July 11, 2014
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Page 5
Concord News
Politics may decide fate of Concord Senior Center PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
The Concord Senior Center is a popular destination not only for the area’s aging population, but also for many groups who rent the attractive space on Parkside Circle. It also is shaping up to be a political hot potato as the November general election nears. Specifically, some Concord council members want to waive the fee the city charges to keep
the center open on Thursday mornings, long enough to provide a healthy warm lunch for more than 40 people. Others on the council don’t want to be seen as doing favors for a specific group. At the heart of the issue is the approximately $22,000 a year the Senior Citizens Club spends to keep the center open on Thursdays. Council members Ron Leone and Edi Birsan suggested at last month’s final public hearing on Concord’s 201415 budget that the city waive the fees.
Young, hip and hungry Hipsters (young millennials) in the know are understanding that Concord is swiftly becoming the new place to be. As reported in the Pioneer’s May 23 issue, Concord has dynamic regional marketplaces attracting a young and vibrant crowd. Concord’s strong demographic, central location, affordability and daytime employment make the city an attractive destination. Major shopping centers and an attractive downtown provide outstanding opportunities for megastores, discount clubs, department stores, specialty shops, supermarkets, restaurants, automotive dealers and lodging facilities of all kinds. Concord was selected by Livability.com as one of the top 10 Cities with the Best Music Scenes Outside of Nashville, New York City and Los Angeles. One of the reasons it was selected is our Music & Market Series at Todos Santos Plaza. For 25 years, thousands have packed the plaza weekly from May through September to enjoy a variety of music, for free. This year, it’s more popular than ever. Several other key factors making Concord a hip place to be are the revamped Concord Pavilion, the new breweries popping up, and “Off The Grid” food trucks at the Willows Shopping Center on Saturdays. The Willows Shopping Center is in the process of a face-lift and re-branding this
club decided to chip in to make sure the center’s doors stayed open. But the nearly $88,000 the club has spent has “severely impacted our treasury,” Driskill said. “I don’t know if we can continue to do it.” Birsan and Leone proposed that the city waive the fee for six months, and then review the arrangement. But Council member Laura Hoffmeister disagreed, saying that if they waived the fee for the seniors, other groups who use city services would want the
same consideration. “I think we need to review all those arrangements, such as with the Terrapins, to make sure we are fair,” Hoffmeister said. She directed city staff to investigate those other arrangements, something that city Manager Valerie Barone said could not be done until September at the earliest. However, the senior center fee would be waived for two months until the council has a chance to review all the financial arrangements with other groups, including the popular
Terrapins Swim Team. Council member Dan Helix agreed with Hoffmeister about postponing any decision on the senor center fee, leaving Mayor Tim Grayson as a possible swing vote. Birsan says that he suspects the council will vote more favorably with the seniors’ request in September, as no one will want to anger the city’s senior population, traditionally a powerful voting bloc in Concord. Hoffmeister, Grayson and Leone are all up for reelection in November.
City targets illegal sign postings view or obstruct walkways. Recently, the city’s Public Works Department removed more than 1,000 illegal signs during their normal work routine over a 10-week period. “We are asking residents for assistance,” says Concord Public Works Director Justin Ezell. “Please help keep your neighborhood clean by not posting illegal signs. Your streets will look better and the staff time required to take down the signs
RON LEONE
CONCORD CITY BEAT year. The shopping center includes REI, Old Navy, Any Mountain, Fuddruckers, Claim Jumper, Panera Bread, Benihana’s and Pier One Imports. The Willows property owner, Equity One, is investing in a $12 million redevelopment construction project making more walkable public spaces, more outdoor restaurant seating and improve traffic flow in the center. These plans will help to modernize the outdoor space and add amenities for the many office workers and young families that frequent the property. The shopping center also hosts “Off The Grid” food trucks on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This mobile food market comes to the parking lot with 10 food trucks, offering various cuisines with live music playing in the background. There are cooks who have retrofitted Econoline vans to serve up inexpensive and fast gourmet cupcakes; Cantonese roast duck tacos; roasted poblanos with artichoke cream cheese; falafels, provolone and egg subs, and bacon ice cream. Whether young or old, don’t miss this food truck revolution here in our town. Ron Leone is vice mayor and a former mayor of Concord. Email comments or questions to ronaldleone@comcast.net, or call (925) 680-1776
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“The seniors have taken a big hit in the last few years,” Birsan said. “We should not be shutting doors on our seniors.” The $2,200-plus-a-month arrangement was a product of the recession back in 2010, when the city’s recreation department was forced to cut costs by closing the senior center one day a week, on Thursdays. “We didn’t want to lose that day, especially for the seniors who rely on the lunch program,” said Harry Driskill, president of the Seniors Club. So his
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RECENTLY, MORE THAN 1,000 ILLEGAL SIGNS ended up on the trash heap over a 10-week period, costing the city of Concord thousands of dollars in staff maintenance time.
You’ve seen them all over town — those signs posted on utility poles and streetlights for things such as garage sales, lost pets and business promotions. However, the city of Concord is taking aim at these illegal postings with a new awareness campaign. These signs are often never
removed and quickly litter the visual landscape of the community, say city officials. They detract from the appearance of neighborhoods as they fade and blow away, leaving behind tape, staples, nails and other materials. They can sometimes present hazards for motorists and pedestrians if they block the
Concord passes ‘status quo’ budget PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
November’s election day may be four months away, but it was on the top of the minds of the Concord City Council when it passed its 2014-2015 budget late last month. Specifically, the city gave the nod to draft an extension to Measure Q, the half-cent sales tax that is scheduled to sunset in 2016. The council will vote on the final language at its meeting on July 29, and likely send it to voters on Nov. 4. “I was all for having [Measure Q] sunset when it was passed by voters in 2010,” said Councilman Dan Helix. “Regretfully, the economy has not responded like we’d hoped, and we need a little more time for it to recover.” At earlier public meetings on the 2014-15 budget and the 10year financial plan, City Manager Valerie Barone said that the city could see an immediate hit of $4 million in 2015-16 and 2016-17, if Measure Q expires. “It could decimate city services,” she said. In a letter posted on the city’s website, Barone says that “Residents value our quality of life and want to maintain a safe community,” and that Measure Q has allowed the city to maintain police
services and other vital programs. The adopted 2014-15 fiscal year budget is “status quo,” and its $85 million in revenue and $81.4 million in expenses calls for no cuts. That’s mainly due to $11.6 million coming to the city from Measure Q. The difference of $3.6 million would be put to the city’s reserves. There were some last minute adjustments to the budget, including an expense of $270,000 for the addition of three Safety Resource Officers at local schools, a partnership with Mt. Diablo Unified School District. They would be sworn officers from the Concord Police Department. “These types of partnerships are what makes Concord move forward,” said Mayor Tim Grayson said of the relationship with MDUSD. The council also agreed to amend parking fines to be on par with the highest in the county. “I don’t want our city to be the weakest when it comes to enforcing fines,” said Councilman Edi Birsan. The city also agreed to increase the fines imposed on graffiti artists when caught. “When you litter on the highway, it costs $1,000 in fines,” Birsan said. “My city is worth that.”
can be used for more important projects.” Signs continue to be posted illegally throughout the city, requiring employees to spend valuable staff time removing them. Residents are being called upon to contribute to the solution by not posting illegal signs in public areas. For more information, contact Ezell by email at Justin.Ezell@cityofconcord.org or call 925-671-3231
Concord Concert Schedules July 29 Annie Sampson Concord’s Blues and Soul Diva For more Concord concert info go to cityofconcord.org
CONCORD PAVILION FREE Thursday Night Music in the Market July 17 The RaveUps A Live Tribute to the 1960’s Yardbirds July 24 Foreverland Michael Jackson Tribute Band July 31 PUSH with Dan Ashley Aug. 7 The Rubinoos Seminal Power Pop Quartet from the 1970s Aug. 14 James Garner’s Johnny Cash Tribute Aug. 21 Zepparella All Female Led Zeppelin Tribute Sept. 4 The Purple Ones 10-piece Tribute to Prince Sept. 11 Lafayette Studio Big Band; Count Basie-style 9/11 Memorial Show
FREE Tuesday Night Blues Series July 15 Chris Cain Jazz-Tinged Virtuoso
Blues
Guitar
July 22 Jeffrey Marshall with the Delta Dogs and The Breedloves
Buy tickets at ticketmaster.com Or the Pavilion Box Office, 2000 Kirker Pass Rd., Concord, (925) (925) 676-8742 July 2, 7 p.m. Kiss and Def Leppard July 10, 8 p.m. Steely Dan July 29, 6:45 p.m. Journey and Steve Miller Band July 31, 7:30 p.m. Chicago and REO Speedwagon Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. Aerosmith and Slash Aug. 17, 7 p.m. Monumentour, Fall Out Boy, Paramore Sept 7, 7 p.m. Marc Anthony Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. Carnivores Tour: Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars and AFI Sept. 25, TBA Zac Brown Band Oct 1, 7 p.m. Kings of Leon, Young the Giant and Kongos Oct. 17, 7 p.m. Luke Bryan, Lee Brice and Cole Swindell