Matt Francois selected to serve as Mayor of Walnut Creek; next meeting, January 18
 At the December 7 City Council meeting, Matt Francois was selected to become the Mayor of Walnut Creek, and will serve through December of this year. Francois was elected to the City Council in 2018, and this will be his first term as Mayor. Councilmember Cindy Silva is serving as Mayor Pro Tem this year. At the meeting on the 7th, Mayor Francois, seen above with his father, shared his hopes and thoughts going into the new year. Outgoing Mayor Kevin Wilk also offered his remarks and thanks to fellow Councilmembers after another challenging year. Wilk joins Cindy Darling and Loella Haskew as the remaining members of the City Council. The next Council meeting will be on January 18. Among the items to be considered is what's in store for downtown Walnut Creek businesses as the pandemic conditions continue to create hardships for owners. Among the items to be considered is a look at what’s next for a revitalized downtown post-pandemic, examining options for maintaining outdoor dining, exploring use of the public right-of way, and enhancements to the overall downtown environment. Agendas, supporting reports and other information, including links to prior Council meeting videos, can be found on the City's website.
 The Walnut Creek City Council held a special meeting on December 1 to address the concerns around safety in the downtown area following the organized retail theft at Nordstrom in late November. The Council agreed to fund 5 new police officers whose beat will be the downtown corridor, and approved funds to immediately increase current patrols. New cameras and a drone will also be added to the Police Department's toolkit to help keep Walnut Creek as safe as possible. You can watch the meeting video and review the specifics outlined in the staff report on the City's website.
Measure X funds to provide benefits to Walnut Creek residents
 Contra Costa County Supervisors have determined how to spend the 2020 voter approved half-cent sales tax hike, and Walnut Creek residents will be seeing some direct benefits. Roughly $81 million dollars will be raised annually from the measure, and emergency and safety net services are among those programs with significant increases in funding. Walnut Creek has been advocating for adequate funding from Measure X to launch an effective mobile crisis response program. The approved funds help ensure that those experiencing a mental illness episode have 24x7 access to help with a centralized call center, trained crisis responders, and a place to get assistance. The Miles Hall Hub Pilot Project is now underway, working towards creating the call center with a 3-digit number to call, besides 911, for mental health concerns. You can find out more on the County's behavioral health website.
 The all-new Headliners series at the Lesher Center, presented by Diablo Regional Arts Association, brings a variety of entertainers to the stage this year. Singer LeAnn Rimes kicks it off Friday with a sold out show, but still to come are Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell, the Dance Theatre of Harlem and comedian Ryan Hamilton. Back this year is the popular Newsmakers series, with political strategists David Axelrod and Karl Rove on stage Wednesday night. There is something for everyone at the Lesher this year. Visit the website for information and tickets.
 How do you pay tribute to the person who has been there through it all at the Lesher Center for the Arts? The City's Arts + Recreation Department has created a space backstage at the Lesher Center named for retiring General Manager Scott Denison, seen above with his family. The newly-dubbed Tech Lounge will remind staff and performers there of the history of Denison's 50 years as a City employee. Denison not only has been behind the scenes at the Lesher Center and the Civic Arts Theater before that, he has been an actor, producer and director. He just wrapped up his 23rd production of "The Christmas Carol," a fitting end to a 5 decade career in performing arts. Congratulations Scott!
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