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from the Concord Pioneer
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Todos Santos celebration kicks off holiday season
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From the desk of...
December 15, 2017
MAYOR
Birsan’s journey to the mayor’s gavel
See Mayor, page 7
A wrap up of 2017 headline stories BEV BRITTON Concord Pioneer
EDI BIRSAN
When asked about my path to becoming mayor the night I was sworn in, I had to think that there was no path – there are many paths. Mine started with a background that burned into me a fundamental persistence and focus on goals with the full expectation of challenges: setbacks, rocky times and downright spasms of betrayalinduced depression and clawing back stubbornness. And then came puberty. More recently, I was fortunate to have the flexibility of being my own boss in a small business for the last 34 years. This allowed me the time and sometimes the money to get involved with community efforts. My ever-patient wife always supported my intensity
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Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT AMBER HOM AND HER STAFF PROVIDED HOT COCOA AND WARM SMILES at the Tree Lighting Dec. 2 in Todos Santos Plaza. This was the first year Hom did the cocoa table to raise money for Sweet Beginnings Family Resource Center which helps families keep their children out of the foster care system. Hom was deeply affected by the shooting at Olympic High School last month – one of the bullets came through her office wall. The Traditional Tree Lighting celebration kicked off with Santa’s arrival by fire engine, red lights flashing and sirens blaring. This year, the festivities were dedicated to the memory of Bruce Mertz who passed away in October. Known as Mr. Christmas, Mertz would spend all year designing and updating his do-it-yourself masterpieces in his garage, using everything from old PVC pipes to K-Mart frying pans to create reindeer that pranced, jingle bells that spun and a Santa that waved from the rooftop. Mertz’ family members were on hand to pull the switch to light up the city’s official tree.
Birsan takes the helm, faces challenging year TAMARA STEINER Concord Pioneer
Tamara Steiner/Concord Pioneer
In a good humored exchange, newly elected Edi Birsan presented outgoing mayor Laura Hoffmeister with a pink version of his signature fedora
In a unanimous decision at its regular meeting on Dec. 2, the City Council elected Edi Birsan mayor and Carlyn Obringer vice-mayor. Birsan and Obringer will serve for one year. Earlier this year, the Council voted to change the term from two years to one. As outgoing mayor Laura Hoffmeister passed the gavel to her successor, Birsan presented her with a pink version of his signature fedora which she tipped to Birsan. It was a good-natured ribbing, in contrast to their sometimes contentious exchanges over procedural issues.
“I look forward to working with Edi in the coming year,” Hoffmeister told the Pioneer in an interview. “We all want the same thing for Concord, we just have different ways of getting there.” Birsan hopes his constituents will see him as more accessible in his new role. “I think some people will more readily approach the mayor than they would a council member,” he said. “I hope to reach more people as mayor.” The city will face several complex issues in the coming year, not the least of which is the looming possibility of litigation over minority representation in
Housing issues dominated headlines in 2017, as Concord officials struggled with how to deal with rising rents while also focusing on several developments. Major projects include the complicated reuse project at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, the 375,000 sq. ft. Veranda shopping and entertainment complex at the former Chevron site and several downtown sites. Meanwhile, the Police Department zeroed in on stolen vehicles, burglaries from autos and crime around the downtown BART station. The homeless remained another area of concern, with Chief Guy Swanger saying that they play a large role in entry-level crimes. At the same time, he says the department continues to look for ways to connect the homeless to needed services. Here’s a look at the Pioneer’s top stories for 2017: JANUARY McGallian joins City Council. The City Council began 2017 with a heated debate about how to replace Councilman Tim Grayson, who was elected to the state Assembly. Councilman Edi Birsan’s favored selecting the next top voter getter, which was Harmesh Kumar. “It takes the backroom politics out of the selection and lets the people decide,” he said. However, the council opted to seek applications and then selected city treasurer Tim McGallian. “It’s an honor, but more than anything else it’s a
See Year-end, page 8
See New Mayor, page 3
Veranda opens with high end retail, restaurants and IMAX JOHN T. MILLER Correspondent
Shopping in Concord just went a bit more upscale as The Veranda, the highly anticipated new shopping center on Diamond Blvd., celebrated the grand opening at a ribbon cut-
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ting last week. With fireworks and a VIP reception in the soon-to-be opened IMAX movie theater lobby, the opening represented the city’s drive to become a major shopping destination in the East Bay.Newly minted Concord mayor Edi Birsan was on hand to share in the excitement. He welcomed The Veranda to Concord noting that it “is moving Concord forward with innovative shopping and entertainment experiences.” The event was so significant to the city that Assemblyman Tim Graysonflew into Oakland an hour before the event. “I am excited about more top-notch retail,
dining and entertainment options to enjoy, while building up the local economy and providing more job opportunities” said the former mayor and council member, Eight retail outlets and several service companies, including the much anticipated 365 by Whole Foods Market, AAA, Cost Plus World Market, Lunchbox Wax, Sleep Number, TJ Maxx, Toys ’R Us/Babies ’R Us and Travis Credit Union participated in the grand opening last week. 365 by Whole Foods is the first lower-priced market of the upscale chain to open in the Bay Area. Taking its name
from its house brand, 365 Everyday products, approximately 25 percent of its products will be the lower priced variety. Peet's Coffee and Mod Pizza are now open, with more restaurants and bars set to open in the near future and throughout next year. The 375,000-square-foot center on the former Chevron campus has space for about 50 tenants. According to Veranda General Manager Ashton Simmons, they are in lease negotiations with at least one prospective tenant for every Bernardo Pictures available space. Assemblyman Tim Grayson, former Concord councilman and mayor, addressed an upbeat crowd at the opening of
See Veranda, page 3 Concord’s upscale Veranda Shopping Center.