Candidate for
Member, Town Council; Town of Danville

"Arnerich brings strength of community involvement to his post as a Mustang soccer coach, past Planning Commissioner and Design Review Board member." SAN RAMON VALLEY TIMES, Sunday, October 15, 2000

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING GROWTH

Housing developers tend to build adjacent to 'desirable communities' outside city borders and sell at high prices while leaving the closest public agency to deal with services. Regional, comprehensive planning can benefit all cities through various direct and indirect benefits. For example, if all County lands were off limits to housing development, inner-city in-fill development would be the only option available. As long as land is available next to the built-out desirable communities inner-city in-fill will not occur. Meaningful affordable housing can't be built under current land planning with adjacent lands valuing at $750, 000 to $1,500,000 and acre. The benefits to in-fill in inner city areas is jobs-to-housing connections, adjacency to existing mass transit, thereby lessening commuter highway traffic, the revitalization of economically depressed areas and an overall healthier diverse county. Development will continue to take the path of least resistance unless directed otherwise.

YOUTH ISSUES & PROGRAMS

In 1999 I served as the council's representative on the SRV Committee on Youth Safety & Development which was an outgrowth of concerns by the community for youth in the valley. We talked publicly and privately with groups of students from all backgrounds including racial, economic and social groupings. We talked to parents, teachers, police and counselors. Our committee with the support of the community made 35 significant recommendations. Nearly one third of those recommendations have been implemented and with the leadership and necessary involvement of a new valley wide youth council the remaining recommendations will be implemented. Two important points are; each new generation of youth must own their issues and solution - such that today's solutions are for today's problems; and our goal must be to create a system of interaction between decision makers and youth that focuses on how to continually evolve with the issues and corresponding solutions; and secondly, the youth of our community rates the needs for nonacademic counselors as number one while parents rate this lowest, and at the same time parents rate teen centers as the highest vrs. youth rate teen centers lower than counseling. I feel strongly that we have evolved to listening to youth and empowering them to make their own decisions with our full support.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Our 2010 General Plan completed in August of 1999 was the most important and comprehensive step in ensuring Danville's quality of life will remain high into this century. There are several key steps to solidify the goals of the 2010 general Plan. Open space, agricultural and recreational space preservation is step one. Step two has already occurred with the adoption of the plan which requires the highest level of park land set-aside standards in the county for any new developments. And thirdly, a key component is the final revision of our historic resource ordinance in stregthening our old town areas.

CONTROLING DEVELOMENT & OUR FURTURE

Danville's start as a city began in 1858 with the naming of our town and the opening of its first post office. It was the same year Danville opened the valley's first and only cemetery. Our valley pioneers, the Wood's, Baldwin's, Hartz's, Sherburne's, Glass's, Bettencourt's, Inman's and the Podva's were the first civic leaders of our great valley. Their vision started the first schools and churches in the area even leading to importing such notables as a young boy from Oakland, author and poet Bret Harte, to help tutor ranchers' children. These were to be the beginnings of many 'firsts' in Danville.

President Dwight. D. Eisenhower stated, on the eve of Danville's 150 year anniversary, "...this fine residential community has prospered over the years, with a strong sense of tradition of civic pride and responsibility, Danville can enter its second century with confidence." Education was also at the forefront of thought with this quote from The Valley Pioneer Centennial Edition September 4, 1958, "When and where the educational growth will end-the year 2058 may provide the answer, because as the saying goes, the first 100 years are the toughest." It may be better stated that Danville's history is based on leadership and community participation in deciding its future. The tradition of civic involvement in historic Grange's, early school boards and other such civic functions laid the foundation which built Danville's reputation for setting high standards and leading the way for the betterment of its community.

Civic participation provides the basis to interact in a public forum style of self-government. Our community has been guided by citizens volunteering on civic facilities committees, downtown task forces, general plan task force committees, parks commission, arts commission, planning commission, design review board and historic resource commission. The process to guide and make changes has been supported by electing civic leaders; council members, supervisors, regional parks representatives and water board representatives. Local control over our community and its destiny has been the foundation of our town since its founding in 1858.

CAPP INITIATIVE - IS IS RIGHT FOR DANVILLE?

Our town of civic participants has established Danville as the leader in setting high community standards demonstrated by our willingness to pursue litigation against other government agencies to protect our quality of life. Danville's legal action against the 11,000 home Doughtery Valley project sought to halt the project. The county's approval weakened Danville's case against the project. Our legal action resulted in setting significantly higher school mitigation standards, open space requirements, traffic congestion standards and park dedication standards. All of these efforts have one common denominator - public participation through forums, public hearings and cooperative planning standards.

The recent initiative proposed by a loosely formed group of a few individuals in Danville could greatly jeopardize Danvilles' historic leading role in stopping uncontrolled development. Our successes in the community have been achieved by public planning processes and where necessary through litigation. Our park standards and open space dedication requirements are amoung the highest in the county. Mustang Soccer, Danville and Sycamore Little League, SRVGAL softball leagues are in desperate need more playing fields. The severe lack of park space has been entirely caused by the unchecked developed within unincorporated areas of the county surrounding our borders. Danville must continue its role as leaders and not fall victim to an initiative that would take the power away from Danville and hand it back the county. We have to ask ourselves ,"How will this initiative stop development in Doughtery Valley or Tassajara Valley?" The answer is that this initiative will not stop any of these developments and will weaken our ability to control the impacts of development on our community's resources.

SRINGTIME EVENTS IN DANVILLE

The signs of winter are now a distant past with a wonderful and bright spring following in its shadow. Even with our unusual winter weather, bright yellow daffodils found their way to sprout displaying their intense yellow color along the freeway between Diablo and El Pintado this past winter. Unusual weather is nothing new to Danville. In 1889 on January 11 as reported in the local newspaper of the time, "during the past three or four days the weather has been cold, in fact the coldest since 1854. The thermometer has been down to 14 degrees in Danville." Only six years earlier on January 6, 1883, a snow storm "fell at least five inches in the county, and east of Mt. Diablo the fall in places amounted to a foot!" Some things do not change with time as this sounds vaguely similar to our past winter.

We all look forward to spring and the summer events that follow in our quiet valley that lays in the shadows of the mighty Mt. Diablo and under the westerly protection of the Las Trampas hills. This time of year, and throughout most of the seasons, our cultural events and activities are abound in Danville. In January, Danville's Role Players' Ensemble was nominated for four Shelly awards at the annual Bay Area premier event recognizing theatrical productions in Contra Costa County, similar to the national Tony Awards. Role Players' won Best Actress, Best Direction and Best Production for the Miracle Worker performed at our very own Village Theater on Front Street. The spring time production at the Village Theater is the bay area premiere of a comedy called Sylvia showing through May 15, 1999.

Danville's Art Commission has been busy planning this summer's activities beginning with concert-in-the-park series on the second and fourth Saturdays in July and August at our scenic Oak Hill Park. The concert series will start off with an encore performance by the Drifters followed by folk singer Dave Mason. These exciting performances are open to the public and are free to all who come with blankets and their lavish picnic delights.

Danville's Little League teams dominate spring time on fields everywhere with the sounds of bats cracking on the power of young athletics showing off their skills to family, friends and grandparents. The season started off with opening day ceremonies at Osage and Sycamore Valley Parks lead by dedicated parent volunteers and headed by Vic Conti of Danville Little League and Steve Condi of Tassajara Little League. With the heavy, but not so unusual, winter rains our maintenance staff are busy trying to keep up with the intense use of fields and keep the fields safe to play on. Following the busy baseball season will be a short rest of our fields followed by the largest ever Mustang Soccer season consisting of nearly five thousand boys and girls. Look for our very own Town Manager coaching soccer along with our Mayor and officiating by councilmember Mike Shimansky. At some time during the season you might see one or all of the council enjoying a game watching a son, daughter or grandchild showing off their soccer skills.

Along with all these activities the Town's numerous recreation spring and summer programs provide an extraordinary array of choices for all ages. Sign up early to find the most enjoyable recreational, creative or educational activity of your choice. Please contact the Town at our web site (http://www.ci.danville.ca.us) for information or questions. On behalf of the entire Town Council, drive safely around our parks and sports fields and we hope you have an enjoyable spring.

DANVILLE'S HISTORY & THE NEW MILLENNIUM: Danville's Library & The Museum of the San Ramon Valley at the Danville Depot

The new millennium brings forth images of the 21st century based on views of writers, theorists, visionaries and science fiction. Our local history brings us full circle in renewing our past while building a foundation for future generations. Our Library with its benefactors and friends are building a foundation to keep our library at the fore front of technology, while expanding book collections. Along with concerns about computer and technology breakdowns that might occur at midnight on December 31, 1999, a small group of scientists, conservationists, historians, builders and just talented folks are nearing the end of their millennium trek in restoring the Depot building.

The Danville Library is both symbolic of a traditional civic facility and of leading edge technology. Since its opening in 1996, Danville's Library has risen to the highest circulation of any branch in Contra Costa County. Through the extraordinary and generous donation from a Danville patron, our Library will maintain and evolve its hands-on-technology for decades. Under the careful guidance of the Danville Library Foundation, the Friends of the Library, docents program and our library staff the facility and its collection will expand and evolve to maintain resources and connections to the world.

The restoration of Danville's Depot Building, on Railroad Avenue and Prospect Street, begins in the previous century. In 1891, the Southern Pacific Railroad built Danville's Depot located near its present location. The history of this building spans over two centuries and with the careful attention given to its rebuilding, the restored Depot may well shine brighter than the original. A dedicated group of volunteers led by Gary DeAtley are today's pioneers and tomorrow's visionaries in rebuilding the Depot. While the community anxiously awaits the completion of the rebuilding, other committee members are planning challenging programs and exciting activities. The community will have the opportunity to celebrate the Depot's public reopening on June 26, 1999. The partnership between the Museum of the San Ramon Valley and the Town of Danville will continue into the next millennium and beyond.

DANVILLE 2000

In a view towards the future, the Town Council recently completed its semi-annual financial plan review including five year revenue and expense projections, levels of service and capital improvements. Providing a solid foundation for our community, the Council's vision has set forth several areas of increased services. Danville will add three police officers starting in 2000-2001 and an additional three officers in 2001-2002. Of primary importance is to maintain our high standard for emergency response time and to supplement community policing programs. Landscaping maintenance in both parks and roadside areas, renovation of Oak Hill Park's play area, and street lighting maintenance are some of the areas of expanded services areas in the Council's plan for the year 2000. The Town's committee working on year 2000 technology compliance is nearing completion of upgrading town-wide computer and data systems at the end of this month. Danville will move into the year 2000 with confidence and sound assurances for a strong and healthy future.

While the late Stanley Kubrik's film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, may not be our future, Danville's upcoming year starts with a clear vision and a solid foundation for our younger generations to build upon. To the graduating Class of 1999, the Town Council wishes all the best in a safe and prosperous future.

DANVILLE'S SUMMERTIME & FALL EVENTS HAVE HISTORY

The early valley settlers of the San Ramon Valley begin their history in the 1850's where summertime had a special meaning for all of the townsfolk. Celebrations with food and dancing were the most common events. Dances were balls in those days and people dressed accordingly. A typical ball lasted all night highlighted by a lavish feast in the late evening hours. These celebrations featured the best of the valley's local cuisine. Fay Tarlock wrote in the Valley Pioneer newspaper in 1958, on Danville's centennial celebration, "During the holidays life was one ball after another, with dancers in lavish costumes, masked until midnight." Individuals could hop on the train to San Francisco to continue celebrating until the next day.

This summertime and holiday tradition are still strong in Danville. The Music in the Park concerts at Oak Hill park have created a tradition of lavish feasts leisurely enjoyed over the late afternoon. The concert series has two decades of tradition providing quality entertainment for both adults, teenagers and young children. These are summertime events you should not miss.

The holiday season closely follows with Veterans Day celebration at the Town Green and Community Center. This annual tradition features an authentic military breakfast, followed by presentations, awards of recognition, singing and museum displays at the Veterans Hall. The lighting of the tree following Thanksgiving Day is one of Danville's most anticipated celebrations. This wonderful event culminates in the lighting of the historic oak tree on Diablo Blvd. Music, carolers, food, drink and a chance to meet other townsfolk in Old Town on a stroll through the streets and store shops culminates this great tradition.

Summertime is a great opportunity for families and youth to enjoy recreation and educational programs. August marks the preparations for the new school year with teachers setting up classrooms and maintenance work nearing completion. In partnership with the School District and surrounding communities, Danville's focus will continue to provide high quality youth programs while creating opportunities for involving more youth input. The valley wide Advisory Committee on Youth Safety and Development will present their recommendations to the community in September. Danville and the other three sponsoring agencies are looking forward to help implement their recommendations along with support from the community. Tradition speaks to our effort to renew commitments to the broader community involving adults and youth. This is something that cannot be lost in our ever busier life style. On behalf of the entire Town Council we hope you enjoy the rest of the summer with your families and friends.

DANVILLE IS A CARING & GIVING COMMUNITY

Danville and the San Ramon Valley is noted for its work with youth dating back to the early 1860's. "In the early days the school house was the public center for all important events--school or social activities, picnics, parties, school exhibitions and so on," wrote Miss Charlotte Wood in her history of the Sycamore Valley School. Miss Wood who taught from 1890-1921 remarked that dancing was very popular entertainment of the pioneers of the vicinity--a source too of making money for the purchase of new desks, or other school equipment. We find ourselves continuing in the footsteps of our history. Numerous annual school auctions and balls continue to raise much needed funds for great causes in support of our children. This is a form of a partnership, public and private, supporting great causes in assisting many needs in the valley.

Local government has worked to reinvent itself by making partnerships with other agencies to create efficient use of resources. Clearly, our valley is blessed with very prosperous times and great personal gains. Often, these wonderful assets sometime mask hidden needs in our fine community. We need not reach out far if we look closely to find that there are people in need who are not part of our prosperous times. There are adults and youth who are asking for our help, but we can not always hear or see them. Our youths face pressures much different from our time--not just "walking three miles through the snow to school" as we remark to our children, but living very troubled and complicated lives. There are opportunities for public agencies and each of us as individuals to reach out farther and help in very meaningful ways.

The San Ramon Valley Advisory Committee on Youth Safety and Development is presenting their final report this month on findings of their seven month process. We will hear some very frank and direct findings reflecting the problems our youth are experiencing. There are two significant recommendations from the Committee; to establish a Community Resource Program within our schools with a strong focus of our three high schools; and secondly, greater availability of family and youth counseling. A jointly sponsored program between the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Town of Danville, City of San Ramon and through Supervisor Gerber's office is moving forward on the recommendation of the committee. The funding source for the Community Resource Program is supported through a successful grant and direct financial support from the sponsoring agencies.

A parallel part of this new program is expanding counseling services for youth. The nonprofit Discovery Counseling Center has largely been the source of counseling for the valley for the past twenty-eight years. Starting from its days in the back of a van helping youth in need after school, Discovery evolved to offices in Danville and San Ramon. Yet not all organizations succeed on participation from public agencies without our direct individual help. The need for providing free services to those in our community who cannot pay is more common than we realize. Organizations such as Discovery need our help and support. While we organize our families for back to school, consider setting aside time and support for the organizations that make us proud of our community. We can provide an inclusive healthy environment for all our citizens through your extra effort.

IS DANVILLE A TOWN or a CITY?

Fall brings cool days painted with golden colors filled with early morning cheers of children and parents on soccer fields. Nature paints a beautiful picture for our quiet valley bounded by the mighty Mt. Diablo and sheltered by the Las Trampas hills. The provincial feel of our community has a lot to do with our name. The familiar tale of the naming of our community in 1858 is a story full of character and great purpose. Recalling the Inman brothers, Daniel and Andrew, gold rush seekers and early pioneers of the San Ramon Valley, and their story of the naming of our community brings a sense humor and respect. A post office was planned for our valley and such a fine institution requires a name. Many valley folks thought that Danville was named for Daniel Inman, but a more commonly shared version is that Andrew Inman was about to be married at the time and demonstrated his respect for his future mother-in-law of Danville, Kentucky by giving his community the same name. So for 124 years our community was known as Danville.

Danville's name was born in 1858, but significant changes have occurred over the past 141 years. Beginning in 1915, lights came to Danville for the downtown area as area residents assessed themselves to pay for street lights. In 1948, after World War II, the first subdivisions were started and local control experienced significant changes. Historians have noted that with the subdivisions came new city folk who wanted to be involved in their community. "For a few years school board elections were more hotly contended than national ones," wrote Fay Tarlock in 1958. Similarly, in the fall of 1981, long time and new residents led a drive to incorporate our namesake into a 'city'. Following a successful incorporation election the City of Danville was created in July 1982.

Yes, a 'city' was created, but short lived. Wait a minute, I thought we were a Town? A city is commonly defined as "a major metropolitan center of a region", such as San Francisco or Oakland. Whereas, a town is "usually smaller than a city and larger than a village." Even on tours of the town offices with Cub Scouts or Brownies they respond that a city is "big with large building and a town is smaller with lots of houses." Well many folks always thought of Danville as a town, and so did the first City Council. Upon their discovery that the name could not be changed because of the wording on the incorporation ballot, we would be known as the City of Danville and with a City Council for four more years. After a change in State law, this uncomfortable period of 'City' life for Danville was rewritten in December of 1986. The City of Danville became the Town of Danville and the City Council a Town Council.

Today our small Town continues to enjoy its unique rural setting and high standards as a small comfortable place, and to quote a fourth grade Cub Scout from Greeenbrook Elementary School "Danville is a neat place to grow-up and have fun". "One of the oldest communities in the West, the locality has retained much of its pristine charm and beauty. Here life has fair meaning," wrote a local residence in a letter to the editor in 1938. Our actions as leaders and citizens are the lessons that will be observed by our children and repeated later in their adult life -- a town is "smaller and nicer". Ms. Tarlock concluded an account of the valley's history by saying "...Danville is still a fair place to live."

DANVILLE 1999 - LOOKING BACK

For most of us, space ships, landing on the moon, personal computers, robots were mostly literary visions of what the future may bring. The last half of this century saw all of those things become reality.

Each century has its own accomplishments and identity. Danville's identity has remained constant for the past two centuries as a special community. The year of 1999 will be remembered as the year that Danville reaffirmed its past, present and future for the next century. There have been two significant areas of accomplishment that are the foundations for Danville's future. The recently adopted 2010 General Plan is a map to our future, it was based on your input in and it will continue to succeed with your support. Civic facilities such as the Danville Library and Community Center were built with ten years of careful planning. Youth programs and senior citizens facilities and affordable housing are two areas that will present challenges for the Town in the new millennium.

Traditions are wonderful things and events that bind us together with shared experiences. Many great events have become a tradition in Danville. Starting with Oak Hill Park Memorial Day event, the Summerfest in June, the 4th of July Parade, Hot Summer Nights in July and August, Art & Halloween Festival in October, Veterans Day celebration at the Town Green, and finally the Lighting of the Tree on the day after Thanksgiving.

From the gold rush of the 1800's to the technology rush of the 1990's, Danville has remained a quite spot in the valley of shadows under Mt. Diablo's silent watch. What concerns or issues were on the minds of local residents in 1899? An industrial nation was steaming along with new technologies of electricity, automatic elevators, the horseless carriage and flying machines. Our quiet village may be visioning similar ideas to those in 1899 such as space stations, travel to the moon again and on to Mars, personal flying vehicles, commuting to Tokyo via a sub orbital ship in less than two hours, world peace and no more commuting. Yet there are common issues of parents and their children now and 100 years ago. The concerns remain the same in watching our youth find their own identity and rebel in their own causes. It is our challenge as a community to embrace of youth and hear their concerns for their well being and ours. It is my hope that Danville will look to the year 2000 not of new technologies, but as the year we took the time to listen and help our youth find their century of time and traditions.