A Message From the Supervisor
The summer season is upon us, time for families to enjoy vacation time together and for folks to get out and enjoy the recreational and entertainment amenities of their beautiful and dynamic Alameda County communities. Please exercise caution as you navigate our roadways as there is a great deal of activity going on – children are out and about, walking or riding their bikes, scooters and skate boards and more bicyclists are enjoying our rural roadways. And you’ve undoubtedly noticed all of the construction underway on major highways and roadways throughout Alameda County – a temporary inconvenience, but one that will result in safer and faster travel in the long-term. So, please slow down in construction zones and help keep those areas safe for workers and motorists.
On a separate note, am pleased to report that the County Board of Supervisors adopted a balanced $2.7 billion budget on June 28th closing an $80 million funding gap. Through a combination of spending reductions, revenue increases and program savings, the board was able to cover this shortfall. This funds just over 9,000 full-time employees. No job layoffs occurred, but some previously open but un-filled positions were eliminated. The budget includes a transfer of $12 million of discretionary revenue designated for future budget balancing that may be necessary to respond to impacts from state and federal budget actions including sequestration during the 2013-14 budget cycle. In Alameda County the unemployment rate is slowly declining; the assessed value of properties is increasing and sales tax revenues are improving. While this news is promising, we remain cautiously optimistic as the economy continues a slow recovery.
Click here for more information on the County budget.
Board of Supervisors Actions
Ever wonder what your Supervisor does during the weekly Tuesday Board of Supervisors Meeting? Here are some of the board actions from the last quarter, which impact the residents of District 1:
- Approved $118,201 for the Axis Community Health Center and $70,850 for the Tri-City Health Center to continue their primary care behavioral health integration programs
- Approved $424,874 for Abode Community Services to provide the CalWORKs Work Experience/Community Services program to low-income South County residents seeking to gain work experience
- Approved $50,000 to Horizon High School in Pleasanton to provide CalWORKs employment/support for students in the School-Age Parent Program’s Career/Employability Skills program- Horizon High School services teen parents from the Tri-Valley
- Allocated $10,000 to support Tri-City Volunteers in providing public health nutrition services to children, low-income families and seniors
- Adopted a BALANCED budget that closes an $80.2 million funding gap- the final budget for all funds totals $2.69 billion and provides funding for 9,197 full-time County employment positions, while also including a combination of spending reductions, revenue increases and Fiscal Management Reward program savings
- The Alameda County Community Development Agency is providing the City of Fremont funding for program administration, construction management and construction contract disbursements for the Housing Rehabilitation and Minor Home Repair Programs from 7/1/13 - 6/30/14 in the amount of $237,907
National Drug Take Back Day
In conjunction with the Department of Justice National Drug Take Back Initiative and National Drug Take Back Day, Supervisor Haggerty hosted, in partnership with the Fremont Police Department, a prescription and over-the-counter drug take back event at the Fremont Centerville Farmers’ Market on April 27, 2013.
Through the course of the day, a total of 245 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medication was collected. This, and other drug take back events, are vital in importance, as they allow the community to properly dispose of their medications in a manner that is safe, secure, and non-hazardous, potentially saving lives and protecting the ecosystem.
In Northern California, including the Central Valley, residents turned over 18 tons, or 36,004 pounds of unwanted and/or expired medications at 211 collection sites around the region. On the nationwide spectrum, a grand total of 371 tons, or 742,497 pounds, of prescription drugs were collected at 5,829 registered locations.
Alameda County has several permanent medication disposal sites. For more information on the sites click here.
Fremont CalFresh Workshop
The Alameda County Community Food Bank and Alameda County Social Services will hold an introductory workshop on the CalFresh program at the Fremont Resource Center. The Alameda County Community Food Bank has arranged this class for South County providers. Pending attendance numbers, this is currently the only class available in South County providing an introduction to CalFresh The workshop, entitled CalFresh 101, will be held on Wednesday, August 14 from 9:00am to 12:00pm at the Fremont Resource Center at 39155 Liberty Street in Fremont. It will be a three-hour overview on the basics of the food stamp and the CalFresh program and eligibility. This class is intended for providers with low-income or no-income clients. For more information, click here.
Bike to Work Day 2013 Grows!
On the morning of May 9th, as part of Bike to Work Day 2013, more than 12,000 bicyclists stopped by one of the 62 energizer stations set up in Alameda County. The event continues to grow with four percent more people participating this year over last. Throughout the County, Energizer stations were staffed by volunteers and stocked with healthy morning snacks and bike bags filled with free goodies for giveaways to visiting bicyclists. Stations were set up for the morning commute at BART stations and along busy work routes throughout Alameda County cities. This year saw the addition of new energizer stations at Stanley Boulevard and Shadow Cliffs Regional Park in Pleasanton, in downtown Livermore and at Ohlone College in Fremont. Over 3,000 children bicycled to school doubling the participation on Bike to School Day over 2012. And, more than 15 elected officials bicycled to energizer stations in their communities.
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More Improvements on the way for I-580
As chair of the Alameda County Transportation Commission, Supervisor Haggerty hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of multiple projects in the Tri-Valley segment of I-580 on June 13th. Joining him, were mayors from Livermore and Pleasanton, the new state director of Caltrans and the chair of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. The nearly $200 million cost is funded with a combination of local Measure B, regional, state and federal sources of transportation dollars. This series of improvements, when completed in about 18 months, will help bring relief to this chronically congested roadway, which serves as a gateway into the San Francisco Bay Area. Construction includes a new 12-mile carpool lane in the westbound direction between the area of Greenville Road in Livermore and the Foothill/San Ramon Valley Road off-ramp in Dublin; a new eastbound auxiliary lane between Isabel Avenue and First Street in Livermore; and bridge widening of freeway overcrossings at Arroyo Las Positas in Livermore and Dougherty Road in Dublin.
“Bike it-I Like it!” Essay Contest Concludes
June wrapped up the “Bike it-I Like it!” essay contest with a final awards presentation at Parkmont Elementary school in Fremont. The contest has been ongoing since its original kick-off at Dublin’s Dougherty Elementary School in March. The program, a partnership between Supervisor Haggerty and the Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools program, ended with a bang with back-to-back bicycle presentations in Livermore and Fremont. Winners from each school (6 schools in total) were announced and prizes were awarded. There were two top prizes of bicycles, complete with helmets, lights and locks awarded at each school, as well as, abundant alternative prizes for runners-up and for general participation.
Supervisor Haggerty enjoyed his hands-on role in the program and judging process. “The essays were fun to read,” he said. “It was clear that many of the students put quite a bit of time and thought into their work. This made for no easy task on the part of the judging panel, that’s for sure!”
The goal of the contest was to promote bicycle use and safety, and to educate District 1 students on the many health and environmental benefits of bicycling as a means of transportation. Essay questions, which were assigned on a voluntary basis, instructed students to clearly demonstrate their need/want for a bicycle and if they already had one, students were asked to focus on their thoughts regarding the importance of bicycle riding, exhibiting bicycle safety and abiding by the rules of the road.
“It is just so rewarding to be able to give bikes to kids who may not otherwise have the opportunity. The looks on their faces made it all worth it,” said Supervisor Haggerty.
With the participation of over 450 students, the program was a great success. Contests were held at: Jackson Avenue Elementary, East Avenue Middle and Junction K-8 all in Livermore; Dougherty Elementary in Dublin; and Brier Elementary and Parkmont Elementary both in Fremont. The Supervisor hopes to bring the program back again next school year.
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Alameda County Welcomes New Fire Chief
In a formal pinning ceremony on April 26th, The Alameda County Board of Supervisors officially appointed a new fire chief.
Demetrious Shaffer, shown here with his family, was sworn in by Supervisor Haggerty during the board meeting. Chief Shaffer served as the County fire department's interim chief since former Fire Chief Sheldon Gilbert's resignation last year, was first appointed by the board in December.
"We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Demetrious Shaffer, who we believe will be an outstanding fire chief for Alameda County," District 4 Supervisor Nate Miley said in a statement.
Chief Shaffer is also president of the California Fire Chiefs Association and was appointed Fire Chief of the Newark Fire Department in 2005 after beginning his firefighting career in Mountain View.
The board believes that the Chief has shown leadership in challenging financial times and has worked to make delivering fire services more efficient. On behalf of all citizens of Alameda County, the board extends its sincere thanks to Chief Shaffer, who has served with great distinction over the past year. The County is privileged to have such a hard-working and influential man lead the department. Welcome Chief Shaffer, and thank you for your service and dedication!
For more information on the Alameda County Fire Department, click here.
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Iron Horse Trail Regional Trail Gap Closure
On May 1st, local officials gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony in Pleasanton to construct a 1.6 mile segment of the Iron Horse Trail between the Eastern BART station and Santa Rita Road. The event was hosted by the East Bay Regional Park District. The project will complete a segment of a 31-mile Iron Horse Trail that stretches between the cities of Concord in Contra Costa County and the Pleasanton in Alameda County. The 1.6 mile segment will also improve bike and pedestrian access to the BART station for Pleasanton residents and workers. The Park District is the lead project sponsor and is coordinating the project with local agencies including Alameda County, the City of Pleasanton, BART and Zone 7 Water Agency. This $5 million project is funded with a combination of local, Measure B, regional and federal sources. Expected completion is slated for late 2013.
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Bike Valet Service Support for the Annual Livermore Wine Country Festival
On the weekend of May 4th and 5th, Supervisor Haggerty co-sponsored a free bike valet service at the Livermore Wine Country Festival. Sponsor partners included Livermore Downtown Inc., Livermore Area Recreation & Park District (LARPD), Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. This event drew an estimated 150,000 visitors and the bike valet service provided a safe and convenient option to the automobile. The free service was widely publicized through online and social media. The valet service was equipped to accommodate 188 bicycles at a single time, and more than 300 were served throughout the two-day event. Scooters and skate boards were also checked into the “bike corral”. Response from festival-goers ranged from “this is an awesome service” to “this should be a standard for all community events.”
Popularity from the Wine Country Festival bike valet has inspired Supervisor Haggerty to sponsor a free bike valet service once a month at the Livermore Farmers’ Market, this time partnering with LARPD and Livermore Downtown Inc.. The free valets will take place during Thirsty Thursday events on the third Thursday of each month throughout the summer. Remaining dates include: August 15th, September 19th, and October 17th.
Stewie the Duck in Dublin
In May, Supervisor Haggerty teamed up with the Alameda County Fire Department to promote water safety in the city of Dublin. Select classrooms at Frederiksen Elementary School became the listening (and singing) audience for a story about a cartoon duck named Stewie.
"Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim" is a child's first introduction to water safety. Written for children ages two through six, the story conveys an important message of how to be safe around water. Stewie the Duck teaches children not to jump into the water before knowing how to swim. Stewie also encourages kids to take swimming lessons, to wear a life vest and not to go near water without the supervision of an adult.
Supervisor Haggerty was thrilled about this opportunity to directly impact the lives of local youth. “As fun as this has all been, if I am able to help even a few kids think before they jump in [the water] this summer, I’ll know these readings are truly impactful and important,” Haggerty said. “This experience was a lot of fun. The kids were a great audience and the story of Stewie is certainly a relevant one.”
To learn more about the Stewie the Duck water safety series, click here.
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2013 Livermore Rodeo Parade
On June 8th, Supervisor Haggerty was thrilled to participate in Livermore’s 95th Annual Rodeo Parade. During the procession, Supervisor Haggerty waved to the crowd from a 1935 antique Ford fire engine driven by Alameda County Fire Chief, Demetrious Shaffer. Accompanying the Supervisor was his wife, Rhonda; Daughter, Haley; friends and staff.
The first ever Livermore Rodeo took place in 1918, and since 1935 it has been renowned the "World's Fastest Rodeo", as speed had always been an important factor. In addition to the main event, other Livermore Rodeo attractions include bull riding, bareback bronc riding, tie down roping, saddle bronc riding, wild cow milking, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team roping cowboy and cowgirl races, relay races and Pony Express races.
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