DAY
Monday, February 19th
Vol. 26, No. 7
YOUR HOMETOWN NEWS SOURCE | WWW.THEPRESS.NET
February 16, 2024
Brentwood plans Juneteenth celebration “ This is important – this
City pledges $30,000 for event on June 19
is why I ran.
”
Councilmember Pa’tanisha Pierson
By Jake Menez Staff Writer
Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people, may still be four months away, but the Brentwood City Council has begun planning for it following their Feb. 13 meeting. The council voted 5-0 to approve the motion from Councilmember Pa’tanisha Pierson that would establish the holiday as an annual event to be held by the city. Pierson will serve as a liaison for the 2024 event, working with Parks and Recreation staff to organize it without further
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The Brentwood City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to allocate $30,000 for a Juneteenth celebration to be held by the city on June 19. need to report back to the full council, according to the motion. The council agreed to spend $30,000 on the event for this year and plan a budget at a later date for the event to be held next year.
“My goal is to have this become an annual event,” Pierson said. “This is important – this is why I ran.” Pierson described the importance of Juneteenth, saying that, historically, it
held more significance for Black Americans than July 4, 1776 due to the fact that Independence Day was not a day of freedom for those who were still enslaved. Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021 and it is observed on June 19. “How can we have everybody collectively sit at the table? In our efforts as a city, put the same freaking effort that I see on the Fourth of July,” she continued. “Juneteenth is my Fourth of July. That’s my barbecue day. That’s my day to celebrate see Juneteenth page 22
Oakley city revenue Long-delayed Brentwood foot bridge nears completion expected to be
higher than forecast
Ribbon cutting scheduled for mid-March
By Hemananthani Sivanandam Correspondent
By Sean Tongson Correspondent
Photo courtesy of Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
Construction on the Mokelumne Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge is expected to be completed this month. issue with the ramps on the east end of the project,” said Kersevan. “They did not meet ADA
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The new Mokelumne Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge pedestrian and bicycle bridge that crosses over Highway 4 south of its interchange with Lone Tree Way is now scheduled to be complete by the end of this month, according to City of Brentwood Engineering Manager Steve Kersevan. It was originally scheduled to open last fall. “The delay was due to an
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Oakley is expected to receive a slightly more revenue than its original projection from property tax, but there are some challenges in other sectors. A mid-year budget review report, covering from July 1, 2023, through the end of December, 2023 showed that property tax revenue is projected to increase by 8.49% in the current year, higher than the expected 6% in the 2023/2024 budget. This will add about $134,000 in revenue to the city, officials said.
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In the mid-year review report presented to the City Council on Tuesday night, Feb. 13, Jeri Tejeda, Oakley’s Administrative Services Director, said the city anticipates the General Fund to be right on track despite less revenue from other sectors. Tejeda said while property tax, property tax in-lieu, police services, and interest income are anticipated to come in higher than original projections; sales tax, inter-fund charges, and building fees are expected to show lower revenues than expected. “We have some funds that see Revenue page 22
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