City Manager Weekly Update |
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Virtual City Offices Closed Friday
Los Altos City Hall, the Maintenance Services Center and Recreation & Community Services front office will be closed virtually on Friday, October 2 as part of the Defined 9/80 Schedule. A complete list of our virtual public counter and administrative office hours, as well as a schedule of Friday closures, are available on the City’s website at www.losaltosca.gov/hours.
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The Census Continues for Another Weekend!
You have until October 5 to fill out the census. 1 in 6 Los Altos residents haven’t filled out the Census, and we know we can do better! Ensure that you are counted and complete the census: www.2020census.gov/en.html.
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Get the Flu Shot! No Appointment Needed.
Free flu shots are administered every Saturday through mid-December from 9AM-4PM at the SCC Fairgrounds. Shots are available for everyone age 3 years and older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Younger children should receive a shot from their regular pediatrician.
- Car entrance for general parking: Gate D, 2542 Monterey Road, San Jose, CA 95111
- Pedestrian entrance and disabled parking: Gate B, 344 Tully Road, San Jose, CA 95111
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Police Task Force Recruitment
The City of Los Altos is currently seeking individuals interested in serving on a recently formed task force to review the current Los Altos School Resource Officer (SRO) Program and those of other cities and make recommendations regarding the SRO program limited to the role of the SRO in the high schools and review the current method the City uses to receive complaints about the conduct of police officers, analyze alternative options, and make recommendations.
The work of the task force is expected to be completed within a six-week time frame and may require frequent meetings over the duration of the six weeks to complete its work and provide recommendations to the City Council.
The Task Force will consist of 9 individuals appointed by the City Council. Members of the task force will reflect a cross-section of the community, by age, location within the city, and racial diversity. The task force will include at least one individual who works, but does not live, in Los Altos.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2020
INTERVIEWS SCHEDULED FOR: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2020
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Do You Want To Better Serve Your Community?
Join a commission! We are still recruiting to fill several vacancies on three commissions. Commissions serve as an advisory body for our City Council and allow for more resident input on crucial policy decisions. The following commissions are recruiting:
- Complete Streets Commission
- Historical Commission
- Planning Commission
Submit applications to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall or online at https://bit.ly/3fRKOkd. Applicants must be residents of the City of Los Altos to be considered for an appointment. The deadline to submit application is October 6 with interviews scheduled for October 9. For more information, visit www.losaltosca.gov or call (650) 947-2720.
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A Conversation with Representative Anna Esho
On Wednesday, October 7 from 4 – 5pm, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, (D-18), will speak informally with Castilleja High history teacher Carly Fox about her political journey and offer advice for teens interested in becoming politically involved. This Zoom event is open to the public; registration is required and is available at tinyurl.com/lawsoctevent.
Eshoo was elected to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in 1982 and served on the County Board for ten years before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. The San Jose Mercury News named her one of the ten most powerful women in Silicon Valley “because she sits on committees that oversee the Internet and biotech—areas vital to the valley’s interests.”
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Cuesta Drive Traffic Calming Project
Cuesta Drive Traffic Calming Project kicked off this week. This project will complete the construction of speed tables, pedestrian walkway, microsurfacing pavement treatment and striping improvements along Cuesta Drive, between El Monte Avenue and Springer Road. Additional speed humps will be constructed along Arboleda Drive, between Cuesta Drive and Springer Road. Project design focused on engineering solutions to reduce vehicle speed on Cuesta Drive, which had its 85th percentile speed above the enforceable range. City staff engaged the public during the design process through numerous community outreach meetings and surveys, including presentations to the Complete Streets Commission and City Council. Please expect construction activities impacting roadway operation through November 2020. More details, including progression of the project plan, can be found on City's webpage: https://www.losaltosca.gov/publicworks/project/cuesta-drive-traffic-calming-project.
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Power Washing & Mobile Cleaners
In Los Altos and most parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, storm drains travel directly from streets, gutters, and other paved surfaces to local creeks and into the Bay and the Ocean. Wash water from surface cleaning activities carries pollutants—like soaps, heavy metals, oil, and grease—that can harm the numerous wildlife species that depend on healthy waterways for their survival.
Allowing polluting substances into storm drains is prohibited by local, state, and federal laws. Surface cleaning is best performed by dry methods, like sweeping. However, if you hire power-washing services, ensure that they are compliant with environmental regulations by choosing a provider that is certified by the BASMAA training program. This fact sheet on mobile cleaning also provides great tips on preventing pollution.
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$10 / $12 / $14 Million Tax-Exempt Loan
The City of Los Altos (“City”) is requesting electronic proposals for Tax-Exempt Loan financing in the principal amount of 10, 12, and 14 million dollars. All proposals must be received by the City, by email, no later than 12:00 p.m. on October 7, 2020. Late proposals will not be considered. In lieu of paper proposals, an email (with PDF attachments preferred) clearly marked Proposal for Tax- Exempt Loan, must be submitted.
The primary purpose of the proposed Loan is to provide funding, along with other financial resources
available to the City, to fund the Project. The Project includes the facilities required for the City to build and complete the Los Altos Community Center and other related facilities and expenditures.
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VTA Community Input Sessions - Draft 2021 Transit Service Plan
The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is currently seeking public input on the Draft 2021 Transit Service Plan. The 2021 Transit Service Plan will have to reflect several new realities related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lower sales tax revenues, new travel patterns, and potentially lower ridership. Three proposals are the subject of community engagement through mid-October. These scenarios reflect a 10-, 20-, and 30-percent reduction in service hours when compared to the pre-COVID network (i.e. VTA’s New Transit Service launched in December 2019). Based on community feedback and analysis, VTA staff will revise the three service plan proposals and bring to the Board for consideration on December 3, 2020.
You will find all proposals on the VTA website and be able to compare the proposed differences between the three plans by route or by city, and in multiple languages.
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History Museum Reopens on October 15 with Expanded Exhibit
Los Altos History Museum opens its indoor main gallery to visitors for the first time since March, with an expanded version of its exhibition, “Rise Up! The Fight for Women’s Suffrage,” beginning October 15. The exhibition and the lobby gift shop will be open Fri-Sun, 1 - 4pm, with special hours reserved for seniors/vulnerable visitors on Thursdays, 1 - 4pm.
"We're thrilled to welcome visitors back to the Museum, and to share the complete version of our Rise Up! exhibition, which was originally scheduled to open in our gallery back in July,’” said Exhibition Curator Dr. Amy Ellison. “The outdoor exhibit was just a sneak peek-- the indoor exhibition offers even more stories about the local, state, and national movements for women's suffrage. We'll also have historic artifacts related to women's suffrage, local women's clubs, and women's rights movements on display.”
To ensure the safety of its visitors, the Museum is reducing the number of people who may enter at any one time to no more than six people. Everyone over the age of two must wear a mask and use the hand sanitizer provided at the entrance, and practice safe 6-ft physical distancing. Masks will be sold in the Museum's store if a visitor arrives without one. Anyone exhibiting signs of COVID-19 will not be admitted. Public bathrooms will be closed. Thursdays are set aside for seniors and at-risk visitors, with reservations required through the website. For a full list of what to expect at your visit, see the Museum’s website at losaltoshistory.org/visit/schedule.
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Reducing our Investment Portfolio for Infrastructure Improvements
The City has been accomplishing so much in our efforts to improve the City’s infrastructure and remedy the years of neglect to our assets. Improving our assets also reduces our ongoing maintenance costs year over year. Of course, this results in a reduction in the investment portfolio. Timing is key as the cost of construction is much greater than the interest earned in our portfolio. $55M is currently in our portfolio as we continue to spend on the Community Center Fund to build our brand new state-of-art Community Center which was in disrepair for many years and is our biggest project to date for the City. We have spent about $15M to date on the Community Center and we also purchased 999 Fremont for $2.85M.
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Hallow-Window Family Painting
Due to COVID, the Halloween Window Painting event has been transformed into a virtual activity. Instead of having a contest this event has been opened to families. 20 slots (1 family per slot) to paint participating business windows. The family will do a Halloween themed window with a positive message to boost community morale. Painting will take place October 15 - 17. On Saturday, October 17, 2020 families will take a picture of their artwork and send into staff. These pictures will be posted up on our website.
A full set of painting times, rules & regulations are available online at Los AltosRecreation.org. Window assignments will be made by Recreation & Community Services and emailed to the families that are participating on or before Monday, October 12, 2020. For more information about our programs, please visit LosAltosRecreation.org, call (650) 947-2790, or register here: www.losaltosca.gov/recreation.
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Virtual Wine and Art Festival
The 2020 Los Altos Virtual Arts & Wine Festival is your online place to celebrate all that is good about our live festival, including art displays and sales, musical entertainment, kids’ activities and, of course, wine tasting.
The virtual festival runs the month of October, with a special “live” event weekend on October 17-18. Make sure to pre-order your wine and limited-edition wine glass, then plan to sit back and enjoy vintner-led tastings, alongside performances from some of our favorite Arts & Wine entertainers. The 2020 version is an online replacement for our annual Downtown Arts & Wine Festival, the Los Altos Village Association’s largest fundraising event of the year. We look forward to returning to the streets of Los Altos on July 10-11, 2021. For more information, please feel free to reach out to www.losaltosartsandwine.org or call or call (650) 949-5282
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Come Share Your Lovely Harvest Creations Online
You are invited to share your harvest decorations with us and be part a part of a moment of friendship and kinship. There will be prizes awarded during a fun drawing on Thursday, October 29 from 11am to 12pm. Call the 50+ program (650) 947-2797 to register for the event and receive the zoom link.
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City of Los Altos | (650) 947-2700 | www.losaltosca.gov |
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