In era of federal funding uncertainty

By Daniel Borsuk

Contra Costa County Supervisors are poised to approve on May 8 a $3.5 billion 2018-19 budget realizing that during the upcoming budget year there is the likelihood significant funding cuts out of Washington might especially hit human services programs.

“The current administration in Washington is likely to reduce funding to states and counties,” county administrator David Twa warned supervisors at Tuesday’s board budget hearing.

Even with that caution, supervisors did not blink an eye and proceeded to listen to six budget presentations from department chiefs about what is in store for the upcoming 2018-2019 fiscal year.  Supervisors did not comment about the prospects of federal or state cuts next fiscal year at the hearing, but neither did any of the meager number of persons who showed up to speak about the proposed 2018-19 spending plan.

The Employment & Human Services Department is subject to perhaps the most significant funding cuts from Washington, EHSD Director Kathy Gallagher told supervisors.  Since 2017, funding for the department’s CalFresh and CalWorks programs that deliver food and job training for 65,000 residents has had federal funding trimmed from $101.5 million in 2016 to $90.4 million to 2018.  More cuts are expected for the two programs in the upcoming 2018-19 fiscal year, she said.

Gallagher painted a bleak federal funding fiscal picture showing a watch list of human service programs that could potentially be hit with steep federal funding cuts.  Some of those programs include Medicaid, Community Service Block Grants, Child Welfare Services, and the Older American Act, which includes Meals on Wheels.

Federal funding uncertainty also hovers over County Health Services, but not as severely as what EHSD faces, Contra Costa County Health Director Anna M. Roth told supervisors, in presenting her department’s proposed $1.8 billion budget for 2018-19.  Next year’s budget includes $100 million in general funds.

Roth noted that expansion of the Contra Costa Health Plan with more than 200,000 members provides the county financial support, especially when there is financial uncertainty coming out of Washington.

Addressing only the $241,271,160 in general funds proposed for 2018-19, Contra Costa Undersheriff Michael Casten, who filled in for Sheriff David O. Livingston who was out of town, said a $5.6 million vacancy factor makes it “a very difficult for the Office of the Sheriff-Coroner to operate”.

Casten said the funding deficit means for 2018019 the Sheriff-Coroner will not fill 10 deputy sheriff slots worth $2.6 million, three mental health evaluation team deputies openings worth a combined $781,000, 7 patrol deputies worth $1.82 million and six sergeants worth $1.77 million.  The Sheriff-Coroner’s request for 15 recruit positions valued at $1.21 million was approved for the upcoming fiscal year.

For Diana Becton, the Interim Contra Costa County District Attorney appointed by the board of supervisors last year who is up for election June 5, budget priorities for 2018-19 include enforcement of Proposition 64 (2016 voter approval for the legalization of the sale of marijuana in California), hiring of additional clerical staff, the implementation of a case management system and pay parity.

For 2018-19, Becton wants to add 14 full-time staff worth $1 million.  Those positions include five mainline prosecution assistant district attorneys, five mainline prosecution clerks, two senior inspectors and one forensic accountant.

District attorney Becton wants to also distribute resources for bail reform, the East County Anti-Violence Coalition, the West County Anti-Violence Coalition, the Safe Streets Task Force and anti-truancy initiatives.

Public Defender Robin Lipetzky plans to hire 8 staff members to her department next fiscal year.  She plans to hire two attorneys, one investigator, pretrial attorneys, and clerical staff.  A new juvenile office in Walnut Creek will open in the next month, she informed supervisors.  Last year the public defender handled 501 juvenile cases.  Her department last year also handled 3,545 felony cases.

For 2018-19, Contra Costa Public Works will be busy filling 15 positions, Brian Balbas, Public Works Director said.  The department will need the additional staff as Balbas needs more staff to oversee a big increase in capital improvement projects, including the construction of a new $110 million county administration building and emergency communication center.

New West County Health Center Expansion Project Approved

On a consent item, supervisors awarded a $12.45 million design-build contract to C. Overaa & Co. for the design and construction of the West County Health Center Expansion Project at 13585 San Pablo Ave., in San Pablo.

When the project is completed, the new two-story, 20,000 square foot building will house the Behavioral Health Department, which will be relocated from a leased building.  The new building will qualify for a LEED Silver rating from the Green Building Council.

Other construction firms competing for the design-build contract were Vila Construction and Boldt Co.

College District – Sheriff-Coroner Contract OK’d

Supervisors also approved the $497,250 contract between the Sheriff-Coroner and Contra Costa Community College District to provide educational course construction at the Law Enforcement Training Center at Los Medanos College for the period July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.

Contra Costa County Public Works and Supervisor Diane Burgis will host an Earth Day event at Upper Sand Creek on Saturday, April 21 from 9am – Noon.  The event will take place at 6600 Deer Valley road in Antioch.  Antioch High School, Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed, Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and Earth Team interns will also participate.

“I’m excited to see so many people come out to celebrate Earth Day by putting their hands in the dirt, clean up, and then learn about our watershed,” stated Supervisor Burgis.

Spend the morning in the beautiful Upper Sand Creek watershed, exploring an area that is usually closed to the public. In 2013, the Flood Control District held the first planting event to celebrate the completion of the detention basin. Come see for yourself how much the basin has changed!

The students will be showing off the skills they’ve learned over the year they spent interning with Earth Team.

Activities will include:

• Trash Talking Showdown – Join a team to see who can pickup and properly identify, the most trash.
• Help remove invasive species and plant the volunteer nursery with oaks – Since the initial planting in 2013, a lot has changed with the volunteer nursery, but we still need your help to keep it going!
• Learn about your local creeks and why it is important to keep them clean!

You can sign up for this event at uscb2018.eventbrite.com.  Earth Day is celebrated around the world. It is a day celebrating environmental protection and raising awareness of how our actions affect the environment.

About Contra Costa County Public Works Department:

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) maintains over 660 miles of roads, 150 miles of streams, channels and other drainage and over 200 County buildings throughout Contra Costa County.   CCCPWD provides services such as Parks and Recreation, Sand Bag Distribution and Flood Control throughout unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.  For more information about CCCPWD, please visit us here.

By Allen Payton

At the April 10, 2018 Antioch City Council meeting, Police Chief Tammany Brooks introduced George W. Harding, IV, the new manager for Antioch Animal Services.

Harding has been in the animal care and control field for 24 years. Most recently he was the Executive Director of the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACCA), and prior to that, spent 19 years as the Manager of Animal Control for the City of Lee’s Summit Police Department. George holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation Enforcement, and a Master of Business Administration degree. George is also a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) by the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA).

“I’m glad we were able to steal him away from NACCA,” Brooks said. “He’s had a busy week, getting married, honeymoon and packing up to relocate from San Diego.”

Throughout his career, George has been very active in representing animal care and control professionals on the national, regional and state levels. He served 12 years on the Missouri Animal Control Association Board of Directors, with two terms as President, one as Vice-President, and one as the Conference Coordinator. George is also a past NACA Board Member, a past Board Member for the Missouri Department of Agriculture Animal Care Facilities Act Advisory Committee, and was appointed by Missouri Governor, Jay Nixon, as a member of the Missouri Spay/Neuter Fund Board.

George currently serves as an Advisor to the Shelter Animals Count Board, as the leader of the animal care and control On-Point Committee for SAWA, and as a Board Member of the National Coalition on Violence Against Animals (NCOVAA).

“I’m excited to be here,” Harding said. “I’m looking forward to putting my 24 years’ experience in the industry to the test here in Antioch.”

Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis will convene an East County non-profit roundtable on Monday, April 30, 2018 from 10:00AM – 12:30 PM at Kaiser Permanente Sand Creek Conference Center in Antioch, CA.

Supervisor Burgis recognizes the many needs that nonprofits fill in every community, as well as the challenges of running a nonprofit.

It is recognized regionally that nonprofits from other parts of the county receive more funding than in East County and Supervisor Burgis wants to help change that.

“I want to help our nonprofits access the funding that is out there by giving them access to training and learning opportunities locally,” she said.

The first meeting will bring local nonprofits together to identify priorities in how we can best help them meet their goals. We will work to identify common purposes, promote cooperation among groups, and offer opportunities for collaboration. The subject of interest to most nonprofits is fundraising, followed by volunteer, leader and board development.

“We need to support our local nonprofits and strengthen our support base here in East County,” said Supervisor Burgis. “Grant requirements and funding cycles are often changing and building a solid financial foundation can be a challenge for new nonprofits.” 

All local nonprofits (any cause) are encouraged to participate and explore fundraising and volunteer options. The roundtable is intended for groups based in or serving East Contra Costa County and will continue to meet on a quarterly basis.

We have posted an online survey that will help us better understand our local nonprofits and their needs- we would appreciate all nonprofits fill out the survey even if they cannot attend this meeting.

Click for survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MYCS3TZ

There is an opportunity to RSVP at the end of the survey as well.

An Eventbrite event has been set up. Please share this event with other nonprofits. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/east-county-nonprofit-roundtable-meeting-tickets-45247371105

If you are interested in more information about the East County Nonprofit Roundtable meeting, please contact District 3 Representative Dawn Morrow dawn.morrow@bos.cccounty.us.

Steak ‘n Shake Antioch is hiring.

By Allen Payton

Somersville Towne Center Marketing Manager, Shannon Skinner announced on Tuesday, April 17, “Tomorrow morning(Wednesday) at 6:30 a.m., we will be commencing the construction for the new Steak ‘n Shake restaurant.”

According to the company website, Steak ‘n Shake was founded in February 1934 in Normal, Illinois. Gus Belt, Steak ‘n Shake’s founder, pioneered the concept of premium milkshakes and a “better burger”, by hand-crafting cuts of steak to create its flagship Steakburgers™.

Since then, the brand has become one of the most recognized and loyal brands in the restaurant franchising business, synonymous with freshness and quality.

Steak ‘n Shake Antioch will be located on the southeast corner of the Somersville Towne Center, located at 2550 Somersville Road, near the corner of Fairview Drive in Antioch and is expected to open later this summer.

Owners Raj and Sonia Sohal are excited about their new restaurant, which will offer a different type of fast-food experience.

“It will include full-service dining, with flatware and servers,” Raj shared. “We wanted to bring something different to Antioch.”

Opportunities for employment are available, as well. Please contact Sonia at (925) 234-5076 or visit Steak ‘n Shake’s recruitment website. Be sure to choose California, Antioch.

Assemblymember Jim Frazier and the California Contractors State License Board are hosting a free seminar in Antioch to teach seniors how to avoid being scammed.

The Senior Scam Stopper seminar will run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at the Antioch Senior Center, 415 W. 2nd Street in downtown, Rivertown. It is open to seniors, those who care for them and anyone else seeking fraud-prevention tips.

“As many as one in five seniors report that they’ve been the victim of fraud, and new scams pop up every day,” Frazier said. “This seminar is one way to help keep you or a loved one from becoming a victim, too.”

In 1999, the California Contractors State Licensing Board began partnering with legislators, law enforcement agencies and community organizations to teach vulnerable residents how to avoid being preyed upon by unlicensed or unscrupulous contractors. The program has since expanded to include lessons on protecting residents from identity theft and scams involving auto repair, Medicare, foreign lotteries and mail fraud.

Attendees will have their questions answered and can obtain assistance if they have been scammed.

Drop-ins are welcome, but reservations are encouraged. To RSVP, or for more information, contact Assemblymember Frazier’s office at (925) 513-0411.

By Allen Payton

The leaders behind the initiative to stop the new home developments on the west side of Deer Valley Road in the Sand Creek Focus Area, and their supporters are not being honest with Antioch residents in their efforts to obtain signatures to get it on the ballot. They’re claiming the city wants to build 4,000-8,000 homes in the area and that they will be able to stop them with the initiative.

It’s Not 8,000 Homes

The fact is the City’s General Plan only allows a total of 4,000 homes in the Sand Creek area, and so far, 1,178 have already been approved and another 300 are planned on the east side of Deer Valley Road. The initiative only covers the west side of Deer Valley Road. So, the most they can do is to stop 2,522 homes, if it passes. Currently there are only about 1,700 homes planned by two of the land owners, both of whom are developers.

What the public may not be aware of is the area has been planned for new home subdivisions for over 20 years, as a result the land is privately owned by developers, and there have already been two votes by the public to allow for homes in that area. First, the public voted in 1990 for and passed Measure C, the countywide Urban Limit Line, which protects approximately 65% of the land in the county from subdivision development. Then in 2005, the people of Antioch voted to approve Measure K, creating our city’s own Urban Limit Line, moving the line back out to include the now defunct Roddy Ranch development and golf course. The land in the Sand Creek area is both inside the county’s and Antioch’s ULL’s inside the 35% of land allowed for subdivision development.

In fact, there were originally 8,950 homes planned for the Sand Creek area, plus the 640 for a total of 9,490 homes south of the current homes. So, the total number of new homes allowed in the area has already been reduced significantly.

Infrastructure Supports the Growth

Another claim is that the city’s infrastructure and Highway 4 won’t support the new homes. That’s just false. I pointed out in my previous article about the initiative from those who planned and approved the infrastructure and Highway 4 widening, that they included in their plans 12,000 homes in the Sand Creek area.

The fact is Dallas Ranch Road was built four lanes wide because of the plans to eventually connect to and become Sand Creek Road, which will cross Deer Valley Road giving another access from the homes in south Antioch to the Kaiser medical center. The road will also continue to connect to Highway 4 in Brentwood. The new homes in The Ranch project, which the initiative seeks to stop, will pay for the road up to Deer Valley Road. Actually, the developers will pay for the costs of construction of the road and get reimbursed from the sale of their new homes. Another fact, the Kaiser medical center was built out there with the expectation of the new growth, and only half of the ultimate size.

The New Homes Won’t Kill People

But, the initiative advocates use of doubling the amount of homes that are allowed isn’t the only dishonest argument being made to support the initiative, yet. Now, one of their signature gatherers is actually saying that the new homes will kill people. That’s what he told me directly. His argument is because people will have to drive farther from the Sand Creek area to their jobs and other places. He only wants infill and high-density development of new homes. So, he is still for more homes in Antioch which will still allow people to drive to their out-of-town jobs and will still blow smoke out of their tailpipes. But, their commute will be a few miles shorter, which I guess won’t kill people. Hmmm.

One older gentlemen, who was signing the petition the other day, said the new homes should be built in Stockton. Really? So, let the people move further out and drive farther to their jobs, blowing more smoke out of their tailpipes, longer? How is that protecting the environment and keeping the new homes from killing people? As if they did. That just doesn’t make any sense. I wonder if he would have said the same thing when the home he’s living in was being built.

All Part of a Master Plan

It’s all been part of the master plan for Antioch. There’s been a method to what the out of town environmental groups and no-growthers in Antioch see as madness.

Growth in Antioch is Planned, Balanced & Limited

Growth must be planned, balanced, and limited and Antioch has all of that with the General Plan, the Urban Limit Line and a 200-acre employment area set aside 20 years ago. Plus, it will take as much as 20 years for all the homes in the Sand Creek area to be built. Some of the homes approved in Antioch before 1989 are just now about to be built, today. It takes that long for the infrastructure to be built and paid for. Plus, the housing market goes in cycles. So, just because the homes may get approved now, doesn’t mean they’re all going to be built right away.

Most of the property owners/developers in the Sand Creek area have been waiting for the past 20 years for Highway 4 to be widened and BART to be extended to Antioch, before moving forward with their plans. Some have owned their property for almost 30 years, waiting for the right time.

Local Job Creation

What the one young man who said the new homes will kill people doesn’t accept is the argument that those homes will attract business owners and executives who will bring their businesses to Antioch and Brentwood. They can locate them in the long-planned 200-acre employment area, formerly known as Future Urban Area 2 (FUA-2) along Highway 4, north of Slatten Ranch Road, as well as in Brentwood between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road. That area in Brentwood is just now getting the zoning finalized and it will be mostly for commercial, which includes retail and employment. The young man’s views are in spite of the fact history has shown it to occur, over and over. For example, the upscale homes in Blackhawk and the San Ramon Valley attracted business owners and executives to locate their companies in Bishop Ranch in San Ramon. The same thing happened in the Tri Valley area, with the new homes in Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin attracting employers to the Hacienda Business Park in Pleasanton. The same happened in Walnut Creek and Concord and it can and will happen, here, especially now that the BART station will soon open in Antioch. But, only if we allow it. Signing the initiative and passing it will prevent our chances of becoming a complete, self-supportive city and kill the efforts to bring jobs closer to where our people live.

Lot Sizes As Large As 2 Acres

I also heard another argument from a friend who opposes The Ranch project, because she expected the lots to be half-acre in size, not the sizes proposed of 5,000-9,000 square feet on average. Yet, the homes in Blackhawk aren’t all on half-acre lots. Many are on 5,000 square foot lots. I frankly was surprised to learn that, recently myself. Plus, the Zeka Ranch project, on the old Higgins Ranch property, on the west side of The Ranch project, includes home lots from 8,000 square feet up to 2 acres in size. So, there will be that option for those who want and can afford that size of lot.

Parks & Police Fees

Two more positives from the development are the park fee all the new homes will pay, which will help to complete the 115-acre Prewett Park, finishing the unimproved area between Deer Valley Road and the parking lot. The homes will also be assessed an annual police fee – the first one in the city’s history – to help provide additional police services.

It Is To Stop The New Homes

Some initiative supporters say it’s not no-growth or to stop the homes from being built, but that it’s just allowing the people to have a vote. But, they know the reality is, the voters will oppose any new subdivision brought up for a vote. Besides, why do we elect city council members who are empowered to represent us and make those decisions on our behalf if we’re just going to put each individual development project on the ballot?

At a time the state and Bay Area are facing a housing shortage, efforts to stop long-planned homes in voter approved areas for new home subdivisions is irresponsible, contributing to the high-cost of housing, as well as homelessness.

There’s a saying that the new home for the pinks and reds, the socialists and communists, is the greens. It’s acceptable to be an environmentalist, but not a communist. Although, these days, without truly understanding the implications of the philosophy, many think it’s acceptable to be a socialist.

The environmental leaders behind the initiative and some of their supporters are basically wanting us to be like a communist country with all future generations living in high-density apartment and condominium complexes. What’s the difference between their thinking and that of the central planning of the soviets and the results they, North Korea and Cuba have produced for their people?

Not everyone wants to live in that type of housing.

Why Do I Care So Much?

People wonder why I care about approving the new growth area so much. It’s for two reasons, the first one is for the benefit of Antioch and the second one is a bit self-serving.

First, I want to see Antioch succeed as a city with the needed, local, well-paying jobs, city services and a safe community.

I grew up part of my life and graduated from high school in Walnut Creek. I’ve seen the positive side of the upscale housing and local job centers that came to both Walnut Creek and Concord, as well as the San Ramon Valley, as a result. In fact, I worked for a small developer that built the first $300,000 home subdivision in Concord. Antioch needs to have what those and other cities, like our neighbor Brentwood, as well as those in the San Ramon Valley have – namely upscale homes, and in gated and senior communities, on larger lots and view lots, which will attract jobs and money to our city. No, the jobs haven’t yet come to Brentwood. But, they will with the extension of BART to Antioch, and the zoning of the land along Highway 4.

Business owners and executives want to live close to their businesses, in nice, larger homes and usually on larger lots. The long-planned Sand Creek area accommodates those desires, especially the proposed homes west of Deer Valley Road.

Plus, seniors don’t impact commute or school traffic, and they stay in town during the day, shopping at our stores and eating at our restaurants, helping them be successful, and generating more sales tax revenue, which pays for more city services, with police being number one for our public safety.

Second – and this is the self-serving reason –  I and others I’ve spoken with, would like to continue to live in Antioch as we get older, and preferably in a nice, senior community, and not have to move to Brentwood, Rio Vista or elsewhere to accomplish that. The Ranch project includes an “active adult” community in their plans and will help provide that type of housing for our own, aging population, and maybe even me, by the time it’s built.

Let’s Have All Types of Housing

I do support other types of housing, including Transit Oriented Development (TOD) which makes sense and is one of the businesses I’m in. But, again we as Americans want choices and options, and that goes for housing, as well. Many of us also want space between ourselves and the next resident if we can afford it. So, let’s approve all types of housing. The council just approved the first TOD project, near the Antioch BART Station which is great. But, what we don’t have in our housing mix right now is the upscale, gated and senior housing. That’s what the Sand Creek area provides.

Honesty and Information

Here’s the bottom line. If the people want to put an initiative on the ballot to vote to stop more homes from being built, that’s their right. But, the leaders and supporters need to be honest in what they’re telling people to get them to sign their petitions. Plus, the voters of Antioch need to be fully informed before merely signing or worse, voting for, something that sounds alarming, but in fact really isn’t. My encouragement is that you don’t sign the petition, recognize that now is the time to move forward with these long-held plans, and support the efforts to help Antioch become the complete, successful city it can be.

Stage Right Conservatory Theatre, Inc. presents “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company and dramatized by Richard R. George.  Who wouldn’t want to join Charlie Bucket on his adventurous tour of Willy Wonka’s world famous chocolate factory?  Now is your chance!  The classic fantasy based on the book by Roald Dahl is directed by Rio Teixeira and is fun for all ages.

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” will run for two weekends beginning Friday, April 20 at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.  Performance dates are April 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7:00 pm and Saturdays, April 22 and 29 at 2:00 pm.  Adults $10, Students and Seniors $8, Children $5.  Seniors pay only $5 on both Sunday matinees.  For more information call (925) 216-4613 or visit www.srctgrp.org.