Atherton Road Closures

On Monday, October 11, 2010 to Tuesday, October 12, there will be daily road closure, from 8AM to 4:30PM, on Ridgeview Drive from Mesa Court to Fletcher Drive for the installation of laterals storm drain  to drain inlets along the roadway.  People heading to Mesa Court and Sutherland Drive can drive up using Atherton Avenue, everyone else heading to Alta Vista and Fletcher Drive will need to drive up Fletcher Drive from Alameda De Las Pulgas.

On Monday, October 11, 2010 to Wednesday, October 13, there will be daily one way traffic control for Mesa Court and Sutherland Driveroad closure, from 8AM to 4:30PM, for the installation of laterals storm drain  to drain inlets across Sutherland Drive.  There will be flaggers present for this operation.

 On Wednesday, October 13, 2010 to Friday, October 15, there will be daily road closure,from 8AM to 4:30PM, on Ridgeview at Sutherland for the installation of storm drain lateral  along the roadway.  The closure is south of the intersection.   To get to Mesa Ct. or Sutherland, detour signs are set to use Fletcher Drive at Alameda De Las Pulgas and make a left onto Ridgeview Drive.

Sudden Oak Death Testing and Training

As was reported in Monday’s SF Chronicle, the results of the 2010 SOD Blitz (Sudden Oak Death) are available on Matteo Garbeletto’s website www.matteolab.org. 

The spring SOD Blitz that Atherton participated in was to collect samples of bay trees to be tested for SOD.  The theory is that since the bays are the host for SOD, if we can identify the disease early on the bays before the oaks are infected, we have a better chance of protecting our oaks. 

Atherton submitted 19 samples of bay leaves for testing.  We had 3 positive results, one on Knoll Vista and two on Moulton Drive.  These tested DNA positive, but not culture positive, which means SOD is there, but may not be living.   The other 16 samples were negative from various locations in town. 

Kathy Anderson attended a SOD training workshop on Wednesday at Matteo’s lab in Berkeley.  She is working with the Tree Committee and residents on Walsh Road to set up a treatment training workshop.  A date will be set in the near future as this is the time to apply the preventative Agrifos treatment.  Matteo is out of the counrty so she was not able to confirm a date.  The Tree Committee will also hold another SOD Blitz next spring.

Road Closure

Beginning on Friday, October 1, 2010 to Friday, October 8, there will be daily road closure, from 8AM to 4:30PM, on Ridgeview Drive from Mesa Court to Fletcher Drive for the installation of laterals storm drain  to drain inlets along the roadway.  People heading to Mesa Court and Sutherland Drive can drive up using Atherton Avenue, everyone else heading to Alta Vista and Fletcher Drive will need to drive up Fletcher Drive from Alameda De Las Pulgas.

Resignation of City Manager

Atherton City Manager Jerry Gruber has announced his resignation from the Town of Atherton on September 23, 2010. Mr. Gruber’s last day with the Town will be Friday, October 22, 2010.

 Mr. Gruber’s accomplishments include maintaining a fiscally responsible course through three budget years and safeguarding the Town’s reserves through escalating legal costs, multiple litigation matters including two large settlements, business license tax refunds, road impact fee refunds, and the Lehman Brothers meltdown. In addition, Mr. Gruber was responsible for restructuring the budget format, implementing a Budget Stabilization Fund, Emergency Disaster Fund and a fund balance policy for the General Fund. Gruber addressed and funded the Town’s Unfunded Liability, purchased Employee Practices Liability Insurance and hired Cut Water & Associates for asset management, implemented a Master Fee Schedule and cost recovery program, and oversaw the reconciliation of all accounts and payroll going back to 2001.

 Mr. Gruber assembled a strong management team which includes an Assistant City Manager who oversees the Town’s Human Resource Department, Police Chief, Finance Director, and Interim Building Official, in addition to the staff that was already in place including the Public Works and Planning Directors. With the help of his staff, Gruber was able to complete the Town’s Housing Element, implement new financial software, allocate appropriate funds through the budget process for capital improvements projects, and ensure that Atherton remains a safe place to live by working cohesively with the Chief of Police to maintain a properly funded and staffed Police Department.

 Jerry has accepted a position with the Cambria Community Services District where he has owned a home since 2005.

 For further information, contact Assistant City Manager Eileen Wilkerson at 650-752-0546.

Information from the County Elections Office

The first of the 183 styles of Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlets will be mailed to the 337,889 voters of San Mateo County beginning on Thursday, Sept. 23, the first legal day to mail the pamphlets and concluding approximately 10 business days later. That’s the amount of time it takes to mail out all versions of the pamphlet to voters in the County.

Voters may also view or download and print a copy of their Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet from the Elections web site, www.shapethefuture.org by choosing the Check My Registration/Election Information button on the homepage.

The Federal Voting Rights Act ensures that all voters have language accessible election information. Voters who prefer Chinese or Spanish language election materials may request them at the time they register to vote or at anytime thereafter.  All voters receive a copy of the pamphlet in English, regardless of the language they select.

In this election, 183 different combinations of ballots and sample ballot pamphlets are being published. These sample ballot styles are due to the variety of combinations of jurisdictions, languages, and the requirement to shuffle the order of candidate names as they appear on the ballot in federal contests.

The Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Guide helps to educate voters by publishing voluntarily submitted candidate statements, ballot measures and related arguments and rebuttals, relevant voting information and voting resources. It is mailed to every registered voter. Visually impaired voters may request a copy of the county’s Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Guide on audiotape by calling 650.312.5222.

In the upcoming November election, the ballot includes contests for:  U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, California State Assembly and Senate candidates, and the California constitutional offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, Board of Equalization and the Superintendent of Public Instruction.   The ballot also includes runoff contests for the county Board of Supervisors (Districts 3) and Treasurer-Tax Collector and contests for six (6) municipalities and five (5) school districts, three (3) special districts. There are nine (9) statewide propositions, two (2) countywide ballot measures and twelve (12) measures placed on the ballot for several cities and school districts.

Ron Galatolo, Chancellor of San Mateo Community College District apologizes to Atherton Building Official Mike Wasmann

The Town of Atherton received a letter of apology from Ron Galatolo, Chancellor of the San Mateo County Community College District for the erroneous release of student information about Building Official Mike Wasmann that was “inaccurate and incomplete”. 

“This release of records took place without my knowledge or consent and it was contrary to District policy and practice and, to compound matters, the information that was released was incomplete.”

Chancellor Galatolo has made a clarification to The Almanac regarding Mr. Wasmann’s attendance at the College of San Mateo.

Town’s Building Department Software

As you may know the Town migrated from Q&A in 2007 to new permit/inspection software called Trakit. Town staff is proactively working to significantly improve the quality of the database and hopes to receive Council approval for a contract addendum which will allow inventory of the old software to make certain all data has all been transferred to the new software.  We know today that all data has not been migrated from the old to the new software.  Upon completion of the migration the Town’s ability to access data will significantly improve.

Garbage Company – 2-day work stoppage details

On behalf of City Manager Gruber I would like to inform you about the current work stoppage with the garbage company. Republic Services is working on resolving a dispute with ongoing contract negotiations which caused a 2-day strike with garbage and recycling drivers. After further discussion with SBWMA it is anticipated that the trucks will continue work starting tomorrow. This means that if your garbage was scheduled for pick up yesterday (8/25), it will now be picked up tomorrow (8/27). If you were scheduled for pick up today (8/26), it will now be picked up on Saturday (8/28) and if you are scheduled for pick up Friday (8/27), it will be picked up on Sunday (8/29), thus the 2-day work stoppage.  

Thank you.

Theresa DellaSanta, Executive Assistant/Deputy City Clerk, Town of Atherton

10-Day Public Review Periods for Nov. 2 Gubernatorial General Election

(Redwood City, CA) San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum announced that the 10-day public review period for candidate statements filed during the extended candidate filing period for the November 2, 2010 Gubernatorial General Election will open Aug. 11 at 5 p.m. once the extended candidate filing period closes. To review the ballot measures, go to www.shapethefuture.org/elections/2010/nov2010/  anytime or visit the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo during regular business hours. Candidate statements are only available for viewing at the Elections Office.

The purpose of the public review period is to give voters an opportunity to review and/or challenge the language of a proposed ballot measure or candidate statement before it is published in the Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Guide. During each 10-day public review period, any voter of the jurisdiction in which the election is being held, or the county elections official, himself, may seek a writ of mandate or an injunction requiring any or all of the materials to be amended or deleted. The writ of mandate or injunction request shall be filed no later than the end of the review period.

 There are four separate public review periods that occur in August that relates to the November 2, 2010 Gubernatorial General Election. Below are the documents for public review during each of the periods:

Aug. 6 – Aug. 16        Candidate Statements & Ballot Measures due Aug. 6 at 5 p.m.

Aug. 11-Aug. 23        Candidate Statements from candidates who filed during the extended candidate filing period that closed on Aug. 11 at 5 p.m.  (extended filing occurs when no incumbent runs for reelection)

Aug. 13-Aug. 23        Primary Arguments for and against ballot measures

Aug. 23-Sept. 2          Rebuttal Arguments for and against Primary Arguments and the Impartial Analysis for each ballot measure (Impartial Analyses are prepared by County Counsel). 

Public review periods open when the filing deadline for each type of election document passes. All documents will also be posted on www.shapethefuture.org once their respective deadlines to file have passed.

Information about the November 2, 2010 Gubernatorial General Election and other election matters are available at www.shapethefuture.org or by calling (650) 312-5222.  You can also contact Atherton Deputy City Clerk Theresa DellaSanta at 650-752-0529 or tdellasanta@ci.atherton.ca.us

Message from the City Clerks Department

August 6, 2010

 Pursuant to Elections Code 10225 if nomination papers for an incumbent officer of the city are not filed by or on the 88^th day before the election, during normal business hours, as posted, the voters shall have until the 83^rd day before the election during normal business hours, as posted, to nominate candidates other than the person who was the incumbent on the 88^th day, for that incumbent’s elective office.

 The Nomination Period to file for the November 2, 2010 election has been extended to Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 5 p.m. The extension is granted for non-incumbents only.

 The Town has 3 seats open for the November 2, 2010 election.

 As of Friday, August 6, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. the following candidates have filed nomination papers and have been officially verified by the County.

 ●          Bill Widmer

●          Jim Dobbie     

●          Jerry Carlson  

 Additionally three more Atherton residents have obtained the necessary elections forms but have not yet officially filed:

Mike McPherson

Phil Lively

Cary Weist

Rose Hau

 For more information on the November 2^nd elections please contact Theresa DellaSanta, Deputy City Clerk at 650-752-0529 or tdellasanta@ci.atherton.ca.us