By Daniel Borsuk

In order to conduct business, including the approval of higher fire district development fees, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday had to take the rare step of selecting a chair pro tempore because neither chairperson John Gioia of Richmond nor vice chair Candace Andersen of Danville were in attendance.

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill was elected chair pro tempore by fellow supervisors Diane Burgis of Brentwood and Federal Glover of Pittsburg who were present.

Board chair Gioia was out of the area attending a meeting of the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance at Lake Tahoe. He said he was scheduled to attend that conference because he also serves on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the California Air Resources Board.

Vice chair Andersen was absent because her mother had passed away in Hawaii, a representative for the supervisor said.

“I am in charge,” declared Mitchoff upon getting the 3-0 vote to serve as chair pro tempore. In the 8.5 years that Mitchoff has served on the board, the supervisor said she has never seen where the board had to resort to selecting a chair pro tempore. Mitchoff served as board chair person last year.

Meanwhile, with fire season already here, supervisors voted 3-0 to have increased Contra Costa County Fire Protection District development impact fees go into effect in November.

In reporting findings from a Willdan Financial Services study, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Chief Lewis T. Broschard III informed supervisors the fire district service population is projected to increase by 162,100 to 892,200 by 2040 in the cities of Antioch, Clayton, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, San Pablo Walnut Creek and the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.

The last time the fire district increased development fees was in 2006.

The fire district, as of August 1, 2019, will have 26 staffed stations to accommodate the current service population of about 730,000. “This situation makes for a ratio of one fire station per 28,000 persons in the service population. To maintain the existing station-to-population ratio, the projected growth would require the construction of more than five stations by the year 2040.” the Willdan Study states.

The estimated cost for a new fire station is $7,923,750 based on a $720 per square foot construction rate. Adding the cost of new fire apparatus can add $750,000 to $1.5 million per station or the cost of the station parcel which can be $500,000 to $1 million per site.

Based on cost factors, the Willdan study proposed total Fire Protection Facilities fees, including administration fees, will be $970 per dwelling unit for Residential single family, $460 per dwelling unit for Residential multi-family, $662 per 1,000 square feet Commercial, $579 per 1,000 square feet Office, and $387 per 1,000 square feet for Industrial.

Supervisors did not hear either public opposition or support for the proposed fire protection district facilities fees increases.

 

 

 

Three Fire Station Design Extensions Approved

In a related consent action, supervisors extended architectural services with Loving Campos Associates Architects, Inc. by increasing the payment limit by $75,000 to a new payment limit of $595,000 and to extend the term from June 14, 2019 to June 14, 2020 to provide architectural services for Fire Station 16 located at 4007 Los Arabis Road in Lafayette, a fire station constructed in the late 1950’s that was abandoned shortly after the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Subsequent to the station’s closure, a double-wide mobile home was used as the crew living quarters.

Supervisors also approved as a consent item an additional $300,000 payment to the architectural firm of Kimley-Horn Associates, Inc. to provide design services for new Fire Station No. 9 in Pacheco and a new Fire Station No. 86 in Bay Point. This increase raises the contract with Kimley-Horn to $1,240,000 and extends the term limit from Dec. 12, 2020 to Dec. 12, 2021.

The two new stations in Pacheco and Bay Point will include modern seismic standards, meet current ADA requirements, and have the ability to support modern equipment and apparatus. The stations will be built to provide protection for the community or the next 50 years.

Catholic Charities Wins $905,414 Contract

Supervisors approved as a consent item, Public Defender Robin Lipetzky’s $905,414 contract request with the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Oakland DBA Catholic Charities of the East Bay to provide civil legal deportation defense and community services for Stand Together Contra Costa. The contract will be in effect from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Oakland has provided civil legal deportation defense services for the county supported Stand Together Contra Costa since July 24, 2018.

Approve $1.4 Million Inmate Communications System

Supervisors also permitted Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston’s $1.4 million request to sign a contract with Global Tel Link (GTL) Corporation to install and operate Inmate communication services including a jail management system, inmate telephones, video visitation, and inmate tablets in the adult facilities for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024. There are no net county costs associated with this contract. Under the contract GTL will pay the county $200,000 at contract start to defer the Office of the Sheriff’s expenses related to facility technology and program expenses and will pay the county $20,000 a month for county cost reimbursement which will be place in the Inmate Welfare Fund.

 

New school in Antioch helping students close achievement gaps

Antioch, Calif. – Rocketship Delta Prep announced today that in their very first school year (2018-2019), students grew an average of 1.4 years in math and 1.3 years in English language arts. This means that at Rocketship in Antioch, students are learning an entire school year’s worth of material plus 40 percent (in math) and 30 percent (in English language arts) of another school year, as measured by the nationally-normed NWEA MAP exam. In the very first school year, Rocketship Delta Prep also more than tripled the percentage of students in the top third of achievement in math and more than doubled the percentage in the top third of achievement in English language arts. The vast majority of Rocketeers at

Delta Prep came into the 18-19 school year multiple grade levels behind standard. By growing significantly more than one grade level in a single school year, Delta Prep Rocketeers are well on their way to achieving at and above grade level standards.

“I am so proud of all of our Rocketeers – from TK up through fourth grade,” said Principal Lauren

Hilliard. “Our teachers, parents, students, and entire Rocketship Delta Prep community built a solid foundation in the 2018-2019 school year for even greater academic success this year and beyond. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things our Rocketeers will do in the 2019-2020 school year.”

Rocketship Delta Prep is a free, public charter school open to all students. Approved by the Antioch

Unified School District Board of Education in December 2016, Rocketship worked with parents and community members to build a state-of-the-art, net-zero energy charter school facility. Community support also helped Rocketship gain approval for the school design by unanimous decisions at both the Antioch City Planning Commission and Antioch City Council in fall 2017.

Delta Prep opened at 1700 Cavallo Road in Antioch in August 2018 with more than 400 students.

Overwhelming parent demand for a high-quality elementary school led Rocketship Delta Prep to open transitional kindergarten to fourth grades on day one. While challenging, opening such a big school in its very first year reinforced Delta Prep’s commitment to serve all Antioch students with excellence in order to eliminate the achievement gap. This school year, Rocketship Delta Prep will again serve over 400 students in grades TK-fifth.

“I could not be happier to have found an excellent school right here in my community of Antioch,” said Founding Rocketship Delta Prep Parent Cynthia Cathey. “My daughter has grown so much in just the first school year – not only academically, but also in her behavior, living out Rocketship’s core values of respect and responsibility, and she’s made amazing friends. I’ve also found a tight-knit community of parents who advocate for our kids’ needs and for the future of our city.”

Rocketship’s California network of schools ranked in the top 10 percent of all school districts and charter schools serving similar students on the 2017-2018 California state assessment in both math and English language arts. Rocketship Delta Prep in Antioch is the second Rocketship school in the East Bay, joining Rocketship Futuro Academy in Concord which opened in August 2016. Rocketeers across the national network achieved remarkable gap-closing results last school year, averaging 1.36 years of growth in math and 1.29 years of growth in English language arts.

By Allen Payton

Posts on Facebook, including a photo of a receipt from the Staples store in Antioch with a message, that the store will be closing on August 16th have been verified by city staff.

In response to an email to city officials asking about the matter, City of Antioch Economic Development Director Kwame Reed wrote, “The store is closing on August 16th.  It is a disappointment to see another retailer close.  Unfortunately, I have inquired with other shopping center owners that do not feel adding a store like Staples will provide the longevity in a tenant they are looking for.  Staples did not renew their lease because of ongoing building improvements that weren’t addressed, and the landlord found a tenant that would do the improvements themselves (according to the Staples store manager).  Unfortunately, Staples sales have been declining steadily over the past four years.  Many people and companies are purchasing items online instead of in the store.”

Antioch Councilman Lamar Thorpe also responded with, “Yes, that is correct. And no, they don’t want to move to Brentwood. They’d prefer to stay in Antioch. (Economic Development Manager) Lizeht (Zepeda) has reached out to them to figure out how we can help keep them here.”

However, Reed later wrote, “I just spoke with a Staples representative at their corporate office and ‘Staples made a decision to reduce their retail footprint due to online sales’ and according to her knowledge, they have no plans to relocate the store nor do they have any new openings planned.’”

UPDATE: In a follow up email, Reed was asked if a health club will be locating there.

“That is according to the store manager however, corporates official statement is they are reducing their retail footprint due to increases in online sales,” he replied. “And yes, a fitness center is proposed but I have not heard officially yet.”

Will reopen at 1:00 p.m.

Sacramento – The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will close its offices statewide for a half day on July 24, 2019, to better prepare employees to process REAL ID transactions and reinforce training on providing excellent customer service.

Operation Excellence: DMV Training will result in more consistent customer experiences statewide and equip employees with the tools they need to handle an unprecedented volume of REAL ID applications, which are more complex and take more time to process.

The training will take place at 183 DMV field offices, Commercial Drive Test Centers and Industry Business Centers throughout the state. More than 5,000 employees will receive the training at their home offices, which will open for business at 1 p.m.

“Our employees are at the heart of every transaction we perform,” said Kathleen Webb, DMV acting director. “With this commitment to training, we can ensure they have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to provide excellent customer service to the people of California.”

DMV Call Centers (1-800-777-0133) will remain open during the half-day office closure. Customers also will be able to:

• Conduct transactions online, at ca.gov, including renewing a vehicle registration, changing an address, requesting a copy of their driving record or making an appointment.
• Conduct transactions at DMV Now self-service kiosks located at grocery stores and select libraries, such as renewing a vehicle registration, filing for planned nonoperation (PNO) status, submitting an affidavit of non-use, submitting proof of insurance, and paying a $14 insurance reinstatement fee. A map of kiosks can be found online: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/about/sst_map.
• AAA members may visit AAA offices to conduct some transactions, including vehicle registration renewal.
• Registration services also are available at California DMV Business Partners for a fee. Customers can search for partners with this online map: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/bp_locator/reg_svc.

Operation Excellence is an initiative of the DMV Reinvention Strike Team, which Governor Gavin Newsom created in January to lead a comprehensive modernization and reinvention of the DMV with an emphasis on transparency, worker performance, speed of service and overall consumer satisfaction. The Strike Team was created in response to long wait times in DMV field offices, which were exacerbated by the federal government’s REAL ID requirements.

Beginning October 1, 2020, the federal government will require passengers flying within the United States to present a REAL ID-compliant driver license or identification card – or a passport or passport card – before boarding a plane. REAL ID-compliant cards or another federally approved document will also be required to enter secure federal facilities such as military bases.

“The unprecedented complexity of the REAL ID requirements is what led to the idea that we needed to take the extraordinary step of closing DMV offices for a short time to make sure all employees have consistent information in order to complete the transactions successfully,” said Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer, who is leading the DMV Strike Team. “It is a complicated transaction and we want customers to be well prepared in order to receive their REAL ID efficiently.”

The DMV already is experiencing unprecedented demand for its services because of a greater volume of REAL ID applications, which must be done in person in the field office and cannot be processed online or via the phone. In addition, field offices are experiencing their normal summer surge of new drivers seeking licenses.

Field offices need to be prepared for at least a doubling of customer volume as the enforcement date approaches. On July 1, 2019, the DMV opened an additional 53 field offices early to handle the summer surge, bringing to 69 the total number of offices that open at 7 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to accommodate the increase in customers. The DMV also now offers Saturday service at 62 offices.

Curriculum for Operation Excellence addresses the specific challenges DMV employees have identified in processing REAL ID transactions. Frontline staff will receive detailed training and a toolkit they can utilize immediately for processing REAL ID driver licenses and identification cards in the field. They also will be trained on best practices on delivering excellent customer service.

This half-day effort is the start of ongoing training around REAL ID and builds on DMV’s renewed commitment to providing sufficient training on all significant policy and procedure changes.

Operation Excellence addresses findings in a March 2019 report by the Department of Finance’s Office of State Audits and Evaluations, which determined training to be lacking at DMV. Report recommendations include more timely and comprehensive training for new hires and expanded training opportunities, particularly surrounding significant changes to policies and procedures including REAL ID.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Thursday, July 18, 2019, at about 9:09 PM, Muir Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a suspicious circumstance in the area of Riverside Drive and Mariners Cove in Bay Point. The caller stated that there was a man who appeared to be beaten in the street.

Deputies arrived and found an unresponsive man in front of a home on the 200 block of Riverside Drive. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. He is identified as 38-year-old Johnny Burns of Bay Point.

At about 9:21 PM, Deputy Sheriffs responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon on the 2700 block of Willow Pass Road in Bay Point. The victim was later treated and released from a local hospital.

The suspect vehicle and suspect descriptions were broadcast to law enforcement agencies in the area. The Concord Police Department later located the vehicle. Deputies responded to that location and took custody of 20-year-old Abel Garcia of Antioch. An arrest warrant was issued for the second suspect, Erick Ruiz. The 24-year-old Bay Point resident was arrested Friday, July 19, 2019.

Garcia was later booked into the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) on the following charges: assault with a deadly weapon, felony battery, conspiracy and participating in acriminal street gang. Garcia is being held in lieu of $140,000 bail. Ruiz was also booked into the MDF for assault with a deadly weapon, felony battery and conspiracy. He is being held in lieu of $160,000 bail.

Detectives are still investigating both incidents to determine if they are linked.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441 or Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

 

By Lt. John Fortner, Antioch Police Investigations

On Friday, July 19, 2019, at approximately 12:47 pm, Antioch police officers responded to the area of West 9th and “J” Streets on the report of several gunshots in the area. When officers arrived at the scene, they located a 28-year-old male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Officers immediately provided first aid to the victim until ambulance and Contra Costa County Fire paramedics arrived. Paramedics transported the victim to a local area trauma center. The victim was admitted into the hospital in critical condition.

Currently, the shooting is being investigated the Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, and evidence at the scene is being collected.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

By CHP-Contra Costa

Friday evening at about 5:32 P.M., Contra Costa CHP was advised of a six-vehicle collision on Vasco Road, just north of Camino Diablo in east Contra Costa County. An on-duty Contra Costa Sheriff’s deputy was involved but thankfully only sustained minor injuries.

Three parties from the collision were transported to local hospital’s by CHP helicopter, Contra Costa Sheriff’s office Cal-Star helicopter, and Reach regional helicopter as well. Three other parties were transported to local hospitals by ground ambulance. Thankfully all injured parties sustained non-life-threatening injuries. We’d like to thank our allied agencies and emergency personnel on scene for their help in this incident.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Alcohol and/or drug impairment is not suspected. If anyone has information about this collision, please call the Contra Costa CHP Office at 925-646-4980. Thank you and please drive safe.

By Tim Leong, Director, Communications and Community Relations, CCCCD

Contra Costa Community College District (District) chancellor Fred Wood announced he plans to retire on March 31, 2020.  Since joining the District in 2017, Wood is credited with bringing stability to the District during a time of enrollment challenges and significant changes in the funding formula for California community colleges.

“After considerable and thoughtful deliberations, I have decided to retire after a

four-decade career in higher education due to increased personal obligations and because I firmly believe the District is ready for new leadership”, said Wood.  “Although there is never a perfect time for a leadership transition, the District is in a great place with a very strong financial position, stabilized enrollment, and doing a tremendous job of serving our students and community.”

The chancellor also cited other reasons the District is ready for new leadership by acknowledging the colleges are fully engaged and preparing for upcoming accreditation visits, the migration to a new format for district policies is underway, the capital construction bond program is moving along well, stronger relationships are being developed with educational and community partners, and the Governing Board has just approved a new District five-year strategic plan.

“We have been extremely fortunate to have Fred’s leadership over the past few years”, said Governing Board President Vicki Gordon.  “His honesty, integrity, thoughtful leadership, and passion for students were exactly what the District needed during this time.  We will miss his leadership and he will be a hard act to follow.”

The Governing Board will begin discussing how they will recruit the next chancellor at their upcoming meetings.  The plan is to complete the selection before Wood’s retirement to ensure a smooth transition.

Wood grew up in Martinez, attended Diablo Valley College as a first-generation college graduate, and credits the community college experience for transforming his life.  He is grateful for the opportunity to come “back home” and contribute to the District’s legacy of making a difference in the lives of its students.

“What I am most proud of during my tenure is the opportunity to join our Governing Board, faculty, staff, and community leaders in their work to support our students,” said Wood.  “They deserve the recognition for the success of our District and our three excellent colleges.”

The Contra Costa Community College District (CCCCD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The CCCCD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. The District is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez.