Concord's Human Resources Department hosted its annual Benefits Fair on Aug. 31 at Willow Pass Community Center, with more than 80 employees in attendance.

Representatives from benefit vendors such as: Delta Dental, MissionSquare, Kaiser, United Health, Concern EAP, Prudential, UFC Gym, credit unions, and others were there to share information about all kinds of benefits for which City employees are eligible. Costco was also there to highlight its membership program, and they provided a generous amount of pizza for our City staff.

Employees enjoyed playing cornhole and pickleball, won tons of awesome raffle prizes, and feasted on a taco lunch (and that Costco pizza), drinks, and dessert. It was a great opportunity to learn about all of the benefits we can enjoy as a member of Team Concord.

If you have questions regarding benefits, please contact our Human Resources Department at (925) 671-3308.

Open Enrollment begins on Monday, Sept. 18 and runs through Friday, Oct. 13. Any changes made will be effective January 1, 2024.

You can find information on the health plans and Open Enrollment on the CalPERS website: Health Benefits - CalPERS.

View the 2024 Health Plan Rates for Region 1 to assist you in your decision-making process. Open Enrollment is passive, meaning unless you want to make a change to your health, dental, or vision plans you do not need to do anything (if you have the HealthNet plan see the note below).  

Flexible Spending for Health or Dependent Care – You MUST re-enroll annually. If you want to participate in 2024, you will need to complete and turn in a new enrollment form. 

**One very important change for this year is that the HealthNet plan will not be available in 2024. If you are a HealthNet member you will need to change plans. If you do nothing, you will automatically be enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Signature Value Alliance plan.**

More information, forms and links will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information, and information regarding who to contact with questions, please visit the Open Enrollment page on iConcord.

Let's get active this fall, Concord! Your City News & Activity Guide is here! Read all about classes, sports leagues, trips and tours, and special events for all ages!

Plus, read the latest news to learn what's going on in your community. Lea las noticias en español aqui.

Flip through the digital version online.

Paper copies of the activity guide have arrived in Concord mailboxes and are now available for pick up at our City offices, community centers, the Concord Library, and the Visit Concord visitor center.

The City has begun the process of updating the current ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Transition Plan that was adopted in 2009. This process will include a full re-evaluation of all City infrastructure such as parks, buildings, sidewalks, and curb ramps. The anticipated duration of this update is about a year and a half, with the end of 2025 as the goal for completion.

There will also be assessments of current policies and procedures for all services that are provided to the public such as online services and web pages, recreational services, permit center services, finance services, and general customer service. The consultant assisting with the update will be administering online surveys throughout the process and will also conduct interviews with select City divisions to help evaluate current services.

There will be a kick-off meeting for these select divisions on Thursday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the City Council Chamber. The meeting will be hybrid with Zoom as an option for those who are working remotely that day, but in-person attendance is encouraged for those in the office.

More details and a list of City staff encouraged to attend will be provided the week before the meeting. This ADA Transition Plan Update will help further the City of Concord's vision of being inclusive for everyone.

Concord’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is hosting a basic CERT course over three weekends in October at the Concord Police Department. The four-hour class series will be held on Oct. 7-8, Oct. 14-15, and Oct. 21-22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., each day.

Subjects covered include personal and home preparedness for all-hazard emergencies, radio communications, utility, hazardous materials and fire safety, disaster medical response, and pet preparedness.

The class held on Oct. 22 will be a 4-hour skills exercise. Participants must attend all classes, including the exercise, to graduate. To register, please download the registration form and follow the directions for submitting your application.

Get ready for another special arts and culture experience in the heart of Contra Costa, in our very own Todos Santos Plaza on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15.

Featuring murals, sculptures, an art & music jam in the park, spoken word poetry showcase, special performances, and more, this is celebration not to miss!

Learn more at Creative Concord website. 

Creative Concord is free to the public. Produced by Local Edition Creative and made possible by the City of Concord, Visit Concord, sponsors, and donors.