The Burlingame Voice

Blessing of the Soccer Balls!

"Actually, it's the children we want to bless," explains Pastor Laurie McHugh, of the unique service of worship planned for Friday evening, September 8th at 7:30 pm at Burlingame United Methodist Church, 1443 Howard Ave. The event is timed to correspond with the opening of the fall AYSO soccer season, which begins the following day.
An upbeat, high-energy experience of worship, the Blessing of the Soccer Balls will include music by a live band, readings from the Psalms ("the Lord is my strength"), and individual prayers for children. Young soccer players are encouraged to come in uniform, and to bring their cleats and/or soccer balls for blessing.
"We just want to bless our community," says McHugh, recognizing that soccer is a major player in many families' lives. "We believe that God's grace is not limited to church activities, and that most of us experience grace in our regular lives if we're paying attention. Children learn important skills for living when they participate in a sport: teamwork, doing your best, caring for your body, and the value of losing and winning well. God is in that learning, and our prayers support that."
The Blessing of the Soccer Balls is free and open to the public. Burlingame United Methodist Church is located at the corner of Howard and El Camino, across from Safeway. For more information contact:
Pastor Laurie McHugh
650-344-6321
[email protected]

- Written by admin

SMUHSD Financial Disaster-$3.5M

The SMUHSD is in serious financial trouble due to fiscal mismanagement by the district administration. The district is currently $3.5 million in the hole with no fiscal reserves. The County Office of Education has informed the district that it must produce a balanced budget by September or face a take-over by the County. The district has known of the problem since July 12, 2006 but has kept the information from the public, instead focusing the media on is new construction and bond improvements.

Superintendent Sam Johnson has acknowledge the volatile nature of local property taxes yet has continued to spend public funds despite the fact that tax revenues have been reduced over the past two years. Under Johnson's leadership, the district has also been deficit spending the district into a serious and negative financial position. Johnson has decided to conveniently placed the blame for the financial debacle upon the now retired Assistant Superintendent of Business Bob Arnold. Arnold retired from the district last year but was hired back as a fiscal consultant.

Despite knowing that the district has been losing money, Superintendent Johnson has expanded his academic programs of the Academic Core and 7-Period Day. Johnson implemented each of these programs knowing that it would be difficult if not impossible to pay for them without destroying other programs in the district. The district is now looking for immediate relief by laying off its newly hired teachers, overloading classroom, and looking at the elimination of after school sports, band, the arts, transportation, and a variety of other programs.

Ironically, the district is risking an additional $125,000 to fund an election for second school bond to improve its facilities, rather than asking for a parcel tax to pay for its expanded programs. If the second bond initiative fails, the district will lose the $125,000 election fee.

After getting the finances of the district in order, the SMHUSD Board should call for an independent investigation of this financial debacle.

- Written by JC

A.I.A. Guests

It is now confirmed that John Lucchesi, 2006 President of the A.I.A. San Mateo County Chapter and Noemi K. Avram, co-chair of the Burlingame City-sponsored upcoming charrette (Destination S.O.B.A) and past President of the A.I.A. San Mateo County Chapter will join us for an exciting evening of conversation at the "Charrettes for Dummies":

DATE: Tuesday, September 5, 2006
TIME: 6:30 - 8:00 PM
WHERE: Copenhagen Bakery and Cafe, 1216 Burlingame Avenue
INFO: www.betterburlingame.org

We will explore the creative potential for stimulating growth and development around the Howard Avenue area. Entrance is free and open to all.

Bring your ideas, opinions and join in the conversation!

- Written by Fiona

Crimes in Burlingame

Daily Journal's Police Blotter - BURLINGAME

Burglary. A bicycle was reported stolen from a locked garage area on the first block of Lorton Avenue at 8:48 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23.

Stolen vehicle. A vehicle was reported stolen on the 1000 block of Broadway at 3:14 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23.

No mention of drug busts, neighborhood driveway muggings, etc?

- Written by Fiona

Approving $488 million Hospital

Daily Journal - Hospital rebuild wins huge

Years of planning, negotiations and legal battles over a new Peninsula Medical Center came to an end last night with voters overwhelmingly approving a $488 million state-of-the-art hospital in Burlingame with a stunning 92.8 percent margin. The measure received 27,074 votes in favor and 2,088 not in the all-mail ballot, according to the San Mateo County Elections Office. They win like that when they rigged elections in South America. ... You don't have to limit it to South America, it happens in Russia too,? said Board President Donald Newman. The approval of Measure V allows the Peninsula Healthcare District to lease land to Mills-Peninsula Health Services for 50 years. Construction can now begin on the new hospital. Newman was hopeful for a victory, but wasn't anticipating these results. For Newman, the approval is the culmination of years of negotiating and planning that can finally begin. Now the board will focus on overseeing the construction process. Despite the large victory, the hospital efforts were surrounded by a healthy amount of past controversy.

The district spent years on the project including a tense time in which certain members of the board were not allowed to vote on any new development because of conflict of interest. Those interests were eventually resolved when the board members left and new leadership took place. Recently, the Peninsula Hospital Guardians sought to freeze the election until the lease agreement included adequate safeguards to protect San Mateo County taxpayers and patients. The group wanted to ensure that Mills-Peninsula must stick to the agreement. The group sued to stop the election last month. The lawsuit was dismissed, however, because the judge said the concerns could be addressed after the election. The group is currently waiting for the district to respond to some of these issues and has asked to meet with representatives in the future, member Dan Andersen said. I find it amazing that this state-of-the-art facilities will be available. It will be a significant unbelievable impact on health care for many years and only 30 percent of voters turned in their ballots,? he said.
The group wants the new facility, Andersen said, but also wants people to understand the significance of the agreement.

The new hospital is being paid for by Mills-Peninsula and its affiliate, Sutter Health, but required ultimate approval by voters because it is on district-owned property. It will have about 243 beds, a new medical office building and a multi-level parking garage. Planned to be constructed just east of the 1954 building, the new medical center must be built by 2013 to comply with earthquake safety standards. The hospital could not be built without the approval of Measure V. Mills Peninsula and the district reached a deal in August 2005 after years of negotiations. The agreement gives guidelines for Mills-Peninsula to tear down the existing Peninsula Medical Center at Trousdale Drive and El Camino Real and construct a seismically safe, six-story facility. The rebuild is mandated by a state law passed after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The agreement transfers 21 acres to Mills-Peninsula with a 50-year lease. Mills-Peninsula will pay the district $1.5 million annually for rent. There is an option to extend the lease an additional 25 years. The district can also opt to regain control of the hospital.

The Peninsula Healthcare District serves residents in San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo and parts of Foster City and South San Francisco.

- Written by Fiona

Our Heads would Spin?

San Mateo Times - Should the city help protect indie shops?

BURLINGAME - La Pinata is gone, so is Sweet Treats. Apple has moved in, as has J. Crew. The flight of small, independently owned businesses from Burlingame Avenue over the last several years has some citizens worried that the thoroughfare is on the way to becoming a soulless strip of franchise outlets and ritzy boutiques. But what can the city do? Well, it depends on who you talk to. Other cities on the Peninsula are engaged in balancing economic vitality and neighborhood character. In San Carlos, the city council is considering a moratorium on coffee shops on Laurel Street, now that a second Starbuck's Coffee has opened in the downtown area. Some business owners in South San Francisco are torn between revitalizing Grand Avenue and maintaining its store diversity. Burlingame Avenue faces a different conundrum than Laurel Street, however. While some argue that a "first wave" of chain retailers would pump up business on Laurel, Burlingame Avenue is confronted with that infamous byproduct of economic success, gentrification.

One strategy for maintaining neighborhood character has been put into effect in Los Gatos. In 2002, the Town Council voted to establish an ordinance controlling "formula" stores. National or regional retail chains with seven or more outlets must acquire a conditional use permit to move into the downtown area. The law gives the city the authority to deny a permit if it deems that the proposed business is not in harmony with the character of the neighborhood or would cause an over-concentration of one type of business. "Some would say, 'Why don't you let the market do its thing?'" said Bud Lortz, Los Gatos' community development director. The answer, Lortz said, is that "it requires a tremendous amount of work and effort to make sure that the downtown has the right mix of uses." Other cities in the state and nationwide have adopted similar measures. Calistoga does not allow formula restaurants and makes chain retailers apply for a conditional use permit. In April, the town of Nantucket, Mass., banned all chain businesses from its downtown area.

Burlingame City Planner Meg Monroe said she's concerned that these laws could amount to discrimination and put the city at risk for lawsuits. But Los Gatos Town Councilman Mike Wasserman said the town hasn't had any legal troubles with the ordinance. "We have the right to protect and preserve our community," Wasserman said. "A town or city certainly has the right to look after its own best interests." Monroe disagreed. "We couldn't make a list of businesses we didn't want in town," she said. "We'd be in court so fast our heads would spin." Karim Salma, whose firm owns the block of the Avenue that intersects with California Drive, disputes the idea that economic vitality and independent business don't mix. Of the four stores that are in the process of opening on the 1100 block of the Avenue, including the restaurant Mijana, all but one are independently owned, Salma said. The fourth, La Corneta Taqueria, is a spin-off of a San Francisco-based Mexican restaurant. As the city develops a Downtown Specific Plan over the next several months, all options are on the table, Burlingame City Councilman Russ Cohen said. He didn't rule out at a chain store ordinance. "I think anything is possible for Burlingame," Cohen said. "With this specific downtown plan that we're going to be developing in the coming months, the slate is clean."

- Written by Fiona

$4 million dollars

According to Mr. Horgan's column today, it will cost $4 million dollars to fix the front and back of Burlingame High School. Mr. Johnson did not give an estimate as to when the situation will be resolved.

- Written by Fiona

Bombs at Heritage Park

Is anyone else hearing the bombs going off in the middle of the night at Heritage Park? It started a week before Fourth of July which I accepted as kids getting an early start on the holiday. But since then there have been 5 more incidents. I am not talking loud firecrackers but loud bombs. Police are called but I don't know if there is much they can do after the fact. They are already such short staffed.

- Written by coachezwife

Hospital Vote

Activists should stop delaying hospital - Examiner

SAN FRANCISCO - Today, Aug. 29, is the final day for the 101,000 residents of the Peninsula Health Care District to postmark their mail-in ballots on whether to approve the long-negotiated contract for Sutter Health to rebuild Peninsula Medical Center in Burlingame. Approval now will comply with the state's 2013 hospital seismic upgrade deadline. We hope the majority of voters in the district which essentially runs from San Mateo to San Bruno will say yes to the deal, by which the Sutter nonprofit's Mills-Peninsula Health Services subsidiary pays $488 million to build a new hospital on public land administered by the Health Care District.

A small watchdog group called the Peninsula Guardians does not believe district residents are well enough informed to be entrusted to vote on the deal, even though public meetings about the new hospital have been in progress for six years. The Guardians are suing to throw out the district referendum that hasn't even been tallied yet, which would seem to indicate they don't expect the full vote to go their way. Their attempt to stop the election was denied by Superior Court on July 28. Now the latest word is that the Guardians might drop the lawsuit if the Health Care District meets its demands. Face-to-face meetings between attorneys for the Guardians and the district are supposed to take place early in September, although district spokespersons state it is extremely unlikely that any substantive changes would be made to the contract. The Guardians' main remaining complaints are that the negotiated 50-year lease extends far beyond California's 30-year limit on public hospital property agreements and that vague contractual language would allow the hospital management to make sweeping changes without another district-wide vote. Admittedly these are reasonable concerns, but the Guardians were present at virtually all of the key meetings during the six-year negotiation process, and they had ample opportunity to speak out on their views. By the time this contract was submitted to voters, the terms that Peninsula Health Care District were able to wring out of Mills-Peninsula management during the often-contentious negotiations were considerably improved.

Mills-Peninsula will now pay $1.5 million yearly rent for the district property, rather than pay to build only the hospital. The district gained additional options for placing potentially profitable operations on the valuable acreage not being used for the hospital. And with help from an effective neighborhood campaign, the medical center's massive new parking structure was relocated to frontage on busy El Camino Real instead of looming right above single-family residences.


Plus opinion piece in the Examiner.

- Written by Fiona

Laser lightshow at 137 Crescent Ave.

What is going on with the guy at 137 Crescent Ave. Now he has 3 blazing lights on his property. There must be some kind of code against this public nuisance. You would think he is a traffic controller at SFO or something. Who's in charge of dimming this guy's bulbs?

- Written by anson