TIMES CLIPPINGS WITH MY COMMENTS

By Stewart Rine

SO THE OAK PARK SITE BOND WAS SEEN AS NECESSARY AT LEAST A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND NOTHING GOT DONE. IF WE HAVE FLOODING THIS YEAR THE CITY HAS REALLY EXTENSIVE PLANS TO GIVE US SAND AND BAGS. MS. WILLIAMSON SAID THERE WILL BE SANDBAGS ON HER DRIVEWAY. THE COUNTY PLANS TO SELL THE OAK PARK SITE NEXT MONTH. THE FUTURE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WON'T THEY? NOT NESSARILY IF DR. HARRIS AND MS. WILLIAMSON ARE STILL THERE. VOTE FOR CHANGE! VOTE FOR ME, STEWART RINE.

"PLEASANT HILL -- The list is long, and money is short.

The city and the park district have big projects on their wish lists, such as flood control, repairs to the police department building, a new library and a new community center. To pay for any of it, they may reach out to voters. *** They're not sure yet how much money they would ask, and they have no definitive project list.***

The city is interested in buying land for a flood basin for southern Pleasant Hill, repairing and perhaps a overhauling the police department building, and building a new library. ***"

SO THE OAK PARK SITE BOND WAS SEEN AS NECESSARY AT LEAST A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND NOTHING GOT DONE. IF WE HAVE FLOODING THIS YEAR THE CITY HAS REALLY EXTENSIVE PLANS TO GIVE US SAND AND BAGS. MS. WILLIAMSON SAID THERE WILL BE SANDBAGS ON HER DRIVEWAY. THE COUNTY PLANS TO SELL THE OAK PARK SITE NEXT MONTH. THE FUTURE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WON'T THEY? NOT NESSARILY IF DR. HARRIS AND MS. WILLIAMSON ARE STILL THERE. VOTE FOR CHANGE! VOTE FOR ME, STEWART RINE.

From the Contra Costa Times by DANIELLE SAMANIEGO, Dated Feb. 1, 2006. COMMENTS ARE IN CAPS, *** INDICATES DELETED TEXT:

"Getting a handle on flood control topped the Pleasant Hill City Council's list of goals for 2006, a sign that holiday storm woes made enough of an impact to trigger action.

Other priorities included maintaining city roads, keeping up budget reserves and strengthening the city's economic development program. City staff will take the list of goals set by the City Council and nail down ways to implement them. The council established the list during a workshop Monday.The council's top goals, in order, include:

• Developing a reasonable set of options for flood control.

• Developing reasonable short- and long-term alternatives for maintaining city roads in an acceptable condition. ***

Early cost estimates by the city came to $1 million in damages caused by the storm.

The issue will likely come before the council during a scheduled meeting. Council members agreed that the problem was too big to deal with in a workshop format.

"I'm really concerned about flood control in terms of the short-term fix, especially for those people over in south side of town -- I'm really worried that if we have a major storm between now and May we won't be able to handle it," said Councilwoman Sue Angeli. She added that she was confident that all goals could be accomplished in due time.

Many of this year's goals mirrored those from 2005. As far as flood control, the city was not able to get the eight-acre Oak Park site for a flood basin and the park and recreation district didn't want to set up a recreational area on the site.

SO A YEAR LATER AND NOTHING SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN DONE, EXCEPT THE COUNCIL SHORTED OUR STREET UPKEEP BY $1.3 MILLION.

From the Contra Costa Times by DANIELLE SAMANIEGO, Dated MAY 23, 2006. COMMENTS ARE IN CAPS, *** INDICATES DELETED TEXT:

Resurfacing streets, landslide repairs and investing further into the city's public safety WiFi system are some of the top city priorities, as recommended by the Pleasant Hill City Council.

The city plans to increase funding for street resurfacing by $1.2 million for the 2006-07 fiscal year, with a 5 percent increase after the first year. The program is one of the city's top capital improvement projects.Other priority projects include completing the second phase of the city's WiFi system at a cost of $400,000, installing a $70,000 surveillance system at City Hall and the city's parking garage, and contributing $150,000 to landslide repairs. Those repairs actually total $640,000, but a federal grant is likely to cover the rest of it. If the grant doesn't come through, the city would then consider other alternatives to handle costs.

"I'm in agreement with what the council is doing in putting this budget together and I don't think any spending is frivolous," said Rich Ricci, director of finance for the city. ***

The largest budget adjustment came in the form of the city's street resurfacing program, which would take $1.2 million annually while increasing by 5 percent the following year. Of that, $400,000 would come from general fund money and the rest would come from special revenue funds such as gas tax money and Measure C funds. That's double the amount the city had originally set aside for road improvements.

That money, along with the money for the three priority projects, would have to come from reserves, which would deplete from $11.2 to $10.4 million. That still provides a cushion of spending money since the city wants to maintain reserves no lower than $8.3 million.

The resurfacing program will be re-evaluated after the 2006-2008 budget. It would ensure that most roads are in fair condition, though by 2015 the city would have to pay roughly $38.1 million to bring streets back up to their current state, according to city staff. It's either that or pay more now, but the city doesn't have that money.

"The investment to get the streets where we want them to be is unattainable at this point," said Vice Mayor David Durant, who also served on the city's budget committee. "The picture certainly isn't pretty, but these are the decisions we have to make," he said at last week's meeting."

I AGREE THE PICTURE CERTAINLY ISN'T PRETTY, AFTER OUR POLICE, THE CITY COUNCIL'S FIRST DUTY IS TO MAINTAIN OUR STREETS. SADLY OUR STREET UPKEEP IS BEING SHORTED $1.3 MILLION DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN $18 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET!