News from Councilmember Rose Herrera

January 2010 Newsletter

Happy New Year!

I am excited to announce that this is the inaugural launching of my first newsletter and welcome you to join me each month!

The end of the 2009 gives me a good opportunity to reflect on the past year. As my first year as your councilmember comes to a close, it has been an exciting and challenging year that I will never forget. It is an honor and pleasure to serve the residents of District 8 on the City Council. This is the best city in the world and I feel fortunate to represent the area where I was raised.

Despite the challenges of 2009, we were able to make progress on many projects. Here is a short summary of my first year in office. I look forward to serving you for three more years. There is so much more that can be done!

I'm especially proud of our Day in the Park event. Over 3,500 people and 100 vendors and booths attended this year.
In May, we hosted my first Senior Resource Fair at Eastridge Mall. The event was a huge success and we are excited to continue the tradition this year.
Highway 101: As a VTA Board member, my colleagues and I secured funding for the redesign of the Highway 101 interchanges at Tully, Capitol Expressway, and Yerba Buena, which will bring much needed traffic relief to an intersection that serves as gateways to District 8.
Light Rail: I also worked to maintain the $68 million appropriated for the Capitol Expressway Light Rail project. In the next two years, VTA will focus on bringing pedestrian safety improvements to Capitol Expressway.
Neighborhood clean ups and dumpster days: We hosted 4 neighborhood clean-ups and 12 free bulky waste dumpster days. This is one of the most in-demand services the City provides to the community.
Coffee chats: My office has hosted eight coffee chats. If you have not been able to join me for coffee yet, this is a great opportunity to meet with me one-on-one and discuss any issue of concern. My office is diligent about tracking issues until they are resolved. Over 200 resident concerns, from the installation of "no parking" signs to organizing neighborhood watch groups, have been handled by my staff.
As a veteran of the US Air Force, I am dedicated to the issues of our nation's veterans. On Veteran's Day, I was honored to participate in the 92nd Annual Veterans Day Parade, the Veteran's Day Concert hosted by the Villages, and a Dedication of New Flag at the Regency of Evergreen Valley - Ceremony. I also co-authored a memo proposing a new Vietnam War Memorial.
The District 8 portion of the Lower Silver Creek flood protection project, from Moss Point Drive to Lake Cunningham, was completed in October. The overall project restores and enhances the natural landscape along the creek and trail and brings flood protection to 3,800 homes in the area. In June, the City Council approved $370,000 for restoration and repairs to the Thompson Creek Trail. This covers funding for the repair of erosion damage at the foot of a City pedestrian bridge on Everdale Drive and a pedestrian path on Farnsworth Drive at San Felipe Road.

This is just the beginning! One of my top priorities as your councilmember is growing the economy in San Jose. I am focused on supporting our local businesses and pursuing employers to locate in District 8.

I am also very focused on bringing quality retail to our area. A new shopping plaza is coming to the East Side! I led the way to have the City Council approve 350,000 square feet of new retail at the Arcadia site, located at Capitol Expressway and Quimby Road. I advocated for park space we desperately need. I was able to secure 14 acres for new parks. Retail and housing will be joined by open space, parks and sport fields. This project will be a wonderful addition to our community and a new gathering place for residents.

Save the date! I'm excited to announce that we awarded the construction contract for the Aborn Park Play Lot. The groundbreaking event is set for February 6th. It will be an exciting event and I will keep you posted as we finalize the program. The projected completion date is for early summer 2010, just in time for the summer break. I look forward seeing you at the groundbreaking and ribbon cutting.

I made great progress on important issues in District 8 and San Jose. I am committed to serving the residents of this area by keeping our neighborhoods safe, bringing jobs to Evergreen, developing strong neighborhoods, and staying focused on the issues that are important to you. I hope you enjoyed my first newsletter. Please feel free to contact me with any issues you may have or your thoughts on the newsletter.

Sincerely,
Rose Herrera

News & Local Events

UC Santa Cruz Educational Partnership Center at Evergreen Valley College is putting together a series of Cash for College workshops

Get help to apply for a Cal Grant at a Cash for College Workshop and you could cash in on an extra $1000 scholarship.
More Details on Cash for College
Find a Workshop near you

2010 Crime and Gang Prevention Summit

Mayor Reed cordially invites you to the second annual Crime and Gang Prevention Summit on Saturday, January 23rd from 8:30am to 1:30pm. Sponsored by the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, the event will bring together representatives from the City of San José, non-profit organizations, and local neighborhoods to build and expand partnerships that will help make San José a safer place to live.
Summit Agenda
Workshop Topics
Click for more details & to RSVP or Call: 535-4800

Mayor's Annual Community Breakfast

On February 18th, Mayor Chuck Reed and the City Council will be hosting San Jose's annual Community Breakfast featuring Mayor Reed's State of the City Address and special recognition of outstanding citizens and exemplary City employees. The event will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center.
To purchase tickets online, please click here.
More Details

Bay Area Revenue Management School Opens for Registration

The Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department (PRNS) will host the Bay Area's first Revenue School for Parks and Recreation professionals in January and February 2010 at Roosevelt Community Center. The three-day program is designed to equip industry leaders with proven techniques and strategies to increase the financial position of their agencies. The course work, taught by national and Bay Area experts, will include two tracks: executive and operations. Topics covered will include everything from cost analysis to sponsorship development. The cost of the Revenue Management School will be recovered through the fees paid by non-city participants.
For more information, contact Dave DeLong, Program Manager, Employee Services, at 535-3584.

Library to Introduce "Inclusive Story Times" in January

"Inclusive Story Times" will be offered at all San Jose library locations, starting in January 2010. The approach employs unique strategies to engage children of varying abilities and learning styles. For more information, visit Website, or contact your neighborhood branch library or King Library Youth Services at 808-2183.

San Jose Public Library (SJPL) Retains 4-star Rating in Round 2 of the Library Journal Index

The LJ Index is a national public library rating system instituted by Library Journal (L J). The top libraries in each group receive five, four, or three star rating. The rating in Round 2 is based on 2007 statistical data published by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Each library's performance is compared to peers with comparable size, which in the case of the SJPL are libraries with total operating costs of $30 million dollars or higher. The peer groups are scored based on four per-capita service indicators: Library Visits, Circulation, Program Attendance and Public Internet Computer Uses. SJPL received a 4-star rating within its peer group. For more information, contact Lorraine Oback, Marketing Manager, at 808-2176

Our City Forest - Winter 2010 Tree Amigo Class
Starts on January 13, 2010

This class is intended for individuals interested in volunteering with Our City Forest on a regular basis for at least one year.
Participants will learn planting techniques, species identification, basic tree care, pruning, and how to help organize a community planting. There will be a tree nursery tour, a walking tree tour, and a tree planting project during the 20-hour class.
More Details

Western Union Foundation - New Scholarship Program

This Scholarship Program is a new educational initiative for migrants, immigrants, and their families in the United States. The Family Scholarship Program is intended to help two members of the same family move up the economic development ladder through education. Scholarships may be used for tuition for college/university education language acquisition classes, technical/skill training, and/or financial literacy.
More Details

Upcoming Council Meetings

Tuesday, January 4th : NO MEETING.

Tuesday, January 12th : 1:30 pm.

Tuesday, January 19th : NO MEETING.
(City Hall closed due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Tuesday, January 26th : 1:30 pm
(Councilmembers Herrera and Oliverio will present a Holocaust Remembrance Proclamation)

Community Calendar

2nd Wednesday of the month

Involved Evergreen hosts community events at Evergreen Village Square. Meetings of the I.E. Steering Committee usually occur on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Square.

(For more information on upcoming events or to join the group, please see the Involved Evergreen yahoo site)

(Contact Angie Vazquez at 535-4908 if you would like to include an upcoming event or meeting in future newsletters).

In This Issue

News & Local Events

Upcoming Council Meetings

Community Calendar

District 8 Team

Important Phone numbers

Connect with Rose

Facebook

Linkedin

Contact Us

Office of Councilmember Rose Herrera
District 8 Council
City of San Jose

200 East Santa Clara St, 18th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113
Map

T: 408.535.4908
F: 408.292.6469
district8@sanjoseca.gov

Our Website