Walnut Creek City Manager's Update For May 2023

Press release from the City of Walnut Creek:

A message from the City Manager

Spring is officially here, kicking off a series of events in Walnut Creek that will run through summer. It is great to have many of the traditional events back in person. One of the most special for the City is our annual Memorial Day commemoration. This year's event will take place in Civic Park at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 29. Mayor Cindy Silva will serve as host, and we'll have special remarks by our keynote speaker regarding the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. Music, as always, will be provided by the Walnut Creek Concert Band. I hope you'll join us!

Questions about this update or anything else? Email me at CMUpdates@walnut-creek.org

City Council Update

Several members of Walnut Creek's community-based Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force presented a series of recommendations to the City Council in April. Task Force members had been developing their ideas over the past year-and-a-half with an eye towards actions that would make all residents feel a sense of belonging. The Council thanked the Task Force members for their hard and thoughtful work, noting DEI is one of the five adopted City Council priorities. In June, City staff will prepare an overview of next steps on the recommendations.

The Council also adopted a resolution urging federal, state, and local authorities to support efforts to exonerate the "Port Chicago 50," Black servicemen who were unfairly blamed and incarcerated for an incident in 1944 during which hundreds of people were killed or injured in a munitions explosion at the former naval base in Concord. The incident and subsequent trial would become one of the catalyzing events leading to the desegregation of the Navy. You can find out more about their story online, and by visiting the Port Chicago Naval Magazine and Memorial.

Coming up at the Council's meeting Tuesday, May 2, an overview of the City's budget will be presented, including a discussion of the potential use of money raised from the sales tax increase approved by Walnut Creek voters last November.

A3 program update

There is good news to report on the countywide mobile crisis response program known as "A3." The goal of the program is to ensure that anyone who lives anywhere in Contra Costa County can have timely and appropriate crisis mental health response 7 days a week, 24 hours per day. Although one of the challenges has been hiring enough behavioral health workers to staff the response teams, progress has been made in that regard; the number of teams has increased from 2 to 15, with an average response time of one to two hours. The hours of operation have also increased, with teams available from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. There were nearly 3,000 calls for help in 2022, and though most issues are resolved by speaking with someone by phone, mobile teams were dispatched more than 500 times last year.

If you or a family member needs help, you can call the Miles Hall Crisis Call Center directly at 844-844-5544 during the 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. hours, or 988 anytime. Find out more about how A3 works at the program website.

Join us May 3 for a community workshop to review the City's draft Sustainability Action Plan

Environmental sustainability and climate action continue to be among the City Council's top priorities. Staff is now developing a new Sustainability Action Plan that will guide efforts to address climate change through 2045. A draft of the Plan has been released on our website, and a virtual community workshop will take place on Wednesday, May 3, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. You'll have a chance to get an overview of the plan, ask questions and provide feedback. We also have posted an online survey to continue to gather public input. The survey will be available through May 21. Visit the Sustainability Action Plan webpage for details on the workshop, the survey and the draft plan itself.

City's Outdoor Dining Program Launches

During the pandemic, dining outdoors was often the only option to enjoy a meal at many of our wonderful Walnut Creek restaurants. The structures built were temporary in nature, but the concept of outdoor dining was overwhelmingly popular and here to stay. The City has now launched a new program to set some standards for the outdoor spaces to ensure safety as well as an enjoyable experience. Find out more at the outdoor dining program's website.

Family fun in Walnut Creek's parks

Spring and summer are a perfect time for families to explore many of the City's parks and open spaces. Our Recreation team is launching a scavenger hunt program beginning on May 26 that will help your family find the best our parks have to offer. Parents can register their kids for our Parks Passport program, and clues will direct you to 6 different parks where they can answer a few questions and submit the answer sheets for a chance to win prizes. Find out all the details on the online registration page.

This press release was produced by the City of Walnut Creek. The views expressed here are the author’s own.