1355 Willow Way, Suite 253, Concord CA 94520 / 925.246.1880 / www.contracostacouncil.com
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Contra Costa Council News for April 2012
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Upcoming events
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Cap & Trade Forum
TODAY: Friday, April 27
3 to 5:30 pm, with reception following
Crowne Plaza Hotel
45 John Glenn Drive, Concord
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The 12th Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon
Friday, May 4
11 am to 1:30 pm
Hilton Concord
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Reception for State Senator Mark DeSaulnier
Thursday, May 10,
5 to 7 pm
Safeway's Canyon Way Facility, 11555 Dublin Canyon Road, Pleasanton
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Installation Dinner
Thursday, June 7
Contra Costa Country Club, Pleasant Hill
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28th Annual Golf Tournament
Round Hill Country Club, Alamo
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Register for these events on the Council website.
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For more information about any Contra Costa Council event, please contact the Council office at (925) 246-1880 or fax (925) 674-1654.
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WHAT'S NEW?
| | The Council is on Facebook!
We've finally done it. The Contra Costa Council has joined the world of social media, and we now have a Facebook page. If you are on social media fan, too, please visit our Facebook page and "like" us. Once you do, you will begin to see news and updates about the Council on your Facebook news feed. Please comment on our page, let us know what you want to hear more about. Don't forget, it's nice to be liked! |
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TODAY: APRIL 27 AFTERNOON EVENT
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Cap and Trade Forum brings in the expertsJoin the Contra Costa Council and Assemblymembers Susan Bonilla and Henry Perea on Friday, April 27, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., to hear about the implications of the California Air Resources Board's Cap-and-Trade program to regulate 600 of the state's largest greenhouse gas emission-emitting stationary sources, including numerous local entities. The governor's budget estimates $1 billion in revenues from the program in the first year, with substantially more in future years, yet the collection and expenditure of these revenues is of significant concern to policymakers for legal, environmental and economic reasons. Attend this program and learn the facts. This special event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord. A reception will follow. The program will feature panels of experts discussing the key issues.
- Panel 1: Overview of the Cap & Trade Program, Allowance Allocation, and the Pros and Cons of Free Allocation, featuring Tiffany Roberts of the Legislative Analyst's Office
- Panel 2: Overview of Covered Entities and Stakeholders, with Dorothy Rothrock of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association, Chris Conkling of USS-POSCO, and Rand Swenson of ConocoPhillips
- Panel 3: Overview of Revenue Use, with Tiffany Roberts of the LAO and Alex Jackson of the Natural Resources Defense Council
- Panel 4: Recommendations on Revenue Use and California Industry Protection, with Cesar Diaz of the California Building Trades Council, Martin Engelmann of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and Alex Jackson of NRDC
For more details, contact the Council office at (925) 246-1880.
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APRIL 23 EVENT RECAP
| | District 2 Supervisorial Candidates Forum sparks a lively debate
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Moderator Lisa Vorderbrueggen, at left, with Supervisorial candidates Tomi Van de Brooke and Candace Andersen
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On April 23, the Contra Costa Council's District 2 Contra Costa County Supervisorial Candidates Forum offered a lively exchange of views from candidates Candace Andersen and Tomi Van de Brooke. A third candidate in the race, Sean White, was away on business and sent a brief statement with his regrets. Contra Costa Times political reporter Lisa Vorderbrueggen moderated the debate, which saw a few contentious moments between the candidates at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building venue.
Danville Mayor Candace Andersen opened her comments with her campaign slogan, "experience matters." She went on to describe her government experience garnered on the Danville Town Council and Morgan Hill City Council and service on various boards and committees, in addition to Scouts and school associations. Her priorities include helping businesses grow, sorting out the county pension system issues, and balancing regional and local economic impacts to maintain the area's unique quality of life.
Tomi Van de Brooke, currently president of the Contra Costa Community College District Board of Governors, said she grew up riding horses in the Orinda hills, has spent a lifetime in volunteer service, and gained strong business experience working for Shell, Texaco, the California Alliance for Jobs and her own business. She is the former chief of staff for Assemblymember Mary Piepho, is a former president of the Contra Costa Council, and has served on community boards. Van de Brooke calls herself a fiscal conservative and social progressive.
Candidate Sean White, who was in Chicago teaching a solar energy class, sent a message that he respects the business community and is not asking for any of its money.
Responding to a question about the county's Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) debt, Van de Brooke pointed out that there are other sources of income to draw down the debt further, while Andersen said the county is making strides in the right direction in dealing with the issue.
The candidates appeared to hold similar views on the Delta Plan Draft EIR and the importance of public safety and jobs. They sparred over the issue of Project Labor Agreements and Van de Brooke's support of the Contra Costa Community College District's PLA. Andersen said she would prefer a PLA without the union requirement, and assailed Van de Brooke's campaign support by the building and construction trades unions. Van de Brooke retorted that Andersen had received a contribution from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), and said that she wouldn't seek funds from the county employee unions which, she noted, differ from the building and construction trades.
In her summation, Andersen said: "We need to build consensus and respect the opinions of others and represent all the people."
"I've worked for 30 years in large and small business and have countywide experience. I am a consensus candidate, a post partisan candidate, and people who know me know that I am collaborative," said Van de Brooke.
Contra Costa Television will air this presentation on Monday, May 7, at 8 p.m. and Wednesday, May 9, at 10 a.m. CCTV is Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-verse channel 99. For additional air dates, visit the CCTV program guide a www.contracostatv.org or call (925) 313-1180.
The Council thanks co-hosts IBEW-Local 302 and Tesoro. |
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MARCH 20 EVENT RECAP
| |  State of the County: a multi-layered story
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Piepho (pictured at right) serves on 17 commissions and boards, and has worked with three county administrations during her two four-year terms of office. While she admits that public service can be taxing, she says she loves her job and is proud to represent her District III constituents and all county residents.
In a broad-brush State of the County presentation to the Contra Costa Council on March 20 at the Contra Costa Country Club, Piepho pointed to the past year's redrawing of the five supervisorial districts and "perpetual and ongoing labor negotiations, which are addressing a structural change to the county's salary and benefits structure." She notes that many employees now share 100 percent of their benefit costs, which has freed the county from the weight of health care premiums, and new retiree benefits tiers have been negotiated. Piepho says she has enjoyed participating closely with the board and employee union leadership to accomplish the savings.
She offered the good news that the county's unemployment rate continued to drop to 9.6 percent in January, and sales tax revenue is up and expected to continue. However, the state budget continues to impact the county negatively. Contra Costa is in its third year of property tax decline. Also on the positive side, the administration continues to work on a proposed solar ordinance, phase I of the Vasco Road safety barrier has been completed, and eBart is looking to expand beyond an alignment along the Highway 4 bypass. Piepho mentioned her involvement as a member of the Delta Protection Commission and was critical of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission's proposal on climate change, "which will devastate Contra Costa County." The county continues to move forward toward resolution of county contracts and state and federal prison alignment, which means more criminals entering our community and other issues.
(Contra Costa Television will air this presentation in future weeks on Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-verse channel 99. For additional air dates, visit the CCTV program guide a www.contracostatv.org or call (925) 313-1180.)
The Council thanks co-hosts Tesoro, IBEW-Local 302 and Wells Fargo and sponsors, Allied Waste Services, AT&T and John Muir Health. |
MARCH 16 EVENT RECAP
| |  Joan Buchanan says it's going to take time to solve state budget issues
Assemblymember Joan Buchanan offered a comprehensive explanation of the challenges of the California budget in her Sacramento Update presentation on March 16 at the Contra Costa Country Club. She began by noting that state revenue, including personal income tax, sales and use tax and corporate taxes, are all tied to the economy, so that when the economy doesn't do well, general income falls. She pointed out that California's revenue is the fourth most volatile in the country, and while the state has among the highest tax rates, its tax bases are narrow.
Buchanan offered other comparisons as well: California is 15th in taxes and fees compared to other states, 47th in the number of state employees per capita and 45th in total numbers of state and local government employees per capita (including teachers). "We didn't get into our budget problems in one year and we won't get out of them in a year without devastating cuts to services," she opined.
After explaining the budgeting challenges for 2011-2012, beginning with the January 2011 "wall of debt," Buchanan outlined cuts made in health and human services, education and other reductions. While the projected shortfall for January 2012 was $9.2 billion, the year's wall of debt included a general fund debt of $33 billion and a $11 billion debt in federal unemployment insurance, the size of which was not anticipated.
Buchanan continued that the governor's proposed 2012-2013 budget released in January assumes that the voters will approve his tax initiative in the fall; if not, additional cuts will have to be made. She outlined the initiative, which includes incremental tax increases that would remain in place for five years and a realignment that will shift billions of dollars in costs from the General Fund, making it easier to meet the "Proposition 98 Guarantee." She said the tax initiative would fund schools under Prop 98 and help repay the debt owed to schools, plus it would generate $6.9 billion in new revenues.
"The governor is trying to build a bridge to recovery," she said. Buchanan observed that "education is a driver of the economy," yet UC Berkeley gets less than 10 percent of its revenue from the state. When Harvard is cheaper than Cal State, that's not a recipe for success, she added.
View Rep. Buchanan's presentation here or on the Studies & Reports page of the Council website.
The Council thanks co-host IBEW-Local 302 and sponsors, AT&T and Wells Fargo.
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| PROPOSED LEADERSHIP TEAM | | Council officers slate named for 2012-2013
The Council's Nominating Committee has proposed a new slate of officers for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. The Council Board will vote on the slate at the May meeting.
The slate includes Bob Brown, Chair; Terry Bowen, Chair-elect; Judith Millard and Andrew Sabey, VPs Task Forces; Bielle Moore, VP Events; Keith Archuleta, VP Finance; Jim Brandt, VP Membership; Ron Wetter, VP Communications; and David Bowlby, Immediate Past Chair.
Nominating Committee members include Mark Hughes (chair), Bob Brown, David Bowlby, Donnie Snyder, Bielle Moore, Gary Craft and Angie Coffee.
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| ADVOCACY | | Delta levee flood-response plan requires a regional approach
In response to requested letters of support from the Contra Costa Council and the Delta Protection Commission, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors endorsed a five-county regional emergency preparedness program last month for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta levee system.
"The Contra Costa Council has been engaged with the critical issues facing the Delta and has been supportive of those measures that will achieve the co-equal goals for a reliable water supply and enhancement of the ecologic health of the Delta," wrote Council President and CEO Linda Best to Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Piepho.
"Any Delta levee failure would cause instantaneous flooding of the land, causing immediate damage and risk to any person that may be present. Currently, each county is responsible for whatever emergency preparation and response to such an event. However, the potential risk is not defined by individual county boundaries, but by the intrinsic nature of the Delta levee system spanning the five-county region," said Best. She added that the Delta Protection Commission has provided leadership in developing a regional approach for emergency planning and response and will soon submit an application for a grant from the state Department of Water Resources, which the Council also endorses.
Hercules' Transit Center project deserves Measure J funding
The City of Hercules' Bayfront Intermodal Transit Center (ITC) project, a regionally significant project that represents the future of transit-oriented development, "is a vision we all should support." That was the message of Council President and CEO Linda Best to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Board of Directors in a March 8 letter voicing the Council's support of the city's request to appropriate Measure J funds already approved for the project in the amounts of $2,162,000 to acquire the right of way required for the rail station, and $2,356,000 to extend John Muir Parkway, a critical roadway access to the station.
The vision of the transit center is to bring rail, bus and ferry together to reduce vehicular commuter traffic on Interstate 80 and make public transit more accessible. The transit village project of approximately 1,400 units (plus shops, restaurants and offices) offers a link to the San Francisco Bay Trail for access by bicyclists and walkers, and close proximity to Interstate 80 to draw commuters into public transit.
The city has demonstrated its commitment to the project by expending approximately $12.9 million in the past three years to get the project construction ready in fiscal 2012, noted Best. "With the acquisition of the right-of-way and the beginning of Phase 1A construction funding, the project will be in an excellent position to compete for future state and federal funding."
(The Transportation Authority awarded the requested amount on March 21 in a unanimous vote; alternate board member William Wilkins, a Hercules City Councilman, recused himself.)
Council supports Concord's Naval Weapons Station Plan for innovation award
The Council has endorsed the City of Concord's application to the American Planning Association's California Northern Section Awards program in the "Innovation in Green Community Planning" category for the community's Concord Naval Weapons Station Plan. "The city's plan should be a model for other jurisdictions striving to develop a comprehensive plan on larger acreage that will be sustainable and compatible with the natural resources and the environment," wrote Council President and CEO Linda Best. She noted that the plan includes a Climate Action Plan, which will become part of the Citywide Climate Action Plan and contribute to the region's ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan also maintains over 69 percent of the site as open space, particularly in areas with the highest natural resource value. An emphasis on transit-oriented development further enhances sustainability.
"We particularly want to applaud the city for its comprehensive and inclusive process," added Best. Concord involved hundreds of residents, community leaders and stakeholders in its effort to develop a balanced plan. In addition to providing public workshops, the city established a Community Advisory Committee and Technical Advisory Committee, and worked with regional partners to ensure the plan would be consistent with regional goals.
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| CONTRA COSTA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP STEM INITIATIVE | |
 | Facilitator Tiffany Grant leads discussion with Randy Tillery and colleague.
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East Bay Engineering, Construction and Manufacturing event spurs a worthy conversation
About 50 area business leaders had a thoughtful conversation with their higher-education partners on April 18, when they gathered at Chevron Concord's offices for a "Dinner & Dialog" event, hosted by the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's STEM Initiative. Led by April Treece, the event was a solid step forward in the initiative's ongoing work to ensure that the East Bay has access to a highly skilled, technically competent workforce pipeline for the engineering, construction and manufacturing industry sector. Participants gathered to listen to speakers and then formed smaller groups for facilitated conversations about education and workforce issues.
"With more than 22 secondary schools developing Engineering Pathways in the East Bay, now is the time to develop a comprehensive industry response to connect our long-term workforce needs with the more than 3,000 students enrolled in the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Engineering sequence of courses from middle to high school," noted Treece.
Speakers at the three-hour afternoon meeting hosted by Chevron, a leader since 2009 in PLTW's California network supporting STEM education, included Janet Auer, Chevron Global Partnerships and Programs; Don Gill, superintendent of the Antioch Unified School District; Carmen Angulo with the office of State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, 11th District; Dr. Duane Crum, director of Project Lead The Way California; and Domenic Giandomenico, director, Education and Workforce Policy, Institute for a Competitive Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Susan Bonilla was not able to attend at the last minute.
Partner relationships
"If you have skilled, educated workers, you will lure businesses to your community," said Giandomenico, who cited Chevron's exemplary practice in bringing high-quality STEM curriculum to schools across the nation through its strategic partnership with PLTW. "As partners with education, business people need to understand the complexities of schools and school districts," he said, and both groups must enter these relationships as partners."
Steve Trippe of New Ways to Work served as lead facilitator for the group conversations. He noted that he heard business people say they need to invest in programs that work, that industry structures and associations can be leveraged for greater involvement, and that industry asks that education "make it easy for us to connect and invest."
Following reports by the small groups, there appeared to be consensus that the group should gather again. "We are developing the framework for industry to lead the effort to increase the talent pool of regional STEM workers aligned with job opportunities expected now and in the future," said Treece. For more information, contact April Treece at ccep@cococo.org.
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DIABLO INNOVATION ALLIANCE
| |  Economic Partnership's DIA initiative has lots of irons in the fire
The Diablo Innovation Alliance, the regional clean energy and water technology initiative of the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, is moving full speed ahead with several programs and projects well under way.
- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge project is moving apace. DIA representatives are meeting with several solar installation contractors and designated building officials from nine Contra Costa jurisdictions to look at solar rooftop permitting and discover ways to improve the process for all involved.
- In addition, the DIA's Rooftop Solar Challenge representative Gary Craft of Craft Consulting is meeting with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research to update the Statewide General Plan Guidelines, including the Energy Element, to eliminate barriers and encourage adoption of alternative energy throughout California.
- As of March 28, 25 agencies (and a total of 194 sites) had been submitted for assessment in the Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Program (R-REP), which is being offered in partnership with the General Services Agency of Alameda County and Joint Venture Silicon Valley.
- A Regulatory Reform Group has met and established its primary objectives focusing on issues that impact the implementation of clean energy technology (including biosolids, fuel cells, wind, solar and tidal) and related concerns, such as land use, permitting, financing, etc.
- Initial planning for an early 2013 water technology conference has begun.
- Watch for a DIA newsletter with the latest updates, which will be in your mailbox soon!
For more information, visit www.diabloinnovationalliance.org or contact Terry Shoaff. |
| ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP EAST BAY BROADBAND | | Consortium hosts Oakland roundtable April 27
The East Bay Broadband Consortium (EBBC) is hosting EBBC Roundtable One: Broadband Infrastructure and Economic Development, on Friday, April 27, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 Ninth Street, Suite 290, Oakland. The roundtable features a presentation by major broadband providers on plans for a broadband infrastructure in the East Bay; a discussion of the impact of broadband on economic and business development; a report from the EBBC Technology Committee on the broadband infrastructure; and the opportunity for participants to comment on the broadband situation, plans and needs, and to provide input to the East Bay Broadband Strategic Plan.
The Contra Costa Economic Partnership is an EBBC partner, along with the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, the Solano Economic Development Corporation and the East Bay Community Foundation. The regional initiative was awarded a three-year grant from the California Public Utilities Commission to develop and implement an East Bay Broadband Strategic Plan. For questions, contact Linda Best at (925) 246-1880. |
| MEMBER NEWS | |  Walnut Creek Chamber names Ron Brown its Business Person of the Year
Ron Brown, executive director of the nonprofit organization Save Mount Diablo, has been named Business Person of the Year by the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Contra Costa Council Board of Directors, Brown (pictured with Deb Nordstrom, a board member of the Walnut Creek Chamber) has steadily increased and diversified fundraising to ensure the nonprofit's financial sustainability. As a result, Save Mount Diablo has preserved more land in the last 18 months than in the previous 10 years. Brown has also expanded volunteer opportunities and built bridges to sometimes unlikely partners.
"When we stand back and take a look at the landscapes that we're preserving-not just for today but for our children and future generations-it brings a great sense of joy and satisfaction, that we're doing something to preserve and heal the world," Brown said of his work with Save Mount Diablo. "Being selected for this award is indeed validation for what those of us in the nonprofit sector have always known, that nonprofit organizations are businesses that manifest themselves in the 'quality of life' of the community."
Contra Costa Council President & CEO Linda Best said, "Ron recognizes the importance of a strong and diverse economy and works closely with the business community to achieve goals that benefit all residents."
(Read the entire San Francisco Business Times article.)
Linda Best honored with Girl Scouts' Forever Green Award
In celebration of the organization's 100th birthday in 2012, the Girl Scouts of America has honored 100 women with the Forever Green Award for "greening" the future of Northern California through their contributions to the arts, economic development, environment, equal opportunity, health, science and social justice. Council President and CEO Linda Best is among the honored recipients.
Angela De La Housaye to lead Walnut Creek Chamber
Angela De La Housaye, business attorney and founder of the Walnut Creek law firm De La Housaye & Associates, has been named as the 2012 chair of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. De La Housaye is a Contra Costa Council director and co-chairs the Council's Small Business & Entrepreneurs Task Force. |
| NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS | |  Child Care Council hosts Early Learning Conference April 28
The nonprofit Contra Costa Child Care Council is hosting its 18th Annual Early Learning Conference on Saturday, April 28, at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill. The conference offers over 30 workshops for early educators and parents of young children. Join the Child Care Council to learn the latest strategies and thinking in the early childhood education field and hear from experts on topics, such as Understanding Babies and Challenging Behaviors, Teaching Science, Using Nature for Integrated Learning, and A Road Map to Kindergarten: Successful Transitions to School.
The theme for this year's multi-lingual conference is to plan and be playful and purposeful. For details, visit www.cocokids.org or contact Susan Shiu at (925) 676-5442.
PG&E to relocate gas operations to Bishop Ranch
Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced it is relocating the majority of its gas operations to a 250,000-square-foot space in the Bishop Ranch business community in San Ramon as part of a drive to ensure public and employee safety and improve operational performance.
About 800 people will move to the new location, which will include a state-of-the-art gas control center, responsible for monitoring and adjusting gas pressures in PG&E's vast network of pipelines 24 hours a day. The new gas control center is planned for completion in the second quarter of 2013.
PG&E employees will be relocating from Walnut Creek, Concord, San Francisco and Fresno. The 10-year lease includes several options to extend the term for nearly 25 more years, through April 30, 2047. Most employees will move to Bishop Ranch by October 2012.
(Read PG&E's press release.) |
TASK FORCE ACTIVITIES
| | April and May task force briefings
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 meeting topics, 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, April 3, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . PMI, 3003 Oak Road, Walnut Creek. Ross Chittenden, deputy executive director, Projects, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, provided an update on Measure J projects and the associated funding outlook. Tuesday, May 1 meeting has been canceled. Next regular meeting TBA. Co-chair: Kris Johnson
Health Task Force . . . Thursday, April 5, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Burr Pilger Mayer, 2001 N. Main Street, Suite 360, Walnut Creek. Contra Costa Health Department budget update from Dr. Bill Walker of Contra Costa County Health Services; Steve Van Wart reviewed issues related to national health care legislation and implementation; the group also heard reports on the work plan strategy of participating with other task forces in a collaborative effort. Next meeting is Thursday, May 3. Co-Chairs: Lynn Baskett and Steve Van Wart
Workforce Development/Education Task Force . . . Wednesday, April 4, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, 300 Ellinwood, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill. Randy Tillery of the Contra Costa Community College District discussed the Trade Adjustment Act grant proposal; continued discussions about the Business/Education STEM initiative. At the next meeting, on Wednesday, May 2, participants will comment on the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's Construction, Engineering and Manufacturing Industry Dialogue and Dinner event on April 18 (see article, this issue); a report on the STEM 2020 Scorecard Project. Co-Chairs: Joanne Durkee and Kathleen Robinson
Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force . . . Friday, April 6, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 300, Walnut Creek. Dr. Mary Lou Esparza of the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District made a presentation on selenium. Next meeting is Friday, May 4. Co-Chairs: Peter McGaw and George Smith
Land Use Task Force . . . . Wednesday, April 11, 8 a.m. . . . Archer Norris, 2033 N. Main Street, Suite 800, Walnut Creek. Guy Bjerke, manager of the Bay Area Region of the Western States Petroleum Association discussed issues concerning the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Community Risk Reduction Plans that focus on six "care" communities in the region, including the Monument Corridor area. Next meeting is Wednesday, May 9. Co-chairs: Mike McGill and Ed Shaffer
Water Task Force . . . Tuesday, April 17, 8:15 to 10 a.m. . . . John F. Kennedy University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room N358, Pleasant Hill. On the eve of the anniversary of the historic 1906 earthquake, Cliff Bowen, recently retired from the California Department of Public Health, Drinking Water section, discussed planning for major disasters and the disruptive forces likely to affect lives in the aftermath of a major quake. Next meeting is Tuesday, May 15. Co-chairs:Bob Whitley and Ann Spaulding
Small Business & Entrepreneurs Task Force . . . Tuesday, April 24, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. . . . De La Housaye & Associates, 1655 N. Main Street, Suite 260, Walnut Creek . . . Discussion of chamber executive project and May 4 Small Business Awards Luncheon. At the quarterly chamber executives/legislative representatives meeting on March 27, Christine Baker, director of the California Department of Industrial Relations, discussed the role of her office in efforts to streamline and create efficiencies for business. Co-Chairs: Angela De La Housaye and David Kelly
Economic Development Task Force . . . Wednesday, April 25, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . CFOs2GO, 500 Ygnacio Valley Road (at North Main Street), Suite 410, Walnut Creek (note new location; near Walnut Creek BART). Wayne Schell, president and CEO of the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED), discussed the economic development outlook in California. Also, Valerie Barone, interim Concord city manager, offered a perspective on recent and projected trends in economic development in Contra Costa cities, Walnut Creek and Concord. At the next meeting, on Wednesday, May 23, Scott Anderson, executive director of the Industrial Association of Contra Costa County, will provide an overview of current and projected industrial trends in the area. Co-chairs: Mike Conlon and Gary Craft
Social Responsibility Task Force . . . Thursday, April 26, 8 to 10 a.m. . . . Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Avenue, Room 307, Walnut Creek. Special workshop: "The Value of Volunteerism for Business and the Community," featuring panelists Rob Anderson of Burr Pilger Mayer, Karla McCormick of the Volunteer Center of the East Bay, Larry Sly of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, and Roger Hancock of AAA Insurance. Next meeting is Thursday, May 24. Co-Chairs: Judith Parker and Mark Hughes |
NEW MEMBERS
| | | Please welcome our new members!
Fitzgerald Abbott & Beardsley LLP
Anthony McGrath
John Gardner
1221 Broadway, 21St Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
510.451.3300 phone
510.451.1527 fax
www.fablaw.com
amcgrath@fablaw.com
jgardner@fablaw.com
Fitzgerald Abbott & Beardsley LLP ("FAB") is a multi-practice law firm providing legal solutions for clients throughout Northern California and nationally.
National University
Kelly Griffin
Kevin Little
Marianne Fingado
141 6th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
510.246.1922 phone
www.nu.edu
Kgriffin@nu.edu
klittle@nu.edu
mfingado@nu.edu
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California and the 12th-largest in the United States. The university's new Online Information Center, located in downtown San Francisco at the Metreon, provides the opportunity to experience online courses through an interactive self-guided tour or by viewing an actual online class.
Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP
Roger Hughes, Attorney
1111 Broadway, 24th Floor
Oakland, CA 94507
510.834.6600 phone
510.808.4732 fax
www.wendel.com
rhughes@wendel.com
Clients come to Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP from a broad spectrum of industries, including small startups, major corporations and public entities.
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ABOUT THE CONTRA COSTA 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 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, please visit www.contracostacouncil.com.
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.
© 2012 Contra Costa Council
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