03/31/2011 - The Independent

PAGE 2 - The Independent, MARCH 31, 2011Pleasanton Rotary contributes toAfghan hospital modernizationAn acute care hospital inJalalabad, Afghanistan, now hasits first heart monitors, infantincubators and other modernmedical equipment thanks tothe efforts of North PleasantonRotary Club, Rotary International,Assist International andthe Washington Hospital systemin Fremont.Representatives from all thesegroups, as well as Fremont’sAfghan community, gatheredMonday at Washington Hospitalto celebrate the project, whichplaced some $300,000 worth ofmedical equipment in the 500-bed Jalalabad Publlic HospitalNumber late last year and earlythis year.As the primary acute care facilityfor the region, the hospitalsees nearly 50,000 patients amonth. Yet it lacked even rudimentarydiagnostic and therapeuticequipment, according to SusanDuPree, a clinical psychologist inPleasanton and former presidentof Pleasanton North Rotary.With no modern facilities, thepediatric unit was losing one ortwo babies per day, according toJim Stunkel, executive director ofAssist International, a Scotts Valley-basedcharity that supportsthe needy overseas and provided$65,000 in aid for the Jalalabadequipment.Now, with modern monitorsand incubators, the pediatric unithas “changed from a room ofdeath to a room of life,” he said.It was particularly DuPree’sinitiative that got the projectstarted. She lived and taught inKabul in 1969-70 for the U.S.Agency for International Development.She learned to love theAfghan people.“I always had a special feelingthere,” she recalled on Mondayafter the dedication ceremony.“I was treated with respect as aneducator. I identified with the ancientculture. Going back (as partof the medical assistance project)was like going home.”Assist International’s Stunkelshowed photographs of patientrooms in the hospital prior toinstallation of the donated equipment.They were bare except forbeds and tables.Post-installation photosshowed the same rooms withpatients hooked up to cardiacmonitors.The hospital is staffed mainlywith western educated medicalpersonnel who had goodprofessional skills and neededonly modern equipment and theinstrument-specific training touse and maintain it, according toPleasanton North Rotary.Donations and deep discountsoffered by companies like Philipsand GE, which make medicalequipment, allowed projectleaders to contribute far moreequipment and training than theyactually paid for out of pocket.Assist International will guaranteethe equipment for a year.Stunkel provided his contactinformation so that Afghan techniciansand doctors could reachhim if they encountered any difficultyin the future.Asked whether western aidmight provoke unfriendly intereston the part of the Taliban, Stunkelsaid he was aware of hospitalsin other cities where that hadhappened – where doctors werepressured to quit, and threatenedif they stayed.However, the project leadersthought that would probably nothappen in Jalalabad, which isrelatively stable, he said.Huda Mojadi agrees. She is aFremont mother who grew up inKabul and remembers childhoodvacations in Jalalabad with greatfondness. She is also the wife ofan Afghan born radiologist whoworks at Washington Hospitaland contributed to the donationproject.“This equipment will be atremendous help to the (Jalalabad)community,” she said. “It isgreatly appreciated by the communitybecause of what it bringsthem. They haven’t enjoyed(the benefits of such equipment)before.”Pleasanton Budget UpdateShows Increase in IncomeThe update in Pleasanton’stwo-year budget showed an increasein income.The report, as of the 18thmonth in a two year budget cycle,was presented to the PleasantonCity Council at its most recentmeeting.The good news is that incomeis up in several areas.Finance Director Emily Wagnerstated that last June projectedrevenues were $84.9 million.Now, they are $86.1 million.This is the result of an increase inproperty taxes (over $600,000),as well as sales tax revenue($1.13 million) and the transientoccupancy tax ($400,000). “Inaddition, we are seeing moreactivity in development, with anadditional $800,000 in fees.”At the end of June 2010,expenditures were estimatedto be $87.7 million, creatinga $2.6 million deficit. At thattime, decreases in spending wereachieved. The lower spendinglevels continue, with the mainreduction $2.12 million in personnelcost, stated Wagner.City Manager Nelson Fialhopointed out that reduction in personnelcost has not resulted in areduction in services. Thirty-ninepositions have been eliminated.“Staff has stepped forward. Theyare stressed, but have agreed totake on more.”In addition, reforms are underwayto reduce the city’s unfundedpension liability.Wagner said at a recent meetingthat the city has $171 millionin unrestricted assets.The city plans also to implementa two-tier system of benefitsfor new employees, which shouldreduce the city’s short-termcosts and reduce the unfundedliability.Firefighters agreed last yearto pay 2 percent. Meanwhile,management staff will amendcontracts to pay 4 percent and thecity manager, Nelson Fialho, willpay the full 8 percent.There was concern raisedby members of the public thatenough wasn’t being done tolower the unfunded liabilty.The estimated unfunded liabiltyranges between $121 millionand $183 million.David Miller said he isn’t surethe city has the right tools to addressthe issue. He asked peopleto go to Ptowncitizens.com forinformation on what citizenscan accomplish. “If necessary,we will do what we can at theinitiative level. We are readyto go.”Former councilmember KayAyala pointed out that nowherein the budget is the unfundedliability identified. “To say thebudget is balanced when theliability is going up is disingenuous.”Fialho stated, “The unfundedliability is a serious issue. Itneeds to be dealt with in a committedway.”The city is planning to holda series of workshops to engagethe public in creating the next2-year budget. The workshopsare scheduled for May 10 and24 and June 7.Open House to Provide Information inPleasanton Ridge Park Land Use PlanA “Spring Presentation andOpen House for the PleasantonRidge Regional Park Land UsePlan” will be held Wednesday,April 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. atthe Pleasanton Veterans’ MemorialBuilding, 301 Main Street,Pleasanton.Julie Bondurant, Senior ParkPlanner with the East Bay RegionalPark District (EBRPD),along with Nat Lopes, HilrideProgression Development Group,will provide an overview of thedraft plan. The presentation willbe followed by several discussiongroups that will focus onpark access and staging areas, theconcept trail plan map and parkoperations and management.The draft proposes:• Two new staging areas.• A network of multiuse trailsfor bicyclists, equestrians, hikersand dog walkers combining narrowand service road width trailsthat will provide access to 2,000additional acres of open spaceexpanding the parklands that willbe open to the public from 5,200acres to 7,300 acres.• New picnic sites, and backcountry interpretive and campingopportunities.• Improved signage for trailsand interpretive features.• Removal and restoration ofsites with unsafe or environmentallyunsustainable “bootlegged”trails.Recently, the EBRPD boardvoted to purchase 995 acres ofland that will ultimately be addedto the Pleasanton Ridge RegionalPark. The land is located on PalomaresRoad and would provide awestern access to the park.The district is buying theproperty from the Owen familyfor about $3.97 million.The acquisition will take placein two phases, with 415 acresclosing escrow on March 30,2011 for $1.725 million. Phasetwo, 541 acres, would close onor before Sept. 30, 2011 with aprice of $2.24 million.The two phases will allow thedistrict time to seek third partyfunding.The district will contribute $2million from Measure WW, theland acquisition and capital improvementbond issue approvedby district voters in 2008.The property offers panoramicviews of the Bay Area in all directions,climbing from 990 feetat roadside to an elevation of1,800 feet atop Sunol Ridge. Thehabitats consist of rolling grasslands,chaparral-covered hills,heavily wooded drainages andPalomares Creek on the westernboundary.