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 | Contra Costa USA 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
8 am to 2 pm;
5:30 to 9 pm
Hilton Concord Hotel
1970 Diamond Blvd.
Join us for the Contra Costa Council's signature event!
8 am: Registration, networking and exhibits
9 am: "California Post November 2," by Dan Walters, The Sacramento Bee political columnist; "The Economic Outlook for the Region and the State," by Christopher Thornberg, Beacon Economics
Panel: "It's Broken . . . How Do We Fix California Now?" Featuring Christopher Thornberg, Beacon Economics; Sunne McPeak, former state director of business, transportation and housing; and Michael Genest, former director of the California Department of Finance
11:30 am: Networking and exhibits
12 noon to 2 pm: Luncheon and keynote: "A Statesman's View of the State," by Willie Brown Jr. of the Willie L. Brown Jr. Institute on Politics and Public Service
5:30 pm: Reconvene and reception
7 pm: Dinner and keynote: "Inside the Obama White House," by Bob Woodward, Pulitzer Price-winning journalist, with Ann Notarangelo, journalist and CBS 5's Eyewitness News Weekend Edition anchor, emcee
The deadline to register for CCUSA has been extended!
Register here by Monday, January 24.
Contact the Council office at 925.246.1880 for more information. ********** Save the Date!
State of the County Address by Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Gayle Uilkema
Thursday, February 10 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Crowne Plaza Hotel 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord Registration for this event will open soon. Watch the Council website for details. ********** Lunch with Assemblymember Joan Buchanan Friday, March 11 11:30 am to 1:30 pm ********** Questions? For information about any Contra Costa Council event, please contact the Council office or Nanette Cippa-Fukushima or call 925.246.1880.
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Become a Member!
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Join the Contra Costa Council and help guide our economy and quality of life.
Visit our
website or contact the Council office at 925.246.1880, fax 925.674.1654.
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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.
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| January 12 Reception Recap | |  Council welcomes Karen Mitchoff as new county supervisor
Contra Costa Council members welcomed newly elected County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff (pictured at right) at a reception on January 12 at PMI's offices in Walnut Creek. The new supervisor and former Pleasant Hill mayor greeted the large throng of more than a hundred people, and said she looks forward to serving as the District IV representative.
The Council thanks co-host IBEW - Local 302 and event sponsors: AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah; AT&T; ConocoPhillips, Rodeo Refinery; Gray-Bowen; John Muir Health; PG&E; Shell Oil Products and The Bowlby Group. |
Contra Costa Economic Partnership News
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Dr. Willard Daggett
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Business Education Summit energizes goal to reform secondary education in the East Bay
The importance of raising student achievement in our schools was affirmed strongly by representatives of business and education who attended the recent East Bay Business/Education Leadership Summit, organized by the Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP) Workforce Initiative. On January 11 and 12, the CCEP Workforce Initiative and its presenting partners hosted four different, all highly successful, events in an effort to reach as many members of the business and education communities, including parents, as possible.
On January 11, the CCEP East Bay Business/Education Leadership Summit hosted 285 attendees representing high schools, school districts and higher education, with Livermore, Dublin, Oakland, San Ramon Valley, Mt. Diablo Unified, Martinez Unified, Pittsburg Unified, Antioch Unified, Brentwood Unified, Oakland Unified and Vallejo Unified districts represented. Higher education partners were from San Jose State, CSU-East Bay and the Contra Costa Community College District. Industry representatives from all of the sponsoring organizations and about 120 industry partners also attended.
Morning and afternoon keynote presentations by education futurist Dr. Willard Daggett of the International Center for Leadership in Education and Dr. Gary Hoachlander of ConnectEd, the California Center for College and Career, brought focus to the goal of education reform. These messages were complemented by a selection of 10 workshops, each facilitated by either a business or an education expert, with time allotted at the end of the day for team meetings organized by school district.
Creating a culture of relevant learning
"Everyone needs to begin the discussion: what do you want for your own children and grandchildren. . . It takes all of us to prepare kids for higher education," said Daggett. While praising the principles of "Linked Learning" and career pathways programs, he said that "none of it is going to work in schools until people believe you need to change the schools." Among his messages were:
- Academic standards need to be fewer, clearer and higher.
- Not enough learning is applied to real-world, unpredictable situations.
- Relevance in learning makes rigor possible for most students.
- You've got to find out what motivates students. Once they're engaged in the learning process, academics will come easily.
"I love what you're trying to do in this region," he said. "You've got to create a culture and then let change be voluntary." Daggett is convinced that business and industry is several steps ahead of the education community. "The workplace has passed the education community by as if it were standing still," he asserted.
"Linked Learning involves preparing students for both careers and life, not one or the other," said Hoachlander, who discussed the challenge of making these opportunities available to any student who wants them. "There is no one right way, but there are wrong ways," he added. Hoachlander noted that for the pathways program to engage students, they need a menu of options, something that is hard to do in a six-period day.
Expanding and sustaining efforts
Hoachlander emphasized the value of bringing industry to the classroom and engaging business partners, citing the California Linked Learning District Initiative, which includes Antioch Unified, West Contra Costa Unified and Oakland Unified. "The second part of this initiative is to work at the district level to expand and sustain your efforts over time," he said. "It takes a special kind of principal to lead and manage these special schools. It takes a special kind of teacher."
On the evening of January 11, a community event in Antioch featuring Daggett reached more than 350 people. On January 12, CCEP in collaboration with Chevron hosted a countywide meeting of leaders at a luncheon focused on Great Jobs. Smart Kids. Vibrant Communities. Attendees included some 40 individuals from city and county government, school district superintendents and industry. And on the evening of January 12, Mt. Diablo Unified hosted a community event at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, where Daggett spoke to about 200 people.
The education summit events were made possible through presenting sponsorships from Chevron and John Muir Health. Other collaborating partners were the Contra Costa Council, the East Bay Economic Development Alliance and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. Supporting sponsors were Sutter East Bay Region, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 304, Wells Fargo, American College of Nursing, Delta Diablo Sanitation District, USS POSCO, Contra Costa Electric, CSU-East Bay and the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa.
For questions about the CCEP Workforce Initiative, contact April Treece at 925-672-3759, ccep@cococo.org. |
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CEO Viewpoint
| |  Developing a Sustainable Communities Strategy needs to consider economic vitality and job creation
By Linda Best, President and CEO, Contra Costa Council
Regional regulatory issues usually fall under most people's radar screens. Rules and regulations are issued by regional agencies such as the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Bay Development and Conservation Commission (BCDC) and Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD). The members of these bodies are our own elected officials from local government throughout the Bay Area.
While many in our communities aren't aware of these organizations, and the power that they have, the decisions of these bodies have enormous impact on local government land use decisions, infrastructure funding, and local growth and economic development.
The next two years will see the development of what is called the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), which will have huge impacts on land use patterns and economic development in the Bay Area. The SCS is required by Senate Bill 375, which requires the linkage of transportation and land use on a regional basis to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The SCS must identify sufficient land for housing for the next 25 years, a longer horizon than current planning law provides. And it must develop a strategy to show reduction in greenhouse gas emissions based on targets assigned to the Bay Area by the California Air Resources Board. The four regional agencies identified above are charged with developing the SCS, which will become part of MTC's Regional Transportation Plan and will guide investment in transportation infrastructure.
The acronyms and complexity of the process to develop the SCS are daunting, but what is clear is that the voice for business and economic development must be heard as this process proceeds. While we all may agree on the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, how that is accomplished is important, and it must be done in such a way as to not compromise our ability to promote economic vitality.
The Contra Costa Council will be working with our sister organizations throughout the Bay Area to ensure that the goal of economic vitality and job creation will be part of the solution. Stay tuned to this newsletter for updates on this important issue. If you wish additional information, please don't hesitate to contact me at lbest@contracostacouncil.com. |
News from Our Members
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Sustainable Contra Costa offers free workshops in sustainability
The Contra Costa Sustainable Business Collaborative offers resources and solutions to small and medium businesses--to help them make smart, sustainable choices and cost-effective solutions. One of these solutions is lower pricing on sustainable products through joint purchasing power.
A free workshop, Greening Your Restaurant and Food Service Business: Practical Solutions for your Operations, Facilities and Purchasing, will be held on Thursday, February 24, from 2 to 5:30 p.m., at the Walnut Creek Library, Oak View Room, 1644 North Broadway, Walnut Creek. Register for this free event at www.ccclib.org/programs (for event type, enter: business).
Future programs in the Sustainable Business Series--Greening Your Office Building, Greening Your Contracting Business, Greening Your Landscaping Business--will be announced. To be invited to participate in Sustainable Contra Costa activities, send your contact information to info@sustainablecoco.org, and check the calendar of events on the Sustainable Contra Costa Network.
These workshops are hosted by the Contra Costa County Library, the SCORE East Bay Chapter 506 and the Contra Costa Small Business Development Center. For more information, visit www.sustainablecoco.org. |
Task Force Briefings
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January and February 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.
Health Care Task Force . . . Thursday, January 6 . . . 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Morgan Miller Blair, 1331 N. California Blvd., Suite 200, Walnut Creek. Dr. Bill Walker provided health care reform and state budget updates; finalization of Task Force Policy Paper update and 2011 workplan and discussion of the Small Business Wellness Program by Janet Lundbye and Ron Wetter. Next meeting is February 3 (first Thursday). Co-chairs: Lynn Baskett and Steve Van Wart
Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force . . . Friday, January 7, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 200, Walnut Creek. Presentation by Randy Fischback of Dow Chemical on recent developments in the California Green Chemistry Initiative. Next meeting is February 4 (first Friday). Co-chairs: Peter McGaw and George Smith
Land Use Task Force . . . Wednesday, January 12, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . Archer Norris, 2033 N. Main Street, Suite 800, Walnut Creek (note new location). Finalized Land Use Policy Paper. Next meeting is Wednesday, February 9. Co-chair: Mike McGill
Water Task Force . . . Wednesday, January 19, 8:15 to 10 a.m. . . . JFK University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room N-358, Pleasant Hill (note new location). Presentation by four members of the high-level study team that is investigating issues with the existing Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levee system. They are part of the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, located at the University of California, Berkeley, which has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to research the levee system. Guests included lead investigator, Dr. Robert Bea, UC professor of civil and environmental engineering; Dr. Howard Foster, geographic information systems researcher with UC's Haas School of Business and the College of Environmental Design; Dr. Rune Storesund, civil and geotechnical engineer; and Dr. Emery Roe, policy analyst. (Read a summary of this meeting by environmental reporter Mike Taugher that appeared in the Contra Costa Times and elsewhere.) Next meeting is Tuesday, February 15. Co-chairs: Ann Spaulding and Bob Whitley
Small Business/Entrepreneur Task Force . . . Tuesday, January 25, 8:30 a.m. . . . De La Housaye & Associates, 1655 N. Main St., Suite 260, Walnut Creek. Co-chairs: Angela De La Housaye and Zachary Sahar
Economic Development Task Force . . . Wednesday, January 26, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . City National Bank, 2001 N. Main St., Suite 200, Walnut Creek. Erik Stenehjem, director of the Industrial Partnerships Office at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will provide an overview of IPO's programs. Next meeting is Wednesday, February 23, when Daniel Borenstein, columnist and editorial writer for the Contra Costa Times, will discuss public sector pensions. (This meeting will be at Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Road, Room 307, Walnut Creek.) Co-chairs: Mike Conlon and Gary Craft
Transportation Task Force . . . (No meeting in January) . . . Tuesday, February 1, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . PMI Offices, 3003 Oak Road, Walnut Creek (across from Pleasant Hill BART). In December, representatives from Congressman John Garamendi's office discussed 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. Co-chairs: Kris Johnson and Jim Melino
Workforce Development/Education Task Force . . . Wednesday, February 2, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Contra Costa Workforce Development Board offices, 300 Ellinwood Drive, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill. Task force members have identified issues and activities that will shape the task force's work in the year ahead, and attended the Business/Education Summit on January 11 at the Hilton Concord (see recap, above). Next meeting is March 2 (first Wednesday; note new meeting date). Co-chairs: Joanne Durkee and Kathleen Robinson
Social Responsibility Task Force . . . (No meeting in January). . . Thursday, February 24, 8 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Ave., Room 307, Walnut Creek. In December, heard from Carol Finis Perez on the Earn It! Keep it! Save it! (EKS) campaign, adopted a policy paper and discussed the 2011 workplan. Co-chairs: Kate Ertz-Berger and Mark Hughes |
| New Members | | |
Please welcome our new Contra Costa Council member!
DP Consulting
Diana Paque, Principal
1255 Treat Blvd., Suite 300
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
925-472-6532 ph
www.dpconsulting.biz
Diana@dpconsulting.biz
Offering business management consulting--with more than 30 years' experience in higher education, not-for-profit organizations, government and associations. |
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. © 2011 Contra Costa Council
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