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September 2013
New Fire Chief Starts with an Impact By Sharon Burke
I recently had the opportunity to meet and interview SRV Fire’s new Chief, Paige Meyer, and I am happy to report to you that Alamo is in good hands with the new district leader. You could say Chief Meyer has had a trial by fire since starting work on March 18 of this year. He served most recently as Fire Chief of the City of Vallejo. Having spent 15 years working for a financially challenged city, SRV Fire Chief, Paige Meyer his highest priority was to place SRV Fire on a sound financial footing for the future. Prior to his arrival, the district was literally at the edge of a fiscal cliff brought on by increased pension and health care costs and decreasing property tax revenues. In a whirlwind five months on the job, Meyer’s signature achievement has been the negotiation of a new union contract with significant concessions from employees. He went on to balance the district budget by cutting unnecessary items and leaving positions vacant. He reduced minimum staffing levels from 43 on-duty firefighters to 41, which will go down to 39 in 2015, while not sacrificing coverage. And he placed Alamo’s new fire station, a high priority for the previous administration, on hold. In May, Chief Meyer met on multiple occasions with union representatives for SRV’s firefighters, and he was able to negotiate a five year contract resulting in significant concessions by the union. He did this by bringing a financial analyst to meetings and opening the district’s books for inspection by the union so they
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Serving Alamo and Diablo Alamo Rotary Holds 31st Annual Wine and Music Festival on September 7th
The Alamo Wine and Music Festival is an annual community celebration benefitting the Alamo community and schools’ music programs while providing a day full of activities for the entire family. The line-up includes: 12:00-12:30 San Ramon High Jazz Band 12:40-1:10 San Ramon High School Band 1:20-1:50 Monte Vista High Jazz Band 2:00-2:30 Monte Vista High School Band 2:40-3:10 Stone Valley Middle School Band 3:20-3:40 Rancho Choir 4:00-7:00 PUSH - Dan Ashley 5:00-5:20Alamo Elementary School Choir 7:00-7:50 Citizen of the Year and Raffle Drawing 8:00-10:00 Groove Doctors The day will also be filled with many activities for the entire family. Food, wine, games, and business booths will be set up throughout the festival area. Kids will enjoy the play zone with the popular rock climbing wall and new photo booth. Dinner tickets are $15 and feature selections from Faz, Maggie Ray’s, and the Rotary BBQ. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 8PM. This year the raffle prizes are better than ever! Raffle and dinner tickets may be purchased in advance at Mark Kahn Jewelers in Alamo or from Rotary member, Diane Barley, (925)262-3785. They may also be purchased throughout the day at the Rotary Booth. Please see www.Alamorotary.org for more information. The Festival is first and foremost a fundraising event with the proceeds donated to music education at local schools: Alamo Elementary, Ranch Romero, Stone Valley, Monte Vista, San Ramon, and Mauzy School.
The Automobile as Art: Blackhawk Museum Marks a Quarter Century of Quality Performance By Jody Morgan
Recognized as one of the top car collections in the world, the Blackhawk Automotive Museum (the Museum) is celebrating its 25th year of showcasing the sculptural beauty of remarkable vehicles. Many of the models on display are unique – designed to satisfy the specific desires of a connoisseur. Others represent limited editions. Repeat visitors to the two-floor gallery re-connect with favorite models with fresh insight as the collection regularly rotates to highlight different aspects of the significance of each car. New acquisitions also entice devotees to return often. Whether purchased for the collection or loaned to the Museum by an owner eager to share an incomparable possession, each vehicle on display dramatizes the automobile as a compelling expression of art. Collecting classic cars was not on Blackhawk developer Ken Behring’s agenda when he sought a vintage Rolls-Royce shortly after opening the Blackhawk Country Club in 1980. Anxious to add one more touch of class to a venue that had already been written up in Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous as one of the best clubs in the nation, Behring decided to buy a 1940s Rolls to offer as a limousine for special events. He contacted Arizona dealer Don Williams about a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith he had for sale. Not long thereafter, Williams, a life-long car enthusiast, had Behring hooked. Soon Williams became a Volume XIII - Number 9 Danville resident working with Behring on creating a museum to house the growing 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, Alamo, CA 94507 collection they were purchasing around the world. Don Williams, President of the Blackhawk Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Walking together down a street in Paris, Williams recalls a moment where Behring Museum since it opened in 1988, with a 1937 Fax (925) 406-0547 Bentley. (Photo courtesy of the Blackhawk Museum) and he spotted a diamond illuminated by four pin lights in a shop window. For Williams, Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher President of the Blackhawk Museum PRSRT STD Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com since its inception, that moment sparked U.S. Postage Sharon Burke ~ Writer PAID Local a key element of the Museum’s magic: sburke@yourmonthlypaper.com Permit 263 the lighting. Instead of wasting watts on The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do Postal Customer Alamo CA walls, the Museum focuses energy on the not necessarily reflect that of Alamo Today. Alamo Today is not responsible for the content of any of the advertising ECRWSS herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.
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