The Press 09.24.2021

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YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS | SERVING EAST COUNTY

Vol. 23, No. 39

September 24, 2021

Dolphin Fire district vote should resolve resource shortage in East County Park faces by Tony Kukulich Correspondent

REGIONAL Despite being on the verge of solving a decades long problem of insufficient resources, the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Board of Directors special meeting struck a somber tone Thursday night, Sept. 16. The board voted unanimously to approve a resolution that will likely lead to the dissolution of the ECCFPD and transfer the responsibility for fire and emergency services to the neighboring Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire). The Con Fire Board of Directors approved a similar resolution two days earlier. The process, referred to as annexation, is part of a plan to double the number of fire stations serving the 249-square mile area within six years. The result:

East Contra Costa Fire Protection District firefighters battle a 30-acre vegetation fire in Oakley in July 2020.

out whole. I don’t think that it’s inappropriate as we’re going through this process, that we’re celebrating on one side but there’s a little bit of grieving on the other. I don’t think there’s anything

“ In making this decision, [the district) reached out to its students, faculty, classified professionals and managers and received overwhelming support to take this action.

Chancellor Bryan Reece “In making this decision, [the district) reached out to its students, faculty, classified professionals and managers and received overwhelming support to take this action,” said Chancellor Bryan Reece. “COVID-19 and its many variants will be with us for a while, so we must take pru-

Calendar............................................10A Classifieds.........................................18A

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dent steps like this one so we can continue providing face-to-face instruction and services for our students, while ensuring we have a safe place to learn and work for our students and staff.” The district is evaluating various technological solutions to track community members’

Cop Logs............................................13A Entertainment...................................8A

see Mandate page 22A

see Park page 22A

see Fire page 22A

Milestones........................................11A Opinion..............................................12A

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vaccination status and test results in a secure system designed to protect members’ privacy in accordance with applicable laws. In addition to the mandate, all visitors, including vendors and subcontractors, are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated and will be required to complete a health assessment prior to visiting a district facility. Employees and students can apply for a vaccination exemption or deferral under the following circumstances: (a) a valid medical deferment from vaccination; b) disability; (c) pregnancy, or (d) objection to vaccination

wrong with that. When you invest this much energy, time and effort, when it comes to an end you celebrate it, but there’s also a sense

College district approves vaccine mandate REGIONAL The Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board has passed a resolution requiring that all employees and students who attend at least one in-person class or visit a district facility or campus be vaccinated against COVID-19. The governing board, which passed the requirement in early September, determined that requiring vaccines for students and employees is necessary to ensure the health and safety of the district community. The vaccine requirement becomes effective on Nov. 1 to provide ample time for those currently unvaccinated to receive the vaccine.

by Jake Menez BRENTWOOD Residents looking to get some fresh air on the weekends will have to contend with reduced hours of operation at one of Brentwood’s parks in response to complaints the city has received regarding municipal code violations. Dolphin Park, located on Attenbury Lane in the Prewett Ranch subdivision, was constructed in October 2016, but the number of complaints has escalated over time, with community meetings on the topic held as early as 2017 in efforts to reduce concerns. The city did not have the number of complaints readily available. “Some of the complaints regarding Dolphin Park included large parties with alcohol, people bringing portable barbecues to the park as well as bounce houses without a permit. All of these items are violations of the parks’ municipal code,” explained Director of Parks and Recreation Bruce Mulder. “Many of these complaints are a result of use on the weekend, mainly Saturdays and concerns seem to escalate into the evenings.” The park was previously open until 7 p.m. seven days a week. In an effort to deter late crowds and the associated code violations, City Manager Tim Ogden said staff had originally looked at reducing weekend

Press file photo

reducing response times. “The future is bright,” said ECCFPD Fire Chief Brian Helmick. “Service levels are going to increase. We’re working to make sure that everyone comes

reduced hours

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