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YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 17, No. 10
Helmick named interim fire chief by Kyle Szymanski
March 10, 2017
Pottery With A Purpose
Staff Writer
The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) tapped one of its own to serve as interim fire chief, as the district’s board unanimously chose current Battalion Chief Brian Helmick and formally approved his contract at the board’s meeting this week. Helmick, 40, will replace Hugh Henderson, who announced his retirement in January after 12 years with the district. Helmick is expected to begin on March 31. “It’s not only exciting, it’s incredibly humbling,” Helmick said. “It’s a tremendous responsibility; one I welcome with open arms.” The board chose Helmick after interviewing him and one other undisclosed external contender last Friday. Helmick is slated to make up to $11,758.07 a month, plus benefits. His up-to-oneyear contract is expected to include an evaluation in October. Joel Bryant, ECCFPD board president called the job of finding Henderson’s replacement the most important decision he’s had to make for the community. “Battalion Chief Helmick was the clear choice,” Bryant said. “This wasn’t just because
East Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Brian Helmick has been chosen to serve as the district’s interim fire chief.
he was part of our system already; this is because he earned this position. He is the most qualified person we interviewed.” Helmick, who lives in Brentwood with his wife and three children, began his career in fire service with the now-dissolved Moraga Fire Pro-
tection District before becoming a paid-on-call firefighter for the former Oakley Fire Protection District. He was the first paid-on-call employee hired by the ECCFPD, which was formed in see Chief page 30
“ The idea and concept that has been
Staff Writer
Grapevines will soon be popping up on two vacant city parcels, helping cut down on citymaintenance costs. Longtime Oakley grapegrower Alan Lucchesi has entered into license agreements to plant grapevines on a 1-acre parcel on Live Oak Avenue and on parts of a 17-acre parcel north of the BNSF Railroad at about 7th Street. “The idea and concept that has been proposed is a veritable win-win,” said City Manager Bryan Montgomery. “Mr. Lucchesi has done this in the past in the city, as well as on other properties, taking what were patches of dirt and providing a location for these vines. It’s a sense of landscaping on the city-owned
proposed is a veritable win-win.
”
Oakley City Manager Bryan Montgomery properties that (removes) the need for any maintenance on our part, saving us money.” The county has long designated the Live Oak site as the location of a future fire station, but that isn’t expected to materialize for at least five years, Montgomery said. The other 17-acre location – three of which will be used for grapes – was donated to the city last year. Lucchesi will pay the city about $1,200 a year to use the Live Oak site and an additional $100 a year for use of the other parcel beginning in three
years after the grapes are established. Both agreements will expire February 2022. He could not be reached as of press time. “The savings to the city is on the order of $3,000 or $4,000 over the life of these license agreements,” Montgomery said. City leaders view the agreement as a win-win for everyone involved. The 17-acre property, the majority of which is a drainage basin, is of little value to the city. Additionally, the plantings are viewed as an attractive landscape that preserves the agricultural heritage of the city. Lucchesi
has also transplanted or planted dozens of acres of grapevines in various other parts of the city, including at the northeast corner of Rose Avenue and Laurel Road, the northwest corner of Laurel Road and Empire Avenue and the southwest corner of Empire Avenue and Oakley Road. Lucchesi, whose family has harvested grapes in the community for the last 100 years, sends his grapes to Ripon, where his family creates wines at Lucca Winery. “He has the ability to take a drab, sandy wasteland and transform into a beautiful, living and productive vineyard, benefitting all of us,” said Oakley City Councilman Kevin Romick. For more information, visit bit.ly/2m1gCam. To comment, visit www. thepress.net.
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Once Upon A Mattress
Photo by Tony Kukulich
Grapevines to be planted on city parcels by Kyle Szymanski
Heritage High School’s Clay Club to make plates, bowls for coming local restaurant. Page 4
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Contra Costa County has closed a $99,810,000 lease revenue bond transaction.
Deer Valley Academy of Performing Arts retells “The Princess and the Pea.” Page 10
Heritage Falls At Playoffs
Carondelet knocks off Heritage 54-31 in NCS Division I championship game. Page 21 Calendar................................31 Classifieds.............................25 Cop Logs................................29 Education................................6 Entertainment.....................11 Food........................................10 Milestones............................15 Opinion..................................20 Pets.........................................12 Sports.....................................21
Flood Response
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Rep. McNerney introduces H.R. 1233 to empower local response to flood disasters.