THE WEEK OF MARCH 23-29
–BERKELEY– Regular council meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 27, 6 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–COKE IS NOT IT– Four years ago, Berkeley voters overwhelmingly approved a tax on sugary drinks sales. Now the Berkeley City Council may go further with an ordinance that prohibits the city from using taxpayers’ money to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages. The proposed ordinance also bans selling sugary drinks on city properties, primarily through vending machines and forbids the drinks at city meetings. The recommendation comes from the city’s Sugar Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts. According to the city manager’s office, a further study of the proposal by staff is needed, “but will take more time.” NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, Apr. 3.
–ALAMEDA COUNTY– Regular board meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 27, 10:30 a.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–ANTI-POVERTY GRANT– ALL IN, the county’s anti-poverty program is receiving a $469,760 grant from First 5 Alameda County to “fund the development and implementation of a Family Resource Center in the San Antonio neighborhood of Oakland.” The grant to be approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning is for 15 months and allows for additional grant funding for up to two years, according to a staff report.
–THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS– The county is reaching out to Oakland’s Act Full Gospel Church to help youth probationers. “The Alameda County Probation Department recognizes the critical and diverse spiritual needs of juvenile, adult (transition-age youth) clients, and staff. The services needed include chaplaincy, worship services, religious programs, scripture study and educational courses, one-on-one counseling, distribution of religious materials, prayer and worship services, coordination of faith-based ceremonies, events, and activities, recognition of religious holidays, and any other nondenominational.” The total cost of the three-year contract is $389,380. NEXT BOARD MEETING: Apr. 10 early budget session.
–AD15 CANDIDATE FORUM– The dozen candidates for the open 15th Assembly District seat will meet on Thursday, Apr. 5, 7-9 p.m. at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Oakland and Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville; and the Coalition for Police Accountability, North Oakland Senior Center, 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Oakland.
–MOBILE COMMAND CENTER– The council will be asked to approve the use of asset forfeiture funds and federal grants to purchase a $425,000 mobile command center. The Hayward Police Department says its current unit, basically a glorified RV, was purchased in 1992 and has outlived its usefulness. The vehicle is used as a communication hub for law enforcement during natural disasters, and other tactical operations. Hayward PD is proposing to use $340,000 in asset forfeiture funds for the purchase, in addition, to $85,000 in grants from the federal Urban Areas Security Initiative program. The use of asset forfeiture funds, which are seized by law enforcement during , but without due process, critics contend, is often a point of contention among progressives in the East Bay. The use of federal Homeland Security grants to militarize local police departments is also a sore subject.
–RENTAL HOUSING TALKS CONTINUE-– Over the past two months, Hayward officials have spent considerable time discussing the city’s growing rental housing crisis. The issue returns Tuesday night with additional information for the council on subjects such as landlord/tenant mediation to settle rent hikes, and whether the city should enact a short-term moratorium on rent increases and/or no cause evictions, among other topics. Latter speaking, the city staff recommends against either proposal, saying moratoriums will only temporarily suspend inevitable rent increases and evictions,
–HELP WITH POT APPLICATIONS– Hayward city staff has been inundated with 77 applications for differing types of cannabis businesses, 21 for retail alone. To speed the review process, city staff is proposing to spend at total $360,000 to outsource the work to two companies, HdL Companies ($180,750) and ICF, Incorporated ($180,848). Funding for expenditures will come from the $5,000 refundable application fee for prospective cannabis business owners. NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, April 3.
–FREMONT– City Council/School District liaison meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 27, 5:30 p.m. (FUSD Board Room, 4210 Technology Drive) [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE] // Funding for work force housing for Fremont teacher under Measure A1.
–EAST BAY MUD– Regular board meeting, Tuesday, Mar. 27, 1:15 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
–AC TRANSIT– Regular board meeting, Wednesday, Mar. 28, 5 p.m. [ENTIRE AGENDA HERE]
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