Author: William Ktsanes

Because this is such an important meeting, we hold it on a Saturday (this year on SATURDAY, AUGUST 27), and in a bigger venue: The cafeteria of El Cerrito High School.

Here are the particulars:

TIME: 10 AM – 3 PM

DATE: SATURDAY, AUGUST 27

LOCATION: El Cerrito High School Cafeteria (fully accessible, great location, lots of free, on-street parking)

FORMAT: Each candidate will have 2 minutes for an opening statement; we will provide cards and pencils for the audience members to pose questions which our moderator will read.  Candidates will have 30 seconds to a minute to respond to questions.

We will group the presentations so all candidates for any given seat will present as a group.

VOTING: We have voting cards for all members eligible to vote.  (Anyone who was a member by July 13 (joined by mail) or July 15 (joined on line) will be eligible to vote.)  Members will sign in and pick up a ballot.  The voting card for each member who signs in will be moved from the pending group to the registered group.  In this way, we will insure that no one receives more than one ballot.

Ballots will be pre-numbered to make sure that each voter receives only one ballot; in order to preserve the confidentiality of the vote, we will NOT KEEP RECORDS of which number a member receives.  We will use the numbered ballots to cross reference the total number of ballots released to the total number of voting cards retained.

Members may complete and submit their ballots at any time during the meeting.  In order to be counted, ballots must be submitted within 5 minutes of the close of all the presentations.  We anticipate that the close of presentations will be about 3:30 pm.

Craig Cheslog, the Regional Director for Region 2 (Assembly district 4, 11, 14 and 16) has graciously agreed to serve as our Elections Judge.  In that capacity he will monitor the registration and ballot distribution and oversee the ballot counting.  Per our newly amended standing rules, once the results are announced, any member may challenge the results at that time.  If there is a challenge, our election judge will recount the votes in the challenged race.  Only challenges submitted immediately after the results announcement will be accepted.

THE RACES:

We will vote on several propositions and measures, including Propositions 57 and 58 as well as a bond measure for California Parks (AB 2444) if it is finalized in time to be included in our ballots, and measures for AC Transit, West County Transportation Authority, West Contra Costa School District, and the El Cerrito Library.

Here is a list of the positions and candidates who had filed by August 12, and the times of each panel. This schedule is tentative:

AC Transit At-Large, 11:00 – 11:20

Chris Peeples

Dollene Jones

BART Districts 3 and 7, 11:20 – 12:20

Ken Chew

Rebecca Saltzman

Lateefah Simon

Roland Emerson **

Will Roscoe

Zachary Mallett

Board of Education District 1 12:20 – 1:05

Elaine Merriweather *

Fatima Sierre Alleyne

Pam Mirabella

Talya Huntley *

West Contra Costa School Board, 1:05 – 2:05

Antonio Medrano

Ayana Young

Carlos Taboada

Don Gosney

Miriam S Sequeira *

Mister Phillips

Tom Panas

Kensington Police Protection & Community Services, 2:05 – 2:50

Chuck Toombs

David Spath

Eileen Nottoli *

Simon Brafman

Sylvia Hacaj

El Cerrito City Council, 2:50 – 3:30

Greg Lyman

James Shirazi ***

Nicholas Arzio

Paul Fadelli

Rochelle Okimoto

Candidate statements follow this article except as noted below:

* – We were unable to connect with these candidates in time for them to submit articles by our newsletter deadline

** The candidate chose not to submit a statement

*** The candidate is not a registered Democrat

As we have in the past, the ECDC will provide coffee, tea, and water.  We will invite the candidates to bring finger foods.

Although the description makes it sound complicated, the endorsement meetings have generally been informative and even fun.  This is local retail politics in action, and will be an experience you will want to enjoy.

CANDIDATE STATEMENT of DOLLENE C. JONES

Occupation: Retired Bus Driver

My education and qualifications are: My educational background is I’ve attended 4 years of college at the College Of New Jersey at Trenton. I also hold a certificate of completion in labor studies from Laney College here in Oakland, CA. My qualifications for the board are as follows: Two years in the maintenance department at NJ Transit and 21 years of serving the bay area as a bus operator at the AC Transit District! I will take the 23 years of training, boardrooms,union meetings and my expertise to lift up the voices & questions that continue to go unheard even today. I work with many senior groups in the community and I will help them with keeping their independence by making sure the buses return to their neighborhood. AC Transit still faces FINANCIAL CHALLENGES after all these years!!

Resolving these issues will be my first priority. If you give me your vote, I will give you the very best of my abilities and a 110% commitment to meet the transportation needs of the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. I humbly thank everyone who has previously endorsed and/or voted for me!

CANDIDATE STATEMENT of H. R. CHRISTIAN PEEPLES

I have been riding AC Transit buses for almost 40 years. Twelve years ago I gave up my car and now go everywhere by transit. AC Transit is hiring more operators and mechanics to improve reliability. We need to add back more service. All of that takes money. I have helped get federal, state and local money. AC Transit spends your money wisely. We now buy buses in Hayward, engines in San Leandro and NextBus from Alameda. We have reduced management and pay our top management less than before. I took a 5% reduction in pay, get no pension and pay 10% toward my health care. I have always led in support for AC Transit’s hydrogen fuel cell bus program —the largest and most advanced in the country — grant funded so it does not impact service. I have supported better access for disabled persons and low fares for school children. My longstanding effort on mass transit issues and my years of hard work on AC Transit’s Board have led to endorsements from Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Sierra Club, Senator Hancock, Assemblymembers Skinner and Wieckowski and many others. Further details and contact information: www.smartvoter.org/vote/peeples; (510) 326-6841; chris_peeples@yahoo.com. Thank you for your vote.

KEN CHEW — DISTRICT 3

We can make BART better, and I will work hard to make this happen. With over 25 years’ experience as a transportation professional and having served three years on the Moraga Planning Commission before serving eight years as a councilmember, including two years as mayor, I have the expertise and public policy leadership experience to be your BART Director.

BART is an essential system in need of reform in many areas. All BART employees are our assets and integral to the success of the entire system under strong leadership with a sound plan. My top priority is to make stations and trains safe and welcoming with adequate staffing and training to transform BART stations to be clean, service-oriented and vibrant. I will pursue full staffing of BART police, and then push for smart technology solutions solutions to force multiply their abilities on public safety effectiveness. For the few stations that are key opportunity hubs for “smart village” development, I will work with stakeholders to attract community investments to develop transit villages of the 21st century.

Reform requires new leadership characterized by common sense and shared vision. With your votes, we can begin the process of getting BART back on track.

www.electkenchew.com

LATEEFAH SIMON — DISTRICT 7

As a legally blind, working mother, I depend on BART everyday to commute to work and pick up my two daughters. I understand the frustrations of working people, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on BART, but who are stuck with a system that isn’t working despite constant promises to improve.

I have a plan to fix BART by making real investments in new train cars, technology that will allow more trips to be made during rush hour, a thorough cleaning up of stations, and fixing the dilapidated elevators and escalators at so many stations. I will also pursue an ambitious agenda to make BART world-class and ready for the future of the Bay Area, while managing public funds responsibly and openly.

As a candidate, I refuse to accept campaign contributions from private contractors, because I believe we need independent voices on the BART Board who can’t be bought by special interests.

For two decades, I’ve led organizations that serve the Bay Area’s working families and underprivileged communities. As Executive Director for the Center for Young Women’s Development, I became the youngest woman to receive the MacArthur “Genius” Award. I then led the creation of San Francisco’s first reentry division under District Attorney Kamala D. Harris. Today, I work at a nonprofit foundation making investments to support change in our communities.

Now I am ready to shake up the status quo at BART. I would be honored to have your support.

REBECCA SALTZMAN — DISTRICT 3

As your District 3 BART Director, I have worked tirelessly to move BART in a new direction. For the Bay Area to thrive, its public transportation systems need to be built for the realities of the 21st century. I have had three priorities during my first term: sustainability, accessibility, and equity.

My top priority has been keeping the BART system running reliably and sustainably. In the past four years, we more than doubled the percentage of the capital budget spent on system reinvestment, including new train cars, track repairs, and modernized, cleaner stations. I have worked on improving BART’s environmental sustainability through investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. A priority for my second term is to adopt a goal and plan to reach 100% renewable energy.

I have focused on making BART more accessible to bus riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians. I’ve advocated for increased secure bike parking at stations and investments in pedestrian infrastructure. I co-chair the BART/AC Transit Interagency Liaison Committee, which is focused on making the systems work better for riders who use both BART and AC Transit. I have also supported making BART trains and stations accessible for all.

Finally, to address our affordability crisis, I’ve prioritized equity by mandating at least 20% affordable housing units at BART developments, and I will advocate for reduced fares for low income riders in my next term. These priorities will continue to move BART in the direction our region needs.

I’m proud to have been endorsed for re-election by the Sierra Club, AFSCME Local 3993 representing BART employees, East Bay Young Democrats, State Controller Betty Yee, former Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, El Cerrito Mayor Pro Tem Janet Abelson, El Cerrito City Councilmember Gabriel Quinto, and many other District 3 leaders. To learn more, please visit www.RebeccaForBART.com.

WILL ROSCOE — DISTRICT 7

I’m campaigning to build the world’s best transit system. I wish I didn’t have to run for this Director seat but no one else is proposing to radically improve BART.

The Bay Area has serious traffic problems that can be solved by making mass transit more convenient, comfortable and affordable for the majority of citizens. However, BART systemic problems including a centralized control system, expensive customized infrastructure, and its single carrier model make it impossible to adapt to today’s demands.

However, recent advances in self driving technology has handed BART a massive opportunity to solve its systemic problems. I’ve studied these advances and I know that it’s possible. This campaign is about introducing these solutions, building partnerships and creating a vision for BART in 20 years. I hope to earn your vote in the process.

I’ve worked in the water and engineering industries for 7 years and have analyzed transportation systems for just as long. I understand the costs of large construction projects, the engineering limits of technical systems and the political grit necessary to build successful projects. This type of experience is important to have on the BART board as it prepares to spend billions of dollars on renovations.

roscoeforbart.org

ZAKHARY MALLETT — DISTRICT 7

Since being elected in 2012, I’ve been the fiscal conscience on the BART Board by standing up for the public when other Directors wouldn’t. Among other examples, as unsanitary conditions and overcrowded trains have pulled BART customer satisfaction levels to an all-time low, I have advocated increasing investment in janitorial staffing and further investment in our new fleet to ease overcrowding. Others have favored expensive, nonessential projects over rider priorities.

I’ve also made significant progress on making a BART extension to Hercules a reality. Because of my leadership, this effort to reduce I-80 congestion is the farthest it’s been in 20+ years. Additionally, I’ve championed reexamining our fares to make them more equitable and authored our affordable housing policy that requires, at minimum, 20% affordable units in residential developments at our stations. In fact, within just the past two months, I have begun discussions with City of El Cerrito officials about redeveloping the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station area with the potential to include a new public library and a residential development that is inclusive of affordable housing.

BART faces many challenges. At such a critical time, BART needs leaders who possess an intricate understanding of them, professional knowledge, and the courage to stand up for the public. My four years as a BART Director have afforded me an in-depth understanding of BART’s challenges and what it takes to address them that a new Director would need an extensive amount of time to learn. I also possess a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from Stanford University and a Master of City/Transportation Planning degree from UC Berkeley, making me specially prepared to serve on a transit agency board. Based on my record and transportation planning background, I am the only candidate with the independence, qualifications, and experience for this position.