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November is Native American Heritage Month
At last night's City Council Meeting, Vice Chair Mangesh Kolhatkar from the City's IDEA Committee was on-hand to accept the City Council's Proclamation designating November 2023 as Native American Heritage Month.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Read and see more information on nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov.
State Parks recognizes California Native Americans have been caring for the land of California since time immemorial and celebrates this vital connection as they proudly partner with California Native American Tribal Nations to steward, protect, and interpret natural and cultural resources. This month, State Parks will host various in-person and virtual events to celebrate and honor Native American Heritage Month, such as “We Are Water Protectors” Story Time (via Zoom), happening Tuesday, November 7th, at 10am.
United Against Hate Week is November 12-18
Mangesh also accepted the evening's second proclamation, designating November 12-18 as United Against Hate Week (UAHW).
UAHW is a community-driven, statewide call for local civic action to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a danger to the safety, cohesion, and civility of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities. Mangesh closed his remarks with a prayer from the Upanishad scriptures, which are over 2,500 years old and typically recited in most schools in India at the start of the day, as it's secular by its very nature, yet relevant to all of humanity.
Lead me from untruth to truth. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. Om Peace Peace Peace.
Please join the IDEA Committee for a Short-Film Festival at City Hall on Sunday, November 12th from 1:30pm-3pm. They have curated a selection of short films ranging from 3-14 minutes and hope to see many members of the community present that day in the Community Meeting Room! Light refreshments will be provided as well as BRISBANE STANDS UNITED AGAINST HATE posters.
Update on Playground Resurfacing Project
Last night's City Council meeting included an update from staff regarding the playground resurfacing project at the Community Park. This project has been in motion since the Council adopted a resolution in 2020 to apply for CA Prop 68 grant funds, supporting the City's preservation of a valued community asset. A majority of the Council expressed their support of the project moving forward with full replacement of the deteriorating rubber surface in order to mitigate existing risks and to maintain ADA accessibility for all members of the public. The Council also expressed support for working with the public to identify opportunity spaces and alternative funding for a new sand area away from the rubber surfacing. Once the construction schedule is finalized with the vendor, City staff will announce the playground closure dates.
The Annual Winter Cleanup Weekend is Here!
Dumpsters were placed this morning around town, ready for you to fill with your yard trimmings. Remember these dumpsters are for green waste only! Please cut tree branches down to 3 feet or less. No plastic bags please. Thank you for taking advantage of this service and helping keep our storm drains clear as we head into the rainy season!
Ms. Dalmacio's Kindergarten Field Trip to City Hall
This past Wednesday, we welcomed Ms. Dalmacio's Kindergartners to City Hall. In class, they're learning about what it means to be an American and recognizing the symbols associated with the U.S. They know that the White House is where the President works, the state capitol is where the Governor works, and know now where the Mayor and City Council work at City Hall. Additionally, they toured around the departments to see what each does to serve the community.
With the addition of a ball toss activity in Parks and Rec, getting fun swag, and telling Firefighter Henry what firefighting gear to put on next, we think they enjoyed their time!
Celebrating Día De Los Muertos at the Library
Thanks to the 25 attendees that came to decorate sugar skulls at the Library Wednesday afternoon for Día de los Muertos! Our lead preschool teacher Marcela Martinez was also there to help out and brought the Mexican hot cocoa, compliments of the IDEA Committee, for attendees to sip on while they decorated their sugar skulls.
Thank you also to the Library for setting up an indoor ofrenda as well as residents Ava St. John and Ari Rosas for putting up the ofrenda outside on the rail for those passing by to admire and contribute to.
Celebrating Halloween at the Park and City Hall
Can we just take a moment to recount All Hallows Eve aka Halloween, and in the case of some of our spirited four-legged friends and their humans, HOWL-O-WEEN? Thank you to all the pups who brought out their paw-rents to Monday's awesome Howl-o-ween event! Congrats to all five winners:
- Best Pair: Stella the hot dog with her humans Frank & Allen as vendors
- Most Creative: Luna as Barry Bonds
- Cutest: Lucy as a Twizzler
- Scariest: Moby & Lily as Angel and Devil
- Honorable Mention: Nutella & Polka as S’mores and a Campfire
If you visited City Hall during October, you saw that Halloween is taken a bit seriously…with it culminating in our annual day-of potluck. It's always fun to see everyone’s costumes. Some went with a department-themed one, others did something on their own or partnered up, as in the case of Travis & Taylor...and if they wanted to join the group costume, they were welcome to do so. 2023's was an ode to this year's cultural phenomenon, the Barbie movie.
Read the November STAR 2023
Major Construction Projects Underway in Brisbane
You may have experienced some traffic while traveling in or through town recently; below are the projects that may explain some of those slight delays.
Sierra Point Parkway & US 101 Northbound Off-Ramp & Intersection Improvements
Bandwidth Bay Crossing Fiber Connection
Intermountain Infrastructure Group Installation of Conduit and Fiber Optic on Lagoon Way
This project extends an installation that started on Alana in Caltrans ROW. The City Engineer anticipates the contractor submitting plans to extend the fiber optic from its terminus at Lagoon/Tunnel across the Tunnel Avenue Bridge onto Bayshore Blvd.
Lastly, there are two more projects for work in Bayshore Boulevard that are permitted but have not yet started:
Intermountain Infrastructure Group Installation of Fiber Infrastructure in Bayshore
Bandwidth Installation of Underground Fiber in Bayshore
Webinar: Faster Freeways – Exploring the Potential of Pricing
Today, freeway congestion is surging back to pre-COVID levels and our transportation system is struggling to keep the Bay Area moving. Drivers are experiencing slower freeways, while transit agencies grapple with funding and reliability challenges. Though transit ridership is slowly recovering, and infrastructure improvement projects are underway, freeway travel is expected to worsen if we don't shift gears.
To envision a better future where overall driving goes down and travel times improve, the MTC's Next Generation Bay Area Freeways Study is exploring the feasibility of all-lane freeway tolling. Pricing freeways can reduce freeway travel time, encourage more sustainable travel behavior, and fund public transit and road safety improvements that will make it easier for future generations to embrace viable alternatives to driving.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission will conduct a public webinar as part of the Next Generation Bay Area Freeways Study, which seeks to better understand the feasibility of all-lane tolling on freeways with robust parallel transit in 2035. The webinar will present two future scenarios of the Bay Area – one with freeway pricing, and one without. Participants will then weigh in on the tradeoffs between those two scenarios and provide feedback on potential pricing strategies and complementary strategies that could be funded with freeway toll revenue.
There will be two opportunities to attend the virtual event live. Both presentations will be the same, so participants need only attend one webinar. Join the webinar via Zoom on either Tuesday, November 7th, 12-1:30pm or Wednesday, November 8th, 5-6:30pm.
No registration is required in order to attend. Public input will be used to further refine the study’s analysis before a final recommendation is presented to the Commission in 2024.
For those who cannot attend live, a video recording will be posted to mtc.ca.gov/FasterFreeways. Feedback and questions can be submitted by emailing info@bayareametro.gov.
Affordable Housing Strategic Plan Update
In 2021, aligned with the launch of the 2023-2031 Housing Element update, the City Council authorized the preparation of an Affordable Housing Strategic Plan (AHSP) to guide the City's financial planning and priorities related to developing new affordable housing and preserving existing affordable housing. The revised Draft AHSP will be presented to the City Council on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 7:30pm. In the interim, please let the Community Development Department know what you think about the revised Draft AHSP by submitting your questions or feedback via their online webform.
Visitacion Light Festival, Nov. 10 & 11
This exciting event will take place at the neighboring Visitacion Valley Greenway over two nights on Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th from 5-8pm each night. You are invited to bring your family and friends along to experience this enchanting second annual event!
Diwali Celebration at the Brisbane Library November 18
Join us for a Diwali celebration at the Brisbane Library on November 18th from 1pm to 4pm! Immerse yourself in the radiant festival of lights, filled with dance workshops and performances, arts and crafts, delectable bites, and a sense of unity that exemplifies the spirit of Diwali. As we come together to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness, this event will be the first of its kind in Brisbane, thanks to the support and partnership of the community members, Mothers of Brisbane, San Mateo County Libraries, and the City’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accountability (IDEA) Committee.
Let's share the joy and traditions of Diwali in the company of your neighbors, friends and family. Mark your calendar and brighten up your day with us. Event activities registration link will be shared next week.
Annual Holiday Food & Gift Distribution - How to Register or Donate!
Could you or someone you know use a little extra support this holiday season? Then make sure to register for this year's Holiday Food and Gift Distribution. Brisbane residents can register in-person at the YMCA Community Resource Center located at 1486 Huntington Ave #100, South San Francisco Monday 8am-12pm; Tuesday/Thursday 8am-4pm. Registration can also be completed online Monday-Friday 8am-4pm by emailing crc@ymcasf.org or calling (650) 276-4104 x4. Make sure you bring your ID's, proof of your address, and a birth certificate/or school registration or ID card of minors in the household. The day-of the event will be Tuesday, December 19th, 2023 from 3-5pm at Brisbane City Hall (50 Park Pl).
If you'd like to DONATE non-perishable food or new, unwrapped toys, you can do so until December 15th by dropping them in the cart found in the lobby of City Hall (50 Park Place) or in the bin located in the Police Department's lobby (147 Valley Dr.)
Be Careful to Not Leave Valuables in your Car
With the holidays approaching, and many stores advertising sales to draw customers inside, the Brisbane Police Department wants to remind residents to never leave anything of value in your car. Even an old coat on the back seat is a temptation for someone to “smash and grab.” Criminals steal first and think about value later. So remember this holiday season, don't leave valuables in your car...take them with you where they'll be safer. To alert the Police Department of anything suspicious you're seeing in town, please call the dispatch number, 415-467-1212.
Take the Age-Friendly Community Survey In-Person at an Upcoming City or Library Event
You likely have heard that the City of Brisbane was designated as an Age-Friendly City in June of this year, with the next step being a community-wide AARP survey for residents 45 and older. You can pick up hard copy surveys at any of the above events, including Agile Aging on 11/14 from 10:30-11:30am, and Design & Build on 12/6 from 1:30-4pm. Hard copy surveys as well as the survey link will be provided to water aerobics participants starting on Monday at the Community Pool.
Test Drive an Induction Cooktop Unit for 2 Weeks
Interested in testing out a countertop induction cooktop at home? You can do so through PG&E’s Induction Cooktop Loaner Program! If you’re a PG&E customer, you’re invited to try a plug-in countertop induction unit for two-weeks, at no cost. Learn more and reserve an induction unit. Induction cooktops are more energy efficient than traditional gas or electric resistance cooktops. They also heat food faster, offer improved temperature control, and are easier to clean!
Time is Running Out for a Limited Time Discount on Home Solar + Battery Storage
Bay Area SunShares makes it simpler to go solar + storage by providing discounts with pre-vetted quality installers. Sign up now for the limited-time SunShares discount before it expires November 15th!
Brisbane Farmers' Market: Thursdays in the Park, UPDATED HOURS 2-6PM STARTING NEXT WEEK, 11/9
- Mountain Fresh
- Villanueva Fruits
- Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn
- California Bakeshop
- California's Crêpe
- Hummus Heaven
- James Healey Confections
- Medina Berry Farms
- Amelia's Mexipino Cuisine
- Pasta Rey Artisanal Foods
- Roadside Rotisserie
- The Daisy Refillery (returning 11/16)
Veterans Day Flag Raising Event, 11/10
State of the City Address, 11/15
Lifeguard Certification Course in November
COVID & Community Health Updates
County Health is recommending that everyone who is eligible get the seasonal flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines are available from health care providers and local pharmacies. Use MyTurn to find a location near you. Residents without health coverage who need flu or COVID-19 vaccines should contact County Health at (650) 573-2877 or SMCHealth_IZ@smcgov.org for more information.
Vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. Vaccination also reduces your chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration. If you have not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past 2 months, get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect yourself this fall and winter.
Masks are optional at all City facilities. City Hall's Public Walk-In Hours are M, Tu, Th: 9-4, W: 9-7, and F: 9-12. View our online services to get city business taken care of from the comfort of home.
San Mateo County and statewide data regarding cases, deaths, positivity, and hospitalizations:
Upcoming Public Meetings
Archived Meeting Videos
Open Space and Ecology Committee Meeting - Wednesday, October 25, 6:30pm
Planning Commission Meeting - Thursday, October 26, 7:30pm
Complete Streets Safety Committee Meeting - Wednesday, November 1, 6:30pm
City Council Meeting Thursday, November 2, 7:30pm
Did You Know?
Horses are not permitted on Crocker Park Recreational Trail. Their steel horseshoes, designed to reduce the risk of wear, cracks, or injuries to the hooves, DO NOT bode well for the newly-resurfaced trail (see below photos).
Quote of the week
This concludes our update; we'll be sending out the next Blast on Wednesday, November 8th, in the afternoon. If this email was forwarded to you or you saw it on social media and would like to subscribe, sign up here. As always, please keep connected with us via our website and social media pages. Thanks for reading and staying engaged with us!