May 30-June 3, 2022

Week 22
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Staff Raising the Pride Flag June 2022

City Manager

LGBTQ+ Pride Month - June 2022
The Council decided to celebrate Pride Month by raising the Pride Flag for the month for June. See photo to the right.

Cultural Reset

Staff met with a facilitator on Wednesday June 1 to assist in identifying a process of engaging all Town employees in assessing everyone’s pandemic experience and their expectations as we transition into post-pandemic mode. The ultimate goal is to find ways to improve morale while continuing to serve the community.

Sign up to take Town Surveys

Sign up to receive our short 1-minute Town Surveys. Be sure to not miss an opportunity to have your voice heard. The next Town Survey will be coming up soon. Sign up and view past survey results here.

Committee Vacancies

Get involved, meet other residents, and join a committee. There are openings on a number of Town Committees. To apply, please complete an application by June 9, 2022 at 5:00 pm. Appointments are scheduled for the June 16, 2022, Regular City Council meeting. Questions about the committees, please contact the City Clerk.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee

At the May 25, 2022 special City Council meeting, the Council approved a new committee to serve and advise the Council and staff on policies and practices related to safety issues, protocols, and preparedness for natural disasters. To apply, please complete an application by June 9, 2022 at 5:00 pm. Appointments are scheduled for the June 16, 2022, Regular City Council meeting. Questions about the committees, please contact the City Clerk.

Town Agreements

The list of Major Agreements and Contracts for Town services has been updated. Please click here to view.

Two x Two Series - LAH and LAHCFD

On Friday June 3rd, Mayor George Tyson and City Manager Peter Pirenjad met with District President Roger Spreen and District General Manager J. Logan to share and discuss the latest updates and opportunities for further collaboration between the Fire District and the Town.

Past Brown Act Meetings and Events
May 31: Community Meeting About Indoor and Outdoor Space Needs
June 1: Open Space Committee Special Meeting
June 1: LAFCO Meeting
June 1: Technology Committee Special Meeting
June 2: Planning Commission Regular Meeting - Cancelled

Upcoming Brown Act Meetings and Events
June 5: 23rd Annual Town Picnic - 12:30 -4:00 p.m.
June 6: Finance and Investment Committee - Cancelled
June 6 LA/LAH Senior Commission - 3:30 p.m.
June 8: Open Space Committee - Cancelled
June 8: Technology Committee - Cancelled

*Agendas will be posted a minimum of 72 hours in advance

For a complete list of and more information, visit www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/calendar

Non-Brown Act Ad Hoc Meetings

Legacy Giving Ad Hoc Committee – June 1, 2022

On Wednesday Councilmembers Tankha and Mok held a virtual meeting with Adin Miller of the Los Altos Community Foundation. The Committee received a recommendation on how to specifically set up a legacy giving program in Los Altos Hills which will be discussed at a City Council meeting soon.

Sheriff’s Contract Review Subcommittee – June 2, 2022
On Thursday, Vice Mayor Swan and Councilmember Mok met with Captain Urena and reviewed the current law enforcement agreement with the Santa Clara County Office of the Sheriff. At the meeting the Committee discussed current crime trends in Town and how to best serve the residents of Los Altos Hills.

GreenWaste Ad Hoc Committee – June 2, 2022
On Thursday, Mayor Tyson, Vice Mayor Swan and invited members of the Ad Hoc Committee met with GreenWaste executive staff to discuss a list of potential changes to the solid waste franchise agreement. The Committee narrowed down the list of changes and asked GreenWaste to provide additional information on a few options that would benefit the residents of the Town.

Regional Updates

County Board of Supervisors

On Tuesday, June 7, 2022 the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will receive a report prepared by County staff that outlines the 10-year history of recorded violations at Lehigh. Additional materials along with information on how to watch and/or participate in the meeting can be found here.

County of Santa Clara Health Department

Santa Clara County is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, which may be attributed to waning immunity from vaccination and infection, combined with increasingly contagious subvariants. This health advisory outlines ways that providers can improve patient outcomes, reduce stress on healthcare facilities, and save lives by offering early treatment options and preventative measures to eligible patients. For information on treatments please visit County Health.

Wildfire Season

We are also heading into wildfire season. Please regularly check the Santa Clara County Fire Department or Cal Fire Facebook pages for wildfire safety and preparedness information. Don't forget to also sign up for AlertSCC and the Town's Nixle notification system.

PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)

Extreme heat and weather may require a PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff to help prevent a wildfire. PG&E customers can prepare now for PSPS event by updating their contact information, sign up for alerts, make a plan and build an emergency supply kit. To learn more about a PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff, please click here.

Water Conservation

As we are in a drought emergency both Purissima Hills Water District and Santa Clara Valley Water offer free water conservation tools. California Water Service offers Conservation Kits. Please visit the website to find more information on how to conserve water. Valley Water also offers a variety of water conservation tips and resources, including tools, rebates, and an online shopping cart where Santa Clara County residents can order free water conservation devises to help save water inside and outside of homes and businesses. To learn more about Valley Water's program and services please visit https://www.valleywater.org/watersavingsorg

Planning and Building

Planning Permits*
Applied: 3
Approved: 0

Building Permits*
Applied: 10
Issued: 7

Inspections*
Building: 38

Code Enforcement Cases*
Open: 0
Closed: 0
*May 27-June 2, 2022

Public Hearings on Development Projects

Site Development / Fast Track Public Hearing

No Site Development/Fast Track Hearing was held this week.

Planning Commission Public Hearing

Planning Commission regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 02, 2022, was cancelled and a Special Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

Ongoing Projects Status

Housing Element Update

Staff is working with the consultant on housing sites inventory for the Housing Element Update for discussion at the upcoming Joint Planning Commission and City Council meeting to be held on June 20th, 2022, at 5 pm via zoom. As a stakeholder in the community, we encourage you to participate in this meeting and provide your input/feedback. The meeting details are as follows:

https://bit.ly/HousingElementMeeting

Webinar ID: 822 3912 0136

Passcode: 250311

Staff will be discussing draft Policies and Programs for the Housing Element Update at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting on June 15th, 2022.

Implementation of Climate Action Plan

Staff made a presentation on Reach Codes updates to the Environmental initiatives Committee (EIC) on May 26, 2022 and asked for feedback on what updates should be included in the Reach Codes.

Fee Study Analysis

On Friday June 3rd, staff kicked off discussions with a fee consultant to review recent trends in our fees related to the rise in valuations. A report will be forthcoming this calendar year to the City Counci.

Pile Drilling and Installation on the Downslope

Public Works

CIP Projects

East Sunset Drive Roadway Widening
The contractor completed drilling all 17 pier holes on the downslope and 16 pier holes on the upslope side of the roadway. On the downslope, four steel beams were installed and encased in concrete.

2022 Pavement Rehabilitation and Drainage Improvement Project

The construction contract for this project will be advertised on the Los Altos Crier on July 6 and July 13, 2022 and the bid opening is scheduled for July 27, 2022 at 2 pm. Staff will also notify the Builders Exchange and paving contractors of the upcoming bid.

Pathway Projects

Summerhill Pathway – Town is currently soliciting design services from consulting firms to complete the final pathway design and prepare construction drawings. The bid proposals are due on 6/10/2022.

Maintenance

Description

After hours or weekend callouts: 1
Fallen trees/major limbs down: 0

Town Picnic Preparations

Preparations for the weekend Town Picnic at Purissima park, raise trees, mowing and weeding, and maintenance crew will be assisting during setup on Sunday.

Routine Maintenance

Staff completed right-of-way mowing along La Cresta Drive, Viscaino Road, Roble Ladera Road, cleared and mowed the path on Page Mill Road, and completed water leak repair at Town Hall.

Page Mill Road Mowing

Repairing a water leak at Town Hall

Jumping for joy preparing for the 2022 Town Picnic

New Welcome to Byrne Preserve Open Space Sign

Finance, Human Resources, IT Services

Accounts Payable/Budget/Payroll/Receivables

Received $160,048 in cash receipts and/or electronic funds transfer (EFT).
Processed 15 invoices totaling $77,736.
Processed 36 payroll checks with a liability totaling $100,649.

Human Resources

Open Recruitments:

Maintenance Seasonal Help in Public Works. Recruitment closes May 27, 2022.
Building Inspector in Planning. Recruitment closes June 10, 2022.
Associate or Senior Planner in Planning. Recruitment closes June 10, 2022
Accounting Technician in Administrative Services Department. Recruitment opens until filled.

All interns have now had a short introduction with each department and will be starting in June.

The Management Team met with Frank Benest to discuss Promoting a Post-Pandemic Cultural Reset for the Organization. Some of the topics included enhancing our organization, successful transition, and establishing a winning culture.

Some staff participated in the Nextgen Silicon Valley, Cal-ICMA, MMANC Virtual Speed Coaching and Networking for emerging leaders and senior local government leaders.

IT Services

Eaton & Associates continues to help transition the Town from the contract for IT services with the City of Redwood City.

IT Strategic Plan

The work with Dr. Jonathan Reichental completed the Discovery Phase and is now heading into the Design Phase. Additional interviews and conversations will be held with key stakeholders in an effort to complete a proposed draft of the Strategic Plan. The target continues to be aimed at presenting the findings to the City Council on August 18.

Chris Knopf, Recreation Specialist married Jenny Saba on Sunday, May 29. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Community Services

Chris Knopf Wedding Bells!

Recreation Specialist Chris Knopf married Jenny Saba on Sunday, May 29th. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Masters of Public Administration

This past weekend, Cody Einfalt, Management Analyst and Sarah Robustelli, Sr. Community Services Supervisor were finally able to walk in their Department Graduation from San Jose State University honoring graduates from 2019-2022.

Community Facilities Needs Assessment
The community held its first of two virtual community conversations on Tuesday, May 31st. To view the video, sign up for the next one on Wednesday, July 20th 7-8 p.m. or provide individual input by visiting here.

Events/Activities

Town Picnic - Sunday, June 5th 12:30-4:00 pm
We are still taking last minute registration although it is past the deadline. This event is limited to Los Altos Hills residents only and RSVP is required here. This event will include fun for all: DJ, bounce houses, classic car show, lunch, ice cream, magic show, trackless train, petting zoo, pony rides, and a 360 photo booth. No pets allowed. There will be one shuttle that will be continually running from Town Hall to Purissima Park from Noon - 4:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you at the event!

4th of July Parade - Monday, July 4th 9:30-11:00 am
Come join us for the eleventh annual Los Altos Hills 4th of July Parade. We will gather at Town Hall beginning at 9:30 am. Our red, white and blue march will start at 10:00 am. We will parade down Fremont Road and conclude at Gardner Bullis School where you can meet your friends and neighbors for a refreshing beverage and a juicy watermelon treat! Please, no fossil fueled vehicles or horses. For more information contact Sarah Robustelli at 650-947-2518.

Cody Einfalt and Sarah Robustelli were finally able to walk in their Department Graduation from SJSU Master Public of Administration program this past weekend which honored graduates from 2019 to 2022.

Virtual Senior Workshop: Aging in Place free Program took place on June 1st

Register for the Town Picnic happening Sunday, June 5th from 12:30-4:00 pm!

Sheriff's Weekly Report

Visit the link to view the Sheriff's weekly report for May 23-29, 2022.
The Sheriff’s weekly report is always for the week prior to the City Manager’s report

Detective Case Update:

In November of 2021, a Town resident contracted with a mobile pet groomer to provide grooming services to his dog.
The resident paid $100 by personal check for the services provided.
It was later determined the check had been purposely altered and cashed in the amount of $400.
Detective investigation revealed the contracted groomer forged the amount of the check prior to making the deposit.
In May of this year, the District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest on charges of check forgery.