City Government

Mayor Butt Represents Richmond at Major Environmental Policy Meetings in Sacramento

Published

8 years ago

February 1, 2017

In January, Mayor Tom Butt represented the City of Richmond in Sacramento at two state-wide environmental policy meetings.

The mayor met with the League of California Cities’ (LCC) Environmental Quality Policy Committee and presented at the California Climate Change Symposium. And on January 25, he joined the California Climate Change Symposium where he presented on the issue of sea-level rise.

Richmond, which has the most miles of shoreline of any city on the San Francisco Bay, is central to the conversation on sea-level rise and the threats of climate change.

Mayor Butt discussed the challenges faced by cities like Richmond along with representatives from the Governor’s Office, the US Geological Survey, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission and other experts.

At the Climate Change Symposium, issues such as drought, ocean acidification, and public health were addressed while concerns over the Trump administration’s attack on climate science were shared across the board.

“Overall, I was reminded that the times we are going through with Trump are not unlike the Dark Ages, when reclusive monks in remote monasteries copied and preserved ancient Greek and Latin manuscripts until they could be rediscovered in the Renaissance,” Mayor Butt stated.

“The scientific community and the political leaders of California are the modern monks who are guarding that flame that will be needed to reignite civilization once Trump leaves office.”

Both the policy committee meeting and the symposium underscored the role of cities, along with state and local agencies, in combating climate change while the Trump administration moves in the reverse direction.

Mayor Butt noted, “My city benefits from the League’s policy committees because we can discuss issues that will affect our budgets and shape future policies. Without these meetings our influence on the state’s decisions would be greatly diminished.”

The mayor suggested that the committee’s work plan include an update on the League’s policy statements on Consumer Choice Aggregation (CCA), and he volunteered to serve on a subcommittee to work on CCA policy.

“These meetings provide an opportunity for city officials to learn about statewide proposals affecting California cities and have their voices heard by the League and translated into direct advocacy efforts,” said League Executive Director Carolyn Coleman.

There are seven standing League policy committees including Community Services, Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations, Environmental Quality, Housing, Community and Economic Development, Public Safety, Revenue and Taxation, and Transportation, Communications, and Public Works.

These committees evaluate proposed legislation as it related to existing policy and make recommendations for legislation where the League currently does not have policy.

The League’s policy-making process allows the issues facing California cities to be debated and the organization’s policy directions to be established.

Close to 400 city officials serve on the League’s policy committees and add their collective expertise, wisdom and opinions to the policy debate that is the foundation of League policy. The recommendations from the policy committee are forwarded to the League board of directors.

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Related Topics:California Climate Change Symposium City of Richmond Climate Change environment environmental policy Richmond Tom Butt

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City Government

San Pablo Appoints New Economic Development and Housing Manager

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo. Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Kieron Slaughter. Photo courtesy of the City of San Pablo

The Richmond Standard

Kieron Slaughter has been appointed as the economic development & housing manager for the City of San Pablo.

Since 2017, Slaughter has served as chief strategic officer for economic innovation in the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development. Previously, he served in a 2.5-year appointment in the Pacific West Region as one of 10 Urban Fellows in the United States National Park Service.

Before that he was an associate planner in the City of Richmond’s Planning and Building Services Department from 2007-2015.

San Pablo City Manager Matt Rodriguez lauded Slaughter’s extensive experience in economic development, housing and planning, saying he will add a “valuable perspective to the City Manager’s Office.”

Slaughter, a Berkeley resident, will start in his new role on Nov. 12, with a base annual salary of $164,928, according to the City of San Pablo.

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City Government

Aaron Osorio Rises Up Ranks to Become Richmond’s Fire Chief

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10. “I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.” Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Richmond Fire Department Chief Aaron Osorio. Courtesy photo

By Mike Kinney

The Richmond Standard

For Aaron Osorio, it started with a ride along on a firetruck at age 10.

“I thought it was the coolest job,” he said, adding, “I knew being in fire service would make a big difference in the community.”

Now a 27-year fire service veteran, Osorio appears to approach his work with the same youthful exuberance. And that’s good for the city as Osorio was recently named chief of the historic Richmond Fire Department.

Osorio is a San Francisco native who rose up the ranks in the Richmond Fire Department over the last 21 years before being elevated to chief.

He joined the department in 2002 and has served in multiple roles including firefighters, engineer, captain, battalion chief, training director and deputy fire chief. He said he truly loves working in this community.

While it isn’t common for a fire department to hire a chief that came up through its ranks, Osorio was credited by the city for serving Richmond well during uncommon times.

The city lauded him for developing internal policies and vaccination clinics during the initial COVID response, for supporting activation of the emergency operations center in response to a potential mudslide disaster in Seacliff last year, helping to draft mutual aid agreements and working to increase fire response capabilities for industrial incidents.

He’s also led departmental hiring and recruitment since 2018.

Osorio said it is an honor to be hired as chief and has big plans for the department moving forward. He said he wants to continue hiring and promoting for vacant positions, and also completing a strategic plan guiding the direction of the organization.

He also aims to replace and renovate a number of fire department facilities placed on the Capital Improvement Plan and create new ways to recruit that will enhance the diversity of the department.

Osorio said his experience within, and love for, the city of Richmond puts him in a good position to lead the department. He says he knows what is needed and also the challenges that are unique to the city.

“I look forward to utilizing that institutional knowledge to move the fire department forward in a positive direction and enhance the services we provide to the community,” the chief said.

Osorio holds a bachelor of science degree in Fire Administration and is also a California State Fire Marshal-certified chief officer, company officer, and state instructor.

He also holds numerous certifications in fire, rescue, hazardous material, and incident command.

The chief has been married to his wife, Maria, for 26 years and they have two sons, Roman and Mateo.

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Bay Area

Oakland Awarded $28 Million Grant from Governor Newsom to Sustain Long-Term Solutions Addressing Homelessness

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program. This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Published

1 day ago

November 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the City of Oakland has won a$28,446,565.83 grant as part of the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) grant program.

This program provides flexible grant funding to help communities support people experiencing homelessness by creating permanent housing, rental and move-in assistance, case management services, and rental subsidies, among other eligible uses.

Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the Oakland City Administrator’s Office staff held a press conference today to discuss the grant and the City’s successful implementing of the Mayor’s Executive Order on the Encampment Management Policy.