MOTHER’S DAY: SUNDAY, MAY 8
CASTRO VALLEY FORUM A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SERVING CASTRO VALLEY SINCE 1989
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022
YEAR 34
NO. 18
EBMUD Director Frank Mellon Won’t Seek Re-Election
INSIDE YOUR
FORUM OUR TOWN
By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
City of CV? 20-year-old question is revisited: Would CV be better off as a city?
Page 3 NEWS
Rowell’s Saddlery & Western Wear store, located at 3473 Castro Valley Boulevard, has been a fixture in downtown Castro Valley since 1942.
No Chili Cook-off Rotary Club announces postponement of May 13 Chili Cook-off event
Page 5 SENIORS
Senior Q&A How should I go about planning inheritance for child on public benefits?
Page 7
INDEX Agents in Action ....... 11 Classified Ads .......... 12 Crosswords ............. 13 Homes ........................ 8 Legal Notices ........... 14 Obituaries ................ 15 Opinions .................. 15 Our Town .................... 3 Seniors ....................... 7 Weather ....................... 2 WWW.MYCVFORUM.COM
Back Saddle Again IN THE
By Mike McGuire CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
The Rowell Ranch Rodeo is returning to Castro Valley the weekend of May 20 to 23 after a two-year delay, just in time to celebrate its 100th birthday. Events kick off with the rodeo parade down Castro Valley Boulevard on Saturday, May 14, and finish on Monday, May 22, with the rodeo itself running from May 19 to 21.
The theme this year is “Back in the Saddle Again.” It’s a call back to the long history and legacy of Harry Rowell, who together with his wife Maggie ran the ranch from the 1920s through his passing in 1969. She turned over management of the ranch to his longtime friend, and rodeo great, Cecil Jones, and then sold the ranch at half-price to the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD). Maggie Rowell passed away in 1975. see ROWELL on page 5
After serving on the EBMUD Board of Directors since 1994, Frank Mellon announced this week that he will not be running for re-election in 2022. “I have had a good run and it is time. While my health is generally good, I turned 76 this year and think it is time for someone who can carry the responsibilities of the position for the future,” Mellon told the Forum. Mellon, a 40-year resident of Castro Valley, has been a major figure in securing water rights for East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and as a steward of Ward 7, which includes Castro Valley, portions of San Leandro, and Hayward, and the communities of Cherryland and Fairview as well as a portion of San Ramon. As an EBMUD board member, Mellon serves on the EBMUD Retirement Board, as a board member on the DSRSD/ EBMUD Recycled Water Authority (DERWA), and on the Special Districts Association of
Frank Mellon
Alameda County. While Mellon says his name will not be on the ballot for the first time in 28-years, he notes he is not disappearing from community service. Mellon is a member of the Senior Assistance Foundation Eastbay (SAFE), a charitable trust which provides funding to low-income senior programs. He is also a member of the Castro Valley Sports Foundation. “You all have been very good and kind to me and I am not going anywhere,” he says. “Thank you all for so very much. I am not saying goodbye. Just look for me to be supporting our community.” see MELLON on back page
Somerset Ave. Gets Three Street Redesign Options By Michael Singer CASTRO VALLEY FORUM
Somerset Avenue is one step closer to having cars, bikes, and pedestrians travel in harmony following an Alameda County Public Works Agency meeting last week. A one-mile section of the avenue between Stanton Avenue and Redwood Road is a popular thoroughfare for drivers. An average of 10,000 cars, trucks, and buses travel it every day, according to Public Works
documents. Somerset is also well-traveled because there are entrances to Our Lady of Grace Church and Al’s Food Market on the avenue. Traffic is also impacted because it is near the high school and the downtown area. AC Transit line 28 also uses Somerset on the west end of the avenue. At issue is ensuring there is enough space for two lanes of traffic and safe passage of bicycles on the street while maintaining consistency for pedestrians. That is a challenge
now because several stretches of Somerset have no sidewalks. Additionally, drivers park on the pedestrian sections because there is no curb. After a year of looking at the issue, Public Works held a virtual public meeting last Tuesday where it presented three possible designs and asked for community feedback on the proposed improvements. The agency sent 300 postcards to homes and businesses along Somerset as well as advertised the meeting on social media.
“We wanted to show the community what alternatives there are and to show what the impacts each would have if we changed the parking on Somerset or add a dedicated bike lane,” Amber Lo, a Principal Civil Engineer with Public Works told the Forum. About 80 people attended the virtual event. The deadline to submit choices on the three designs was yesterday, but Public Works is still taking feedback from submissions on its website. The design with
the most votes will next be presented to the Castro Valley MAC (Municipal Advisory Committee) followed by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) before moving forward. Three Choices All three designs will include the installation of curbs and sidewalks between 5 and 7 feet wide that could include the addition of trees. Each design also accommodates bicycle traffic either as a shared lane see SOMERSET on page 3