Contra Costa Herald

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

Frazier: One Delta tunnel is a deception

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California WaterFix (i.e. Delta Twin Tunnels) route. From californiawaterfix.com

SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay, issued a statement on Thursday, after the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced it is significantly altering the proposed WaterFix project to construct one larger tunnel first and build a second tunnel later.

Assemblyman Jim Frazier

On Wednesday, the DWR sent a memo to the local public water agencies participating in the development and construction of California WaterFix and issued the following statement from DWR Director Karla Nemeth.

“WaterFix is a long-overdue infrastructure upgrade that will maintain a reliable water supply for 25 million Californians while also protecting the Delta ecosystem. With the current stated support of the participating public water agencies, the state is proposing to pursue WaterFix as planned, but also explore an option to implement construction in stages. This prudent approach aligns the urgent statewide need for action with the project’s current support. We are eager to move forward with WaterFix to protect the Delta and water supplies.”

The memo further states “The option for a first stage includes two intakes…one tunnel, one intermediate forebay, and one pumping station.”

Frazier responded with the following statement:

“The Department of Water Resources is trying to sell its latest WaterFix revision as a one-tunnel plan, but that is smoke and mirrors,” Frazier stated. “Their plan still calls for two tunnels. The new plan still poses the same threat to the Delta’s environment, agricultural economy and way of life. There still is no cost-benefit analysis or economic justification for the project.  The project still does not create a single ounce of new water.

DWR has shape-shifted the size of the tunnels. This is now an entirely new project. The process must start over from the beginning, with an entirely new Environmental Impact Report.  The proposed new and even larger tunnel will have even greater ecological and economic impacts on the Delta.

DWR can’t just amend the EIR and biological opinions and pass it off as legitimate. The size and scope of a project this size demands a thorough process and the ability for the people of the Delta to voice their concerns.

DWR’s method for estimating the cost of its revised plan is also curious. Instead of doing a comprehensive cost analysis for the revised proposal, they gave us lazy math. They just took $16.3 billion cost estimate they have been using and chopped it into thirds.

When I was a construction contractor, I couldn’t just change my building plans without bringing it back for review. DWR and the Administration should not be exempt from process that all building projects are subject to in California, especially on one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the state’s history.”

County Board of Supervisors announces new Director of Public Works Department

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Brian M. Balbas

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors announced on Wednesday, Feb. 7 Brian M. Balbas as the new Contra Costa County Public Works Department Director.  Mr. Balbas began his career with the Contra Costa County Public Works Department in July 1989 as an Entry Level Engineer. He has spent nearly 29 years serving the residents of the County in various capacities.

In addition to working in all aspects of the full service Public Works Department, Balbas had the opportunity to serve one year as the first City Engineer for the City of Oakley when it incorporated in 1999. He promoted within the Contra Costa County Public Works Department to a Deputy Director in 2007, Chief Deputy in 2016 and now the Director.

District IV Supervisor and Chair of the Board Karen Mitchoff proclaimed, “This board gave direction to pick the best individual.  We are confident that we found the best person to lead the department.”

“It has been a privilege to serve the people of Contra Costa County throughout my career and I look forward to leading the department to greater heights and continue serving Contra Costa County residents,” Balbas stated.

About the Contra Costa County Public Works Department

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels and other drainage and over 200 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County.   CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sand Bag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us here.

Contra Costa College President returns to Executive Vice Chancellor role at District Office

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CCC graduate Dr. Chiu L. Tsang appointed interim president

Mojdeh Mezhdizadeh

Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) chancellor Fred E. Wood announced Contra Costa College (CCC) president Mojdeh Mehdizadeh will return to the District Office as executive vice chancellor of Education and Technology effective March 15, 2018.  The chancellor has also selected retired Santa Monica College president/superintendent Dr. Chui L. Tsang as interim president of Contra Costa College.  Formal approval of the appointments will take place at the Governing Board’s February 28, 2018, meeting.

“I asked Mojdeh to consider returning to the District Office because we need her skills and experience to help all three colleges”, says chancellor Wood.  “Her unique and extraordinary skill set is needed to guide the District and the three colleges in contributing to the many statewide initiatives like Guided Pathways, the academic and student services innovations needed to respond to state requests and mandates, and the integration of technology with the academic mission all of which will enable us to better track and increase student success.  While I know how important she has been to Contra Costa College and how much she has cares about CCC, both of us know that this decision is in the best interest of the entire District.”

Her tenure in the position will last just a little more than two years, as she was appointed president of CCC by the CCCCD Board on March 9, 2016. (See related article).

“This was a very difficult decision for me,” said Mehdizadeh. “Contra Costa College is a special place with talented and caring faculty and staff who are deeply committed to the mission of higher education in support of the incredible students.  During my three years at Contra Costa College, we have made great progress in growing our enrollment, completing the bond-funded College Center project, and fully staffing the college with new energetic leaders that are the foundation of the college’s future.  I have a deeper appreciation for the excellent work being done at the college and will always be grateful for the wonderful opportunity to serve West County.”

Dr. Tsang Appointed Interim President

Dr. Chui L. Tsang

This leadership change is coupled with the opportunity to have Dr. Tsang serve as interim president of Contra Costa College.  Dr. Tsang, a highly successful community college leader, retired in July 2015 after a 10-year career as president/superintendent of Santa Monica College. He also held other higher education leadership roles including president of City College of San Jose, dean of the School of Applied Science and Technology at City College of San Francisco and taught at Stanford University and in the School of Education at San Francisco State University.

“I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to serve this college and the West County community”, says Dr. Tsang.  “I got my higher education start at CCC so I am a “Comet”, and thanks to that experience it gave me the foundation for my career.  I understand the challenges and circumstances of our students because I was just like them when I went here.  I look forward to working with the Contra Costa College team in making a difference in the lives of our students and becoming the higher education choice for our community.”

A national recruitment will begin for a permanent college president.

Located in San Pablo, Contra Costa College is one of three colleges in the CCCCD currently serves almost 11,000 students (unduplicated head county) annually.  Since 1948, CCC has provided exemplary educational services to hundreds of thousands of residents from the greater West County area and is proud of its diverse student body and commitment to individual student success.  Excellent programs such as the Center for Science Excellence, The Advocate newspaper, the green Automotive Services program, Middle College High School, the Nursing program, and the Culinary Arts program are known through the state and the nation.  A model of excellence, Contra Costa College prides itself on being one of the finest community colleges in the country.

The CCCCD is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The District serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is also home to Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon.  The District headquarters are located in downtown Martinez. For more information visit www.4cd.edu.

Sheriff investigates in-custody death during lunch at county’s Martinez Detention Facility

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By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

At approximately 10:37 AM on Wednesday, Deputy Sheriffs were conducting lunch meal service on a module at the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF).

During meal service, the Deputies discovered that an inmate was not responsive. Deputies called for emergency medical assistance. Medical staff at MDF responded and started life-saving measures. The fire department and an ambulance responded and continued life-saving measures. The inmate was later pronounced deceased.

The 46-year-old male inmate is not being identified at this time. His death appears to be health related.

The officer-involved protocol was initiated. Investigators from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the District Attorney’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death.

Five East County communities to be excluded from proposed farm animal ordinance

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Courtesy of edgecombe.ces.ncsu.edu

By Daniel Borsuk

Reacting to complaints from constituents in five of her rural-oriented District 3 communities, Supervisor Diane Burgis may have scored a political victory for voters in the communities of Bethel Island, Byron, Diablo, Discovery Bay, and Knightsen. Supervisors voted 5-0 to not include the five communities in her district as part of the ordinance that would, for the first time, lay down regulations on the raising and keeping of farm animals and bees in residential districts and the keeping of roosters in agricultural zoning districts.

Supervisors have yet to officially adopt the ordinance; that could occur on April 9, provided the county planning commission signs off on the alterations to the proposed law.

“The issue I have is who is going to enforce this in District 3?,” Burgis asked at Tuesday’s Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting. “You’re going to have to deal with bad actors.”

The county is inadequately equipped to enforce the proposed ordinance in District 3, she maintains, because her district encompasses 165,000 acres, and is by far, the largest.  The next largest district has 53,000 acres.

District 3 has two county animal control officers and one county code enforcement inspector assigned to cover the entire area for violations, county officials said.

“It’s not a good idea to exclude an entire district from an ordinance,” Board Chair and District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, at one point cautioned Burgis in an effort to have the supervisor identify the communities that should be excluded from the ordinance.  “You need to be specific which communities you want to exclude from the ordinance.”

Initially proposed last year by District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond, the ordinance was designed to insert land use controls as the county’s expanding housing market, especially in unincorporated rural areas, permits homeowners to own and maintain livestock or bees in residentially zoned areas that must meet lot size requirements.

For instance, a home with 40,000 square feet can have eight beehives.  A house with 20,000 square feet but less than 40,000 square feet can have six beehives.  A house with less than 6,000 square feet can have four beehives.

The proposed ordinance would permit a homeowner to have a maximum of two head of livestock for every 40,000 square feet.

A homeowner can keep one rooster provided the proprietor has a minimum lot size of five acres, according to the proposed ordinance.

Countywide Redevelopment Successor Agency in the Works

Supervisors were also informed that beginning July 1 the state mandated Countywide Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board (CRSAOB) goes into effect.

The seven-member agency will assume all decisions previously taken by 17 municipal redevelopment boards and the county redevelopment board, Maureen Tomes of the Contra Costa County Conservation and Development Department informed supervisors.

The state legislature enacted AB X1-26; that legislation dissolved all redevelopment agencies in the state in 2012 as part of a move by Gov. Jerry Brown as a move to save the state money.

The CRSAOB will consist of one representative from the county board of supervisors, one from the city selection committee, one from an independent special district, one from the Contra Costa County Superintendent of Education, one from the Contra Costa County Community College District, a representative of the largest labor organization in the county, and a member of the public picked by the board of supervisors.

So far, Contra Costa County Community College Board trustee Vicki Gordon has been selected by her peers to serve on the CRSAOB.

The CRSAOB will be staffed by the Contra Costa County Auditor-Controller with assistance from the Contra Costa County Conservation and Development Department.

Contra Costa election materials will now be in three languages

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Contra Costa County voters will see an additional language on their voting materials starting this year, as the Contra Costa Elections Division adds Chinese to the current English and Spanish. This means that the official ballot and Voter Information Guide will appear in all three languages.

Voters in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and the Diablo Community Services District have a special vote-by-mail election on March 6 and will be the first to see the trilingual materials when they receive their ballots in the mail next week. incorporation of Chinese will appear on all voting materials beginning in June.

Written material will be in traditional Chinese and the Elections Division will provide audio language assistance in Cantonese and Mandarin.

The addition of Chinese comes as a result of the county’s population growth and corresponding shift in demographics. As the population changes, so do the language needs of local voters. When 10,000 voters or 5 percent of the county’s voting age citizens speak a specific language, the Federal Voting Rights Act requires that language be included on all election materials. At the end of 2016, the Department of Justice informed us that we crossed that threshold for Chinese.

“We look forward to meeting the needs of all of our voters,” said Joe Canciamilla, Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters.

The Contra Costa Elections Division continues to engage with local community groups to ensure language access for all voters. For more information, visit our website at www.cocovote.us.

East Contra Costa Fire Protection District to hold March 6 all mail-in election to reduce size of Board of Directors

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East Contra Costa Fire Protection District prepares for its first election of directors in November, 2018

By ECCFPD Fire Chief Brian Helmick

Brentwood – – On March 6, 2018, through a special all-mail ballot election, voters in the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will have an opportunity to approve Measure A, which would decrease from 9 to 5 the number of members of the District’s Board of Directors. Measure A, if approved by a majority of voters, will take effect later this year when the District’s Directors will be elected for the first time.

The District currently has a nine-member Board, with two members appointed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, four members appointed by the Brentwood City Council, and three members appointed by the Oakley City Council.

On November 8, 2016, the District’s voters passed Measure N to transition the Board from an appointed Board to an elected Board. Board elections will be held for the first time on November 6, 2018, when all Directors’ seats will be up for election. Persons currently serving as appointed Directors will be eligible to run for seats as elected Directors. On December 7, 2018, the newly-elected Board members will take office and all of the current appointments to the Board will expire.

The District placed the measure on the ballot in hopes of increasing competition for directorships and improving the efficiency of District administration.

Registered voters of the District will receive ballots and voter information guides on or about February 5, 2018.

Voters may return their ballots by mail to the County Elections Division. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before March 6, 2018, and must be received by the County Elections Division in Martinez by March 9, 2018.

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.

Former state Associate Attorney General appointed Contra Costa Assistant DA

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Worked for former CA Attorney General Kamala Harris and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf

Newly appointed Contra Costa Assistant District Attorney Venus D. Johnson.

Interim Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton today, Friday, February 2, 2018 announced the hiring of Venus D. Johnson as Assistant District Attorney. Mrs. Johnson will help shape criminal justice policy for the office, in addition to overseeing the Family Violence Prosecution units, the Community Violence Reduction Unit, and the Homicide and Gang Units. Johnson will begin her new role on Monday.

Most recently, she served as the Director of Public Safety for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. In that role, she served as a policy advisor to the mayor and co-led the Oakland Police Department’s working group responsible for creating the curriculum and teaching the second phase of procedural justice training for all sworn and professional staff. Johnson also worked with the California Partnership for Safe Communities, the Oakland Police Department, and city and community leaders to support Ceasefire, Oakland’s data driven violence reduction strategy. She also worked closely with Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth to promote those principles within the city, school district and criminal justice system.

Previously, Johnson served as the Associate Attorney General for California Attorney General, Kamala Harris. She managed the Attorney General’s executive team and served as a senior legal and policy advisor, focusing particularly on criminal justice, law enforcement, the interplay of technology and privacy as it relates to law enforcement, police and community relations, and criminal prosecutions, as well as criminal appeals, habeas proceedings, and cert petitions. Prior to that, Johnson was a Deputy Attorney General in the Attorney General’s Office of Legislative Affairs. As an expert in criminal law, she represented the Attorney General’s Office on a wide variety of matters before the California Legislature. Her duties included assisting in the development of the Attorney General’s legislative agenda and advising legislative staff and committee consultants on the technical and policy implications of proposed legislation.

Venus Johnson’s Facebook cover photo, and profile photo which shows her in a shirt with the words “Phenomenal Female”.

Johnson began her legal career as a prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in January 2006. She spent eight years as a deputy district attorney prosecuting a wide variety of misdemeanor and felony cases. She served as a member of both the Child Sexual Assault Unit, and the Strike Team — a two-person team charged with handling Oakland’s most violent and repeat offenders. Johnson also served as a member of the Officer Involved Shooting Team.

Prior to her departure from Alameda County, Johnson worked in the DNA Cold Case Unit, a two-person unit responsible for investigating and prosecuting unsolved homicide and sexual assault cases with the use of modern DNA technology. The unit was also tasked with working with local law enforcement agencies throughout Alameda County to reduce the backlog of untested sexual assault kits.

Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from Loyola Marymount University in 2001, and her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law  in 2005. She previously served as a member of the Board of Directors for Holy Names High School in Oakland and is a past president of the Charles Houston Bar Association. Appointed by former Attorney General Harris, she currently serves as a member of the California Commission on Access to Justice, a state commission responsible for developing solutions to improve access to civil justice for low and moderate-income Californians.

Posted by Johnson on her Facebook page, Jan. 21, 2017.

“I am honored to join the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office,” Johnson said. “As prosecutors, we are responsible for ensuring the safety of our communities, protecting victims of crime, and ensuring the scales of justice remain fair and balanced for everyone. I look forward to working side by side with local law enforcement and our community partners as we work toward creating safer communities and a more fair and just system.”

Learn more about ADA Johnson’s background on her LinkedIn profile and on her Facebook page.

County fairgrounds renamed the Contra Costa Event Park, more changes to follow

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Home of the Contra Costa County Fair

ANTIOCH – As part of a re-branding and improvements of the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds the Board of Directors have approved a new facility name and logo. As of February 1st, we are the CONTRA COSTA EVENT PARK, Home of the Contra Costa County Fair.

Over the next year you will see signage change, improvements to the facility, and a new 8,000 square foot event venue become available for community events. CEO Joe Brengle stated that there will be lots of changes taking place at the fairgrounds over the next few years.

Looking for a place for your next event the Contra Costa Event Park still has 2018 dates available; contact our office (925) 757-4400 for availability.

Mark your calendars for the 2018 Contra Costa County Fair May 17 – 20, with the theme “It all Happens at the Fair”.