Items from the 2 AUG 2023 Board Meeting
1.) The Ice maker has been fixed. Building Manager will look into cost of regular maintenance to prevent future failures.
2.) President Daniel Moses spoke to each board member individually stating he will be resigning from the board.
3.) Bill Weber led the meeting and discussion with the county representatives.
We had asked if the Fire District had considered any other locations, the Deputy Fire Chief said no they had not.
We asked if the Fire District had done an assessment on the impact to local businesses in the area and Deputy Fire Chief said no they had not.
Board members point out that the alleyway (Diablo way) was narrow and used for loading and unloading for a number of businesses on Diablo Way. We asked how fire engines would be able to get around when businesses are loading and unloading, the Deputy Fire Chief said they would figure it out.
We asked if they were aware of the traffic and foot traffic from pedestrians in the downtown area and how that would be impacted by the fire station. We pointed out the narrow radius for turning on Oak and First Street.
We asked where the money came from that purchased the property in 1923, the Chief Assistant County Administrator told us it came from County money.
We brought up the Veterans code that requires veterans approval concerning the change in use of property dedicated to Veterans and the Chief Assistant County Administrator said their council said they could
There was discussion about the lot line and how it came to be, questions were raised about the accuracy of the survey, especially on the First Street side of the lot where the accessibility ramp currently exists. A previous lot line map provided by the County in 1996 and 2006 has the ramp on the Veterans side and this new survey has it on the Fire Districts side.
The Chief Assistant County Administrator said that he was there because this had become a problem and he was here and dedicated to resolving it. He instructions are to continue with the lot line adjustment for the fire District and the Fire district will proceed as planned. The Chief Assistant County Administrator's help would be to see if the county could offer to help the veterans adjust to the new lot lines.
The Chief Assistant County Administrator did say the Board of Supervisors is the only ones that can stop the Fire Station. If the Supervisors don't stop the project, they will continue the project.
The Chief Assistant County Administrator said that we are welcome to petition the board of supervisors to have the fire station moved to a new location but that we should work on plan "B".
Guests in Attendance
Eric Angstadt
Chief Assistant County Administrator
(925) 655-2042
eric.angstadt@cao.cccounty.us
Aaron McAlister
Deputy Fire Chief at Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
(925) 941-3300
amcal@cccfpd.org
Stephan Griswold
District representative
(925) 655-2339
The County and the Board of Supervisors need to respect and honor the commitment made to the Veterans Service Organizations. This building was purchased in 1923 for the sole use of the VSO's.
This commitment doesn't change just because the politicians and county staff are too lazy to do the right thing which is to fina a location that is more suitable for the new fire station. A location that does not steal what was rightfully the land and building designated for the VSO's The County and it's politicians seem to have a very very short memory. They have all forgotten everything that the VSO's have been a vital partner when it comes to serving the Veterans and there famili…