YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 21, No. 12
READ NEWS YOU CAN TRUST AT WWW.THEPRESS.NET
Council approves district elections
The City honors citizens, businesses Taming Water Weeds
State begins treatment of invasive aquatic plants along the Delta waterways. Page 4
by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
Brentwood city leaders recently took another step in the required process to change how future city councilmembers will be chosen. The plan will replace the current at-large election procedure with a system in which council members will be elected by representative districts. The mayor will still be elected at-large. The move comes amid Walnut Creek attorney Scott Rafferty’s lawsuit threats alleging that Brentwood’s current voting system violates the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) by fostering an arrangement that dilutes the Latino vote. The CVRA, signed into law in see Elections page 30
Ghostlight’s Festival 10 Photo by Ron Essex
B
rentwood Citizen of the Year, Dr. Dana Eaton, superintendent of the Brentwood Union School District, right, celebrates with Mayor Bob Taylor during the 2019 Annual Awards Gala, Friday, March 15. The event, hosted by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, recognized local residents and businesses for their commitment to the community. Other honorees included; East County Performing Arts Center for Business of the Year; Community Service Member of the Year Vicky Little; Nonprofit of the Year Working Wonders; Director of the Year Karen Kendall; and Ambassador of the Year Michele Lane. To view more photos of the event, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia/slideshows
Fire district to examine service fees by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District will hire a consultant to evaluate a series of currently collected fees to ensure they accurately match the costs they are intended to cover. NBS Government Finance Group, at a cost of $93,280, will study the development impact fees collected by Brentwood, Oakley and Contra Costa County, along with the possible formation of additional community facility districts and the organizations’ current emergency response, plan review and code enforcement fees. Development impact fees generate funds to pay capital and equipment costs associated with new developments, while capital
“ Establishing a cost-effective plan review
and inspection program will require the district to review its fees and ensure that they are appropriate for the services the district is providing and the district’s costs.
” Fire Chief Brian Helmick
facilities districts fund a certain geographic area’s improved fire prevention and emergency response facilities and services. The effort comes amid the district’s attempts to shore up an improved economic future. The fire district, which covers 249 square miles and over 114,000 residents, has shrunk from eight stations in 2008 to three today, and
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since 2012, district residents have shot down a revenue-generating parcel tax, a benefit assessment and a utility-user tax. “The district has adopted several schedules for cost recovery and other forms of revenue generation,” Fire Chief Brian Helmick wrote in a district staff report, “many of which are based on outdated studies, limiting the district’s ability to recover
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costs permitted under state law.” The fire service-related development impact fees collected by Brentwood, Oakley and Contra Costa County were calculated and adopted at different points — Contra Costa County’s in the mid-1980s, Oakley’s during its inception around 1999, and Brentwood’s more recently, but they are all due to be updated, Helmick said. “If I remember correctly, the establishment of these impact fee levels predate the formation of the district and vary widely between the various sub-jurisdictions,” said Board Vice President Stephen Smith. “I think it is very advantageous that we engage NBS to look at this district as a whole.” Brentwood’s developers are see Fire page 30
Host A Student www.thepress.net/news/webextras
A nonprofit organization is looking for local volunteer host families.
Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble brings a one-day play festival to Brentwood. Page 10
Getting Into The Scrum
Heritage, Liberty students get into the competition by joining Freedom rugby team. Page 21 Calendar................................31 Classifieds.............................25 Cop Logs................................29 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Health & Beauty..................13 Opinion..................................20 Pets...........................................9 Sports.....................................21
Airport Land Use www.thepress.net/news/press_releases
County is seeking individuals for Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC).