Council Withdraws Senior Center Budget Cut

It's THURSDAY, June 2, 2011. More clouds and rain are on the way, apparently, just when we're ready for a good dose of sunshine. But that's California -- you just never know. Nothing is ever normal here, especially in Martinez. As quiet and bucolic as our little city can be, normal it definitely is not. Which is precisely why many of us choose to live here instead of the decidedly more placid cities around us; we have character and characters, a very rich and deep history and a built-in sense of the absurd that keeps us from taking our problems too seriously. Now and then things get intense -- there always seems to be a controversy lurking just around the corner, if not taking front and center stage, and a cast of players more than ready to take up arms and storm the castle. But ultimately, the sun rises and sets on a charming little village by the river that 36,000 people are mostly glad to call home, and count me as one of them.

The City Council met last night, and several items of interest came out of it.

1. The Martinez Senior Center staff will remain in place, after all. Mayor Rob Schroder announced last night (to a large audience of gathered seniors) that Senior Center Coordinator Bonnie Prado will not have her hours cut after all as a way to help balance the 2012-2013 budget. The proposal, which caused a polite but loud outcry from the seniors earlier this week, was originally shown as a way to cut between $50,000 to $70,000 from the budget. City Manager Phil Vince opined that the cut will come from somewhere else, and may even mean another position will be eliminated. "It's a zero sum game," he said. "If you fix something at one end, something else is going to go."
2. Schroder also announced that the board of directors for Southport Land and Commercial Company has agreed to consider the purchase of 630 Court St., also known as the Sharkey Building. This historic building, now owned by the city, is being considered for use as a restaurant and offices. Southport is considering a deal to purchase the building, bring it up to earthquake standards, and lease it to a restaurant. The company has $1.5 million to spend on the project, if they can make it financially viable. 
3. The council also agreed to spend $3.5 million in Measure H money on the restoration of Tavan Fields and Rankin Park, including new restrooms and concession areas, play equipment, paths, and a retaining wall. Just under $1 million from the same fund was approved for restoration of Highland Park. 
4. The council approved a donation of $500 each for Alhambra High and College Park High Grad Night activities.
5. Finally, according to recreation manager Mitch Austin, the Martinez Marina ranks as one of the country's highest level security ports, according to Homeland Port Security. Those who dock their boats there, however, may not feel all that secure.