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Community Interest
Redwood City Neighborhood Street Improvements
Scheduled to Begin in July
As part of its roadway preventive-maintenance program, Redwood City
is about to start road resurfacing projects on Veterans Boulevard between
Whipple Avenue and Chestnut Street and East Bayshore Road between
Seaport Boulevard and Haven Avenue.
This will provide smoother, safer, improved roadways — but will cause
some inconvenience to residents and motorists in these areas during the
work. In addition to the roadway surface improvements, both Veterans and
East Bayshore will be striped with new bicycle lanes. The work is scheduled
to begin mid-July and will be completed in approximately 10 weeks.
The total cost of this roadway improvement project is approximately $1.4
million. Redwood City has received nearly $950,000 in grants from the
Federal Surface Transportation Program to pay for about two-thirds of the
project, with the remainder funded with “Measure A” transportation funds.
Neighbors are being notified of specific scheduling and details of the
work, and appropriate “No Parking” signage is being installed. The short-term
inconvenience consists of a requirement to keep cars off the street during certain
portions of the work. The city will take all reasonable measures to minimize
the impact of construction activity in neighborhoods, though some inconvenience
is unavoidable. Motorists should expect periodic lane closures, detours, some
dust and temporary parking restrictions during construction. All roadway
users are asked to be particularly cautious during construction. If possible,
motorists should use alternate routes during the work in order to avoid delays.
Overall work hours will be 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., but due to traffic
concerns, certain major work elements may be completed at night. Veterans
Boulevard will remain open to traffic in both directions at all times during
construction. During major work, East Bayshore Road will be under one-way
traffic control with flaggers to stop traffic so that opposing vehicles may pass.
Appropriate signage will be posted in the area.
In general, the process for this resurfacing project will involve two phases,
prep work and overlay. Prep work involves repairing failed areas and low
spots, and removing weeds. Overlay involves sweeping up loose material and
placing a two-inch layer of new asphalt on top of the existing surface. Traffic
controls will be in place to direct vehicles around the new asphalt. Drivers are
asked to proceed carefully and look for signs to direct traffic.
The city thanks residents and motorists for their patience during work
to improve Redwood City’s roadways, and apologizes in advance for any
inconvenience. Visit Redwood City’s award-winning website at www.
redwoodcity.org for information about the city and its services, the community,
recreation programs, education and local business. Subscribe to Redwood City’s
electronic newsletter or other city documents at www.redwoodcity.org/egov.
New Law Requires Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Homes
Starting July 1, new legislation goes into effect requiring homeowners to
install carbon monoxide detectors in every California home, a move CAL
FIRE officials say will save lives. “Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, each
year claiming the lives of an average of 480 people,” said Acting State Fire
Marshal Tonya Hoover, “and sending more than 20,000 people to emergency
rooms across the nation.”
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced from
heaters, fireplaces, furnaces and many types of appliances and cooking
devices. The best way for homeowners to stay protected from CO is to have a
carbon monoxide detector installed on every floor and outside each sleeping
area. A recent study found that nearly nine in 10 California households did
not have a CO detector. “Having a CO detector is a small investment that
really can help save your life and the lives of your family,” said Hoover.
To help educate homeowners about the new law and to encourage them
to install a carbon monoxide detector, CAL FIRE/Office of the State Fire
Marshal teamed up with fire departments across the state, the Home Safety
Council, First Alert and Lowe’s to host “CO Saturday” on June 4, a special
day-long safety celebration to teach families how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Though previous laws required only newly constructed homes to have CO
alarms, the state’s new Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act (Senate
Bill 183) requires owners of all existing single-family homes with an attached
garage or a fossil fuel source to install CO alarm devices within the home by
July 1. Owners of multi-family leased or rental dwellings, such as apartment
buildings, have until Jan. 1, 2013, to comply with the law.
For more information on how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, visit
the CAL FIRE website at www.fire.ca.gov.
Sequoia High School District to Approve $5M in Cuts
Fewer administrators, less counseling and two furlough days for teachers are
among the cuts being made by the Sequoia Union High School District Board
of Trustees as it prepares for an uncertain state budget.
Earlier this year, the board directed staff to create a plan to cut $4.5 million
to $5 million from next year’s budget. With little guidance from the state, the
board approved a $5 million cuts package.
That cut will not eliminate the deficit but will allow the district to slowly
spend down the reserves.
This year, Sequoia has a budget calling for $101.2 million in revenue and
$104.5 million in expenditures — a $3.4 million deficit, according to a staff
report. A portion of the deficit, $1.8 million, is offset by one-time federal
money.
Proposed cuts include reducing five administrative vice principal positions
for an $800,000 savings, instituting two furlough days for a $580,000 savings,
reducing counseling services by 4.6 full-time equivalent positions and savings
from closing the pools during colder months, according to a staff report.
Reducing $1.07 million in funding divided among the schools — $70,000
at Redwood High School and $250,000 at each of the others — is also part of
the plan. In total, the changes will result in a loss of more than 30 employees.
The budget assumed $4 million in additional cuts for the 2012–13 school
year and $1.7 million during 2013–14.
Redwood City School District Faces Further Furlough Days
Three furlough days for teachers, and possibly other employees, along with
using about $1.7 million in reserves are part of the Redwood City School
District budget plan for next year.
Looking at about $5 million less in revenue next year, the Redwood City
School Board of Trustees will vote on next year’s plan to continue serving
students with less.
Assuming $75.9 million in revenue and $78.2 million in expenditures,
the budget calls for three furlough days for teachers, which was previously
negotiated. The district plans to negotiate similar concessions for classified
employees. A number of positions will be reduced. For example, a portion of
a receptionist job will be lost as the district upgrades the telephone system,
hopefully cutting the workload. Less professional development money,
$61,000, will be available. The district also relies on $1.7 million from reserves.
Should the state budget require more cuts, the district will look at additional
furlough days for all employees as well as dipping further into reserves.
Port Awarded Homeland Security Grant
The Port of Redwood City is receiving a $542,490 grant from the Department
of Homeland Security to digitally map and collect data about its facilities and
infrastructure for a “visual port” used for safety and emergency response,
according to port officials.
The planned geographical information systems (GIS) and tactical survey
information system has two parts requiring separate contractors. The
Homeland Security grant, made through the San Francisco Bay Marine
Exchange, will pay for both the $84,000 contract with Redwood City and the
$445,405 agreement with Tactical Survey Group Inc., according to port officials.
GIS is a digital mapping system that identifies utilities, roads, train tracks
and land use designations in a series of visual layers. The tactical survey
gives port personnel and first responders advanced visuals and information
by integrating the port’s applications, including security, executive
management and operations management.
Redwood City finished a GIS project for internal use along with a public version.
The city’s version lacks much detail about the port, and the authorities want
to build on that platform rather than creating a new, stand-alone program
limited only to the port area, according to port officials.
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