Contra Costa Herald

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

Special Concord Council meeting Monday to discuss renegotiating with or refunding Naval Weapons Station developer

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The Concord City Council will hold a special City Council meeting on Monday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at Civic Center, 1950 Parkside Dr. By state law, City Council meetings may be called with 24-hour notice.

Monday’s meeting is being called to provide the City Council an opportunity to consider two requests from Catellus Development Corporation – a finalist in the Master Developer selection process for the 1st Phase development of the Reuse Area Plan on the former Concord Naval Weapons Station.  Catellus has requested changes to its Agreement to Negotiate and Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) Term Sheet, and has requested that Council consider a settlement agreement that returns their $250,000 good faith deposit should the Council not desire to change its Agreement to Negotiate and Term Sheet. The staff report for this item will be available by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 25 on the City’s website www.cityofconcord.org.

According to the staff report, “Staff recommends that the Council, sitting as the LRA: (1) reject Catellus’ request for changes to its Agreement to Negotiate and Term Sheet; (2) authorize the refunding of Catellus’ Initial Good Faith Deposit of $250,000 in exchange for Catellus’ voluntary withdrawal from the Master Developer selection process and waiver and release of any and all claims it may have against the City, subject to a mutually agreeable settlement agreement; and (3) authorize the City Manager to execute a settlement agreement on behalf of the LRA and City in substantially the form attached hereto.”

The meeting will be televised on Concord Cable TV channel 28 (Comcast), 29 (Astound), and 99 (AT&T U-verse), and streamed from the City’s website.

For more information, visit www.concordreuseproject.org or contact Director of Community Reuse Planning Guy Bjerke, (925) 671-3076. To see the complete staff report, click here. http://www.ci.concord.ca.us/pdf/citygov/agendas/council/2016/0328/3A.pdf

Senator Glazer issues statement on BART crisis

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Sacramento, CA – State Senator Steven Glazer released the following statement regarding the crisis facing Bay Area BART commuters, on Friday.

“We are in a transportation crisis in my district. Thousands and thousands of people are arriving late for work, school and important meetings because BART failed to get in front of these foreseeable problems.

“The maintenance problems at BART have not just occurred overnight. They have been years in the making due to financial and leadership failures by the BART Board and management.

“These failures have been reflected in unaffordable employee and management compensation, wasteful spending on public relations and image building, inoperative security systems, and the inability to keep the trains running during strikes. These management breakdowns are also reflected in the paralysis that has resulted in the clear underfunding for maintenance, track, technology and train improvements.

“Our transportation system is an essential service in the Bay Area. Without the public’s trust in the leadership of BART, future investment in the system is in grave jeopardy.”

Glazer represents District 7 in the State Senate which covers most of Contra Costa County.

New Contra Costa campaign highlights impact of quality child care on children’s futures

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Quality Matters Firefighter

Quality Matters is the county’s new child care rating system

 Concord, CA – Kids who attend quality child care programs do better in life. That’s the message of a new campaign in Contra Costa County to educate parents about the importance of selecting quality child care for their children.

The campaign, called Quality Matters, also publicly launches Contra Costa County’s new system to rate and improve the level of quality licensed child care programs provide to young children. First 5 Contra Costa, the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and the Contra Costa Child Care Council are sponsoring the campaign.

“The important message to families is that quality matters when choosing an early learning or child care setting for their child. Research shows that children in quality child care are more successful academically and in life,” said Sean Casey, Executive Director of First 5 Contra Costa. “Quality Matters is improving the quality of child care in our county and will provide parents with tools they need to identify quality programs.”

To date, 104 licensed child care programs in Contra Costa County are voluntarily participating in Quality Matters. Providers receive training, coaching, support and incentives to meet or exceed quality standards. Most Quality Matters sites are located in low-income communities or serve children with high needs – the children least likely to receive quality child care. Sixteen counties in California are piloting child care rating and improvement systems using common criteria and standards.

The new campaign features ads in English and Spanish on buses, transit shelters, supermarket carts and online, and promotes the qualitychildcarematters.org  website which includes tips for locating and paying for quality child care and ratings for participating programs. So far, 83% of child care programs have either met or exceeded quality standards in areas proven to have the greatest impact on children’s learning and development. These include staff education and training, child-teacher interactions, and providing safe and enriching environments and age-appropriate instruction.

“With the majority of a child’s brain developing during the first five years of life, the quality of care a child receives during this time is critical,” said Ruth Fernández, program coordinator of the county’s Local Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education, which is housed at the Contra County Office of Education. “Quality Matters provides a set of standards to define quality for parents and for providers. Over time, and with adequate state funding, it will help guide parents in choosing the best care they can for their children.”

Signs of Quality Child Care:

  • Teacher-Child Interactions: Providers that interact positively with the kids in their care.
  • Ratio and Group Size: Small group sizes and a small number of kids to every adult.
  • Learning Activities: A mix of creative, fun and educational activities that are right for a child’s age and help them learn new skills.
  • Staff: Warm and knowledgeable staff who have a lot of training and rarely quit. Providers have taken classes or earned degrees in Early Childhood Education.
  • Environment: A rich learning environment with varied materials, activities and routines. Areas are healthy, clean and safe.
  • Child Health & Development: Providers make sure children receive health screenings and that children are developing on track.

First 5 Contra Costa: First 5 Contra Costa helps young children start school healthy and ready to learn by investing in programs focused on children during their first five years, the most important time in children’s development. First 5 is leading the effort to create a countywide quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for Contra Costa child care programs. Funding for Quality Matters is made possible by First 5, a federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant and a California State Preschool Program QRIS Block grant. Learn more: www.First5coco.org.

Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) – The Contra Costa County Office of Education’s mission is to be the premier county education agency providing bold leadership, high quality programs, and innovative services. The CCCOE administers the California State Preschool Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Block Grant and partners with First 5 Contra Costa, the Contra Costa Child Care Council, and the three local Community Colleges to administer the county’s QRIS Initiative. Learn more: www.cocoschools.org

Local Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education: The Contra Costa County Local Planning and Advisory Council for Early Care and Education, a program of the County Office of Education, works to promote quality child care through community assessment, advocacy, resource development, and collaboration with other organizations. Learn more: www.plan4kids.org.

Contra Costa Child Care Council: The nonprofit Contra Costa Child Care Council is the only child care resource and referral agency serving all of Contra Costa providing a wide range of free and low cost services and programs. It partners with parents, child care providers, businesses, and the community to promote quality care and early education so that children are ready for school and parents can work. Learn more: www.cocokids.org.

Contra Costa Water District Board appoints a Concord Commissioner to fill vacancy

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Ernesto Avila, from his LinkedIn page.

Ernesto Avila, from his LinkedIn page.

CONCORD – On March 16, 2016, the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) Board of Directors unanimously approved Ernesto Avila to fill the Board vacancy left by the retirement of Board President Joseph Campbell.  Avila will participate in his first Board meeting representing Division 3 on April 6, 2016.  The Division 3 seat along with two other board positions will be up for election in November 2016.

Avila lives in Concord and currently is Vice President of a private engineering firm. His LinkedIn page states he is Owner of Avila and Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc. His background includes 32 years of engineering experience.  Over a decade ago he was an employee of the CCWD, then accepted a position running a water agency in the Monterey area and finally started his own engineering firm.  He has been a Planning Commissioner with the City of Concord for the past 10 years and is an active member of the Concord community.

CCWD received applications from ten highly qualified candidates, and from those, selected six individuals for interviews conducted at the March 16 meeting. Following interviews and deliberations, the Board appointed Avila to represent Division 3.

“Board members unanimously agreed that Mr. Avila will uphold the Board’s commitment to represent the needs of our customers and provide high-quality water service with enthusiasm,” said CCWD Board Vice President, Lisa Borba.

All applications and documents related to the selection process were made available for public review on the website and at the District offices.

Division 3 includes Clayton and portions of Concord and Walnut Creek. To see the map of all five divisions click here.  For more information about the district, visit www.ccwater.com.

Contra Costa Health Services holds ribbon cutting for new Assisted Outpatient Treatment program in Concord

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Contra Costa Action Team members cut the ribbon at the new health center in Concord, on Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Contra Costa Action Team staff Contra Costa Action Team staff with Kim Bond, CEO (far left), Laura Miles, Vice President (left center) and Crystal Luna, Program Director (right center), cut the ribbon at the new treatment program in Concord, on Thursday, March 10, 2016.

Mental Health Systems held a ribbon cutting and open house to officially open Contra Costa Health Services’ Assisted Outpatient Treatment program (AOT) located at 2280 Diamond Blvd. #500, Concord on Thursday, March 10, 2016.

MHS’ Contra Costa ACTiOn Team – delivered through an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model – provides AOT to individuals that qualify for AB1421 known as Laura’s Law. The California state law was named after Laura Wilcox, a mental health worker who was killed by a man who had refused psychiatric treatment. It allows for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment. To qualify for the program, the person must have a serious mental illness plus a recent history of psychiatric hospitalizations, jailings or acts, threats or attempts of serious violent behavior towards self or others.

The Contra Costa ACTiOn Team is designed to help consumers that face mental health challenges find the support they need to live safely and productively within the community. The program will offer treatment to individuals who meet all nine criteria described in Laura’s Law when requested from family members, cohabitants, law enforcement, or mental health providers. While AOT can be a court-ordered process for treatment, the overall goal of this program is to make treatment available on a voluntary basis, where court order will be brought in as a last resort.

Participants of the program will collaborate with ACTiOn Team members to develop individualized treatment plans and receive 24-hour access to services. Services for this program may include outreach, engagement and support, group therapy, individual therapy, case management, employment and housing assistance, medication management, wellness coaching, independent living skills and community engagement. The program will eventually have the capacity to deliver care to up to 75 eligible adults for the first year.

“This program provides the evidence-based, highly effective practice of Assertive Community Treatment with intensive supportive services provided by a multi-disciplinary team,” Mental Health Systems Vice President Dr. Laura Otis-Miles said. “It is a valuable resource in Contra Costa County to help our clients and their families break the cycle of repeated hospitalizations, incarcerations, and homelessness.”

The Contra Costa Action Team is designed to help consumers that face mental health challenges find the support they need to live safely and productively within the community. This is the first Mental Health System’s program to come to the Bay Area.

Mental Health Systems (www.mhsinc.org) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1978 to provide innovative and cost-effective behavioral health and drug and alcohol recovery services. Currently, MHS operates more than 80 community-based programs throughout California. Leading the field of nonprofit behavioral health services, our expertise and scope is unparalleled. MHS offers culturally appropriate, client-centered and strengths-based services in its programs for children, transition age youth, adults, older adults and families. While some services are available through private insurance or self-pay, most MHS programs are publicly funded and available to those who cannot afford privately paid services would be otherwise unable to receive them. All services are provided in a client-focused, compassionate manner that underscores MHS founding values of Integrity, Excellence, Hope, Action, Innovation and Dignity.

 

Contra Costa County Seeks Partners for Reentry Services

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County Issues Requests for Proposals Tied to Public Safety Realignment

Matching the formerly incarcerated with jobs, housing and other support services is seen as key in keeping them from going back to a life of crime. With that goal, Contra Costa County’s Board of Supervisors is soliciting proposals from qualified agencies to provide a range of services to bolster the transition for those released to County supervision following California’s Public Safety Realignment.

The Board is making available a total of $3,530,000 for services in specific program areas. Four Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were released Tuesday, March 1, to deliver services in the following amounts: $2,000,000 for Employment Support and Placement Services, $1,180,000 for Short and Long-Term Housing Access, $200,000 for Peer Mentoring and Family Reunification Services, and $150,000 for Civil Legal Services.

Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair of the Board and of the County’s Public Safety Committee, notes Contra Costa has been a leader among counties in its approach to implementing Realignment.

“Partnering with experienced, innovative, effective agencies will ensure we’re tackling recidivism with the right tools,” Andersen added.

Private, not-for-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and public agencies that offer programs serving the needs of the target population, with demonstrated effectiveness in providing evidence-based and research-informed services aimed at reducing repeat offenses, are invited to submit proposals.

A mandatory Bidders Conference for interested responders is scheduled at the following locations and times: March 7, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Pittsburg City Council Chambers; March 8 from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Zoning Administrator’s Room at 30 Muir Road in Martinez; or March 9 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Richmond City Council Chambers. Potential bidders need only attend one conference.

Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016. Additional information and RFP copies are available at website: www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/2366/Services-Programs or by calling (925) 335-1097.

Contra Costa County Home Care Workers Ratify New Contract

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Months of Action Result in Wage Increase That Will Eventually Reach $12.25/hour

Martinez, CA – Home care workers in Contra Costa County, represented by SEIU Local 2015, have ratified a new contract that raises their wage to $12.00 per hour as soon as the State can make the change, and to $12.25 per hour on January 1, 2017. The contract is on the agenda for a vote of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday, March 15th meeting.

Home care workers currently make just $11.50 an hour and have not had a raise in more than seven years. The contract maintains their health care benefit, which the County had pushed to limit.

SEIU Local 2015 Provisional Officer Arnulfo De La Cruz was glad to reach a contract, but believes it should not have taken so long to achieve. “Home care providers, their clients and allies rallied for months at Board of Supervisors meetings,” he said. “This contract impacts those who care for our county’s most vulnerable population and should have been resolved sooner, but we are certainly glad that it is finally done.”

Union members voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying the agreement.

“We won our contract because we got organized and got members involved,” said home care worker John Roe, who was part of bargaining team. “Now we’re going to organize for $15.”

Home care worker Melody Lacy, also a member of the bargaining team, said “We got this victory because we have a union that is 100% focused on us as long-term care providers winning better wages and benefits.”

IHSS workers care for our low-income seniors and disabled neighbors, a tough but critical job that allows their clients to live at home with independence and dignity while being more cost effective than institutionalization. This work should be recognized and paid a livable wage.

Follow the conversation: @SEIU2015

Sen. Glazer Named Chairman of State Senate Banking & Finance Committee

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Contra Costa lawmaker also joins Budget panel

Sacramento – In an expansion of his role in the California State Senate, Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, (9th District), was named on Wednesday as Chairman of the Banking & Financial Institutions Committee and to serve on the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee.

Glazer, who was elected in May 2015, will serve on the Budget Subcommittee on State Administration and General Government. He also serves on the Public Safety, Insurance and Governmental Organization committees.

Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon made the nominations, which were approved by the Senate Rules Committee.

“I’m pleased to have someone with Steve’s knowledge shepherd the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and join the Budget and Fiscal Review Committee,” de Leon said. “His experience will be critical to the committees as it takes on issues of great importance to all Californians that create economic opportunity and financial security.”

Glazer said he is “appreciative of the confidence that the President pro Tem is showing in me by tapping me as chairman of the important Banking and Finance Committee.

“One of the most important tasks of a legislator is to be a good steward of the state’s finances, so I’m pleased to have a seat at the budget table.”

Glazer represents most of Contra Costa County in California’s 9th State Senate District.

 

County Clerk Joe Canciamilla announces new website covering CORE

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By Joe Canciamilla

Our new web address – www.contracostacore.us – reflects what we believe is our CORE mission (Clerk, Outreach, Recorder, Elections) which is customer service. The goal of our entire team is to ensure that your experience with our office is unlike any you might have had or expected when dealing with a government agency: fast, friendly, efficient and helpful whether you are in need of a vital record, recording a document or registering to vote.

Please let us know what you think about our new site and our services. You can follow us on Facebook at Engage Contra Costa. Keep up to date with elections on Facebook at Contra Costa Elections and on Twitter @cocoelections. Follow what’s happening in the Clerk-Recorder Division on Facebook at Contra Costa Clerk Recorder and on Twitter @CCClerkRecorder. We even have YELP reviews for you to check out.