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Contra Costa Council News for May-June 2012
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Upcoming events
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TODAY:
Annual Installation Dinner
Wednesday, June 6
Social hour at 6 p.m. Dinner and program at 7 p.m.
Contra Costa Country Club,
801 Golf Road, Pleasant Hill Installation of the 2012-2013
Executive Committee and presentation of the Contra Costa Medal Award to IBEW Local Union 302, the Distinguished Service Award and the Outstanding Task Force Chair Award
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28th Annual Golf Tournament
Round Hill Country Club, 3169 Round Hill Road, Alamo
Monday, August 20
Registration and lunch at 10:30 a.m. Shotgun start at 11:45 a.m. No-host social hour at 5 p.m. Dinner and awards ceremony at 6 p.m.
Seeking sponsors, volunteers and prize donations.
Always a great event!
Registration will open soon on the Council website. For more information, contact the Council office at (925) 246-1880, fax (925) 674-1654
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WHAT'S NEW?
| | The Council is on Facebook!
The Contra Costa Council has joined the world of social media, and we are now on Facebook. If you are a social media fan, too, please visit our Facebook page and "Like" us. Once you do, you will begin to see frequent updates about the Council on your Facebook news feed. For other information about us, please visit our website. |
| May 10 RECEPTION RECAP | |  Council and Tri-Valley Chambers of Commerce welcome Mark DeSaulnier
State Senator Mark DeSaulnier discussed the wearying budget process and other simpler issues at a Contra Costa Council reception in his honor, held May 10 at Safeway's Canyon Way Facility in Pleasanton. A friendly Tri-Valley crowd gathered to welcome DeSaulnier, who will represent Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore, in addition to Contra Costa County communities, under a new redistricting proposal. The early-evening event was co-sponsored by the Dublin and Pleasanton Chambers of Commerce.
DeSaulnier called the Tri-Valley "an area with great resources," which he said he is excited to represent. He said he would be setting up mobile district office hours and looks forward to answering questions of local residents at future town hall events.
"I never imagined we would go through the (budget) struggles we've been through. This may be the toughest year," DeSaulnier remarked, noting that last year's budget-saving "bump" did not appear this year, state income tax is down significantly and corporate taxes are also down. And he had yet to hear about the five-percent pay cut for lawmakers, the governor and other officeholders ordered last week by the California Citizens Compensation Commission.
In addition to state budget woes, DeSaulnier discussed state political redistricting, 12 percent unemployment ("we're making progress") and the importance of transportation and housing issues. He had some critical comments to make about what he called the California high-speed rail project's "backward approach," which he believes should start instead in urban areas and work outward, as with the French and Spanish rail systems. "We want to get this policy right," he added. "This is the largest public works project in the history of the state."
The Council thanks event co-host Miller Starr Regalia and sponsor Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
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MAY 4 LUNCHEON RECAP
| |  Small Business Awards Luncheon just gets betterListen to your customers, provide good value, own your work, and value your employees. Those were the key messages of Invision's Rod Mickels at the Contra Costa Council's wonderfully successful 12th Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton Concord on May 4. Mickels delivered the inspiring keynote address at the event honoring small-business owners and entrepreneurs, selected by their local chamber of commerce for their achievements in building their businesses and for their contributions to the community. The ever-more-popular luncheon is presented annually by the Council's Small Business & Entrepreneurial Task Force, led by Angela De La Housaye and David Kelly. ABC7 News' Dan Ashley served as emcee. The 2012 award winners (pictured above, from left), are Ron Brown, Save Mount Diablo, Walnut Creek Chamber; Zoe Smith, Zoe's Cookies & Other Delights, Richmond; Brad Jay Noggle, 5A Rent a Space, Moraga; Steve Wilcox, Summit Financial Group, San Ramon; Marcia Harmon, Cottage Jewel, Danville; Philippe Chevalier, Chevalier Restaurant, Lafayette; Derry Englund, Englund's Café & Catering, Concord; Kimberly Saucedo, Golden Eagle Cleaning Solutions, Hispanic; Matthew Rinn, Matthew Rinn State Farm Agency, Pleasant Hill; and Richard Cash, Richard Cash Photography, Martinez. Not pictured are Jim Clay of Clay, Millias & Co., LLP, Antioch; Chih-Chung Fang of Republic of Cake and Angel Saucedo of Golden Eagle Cleaning Solutions. ( Watch a video of the event on YouTube, view photos by Timothy Burman Photography on the Council website or read the entire press release here.) The Council thanks all event sponsors, including Chevron and Wells Fargo (co-hosts); Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County, Contra Costa County Small Business Development Center (gold); Bank of America, Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Business Times (silver); AT&T, Kelly & Associates (bronze); Contra Costa Association of REALTORS® and De La Housaye, LLP (friends).Photo by Timothy Burman Photography
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| APRIL 27 AFTERNOON FORUM RECAP | |
 | | Assemblymembers Rich Gordon (left), Henry Perea and Susan Bonilla; David Bowlby, Andrew Sabey, Tiffany Roberts, Alex Jackson and Jennifer Gress |
Cap and Trade Forum offers plenty of opportunity for debate
Representatives of labor, manufacturing and petroleum companies, industry associations and government all had their say at the Cap and Trade Forum, presented on April 27 by the Contra Costa Council in association with Assemblymembers Susan Bonilla (Concord), Henry Perea (Fresno) and Rich Gordon (Menlo Park). Drawing a crowd of some 150 people to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord, the event included four expert panel discussions that served up strongly contrasting views of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) Program to meet the state's greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets under AB 32 legislation. The panels were moderated by Council VP-Programs Andrew Sabey and Council Chair David Bowlby. The first panel offered an overview by Tiffany Roberts of the California Legislative Analyst's Office and Alex Jackson of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an original co-sponsor of AB 32. As Roberts noted, AB 32 established the goal of reducing GHG emissions statewide to 1990 levels by 2020. To achieve this goal, ARB adopted regulations to establish a new program that places a cap on aggregate GHG emissions "from entities responsible for roughly 80 percent of the state's emissions." ARB will issue carbon allowances that the entities will be able to trade (buy and sell) on the open market. (Read the LAO report.) "We need to find ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel," said the NRDC's Jackson. "This is not a revenue program for the state; the revenue is designed to be returned to end users affected by fossil fuels in our environment." Effect on business
A second panel featured Dorothy Rothrock of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association; Chris Conkling of USS-POSCO; and Rand Swenson of ConocoPhillips' Rodeo Refinery, who each expressed concerns about the proposal's effect on their businesses and the industry. "Our industry is extremely price sensitive. If we are not competitive, we won't be able to sell our product," said Conkling. "Reducing GHG is a good thing, but the costs are going to be higher than originally anticipated," he added. "We don't know how we're going to meet low-carbon fuel standards; the technology isn't there," said Swenson. "Is this the time to be implementing new fees?" The third and fourth panels covered recommendations on revenue use and legislation providing a framework for expenditures. Panelists included Martin Engelmann of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority; Cesar Diaz of the California Building Trades Council; Jennifer Gress, ARB legislative director; and Alex Jackson of the NRDC. Diaz spoke about the efficiency and benefits of green building and the value of apprenticeship programs, which create new jobs. "We need to make sure we're not doing something harmful to the business sector. I'm nervous about the focus on revenue for a sector that has been underfunded," said Assemblymember Gordon. Noting that some cities in the Central Valley are facing as high as 47 percent unemployment, "legislators need to know what is happening in ensuring that all regions of the state are represented," said Assemblymember Perea. "We are a test case for cap and trade, and we need to try and find that sweet spot." "We are hopeful of achieving our environmental goals and we want to do it the right way and the best way. We don't want anyone to feel disenfranchised," said Bonilla. "The stakes are very high, and we can't afford to get it wrong." Contra Costa Television will air this presentation on Thursday, June 7, at 12 noon, and on Monday, June 11, at 8 p.m. CCTV is Comcast channel 27, Astound channel 32 and AT&T U-verse channel 99. For additional air dates and times for this program and other Council presentations, visit the CCTV program guide at www.contracostatv.org or call (925) 313-1180. The Council thanks event sponsor Tesoro. |
CEO VIEWPOINT
| |  Jumping on the broadband bandwagon for the good of all communities
By Linda Best, President and CEO, Contra Costa Council
Broadband, a term for high-speed internet, is a critical 21st century infrastructure that is a key enabling technology for economic competitiveness, public health and safety, sustainable communities, and access to information and services. Responding to this challenge, the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, the East Bay Economic Development Alliance and the Solano Economic Development Corporation are leading an initiative called the East Bay Broadband Consortium (EBBC) to improve broadband deployment, access and adoption in Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties through a collaborative regional approach.
EBBC was organized by the three economic development organizations in partnership with the California Emerging Technology Fund and support from the East Bay Community Foundation and Lesher Foundation. In January, EBBC was awarded a three-year grant from the California Public Utilities Commission to prepare and implement a strategic plan that will include priorities for broadband infrastructure, inclusion, adoption and use.
The plan will address seven key areas:
* Infrastructure
* Digital inclusion (bridging the Digital Divide)
* Economic development
* E-education
* Telehealth
* Social services
* E-government (including citizen participation, public safety and emergency services)
The consortium membership includes a broad cross section of jurisdictions, education, health, business and economic development, community-based organizations and philanthropy. Already, the consortium has hosted a technical committee meeting to begin to identify the gaps in broadband infrastructure, and on April 27 convened the first of three roundtables to address infrastructure and economic development needs. Over 70 attendees engaged in a lively discussion about the importance of broadband to economic development and helped identify gaps and needs for high-capacity broadband and wireless.
Future roundtables and events include:
* Roundtable Two: Digital Inclusion, Telehealth and Social Services, July 27,2012
* Roundtable Three: E-education and E-government, October 26, 2012
* Funders Forum: East Bay Broadband Strategic Plan, November 9, 2012
* Summit: East Bay Broadband Strategic Plan, January 2013
Following adoption of the strategic plan in January 2013, EBBC will begin implementation of the plan in 2013 and 2014.
If you would like to learn more about EBBC or be put on the distribution list to receive information and notification of future meetings, please contact Linda Best at (925) 246-1880. |
| ADVOCACY | | Council supports passage of Proposition 28
The Contra Costa Council endorsed California Proposition 28, the California Change in Term Limits Initiative, which was on the June 5 ballot. The constitutional initiative reduces the amount of time a person may serve in the state legislature to 12 years, but increases the number of terms a person could serve in either the Assembly or Senate. This measure will allow legislators to develop greater policy expertise to lead California. It also will enable legislators to better focus on developing sound public policies, instead of having to run for their next office.
California voters imposed term limits on the California Legislature in 1990, when they voted in favor of Proposition 140. With its passage, Proposition 28 will alter Proposition 140.
Sustainable Communities Strategy's Preferred Scenario Draft still needs work
The Contra Costa Council registered a number of concerns about the current Draft Preferred Scenario (DPS) for the Sustainable Communities Strategy work of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which was approved by ABAG and MTC on May 17.
Many of the assumptions in the DPS are flawed, wrote Council Chair David Bowlby in a May 16 letter to MTC Chair Adrienne Tissier and ABAG Executive Committee Chair Mark Luce. The letter challenged the scenario's overly optimistic projections for jobs and housing; the high concentration of jobs and housing growth projected for the Bay Area's inner urban core, specifically San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose; and the unrealistically high concentrations of jobs and housing in Priority Development Areas (PDAs), with no funding identified for these needs.
The Council also joined in a May 16 letter from the Bay Area Business Coalition, acknowledging that the MTC and ABAG boards intended to approve the DPS. The 10-member coalition encouraged these actions: 1) conduct a PDA-by-PDA economic and market feasibility assessment to ensure the final SCS is not only ambitious, but achievable; 2) add language addressing private-sector incentives and local regulatory burdens on the development of jobs and housing envisioned in the PDAs; and 3) include a baseline trend scenario in the EIR that makes "apples-to-apples" land use comparisons, which will help stakeholders understand how land use changes truly impact outcomes and performance.
BART board votes to move forward with car replacement contract
As a longtime supporter of BART's highest priority capital project, the replacement and expansion of its fleet of aging passenger cars, the Council urged the BART Board of Directors to move forward to award the contract to the selected bidder. "Failure to award the contract and start over again would delay the project by more than a year. This would be an unacceptable delay, making BART service potentially less dependable and reliable," wrote Council President and CEO Linda Best in an April 25 letter. "There is also the risk that such a delay would result in higher costs for the project.
"Transportation has long been a Council priority and we recognize the importance of the BART system to the region's economy. BART gets people to work, creates jobs, reduces traffic congestion and supports state and federal goals for reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It is imperative that the car replacement project move forward now and we urge you to begin that process by awarding the contract," she said. (BART's board of directors voted unanimously on May 10 to buy 410 new train cars for $896.3 million from a Canadian firm.) |
| NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS | |  Los Vaqueros Reservoir dam dedication is July 13
The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) will dedicate the newly expanded 100,000 acre-foot Los Vaqueros Reservoir on Friday, July 13, at 9:30 a.m., on the top of the expanded dam. Construction of the expansion project has moved along ahead of schedule; the completed dam, which sits 34 feet higher, will now allow for an additional 60,000 acre-feet of storage in the dam.
All of the project partners will be recognized at the dedication. The next day, Saturday, July 14, CCWD will be reopening the entire watershed to the public with a series of interpretive programs that will discuss the significance of the expansion, highlight the biodiversity and history of the watershed, and promote the recreational resources available at Los Vaqueros.
The district is also offering a free "sneak peek" of Los Vaqueros on June 22, before it is reopened to the public. More details are available on the CCWD website.
Photo of Los Vaqueros by Randy Fiorini |
Contra Costa Economic Partnership STEM Initiative
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Engineering Camp solar energy session
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Summer Camps offer STEM enrichment experiences for Contra Costa high school students and teachers
Each summer since 2004, the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's STEM Workforce Initiative and its education and industry partners have presented an array of Contra Costa STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Summer Camps. These are made possible through industry sponsorships and collaboration with business people and higher education institutions, including the Contra Costa Office of Education and campuses of Cal State East Bay and the Contra Costa Community College District.
The STEM Summer Camps are for incoming high school juniors and seniors. Students and teachers receive STEM enrichment opportunities, which include week-long experiences that blend hands-on projects, industry field visits, problem-solving and learning from experts-all combined with college campus exposure and college credit. Upcoming camps include Engineering Camp, June 18 to 22 at Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill; Biotechnology Camp, July 9 to 13 at Cal State East Bay, Concord; and Environmental Sciences Camp, July 23 to 27, also at Cal State East Bay, Concord.
For more information, visit the Partnership's website or contact April Treece at ccep@cococo.org. |
| SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TASK FORCE'S APRIL 26 WORKSHOP RECAP | |
 | | Mark Hughes (standing) and workshop panelists Rob Anderson (seated from left, facing forward) Carla McCormick, Roger Hancock and Larry Sly |
Volunteerism workshop panelists offer good advice on how to run a successful program
The Contra Costa Council's Social Responsibility Task Force launched a series of quarterly workshops with an excellent inaugural offering, The Value of Volunteerism for Business and the Community, on April 26 at Brandman University. The workshop drew a standing-room-only audience who came to learn how corporate volunteerism can add to a company's bottom line.
Volunteer team projects are part of the company's employee engagement program, said Roger Hancock, who manages the corporate volunteer network at AAA Insurance. "When we survey employees, we learn that 95 percent believe they are living AAA values by volunteering," he said. Employees are given 24 hours of paid time off to volunteer for group events and additional PTO to volunteer in a disaster. (See www.aaavolunteers.org.)
"Companies who want to develop a volunteer program can learn from other companies; people are willing to share what they do," advised Carla McCormick of the Volunteer Center of the East Bay, which works with about 25 East Bay nonprofits. She suggested that companies align their volunteer program goals with their business objectives. "Planning is everything. Be sure to allow enough lead time," she said. (See www.volunteereastbay.org/.)
"We're the Costco for nonprofits," said Larry Sly of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, which works with 180 nonprofit organizations, 52 staff and 40,000 hours of volunteer time annually. "Volunteering is about relationships," said Sly. "We want people to walk away feeling good about what they've done." (See www.foodbankccs.org/.)
Giving back to the community is one of our corporate tenets, observed Rob Anderson of Burr Pilger Mayer, which was honored in November with the Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist award for companies with 100 to 500 employees in the Council's Philanthropy Awards program. BPM expects all partners to serve on at least one nonprofit board, plans an annual BPM Day when employees have time off to volunteer in their communities, provides opportunities for employees to be involved in volunteering, and names a volunteer liaison in each of BPM's five offices, among other incentives. (See www.bpmcpa.com/Community/.)
Having corporate volunteers work in nonprofits humanizes these institutions," observed Larry Sly. "Our nonprofits learn that these are real people doing real work."
The task force is planning a second workshop on July 26. Watch the Council website for more information or contact task force co-chairs Mark Hughes or Judith Parker. |
TASK FORCE BRIEFINGS
| | June activities
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 task force pages on the Council website. Environmental/Manufacturing Task Force . . . June 1 meeting canceled . . . Friday, July 6, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 300, Walnut Creek. At the May meeting, members discussed the task force policy paper update and had a roundtable discussion of compliance issues. Co-Chairs: Peter McGaw and George SmithWorkforce Development/Education Task Force . . . Wednesday, June 6, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, 300 Ellinwood, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill. Karen Engel, executive director of the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, will discuss Connecting the Scorecard to the Work of the East Bay EDA; a report on the STEM 2020 Scorecard Project; advocacy issues. Co-Chairs: Joanne Durkee and Kathleen RobinsonHealth Task Force . . . Thursday, June 7, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Burr Pilger Mayer, 2001 N. Main Street, Suite 360, Walnut Creek. Updates on legislation (rate regulations and SEIU ballot initiative), the California budget, California Exchange and other issues. Next meeting is Thursday, July 5. Co-Chairs: Lynn Baskett and Steve Van WartLand Use Task Force . . . . Wednesday, June 13, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . Archer Norris, 2033 N. Main Street, Suite 800, Walnut Creek. Bob Glover, executive officer, BIA Bay Area, will discuss the State of the Industry: New Home Construction in Contra Costa County and the Bay Area. A special joint meeting with the Transportation Task Force will be held on Tuesday, July 10, at 8 a.m., location TBA. MTC Vice Chair Amy Worth and Julie Pierce, CCTA commissioner representing Clayton, will discuss alternatives on the table for the recently adopted Draft Preferred Scenario for the Sustainable Communities Strategy. Co-chairs: Mike McGill and Ed ShafferWater Task Force . . . Tuesday, June 19, 8:15 to 10 a.m. . . . John F. Kennedy University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room N358, Pleasant Hill. In May, Randy Fiorini, member of the Delta Stewardship Council, and Keith Coolidge, executive manager for external affairs, discussed modifications to the sixth draft of the Delta Plan. Co-chairs: Ann Spaulding and Bob WhitleySmall Business & Entrepreneurial Task Force . . . Tuesday, June 26, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, 3055 Oak Road, Yosemite Conference Room, Walnut Creek . . . Quarterly chamber of commerce executive/legislative representative meeting will feature Ellen Widess, chief of Cal/OSHA. (RSVP required.) (See the article this issue on the May 4 Small Business Awards Luncheon.) Co-Chairs: Angela De La Housaye and David KellyTransportation Task Force . . . Tuesday, June 26 . . . Save the date for a lunchtime program featuring Will Kempton, former Caltrans director and CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority, who will discuss Mobility 21, Southern California's regional, nonpartisan transportation advocacy coalition; venue TBA. In May, Richard Lambros of the Southern California Group gave a call-in presentation on the statewide implications of a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club against the San Diego Association of Governments' Regional Comprehensive Plan. Co-chair: Kris JohnsonEconomic Development Task Force . . . Wednesday, June 27, 8 to 9 a.m. . . . City National Bank, 2001 North Main Street, Second Floor (at Ygnacio Valley Boulevard, near Walnut Creek BART). Tom Guarino, East Bay public affairs manager, PG&E, will discuss the recently announced PG&E program to offer a competitive electric rate to attract large employers to California and assist employers already in the state to maintain or expand operations here. In May, Scott Anderson, executive director of the Industrial Association of Contra Costa County, provided an overview of current and projected industrial trends in the area. Co-chairs: Mike Conlon and Gary CraftSocial Responsibility Task Force . . . Thursday, June 28, 8 to 10 a.m. . . . Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Avenue, Room 307, Walnut Creek. Will discuss plans for the July 26 workshop and the Philanthropy Awards program, set for November 8. (See the article this issue on the April 26 "Value of Volunteerism" workshop.) Co-Chairs: Mark Hughes and Judith Parker |
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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