PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
Huge task for Blue Ribbon Committee
GREGG MANNING Clayton’s Vice Mayor
In 1997, Clayton voters passed Measure E, which established and funded the Landscape Maintenance District. This district will expire in 2007 unless voters renew it. A number of people have questioned what the district is funding and whether additional work can be placed under its stewardship. There have been those who believe the District is doing too much. Because of these questions and a need to assure itself that the District funds are being spent it the best manner, the Clayton City Council established the Blue Ribbon Landscape Maintenance Committee. The council recruited a dozen residents representing almost every area of Clayton as well as one representative from the City Council, Planning Commission and the Community Services Commission. The committee was charged to "Examine the operations and funding of the Landscape Maintenance District and to provide recommendations to the City Council regarding a strategic plan for long-term care of the District's landscaping and financial condition." The District currently has a budget of $575,000. With this the District maintains: z z z z z z
IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
July 2, 2004
A blue star hangs in each window JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
They will make their debut in this year's July 4th parade in downtown Clayton. They'll be riding in a Bronco holding a banner that highlights the more than 30 military men and women from the area who are serving our country. The Bronco will be decorated with American flags, red, white and blue stickers and of course, yellow ribbons. Clayton residents Kathy Rogelstad and Casey Lenzi will be wearing their Blue Star Mom tee shirts and waving to the crowd. "I want our community to know who is serving our country. I want people to be proud of what they see," says Rogelstad. "I don't want the attention to be on me," she adds. But in some ways, it is about the Blue Star Moms who band together in support of their sons and daughters in the military.
Lenzi has a son, Jared, serving a second term in Iraq. Rogelstad has a son, Mark, who is a Military Training Calvary Scout stationed at Fort Knox in Kentucky. "He was always interested in the military and then one day last year he came home to say he joined the Army. I was proud and honored," says Rogelstad. Jared joined in 2001 and is currently with the First Armored Division. Jared and Mark grew up together and their mothers have been friends since the boys played Peanut League baseball. Rogelstad has been a Blue Star Mom for a year, while Lenzi just joined the advocacy group. "I'm the baby mom," she says. The women joined the group for different reasons. Rogelstad heard about the group from a friend and went on the internet to learn more. "I saw everything they were doing and I thought, 'my son chose to do his part. I felt I should do my
As noted above, the 2004-2005 budget for the District is $575,000. This is funded through an assessment that appears on each parcel's county property tax bill. The amount of the funding is about $10 per month. This monthly amount
See Task, page 7
part,'" she says. Rogelstad got Lenzi interested. "I literally had to drag her to the first meeting." Lenzi is happy she joined and likes the support. "The moms (in the group) really take you under their wing," says Lenzi. She's already befriended another mom whose son is also stationed in Germany and serving in Iraq with Jared. "It's good to know that your feelings and fears are not unique," says Lenzi. She admits that being a member of the Blue Star Moms is making the emotional trauma of Jared's deployment to Iraq a little easier. She kept busy during his first deployment by making a scrapbook and spending a lot of time on the Internet tracking her son's combat mission. The monthly meetings and the group's projects are another outlet. "I'm helping him (Jared) and others as well," Lenzi said. The Blue Star
BLUE STAR MOMS Casey Lenzi, left and Kathy Rogelstad have sons in the military and plan to carry a banner in the July 4th parade with names of more than 30 military men and women from the area who are in the armed forces. Moms Bay Area chapter was formed shortly after 9/11 by three Army moms. The original Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. was established in 1942
History marches on in 31st Independence Day celebration TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
In 1973, while poking around in a neighbor's barn, Lydia Lane resident, Bob Roberts, found a beautifully preserved red, white and blue banner announcing "A Grand Celebration" set for July 4, 1896
on Main Street in Clayton. Roberts gave the banner to his friend, and city council member, Al Liming, and that was the inspiration for the first 20th Century Clayton 4th of July celebration in 1973. That first celebration was held in the old eucalyptus grove (where the Village Market and
future park site are now). The Boy Scouts cleared the area of bushes and weeds and locals set up booths for crafts and food booths and organized the "greased pole" games. "This was a great time as far as Clayton was concerned," says local historian Elaine Evans. "We were just beginning to get our own organizations. The historical society started, A A U W started--it was just a time when everyone was really feeling an identity, and we wanted YOUNG PATRIOTS prepare to do this as to march in second annual much like Clayton parade in 1974. the 1896 (Photo courtesy of Eldora Hoyer) celebration
1,034,053 square feet of landscaped areas 40,734 square feet of lawns and flowers 2,871 trees 515.5 acres of open space 20 miles of open space trails 7 miles of creekside trails
The Public Works Department's permanent staff of five employees maintains all of this. The Department has been held at five people since 1999. In the spring and summer this staff is augmented with temp workers as needed within the limited budget. The staff spends 60 percent of its time on the work of the Landscape Maintenance District.
925.672.0500
as possible." This weekend, Clayton will celebrate Independence Day with a parade down Main Street for the 31st time. Although a serious shortage of volunteers for this year's event has required a considerable scaling back of festivities, reports Laura Hoffmeister, Assistant to the City Manager, the parade and Kiddie Land are still a "go," and the Rotary Club will still cook their pancake breakfast starting at 7 a.m. at Endeavor Hall. Sadly, because of the shortage of volunteer help, there was no one to coordinate participating vendors, so this year Clayton will celebrate without food booths, arts and crafts and games. Since there is no registration required for the Kiddie Parade, "there will always be room for that child who, at the last minute, wants to don a costume and march down Main Street." (taken from the 1999 4th of July Celebration brochure)
and chartered by Congress as a Veterans Service Organization. Membership in the local Blue
See Blue Star, page 7 Independence Day Events 7/2, 7/3, 7/4 7:30 p.m. Singing Flag, Concord Neighborhood Park, Concord Blvd. 7/3 7 p.m. Free Concert, Diamond Terrace, One-man band Ed Davin 7/4 7 - 10 a.m. Rotary Pancake Breakfast, Endeavor Hall 7/4 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Patriotic gathering and church service for Clayton Community Church 7/4 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Kiddie Land near Children's World on Main Street 7/4 10 a.m. 4th of July Parade 7/4 11a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Kiddie Land near Children's World on Main Street
Pioneer’s 2nd annual July 4th photo contest
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
THIS 1896 BANNER WAS the inspiration for the present day 4th of July Celebration. The banner was found in a barn in 1973
Amateur photographers! The Pioneer is having its second annual JULY 4TH CELEBRATION PHOTO CONTEST. Each individual may submit up to three photos but only one of those photos will be eligible for a prize. Photos need to be snapshot size (3" x 5" or 4" x 6") and taken during the 4th of July Celebration in downtown Clayton On the back of each photo print your name, address, phone number and whether you are entering the adult category or the 12 and under category. Drop your prints off at the Clayton Pioneer
office before 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 7. Please, do not email photos.Winning photos will appear in the July 16 issue of the Clayton Pioneer. Prizes (all gift certificates): ADULTS (over 12): First $75 for the La Veranda Cafe, Second-$50 for Zandonella’s Restaurant, Third-$25 for Linguini’s Restaurant. CHILDREN (12 and under): First-$50 for Toys, Games and More, Second-$25 for Rocco’s Pizza, Third-$15 for The Dog Sausages and Smoothies (opening 7/24). Good Luck!
Car burglaries climbing at an alarming rate June has been a busy month for car burglars - 12 in the first three weeks of the month nine on one Saturday night, alone. All incidents follow a similar pattern. The burglar breaks the glass, or simply opens the
unlocked door, and takes the laptop, digital camera, purse, cell phone, briefcase, coat or other items of value sitting in plain sight on the car seat. "It's a crime of opportunity," said Clayton Police Sgt. Richard Enea. "It only takes a
second, and even though Clayton is a pretty safe place, we shouldn't give people the opportunity to this." Enea cautions drivers to put valuables in the trunk or take them out of the car. Don't leave anything of value where it can
be seen from outside the car. And, lock your car. At present, there are no suspects in any of last month's burglaries. According to Enea, the Clayton police are stopping cars coming into Clayton that
have apparent violations speeding, expired tags, etc. - in their efforts to track down who's responsible. Clayton police are working with Concord police in the investigation, Enea said.