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Susan Wengraf Councilmember Susan Wengraf

District 6
 
Newsletter #29 

                   

May 2013 

Dear District 6 Constituents and Neighbors,

 

    The coming weeks are busy with earthquake drills, important community meetings, and impending graduations at all levels.  For the first time, I am formally asking for your help in shaping two significant matters that will influence and affect your future quality of life in Berkeley.

 

    The first is the redistricting issue.  After the 2010 census, we learned that some parts of Berkeley had increases in population and other parts lost population.  All eight council districts have to be almost equal.  So as a result, we have to redraw the district boundaries.

 

    Seven proposals have been submitted. Some are extremely radical, making District 6 a student dominated district, and others simply adjust the boundaries to even out the population density accordingly.  Your opinions on how and why the lines should be drawn in a particular way are important (see below).

 

    The thirty million dollars from Measure M will not fix all of our streets or even begin to address the serious watershed issues we have here in Berkeley.  But thirty million dollars is an important step in the right direction.

 

    Please try to attend the Public Works Commission June 8th workshop devoted to listening to public input.  The single most frequent complaint that I hear from constituents is about the horrible condition of our streets.  Residents in the Berkeley hills have also experienced serious flooding with costly consequences.  We even had a house fall down a hill because of faulty street drainage.  The Public Works Commission wants your input and ideas and so do I (also see below).

 

    Responding to citizen concerns about crime in our community, the Police Department is now publishing an informative and snazzy newsletter about crime city-wide. 

 

Best,


SW Sig  

 

 

 

Susan Wengraf

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Included in this newsletter is information about

earthquakeEarthquake Exercise

 

Do you Know What to Do When an Earthquake Hits?

What:A simulated 6.9 earthquake on the Hayward Fault
When:Saturday, April 27th
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Where:Your home and your neighborhood

 

    The  Berkeley CERT Citywide Exercise on Saturday, April 27, provides participants an opportunity to practice disaster response in their own homes and neighborhoods.  All individuals or community groups are encouraged to participate regardless of their level of CERT training or previous participation in City disaster preparedness activities.

 

    Registration is open NOW and is available to everyone.  You can register here.

 

    Questions?  Email the Office of Emergency Services.

 

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SODHelp Track Sudden Oak Death
Sudden Oak Death
  

     Saturday and Sunday, April 27-8, you can help with the annual "blitz" survey tracking Sudden Oak Death, the fungus-like mold that threatens our beautiful Coast Live Oaks.  Sign up here for a 1-hour training at 1 PM Sat., Apr. 27, in Mulford Hall on the UC Berkeley campus.  Then survey on your own time, in your own back yard, during a pleasant stroll, or even on a challenging hike. Return samples to a drop box by Monday morning.   After lab testing, results are made public in early fall.

 

    No cure has been found for Sudden Oak Death, but tracking the pathogen shows when to take timely action to slow spread or protect specific trees.  Loss of oaks affects scenic beauty, watersheds, and birds and other wildlife that depend on these trees.  Dead and dying trees increase fire hazard and danger to people or property. 

 

    For more information on the pathogen or on other trainings, including how to protect trees, go to suddenoakdeath.org or to the lab of UC Berkeley's Dr. Matteo Garbelotto, who organizes the annual surveys.  The local survey is co-sponsored by Friends of Five Creeks.   

 

 

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redistrictingRedistricting Meeting
council districts
click to enlarge

 Meeting to Review Redistricting Plans

 

Date:Monday, April 29, 2013
Time:6:00 p.m.
Place:North Berkeley Senior Center
1901 Hearst Street

 

    The League of Women Voters of Berkeley, Albany and Emeryville is hosting a community meeting regarding redistricting.  The seven plans submitted to the City Council will be available for viewing, and the authors of those plans will be in attendance to present their proposals.  City staff will be available to answer questions about the plans and the process in general.

 

    The plans and an analysis will be discussed in a public hearing during the May 7, 2013 City Council meeting.

 

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Measure_MMeasure M Community Meeting
  Pothole

    Measure M is the 30 million dollar bond measure to improve our streets and watershed that was passed by Berkeley voters in November 2012.

 

    There is debate in our city about how the money should be spent.  The extremes are that some are advocating for money to primarily be spent on watershed improvements;  others are advocating for money to primarily be spent on streets

 

    Two workshops will be held for the community to learn about the measure and to receive input before it comes to Council. The first workshop on May 2nd, will focus on providing background and describe the process going forward. See the agenda here.  However, if you can only make one meeting, it is the June 8th meeting that will offer the main opportunity for public comment.  I need your support to fix our failing streets!  Please attend one of these meetings at the N. Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Avenue, and speak up!

 

 
Process Meeting 
 
 
Comment Meeting 
Date: Thursday, May 2
 
Date:Saturday, June 8
Time:
5:30 to 8:00 pm
 
Time:10am
 
Click here for an invitation flyer.

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NumbersImportant Numbers

Officer Byron White, BPD Area Coordinator for North Berkeley

 

981-5773

 

Non-emergency (to report a past event)

 

981-5900

 

Emergency (to report suspicious activity, a crime in process, or an emergency)

 

     From a landline                 911

 

     From a cell phone          981-5911

 

To report non-functioning street lamps, graffiti, missed garbage pick-ups, or potholes 

311

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Susan Wengraf
Berkeley City Council District 6
510-981-7160
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