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Dear Marci,
April brings us significant flowers blooms after another much-needed wet winter. And it is this month we celebrate, among other things, Earth Day. It’s hard not to think of Earth Day, the annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection, given our warnings over the past decade of our climate in crisis. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally by EarthDay.org including 1 billion people in more than 193 countries.
I’ve written about this before. Our planet – the only home we have – is at a breaking point. Two thirds of our earth’s oceans and three quarters of its land have been damaged by humans. One million species could vanish by 2050 – accelerating the global extinction rate potentially hundreds of times faster than over the last 10 million years. One fifth of all nations could see their ecosystems collapse completely.
Clearly there is nothing more important than addressing climate change. It’s critical that we reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century to keep the global temperature below 1.5°C. We need solutions that will help us deliver the greenhouse gas reductions needed by 2030 to meet the Paris Climate Agreement and help save planet earth. Everyone can do their part and I encourage you to visit our Sustainability Department’s website to learn how you can help.
Please share this newsletter.
Regards,
Warren Slocum
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FLOOD PARK RENOVATION BEGINS:
PARK CLOSED UNTIL FALL
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It’s been years in the making – and finally the renovations to realize Flood Park have begun! Located in Menlo Park near North Fair Oaks, this 86-year old park has been a community gem used by our residents and families for picnics, community gatherings, walks and for sports activities.
As a result of a multi-year in-depth community engagement process to identify community goals and priority uses for Flood Park’s redesign, with over 500 meeting participants and over 200 survey responses, and environmental review, the work is finally set to begin. And in 2020, our Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the Landscape Plan.
So what does all this mean? Flood Park will be closed from April 8 for the first phase of the park’s renovation – which is slated for completion in late 2024. This first phase of renovation will include construction of the picnic areas, a multi-use sports field and basketball, tennis, pickleball and sand volleyball sports courts.
I am so looking forward to seeing Flood Park come back to life, filled with families, senior and everyone! You can learn more about this project here.
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STATE AWARDS SAN MATEO COUNTY $14.1 MILLION
TO EXPAND HOMELESS SERVICES
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Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom asked San Mateo County Executive Mike Callagy to participate in a press conference to announce those cities and counties who were being awarded funding to expand homeless services and remove encampments. San Mateo County will receive $14.1 million to jump-start a plan to provide housing and services for people now living in small encampments within our county.
This grant, coupled with local and other funds, will continue our work to get to functional zero and move individuals into permanent, supportive and temporary housing and off the streets. And this will come with important wrap-around services including behavioral health and substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, medical care and case-management – in short, sustained engagement.
Homelessness is a crisis that has been decades in the making. It’s not a crisis that we can take decades to remedy. This is why this grant is so important to us. The County’s grant was among $192 million in homelessness assistance for cities and counties announced by the Governor’s Office. And the $14.1 million is the full amount the County sought.
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APRIL IS FOR CELEBRATING THE ARTS | |
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April is National Poetry Month which highlights the extraordinary legacy and ongoing achievement of American poets, introduces Americans to the pleasures and benefits of reading poetry, and brings poets and poetry to the public in immediate and innovative ways. At our April 23 Board of Supervisor’s meeting, we had the amazing Chloe Chou, 2022-2023 Daly City Youth Poet Laureate and 2024 Poetry Out Loud Champion read her poem “ars poetica with baba’s eighty-five inch tv” for us. We just learned that Chloe has been named the California Youth Poet Laureate and we couldn’t imagine a better youth representative for the Spoken Word and the arts! You can read Chloe’s poem here.
We have a few exciting arts projects on the horizon in District 4 – working with our Office of Arts & Culture. The first is the Veterans and First Responders Memorial which will reside in the courtyard of 400 County Center for all to enjoy. At present, San Mateo County does not have a memorial to honor the courage and sacrifice of all veterans, including the 27,000 living in San Mateo County, and first responders – those who answered their country’s and community’s call with service, bravery and honor. This project would change that – and be a place to honor, reflect and educate future generations about the service and sacrifice to our county and country by these brave men and women. At present, we are in the process of artist selection. I will keep you updated on this project.
The second arts project that we will be working on over the next few months is a mural for the new Navigation Center. The first step will be to ask for Requests for Proposals. More to come in our next newsletter.
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For Our Veterans:
A Service Providers' Summit
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On April 17, I had the honor of giving the welcome at the first Veterans Service Providers Summit hosted by the San Mateo County Veterans Commission and our County Veterans Service Office. The purpose of the event was to have the people and organizations who work with our veteran population get to know each other and learn about the activities and services each provide. Well – nearly 200 attended this first-time event and began networking and sharing positives and challenges. I’m certain that this will be an annual event, and that all in attendance will continue their partnerships and collaboration in serving the veteran community.
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Sheriff’s Office to Host Gun Buyback Event
| The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the County of San Mateo, Citizens for San Mateo County Gun Buyback, and partners from several law enforcement agencies, will hold an anonymous gun buyback event on Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1050 Mission Road in South San Francisco. The program is funded by a partnership between the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, which approved a grant of up to $208,000 in Measure K funds, $100,000 from the Sheriff’s Office, and more than $67,000 raised by Citizens for a San Mateo County Gun Buy Back. This event is important not only because it removes unwanted firearms from the community, it also provides an opportunity to educate the public about safe firearm storage and other gun safety protocols. Free gun locks will be distributed at the event. More than 2,600 firearms have been collected through the program. | | |
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' AND DISTRICT 4 UPDATES | |
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Public Safety Dispatchers Week: Did you know that our County Public Safety Dispatchers answered more than 361,248 calls for service in 2023? Every year in April, we honor the dispatchers who work public safety and emergency services, and the Board of Supervisors did so at our April 9 meeting. I was honored to champion this year’s proclamation for Public Safety Dispatchers Week.
Our dispatchers work has been nationally recognized. Our Communications Center has received, once again, accreditation as a Center for Excellence for Emergency Medical Dispatch – an honor reserved for fewer than 100 centers in the world. And whether it’s a 911 call for Fire, Law Enforcement or Emergency Medical Ambulance services, our dispatchers are the first, first responders. They strive for excellence with every call. They talk to County residents on what is likely the worst day of their lives, and often never know the outcome of their efforts. Still, they do it with excellence and professionalism, every single day of the year, twenty-four hours a day.
We celebrate them with gratitude each and every day.
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Helping a Robotics Team in East Palo Alto go to World Championship: Last month, I put forward a district discretionary Measure K grant, approved by the full Board, to Hope Horizon East Palo Alto to help defray travel expenses for the ChurroBots Robotics Team to attend the World Championships in Houston, Texas from April 17-20, 2024.
In 2019, Hope Horizon EPA began an afterschool robotics team called Churrobots to build competitive robots while learning teamwork, communication and leadership skills. Students from 10 different schools within District 4 participate in Churrobots, the majority of these students will be first-generation college students.
The Churrobots Robotics Team 8048 was part of a winning alliance at the First Robotics Competition Silicon Valley Regional earlier in the year. The team then qualified for the first time for the World Championships to be held in Houston, Texas from April 17-20, 2024. The Churrobots Robotics Team 8048 needed assistance to allow them to attend the World Championship for the first time.
Well, the Churrobots students just returned from Houston where they won some of their divisions. For them, as important was meeting other students passionate about robotics from around the world. For many of the Churrobots students, it was their first time out of the Bay Area and travelling by plane. It was an experience they will never forget.
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District 4 Office to open soon in North Fair Oaks: Our district office is gearing up for its grand opening, promising a wealth of community benefits. We are planning community information sessions covering important topics like medical assistance, CalWORKs, and mental health support, catering to all constituents. Keep an eye out for details on the opening date and the frequency of district representatives' presence, as we prepare to strengthen bonds and empower our community. For more information, contact my Legislative Aide Connie Franco at cfperez@smcgov.org.
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It’s time to celebrate El Dia del Niños! On Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at 3060 Middlefield Road in North Fair Oaks (the Mural parking lot). Thanks to our sponsors Casa Circulo, The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and our Office of Community Affairs – it will be an event for the entire family to enjoy!
The 2024 Take a Hike Challenge, hosted by San Mateo County Parks Department, is underway. There will be a hike each month through September led by our park rangers in seven different parks. The next hike will be on Saturday, May 4 at 9:00 am at Cowell-Purisima Trail. Registration and more information can be found here.
Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner – and there will be a celebration sponsored by Comité Latino at Bell Street Park in East Palo Alto on Sunday, May 5 from 10:30 a.m to 6 p.m. For more information, see Comité Latino Facebook page.
The Belle Haven Community Campus will hold a grand opening on Saturday, May 18 starting at 11:00 a.m. at 100 Terminal Avenue in Menlo Park. It will be a family fun event with a ribbon cutting, tours, family activities and local food. With limited parking, they suggest walking or biking to the celebration, or park at 200 Jefferson Drive and take the free shuttle. More information can be found here.
Calling youth poets living in Menlo Park! The City of Menlo Park and Menlo Park Library Foundation are celebrating Menlo Park Youth Poetry Voices. The City is now accepting submissions of original poetry by aspiring young poets in first through twelfth grade. All poets will have the opportunity to have their poetry published in a commemorative anthology. Youth poets will be recognized and featured poets will present their poetry at a poet’s reception and presentation to City Council on May 21. The deadline to submit poetry is April 30. Learn more and submit here.
The Commission on Disabilities is looking for members who have an interest in and experience with people with disabilities. Help the Commission promote the independence and full participation of people with disabilities in San Mateo County! For more information or to apply – click here.
Calling lawyers, realtors and accountants who are interested in public service – we have an opening on the Assessment Appeals Board that hears appeals of property tax assessments. For more information or to apply – click here.
Follow our District 4 work on Instagram @InsideDistrict4. Get insider information, keep up on our daily stories and posts and stay current on events affecting the residents of D4 and the county.
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If you want to get more insight into what my staff and I are working on, please connect with us on social media. It’s also a great way to interact with our office and to get notifications for upcoming events. Click the icons and like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Finally, if you would like to see back issues of this newsletter, they can be found on my website here. They certainly reflect the long way we have come!
Warren Slocum
District 4 Supervisor
San Mateo County
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