Moving Oakland Forward Together

As summer and the end of the legislative year draws near, our office is focused on passing several ordinances, representing months and even years of work, and coordinating with many neighbors on summer events large and small. As Finance chair I am attending budget hearings around the city (including this morning, Saturday, 10 am at the Altenheim) and am working hard on the next two year budget. I will also be at our First Sunday Office Hours at the Montclair Farmer's Market tomorrow, 9 am-1 pm.

Over the next two weekends, you will have an opportunity to see Oakland in some different ways. Starting today and continuing next weekend Open Studios gives you an opportunity to see talented artists in their homes/studios throughout the city. Next Saturday the city celebrates families by opening its premier cultural institutions for free with Oakland Family Fun Day. If you haven't been to the zoo, museum, Chabot Science Center or Fairyland in a while, gather the relatives, especially young ones, and make it a day!

Council President Pro Tem

1. Montclair Office Hours and Other Weekend Events

Oakland Budget Hearing, Saturday, June 2, 10 am-Noon, Altenheim Senior Housing, 1699 Excelsior Avenue, in the Priory Hall: I join Council Member Ignacio DeFuente today for a Joint District 4 & 5 Hearing. (See item 3 below for additional information).

First Sunday Office Hours at Montclair Farmers' Market, Sunday, June 3, 9 am - 1 pm: Sue Piper and I will be staffing our booth at the Montclair Farmers' Market this Sunday. Please stop by to ask questions, pick up a brochure about local activities, share a concern, or just to say hello.

Metropolitan Horsemen's Association Dressage Show and School, Saturday, June 2: Starts at 9 at the Sequoia Arena in Joaquin Miller Park. Free and open to the public. For details, call 531-5449.

Fairyland Characters Debut Today at Noon: It's said that Disneyland was inspired by this Oakland gem. Measure DD funds and hard work by the board was restored some sparkle to the facilities, especially the improved theater & puppet spaces. Today meet this year's Fairyland Personalities in their Inaugural Presentation Ceremony at noon and stay for the puppet show, "The Emperor's New Clothes." http://www.fairyland.org/

The State of Black California -- Oakland Town Hall Meeting, Saturday, June 2, 1-3 pm, Oakland City Hall: The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce invites the public to join Assemblyman Sandre Swanson and the California Legislative Black Caucus at a Town Hall Meeting. The California Black Legislative Caucus has released a report that provides a snap shot of the status of Black Californians. For more information, Assemblymember Sandre Swanson at 286-1670.

Fireworks after the Oakland A's Game Saturday Night: Fireworks are generally banned in the City except for cultural events that obtain a permit from the city. If you or your kids like fireworks take them to a safe permitted event such as the fireworks show after the Oakland A's game tomorrow night against the Minnesota Twins.

Open Studios, June 2-3, 9-10: One of my favorite annual events let's us peek into the wonderful world of artists in the East Bay including hundreds in Oakland, and dozens in District 4. My office has works by painter Rita Sklar #282 and from sculptor Debbi Koppman #289. Some of my favorite notecards, vibrant fruit and vegetable protraits, are from #333 Margo Riviera. All three of these artists are in the Dimond, but there are clusters everywhere. Maxwell Park photographer Pat Patterson #354 will be showing at a gallery at 536 Grand Ave. Check out the catalog and maps at: http://proartsgallery.org/ebos2007/index.html

2. Council Continues Budget Hearings, Televised Call-in Hearing Wednesday, June 6th

Got a budget question, but haven't been able to attend any of our community hearings? Email your question to budgetoffice@oaklandnet.com and we will try to answer as many questions as we can at our on air hearing this Wednesday, 7-8:30 pm on Channel 10. Or call in during the broadcast on 238-6292; League fo Women Voters volunteers will be answering the phones.

City Council hearings continue on the next two year budget as we examine proposals department by department. The Mayor and City Administrator proposals were summarized in this past newsletter. Council members will likely make additional proposals, but a $11 million projected deficit means tough decisions. The Council has final budget authority and a budget must be passed by June 30th. For an overview of the City Budget, budget schedule and more: Budget Facts.

Saturday, June 2, 10 am-Noon, Altenheim Senior Housing, 1699 Excelsior Avenue, in the Priory Hall, Joint District 4 & 5 Hearing.

Wednesday, June 6, 7-8:30 pm, Special KTOP Hearing: Viewers will have an opportunity to call in questions to Council President Ignacio Delafuente, myself, City Administrator Deborah Edgerly and the Mayor's Budget Director Dan Lindheim.

Q: How is the budget spent?
A: The following charts shows the break down by department, Public Safety (Police and Fire) account for 62% of the budget.

3. Swanson's AB45 Moves Forward in Sacramento

Assemblyman Sandre Swanson's bill to return Oakland Schools to local control, supported by the City Council, passed out of Assembly Appropriations this week on a "B roll call" or party line vote (Democrats in favor, Republicans against). The bill moves to the Assembly Floor for a vote over the coming couple of weeks.

4. Voluntary Seismic Strengthening Incentive Program Goes to Council Committees June 12

<<Typical wood-framed home damaged during 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake.
Experts predict that a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on the Hayward Fault will result in tens of billions of dollars of economic loss--half of which will be loss of housing. More than 155,000 homes are anticipated to become uninhabitable, with 36,500 of those in Oakland alone. That's one-third of our housing! They also predict up to 15,000 casualties.

However, we can prevent or reduce the scope of such a tragedy. If Oakland homeowners to retrofit their homes, we could save thousands of lives and reduce the financial loss to individuals and the city at large. Only 15% of Oakland homes are retrofitted to current standards. Over the last years our office has sponsored retrofit workshops, worked to develop standards for retrofitting, and worked regionally to strengthen state standards and programs. We are now proposing a program building on a successful Berkeley program, where now 80% of their homes have been retrofitted over the last ten years.

This month my office is proposing a new Voluntary Seismic Strengthening Incentive Program, co-sponsored by Council Member Brunner, at the Finance & Management (1 pm) and Community & Economic Development (4 pm) committee meetings on Tuesday, June 12.

The Program has four elements:

It establishes seismic strengthening standards for typical wood-framed houses to ensure that retrofits meet a baseline of effectiveness.

It establishes a low, flat seismic strengthening permit feet of $250 as an incentive. (Currently, homeowners must pay a percentage of the cost of the retrofit, which can be substantial.)

It establishes a New Homeowner Seismic Strengthening Reimbursement Incentive Program whereby new owners of older homes have one year in which to retrofit according to the new standards. If the retrofit passes inspection, they will be eligible for reimbursement of their expenses of up to .5% of the purchase price of the home or $5,000, whichever is less.

Setting aside $500,000 from the proceeds of the Real Estate Property Transfer Tax for the 2007-08 Fiscal Year and up to $1,000,000 in future Fiscal Years to fund the reimbursement program.

You can download the report, proposed ordinance and resolution next week by going to the City website and navigating to Council Meetings & Agendas. For additional information, contact Sue Piper in our office.

This is just the beginning. Our office is working closely with officials from other cities, the Association of Bay Area Governments, and our elected officials in Sacramento to develop additional support, incentives and programs that will help our communities better prepare for the inevitable. We will also be coming back to the City Council in the fall with additional recommendations, such as requiring automatic gas shut off or gas flow interrupt valves and mandatory retrofitting when homeowners do major renovations, and grants for low income home owners.

5. Giants and A's Promote CORE

KTVU Channel 2 and KICU Channel 36 are producing a six-week advertising campaign for CORE (Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies) that will run during Giants and A's games. The campaign runs through June 30.

If you haven't organized a CORE group for your block, sign up now! It's not difficult. Last year over 3,000 Oaklanders were trained. You can take a 2-hour CORE I class downtown or, if you can round up 10 neighbors, CORE will come to your home. You'll learn the basics of emergency preparedness for your family, and your neighborhood. Make it fun and more people will participate. For details, call CORE at 238-6351.

6. Help Us Attract Retail, Online Oakland Shopper Survey

The City of Oakland is working with a team led by Conley Consulting Group to create a citywide strategy to attract more retail stores and to improve the retail experience in Oakland. An important part of the process is to learn about consumer perceptions and preferences. This online survey measures the shopping patterns of Oakland shoppers. Upon completing the survey, you will be able to enter a drawing for a free Apple iPod Nano.

7. Wildfire Inspections, Goat Slaying Reward Increases to $21K

2007 Inspection Notices Mailed: Residents of the Wildfire Prevention District should have received your 2007 Inspection Notice from the Wildfire Prevention Assessment District. Inspections begin June 15. Now is the time to work on cutting back your overgrown shrubs, cutting tree limbs next to your house, and mowing tall grasses. Be aware of endangered species that might be on your property. If you hire someone to do the work or to haul away your debris, be sure to ask for the receipt from the Davis Street Transfer Station. We have had problems with haulers dumping their debris in parks and other open spaces; you could be liable for the fines if there is anything identifying you with the debris.

Road Side Cutting along Skyline: As we near the 4th of July, residents are always concerned about the risk of fire along our scenic roads. Leroy Griffin of the Fire Department notes that the contracts are being let out to bid and the work is scheduled to be completed prior to the 4th of July.

Reward: A small group of goats, penned for return to their herder's ranch, werefound shot to death near the King Estates recreation area in East Oakland. Sgt. Cronin of the City of Oakland's Animal Services Division reports that they were probably killed with a .22-caliber rifle; he believes the suspect is a young man who lives in or is very familiar with the area. The goats were part of the herds "rented" by the Wildfire District to munch on vegetation and overgrown weeds in steep hilly areas. Park rangers have beefed up patrols in the area. The reward for information about the killings has reached $21,000. Anyone with information about the killings or any other harassment of the goats should call Oakland Animal Services at 535-5640 or email Sgt. Cronin.

Green Plant Recycling Practices: Don't forget that residents of the Wildfire District can have their branches reduced to water conserving mulch. For more tips on how to recycle vegetation to enrich your soil, reduce green house emissions and landfill, go to StopWaste.org.

8. Limits on Feeding Pigeons Goes to Council June 5th

Following complaints about feral pigeons in commercial areas, our research indicated that banning pigeon feeding in commercial zones was the easiest and most humane method to reduce pigeon impact. The Life Enrichment Committee passed the proposed ordinance unanimously after hearing from Dimond Improvement Association Chair Daniel Swafford and resident Marilyn Miller, who described the problems for merchants and customers.. The ordinance will not affect feeding pigeons on private property or parks; it goes to Council Tuesday, June 2nd.

9. Plastic Bag Ban Goes to Council June 26

Proposed Plastic Bag Ban: On Tuesday, June 26, Council Member Nancy Nadel and I will introduce an ordinance banning plastic carry out bags from large retail stores similar to the legislation recently passed by San Francisco. Each year 12 million barrels of oil go to produce over a trillion single use plastic bags. Californians use over 19 billion bags and throw 600 away every second, resulting in over 147,000 tons of litter. Thousands of marine animals die from ingesting bags or entanglement. To comment on the ordinance, contact Richard Cowan of our office 238-7041. To date, we have received overwhelming support of this ordinance via emails from Oakland residents.

10. Community Policing/Crime Prevention News

Summer Salesmen: Every summer the city is the target of out-of-town door-to-door salesmen and solicitors. Yahoo groups this week are buzzing with descriptions. In North Oakland very aggressive alarm salesmen from a company based in Utah seem to be using unscrupulous tactics to scare residents into buying their alarm systems and even implying they have police support. In my experience police often blame systems that are sold by such companies, who then subcontract to others for installation, for a large percentage of false alarms. If you want to buy an alarm system you might want to consider a local company with an established reputation that will guarantee its work. Remember after one warning, a false alarm fine is $100. Ninety-nine percent of alarms reported to the police are false alarms.
We are also seeing organizations claiming to help youth or the environment;one group that is working central Oakland uses very appealing students but the percentage that goes to administration is very high. Think twice about donating to an unknown organization, take their information and check them out on the internet. There are several rating groups that will tell you how much of your donation will actually be spent on the "good cause."
Remember that solicitors need to have a permit from the City of Oakland. Don't supply information about yourself or neighbors, and pass along a description to your neighbors and the police if they seem suspicious. Does your block have a neighborhood watch? Neighborhood Watch is all about neighbors looking out for others on their block. If you see something suspicious, don't hesitate to call the City Dispatcher. If you think a crime is in progress, call 9-1-1. Otherwise, call the non-emergency number 777-3333.

More Crime Prevention Tips for Summer

New Tip: When you go on vacation, stop your mail and newspaper, or ask a neighbor to pick them up, especially if you do not have a locked mailbox.
Talk to your kids about fireworks and matches.
Do not let your children play alone.
Do not leave your garage door open. Many burglaries are committed through open windows, especially kitchen and bathroom windows. Check them before leaving home.
In summer we open more windows and doors, make sure you have window locks or other protections.
When home alone or with your children, keep doors locked.
If you leave the residence to do yard work, lock the door behind you.

If you have information that could help police, contact your local Lieutenant, Problem Solving Officer or Neighborhood Services Coordinator. You can find their information by clicking on the map at: http://www.oaklandpolice.com/youroff/contoff.html.
If you witness a robbery or crime, this Identification Sheet might help police get the information we need to make an arrest. More Robbery Tips
Use Your NCPC to Help Set Community Safety Priorities: Our office tries to monitor the many listservs in our District where neighbors register concerns about crime and traffic safety but you cannot consider this the same as contacting police or our office directly. Police beat priorities are set at the Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils (NCPCs). We encourage neighborhoods and representatives from Neighborhood Watch Groups to participate in their NCPC's. Schedule

11. Reporting Dead Animals, Stop Open Hydrants

Increase in Calls to Animal Control About Dead Deer: According to Sgt. David Cronin, Oakland Animal Services is experiencing a significant increase in dead animals calls, especially calls involving our growing deer population. Most of the calls are from the hills, but the calls impact Animal Control services citywide. Please note the following priorities when reporting a dead deer:

Deer in the roadway and public areas are a priority over deer on private property.

Deer calls often take two Animal Control officers and can take several hours to handle.

Dead animals, in most cases, are handled after calls concerning live animals.

To report a dead animal, call 535-5602. Because of the temporary increased volume, a response may take several days.

Open Hydrants- A Serious Problem: This summer the Department of Parks & Rec wants

to work with communities to provide more water play. Opening fire hydrants on a hot summer day is illegal and dangerous. Water shoots from hydrants at very high pressure and can lead to accidents and injuries. Oakland Ordinance No. 12414 makes tampering with a fire hydrant punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. In 2006, there were at least 379 illegally opened fire hydrants in Oakland, which resulted in the loss of 3-4 million gallons of water. Please report open hydrants immediately to 1-866-403-2683 or report online. Encourage your family and friends to use one of the City's many swimming pools.

12. Traffic News: Schools Out, Repaving, Rapid Bus Plans

Oakland Public Schools Close for Summer Wednesday, June 13: Please be mindful that children will be playing outside during the day throughout the summer and drive safely.

Street Resurfacing and Sidewalk Repairs: Work has begun on resurfacing High Street from Foothill Blvd. to Redding Street and is anticipated to be completed by approximately Thanksgiving. Resurfacing of Joaquin Miller Road is anticipated later this summer. Sidewalks where tree roots were creating uneven surfaces are also scheduled for repair. The sidewalks on La Salle between the garage and Mountain were repaired this week.

Public Hearings on New East Bay Bus Rapid Transit System: Public hearings

on a draft environmental impact of a new rapid bus system planned along a 17-mile corridor connecting Berkeley, Oakland and San Leandro on Telegraph Ave, East 14th St, and International Blvd are planned. The system calls for dedicated bus lanes and new loading platforms. To comment, download the document, or review a copy at AC Transit, 1600 Franklin St, call 891-4755. Copies are also available at the Oakland Library Main Branch; the Temescal, Cesar E. Chavez, Asian and Elmhurst branches; the Metroplitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Library at 1010 8th St in Oakland, and at the Alameda County Clerk's office at 1106 Madison St, 1st Fl. Hearings will be held in Oakland on Thursday, June 7 at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) MetroCenter Auditorium, 1010 8th St, and on Wednesday, June 13 at the Fruitvale/San Antonio Senior Center Fruitvale Transit Village, 3301 East 12th St. Written comments are due no later than 5 pm July 3, 2007.

Warren Freeway Landscaping Scheduled for Late Summer/Fall: Two years ago, neighbors and our office, with help from former Assemblywoman Wilma Chan and Senator Don Perata, worked with CalTrans to develop a landscaping plan for the median on the Warren Freeway after they installed concrete dividers to improve the safety along the freeway. After some delays the state allocated funds, and now CalTrans is going out to bid on the project. CalTrans ancitipates that the work will start in late Summer or Fall. It will be planted with natives-- just in time for the winter rains!

13. School & Youth News

Students explore the new teaching garden and landscaping at Joaquin Miller School. Teachers, parents, community volunteers and Jean at the ribbon cutting ceremony. The project received a $5000 matching grant from our District 4 capital fund. Photos by Nathan Bennett.

Oakland Family Fun Day, Saturday, June 9: Oakland families can take advantage of FREE admission to our four premier family attractions: the Oakland Zoo, the Oakland Museum of California, Chabot Space & Science Center and Children's Fairyland. Each venue will host special activities, I'll be at the museum in the morning and up at the Chabot Space & Science Center in the afternoon, please come by. http://www.oaklandnet.com/familyday/

Kids Go Green: De-Bugging Your Garden, June 9, 11 am- 4 pm:Chabot Space & Science Center's Kids Go Green: Be part of the Solution is a climate change initiative by kids - for kids, families and the community. Developed by the Galaxy Explorers - Chabot's youth volunteer program - Kids Go Green was designed to show both children and adults how to take practical, daily steps to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. June's theme, Recycling & Gardening, will showcase a wide array of hands-on activities, including composting. At 1:30 p.m. Buzz Bertolero, "The Dirt Gardener" who appears weekly on KRON-4 TV's Henry's Garden, shows kids and families how to keep bugs out of the garden without using pesticides. All of this is free as part of the Oakland Family Fund Day above. Bring in an inkjet cartridge for free Chabot-made compost.

Mayor's Summer Job Program (MSJP): The mayor is asking businesses to provide summer jobs for a youth or to sponsor one or more youth at $2,500 each. The Mayor will recognize participating businesses with certificates of appreciation, personal letters of thanks for helping Oakland become the model city and an invitation to a luncheon Mayor at which he will personally thank businesses this year's program. A position can be part or full-time, and should be pay-appropriate wages for a 16-21 year-old entry level employee. MSJP will prescreen candidates based on the job order; employers select the employee and have the option of having the Private Industry Council (PIC) be the employer of record to avoid the complications of adding another person to your payroll. For questions, contact 768-4437 or http://www.oaklandwib.org/summer_jobs.htm

Library's Summer Reading Game Kick's Off with Celebration ot Thacher Hurd Mural: On Saturday, June 9, at 11 am we will celebrate the completion of author/illustrator Thacher Hurd's colorful paintings on the walls of the Main Library's Children's Room and the start of the 2007 Reading Game, "Get a Clue @Your Library." The artist will discuss his work and lead a brief tour to showcase his lovable characters. For details, call 238-3615 or visit their website. Photos

Free Arts Active Parents Workshop, Saturday, June 9, 9:30-11:30 am: If you are interested becoming a more powerful advocate for arts learning and all of its benefits in our schools, plan on attending this FREE workshop on The Role of the Arts Active Parent: How to Start an Arts Learning Revolution at Your School. I along with other local Arts Active parents will share our experiences and answer your questions. The event will be held at the Oakland Museum of California's Lecture Hall. For details, contact Kathy Kahn at 418-8523.

Tiger Summer Day Camp at Brookdale Recreation Center: June 18-August 24, 8 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, ages 8-14. Only $55 per week. Register in June as space is limited. Call 535-5632.

Great American Camp Out at Joaquin Miller Park, June 23: You don't have to drive far to have a "Sierra" camping experience. Bring your tents and the kids and camp in Joaquin Miller Park! This is a rare opportunity, as the park does not usually allow overnight camping. Join the Office of Parks & Recreation and the National Wildlife Federation Take a hike, enjoy a nature talk, sit around the camp fire--experience family fun in the great outdoors. Only $25 per family (includes dinner, activities, camp snacks and a continental breakfast). Register online (activity#70750.402) or contact Stephanie Benavidezat 867-0669.For details

Congratulations to the Glenview Odyssey of the Mind Team-- This team of 5th graders received an honorable mention and placed 5th out of 53 teams in their division. They competed against teams from around the country, as well as South Korea, China, Mexico, Singapore and Poland. You can check out the results.

14. More Community News

Children's Fairyland 12th Gala Event, June 7: Come to the 12th anniversary Gala with an evening of merriment and wonder. For the first time, Fairyland will host the event on the grounds of the newly remodeled park, creating a magical backdrop for an event featuring cuisine from top Oakland restaurants, live performances, and a silent auction offering getaways and goods from all over the Bay Area. Fairytale attire encouraged!! 699 Bellevue Avenue. For details, call 452-2259.

Authors Visit a Great Good Place For Books in June: Marisa de los Santos returns to a Great Good Place for Books in Montclair (6120 La Salle)on Friday, June 8 to read from the paperback edition of her book, Loved Walked In. On Monday, June 11, hear "Dishwasher Pete" Jordan when he discusses his memoir, One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States. For details, call 339-8210.

Oakland Civic Orchestra, Sunday, June 10, 3 pm: The Oakland Civic Orchestra, conducted by Artistic Director Martha Soddard and Assistant Director Kate McLoughlin, presents its second "Young Artists" concert at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 114 Montecito Avenue. The program includes Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Boccherini's Cello Concert in B-flat Major (featuring Alana Shannon, cello), and Dvorak's Wind Serenade. Admission is free. For more information, call 238-7275.

Fourth Annual Montclair Pet Mayor Race: The Montclair Veterinary Hospital Pet & Wildlife Fund are real angels when neighbors find injured wildlife in our area. This week I got a note from CJ Hirshfield, executive director of Fairyland with an article of how they performed an expensive operation on a beloved Fairyland bird. Montclair businesses sponsor pets for Annual Montclair Pet Mayor Race, their major fundraiser. You can vote during the month of June and the winner will be announced at the June 24th Farmer's Market at 1 pm. Zoe, the incumbent sponsored by Crogan's Restaurant, may be the first female mayor in the city. For details, contact Lee Richter at 339-2400.

Speaking of Pets--Joaquin Miller Dog Park Closed Wednesday, June 12-13 for Woodminster Event: As stipulated in the agreement with Oakland Parks & Recreation, the Joaquin Miller Dog Park--both large and small--will close at 6 pm on Tuesday, June 12 and reopen at 10 am on Thursday, June 14 for a graduation ceremony at Woodminster Theater on Wednesday, June 13. Volunteers from Oakland Dog Owners Group (O'DOG) will give the site the "twice" over to ensure that it is picked up and clean prior to its use as a parking lot. Many thanks to the dog park users and volunteers who have been maintaining the area since it opened in February. Additional closing dates for upcoming performances at the Woodminster Amphitheater are: July 13-15, July 20-22, August 10-13, August 17-20, September 9-10, and September 14-16 . Closing crew volunteers needed at 7-8pm on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings shown. Contact O'DOG at odogparks@comcast.net. For details.
Shelter to Perform Felineality Tests, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am-Noon: The Oakland Animal Shelter is implementing the ASPCA Meet Your Match™ Feline-ality™ Adoption Program. This program encourages potential adopters to evaluate cats based on their personality rather than their appearance and has already helped to adopt hard to place cats including black and black and white kittens! The test takes approximately 12 minutes per cat and volunteers are needed to perform the personality test. Please email Megan at mwebb@oaklandnet.com if you would like to volunteer and be trained on how to perform the test.

2nd Annual Summer Solstice Music Festival in the Laurel, June 23: Legendary jazz Saxophonist Hal Stein, Korean Folk Singer Miena Yoo, Jazz-Pop-Funk-Fusion Duo Gemini Soul, and Western Swing Sextet Lipsey Mountain Spring Band will return to perform in Oakland's Laurel Neighborhood at the Second Annual Laurel Summer Solstice Music Festival from 1-7 pm. For further information, contact the
Laurel Village Association.