Celebrating 33 Years Serving Castro

modifications to your existing Trust, in order to address changes in family circumstances, changes in tax law and/or to engage in public benefits planning on your behalf. But in order for these powers to be effective, there must also be reciprocal provisions in your trust, itself, a legal requirement too often overlooked. However, your agent may not make a Will for you under any circumstances.

5. Does it Permit Gifting and/or Long Term Care Benefits Planning? By California law, an agent cannot use the principal’s assets to make gifts, unless that power is expressly granted in the POA. Further, even if this power is expressly granted, the agent cannot make gifts to himself unless the right to “Self Deal” is also expressly stated. Sometimes the power to make gifts can be very important, such as for tax planning or planning for eligibility under the Medi-Cal or Veterans Pension programs to help with long term care expenses.

Unfortunately, we find that very few POA’s contain these important powers, or impose limits upon exercise, which reduce the planning opportunities available to the agent.

In every case, the POA can only be created when the principal has sufficient mental capacity to understand what he or she is signing and all expire upon the death of the principal. Lastly, a POA for financial matters cannot authorize health care decisions: for that another document is necessary, called an Advance Healthcare Directive.

Gene L. Osofsky is an elder law and estate planning attorney who has been helping East Bay families for over 30 years. Visit his website at www.LawyerForSeniors.com. Phone: 510-247-2555.

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WINKLER LAW

Rotary Club of Castro Valley Celebrates 70 Years of Service

On June 27, the Rotary Club of Castro Valley held its annual end-of-the-year BBQ at the Rowell Ranch Rodeo Grounds. The evening featured an outstanding dinner of tenderloin Roast and shrimp prepared by Randy Vanderbilt,

Mark Poniatowski and Darrell Lavin; the recognition of Christian Carr as the recipient of the 2022-23 John Goe Volunteer of the Year Award; a program “reliving” the Club’s seventy year history, written by Jim Negri and shared by var- ious club past presidents; and the installation of the 2023-24 President Christian Carr and his Board by District 5170 Governor Hung Wei. Past District Governor and Past Club President Dwight Perry served as Master of Ceremonies.

Map: Separates CV into Five Districts

continued from front page Wednesday to adopt a resolution with a map that separates Castro Valley into five districts where each Trustee will reside and seek the votes of their neighbors. Previously, all Castro Valley voters were able to vote for any candidate. The board member seats held by Lavender Lee Whitaker, Michael Kusiak, and Dolly Adams are up for re-election in 2024. Trustees Gary Howard and Sara Raymond, who were just elected in 2022, will keep their seats until they are up for a district election in 2026.

The map now goes to the

Alameda County Committee on School District Organization for approval. If the Committee approves the change, “by-trustee area” voting would begin with the general election on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The Trustee map does have its quirks. Several Trustee districts split right down the middle of a street, and in some cases, an intersection—such as Parson Avenue and Christensen Lane—where three corner homes would cast a vote for three different candidates.

Board of Trustees president Lavender Lee said she was looking forward to working with the people who live in her district. The “by-trustee area” election now opens the door to candidates who live in the Palomares, Five Canyons neighborhoods where Trustees currently do not reside.

And while the Trustee breakdown makes it look like board members only represent the schools in their districts, CVUSD Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi and other Trustees reiterated that those elected to the Board are not responsible for only one or two schools but for the more than 9,000 students enrolled in the see MAP on back page

Reports: Violated Terms of His Parole

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Violated Parole Sunday, June 25: at 12:31 p.m., deputies pulled over and arrested a 35-year-old CV man on suspicion of violating the terms of his parole and driving with an expired registration. The man was traveling on Norbridge Avenue near Redwood

Road when deputies spotted his expired plates. The man was found in violation of his parole and was taken to Santa Rita Jail.

Could Not Stay Away Saturday, June 24: at 10:40 p.m., a 23-year-old man with no permanent residence was arrested on suspicion of violating the terms of a court-issued order asking he not be within 100 yards of a home on Orange Avenue near Grove Way. Deputies responded to a call about a suspicious person at the residence and found the man hanging outside. The man was taken into custody.