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Contra Costa Council News for July-August 2012
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Upcoming Events
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Washington Update with Congressman George Miller
Wednesday, August 8
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord
Registration will open soon on the Council website. Contact the Council office
at (925) 246-1880 for details.*******28th Annual Contra Costa Council/WSPA Petroleum Cup Golf TournamentMonday, August 20Round Hill Country Club, AlamoRegistration 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! Sponsorship packages available!Register at the Council website or contact the Council office at (925) 246-1880.
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WHAT'S NEW?
| | The Council has gone social!
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.
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| JULY 26 LUNCHEON RECAP | |  Mary Piepho talks about water, budgets and pension reform Starting with water and ending with pension reform, Contra Costa Board of Supervisors Chair Mary Piepho took the opportunity to cover a broad spectrum of issues in her remarks at the Contra Costa Council luncheon on Thursday at the Hilton Concord. Piepho was pinch-hitting for Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), who was scheduled to speak but was not able to attend due to scheduling confusion. (We will try and reschedule Assemblymember Skinner soon!) Referring to the July 25 announcement by Governor Jerry Brown, in which he outlined revisions to the proposed Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), Piepho was critical of the two specific "tunnel" options offered to move water through Delta conveyance facilities. "We need to focus on [the restoration of] levees before we talk about conveyance," she said. "Any future program has to have sound science behind it." Piepho added that while the proposal is heading in the right direction, it does not consider all size options for conveyance. She praised the Contra Costa Council's work and policy statements in the Delta debate (see letter from Linda Best and Bob Whitley, below). Piepho said that the county recently passed "a structurally balanced budget with no gimmicks ... Employees sacrificed tremendously to achieve this in a tough economy. We will not have a municipal bankruptcy for Contra Costa County." Noting that the county assessor's rolls had brought in several million dollars extra, she said that the challenge is not to go backward nor incur additional other post-employment benefits (OPEB) debt. Piepho observed that the state redevelopment picture is a "big mess" with recent legislative fixes offered by California Senate leader Darrell Steinberg striking at the local level and resulting in conflicts in the law and its application. She urged support of a Contra Costa County Fire Protection District measure, which on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors will consider placing on the November ballot; the measure would require a two-thirds majority. Piepho added that the county will implement pension reform, specifically to reduce spiking in its policies. The Council thanks sponsor IBEW Local 302.
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| JUNE 26 LUNCHEON RECAP | |  Mobility 21: a regional coalition that is making a difference for Southern California
Will Kempton (pictured at right) offered a low key yet very positive look at the merits of the organization he heads -- Mobility 21, a regional coalition for Southern California transportation -- at the June 26 Transportation Task Force luncheon at the Contra Costa Country Club. "In terms of advocating on issues with Sacramento and Washington," [having a regional organization] does make a difference," said the former head of Caltrans.
Kempton described today's 5,000-member Mobility 21 organization, which was created in 2002 to bring together elected officials, transportation providers, businesses, local municipalities, labor and community leaders to develop solutions to the transportation issues facing Los Angeles County. The organization became a regional effort in 2007. Today, in addition to Los Angeles County, Mobility 21 comprises Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties.
Kempton noted that the first annual summit conference attracted 500 people. That number doubled to 1,000 in 2011, and some 1,200 to 1,300 are anticipated at the September 28 summit in Anaheim.
"We've only been speaking to the choir, but we are going to start involving people from the general business community," he said. "You can't forget the needs of business ... what we need is more dollars, and that is going to be an issue further down the road." Mobility 21 has two full-time staff members.
The Council thanks co-host Gray-Bowen and sponsor WMH. |
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JUNE 6 BOARD INSTALLATION DINNER RECAP
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 | Outgoing Council Chair David Bowlby (left) presents the Contra Costa Medal Award to IBEW Local 302's Hershel Barton and Tom Hansen.
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IBEW Local 302 receives Contra Costa Medal Award
Cheryll LeMay honored with Distinguished Service Award; Peter McGaw and George Smith named Outstanding Task Force Co-Chairs
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 302, received the 2012 Contra Costa Medal Award for its outstanding service to the community and the Council at the annual Board Installation Dinner, held June 6 at the Contra Costa Country Club. Hershel "Bart" Barton, Local 302 business manager, and Tom Hansen, assistant business manager, accepted the award from outgoing Council Chair David Bowlby. The organization was honored for its exemplary three-year sound and communication apprenticeship and five-year electrician apprenticeship; its partnership with the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's STEM Workforce Initiative; and its involvement since 2009 in a Project Lead The Way engineering curriculum expansion in area high schools, community colleges and universities. "We appreciate this award, which exemplifies our unique and close relationship with business and education in Contra Costa County," said Barton. Also honored were Cheryll LeMay, Diablo Valley College Counseling Department chair, who received the Distinguished Service Award, a tribute to her long service to the Council and her passion for education. A former Council chair (2009-2010) and co-chair of the Education Task Force, LeMay has served in several leadership roles at the Community College District and at Diablo Valley College. Peter McGaw, of counsel with Archer Norris, Walnut Creek, and George Smith, founder and president of GBR Smith Group, Walnut Creek, were named Outstanding Task Force Co-Chairs for their role in leading the Environmental / Manufacturing Task Force. The task force tackles regulatory issues before regional agencies, whose decisions have enormous impact on our economy and the ability of businesses to be successful. Their leadership has helped strike the balance between protecting the environment and avoiding unnecessary regulatory burdens that are not based on sound science and have a negative cost/benefit ratio. Smith chaired the Council in 2010-2011; McGaw is also a past chair and serves as chief legal counsel. Bob Brown succeeds David Bowlby as Council chair
Bob Brown, director, public affairs, AAA Insurance, was installed as 2012-2013 Council chair, beginning in July. Other incoming executive officers include Terry Bowen of Gray-Bowen, chair-elect; Andrew Sabey of Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP, and Judith Millard of Brown and Caldwell, VPs task forces; Keith Archuleta of Emerald HPC International, VP finance; Bielle Moore, Richmond Sanitary/Republic Services, VP events; Jim Brandt of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, VP membership services; Ron Wetter of Kaiser Permanente, VP communications; Peter McGaw of Archer Norris, chief legal counsel; and David Bowlby of The Bowlby Group, immediate past chair. In addition, the Council honored five student winners in the recent Contra Costa Science and Engineering Fair, who also took honors in state and international science fairs. They included Eric Sauer, 11th grader at Monte Vista High School, Danville; Raymond Zhu, 12th grader at Dougherty Valley High School, San Ramon; Aryo Sorayya, 11th grader at Monte Vista High School, San Ramon; Chad Wakamiya, 8th grader at Pine Valley Middle School, San Ramon; and Dhuvarakesh Karthikeyan, 8th grader at Iron Horse Middle School, San Ramon. Students displayed and presented their science project findings to dinner guests. (View photos by George Csicsery of the Board Installation Dinner and awards presentation in the Photo Gallery of the Council website. Watch a video of the evening's activities by VG Productions on YouTube.) The Council thanks sponsors Chevron, GenOn, IBEW Local 302, John Muir Health, Kaiser Permanente and Shell Martinez Refinery. |
| ADVOCACY | |  Delta fix plan must contain certain essential elements
By Linda Best and Bob Whitley
The evidence is clear that the Delta, as we know it, is broken and must be fixed. The debate on how to fix the broken system is intense and pits many interests against each other.
Some might call it a modern day version of the "Great Water War," but now the weapons are sophisticated, political and very expensive. Those of us who live, work or play in a region distinguished by Mount Diablo are not immune to the battles.
In fact, our region includes all of the interests evident in statewide issues of how should the Delta be fixed. It is expected that Governor Jerry Brown will soon announce a plan known as the BDCP, to build a new water conveyance facility starting near Freeport and ending at the pumps near Tracy. Details of the plan are unknown, but the plan will be large, expensive and controversial.*
We have been engaged in Delta issues ever since a levee on Jones Tract failed in 2004. Our view is that any fix must be systematic and comprehensive within the Delta. Our view is that any fix must include the following five components.
Water conveyance system: Delta waterways provide a conveyance system for water to be extracted for uses in our region and elsewhere in the state. Overuse of the system has caused legally enforceable restrictions on current operations. A new system to move the intake further up into the Delta will reduce imposition of those restrictions.
While we understand the desire to improve the current situation, a plan must include the best available science to establish enforceable regulations on system operations to avoid deterioration of water quality and adverse ecosystem effects in the Delta.
Ecosystem: The Delta is the largest estuary on the West Coast that provides a natural setting for numerous species of birds, fish and animals. Fishery populations have declined due to a combination of factors, including low-flow conditions and accumulation of pollutants. Providing for a healthy ecosystem in the Delta is critical for sustainability of this important resource.
A plan must include the framework for habitat restoration, policies and regulations to sustain a healthy aquatic environment.
Flow system: A plan must include enforceable flow criteria to establish seasonally varying flow regimes through the Delta into San Francisco Bay to sustain our natural resources and to provide for flood management.
Levee system: Today's Delta is physically defined by more than 60 islands surrounded by more than 1,300 miles of levees separating land and water. Levees determine how water flows through the Delta from north to south and from east to west. Most of the levee system needs to be strengthened by improving levee structural integrity to prevent major flooding damage.
A plan must include a priority system that will determine publicly financed improvements to protect far into the future people, property, utilities and infrastructure.
Storage system: A plan must include new storage (above and below ground) to manage flows between wet and dry years and flow diversions in and out of the Delta.
All five components are linked to be an integrated fix. Any plan, including the governor's, that provides for only an incremental "fix" for one of these systematic needs that favors one segment of the state's economy in our view is not supportable.
Linda Best is president of the Contra Costa Council, and Bob Whitley is co-chair of the Council's Water Task Force and a principal at Whitley Burchett & Associates. This op-ed essay appeared in the Contra Costa Times and associated newspapers on July 20, 2012.
*Read about Governor Brown's new plan, announced July 25.
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| VIEW FROM THE CHAIR | |  A year of important work by extraordinary people
By David Bowlby, 2011-2012 Chair of the Contra Costa Council
This past year as chair of the Contra Costa Council has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have had the opportunity to work with and meet some extraordinary people who care about our community, the region and the state. The time and dedication our board members, task force members, task force chairs and executive committee members devote to the Council are truly amazing.
I would like to personally thank each and every one of you who make the Council one of the most respected and admired organizations in the state. I would also like to acknowledge the dedicated staff of the Council. Our executive director and president, Linda Best, is truly a gift. We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated, supportive and creative leader. I know Linda could not do all she does without the help of Terry Shoaff, and his dedication to the Economic Partnership is invaluable. And, Nanette Fukushima is the glue that holds this all together. It is the parts of the whole that make me proud to have been the chair of this phenomenal organization.
On an advocacy front, the Council played a prominent role in commenting on the preparation of the Delta Plan by the Delta Stewardship Council, the Bay Conservation and Development Plan and the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Delta Protection Commission, all of which are critical to Contra Costa County and the East Bay. We have and will continue to play a key role in the Sustainable Communities Strategy. The current emphasis on focusing and concentrating jobs and housing growth in the urban core is not realistic or achievable. This strategy works to the disadvantage of suburban communities like Contra Costa.
As always, governance reform continues to be a priority of the Council. We were the first organization in the state to endorse the California Forward initiative, which will be on the November ballot. The initiative promotes governance and budget reform that is meaningful and promotes economic growth. Because the refinery business is such an integral part of the economic vitality of the region, the Council took the lead on increasing the awareness of the Cap and Trade system. This state legislation will have a profound impact on the economic viability of the region and the state. The Council sponsored the first of a series of forums being conducted up and down the state to open the dialogue about this issue and create a venue that promotes collaboration and economic sustainability. We were fortunate to have Assemblymembers Susan Bonilla, Henry Perea and Richard Gordon as hosts, along with industry stakeholders and various state agencies present, to address the critical issues and concerns Cap and Trade poses.
Communications milestone
This year marked a milestone in the communications realm for the Council. We began to put in place a strategic plan to take full advantage of social media. We established a Facebook page and will soon be launching our LinkedIn profile and Twitter account. In addition, we are expanding the capabilities of our website so that our members can get real-time information and updates about events and issues important to the Council.
The past year was an extremely active one for the Council. We offered our members and the region a wide spectrum of insightful, informative events. From our inaugural Philanthropy Awards breakfast, to CCUSA to the Cap and Trade forum, we offered opportunities to inform and engage our membership. And no year would be complete without mentioning the various events we offered to dialogue and hear from our elected officials at the federal, state and local levels. These events afford our members the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with the elected officials and community leaders who are shaping our future.
Finally, the recap of my year as chair would not be complete if I did not acknowledge the board's bold step in voting to move forward with a name change. The board recognized that our work on the Council not only benefits Contra Costa but the region as a whole. As such, our name should reflect the regionality of our advocacy. I appreciated the lively debate and discussion the issue sparked amongst our board members. The board has directed a sub-committee to do the research and analysis needed for the name change. I feel very fortunate to continue my work on this important issue as chair of the committee.
Thanks again to all of you on the Council who make Contra Costa, the East Bay and the state a better place to live, work and play, and for allowing me this great opportunity to be part of a very exciting and important organization. |
| MEMBER NEWS | | New Council directors recognized at installation dinner
Thomas Gomez-Arrias of Saint Mary's College has been named a Contra Costa Council director. Other new board members, who were recognized at the June 6 Board Installation Dinner, include Rob Anderson of Burr Pilger Mayer; Rob Fuller of Mechanics Bank; Sil Garaventa of Garaventa Enterprises; Jenny Kohler of the Contra Costa Times; Heather Kulp of Chevron; Peter Garcia of Diablo Valley College; Joe Lynch of The PMI Group, Inc.; and Mitchell Zack of John Muir Health.
Outgoing board members recognized at the dinner include Helen Benjamin of the Contra Costa Community College District; Ira Hillyer of Mechanics Bank; Frank Madigan of The PMI Group, Inc.; Kara Noe of Safeway, Inc.; Dean O'Hair of Chevron; David Rounds of the Contra Costa Times; Andrew Smith of Smith Blair Group; and Paul Swenson, formerly of John Muir Health and now with Kaiser Permanente.
Roger Hughes co-chairs Transportation Task Force
Roger Hughes, attorney with Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean LLP in Oakland, has been named co-chair of the Transportation Task Force, a role he shares with Kris Johnson of Kleinfelder. Roger replaces Jim Melino, who resigned. |
| NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS | | Sustainable Contra Costa accepting nominations for 2012 Leadership in Sustainability Awards
Nominations are due July 31, 2012, for the annual Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability Awards, which pay tribute to those who demonstrate outstanding commitment and leadership in practicing and promoting sustainability.
The awards recognize individuals, nonprofits, government programs, schools and businesses for their good work, and celebrate their accomplishments in Contra Costa County. You can download the one-page nomination form (or partner/sponsor information) at www.sustainablecoco.org.
Award winners will be announced at the 4th Annual Sustainable Contra Costa Awards Gala on October 24 at the Shadelands Art Center in Walnut Creek. For questions, contact Tina Neuhausel at tina@sustainablecoco.org.
Labor-to-Labor Dinner set for September 14
Join the Contra Costa County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, and Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council at their 14th Annual Labor-to-Labor Dinner, on Friday, September 14, at the Crowne Plaza in Concord.
Event honorees include Tom Hansen of IBEW Local 302, Labor Leader of the Year; In Memoriam to Octavia Bazile of AFSCME 2700, Activist of the Year; Northern California Mechanical Contractors Association, Corporate Award; Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Community Service Award; and Greg Feere, Legacy Award. The Honorable John Burton will be the keynote speaker.
For more information, visit www.cocolabor.org or call (925) 228-0161. For tribute ads only, contact Earp Events & Fundraising at (510) 839-3100, events@earpevents.com. |
DIABLO INNOVATION ALLIANCE
| | Projects galore for the Partnership's cleantech initiative
The Diablo Innovation Alliance, the regional clean energy and water technology initiative of the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, is making progress on several fronts. The initiative received a grant in February from the  U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge. - Contra Costa County solar contractors, installers and building officials representing nine jurisdictions have reached consensus on a standardized permitting process for residential rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installations up to 10 kW. Information bulletins, permitting guidelines and a checklist of required documents and information are being developed.
- In the commercial rooftop solar PV sector, working group members are finding commonalities that will be used to create a standardized permitting process for larger systems (10kW and up).
- The DIA is collaborating with other Rooftop Solar Challenge grant recipients, including the East Bay Green Corridor, Optony, SolarTech and Solar Sonoma County.
- The Regional Renewable Energy Procurement Project (R-REP) has qualified seven vendors to perform required site assessments as part of the project led by the General Services Agency of Alameda County.
- Work with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research has resulted in a new solar permitting guidebook covering state building codes pertaining to small solar PV systems, which is available for download from the OPR website.
For more information about the efforts of the DIA team, visit www.diabloinnovationalliance.org or contact Terry Shoaff or Gary Craft. You can also sign up to receive the DIA newsletter here. |
CONTRA COSTA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP'S STEM INITIATIVE
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Engineering Summer Camp draws a sell-out crowd
Sixty-eight area high school juniors and seniors participated in the sold-out Engineering Summer Camp at Diablo Valley College June 18 to 22, hosted by the Contra Costa Economic Partnership's STEM Workforce Initiative and its education partners. Sixty-seven of those students received college credit from DVC for their educational camp experience.
Bishop-Wisecarver, a STEM camp sponsor, posted a report on its blog concerning the involvement of company founder Bud Wisecarver as a camp mentor. And in an interesting follow-up blog post by the company's marketing intern Eleanor Huddart, several students offer thoughtful and positive responses when asked what they learned from their camp experience.
The STEM summer camps 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.
Read all about the great enrichment experiences at the Contra Costa STEM Summer Camps or contact April Treece.
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TASK FORCE BRIEFINGS
| | July and August 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 task force pages on the Council website. Transportation Task Force . . . August meeting canceled . . . PMI Building, 3003 Oak Road, Walnut Creek ... At the July 10 joint meeting with the Land Use Task Force, Amy Worth, Metropolitan Transportation Commission vice chair, and Julie Pierce, Association of Bay Area Governments VP, discussed the ABAG/Sustainable Communities Strategy process and the alternatives to be studied in the EIR for the Preferred Scenario, which the MTC Administrative Committee and the ABAG Executive Board was scheduled to review July 20. Co-Chairs: Kris Johnson and Roger HughesWater Task Force . . . Tuesday, July 17, 9 to 10:30 a.m. . . . John F. Kennedy University, 100 Ellinwood Way, Room N358, Pleasant Hill. Ron Ganzfried, chief of the Water Storage Branch, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, reported on the enlargement of Lake Shasta and Upper San Joaquin Storage (Temperance Flat) projects, and Sean Sou of the California Department of Water Resources discussed the North of the Delta Offstream Storage (NODOS) or Sites Reservoir project. Next meeting is Tuesday, August 21. Co-Chairs: Ann Spaulding and Bob WhitleyEnvironmental/Manufacturing Task Force ... Thursday, July 19, 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. . . . Brown and Caldwell, 201 N. Civic Drive, Suite 300, Walnut Creek. Dr. Phillip Martien of the BAAQMD covered the district's plans to develop a revised protocol for evaluating "impacted" communities. Next meeting is Friday, August 3. Co-Chairs: Peter McGaw and George SmithSocial Responsibility Task Force . . . Thursday, July 26, 8 to 10 a.m. . . . Brandman University, 2950 Buskirk Avenue, Room 307, Walnut Creek. "Dollars That Make a Difference" workshop featured panelists Marianne Balin of Kaiser Permanente, Janet Auer of Chevron and Jim Becker of the Richmond Community Foundation. Panelists discussed how their organizations research and assess community needs to develop philanthropic investment priorities for greater community impact. August meeting canceled. Co-Chairs: Mark Hughes and Judith Parker Land Use Task Force . . . . Tuesday, July 31, 10 a.m. to 12 noon . . . Community Center, 35 Oak Street, Brentwood. Joint meeting with the Economic Development Task Force, featuring EC2, Inc., an environmental consulting firm, and Vita Nuova LLC, a redevelopment consulting firm, discussing economic development opportunities for the DuPont property in Oakley. Rich Seithel, senior deputy county administrator, will present a virtual tour of industrial lands along the river, and Gary Craft of Craft Consulting Group will present preliminary findings about economic clusters in East Contra Costa. Co-Chairs: Mike McGill and Ed ShafferEconomic Development Task Force . . . Tuesday, July 31, 10 a.m. to 12 noon . . . Community Center, 35 Oak Street, Brentwood. Joint meeting with the Land Use Task Force (see above). Starting with the next meeting, Wednesday, August 29 (from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m.), the task force will begin meeting at the Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, 300 Ellinwood Way, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill (lots of free parking). The August, September and October meetings will focus on investments, financing, venture capital and deal-making related to clean energy. Co-Chairs: Mike Conlon and Gary Craft Workforce Development/Education Task Force . . . Wednesday, August 1, 8:30 to 10 a.m. . . . Contra Costa Workforce Development Board, 300 Ellinwood, Bodega Room, Pleasant Hill. Following member updates, Joanne Durkee, Janet Haun and Randy Tillery will offer an update on data collection for the STEM 2020 Scorecard Project; advocacy issues update by April Treece and others on SB 1070 and tax initiatives. Next meeting is Wednesday, September 5. Co-Chairs: Joanne Durkee and Kathleen RobinsonHealth Task Force . . . August meeting canceled . . . At the June meeting, members received updates on legislation (rate regulations and the SEIU ballot initiative), the California budget, California Exchange and other issues. Co-Chair: Steve Van WartSmall Business & Entrepreneurial Task Force . . . August meeting canceled. Next meeting TBA . . . Ellen Widess, chief of Cal/OSHA, was the featured speaker at the June 26 quarterly meeting with chamber of commerce executives and legislative representatives. Co-Chairs: Angela De La Housaye and David Kelly |
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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