West Oakland BusinessAlert

Business Community Attendees
George Burtt (2500 Campbell/WOCA), Debbie Hauser (Bus Alert staff), Francesco Indrio (Alpi Int’l.), Marcus Johnson (Amstutz Associates), Ray Kidd (WOAM), Malia Langi (SF Enterprises), Margot Lederer-Prado (CEDA Business Development), Steve Lowe (WOCA / WOPAC), Ellen Parkinson (WOCA), Gary Proctor (Oakland Public Works), Lowell Rice (WOCA), Zachary Rukstela (Rukstela Heavy Industries), Sandra Sanders (West Oakland NSC), Carletta Starks (Councilmember Nadel’s Office)

Attendees were welcomed by Margot Lederer-Prado in the absence of Committee Chair Michael Herling, who was unable to attend today’s meeting.  Self-introductions were conducted.

Noting the lack of OPD presence at recent meetings, designated officers will be encouraged to attend future meetings on a regular basis.  Knowing that officers are needed out in the field, the committee will respect their time by asking them to stay for only the first few minutes of each monthly meeting so that quick updates can be received and concerns can be communicated.  NSC Sandra Sanders was invited to attend the meeting each month, and serve as a conduit to West Oakland’s designated OPD officers, to gain their participation in future meetings.  NSC Annie Sloan will also be extended an invitation from BusinessAlert staff, along with West Oakland’s PSO, to attend meetings.  It is important to have participation by both Sandra and Annie because the geographic areas they support are distinct.  Committee members would like regular interaction with the PSO and NSCs so that safety and security concerns can be addressed in a timely manner, problems get solved, and information can be readily exchanged.  Regular updates from Redevelopment staff member Hui Chang Li is also desired because of her role as an intermediary for project funding.  Margot will follow up with designated CEDA staff on meeting attendance.  The committee agreed that OPD Captain Anthony Toribio should be invited to speak at the beginning of a future meeting.

Committee members agreed to provide Carletta Starks with questions or concerns in advance so that she can address those topics at scheduled meetings, a best use of staff time and the most efficient means to getting problems resolved.

Marcus Johnson was congratulated on his new position as at-large representative of the Oakland Community Policing Advisory Board, one of the public’s main conduits for communication with the Oakland Police Department.

A draft of a telephone directory for important OPW blight elimination contacts for businesses was handed out.  Gary Proctor provided corrections, and the directory will be formatted for public distribution. 

Gary announced that Florence Blackburn, a long-time OPW Litter Enforcement Officer serving central Oakland, was laid off recently, reducing the overall number of LEOs available to service Oakland’s illegal dumping.  Business owners are encouraged to monitor illegal dumping activity after furlough weekends, 12 of which are planned this fiscal year, the first occurring August 7th.  Margot will attempt to survey the area for dumping activity after furlough weekends with Quincey Smith and to examine whether assistance from Bay Alarm patrol personnel in identifying and reporting illegal dumping has been effective.

George Burtt will follow up with Brooke Levin in August, in regards to their recent discussion about the letter submitted to her on behalf of WOCA, and East and West Oakland BusinessAlert committees in regards to elimination of OPW furlough days and the development of a blight reduction campaign.  Margot reported that CEDA’s director is supportive of a West Oakland blight reduction campaign, however more direction and detail is needed in this regard.  A letter to Director Cohen on behalf of West Oakland BusinessAlert is suggested as a next step, and Margot will work with the Chair on this, as a next step.

Margot presented updated infrastructure maps for the committee’s review.  Her efforts to obtain funding for an infrastructure study continue.  CEDA deputy director Gregory Hunter is supportive of efforts to locate infrastructure study funding, around $70,000, the cost of a similar study completed recently of East Oakland’s industrial area.  Study consultants can be asked to bid on specific areas of analysis.  In-house engineering staff time would potentially be offset with a grant.  Federal stimulus funds are being used for other projects and there doesn’t seem to be an opportunity to use those dollars for the West Oakland study document.  Margot asked that the committee submit a letter in support of the study to the attention of CEDA director Walter Cohen.

Margot solicited input on a new program being discussed recently, the so-called “Mandela Innovative Zone,” about which little is known.  The program may be an outcome of the Oakland Partnership.  A preliminary grant application is being composed, however CEDA is not a participant in this process.  Consensus that participation in any visioning sessions or public input component that occurs in this regard is important, due to an abundance of institutional knowledge that exists within the West Oakland business community.  More information about the Mandela Innovative Zone will be sought out.

Steve Lowe suggested a more formalized reporting structure be adopted for the various active West Oakland committees, including WOCA, WOEDWG, West Oakland BusinessAlert, and others.  Developing a cohesive structure would increase perceived credibility in the eyes of funders and stakeholders who engage the West Oakland business community.  Margot will make efforts to discuss this concept and the various roles played by community groups with Councilmember Nadel.

George Burtt reported increased homeless and drug dealing at Union Plaza and Fitzgerald Parks.  Ray Kidd discussed plans for City Slicker organic farms at these locations, which would be fenced off from the general public and staffed full time in an effort to quell these nuisance activities.  Committee members expressed a strong concern that transforming open space into neighborhood gardens is not acceptable because 1) it reduces parkland in the city, 2) relocates nuisance activity instead of eliminating it,
3) nuisance activity is still evident around existing City Slicker farms, and 4) maintenance of the farms starts to decline after a few years.  The City of Oakland Planning Department has not notified the West Oakland business community about changing the parks into public gardens, and it has never been publicized.  Ray suggested that contact be made with Abeni Ramsey of City Slickers for more information about plans for the two parks.  Oakland Parks and Recreation staff should also be invited to attend a future BusinessAlert meeting to offer more details.

Committee members were encouraged to engage business neighbors to recruit additional meeting attendees.  An upcoming City of Oakland survey will also encourage attendance, and efforts will be made by CEDA staff to recruit committee members through door-to-door visits.