In brief: Walnut Creek awarded for budget accounting and reporting

The mayor says the Government Finance Officers Association honoring the city reflects its careful management of taxpayer funds.

WALNUT CREEK

The city of Walnut Creek was recently honored for its governmental accounting and financial reporting when the Government Finance Officers Association granted the city a Certificate of Achievement, its highest form of recognition for government agencies.

The association also presented Walnut Creek with its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the budget covered by the fiscal years 2024 and 2025 in honor of the city’s commitment to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting. Both awards represent significant accomplishments by the city and its management.

The awards relate to the city’s annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year that ended in June 2023. Walnut Creek Mayor Loella Haskew said the awards are a testament to the city’s careful management of taxpayer dollars.

“Walnut Creek has long been known to be a good steward of finances,” Haskew said. “Residents can trust that we are using their tax money to bring the best programs and services to them and that we are transparent in how we spend the funds.

“That has become even more important since our residents passed Measure O, the half-cent sales tax increase. We already have established an oversight committee comprised of Walnut Creek citizens to ensure our financial reporting on Measure O spending is accurate.”

The city’s financial report was judged by an impartial panel who said the report demonstrated a constructive spirit of full disclosure in communicating the city’s finances. The city’s budget can be found online at bit.ly/3VVbZ3J.

— city of Walnut Creek

PITTSBURG

Visually impaired group takes outing to S.F. Ferry Building

A group of 29 clients, volunteers and staff from the Pittsburg-based Lions Center for the Visually Impaired (LCVI) enjoyed a beautiful day riding the San Francisco Bay Ferry and checking out the trendy shops in San Francisco’s Ferry Building.

The trip was organized to help the LCVI’s visually impaired senior clients socialize with their peers, share information and learn new skills and to engage with their local community in fun, creative ways.

“The volunteers were part of the joy of the day,” commented Mary, a longtime LCVI client. “They make a great difference so everything goes smoothly. I wished I had even more time to meet other clients and get to know them better too.”

The group gathered on the Ferry Building’s sunny outdoor patio at Gott’s Roadside burger restaurant for a preordered lunch and were able to sample the unique flavors of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream in Oakland before returning to their homes in Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano counties, where LCVI provides free supportive services for blind and visually impaired seniors. For more information about the group, call 925-432-3013 or visit lcvi.org.

— LCVI

OAKLEY

Big Break regional park to host campfire program July 14

Experience an unforgettable evening under the stars with a free captivating campfire program at Oakley’s Big Break Regional Shoreline from 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 14. These family-friendly events offer nature education, storytelling and stargazing while fostering a deep appreciation for the outdoors.

Engage in hands-on activities, learn about local wildlife and connect with the community around the warmth of the fire with naturalist-led campfire programs. Campfire programs are subject to change due to East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) fire restrictions, National Weather Services-Bay Area fire advisories and red flag warnings.

For details online, visit bit.ly/4cPJNWO.

— EBRPD

Area residents can get free recycled water through Oct. 31

The Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD) has reopened its Residential Recycled Water Fill Station to the Oakley and Bethel Island communities in July. Customers can take advantage of free recycled water available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Oct. 31.

Since its closure in May 2023, the Oakley station has undergone several upgrades and improvements, including pressurizing and increasing the pipe size to 8 inches in diameter for better water flows, as well as adding signage and making the station more user-friendly.

These upgrades let the ISD (ironhousesanitarydistrict.com) continue offering high-quality recycled water for outdoor watering needs while preserving drinking water and saving its customers money.

“Ironhouse’s investment into improving our recycled water offering displays our continued commitment to safeguarding our natural resources and providing a more sustainable watering option for our community,” said Tyson Zimmerman, the ISD’s assistant general manager. “Using recycled water for irrigation and other tasks is an important step in preserving our potable water.”

The Recycled Water Fill Station opened in 2015 to provide Oakley and Bethel Island residents with free recycled water. Customers can dispense up to 300 gallons of water per visit for personal use including watering trees, gardens and vegetables, as well as lawn irrigation, washing cars, cleaning outdoor furniture and washing hard surfaces.

Before taking home recycled water, customers must complete a sign-up process that includes filling out a Resident Recycled Water Fill Station Agreement form and attending a brief 15-minute training. Also, customers outside the service area can pay a $35 annual fee to gain access to Ironhouse’s recycled water.

Ironhouse produces 2.6 million gallons of water daily, using a modern filtration and ultraviolet light process that uses zero chemicals. This high-quality treated water preserves the region’s water supply.

The Residential Recycled Water Fill station is near the ISD’s Oakley headquarters at 450 Walnut Meadows Drive. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Ironhouse at isdoutreach@isd.us.com or 925-625-2279.

— ISD

CONCORD

Apply starting July 15 for new affordable housing units

The city of Concord is excited to announce preapplication and lottery information for Rick Judd Commons — 62 newly built affordable rental homes at 1315 Galindo St., including 10 units designed for residents with mobility impairments.

Rental preapplications will be available through the Resources for Community Development website (rcdhousing.org/rick-judd-commons) and the Doorway Housing Portal (housingbayarea.mtc.ca.gov) starting at 9 a.m. July 15 and will remain open through 5 p.m. July 29. The maximum yearly income restrictions based on housing sizes are: one-bedroom: $32,700 to $84,120; two-bedroom: $62,300 to $100,920; and three-bedroom: $77,850 to $96,550.

Forty-eight apartments will be available through application and lottery, while 13 apartments are set aside for formerly homeless households, and a single one-bedroom apartment will be available through the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (hudexchange.info/programs/hopwa) program. For more information online, visit bit.ly/4bjOwPH.

— city of Concord

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

State Senate OKs Glazer’s tax credit bill to aid news outlets

California state Sen. Steve Glazer’s bill to help strengthen local newsrooms with $500 million in annual tax credits was approved June 27 on a required two-thirds vote. It now moves to the state Assembly.

The bill, SB 1327, was approved on a bipartisan 27-7 vote. A two-thirds vote was required because the bill assesses a Data Extraction Mitigation Fee on large Internet companies. It would distribute the money through tax credits to California news organizations.

“The passage today of my bill, SB 1327, is a step toward helping to revive news organizations across California,” said Glazer, D-Contra Costa County. “Independent journalism is the lifeblood of our democracy by keeping our citizens informed on the workings of their government.

“This measure will mitigate the damage caused by platforms who use our personal data and their subsequent advertising profits to gut our mainstream news channels. I will continue to work with all stakeholders in the weeks ahead to chart a path forward that restores and expands independent news organizations so critical to our democracy.”

Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, who has her own legislation to help news organizations, AB 886, applauded the bill’s passage.

“I am encouraged to see SB 1327 move forward and grateful to my Senate colleagues for recognizing the importance of this issue,” Wicks said. “The advancement of Senator Glazer’s bill will allow us to continue working collaboratively toward a solution that protects and grows newsrooms across California.”

— state Sen. Steve Glazer’s office

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