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Constituent Meetings
Supervisor Leopold
meets with constituents on Wednesdays at
various locations in the First District:

    

Wednesday, May 7 
 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Michael's on Main
2591 Main Street

 

Wednesday, May 14 

CANCELLED

Out of Town

  

Wednesday, May 21 
5:30-6:30 p.m.
Loma Prieta
Community Center
23800 Summit Road
Other Important Events

Substance Abuse: A Community Conversation

Thursday, May 8

6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

 Simpkins Community Center

979 17th Avenue

Click here for info.

 

Building the Foundation for a 

Passanger Rail 

Renaissance  

Thursday, May 15

6:30-8:00 p.m.

Simpkins Community Center
979 17th Ave

   click HERE for info

 

City Ventures

Jose & Rodriguez Development Meeting

Thursday, May 15

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Live Oak Grange

 

East Cliff

Family Health Center

Ribbon Cutting

Friday, May 23

10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

21507 E. Cliff Drive

(East Cliff Village shopping center)

Click here for info.

 

Live Oak Youth Center Groundbreaking

Saturday, May 31

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Shoreline Middle School Campus (by the basketball courts)

  

Sustainable Santa Cruz County Planning Process

 Community Meetings:

 

Monday, June 2 

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Main Street Elementary School, Soquel

 

Tuesday, June 3 

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Live Oak Elementary School

 

Saturday, June 7 

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Live Oak Grange

 

Monday, June 9

7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary School 

Contact John 
454-2200
701 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Join Our Mailing List
Santa Cruz County to Ban Fracking
 Oil rig
The controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is coming to the Central Coast. Plans are already afoot in our neighboring counties  since . We sit at the top of the Monterey Shale, one of the largest oil deposits in the country, and the impacts of this drilling practice are being revealed in the press more and more each day.  With groundwater contamination, increase greenhouse gas emissions, deteriorating roads due to large fuel trucks and the dangers of train transport of this heavy fuel, fracking is a practice that has no place in our county.

Last year I led the effort to place a moratorium on drilling in our county in preparation of a complete ban. After working with the Planning Department and County Counsel, language has been drafted for our General Plan that would protect our county from this drilling technique. On Tuesday, May 20th, the Board of Supervisors will review this language.  If adopted, it will forever ban this practice in our county.

Please come to the meeting and add your voice to the growing movement to ensure that our community is protected from fracking. To read more about what is being proposed, click here for the report that went to the Planning Commission.

A Strategic Plan

for Alcohol and Drug Treatment and Intervention in Santa Cruz County

 

Last fall, in response to increasing concerns about substance use disorders in our community, the Board of Supervisors directed the Health Services Agency to develop a strategic plan for substance abuse prevention, treatment, and intervention services. This plan will include a review of community data on prevalence and types of drug abuse among sub-populations, an analysis of the gaps in the care system, and the capacity of existing addiction treatment services to meet community needs. The planning process also includes a community input process, a summary of research on best practices, options for financing treatment and intervention services, an action plan, and evaluation measures. A strategic plan kickoff event was attended by nearly 200 people in March, and a second community conversation is being held in Live Oak on May 8 from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Simpkins Swim Center.

 

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS, 2012) estimated that approximately 20,000 adults over the age of 18 in Santa Cruz County need substance use disorder treatment. It is well known that not all people who meet diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence are interested in receiving treatment. The 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that 14.8% of the nationwide population who had a past year substance abuse diagnosis either received treatment or did not receive treatment but acknowledged needing treatment. Based on this information, an estimated 2,990 adults per year in our county have a substance abuse problem and are interested in treatment, yet only 1,096 people (or 37%) actually receive treatment.

 

A March 2013 survey of local substance abuse treatment providers reported that the waiting list for people who did not have a dedicated funding source to pay for treatment is approximately 2 weeks for detoxification; the wait is two weeks to four months for residential treatment. People generally seek treatment when they are in an acute crisis, and if they have to wait for treatment for more than a few days, the crisis often abates and so does the motivation to seek treatment. Consequently, waiting lists for treatment result in missed opportunities for recovery and ongoing personal and societal suffering and costs.

 

As our Health Services Agency continues this strategic planning process, I hope you will get involved. We all know someone who has struggled with addiction, and as a society we are beginning to understand and treat addiction as the disease it is. More information is available at www.recoverywave.com, and you can view related items from the Board of Supervisors agenda here. I encourage you to join the community conversation: 

 

 Thursday, May 8

6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Simpkins Swim Center

979 17th Avenue

 

 

 

Felt Street & 17th Avenue

Sewer Replacement Project

  

  
With Santa Cruz County's existing sewer infrastructure aging, the
Santa Cruz County Sanitation District is continually working to replace portions of the existing sewer system in a timely manner. This construction project will replace the existing sewers along 17th Avenue, Felt Street, and 24th Avenue which have reached the end of their useful life. Because of the scale of this project particular consideration is being given to timing, traffic flow, detours, and impacts to residents and businesses.

Traffic control and partial road closures affecting 17th Avenue, Felt Street, and 24th Avenue will be necessary on a daily basis between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. During these working hours, one-lane, two-way traffic control will be available for vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. The area will be subject to traffic delays and periods of complete road closure within the project limits and adjoining cross streets. Use of alternate routes during construction are highly recommended. Detour routes will be provided and signed.

 

We understand this project will have a significant impact on the surrounding community and appreciate your patience during construction.  The County and selected contractor will make their utmost effort to minimize the disruption caused by these construction activities, follow the up-to-date blog for current information on impacts:

 

 

To find out more about the project please attend a Project Information Meeting on Tuesday, May 27, 2014  7:00 p.m. at Simpkins Family Swim Center, 979 17th Ave.

 

Presentations will include project highlights, neighborhood impacts, and a question and answer period.