october 2007 Meeting Summaries

City Selection Committee:

• Appointed Ronit Bryant, Mountain View, as a Member-at-Large to the Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission.  The term expires in Jan. 2009.
• Appointed Joe Pirzynski, Los Gatos, as an alternate representative to the ABAG Executive Board.  The term expires in June 2008.
• Nominated Peter Drekmeier, Palo Alto, as the Santa Clara County nominee to fill an ABAG representative position on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.  The ABAG Executive Board will interview the nominees from Alameda, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties and then make the appointment. The term beings in Jan. 1, 2008.
• Appointed Peter Szego to the Council on Aging Silicon Valley Advisory Council.  The term is for three years.

Board of directors:

• Received a presentation from Aimee Reedy, The Health Trust, and Diane Lindberg, City of San Jose, Office of Aging, on the Aging Services Collaborative. The collaborative is working together to advance the well-being of older adults by planning and coordinating services, recommending allocations of funding and other resources for services, programs, and initiatives, providing direct services, educating the community about older adult needs and available community resources, and advocating for public policies that enhance the quality of life of the older population.  Cities are urged to participate in the collaborative.
• John Howe, one of the Cities Association’s Representatives to the Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission, gave a quarterly report.  The commission monitors recycling quotas and the status of landfills.  The commission levies fees on waste to run its initiatives and provide for advocacy, education, and outreach of its programs. The mission of the commission is to conserve, protect, and preserve the environmental resources by promoting reuse, reduction, recycling and the intelligent disposal of waste materials.
• Dean Chu, the Cities Association’s Representative to MTC, gave a quarterly report that included: updating MTC’s long-range transportation plan (T 2035), High-Speed Rail alignments into the Bay Area, the completion of the New Benicia Bridge for northbound traffic, and the recent construction on the Bay Bridge.  One of the changes to the T 2035 long-range transportation plan will be the focus of identifying green house gases.  VTA will also update its long-range plan (VTP 2035).
• President Mahan reported on the Nominating Committee’s Recommendations for the 2008 Executive Board. The proposed Executive Board: President – Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro; 1^st Vice President – Cupertino Mayor Kris Wang; 2^nd Vice President - Los Altos Councilmember David Casas; Secretary/Treasurer – Saratoga Councilmember Kathleen King; Immediate Past President – Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan; Director-at-Large – San Jose Councilmember Sam Liccardo; Legislative Action Committee Chair – Los Altos Councilmember Ron Packard . Nominations may be taken from the floor and the election will be held at the Nov. Board Meeting.

• Jennifer Sparacino, Santa Clara City Manager, reported on the successful Management Talent Exchange Program which is part of preparing for the next generation of city staff.  Over 27 individuals participated in the exchange program and appreciated the opportunity.  The managers have met and welcomed the new Los Altos City Manager, Doug Schmitz.
• Pat Mahan reported on the San Tomas Aquino/Saratoga Creek Trail which when completed, will be 12.5 miles long and stretch from the Bay Trail to Prospect Road in San Jose.  The current path is 4 miles in Santa Clara and allows for safe passage under Highway 101 and other major roads.  The trail is popular with walkers, runners, and bicyclists.
• City Reports:  At each Board Meeting, members are encouraged to share information about upcoming events, recent milestones, best practices, etc. with other Board members. Members reporting: Dan Furtado, Campbell, reported the ABAG General Assembly will be held Fri. Oct. 26 at the Oakland Marriott City Center; the Smart Growth Project is now being called “Focusing Our Vision”, and ABAG is working on closing the gap in the trail around the Chevron Refinery. Dan also reported the League of California Cities is still working on a ballot measure that would address the eminent domain issue. Joe Pirzynski, Los Gatos, reported the council was moving ahead on plans to build a new library and new police facility. The council is also close to announcing a new Town Manager. Judy Kleinberg, Palo Alto, reported every city is invited and encouraged to participate in the Golden Guardian exercise, an emergency preparedness exercise that will take place at San Jose Municipal Stadium on Nov. 14.

Announcements:

• The Joint Policy Committee will meet November 8 from 6 to 7 pm at the Sunnyvale City Hall.  Green Building Recommendations will be discussed.
• Assemblymember Jim Beall will be attending the November 8 Board Meeting (7 to 9 pm) and will provide an update on what is happening in Sacrament.  The Legislative Action Committee is invited to attend the Board meeting.
• The General Membership Holiday Party will be held on Thursday, December 6 from 6 to 9 pm.  All elected officials, city managers, and their guests are invited.  An invitation will be forwarded soon.