Guest View

Not wearing a mask properly is like double dipping your chip at a party. Double dipping is not cool and neither is wearing a mask improperly.

The Morgan Hill Downtown Association Board of Directors joins the entire community in the sorrow surrounding the tragic accident on the evening of July 4. While crossing Monterey Road, two young boys were struck by a car and critically injured at an intersection widely known to be one of the riskiest in the downtown.On a night when most of the community was celebrating our nation’s birth, those two young members of our community ended their day in a most horrific way that undoubtedly forever changed their lives, as well as the driver’s and both of their families.As historically safe as our downtown has been, the hard-earned growth in popularity of our businesses may challenge the past record. As the efforts of everyone—from the stalwart businesses of the community, to developers, to city staff—continue to contribute to the success of the downtown, we will see a growing competition for the use of our sidewalks, crosswalks and roadways.We still don’t yet know the details surrounding the July 4 accident. We don’t know if any of the traffic calming efforts like those currently proposed or seen during last year’s Complete Streets Pilot Project would have helped. We have to hope that we have the best possible solution to our traffic calming concerns amongst our current plans or options being explored, but we need to keep an open mind to additional solutions.The recent tragic accident has served as a reminder that we need to maintain a safe environment downtown, but at the same time we want to remind the community that the downtown is a business district that will continue to grow in its role as the community social gathering place and economic driver.Keeping this in mind, we would like to restate some of our previous recommendations that have not yet been implemented:• Install the traffic control signal at Fourth Street and Monterey Road as quickly as possible;• Provide enhanced law enforcement in a manner sensitive to the perception that excessive enforcement may be a deterrent to bringing more visitors to the downtown;• Identify ways to lower and implement a 15 mph speed limit through the downtown core;• Provide user-held crosswalk flags at pedestrian crossings as soon as possible;• Close Monterey Road to vehicle traffic on selected weekends, or on weekends in general.We do not support the following in the downtown core:• Speed cushions or speed bumps;• Raised pavement markers;• Flashing pedestrian crossing lights;• Vehicle speed indication signage.The recently proposed traffic calming strategy of programming the downtown traffic control signals to flash red in all directions (creating four-way stop sign intersections) during off-peak traffic periods should be further considered for implementation.Recent comments by City Council members have indicated an interest in revisiting the lane reduction, as experienced during the 2015 Complete Streets Pilot Project, when the Hale Avenue extension is completed or conditions present a better opportunity for successful implementation. Please consider a resolution stating that under the se conditions that Monterey Road lad reductions could be revisited.Kathleen Sullivan is a board member of the Morgan Hill Downtown Association. She wrote this letter to the City Council on behalf of the MHDA board, and presented it to the council at the July 27 meeting.

2017 will be a memorable year for Santa Clara County, especially for water resources management.It was the year that broke our state’s longest dry streak with record-setting precipitation. A year of transition between extremes—from drought to floods. A year for big decisions on the future of our water supply. And it was a year to redouble our commitment to preparing for wet and dry years to ensure safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment and economy for the Silicon Valley.As Board Chair of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, I am proud to reflect on some of the year’s highlights.  A historic flood along Coyote Creek was a vivid reminder that flood risks persist in our county, and our hearts go out to those affected. Despite our investments of close to $1 billion in flood protection projects over several decades protecting nearly 100,000 parcels, our work is far from complete. The Coyote Creek flood has ignited a new urgency in our fight to reduce flood risks and help keep communities safe.This year, we completed the Lower Silver Creek Flood Protection Project in east San Jose. The project extends approximately 4.4 miles from its connection at Coyote Creek to Cunningham Avenue. When the Lake Cunningham detention basin is complete, it will protect approximately 3,800 homes and businesses.  After the Coyote Creek flood in February, my colleagues and I led advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., to seek federal funding and support changes to the regulatory process, which has delayed many important flood protection projects. At home, we took immediate action to build short-term flood barriers at the Rock Springs neighborhood, remove invasive vegetation along Coyote Creek and remove downed trees and potential creek blockages. The board also approved new operating parameters at Anderson and Coyote reservoirs to create more storage space, further reducing the chance of flooding.In one of the most critical decisions of the year, the water district board voted to participate in the California WaterFix project to improve the infrastructure that carries water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Our board developed a list of seven guiding principles to examine a less costly, scaled-down and staged project that would serve Silicon Valley’s needs, as well as those of our partner agencies.To further improve reliability of our imported water supply sources, we applied for $484.5 million in state funding for the potential expansion of the Pacheco Reservoir. Located about 13 miles southwest of San Luis Reservoir, this project offers emergency and drought-year supply, fish habitat enhancement, flood protection and other benefits.  Another way we are preparing for the future is through expanding the use of recycled water.No doubt about it, 2017 was a forward-moving year. I wouldn’t expect anything less for the Silicon Valley, and I am humbled to have led the efforts this year. Follow more of what we accomplished throughout the year in our 2017 annual report, available at valleywater.org.John Varela represents District 1—which includes Morgan Hill, San Martin, Gilroy and hills east of San Jose and Milpitas—on the Santa Clara Valley Water District Board of Directors. He can be reached at [email protected].

Although many of the farm fields and orchards that once covered the valley floor are long since gone, agriculture remains an important part of Santa Clara County’s heritage and its future.As in the past, the availability of water to grow crops and raise livestock affects individual farmers and ranchers as well as the economy of our county. Because of this, the Santa Clara Valley Water District continues to offer support to farmers, through the open space credit, which offers a credit on water rates to account for the benefits the larger community receives from that open space.Additionally, the district supports agriculture through its planning efforts performed in partnership with local jurisdictions such as the South County Recycled Water Master Plan. Recently updated, this master plan, completed in partnership with the South County Regional Wastewater Authority (SCRWA) and cooperation with the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill, addresses a variety of options for expanding the use of recycled water in South County.Most of the farming in Santa Clara County takes place in the southern portion of the county, where farmers, residents and businesses rely almost entirely on groundwater. The amount of groundwater pumped each year far exceeds what is replenished naturally by rainfall and other sources. So, the water district carefully replenishes the groundwater basin there, to ensure there is enough water. We do this using a mixture of water from local reservoirs and water imported to our county through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.In addition to refilling the groundwater basin through percolation ponds and creeks, the water district also works to reduce the amount of water that needs to be pumped through water conservation and recycled water programs. For example, every gallon of recycled water used is a gallon of groundwater that doesn’t need to be pumped.To fund and implement the projects in the master plan, the district hopes to continue our partnership with the two cities and SCRWA, with the eventual goal of recycling 100 percent of the wastewater treated in South County, thereby decreasing local reliance on groundwater and bolstering our water supply.Richard P. Santos is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara Valley Water District. John Varela is Director of District 1 of the SCVWD. They can be reached at [email protected].

Summer break just ended for youth across California. Some children savored the opportunity to participate in sports leagues, attend camps with friends or travel to new places. But for many other children, staying physically fit and academically motivated this summer was a real challenge.During the months of summer vacation, research indicates that, on average, children fall one month behind where they left off academically in the spring. This loss in learning during the summer impacts disadvantaged children the most, accounting for as much as two-thirds of the total gap in their academic achievement compared with their more advantaged peers.While falling behind academically during the summer, children also put on additional weight—equal to half the total weight gain acquired during the entire year.Currently, more than 70 percent of Americans age 17 to 24 cannot serve in the military, primarily because they are too poorly educated, are overweight or have a criminal record. As a retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General and a member of the nonprofit organization Mission: Readiness, I consider this a matter of national security.The good news is high-quality summer learning programs in our neighborhoods successfully blend academic instruction and other enrichment opportunities for youth. Programs like Building Futures Now (BFN) offer a five-week session to help narrow the achievement gap and prepare students for school in the fall. BFN focuses on students’ potential and offers intensive methods that improve students’ math, reading and writing skills, while balancing activities that are enriching and fun.Healthy meals and proper hydration are also key components to the program, and students are provided a selection of fresh fruits and nutritious meals to pick from daily.There are key challenges to programs like BFN. Many lack physical space required for students to engage in the 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that’s recommended on a daily basis. Further, the costs of running quality programs continue to outpace funding.The state’s After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program supports quality after-school and summer learning across the state, serving hundreds of thousands of students each year. Hundreds of students remain on their waiting lists. Yet, since 2007 the California consumer performance index (CPI) has increased by 19 percent and the state minimum wage has increased 33 percent, while the ASES daily funding has remained at $7.50 per student per day.Due to funding issues, a majority of programs have cut staff hours and reduced services. Each of us can do our part by urging community leaders and public officials to advocate for additional resources for quality summer learning programs.Many school districts are already planning for next year’s programming and we must ensure that the summer of 2017 is not a season of brain drain and weight gain. Providing youth with effective ways to improve their academic skills and stay physically active during summer is just common sense, and will ensure they lead healthier, more productive lives.Jeffrey Lawson is a retired Brigadier General, U.S. Air Force and a Morgan Hill resident.