Contents
6 sections01 Opening the new council chambers captions 1–16
0:00:07it's my extreme pleasure and and privilege to open up the October 6 2008 city council meeting the first such business meeting to be held in these [Applause] Chambers city clerk uh call the role please council member Aon here council member Bridges here council member Moore
0:00:38present council member Potter here mayor Jones here all members are are here we have uh Council comments tonight I would like to make a comment and just say how uh excited I am that we finally reached this day and I think it's through the work of a lot of dedicated people in this room and not in
0:01:03this room uh and I would like to thank everyone responsible ranging from the city staff who I think um did in my opinion more than anyone to to actually turn this idea into a living project I'd like to thank all the former council members and Mayors and the current
0:01:24Council uh for all the work that was done and I'd like to thank thank all of the residents for supporting this project thanks so I don't have a whole lot to add to that but I was really glad that the mayor mentioned the council that decided to take down the old city hall
0:01:42because that step in protection of our customers and our staff has led to this place today so they took the first step and there have been Little Steps all along I'm very proud to be the first part of the First Council sit in this building but we're here thanks to a lot
0:01:57of people the former councils former former staff who worked in the trailers the people who help put this evening together put last Thursday together for the mayor's conference but all the little steps that happened in the last 20 years to make this happen we I give
0:02:14thanks to to everyone thank you thank you I'm absolutely thrilled to be here today and I'm so excited that our Chambers are full with so many people who've come to share this time together in the community and I want to especially thank the fire department for the nice flag raising ceremony
0:02:33acknowledge the police officers that are here today and as other members um Laticia Moore and Janet Aon had indicated there are way too many people to than individually for making this day to come to where it is but I want to acknowledge again our city manager Scott
0:02:52Hannon who um had the vision I think and the leadership to bring this all together for us and I also am very very appreciative to have our um Board of supervisor member John Joya here today as well as Lonnie Hancock assembly members soon to be Senator joining us
0:03:10for this auspicious day so thank you for being here and thank you all for coming and I just want to recognize everyone that's in the audience also not only our public but also our officials and particularly our former mayors and council members um this is a real
0:03:25exciting day for us um we have had multiple tours um personally I was invited to come into the building multiple times and refused until the very very end until um I saw the the final product and I'm uh I was just totally mesmerized last Thursday when we had an event here for the first
0:03:45time so it's a real thrill to be here um and I really want to thank the staff for so much work that they put into this um in particular with our financing and uh particularly our it we have a lot of bells and whistles as you can see in this building and uh James and his staff
0:04:04has done a wonderful job and we're really excited to be here so thank you everyone for coming sure thank you for those of you that don't know um this the council chamber serves many functions uh it's set up for conference rooms of course for the uh Council meetings but also it
0:04:24serves as our uh Emergency Operating Center that's why you see a lot of the uh the uh panels up there with with the uh screens and uh this thing's wired pretty good for uh uh just for those emergency purposes so what I'd like to do before we get into the presentations um there I
0:04:47do have a list and I hope we get them all of former mayors that are here tonight in attendance so I'd like to introduce them Ken burnt Norma [Applause] jalis uh representing Roy misfeld is Barbara [Applause] misfeld Larry [Applause] Damon Jane [Applause] Barky well that was rich
0:05:28Barky and Jane Barky Gina Bru to Mark [Applause] fredman and I didn't see him uh although we had indications they might be here uh Ernie delone and Marge [Applause] Collins thank you I'd like to ask the city clerk to announce the next agenda item please next item on the agenda's presentations
The presiding officer opened the 6 October 2008 meeting as “the first such business meeting” to be held in the new chambers. At the city clerk's roll call Councilmembers Abelson (captioned "Aon"), Bridges, Moore and Potter and Mayor Bill Jones answered present, and all members were there.
In Council comments, one member thanked the city staff, who, in that member's opinion, did more than anyone to turn the idea into a living project, along with former councilmembers and mayors, the current Council and the residents who supported it. Another was glad the mayor had mentioned the council that decided to take down the old city hall, a step taken to protect customers and staff, and thanked the former councils, the former staff who worked in the trailers, those who put together the previous Thursday's mayors' conference and “all the little steps that happened in the last 20 years to make this happen”.
A third member, noting that Laticia Moore (as captioned) and Janet Abelson (captioned "Aon") had already spoken, thanked the fire department for the flag raising ceremony and the police officers present, and acknowledged City Manager Scott Hanin (captioned "Hannon"), who “had the vision I think and the leadership to bring this all together for us”, as well as Supervisor John Gioia (captioned "Joya") and Assemblymember Lonnie Hancock (as captioned), “soon to be Senator”. Members also recognized the officials and former mayors and councilmembers in the audience; one, who had refused the multiple tours until the final product was ready described being mesmerized at the event held there the previous Thursday, and thanked staff for the financing work and the information technology, crediting James (as captioned) and staff for the building's “bells and whistles”.
The presiding officer explained that the chamber serves many functions: conference rooms, Council meetings, and the city's Emergency Operating Center, which is why it has panels and screens and is wired for emergency purposes. The presiding officer then introduced the former mayors present, from a list, with Barbara Misfeld (as captioned) representing Roy Misfeld (as captioned), and others, some of whom had been expected but were not seen, and asked the city clerk to announce the next item.
02 Congratulations from Congress, the Legislature and the county captions 17–37
0:06:09ceremonial proclamations and commendations celebrating the inauguration of the new city hall presentations by Eric Wrigley with the office of Congressman congresswoman Ellen toer hi uh again I'm Eric Ridley with the office of congresswoman Ellen toir it's and honored to be here on her
0:06:30behalf just have a brief uh note and formal letter that was sent along so I'll read a bit of that in a second I just want to say it was honored to be here on Thursday night and get a sneak preview of the building it's a fabulous building I look forward to sneaking
0:06:44around a little bit more and and coming here to do some business as well um again the congresswoman sends her best wishes uh as you might guess the the letter begins dear mayor Jones and council members Potter ablon Bridges and more I would like to congratulate you is
0:06:59you celebrate the opening of the new Els Sero City Hall including city council chambers and emergency Operation Center planning constructing opening and operating a new public building is no simple Endeavor and I commend this Council and previous City councils for
0:07:12their leadership and securing the necessary resources and seeing this important public Pro excuse me public project to fruition uh this new building and its adjacent public space will serve as a landmark for our community for generations to come I also applaud your
0:07:27stewardship of our local environment and deliver in a lead certified City Hall that minimizes water and energy usages utilizes recycled materials and is accessible to environmentally friendly Transit again uh congratulations on opening the new elero city hall I look
0:07:42forward to working with you to serve the people of elero and that signed congresswoman Ellen toer so I'll leave this with the city ta than thank you very much appreciate [Applause] it we also received a a certificate of recognition from Tom txen Senator txen wasn't uh able to be
0:08:05here he added family emergency so I'll read the proclamation from the state of California Senate I I don't know if this was uh passed before or after the budget but at least we have it uh presented to the city of elero on the occasion of the grand opening of the
0:08:26new city hall to the ex extend sir sincere congratulations on the celebration of the grand opening of the new city hall the city council chambers and the Emergency Operating Center commendations and best wishes are hereby extended with many year successful years
0:08:44to meet and serve public needs presented October 6 2008 Tom txen Senator 7th uh Senate District so thank you very [Applause] much and assemblywoman Hancock is here thank you um it is a joy to be here tonight and to see all these people and to look at the beautiful architecture of
0:09:16this building it is really wonderful and I commend all of you who had anything whatsoever to do with creating it um I also have a certificate of recognition um it's very simple it just says in celebration of the grand opening of the new city hall and city council chambers
0:09:37congratulations as you celebrate this remarkable achievement the creation of a beautiful Civic and community space for all to enjoy but I do want to say that we will be getting to the city a really nice Proclamation and I think we're all going to sign it those of us in the
0:09:57legislature who who represent Els serito and it will go in at Great length to even more of the wonderful green features of this city hall from the water efficient landscaping and water fixtures to the reduced water pollution through the use of BIOS swells the natural light which I could appreciate
0:10:22tonight how wonderful that must be in the daytime the motion sensors in the room so that lights will go off when our room isn't in use um the encouragement of alternative transportation the bicycle racks and I guess at some point you're looking forward to solar panels
0:10:39on the roof that will even provide some of the energy needed as chair of the natural resources Committee in the assembly I appreciate what you're doing thank you this is great leadership and a beautiful building thank [Applause] you supervisor John Joya good evening mayor and council
0:11:09members it's great to be here in your environmentally friendly and seismically safe building and uh I'll know where to come the event of an earthquake um you know in the 20 years that I've been in elective office you've been in Portables you've conducted um over the years City
0:11:24business very well through those Portables but you know it's I think we ask ourselves why do we celebrate um the construction of public buildings and I think it's because they're so symbolic of of the participation of our citizens in the Democratic process I remember
0:11:43when I was a student at elero high school my government teacher Mr Rossy talking about you know the importance of getting involved in the community and participating at Council meetings and yes you ran great Council meetings out of the community center but there is
0:11:57something that this a building a statement like this that this building makes that it's welcoming that it encourages people to participate in the Democratic process and it lives over generations and over time so I just think you know it's okay for us to celebrate a building because it
0:12:13celebrates what you all do and what the public does inside this building and it says something about civic participation so congratulations and I have a proclamation I won't read it but um I look forward to coming here hopefully not staying late evenings maybe it'll
0:12:29make make your meetings a bit quicker or or is it going to make or maybe it's going to be even longer cuz it's so so comfortable to uh to sit to sit in the chairs and and watch the proceedings but congratulations to everybody uh who really had a part in including prior
Under ceremonial proclamations celebrating the inauguration of the new city hall, Eric Ridley (as captioned), of the office of Congresswoman Ellen Toer (as captioned), said it had been an honor to get a sneak preview of the building on Thursday night, and read the congresswoman's letter to Mayor Jones and Councilmembers Potter, Abelson, Bridges and Moore. It commended this and previous councils for securing the resources for the new city hall, council chambers and emergency operations center, said the building and its public space “will serve as a landmark for our community for generations to come”, and applauded a “lead certified” (as captioned) city hall that minimizes water and energy use, uses recycled materials and is accessible to environmentally friendly transit.
A certificate of recognition from Senator Tom Txen (as captioned) of the 7th Senate District, who could not attend because of a family emergency, was read aloud, with the remark that it was not known whether it passed before or after the budget; it extended congratulations on the grand opening of the city hall, council chambers and Emergency Operating Center, dated 6 October 2008.
Assemblywoman Hancock presented a certificate of recognition celebrating “the creation of a beautiful Civic and community space for all to enjoy”, and said a fuller proclamation would follow, which, the speaker thought, all the legislators who represent El Cerrito would sign, describing green features from water-efficient landscaping and fixtures and what was captioned "BIOS swells" to natural light, motion sensors, bicycle racks and, at some point, the solar panels the speaker guessed the city was looking forward to. As chair of the Assembly's natural resources committee, Hancock called it “great leadership and a beautiful building”.
Supervisor John Gioia (captioned "Joya") recalled that in the 20 years Gioia had held elective office the Council had worked from portables and the community center, and remembered being urged by a government teacher at El Cerrito High School to participate in Council meetings. Public buildings, Gioia thought, are celebrated because they are symbolic of citizens' participation in the democratic process, and “it's okay for us to celebrate a building because it celebrates what you all do and what the public does inside this building”. Gioia left a proclamation unread and joked that the comfortable chairs might make meetings even longer.
03 A resolution inaugurating city hall, and a dissent captions 38–54
0:12:43councils thank you very much next agenda item please item 5B the El Sero city council Proclamation and resolution inaugurate ating the new city hall an invitation to former mayors and council members and all present wishing to comment on the new city hall looking to
0:13:10adopt move approval is there a second comments I'm sorry comments yes let me it's been moved in seconded that we accept this uh resolution public comment now I'm Peter Lal on behalf of the people or some of the people uh missing from the celebratory Proclamation are some additional wear
0:13:50asses one whereas the new city hall was financed by between 8 and $10 million in revenue bonds based on unrealistic projections of massive ever increasing property and sales tax revenues not voted for by the public whereas this debt will have to be paid off at Double the cost making it
0:14:13necessary to lay off essential workers in the inevitable upcoming budget Crunch and whereas an additional $4 million or more was ripped away from maintenance and other essential work inevitably cost think residents much more in future catchup costs now and I'm proposing this as an
0:14:35amendment now therefore be it resolved that those involved in this financial scaly should not be absolved of the responsibility in the forthcoming layoff of city workers and deserve to be remembered in a newly dedicated on a newly dedicated Wall of Shame few personal
0:14:55comments could we have achieved the same a permanent City Hall structure at a much lesser cost the answer is yes vast empty ground floor space are available right next door in the lumber yard Village buildings that complex could have housed city services just as well as here it
0:15:17wouldn't have been as pretty but it would have been practical the public safety building could have been reinforced as a much lesser cost to serve as an emergency Operation Center secondly is it a appropriate for an individual citizen to Reign on a celebratory parade and I feel yes especially in view
0:15:37of the current happenings in Washington and in Sacramento where many political could only wish they could claim that they spoke up earlier all that an aware citizen like myself can do is to point out just how leaky our little Ship of Fools is this new city hall has it's pretty but it has
0:15:59put us into Hawk there will be a lot of bailing and we'll have to toss some people overboards and I doubt it will be those responsible as more as usual it is more likely to hit the real workers not the administrators not the managers the hardest now I will leave my extensive
0:16:19collection documenting the many fiscally irresponsible and self-serving decisions of this and past councils to the cities just dedicated historical collection I would like these comments included in the minutes and I noticed uh there's a clock there which you can watch sometimes you
0:16:38watch assiduously when when citizens talk and but there sort of a need for US citizens to know what time we have and therefore I would like to dedicate this timer to the new city hall and I will leave it right here thank you very much I will use it later thank you okay it's been moved in second that
0:17:05we adopt the resolution oh I'm sorry sure I thought I'd end the public comment on a positive note so I I thought I'd say I think you know Mr lal's comments actually reflect in a way your success in really encouraging open debate so I think I support your resolutions let me say that I think
0:17:25folks um were uh acted with foresight in in moving forward with this building and frankly you all encourage in an open and free democracy both points of view and then you make your decision I think that's great that's what's great about our country and I still stand I think
0:17:40this is a great uh project any other comments from the public hi there I'm Chris Conrad I live up the street here uh I like ELO a lot and I always felt a certain amount of pride in the fact that we had mobile housing for the uh city hall because it was so unpretentious but now that I see
0:18:07this city hall I think it really adds to the Civic sense of the community to have a place like this uh the architecture is beautiful uh I think I've seen really like nice improvements in this town since I moved here 14 years ago and uh I certainly hope the street is open again
0:18:21for us soon because uh for those of us who live right over this area it's been tricky for the past uh couple of years here but anyway I just would like to say as I said that I always like the modesty of the other setup but I think there's something to be said for the amount of
0:18:32pride that goes into a building like this and uh it'll take us time to pay it off but you know we're taxpayers thank you very much thank you any other comments okay we have a uh motion on the floor all those in favor I I oppos motion carries thank you very much next agenda item please item number
Item 5B was the Council's proclamation and resolution inaugurating the new city hall, with an invitation to former mayors, councilmembers and all present to comment. It was moved and seconded before public comment was called.
Peter Lobel (captioned "Lal"), speaking on behalf of “some of the people”, proposed as an amendment additional whereas clauses: that the city hall was financed by between 8 and $10 million in revenue bonds, not voted for by the public, based on what Lobel called unrealistic projections of ever-increasing property and sales tax revenues; that the debt would have to be paid off at double the cost, making it necessary to lay off essential workers in an upcoming budget crunch; and that an additional $4 million or more had been taken from maintenance and other essential work. The proposed resolve was that those responsible should not be absolved of responsibility for forthcoming layoffs and should be remembered on a “newly dedicated Wall of Shame”. Lobel argued that empty ground-floor space in the Lumber Yard Village buildings next door could have housed city services, and the public safety building could have been reinforced at much lesser cost as an emergency operations center; that it was appropriate to rain on the parade given events in Washington and Sacramento; and that the city hall had put the city “into Hawk” (as captioned), with workers rather than administrators likely to bear the cost. Lobel asked that the comments be included in the minutes, left a collection of documents for the city's historical collection, and dedicated a timer to the new city hall.
A speaker who said they wanted to end public comment on a positive note said “Mr lal's comments actually reflect in a way your success in really encouraging open debate”, said “I think folks um were uh acted with foresight” in moving forward with the building, and still called it a great project. Chris Conrad, who lives up the street and moved to town 14 years ago, had always felt some pride in the unpretentious mobile city hall, but said the new building and its architecture add to the civic sense of the community, hoped the street would reopen soon after a tricky couple of years for neighbors, and said “it'll take us time to pay it off but you know we're taxpayers”. The motion carried on a voice vote.
Outcome CarriedResolution inaugurating the new city hall adopted on a voice vote.
04 An Olympic judo competitor captions 55–63
0:19:01c Proclamation commending and congratulating sayaka Matsumoto on her participation in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in China well this is a night of Celebration and uh excuse me probably the biggest International one of the biggest International spectacles uh to
0:19:26take place every two years now is the Olympics and Els Sero had a resident that participated in this year's uh Olympics in China and we're very happy to honor her today with a with a proclamation would you like to stand and uh come to the podium please thank you like to introduce seaka masu
0:20:01masumo correct yes great we have a proclamation here and it says uh whereas uh s sayaka Matsumoto represented the United States as a member of the Judo team in the 2008 Summer Olympics whereas saaka Matsumoto was born in Japan and raised in the Bay Area she began studying Judo at the age of
0:20:27five under the instruction of her father David matumoto and whereas SEO matumoto is an active member of the New York Athletic Club and the East Bay Judo Institute and currently holds the Judo rank of yandan that's a fourth degree back black belt and that's who I'm walking out with
0:20:52tonight um whereas sayaka Matsumoto is a seven time national champion and has served as an alternate on the 2000 United States women's Judo team at the Summer Olympics in Sydney Australia and whereas so yako Matsumoto was a member of the 2008 United States women's Judo team and participated in
0:21:19the women's uh 48 uh kilogram Judo competition at the 2008 Olympic now therefore the city council of the city of El Sero does hereby Proclaim that it recognizes and commends sayaka mat Matsumoto for her hard work exceptional athletic abilities great achievement encourages
0:21:45all residents to work towards their dreams and be inspired by saaka Matsumoto thank you very much [Applause] I would also like to uh quickly say something else about that the other part of the Olympic experience and the reason for the Olympics besides competing is to
0:22:24be an American ambassador well ambassador of the World meeting people through athletic experiences so whether you you win the gold or you just participate you still get to to uh participate in probably the best part of the Olympics and that is interacting with everybody so I'm glad we have such
0:22:45a fine person representing not only our country but the city of Els Sero and I'm glad uh you're you're a resident here thank you very much okay we have uh next item please item six business recognition Awards presented by Dwayne dman Economic Development specialist and Ken Lurch
A proclamation commended and congratulated Sayaka Matsumoto (captioned also "masumo" and "saaka"), an El Cerrito resident, on taking part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in China, which the presenter called probably one of the biggest international spectacles. As read, Matsumoto was born in Japan and raised in the Bay Area, began studying judo at five under Matsumoto's father, David Matsumoto, belongs to the New York Athletic Club and the East Bay Judo Institute, holds the rank of yandan (as captioned), a fourth degree black belt, is a seven-time national champion, was an alternate on the 2000 United States women's judo team in Sydney, and competed in the women's 48 kilogram event in 2008. The Council encouraged all residents “to work towards their dreams and be inspired”.
A speaker added that the other reason for the Olympics, besides competing, is to be an ambassador meeting people through athletics, “whether you you win the gold or you just participate”, and was glad to have such a fine person representing the country and the city.
05 Business recognition awards captions 64–86
0:23:12from the economic development board good evening mayor and members of the city council I'm excited to be here this evening for our grand opening and also to introduce the next recipients for the city of elero business recognition Awards the business recognition award program is one of our
0:23:29newly created Economic Development programs the awards were established to recognize those businesses that have contributed in a unique way to the economic well-being of the city of elero the program was set up in partnership with the elero economic development
0:23:43board businesses can qualify for an award in one of the following areas significant contribution of sales tax or employment longevity in the city of elero significant involvement in community events and organizations involve ment with Innovative especially products or ideas
0:24:01and also industry achievement tonight we have three more deserving businesses to recognize to that end I would like to get more information about the companies we'll be recognizing I'd like to introduce to you to Ken Lurch Vice chair of the ELO Economic Development
0:24:19board thank you Dwayne um it's a as a resident and a uh a member of the economic development commission it's particularly honored to be here tonight and being able to recognize the three firms that I'm going to give a little uh profile of their business here the three
0:24:32firms we're going to be talking about uh actually uh the longevity in in business is quite interesting the one that been here the longest you'll see that the business itself has been in Elso for uh 80 years but in fact the family of which has uh has operated in elel for nearly
0:24:47the entirety of the 20 20th century uh the second um business tonight has been here only a mere 30 years and the newcomer to the newcomer group group has uh has joined the elero business Community uh in the last 5 years without any um uh further delay let me introduce
0:25:05the firms who are being recognized tonight the junket was established in November of 1979 by Bruno and Cindy frish this European sty Cafe and delices at the El elero Plaza is a daily meeting place for a variety of people they come for the continental breakfast and lunch
0:25:21including a wide range of sandwiches German sausages red cabbage sauerkraut and potato salad or they made drop by for a cappuccino a latte or German beer on tap other indulgences include British style beef or mushroom paste using chicken pies spinach or mushroom bios
0:25:38kiche salads and a ray of desserts the junket also specializes in European food and grocery items including candies coffees teas German Steines and glasses wines and hard to find chocolates many customers have been coming to the junan since day one it has become part of
0:25:53their daily routine some come alone sit in the Sun at the sidewalk table with their their dog While others meet groups of friends or week with for weekly get togethers families also GA gather here young and old the junket is a place where everyone is welcome the junket is
0:26:08proud to be part of the elero community the junet tonight is being recognized for industry achievement longevity in the city of elero and contrib and contribution to the community accepting on their behalf are the owners Bruno and Cindy fresh thank you very much thank you very for
0:26:41being here appreciate it thank you make good sandwiches by thanks to to be here we really enjoy it and we do our best thank you could I say something about the junket I work with someone who graduated from the law school at Berkeley 25 years ago and she still waxes poetic about the junket
0:27:13because she lived in elero at the time I can imagine many of us have stories of all three of these businesses this evening the second business that we're recognizing tonight Past Times was started in the 1930s by Donald H dick Pride it operated as a lunch counter bar
0:27:31and pool hall that is after the fall of the prohibition as the Pastime Club Dick's brother Norman bus Pride opened a card room in the adjacent building and after World War II bus and Dick open a hardware and sworting goods store eventually the two brothers merged their
0:27:47businesses and with the help of their four Sons Dawn David Richard Robert ran the store and expanded the business to span an entire city block today several third generation family members members still work there on her helping to continue dick and Buster's Legacy
0:28:02Pastime Ace Hardware is being recognized for longev longevity in the city of elero Industry achievement and significant contribution of sales tax and employment accepting for pastimes tonight is one of those family members Richard [Applause] Pride I'd like to thank everybody that's here
0:28:35tonight and on behalf of the pride family we've got third generation now U we've had I'm pretty proud that we've had over 20 uh 23 uh employees that were Prides over the years and uh it's just a pleasure to be here and thank you very much for this thing [Applause]
0:29:04the final award for the evening is our newcomer to the community Trader Joe's elrio has been a part of the community for over five years the store has been an integral part of the community it has been widely successful exceeding all expectations of the Trader Joe company
0:29:18Trader Joe's Prides itself on being a national chain of Neighborhood Grocery Stores many of the crew members are locals and walk to work Trader joose ELO was awarded the corporate sponsor of the year for their daily donations to the Bay Area Rescue Mission and are involved
0:29:33in many community events on behalf of Trader Joe's the local store is thankful for being a part of the elrio community Trader Joe's is being recognized for industry achievement significant contribution of sales tax and employment and contribution to the community
0:29:48representing tonight this is the fun part is the Captain James gibons and first mate Aaron sheety appreciate young like I said 5 years the store has exceed everything that the company or intended so successful you guys have been in there you've seen the lines sorry we're going as fast as
0:30:32J James can um uh can I ask that all three of the winners come back up for a photo opportunity together and mayor Jones Just You mayor don't get lost so I didn't think I yeah no [Laughter] kidding last round of applause with that I'll turn the meeting back over to the
Economic Development Specialist Dwayne Dman (as captioned) said the business recognition award program, one of the city's newly created economic development programs set up with the Economic Development Board, recognizes businesses for significant sales tax or employment, longevity, community involvement, innovative products or ideas, and industry achievement. Ken Lurch, vice chair of the board, profiled three businesses: one that had been in El Cerrito for 80 years, run by a family present for nearly the entire 20th century, one there a mere 30 years, and a newcomer of the last five years.
The Junket, a European-style cafe at El Cerrito Plaza established in November 1979 by Bruno and Cindy Frish (as captioned), was recognized for industry achievement, longevity and contribution to the community; the owners were named to accept, and a speaker said “we really enjoy it and we do our best”. A speaker added that a colleague who had lived in El Cerrito while at the law school at Berkeley 25 years earlier still “waxes poetic about the junket”.
Pastime Ace Hardware, begun in the 1930s by Dick Pride (as captioned) as a lunch counter, bar and pool hall, grew with a card room opened by Pride's brother Bus, and after World War II a hardware and sporting goods store; the brothers merged their businesses and, with four sons, expanded to an entire city block, and third-generation family members still work there. It was recognized for longevity, industry achievement and sales tax and employment. Accepting, Richard Pride said the business had had “over 20 uh 23 uh employees that were Prides” over the years.
Trader Joe's El Cerrito, in the community over five years and, as read, exceeding all the company's expectations, was named corporate sponsor of the year for daily donations to the Bay Area Rescue Mission and was recognized for industry achievement, sales tax and employment, and contribution to the community; Captain James Gibons and first mate Aaron Sheety (as captioned) accepted. The three winners and Mayor Jones gathered for a photo.
06 A critic's oral communication, the webcast and adjournment captions 87–99
0:31:40council thank you Ken the next item on the agenda is the oral Communications from the public is there any other uh comments com Now's the Time thank you very much thank you and thank you supervisor Joya for encouraging me to speak out the other perspective I do one would think that with a recently
0:32:07closed Target store an $8 million subsidy that's what I'm guessing in public FS down the drain and the ever increasing number of close doors in elero one would think that our Economic Development onto rash would have more important or first priority issues to deal with other than
0:32:28handing outs so these people certainly deserve the adward the yes the three businesses do deserve the recognition but what about the serito movie theater we have friends of the theater here I see some T-shirts uh I sat in on the discussion at the economic development board and
0:32:48the similar recognition of the theater was considered by it but the most amazing thing about this discussion was that these EDB volunteers were not even told that the theater is Far Behind by now perhaps by year in its lease payments also the county filed a tax
0:33:07lean against the theater obviously under the circumstances staff was too embarrass to honor the theater they're not even able to pay the $10,000 per month on what the city claims was a $55 million investment of public funds but in real reality was perhaps 7 million now it's a pity
0:33:28I like the theater it was set up to fail Redevelopment money is obviously Play money to our City's political and administrative Entourage some of us wish the money had instead gone to a much needed and long Pro promised refurbishment of our Public Library but yes there are many people
0:33:47who like the theater but I'm sorry that it can now also also serve as the mine Canary in our increasingly hazardous fiscal pit and in the coming fiscal meltdown we at least have some rather useless bureaucrats to lay off elero may not be easy on business startups even with Hefty subsidies but
0:34:08what I cannot understand is why these folks including my friend Ken who was giving the presentation they cannot even do or encourage some obvious and easy things for instance Pete's Coffee House on Solano is getting outside cheating but nothing like that is being
0:34:27considered for elero speeds though it sits right next to a potentially very nice creek on what should be the Alon green way to baay Trail connection and there like opportunities now I suggest that the council recognize failure as much as it does successes and it is very telling that
0:34:47the successes are private businesses but the failures were wretched up by our city hall Entourage so enjoy your new day while it lasts thank you we will thank you um before we adjourn here there's a couple things first of all please join us for uh celebration uh afterwards in the in the
0:35:13lobby there'll be uh drink and food out there and I'd just like to uh read this here it's it's a special announcement the this evening begins our webcast of the city council and the Redevelopment agency meetings over the worldwide web in addition to the usual cable
0:35:30broadcasts residents can now watch meetings live and On Demand at their convenience through through a link to the city's website www.lcso.org so thank you looking for a motion to adjourn also move second it's been moved and second to adjourn thank you very much for coming out
0:35:53really appreciate your support thank you [Applause]
In oral communications from the public, a speaker thanked Supervisor Gioia “for encouraging me to speak out the other perspective”. With the Target store recently closed, an $8 million subsidy (“that's what I'm guessing”) in public FS (as captioned) “down the drain”, and more closed doors in town, the speaker said economic development had more important priorities than handing out awards. The businesses deserved recognition, the speaker said, but the Economic Development Board had considered honoring the Cerrito movie theater without being told that the theater was far behind, “perhaps by year”, in its lease payments and that the county had filed a tax lien; it could not pay $10,000 per month on what the city claimed was a $55 million (as captioned) public investment, in reality “perhaps 7 million”. The speaker liked the theater, said it was set up to fail, wished the money had gone to refurbishing the public library, and pointed to Pete's Coffee House (as captioned) on Solano getting outside seating (captioned "cheating") while the one in El Cerrito, beside a creek on what should be the Ohlone Greenway (captioned "Alon green way") to Bay Trail connection, had nothing similar. The speaker suggested the Council “recognize failure as much as it does successes” and closed: “enjoy your new day while it lasts”.
Before adjourning, the presiding officer invited everyone to a celebration in the lobby and announced that the evening began the webcast of City Council and Redevelopment Agency meetings, which, in addition to the usual cable broadcasts, residents could watch live and on demand through a link on the city's website. A motion to adjourn was moved and seconded.
Outcome Adjourned on a motion, moved and seconded.