On October 1, the Belmont Fire Department was re-established. I am committed to insuring its quality of service to the residents and businesses of Belmont. I have a very good working relationship with the firefighters and with the chief, and look forward to working with them for the next four years.
While in the short term I voted for the independent Belmont Fire Department, in the long run, the city can save the taxpayers money by reducing redundancies in personnel and gaining efficiencies by working in a partnership with other fire departments. Since the Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department just ended after 18 months of work, the firefighters need stability. That is why we need to keep our independent fire department for a period of time. Long-term, I believe it is in the best interests of our citizens to join forces with other departments.
I am the council representative to the Office of Emergency Services, a representative body from the cities in the county together with County Emergency Services Personnel. I have been working to promote the Belmont Fire Department as the department of choice for county Hazmat services. The city recently completed a contract with the county for that purpose.
Police DepartmentPolice Annual Report: While on Council, I made a request of the Police Department to provide the council and the community with an annual report in order to promote open communication and public trust. This successful report has led to a creation of special meetings where the Police Department can inform the community about their performance and how to protect themselves and live more safely. I am committed to continuing this type of open communication.
National Night Out, Neighborhood Watch and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT): I have helped to promote and expand the National Night Out program, and will work hard to insure the continued growth of this and other safety programs.
National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen neighborhood safety through improved neighborhood spirit, raising crime prevention and safety awareness, and strengthening partnerships between the City and the Belmont Community.
I first supported National Night Out while I was mayor in 2009. Together with the Police and Fire Departments and a group of concerned citizens volunteering on the committee, the program has grown from one neighborhood in 2008 and 2009 to six neighborhoods and several hundred residents. The goal for next year is to have ten neighborhoods participating. The Police Department has received an increase number of calls from our residents who are more aware of the safety issues. We are safer as a result of the program and will continue the grass root efforts to continue to improve the level of participation.
In order to create a higher level of safety, I want to further the success of National Night Out and help the residents create Neighborhood Watch programs and encourage residents to enroll in Community Emergency Response Teams.
Economic DevelopmentI would like to see the development of a healthy downtown for Belmont and movement toward developing our other target sites. A healthy downtown will allow Belmont residents to have more choices, and encourage residents from other cities to shop in Belmont. One objective is to reduce the sales tax revenue from leaving Belmont to neighboring cities. Increases in sales tax revenue can be re-invested in capital improvement programs, and improved and expanded programs. Some of our target site areas include Firehouse Square, Emmetts Plaza, Belmont Station and Shoreway Place.
In order to accomplish these goals, Belmont needs to create a business-friendly environment. The key to creating this environment includes the following steps:
- Developing a strong working relationship between the city and the Belmont Chamber of Commerce.
- Reinstating the Economic Development Subcommittee to provide the Chamber, staff and council members opportunities to test ideas and suggest policy.
- Hiring an Economic Developer. Belmont needs to retain our current businesses and to recruit new ones.
- Working with Volkswagon and SunEdison to recruit established businesses that they work with to relocate or expand in Belmont.
Family and Community Programs and RecreationI am committed to making Belmont one of the top places to live for families. This includes supporting our schools and education programs, supporting healthy neighborhood and community programs, and supporting sports, the arts, and facilities and fields for all age groups. Among other actions, I am in favor of completing the purchase of the 34.5 acres in the San Juan Canyon, allowing AYSO and the Belmont United Soccer Programs to play on Koret Field now and in the future, turfing the fields at the Belmont Sports Complex, completing Davey Glen Park, and starting the planning process for a new Barrett Community Center.
Education: Belmont is an education community and hosts an array of outstanding educational facilities. Being a current member of the Joint Belmont-Redwoood Shores School District/City Council Committee, and a member of the Joint Notre Dame da Namur University/City Council Committee, I am committed to insuring a healthy and supportive relationship between the city and the school systems that serve our youth. I am a proponent of open communication, shared facilities and resources, and maintaining good relations with the school boards.
Healthy Neighborhoods and Community Programs: Belmont has been developing outstanding programs through a growing Park and Recreation Department and a Green Advisory Committee, and I support continuing the growth of healthy programs for all families and community members. From exercise, to dance, to theatre, I would like to see a continued array of outstanding programs as well as the facilities to support them.
Sports: The sports programs and opportunities available in Belmont are amazing and need our full support so that children and adults of all ages can recreate, and learn valuable skills as well as the values of teamwork and sportsmanship. We need a good relationship between our city and our sports teams, and to work together toward better facilities to accommodate them.
Parks, Fields and Facilities: Some progress has been made toward fields and facilities that will meet the needs of the community, but more needs to be done. As a member of the city council we opened a new neighborhood park - Semaria Park, we purchased 34.5 acres of land in the San Juan Canyon for public access and preservation, and recently approved a modified plan to allow AYSO and Belmont United to play on Koret Field. I would like to complete the purchase of the land acreage, as well as complete Davey Glen Park. I am fully in favor of allowing the soccer teams to play at Koret, both now and in the future. We will need to continue to address the need for more playing fields and better facilities for sports and the arts, including turfing the fields at the Belmont Sports Complex, and beginning the process for building new facilities at the Barrett Community Center. It is important for the city to work closely with sports and recreation leaders; for example, I was able to make the soccer and baseball teams aware of the construction plans for local schools that will affect playing field usage.
Infrastructure - Roads, Sewer Pipes, and Storm DrainsBelmont’s infrastructure is in dire need of improvement and I am committed to making sure that our roads, sewer pipes, and storm drain systems are properly improved and maintained for the short and long term good of Belmont.
Roads: Many residents have lived in their homes for a long time and have observed very few improvements to their street. This needs to change. Belmont residents should feel better about their roads. However, roads are only one-third of the equation. Before we fix the roads in Belmont, the city needs to fix our sewer pipes (many of which are circa 1920s to 1960s), and a storm drain system that has not been built out and is wreaking havoc on, and destroying our roads.
Sewer Collection System and Storm Drains: Over the past four years, the council has worked hard to review capital improvement plans. I have been in the minority of the council to support improving our sewer pipes through funding the project, and I am committed to doing more. Delaying our funding for these improvements will only increase the bill in the long run.
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