Terry Nagel | Check Who Is Endorsing Terry!

January 24, 2005

Dear Friend:

It’s time for the City Council to decide its goals for the coming fiscal year. On Saturday, January 29, the council will meet from 9 a.m. to noon in the Lane Room to discuss the city’s budget and list goals for 2005-2006.

You are invited to attend and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting, which is scheduled to begin about 10:30 a.m., but why not email the council today about your top priorities for the city? An email sent to council@burlingame.org will reach all five council members.

One caveat: The coming fiscal year will be another tight one for Burlingame. We may have to cut as much as $2 million from the budget, and we’ve already trimmed it significantly. Under the compromise that California cities and counties made with the governor that voters approved as Proposition 1A, the state can continue to grab our local tax dollars for another year. That practice should end in fiscal year 2006-2007. Thanks to everyone who helped win the passage of Prop 1A!

2004 Accomplishments

During 2004, the City Council approved the Peninsula Hospital project and detailed plans for the North End and Bayfront areas of Burlingame. The council reinstated study sessions on important city issues and, with generous help from benefactors, reopened the now-beautiful Easton Branch library.

A majority of the council turned down Safeway’s plan for a 67,000 square foot big-box store on Howard Avenue and invited Safeway representatives to discuss designs that integrate better with the surrounding neighborhood. Two local architects have already created comprehensive design proposals for the Safeway area, free of charge, to help keep the discussion going.

Thanks largely to the many energetic citizens’ groups that have formed in Burlingame, here are some other good things that were accomplished during 2004:
Due to BULB’s many meetings with PG&E, power reliability continued to be better than in the past. PG&E has spent more than $2.4 million on improvements to Burlingame and has agreed to split two troublesome, large circuits in half, which should further decrease power outages.

With help from the city staff, citizens’ groups persuaded the California Public Utilities Commission to reroute the high-voltage Jefferson-Martin power line away from Trousdale Drive. Although it will be routed along Skyline Drive in Burlingame, it will be buried underground rather than run overhead.

A group of local citizens and I worked with the Broadway Merchants Association to organize the first Burlingame Pet Parade since the 1950s, an event that drew hundreds of spectators. You can see photos from the parade at www.burlingamepetparade.com.

A very sad event, the untimely death of former Councilwoman Gloria Barton, prompted citizens to offer donations of public art in her memory. Out of this tragedy came some good: A city policy on public art is now being drafted.

Thanks to donations from Wells Fargo and the Burlingame Lions Club, I organized a free financial planning seminar for high school and college students.

Citizens for a Better Burlingame (CBB) and the Burlingame Historical Society hosted excellent seminars and programs on land use and the city’s history that attracted record crowds and fostered a sense of community.

The Burlingame Historical Society won permission to use the historic Burlingame Avenue train station as a museum, and the state recognized the Severn Lodge Dairy wallscape on California Drive as the city’s first California Point of Historical Interest.

CBB organized a fund-raising campaign called “The $32 Solution” that helped restore funding for the school crossing guards and has raised more than $25,000 to date.

CBB volunteers planted colorful blooms in the planters on Burlingame Avenue.

I created a list of Emergency Contacts and Helpful Information for Burlingame Residents with details on whom to call when you need help from the city and how to prepare for major disasters.

To help nonprofit organizations wrestling with budget cuts, as well as the City of Burlingame, I published a Burlingame Community Wish List that lists items these groups would like donated. Many thanks to ColorPrint of Burlingame, which donated the printing, and to Janice Prey Wolfe, who designed the booklet.

Friday, January 28 – 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Free public forum on power reliability called “Keeping the Lights On in California."
Saturday, January 29 – 9 a.m.-noon, Lane Room, Burlingame Public Library. City Council’s annual goal-setting session. Public input welcome at about 10:30 a.m., or email comments to council@burlingame.org.
Wednesday, February 2 – 6-7:45 p.m., Little Fox Theatre, 2209 Broadway, Redwood City. Noted real estate economist Denise Conley will speak at The Forum at Redwood City: A Continuing Conversation on City Design about “The Economics of Mixed Use – A New Opportunity for Downtown Development.”
Monday, February 7 – 7 p.m., City Hall. City Council meeting. The council is scheduled to consider the BRACE merchants’ request for parking.
Tuesday, February 8 – 6:30 p.m. general meeting, 7 p.m. free public forum by Citizens for a Better Burlingame on architect Martin Dreiling’s concept for the Safeway site.
Tuesday, February 22 – 5 p.m. Deadline for applications to the Burlingame Planning Commission (3 seats). Please contact Terry to recommend candidates, especially those with design experience. You can, of course, nominate yourself.
Tuesday, February 22 – 7 p.m., City Hall. City Council meeting. PG&E is scheduled to report to the council on its progress.

Here’s to an even better 2005!

Sincerely,

Terry Nagel

2004 Accomplishments

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