CITY NEWS
Martinez City News November Elections A General Municipal Election will be held in the City of Martinez on Tuesday, November 3, for the following offices: Councilmember, District 2 - one seat; Councilmember, District 3 - one seat; City Clerk - one seat and City Treasurer - one seat. All offices have four-year terms. The City Clerk position is currently held by Richard G. Hernandez. The City Treasurer is currently held by Carolyn L. Robinson. Vice Mayor Mark Ross, who represents District 2, and Councilmember Noralea Gipner, who represents District 3, have pulled papers for reelection. Councilmember Gipner said, “Throughout my first term on the council, I’ve made it my number one priority to be open, accessible and transparent to the people of Martinez. Now, I hope to earn a second term so that I can continue the work we have begun: addressing homelessness, supporting small businesses and building a stronger, more cohesive Martinez community.” The nomination period for these offices began on July 13, and closes at 5pm on August 7. A nominee must be a registered voter residing within the respective district for councilmember seats or within the city for City Clerk and City Treasurer.
Temporary Dog Park Extended At the July 1 city council meeting, council voted to extend the designation of the Temporary Dog Park for an additional period of up to three years, from July 14, 2020 to July 14, 2023, subject to approval of the State Lands Commission. The Commission also expressed an interest in exploring whether repurposing a portion of Hidden Valley Park as a dog park would be a viable option. In 2017, the City’s Public Works staff transformed a portion of the amphitheater facility to accommodate a temporary dog park. It opened to the public on July 14, 2017, resulting in the three-year period authorized by Council resolution expiring on July 14, 2020. This space near the marina has become a communal spot for dog owners in the area and is enjoyed by many dog-loving enthusiasts. A temporary dog park has proven to be a popular amenity, with documented usage throughout the year, and minimal maintenance expensees and operational oversight.
PRMCC New Appointment and Reappointments On July 1 the city council adopted a resolution approving the following new appointment and reappointments to the Parks, Recreation, Marina, and Cultural Commission (PRMCC) with 4-year terms, effective from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2024. The scheduled departure of Richard Patchin and Adrienne Ursino has left regular vacancies to be filled. The Commission welcomes new appointment Jeff Manley and incumbent reappointments: Chair Dylan Radke, Vice Chair Karen Bell-Patten, Brian Eychner; Satinder Malhi, and Robert Parolek. The PRMCC is made up of 9 members and 1 alternated appointed by the mayor to serve a four-year term that may be renewed.
MEF Goes Virtual Virtual Run is Sunday, September 27 The Martinez Education Foundation Run for Education is planned for September 27. This is the signature fundraiser for MEF and this year the Run will be virtual. Runners and walkers of all ages are welcome to create their own race, set their own pace, and may chose the 5k or 10k option. All the proceeds from entry fees and sponsorships, go to the Martinez Unified School District schools in the form of grants from MEF. Last year’s Run for Education brought in $92,000 for the Martinez Education Foundation while drawing 760 runners and walkers who competed in the 5k or 10k events. This year they are “Running to A Million” with the goal of reaching $1,000,000 raised from the Run since 2003. For more information, visit: www.martinezedfoundation.org/run-for-education/.
Another Cannabis Business With a 4 to 1 vote, the Martinez City Council voted on July 15 to award two conditional certificates to Yerba Buena Logistic Services, LLC to operate a cannabis distribution facility and a non-storefront retail cannabis business at 4808 Sunrise Drive, Suite C. To date, the city council has awarded two conditional certificates for retail cannabis dispensaries. One certificate was granted to Firefly (now known as Velvet), on October 2, 2019. Velvet was the first cannabis dispensary to receive a certificate and is located at the same address in Suite A. The other certificate was awarded to Embarc on January 15, 2020. The proposal team intends to provide 2% of the gross revenue from the distribution use to the City of Martinez on an annual basis. The proposal team intends to provide 4% of the gross revenue from the non-storefront use to the City of Martinez on an annual basis. They also agree to give $25,000 to the City to put towards the purchase of license plate reader equipment.
Rotary Club of Martinez E-Waste Collection and Paper Shredding The Rotary Club of Martinez is sponsoring a paper shredding and E-Waste collection Saturday, September 12, from 9am to noon in the AHS parking lot, adjacent to Alhambra Ave. The cost for shredding is $5.00 per box, no limit. The E-Waste (nothing bigger than a microwave) is a donation depending on the amount. The Rotary Club of Martinez has been serving the community for over 75 years. Events like these help fund the scholarships and charitable organizations such as Meals on Wheels, the Boys and Girls Club, Salvation Army and many more. If you need further information, please contact Barbara Turcios at 925-372-0775 or grannyturcios@hotmail.com.
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Summer Outdoor Dining The City of Martinez’“Outdoor Downtown” Program has added Troy Greek Cuisine to the growing list of downtown restaurants, microbreweries and retail shops with approved city permits for outdoor dining and retail. The full list includes: Bar Cava, Barrelista, Copper Skillet, Del Cielo, Five Suns, Lavender Moon Interiors, Lemongrass Bistro, Mighty Market, Nu Rays, Roxx on Main (with live music), Taco Daddy and Troy Greek Cuisine. Launched on June 12, the City of Martinez Outdoor Downtown program gives merchants the opportunity to provide outdoor dining and shopping experiences for their customers, while facilitating the physical distancing of patrons to comply with the current County Health Order. By allowing businesses to use portions of City sidewalks, streets, and parking lots during specified days and times to spread out their dining and retail services, the Program aims to give a boost to the downtown business owners. Patrons are reminded to follow the State and County regulations for masks and social distancing when engaged in outdoor activities like this Program.
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