportunity to effectively address that issue. May we not continue to kick the proverbial can down the road – it’s time to embrace the full deployment of CyberTran right here at home.”

Earlier this year the city councils of Oakley, Brentwood and Antioch each voted unanimously to join the cities of Richmond and San Pablo to support efforts by CTI to obtain the needed funding for systems in both Western and Eastern Contra Costa County. (See related article) In addition, CTI has the support of U.C. Berkeley in their efforts to bring the technology to market. (See related article)

The next steps for CTI are to obtain funding to build two showrooms and a factory. This calls for one low-speed demonstration track up to 35 mph, and one rapid speed demonstration track up to 150 mph – in curves and with left and right banking. Both demo tracks and factory construction are to be done concurrently. There were no funding programs to support transit innovation, such as ULRT, at the federal level until CTI lobbied Congress to create one. Program legislation was created and approved in 2014 under a Republican-controlled Congress and Senate. CTI was hopeful that President Obama would release the program funding but it did not happen. CTI is hopeful about the President Trump’s infrastructure package and is encouraged by their reception in Washington, D.C.

Note: The publisher of the Contra Costa Herald has a financial interest in CyberTran International.

Supervisors close to cracking down on illegal waste haulers

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By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County supervisors have reached the end of the road and are finally aggressively moving to adopt an ordinance that’s been five years in the making that might possibly shut down hundreds of illegal solid waste haulers from operating in the county.

Supervisors plan to take up the issue one more time at either their Oct. 17 or Oct. 24 meeting where they could adopt an ordinance establishing regulations aimed at corralling unregulated haulers.

Supervisors on Tuesday, Sept. 26 instructed county attorneys to confer with Scott Gordon, an environmental land use lawyer representing the county’s two authorized trash haulers – Republic Service in Contra Costa County and Garaventa Enterprises – to finalize an ordinance both sides can finally sign.

County Environmental Health Department officials have observed how illegal dumping around the county has worsened.

“Illegal dumping is a countywide problem and the proposed ordinance is meant to help curtail the practice of illegal dumping,” Dr. William Walker, County Health Services Director, wrote in a Sept. 26 report to the board.  “CCEH has investigated numerous complaints of illegal dumping. In some instances, unregulated haulers that were hired by private parties to remove refuse, dumped the collected material along roadways or on vacant lots. CCEH has also identified more than 41 illegal solid waste transfer stations, located in both incorporated and unincorporated Contra Costa County, that work directly with unregulated haulers.  Unregulated solid waste haulers often go undetected because they dump their collected waste at illegal transfer stations and other unapproved sites.”

Walker also noted illegal transfer stations do not undergo required environmental review or permitting processes and present significant threats to public health and the environment.

“For example,” Walker wrote, “these operations will sort through mixed loads of waste material, remove the valuable material for recycling, and abandon the remainder, dumping it on roadsides, burning it, burying it, or pushing it into creeks.  These are safety issues as well, as the Sheriff’s Department has found unregulated haulers transporting poorly-secured loads on county roads.”

With Board Chair Federal Glover absent due to illness, supervisors did agree in open session on some legal issues with attorney Gordon.  Among items both sides agreed on during public session were:

  • Requiring non-franchised haulers to carry $1 million per occurrence and $1 million aggregate of liability insurance
  • A due process for permit revocation
  • Curbing theft of recyclable materials from franchise haulers’ commercial bins and curbside totes.
  • Implementing an identifiable agency permit requirement.

Safe Drug Disposal Program

In a related issue, supervisors learned the county’s nine-month-old Safe Drug Disposal Program is slowly gaining traction.  Adopted by supervisors on Dec. 13, 2016, the Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance was enacted to require drug manufacturers to establish at least three county drop-off sites in each of the five supervisorial districts in locations allowing convenient and equitable access by residents of the unincorporated areas of those districts.

The county ordinance gives preference for drop-off sites to be set up in pharmacies and law enforcement agencies because these are the only two entities that can legally accept controlled drugs like opioid based pain medications.

So far, the county’s Contra Costa Health Center in Martinez is in compliance with the ordinance and “Kaiser has begun to explore the concept at its Antioch location,” Contra Costa County Public Health Director Daniel Peddycord told supervisors.

“Sutter Delta does not currently have a collection bin on site for the disposal of unwanted medications or sharps,” Peddycord said. “We have been informed that due to security and space issues they are not able to consider being part of a stewardship program at this time.  John Muir Health provides information on their website regarding the safe disposal of unwanted medication at local law enforcement agencies and sanitation districts.”

The City of Danville has expressed interest in learning more and possibly participating in the county program, Peddycord told supervisors.

Peddycord also noted, “The cities of Clayton and San Pablo responded indicating they have some opportunities for drug disposal at their city police stations.

In other action, supervisors unanimously approved endorsing the vision, goals and objectives of the Bay Area Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy that creates a nine-county regional Economic Development District that is recognized by the United States Economic Development Administration.  The ECD will improve county access to economic and workforce related grants and technical assistance from federal and state agencies and private funds.