Contra Costa Herald

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

Contra Costa County seeks applicants for Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council

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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking residents who may be interested in serving on its 19-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).

The JJCC is a multi-agency advisory body charged with creating and maintaining the County’s comprehensive Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan and coordinating county-based juvenile delinquency prevention initiatives. The state-mandated Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan is designed to improve services for Contra Costa County’s juvenile justice population by assessing existing practices and resources, identifying system needs and gaps, and prioritizing and recommending solutions.

The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will be composed of the following 19 members:

Nine (9) ex-officio voting members:

Chief Probation Officer, as Chair

District Attorney’s Office representative

Public Defender’s Office representative

Sheriff’s Office representative

Board of Supervisors’ representative

Employment and Human Services Department representative

Alcohol and Other Drugs Division representative

Behavioral Health Division representative

Public Health Division representative

Ten (10) additional voting members selected and appointed by the Board of Supervisors:

  1. City Police Department representative
  2. County Office of Education representative

12–15.  Four (4) At-Large Members, residing or working within Contra Costa County;

16–17.  Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives;

18–19.  Two (2) At-Large Youth, age 14 to 21 years old, residing or working in Contra

Costa County

The Board is now seeking applications for five (5) of the seats identified above:

  • Three (3) individuals to serve in the At-Large Seats #13, #14 and #15;
  • Two (2) youth, age 14 to 21 years old, to serve in the At-Large Youth Seats, #18 and #19

Appointments to the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will be for a term of two years. The JJCC is expected to meet on a regular basis, at intervals to be established by the JJCC. Members will serve without compensation, stipends, or reimbursement of expenses. The community-based representatives should reflect the geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity of the County and should include youth or those providing restorative justice, faith-based, or mentoring services, to justice-involved, homeless, or foster-care involved youth.

Applicants will be interviewed by the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee:  Supervisors John Gioia, District I, and Federal Glover, District V. The nominations for the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will then be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors for action.

Below is a timeline of the recruitment process for the five vacancies:

  • April 1, 2019: First Day of the Application Period
  • May 24, 2019: Final Day of the Application Period, due by 5:00 p.m.
  • June 3, 2019: Public Protection Committee Meeting: Interviews
  • June 18, 2019: Board of Supervisors Consideration of Nominees

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 335-1900 or by visiting the County webpage at http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/3418/. Applications should be returned to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 106, County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553. Applications can also be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us.

Public Protection Committee Chair and Board Chair, Supervisor John Gioia, commented on the process, “We value diversity, inclusion and racial equity in Contra Costa County, and we welcome interest from residents all across our County who want to serve the community in the cause of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention.”

Supervisors approve joining new state welfare system – CalSAWS Consortium

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March is Red Cross Month, and the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recognized the international rescue organization’s humanitarian deeds by recognizing this year’s Home Fire Safety and Smoke Alarm Installation Events around the county. At Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting chair John Gioia presented a resolution to American Red Cross Leadership Council Chair Briana Taylor a resolution recognizing the organization’s good deeds in the county. This year the county is recognizing the American Red Cross Home Fire Campaign that was launched in 2014 and has installed 1.5 million smoke alarms. In the past year, the American Red Cross Bay Area has responded to 838 homes where 10,605 free smoke alarms were installed. This year the Bay Area Chapter Northern California Coastal Region will be installing no cost smoke alarms in homes at four designated locations: Pacheco on May 27, in Antioch on April 27, in Richmond on May 14, and in Brentwood on May 19.

Article & Photos By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors quickly approved on a 4-0 vote a Joint Exercise Powers Agreement on Tuesday in order to become a member of the forthcoming new statewide public assistance case management system called the CalSAWS Consortium.

There was neither public comment nor statements from supervisors on this pricey project.

“This is the first step in the consolidation of three automated welfare systems into one,” Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services Director Kathy Gallagher told the Contra Costa Herald after supervisors took their action.

Gallagher said the new automated welfare system requiring approval from California’s 58 County Boards of Supervisors will go into effect on June 28, 2019.

Basically, the new system will permit welfare recipients to use technology, i.e., social media. “It’ll be updated and will be more useful for our customers or users, who use social media,” said Gallagher.

In Contra Costa County there are about 200,000 welfare recipients who could potentially access the new CalSAWS system, said Gallagher.

The Employment and Human Resources Chief said the annual cost to the county for using the CalSAWS system will likely exceed the current price tag of $5.5 million. It is expected the inaugural cost to the county to plug in and use CALSAWS will run about $5.8 million a year.

Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Candace Andersen of San Ramon presented a resolution approved by the supervisors on Tuesday to April Rovero of the Contra Costa County Medication Education and Disposal Safety Coalition (MEDS) which is presenting a free film festival, DOSE OF ACTION, at the Brendan Theater, 1985 Willow Pass Road, in Concord on Sunday, March 24 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. about America’s prescription drug and illegal opioid overdose crisis. Andersen had briefly talked about the lost of her sister from drug overdose during Tuesday’s meeting, The resolution states that the board of supervisors “supports April 27, 2019 as ‘National Prescription Drug Take Back Day’ as declared by the DEA and encourages residents to locate their local collection site and safely dispose of their accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs.” In 2017, 47,600 American died from opioid overdoses, more than 130 people daily and 52 of those overdose deaths occurred in Contra Costa County.

Andersen Lauds Discovery Bay’s Request for Automated License Plate Reader Cameras

While District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis continues to recuperate from heart surgery, District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of San Ramon went to bat for her in supporting Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston’s item request of $331,000 for the acquisition and installation of Automated License Plate Reader cameras in the Discovery Bay area.

The agenda item was initially a consent item until Andersen requested that it be pulled for public review and action by the supervisors.

“I have seen how Automated License Plate Reader cameras have effectively reduced crime in Danville,” Andersen said in support of the anti-crime technology.

It not only helps in the detection of stolen vehicles, but also as an investigative tool for persons and property crimes, missing persons, runaways and other crimes or circumstances where vehicles are used by suspects or persons of interest.

Supervisors voted 4-0 in approving Sheriff-Coroner Livingston’s request to have automated license plate reader cameras installed at strategic locations in Discovery Bay. This would provide “virtually 100 percent coverage of the entrances and egress of the Discovery Bay area and would prove to be an invaluable tool for law enforcement,” Livingston wrote in a background statement to the supervisors dated March 19.

Sheriff-Coroner Livingston noted that the Discovery Bay P-6 Citizen Advisory Committee “thought ALPR to be an appropriate tool for identifying suspect vehicles coming and going in their town. With its location along Hwy 4 and other country roads, criminals can easily escape from Discovery Bay in a matter of minutes after committing their crimes.”

Some of the consent items Supervisors approved included:

Public Records Act Revision

Supervisors changed the administrative bulletin concerning public access to county records under the Public Records Act. At the recommendation of County Administrator David Twa, the bulletin has been revised to “describe the increasing array of media on which public records may be found, such as flash drives, cell phones, and tablets. Similarly, recognizing the shift of most records being held in the electronic format, the updated administrative bulletin discusses format in which a record should be produced and the charge, if any, for the record in a certain format.”

Apply for California Preservation Program and State Library Assessment Program

Supervisors approved Contra Costa County Librarian Melinda Cervantes’ request to apply for and to accept a Collection Preservation Assessment Project award from the California Preservation Program and California State Library to provide services for the purpose of planning proper care of the local history collection, which consists of more than 3,050 items pertaining to the history of the county, its cities and localities.

Cervantes informed supervisors in a recommendation that the collection consists of “3,050 items pertaining to the history of the county and its cities and localities. “

The county librarian wrote, “The collection is an invaluable and unique research resource. Many of the items are rare and irreplaceable. Although there is controlled access to the material, most of the materials, due to age and fragile condition, need more extensive preservation, “wrote Cervantes in a memo to the supervisors.

The artifacts are currently housed in the Pleasant Hill Library.

Supervisors update Open Meeting rules, reappoint Glover to new 4-year MTC term

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By Daniel Borsuk

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors revised their Meeting Rules of Procedure in a bid to comply with the state open law or Ralph M. Brown Act at a meeting on Tuesday.

But the supervisors action also paved the way for longtime Metropolitan Transportation Commission member and District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover to hook up to a new four-year MTC term of office even though there have been reports he has missed meetings and three other supervisors – Supervisor Karen Andersen of Danville, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill and Diane Burgis of Brentwood – had reportedly jockeyed to replace him.

If not for District 1 Supervisor John Gioia, who wields clout as Board Chair this year and makes committee and commission assignments, Glover might have lost his new term of office on the powerful MTC. It’s a coveted position nowadays, especially when the regional transportation agency is gaining traction not only in doling out hefty sums of transit funding but is getting its share of the limelight in the nine-county Bay Area affordable housing arena.

But County Administrator David Twa told supervisors the recommended open meeting changes to their rules of procedures will “clean up the appointment process” of how supervisors select themselves to local, regional or state committees and commissions.

With the newly adopted Brown Act provision, each supervisor must submit to the clerk of the board on or before December 1 of each year his or her list of Boards, Committees or Commissions that he or she wants to serve on. The list of supervisors’ board-committee-commission interests will be placed on a Board Agenda for public review in December.

The Board Chair will continue to decide who will serve on local, regional, or state committees or commissions and the supervisors’ reorganization meeting, when the new chair and vice chair are selected, will continue to be held in January*.

Soon after the supervisors approved the new Meeting Rules of Procedure, supervisors without discussion reapproved Glover’s appointment to MTC, an action that they had similarly done at a January 19 meeting, but one that ran into objection.

Not everyone is pleased with the board’s action of reappointing Supervisors Glover to the MTC, especially Lafayette lawyer Jason A. Bezis, who at the supervisors’ January 19 meeting warned supervisors that their committee/commission appointment procedure was not in compliance with the Brown Act and that the supervisors should open up the appointment of a new MTC commissioner to the general public.

“I ask that (the) Board postpone the Metropolitan Transportation Commission appointment to the 2019-2023 term until the county (1) opens up the position to public applications, (2) issues a news release about the availability of the position and (3) carefully evaluates a pool of applicants, including a careful analysis of the incumbent’s twelve-year record at MTC,” wrote Bezis in a March 22 letter sent to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on March 12 and also sent to The Contra Costa Herald.

Bezis was not in attendance at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting.

Bezis has also been critical of Glover’s “severe absenteeism problem” at important MTC meetings. “The incumbent missed the January 24, 2018 Bay Area Toll Authority vote that placed the RM3 or bridge toll hike on the ballot. He missed the Dec. 19, 2018 MTC meeting at which the signing of the CASA Compact was approved. He was the only voting member absent at that important meeting,” the lawyer wrote.

“I don’t know what he (Bezis) is talking about, unless it has anything to do with my surgery recovery of several years ago,” responded Supervisor Glover to the charges of his absenteeism record at MTC meetings. “I’ve been at the MTC meetings.”

In addition, Glover said it would be inappropriate to fill the MTC position that he holds with someone in the general public. “It is better to have an elected official fill that seat,” the supervisor said.

Mitchoff Wants Pittsburg-Bay Point BART Ambulance Ride Probe

During an annual performance presentation of the Alliance Emergency Ambulance Medical Services, District 4 Supervisor Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill requested that officials investigate whether there has been an increase in the number of emergency calls from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station after 1:30 a.m. when the train system shuts down for the day.

Emergency personnel responding to calls at the BART station usually pick up homeless individuals who have been riding the trains all day, and at the end of train service call for an ambulance. While they are frequently taken to the nearest emergency hospital, the patient has the right to request a ride to an out of area hospital of the patient’s choice. That can increase operating costs for the ambulance service.

The supervisor is concerned the county’s Emergency Medical Service that responded to 105,377 calls in 2018/2019 compared to 39,496 in 1991/1992, is being financially burdened by out-of-county hospital rides. “I want to know where these ambulances are going. Are they going out of county?” she asked.

EMS Director Pat Frost and Contra Costa Count Fire Protection Chief Jeff Carman said they would give the supervisors a report about the ambulance situation out of the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station.

Among a number of consent items supervisors approved were:

Concord Jet Service, Inc. inks $650,000 Sheriff Contract

Approved the Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston’s request to sign a sub-lease with Concord Jet Service Inc. in the amount of $650,000 to provide an aircraft hangar, office space and helicopter fuel for the period of May 1, 2019 through April 30, 2024. Concord Jet Service Inc. will provide aircraft hangar space at Buchanan Field Airport for the Sheriff’s helicopters and office space for the staff. The Office of the Sheriff will pay the contractor $1,948 for hangar rental per month and $2,262 for office space per month for a total rent of $4,210 per month. The sublease allows for the purchase of helicopter fuel.

Juvenile Hall, Orin Allen Facility Libraries Draw $20,000 Lesher Foundation Grants

Approval of a two-year $20,000 grant — $10,00 payable in 2019 and $10,000 payable in 2020 — from the Margaret Lesher Foundation to provide library books and materials at the Juvenile Hall Library and at the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facilitation Library for the period from February 1, 2010 through June 30, 2020.

Approved Periodic Five ½-Month Closures of Pacheco Blvd. at State Route 4

Supervisors approved a resolution for the periodic closure of Pacheco Boulevard at State Route 4 for no more than 20 nights between March 13 and August 31 from 11 p.m. through 5 a.m. for the purpose of demolition and girder erection for the Caltrans bridge widening project. The bridge demolition is part of the $135.2 million State Highway 4/Interstate 680 widening project.

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Supervisors approve five Verizon small cell wireless facilities in Alamo, Walnut Creek

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Before and After photos of proposed Verizon small cell wireless facility on Horsetrail Court in Alamo. Photo from Powerpoint presentation.

More appeals expected

By Daniel Borsuk

Over a volley of citizen complaints about potential neighborhood blight and health cancer risks concerns linked to Verizon Wireless’ plans to install five small cell wireless facilities on PG&E poles in bucolic unincorporated Alamo and Walnut Creek residential locations, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously upheld the county Zoning Administrator’s and Planning Commission’s rulings approving the telecommunication corporation’s requests on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

According to the staff report for agenda item, “On December 21, 2018, Ms. Alice Lee filed an appeal with the Department of Conservation and Development, Community Development Division, over the decision of the County Planning Commission to deny the appeal and uphold the decision of the County Zoning Administrator to approve the Wireless Facilities Access Permit. Ms. Alice Lee submitted a revised appeal letter on December 24, 2018.”

With Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood absent from the meeting because she was recuperating from successful heart surgery on Monday, supervisors voted 4-0 to sustain favorable county zoning administrator and planning commission rulings on Verizon Cell Wireless’ requests to install five small wireless cell facilities in the right-of-way of 401 Horsetrail Court, 1524 Alamo Way, 184 Creekdale Road, 1955 Meadow Road and 20 Francesca Way, but threw in a carrot that might sway residents to feel more comfortable about Verizon Wireless installing the antennas. (See PowerPoint presentation, here).

Board Vice Chair Candace Andersen, who represents the unincorporated Alamo and Walnut Creek areas where Verizon Wireless plans to install the cell wireless facilities, each valued at an estimated $200,000, recommended that Verizon Wireless mail to affected homeowners living nearby the five proposed wireless cell antennas to be offered free, independently conducted, in-home health tests. Verizon Wireless will pick up the costs for the health tests.

Verizon Wireless attorney Paul Albritton said the communications company would agree with Supervisor Andersen’s in-home health test request. Other supervisors also approved Andersen’s proposal. Albritton said residents must live within 300 feet of a proposed small cell wireless antenna. He said the offer will be valid for one year.

Even with the in-home health inspection provision, one Alamo resident, Ruth Strong, who lives with her aged mother near a PG&E pole that is slated to have one of the Verizon Wireless antennas installed directly across from her mother’s bedroom window, told supervisors, “I don’t trust them (i.e. Verizon Wireless) from coming into my house.”

Dr. Alice Lee, one of the five appellants, told the Contra Costa Herald it is too early to tell what course of action she and other appellants might pursue. Dr. Lee said Verizon Wireless has plans to install as many as an additional 87 small cell wireless antennas on PG&E poles in unincorporated areas including Alamo, Walnut Creek, and Orinda. “There will be other carriers. There will be more towers,” she told supervisors.

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill said it is difficult for counties to overturn requests of telecommunication communication companies requesting to install new equipment such as small cell wireless facilities on existing PG&E poles because of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 that has been amended numerous times. California counties and cities are contesting certain aspects of Telecommunications Act in the Supreme Court because the federal law supersedes local or state law.

Among consent item supervisors approved without comment from the public, were:

Hazardous Materials Response Vehicle Funding

Spending $1.3 million from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District budget to buy a Type I Hazardous Materials Response Vehicle that will be owned and operated by the county fire district. The acquisition of a new Type I Hazardous Material Response Vehicle will allow the fire district to own and operate its own vehicle. Since the formation of the county’s Hazardous Materials Team in 2016, the team has operated a vehicle on loan from the California Office of Emergency Services. That vehicle was recently out of service for over 30 days while it received warranty related repairs in Sacramento. That compromised the Contra Costa County team’s ability to respond to hazardous response incidents. Buying this vehicle will permit the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to respond to future hazardous material response incidents.

Emerging Aeronautical Technologies to Be Promoted at County Airports

Supervisors permitted County Airports Director Keith Freitas to promote and market Buchanan Field and Byron Airport as testing locations for emerging aeronautical and aeronautical related technologies. There will be no financial cost to the county general fund associated with the promotion and marketing campaign. Airport staff and any county counsel staff time will be charged to the Airport Enterprise Fund.

Kirker Pass Road Truck Lane Funding

Supervisors awarded a $14,153,763 contract to Granite Rock Company to construct the Kirker Pass Road Northbound Truck Climbing Lane project. Construction is set to begin this summer to add a truck lane on Kirker Pass Road from the Concord Pavilion to Hess Road. The addition of the lane is designed to reduce accidents caused by trucks traveling up Kirker Pass Road. Other contractors and their bids at the Jan. 22 disclosure were: Bay Cities Paving & Grading, Inc., $14,886,666; Ghilotti Construction Company, Inc., $15,225,077. 60; Gordon N. Ball, Inc. $15,528,038.20; Flatiron West, Inc. $15,528,038.20; Granite Construction Co, $16, 073, 185.10; O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc. $16,073, 788 and DeSilva Gates Construction, $17,500,000.

Waterfront Initiative Funding

Supervisors approved the new funding allocations of $142,500 to implement approved Northern Waterfront initiatives planned for 2019-2020. Those expenditures included $50,000 for the Hercules site exploration for bioscience, $12,000 for a May forum, $10,000 for State Lands/Crockett waterfront access, $70,000 for collaborative marketing and a marketing video. Supervisors had budgeted $500,000 in 2017 to cover Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative projects. Since the initiative’s launch, the only expenditure since then has been the $263,000 to consultant contracts or grant match.

Paying Additional $11,000 to Winchester for Sheriff’s Department Ammunition

Supervisors agreed to pay an additional $11,000 to buy Winchester ammunition for the Office of the Sheriff because after more than 20 years, Winchester has changed its ammunition distributor in Northern California from Adamson Police Products to Dooley Enterprises. In 2017, the Office of the Sheriff executed a new purchase order with Dooley Enterprises as the new Winchester ammunition distributor to meet future training and duty ammunition demands. As a result of the change in the purchase order. the county will have paid $411,000, not $400,000 for the purchase of ammunition for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2019.

To see the entire meeting agenda, click here.

Supervisor Diane Burgis’ heart surgery to replace aortic valve a success

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Supervisor Diane Burgis

Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis’ surgery to replace her aortic valve was a success. (See related article).

The surgery performed on Monday, February 25 by a medical team at John Muir Hospital Concord began at 8 am, with the valve replacement completed just before noon. Supervisor Burgis was up and making jokes with friends by early evening.  She will be in the hospital for one week and then recovering at home before returning to work.

“We are excited and relieved that the surgery was such a success,” said Mark Goodwin, Supervisor Burgis’ Chief of Staff. “I’ll be speaking with her regularly over the next few weeks. I’m not sure what the greater challenge will be, keeping her away from the work she loves while she recovers or keeping up with her when she gets back, but I look forward to both. We’re grateful to the medical team at John Muir Hospital Concord and to everyone who has reached out to express their support.”

Goodwin will be the primary point of contact during Burgis’ recovery. Cards and well wishes may be sent to her main office, 3361 Walnut Boulevard, Suite 140, Brentwood, CA 94513.

Supervisor Diane Burgis represents District 3, the largest of the five Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor districts, which includes Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, and Oakley in East Contra Costa County and Blackhawk, Diablo and Tassajara Valley in the southern portion of the district.

County Supervisor Diane Burgis schedules surgery to repair heart valve

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Supervisor Diane Burgis. Herald file photo.

In an open letter to District 3 residents, Supervisor Diane Burgis, who has served the district since 2016, issued the following statement regarding her health.

“When I count the things I am grateful for, representing you is right up there with my family, friends and good health. I am humbled and honored for the trust that you have placed in me, and I take the responsibility that comes with that trust very seriously.

That is why I want you to know that I am having heart surgery on February 25 to replace an aortic valve due to aortic stenosis, or a narrowing of my aortic valve. What some don’t know is that when I was seven years old, I had this same procedure, and my surgeons told me then that I would likely need another surgery later in life. The good news is that due to my overall health, the operation is happening much later than they predicted.

My doctors, who have performed hundreds of these procedures, assure me that my prognosis is excellent and that I will be better than new after the surgery. I will be in the hospital for approximately one week and then at home for recovery.

In the meantime, I promise that you will receive the same high level of service, sound decision-making, and representation as always. My staff and the County staff will keep me updated on the issues, and my office will continue the vital work that we are doing, in consultation with me, and under the leadership of my Chief of Staff, Mark Goodwin.

I also want to put everyone on notice – if you think it’s hard to keep up with me now, just wait!! I look forward to continuing our work together to create opportunities and find solutions to our challenges in Contra Costa County.

I also can’t wait to ride my bike on the Marsh Creek trail, hike up Mount Diablo, kayak on the Delta, chase my beautiful grandson, and get back on the tennis courts!

I am ready for more adventures in this terrific life!

Thank you for your support, and well wishes.”

Mark Goodwin, Burgis’ Chief of Staff will be the primary point of contact during Supervisor Burgis’ surgery and recovery. Well wishes may be sent to Supervisor Burgis at her main office, 3361 Walnut Boulevard, Suite 140, Brentwood, CA 94513.

Supervisor Diane Burgis represents District 3, the largest of the five Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor districts, which includes Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Byron, Discovery Bay, Knightsen, and Oakley in East Contra Costa County and Blackhawk, Diablo and Tassajara Valley in the southern portion of the district.

 

Rep. DeSaulnier, Supervisors spotlight Refinery Safety Ordinance’s 20th anniversary

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Andeavor’s Martinez Refinery. Photo courtesy of Andeavor.com

Nine Appointed to 2020 Census Complete Count Steering Committee

By Daniel Borsuk

Since passage of Contra Costa’s Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO) in December 1998, the landmark law hammered out between the refinery industry and local government has played a major role in driving down the number of deadly chemical incidents in the county.

On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors heard Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), representative Shanelle Scales-Preston read a letter from the congressman about the importance of ISO’s enactment:

“The creation of the Industrial Safety Ordinance was one of the most impactful proposals I have been involved in throughout my 35 years in public service. As a member of the Board of Supervisors at the time of the Tosco explosion in 1997, we reacted immediately to put an end to corporate profits coming at the expense of safety.  We partnered with labor, industry, environmental groups, and safety experts to draft the Industrial Safety Ordinance.

“The results speak for themselves. The severity of major chemical accidents or releases in Contra Costa County has declined since its implementation.  During the 1990’s, on average there was a major incident every year that caused a fatality, serious injury, or major damage.  Since the ISO took effect in 1999, there have been a total of two major incidents in covered jurisdictions over a nearly 20-year period.  The county continues to proactively seek enhancements, and it continues to serve as a guidepost for safety.”

District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, who was an intern in 1998, recalled negotiations were not by any means diplomatic between industry and government representatives.  “Those were headbutting meetings,” she said. “Those meetings were not smoothly conducted.”

Since the enactment of ISO in 1999, the number of major chemical accidents has fallen from a high of 10 Major Chemical Accidents or Releases (MCARs) in 2001 to 1 incident each in 2017 and 2018. No MCARs were reported in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2016.

District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood, who knows about the petroleum industry’s safety measures because she has a son who works in industry, commented, “I’m proud of Contra Costa County’s contributions to refinery safety.”

In a related consent action, supervisors approved a $700,000 contract with the consultant firm Baker and O’Brien, Inc. to provide refining industry analyses in connection with refinery property tax appeals for the period from Jan. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2019.  These appeals typically place several billion dollars of valuation in issue, said county counsel Sharon Anderson.  “Assistance is required because valuations are highly technical, requiring specialized knowledge that only industry experts have,” said Anderson.

Supervisors Support Creation of Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets

On a consent action, supervisors called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to create a statewide commission on recycling markets citing the severity of environmental impacts triggered by China’s National Sword, that nation’s strict mixed paper and plastic contamination policy.

Upon noting that China has recently enacted strict mixed paper and plastic contamination limits and import bans, that are commonly called “National Sword,” China has declared its intent to ban all recyclable materials by 2020.

The board’s resolution states:

“Whereas, local governments across California will soon have to comply with additional state regulations for organic waste diversion and processing, SB 1383 (Chapters 395, 2016) establishes targets to achieve a 50 percent reduction in the level of the statewide disposal of organic waste from the 2014 level by 2020 and a 75 percent reduction by 2025.  Infrastructure required to implement these regulations is expected to cost billions of dollars; and

“Whereas, these increased diversion requirements added to recent changes to international policies and a declining global market value for recyclables, has resulted in an issue of statewide concern for the resource recovery industry, local governments, and Californians;

“NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Count of Contra Costa calls for the Governor to establish a statewide Commission to address these significant challenges to our recycling markets.”

Nine Appointed to 2020 Census Complete Count Steering Committee

Supervisors appointed as a consent action nine persons to serve At-Large seats on the 2020 Census County Complete Count Steering Committee, a committee designed to set goals and objectives to identify community areas or a population group that might be difficult to count.

Appointed to the committee are Fran Biderman of Kensington, Alvaro Fuentes of Richmond, Samuel Houston of Concord, Melody Howe Weintraub of Lafayette, Terry Koehne of San Ramon, Mark Orcutt of Walnut Creek, Andres Orozco of Brentwood and Ali Saidi of Pinole.

District 3 Supervisors Diane Burgis of Brentwood chairs the committee.

Formation of the 2020 Census Complete county Steering Committee will aid the county is securing up to $362,605 in state aid to support the Complete Count campaign.

Victim/Witness Program Post Approved

District Attorney Diana Becton won supervisors’ consent approval to hire a full-time Victim/Witness Assistance Program Specialist in the Human Trafficking unit.  The position will be responsible for advocacy and direct services for victims of human trafficking.  The position’s salary will be $3,992 to $4,853 per month.

Approve $149,869 Payment to Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association

Supervisors also approved the payment of $149,869 to the Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association (BASMAA) for services provided to the Contra Costa Clean Water Program during the period July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.  Program funding is provided by the county and 19 cities and towns within Contra Costa County.  Contra Costa County’s share is about $22,500.

Gioia, Andersen sworn in as new Board of Supervisors Chair, Vice Chair

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Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Joni Hramoto swore into office Supervisors John Gioia as Chair and Candace Andersen as Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 as Supervisor Federal Glover looks on. Photo by Daniel Borsuk.

By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Joni Hramoto swore into office Contra Costa County Supervisors John Gioia of Richmond as Chair and Candace Andersen of Danville as Vice Chair of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Both were unanimously elected to their posts.

Gioia, who was reelected last November to his fifth four-year term, aims to reduce health care costs for county employees, reinstitute the children’s report card that before 2007 focused on children outcomes and development strategies, and to introduce an asthma medical program for disadvantaged youth.  Gioia, who last year was board vice chair, replaces District 4 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill.

Mitchoff, who said she read 67 books during a busy  personally tragic year where she lost her 62-year-old brother Gerald Mitchoff in a South Lake Tahoe shooting incident in June, saw the county maintain its  AAA Moody’s bond rating, began construction of a new $100 million county administration building and new $30 million emergency communications building both in Martinez , and helped usher voter passage of the cannabis sales tax measure  in November.

Supervisors promote solar energy development in rural areas, parking lots, freeway cloverleafs

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Courtesy CCC Department of Conservation and Development.

Forgive $5.8 Million in Library Book Late Fees Dating Back to 1995

By Daniel Borsuk

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors flashed the green light for Contra Costa County Development and Conservation Department (DCD) officials to conduct additional studies on how solar power can be expanded, especially in the Far East environmentally sensitive Delta areas of Bethel Island and Jersey Island.

Supervisors also allowed county planners to study the feasibility of identifying underutilized parking lots countywide that could be used as solar farms in partnership with MCE, the main electricity provider for unincorporated Contra Costa County and the cities of Concord, Danville, Martinez, Oakley, Pinole, Pittsburg, and San Ramon.

Freeway cloverleafs are also on the DCD’s list of potential new sites for renewable energy.

“Fifty to eighty percent of the county could be used for renewable energy,” Jody London, a DCD official, told supervisors.  London said solar energy represents 85 percent of the renewable energy that could be developed on rural land.  The remaining 15 percent would be energy generated from wind power or biomass.

London said the county could also expand solar energy by issuing more permits to homeowners to install solar panels on roofs.

The house rooftop option drew the support of District 3 Supervisor Dianne Burgis of Brentwood, whose district also covers Bethel Island and Jersey Island.  “I’d be open to option one,” she said.  “We have so many rooftops in Contra Costa County.  I’d like to work with MCE.”

Board chair Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill cautioned DCD staff that she was uncertain the DCD recommendation concerning 450-acre Jersey Island as a potential solar power farm might run into opposition from the island’s owner, the Ironhouse Sanitary District.

London said she would look into that issue.

“We support development of solar energy on brownfield sites, parking lots and infill areas such as freeway cloverleafs,” Bill Chilson of the Mount Diablo Audubon Society wrote in a letter to the supervisors.  The environmental organization opposes wind and solar development in the Delta agricultural and wildlife areas, Chilson wrote.

Juan Pablo Galwan, Save Mt. Diablo Land Use Manager, criticized the plan, writing:

“Advances in solar technology may increase the frequency of collocation or allow an area of land to concurrently be farmed and produce solar energy without negatively impacting or perhaps even increasing crop productivity.  However, currently the most likely scenario is that solar development removes land from most or all ties of agricultural production for the duration of lease which may last several decades.  Therefore, the county renewable energy policies should not encourage solar development on viable agricultural land.”

A $47,000 grant from the California Strategic Growth Council developed the energy study for the County.

Supervisors Approve $362,505 State Grant for 2020 Census

The county is getting ready for the 2020 census and took its first step when supervisors unanimously accepted a $362,505 County-Option Outreach Agreement grant from the state.

The grant will aid the county in developing communications and outreach strategies that will target both geographic and demographic populations who are least likely to respond to the 2020 census.

Barbara Rivera of the Contra Costa County Administrators Office said the upcoming census will be the first one where Californians can respond by going online, but this raised cyber security issues from Julia Marks of the Asian Law Caucus.  “There is a lot fear over confidentiality,” said Marks.

Choice in Aging’s Debbie Toth Honored as Board Chair Recipient

Debbie Toth, the Chief Executive Officer of Choice in Aging, was honored by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Karen Mitchoff, as Board Chair Recipient for 2018.

Mitchoff, of Pleasant Hill, selected Toth, who was named CEO of Choice in Aging in 2012 that serves 600 senior citizens in residential facilities at the Bedford Center in Antioch and the Mt. Diablo Center in Pleasant Hill, for being an advocate for senior access to housing, health and transit.

Mitchoff, who was re-elected to the District 3 supervisorial seat in June, cited her personal experience with her mother as a key factor in nominating the CIA’s Chief Executive Officer for the award.

After Tuesday’s meeting, it is expected District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond will be elected as Chair of the Board   when supervisors reconvene at their next regular meeting slated for January 15, 2019.

Supervisors Forgive $5.8 Million in Library Book Late Fees

A week after the Board of Supervisors made the historic move to eliminate the practice of collecting overdue book and material fees, they approved on a 5-0 vote to discharge about $5,800,100 from public library patron accounts.

The agenda consent item did not attract public comment.

The bookkeeping item covers uncollected fees dating back to 1995 to the present, County Librarian Melinda Cervantes wrote in a report to the Board.  “Of this amount, 73 percent is the value of materials, not cash outstanding.”  There is no financial impact on the county general fund.

Last week supervisors adopted the library commission’s recommendation to cease the collection of overdue book fines beginning Jan. 1, 2019 based on the recommendations in a policy titled Project Equitable Access with the goal of ensuring everyone has access to library materials.

To view the entire meeting agenda, click here.

Supervisors approve plan to eliminate County Library overdue book fees beginning Jan. 1

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Pay raises for Deputy District Attorneys, Deputy Public Defenders approved

By Daniel Borsuk 

The Contra Costa County Library system will end the practice of charging daily fines and charges for overdue books and materials in a bid to encourage more families with children to use the 26-branch public library system commencing Jan. 1.

Library officials are also setting bigger sights that patrons will check out materials via the library system’s e-books.

Contra Costa County Supervisors approved the Contra Costa County Library Commission’s proposal on a 4-0 vote Tuesday with Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond absent.

While the supervisors’ action will eliminate fees for overdue book and materials, supervisors doubled the processing charge for lost or damaged library materials from $5 per item to $10 per item.  Those charges have not been revised since 1995 and no longer reflect the actual processing costs, Contra Costa County Librarian Melinda Cervantes wrote in a brief to supervisors.

The Contra Costa County Library system will be the largest public library network in the Golden State to cease the practice of charging for overdue fees after 30 days.  The Berkeley Public Library and San Diego Public Library have also adopted similar no overdue fee policies.

Library patrons will not be charged fees if they return materials held more than 30 days after the due date.  Overdue library material fines represent 2% of the library system’s budgeted revenue and have declined by 31 percent since fiscal year 2013-2014, county librarian Cervantes said. “During this same period, circulation of e-books and e-resources have risen 128 percent” Cervantes wrote in her report to the supervisors.  “E-resources are already fine free and benefit those with greater access to technology,” she continued.

With the supervisors’ action, the county library will reduce its annual acquisition of library books by $300,000 to offset the reduction in estimated revenue.

Cervantes said the library commission based its recommendation to eliminate overdue fines from the basic finding in the report “Issue Brief on Advancing Racial Equity in Public Libraries” that was drafted by the Government Alliance on Race and Equity.  The report identified library fines as a form of “structural racism” where people who have difficulty paying fines have negative experiences that prevent them from library and computer use and or being reported to a collection agency.

By supervisorial District 2, which Candace Andersen of San Ramon represents posted the most in outstanding overdue late fines, according to library commission data.  Her district compiled $1, 224,230 million in overdue fees followed by District 3 represented by Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood with $937,342 in fines.  Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill’s District 4 piled up $907,021 in fees and Pittsburg’s Supervisor Federal Glover’s District 5 accumulated $781,036 in late fines.  Supervisor Gioia’s District 1 compiled the least number of fines with $757,718.

TRC Solutions Gets Keller Canyon Soils Contract

While supervisors hashed over the routine-like three-year environmental impact review of the Keller Canyon Landfill operation near Pittsburg, the elected officials also learned that the consulting firm of TRC Solutions has been under contract since late October to conduct soil studies on whether radioactive materials from the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard were illegally dumped at the landfill.

At Contra Costa Herald deadline, representatives from District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover’s office, the Contra Costa Environmental Health Department, and from TRC Solutions had not returned telephone requests to answer questions as to why the contract was awarded to the company under a shroud of secrecy in late October and to reveal how much the county is paying for the consultant’s work.

Based on information that the Contra Costa Herald has gathered, TRC Solutions started work on the six-month contract on Oct. 29.  The company is expected to analyze data, provide next step recommendations, conduct a process to gather communications, and convene a community meeting.

Public outcry over how Republic Services, which operates the landfill, erupted during the summer when an article in the San Francisco Chronicle exposed the possibility that radioactive materials from the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard may have been deposited at Keller Canyon Landfill.  That article triggered community outcry, meetings and eventually a request by the county to hire a soils expert to detect if radioactive waste exists on the landfill site.

Concerning the landfill’s three-year environmental impact review, supervisors voted 4-0 to accept the report.

New Contracts for Deputy District Attorneys, Deputy Public Defenders Approved

Supervisors unanimously approved two four-year contracts, one for Deputy District Attorneys and another pact for Deputy Public Defenders.

Along with improved health benefits, attorneys belonging to the District Attorney Association will, in the 2018/2019 fiscal year, cumulatively watch salaries rise $576,000, $1.9 million in 2019/2020, $2.5 million in 2020/2021 and $3.4 million in 2021/2022.

Members of the county Deputy Public Defenders Association will see salaries rise over the next four years.  Supervisors set aside to $959,000 in the 2018/2019 fiscal year, $2.6 million in 2019/2020, $3.2 million in 2020/2021 and $4 million in 2021/2022 to raise salaries.