City Government

Oakland City Council Campaigns Ready to Go Live

Published

8 years ago

August 19, 2016

Ending months of rumors about possible contenders, the Oakland City Clerk this week published the list of candidates who have filed to run in November for positions on the Oakland City Council.

Five City Council seats will be on the ballot: councilmember-at-large, District 1, District 3, District 5 and District 7.

Incumbent Councilmember-at-Large Rebecca Kaplan will face four opponents, the most contenders of any of the city races.

Kaplan has served on the council since 2008. She previously served as an elected director on the AC Transit Board and worked as a housing rights attorney in Oakland.

Kaplan recently has been in the public spotlight for championing measures for renters’ protection and a civilian police commission, which will both be on the ballot in November.

One of Kaplan’s opponents is Peggy Moore – until this month the senior special adviser to Libby Schaaf – who is politically well connected.

Moore, who resigned from her position in the Mayor’s Office on Aug. 12, was campaign manager for Mayor Schaaf, has served as Hillary Clinton’s California primary campaign director and previously ran for District 2 representative on the City Council.

Also running against Kaplan are Matt Hummel, businessman, attorney Bruce Quan and tax specialist Nancy Sidebotham.

Hummel is chair of the city’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission and attended Holy Names University.

Quan, a retired law professor, says he sees himself as a problem solver dedicated to efficiency and cutting waste.

East Oakland resident Sidebotham has previously run for City Council half a dozen times. She has lived in Oakland for more than 50 years and served on the Community Policing Advisory Board, Neighborhood Watch and Shop Oakland boards.

District 1 incumbent Dan Kalb will face Kevin Corbett.

Kalb has worked as a policy analyst, environmental, public interest and social justice advocate, policy director and community service volunteer. He has a B.A. degree in Conservation of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco.

Corbett, an Oakland native, is a probate attorney, businessperson and community volunteer. He is a former member of the city’s Community & Economic Development Advisory Committee.

City Council President Lynette Gibson McElhaney, who represents District 3, will face Oakland native and community activist Noni Session.

McElhaney is executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services of the East Bay and studied political science at UC Berkeley.

Session is a Ph.D. candidate in cultural anthropology at Cornell University. She grew up in West Oakland and attended McClymonds High School.

District 5 representative Noel Gallo is running against Viola Gonzales, who previously served on the Oakland Board of Education as an appointee of then-Mayor Jerry Brown.

Gallo grew up in the Fruitvale District of Oakland and is a former school board member. He has been outspokenly in support of holding police accountable to the community and renters’ protections. He organizes and participates in weekly anti-blight trash cleanups in his district.

Gonzales was until June 30 the chief executive officer of Anew America, which helps immigrants and refugees start small and micro-business. According to Gonzales’ website, she is supported by Mayor Schaaf, former Councilmember Ignacio de la Fuente and former Mayor Elihu Harris.

Longtime District 7 Councilmember Larry Reid will be in a race against two opponents: Nehanda Imana, a community activist and leader in Communities for a Better Environment (CBE); and Marcie Hodge, previously a member of the Peralta Community College District Board.

Reid, now in his fifth term, was elected by the council this year to serve as vice mayor. He has successfully worked to bring retail development centers, market rate housing projects and premier auto dealership developments to his district.

Hodge ran against Desley Brooks for City Council in 2006 and also ran for mayor in 2010. According to media reports at the time, she had the backing of Senator Don Perata and Councilmember de la Fuente.

Imana works as an environmental activist. In addition to serving as an East Oakland community organizer, she is an adjunct teacher for African American and Environmental Studies at Merritt College. She created the first Environmental Racism/Justice course at the Peralta Community College District.

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Activism

City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Activism

BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

Published

13 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”