Contra Costa Herald

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

Public forum on potential disposal of radioactive materials at Keller Canyon Thursday night

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Keller Canyon Landfill. Photo courtesy of Comanco.

WHAT: Contra Costa Environmental Health and Contra Costa Supervisor Federal Glover will host a community forum to answer questions and provide current, accurate information about the alleged disposal of potentially radioactive materials from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard at Keller Canyon Landfill in Pittsburg.

WHO: The forum is free and open to all, and residents of communities near Keller Canyon are encouraged to attend.

Technical experts from the Radiologic Health Branch of the California Department of Public Health, the United States Navy, the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board and other state and federal agencies will be on hand to answer questions following a presentation.

WHEN: The forum begins at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 21.

WHERE: Ambrose Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Road, Bay Point

WHY: In May it came to light that potentially radioactive material from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco may have been improperly delivered to several landfills around California, including Keller Canyon in Pittsburg. (See related article) Contra Costa County and numerous other public agencies have been investigating to determine what happened, and if there is any potential health impact to surrounding communities. This meeting is an opportunity to bring the public up to speed on the investigation and answer questions from community members.

Supervisors downplay key finding in Grand Jury opioid crisis report

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Accept minimizing school casualties report

By Daniel Borsuk

Two Contra Costa County Supervisors disagree with a key finding in a newly released Contra Costa County Grand Jury Report titled “The Opioid Crisis: Dying for Treatment” that reported in 2015-2016 over 100 county residents died from opioid overdoses.

Supervisors accepted the Grand Jury report as a consent item on a 4 to 0 vote.  Board Chair Karen Mitchoff, who had won re-election to a new four-year term in last Tuesday’s election, was absent.

District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg said the actual number of deaths linked to opioid overdoses in 2015-2016 was lower.   The two supervisors said there were 52 overdose deaths tied to opioids based on the information the supervisors received at a health conference that they attended last week.

Why the discrepancy?  It is unclear.

Grand Jury Foreperson Mario Gutierrez told the Contra Costa Herald the Grand Jury collected its information from the Urban Institute and county senior healthcare officials in the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Gutierrez says he and the grand jury backs up the statistic. “County deaths mirror the alarming trend and the national epidemic of misuse and abuse of opioids, particularly prescription painkillers,” the report states.

Gutierrez speculates the two supervisors may have received “partial or half-year opioid death count figures” for either the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 fiscal years. In both years, the opioid death tolls will exceed that of 2015-2016, Gutierrez predicted because that is the local and national trend with this drug crisis.

In May, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors joined 29 other county board of supervisors in suing 19 opioid manufacturers and three major distributors for creating an opioid epidemic in California. The lawsuit seeks reimbursement of taxpayer funds that have already been spent in reaction to the opioid epidemic in Contra Costa County related to ongoing costs of continuing the fight including emergency response, prevention, monitoring and treatment, and for prospective relief to help the county undo some of the widespread damage that opioid manufactures and distributors have caused.

“The Grand Jury also found that limited implementation, lack of funding, inadequate availability and insufficient accessibility in treatment being the least supported of the strategies.  There are not enough programs in place to enable first responders to provide treatment immediately when sought.  There is a need for on-demand treatment, but delays in access to medical care result in missed opportunities to reduce harm, and recovery, and prevent overdose deaths,” the report said.

“Based on its findings, the Grand Jury recommends that the County Board of Supervisors consider seeking funds for expansion of addiction treatment programs.  The Board may also consider encouraging more medical care providers to become Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) certified, hire more MAT clinicians, provide in-county residential treatment facilities for adolescents, and place more certified professional addiction clinicians within the county’s three detention facilities.  The Grand Jury also recommends that the Contra Costa County Office of Education consider making overdose antidotes in public high schools.”

The supervisors have 60 days to respond to the Grand Jury’s recommendations.  The Contra Costa County Office of Education has 90 days to respond to the Grand Jury’s recommendation that the CCCOE seek funds for the 2019-2020 fiscal year to provide free NARCAN kits in all county school districts.

Supervisors Accept Minimizing School Casualties Report

Supervisors also approved as a consent item another grand jury report entitled Minimizing School Casualties During an Active Shooter Incident.

While acknowledging “No active shooting incidents have occurred on school campuses in Contra Costa County, The Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury conducted an investigation to determine what preparations law enforcement agencies have made to respond to such an incident in the county, should one occur.  The Grand Jury reviewed current practices of County law enforcement and paramedics serving the County.  The investigation focused on high schools, where most school shootings have occurred.’’

The Grand Jury report was drafted at a time when 148 students and teachers had been killed and 310 wounded during 240 school shootings nationwide.

During the Grand Jury’s investigation, it surveyed the Acalanes Union High School District’s four high schools, at one of which local police ran an active shoot exercise.  “Although most teachers and students have received verbal guidance on dealing with an armed classroom intruder, they have not received specific written instructions developed jointly by the AUHSD and the local policy,” the Grand Jury report stated.

In addition, the report states: “The Grand Jury recommends that the County Board of Supervisors consider seeking funds to finance ballistic protection for Fire District paramedics.  The Grand Jury further recommends that the BOS continue funding the County Sheriff’s Office active shooter training program for paramedics and law enforcement.  In addition, the Grand Jury recommends that the Acalanes Unified High School District Governing Board consider requiring its four high schools to work directly with local police to develop and implement specific written guidelines for teachers and students on how to handle classroom break-ins by an active shooter.”

The supervisors have 60 days to respond to the Grand Jury’s recommendations.

Contra Costa County sues opioid manufacturers and distributors for creating epidemic

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Graphic courtesy of wach.com.

Contra Costa County is one of 30 California counties that have filed litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors for creating an opioid epidemic in this state. These 30 counties represent approximately 10.5 million residents. All 30 counties are filing suit in federal court and expect their cases to be transferred to the Multi-District Litigation in Ohio, where more than 500 public entities have filed similar suits.

The lawsuit seeks reimbursement of taxpayer funds that already have been spent responding to the opioid epidemic in Contra Costa County; for ongoing costs of continuing the fight, including emergency response, prevention, monitoring and treatment; and for prospective relief to help the County undo some of the widespread damage that these drug manufacturers and distributors have caused.

 “This litigation is an important tool to help us recover the taxpayer funds currently being used and desperately needed to intervene and try to counteract the opioid epidemic,” noted Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Karen Mitchoff.

According to the County’s complaint on file with the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, Case No. 3:18-cv-02705, many of the nation’s largest drug manufacturers misinformed doctors about the addictiveness and efficacy of opioids. The manufacturer defendants include Purdue Pharma; Teva Ltd.; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson); Endo Health Solutions, Inc.; Allergan PLC; and Mallinckrodt. Drugs manufactured by these companies include, but are not limited to: OxyContin, Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Nucynta, Nucynta ER, Opana/Opana ER, Percodan, Percocet, Zydone, Kadian and Norco. In addition to the wrongdoing by drug manufacturers, the lawsuit asserts that the nation’s largest drug distributors – including Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, and McKesson Corp. – failed to monitor, identify and report “suspicious” opioid shipments to pharmacies, in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act.

The County Counsel’s Office and following six law firms comprise the County’s legal team: Baron & Budd; Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor; Powell & Majestro; Greene, Ketchum, Farrell, Bailey & Tweel; Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler; and McHugh Fuller Law Group. These firms currently represent over 300 cities and counties throughout the United States.

Supervisors order probe of possible nuclear waste at Keller Canyon Landfill in Pittsburg

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Keller Canyon Landfill. Photo courtesy of Comanco.

By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Supervisors unanimously launched on Tuesday a full-scale probe into whether radioactive tainted soil was illegally dumped at the Keller Canyon Landfill near Pittsburg.

At the request of District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, who had initially learned about the allegations after reading a San Francisco Chronicle newspaper article about how Hunters Point Naval Shipyard contractor, Tetra Tech’s radioactive debris removal practices dating back to 2011 may have wound up at the Contra Costa County landfill and other state landfills not designated for nuclear waste.  Supervisors requested that the Navy investigate the allegations and report back to the supervisors in 30 days.

Having the Navy come back in and investigate the Tetra Tech contract is the priority item supervisors have in mind, but board chair Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill said in order to quickly get the attention of the Navy to act on this issue the county also needs the political clout of state and federal legislators.  She also requested that Tetra Tech pick up any costs associated with soil testing at Keller Canyon Landfill.

In the meantime, supervisors requested the county hire a soils specialist to detect if the landfill contains radioactive materials that could have been illegally deposited by Tetra Tech.  The soils consultant contract does not require supervisors’ approval if it is less than $50,000.

District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood wanted to hear from Tetra Tech, which did not send a representative to the supervisors’ meeting, over a number of incidents when radiation monitors at the entrance of the Pittsburg landfill have reportedly been triggered.

“I want to put a hold on Tetra Tech and Hunters Point deliveries to Keller Canyon,” Burgis demanded.

Keller Canyon Landfill General Manager Rick King informed supervisors Republic has stopped accepting truck loads from Tetra Tec since the news coverage broke on April 22.

“We’re doing everything we can,” said King in preventing nuclear tainted material from winding up at the landfill.  He explained how the radiation monitors work, the 24-hour security, and other security procedures Republic Services uses to block truckloads of illegal material from entering and unloading debris at the landfill.

With the Hunters Point project, Keller Canyon Landfill has 13 different profiles, King said.  “Every truck load needs a manifest or it won’t be allowed to enter the landfill.  Then it has to pass our radiation monitors,” he said.

From 2011 to 2017, Keller Canyon received 223,000 tons of waste from Hunters Points Shipyard, according to county Health Department records.  On two occasions, June 2014 and February 2015 soil and material had to be returned to Hunters Point, according to Marilyn Underwood, Director of Environmental Health for the Contra Costa County Department of Health Services.  The details on the contents of those two loads were not released.

“You should have appointed the city of Pittsburg as the lead enforcement agency,” warned former Pittsburg City Councilmember Nancy Parent.  Parent said the county has not been able to properly monitor the landfill, especially now that it is a Grade 2 landfill capable of accepting dirt from Hunters Point.  “It’s all about money” Parent said.

At one point, Board Chair Mitchoff entertained the idea of whether the county should cease being the lead enforcement agency of Keller Canyon, but none of her board colleagues supported that idea.

“This is a complicated issue. We need to get the right people at the table.  We don’t have the expertise.  We need to have a report back in 30 days,” Mitchoff ordered.

“I really do appreciate my colleagues for the enthusiastic support in involving the Navy, getting our state and federal legislators involved and making sure that our constituents know that the county serves as the lead enforcement agency on this matter,” said Glover.

Pasadena-based company Tetra Tech Chief Executive Office Dan Barach said in a statement:

“In light of the barrage of recent and misleading media reports, Tetra Tech is compelled to defend itself and its work at Hunters Point.

“Our company has sought to follow all the required standards and protections and to operate in a thorough, honest and professional manner to provide testing and clean-up services as required by our contract.  We are proud of our high standards and professionalism on this contact, and all the work we perform for clients.  Equally important, we have worked to make this site, and all sites where Tetra Tech works, safe for community members and residents.

$454,772 Sheriff-Coroner Livescan Contract OK’d

Supervisors voted 5-0 in approving a five-year $454,772 contract with Gemalto Cogent to maintain the Sheriff-Coroner Office’s Livescan fingerprint system.  The contract is in effect from Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 3, 2022.  The Sheriff-Coroner Office Livescan is used identify persons involved in motor vehicle crimes.  Supervisors approved the contract as a consent agenda item.

Supervisors move forward ban on second-hand smoke in apartments, hotels, motels

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By Daniel Borsuk

With the health consequences of second-hand smoke to children and the elderly well-documented, Contra Costa County is on the verge of becoming the 42nd jurisdiction in the state to ban smoking in dwelling units of apartment buildings, hotels, and motels once supervisors approve the ordinance that’s slated for the board’s March 13th meeting.

In a lopsided meeting where supervisors did not hear any opposition against the proposed ordinance, District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond asked Contra Costa County Public Health Director Dan Peddycord whether the proposed ordinance will also apply to short-term rentals.  Short-term rents have become a hot button issue in most part of the county and have impacted the county’s housing crisis.

Peddycord answered that the proposed ordinance will not apply to short-term rental units.

The full impact of the proposed county ordinance will require apartment owners and hotel and motel operators to post no smoking signs in dwelling units and to apply measures designed to eliminate second smoke from drifting into dwelling units where children and the elderly reside and are most susceptible to the respiratory effects of tobacco smoke.

The cities of Danville, El Cerrito, Richmond and Walnut Creek and the counties of Sonoma, San Mateo and Santa Clara are some of the jurisdictions that have already adopted second hand smoke prohibition laws.

In the county Public Health Department’s research on the proposed ordinance, officials garnered the full support from the California Apartment Association.  Health department officials drew a 50 percent endorsement from four major homeowners’ associations in the county.

In the department’s research, officials learned four major hotels in the county are already in compliance with the proposed law by posting no smoking signs in guest rooms and common areas.  Those hotels are the Burlington Hotel in Port Costa, the Crowne Plaza in Concord, Embassy Suites, and the Renaissance Hotel in Walnut Creek.

In Contra Costa County there are approximately 10,000 individual dwelling units that would be affected by the new ordinance supervisors will very likely approve at the March 13 meeting.

According to the Public Health Department, a majority of the 120 second hand smoke complaints received by the department’s Tobacco Prevention Program over the last three years continue to emanate from multi-family housing residents.  During that period, 96 complaints were filed concerning unit-to-unit and outside-to-unit drifting smoke during that period.

“We are very happy to support this ordinance,” said Randy Uang of Breathe California, a San Francisco-based non-profit health organization.  “This ordinance will help in reducing chronic breathing and lung ailments, especially among children in Contra Costa County.”

Stephanie Robbins, an apartment dweller in unincorporated Walnut Creek, told supervisors the proposed ordinance will help people like her who lives in an upstairs apartment unit and has to constantly endure second-hand smoke from a downstairs neighbor.  “I’ve already spent $2,000 in hiring an attorney,” Robbins said.  “I endorse this ordinance because it will help me and my child fight against second hand smoke.”

The ordinance will go into effect July 1, 2019 after Public Health Department officials have educated and trained apartment owners.  The program will be funded by state Propositions 99 and 56.

Round Hill Police District Tax Hike Election Approved – A 150% Increase

The 1,296 registered voters in the unincorporated Round Hill area of Alamo, will have the opportunity to vote on whether the county should hike their property taxes from $330 per parcel to $812 per parcel in order to maintain two county sheriff’s deputies and a patrol car.

With no one speaking during the public speaking portion, supervisors approved on a 4-0 vote to have Round Hill residents vote in the June 5 election on whether to boost taxes on 739 parcels in order to raise $596,820 in tax revenue to cover increased patrol expenses on a yearly basis.

The measure will require two-thirds voter approval to pass during the June election.

Supervisors also approved, on a 4-0 vote, the acquisition of up to $2 million of solar panels to be installed over the 651 Pine Street parking lot for a 10-year period, Feb. 27, 2018 through Feb. 28, 2028.  The county will buy the solar panels from ENGIE Services U.S. Inc.  ENGIE Services will also install the solar panels.

West County: Air samples from Sims Metal Management fire in Richmond released

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A fire burns at Sims Metal Management in Richmond, CA Tuesday night. Screenshot of video by ABC7 News.

By Contra Costa Health Services

Air sampling done during the Sims Metal Management fire in Richmond earlier this week, shows elevated levels of potentially harmful chemicals and smoke particulates in the area.

Air samples taken by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District at Sims in close proximity to the fire found a high presence of benzene, a known carcinogen. While long-term exposure to benzene can cause cancer, the health impacts of short-term exposure to the levels found during the fire are not known, said CCHS Environmental Health Director Dr. Marilyn Underwood.

Both the air district and CCHS’ Hazardous Materials Response Team measured high particulate readings throughout the night. Smoke particulates can irritate the throat, lungs and eyes, particularly in those with pre-existing lung disease, such as asthma. Very fine particulates can get into the blood stream.

“All smoke is toxic, and all smoke contains particulate matter. Anytime we see smoke we should take precautions in order to minimize exposure,” said Dr. David Goldstein, CCHS Deputy Health Officer.

Existing community monitors in North Richmond, Atchison Village, and Point Richmond and fence line monitors at the Chevron Refinery were also analyzed.  Elevated particulate and benzene readings were found by the Point Richmond community air monitor. There were no other elevated readings of any other chemicals that were analyzed or particulates on any of the other monitors.

Dr. Goldstein said we don’t know what the long-term health impacts from the fire will be. What we do know, he said, is people with preexisting respiratory conditions such as asthma may have experienced some symptoms of wheezing and shortness of breath.

If people have concerns about the impact the smoke may have had on their health, they should contact their healthcare provider, Dr. Goldstein recommended.

The fire at Sims Metal Management, located at 600 S. 4th Street in Richmond, started on Tuesday, January 30 around 5 p.m. The Richmond Fire Department ordered residents in surrounding neighborhoods to shelter-in-place because of the heavy smoke from the fire. The shelter-in-place order was lifted the following morning around 4 a.m.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

County’s Regional Medical Center CEO named new Director of Contra Costa Health Services

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Anna Roth, RN, MS, MPH. Photo courtesy of Contra Costa Regional Medical Center

After a nationwide search, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors chose a healthcare leader with experience in the county by appointing Anna Roth as the new director of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) January 30.

Roth has served as Chief Executive Officer of Contra Costa Regional Medical Center and Health Centers for nine years. She succeeds Dr. William B. Walker, who served more than two decades as Health Services Director and over three decades as County Health Officer.

“We are pleased to announce the selection of Anna Roth as our new Health Services Director,” said David Twa, Contra Costa County Administrator. “Anna is a seasoned Health Services executive working in CCHS for nearly 25 years and we look forward to her leadership in addressing the many issues facing the health department in the coming years.”

Roth holds a master’s degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University. She is a registered nurse with more than 30 years of healthcare experience and is an Institute for Healthcare Improvement Quality Improvement Fellow. Roth is a renowned leader in system redesign and innovation and a strong advocate for the inclusion of patients, families and the community as full partners in the delivery of health services.

“We congratulate Anna on her appointment and look forward to working with her on healthcare issues that impact our residents,” said Karen Mitchoff, Chair for the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors.

In addition to Roth’s healthcare experience, she’s also held executive leadership roles locally, statewide and nationally as board member and chair of both the Essential Hospitals Institute and the California Health Care Safety Net Institute. Roth is also a lecturer at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health.

CCHS is the largest department of county government in Contra Costa, with more than 4,400 employees and an annual budget of $1.8 billion. CCHS includes primary, specialty and inpatient medical care, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, public health programs, environmental health protection, hazardous materials response and inspection and emergency medical services, as well as a county operated health maintenance organization, the Contra Costa Health Plan.

More information about Contra Costa Health Services is available at cchealth.org.

Supervisors designate West County Detention Facility future expansion as mental health treatment facility

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The rendering of the white topped buildings shows the future expansion of the West Contra Costa Detention Facility, approved earlier this year.

Treatment will include administering psychotropic medications

By Daniel Borsuk

Unlike six months ago when Contra Costa County supervisors faced the rage of protestors opposed to the $95 million expansion of the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, supervisors approved without a whimper of protest a request by the Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston and Health Services Director Robert Walker to designate the expanded detention facility as a mental health treatment facility.

The item at Tuesday’s board of supervisors meeting was a consent item and did not draw either citizen or supervisor comment.

Supervisors unanimously approved the item.

That action was in sharp contrast to the time supervisors faced nearly 70 protestors opposed to Sheriff-Coroner Livingston’s proposal to expand the jail.  Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the sheriff’s proposal at that time with Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond casting the lone dissenting vote.

In Tuesday’s vote, supervisors were complying with their action taken in June by designating the West County Detention Facility and the future West County Reentry, Treatment, and Housing Facility as mental health treatment facilities in accordance with California Penal Code Section 1369.1.  This will permit sheriff deputies or detention facility wards to administer psychotropic medications to persons in county custody who have been adjudged incompetent to stand trial due to mental disorder, refuse to take psychotropic medications and are unable to provide informed consent as recommended by the Health Services Director Dr. William Walker and Sheriff-Coroner Livingston.

“We have to be prepared to take all that comes regardless of their mental state, “said Sheriff-Coroner Livingston in June.  “I don’t have a choice.”

“Without medication, symptoms such as increased aggression, self-destructive acts, and severe behavior outbursts can jeopardize the safety of the inmate-patient, the other inmates, and the detention facility staff,” Dr. Walker and Sheriff Livingston jointly wrote in a memo to the supervisors.  “The Health Services Department, and the Office of the Sheriff remain committed to transferring individuals to treatment facilities in a timely manner.  These facilities, however, are crowded and have long waiting lists. The recommended extension of this designation to the West County detention facilities can help the county cope with the effect of delays beyond the county’s control.”

County Zoning for Solar Energy Generating Facilities Gets Green Light

Supervisors unanimously adopted a zoning ordinance that will pave the way for commercial solar energy generating facilities primarily built by Marin Clean Energy (MCE), which this year inked contracts with county supervisors and city councilmembers of 13 municipalities to be their clean energy options commencing in 2018.

County planning officials presented a map and an ordinance that allows commercial solar energy generating facilities in industrial and commercial zoning districts in unincorporated portions of the county.  Areas of the county’s northern waterfront stretching generally from Richmond to Bay Point were designated for the zoning designations.  There were no speakers in opposition or in favor of the zoning proposal, but supervisors did receive a Nov. 12 letter addressed to the county planning commission from Howdy Godey of El Cerrito encouraging planning commissioners to approve the zoning proposal.

“I enthusiastically support the adoption of general plan zoning amendments regarding solar generation facilities.” he wrote. “These actions will support the Contra Costa County Climate Action Plan (2015) by providing opportunities to build solar generation facilities that will lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with electric power generation.”

In addition to the county, the city councils of Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, Richmond, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek have signed contracts with MCE to serve as their clean energy option contractors.

In a related planning issue, supervisors directed Conservation and Development Department officials to budget up to $7 million to update the county’s General Plan that will require an update by 2020.  Supervisors also instructed department officials to budget $1.5 million to bring the county’s zoning code into the 21st Century.  The zoning code has not been updated since 1947 when the county had about 300,000 residents.  Today 1.2 million persons reside in the county.

Supervisors also approved as a consent item a new county library commission composition as recommended by the Library Commission and County Librarian Melinda Cervantes.  The reconstituted library commission was triggered mainly with the City of Richmond library leaving the county library system.

The new library commission composition will consist of 29 commissioners.  Supervisors must select a representative to serve on the library commission that represents the Contra Costa Central Labor Council, the Contra Costa Community College District, the East Bay Leadership Council, the Contra Costa Friends Council and the Contra Costa County Office of Education.  Library commissioners will serve four-year terms and serve in an advisory role to the board of supervisors and county librarian.  The library commission will meet at least quarterly and no more than six times a year.  There is no fiscal impact related to the newly reconstituted library commission.

Mental Health Services Act Forum Dec. 7 in Brentwood

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WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services to participate in a public forum Thursday, Dec. 7, in Brentwood.

The forum offers the opportunity to meet with service providers to discuss current issues relevant to providing mental health care in the community. These discussions will help inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.

WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including participants in mental health services, their family members and service providers.

RSVP to attend a forum by emailing mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning 925-957-5150.

Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1340 Arnold Drive, Suite 200, Martinez, CA 94553.

WHEN: Thursday, December 7: 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak Street in Brentwood.

WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides $51.6 million to more than 80 mental health programs and services. Forum goals include identifying service needs, priorities and strategies to inform the county’s MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan.

The forum will include an overview of how MHSA works and how funding is currently used in Contra Costa.

Visit www.cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to read the plan and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.

Supervisors vote 5-0 to dissolve Los Medanos Healthcare District, send to LAFCo for final decision

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The Los Medanos Community Healthcare District building, formerly Los Medanos Hospital. Photo from the LMCHD Facebook page.

“The need for a healthcare district board of directors has come and gone.” – Supervisor Federal Glover

By Daniel Borsuk

The little heard of governmental entity dubbed the Contra Costa Local Agency Formational Commission (CCLAFCo) will consider either at its February or April 2018 meeting a resolution unanimously passed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to dissolve the financially troubled Los Medanos Community Healthcare District (LMCHD).

Established in 1963 by the state legislature to sort out local governmental agency boundary issues and other inter-county government problems, every county in the state has a local agency formation commission.  The CCLAFCo consists of seven voting members, with two members representing the board of supervisors, two members representing city councils, two representing special district boards and one public member.

In this instance, Board of Supervisors Chair Federal Glover, who represents Pittsburg and Bay Point which are the two communities served by LMCHD, and District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen have already voted to dissolve the LMCHD and both serve on the CCLAFCo board and will have a second opportunity to vote on the issue when it comes before the commission.  District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood also serves as an alternate to the CCLAFCo only when either Glover or Andersen cannot attend a meeting.

On its face there seems to be a potential conflict of interest or perhaps not.

CCLAFCo Executive Administrator Lou Anne Texeira told the Herald that when this item comes up, the two supervisors can vote on the issue and will not have to recuse themselves as long as they have no financial stake in their action.

“There is no law or rule that bars them from voting on the matter again,” Texeira said.  “They do have the option to recuse themselves when the matter comes up for a vote if they so choose to do so.”

“All of this will be considered before LAFCo,” said Glover before the supervisors’ vote.  “The need for a healthcare district board of directors has come and gone.  I accept the staff’s recommendation.”

At Tuesday’s supervisors meeting, the decision to approve the County Administrator’s Office recommendation took less than 20 minutes.

LMCHD Executive Director Godfrey L. Wilson admitted he was caught off guard that the board of supervisors were considering dissolving the financially struggling healthcare district in this manner by placing the issue on the board’s agenda.

Recent financial data indicates the healthcare district that serves Pittsburg and Bay Point is not perking along well.  The district had healthcare grant programs, which are the district’s core operation of $268,569 or 25 percent of total revenues of $1,060,330.  At the same time, district financial records show general administration costs, including board member stipends represented 33 percent of the district’s expenses or $345,383.

When asked what way CCLAFCo may vote when the issues come before that panel next year, LMCHD Executive Director Wilson responded in an unoptimistic manner, “I think some people have already made up their minds on that issue.”

The county health department that has operated the Pittsburg Health Clinic at the 130,000-square foot building at 2311 Loveridge Road since 1998 will continue to operate the health clinic that is the most successful clinic in the county treating more than 100,000 patients a year.

The county has paid $100,000 a year in rent to the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development for use of the Loveridge Road property.  In addition, the county has paid the state $24 million for capital improvements to the building on Loveridge Road.

The county-run Pittsburg Health Center accounts for 65 percent of all clinic visits in East Contra Costa County.  The clinic provides primary adult care as well as pediatrics care, audiology, orthopedics, podiatry, and dental care services.