Hercules Foster Youth Fight for Support
Some of the teens will loose financial support as a result of the California Fostering Connections to Success Act.
Government
Monday, May 21, 2012
Nearby Swim Center Opens
Hercules swimmers can now choose between swim centers in Pinole, Crockett and, of course, Hercules.
Herculean swimmers now have more splish-splash options, as the Pinole Swim Center, after months of uncertainty over its fate, opened its summer season on Saturday. Kids splashed around in the large and kiddie pools, while adults sunned themselves, relaxed and read books on the lawn area at the center on Simas Avenue. A committee of volunteers hastily organized last year when it appeared that city budget cuts would kill the 2012 swim season for the city-operated pools. Volunteers put together fundraising events and solicited donations. The efforts were enough to get Pinole City Council support for some public funding for the current season. Historically, the city has paid for operation and maintenance costs for the swim center. The Hilltop …
City Manager's Weekly Report: May 20
The latest in a series of weekly reports by City Manager Steve Duran.
State Agency Applauded Hercules Just Prior to Recinding Grant
California Natural Resources Agency sent the city of Hercules congratulatory letters -- for three city projects -- days before the agency terminated a $1.8 million grant slated for the Chelsea Wetlands restoration project.
Friday, May 18, 2012
State Agency Cancels Grant for Hercules Project
The California Natural Resources Agency terminated a $1.8 million grant that was to go towards restoring the Chelsea Wetlands.
The California Natural Resources Agency rescinded a $1.8 million grant for the Hercules Chelsea Wetlands restoration project, the Contra Costa Times reported Thursday. The agency canceled the grant after State Controller John Chiang’s recent review of Hercules’ bookkeeping and management of state money, the Times reported. "In light of the recent audit by the state, we are exercising our option to terminate the grant," agency spokeswoman Clark Blanchard told the Times. The grant money, which was to go toward restoring wetlands near the San Pablo Bay, had not been spent. "The rescinded grant was intended for the restoration of the Chelsea Wetlands, which in the big picture, is expendable in the short-term," wrote Jeffrey Wisniewski, on his …
In this Article:
G.C.
9:59 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Did our Planning Commission intentionally downplay this item? It was known since 2003. more ›
Thursday, May 17, 2012
State Controller to Mayor: 'Patience and Understanding Must Have Their Limitations'
A sharply worded letter from State Controller John Chiang tells Dan Romero that it's time to start cooperating with auditors.
[Editor's note: The following letter from State Controller to John Chiang was delivered to city officials Thursday. It is reproduced below in its entirety. See all of Hercules Patch's coverage on the city's financial meltdown.] Dear Mayor Romero, I Want to thank you for the commitment you made in your May 13 response to my office’s audit, in which you directed municipal officials to search for the records requested by my office. Your statement represents the most solid commitment We have received to date from the City of Hercules to providing records necessary to account for the spending of more than $2 million of state and federal funds. My auditors have made 32 separate requests for 107 documents since September 2011, and only a handful …
Susan D.Keeffe
11:06 am on Saturday, May 19, 2012
Kent, Thanks! I think that was one of my better typos! more ›
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Letter to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: Hercules Has Been Through Much, City Will Find Records for State
Hercules Mayor Dan Romero responds to the State Controller’s report.
-By Dan Romero Hercules has been under turmoil for the last eighteen months with the recall election last June 2011, hiring of a new city attorney in September and city manager in October and the recent hiring of our new finance director in April 2012. Last June due to budget cuts the Hercules staff was reduced by forty percent, with the remaining staff taking a fifteen percent reduction in pay and hours. Our finance department was reduced from nine permanent employees to four. During the audit two senior account techs left for other jobs. The current city staff is close to job burnout but continue to give the citizens of Hercules exemplary service. Also, during that same time period our current auditors were conducting their own …
Billy Vogele
12:22 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
John: How to stop Dan's intimidation tactics with his "friendly" phone calls? Dan lacks common sense and a basic understanding of citizen's rights to free speech and privacy. Ride-on to Glenn for staying the course and exposing the phoniness. more ›
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Hercules Officials React More to State Controller Review
The Contra Costa Times reported Tuesday on Hercules city officials' responses to State Controller John Chiang's review of the city's record keeping.
Column: Yes on Measure K – Setting the Record Straight
Ignore the misinformation about Measure K, the much-needed parcel tax on the June 5 ballot for West Contra Costa schools, says this guest column by Karen Shebek, a WCCUSD parent.
As a parent of district students for the last 12 years, I have seen the difference our parcel tax has made on our students and teachers. The June 5 election is just around the corner, and unfortunately for our students there has been a lot of misinformation about the parcel tax. The voter information booklet includes an argument against Measure K that states that "parcel tax payments are not deductible against federal and state income taxes. The State has announced that beginning in 2012, they will enforce that non-deductibility." The Franchise Tax Board clarified on Friday, April 13, 2012 that this was not the case, and that the IRS has confirmed that homeowners can deduct parcel taxes and other taxes that are not ad-valorem. The …
G.C.
8:19 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I would have spared nothing to make sure experienced, qualified teachers were in every classroom. I would have cut all sports programs if necessary. If the WCCUSD cannot afford athletics, then it has to accept this reality. Academics come first. And I would have cut the Adult school program, too. Let the community college district manage it. Our district needs to focus on K-12 and nothing else. … more ›
Letter to the Editor: Vote On Hercules Ballot Measures this June
Police Chief Bill Goswick asks residents to vote this June election on two Hercules-specific ballot measures.
-By Police Chief Bill Goswick Police-officer staffing’s been reduced below recommended levels for a city the size of Hercules. If passed, Measure O will help prevent deeper reductions in the number of officers patrolling neighborhoods and investigating crimes. Our police department’s decreased from 30 to 20 officers and lost neighborhood-watch and school-safety police positions. Without additional revenue, Hercules will likely consider more cuts that will affect safety and quality of life. The cuts may include overall response times; reduction of officers for high-risk situations; emergency operations-disaster preparedness; department-wide training; and investigative efforts. The City Council took action to place Measure O — Hercules …
RJ
10:12 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
No to any new tax or increase. Tax and spend is all Hercules knows and its time for to cut even deeper if needed to balance the budget. No more taxes and especially parcel taxes that some have mentioned. more ›
Susan D.Keeffe
4:33 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
I just read the last section on the police report follow-up. Wow! Hercules never gives up! Great work Hercules PD! more ›