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Vol. 15, No. 4
YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Residents After the storm angry over meter project
January 27, 2017
Make Your Money Matter
by Dawnmarie Fehr Correspondent
Residents braved a wet and windy winter storm last week to protest the town’s water-meter installation project. On the heels of some heated discussion on Nextdoor, a social-media website, regarding the upcoming installation of meters in 3,500 homes in Discovery Bay, approximately 25 residents attended the Discovery Bay Community Services District (CSD) Board meeting looking for some answers. “I want to find out what’s going on with the water meters,” said resident Steve Orgain. “All the information I’ve gotten is from Nextdoor.” Many homeowners said they came to the meeting to get some answers from the town and to see if what they read online was true. They also wanted to know why they had received no information on the subject from the town. “I don’t feel like I’ve been made aware of this issue over the past few months,” Orgain explained. “If it weren’t for Nextdoor, I wouldn’t even know about it. I’d have just gotten a bill, and wondered, ‘what the heck?’”
Pick up tips of the trade for money management in this week’s special section. Page 1B
Check Out At Little Library
Photo by Tony Kukulich
A
worker clears a downed tree near the entrance to the Orwood Resort boat launch. The large tree came down last week’s string of storms, which knocked out power to area residents and toppled trees and fences throughout East County.
see Meter page 22A
Officials take next step toward water park by KyleSzymanski Staff Writer
A Great Wolf indoor water park resort is on the edge of arriving in Brentwood, but before the city dives into the plan, local leaders want to make sure it’s a good fit. This week, the council agreed to spend $275,000 to have an outside agency conduct an economic and feasibility analysis to confirm the resort plan is in the city’s best interest, as well as legal fees. The third-party analysis is in part slated to verify Great Wolf’s claims that the resort would be a boon for the city, but an unexpected increase in property tax will pay for the analysis, according to a city staff report. “This is just about us doing
“ This is just about us doing our due diligence to not only see if it’s a good fit for the Great Wolf Resorts, but also for Brentwood.
our due diligence to not only see if it’s a good fit for the Great Wolf Resorts, but also for Brentwood itself,” said Councilmember Karen Rarey. Great Wolf officials have not confirmed if they plan to bring an indoor water park resort to the city, but Bryson Heezen, director of development for Great Wolf Resorts, replied with an emphatic yes this week, when asked by the council if the company was interested in
Brentwood. “When we develop a property in Northern California, it’s probably going to be the only property (we develop in the region),” Heezen said. “We are going to find a community that we can be friends with and partners with and develop the best lodge possible for families.” It’s believed Brentwood is competing with Gilroy, in Santa Clara County, for the Northern California
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Councilmember Karen Rarey
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location. If Brentwood is chosen, the 50-acre, 500- to 800-room resort will likely be located along Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road, right off Highway 4. According to company officials, the establishment would draw more than half a million visits a year, generate 800 permanent jobs and garner $6 million annually for the city in transient occupancy taxes, a small fee given to the city anytime a hotel room is rented. In addition, the*- resort would generate $215,000 a year in property tax and $275,000 in sales tax. “(The report is not conducted by) the city and it’s not Great Wolf looking at all those numbers and see Water Park page 22A
A Little Free Library pops up in Brentwood with books to share, borrow and replace. Page 4A
Heritage Takes Down Liberty
Patriots take a 71–70 victory in front of standing-room-only crowd. Page 15A Calendar.............................23A Classifieds..........................19A Entertainment.................... 9A Food....................................... 8A Milestones.........................11A Pets......................................10A Sports..................................15A
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