YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER HAPPY
VETERANS DAY November 11, 2017
Vol. 19, No. 45
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Library project on track
Grabbing the Lion’s share
by Aly Brown
Ringing In The Season
Photo by Steve’s Photography
L
iberty High School football players celebrate after a 37-35 win over rival Freedom High School in the Bell Game Nov. 3. Liberty’s potent offensive mixed with a bend-but-don’t-break defense helped Liberty take the bell back to Brentwood at game’s end. To read the story, see Page 17. To view more photos of the event, visit www.thepress.net/multimedia/sideshows.
see Library page 26
Voters to decide future of fire board by Kyle Szymanski Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District Board finalized a plan this week to ask voters in early 2018 to approve reducing the number of board members from nine to five, using an at-large representation method that allows board members to reside anywhere in the district. The question is expected to be posed during an all-mail ballot election in March, at an estimated cost of $225,000 – although the costs could be shared with at least one another community-services district and a city that plans to hold elections
“ I think anyone who cares enough to run for this board cares for every single person in this district.
” Fire Board President Joel Bryant
on the same day. A second election, using the at-large format, will be held November 2018 to select either five or nine board members, depending on the voters’ decision about the measure. The board’s future was kick-started with the November 2016 passage of Measure N, approving the transition from an
appointed nine-member board to an at-large elected board. Board members are currently assigned: four selected by the Brentwood City Council; three by the Oakley City Council; and two by the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors. The board’s 6-2 decision this week to switch to an at-large representation model ends a
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The Spirit of Inclusion
Special education students team up with high school athletes for a day of soccer, fun. Page 5
Staff Writer
From leveled dirt to support beams and a roof, the new Brentwood Library is looking more like a building each day, and officials say its projected completion date is still on course. In August 2016, the city council voted to approve a design to take the little library that once housed modest rows of books and computers on Oak Street and transform it into a 20,000-square-foot building. The design included a second story, an outdoor courtyard, study rooms, a community room and a cafe. At the time, it was slated to open July 2018. Along the way, the council found it necessary to increase the budget by $1.3 million for a total of $13.5 mil-
November 10, 2017
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fierce board debate on whether the district should be broken into wards. Board members Susan Morgan and Dr. Cheryl Morgan voted in favor of wards, which would have divided the district into five geographic sectors with one representative coming from each area. Board member Joe Young, who vehemently favored the atlarge format, said voters already expressed preference for the atlarge format during the Measure N election last year. He also pointed out that the only fire district in the county using the ward see Fire page 26
A Pirate’s Life
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Gray’s Harbor Historical Seaport is looking for volunteers to sail the high seas.
Brentwood’s 35th annual holiday parade, downtown events kick off the season. Page 10
Liberty Takes Bell Game
Liberty Lions win the annual Bell Game against rivals Freedom High School. Page 17 Calendar................................27 Classifieds.............................23 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Health & Beauty..................12 Holiday Happenings............8 Milestones............................13 Breaking News.....................16 Pets.........................................21 Sports.....................................17
Wildfire Losses
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Insurance claims from the state’s wildfires topping over $3 billion.