Greetings from the City Manager

Dear Pinoleans,

This is Kelcey Young, your new City Manager. I have been here almost a month now, and I love it more every day! I feel so fortunate to get to be a part of this beautiful and innovative community!

I have a few items I want to share with all of you. First off, I want to thank you all for the warm welcome, and appreciate the ideas and comments you all have shared with me over the past few weeks. I want to encourage you to continue to bring me your ideas and ask me your questions. Please feel free to reach out by email, make an appointment, or come to my office hours. I will hold office hours every Thursday from 3-4pm and can extend by appointment.

Tomorrow is Coastal Clean-up Day! I am very excited to be there and will buy the first 15 people who pick up more trash than I do, a cup of coffee, so bring it on. I am excited to see you all there tomorrow!

Finally, on October 8th, from 5-7pm, we will hold a Meet the City Manager event at the Senior Center. At this event I will discuss the Police Chief recruitment, ask what you hope to see in our new Chief, give you some information on Measure I, and answer any questions you may have. I am really looking forward to seeing you all there!

Upcoming Events

CITY PUBLIC MEETINGS

Planning  Commission - Mon, Sept. 23, 7pm - Zoom/City Hall - CANCELLED

Community Services Commission Meeting - Wed, Sept. 25, 5-7pm - Zoom/City Hall

Planning Commission Special Meeting - Mon, Oct. 7, 7pm - Zoom/City Hall

TAPS Meeting - Wed, Oct. 9, 6pm - Zoom/City Hall

City Council Meeting - Tues, Oct. 15, 5pm - Zoom/City Hall

Community Services Commission Meeting - Wed, Oct. 24, 5-7pm - Zoom/City Hall

Planning Commission Meeting - Mon, Oct. 28, 7pm - Zoom/City Hall

The public may attend and participate in-person in the City Hall Council Chamber or via Zoom. Agendas, minutes, and other detailed information regarding how to attend and participate in Pinole’s public meetings can be found on the website.

CITY-SPONSORED EVENTS

Coastal Cleanup Day -  Sat. Sept. 21, 9am-12pm - Bayfront Park

Senior Food Program – Tues. Sept. 24, 10-11am - Senior Center

National Night Out - Tues. Oct. 1, 5-8pm - Fernandez Park

Dumpster Day - Sat. Oct. 5, 7-11am - Pinole Valley Park Parking Lot

Community Forum - Tues. Oct. 8, 5-7pm - Senior Center

Swabbing Event & Blood Donation - Sun. Oct. 13, 10am-2pm - Fire Station 74

Food Distribution – Mon. Oct. 14, 9-10am - Senior Center

Halloween Movie Night - Fri. Oct. 18, 6:15pm - Fernandez Park

Holiday Craft Fair - Sat. Nov. 16, 10am-3pm - Senior Center

**Please note that the City of Pinole and its facilities will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Monday, November 11.

BIKE THE BRIDGES

On Saturday, October 5, the Pinole Police Department will be supporting the Bike the Bridges Ride benefiting the Special Olympics Northern California. A 1000 riders will pedal their way over the Carquinez and Benicia bridges along five routes (25 miles, 50K, Half Century, 100K, and Century) while raising awareness and support for the Special Olympics. PD staff will be staffing rest stops and also be along the routes in SAG (support and gear) vehicles providing assistance to the riders.

The 15th Anniversary ride sees the start/finish and post-ride festival (BBQ, brewfest, and live music) return to Waterfront Park in Martinez. There is still time to register to ride and for the non-riders, brewfest tickets are available.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Acting Chief Matt Avery at 510-724-8962. There are several volunteer opportunities at the start/finish, rest stops, and as a SAG driver.

Inside the Council Chambers

City Council Stands UNITED Against Hate, posing with proclamation awardees Community Services Department Director, Andrea Dwyer and Recreation Manager, Maria Picazo.

COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

Pinole City Council gave proclamations in honor of National Punctuation Day, Constitution Day, Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, United Against Hate Week, Fire Prevention Week, and California Firefighter Memorial Day.

Pinole resident Peter (with his 5-year old son, a WCCYSL player) speaks to council about how he thinks renovating the East field at Pinole Valley Park would benefit the soccer community for both children and adults.

PINOLE VALLEY PARK PROJECT

Community Services Director Dwyer gave a presentation to council about an upcoming Pinole Valley Park Project that would renovate a field on the east side of the park. This project meets the Key Strategy #1 of the Parks Master Plan, which is to enhance community health and fitness through diverse and engaging support opportunities. The City has met with the West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League (WCCYSL) to discuss potential collaboration on the renovation of the field, and they have expressed interest in helping expand the park's usage. Director Dwyer explained that WCCYSL has collaborated with the City on park improvements in the past (2012). The City has received a quote of $167,050. Funding sources are being explored, and Director Dwyer reported that they aim to begin work on the park this Fall to have it ready for usage in Spring 2025. 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO FOOD AND RETAIL BUSINESSES FOR SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAN

The City adopted regulation to reduce single-use plastic foodware and bags at food and retail businesses. Effective January 1, 2025, food businesses will be required to convert all plastic foodware to compostable and/or reusable foodware and all businesses will be required to convert plastic bags to paper bags. Customer-brought bags will be accepted at retail businesses. Enforcement begins June 1, 2025. To support businesses with the transition, the City has contracted Environmental Innovations and the Plastic Reduction Project to provide technical assistance to all businesses. Technical assistance will include education on the new regulation, cost-effective solutions to be in compliance, and assistance with waivers and extensions of time. Rollout of assistance is expected to begin in November.

PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE REPORT

During her City Manager Report, Kelcey Young shared statistics from the most recent Public Works Operations and Maintenance Report. From August 10, 2024 through September 16, 2024, Public Works received 393 service requests, with majority of requests for park service/maintenance. Last month, Public Works addressed potholes on Faria Ave, Pinole Valley Road, Shawn Drive, Greenfield Circle, Wright Avenue, Appian Way, Tara Hills, and others. The Public Works maintenance team consists of 11 total members. 4 Team members are assigned to the storm water and sanitary sewer collection systems which includes street sweeping. 7 Team members are assigned to everything else which includes all City facilities, all parks, all street maintenance, and all fleet needs.

News & Updates

VOTER HANDBOOKS ARRIVING SOON

Your State of California and Contra Costa County Voter Handbooks will be arriving in your mailbox soon. These resource materials contain helpful information about the upcoming November 5th election. In addition to information about federal and state candidates and propositions, these handbooks also have information about County and local measures, including the City of Pinole’s local Municipal Election Ballot. The City encourages all residents and voters to review written and online information to make informed choices before voting.

In the City of Pinole, voters will be electing two at-large City Council representatives and deciding on local Measure I. If adopted by voters, Measure I establishes a local, ½ cent Pinole sales tax to maintain fiscal stability and services such as 911 public safety response and maintaining local streets and roads.

To request a Municipal Election presentation for your community group or civic organization, please contact Markisha Guillory  at mguillory@pinole.gov or (510) 724-9823.

Please visit Pinole.Gov for more information about our upcoming Municipal Election.

UNITED AGAINST HATE WEEK

United Against Hate Week (UAHW) is September 22-29th. UAHW is a call to action by people in every community to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of our neighborhoods, towns and cities. The City of Pinole will be participating in this call to action throughout the month of September. Pledge boards have been set up for individuals to write down their pledge on a paper hand and post with the rest of the community. Take a pledge at City Hall and the Senior Center as we stand UNITED against hate!

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR A DISASTER OR EMERGENCY?

September is National Preparedness Month.  Ready.gov said on their website: "Talking about bad things that could happen like a disaster or emergency isn’t always easy. We may think we’re protecting the people we love by avoiding these conversations, but they are important to start taking steps to get ready and stay safe." Start a conversation at the dinner table about preparedness with the people you love. It is important to have a plan, make a kit, and stay informed. Visit https://www.ready.gov/ or https://www.listoscalifornia.org/ for more information.

In Pinole, the City of Pinole mobile app is a convenient way to stay connected to what's happening in the City of Pinole. In the event of a disaster or emergency, you can receive critical notifications and information from the City, the National Weather Service, and the Community Warning System. We encourage you to download the app today!

City employees from various departments pose for a photo after the "Our Community Listens" training session.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CITY OF PINOLE

At the City of Pinole, we offer not just a job, but an opportunity to contribute to something larger—a shared mission to serve the public and make a meaningful difference in our community. With a focus on integrity, collaboration, and innovation, we provide growth opportunities, mentorship, and a supportive work environment. If you're passionate about making an impact and ready to contribute your skills to our mission, we invite you to join us and apply today! If now isn’t the right time in your career, complete a job interest card to get the latest job opportunity updates the moment they’re available!

AN UPDATE ON POLICE CHIEF HIRING

After multiple rounds of evaluation, a community survey, and interview panels (community, subject matter experts, department staff), the City held an additional opportunity for the community to come and meet the two Police Chief candidate finalists on September 4. Attendees provided their feedback to the City Manager for consideration prior to her interviews with the candidates.

Final interviews have been completed and resulted in the City Manager making a generous offer to the top candidate, however, they were unable to come to an agreement. “Pinole’s financial health and well-being takes priority,” said City Manager Young, “we had excellent candidates but unfortunately, we still need to search for the perfect fit for Pinole. We wish the candidates the best in their future endeavors.”

We appreciate your patience as the City Manager revisits the recruitment process with the recruitment firm. City Manager Young is confident that we will find the very best Police Chief for Pinole. City council and the community will be included in the next steps, so please stay tuned!

In the interim, long-standing Commander Matt Avery will be serving as Acting Police Chief.

A Greener Pinole

COASTAL CLEANUP DAY IS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Join your community at Coastal Cleanup Day TOMORROW, Saturday, September 21 from 9am-12pm to help rid our beautiful Pinole shoreline of trash. This is an excellent opportunity to earn community service hours, or simply be an active steward of our coastline. Participants can even partipate in a contest to find the oddest trash item!  In the morning there will be pastries and coffee and later, a barbecue lunch will be provided. Everyone is encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle, gloves, and/or bucket, in case supplies run out. We hope to see you there!

INDUCTION COOKTOP DEMOS FOR CLEAN AIR DAY AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

The City will be hosting free induction cooktop demos and providing food samples in partnership with Kitchen@812 at National Night Out which will be held Tuesday Oct.1 from 5pm-8pm at Fernandez Park (595 Tennent Ave.). The demonstrations are a registered California Clean Air Day event and were made possible by a microgrant award by the Coalition for Clean Air. Please stop by to learn first-hand the performance and environmental benefits of induction cooktops. These innovative cooktops are gas-free, quicker, and energy-efficient. Furthermore, induction cooktops provide a safer, healthier indoor environment and help reduce the impacts of climate change. Rebates on induction cooktops, in addition to heat pump HVACS, insulation, electrical panel upgrades and more, will soon be available in the relaunch of the Pinole Energy Enhancement Rebate Program (PEER) in October. Add your name and email to this brief INTEREST FORM to receive a notification of when rebates are available. We hope to see you at National Night Out and thank you in advance!  

PINOLE ADOPTS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN

The City of Pinole’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) has been unanimously adopted by the City Council on August 20, marking a significant step toward achieving a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2045. The CAAP outlines a comprehensive strategy for emission reductions, climate resilience, and community adaptation. It includes measures for renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, social equity, and economic stability, aligning with state goals and enhancing local quality of life. The plan emphasizes community involvement and collaborative partnerships to address climate impacts effectively. Pinole is now poised to lead by example in building a more sustainable and resilient future. More information can be found at https://www.pinole.gov/sustainability/climate-action-adaptation-plan/

Reminders

TINY TOTS FALL REGISTRATION

A few spots remain in our afternoon Pre-K classes at Pinole Tiny Tots! Fall session is held from August 26th to November 15th. Children will enjoy learning through arts & crafts, music, and story time. A few spots remain in our Tuesday & Thursday Early Learning class. Fall session is held from August 26^th to November 15^th. Please visit https://www.pinole.gov/city_government/tiny_tots or email tinytots@pinole.gov for further details.

Senior Food Program

The City of Pinole Senior Center will be partnering with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County to offer the Senior Food Program. Low-income senior citizens ages 55+ will be able to receive free groceries, including healthy pantry staples, eggs, cheese, and assorted meats twice a month. The program at the Senior Center (2500 Charles Avenue) is available for Pinole senior residents only. This program will take place every second and fourth Tuesday of the month. The next distribution will be on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, from 10:00 am - 11:00 am.

Individuals interested in the program must complete the Senior Food Program Application. Applications will be available at the Senior Center and can also be found on the Pinole Senior Center website. For questions, contact, mpicazo@pinole.gov.

JOIN OUR TEAM

The City of Pinole Community Services Department is hiring a Recreation Coordinator and Rental Custodian Attendants. Become a member of our team – Visit our website to apply today!

COMMISSION VACANCIES

​PINOLE residents are encouraged to become involved with their community and serve in an advisory capacity on a board or committee. The City of Pinole has the following vacancies:

​Community Services Commission:  One (1) vacancy, two-year term

Community Services Commission

Applications due to City Clerk: Open until Filled

The Pinole Community Services Commission is a seven-member panel that seek to enhance quality of life for the citizens of Pinole through responsive and interactive community services. A critical aspect of the Commission is their community advocacy. They provide feedback for a number of organizations and projects. The Committee meetings take place on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 5:00 pm.