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 December 22, 2023
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 Season’s Greetings from the City of Fremont
Season's Greetings from the City of Fremont! We’re wrapping up 2023 with the last issue of our weekly newsletter, The Fremont Connection. We hope you’ve enjoyed keeping up on City-related news throughout the year. As a reminder, the City of Fremont is implementing a Holiday Closure for many non-public safety City services from Monday, December 25, 2023, through Tuesday, January 2, 2024. During the closure, all construction and development services will be unavailable. City offices participating in the Holiday Closure will re-open for business on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Police and fire services will not be affected during this Holiday Closure.
We hope everyone stays healthy and safe this holiday season!
 2023 Year-End City Council Priority Progress Report Now Available
In 2023 the Fremont City Council reaffirmed three core priorities for the City which included enhancing public safety, increasing the vitality of commercial corridors, and combating homelessness, while ensuring financial health and sustainability remain the City’s core principle. This week, City Manager Karena Shackelford released the City’s second annual year-end Priority Progress Report outlining how staff has focused its efforts on these key areas throughout the year.
“Throughout 2023, our dedicated City staff continued to make progress on long-term initiatives while also implementing resourceful short-term solutions in each of the priority areas. Of course, there were also countless other accomplishments in 2023 in a variety of City service areas and programs. It is important to note that all of this was completed while employers across the region, including the City of Fremont, confronted unprecedented hiring challenges and persistent high vacancy rates. While we made important progress this year in filling additional vacancies, we still have further to go. I commend staff for prioritizing workload and responses in an efficient manner, while balancing the staffing constraints we still face,” stated City Manager Karena Shackelford.
Highlights include:
- Applied $7.5 million of one-time revenues and savings to increase the General Fund Budget Uncertainty Reserve to address future economic uncertainty.
- Launched the Homelessness Response Plan development process and conducted extensive community outreach including: a project overview, timeline, community/stakeholder meetings, and a community survey.
- The Fremont Police Department (FPD) and Human Resources completed a comprehensive update to recruitment and hiring policies, procedures, and practices to ensure FPD remains competitive and sustains the ability to hire qualified and competent police personnel.
- Launched the Shop Small Fremont marketing campaign to showcase the small businesses that help make Fremont unique.
The City looks forward to continuing this work to improve our Fremont community in 2024. To learn more and view all of the 2023 updates and achievements, please read the Year End City Council Priority Progress Report.
The following regular meetings have been cancelled:
December 26, 2023, City Council/FUSD Liaison Committee Meeting. The next regular meeting of the Liaison Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
January 2, 2024, Regular City Council Meeting. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
Upcoming meeting agendas and how to attend the meetings will be posted online in the Agenda Center at least 72 hours in advance of a regularly scheduled meeting.
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The City of Fremont is mourning the loss of former Fremont Mayor Gus Morrison. Mr. Morrison served the Fremont community for more than 27 years as a member of Fremont’s Planning Commission and City Council, of which 15 of those years were as Mayor. Mr. Morrison served as Fremont’s Mayor from 1985 to 1989, 1994 to 2004, and again in 2012 when he was appointed by the Fremont City Council following the death of his predecessor, the late Bob Wasserman. Mr. Morrison’s public service legacy will be remembered for years to come.
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 Monitoring Storm Drains
Take advantage of the pause in rain to check the drain inlet systems on your local surrounding streets. The Public Works Team will be hard at work responding to reported flooding issues on public streets, but depending on the weather's severity, there may be delays in response time.
Storm drains have limited capacity, and flooding may occur particularly in low-lying areas. Use a rake or shovel for collecting debris from storm drain inlets, and don't forget to properly dispose of leaves in the compost bin.
Thank you for your patience and help in monitoring storm drains. Please use the Fremont App to report any issues.
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 Winter Storms: Are You Prepared?
Winter is upon us. Learn more about Fremont flood zones and insurance requirements, protecting your
property, sandbag locations, and who to call for services in Fremont during a storm.
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The City is partnering with Bay Area Community Services (BACS) to ask for donations of needed items for the unhoused. Requests for needed items are high, especially with the recent rainy weather. If you would like to support our unhoused neighbors, please review our updated needs list for more information. Donated items will be shared across programs to ensure they get to all those who need them quickly. Drop off locations and times have been added to making donating more convenient. Contact Paula if you have any questions.
If you're a photographer or a graphic artist, we have the perfect project for you! Create a design for one of Fremont’s traffic signal control boxes. The theme is "Sustainability," and the deadline for submissions has been extended to Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 12:00 pm. A $500 stipend is available for selected designs.
Republic Services is offering free curbside Christmas tree collection from Monday, January 8 through Friday, January 19, 2024. Please make sure your tree is placed in the gutter, free of decorations, and cut into pieces if longer than 6 feet.
Residents may also recycle trees by:
- Placing cut, undecorated trees in the green compost cart with the lid closed
- Placing trees that are flocked, contain fire retardant, or have decorations in the black landfill cart with the lid closed
- Scheduling a bulky collection appointment with Republic Services
- Dropping off at the Republic Services customer center at 42600 Boyce Road from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Contacting the property manager or homeowners association representative to coordinate if living in a multi-family complex
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There will be no garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection by Republic Services on December 25 and January 1. Collection service will be delayed one day during these weeks due to holidays. (Friday services will occur on Saturday.) Call 510-657-3500 for more information.
As we enter the busy holiday season, it’s important to remain vigilant and prepare for the various winter driving conditions. Avoid driving in severe weather, and if you must head out, here are some safety tips:
- Plan ahead, know your route, and give yourself plenty of time in case of heavy traffic.
- Drive at or below the speed limit. Roads may be slippery or have unforeseen hazards. Regardless of rain and snow events, with lower overnight temperatures, roads may be icy.
- Drive with a safe following distance between you and the vehicle ahead.
- Don’t forget to turn on your headlights in the rain.
- Check tire pressure! Over-inflated tires reduce grip. Under-inflated tires may result in serious aquaplaning.
- Make sure your windshield wipers are working. Replace worn-out wipers before driving in the rain.
- Ensure your windshield is clear of grease or grime inside and out, which helps reduce glare.
- Don’t drive with your windows frosted or fogged up. Wait until they clear before leaving home. A quick way to de-fog your windows is to open a window to let cool air in. Otherwise, try placing a dry towel on the outside of your windshield overnight. It will absorb any ice or frost that might’ve formed so you can remove the towel in the morning before you head out.
- Turn around, don’t drown! Do not drive into flooded areas.
For more tips, including driving in the snow, visit the California Office of Traffic Safety's (OTS) website.
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 Open House Breakfast at Age Well Center at South Fremont
The Age Well Center at South Fremont invites our neighbors 55 or older to join them for an Open House Breakfast on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. New visitors can tour the facility and learn more about the Center’s offerings while enjoying a delicious breakfast. First-time visitors are encouraged to register by calling 510-742-7540.
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 Save the Date! 2024 Crab Feed
The Age Well Center at Lake Elizabeth is holding its 17th Annual Crab Feed on Friday, February 16, 2024. This year’s event will include a “Dine-in” and “Drive-Thru” option. Crab dinners are on sale now. Purchase tickets online or in person at the Age Well Center at Lake Elizabeth offices after January 10, 2024 (due to extended Holiday Closure), between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. Buy early and save! You can purchase your crab dinner for $75 today. After January 12, 2024, please note tickets will cost $80.
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