City of Orinda est 1985
 Orinda Outlook

For the week of December 9, 2013

 By City Manager

Janet S. Keeter

Lamorinda Emergency Operations Center    

Planning & Operations Training    

 

Staff from Orinda, Layafette and Moraga participated in an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Planning and Operations Training course at St. Mary's College last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

 

 

 

  

 

  

  

  

   

The three-day training course allowed participants to practice EOC operations in a large-scale incident coached by TEEX (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service) instructors who have emergency management experience and who provide this training nationally. Participating staff from Orinda included the Police Chief, Planning Director, Associate Planner, Parks and Recreation Supervisor, Senior Civil Engineer and the Public Information Officer who each learned multi-agency coordination responsibilities, processes,  procedures.  Staff focused on key information management, resources coordination and situational awareness requirements within the EOC.  Members of the Moraga Orinda Fire District were actively involved and our own Police Chief Scott Haggard served as the EOC Manager guiding the multi-agency group though a practical exercise (virtual) within a state-of-the-art training environment that utilized the capabilities of computer simulation. Each participant gained a better understanding of the management requirements and skills necessary to effectively function as a member of an EOC during a large-scale event. 


 
Telephone Public Opinion Poll
 
Every two years or so, the City of Orinda conducts a community telephone poll to ascertain registered voters' opinions about various topics; primarily roads,  storm drains and satisfaction with City services.   The Orinda City Council recently selected FM3 to conduct a 2014 community telephone poll regarding perceptions of City services, Orinda's infrastructure needs (roads and storm drains) and potential funding ballot measures for road improvements. 

FM3 is a professional polling firm that has conducted previous polls for Orinda.   They present unbiased questions and use a random sampling which is drawn from a list of registered voters in Orinda, who based on their past voting behavior, are considered likely to cast ballots in upcoming elections where an infrastructure improvement measure might be placed on the ballot. 

On July 17, 2012, the Orinda City Council adopted a 10-Year Road and Drainage Repairs Plan (https://cityoforinda.app.box.com/10yearroadplan) which outlines a timeline and strategy for generating new revenues to fix Orinda's public roads and storm drains.  The Plan identifies a multi-phase approach with a new half-cent sales tax as the first phase.  This half-cent sales tax was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November 2012. 

Although this new revenue is much needed, it is only a small portion of what is fully needed to repair Orinda's roads and storm drains.  The Plan recommends additional phases to solve the infrastructure problems beginning in 2016 with the final phase in 2022.   Although polling questions are in the development stage, the community telephone poll will likely gauge voters' opinions about staying the course or perhaps accelerating the 10-Year Plan and will test different funding mechanisms.  The poll results and analysis will be presented to the City Council in late February or early March 2014.     

 

  

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 
The City of Orinda is seeking applications from  

resident volunteers to serve on the following   

City Commissions and Committees: 

 

Art in Public Places Committee (1)

Planning Commission (2)

Parks & Recreation Commission (3)

Citizens' Infrastructure Oversight Commission (2)

Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (3)

Finance Advisory Committee (4)

Public Works Aesthetic Review Committee (1)

Historic Landmark Committee (3)

 

The City of Orinda is also seeking applications from resident volunteers to serve as the City's Liaison to the following local agencies:

 

Contra Costa Mosquito and Vector Control District Trustee (1)

Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging (1)

Representative on the Contra Costa County Library Commission (2)

County Connection Citizens Advisory Committee (1)

 

Statement of Interest forms are available from the Orinda City Clerk's Office located at 22 Orinda Way, Orinda, CA 94563. If you have any specific questions regarding the recruitment, please contact Michele Olsen, City Clerk at 925-253-4221 or molsen@cityoforinda.org. Application forms may also be downloaded from the City's website at www.cityoforinda.org.

 

Completed Statement of Interest forms must be submitted to the City Clerk's Office by Friday, January 3, 2014 at 5:00pm.

 

Qualified applicants for City Commission and Committee appointments will be invited to interview before the full City Council on Saturday, January 11, 2014.

 

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"

Public Works

 

Camino Pablo/BART - Over the next several months BART will be making earthquake upgrades to the Orinda station. To make these improvements it will be necessary to close the right lane of Camino Pablo from just south of the BART parking lot exit to just north of the eastbound SR24 on ramp.  

 

Questions regarding the improvements can be directed to the  

BART Project Information Line: 925-603-5342 or  

Email: earthquakesafety@bart.gov 

Website: www.bart.gov/earthquakesafety.  

The Lamorinda Program Management Committee (LMPC)/Lamorinda Fee and Finance Authority (LFFA) - met recently to review and approve a consultant services contract to update the current Nexus Study that is used to support the current Transportation Impact Fees that are charged by Orinda, Moraga, and Lafayette on new development. Also approved were the revised Impact Fees that will be charged in 2014. The Fees are being increased by .2% over the 2013 fee. The major item was discussion and review of the Draft 2014 Lamorinda Action Plan Update which will be incorporated into the Contra Costa Transportation Authority's (CCTA) 2014 Update of the Countywide Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). This draft plan update is an important piece of transportation planning associated with Measures C and J. Over the next two months this draft update will be introduced to the three cities for review and comment.

 

Public Works:

  • Repaired potholes on Camino Pablo and Miner Road
  • Maintained/cleaned drainage facilities on El Toyonal
  • Responded with sand to reports of icy roads on Friday morning
  • Started installing new "City Limit" signs on the roads leading into the City
 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
Parks and Recreation

 

The Holiday Open House for Seniors, co-hosted by the Orinda Senior Services Committee and the Orinda Association's Seniors Around Town, was held Monday, December 9, from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m., in the Garden Room at the Orinda Library. This was an opportunity to meet other seniors and those who volunteer their time to support senior needs in the community.  The Holiday Open House concluded with music by the City of Orinda Ukulele class and a sing-a-long with Steve Harwood.

 

The Sweet Dream Nutcracker, presented by the Orinda Ballet Academy & Company, is being performed Friday - Sunday, December 13-15, in the Orinda Library Auditorium.  Show times are Friday (6:30 p.m.), Saturday (11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.) and Sunday (11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.). Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com. Don't wait to get your tickets as most shows sell out for this delightful ballet production of excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite.  

 

The Winter/Spring Activity Guide arrived in resident mailboxes last week. Registration for classes which begin in January is currently available online or at the Orinda Community Center office. For the first time this issue includes a Summer Camp pullout section which details the camp offerings for the 2014 summer break. 

 

 "The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City"
Police Activity

Orinda Police Department arrests included a warrant arrest for larceny, a warrant arrest for reckless driving and 2 arrests for DUI.

 

The detectives completed follow up investigations on several property crimes and made contact with a subject in Antioch who may be linked to a residential burglary. The detectives also filed several misdemeanor and felony cases with the District Attorney's office.

 

Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga Police Departments responded to a call of shots fired. The caller advised the officers that the shots came from the open area behind his home.  A subject was located but fled the area prior to Police contact. Orinda Police personnel are continuing the investigation and have identified a possible suspect.

 

Chief Haggard attended a 3-day Emergency Operations Center (EOC) training at St. Mary's College. Orinda, Moraga and Lafayette City personnel and Moraga Orinda Fire District staff also attended the EOC training to learn how to organize and implement an Emergency Operations Center.  Orinda officers also attended a training session mandated by the State of California on first aid, defensive tactics, racial profiling, ethics, and driving.

 

Orinda Police assisted BART Police in evacuating the Orinda BART station due to an out-of-service train in the tunnel. The train was originally set to return to Orinda as numerous riders complained of smoke inhalation caused by a faulty brake mechanism. BART personnel was eventually able to get the train to the Rockridge station and evacuate the passengers. During the emergency, downtown Orinda was bustling as commuters flocked to coffee shops while awaiting BART's return to service.

 

Theft Statistics:

 

Residential Burglary:

20 Block of Honey Hill Road (attempt)

 

Petty Theft:

500 Block Tahos Road

 

"The Nation's 2nd Friendliest City" 

 


Janet Keeter
City Manager
  
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