Contra Costa Council News
The Contra Costa Council is a public policy advocacy organization
that promotes the economic vitality of Contra Costa County and the region.
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1355 Willow Way, Suite 253, Concord CA 94520 / 925.246.1880 / www.contracostacouncil.com
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| Upcoming Events | |
Reception for Susan Bonilla, newly elected Assembly member of the 11th District
Early December
Details coming soon!
Registration will open soon. Please watch the Council website for details or contact the Council office at 925.246.1880.
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Save the Date!
25th Annual
Contra Costa USA 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
5:30 to 9 p.m.
Hilton Concord Hotel
1970 Diamond Blvd.
Join us for the Contra Costa Council's signature event!
Evening keynote: Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and investigative reporter, author of Obama's Wars
Luncheon keynote: Willie Brown, Jr. of the Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute on Politics and Public Service
Morning program: Dan Walters, writer and The Sacramento Bee political columnist, discussing the recent elections; Christopher Thornberg, economic forecaster, Beacon Economics, on the national, state and regional economy; and a panel discussion on how to fix the issues in California with Christopher Thornberg, Sunne McPeak, former state director of business, transportation and
housing, Michael Genest, former director of the California department of finance, and Greg Lucas, moderator
Sponsorships and exhibit tables are available. Please contact the Council office at 925.246.1880 for details.
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Become a Member!
| Join the Contra Costa Council and help guide our economy and quality of life.
Visit our website or call 925.246.1880.
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| About the Council | The Contra Costa Council is a public policy advocacy organization that promotes the economic vitality and quality of life of Contra Costa County and the San Francisco Bay Area region. The Council engages on issues of critical importance to the business community and residents of the county, balancing the needs of a diverse county through policy efforts that provide for local and regional economic development while retaining quality of life.
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Don't keep the Council a secret!
The Contra Costa Council News is published monthly to keep you informed about Council events and activities. This issue and past issues are posted in the News section on our website.
Please share the news about the Council with your friends and colleagues! Click on the link to forward this issue:
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| CEO Viewpoint | | Lesson from Africa: A new perspective on California
By Linda Best, President and CEO, Contra Costa Council
Having just returned from my first visit to Africa to visit family, I can attest to the fact that visiting a third-world country provides a changed perspective by which to view the challenges we face in our nation and state.
The fiscal crisis and partisan political gridlock in California is daunting, to say the least. The average citizen's view of our golden state is probably as low as it has ever been and there seems little hope that either crisis will be resolved in the near future.
While in Nairobi, Kenya, I read the local papers, talked with expats and Kenyans alike, and learned a lot about this former British colony, now independent. Poverty is extreme, with Nairobi housing the largest slum in Africa, more than 1 million people living in unimaginable poverty. There are no government services for people in the slum; the only help comes from non-government aid organizations. Corruption among government officials is long-standing and pervasive, with billions of dollars of public money diverted into the pockets of so-called public servants. Infrastructure is in a serious state of disrepair.
And yet the Kenyans are a proud people. They treasure their hard-won independence and are optimistic for the future. They recently passed a new constitution which will move more power to the county level and presumably create more accountability. The probable candidate to be the next president in two years touts the need for reform. And, during the two weeks I was there, two high-ranking ministers were forced to resign on corruption charges and at least one is likely to face criminal charges. The newspaper editorials constantly push for reform and the average Kenyan shares that goal. Questions remain regarding whether these reforms will be successful, but at least change is in the air.
Surely we in California should do no less. I recently heard a commentator, reflecting on the recent election, say that the California voter is "melancholy," and not very optimistic for the future. However, with our tremendous resources, brainpower and entrepreneurial spirit, we should tackle our problems with renewed vigor. We can demand that our legislators in Sacramento adopt measures for fiscal responsibility and accountability. We can demand that our educational system return to excellence. We can and should support efforts like California Forward to reform the way we govern ourselves. We can and should support cutting-edge technology that will create new jobs and help lead us out of this recession, as well as support our reputation as a leader in innovation.
As we give thanks for our blessings, let us renew our commitment to excellence for California. |
| December Reception | |  Council welcomes Susan Bonilla as new member of the California Assembly
Please join the Contra Costa Council at a special reception in early December honoring Susan Bonilla, Contra Costa County supervisor and newly elected member of the 11th Assembly District. More information on the event time and location will be available soon.
Watch the Council website for details or contact the Council office at 925-246-1880. |
| October 20 Luncheon Recap | |  New Transbay Transit Center: Creating a culture of mass transit
The new Transbay Transit Center, now under construction in downtown San Francisco, is an impressive project by any measure. And if anyone can ensure that it will get built by 2017 according to plan, it may just be Maria Ayerdi-Kaplan (pictured above), executive director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, who oversees the project. She showed a film and provided a thorough update on the $4.2 billion project at the October 20 Contra Costa Council luncheon.
Ayerdi-Kaplan, who remains very enthusiastic after a long association with the project, says it will dramatically improve our regional transportation system and downtown San Francisco, and will help create "a culture of mass transit" in the Bay Area. The five-level complex, which replaces the outmoded East Bay Terminal at First and Mission streets, will serve 11 transportation systems, including high-speed rail, and will feature an expansive, public rooftop park, accessible by funicular, with picnic areas, a children's playground, a music amphitheater and water features. Inside the complex will be retail stores, restaurants and meeting centers, and nearby will stand a 1,000-foot commercial tower and six high-rise residential buildings. The first phase of the two-phase project will put more than 48,000 people to work.
The only "bad news" Ayerdi-Kaplan shared is that another $2.3 billion is still needed to complete all underground rail connections. She hopes a large portion of that will come from federal funding.
View photos of the event on the Council website.
For more details on the transit center, including an animated preview, visit http://transbaycenter.org.
The Council thanks co-hosts Gray-Bowen and Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, and sponsors Associated Right of Way Services, Inc., Harris & Associates and Kleinfelder. |
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| Contra Costa Economic Partnership / Workforce Initiative News | | Engineers share their expertise at Mt. Diablo High Academy's Engineering Roundtable
The 20 engineers from local firms who participated in the November 2 Engineering Roundtable at Mt. Diablo High School gave the session excellent reviews. The pilot program brought the engineers together with 100 Mt. Diablo students who attend classes in the school's newest addition to its course offerings: Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering.
Firms participating in the successful Engineering Roundtable included Eichleay Engineers of California, Tesoro refining, Brown and Caldwell, USS-POSCO Industries, Contra Costa Water District, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, CalPine Delta Energy Center, Praxair, Analytical Mechanics Associates and Cal State University-East Bay.
The career exploration experience is part of a unit of study that ACME Academy students are assigned in the first quarter (ACME stands for Architecture, Construction, Manufacturing, Engineering, and is a career-themed smaller learning community, established in 2008 within the comprehensive high school). The engineering thread of the academy was added to ACME last fall as a result of a partnership between Chevron and Project Lead The Way (PLTW). Other high schools that have started engineering academies include Antioch High, Clayton Valley High (Concord), California High (San Ramon), Dublin High, Livermore High, Oakland High, Richmond High and Vallejo High.
The Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP), an industry-led countywide economic development corporation and the nonprofit arm of the Contra Costa Council, works with Chevron and PLTW as part of its Workforce Initiative. CCEP also provides opportunities for schools, teachers and students to engage in the Intel-affiliated Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair in March or April; the Contra Costa County Health and Bioscience Fair in March; June and July summer camps in Engineering, Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology; and other events and programs. April Treece, project director for the CCEP Workforce Initiative, leads these efforts in cooperation with industry partners.
(For more about the Project Lead the Way program, see this recent article in the Contra Costa Times and the PLTW website.)
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Task Force Briefings
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 | Jim Stewart of ECORP Consulting discusses the challenges of permitting alternative-energy projects at Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force meeting.
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November and December meetings . . .
New and prospective Council members are welcome to attend task force meetings. Please notify a task force co-chair prior to the meeting to confirm time and location, as details may change. To view task force agendas, policy papers and recent presentations, visit the individual task force pages on the Council website.
Transportation Task Force . . . Tuesday, November 2, 8 to 9:30 a.m. . . . PMI Offices, 3003 Oak Road, Walnut Creek (across from Pleasant Hill BART). Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) representatives discussed BART's multi-million-dollar fleet replacement program and available federal transportation dollars. Next meeting is December 7 (first Tuesday), featuring representatives from Congressman John Garamendi's office, who will discuss his outlook on the reauthorization of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and transportation projects in Contra Costa County, plus the "Make It In America" campaign as it relates to transit and manufacturing. Co-chairs: Kris Johnson and Jim Melino
Health Care Task Force . . . Thursday, November 4 . . . 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Morgan Miller Blair, 1331 N. California Blvd., Suite 200, Walnut Creek. Discussion of viability of a health cluster in Contra Costa County, 2011 task force activities, and legislative and policy updates. Next meeting is December 2 (first Thursday), when task force members will discuss the policy paper and 2011 workplan. Co-chairs: Lynn Baskett and Steve Van Wart
Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force . . . Friday, November 5, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 200, Walnut Creek . . . Presentation on the difficulties of permitting an alternative-energy project by Jim Stewart, Dave Krolick and Lisa Westwood of ECORP Consulting (see photo, above). Next meeting is December 3 (first Friday), 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. Speaker will be Will Travis, executive director of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), who will discuss the proposed Bay Plan amendments. Co-chairs: Peter McGaw and George Smith
Land Use Task Force . . . Wednesday, November 10, 8 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Morrison & Foerster, 101 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 450 (south of Walnut Creek BART). Eric Figueroa of the League of California Cities discussed issues related to implementation of Proposition 26 for cities and counties; also reviewed policy paper. Next meeting is December 8 (first Wednesday). Co-chairs: Mike McGill and Dan Muller
Water Task Force . . . Tuesday, November 16, 8:15 to 10 a.m. . . . Morrison & Foerster, 101 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Suite 450, Walnut Creek. Eileen White, water system operations manager for the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), discussed the proposed levee improvements on Delta islands on which the EBMUD aqueduct crosses. Also, Brian Hooker of Congressman John Garamendi's office discussed federal legislation (introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Garamendi, George Miller and others) that would authorize creation of a National Heritage Area in the Delta. No meeting in December. Next meeting is Wednesday, January 19, location TBA. Co-chairs: Bob Whitley and Mitch Randall
Economic Development Task Force . . . Wednesday, November 17, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . City National Bank, 2001 N. Main St., Suite 200, Walnut Creek. Featuring Rachel Massaro, associate director of climate initiatives, Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network; Ben Foster, operations vp, Optony Inc.; and Bobby Ram, director of global community relations, SunPower Corporation. Rachel and Ben have been instrumental in the development of a regional, multi-jurisdiction aggregated solar procurement project involving 26 cities in Silicon Valley. Next meeting is Wednesday, December 15. Co-chairs: Mike Conlon and Gary Craft
Workforce Development/Education Task Force . . . Thursday, November 18, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Contra Costa Workforce Development Board Offices, 300 Ellinwood Drive, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill. Discussed task force priorities for the coming year. No meeting in December. Next meeting is Thursday, January 20. Co-chairs: Joanne Durkee and Kathleen Robinson
Small Business/Entrepreneur Task Force . . . Wednesday, November 30, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, 2185 N. California Blvd., Suite 280 (Plaza Level), Walnut Creek. Quarterly meeting with chamber and legislative representatives. Next regular meeting is Tuesday, December 28, at De La Housaye & Associates, 1655 N. Main St., Suite 260, Walnut Creek. Co-chairs: Angela De La Housaye and Zachary Sahar
Social Responsibility Task Force . . . Thursday, December 9, 7:30 to 9 a.m. . . . Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Ave., Room 307, Walnut Creek. Will discuss the task force policy paper and 2011 workplan, and will hear from a representative of the Earn It! Keep It! Save It! program. Co-chairs: Kate Ertz-Berger and Mark Hughes |
| Corporate Member Spotlight | |  Kaiser Permanente: Total health, total wellness
Kaiser Permanente has been an integral part of Contra Costa County's health care community for over 50 years. As one unified, private health care system, it is unique in California in its ability to offer members such convenient access, high quality, and seamless integration of a health plan, network of primary care and specialist physicians, and network of hospitals, medical offices and pharmacies.
Kaiser Permanente's integrated health care system is further strengthened by its innovative and nationally recognized "KPHealthConnect" medical information system. KPHealthConnect, which is the largest private medical information management system in the world, allows members and their physicians to access their confidential health records at any Kaiser Permanente hospital or medical office in Northern California.
In 2010, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) ranked Kaiser Permanente Northern California as one of America's best health plans. No health plan in Northern California scored higher in NCQA's Health Plan Report Card. Kaiser Permanente continues to receive awards for its quality and innovation. For example, in early October, Kaiser Permanente received an award from the Care Continuum Alliance with the Quality Impact Award for the "Greatest Impact on Health" for its ALL/PHASE. This program utilizes low-cost and generic medications and clinical interventions to reduce heart attacks.
Kaiser Permanente serves 3.2 million members in Northern California. In Contra Costa County, the system's 360,000 members are served by nearly 700 primary-care and specialist physicians, and 6,350 employees, through three medical centers located in Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek, and four medical offices, located in Antioch, Martinez, Pinole, and Walnut Creek. The Pinole Medical Offices were opened in January 2009 to expand services in West Contra Costa County.
Kaiser Permanente is America's largest non-profit, integrated health care system. Founded in 1945, and headquartered in Oakland, the system serves the health care needs of over 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia: California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia and Washington.
Kaiser Permanente is a longtime member of the Contra Costa Council. Kit Niemeyer, Diablo Area public affairs director, along with Ron Wetter, community and government relations manager, Diablo Area, serve on the Council Board. Wetter is also one of the Council's two vice presidents of task forces.
For more information, visit the Kaiser Permanente website.
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| New Members | | Please welcome these Contra Costa Council members!
Compliance Systems Management LLC
Derik Silva, Manager
Brant Knopp
630 West 10th Street
Pittsburg, CA 94565
925-432-0776 phone
925-432-0965 fax
www.compsysllc.com
deriksilva@compsysllc.com
bknopp@compsysllc.com
A unique full-service management company specializing in all facets of industrial and commercial construction management, safety and training. |
About the CouncilThe Contra Costa Council is a public policy advocacy organization that promotes the economic vitality and quality of life of Contra Costa County and the Greater East Bay region. The Council engages on issues of critical importance to the business community and residents of the county, balancing the needs of a diverse region through policy efforts that provide for local and regional economic development while retaining our quality of life. Through its task forces, the Council develops and supports policy positions to further its mission and sponsors educational forums for its members and the community. For more information about the Council, please visit our website. To comment on items in this newsletter, please contact Linda Best at the Contra Costa Council. This issue was edited for the Contra Costa Council by Molly A. Walker of Walker Communications. © 2010 Contra Costa Council
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