January 5, 2010

Dear Friend:

What’s your New Year’s resolution? Most people vow to stop doing something, like smoking, overeating or drinking. Instead, why not opt to start doing something that engages your brain, uses your skills and helps your city? Here are some opportunities that await you:

Resolution No. 1: Help your neighbors.

If you are a block captain in your neighborhood or want to become one, please come to the Burlingame Neighborhood Network meeting this Saturday, January 9, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Lane Community Room at the main Burlingame Public Library. Rocque Yballa of the Central County Fire Department will teach you how to set up an Incident Command Center in your neighborhood, so that everyone can operate optimally during a disaster.  Others will explain the basics of starting a new Neighborhood Network group to promote emergency preparedness, crime prevention and old-fashioned neighborliness.
Free coffee, pastries and fruit will be served. Please RSVP by Thursday, January 7, to info@theneighborhoodnetwork.org. For more information about the Neighborhood Network program, go to www.theneighborhoodnetwork.org.
By the way, if you’re having trouble finding a meeting space for your group, note that the City Council has approved making city rooms available at no charge to groups meeting to learn about emergency preparedness and crime prevention or for the purpose of building community. Requests must be made in advance and approved by the city manager. To download the meeting request form and a list of spaces available, visit http://www.burlingame.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=5172. You can also call the city manager’s office at (650) 558-7204.

Resolution No. 2: Get involved in high speed rail.

The largest public works project ever proposed in California is scheduled to run right through the middle of Burlingame, along the Caltrain tracks. If it is designed without reflecting the concerns of local citizens, the high speed rail line could negatively impact the quality of life here for many years. On the other hand, high speed rail could be an asset, providing grade separations that improve traffic flow and increase safety, ushering in more local train service and, if it is underground, freeing up open space.
Get up to speed on what’s happening and how you can be part of the process. Attend regular meetings of the Peninsula Cities Consortium, an alliance of five cities that are working together to promote a positive high speed rail solution. PCC meetings are held every other Friday. Menlo Park will be start hosting them this Friday, January 8, from 8:15 to 9:45 a.m. in Menlo Park’s Council Chambers at 701 Laurel St. You are welcome to attend and comment during these meetings.
In addition, please plan to attend the State Senate Informational Hearing on high speed rail scheduled on Thursday, January 21, at 7 p.m. in Palo Alto's Council Chambers at 250 Hamilton Ave. State Senators Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) and Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) will cohost the meeting; both have influence over the purse strings that control high speed rail. (Simitian chairs that State Senate's Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection, Energy and Transportation and Lowenthal chairs its Transportation and Housing Committee.) This event is open to the public.
Finally, sign up on the PCC Web site at www.peninsularail.com to keep informed about future high speed rail developments.
To stay informed about high speed rail and other city developments, sign up for the city’s e-news at www.burlingame.org/signup.

Resolution No. 3: Help Burlingame go green.

The new Burlingame Citizens Environmental Council (BCEC) is busy planning ways to help reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability in our city. Projects under discussion for 2010 include a “Drive Less” challenge, green speaker series, green house tour, green street fair, bike tours, school projects, green building guidelines, green business certification and a new Web site.
BCEC’s next meeting is this Thursday, January 7, at 7 p.m. If you would like more information, please contact BCEC Chair Stan Vistica at hapvist@gmail.com or Vice Chair Jerry Winges at  jlw@wingesaia.com.
In my new role as a board member of the county’s Transportation Authority, which allocates the half-cent tax we pay on transportation-related projects and programs, I am interested in hearing your ideas for alleviating traffic congestion and promoting public transit and bike and pedestrian access. Please email me at terry@terrynagel.com.

Short Takes

• You can recycle your Christmas tree on your regular recycling day. Remove all ornaments and other decorations and place it on the curb next to your green yard trimmings cart
• When will we have a new Safeway? Attend the Planning Commission meeting on January 11, at 7 p.m. in City Hall and see the plans for yourself. (They are also posted on the city’s site at http://www.burlingame.org/Index.aspx?page=1366 )
  
• Acclaimed AP Government teacher Kevin Nelson will present a Teen Financial Workshop on Tuesday, January 26, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Lane Room at the Burlingame Public Library. His goal: to arm teens with tools for effective money management while in college and to learn the difference between good debt and bad debt. It’s free. For more information, call (650) 558-7400, ext. 2.
• Applications for the Planning Commission will be accepted through January 29 to fill the vacancy created when Michael Brownrigg was elected to the City Council and two other seats that will expire on April 7. Applicants are expected to attend at least one Planning Commission meeting during January
• Learn about U.S. Census job opportunities at a workshop on Tuesday, January 19, at 7 p.m. in the Lane Room at the Burlingame Public Library
• Sound off about loud train horns! Send an email to TrainNoise@burlingame.org with information about the time and date you heard the train horn, the number on the train engine, if you were able to see it, and details about what the horn sounded like. Please send your email immediately because the “black boxes” that capture information about horn use only hold the data for 24 hours.
• The U.S. Geological Survey is seeking Twitter users to post quick messages when earthquakes occur. Go to http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/waveforms/netq/ to learn more; sign up at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/waveforms/netq/nocal.php
  If you are interested in applying for a seat on the Citizens Redistricting Commission that will change the way electoral district boundaries are drawn in California, go to www.WeDrawTheLines.ca.gov. Initial applications must be submitted by February 12
• Employers are invited to a Commute Solutions Workshop on Thursday, January 28, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the San Mateo Public Library at 55 West Third St. It is presented by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the San Mateo County Air Quality Resource Team. The cost of $25 includes breakfast. Register by January 14 here: http://www.sparetheair.org/Get-Involved/Your-Community/Resource-Teams/San-Mateo.aspx