Supervisors Create Blue Ribbon Commission to Evaluate Custody Operations
Staff Contact: Alexander Lin
Alexander.Lin@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5027
On September 15, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the creation of a Blue Ribbon Commission to evaluate current custody operations and recommend reforms as appropriate. The Blue Ribbon Commission is the central component of the Public Safety Action Plan that I, along with Supervisor Dave Cortese, Sheriff Laurie Smith and Correction Chief and Undersheriff John Hirokawa proposed on September 10.
The Blue Ribbon Commission will perform a top-to-bottom evaluation of our custody operations. The board has vowed to move quickly to appoint commissioners, who will have a broad mandate to look at every aspect of our custody operations.
In addition to the creation of the Blue Ribbon Commission, the Board of Supervisors approved our recommendations to rapidly expand the camera surveillance system in custodial facilities; establish an anonymous hotline for the public, inmates and staff to lodge complaints; and to provide an open invitation for volunteer clergy and inmate advocates to safely interact with inmates and custodial staff within the custody facilities.
Openness and transparency are critical components to maintaining the public’s trust. Our plan of action will augment current protections to ensure inmates, staff and visitors are safe and are comfortable in reporting alleged abuses or mistreatment.
Another component of the adopted plan includes requesting assistance from the U.S. Justice Department’s National Institute of Corrections (NIC) to evaluate the policies, procedures and training at the County’s custody facilities. The NIC assists correctional systems at the federal, state and local levels on policy and training matters.
In short order, these initiatives will inform us on what we are doing right and where we can make meaningful changes.
Board Races El Niño with Fivefold Increase in Shelter Beds
Staff Contact: Alexander Lin
Alexander.Lin@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5027
On September 15, the Board of Supervisors
approved funding to add 585 new shelter beds to the County’s existing capacity of 130 year-round shelter beds. The County also funds 305 cold weather shelter beds for the rainy season.
This action comes as the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center announces in an
advisory that El Niño, which so far is the third largest on record, will (with 95% chance) peak in late fall/early winter and will continue through winter 2015-2016, gradually weakening through spring 2016.
The shelter proposal originated from the County’s Housing Task Force, on which I serve with Supervisor Mike Wasserman. The Task Force was formed by President of the Board Dave Cortese and charged with finding immediate solutions for the homeless.
Supervisors Pass Gender and Ethnicity Pay Equity Ordinance
Staff Contact: Maja Marjanovic
Maja.Marjanovic@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-6418
On September 15, 2015 the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a Gender and Ethnicity Pay Equity Referral for a policy and ordinance that would include both the County as an employer and the agencies with which the County contracts. The Board acknowledged that we have waited too long for this action.
A number of studies have shown that women over the course of their lifetime can lose up to 1 million dollars because of pay inequity-this means less money for retirement, for housing, and for their families. The profound opportunity we have here is to be more strategic with the County’s money and to make sure people get paid fairly so that they do not need our services. It allows us to demonstrate that this can work and that this can be a model for other cities and counties across the country.
I look forward to reviewing the first draft of the gender and ethnicity pay equity policy and ordinance in November.
Santa Clara-Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit Project Update
Staff Contact: Hope Cahan
Hope.Cahan@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5029
I know that many of you are very interested in the Santa Clara-Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project, and I am happy to share that there have been positive developments.
VTA recently announced that it is restructuring the delivery of the project along Santa Clara Street, Alum Rock Avenue, Capitol Avenue, and Capitol Expressway in San José. The complexity and unknown conditions in this area raised safety concerns which ultimately led VTA to halt all construction activities in the field in July.
VTA and its general contractor, Goodfellow Top Grade Construction (GTGC), have agreed that it is in the best interests of the project and of the public’s safety for VTA to explore alternative delivery methods for bringing BRT to this corridor.
As part of the restructuring, VTA and GTGC have entered into an agreement that allows VTA to continue work on key portions of the project while also repackaging the remaining scope of work for a future new bid process. VTA believes that this restructuring will ultimately provide the best results for all of its stakeholders.
VTA plans to install the station shelters near the SAP Arena, on Santa Clara Street near 17th Street and 24th Street, and along Capitol Expressway at Alum Rock Avenue, Story Road, and Ocala Road later this fall and early winter. VTA will also complete utility relocation in this time frame along Alum Rock Avenue between I-680 and US 101.
In Spring 2016, VTA plans to begin work on two other construction contracts for the downtown BRT stops and the Alum Rock Avenue bus lanes and roadway reconstruction after completion of the bid processes. VTA anticipates the work to be completed by early 2017.
I am pleased that VTA found a way to continue this important project while preserving community safety as the number one priority. I thank you for your patience with the project delays due to the safety shutdown.
If you have questions regarding the Santa Clara-Alum Rock Bus Rapid Transit Project, contact VTA at 408.321.7575 or visit the project website at
www.vta.org/scar-brt.
Congratulations to Sergeant Samantha Huynh, Trailblazer in the SJPD!
Staff Contact: Betty Duong
Betty.Duong@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5026
Congratulations to Samantha Huynh on her recent promotion to sergeant with the San Jose Police Department. Huynh is one of less than a handful of Vietnamese-American female officers in the department and is the first to hold the rank of sergeant. Huynh has been on the force since 2003.
Sergeant Huynh and her husband – an officer with the San Jose Police Department – are well-recognized fixtures in the San Jose Vietnamese American community and often volunteer their time at community events and parent forums.
“I am hoping to serve directly with the community and I want to serve my peers too," said Huynh, who was officially promoted to sergeant during an afternoon ceremony earlier this month.
Read more about Sergeant Huynh here:
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_28796271/samantha-huynh-making-history-san-jose-police-department
Celebrating the Trinity Episcopal Church & Canterbury Bridge, SJSU Campus Ministries
Staff Contact: Alexander Lin
Alexander.Lin@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5027
On September 15, I presented a commendation to Trinity Episcopal Church and Canterbury Bridge, SJSU Campus Ministries. Founded in 1861, the Trinity Episcopal Parish is the oldest church building in San Jose in continuous use. In 1866, the church established St. Philip’s School in San Jose (recognized as the first Black secondary school in the western US), which served students of color who were denied access to California public schools. In 1989, Trinity Episcopal Church became the Cathedral of the Diocese of El Camino Real, with 45 congregations. Iglesia Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Episcopal congregation was formed in 1995 to serve the Hispanic community.
On April 18, 2015, Canterbury Bridge Episcopal Ministries at San Jose State University sponsored a campus symposium, “Standing Witness”, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States. I was honored to attend the symposium, which very meaningfully explored issues of legal racism in California and traced the advances and struggles in civil rights and liberties of California pioneers of color.
For these reasons and more, I was thrilled to present the commendation to
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and
Canterbury Bridge, San Jose State University Campus Episcopal Ministries.
Staff Contact: Alexander Lin
Alexander.Lin@bos.sccgov.org
408-299-5027
On September 15, I honored Mary Sousa with a commendation to recognize her years of service at the
Portuguese Organization for Social Services and Opportunities (POSSO).
For seven years, Mary served in many capacities at POSSO. In those years, she provided transportation assistance and translation services for seniors and other members of the Portuguese community. As Executive Director, Mary worked with a multitude of entities such as Santa Clara County, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Health Trust and the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits to provide social, recreational, cultural and educational activities and services to enhance the quality of life for POSSO clients. It is my honor to recognize and commend Mary Sousa. I know she will continue to serve the community as she embarks on a new chapter in her life.
