D1 GENERAL BUSINESS MEETING MARCH 23, 2024 WEST VALLEY LIBRARY – COMMUNITY ROOM

Meeting Attendees: Officers: Steve Ling, Chair, Gary Cunningham, Vice-Chair, Jerry Giles, Secretary, Betty Kabanek, Treasurer, and Doris Livezey, Member-at-Large.
Other Attendees: Rosemary Kamei, David Gomez, Dave Sargent, Elizabeth Guimarin, Matthew Guevedo, Ashesh Singh, Joe Rois (City Auditor), Hiwad Haider (City Auditor), Daphna Woolfe, Roma Dawson, Sarah Phu (D1 Council Office), Carlin Black, Jim Carter, Richard Stevens, Roberta Witte, Alison Pauly (City Auditor), Marc Pawliger, Bob Levy, Gary Smith, and James (Cortese’s Office).

Action Items: None.

Steve Ling opened the meeting at 9:05 am, and introduced board officers. D1 L.G. priorities are crime (Steve), Housing (Jerry), development (TBD), Community (Gary), and Utilities (Doris).
Approved 1.20.24 minutes. Treasurer’s report presented (bank balance: $1,660.86).
Proposed by-law amendment approved (Gary).
Commission Report: Tax exempt status of bonds will expire. We haven’t reached spending limits, and interest will be taxable.
Daphna Woolfe is resigning from Parks Commission. Ashesh Singh volunteered to join Parks Commission.
Winchester Orchard Park to open when development complete (Bob Levy).
Neighborhood Roundtable: Eden NA might be able to help build-up other NA’s. We should require each NA to send a member to D1 L.G. business meetings.

Joe Rois (City Auditor): Auditor does performance audits. Core work is recommendations. Made 669 recommendations last year and city implemented 79%. Concerns: Police O/T, budget shortfalls, & utility funds. Recommendations take time and sometimes not seen as a priority. Investigating permit process.

SJPD Sgt. Steven Biebel: Burglaries are done during the day. If in progress, will respond immediately. Make your property look inhabited. Report suspicious persons. Use timers. Cell phone 911 # is 408-277- 8911. PD doing registry of residents’ cameras. Recommends engraving valuables and using air tags.

Vice-Mayor Rosemary Kamei: 2/27/24 public safety report is available. 12% of SJPD are women. City wants 30%. Police shortage is nation-wide. City Urban Planner has resigned. No date yet on Costco DEIR. 4/20 Great American Litter Pickup and ribbon cutting at Freedom Park. 4/27 Health Fair at Rosemary School. SUV illegal parking a concern. Builder’s remedy in place for Saratoga/Doyle gas station. Contact D1 office regarding potholes not repaired. David will look into intersection sweeping. City patches 5k potholes each year. City wants residents to “adopt a storm drain.”

Olympia Williams (Beautify SJ Director): 30 encampments are prioritized for clean-up. CalTrans replacing freeway signs. Removing easy access and removing people from freeways. Trying to get VTA, CalTrans, USPS, and county to clean up properties. Contact Olympia to hold dumpster days for neighborhoods.

Marc Pawliger (Costco Update): His group is SaveWestValley.org. Workshops have been held. Neither City nor Costco has done safety studies. Vote by Planning Commission and City Council is pending. Attend council meetings in-person to comment.

Daphna Woolfe (Urban Village Planning Process): Has not gone well. Building requirements have been set aside.

Meeting Adjourned at 11:40 am.