Cosumnes Connect Newsletter - December

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

The two successful candidates for the Cosumnes Community Services District Board of Directors in the November election were sworn into office at the board meeting on December 7. Both are newcomers to the District’s Board.

Director Angela Spease will represent the District’s division 5, succeeding Rod Brewer. Brewer was elected to the City of Elk Grove City Council last month.

Director Spease has called Elk Grove her home for more than four decades. In 2005, she and her husband started a cybersecurity business and since then, they have contributed to the local economy through successfully growing their small business. Director Spease engages in many community service organizations and advocates for resources and policies to support underserved individuals and families in Elk Grove.

Director Peter Sakaris will represent the District’s division 2. He is a first generation American born to Greek immigrants and raised in the Sacramento area.

Director Sakaris is a retired Battalion Chief for Emergency Medical Services with the Cosumnes Fire Department where he proudly served for almost 30 years.

He is a Mason and serves the local community through his participation in his neighborhood homeowner’s association.

The two newly elected board members are beginning four-year terms, joining board members Gil Albiani, Jim Luttrell, and Orlando Fuentes, who are midway through their current four-year terms.

At the December 7 meeting, the board elected Albiani as the new Board President and Jim Luttrell as Vice-President, to serve in 2023.

“I look forward to working with Director Spease and Director Sakaris,” said President Gil Albiani, “I believe their individual backgrounds are great additions to our current Board and align with the vision of the District.”

Albiani is currently serving his fifth term on the Board and served as Vice-President in 2022.

Joshua Green, General Manager

HERD ON THE STREET

Cosumnes CSD is proud to be part of Galt's first public art event, Herd on the Street. "Grace," our affectionately named cow made her grand debut in Galt's Lighting of the Night Parade. After the Parade, Grace has since been displayed at Fourth & C Street in Galt for all citizens' viewing pleasure!

Designed by our very own Kelly Croisdale (pictured right) and painted with the help of friends Anna Hooper (pictured left) and Kirsten Potter. The cow features two special concepts highlighting the District's services to the Elk Grove and Galt communities.

The children playing represents how she sees children enjoying the many recreation opportunities at Cosumnes CSD; Kelly taught at Tiny Tot Preschools for over ten years.

The firefighters in action acknowledges Cosumnes Fire's work to serve and protect the communities through prevention, preparedness, and emergency response.

Kelly's art pieces have been all over town, from Sacramento to Elk Grove. Grace, the cow, is her 4th public art project. Great job, and thank you, Kelly and Team.

DOMAIN NAME CHANGE

As of December 1, the District’s domain changed from yourcsd.com to CosumnesCSD.gov. This change is an effort to convey a more cohesive brand identity and promote better recognition among our stakeholders and community. The IT Department updated all District email addresses to the new domain (e.g. FirstLast@CosumnesCSD.gov), however, emails sent to the former domains will continue to be delivered. Instructions are available on the intranet to assist with any questions. If assistance is needed, contact the IT Hotline at 916-405-7199 or submit a ticket at Helpdesk@CosumnesCSD.gov

LEADERSHIP ELK GROVE

Since 2006, the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce has offered its Leadership Elk Grove Program which encourages involvement in the community, develops leadership skills, and explores the local business and economic climate in Elk Grove. The 2022 Leadership Class included six Cosumnes employees: Jeffrey Alvarez, Brita Geiger, Mitzi Kies, Melissa Mutz, Bernadette Ramirez, and Heather Shortino.

This year’s highlights included meetings with City and County elected officials, local non-profit organizations, and Elk Grove business leaders, along with trips to a variety of locations including local high schools, Elk Grove Police Department, Cosumnes Fire HQ, and the State Capitol Building.

Last month, the Class of 2022 celebrated its program graduation, where participants and supervisors were able to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of this year’s class.

The Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce will soon announce the “2023 Leadership Elk Grove Program”. Although the application period has not yet begun, if you are interested in participating you will be required to submit a letter no longer than one page explaining why you are interested in this program and how it could enhance your professional growth. Now is the time to begin thinking about what you will include in your letter and be on the lookout for the announcement.

NAMING NOMINATIONS

Call for Naming Nominations for two future parks! The name could celebrate the natural environment, call attention to points of pride in the community, or to people, events and geography that have shaped Elk Grove. What do you think it should be? Submit your nomination: https://bit.ly/3OOEkFi

Leadership EG Class of 2022 Graduation

ARNOLD ADREANI PARK

Construction is progressing along on one of our newest parks. Park construction started in May of 2022. This 2.5 acre park has been named “Arnold Adreani Park” and approved by the Board on November 3, 2022. Dr. Arnold Adreani spent three decades as a principal in the Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD). Joseph Kerr Middle School was his home for 26 years until his retirement in 2000. In honor of his service to the EGUSD, Arnold Adreani Elementary School was named after him in 2005.

When complete, the park will provide a great option to the growing community of the Sheldon Farms housing development. Sheldon Farms North lies southeast at the intersection of Bruceville and Sheldon Roads. Keep an eye out for the grand opening in mid-2023!

EG LIONS CLUB BREAKFAST

The Elk Grove Lions Club host a pancake breakfast with sausage, eggs, fruit, orange juice, and coffee for only $8 on the second Saturday of every month from 8am to 10am.

The breakfast is located at the Albiani Recreation Center and benefits the Cosumnes Recreation Opportunity Fund as well as the Lions Club respectively. We hope to see you at the next breakfast on January 14.

STAFF GOLF TOURNAMENT

On Thursday, November 17 the Cosumnes CSD Thanksgiving Potluck was held at the Wackford Valley Oak Ballroom. Over 120 personnel participated in the event and had the great opportunity to spend quality time together, enjoy a warm meal, play some fun games, and participate in a raffle. The potluck also served as an opportunity to gather canned food items to support the Elk Grove Food Bank. The longstanding tradition of this event is cherished by all and

Emerald Lakes hosted the first Annual 9 Hole Staff Golf Tournament on Friday, November 4. There were 61 participants who made up 14 teams to compete. After an afternoon of friendly competition, participants enjoyed a meal together and some walked away with golf related raffle prizes. Since the tournament, many staff have picked up the game of golf and are preparing for next year!

MEASURE E FINAL RESULTS

The final results from the Sacramento County Elections Office show that Measure E passed with 30,434 (54.3%) yes votes and 25,611 (45.7%) no votes. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this important project. Measure E is an investment in the safety and quality of life in our City. The initial funding expenditure plan will be developed to ensure funds are spent on the community priorities that were identified throughout this year as noted in the table below. To offer opportunities for community input on the development of the expenditure plan that will align with these priorities, the City and Cosumnes CSD will be holding a series of workshops in January and February. We will also be soliciting a list of projects from City and Cosumnes CSD Staff.

COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND PRIORITIES

PUBLIC SAFETY

Reducing Crime

Provide additional public safety resources to keep our neighborhoods safe and reduce crime. Increase neighborhood police patrols, ensure the Police Department is attracting, retaining, and adequately equipping public safety professionals and pursue new, innovative approaches to reducing crime.

Addressing homelessness

Provide resources to address mental health, substance abuse, and job training needs while ensuring our local businesses, residential neighborhoods, and public areas are safe and secure for everyone.

Improve 911, police, fire, and emergency medical response

Improve 911 emergency response times, at both the Police and Fire Departments, to ensure that calls for service meet national response time standards.

Enhancing programs to combat youth crime and gang prevention Fund property and violent crime investigation and prevention, and address crimes related to youth and gangs including supporting after school recreational and enrichment programs to keep youth actively engaged and supported for a bright future.

ROADS AND PARK SAFETY

Maintaining Streets

Maintain pothole repair and enhance major roads to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion for the safety of all drivers, bikers, and pedestrians, including safe routes for school kids walking or biking.

Maintaining Parks

Maintain and repair public bathrooms, landscaping, sports fields, deteriorating playgrounds and equipment, including security lighting to keep play spaces clean and safe for children and families.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Clean and Safe Public Areas

Stay tuned on upcoming programs and events hosted by Parks and Recreation!

Keep public areas safe and clean for community members as well as visitors. Implement programs that directly impact visual blight as well as ensuring a safe community for all.

Programs & Events

Economic Development

Attract and retain local businesses and jobs to ensure a robust local economy.

After a national recruitment, Cosumnes CSD recently selected Sheena Newman as its new Human Resources Director. Sheena has been part of the HR team at the District since 2005 and has played a key role in improving numerous policies and procedures for the special district’s hiring practices. Bringing over 20 years’ experience to this elevated role, Sheena will continue her work to support over 850 employees by providing a unique and rewarding experience unlike any other government agency in the region.

Congratulations, Sheena!

SPECIAL DISTRICT MANAGER DESIGNATION

General Manager, Joshua Green recently received the Certified Special District Manager designation from the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF), becoming one of five individuals in Sacramento County to hold the title. The program promotes good governance and best practices among California’s Special Districts. According to SDLF, this designation demonstrates a commitment to the profession and makes one stand out as the “best in the field”.

“Like many special districts, Cosumnes CSD desires to go above and beyond while delivering essential quality-of-life services to our community,” said Board

Gil Albiani. “We are fortunate to have a general manager and staff of the highest caliber, who consistently look to be innovative, intentional, and inclusive.”

To receive this designation, Joshua fulfilled numerous prerequisites, including work experience, higher education background, continuing education courses and community service, before passing a comprehensive exam which covered key aspects of special district management like policy development, ethics in public service, strategic planning, budget, and more.

Joshua is qualified by more than 20 years of professional local government experience. He joined the District in 2017 as the Parks and Recreation Administrator and was promoted to General Manager in 2019. As General Manager, Joshua oversees and has overall responsibility for the District’s services, including fire protection and emergency medical response, and parks and recreation. Joshua makes several contributions to other local organizations, including the Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento County Children’s Coalition, Laguna Sunrise Rotary, and Cosumnes Oaks Women’s Basketball.

Congratulations, Joshua!

President

TOP 5 CAUSES OF FIRE

Preventing electrical fires is one of our country's most successful safety initiatives. In 1980 the United States had a population of 226 million people and experienced nearly 75,000 electrical fires. Today, with a population of 332 million, the number is down to approximately 40,000 electrical fires per year.

Put another way, our population increased by 33%, our electricity consumption increased by 57%, and our electrical fires decreased by 47%.

Even with this success, electrical fires continue to be a significant threat and one of the top 5 causes of fires. In the last six years, we have recorded a fivefold increase in lithium battery fires, many of which are related to charging. While these fires remain statistically insignificant, the increased use of battery-powered devices will challenge the fire service for decades.

Below are a few tips to help you avoid a significant electrical fire.

 Plug large appliances and any device that produces heat (coffee maker, space heater, toaster) directly into an outlet. Extension cords and plug strips should not be used.

 Check electrical cords to make sure they are not damaged. Cracked or loose cords should be discarded.

 Whenever possible, battery-charged devices should be plugged directly into an outlet.

 If you must use a plug strip, make sure it has a built-in circuit breaker.



Be sure that bulbs in your lights match the wattage it is designed for. Typically, the light will have a sticker indicating the maximum wattage for the bulb.

 Always use the original charger.

 Make sure cords are not running under carpets or through doorways.



Do not continually reset breakers that trip; if a breaker continues to trip, there is an issue on that circuit. Ignoring the problem can cause the breaker to fail and, ultimately, a fire.



Add a heat detector to your garage if you have electric vehicles (cars, bikes, scooters) or rechargeable power tools.

 Make sure your smoke detectors are working.

We hope you find these tips helpful.