I have so much information to share this week, from what's coming up on the agenda at Tuesday night's Council meeting, to opportunities to share your thoughts on Housing and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, to ways to get involved in community groups. With so much going on, you may want to pick one issue that deeply resonates with you and to engage on that. We're all so busy, but even taking 5 minutes to complete a survey can make a difference. Our democracy is what we make of it.
For those of you concerned with and/or confused about the Delta Variant and the current local situation with COVID, your best source of information is the San Mateo County Health Department. A link to the latest information is here.
M1 and M2. Ratify successor agreements between the City of Menlo Park and two labor unions. The staff report/proposed agreement with Service Employees International Union Local 521 (SEIU) is here and the one with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 829 (AFSCME) is here. Both expire June 30, 2023.
Note: There is also a Special City Council meeting on Monday, August 16th at 5pm. It is a Closed Session meeting and the topic is labor negotiations with the Menlo Park Police Officers’ Association. Members of the public who wish to comment on this topic can log on at the beginning of the meeting or submit written comments up to one hour prior to the meeting. The agenda here contains information on how to do so.
Other Items of Interest
Below are some additional items that may be of interest.
Housing in Menlo Park Feedback Opportunities
Every eight years, California cities are required to update their Housing Element to plan for much needed new housing. Based on State requirements for housing in the Bay Area, Menlo Park is required to plan for over 3,000 new housing units in Menlo Park between 2023 and 2031.
There are three upcoming opportunities to let the City know your thoughts about what types of housing should be added to Menlo Park:
Take an online community survey to share your thoughts about community values and priorities related to housing. The survey deadline is August 29th, 2021. Respondents will be entered into a drawing to win one of twelve $25 gift cards to local businesses. The survey link is here.
Attend an online community meeting via Zoom on Saturday, August 14th from 10am to noon (tomorrow!) to learn about potential strategies for new housing and to provide your feedback. The link to the meeting is here.
Attend an online community meeting via Zoom on Thursday, August 26th from 6pm to 7:30pm to discuss housing equity, environmental justice and safety issues in Menlo Park. The link to the meeting is here.
Public Input Needed on Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
San Mateo County has issued its Draft Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and is seeking public input. The Plan will enable San Mateo County jurisdictions (including Menlo Park) to use pre- and post-disaster financial assistance to reduce the risk of natural hazards to people who live in the County. To review the plan in its entirety, and to learn about how to give feedback, visit https://cmo.smcgov.org/2021-multijurisdictional-lhmp. To jump straight to the section of the plan focused on Menlo Park, go to page 223 (12-1) of the link here.
Menlo Park Youth Advisory Committee Seeks Applicants
The Menlo Park Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) advises the Parks and Recreation Commission on activities, events and programs for Menlo Park youth. The YAC consists of a maximum of 12 high school students who serve minimum one-year terms from September to May. Students enrolling in grades 9–12 and who live in Menlo Park city limits are eligible to apply for the 2020-2021 term. The YAC will meet one to two times per month on Thursdays 6–7:30 p.m. during the school year. Meetings are currently being held virtually. Deadline for applications has been extended to August 20, 2021. Learn more here.
San Mateo County Civics 101 Academy Starting Soon - Apply Today
The County of San Mateo’s Civics 101 Academy — a free series of classes centered around County government — is back after a year hiatus. Civics 101 kicks off August 31 and is currently accepting applications for the 2021 session. The program is open to individuals 18 and older who live or work in San Mateo County and want to learn more about County programs, services and finances. Participants meet department heads and other County leaders and network with other civic-minded residents. Tours of the Regional Operations Center and County jail, meeting a K-9 and learning about sustainability efforts are also part of the course offerings. Learn more here.
PG&E Changing Pricing Structure for Many in September 2021
As part of a multi-year, statewide energy policy to create a cleaner energy future for California, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Peninsula Clean Energy will move approximately 200,000 eligible residential electric customers currently on a tiered rate plan called E-1 to a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan in September 2021. On the Time-of-Use (Peak Pricing 4-9 p.m. Every Day) rate plan when customers use energy is as important as how much they use.
Learn more about this energy rate change on both the PG&E and Peninsula Clean Energy websites. You are also invited to join a one-hour workshop about this change on Wednesday, August 25th at 7pm, hosted by Acterra, a local environmental non-profit. A link to register for that free workshop is here.
