For Immediate Release        Belmont, CA – San Mateo County wants to raise awareness of the benefits and discounts available for veterans, and simplify access to them.  In issuing a standardized identification card, the Human Services Agency hopes to meet and assist the 33,000 veterans and their families residing in San Mateo County.

On May 19th, the Board of Supervisors approved a three-year contract with AECOM, an engineering firm to create the redesign of Middlefield Road between 5th Avenue and Pacific Avenue. This begins an intensive two-year process. If all remains on schedule, construction will begin in the Summer/Fall of 2017. The rebuild and undergrounding of the utilities on Middlefield Road is expected to take a year.

OYE 2015 was an amazing conference with over 200 youth from around Redwood City and North Fair Oaks participating in the May 16th event. Students were allowed to select workshops to participate in - workshops that fit their needs and interests. Parents also participated in this day. I was particularly pleased to see the college scholarship workshops and workshops on preparing for college.

"Finding Success in the New Working World" The Jobs for Youth Program helps youth increase their self-esteem and job-seeking skills. They receive one-on-one support with the toal of attaining gainful employment and becoming responsible adults. There is no cost for youth to participate in the program. Katie Ferrick, of LinkedIn will be the keynote speaker at the breakfast on May 28th!   Tickets are $50/per person. All proceeds go directly to youth services.

On May 19th, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors adopted the Mini-Parks Policy amending the Parks Department Strategic Plan. It was a policy change that Supervisor Horsley and I asked our Parks Director Marlene Finley to develop, if it were feasible. With the help of the Parks Commission Subcommittee and community members, this new policy was created and unanimously approved by both the Parks Commission and our Board.

The Community Choice Aggregation initiative is being led by my colleagues, Supervisor Dave Pine and President of the Board of Supervisors Carole Groom. It is a local energy model that allows cities and counties to pool the electricity load of their residents, businesses and municipal facilities with teh goal of offering consumer choice, affordable rates, and cleaner energy. Read here...

Please join me in congratulating Dr. John Baker who will become the new Superintendent for the Redwood City School District (RCSD) on July 1st! He currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for RCSD. He works with every school in the district to ensure that all students are prepared for success in high school and beyond. He's well-qualified, speaks Spanish and cares deeply about the district. Having known Dr. Baker for years, I am looking forward to his leadership. Warm congratulations, Dr. Baker!   

On April 7th and April 29th, I hosted Tenant & Landlord Informational Forums in North Fair Oaks. The purpose was to provide reliable information on the rights, roles, responsiblities for tenants and landlords and introduce the resources and organizations that offer assistance. Read details here...

Second Harvest Food Bank opened a permanent food pantry at Fair Oaks Community School on May 6th to support the nutritional needs of students and families. At the ribbon-cutting, Principal Josh Griffith of Fair Oaks School talked about how important this on-site pantry will be for many families.

For immediate release Redwood City—Ever wonder about the County of San Mateo’s state of financial health? Have a soft spot for all the facts and figures that illustrate the County’s tax revenue, pension expenses, capital project expenses and other economic nuances?

On Sat., May 2nd, we celebrated the 1st Anniversary of the County's newest park, Friendship Park in North Fair Oaks as part of the Streets Alive! Parks Alive! festival! Friendship Park has become what we all hoped it would be – thriving, blooming, and in full swing!