Thursday, 5-25- A Virtual workshop discussing design options for Community Corner, starting at 5 PM. “Thank you for telling us what you want to see at Community Corner! You sent in over 100 ideas and comments about what you want to see at the Community Corner on our website and during the previous workshop done in February.

We have used your feedback to develop a few conceptual plans which you’ll be able to see and critique at the *Virtual Community Corner Workshop on Thursday, May 25th at 5pm. *This workshop will give you another opportunity to provide input. Display boards will be prepared to provide attendees an opportunity to view the content and provide comments. Attendees will have the opportunity to provide both written and verbal feedback. Immediately after that outreach event (virtual meeting on May 25th) we will tweak the design options based your feedback.

Once we are ready to share the revised design options, we may hold another workshop to make sure we get as much community input as possible – so stay tuned!

We encourage you to attend this virtual open house event to present design ideas and concepts and provide an opportunity to respond to concepts/proposals. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/86406033475

Follow us on social media @CityofPinole for updates and learn more on our website: www.pinolecommunitycorner.com <https://www.pinolecommunitycorner.com>” (https://www.ci.pinole.ca.us/news/current_news/community_corner)

Wednesday, 5-24- Community Service Commission meeting starting at 5 PM, Pinole City Hall/Hybrid. You can find the agenda packet here. Items to be discussed- Community service day, community outreach, Pride Event (June 11th), Summer Events, Summer meeting schedule.

You can join the meeting by zoom direct link here, entering the webinar ID 827-7024-0301 into zoom directly, or calling +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799, then entering the meeting ID 827-7024-0301#. Once in the meeting by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing *9, and unmute by pressing *6 once called on. You can also attend the meeting in person at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St.

Tuesday, 5-23- Senior Food Program, Pinole Senior Center, in Person 10 AM- 11 AM. To quote a prior administrative report (which you can find here)-
 “The Pinole Senior Center will be partnering with the Food Bank of Contra Costa
and Solano County on the Senior Food Program. Low-income senior citizens 55+
will be able to receive free groceries, including healthy pantry staples, eggs,
cheese, and assorted meats twice a month. The program at the Pinole Senior
Center is available for Pinole senior residents ONLY. It will be every second and
fourth Tuesday of the month. […]
Individuals interested in the program must complete the Senior Food Program
Application. Applications will be available at the Front Desk of the Senior Center
and can also be found on the Pinole Senior Center website:
https://www.ci.pinole.ca.us/city_government/senior_center
Applications can be submitted to the Pinole Senior Center Front Desk Monday
through Friday between the hours of 8 am – 1 pm and on the day of the food pick
up. Individuals must bring proof of age such as an ID or Driver’s License and
proof of home address which can be a PG&E bill, water bill, or statement listing
out the name and residence of the individual. Any questions regarding the
program please contact Kristina Santoyo, Recreation Coordinator, at
ksantoyo@ci.pinole.ca.us“.

Planning Commission meeting, 7 PM, Pinole City Hall/Hybrid. You can find the agenda here.

There is a public hearing on a lot split for 2801 Pinole Valley Road, and a new business item where the commission will review the various Capital Improvement Program items for compatibility with the General Plan.

You can join the meeting by zoom direct link here, entering the webinar ID 865 0537 5301 into zoom directly, or calling +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799, then entering the meeting ID 865 0537 5301#. Once in the meeting by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing *9, and unmute by pressing *6 once called on. You can also attend the meeting in person at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St.

Saturday, 5-20- Meet/register for community service day at the Pinole Youth Center, 635 Tennent Ave from 8-9 AM, projects from 9-noon. “Join the Community Service Commission as they host Community Service Day on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 8am – 12pm. This is an opportunity to make your community beautiful by volunteering on a variety of 3-hour community projects including weeding along the creek, reviving parks, community centers and more! Volunteers will work 9 a.m. – NOON. Registration starts at 8am. Light breakfast and lunch provided. If you would like to volunteer, please email recreation@ci.pinole.ca.us or call 510-724-9062. Registration can be completed on the day of the event or via our online system https://pinolerec.recdesk.com/Community/Program. “(https://www.ci.pinole.ca.us/news/current_news/community_service_day)

Today, 5-16- Regular City Council meeting, 5 PM, Hybrid. You can find the agenda packet here.

The meeting will start with a closed session conference with labor negotiators. I expect that will take at least an hour, so the meeting proper will probably start between 6-7. That will be followed by six proclamations honoring Mental Health Awareness Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, Emergency Medical Services Week, Jewish American Heritage Month, Affordable Housing Week, and National Police Week. After that there will be a presentation from AC transit (link here).

There’s then consent calendar items- First, to award a 2 year contract to Planeteria to design and implement a new website for the city for an amount not to exceed $58,620. Then a resolution confirming that the city of Pinole will comply with state housing law (to access grants), one opposing a statewide initative that would remove local community’s (and not just councils- the power of the local electorate itself) authority to assess taxes and fees via various methods, a resolution in support of workforce housing for teachers in Contra Costa County, a letter of support for US Department of Transportation funding for the Bay trail connection to Point Pinole (and some other regional trails), options for a city-sponsored job fair, and a resolution authorizing the city manager to make a contract with Pun group for the next 5 years to conduct auditing services for the city. Then there’s a plan for high school student internships with city councilmembers, an update on the activity of the Project Labor Agreement Subcommittee, and a resolution to start the normal Pinole Valley Road landscape and lighting district assessment process.

And after that, we get to public hearings. First one is a hearing on the Police Department’s military equipment policy- mostly a review of last years’ report, with the exception of a robot that I don’t think was mentioned in the prior one. You can see the presentation associated with that hearing here. The second one is adopting updated user and regulatory fees- 5% increase due to inflation across most, though not all categories.

For new business we have the Ten-Year General Fund Status Quo Financial Forecast, which shows 2 key points- until 2030, a gradual increase in deficit caused by expenses generally increasing by 4% per year while revenues increase by 3%, and a colossal increase in deficit starting in 2030 when the Pension Trust Fund is expected to be empty (page 377 of the agenda packet).

That’s followed by the proposed Operating and Capital Budget, which has balanced ongoing expenditures and revenues through unspecified expenditure reductions, and finally a discussion on the proposed 5 year Capital Improvement Plan (FY23/24-27/28).

You can join the meeting by zoom direct link here, entering the webinar ID 893 3500 0272 into zoom directly, or calling +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799, then entering the meeting ID 893 3500 0272#. Once in the meeting by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing *9, and unmute by pressing *6 once called on. You can also attend the meeting in person at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St.

Tomorrow, 5-9- Senior Food Program, Pinole Senior Center, in Person 10 AM- 11 AM. To quote the administrative report (which you can find here)-
 “The Pinole Senior Center will be partnering with the Food Bank of Contra Costa
and Solano County on the Senior Food Program. Low-income senior citizens 55+
will be able to receive free groceries, including healthy pantry staples, eggs,
cheese, and assorted meats twice a month. The program at the Pinole Senior
Center is available for Pinole senior residents ONLY. It will be every second and
fourth Tuesday of the month. The next distribution will be on Tuesday, May 9th,
2023, from 10:00 am – 11:00 am.
Individuals interested in the program must complete the Senior Food Program
Application. Applications will be available at the Front Desk of the Senior Center
and can also be found on the Pinole Senior Center website:
https://www.ci.pinole.ca.us/city_government/senior_center
Applications can be submitted to the Pinole Senior Center Front Desk Monday
through Friday between the hours of 8 am – 1 pm and on the day of the food pick
up. Individuals must bring proof of age such as an ID or Driver’s License and
proof of home address which can be a PG&E bill, water bill, or statement listing
out the name and residence of the individual. Any questions regarding the
program please contact Kristina Santoyo, Recreation Coordinator, at
ksantoyo@ci.pinole.ca.us“.

Join the Friends of the Pinole Creek Watershed for a community clean-up on Saturday, May 13, 10am-12pm. Meet at the Pinole Library. Clean-up supplies will be provided. Snacks, tools, and water are provided. Bring a refillable water bottle.

Today, 5-8- Planning Commission meeting, 7 PM, Pinole City Hall/Hybrid. You can find the agenda here. You can find the staff report for the Pinole Shores 2 project here, the conditions of approval here, the CEQA analysis here, the technical appendices here, the plan set here, and the traffic management plan here. Given the size of those files, they’re split out on the city’s website.

We’ll be swearing in the new commissioners, selecting a new chair and vice-chair, having a presentation on how the commission works, and then a public hearing on the Pinole Shores 2 project, a proposed light industrial warehouse project at 830-848 San Pablo Avenue.

You can join the meeting by zoom direct link here, entering the webinar ID 865 0537 5301 into zoom directly, or calling +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799, then entering the meeting ID 865 0537 5301#. Once in the meeting by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing *9, and unmute by pressing *6 once called on. You can also attend the meeting in person at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St.

Tuesday, 5-2- Regular City Council meeting, 5 PM, Hybrid. You can find the agenda packet here.

The meeting will start with a closed session evaluation of the city manager. I expect that will take at least 30 minutes, so the meeting proper will probably start between 5:30-6. That will be followed by five proclamations honoring postman Choi, Municipal Clerk’s Week, Public Works Month, Public Service Employee Recognition Week, and Local and Community History Month. After that there will be an Earth Day video, a presentation from Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCTA), and an overview of the Mosquito and Vector Control District services.

There’s then consent calendar items- First, to award an on-call contract to SKL solutions for the Sanitary Sewer Collection system for $426,781 over 4 years, as they were the only vendor out of 7 contacted to reply to the request for proposals. Then, letters of support for AB1 (state legislature employee collective bargaining rights), and state transit funding. Finally, there’s a proposed letter of opposition to SB 423 (extension and expansion of streamlined housing approvals).

Then we have the City Road Condition update, which is continued from the last meeting (and should probably have been under old business for that), an update on the Pinole Perks Community Gift Card program, and finally an overview of possible policies on environmentally sustainable procurement practices for the City of Pinole.

You can join the meeting by zoom direct link here, entering the webinar ID 893 3500 0272 into zoom directly, or calling +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799, then entering the meeting ID 893 3500 0272#. Once in the meeting by phone, you can raise your hand by pressing *9, and unmute by pressing *6 once called on. You can also attend the meeting in person at Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear St.