Did you know that about 44,000 people in San Mateo County struggle with serious mental illness? California Clubhouse is a membership-based organization where people with persistent mental illness rebuild their lives, learn skills and make friends.

San Mateo County Parks has installed machines at three park locations that make it easier for park visitors to pay the $6 entrance fee using cash, debit and credit cards. The three locations are San Bruno Mountain Park, Junipero Serra Park and Coyote Point Recreation Area.

I learned the adage “Leave No One Behind” as a young man in the US Army serving in Vietnam. This morning, I had the honor of speaking at the Veteran Treatment Court’s (VTC) graduation – and this is exactly what this Court does – bringing our veterans in trouble with the law into the light and helping them change the direction of their lives. 

My office recently partnered with the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services to offer the first CERT Academy in North Fair Oaks (and the first to be taught in both English and Spanish).   

The final Environmental Impact Report for the Flood Park improvement project is now available for review. The presentation on the project/EIR is scheduled for the Aug 2 Parks Commission meeting.

I would like to introduce you to the first cohort of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) graduates from North Fair Oaks and congratulate all 39 of them!  

At this month's HEART (Housing Endowment And Resgional Trust) meeting, I was elected as Secretary to the Board by my colleagues. I am honored.

The newly approved state budget will support the creation of Tunitas Creek Beach County Park by providing general funds to develop an emergency access road and to address environmental degradation.

This week, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $764,000 for an Immigration Deportation Legal Defense Fund. We did so after hearing the impassioned pleas from many who came to our last two Board meetings to share their stories – and anger at the treatment of immigrant families, particularly the children, at our borders.

You can’t always get what you want, but you get what you need, like the venerable Mick Jagger says –

To keep the County of San Mateo strong and offer the best services to our residents we must have strong leadership within our employees and for the past 37 years the HR Director, Donna J. Vaillancourt, has been a remarkable leader.