At the Wednesday, May 24 meeting of the Midcoast Community Council, candidates for Supervisor and State Senate will appear.  This is a great opportunity to see meet of the more powerful state and local politicians who don’t come to the Coastside often, find out more about the candidates, and encourage them to pay attention to Coastside issues.

Candidates for San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 3 seat will answer questions and debate the issues.  Scheduled attendees are Rich Gordon (incumbent), Jo Chamberlain and John Hickey.  Unopposed candidate for the District 2 seat, Jerry Hill will also participate. This will begin at about 7:45pm and last about an hour.

Candidates for the California State Senate seat District 8 seat will answer questions and debate the issues.  Scheduled attendees are Leland Yee (D) and Oscar Braun (R). Lou Pappan (who appeared at an earlier MCC meeting) and Mike Nevin (who cancelled an earlier appearance) will not be there. This is scheduled to start at 8:45pm and will last about 30 minutes.

At about 9:15, there will be a debate of the pros and cons of Measure S.

Three decades ago—in between the enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, then amended to become commonly known as the Clean Water Act in 1977—the coastside’s “clean water pioneers” signed a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA) that institutionalized Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) as the cornerstone of the community’s water quality protection efforts.  The JPA, a monumental cooperative action between SAM’s current member agencies:  the City of Half Moon Bay, Granada Sanitary District, and Montara Water and Sanitary District, created a consolidated system of collecting, transporting and treating wastewater to protect public health and safety, and preserve our natural environment.
 
On May 10th, SAM honors their founders, and the contributions of many who followed, who had the optimistic vision and foresight to provide the coastside community with reliable high-quality wastewater treatment services.

Click for details.

A new nonprofit organization and companion political action committee have been formed on the Coastside.

Organizers will announce the formation of Coastside Community First— a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions—and Put Community First, a political action committee at Tuesday’s Half Moon Bay City Council meeting. 

Charlie Gardner, who will direct the tax-deductible organization, is a director of the Cabrillo Unified School District.  The political action committee, Put Community First, will be headed by Ev Ascher, a director of the Coastside County Water District.

Gardner sent us the following mission statement:

Coastside Community First, founded by concerned Coastsiders committed to ensure that the best long-term interests of our community are always at the forefront of public decision making. Coastside Community First stands for a high-quality infrastructure sensitive to the environment; with transparent and responsive local government; and with all-inclusive, moderate political solutions that balance the various interests of our diverse community."

Gardner wrote Coastsider in an email, "It is our intention to provide educational information via web based access, and conduct various public outreach endeavors which will address public education, transportation, emergency preparedness, economic sustainability, and environmental sensitivity as these issues directly relate to our Coastside."

Gardner told me that the PAC would be able to to be involved in political endorsements, which was not possible for the tax-deductible organization he would be heading. As its first action, the PAC was endorsing Measure S, the school parcel tax.  "We were going to wait until after the parcel tax election to avoid confusing the issue, but we went ahead of schedule because of the Devil’s Slide closure." Transportation is a key element of the organizations’ mission.

The directors of Coastside Community First are:

• Charles Gardner, President
• Nathan Serdy, Treasurer
• Stephen Wilson, Secretary
• Don Bacon
• Mary Bordi
• Terry Gossett
• Silvia Prewett

I asked Gardner if this was an attempt by one side of the local divide to shift the local debate from the problems of development to the need for infrastructure, and if representatives from both sides were included in the organizational meetings. Gardner said that it was his desire to include all sides and that he would be asking members of the League for Coastside Protection to participate.

A new nonprofit organization and companion political action committee have been formed on the Coastside.

Organizers will announce the formation of Coastside Community First,  a 501(c)3 (tax-deductible) organization, and Put Community First, a political action committee at Tuesday’s Half Moon Bay City Council meeting. 

Charlie Gardner, who will direct the tax-deductible organization, is a director of the Cabrillo Unified School District.  The political action committee, Put Community First, will be headed by Ev Ascher, a director of the Coastside County Water District.

Gardner sent us the following mission statement:

Coastside Community First, founded by concerned Coastsiders committed to ensure that the best long-term interests of our community are always at the forefront of public decision making. Coastside Community First stands for a high-quality infrastructure sensitive to the environment; with transparent and responsive local government; and with all-inclusive, moderate political solutions that balance the various interests of our diverse community."

Gardner wrote Coastsider in an email, "It is our intention to provide educational information via web based access, and conduct various public outreach endeavors which will address public education, transportation, emergency preparedness, economic sustainability, and environmental sensitivity as these issues directly relate to our Coastside."

Gardner told me that the PAC would be able to to be involved in political endorsements, which was not possible for the tax-deductible organization he would be heading. As its first action, the PAC was endorsing Measure S, the school parcel tax.  "We were going to wait until after the parcel tax election to avoid confusing the issue, but we went ahead of schedule because of the Devil’s Slide closure." Transportation is a key element of the organizations’ mission.

The directors of Coastside Community First are:

• Charles Gardner, President
• Nathan Serdy, Treasurer
• Stephen Wilson, secretary
• Don Bacon
• Mary Bordi
• Terry Gossett
• Silvia Prewett

I asked Gardner if this was an attempt by one side of the local divide to shift the debate from the problems of development to the need for infrastructure, and if representatives from both sides were included in the organizational meetings. Gardner said that it was his desire to include all sides and that he would be asking members of the League for Coastside Protection to participate.

Lou Papan, who is running against Leland Yee and Mike Nevin for the state senate seat that represents San Francisco and San Mateo Counties [background article on Coastsider] came to the Coastside Wedndesday night.  The Midcoast Community Council has invited all the candidates to appear.  Mike Nevin was scheduled to appear April 12, but cancelled and has not rescheduled.

Click on the picture to see the video, which is about 30 minutes long.

Frustration with the closure of Highway 1 on Devil’s Slide was evident in Tuesday night’s Half Moon Bay City Council meeting.

Representatives of State Senator Jackie Speier, Assembly Member Gene Mullin, Supervisor Rich Gordon, Caltrans, the County Sheriff, CHP, County Office of Emergency Services, SamTrans, HMB Fire Protection District, Cabrillo Unified School District, Harbor District, HMB Chamber of Commerce, and Community Transportation Collaborative all converged on the Adcock Center to tell a packed meeting what they were doing to alleviate the impact on the community, or (in the case of Caltrans) fix the Slide.

• The Harbor District is looking at making their parking lot at Princeton available for ride-sharers.
• The Fire District has had to adjust its dispatch to account for the fact that Pacifica fire engines are no longer available on the Coastside, working more closely with the Bayside departments and Pescadero.
• The City Council, as did the Midcoast Community Council, expressed concern about landslides and water running across the road on Highway 92.  We’re starting to see potholes on the Highway.

KTVU, Channel 2, was at the meeting and reported it as part of a relatively extensive report on the impact of the outage on the Coastside.  You’ll see some of your neighbors in the story. It also begins with an important message for those of you who are having difficulty deciding which toilet paper to buy.

Much later in the evening, the City Council announced $23,000 in 2006 Human Services funding:

• $5,000 Senior Coastsiders
• $5,000 Coastside Opportunity Center
• $5,000 Coastside Adult Day Care
• $4,000 Coastside Infant Toddler Center
• $3,000 Sonrisas
• $1,000 Coastside Parents’ Nursery School

Tonight’s planned appearance by state senate Mike Nevin at the Midcoast Community Council has been cancelled.  According to an email by organizer and MCC member Geoffrey Davis: "Regretfully Mike Nevin’s campaign manager called me at 13:20 PDT today to cancel their attendance at the MCC meeting this evening.  They are unable to reschedule a date at this particular time."

If you were planning only to see Nevin, you can keep dry. But Caltrans is still scheduled to appear.

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority is seeking six new public members for its Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and would like to have representation from the Coastside.  The Transportation Authority administers the proceeds of a countywide half-cent sales tax (Measure A) for transportation improvements of all kinds.  For example, Measure A funds will be used for the planned 92/Route 1 intersection improvements. 
 
The CAC acts as a liaison between the public and the board of directors of the Transportation Authority.  The CAC is comprised of 15 volunteer members.  Five of the successful candidates will serve three-year terms, while one position will complete a term expiring in May 2007.
The CAC meets on the Tuesday preceding the first Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. in San Carlos.  Interested persons can download an application at the Transportation Authority’s site, or contact the board secretary at 650-508-6279.  The application deadline is Friday, April 14, 2006 at 5 PM.
 
With the voter’s reauthorization of Measure A last year, the Transportation Authority is now engaged in some very interesting and important long-range planning.  Serving on the CAC for the Transportation Authority is a great opportunity to help create a new regional vision for transportation in San Mateo County.

This committee is distinct from the SamTrans CAC, which is also seeking members.

A member of Caltrans’s Geotech section as well as Caltrans Devil’s Slide spokesperson John Cunliffe will appear at Wednesday’s meeting of the Midcoast Community Council.

Mike Nevin, candidate for the District 8 California State Senate seat, was already scheduled to speak. This is the first in a series of appearances by senate candidates to present their platforms and answer questions from the public. Future invites will include Lou Papan and Leland Yee. This is an opportunity for citizens to learn about and discuss our representation in Sacramento and let the candidates know about the unique issues which impact the Midcoast.

The meeting will be 7:30pm Seton Medical Center Coastside, Marine Boulevard & Etheldore, in Moss Beach. Take Highway 1 to Marine Boulevard and follow hospital signs uphill.  The Caltrans representatives are on the agenda for approximately 8:35pm.

The City of Half Moon Bay is holding a "Town Hall Expo" Thursday night at 6:30pm at the Adcock Center.  Come and connect with your elected officials, city employees, friends, and neighbors. Browse through exhibits and learn more about our community.  There will be a presentation at 7pm.  Refreshments will be served.  For more information call (650) 726-8270