Celebrating a Year of Black History

This week in Getting the Job Done, I’d like to thank my colleague, Board President Supervisor Horsley, for hosting a year-long speaker series celebrating Black History. Over the course of the year, at nearly every Board Meeting, we had the pleasure of hearing from African American residents of San Mateo County. For those in attendance, and for those watching from afar, it was a wonderful opportunity to take a moment and celebrate Black History and the remarkable contributions that African Americans have made and continue to make in our community.

Warren Award Recipient: Matthew Mariani

Boy Scouts take an oath to “to help other people at all times.” For a Scout to receive the coveted Eagle Scout rank, they must take that oath to the next level and “plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or community.”

Adoption of Final Dumbarton Transportation Corridor Study

  This week, the SamTrans Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt the Final Dumbarton Transportation Corridor Study. This vote represents a major step forward for the Bay Area to tackle the region’s serious and growing traffic issue. The approval of the Study signals that local leaders and private companies alike are serious about creating mobility alternatives along the Dumbarton Corridor between Alameda County, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Warren Award Recipient: Women in County Government Honorees

Earlier this week, San Mateo County honored four remarkable women at the 2017 Women in County Government 27th Annual Luncheon. These women, all County employees, were recognized for their outstanding service, hard work and dedication in helping the residents of San Mateo County. I want to personally congratulate all the award recipients and thank them for their contributions to the County ‑ they have each earned a “Warren Award.” The honorees are:

Connect17 Conference

In November, I was proud to co-host our fifth annual Connect Conference. This year’s Connect17, “Disruptive Technologies that Impact our Communities,” was held at the Gilead Sciences headquarter in Foster City. Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, Assemblyman Marc Berman, and Rosanne Foust, President & CEO of SAMCEDA, and I were pleased to welcome a roster of distinguished speakers who shared their ideas, stories, passions and best practices for using disruptive technologies to better impact our schools, nonprofits, services and public agencies.

Warren Award Recipient: San Mateo County Veterans Commission

 Last week, it was my honor to attend our 2nd annual Veteran of the Year Luncheon put on by the San Mateo County Veterans Commission. For nearly a year, the Veterans Commission has met to organize this special luncheon to recognize and thank our veterans for their service.

Honoring Our Veterans

On the eve of Veterans Day, read about my experience serving in the Army in the Vietnam War, and how lessons learned there can be applied to the work for and care of our veterans under the motto “Leave No Man Behind.”  http://ow.ly/XAqv30guPri

The Movement for Dumbarton Corridor Improvements

Yesterday, 20 regional leaders from Bay Area counties including myself sent a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). We urged MTC to focus attention and consider more options along the Dumbarton Corridor, to ensure that it is a regional transportation priority. I am proud to have initiated this coalition of regional leaders. The Dumbarton Corridor is a key component of our transportation network. Its vitality and strength will be crucial to creating high functioning system.

Warren Award Recipient: Carolyn Livengood

You can't throw a stone in San Mateo County without meeting a long-time resident who has found memories of and appreciation for Carolyn Livengood. I adjourned in her memory today at the Board of Supervisors meeting. And, it is with gratitude and sadness that I grant her a posthumous Warren Award.  Carolyn was a tenacious journalist with heart and soul. And, she was a tireless volunteer for veterans and veteran causes. Carolyn was resident of San Bruno since 1948 – and was involved in many activities in the town she called home.

Supporting Transit-Accessible Mixed Use Affordable Housing

Supervisor Horsley and I wrote an op-ed in support of the Gateway at Millbrae Station that was published today in the San Mateo Daily Journal. The project, a mixed-use development, would include 80 units of affordable housing with a preference for veterans, generate more than $1.2 million in net revenue and create more than 1,400 jobs.

Funding Projects and Programs that Matter

As Supervisor, I have had the opportunity to fund programs through district-specific Measure K money that can make a real difference in people's lives and in our community.

Warren Award Recipient: Recology

What makes an organization a great partner? It's not just doing the job well – it’s doing it well and in collaboration with the community. Recology is a great partner and it is for that reason that they receive this Warren Award.