As we embark on the new year, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the District 4 successes and achievements for 2011.

1. Grand opening of Alviso Educational Center
2. Expansion of the Berryessa Branch Library parking lot
3. Winning the Great American Litter Pick-Up 2011 Award for the 2nd time
4. Moving forward with Mabury/Commodore Children's Park
5. Establishing the Berryessa Business Association
6. Expanding Businesses at @First in North San Jose

For a complete list, please click here. I also look forward to working with you to continue to make District 4 a better place to live.

Please join me in partnership with the offices of Congressman Mike Honda, Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski, Supervisor Dave Cortese, and 1500AM Radio Host Ha Van for the free Vietnamese Community Health Resource Fair. This event is open to the public.

The Vietnamese Community Health Resource Fair will feature health information at the federal, state, county, and local levels. Attend this community health fair to learn more about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Services, and other health resources.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Sheila Ngo at (408) 535-4904 or district4@sanjoseca.gov.

Sunday, May 20, 2012
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Berryessa Community Center
3050 Berryessa Road
San Jose, CA 95132

Click here to view flyer and for more information.

I invite you to participate in the upcoming District 4 Community Budget Meetings to learn about, and personally impact, the 2012-2013 Proposed Budget.

I am interested in hearing your thoughts, concerns, and priorities for the upcoming budget year. Your feedback will give me valuable insight during the budget process as I work with my colleagues on the City Council.

If you are not able to make it to the community meetings, you can still email me your comments, feedback, and questions at district4@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 535-4904.

Thursday, May 3, 2012
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Alviso Branch Library
5050 N. 1st Street
Alviso, CA 95002

Wednesday, May 16, 2012
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Berryessa Branch Library
3355 Noble Avenue
San Jose, CA 95132

Click here to view flyer and for more information.

Join San Jose's oldest neighborhood festival with musical performances, arts and craft booths, local boutique wines, micro-brewed beer, and food prepared by community groups. This one day event raises funds to keep music education available to students in the Berryessa Union School District.

Come visit my booth for a free re-usable bag and other resources available for you.

For more information, please click here.

Saturday, May 12, 2012
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Berryessa Community Center
3050 Berryessa Road
San Jose, CA 95132

My office, in collaboration with Supervisor Dave Cortese, San Jose Public Library Berryessa Branch, and My Project Youth Connect invite you to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Tamale Making Lesson, Cinco de Mayo Queen Contest, Arts and Crafts for kids, and popular Taco Trucks.

For more information, please contact Betty Barajas at (408) 770-9967.

Saturday, May 5, 2012
11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Berryessa Public Library
3355 Noble Ave
San Jose, CA 95132

For more information on the Queens Contest, please click here.

Sixth to twelfth grade students are invited to participate by submitting photographs depicting the Pride of District 4 and include images that express what the neighborhood means to them, what they are proud of, what inspires them in the neighborhoods of Alviso, Berryessa, and North San Jose, and how they appreciate the environment in District 4.

Entries must be received by 5:00 on Friday, May 4, 2012 and shall be submitted via email to
CSJPhotoContest@gmail.com.

The City of San Jose reserves the right to change the Contest Rules as necessary.

For more information, please contact Sheila Ngo at (408) 535-4904 or district4@sanjoseca.gov.

Click here to view flyer and for more information.

Save and download the Contest Entry Form here.

On Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., my office, in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente, Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, and Berryessa Chiropractic will be co-sponsoring the 2nd Annual District 4 Family Day at the Berryessa Farmers Market.

This event features over 50 family booths, special attractions, and activity booths for children. Visit the Resource Health Fair to learn more about emergency preparedness, recreational programs, and well-being and family safety. Free re-usable bags will be given away to the first 500 people.

For more information, please contact Anh Tran at (408) 535-4904 or district4@sanjoseca.gov.

Saturday, April 28, 2012
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Berryessa Union School District - Parking Lot
1376 Piedmont Road
San Jose, CA 95132

Parking will be available across the street at Piedmont Hills High School.

Click here to view flyer and for more information.

This event is in partnership with my office and the San Jose Fire Departments Office of Emergency Services. The purpose of the event is to teach residents the basics of disaster preparedness.

For more information, please contact Anh Tran at (408) 535-4904 or district4@sanjoseca.gov.

Saturday, April 14, 2012
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Berryessa Community Center
3050 Berryessa Road
San Jose, CA 95132

Click here to view flyer and for more information.

Click on the image to view flyer and for more information.

On Friday, August 26, 2011, my office will be hosting the District 4 Safety Resource Fair and Movie Night which will feature resources, ranging from our City departments to the County of Santa Clara.  My goal is to help residents see what kind of services the City and the County has to offer with information and other resources at the event.  Families will learn about safety during the school, have fun with activities for the children, and enjoy a BBQ.  I encourage residents to come and enjoy this event and join other District 4 residents later in the evening for an outdoor family movie night. Don't forget your blankets and lawn chairs!

Friday, August 26, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Resource Fair/Children's Activities
8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. p.m. District 4 Outdoor Movie Night - Megamind
Flickinger Park
2099 Ulster Dr, San Jose, 95131

Click on the image to view flyer

This year's National Night Out was a success! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who participated in last Tuesday's National Night Out event. This year, we had 5 events in District 4 and over 80 events citywide.

My staff and I had the opportunity to visit all 5 events in the district and provided resources to share with the neighbors. This year, I worked collaboratively with the San Jose Police Department, San Jose Crime Prevention Unit, and the Alviso Neighborhood Group to co-sponsor the Alviso National Night Out Event, where we had an attendance of over 370 community members. In addition, I hosted a National Night Out Resource Fair and Movie Night at Townsend Park for residents who did not have an event in their neighborhoods. Over 250 community members were were present for the resource fair and movie night.

National Night Out was a successful partnership between the community, San Jose Police Department, and the City of San Jose. I would also like to thank our community partners, Townsend Park Neighborhood Association and Parks and Recreation Staff, for their support and assistance. The success of District 4 depends on the collaborative efforts of our communities. To view pictures from the event, please visit: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/gallery.asp.

If your neighborhood is interested in participating in National Night Out next year, please contact our office at (408) 535-4904.

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, neighborhoods throughout San Jose are invited to participate with other communities nationwide for the 28th Annual National Night Out. National Night Out will involve over 100,000 communities and over 34 million Americans are expected to participate this year.

National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug awareness, generate support for and participation in anti crime efforts, and strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. In addition, this night sends the message that neighbors are working together to keep their neighborhoods safe.

From 6:00PM-10:00PM on August 2nd, many neighborhoods throughout San Jose will be hosting a variety of special events such as block parties or ice cream socials. National Night Out has been a successful partnership between the community, the Police Department, and the City of San Jose.

If you have organized a National Night Out event with your neighbors in the past, I hope that you will participate again this year. If you have not, I hope that you will consider holding an event on your block. To register your neighborhood for year’s event, please contact the SJ Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit at (408) 277-4133 or visit www.sjpd.org by Friday, July 22, 2011. Registration is free and gives the Police Department and my office the opportunity to attend events held in District 4.

In addition, my office will be sponsoring District 4's Fourth Annual National Night Out Movie Night at Townsend Park. I encourage residents to enjoy the National Night festivities with your neighbors and join other District 4 residents later in the evening for an outdoor family movie night. The movie will start after sunset, at approximately 8:30 p.m. Don't forget your blankets and lawn chairs!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Resource Fair/Children's Activities
8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. p.m. District 4 Outdoor Movie Night - Toy Story 3
Townsend Park
Located off Lundy Avenue at Townsend Avenue @ Townsend Circle
San Jose, CA 95131

Click on the image to view flyer

As the City continuances discussions regarding next year's budget, I want to keep our residents up-to-date on what the City is doing and encourage District 4 residents to learn about, and personally impact, the 2011-2012 Budget.

The City of San Jose continues to face significant fiscal challenges. Our current estimated general fund shortfall is approximately $115 million. The City Council will face many challenges and tough choices in the coming months as we look to balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2011. The City Manager released her proposed budget on Monday, May 2, 2011. Two community budget meetings took place in District 4 on May 3, 2011 at the Alviso Youth Center and May 10, 2011 at the Berryessa Branch Library. Budget study sessions took place May 11-19, 2011 where the City Council discussed the upcoming year's budget.

• Presentation from the Mayor's Office: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_presentation_Mayor.pdf
• Presentation from the City Manager's Office: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_budgetoverview.pdf
• Budget Fact Sheet: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_fact%20sheet.pdf

Each year, the Mayor's Budget Office asks each Council office to submit budget documents by May 25th. These cost-saving ideas are presented in budget documents submitted to the Mayor's Budget Office to guide the Mayor's June Budget Message. Some of the budget documents I submitted include recommendation to reinstate funding to support Youth Intervention Services and the Park Ranger Program as well as cost saving ideas for School Crossing Guards and a School Traffic Safety Program. For links to these budget documents, please see the following links below:

• BD#25: School Crossing Guards
• BD# 26: Youth Intervention Services
• BD #27: Park Ranger Program
• BD#28: School Traffic Safety Program
• BD#29: District 4 Office Budget Carryover

For a complete list of budget documents, please visit: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/mayor/goals/budget/CouncilBudgetDoc.asp#current

The Mayor released his June Budget Message on Friday, June 3, 2011. This document incorporated the recommendations from the City Council and proposes a balanced budget for the next year. Feedback from community members during our discussions over the past few months were also considered and incorporated in the budget message.

The final public hearing on the proposed operating and capital budget will take place on Monday, June 13, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The City Council is expected to review and adopt the Mayor's June Budget Message on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 and to adopt the FY 2011-2012 budget on Tuesday, June 21, 2011.  For more information, please visit: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/budgetinfo.asp.

I appreciate hearing your thoughts, concerns, and priorities over the past few months as the City Council moves forward in preparing the FY 2011-2012 budget. Your feedback has given me valuable insight during the budget process as I work with my colleagues on the City Council.

Participate in District 4's First Annual Photography Contest!
Update: You can now email your submissions to me at district4photographycontest@gmail.com. Deadline is Friday, May 6, 2011 at 5:00PM
East Side Union High School District, Berryessa Union School District, and Orchard School District students are invited to submit photographs depicting the Pride of District 4 and includes what the neighborhood means to them, what they are proud of, what inspires them in the neighborhoods of Alviso, Berryessa, and North San Jose, and how they appreciate the environment in District 4. The winning submissions will have their photos printed onto a colorful reusable bag and three winners will be recognized for best photo and awarded a scholarship.

Submission Deadline is Friday, May 6, 2011 at 5:00PM and should be submitted in digital format on a CD to Council District 4 Office located at City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, 18th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113 or email at district4photographycontest@gmail.com.
To view Contest Rules, please click here.
All submissions should be accompanied by the Waiver/Release Form found here.

If you have any questions regarding the Photography Contest, please contact my office at district4@sanjoseca.gov.

As the City begins discussions regarding next year's budget, I want to keep our residents up-to-date on what the City is doing and encourage District 4 residents to learn about, and personally impact, the 2011-2012 Budget.

The City of San Jose continues to face significant fiscal challenges. Our current estimated general fund shortfall was initially estimated at $70 million and has since grown to approximately $105 million at this time.  The City Council will face many challenges and tough choices in the coming months as we look to balance the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2011.

The City Manager will be releasing her proposed operating budget on May 2, 2011, which will include community feedback received from the series of community budget meetings taking place throughout the city. The City of San Jose continues to provide several opportunities to solicit community input in the budget process.

There will be two community budget meetings taking place in District 4. I invite District 4 residents to attend one of the upcoming community budget meetings so that you will be accurately informed on the complex fiscal issues facing the City. The majority of the meeting will be open for residents to ask questions and provide feedback. The first meeting will take place in Alviso on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Alviso Branch Library. The second meeting will take place in Berryessa on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Berryessa Branch Library. Please see the following links for materials to be distributed at these meetings.

• Presentation from the Mayor's Office: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_presentation_Mayor.pdf
• Presentation from the City Manager's Office: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_budgetoverview.pdf
• Budget Fact Sheet: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/2011_fact%20sheet.pdf

In the coming months, there will be a series of public meetings and study sessions where the City Council will discuss the upcoming year's budget. I encourage all residents to participate in these public meetings to ask questions and express their thoughts and priorities for the budget. I encourage you to visit the District 4 website frequently for the latest news and updates. Click here for more information.

As always, I ask you for your assistance to help me and the City Council understand your priorities by sharing with us your thoughts on how we should create a balanced budget that addresses the fundamental issues of our City, while remaining fiscally responsible. If you would like to share ideas about ways the city can save money or generate revenue, please email me at district4@sanjoseca.gov.

On Tuesday, April 26, 2011, I hosted a community meeting at Vinci Park Elementary School to provide residents an update regarding the BART Silicon Valley project. Over 50 community members attended this meeting. My office coordinated this meeting as soon as I learned that the BART Silicon Valley project was considering the option of full closure at the intersection of Sierra Road and Lundy Avenue for a period of up to 9 months in order for the reconstruction of this intersection to allow for the BART tracks to go beneath. I felt it was extremely important to share this information with your neighborhood as soon as possible so that you were informed about potential changes in our community.

On Thursday, May 26, 2011, VTA hosted a follow up community meeting to provide an update regarding the Sierra and Lundy Intersection Construction. VTA staff provided an overview of the BART to Silicon Valley Project and allocated the majority of the time for community members to walk around the open house stations and speak one-on-one with VTA representatives.

My office will continue to work with VTA to coordinate additional community meetings to receive input from our community. We will all be coming back to the community in late May with more details and answers to your questions. My office will send out more details as we get closer to the meeting date.

Please see the links below to access the power point presentations by the Department of Transportation as well as VTA.  In addition, I enlarged a copy of the map VTA provided that shows where the tracks are at grade, below grade, and elevated. 

• Presentation by VTA (5/26): http://www.vta.org/bart/documents/multimedia/2011/SierraLundyMtg_May26_FINAL_handout.pdf
• Presentation by the City of San Jose's Department of Transportation:http://sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/04-26-11_DOT.pdf
• Berryessa Station Conceptual Video:http://www.vta.org/bart/2011.04.20_Berryessa_Video.wmv
• Presentation by VTA (4/26): http://sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/04-26-11_VTA.pdf
• Rail Map: http://sanjoseca.gov/district4/docs/04-26-11_map.pdf

If you have any additional feedback or concerns, please email VTA at vtabart@vta.org and copy my office at district4@sanjoseca.gov.

On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, I co-sponsored a Redistricting Meeting with the Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council and the Berryessa Union School District. Over 150 community members attended this meeting to learn more about how redistricting may affect our community and the importance of staying engaged and informed during this process.

San Jose State University Professor Terry Christensen and Mike Flaugher, our District 4 representative on the Redistricting Advisory Commission, gave an overview about the redistricting process. Every 10 years, after new population figures from the decennial census are released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The updated Census data will provide more insight on population changes throughout the City and where we will need to adjust our boundaries accordingly to ensure equal representation for San Jose residents. These boundaries determine which Council District represents each resident, and ensures equal representation for all San Jose residents.

The Redistricting Advisory Commission is required to conduct at least 3 public hearings and submit its recommendations within 120 days following its appointment. The City Council must enact an ordinance establishing the new Council District boundaries no later than October 31, 2011.

Bill Hughes, the Chair of the Berryessa Citizens Advisory Redistricting Subcommittee, addressed the State's redistricting process. Currently, District 4 is split among Congressional Districts 15 and 16; State Assembly Districts 20, 22, 23, and 24; and State Senate Districts 10 and 13. As a result, this has greatly diminished our community's voice.

As we go through the redistricting process this year, I encourage you and your neighbors to stay engaged in the process and provide your feedback to my office by emailing district4@sanjoseca.gov.

If you were unable to attend the meeting, please see below for the meeting summary and presentation materials:

• Meeting Summary
• Presentation by Terry Christensen
• Presentation by Mike Flaugher
• Redistricting Commission Informational Handout by Mike Flaugher
• Letter from Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council Regarding State Redistricting Process
• Meeting Handout
• Map of Council Districts

My office recently learned that the BART Silicon Valley project is considering the option of full closure of the intersection of Sierra Road and Lundy Avenue for a period of up to 9 months. Traffic detours would be in place during the closure period.

This closure would allow VTA to complete work on the reconstruction of Sierra Road and Lundy Avenue to allow the BART tracks to go beneath. VTA also brought up a another construction plan that would require partial closure of the intersection. However, they believe a full closure will shorten the overall duration of construction at this complex crossing by about 9 months and have the least impact on the community.

I believe it is important to share this information with you as soon as possible so that you can be informed about potential changes in our community. This decision is still subject to City Council approval. My office will be holding a community meeting on April 26, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Vinci Park Elementary School to provide more information to residents as well as to receive feedback regarding the latest proposal regarding a full closure of the intersection at Sierra Road and Lundy Avenue.

Click here to view flyer.

On Saturday, April 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., my office, in collaboration with Kaiser Permanente and the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, will be co-sponsoring the first District 4 Family Day at the Berryessa Farmers Market.

This event features family booths, special attractions, and activity booths for children. Visit the Resource Fair to learn more about emergency preparedness, recreational programs, and well-being and family safety. Free re-usable bags will be given away to the first 500 people.

Berryessa Union School District - Parking Lot
9:00AM-1:00PM
1376 Piedmont Road
San Jose, CA 95132

Parking will be available across the street at Piedmont Hills High School.

If you would like more information, please email Anh Tran at district4@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 535-4904.

On Saturday, March 26, 2011 there will be a community forum on 'Public Safety: A Public Education Series' from 10AM-12PM. Meet with SJPD Chief Chris Moore and Independent Police Auditor Judge La Doris Cordell and learn how we can collaborate and work towards a safer community.

East Side Union High School District
District Boardroom
10:00AM-12:00PM
830 North Capitol Avenue
San Jose, CA 95133

If you would like more information, please email Rosa Santiago at district4@sanjoseca.gov or call (408) 535-4904.

Every 10 years, after new population figures from the decennial census are released by the U.S. Census Bureau, San Jose establishes new City Council District boundaries. These boundaries determine which Council District represents each resident, and ensures equal representation for all San Jose residents. This spring, the City of San Jose will receive data from the 2010 Census which triggers the City's requirement to redraw boundaries for City Council Districts.

On Tuesday, January 11, 2011, the City Council appointed 11 community members to the City's Redistricting Advisory Commission. The commission consists of one member from each Council District, appointed by the Councilmember from that district, and a chairperson from the city at large who is appointed by the Mayor. I am pleased to announce that I have selected Mike Flaugher as the District 4 representative to the Redistricting Advisory Commission. I believe Mike's knowledge and understanding of the City's boundaries and resources will make him a good representative for District 4.

On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, my office, in collaboration with the Berryessa Citizens Advisory Council and the Berryessa Union School District, will be hosting a redistricting community meeting. The meeting will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Berryessa Community Center. Attend this informational meeting to be informed about the redistricting process and how it affects the District 4 community. For more information, please call my office at (408) 535-4904.

Click here to view flyer.

A community meeting took place on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 to receive input from community members regarding service priorities and identify potential service providers for the reuse of the following neighborhood centers in District 4: Noble Modular and Noble House Neighborhood Center.

The following questions were considered by attendees:

1. What services do you believe are most important and ought to be provided at Noble Modular and Noble House Neighborhood Center?
2. What characteristics are most important to you in the services offered at this facility? Ex: cost, programs, hours of operations (days and times), etc.
3. What are some key points about this community that need to be considered when seeking an outside provider?

If you were not able to attend this meeting, you can still provide input until Friday, February 13, 2011, by calling Rudy Navarro at (408) 535-3576 or via email at rudy.navarro@sanjoseca.gov.

For more information about the community center reuse process, please visit http://www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/facility_reuse/.

I would like to take this time to inform and encourage our resident-based groups and organizations to apply for the Cycle 25 Community Action and Pride (CAP) Grant funding available to assist with events and projects in your neighborhoods.  I am pleased to report that District 4's North Valley Community Association and Alviso Neighborhood Group have been recipients of this grant and have partnered with my office to sponsor National Night Out events and host a free dumpster day for our community.

CAP Cycle 25 runs from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012, and will provide $100,000 in grant funding.  Grants will range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000, with no single activity exceeding $2,500.  The deadline to apply for CAP Cycle 25 will be Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 4:00 p.m.  Click here to apply. For more information, please contact the Neighborhood Development Center at (408) 794-6575 or email CAPgrant@sanjoseca.gov.

We are truly fortunate to have so many outstanding individuals in our community who dedicate their time to make District 4 a better place to live. I know there are so many remarkable volunteers who have positively contributed to the success of our community and want to make sure they are recognized for all their hard work and dedication. I made a call for nominations for your help in nominating an outstanding individual, group of individuals, company, or organization that live, work, or volunteer in our community. Nominations were closed on September 30, 2010, and I received an overwhelming response.

An appreciation event will take place on Sunday, January 31, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Berryessa Community Center, to celebrate the contributions of of our community member honorees. Please join us for a free pancake breakfast!

To find out who our honorees are and to read about their contributions to District 4, please click here.

In response to the recent disaster in San Bruno, I invited PG&E and the City's Public Works Department to a community meeting regarding the PG&E gas pipeline safety last Wednesday, October 20, 2010.  The City of San Jose continues to work with PG&E to make sure our pipes are safe and are in good working condition to ensure the safety of our residents. 

Over 20 community members attended the meeting, held at Novellus in North San Jose. PG&E continues to work closely with the City's Department of Public Works to learn more about their gas pipeline system and routine maintenance. The City feels that PG&E is doing a good job in providing information and our confidence level in PG&E is growing as we continue to learn how PG&E operates and maintains their gas pipelines in the City of San Jose.

Kelly Ball, PG&E Gas Superintendent, presented an overview of PG&E's infrastructure system. The transmission pipes are maintained and surveyed once a year in addition to being monitored remotely at the gas control center. PG&E meets regularly with Police, Fire, and other first responders to coordinate response efforts and exchange information about their system.

In addition, PG&E shared information on its gas risk management processes, including real-time system status monitoring. In addition, PG&E summarized their released "Top 100" list as part of their ongoing risk management program used to prioritize their engineering analyses and future work on our transmission pipelines. Two sites have been identified in North San Jose. One pipeline is located near the intersection of Tasman Drive and North First Street and another near the City's border with Milpitas. These pipelines made the list due to their potential for ground movement in the area and not because of the age or condition of the pipes. The pipelines boarder an inactive fault line.

There were 5 main factors when PG&E compiled their "Top 100" list:

1. Potential for 3rd party damage (ex: construction)
2. Corrosion or damage
3. Material or design of pipe
4. Ground movement (ex: potential for earthquake)
5. Location of pipes (ex: environmental, population, density)

The overall message of the community meeting was to reassure residents that there is no immediate danger to the area. We cannot speculate on what happened in San Bruno but PG&E assures residents that if something is wrong with a pipe, they are required to take immediate action. PG&E receives real time alerts and are notified immediately if there is an issue and sends a representative out to look at the pipes.

If you are experiencing any of the following warning signs, please notify PG&E immediately at 1-800-PGE-5000:

• If you smell of gas (natural gas smells like rotten eggs)
• If you notice a drop in the gas pressure
• If work is being done in your neighborhood that may disrupt the gas lines (ex: cable installation, road repairs, construction, etc.)
• If your neighborhood has a history of contamination/environmental concerns

At this time, the City of San Jose continues to work with PG&E to make sure our pipes are safe and are in good working condition to ensure the safety of our residents. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Deputy Director of Public Works, Timm Borden, at (408) 535-8499 or via email at Timm.Borden@sanjoseca.gov.

As we embark on the new year, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the District 4 successes and achievements for 2010:

Grand opening of Alviso Marina
Demolition of the old Berryessa Branch Library
Grand opening of Brocade and Target in North San Jose
Groundbreaking of Advanced Water Treatment Facility
Grand Opening of Fire Station 19
Expansion of the Berryessa Branch Library parking lot
Berryessa Business Association Kick-Off
For a complete list, please visit http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district4/2010.asp

I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues on the City Council in the coming year to solve long-term budget issues and find creative solutions to address and preserve essential services to our residents. I also look forward to working with you to continue to make District 4 a better place to live. I encourage you to contact my office or continue to take advantage of my community office hours so that I can be of assistance to you all.

During the 2010-2011 budget process, 22 Community Centers initially proposed for closure had operational funding restored for a single year, and staff was directed to utilize this one-time funding period to pursue reuse partnerships for those sites. At this time, the City is trying to identify alternative service providers for these community centers. Both non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations are welcome to apply.

The City of San Jose will be releasing a Request for Interest (RFI) to identify and secure Reuse partnerships that can partner with the City to keep the centers open. The RFI for Phase 1 was released on September 1, 2010 for the first six "high-need" sites. Phase 2 was released on Novmeber 29, 2010 for the remaining 16 sites. Proposals for Phase 2 will be due on January 28, 2011. For more information about the community center reuse process, please click here. For a list of the Phase 2 sites, please click here.