Your Man Around Town! - April 20, 2016
“R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me”
PICKING UP AFTER YOUR PUP. Many times a week, as I am out and about in our “slice of paradise - Foster City,” I am stopped by folks who ask me questions on a variety of topics: traffic, schools, etc. But recently a new topic was broached – dog poop. Yes, I said DOG POOP! How hard can it be to clean-up after your pet? If you visit one of our parks, take your dog on the Bay Trail (levee), let your pup play in the dog park or if you’re just strolling down your neighborhood street, please be a responsible pet owner and PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG! Your fellow Foster City dwellers and neighbors deserve your respect and consideration.
BOCCE BALL. A game played in ancient Rome and now growing in popularity all over the world. Were you aware that Foster City has two Bocce Courts? Do you know where they are located? You can find them between the Recreation Center and the Vibe, near the lagoon. Yours truly plays Wednesday nights in a league run by our recreation department. In fact, a few former Council Members play as well. Last year, the City Council approved CIP 301-655, Lawn Conversion & Bocce Ball Court Expansion. A sub-committee was formed to help in the design process, and construction was to begin this Fall. However, at our most recent budget session, a report was presented about the decay of our Recreation Center and the plan to consider rebuilding. Upon hearing the report from our Parks and Recreation director, the City Council decided to delay funding and construction of the Bocce Ball courts so that we could review overtime a NEW layout and plans for a new recreation building that will serve our city and residents for the next 50 years! For those of you who were a part of this sub-committee, we thank you for your participation and the work you did will hopefully be included as we move forward.
SHARE THE ROAD. Many of you know I have been pushing for Foster City to develop a bike master plan so that those of us who ride our bikes for pleasure, or to get to and from work, can do so safely. In 2010, a study was done by the US government and the idea of SHARROWS (shared lane markings) was developed to help convey to both motorists and bicyclists that they must share the roads on which they are operating. Many cities, such as Burlingame, San Mateo, and San Francisco - to name a few - have completed these markings. Currently in Foster City, we have only a few bike lanes and routes, and they appear to be inconsistent and unclear as to where they begin and end. If you think having sharrows around town would be helpful, let me and my fellow council members know. Our city is planning to start paving some of the major roads soon, and we should incorporate sharrows now.
POWER FOR THE PEOPLE. Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) is a community choice energy program that will allow San Mateo County to purchase power with higher renewable content, and reinvest in local infrastructure. Here is how it works: PCE purchases electricity from renewable energy sources, then utility companies deliver the energy, maintain lines and bill customers. In turn, we then, as customers, benefit from affordable rates, local control and clean energy. I will use my Council Corner to keep residents updated on this great program. You can visit www.peninsulacleanenergy.com anytime for further details.
ANNUAL PROGRESS SEMINAR. During the weekend of April 8-10, several council members, including myself, and the City Manager attended the 47th Annual Progress Seminar, in Monterey. We listened to a State of the County update, as well as “A blueprint for Ending Poverty…Permanently,” by Dr. David B. Grusky, Director, Stanford University Center on Poverty and Inequality. His lecture was thought-provoking and challenging. We all can work together by first agreeing we need to help now, with a clear understanding this will make us ALL better in the future! I sat in on the breakout session, which included:
• “Highway 101 Corridor: Ensuring our economic engine keeps moving”
• “Middle Class in transition: From pick-up trucks to Teslas”
• “Connecting our Communities”
• “Reflecting the Community we serve: Our next generation steps up”
I took many pages of notes that I will use as a wonderful reference tool when creating policy, considering our way of life, and thinking of new ways to keep our quality of life at the highest level!
COUNCIL MEMBERS UPDATE. Many of you know that this past December we began a new year for our City Council. Two new members, Sam Hindi and Catherine Mahanpour, were sworn in. I wanted to share with you all that the five of us are working very well together to make policy decisions that have big picture thinking involved. The tenor of our council is respectful and engaging. I thank each and every one of my council members – my friends – for this effort.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: This is what it means to me!
If you wish to comment or share your thoughts, please contact me at gpollard@fostercity.org or 650-286-3505.
