Quality Report Available, By Rebecca Gold Rubin Serving on County and Regional Commissions, By Zach Friend, Supervisor

FEATURED COLUMNIST Serving on County and Regional Commissions

By Zach Friend, Supervisor, Second District

Each year, the Board of Supervisors makes appointments of its members to local boards and commissions. In addition to serving on the Board of Supervisors I also serve on your behalf in a number of other capacities on local and regional commissions.

Sometimes you may need help on specialty issues that are associated with these commissions so I wanted to give you an overview of these commissions and encourage you to reach out if you have constituent needs associated with any of them.

Criminal Justice Council — Chair

The CJC works with school districts, nonprofits and others on intervention and prevention programs to reduce youth involvement in gangs. From supporting educational efforts, nonprofit sporting leagues, conferences that provide viewpoints from those with lived experience, reviewing public safety agencies’ policies and more, the volunteer-based CJC works to improve outcomes and relationships with public safety and the broader community.

Flood Control and Water

Conservation District: Zone 7 — Chair

Zone 7 was formed for the primary purpose of improving the floodcarrying capacity of the Pajaro River, Salsipuedes and Corralitos Creek system within the Pajaro Valley floodplain.

Zone 7 capital projects are intended to limit the potential for flooding within the floodplain area. Much of the focus is on protecting (and rebuilding) the current levee system to protect life and property in the Pajaro Valley.

Library Financing Authority — Chair

Including members from the cities and county, this joint powers authority exists for the purpose of financing the acquisition, construction and improvement of public library facilities.

Local Agency Formation Commission — Board Member

LAFCO was created by state law in 1963 to regulate the boundaries of cities and special districts. LAFCO’s objectives are: encourage efficient service areas for services provided by cities, counties and special districts, to guide urban development away from prime agricultural lands and open space resources and to discourage urban sprawl.

Monterey Bay Air Resources District — Board Member

The Air District is responsible for air monitoring, permitting, enforcement, long-range air quality planning and education related to air pollution as required by the California Clean Air Act and Federal Clean Air Act. The District also provides rebates for fireplace conversions (to cleaner burning options) and electric vehicle lease or purchases.

Oral Health Access Santa Cruz County Committee — Co-Chair

This group of local health industry experts, community leaders, and education advocate improve the oral health of Santa Cruz County by creating data-driven strategies that increase access to care and education.

Regional Transportation Commission — Board Member

The RTC sets priorities for the transportation network including highways, major roads, bus and paratransit and the rail corridor. The RTC pursues and allocates funding for all of these transportation elements and adopts policies to improve mobility, access and air quality.

Santa Cruz County Consolidated

Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board — Alternate

The Santa Cruz County Consolidated Redevelopment Successor Agency Oversight Board oversees the activities of the five redevelopment successor agencies in Santa Cruz County.

Santa Cruz Mid-County Water Agency — Board Member

The MGA is an 11-member board which oversees the groundwater management activities of the Mid-County Basin Area in Santa Cruz County. The basin management goals are: ensure water supply reliability for current and future beneficial uses, maintain water quality to meet current and future beneficial uses and prevent adverse environmental impacts. within the district’s boundaries and environmental compliance.

National Association of Counties — Board of Directors

The National Association of Counties serves as the primary advocacy organization for counties. They advocate county priorities in federal policymaking and allow for information sharing of model county polices and practices to optimize taxpayer resources and provide cost savings. n

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As always, I appreciate hearing your thoughts. If I can be of any help on these commissions or in my capacity on the Board of Supervisors please don’t hesitate to contact me at 454-2200.

Fictional Mothers

ACROSS

1. Build a collection 6. Economic measure acronym 9. *Beverly Goldberg’s schmoopie 13. Use an ÉpÉe 14. Neither here ____ there 15. Tall ancient monument 16. Daisy-like bloom 17. Much of it about nothing? 18. Commotions 19. *She’s ‘Bow’ to Dre in

TV sitcom “Blackish” 21. *Mother to Jo, Meg,

Amy and Beth March in novel and movie 23. Before tac 24. Ripped 25. Part of Super Bowl entertainment, pl. 28. Homesteader’s measure 30. *”Game of Thrones”

Lannister and mother to Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen 35. Douses 37. Adjutant 39. Article of faith 40. Genuflecting joint 41. *TV mother to Alexis and David, “friend” to

Jocelyn Schitt 43. “Will be,” as sung by

Doris Day 44. Perform in a play 46. Load sixteen tons, e.g. 47. Peacock’s pride 48. *Mowgli’s adoptive mother 50. Apartment 52. Skeleton in a lock 53. Part of a jousting outfit 55. Spelling competition 57. *Mother to Carlton in

“The Fresh Prince of

Bel-Air” 60. “Well, I’m a-standin’ on a corner in ___,

Arizona,” from the

Eagles “Take it Easy” 64. Country’s LeAnn ____ 65. Hoover’s agency acronym 67. Piano practice piece, e.g. 68. Church song 69. What Usain Bolt did 70. Poisonous substance 71. *Wife to Papa, mother to Baby 72. Sum it up 73. Go on a buying spree

DOWN

1. Way, way off 2. ____ Verde National

Park 3. Naysayer’s favorite prefix? 4. What bloodhound is after 5. Croatia’s neighbor 6. Nibble away 7. Affirmative action 8. Movie trailer, e.g. 9. Elementary particle 10. *Claire Dunphy and

Mitchell Pritchett’s mother 11. Soothing lotion ingredient 12. Bell and Barker, e.g. 15. Christopher Kimball’s

“Milk ____” 20. ____’s razor 22. Part of a circle 24. Tiresome 25. Questioner 26. *”Mamma Mia!” mamma 27. Do this or forever hold your peace 29. ‘80s band “Quiet ____” 31. Catch one’s breath 32. ____ a peak 33. Bone-chilling 34. Europe’s “boot” 36. Short for seconds 38. *She played Ricky

Schroder’s stepmom on “Silver Spoons” 42. Defendant’s excuse 45. Religious belief 49. ____ Khan 51. Plural of #39 Across 54. Below, prefix 56. Impede 57. “Everywhere you want to be” credit card 58. Muslim holy man 59. Plural of velum 60. *Ellen, Scarlett’s mother in “Gone with the ____” 61. Like the best accommodations 62. War god in Norse mythology 63. Make one’s way 64. Dashboard acronym 66. *Kunis, Hahn and Bell as “____ Moms” © Statepoint Media Answers on 31 »

May is both a beautiful and intelligent month, being under the two signs of Taurus (Art of Living, flowers) and Gemini (Mercury’s messages). The Taurus keynote is “Let Struggle within duality be undismayed” allowing harmony to emerge from conflicts and chaos. Gemini’s keynote is “let instability do it’s purifying work.” Humanity learns through struggle and instability. They help each of us build a strong interactive personality, the vehicle that interacts with nature and the beauty of form and matter.

The beginning of May is May Day or Beltane. In between these two is Mother’s Day (May 9), the Ascension (May 13), Shavuot (May 16), the Sun entering Gemini (May 20), Pentecost and Saturn retrograde (May 23) and finally a lunar eclipse and the Gemini Festival of Goodwill (May 26). It’s quite a month of festivals (and May flowers).

May Day is a day of various celebrations, from ancient times to the present. It is the Festival of Flora (Roman Goddess of flowers). Floralia was a five-day Roman celebration. For the Druids, a new fire was lit on Beltane (May Day) signifying the life of the springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fires for purification. In Catholicism, May is Mary’s month. On May 1st the Virgin Mary, the Queen of May is crowned with flowers. At Immaculate Heart College in Hollywood, Mary’s Day (directed by Sister Corita) was celebrated yearly with parades, art, flowers, singing.

In earlier, simpler times, May baskets, containing sweets, breads, fruits and flowers, were given as gifts, left anonymously on doorsteps.

In India, May 1st is International Workers Day. In China it’s Labor Day, a public holiday. In England (and in America) there’s Morris Dancing and festivities around a Maypole (circle dance with ribbons). May Day in earlier times celebrated fertility, early harvests fetes and community gatherings. In America, May Day is International Workers Day, Loyalty Day, and Rule of Law Day.

May Day marks the end of the unfarmable winter months in the north. We also know Mayday as an international distress signal, an emergency code word, from the French venez m’aider, meaning ‘Come help me’. Sadly, the puritans frowned on May Day (celebrations).

We end the month with the Gemini Festival of Humanity. For more information each day and during the month of May, see Risa’s website — www.nightlightnews.org/Daily-Studies.

ARIES

Be aware this month of defining your self-identity (a good thing) in terms of values and virtues, not just possessions. It’s good to focus on needs and financial capabilities. Realize possessions do not define identity or self as valuable — a spiritual lens that needs continual refreshing and remembering. What is the message here? You’re valuable not only in money but in virtue, courage, strength and spirit. Tithe often.

TAURUS

Attempt to express thoughts and feelings of love, appreciation, care and nurturance to those close to you. Consider ways of using resources for future investments, not necessarily the stock market. You must begin to tend to unfinished business, communications, finances, and responsibilities. This may be difficult and will take discipline. Order and organization allow you to have the presence of mind to recognize your next endeavor, a service that answers to the present crisis and world need.

GEMINI

Working quietly and in solitude (even if in the world), preparing to dream and remembering those dreams, asking yourself serious questions and awaiting the revelatory answers is part of this month’s inner agenda. Simultaneously, something may appear that becomes a resource. It’s possibly a group you finally identify with. Each day search for what’s hidden, magic, mystical and spiritually valuable. Your values are becoming universal. Community beckons.

CANCER

You need to communicate more, share experiences, aspirations, hopes, wishes and dreams with friends. You cannot keep yourself isolated. It is not healthy to do so. Who, beyond family, are your friends? They provide you with challenges, yes. However, they are your true (beyond the biological) family. You must take authentic steps toward them. Also, garden as if your life depended upon it.

LEO

You have a deep strength supporting and aiding you when everything seems strange, difficult, tedious or restricted. This strength holds you in safety and assurance that all needs will be provided. Your accomplishments in the world are important, valuable and purposeful. But there’s one question. If you are unhappy, what do you wish you were doing instead? Where and why?

VIRGO

It’s possible you feel restrictions in your physical body coming from how you value and see yourself and perhaps in thinking of yourself as not creative. A new sense of internal structure is forming, providing you with a new perspective to bring forth what you would like to be. It’s possible previous philosophical beliefs will change. This leads to a liberation of values and a development of new virtues.

LIBRA

Take time to assess your care for friends, intimates, partnerships and environments. By participating with others and sharing resources, you’re creating deep and lasting connections (which releases Love) that provide comfort, nurture and regeneration. Relationships between you and others, in a state of separation, also must be assessed. What are they? Why the separation? You have ignored them too long. What we reject remains intimately with us. Sadness is the result. Forgiveness frees us.

SCORPIO

We live in very interesting times. It’s possible you’ve become (or want to) attracted to something deep and mysterious. Simultaneously you seek new experiences of safety and security, joint resources, and deep intimacy. You want to experience the Art of Living. These are good. Do be aware though that if you attract what’s sad and moody, you too become sad and moody. Be awake and aware of various subtle levels of energy all around. Brood upon them.

SAGITTARIUS

You need freedom, a new level of harmony, a release from limitations, struggle and duality following you around. You’re waiting for a life change, resolution of conflict, and refinement of things financial. At work, tend carefully to those around you. Here is a little mantra that the New Group of World Servers recites at noon. Perhaps you will join us. “I know O Lord of life and love about the need. Touch my heart anew with love, so I may love and give and do my part in a world in need.”

CAPRICORN

As everything of value centers around your domestic life, it’s important to realize that your goodness is about who and what you embrace, how you care, whom you include and nourish and what you create. Your goodness is not about what you deny, resist or exclude. Life is a great discipline. We live on multiple levels simultaneously and within a great paradox. This is a seed thought to meditate, rely upon and hum like a mantra. Om Mani Padme Hum. The mantra of compassion.

AQUARIUS

Whenever in difficulty, pray, recite mantras, have gratitude. Then live changes. As you feel grateful for home and family, you create closer contact (releasing love) with everyone else. Looking into your life, past, you realize what belief systems are defining your thoughts. From these choices and actions emerge. This is a mathematical equation. Your thoughts are the foundation of your life. Build your future with your creative imagination Walk around your neighborhood. Take architectural and gardening notes. Plant a little garden in pots.

PISCES

Tend to money carefully. Tell everyone they are of great value and worth. Know many will not understand. Speak the words anyway. It may be you have one good day and several confused and disoriented days. Rest within the confusion. A new harmony will come forth. Create a journal of the perfect village, community, monastery with gardens, flowers, trees, cottages, schools, a little temple. Resources begin to be structured differently. A new rhythm of values emerges. All of this is valuable for future work. “Quality Report” from page 24

The new website’s dynamic design ensures you can easily navigate and interact with content from any desktop computer, smartphone, or tablet. There’s new calendar functionality to help you stay informed about the scheduling of our public meetings, activities, community events, and other opportunities for engagement. And, you can be sure that this site meets the highest data security standards.

The NotifyMe communication subscription feature allows you to subscribe to receive notifications on only those topics that matter most to you — and you can choose to be notified by email or text message. You’ll also see more self-service forms and documents, and a new Agenda Center allowing for the storing, sharing, and searching of public meetings and agendas.

I’m sure you’ll agree the new website is a great tool to increase our communications with you, and for you to be more engaged with the District. If you haven’t seen it yet, please be sure to visit www.soquelcreekwater. org soon!

I also want to take this opportunity to let you know that our 2020 Consumer Confidence/Annual Water Quality Report is now available — another reason to check out our new website!

This report presents the results of test data from all of our supply wells that pump groundwater from aquifers in two groundwater geologic formations — the Purisima and Aromas Red Sands Formations.

As water filters into the groundwater basin, it dissolves naturally-occurring minerals and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity.

During the past year, the District tested the groundwater for 181 different constituents, including microbial contaminants, inorganic contaminants, pesticides and herbicides, organic chemical contaminants, and many others. All test samples are collected and reported in accordance with standards and requirements established by the US EPA and the California State Water Resources Control Board.

I’m happy to tell you that all the water quality tests showed that our water is in compliance with State and Federal drinking water health standards. n

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If you’d like all the details of our water quality analysis, see the 2020 Consumer Confidence/ Annual Water Quality Report at www. soquelcreekwater.org/2020CCR