Page: A8 LAMORINDA WEEKLY 925-377-0977 www.lamorindaweekly.com Wednesday, January 25, 2017 MOFD Board OKs Major Apparatus Purchase By Nick Marnell standing-room crowd that to purchase two additional ambu- finance committee first. whose words were echoed by Fire Aincluded more than a dozen lances, replacing one with over But most of the discussion dealt Marshal Kathy Leonard. “Three- Fire Districts firefighters saw the Moraga-Orinda 150,000 miles and the other with with the purchase of the truck ver- story buildings are being construct- Fire District board approve a $2.85 over 100,000 miles. sus a quint, a vehicle that carries ed on 20-foot-wide streets,” Leon- Public Meetings million purchase of two fire en- Healy explained that the new an aerial ladder, a ground ladder, a ard said, making access by a ladder Moraga-Orinda Fire gines, one fire truck and two ambu- ladder truck will take 14 months pump, water and a hose. It operates truck a near necessity. lances, though two of the directors to build, the engines take about both as a fire truck and a fire engine Nevertheless, Jex and Jorgens Board of Directors District questioned the timing of the expen- nine months and the ambulances but according to many firefighters, voted against the purchase of the Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. diture. six, and once MOFD commits to does neither operation well. truck and the engines, but the mo- Go to the website for meeting The district’s long-range capi- the purchase the district jumps to “I know what an engine can do tion passed 3 to 2 at the Jan. 18 location, times and agendas. Visit tal plan called for replacing the its place in line for assembly. Plus, and I know what a truck can do,” meeting. The board unanimously www.mofd.org three major apparatus in the 2017- with the 3 percent price increase said Capt. Daryle Balao, one of the agreed to buy the two ambulances. 18 fiscal year, but in response to a taking effect Feb. 1, the district original MOFD firefighters. “My After the district purchases ConFire Board of Directors question by Director Craig Jorgens, would save about $100,000 if it responsibility as a truck captain is the equipment it will then bid out Tuesday, Feb. 14, 1:30 p.m. Fire Chief Stephen Healy said that purchases the vehicles early. “We to open holes and break things so lease-purchase contracts for the Board Chamber room 107, an early purchase was necessary know we’ll need them anyway,” that the engine company can put $2.85 million. The chief will bring Administration Building, not only because of the condition the chief said. the fire out.” the options back to the board, 651 Pine St., Martinez of the equipment but due to rising Variances in the current year- A ladder truck carries disen- which hinted against financing the interest rates and the cost savings to-date budget figures that indicate tanglement equipment and special- apparatus and paying cash, as the For meeting times and agendas, of buying the vehicles prior to the the district may end up short $1 ized rescue supplies. It carries more district capital budget sits at $10 visit http://alturl.com/5p9pu. beginning of February. In addition, million in revenue this year con- tools than an engine but no water. million, restricted only by the $4 mechanical issues with two ambu- cerned Director John Jex, who said Its aerial ladder is bigger. Its fea- million committed to the construc- lances have persisted and worsened he would prefer to have the appa- tures are more in line with current tion of Station 43 in Orinda. and the chief said the district needs ratus expenditures reviewed by the firefighting needs, said the captain, Solar Panels on Their Way to the Lafayette BART Station By Nick Marnell HARDWOODS “We apologize for the inconve- nience this will cause and are try- CARPETS ing to minimize disruption to folks trying to get a ride on BART, thus RUGS working on smaller sections of the lot at a time,” said BART spokes- LINOLEUM man Taylor Huckaby. “We encour- age riders to carpool together or TILE seek an alternate means of trans- portation like bicycle or bus to get LAMINATE to the station.” The work will proceed in three phases with approximately 200 parking spaces fenced off at a time FAMILY -OWNED over a six-week period. Huckaby said that Lafayette riders can ex- 30 YEARS ! pect no service disruptions as a result of the project because work will be done only in the parking lot. SolarCity completed a simi- lar installation at the new Warm Springs station, which has yet to Photo courtesy Bay Area Rapid Transit begin train service, and plans to inding a parking spot at the La- power purchase agreement with use it throughout the system, mak- install solar panels at the new An- Ffayette BART station becomes San Mateo-based SolarCity to de- ing the Lafayette installation one tioch eBART station this fall. even trickier Feb. 6 when construc- sign, install, operate and maintain of BART’s largest solar generation BART recommended a solar tion crews start to fence off areas in solar panels on the Lafayette station facilities, according to the district. installation for the Orinda station the parking lot to allow installation property, with the money to fund As additional benefits to cus- six years ago but was rebuffed over of solar-paneled carports as part of the $3.85 million project coming tomers the panel canopies will fea- concerns that the project would a project the transit agency board from the BART energy operating ture LED lighting on the underside conflict with plans for the city’s authorized in October. budget. The agency will purchase for safety, and will provide shade downtown development. BART entered into a 20-year all of the electricity generated and from the California sun. Online Purchases ... continued from page A1 Moraga Parents Rally to Defend In a Dec. 9 memo about its “shop lo- tom line. Its associated store, Across the cal” campaign, the Lafayette Chamber Way, sold gift items such as homemade Accused Los Perales Teacher reported to its members, “One of the cutting boards fashioned from distressed comments we hear from merchants is Berkshire Mountain hardwoods, flat ... continued from page A1 customers coming into your store, ask- scented candles and designer place mats In other media outlets, his version of the over again in person and in the letters to the dis- ing questions, taking photos of products and napkins that are simply not available story has been that last year, during a class and trict. Parents whose children were in her classes and then ordering them on line from their on Amazon. Although sales at the two in front of all his classmates, Tang put a piece of said they held her in very high regard and felt smart phones.” The solution? “Consider stores are gradually trending downward tape on John Doe’s face and stigmatized him in she was honest, forthright, caring, compas- making a little card you can hand your according to Snider and general manag- front of the other children. sionate, bright, loving, innovative and held the customers that reminds them why it is er Susan Marconi, these specialty items The family complained to the principal and children to a highest level. Parents who went on so important to shop local.” The reasons helped rescue this season’s sales results. filed charges with the Moraga Police Depart- field trip with her said they were blown away by include maintaining the vibrancy of the Sarah McDonell, owner of Orinda’s ment. MSD immediately removed Tang from her energy and dedication. downtown and keeping the local tax base McDonell’s Nursery, agrees. She has the classroom and she was suspended during the One parent explained to us that the sentence, strong. At its basis, though, the issue of been expanding the store’s offerings by police and administrative investigations. “What happens in room 22 stays in room 22” online shopping is usually price, as well increasing the selection of holiday orna- Moraga Police Chief Jon King said that last used by John Doe’s lawyer to hint that Tang as the convenience of ordering items from ments, gifts and décor that cannot be or- year when the family brought charges his of- threatened the kids, was in fact used by Tang to the comfort of home while dinner is cook- dered online, resulting in a better season ficers investigated the case against the teacher. protect the privacy of what the children would ing. this year than last. And Nicole Jarotzky, At the time King says that there was not suffi- share in the classroom. Many of Tang’s current Several local business owners agree owner of Whimsy, a children’s’ clothing, cient evidence against the teacher and the dis- and former parents portray a teacher that would that customers engage in buying behav- toy, and accessory store in Lafayette, at- trict attorney decided to drop the charges. Tang not likely put down a child, and whose passion ior that amounts to using their stores as tributes her good year to offering many returned to the classroom after the investigation for teaching has made a difference in her stu- showrooms. Bill Snider, owner of Mora- unique items, although her holiday season and has been continuing to teach since. dents’ lives. ga Hardware and Lumber, has seen cus- sales were “somewhat disappointing,” It is a different version of the incident that is These parents asked the school district dur- tomers scan the UPC codes from his mer- she admits.