2022 Community Service Award Winner
Lois Peterson's Unlikely Journey 

Last November, Belmont asked its citizens for nominations for Community Service Awards. The City was proud to honor its 2022 winners: Ardythe Andrews, Adele Carney, and Bill & Dianne Piedemonte, and thrilled to recognize each of these deserving winners at our December 2022 City Council meeting. 

One person was missing from the celebration. 

Despite receiving her nomination in time and staff's diligent work to reach her, Lois Peterson was not responding to emails or phone calls. Staff tried her nominator, Michelle, to no avail. 

In her nomination, Michelle told us: "I volunteer with Lois at the Homeless Cat Network in Belmont. What I've come to discover is that Lois extends herself out in all directions when it comes to volunteerism. She helps a lady who also accepts abandoned cats, volunteers at FILOLI gardens, and the HCN shelter. She is a retired high school teacher that can't stop giving back to the community. I don't know what category she would go under, but I believe she deserves a big thank you."

Staff agreed, and as the December celebration loomed, staff hoped that Lois would get the notice in time and arrive in the council chambers. No such luck. 

Holidays came and went, storms rolled in, the trophies arrived -- one etched with Lois's name -- and staff tried one more round of emails and voicemails. Still, nothing. 

Finally, one last ditch effort was leaving a message on the Homeless Cat Network voicemail. This time, staff heard back from someone who tracked Lois down and within a few days, Lois called back! 

On March 1, 2023, both Lois and Michelle visited City Hall to finally collect her well-deserved trophy. Staff also made sure Lois and Michelle got their photo taken in the City Council chambers, too. In these photos, that's Lois on the left and Michelle on the right. 

Congratulations Lois and thank you, Michelle, for nominating this very worthy, and worth the effort, 2022 Community Service Award recipient. 

Chamber Starts a New Tradition
Popular Belmont Pub Goes a Little Green

The Chamber San Mateo's invites all to its first-ever "Off the Clock" event on Wednesday, March 15 from 5-7 p.m. at Belmont's ECR Pub.

The Chamber will hold a ribbon-cutting event at 5 p.m., followed by a special St. Patty's Day trivia game. Be sure to wear your favorite green attire. 

Express Lanes Now Open

Caltrans, the San Mateo County Transportation Authority, and the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County have opened the San Mateo 101 Express Lanes from Whipple Avenue in Redwood City to I-380 in South San Francisco to all FasTrak® Flex users.

The San Mateo 101 Express Lanes Project was a multi-year, multi-agency effort initiated to reduce traffic congestion and encourage carpooling and transit use on U.S. 101 in San Mateo County. With over $53 million in funding from our private sector partners, this is one of the largest public/private infrastructure partnerships in the history of the region.

The Project created 22 miles of Express Lanes on U.S. 101 from the San Mateo County/Santa Clara County line to I-380 in South San Francisco. The San Mateo 101 Express Lanes seamlessly connect to the Express Lanes in Santa Clara County.

The Project’s goals were to:

• Reduce congestion in the corridor
• Increase person throughput (the number of people moved)
• Encourage carpooling and transit use
• Improve travel time and reliability for Express Lane users
• Use modern technology to manage traffic
• Upgrade pavement and lane striping

Storm Recovery Resources
County Center Closes March 14

San Mateo County is hosting a Disaster Recovery Center for individuals impacted by the early winter storms. 

The center is at the Event Center in San Mateo through March 14, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day, including Saturdays, Sundays, and President’s Day. 

Services including FEMA disaster relief registration, DMV assistance, and crisis counseling will be available to name only a few of the many federal, state and local services that will be available. 

The San Mateo Event Center is located at 1346 Saratoga Drive in San Mateo. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency on Jan. 4, 2023, related to a series of atmospheric river systems bringing high winds, substantial precipitation, and river and urban flooding.

The Declaration authorized the mobilization of the California National Guard and directed Caltrans to request immediate assistance through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program. The Governor also activated the State Operations Center to its highest level. 

Federal assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs for individuals and business owners. Funding for emergency work is also available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain nonprofits. 

Residents and business owners can begin applying for FEMA assistance at: www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362).

Deadline to apply is March 16, 2023. 

For help with SBA disaster loan applications, residents and business owners can contact their local Small Business Center or call 800-659-2955. The SBA will also be opening Local Assistance Centers in all primary counties.

Holi: Festival of Colors
Belmont Library Celebration

Welcome the beginning of spring with the Hindu Festival of Colors, Holi!

Come throw gulal (powdered paint) and make a beautiful mess of colors with your friends

You may want to bring a towel or extra clothes! 

This outdoor event IS weather dependent and could be canceled due to rain. Check the forecast before you venture out. 

Saturday, March 4, 2023
3 - 4 p.m.
Belmont Library
1110 Alameda de las Pulgas
Belmont CA 94002

Egg Hunt Coming Soon

Join us at our annual Egg Adventure Hunt on Saturday, April 8 in Twin Pines Park. 

The hunt begins at 10 a.m. SHARP but be sure to arrive by 9:30 a.m.

13,000 eggs will be hidden throughout the park for ages 3-10. Don’t forget to bring your own basket and be sure to stick around after the hunt to enjoy some refreshments, take family photos with our bunnies, and visit with our summer camp contractors.

Camp SOAR Scholarships Now Available

We are so excited to announce we were accepted for the San Mateo County 2023 Summer Enrichment Grant and will be offering scholarships of up to $330 per week of Camp SOAR this summer. 

Applicants must be Belmont residents.

We look around at the things that happen - earthquakes in Turkey and in Humboldt County, flooding, landslides, wildfires, power outages.  What, if anything, can we do to minimize the stress and upheaval these events cause?  

CERT is a national program that empowers regular residents with training in emergency preparedness, how to help family and neighbors in a disaster, fire suppression, light search and rescue, disaster first aid, and how to effectively assist professional responders.  

Our SMC Fire CERT Program is made up of people just like you, who have gone through this free training, and volunteer to be at the ready for their family and community.

Our next CERT Training begins on March 7.  It is free, but space is limited.  Details and registration info can be found at: 

Naloxone Toolkit
Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities Opioid Addiction Resources

Belmont Talks
Your Spring/Summer Vegetable Garden

On Thursday, March 9, Master Gardener Jonathan Propp will discuss all your organic gardening needs for the coming months! Free presentation offered as part of the "Belmont Talks" series at the Belmont library or on Zoom.

Can't attend? View ALL past talks here or sign up for the local Master Gardener Newsletter for more gardening tips.

Scam Prevention & Awareness Seminar

Join Cassie Villar with Adult Protective Services for an in-person discussion about scams that target older and dependent adults.

This seminar will examine the ins and outs of senior and dependent adult scams, as well as explaining the most common scams. It will also offer real-world advice on preventing and reporting scams. Event is free. 

Wednesday, March 15, 2023
10:30 a.m.
RSVP to 650-595-7444

Shamrock Scavenger Hunt (Ages 9-14)

Lucky the Leprechaun's pot of gold has gone missing at Barrett Community Center, and he needs your help finding it! Join us on St. Patrick's Day for a scavenger hunt filled with minute to win it games, trivia, puzzles and prizes! 

Need a Venue for Your Next Event? 
Facilities Tours Available on Sundays

If you're looking for the perfect venue for your next event, we have some exciting news for you.

We are now offering drop-In facility tours for our most popular rental venues: Twin Pines Senior Community Center, Twin Pines Manor, and the Twin Pines Cottage. 

Meet staff on site on Sundays between 1 - 5 p.m. for a tour at our Twin Pines Senior Community Center, 20 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont. 

Residential Electrification Guidelines

Peninsula Clean Energy has published guidelines for how to electrify homes that have 100 amps of electrical capacity.

Most homes in the service territory have 100 amp service. Avoiding panel and service upgrades can significantly reduce the costs of electrification however, the methods for doing so are not widely practiced.

Developed with input from experienced practitioners, the guidelines outline innovative methods to avoid costly service upgrades while ensuring a “no compromises” home experience. 

Electric Home Upgrade Rebates & Zero Percent Loan

Program Details
Peninsula Clean Energy is providing homeowners in San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos interest-free financing and new rebates to install electric water heaters and heating and A/C equipment.

Zero Percent Loan program
This new program will provide interest-free financing of as much as $10,000 per home for projects that include installation of electric heat pump equipment, including water heaters and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) units.

The loans will range from two to 10 years and be repaid on monthly electric bills. They do not require a credit check but do require the customer to have a zero past-due balance on their previous three PG&E billing statements.

New rebates for HVAC equipment
Residents can get a $3,500 rebate for installing an electric heat pump HVAC system. If an electrical panel upgrade is required, they may get up to $1,500 to assist with that cost.

Expanded rebate for heat pump water heaters
Heat pump water heater rebates are increased to $3,000. If an electrical panel upgrade is required, they may get up to $1,500 to assist with that cost.

You may also qualify for a BayREN rebate of $1,000 (requires working with a BayREN contractor).

Residents who participate in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs qualify for an added $1,000 rebate.

Mark Your Calendars
Shred Event in April

Upper Ralston #1 - March 7, 2023

On Tuesday, March 7, 2023 from 9 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m., our Public Works and Parks departments will be removing vegation overgrowth along upper Ralston Avenue. 

Expect traffic control westbound Ralston Avenue between the Len Turner Memorial Vista Point and Ralston Ranch Road. There will be a lane closure of the second lane of westbound Ralston and approximately 200 feet west of Hallmark Drive to Ralston Ranch Road. 

Look for detour signs in place to guide traffic to the west entrance to Ralston Ranch Road via Christian Drive. Note that the Len Turner Memorial Vista Point parking area will be closed during work hours and used for staging work vehicles and equipment and the east entrance to Ralston Ranch Road will be closed during work hours for safety purposes due to its proximity to the work zone. 

The SamTrans Route # 62 bus stop just east of the work zone that will be accessible during work and the route should not be adversely affected. Bicycle traffic will share the lane through the controlled traffic plan. 

Upper Ralston #2 - March 8-9, 2023

Starting Wednesday, March 8 at 9 a.m., our Public Works and Parks departments will be removing vegetation overgrowth on eastbound Ralston Avenue between Christian Drive and Ralston Ranch Road. Work is expected to conclude on Thursday, March 9, 2023. 

Expect the second lane of eastbound Ralston Avenue from Christian Drive to Ralston Ranch Road to be closed during work hours. SamTrans Route #62 bus stop just west of the work zone that will be accessible during work and the route should not be adversely affected. Bicycle traffic will share the lane through the controlled traffic plan. 

Work hours are 9 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. each day. 

HIP Housing Is In Our Community
Register Today

Human Investment Project Housing (HIP Housing) is a non-profit organization based in San Mateo County that specializes in affordable and creative housing solutions.

Each year, HIP Housing helps 1,400 people find housing or keep their homes through its Home Sharing, Self Sufficiency, and Property Development Programs.

To apply, please complete its HIP Housing Volunteer application. 

For more information, contact Laura Fanucchi lfanucchi@hiphousing.org or (650) 348 6660.