City Manager Weekly Update - June 10, 2016
Administrative Services Director Kim Juran-Karageorgiou’s last day working for the City of Los Altos is Wednesday, June 15, 2016 - just one day after the City Council is set to consider the 2016/17 Budget that Kim will present. Kim departs Los Altos after two years and will be joining the City of Rancho Cordova where she will serve a similar role to her Los Altos position.
Kim’s departure leaves a major hole in the City’s management team. Early next week, we will be interviewing candidates to serve as an interim director. Staff is also reviewing proposals from several excellent recruiting firms to assist us with identifying a permanent replacement.
Assistant City Manger
Safety Education and Training
In partnership with Santa Clara County Fire Department Community Education Services, the City will offer AED/CPR (automated external defibrillator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and first aid training to City employees. County firefighter personnel will provide the all-day training program at Hillview Center. The Recreation & Community Services Department summer camp employees will participate in the training on June 15, 2016, along with City Hall staff members who are available to attend. Maintenance Service Center staff who work in parks, roads, facilities and sewers will be the next group to take the training. For many employees, this training is an opportunity to refresh their AED/CPR and first aid skills.
Police Department Offers Safety Education & Training to Community Emergency Preparedness Volunteers
Police Officer Kelli Janda received applause and appreciation for her efforts to facilitate the neighborhood first aid exercise at the quarterly Inspiration Session for City BATS (Block Action Teams), CERTS (Community Emergency Response Team) and HAMS (Radio Operators name after Hertz, Armstrong, Marconi). Comments from training participant Harry Guy stated, “It was a great session and Kelli’s participation was really a great contribution to the effectiveness of the exercises. In addition, all the attendees had the opportunity to meet and get to know Kelli and to appreciate her skills and experience. Thank you for having such talented and dedicated individuals in the department and especially for sharing these talents with the community.”
Upcoming Community Meetings on Aircraft Noise
REMINDER – The Saturday, June 11, 2016 City of Los Altos Community Forum on aircraft noise has been cancelled. This decision follows recognition of the numerous community meetings on aircraft noise held in Los Altos in May and the various meetings scheduled in June.
Aircraft noise meetings held this week include a meeting on June 4, 2016 at the Town of Los Altos Hills, which was moderated by Los Altos Hills Vice Chair and Select Committee member Gary Waldeck. Los Altos City Councilmember and alternate Select Committee member Jean Mordo also attended the meeting. Noise groups presented their findings followed by Q&A and discussion to seek common goals and recommendations.
City of Palo Alto held its community meeting on June 8, 2016. Agenda items addressed: 1) a roadmap of new governance structure - Select Committee; 2) overview of City’s historical operations and noise study; 3) overview of FAA Initiative, and 4) Q&A. Approximated 200 citizens attended. Los Altos City Councilmember and alternate Select Committee member Jean Mordo and City staff also attended the meeting.
Working sessions of the Select Committee, noise groups and community members will be held on:
- Wednesday, June 15, 2016 - 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Sequoia High School, Carrington Hall, 1201 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City
- Wednesday, June 29, 2016 - 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View
The Select Committee was appointed by Congressmembers Eshoo, Farr and Speier and is comprised of elected officials from many the affected localities. Additional information on the Select Committee is available on Congressmember Eshoo’s website.
City Clerk
Artistic Bicycle Racks
The City hosted a ribbon cutting for three new artistic bike racks installed on Main Street. This ribbon cutting was a follow-up to a ribbon cutting previously held for three racks recently installed on State Street. Each of the new bike racks were designed by members of the public and are the result of the Bike Rack Design Competition held by the Public Arts Commission in late 2015. To view photos from the recent ribbon cutting events, visit the City of Los Altos Facebook page.
Apricot Harvest
The apricots in the Civic Center Orchard are coming into season. Los Altos Municipal Code Section 9.20.020 prohibits individuals from picking the fruit in the Orchard. Apricots from the Orchard are available for purchase at DeMartini Orchard on San Antonio Road while supplies last.
Community Development
A New Building One Step Closer to Completion
A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy has been granted to the project at 86 Third Street. This is a mixed-use building with commercial tenant spaces and twenty residential condominium units. Minor conditions remain to be completed on the core and shell of the building, but the project has received its life and safety inspections and sign offs. Temporary certificates of occupancy are a service offered by the Community Development Department that allow for the timely occupancy of buildings when only minor items for the project remain to be completed.
Learning from Others
Staff will be attending a Downtown Visioning Summit in Morgan Hill on June 30, 2016. The summit is being sponsored by the City of Morgan Hill and will include various presentations by property owners and developers, along with public participation, regarding new retail, housing, public improvement and public art opportunities for their Downtown. This will be an opportunity to examine how other communities are coordinating their visioning efforts and it is expected that some insight will be gained on how to conduct a successful visioning effort for Los Altos.
Police
Residential Burglary Prevention Tips
The Los Altos Police Department Investigative Services Division would like to remind citizens that residential burglaries are occurring with frequency throughout the county. While we are working hard to prevent and solve crimes in our community, there are many things homeowners can do to safeguard their homes. Below are some tips that residents may follow in order to do so:
- Report suspicious activity immediately. Call 911 if you think a burglary is occurring or is about to occur in your neighborhood. Los Altos Police Officers will respond to calls for service if suspicious persons or activity is reported. Please let the police make contact and determine who people are. For your own safety, do not try and contact suspicious people on your own.
- Be a good witness. Provide descriptions of people, clothing and vehicles. Take down license plate numbers and take a picture if you are able to safely do so.
- Know your neighbors. Knowing your neighbors, their vehicles, and the environment of your neighborhood will help determine what is/isn’t suspicious. Inquire about your local Neighborhood Watch group.
- Lock your doors and windows. Many burglars enter homes and vehicles through doors and windows that are left unlocked. It is important to double check areas of vulnerability when you leave your home.
- Install extra security measures. Alarms are a good extra security measure. A loud audible alarm will often scare away burglars before they are able to take items from your home. Additionally, video surveillance footage has proven to be a valuable tool for law enforcement to solve many crimes that would otherwise go unsolved. There are now many affordable video surveillance options available for the average homeowner. Keeping the perimeter of your home well-lit and visible can also be a deterrent.
- If your home is burglarized, report it immediately. Do not walk through your home as there may still be someone inside. This can also disturb valuable evidence and decrease any potential in identifying a suspect. The police will make sure your residence is clear of any suspects and attempt to collect any potential evidence.
The Los Altos Police Department offers free Home Security Inspections, during which an Officer will meet one-on-one with you to survey both the interior and exterior of your home. The Officer will note any areas where security risks exist and provide tips on how you can fix areas of weakness. For more information or to set up your Home Security Inspection, contact Josh Cottrell at (650) 947-2775.
Thank you in advance for committing to help build a stronger and safer community.
Public Works
Stormwater Master Plan
The City Council recently adopted a Stormwater Master Plan, which serves as the strategic planning guide for compliance with regulatory requirements, maintenance of the existing system, and identification of future upgrades, improvements, and expansions of the City’s stormwater system. A copy of the final report is available for viewing on the City website: Stormwater Master Plan
Annual Creek Cleanup
This week, members of the City’s Engineering and Municipal Services divisions conducted a creek cleanup in Stevens Creek, which included removal and categorization of litter. Prior to Countywide efforts in 2013 and 2014 to pass reusable bag ordinances and polystyrene foam container bans, plastic bags and Styrofoam containers were the top pollutants of our local creeks and streams. Following cleanup and analysis of litter from this week’s effort, staff are happy to report that no plastic bags or Styrofoam containers were found. This is a testament to the efforts and compliance of residents in Los Altos and beyond.
West Edith Avenue/University Avenue Crosswalk Improvements
Design of this project, which is part of the school route improvement program, is currently underway. The crosswalk improvements will include installation of a new crosswalk, ADA ramps, new signs, rectangular rapid flashing beacon system and green painted bike lanes at the intersection of W. Edith Avenue and University Avenue. The project is expected to significantly improve pedestrian safety at this heavily-traveled intersection. A Request for Proposal for the design of the project was issued in late April and CSG Consultants has been selected for the project.
City Maintained Tree Inventory
An important part of any community forestry management program is an accurate inventory of all trees and tree planting sites. A Request for Proposals for a citywide tree inventory for City maintained trees was issued in May and the City received three proposals this week. Staff will evaluate these proposals and select the most qualified consultant. A comprehensive tree inventory will support program management activities such as baseline maintenance, liability mitigation, budget allocation, and long-term planning. The inventory work is anticipated to begin in July.
Maintenance Division Welcomes New Employees
The City’s Maintenance division is pleased to welcome three new members to the team. Frank Hunter recently joined the City’s Street Maintenance team, bringing with him extensive experience in landscape, pump and well maintenance as well as paving and carpentry. Frank most recently worked for the City of Mountain View, where he also gained experience with the Sewers team. Robert Jimenez, previously employed part-time by the City of Mountain View, has also joined our Street Maintenance team. Robert favors working in parks, which is where he has gained most of his experience in grounds maintenance and irrigation repair. Kyle Ignaitis recently joined our Parks Maintenance team. He comes to us from San Jose Unified School District and the City of Mountain View, where he was working in grounds maintenance. Each of these three individuals were selected from a large, highly competitive candidate pool. They come with great attitudes and a solid work ethic; we are so pleased to welcome them to Los Altos.
Recreation & Community Services Department
Grant Community Center Lounge
The Senior Program is now offering a “Coffee, Conversation and Cards” drop-in at Grant Park and Community Center on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Card tables are available on a first-come, first serve basis. Come enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while chatting with friends! Meet your neighbors and continue growing those relationships. Drop-in is free, but membership is encouraged. Participants are encouraged to express support for the Los Altos Senior Programs by purchasing a Senior Program Membership. Membership provides access to member-only senior programs and discounts on other various programs. For more information on membership, visit the City website.
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed to assist with this drop-in program. Volunteers will be asked to assist with set-up, coffee preparation, greeting guests and clean-up. Contact Barbara Smith at (650) 947-2897, bsmith@losaltosca.gov, or visit losaltosca.gov/volunteer if you are interested in volunteering!
Senior Program Birthday Lunch
Active Senior Program Members that have a birthday in June will have the opportunity to celebrate their birthday with a free lunch prepared by Senior Program staff on Friday, June 17, 2016 at 12:00 p.m. in Hillview Community Center Room 11. The menu will be chicken, mushroom and polenta lasagna, vegetables and dessert. Senior Program Member cost is $4. All others are $6. Birthday Members are FREE! Reservations preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Please call (650) 947-2797 to reserve your spot today!
Los Altos Youth Sports Groups
Our Athletic Field Allocation meeting for our Youth Sports Groups will be held on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in Hillview Community Center Room 2. This meeting is in preparation for the Fall/Winter Season, which runs August 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
Summer Concerts
The first Summer Concert of the season will be held on Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Grant Park, 1575 Holt Avenue. Come join us for some summer fun in the sun with the Houserockers! (link: recreation/page/summer-concert-houserockers) Bring your family, a picnic dinner and enjoy the sounds of this Rock & Soul band.
Hillview Park
On Sunday, June 12, 2016, the American Cancer Society is scheduled to use the Hillview Park soccer field area for their annual Relay for Life event between 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The soccer field will not be available during the event and parking at the facility may be limited.
