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Pleasant Hill City News

Upcoming City Elections

On November 3, Pleasant Hill voters will elect three city councilmembers and one city treasurer. The nomination period began on July 13 and will end at 1pm on Friday, August 7 if the three incumbents qualify, and August 12 if any of the three do not qualify. The incumbents, Kenneth Carlson, Timothy Flaherty, and Matthew Rinn have all pulled papers for the City Council. City Treasurer Mark Celio is also running for re-election and has pulled papers with the City.

Nomination papers can be obtained from the city clerk’s office during the nomination period. Due to the changing health orders regarding COVID-19, candidates are asked to make an appointment during the nomination period to pull papers. Candidates must be registered voters of Pleasant Hill at the time the nomination papers are issued. To make an appointment, or for more information, contact Deputy City Clerk Danielle Habr at (925) 671-5221 or dhabr@pleasanthillca.org.

Two More Community Conversations on Social Justice

What does social justice mean in Pleasant Hill? How do we ensure a fair and welcoming community for all?

Participants in the Community Conversations will be able to submit questions and suggestions through the Zoom webinar platform.

Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30pm: “Social Justice and the Role of the Faith Community” - Panelists include members of the Pleasant Hill City Council; members of the faith community; and Police Chief Bryan Hill. Wednesday, August 26 at 6:30pm: “Social Justice and Youth” - Panelists include students from College Park High School and Diablo Valley College; Police Chief Bryan Hill; School Resources Officer Brett Botello; and members of City Council.

“We appreciated the participation and great questions at the recent Town Hall that focused on our policing policies,” said Police Chief Bryan Hill. “We are looking forward to continuing our conversations with our community. Hearing directly from community members is vital. I see these conversations as a chance to listen to what people are experiencing, and to form new and lasting partnerships for a stronger future.”

To register, go to pleasanthillca.org/diversity. For additional information, call Community Relations Manager Gayle Vassar, 925-671-5229.

Temporary Library Open

On July 14, the temporary Pleasant Hill library opened its doors in the Community Rooms at City Hall. The library is open Tuesday through Saturday for Front Door Service, a safe contactless way to pick up materials. Patrick Remer, head librarian said, “The touchless service is very smooth, plus we have adorable turtles! If cardholders make an appointment on ccclib.org, they can also choose a “grab bag” of staff picks. We’re all delighted to see our readers again. It’s all smiles underneath the mask!”

Patrons can place holds on library materials (using the library catalog) and after receiving confirmation the holds have arrived, patrons can make appointments for pick-up. Once at the library, the patron should call or text the number on the sign at the front of the library. Staff will confirm library card number and collect items. Materials will be be in a bag labeled with patron’s name on a table at the front door. Any Contra Costa County library is open for front door service. All items will go into a 3-day quarantine prior to being processed. For more infor

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mation about this service, visit: https://ccclib.org/front-door-service/.

2020 Tinkers & Thinkers on Zoom

Patrick Remer and the library staff are gearing up for an online Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire scheduled for Saturday, September 12. The website will be updated for 2020 soon at www.phtinkersandthinkers.com. Families can register to pick up a mystery kit at the library to unbox and build from home alongside hundreds of other kids through Zoom. “We are crafting a lineup of presenters and projects for makers of all ages”, said Remer. The Tinkers & Thinkers Innovation Faire is a not-to-miss experience for those inquisitive minds with curiosity about all things science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.).

Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library Retail Store The Book Store at 35 Crescent Drive

Coming soon, the Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library will open their new retail store in Downtown Pleasant Hill. The Book Store will be open from 11am to 5pm, 7 days a week. The large retail space will allow the organization to display their wide-ranging inventory, with proceeds going towards books, programs, resources and services for the new Pleasant Hill Library. Operations of the Book Store will be in keeping with the County health regulations for COVID-19.

An online inventory system has been developed to allow customers to shop online and order books for contactless curbside pickup at the bookstore during store hours. Mail or delivery to local residents is also an option. To shop online, visit www.phlibraryfriends.org. Ready to purge some books, movies, music, or games? The Friends are scheduling donation pickups! Email info@phlibraryfriends.org to make an appointment.

Economic Development Helps Small Businesses

The Economic Development Committee has created a plan on how the city can support local businesses that are hurting due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. The committee is looking at a gift card program, micro grants for the rental or purchase of outdoor furniture for restaurants, as well as micro grants to provide some small business funding for marketing and advertising. “The committee approved a plan and reauthorized the allocation of some existing economic development money in our budget to the tune of about $34,000, so that amount combined with our existing budget in grant funding will provide $64,000 in total seed funding for programs,” said Councilmember Ken Carlson, who is on the Economic Development Committee. The Budget Committee will need to approve the reallocation of the economic development funds to the grant funding.

OURCOMMUNITYFOCUS.COM | AUGUST 2020 |