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February 8, 2013
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CCC, city ink deal for Main St. parcel The purchase will “severely limit” the city’s budget for future improvements, said City Manager Gary Napper in his staff report, but it allows the city to regain control of one of the last undeveloped parcels in the Town Center. In 2003, CCC bought the smaller .64-acre parcel for $340,000, and renovated the old Pioneer Inn building to house their administrative offices. In 2006, the church bought the adjoining 1.66 acres for $1.4 million and made plans to build a four-building, 42,000 square foot worship center covering the whole 2.3 acres. But, the use was not in compliance with the Town Center
JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER
A win/win for city and church I am very pleased to announce that following months of negotiation, the Clayton City Council has voted unanimously to purchase the 1.66 acre parcel in the Clayton Town Center from the Clayton Community Church for a mutually-acceptable price of $1 million. Escrow will close before March 15. The purchase and sale agreements were signed following the special meeting of the council on Jan. 31 with
See Land Sale page 4
See Mayor, page 8 Tamara Steiner photo
CLAYTON COMMUNITY CHURCH HAS AGREED TO SELL the undeveloped 1.66-acre portion of their downtown property to the city of Clayton for $1 million, abandoning their controversial plans to build a worship center in the city’s commercial center. The church has acquired a non-commercial site on the hill next to Mt. Diablo Elementary School and will build there instead.
Fire station closure is hot topic for residents
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
The city of Clayton and the Clayton Community Church finalized a deal last week that both sides called a win/win. The city will purchase the larger of the
church’s two downtown parcels – 1.66 acres between Main Street and Clayton Road – for $1 million. They also received a first right of refusal to purchase the adjacent smaller parcel where the old Pioneer Inn houses church offices and meeting rooms.
The deal will assure the future commercial development of the Town Center and allow the church to complete the purchase of a 4.5-acre building site on the hill next to Mt. Diablo Elementary School – a site Robinson says is less controversial and better
suited to the needs of the church. The $1 million purchase price and $30,000 in closing costs will come from the city’s Downtown Economic Development Project Account, from interest earnings and from some other project savings.
Clayton’s dancing royalty, husband and wife team two-step into the limelight PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
CCFPD FIRE CHIEF Daryl Louder details the district’s plans for emergency response at the community meeting Jan. 23 DENISEN HARTLOVE Clayton Pioneer
More than 100 local residents crowded into a meeting room at the Clayton Library on Jan. 23 for a heated discussion surrounding the closure of Fire Station 11, the city’s only station, expressing concern on how their families will continue to be protected. County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Daryl Louder, and Pat Frost, the County Director of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) all addressed the issue,
See Station 11, page 6
Between Olympic Bronze Medal-winning hometown heroes Kara Kohler and Kristian Ipsen, and Clayton Valley Charter High School’s outstanding football season, Clayton has enjoyed more than its share of athletic success this year, You can add two more names to the championship list: in January, Clayton residents Craig Johnson and wife Joan Lundahl won second place in the 2013 World Championships of Country Dance, held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Lundahl also won first place in the Advanced/All-Stars Country Two-step Jack & Jill and is currently ranked number one on the Country Two-step Tour. Partners since 2004, the duo has earned a combined total of four World Championship titles and is the 2012 United Country Western Dance Council Worlds Points Champions for Couples Crown.
See Two-step, page 3
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
A JUBILANT MAYOR JULIE PIERCE and CCC Pastor Shawn Robinson sign the sales agreement for the $1 million deal.
Young at heart: Helix wants Concord youth to step up PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
It makes a certain amount of sense that one of the top items on the Bay Area’s oldest mayor’s agenda is to involve more young people in the city of Concord. “I want to acquaint young people with local government,” says Dan Helix, 83. “They learn about the state and federal governments in schools, but so
See Helix page 7
JOAN LUNDAHL AND CRAIG JOHNSON took second place in the world country dance competition in Nashville in January. The Clayton couple have been dance partners since 2004.
Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Community Calendar . . . . .12 Design and Décor . . . . . . . .13 Directory of Advertisers . . . . .5
DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . .9 Fashion Over 50 . . . . . . . . .14 Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Performing Arts . . . . . . . . . .13 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Police Activity Report . . . . .15 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
CONCORD MAYOR DAN HELIX
Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . .9
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190