Councilmember Susan Wengraf  
Councilmember Susan Wengraf


 
Newsletter #36

                   

February, 2014 

Dear friends and neighbors,  

   

    The Berkeley City Council has been busy considering new boundaries for district elections, and possible measures for the upcoming November ballot.  After public testimony and a spirited discussion, we gave clear direction to the City Manager to poll our citizens on questions about a bond measure for improving our parks and for strategies for reinvigorating our Housing Trust Fund.  Also discussed was the possibility of imposing a tax on sugar sweetened beverages.

 

    Though a "soda tax" proposal failed in 2012 in neighboring Richmond, the cities of Seattle and San Francisco are considering similar measures for 2014.  They are among a growing list of municipalities grappling with a developing crisis of childhood obesity that could lead to diabetes.  According to the Center for Disease Control's website, almost 50% of African Americans and Latinos born in 2000 will develop diabetes.  Bringing this issue closer to home, 29% of Berkeley's public school students are overweight.

 

    The Council did vote to include questions related to a tax on sugary beverages in the upcoming voter poll, exploring possible tax structures and how to use revenue.  I look forward to seeing the poll results later this spring and providing opportunities for discussion and debate prior to November.  Stay tuned.

 

    Also of interest to homeowners is an item on our agenda on Tuesday, February 25th regarding raising new curbside collection rates for recycling and refuse.  You can read the report here.

 

My best wishes,

 

Susan 

list 

waterEasy Tips for Conserving Water

  Conserve water

     In the wake of Governor Jerry Brown's official announcement of the California drought, the worst water crisis in the state since the 1600s, it's essential to learn how you can start conserving water and preserving the environment.  Listed below are some simple steps that you can take to conserve on water usage:

  • Check for leaks and get them fixed.  If your showerhead or the faucet in your kitchen sink is trickling, each could be wasting more than 20 gallons of water per day.
  • Opt for a shorter shower.  If you decrease the length of your shower by just a minute, you'll save 2.5 gallons of water.  Assuming you shower every day, that means 750 gallons less water used a month.
  • Flush less often.  Each toilet flush uses between 3.5 and 7 gallons of water.  Wouldn't you rather save that water instead of literally flushing it down the toilet?
  • If you're going to use the dishwasher, wait until you have a full load.  The same goes for your washing machine.
  • Use a broom instead of a hose on your sidewalk and driveway.  There's no need to waste so much water when a broom can do all the work.
  • Turn off your exterior watering system and consider landscaping with drought tolerant plants.

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plasticsPlastics Recycling
Recyclable plastics

All Rigid Plastic Containers Can Now Be Recycled!

 

    Effective July 2013 the City of Berkeley's residential and commercial curbside recycling programs now accept any clean, rigid plastic containers.

 

Plastics Acceptable for Recycling

  •  YES: Any plastic bottle - lids are OK if attached.
  •  YES: Any clean rigid plastic container that fits in the cart, including dairy-product tubs, "clam shell" containers, buckets, planter pots (please remove all dirt), food trays (from inside packaged food), and plastic cups.

Plastics NOT Acceptable for Recycling

  • NO: Small plastic items (examples: utensils, hot cup lids, loose caps, condiment cups).
  • NO: Compostable plastics.
  • NO: Styrofoam.
  • NO: Non-rigid food packaging (snack bags & other "soft" plastic packages).

Plastics to Recycle Elsewhere

  • Plastic bags - many markets accept clean plastic bags.
  • Large plastic items that don't fit in collection carts can be brought to Berkeley Recycling at 2nd & Gilman 7 days a week for free drop-off.

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libraryBerkeley Public Library Launches New Website

    Check out the new Berkeley Public Library Website, showcasing the Library's connection to the community while providing easy access to its dynamic print, music, film and digital collections:
  • Downloadable ebooks and audiobooks
  • Streaming music
  • Discover & Go, a service providing free or reduced price tickets to Bay Area museums and other cultural venues
  • Digital magazines
  • Kids and Teen focused content
  • Personalized book recommendations - tailored to patrons - created by our librarians
  • Information on reserving our free community meeting rooms
  • Calendar featuring the diverse range of Library events
    The Library will continue to collect user feedback about the new site through an online survey.  For questions regarding the website, contact: Alicia Abramson, Manager, Information Technology & Technical Services at 510-981-6131.
pathPublic Pathway Named for Betty Olds
Betty Olds Way
Betty Olds path walk
Click to walk the Betty Olds Path

 

 

    On the drizzly morning of January 11, 2014, former long-serving city councilwoman Betty Olds cut the ribbon to open a newly completed path in the Berkeley Hills that has been named for her.

 

    The Betty Olds Path connects Sterling and Whitaker Avenues.  It was previously known as Twain Path - #68 according to the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association which currently lists a total of 136 paths in the city.

 

    Mayor Tom Bates, State Senator Loni Hancock and I, as well as nearly 50 friends, family, neighbors and path enthusiasts, joined the ceremony.

 

    Betty Olds served for 16 years on the Berkeley City Council representing District 6 and before that, six years on the Zoning Adjustments Board and eight years on the Rent Stabilization Board.  When she retired in 2008 at the age of 88, she was likely one of the oldest elected officials in the country.   

   
    Betty is a strong supporter of improving Berkeley's paths.  She was responsible for obtaining the funds to finance the first map of the Berkeley pathways, published by the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association.  It is now in its 6th edition, having sold more than 25,000 copies.

 

    Naming the path for Betty is a fitting and well deserved tribute to her dedication and commitment to our community. 

  

gridOff The Grid Returns To North Berkeley
Food Truck

What:

Off the Grid Weekly Food Truck Event

When:

Sundays, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.,  

Where:

North Berkeley BART Parking Lot, Corner of Delaware and Sacramento Streets.

 

    Off the Grid returns to North Berkeley to bring street food for Sunday evening dinners.  Grab bites from a rotating list of 8-10 street food vendors.  Check out their Facebook event or visit Off the Grid for the most up-to-date vendor list.  

alarmsFalse Alarms & Police Response

No false alarms  

    Over the past two years, a group of interested citizens has been working with the Police Department to develop a strategy for dealing with the drain imposed on police officers as they respond to false alarms.  Of the 3,400+ alarm calls, only 1.5% or 53 were actual burglaries, robberies or vandalisms in progress.  Read the interesting data and proposed strategies here.

 

dstDaylight Savings Time Begins Sunday, March 9th.

DST Clock  

    Set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night, March 8th.

   The Berkeley Fire Department encourages you to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors when you set your clocks forward.  These detectors save lives only when the batteries are working!  A working smoke detector more than doubles a person's chances of surviving a home fire.  More than 90 percent of homes in the United States have smoke detectors.  However, it is estimated that one-third have worn-out or missing batteries.
 

 

    For maximum protection, test your batteries every month and replace them when the time changes twice a year.
  
     Click here for more information regarding smoke & carbon monoxide detectors.  

 

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