July 2013 Oak Leaf

The Oak Leaf Volume

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July

2013

Pagina 10 y 11 en Español The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

Join Us In Celebrating An Improved Downtown Oakley

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n anticipation of the completion of construction, which overhauled and renovated a key segment of Oakley’s downtown, Oakley will be celebrating the community milestone by hosting an inaugural community festival that will include a grand opening celebration of the new Downtown improvements.

Improvements include the new, larger La Costa restaurant building, the two-story Carpacccio Italian restaurant, new and expanded parking lots for the new restaurants and the existing Oakley Plaza strip mall customers, a Downtown plaza and large fountain, as well as a pedestrian-friendly and attractively–landscaped Main Street. Next to Carpaccio is a smaller retail space that is slated to become a bakery serving cupcakes and other yummy desserts. The former

CentroMart building will have a major facelift and be expanded to become a DG Market grocery store. The back strip mall has been purchased by Oakley ACE Hardware who will relocate and add over 20,000 sq. ft of new building to the rear, before occupying the center portion of the strip mall. The strip mall will retain its existing tenants and also receive major façade improvements.

On Saturday, September 14th the City of Oakley, in collaboration with the Oakley Chamber of Commerce and You, Me, We Oakley! will be presenting “the Heart of Oakley” festival. The new, one-day festival will begin at 11:00 a.m. and wrap up at 4:00 p.m. Admission will be free.

The celebration promises fun, food and entertainment.

The event will include craft and food vendors, music and

children’s activities. In order to showcase the various cultures that exist in Oakley and to offer attendees the opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for our shared identity, You, Me, We= Oakley! will have multiple booths representative of various cultures, that attendees can travel to and experience. Be sure to pick up your passport to get stamped at the different cultural booths. The Oakley Chamber of Commerce is partnering to sponsor the Beer and Wine Tent showcasing wines made from local grapes.

Those interested in participating as a vendor or volunteering at the event may contact the Recreation Division at: 925-625-7041 or bruno@ci.oakley.ca.us

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

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The Oak Leaf

Oakley’s City Budget Update

n June 25, 2013, the City Council adopted the fiscal year 2013-14 Budget totaling approximately $34.8 million.

The General Fund budget, where general-purpose taxes and fee for service activities are budgeted, totals approximately $13.4 million. The remaining $21.6 million are budgets of other funds used to account for special purpose revenues and fund balances, restricted primarily for police services, landscape and roadway maintenance, and capital improvement projects.

The City Council has and continues to direct that police services, roadway and park maintenance, and economic development remain the City’s highest priorities. The recession

lasted longer and had greater impacts than anticipated, and we believe that although a recovery has begun, it remains prudent to exercise budgetary restraint.

With re-occurring revenues like property taxes, sales taxes and franchise fees, expected to be higher in the coming year, the City Council did approve the restoration of full service hours at City Hall, suspending the furlough that had been in place for the past four years; they also approved an alternate work

The prudence requires the City be careful and not undertake substantial additional costs.

schedule that would allow City Hall to be open until 6:00 pm most nights. However, prudence requires the City be careful and not undertake substantial additional ongoing costs. So, the General Fund budget includes no plans to increase staffing from current levels.

The chart below shows the budgets for the General Fund Departments for Fiscal Year 2013-2014. The full Budget document and the Capital Improvement Plan are both posted on the City’s website at www.oakleyinfo.com.

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

Taking a Look Back...

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akley was born as a railroad stop and agricultural delta town in 1897. Having remaind a part of unicorporated Contra Costa until July of 1999, today it is the youngest of Contra Costa cities.

Dissatisfied by having County Supervisors make decisions about Oakley’s future from 30 miles away in Martinez, a group of citizens committed to freeing Oakley from the inattention, unchecked development and overall decline, drove Oakley’s incorporation. The group proved successful in

earning local control of the community’s own destiny when local voters approved Oakley’s incorporation.

The first goals of the City Council were to improve development standards, build more parks, increase police protection, improve recreation, and turn the downtown into a thriving center.

Thirteen years later, in addition to having built Oakley’s first City Hall and Civic Center Park, the City now has higher quality residential development,

a community of 33 parks, and our own Police Department, staffed by Sheriff deputies. Our Recreation Division offers a variety of opportunities to chose from offering over 60 programs year round and we are weeks away from the completion of a substantial revitalization of the Downtown. Infrastructure improvements including new street lights, new roads, sidewalks and the repair of older roads further display our progress and commitment to our residents.

Oakley Trivia

How Oakley Got its Name

In 1928 a levee break flooded town. Any guess what area was impacted?

Oakley was named for trees that occupied a large portion of the areas natural landscape.

However, the story goes that J.T. Whitman and Randolph Marsh played a game of cribbage to determine who would get to name the town.

Mr. Whitman wanted to call the town Oakley, while Marsh preferred Dewey. Needless to say, Marsh lost that game.

Big Break is correct! The rich soils and proximity to the fresh water, led early settlers to pump dry 550,000 acres of marshland to be used as farmland.They built a network of levees against the waters of the River and Dutch Slough.

However, in 1928 following heavy rains a BIG levee BREAK let the San Joaquin River flood 2.5 miles of town that was never reclaimed. Now water and marsh, the land was formerly an asparagus farm.

The state then annexed the land as part of its waterway systems before the farmer could save enough money to repair the levee.

Randolh Marsh

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

What is the Talk About a Power Plant??

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ore than likely you have heard that a 586-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant has been proposed to be built in Oakley on a 22-acre site on the Dupont property at Bridgehead Road. However, after years of approvals, rejections, and appeals there must be some question regarding its status.

PG&E submitted applications to the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission (CPUC) in 2009. In December of 2010 the Public Utilities Commission gave the project a green light, with the Energy Commission following suit in May of 2011. However, in March 2012, the appellate court annulled the CPUC’s approval, citing it a “hasty approval.” PG&E then revised their application and resubmitted it which resulted in the most recent 2012 December approval.

In December, the California Public Utilities Commission granted the application and approved the purchase and sale agreement, and cost recovery ratemaking mechanism, making the construction and operation of the Oakley power plant one step closer to fruition.

As expected, this past May opponents to the project filed a petition with the State Appeals Court asking for a reversal of

periods of low renewable energy generation, the natural gas turbines start up rapidly, reaching 75% or more of peak output within ten minutes of being switched on, and provide the power needed when renewables fall short.

The construction of the station is projected to create 700 union jobs during construction and an estimated $3 million in one time sales tax revenues.

Upon completion the facility will employ approximately 20 people.

When the project receives its financing, the Community Benefits Agreement with the City will result in an initial payment to to PG&E, who would own the City of about $3 million. and operate it. The project Additionally, we expect an would be a 586 megawatt estimated $500,000 in onenatural gas-fired, combinedtime sales tax revenues and cycle electrical generating facility. The plant will serve the an estimated $2.5 million (depending on assessed equivalent of approximately valuation of the plant) of annual 600,000 households and tax revenues, which will come 40% more fuel efficient than to the City when the plant is comparable older power completed and operational. plants in operation today. The state of the art plant would utilize the latest technology in gas turbines known for an improved efficiency and higher output, resulting in less fuel consumption and lower emissions on MW-hr basis.

Additionally, the turbine is also expected to work well with wind and solar energy. During the CPUC’s decision. The Utility Reform Network, urging the reversal, argued that there is no need for new generation and that the PG&E customers will bare the costs of building the billion dollar project.

The project, facing its last legal challenge, is being developed

by Contra Costa Generating Station, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Radback Energy, Inc. Upon its completion the plant will then be sold

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

Consider These Steps to Start a Small Business When considering opening your own business, there are a few key steps to follow to help you get started: 1. Research and Plan Your Business

A business plan is essential to the success of your business and outlines the route a company intends to take to grow revenues.

2. Get Business Assistance and Training The Small Business Development Center (http://contracostasbdc.org) is a great resource for small business assistance. They assist small business owners with Operations/Financial Management, Business Loans, Government Contracting/Procurement, Exporting Assistance and much more.

3. Choose a Business Location Check the City’s website for available properties and zoning ordinances. The Planning Division is able to verify the zoning ordinance as it applies to your business. Also, be sure ask if your business complies with the Municipal Code.

4. Finance Your Business There are many sources of funding such as financial institutions, venture capital, government sources, and microloans. Non-traditional funding can include crowdfunding, which is the term that describes the process where people network and pool their money and other resources together to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. A few resources to check out are the Small Business Administration (http://www.sba.gov) and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (http://business.ca.gov) 5. Determine the Legal Structure and Register Your Business Name As a business owner, you will need to determine the legal structure of your business, such as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), a Corporation, or a NonProfit. A business that plans to use a name other than its legal or corporate name is required to file a fictitious name certificate. Contact the Contra Costa County Clerks Office at www.co.contracosta.ca.us for available names.

6. Obtain Business Licenses and Permits When you are ready to open your business, remember to obtain the necessary business license and permits. The City of Oakley’s annual business license fee is $100 plus $10 per full time equivalent employee.

Are You in the Know?

Do you have email? Did you know that the “ Oakley Outreach” is a weekly e-newsletter that keeps subscribed residents informed regarding the latest news, upcoming events, employment opportunities & more? Not signed up?

Sign up on our website’s home page or email marquez@ci.oakley.ca.us to be put on our email list.

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

Emergency Operations Center Established As a combined effort, the Oakley Police Department and East Contra Costa Fire Protection District partnered in the development of Oakley’s first Official Emergency Operations Center (EOC). In the case of an emergency or disaster, the City’s initial response activities are primarily performed in the field; however, extended response activities would be conducted both in the field and in the City’s Emergency Operations Center. EOC activities include the coordination and management of personnel and resources to mitigate an emergency and facilitate recovery operations.

During the planning and construction of the new Fire Station on O’Hara Avenue in Oakley, a wing was dedicated as the Oakley EOC. In August of 2011, the Oakley Police Department and the East County Fire Protection District made a presentation and secured nearly $55,000 in grant funding from the State Homeland Security Grant Program to outfit the empty wing dedicated as Oakley’s EOC. Recently, the EOC outfitting was completed including several Internet Capable wall-mounted TV monitors, VOIP phones, wireless access network, a ceiling mounted projector and screen, emergency specific white boards, interoperable communications and the infrastructure to support the associated and future technology necessary to mitigate a disaster emergency in Oakley.

Recognizing that training and preparation is our best defense in case of an emergency, this past May we held our first training at the EOC. The training was facilitated by the Emergency Services Division of the Office of the Sheriff EOC and organized staff based on the Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS).

In addition to city staff participation, we trained with personnel from the County Administrator’s Office, the County Health Department, Diablo Water District, Ironhouse Sanitary District, Tri Delta Transit and both local school districts. The training was a great first step in the continued efforts to collaborate and train with those partners in the community that are so necessary during times of disaster.

Our next training is planned for August. Additionally, Staff will participate in a statewide exercise in November. Watch for updates in the future.

Now the question remains, is your family prepared for the “Big One”?

The Oak Leaf

Are You And Your Family Prepared???

What would you do if a major fire, flood, earthquake, or toxic spill occurred? How would you protect yourself and your family until emergency workers arrived? Could you survive at least three days without heat, power, running water, or telephone services and with only the supplies you have on hand? What if a disaster struck while you were at work and separated from an elderly or child family member who is alone at home?

Everyone needs to think about these things before a disaster occurs. The truth is, disasters can happen any time or anywhere and coping with a disaster is much more difficult and dangerous if you’re not prepared.

To help you do your best when it matters most please consider taking the following ten simple steps to help protect yourself, your family and property in case of a disaster.

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Keep Emergency Supplies on Hand Ideally, you should have enough supplies to last from three days to two weeks. You may not be able to get to stores and supplies may be extremely limited, as suppliers may be unable to deliver goods.

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Learn First Aid First aid can save lives and reduce suffering in medical emergencies. You may not be able to rely on the telephone to summon medical help.

Damaged roadways may prevent help from reaching you.

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Learn How to Turn Off Your Utilities In the case of a broken gas line, water line, or serious electrical problem, knowing how to turn off utilities may help prevent injuries and property damage.

Find your main electrical fuse box or circuit breaker and water service main. Do not shut your utilities off unless you smell gas or unless you are told to do so by officials.

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Make Sure Your Home is Safe Conduct a top to bottom inspection of your home and correct anything that could potentially hurt you.

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Plan Ahead Have a family evacuation plan and practice it. Develop a family reunion plan. Get your family together and agree on a meeting place outside your home in case of a fire. Agree on a family member outside the area that everyone will call if separated during a disaster.

Consider making a list of valuable items to take if you need to evacuate quickly.

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Be Alert to What’s Going on Around You Be aware of sirens or dangerous situations.

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Listen to News & Weather Reports Follow news, weather, and traffic reports as cities and counties will work with radio and television stations and newspapers to inform the public of warnings, as well as provide instructions.

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Learn Disaster Survival Skills Take some time to learn basic survival skills that will help you prepare for a disaster and its aftermath.

Check Your Insurance Find out what your insurance For more information visit does and does not cover. the California Emergency Management Agency website Keep Copies of Important at: Documents Keep copies of important http://www.calema.ca.gov/ documents in at least two PlanningandPreparedness/ different locations. Make sure Pages/Individuals‐and‐ Families.aspx one is not in your home.

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The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

All City, All Family Events

The Oak Leaf

Fishing Derby Fun!

Saturday, Aug. 10th 3231 Main Street Come out for the Oakley Youth Advisory Council sponsored Movie in the Plaza (3231 Main St) featuring The Sandlot. A special preview of a film created by the Youth Council will be aired this evening, too. Movie begins at dusk.

Saturday, Sept. 14th Downtown- 3231 Main Street You don’t want to miss the inagural, Heart of Oakley Festival co-sponsored by the City of Oakley, Chamber of Commerce and You, Me, We Oakley!. The day-long event will take place Downtown and include a wine garden, an opportunity for you to experience multiple cultural booths, entertainment, food and much more fun!

Saturday, Sept. 21st Creekside Park- 3900 Creekside Way Interested in engendering a sense of community responsibility and service among your kids?

Come out for the City of Oakley’s Annual Marsh Creek Clean Up on Saturday, September 15, 2013.

Participants are encouraged to dress comfortably and pack work gloves to participate in this clean up event, registration begins at 9am.

Questions? Please contact the Recreation Divison at (925) 625-7041.

For more information about events happening in town, check out the community calendar available on our website at: www.oakleyinfo.com

Saturday, Aug. 17th Bridgehead Rd at Wilbur Ave We hope to see you at the Oakley/Antioch Pier for the annual Kid’s Fishing Derby.

This free catch and release event is for children 15 years of age and younger. Prizes will be awarded for smallest, largest and most fish caught.

Registration at 8am.

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

The new City of Oakley lapel pins have arrived! Stop

by City Hall during normal business hours to pick up yours. Kudos to Oakley resident graphic artist Dawn Morrow. Morrow’s design was selected among 23 designs submitted as part of the Pin Design Contest held late last year.

YMWO Oakley!

The Oakley community welcoming initiative called, You, Me, We=Oakley! was honored again- this time by the League of California Cities.

This past January, the League awarded its 2013 “Award for the Advancement of Diverse Communities” award to You, Me, We= Oakley!.

The Award acknowledges the work done by the many volunteers and community leaders to ensure that every policy, program, law and event adhere to some basic welcoming principles including treating ALL residents with dignity and respect, and embracing the diversity that makes for a unified and participatory community.

To learn about upcoming events, volunteer, or sign our welcoming pledge visit our website at: www.YouMeWeOakley.org

City to Launch a 9/80 Schedule for Expanded Office Hours After four years of mandatory unpaid furloughs, City Staff will be adjusting to a new work schedule beginning in July. The City Council recently decided to discontinue the furlough program in place of a new “9/80 schedule” for City operations. Discontinuing the furlough program and adopting the 9/80 schedule will have City Hall office hours expand by about 20 hours per month, compared to current hours.

Under the new schedule starting on July 1st, City Hall will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, and from 8:00 am to 5:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Fridays. City Hall will be closed the first and third Fridays of each month.

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

The Oak Leaf

The Official Newsletter of the City of Oakley

Informe Presupuestario Y Nuevo Horario

The Oak Leaf

Celebre Con Nosotros Un Mejorado Centro De Oakley

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l 25 de junio del 2013, el Consejo adoptó el presupuesto fiscal 2013-14 con un total de aproximadamente $34.8 millones. El fondo operacional y pago por servicio (de actividades recreacionales, permisos etc.) fue un total de aproximadamente $21.6 millones; $13.4 millones son fondos comprometidos o restringidos a propósitos especiales tal como servicios de policía, mantenimiento de calles, y proyectos de infraestructura.

El Consejo ha dirigido que los servicios de policía, calles y mantenimiento de parques y desarrollo económico continúen siendo las prioridades de la ciudad. La recesión ha durado más tiempo de lo esperado, y ha tenido un impacto mayor de lo anticipado. Aunque hay señales hacia una recuperación, es prudente proceder con moderación presupuestaria y no adquirir nuevos costos recurrentes significantes. El Fondo General no incluye planes de agregar personal.

Sin embargo, al ver que ingresos recurrentes como impuestos de propiedad, impuestos de ventas y derechos de franquicias han incrementado, el Consejo decidió descontinuar el programa de “furlough” en vigencia desde hace cuatro años y no solo restaurar pero expandir las horas de servicio. El nuevo horario del municipio incrementara las horas al público por 20 horas al més en comparación al horario actual.

Comenzando en julio, la ciudad abrirá a las 8:00 am hasta las 6:00 p.m. de lunes a viernes, y de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. el segundo y cuarto viernes. La municipalidad estara cerrada el primer y tercer viernes de cada mes.

La tabla a continuación muestra los presupuestos para los servicios del Fondo General para el Año Fiscal 2013-2014.

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nticipando la finalización de la construcción, que ha renovado y restaurado un segmento clave del centro de nuestra ciudad, Oakley celebra este logro con un festival que marcara la gran apertura de varios mejoramientos al nuevo Centro.

Entre las mejoras se incluyen el nuevo y más grande restaurante La Costa, el restaurante italiano Carpaccio, nuevos y más amplios estacionamientos para los nuevos restaurantes y los clientes de negocios dentro del centro comercial Oakley Plaza, una plaza y fuente grande, y por ultimo una calle (Main Street) mas atractiva y conducida a peatones. Junto a Carpaccio esta un pequeño local que pronto será una pastelería. El edificio previamente ocupado por CentroMart tendrá una remodelación y expansión para convertirse en una tienda de comestibles llamada DG Market. El centro comercial atrás, ha sido comprado por ACE Hardware que se reubicara y añadira más de 20,000 pies de tienda por detrás antes de ocupar la parte central del centro comercial. El centro comercial mantendrá sus actuales inquilinos y también recibirá una nueva fachada.

El sábado, 14 septiembre la ciudad de Oakley, en colaboración con la Cámara de Comercio de Oakley y el programa You, Me, We Oakley! presentará el festival “el Corazón de Oakley”. El nuevo festival de un día comenzará a 11:00 a.m. y terminará a las 4:00 p.m. La entrada sera gratuita.

El festival promete diversión, comida y entretenimiento. El evento incluirá aretesanias, música, actividades para los niños y vendedores de comida.Con el fin de mostrar las diferentes culturas que existen en Oakley y nuestra identidad comun, el programa You, Me, We = Oakley! tendrá varias estaciones representativas de diferentes culturas, que los asistentes podrán visitar y experimentar.

Asegúrese de recoger su pasaporte que será estampado en cada estación. La Cámara de Comercio de Oakley patrocinara el vino y la cerveza, que destacara vinos procedentes de uvas locales.

Personas interesadas en participar como vendedor/a o como voluntario/a en el evento pueden ponerse en contacto con la División de Recreación: 925-625-7041 o bruno@ci.oakley.ca.us

¿Estas Enterado?

¿Tienes corréo electrónico? ¿Quieres recibir un boletín para estar al tanto de noticias, eventos, oportunidades de trabajo y más?

Manda un corréo electrónico a marquez@ci.oakley.ca.us para inscribirte a un boletín ménsual.

November

August

3231 Main Street Oakley, CA 94561 925.625.7000 council@ci.oakley.ca.us Calendar

For detailed information on specific events and a current list of all events, visit www. oakleyinfo.com and click on “Community Calendar.”

Local non-profits, service organizations, public clubs, etc. are encouraged to submit their events online for posting on our community calendar.

To do so visit our website and click on “Submit an Event for the Oakley Calendar” under the “About Oakley” heading.

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City Hall Closed Movie in the Plaza City Council Meeting City Hall Closed Fishing Derby

September 2 6 10 14

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City Hall Closed- H City Hall Closed City Council Meeting Heart of Oakley Festival City Hall Closed Marsh Creek Clean Up City Council Meeting

City Hall Directory

Community Information Oakley Chamber of Commerce Oakley Library Animal Control Fire Department(ECCFPD)

Local Utilities

Diablo Water District Ironhouse Sanitary District Oakley Disposal Service

6 City Hall Closed 6 Christmas Tree

Lighting 10 City Council Meeting 20 City Hall Closed 24- Jan. 6 City Hall Closed

City Hall Closed City Council Meeting City Hall Closed City Council Meeting YMWO Art Exhibit Opening Reception

City Attorney City Manager City Clerk Economic Development Human Resources Parks Planning Police Non-Emergency Police Dispatch Public Works/Engineering Recreation

Community Services

December

* H- Holiday

October 4 8 18 22 26

1 City Hall Closed 11 Veterans Day Event 11 City Hall Closed- H 12 City Council Meeting 23 Harvest Festival 28-29 City Hall Closed- H

625-7000 625-7007 625-7013 625-7006 625-7006 625-7037 625-7000 625-8855 625-8060 625-7037 625-7041

City Meetings

All City Council/City Council Acting as a Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency meetings are regularly held on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers of City Hall, 3231 Main Street.

Meeting agendas are posted online at www.oakleyinfo.com and at the following locations:

• City Hall 3231 Main Street • The “White House” 204 Second Street 211 625-1035 • Freedom High School, Library 1050 Neroly Road 625-2400 335-8300 634-3400 City Council Kevin Romick, Mayor Randy Pope, Vice Mayor 625-3798 Carol Rios, Councilmember 625-2279 Diane Burgis, Councilmember 757-7660 Doug Hardcastle, Councilmember