Happy Thanksgiving
FROM YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 16, No. 47
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School board slashes budget
A Passion For Princesses
Lending a hand
Liberty grad combines her love of Disney and teaching with a new princess venture. Page 11
by Aly Brown Staff Writer
With the threat of state receivership looming, the Byron Union School District (BUSD) has identified the budget cuts necessary in the first steps toward making the district whole. As outlined in a Nov. 15 Board of Directors meeting, the district will reduce or eliminate the following positions no later than the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year: assistant superintendent/director of student services (one position), intervention teacher (two positions) and counselor (one position). In addition to reduced or eliminated positions, the budget advisory committee recommendations
Team Riding To The Rescue Photo by Tony Kukulich
C
apt. Jeremy Copple, firefighters Tom Lococo and Arnulfo Vasquez and engineer Mark Rezac paused for a moment before the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District crew deployed to Ventura County from Oakley last week. The crew was part of a strike team that included units from ConFire and Sonoma County. They returned this week in time for Thanksgiving. To view more photos of the event, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia/slideshows
see Budget page 26
District asks for input on strategic plan by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
A small group of East County residents urged fire district officials to focus on beefing up the force, even if it means they’ll have to open their wallets, during a town hall meeting last week to discuss the agency’s future priorities. “Of course, we all want to reduce response times, because that is that much sooner that people will get the help they need,” said one resident, who identified himself only as Steve. The input of the 20 or so residents, city and county leaders and district personnel may
“ This is the very first step in determining
what our priorities will be, how we will invest our time.
”
Fire Chief Brian Helmick be incorporated into the organization’s evolving strategic plan that indicates the agency’s hopes to reduce response times, ensure financial stability and sustainability, maintain a highperforming workforce, modernize stations, apparatus and equipment, and develop a community risk-reduction program over the next five years. It’s expected that the docu-
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ment, slated for adoption in December, will include those goals and baseline strategies to achieve each one. In March 2019, an action plan will also be adopted to identify precise steps toward each goal’s implementation, along with associated costs and a time line. Crafting of the proposed five-year outline, to be updated
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every three years, began in April last year and derives from stakeholder interviews, surveys and workshops, fire board retreats and the guidance of a hired consultant. “This is the very first step in determining what our priorities will be, how we will invest our time,” said Fire Chief Brian Helmick. Aside from homing in on the need for additional resources and an associated tax measure, residents appeared to favor possible plans to double up station crews, to cut down on brick-andmortar costs; require new development, to contribute increased see District page 26
Tunnels Update
Local group, Hold Your Horses, joins the fight to save livestock trapped in Camp fire. Page 4
Heritage Takes Title
Heritage girls’ water polo team defeats College Park to win firstever section title. Page 18 Calendar................................27 Classifieds.............................22 Cop Logs................................25 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Milestones............................12 Pets.........................................13 Sports.....................................18
Fire Grant
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Assemblyman Jim Frazier calls for rejection of DWR’s twin tunnels plan.
Local fire districts receive state grant for vehicle extrication equipment.