August 18, 2023
The Pioneer • www.pioneerpublishers.com
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9-11 remembered with flags and service to community For several years, Clayton Fire Station #11 put out flags of remembrance with the photographs and names of fallen firefighters on that fateful day of 9/11. Last year, a small group of Clayton residents led by VFW Post 1525 gathered at the Clayton Fire Station the morning of 9/11 in Remembrance of the events of that day. This year, the city of Clayton, VFW, and Contra Costa County Fire Department will continue the tradition and meet at Clayton Fire Station
11 at 11 am on 9/11 for a brief and heartfelt gathering to honor the heroes of that day. As the nation remembers the 9/11 tragedy, many communities have come together for a day of service. Here is how you can volunteer locally this year: Clayton. Volunteer for service projects at the library and schools or create your own community project. Meet at 8 a.m. Sept. 16 for coffee and doughnuts at City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail. For more infor-
mation or to register your project, email Councilmembers Peter Cloven or Holly Tillman at peterc@claytonca.gov or hollyt@claytonca.gov. Concord. Councilmember Carlyn Obringer is sponsoring two community service projects: median planting at Grant Street and Olivera Road on Sept. 16 and tree planting at Hillcrest Community Park on Sept. 30. Both events are 8 a.m.11 a.m. Volunteers should bring gloves and gardening tools if available. Register by Sept. 7 by
emailing carlyn.obringer@cityofconcord.org. Pleasant Hill. Volunteer for a variety of community projects. Meet at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 23 for free breakfast and T-shirts at Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane. Drop off an unused bike at the Pleasant Hill Police Department before Sept. 22 for use in the Bike Build-A-Thon. Or, donate food for the Food Bank of Contra Costa/Solano County at sites throughout the city. Visit pleasanthillca.org/csd for details.
Mixed messages from survey on homelessness
CONCORD The Concord Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group put out a general call for a survey on homelessness to residents (excluding those who were homeless residents). Of the 712 responses: 79% were homeowners. 11% were renters.
Job training, 32%. When you look at the responses from the 31 unhoused folks who took the survey (done in the field directly), there is a significant difference. In terms of most needed services, they had: Housing with affordable rent, 75%. Assistance paying utilities, 62%. Mental health services, 62%. Emergency shelter, 50%. Housing with supportive services, 50%. In the area of concerns, they listed as the services most needed and not received: Housing with affordable rent, 62%.
Legal camping/parking area, 50%. Assistance with housing deposits, 50%. What stands out is that when it comes to biggest concerns, the residents do not focus on housing or even care for the homeless but rather their biggest concerns are for their visuals and danger to themselves. When considering approaches to the problems, we see a little more focus on housing in some areas but still some wide gaps in emphasis – with the unsheltered going directly into housing of any sort as their highest unmet need. Mental health services are common ground. How to
Grand Jury, from page 1
Concord council looks to • Coordinating with the East Bay 90% certainty,” he said. pick Master Developer He also noted that the most Regional Park District in 2019 regarding Thurgood Marshall recent loan to the LRA – $530,000 on June 13 – comes Regional Park. from unallocated General LOOKING INTO Funds. CITY FUNDING
The grand jury launched an extensive investigation following a citizen complaint about city money spent on the project. The 46-page report makes a variety of recommendations to address “a series of prior missteps” and to “accelerate the productive utilization” of the area. The grand jury reviewed a June 2022 report that showed city expenditures of $37.4 million, which includes federal grants, state redevelopment money, developer funds and city loans. Expenses paid with city loans totaled $14.06 million as of February 2020. In response to Roberts’ suggestions on improving the reporting process, Bjerke said the city will update the February 2020 report and associated table of expenditures and will implement annual reporting on city loans to the LRA. The city will also release a record of deposits and refunds to Concord First Partners (CFP) by Sept. 30. The report advises the city to find funding sources other than its self-insured workers compensation fund. Bjerke countered that the city is not self-insured for workers compensation claims, but only for its deductibles. “The current loan from this fund is not creating undue risk to the fund in that it is funded to
Toyota,
from page 1
scheduled this season, slated to end Oct. 2 with a Sting concert. That 2013 contract with Live Nation allowed for a name change should a suitable sponsor be found. “We’re thrilled to announce Toyota as our partner for this beloved venue,” said Andy Peikon, Live Nation’s Senior Vice President and Head of Venue Sales. “With over 40 years of involvement in the Concord community, this partnership allows Toyota to connect with local fans during memorable live
QUESTIONS ABOUT DEVELOPER SELECTIONS
The report addresses problems with the 2016 selection of Lennar as the first master developer, including the decision to remove a staff recommendation for Catellus, the competing developer, from the final staff report. A subsequent investigation, called the Jenkins Report, found that the city violated the Brown Act after several council members met privately with the city manager about the matter. According to Bjerke, the city agrees with all grand jury conclusions regarding the Jenkins Report but will not implement the proposals regarding how the city paid for the report. Concord’s negotiations with Lennar ended in 2020 over a local project labor agreement. The council then selected CFP as the new master developer in August 2021. After 16 months of delays – and mounting concerns about the developer’s financial wherewithal, the council rejected CFP’s Term Sheet in January 2023. According to the grand jury review, financial information CFP submitted to the city was incomplete, and the city did not perform “due diligence” to conmusic experiences that matter so much to them.” Boasting gorgeous views of Mt. Diablo, internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry designed the unique venue and in 1996 oversaw an expansion from its original 8,500 capacity to 12,500 with a mix of seating under the Pavilion roof and surrounding lawn seating. Over the nearly five decades Pavilion has hosted some of the biggest names in entertainment across numerous genres. The list includes Janet Jackson, Iron Maiden, Santana, ABBA, Bette Midler, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, TLC, Garth Brooks, Metallica, Florence & The Machine and a host of dance,
The Concord City Council will hold a special meeting Aug. 26 to consider selection of a preferred Master Developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS). This is the third time the council, acting as the Local Reuse Authority (LRA), will choose a developer – after failed negotiations first with Lennar and then Concord First Partners. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers, 1950 Parkside Dr. Residents who want to make comments can submit in writing by 3 p.m. Aug. 25 or attend in person. There will also be a Zoom link to the meeting. For more information, see the council agenda at www.cityofconcord.org. firm that CFP partners had “sufficient financial strength to undertake and successfully complete a project of this scale.” The city’s response says they agree with all grand jury findings regarding the lack of information about CFP’s finances. In addition, Roberts said the council should consider adding language that incomplete or nonresponsive submissions may lead to disqualification of an applicant. Bjerke said the city has already approved the next master developer selection process without such a clause. “However, the City Council has full discretion to reject respondents based on incomplete or nonresponsive submissions as outlined in Appendix F of the RFQ (Request for Qualifications),” he wrote. Bjerke noted that the LRA has specified that there will be no extensions or second requests for missing information in the RFQ or RFP (Request for theatre and orchestra companies. The Pavilion was an outgrowth of the Concord Summer Festival which began in 1969 and served as a proof of concept for a permanent performing arts center to be built in Contra Costa’s largest city. The renamed Concord Jazz Festival was a staple in the Pavilion schedule until 2004. In 2019 an all-star 50th Anniversary Concord Jazz Festival concert was held. In addition to concerts, the venue is a community asset and home to large-scale local events, including nine annual graduations for Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Carondelet high schools. The venue has also been the site of three United
Proposals) process. Meanwhile, he said the city will not implement a recommendation that LRA staff and designated consultants be the sole evaluators of RFQ or RFP responses. “The City Council are the directly elected governing representatives of the community and it falls within their scope of authority and responsibilities to make the decision on which firm the LRA will work with as a master developer for the CNWS project,” says the city’s response, signed by City Manager Valerie Barone. The LRA discussed the letter at the Aug. 8 meeting and sent the response on Aug. 9. According to Bjerke, the Civil Grand Jury has no authority to oversee any changes. “It’s the report that is the punchline, so to speak,” he told the Pioneer. “The idea is the city responds and we make commitments to take some corrective action and we will do so.” States Olympic Trials as well as international and professional boxing, martial arts and wrestling events. Live Nation explains that the Pavilion also keeps sustainability at the forefront of its operations. A dedicated zero-waste green team oversees source-separating recycling and composting backstage. This contributes to the venue diverting 28,500 pounds of waste from a landfill this season alone. In the past two seasons, the venue diverted a combined 100,460 pounds. Fans can also access water refill stations as part of the venue’s efforts to reduce singleuse plastics.
achieve the application of those services is the problem in that they cannot be forced and the 5150 “danger to yourself and others” has been ineffective. Unfortunately, we could not get more of a response from the homeless group or a higher percentage of renters, as both skew the responses demographically. I would be most interest-
ed in what you all gather from these responses. Write to me at EdiBirsan@gmail.com or Edi Birsan, 950 Alla Ave., Concord, CA 945 18. Or call 510-8128180. Edi Birsan is a member of the Concord City Council. However, opinions expressed in this column are his alone and do not reflect those of the city.
Le t t e r t o t h e E d i t or ect and how will it be repaid? We care because decisions were made without the Concord City Council following their own procedures to gain Why do we care about a Contra Costa Civil Grand Jury detailed information for each report on the Concord Naval developer and their financial capability for high-cost startup Weapons Station (CNWS) project that includes a $14.06 procedures. We don’t want a third time million taxpayer question? Why do we care: the Concord like this. CNWS is such an important opportunity that we community and businesses, our BART ridership (242,680), must get this right for all of us. Read the Concord Naval Highway 4 commuters, famiWeapons Station Grand Jury lies with children in school, Report: A Promise Unfulenvironmental organizations, filled. those who need affordable Ask the Concord City housing, and water and elecCouncil members to follow tricity users? the grand jury recommendaWe care about the $14.06 million that is a city loan with- tions and request a financial audit. out specific accountability. Suzan Requa How was it spent on the projConcord Don’t dismiss grand jury report on naval weapons station
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EDI BIRSAN PULSE OF
10% either did not respond or claimed to not know. The top concerns were: Trash/rubbish, 85%. Public safety, 68%. Homelessness creating and increasing crime, 57%. The three biggest barriers to stable housing were seen as: Mental health, 77%. Substance use, 67%. Refusal to access shelter, 45%. The most needed services were: Help locating/accessing mental health services, 61%. Help locating/substance use services, 49%. Affordable housing with supportive services onsite, 46%. Trash removal, 40%.
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