2008-06-17 Joint 3-A Submittal..
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8~ Lara Weisner - No Fire Dept. ....................................................................................................... ............
Cuts
Page 1.
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From: Linda Saejang <Isaejang@sbcglobal.net~
To: ~dkurita@ci.alameda.ca.us~
Date: fi11 fi12008 8:59 PM
Subject: No Fire Dept. Cuts
Dear Ms. Kurita,
understand that the Alameda government is considering decreasing Fire Dept, resources, I do not want Alameda's fire company
closed at any time. Please do not let the politics of the moment jeopardize the citizens' safety and dv not cut any of our emergency
crews go out to serve Alameda with less resources than they have already, 1 knave our firefighters want to do their best job, which
is dangerous and stressful and lacking enough equipment and resources could put them, Alamedans and property in greater
danger. Please consider what the fire department has as essential and do not have them try to do more with less.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Linda Sae Jang
Alameda Resident
Re: Agenda Item #3-A
Jt CC APFA ARRA CIC Mtg
06.1 ~-0~
City Council
City of Alameda, CA
Steven Zegas
Alameda CERT
Alameda, CA
June 17, 2008
Re: ACTIQN forthe City Council IAFD Budget
Dear Members of the City Council,
moved to Alameda in December, 2005 and shortly after, completed CERT Community
Emergency Response Team}training provided bythe AFD. After my CERT training, I helped to
establish ACEC -Alameda CERT Executive Committee.
I served as a board member for 18 months, helping to establish a community organization that
is concerned with safety and preparedness. During my CERT training and tenure with ACEC, I
learned a lot about the AFD, including operations.
l am opposed to any cut in the AFD budget.
The proposed cut of ENE of two trucks and additional resources, is a risky proposition that puts
Alameda citizens, individually and collectively, un-arguably at higher risk of property loss,
injury, and death.
I believe the numberone priority forthe City Council -before fiduciary responsibility- is to
ENSURE the safety of the community. As a matter of public safety and preparedness for the
community, and for scores of trained CERT volunteers and teams, I urge you to keepthe AFD
fully staffed, equipped and ready to~ respond.
is Alameda Adequately Earthquake Prepared?
As you know, when a massive earthquake for perhaps other disaster} hits, the AFD will not
have enough resources. When a massive earthquake hits, the AFD will need all possible
resources AT THE READY, instantly, at a moment's notice. Even one minute can save a life.
The Ripple Effect of "Saving 1Vloney" Equals Endangering Others
Please, think carefully about what it really means to remove a truck from operations. Removing
a truck from service will have a much greater effect than just having one less vehicle in service.
A truck is not just an "apparatus."
By removing a truck from service, you create a shortage of fire fighfers, F~1Ts, fools, and a vifal
link in emergency communicafions.
These shortages will affect direct, immediate response, when needed. Itwill also affect scores
of CERT volunteers and teams. While CERT intends to be asself-sufficient and self-reliant as
possible, in a disaster, CERT will be dependent upon AFD tools, aid and communications. The
ripple effect of having or not having a second truck staffed and in service when needed, will be
greatly felt.
After an earthquake there will be N,D.mutual aid. Every resource in the Bay Area will be tied up.
Citizens who are not prepared now through CERT or the Red Crass, citizens who are unable to
rely on themselves CERTlneighbors for aid, wil! rely on the AFD - on the resources YOU vote
for.
Suggested ACTION far the City Council
I respectfully ask each of you on the City Council to considerthe following:
One -Adopt a formal or informal rule that all City Council members complete CERT training
and join a neighborhood CERT team.
Two - Audit the cost of NQT filling open positions on the AFD since 2005, what was the
ACTUAL cost for savings:
^ In overtime?
^ In comparing straight time X100% pays to overtime 150% pays?
^ In increased mutual aid calls?
^ In slower~delayed response time?
^ In lost training?
^ In attributable property loss?
^ In attributable injury or death?
^ Looking back-Vllhatwould have been the savings and RBI, for bath dollars and
preparedness, in comparison to actual costs, if some or all of these ositions had
been funded since 2005?
^ Looking ahead -What does an audit of unlunder-funded positions and the resulting actual
direct and indirect costs tell us about resource planning for 2008-2011 ?
The City Council knows its mandate for due diligence. Has this level of inquiry been
conducted? If not -please consider funding the requested AFD Business Analyst position.
In Summary
I urge all members of the City Council to:
^ Maintain Staffing and Resources -Protectthe AFD budget and vote to maintain full
staffing and resources,
^ Conduct an Audit and Analysis -Review AFD budget decisions made since 2005.
Analyze the actual cost of un-and under-funded resources. Considerthat overtime
costs a lot more than initially funded positions.
^ Budget for20o8and Beyond -Shiftthe annual, recurring cost of overtime directly
into the AFD budget for2008and beyond.
^ Be Earthquake Prepared -Remember that when a massive earthquake hits, Alameda
will be isolated behind closed roads and bridges without mutual aid. Preparedness is
aUR RESPONSIBILITY -~ collectively and individually.
Sincerely,
Steven Zegas
PS: Do you have your CERT training and supplies? Are you ready to respond to a massive
earthquake, right nova? What if AFD services were unavailable far you, at your home, for crucial
minutes, for many hours ora more than a day?
Please, take CERT training and join a neighborhood team!
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~611712008~ Lora Weisiger - CEty•~bud~et cuffs and~street~tree program Pa a 1•
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From: "Buckley,Christopher" <cbuckley@alamedanet.net~
To: "'Beverly Johnson"' <bjohnson@ci.alameda.ca.us~, "'Lena Tam"' ~Itam9@ala...
CC: <manager@ci.alameda.ca.us~, <mnacleri@ci.alameda.ca.us~, <lweisige@ci.al
Date: 6117120081:42 AM
Subject: City budget cuts and street tree program
Attachments: Poor growth farm due to inadequate young tree pruning 003.jpg; Poor growth
form due to inadequate young tree pruning 004.jpg; Poor growth form due to
inadequate young tree pruning 005.jpg
Dear Mayor Johnson and Councilmembers:
Ta provide its contribution toward the City budget cuts, the Public Works
Department is proposing to eliminate its two person street tree crew and
substitute same of the crew's functions with an outside contractor,
The proposal's impacts as described in the "issue Bin Responses" provided to
the Council include: ". a moderate delay in response to broken limbs during
actual storm events as the contractor may have other storm related
responsibilities. In addition, there will be less overall pruning of young
trees and no planting of new trees emphasis added}. Staff anticipates that
the reduction in the pruning of smalllyoung trees will impact the future
tree pruning requirements of the trees as they mature, This could result in
poor tree structure that may lead to a greater number of dawned limbs during
storms."
urge you fa direct staff to explore budget alternatives that provide
adequate pruning of young trees and maintain at least a minimal level of
tree planting,
<http:llwww.ci,alameda.ca,uslarchive120081attachmentslcc sub~1088.pdf~
E=or many years, Alameda's young street trees have not received adequate
pruning and other maintenance. This has in many cases resulted in deformed
growth and structural defects that either require later removal of the trees
or extensive later pruning that is much mare expensive, unsightly and bad
for tree health. See attached photos.} Reducing young tree maintenance is
therefore not cost effective,
City staff is very much aware that mare pruning of young trees has been
needed and during the 2001-OS fiscal year a new outside contract was issued
for young tree pruning. The intent was to inspect and, if necessary, prune
every young tree in the City every year until they achieved a 3" trunk
diameter, at which time they would be pruned once every five years by the
City's regular pruning contractor. It is therefore ironic that young tree
maintenance is now proposed to be reduced just as long overdue efforts to
correct young tree maintenance deficiencies were in the process of being
implemented.
Although there may be logic in cutting back tree planting as a cost saving
measure, planting should not be fatally eliminated, especially for
replacement of removed trees. If the existing tree crew cannot be retained,
could tree planting be performed by the outside contractor?
have been discussing alternatives to the proposal with Public Works staff.
One option might be to reduce the City's pruning budget for mature trees to
provide mare funding for young tree maintenance and tree planting, Many
mature trees are being pruned mare than they need, especially mature smaller
. ,.
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~61171~448~ Lara Weisi~er C~tywbudget cuts and street tree ro~ram ..................................................................................:Pa e 2
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trees such as privets, myoporums, cherry laurels, plums and bottle trees,
even with the five year pruning cycle, Qther trees, such as Fairmont gingko
and fastigiate hornbeam don't need much pruning once they have established a
mature structure.
I know that you are faced with very difficult budgetary choices for the
upcoming fiscal year and perhaps for subsequent fiscal years. I wish that
had the time and the knowledge to identify other parts of the budget that
could be reduced to maintain an adequate street tree program. However, it is
clear that reducing young tree maintenance is not fiscally prudent since it
will increase the probability of expensive and destructive corrective
pruning in the future and possibly mare tree removals.
Please call meat 523-041 ~ if you would like to discuss these comments.
Sincerely,
Christopher Buckley
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from: Jean Vllagnon ~jwagnon@pacifier.com~
To: ~bjohnson@ci.alameda.ca.us~, ~mgilmare@ci.alameda.ca.us~, ~frank~matarre...
Date: 6117120081:3D AM
Subject: Tree planting and maintenance
Please reconsider outsourcing tree maintenance and eliminating tree
planting. We have seen the disaster of outsourcing at the federal
level and cannot expect better at the local level. The economics are
not compatible with the environmental impact of this small but
reckless proposal.
Mana-Jean Wagnon
2834 Johnson Ave.
Alameda, CA 945D1-34Q6
51 Q-814-1 Q92
(6/16/2008) Elizabeth Acord -Please Don't Sacrifice Our Trees Page 1
From: Marnie Curry ~marniecurry a~comcast,net~
To: <bjohnson@ci.alameda.ca.us~, ~mgilmore~ci,alameda.ca.us>, frank matarre,..
CC: ~mnacleri~ci.alameda.ca.us>, <manager a~ci.alameda.ca.us>, <Iweisige a~ci.aL..
Date: 51~ 612~D8 4:35 PM
Subject: Please Don't Sacrifice Our Trees
Dear Mayor Jahnsan and members of City Council-
! am writing out of deep for concern for the fate of Alameda's
trees. I understand that tomorrow night you will consider a proposal
to eliminate new tree plantings and drastically decrease the
maintenance of young trees. While I understand that the budget
situation is incredibly tight, I da not believe that sacrificing our
trees is a wise decision. Alameda attracts people to live here
partly because of its reputation as a city that cares for and values
its trees. I've had many friends express their awe at the beauty of
our tree lined streets and !believe that these remarks speak to what
makes Alameda special and so liveable.
have recently been the benefactor of two new trees in front of my
home (927 Pacific Avenue}. My previous trees were diseased and storm
damaged; l can't imagine what my home would look like today if those
sidewalk strips had become bereft of trees. Now that I have these
young evergreen pears planted in front of my home, I am very
conscious that they need to be cared for so that they da not become
overgrown and split as this variety of tree is prone to, if not
properly cared for. Thus, I am totally opposed to the proposal to
cutback the maintenance of young trees. Postponing their care now
will only lead to more expense later. I am a firm believer that we
need a long term plan for our trees and that measures like the one
you are about to consider are penny wise and a pound foolish.
hope that you will think twice before authorizing this measure.
With Appreciation and Hope,
Marnie Curry
Rey Agenda Item #3-A
Jt CG APFA ARRA CIC Mtg
06-~ 108