Dear Marci,
As we start 2024, I am looking forward to the projects and initiatives we will undertake. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with an amazing staff in District 4 – Marci Dragun, Chief of Staff, Susie Castoria Legislative Aide and our newest member Connie Franco.
I am also appreciative of the work of our Deputy County Executives Justin Mates who handles North Fair Oaks, Illiana Rodriquez whose specialty is homelessness and Adam Ely, who handles all things criminal justice.
They are an amazing team who are committed to getting good things done for our community.
And finally, I would like to thank and recognize our County Executive, Mike Callagy. He is truly an amazing CEO and loves everything about San Mateo County. It’s a privilege to serve with him.
Also, the residents of District 4 have a special place in my heart. Your resiliency, understanding and suggestions always amaze me. I have learned a great deal from you.
It’s said, you never accomplish anything alone and that is 100% true.
I look forward to working with you all in the new year.
Regards,
Warren Slocum
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APPLY NOW: INDEPENDENT ADVISORY COMMISSION
ON THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE
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Supervisor Dave Pine and I have served as the Board subcommittee on Sheriff’s Oversight for over one year. We met regularly with staff and experts to get a comprehensive view of oversight including new reforms put in place by the state, engaged both the community and stakeholders on the issue, and made every effort to hear from our residents who often do not attend meetings due to work and family schedules or language barriers. We held two Study Sessions on this important issue, and it came to a vote of our Board on December 12, 2023.
The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on December 12 to create the Independent Advisory Commission on the Sheriff’s Office. This Commission will advise the Board in its effort to facilitate public transparency, accountability, and public engagement with respect to the Sheriff’s Office. It will provide a public forum for input from the community regarding the Sheriff’s Office, develop and implement an annual work plan, and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors will retain subpoena power, and an Inspector General may be uses on an as-needed basis.
The new Commission will be comprised of seven voting members and two alternates, of which five members are nominated by each Supervisor and resides in their respective districts; one member is nominated by the Sheriff, and the remaining one member and two alternates will be at-large and nominated by the two Board liaisons. Selected non-voting members of the Sheriff’s CARE program and one non-voting member of the Youth Commission will serve as liaisons. All nominations will be subject to the approval of the full Board of Supervisors. Meetings are to be held at least four times per year.
And now, the Board of Supervisors is seeking candidates for this Commission. If you are a resident of San Mateo County and committed to working closely with the Board and the Sheriff’s office to advance the goals above and who reflect the diversity of San Mateo County in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, lived experience and geographic distribution – submit your application here. The deadline to apply is February 23, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. PST.
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BECOMING PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS | |
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At the Board of Supervisors reorganization meeting on January 9, I had the honor of being selected to serve as President of the Board this year – especially poignant for my last year on the Board. Supervisor David Canepa will serve as Vice President of the Board. A new reality is taking shape. Our County is very different today than it was when I became a Supervisor eleven years ago. We are more diverse, more people are struggling to provide for their families, food insecurity is prevalent, and we are still recovering from a global pandemic. The problems we face have numerous causes; cross many professional, organizational and jurisdictional boundaries, and cannot be solved with a siloed approach.
We have determined that poverty hurts everyone. We have determined that racism is destructive. We have determined that everyone deserves a home and the opportunity to climb the ladder of economic self-sufficiency.
And we need to recalibrate some of our programs to ensure they meet new realities. Our programs must be easy to use for all people, and seamless, where residents can enter from any door. Do we have too many departments with so many issues and work crossing boundaries? How do we meet the needs of both families with children along with a rapidly aging population?
I suggest some broad themes, including amplification of public voices; our work in the equity space must be continued and strengthened; reinvigorate public service and find new ways to recruit, train and retain staff so we don’t have a 16% vacancy rate; invest in technology and understand the risks and benefits of Artificial Intelligence. This new work era – post-pandemic – demands adaptability as we navigate the uncertainties ahead. In short, embracing change will help us foster innovation, improve service delivery and ensure that our organization remains relevant.
I will keep you updated as we move forward on these initiatives and work. To watch the Reorganization meeting, and hear my speech, click here.
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HOPEFUL HORIZONS – HELPING OUR MOST VULNERABLE | |
Homelessness is the issue of our time – and solving it will take all of us working together. Here in San Mateo County, we have set a goal of reaching and maintaining Functional Zero homelessness, meaning that every unsheltered homeless person in our county who chooses assistance will be provided interim or permanent housing. To get to Functional Zero, we need to address the issue of homeless encampments, moving individuals off the streets and into shelter.
At the Board’s January 23 meeting, we unanimously approved an ordinance called “Hopeful Horizons: Empowering Lives Initiative”. In essence, this ordinance is about hope, dignity and the chance to empower and improve the lives of those living on the streets. It will regulate encampments on public property in the unincorporated area and will reflect the County’s commitment to ensuring homelessness is brief and rare. We want to encourage our neighbors experiencing homelessness to accept our offers of shelter and support.
Recognizing current case law and cases making their way all the way up to the US Supreme Court, the County will have shelter available to residents when closing an encampment. We are proud that we are able to do so with the opening of the Navigation Center last year and the successful conversion of five hotels (with another two hotels on the way) into housing.
Our process under this new ordinance would be this: before enforcing the ordinance to close an encampment, the County must issue at least two written warnings (in the language of those residing in the encampment) and a written offer of placement in a specific shelter. For those individuals who accept the offer of housing (and the services that will also come with that offer), the County will also offer assistance in the removal and storage of their personal property, holding it for 90 days. For those individuals who do not comply with two warnings, it would be a misdemeanor violation and the individual shall be entitled to participate in a diversion program offered by the San Mateo County Superior Court.
This ordinance was created in conjunction with extensive outreach to various stakeholders, including the Housing Leadership Council, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Superior Court, the Private Defender Program, City Attorneys, City Police Chiefs, non-profit organizations and faith groups. To watch the discussion from the Board meeting, click here.
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Gone too Soon:
Christian Sbragia
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Christian Sbragia packed more hope and spirit in his short time on Earth than most do who live into their 80s.
Christian passed away at the age of 19 on January 5 – far too young. His short life is marked by his personal motto: “service above all else.” Born in Redwood City, at the young age of 9 years old, Christian recognized a dire need in his East Palo Alto neighborhood that there were not safe places for kids to play outside of school. And he set out to right this, starting after-school programs at elementary schools and summer camps, serving students in East Palo Alto, east Menlo Park and Redwood City/North Fair Oaks. His organization, CoolineKids has served over 600 kids – what a testament to his compassion and love of his community. And luckily for the County, Christian also served on our Youth Commission, bringing his energy, positivity, and leadership skills to that board.
During the pandemic, he needed funding to provide take-home activity kits for children. So when Christian asked, I was proud, with the approval of the full Board of Supervisors, to fund a Measure K grant to CoolineKids.
Rest in peace Christian – we are grieving with your family, friends and the entire community.
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East Palo Alto Community Survey: Focus on Emergency Preparedness and Climate Change | |
The results from a detailed, in-person survey of East Palo Alto residents, conducted by San Mateo County Health and the San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District in late 2022, show that East Palo Alto residents are prepared for emergencies but many face barriers. This survey was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) is used by epidemiologists and local governments to plan for emergency response and to gauge community resources, needs and perceptions.
The report acknowledged the significantly lower median household income for East Palo Alto residents ($96,349), compared to the county as a whole ($136,837), which contributes to greater vulnerability, especially when confronting climate change. Half of the residents surveyed said they had an emergency kit of supplies to prepare for a power outage, earthquake or other disasters. 58% had signed up for SMC Alert, the County’s emergency alert system that warns the public of imminent threats and evacuation notices. Also, while reflecting emergency preparedness was relatively high, 74.5% of residents surveyed were unaware of utility assistance and rebate programs to assist with air conditioning during the expanding number of extreme heat days. The full report can be accessed here.
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AN UPDATE ON THE
BROADMOOR POLICE PROTECTION DISTRICT
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For the past several years, I have served on the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission, known as LAFCo. This Commission has jurisdiction over the boundaries of the 20 cities, 22 independent special districts, and many of the 33 active county-governed special districts serving San Mateo County.
In 2023, LAFCo Commission asked for a Special Study of the Broadmoor Police Protection District (BPPD). It focused on BPPD’s operations, finances and governance and gave recommendations. At the January 17, 2024 LAFCo meeting, the Commission directed staff to conduct a Municipal Service Review (MSR) on BPPD to assess if the recommendations from the Special Study have been implemented, review the fiscal health of the BPPD, and evaluate the level of service the BPPD is providing. This MSR is anticipated to be completed early this spring.
Also at this January’s LAFCo meeting, the Commission appointed an ad-hoc committee to understand the ongoing financial obligations of Broadmoor residents should the BPPD dissolve or enter bankruptcy.
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BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' AND DISTRICT 4 UPDATES | |
Office of Labors and Standards: At the December 12th Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved the launch of a new Office of Labor Standards Enforcement. It will be a countywide clearinghouse for accurate and up-to-date information on laws that affect low-wage workers. The office will educate both workers and businesses about minimum wage requirements and labor protections. Our county’s economic health depends on the industries that tend to pay low wages, including the food service industry, personal care and service industries, janitorial maintenance and healthcare support services. And we must protect these workers.
Board Rotation Policy: On December 12th, the Board of Supervisors also voted unanimously to approve a rotation policy going forward – for supervisors to serve as President and Vice President of the Board. And here’s what we decided: in 2024, District 4 will serve as Board President (me), followed by District 5 (David Canepa) in 2025, District 2 in 2026, District 3 in 2027 and District 1 in 2028. This new policy will make for seamless transitions.
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Welcoming New Staff: I have a new Legislative Aide – Connie Franco Perez – who has joined my District 4 office. Connie, a former Human Resources Coordinator, has experience working in different sectors: retail, tech, biotech, and most recently, philanthropy. In District 4, she will work on issues relating to our youth, schools/education, outreach, with a focus in North Fair Oaks - where she is a resident and a native Spanish speaker. She will be my liaison to the North Fair Oaks Community Council, Redwood City Together and a number of other Boards and Commissions. Connie can be reached at cfperez@smcgov.org. Connie – welcome to the District 4 team!
Measure K Applications: after extensive community outreach, the County released a Notice of Funding Opportunity this past November asking for proposals for the FY 2024-25 Measure K Budget. The application window closed on Friday, January 5. We received 315 applications for funding requests totaling nearly $750 million over three years. The first year of requests alone totaled more than $251 million and represents more than seven times the $35-$37 million available annually from the County (meaning the available dollars can only cover 14 percent of the requests). Of the 315 applications received, 232 are services for children and families; 28 address emergency preparedness; and 55 address housing and homelessness. We will keep you updated as application is evaluated.
Middlefield Road Update: A quick update on the construction on and improvement of Middlefield Road. I’m happy to report that the planting of trees on both sides of the road is nearly complete and it already looks great! Also, the permanent striping will be finished soon, weather permitting, and then the temporary stop signs will be removed. We are reaching the end of this major improvement project and looking forward to a wonderful outcome. You can track the progress on Middlefield Road here.
2023 Year in Review: with 2023 in the rearview mirror, we can now reflect back on the events that took place, starting with a series of powerful storms and weather issues and horrific violence that shocked our souls. But there were many positive events as well as we welcomed to new Supervisors (Noelia Corzo and Ray Mueller) to our Board, and several new department heads. You can read about the year in review here.
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January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and to educate the public about how to identify and prevent this crime. The City of Redwood City has partnered with the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program on "Before Our Very Eyes", an informational exhibit to raise awareness of human trafficking within the community. The exhibit will be on view at the Redwood City Downtown Library through January 31.
After over 3 years of design work and construction, and a $50m investment from the community, the new Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School celebrated its grand opening on January 9. Congratulations – we are so excited to for the students and families who will benefit from this investment!
The County of San Mateo just won a statewide award for SMC HOME (Homeless Outreach and Mobile Engagement) app! It is an innovative mobile-friendly app that helps outreach workers improve service to homeless – a critical tool in our efforts to provide shelter for all those who want it. Thank you to our Human Services Agency and Information Services Department for this collaboration and innovation! Read more about this mobile app here.
The Treasurer/Tax Collector has announced new changes to payment options to make payment processing more efficient. Now, the office will only accept one split payment method for property tax payments: cash and check; multiple checks or debit/credit cards. Gift cards will not be accepted as a form of property tax payment. For more information, call 866-220-0308.
Calling lawyers, realtors and accountants who are interested in public service – we have an opening on the Assessment Appeals Board that hears appeals of property tax assessments. For more information or to apply – click here.
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If you want to get more insight into what my staff and I are working on, please connect with us on social media. It’s also a great way to interact with our office and to get notifications for upcoming events. Click the icons and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Finally, if you would like to see back issues of this newsletter, they can be found on my website here. They certainly reflect the long way we have come!
Warren Slocum
District 4 Supervisor
San Mateo County
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