West Oakland BusinessAlert

Business Community Attendees
George Burtt (2500 Campbell/WOCA), Karen Cusolito (Big Art Studios), Rich Fielding (CEDA Building Services), Debbie Hauser (Bus Alert staff), Michael Herling (Consolidated Cleaning), Francesco Indrio
(Alpi Int’l.), Ray Kidd (WON), Malia Langi (SF Enterprises), Margot Lederer-Prado (CEDA Business Development), Tim Morse (Bay Alarm Co.), Gary Proctor (Oakland Public Works), Lowell Rice (WOCA),
Tom Thatcher (HCT&A)

Attendees were welcomed by Committee Chair Michael Herling and self-introductions were conducted.

Margot Prado discussed the most recent meeting of the West Oakland Economic Development Working Group and the group’s efforts to improve the online West Oakland business directory residing at www.westoaklandworks.com.  A jobs listing is a desired feature, as well as real estate listings fed from the MLS.  Reducing the number of categories in the directory would make it easier to navigate, and receiving a count of who is visiting the website would be useful.  Margot would like additional funding so that a designer can work with the webmaster on making these changes.  There is a small budget to make improvements.  Margot is meeting soon with Councilmember Nadel’s assistant to discuss the site and needed improvements.

George Burtt reports that illegal dumping around Custom Alloy is continuous.  Company personnel takes photos of dumped materials on a regular basis and bypasses the Litter Enforcement Officer (LEO) marking system, thereby saving a step in the process of getting materials picked up. 

Tim Morse has been in communication with Michelle Hoang of PWA to expedite crew dispatch in an effort to clean up dumped materials as reported by Bay Alarm patrol staff.  Patrol officers reported illegally dumped materials on Willow, West Grand, Campbell, and Wood that were conveyed to the PWA call center through Bay Alarm.

Gary Proctor provided contact information and other written materials that will assist business owners in locating appropriate personnel who can eliminate graffiti and dumping.  Beginning July 1st, OPW will experience staff reductions, cutting one LEO and reducing the total LEO’s for the entire city to three.  Two LEO’s will service East Oakland, with one LEO will be dedicated to West Oakland, North Oakland, Downtown to Lake Merritt, and Jack London Square.  Gary described the ways of reporting illegal dumping, through the LEO’s and OPW supervisors, with Keep Oakland Clean and Beautiful (KBOC) staff  handling most of the complaints received.  “No Dumping” signs are available to those property owners who would like one displayed at their place of business.  BusinessAlert staff will work to assemble contact numbers into a one-page document for distribution to businesses.

Gary reported that uninhabited properties are prime targets for easy dumping.  OPW finds dump loads of gravel and other construction materials on vacant land that must be cleaned up.  For example, OPW  cleaned up a 30-foot boat full of construction debris recently.  A priority list of hot spots is maintained, areas that are frequently targeted for illegal dumping.  Margot requested that the top 20 hot spots be provided by OPW so that they can be plotted on the infrastructure maps now in development for West Oakland.

It is best to avoid confrontation with illegal dumpers, in the act of dumping.  Gary directs business owners to try to obtain the vehicle license number for follow-up by Quincy Smith.  It is the LEO’s job to collect evidence and fine dumpers.  Dumpers are being caught and fined, up to $1,500.  Those individuals who are fined are able to, and do sometimes, argue their case in court.  George Burtt recommends documenting the steps for reporting illegal dumping on the West Oakland Works website.

George Burtt discussed his recent communications with PWA supervisor Brooke Levin, upon his submittal of a letter to her on behalf of West Oakland and East Oakland businesses in an effort to eliminate furlough days for PWA workers.  Brooke was the creator of Oakland’s “We Mean Clean” campaign, a past program that had good results in reducing blight.  She is willing, once a city budget is adopted, to discuss the development of a blight reduction campaign, including billboards, PSA’s, flyers, etc.  Margot expressed that while a public service campaign is helpful, the City of Oakland also needs to be held accountable for doing the brick and mortar work of cleaning the city and making needed improvements.  Also, it would be a good idea for the BusinessAlert committee to adopt a clean-up plan.

Rich Fielding reported on Code Enforcement regulations having to do with dumping.  Residential property owners are responsible for garbage that appears from the house to the curb, including the sidewalk.  Property owners are notified by mail of infractions.  Once homeowners realize they are responsible for their sidewalk, results in cleaning up the area are usually long-lasting.  Rich compared the situation to residents being responsible for clearing snow from their sidewalks.

Margot conveyed her plan to collaborate with the City’s Environmental Services staff to compose an article for the Rental Housing Association’s magazine publication.  The article will focus on West Oakland and getting the word out about the bulky waste pick-up and other services that are available to property owners.

Margot and her staff are continuing the effort to update West Oakland infrastructure maps by  prioritizing  needed improvements.  The goal is to obtain stimulus funding to make improvements and repairs.  Funding will be sought to hire a consultant, such as BKF, to study West Oakland’s infrastructure needs.  A letter of support for this effort from West Oakland BusinessAlert, addressed to the director of CEDA, is needed to move forward with this endeavor.  Chair and Margot will collaborate on a letter appropriate for this purpose. 

Committee members reviewed the infrastructure maps.  In addition to pavement conditions, street  lighting, sewage system, AC Transit routes, BART tracks, traffic signals, stop signs, and other “layers” displayed on the maps, it would be optimal to have dumping hotspots, graffiti hotspots, vacant sites, known browns fields, OPD crime stats, foreclosure sites, and for-sale opportunities also depicted.

Chair conveyed the importance of having the City continue the work started by West Oakland BusinessAlert, through collaboration with UP Railroad, to eliminate the potholes near tracks and evening out the roadway near tracks, a safety issue for vehicles traveling affected streets.