VOLUME XLV, NUMBER 17 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008 Cities Want More Talks On 78% Flood Fee Boost Strong objections from the surface” is any surface that pre- Zone 7’s future costs, the cities’ unfairly put the burden on re- the ability of the City of Liver- three Valley cities to a proposed vents storm rains from percolat- elected officials had not heard maining new development in the more to meet its general plan 78% increase by Zone 7 in the ing into the ground, and instead about the specific fee amount region.” She added, “The pro- build-out.” He asked for more flood control fee for new devel- diverts them to the drainage sys- until a week or two before the posed fees seem excessive for the time for Livermore to work with opment halted it, at least tempo- tem, which flow rapidly into the Zone 7 meeting. Dublin Mayor amount of impervious surface re- Zone 7 on revising the proposed rarily. arroyos. Houses and driveways Janet Lockhart took the rare step maining.” fee. The increase, which was con- are the most common examples for an elected official of show- Letters from the cities of Liv- Pleasanton public works di- templated for July 1, is too big, of impervious surfaces. ing up at the Zone 7 meeting to ermore and Pleasanton under- rector Rob Wilson raises specific Zone 7’s flood control re- ask for a delay. scored Lockhart’s contention that objections to the recommended Diamond-petaled California Poppy said city representatives. It should be discussed with the cities. What- sponsibilities dictate that the Although the cities’ staffs had the fee is too high, especially at increase in his letter. Wilson said ever fee is justified, it probably agency must try to prevent some discussion with Zone 7 staff a difficult time in the housing that the calculation of the fee had A Rare Flower should be implemented in incre- flooding in the arroyos. New as early as November, disclosure market. Foreclosures on unpaid a “fundamental error.” The error ments, to make the burden easier development adds to the of the recommended fee amount mortgages have weakened de- is not mathematical, but one of Blooms at Site 300 on development. Valley’s storm run-off, so devel- is recent. “We didn’t understand mand for new homes. policy. Wilson contends that re- Once thought to be extinct for Zone 7 Water Agency directors opers are charged the flood con- the importance soon enough. A letter sent April 15 from Liv- covering costs for existing infra- about 40 years, a rare plant has were set to vote on the increase, trol fee for it. There are important issues on the ermore Vice Mayor John March- structure as part of the develop- been anything but scarce this from 73 cents to $1.30 per square Although Zone 7 staff drainage fee charge,” said Lock- and, a former Zone 7 director, ment fee amounts to paying for spring – at least in one location, foot of impervious surface, at their worked out a formula that it said hart. stated, “The proposed fee in- growth twice. Further, whatever Lawrence Livermore National meeting April 16. An “impervious justifies the increase to meet Lockhart said, “Zone 7 can’t crease could seriously jeopardize (See FEE, page 4) Laboratory’s (LLNL) experimen- tal test facility, Site 300. It is es- timated that this spring the three remote populations at Site 300 Livermore District contain between 8,000 and 10,000 diamond-petaled Califor- nia poppies. Sends Layoff Notices The diamond-petaled Califor- nia poppy was believed to have become extinct until it was re- To Classified Staff discovered in 1992 in the Carrizo Plain in San Luis Obispo County By Patricia Koning proximately $350,000 in the by a botanist from Cal Poly, San Bad news is coming in the general fund, with more savings Luis Obispo. mail for many classified staff in categorical programs. Five years later, in 1997, bo- members of the Livermore Val- Martinez explained that the tanical surveys conducted to ob- ley Joint Unified School District. District will have more informa- tain background information for At the April 15 meeting of the tion with the May Revise, in the 2005 Site-wide Environmen- Livermore Board of Education, which Governor Schwarzenegger tal Impact Statement for contin- the trustees approved eliminat- will outline proposed changes to ued operation of LLNL led to the ing 61.67 full-time equivalent his January 2008 budget. That discovery of the second popula- (FTE) positions held by 111 clas- budget sent K-12 educators reel- tion of this species at Site 300. sified employees, effective June ing, with a 10% across-the-board In succeeding years, in 2002 30. cut to funding along with other and 2004, two small additional “This layoff is only because reductions. populations were discovered, of a lack of funding. It certainly Some of the classified posi- also at Site 300, a 7,000-acre roll- doesn’t diminish the value of our tions could be taken off the chop- ing grasslands area, 15 miles east employees,” said Assistant Su- ping block if the May Revise is of Livermore. perintendent Mike Martinez. favorable. Others will likely be Classified employees perform restored through other funding These are the only locations Photo - Doug Jorgensen (See FLOWER, page 9) a wide range of essential duties, sources, such as school site bud- Mohr Elementary School in Pleasanton held its 7th Annual Multicultural/Heritage last week. including food services, mainte- gets. “This is an annual kind of Theme was “Stories From Around the World.” Parent volunteers from approximately 20 nance and operations, transpor- event because many of these po- countries hosted educational booths with information about famous stories, authors, and tation, instructional assistance sitions are funded by soft money characters from their countries. Thee week ended with children performing international skits and paraeducator services, office that we can’t rely on from year to and dances. and clerical work, security, li- year,” said Martinez. “The brary and media assistance, and Governor’s proposed budget computer services. makes it worse this year.” “We make sure students are While nearly all of the Pleasanton Moves Forward with Arts Center safe, well-fed, comfortable, and District’s librarians could be laid off, Martinez is confident they road Avenue will be converted molishing areas that were added accounted for,” said California A decision by the Pleasanton Service Employee Association will be brought back. The high City Council to retain a profes- into the arts center. It is to in- after the facility was first built. (CSEA) Area C Director Cindy school librarians, who are funded sional construction management clude a small, flexible theater Andy Jorgensen, manager of differently than those working at that seats 240; an art gallery, two the Civic Arts Program, de- Zecher, speaking at a rally ear- team to build the Firehouse Arts lier this month. middle and elementary schools, Center was greeted with enthusi- classrooms, and a grand lobby. scribed the two public art Taking the biggest hit in this are the only library positions not Photo - Doug Jorgensen astic applause. The council also The estimated cost is $15 mil- projects planned for the center. identified for elimination. lion. One is the actual sign, which is layoff are library techs (12.03 One of the stars on hand for approved two pieces of public art FTEs), technology specialists At the April 15 meeting, the that will be part of the structure. The specialty requirements in the design process. The other the California Independent (10.45 FTEs), instructional aides trustees expressed their frustra- The decision was viewed as of the project led to the hiring includes two glass marquees that tion at the classified layoffs. “It Film Festival last week was of the professional team. In ad- will mark the entrances to the (10.16 FTEs), bilingual aides the beginning of the construction (9.73 FTEs), instructional techs is shameful that it comes to this. Joe Anderson. He has project that will see the center dition to the art aspects, there is center. A 20 foot marquee with a (9.25 FTEs), and special educa- We can’t go on like this forever,” a need to preserve portions of red hue will be placed on the worked in film, television and open sometime in 2009. tion aides (6.00 FTEs). The lay- said trustee Kate Runyon. “Lay- The historic firehouse on Rail- the historic firehouse, while de- on the stage at the Chichester (See ARTS, page 4) offs will save the District ap- (See NOTICES, page 4) Festival Theatre. The festival drew fans to view the many independent films screened High School Homeland Security during the five event. Program Puts Students on the Hot Seat By Patricia Koning students had to grapple with as Thousands of people are dy- part of the Sandia National Labo- ing from a mysterious strain of in- ratories High School Homeland fluenza, which might be related Security Program. to terrorism. If you are the school The 23 participating stu- superintendent, when and how do dents were broken into small you decide to close schools? If groups, representing the local, you are the state government, do county, and state governments. you impose a mandatory order They had to determine priorities that the dead must be cremated and communicate with other to prevent further infection? If agencies to handle the crisis. you are the county government, Two separate teams com- how do you handle demands on pleted the exercise in parallel, your limit resources from both the so that at the end they could Fred Garbo Inflatable Theater state and local governments? compare the impact of their de- Co.