Community Newsletter (English) - Issue 63 Spring 2024

Vineyard 2.0 is NOW OPEN! Located at 450 N. Livermore Ave., Vineyard provides permanent housing for formerly homeless community members and offers overnight shelter, meals, clothing closet, laundry room, shower services, and more to hundreds of people in need.

In January and February, over 400 people were assisted and over 12,000 meals were produced by Open Heart Kitchen onsite. The work continues thanks to the employees and generous volunteers. Sign up to volunteer at OpenHeartKitchen.org/Volunteer

Pictured: Open Heart Kitchen staff. 4th

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2024 General Municipal Election

Voter Registration

The voter registration deadline is 15 days before the election (October 21).

You may register to vote at the California Secretary of State’s website: SOS.CA.gov/Elections

Voter registration information is also available through the Alameda County Registrar of Voters website: ACVote.org

The City Clerk’s Office provides voter registration forms during regular office hours:

Livermore City Hall

1052 S. Livermore Avenue

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Voting Options

Livermore voters can submit their ballot by mail or in person for the November 5, 2024, General Municipal Election.

• Ballots being returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received by the Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ Office by November 12, 2024. No postage is necessary.

• A 24-hour ballot box is available beginning October 7, 2024, located outside Livermore City Hall at 1052 S. Livermore Ave., and will remain open to accept ballots until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Visit LivermoreCA.gov/Elections for a list of additional drop box locations and Livermore Voting Centers for in-person voting. These lists are also published on Alameda County’s Official Election Website ACVote.org

Information for voters with disabilities is available to voters registered as Vote by Mail voters and accessible through the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM) System. For further information, voters can contact (510) 272-6933 or TTY (510) 208-4967.

Livermore Airport Update

The City of Livermore is working diligently to make unleaded fuel available at Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK). Here are some of the recent efforts:

• A change has been made to the Airport Minimum Standards, which are requirements airport users must abide by, to require the provision of unleaded aviation fuel by commercial aeronautical operators.

• The City has been working closely with fuel provider Five Rivers Aviation and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to bring unleaded aviation fuel to the airport by quickly re-permitting an available fuel tank.

• The City has been in communication with General Aviation Modifications, Inc (GAMI) to become one of the first recipients of its unleaded aviation fuel.

Additionally, the City of Livermore is undertaking a study to identify potential development options and approaches at the Livermore Airport that are responsive to the needs of the Airport and the community. We want to hear from you! Visit LivermoreCA.gov/AirportDevelopment for more information.

Citywide Strategic Plan Update: Celebrating Progress

The 2023-28 Citywide Strategic Plan is a five-year road map guiding the City’s two-year budget and departmental workplans. It reflects goals and objectives of every City department. The Plan was approved in March 2023.

Looking back at the first year, there is a lot to celebrate! With dedication from 490 City employees across nine departments, the City has made significant strides in enhancing the quality of life in Livermore. From boosting community engagement to improving public spaces, the City team has been hard at work. Here’s a snapshot of some of the achievements:

Climate Action Plan 2023 Progress Report

The City of Livermore adopted the 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) on November 28, 2022. The CAP outlines strategies to prepare Livermore for climate change impacts, reduce communitywide greenhouse gas emissions and establish Livermore as a leader in climate action.

The City, with the help of its partners, made significant progress implementing the CAP in 2023. During this first year, the City focused on establishing a Sustainability Program, connecting with the community about climate action, and setting an example in its own operations. The City hired a full-time Sustainability Program Manager, established a community working group, hosted outreach events, and completed a number of projects to install EV charging, expand clean energy, conserve water and open space, and build community resilience.

An overview of the progress made implementing the Climate Action Plan can be viewed in the 2023 Progress Report at LivermoreCA.gov/CAP. A

Civic Center Library’s 20th “Birthday” Celebration

Civic Center Library will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Saturday, June 8, 2024!

Civic Center Library opened to the public in May 2004 and has proudly served the Livermore community for 20 great years. The celebration will include baked treats, performances, lectures, and other festivities. Commemorative keepsakes will be available, while supplies last.

Keep an eye on the Library’s website for the day’s full schedule as the event draws closer.

Summer Reading Program

Livermore Public Library’s annual summer reading program will run from June 1 through August 14, 2024.

Designed for all ages, this year’s theme, “Read, Renew, Repeat”, encourages reading and activities that promote community involvement. In previous years, Livermore collectively read over 6 million minutes – we can’t wait to reach new reading heights this year!

Past Winter or Summer Reading program participants do not need to create new accounts, simply log in to Beanstack and join the challenge on June 1, 2024.

Newcomers can download the Beanstack app or follow the link on the Library’s website to pre-register before the program begins. Paper boards will also be available at all Library locations.

Events are planned at your Library all summer long. Thanks to the Friends of the Livermore Public Library for the level of support they provide for summer programming.

Visit Library.LivermoreCA.gov for more information.

Family-Friendly Fourth of July Celebration

The City of Livermore is introducing a new daytime celebration for the community on the Fourth of July in lieu of a fireworks show.

Over the years in Livermore, the Independence Day celebration has grown significantly into a regional event. What was once intended to be a community celebration has attracted visitors from all over the Bay Area. Last year, the City partnered with the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District to host a fireworks event. Over 60 percent of the over 12,000 people who attended the event were not from Livermore.

Due to the crowd size in 2023, Livermore neighborhoods were greatly impacted with traffic and parking issues. Many streets throughout the City were blocked, making it difficult for emergency response vehicles to move around. Additionally, there was a high level of frustration from those stuck in traffic and those who live in the areas impacted by the crowds.

After a lot of thought and consideration for this year’s event, the City and Livermore Area Recreation and Park District will partner to host a daytime celebration for the Livermore community at the Livermore Municipal Airport on July 4th and more information will be shared soon.

The City’s first and foremost obligation is to ensure the safety of the Livermore community. Thank you for understanding.

Livermore Police Youth Academy

The Livermore Police Department is excited to announce the return of its Youth Academy in July!

Livermore youth ages 13-17 will be given the opportunity to learn about various divisions of the department including Patrol, K9, Detectives, Dispatch, Distracted Driving and more. They will also perform real-life scenarios using our new VirTra training simulator.

The Youth Academy is a great way to build relationships with Livermore Police and introduce youth to law enforcement who may be interested in a future career. The Youth Academy will run from July 8-18, Mon-Thurs from 9 a.m. to noon.

Follow Livermore Police’s social media platforms for more information on how to apply.

Feed Binny the Right Stuff!

Binny the Green Organics Cart has been helping Livermore residents recycle right for years.

Composting with Binny – disposing of food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste in the green cart – is required by law in California and it makes good sense. When food scraps and other organic material are thrown away in landfill, they emit the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

The good news is that the organics cart contents from Livermore residents is made into rich compost, which gets put back in the soil to grow healthy plants and crops. Some of the compost goes right back to Livermore residents during the annual free compost giveaway.

The first step is to make sure you are using the Organics cart properly. Only food scraps (Raw, Cooked and Rotten!), food-soiled paper and yard waste go in your green organics cart.

Here are some tips for feeding Binny just the right stuff:

> Separate your food scraps from packaging; Food scraps go into the organics cart while the packaging usually goes in the garbage.

> No plastics, dirt, rock, or pet waste in the organics cart, please!

> Plastic items marked “compostable” (bags, cutlery, etc.) are not accepted in the organics cart - our facility cannot process them.

LivermoreRecycles.org/Organics