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Oakland City Councilmember Libby Schaaf's District 4 Newsletter - December 6, 2012
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Greetings,
The most painful part of being your Councilmember is receiving an "executive notification" every time someone is shot in Oakland, as well as receiving a constant flow of heartfelt communications from residents about the toll that all crimes are taking on our families and neighborhoods.
Examples from my relatively low-crime district over the last two weeks include: gruesome murders of two teen girls in Allendale, a home invasion robbery and assault on a police cadet in Redwood Heights, a stray bullet going into the home of a long-time friend of mine in Maxwell Park, and a family moving out of Montclair after multiple burglaries.
Meanwhile, our police staffing over the next few months will continue to go lower. While we expect at least 40 cadets in our current police academy to become sworn officers in late March, they won't complete their field training and receive regular assignments until summer. Grads from the next Academy that starts March 25th won't finish until September 2013.
We need to do something NOW before things get worse. We can't wait until our next budgeting cycle in July. I'm doing something now.
On January 15th at noon, the Council's Finance & Management Committee will consider three proposals I've developed to help us get to a safer summer, co-sponsored by Council President Larry Reid:
- Authorize a June 2013 Police Academy of 55 cadets;
- Contract temporarily with Alameda County Sheriffs Deputies for crime suppression assistance; and
- Immediately hire 21 Civilians to assist OPD -- 20 Service Techs to support officers in the field and 1 more Crime Lab Analyst.
If passed by committee, the full Council will vote on these proposals January 22nd. If adopted, it means we will initiate the hiring of as many police officers and as many civilian OPD support staff as we are capable of hiring and training over the next 6 months -- bringing us to July when our newly adopted two-year budget can continue that momentum. It also brings us somewhat unorthodox -- but necessary -- outside assistance from our Sheriff during this same critical period.
I wouldn't propose this unless I thought we could responsibly afford it. Fortunately, last fiscal year ended with $34.8 million in unanticipated revenues -- $10.4 million due to sustainable economic growth. Which brings us back to a more hopeful message.
We will get through this. We are Oakland. Gritty, resilient, beautiful. While it will take a lot more comprehensive planning and action, we can start now by harnessing this economic recovery to put a lid on rising crime for these next six months. This is something we can do and must do now.
With Oakland-love,
Libby
 | Lisa, Shereda, Bruce
and Libby
Wish you Happy Holidays! |
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Contact the District 4 Office
City of Oakland, District 4
1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
510.238.7004
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Visit us at our monthly Office Hours!
* Dimond: 1st Thursdays, 9-11 am at Caffe Diem, 2224 MacArthur Blvd
* Laurel: 1st Saturdays, 9-11 am at World Ground Café, 3728 MacArthur Blvd
* Woodminster: 3rd Saturdays, 10-12 pm at Woodminster Café, 5020 Woodminster Lane
* Melrose: 4th Wednesdays, 3:30 - 5 pm at Melrose Library, 4805 Foothill Blvd
* Montclair: 4th Sundays, 9:30 - 11:30am at Montclair Farmers Market (or Colonial Donuts at 6126 La Salle Ave)
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The Dish
 | My sons Joshua and Benjamin behold the Chinese feast!
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Hunan Yuan Restaurant This is a great casual Chinese restaurant for when you simply want a tasty meal with family or friends, or even take-out. Great soups, non-spicy (or spicy!) dishes from must haves like wonton soup and egg rolls, to Mongolian Beef, walnut shrimp and eggplant w/ basil and tofu. It's a really large dining hall, and of course very easy parking in Lincoln Square. Yum, yum! - Bruce.
4100 Redwood Rd, #Ste 11 @ Lincoln Square (Building adjacent to Safeway & CVS) - Redwood Heights/Crestmont (510) 531-1415 |
Shop D4 Two Figs Pop-Up Boutique Owner & designer Deb Figge's 15-piece collection of designer sleepwear includes camisoles, pants, chemises and gowns. Figge dreamed of sleepwear with "a little extra support," so women of all shapes and sizes could feel comfortable and attractive, even in the wee hours." The garments are so feminine and beautiful one hopes you won't jump immediately into bed when wearing them! This Montclair store will be open thru January. 2078 Antioch Court (2 doors from Peets, off of Mtn. Blvd.) Hours: Mon-Sat 11a-7p, Sun 12 noon - 5p.
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City Council News
Dec 11 Committees: Our last committee meetings of the year will explore topics ranging from the solar conversion of public buildings, stronger graffiti laws, extending the Montclair Village Association's Garage Management Contract and creating a West Oakland Jobs Center as part of the Army Base Project with billboard funds.
Dec 18 Full Council: We'll see the return of two highly controversial planning commission appeals -- the College/Claremont Safeway, which was significantly modified as part of a mediation process I helped broker, as well as the proposed Dog Park next to Astro Park near Lake Merritt, which I voted to support.
Honoring Departing Councilmembers: December 18th will also mark the final Council meeting for Ignacio De La Fuente, Nancy Nadel and Jane Brunner. A public reception honoring them will take place outside Council Chambers from 4:30-5:30pm that night. These three incredible public servants have accomplished a great deal for their districts and our city over their 16-20 year terms. I have considered them friends and mentors and worked alongside them for the past fourteen years, particularly Ignacio De La Fuente who has been my boss in three different jobs spanning seven years. Words cannot describe my gratitude for all they have given Oakland and all they have taught me personally. I feel confident that their successors Noel Gallo, Lynette McIlhaney and Dan Kalb will continue their powerful legacies.
OPD Poised to Avoid Receivership: I'm pleased Oakland and Plaintiffs in the Riders police misconduct case reached an agreement that, pending approval by Judge Thelton Henderson, should keep our police department out of receivership. Read a detailed summary here. I'm pleased this alternative use of a Compliance Officer will continue to help us get in full compliance with our mutually desired reforms, while capping spending powers. Unlike a receiver, who has unlimited spending powers, this model will create more financial stability for Oakland and allow us to allocate certain resources for our top priority of increasing public safety.
OFCY Evaluation Each year we receive an annual evaluation report on the voter-created Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) which includes 122 youth service programs that service children and youth from birth to age 20. The complete report is quite lengthy and can be found here. Two important findings in the report are:
1. Your OFCY dollars are leveraging money from other agencies! In 2011-12 OFCY funded community- based grantees with $9.56 million in OFCY funds, which were matched by $8.3 in school- based after school grants from OUSD and approximately $5.7 million from grantees.
2. For the second year in a row, OFCY out-of- school time programs (afterschool and summer programs) are out-performing similar programs nationally. The largest difference being in Interaction and Engagement where Oakland's overall score is 35% higher than the national average! This is an increase from 2010-11 where Oakland programs scored 25% higher in the Overall score than the national average.
Dimond and Montclair Libraries Get Long-awaited Upgrades At this week's City Council meeting, the Council approved funding for upgrades and refurbishments to the Dimond and Montclair libraries. These funds were uncommitted from a grant received to build the 81st Avenue library and City Staff will work with the Friends of the Library to raise matching funds. Neither Dimond nor Montclair have had upgrades in years, so this will be great for District 4!
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Be a Community Hero
The Mayor's Toy Drive needs volunteers to help with the toy distribution on several dates in December. The toy distribution will be at City Hall in downtown Oakland.
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Please donate a few hours of your time to:
- Help register families,
- Help bag toys
- Distribute toys
 - Host a barrel to collect toys
- Host a "party" at your office, church, etc. to collect toys
Sign up for one of the upcoming dates here
To ensure that the parties are a success we are in need of donations for toys, about $35,000 in cash helps us buy toys at discount to supplement the toy donations. Donations can be monetary or you can bring an unwrapped toy to City Hall that is suitable for a child between the ages of 0-12.
Sue Piper. beloved, retired District 4 legend is in charge of the Mayor's Toy Drive.
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District 4 News
Laurel Holiday Donation Stroll
Saturday, December 15th, 6pm-8pm
Stores on MacArthur Blvd. between Loma Vista Ave and High St
Bring a new toy, gently used coat, or pet supplies to Marquardt Property Management, 4164 MacArthur, or Showin Out Hair Gallery, 3717 MacArthur and get a stamp good for refreshments, art exhibits, entertainment and $1 menus throughout the boulevard!
Don't hike the lower Dimond Canyon Trail this weekend
Oakland Public Works Agency on Friday notified Friends of Sausal Creek (FOSC) that a chunk of concrete fell from the Leimert Bridge into the vicinity of Sausal Creek. Please do not use the lower Dimond Canyon Trail in this stretch as it is not safe to walk under the Leimert Bridge along this trail. Other parts of the trail are safe and there are plenty of volunteer projects in the Canyon this week, see #7. You can still connect from the Bridgeview Trail to Old Canon Trail on the northwest side of the creek via the switchbacks. Signage will be in place soon to notify trail users of the trail closure. At press time, we did not have a date as to when this issue will be addressed but we'll keep you posted.You can download FOSC's trails map athttp://www.sausalcreek.org/sausal/maps.html .
Dave Brubeck may have been living in Montclair when he composed Take Five!
Read an archived Today In Montclair about Dave Brubeck's connection to Montclair. Something to share as we mourn the jazz great. http://montclairoak.com/2008/08/06/take-five-in-montclair/ Games Fair! Play & Purchase Fabulous & Fun Skill-Building Games selected by Joaquin Miller teachers for class and home on Wednesday, 12/12 ~ 1:00 - 7:30pm at Joaquin Miller School (5525 Ascot Dr.) These educator-approved games will let you "play" homework with the kids and will make fantastic gifts for friends & family! All profits support the school, market prices (no full-retail penalty), open to the Public! Holiday Ice Get in the holiday spirit by gliding across the ice on a pair of skates during public skating sessions at Oakland Ice Center, 519 18th Street (close to all the fabulous bars and restaurants in Uptown!). Warm clothing and gloves recommended. All Holiday Ice sessions are skate one session, and get the second session 50% off. Discount applies for same day only. Skate rentals available. For more information, please visit www.oaklandice.com. |
Catch Your Councilmember
Where To Join Me Over the Next 2 Weeks
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12/10 (Mon) Lower Allendale Crime Meeting, 7-8:30p (call our office for details)
12/11 (Tue) Public Works Committee Meeting, City Hall, 10:00-12 noon
12/11 (Tue) Life Enrichment Committee, 4:00 - 5:30pm, City Hall
12/13 (Thur) Rules Committee, City Hall, 10:45-noon
12/13 (Thur) GO's (Great Oakland Public Schools) Holiday Party Jack London Square, 472 Water Street. 6:30-8:00p
12/15 (Sat) Council Office Hrs, Woodminster Cafe, 5020 Woodminster Lane, 10:00-noon
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12/15 (Sat) Laurel Holiday Stroll, 6:00-8:00p
Stores on MacArthur Blvd, between Loma Vista Ave and High St 12/17 (Mon) Piedmont Pines Neighborhood Assoc, 7:30-8:30p 12/18 (Tue) City Council Meeting, City Hall, 5:30-10:00p 12/19 (Wed) Chabot Space & Science Center Board Meeting, 10000 Skyline Blvd., 4:30-6:00p 12/20 (Thur) Rules & Legislation Committee, 10:30-noon, City Hall 12/23 (Sun) 2pm Oakland Ballet's Nutcracker, Paramont Theater |
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Onions & Orchids 
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An Orchid to . . .
Minna Ave neighbors Jed, Monique, and others who wish to remain unnamed, as they attempted to comfort Bobbie Sartain and Raquel Gerstel in their final moments. These deaths are tragic on many levels but these neighbors came to the teens' aid so they were not alone.
Laurel Security Ambassador "T," his family, friends and Laurel neighbors for hand-cutting 1000(!) snowflakes that you see up along the MacArthur corridor. It was a great community-lead initiative to get everyone in the holiday spirit! They will be coming around to hang them up on your awnings and windows...please let us know if we missed you!
Marlene Oehler and her neighbors on Bridgeview Drive in Oakmore, who annually organize holiday gifts for an "adopted" needy family through Family Support Services of the Bay Area.
An Onion to. . .
The dogs roaming off leash in Dimond Canyon and Joaquin Miller Park. They are causing erosion on the hillsides, pollution in the creeks, and make many other park users uncomfortable. Head to Redwood Regional where off-leash dogs are welcome.
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Helpful Links and Numbers
- District 4 Office: (510) 238-7004
- Public Works Call Center: (510) 615-5566 or pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.com
- Neighborhood Service Coordinators (NSC's):
- Hoang Banh (Dimond, Lincoln Highlands, Montera, Oakmore, Woodminster): 510-238-6566 or hbanh@oaklandnet.com
- Patricia Rose (Montclair): 510-238-6822 or prose@oaklandnet.com
- Araina Richards (Allendale, Melrose, Maxwell Park): 510-238-7619 or arichards@oaklandnet.com
- Renee Sykes (Bret Harte, Joaquin Miller, Redwood Heights, Crestmont and Laurel (N. of 35th Ave.): 510-238-7929 or rskyes@oaklandnet.com
- City of Oakland website: http://www2.oaklandnet.com/
To contribute news and events to our newsletter, please email lruhland@oaklandnet.com
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