Alameda Firefighters, Local 689 are supporting the
St.Baldricks Foundation!
Please click above and support cancer research!
Alameda Firefighters and Oakland Raiders raise over $1,000
for local charity.
Alameda Firefighters IAFF Local 689 has teamed up with the Oakland Raiders to support Alameda Meals on Wheels. With the proceeds from group ticket sales and generous donations from Alameda citizens, the Firefighters and the Raiders were able to donate $1001.00 to Alameda Meals on Wheels.
Your Alameda Firefighters participate in many charitable activities throughout the year. Those events include a “Fill the Boot” for MDA and the Annual Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation. They have recently hosted a Firefighter’s Pumpkin Patch and Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway, and are currently assisting with the Alameda Food Bank’s holiday needs as well as with the Local Red Cross’ Toys for Tots program.
Pictured
in photo: Volunteers with Alameda’s Meals on Wheels, Oakland Raiderette Brooke,
Alameda Firefighters President Domenick Weaver, Alameda Firefighters Steve
Floyd and Donald Pemberton.
Alameda
City
Council Sets Costly Special Election for Development After
Delaying Initiative to Preserve Public Safety.
On Tuesday, November03, 2009, the Alameda City Council, in a 3-1-1 vote, scheduled the initiative regarding the development of Alameda Point for a special election on February 2,2010. Estimates place the cost of this special election between $300,000.00 and $400,000.00. The City of Alameda will be responsible for bearing the cost of this election in a fiscal year that has seen the layoff of dozens of employees and severe cuts to City services.
Just before Mayor Johnson called for the vote, Council member Lena Tam prefaced her opposition, “I can’t in good conscience at this point,impose additional financial burdens on the City of Alameda’s budget when we are looking at job cuts, closing City Hall and potentially taking an ambulance out of service on Bay Farm Island. I think it is not only fiscally irresponsible, I think it’s unconscionable to do this.” Council member Marie Gilmore abstained from the vote, and stated that the early election would be unnecessarily expensive.
This action comes three months after the same City Council, who due to concerns over funding a special election, voted 4-1 to push the voter driven initiative to establish minimum standards for Fire and Emergency Services to November 2011, over 2-1/2 years. This action has virtually ignored the 9,048 voters who had petitioned the Council to have the opportunity to vote on their level of Fire and Emergency Services.
Hiding behind the obscure provisions of the election code that deals with issues relating to charter amendments and ordinance changes, the City Council has created a situation that will be costly to the taxpayers. While attempting to follow the election code for both the redevelopment measure as well as the public safety measure, the City Council of the City of Alameda may have abused their discretion in the matters and that abuse may be subject to review in the courts.
One possible remedy would be to place both measures before voters at the next consolidated election in June of 2010. In these tough economic times, $300-400,000.00 can go along way towards keeping fire stations open, police officers on the street, storm drains cleared out and libraries open.
Since 26 JANUARY2009, “Brownouts” and Fire Station Closures have impacted the community in Alameda. With an already decreased number of Fire Engines and firefighters to staff them, the citizens of Alameda are experiencing increasing response times. As response times increase, so does the community’s risk.
