The Burlingame Voice

A Tale of Three Cities - Burlingame, Foster City and San Carlos

Interesting comparisons between Burlingame, Foster City and San Carlos. The populations are similar but some of the other numbers are not! We need to be careful that we are comparing apples to apples and the general funds do/do not include other funds???

FOSTER CITY (Map, News) - As most cities on the Peninsula are considering layoffs and tax increases to keep from sinking into the red, Foster City's is afloat with green. The city of about 30,000 will be completely debt-free by 2010, according to a budget report that will be presented to the City Council today. Even rosier, the city has about $17 million in reserves more than 50 percent of its general fund budget, Assistant City Manager Kristi Chappelle said. On top of that, the city is spending millions on a new teen center and adding expensive artificial turf to many of its athletic fields, she said. In comparison, the similar-sized city of Burlingame, with less than $10 million in reserves, is contending with more than $200 million in necessary infrastructure improvements after being forced to neglect them in recent belt-tightening years, City Manager Jim Nantell said.

Full article in Examiner

- Written by Fiona

Robin Hood - The Musical - on April 11th, 2008

Press Release - BURLINGAME PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO PRESENT ROBIN HOOD THE MUSICAL WITH A CAST OF 50 BURLINGAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. The Burlingame Parks & Recreation Department will be presenting Robin Hood The Musical at Burlingame High School Theatre on April 11th, 2008, 7:00 PM and April 12th, 2008, 2:00 PM. The performances are free and open to the public. Featuring 50 Burlingame elementary school thespians from kindergarten to 5th grade, you'll enjoy the heroics of "Robin Hood" (Adam Kohli), "Little John"(Ben Howley), "Friar Tuck" (Casey Donovan) "Maid Marion" (Sarah Lasman) and the "Merry Men" (Dean Scattini, Jennifer Weeks, Eileen Kohli, & Cameron Hendrickson). You'll boo and hiss along with the "Jester" (Jackie Kajisa) at "Prince John" (Malia Smith) and the "Sheriff of Nottingham" (Michael Hurwitz) and sing along with Mrs. Alan-a-Dale (Lilly Ferris) and her "Minstrals" (Olivia Klein, Katie Sonnenfeldt, Sabrina Fleming, Sonia Varah, Allison Kennedy, Clara Kennedy, Gracie Brand and McKenna Henrickson). This delightful musical even involves the audience in deciding the fate of "Robin Hood". The production is directed by Cathy Foxhoven, the musical director is Peter Bassford and the choreographer is Diane Silven. For more information, please call 650-697-6936.

- Written by Fiona

Dine Burlingame By the Bay

We highly recommend a new restaurant in Burlingame - The Sherman at 410 Airport Boulevard. The boat built in 1922 has an interesting history of being an army transfer ship, a cruise ship (historical display on board) and now a very well designed restaurant on the water. Everything from the lighting, wooden floors, private dining room, curved wooden bars, glass steps, etc. are very tastefully done. Check out their website to see how beautiful it is. Highly recommend the food too! Beautifully cooked and nicely served. It was a nice touch for the restaurant to treat us to a glass of champagne as a birthday treat. The Sherman has come a long way (physically and aesthetically) from 1922 with its many incarnations including its recent life as the Pattaya Princess. This restaurant is a special Burlingame gem!

- Written by Fiona

Runner-up

Congratulations to the Burlingame High School Frosh-Soph baseball team for making it to the championship game of the Aragon Easter Tournament. The team won three in a row before dropping a close game to De La Salle of Concord in the championship match-up of the 16 team tournament at San Mateo's Central Park. Now after a week off, back to your homework guys!

- Written by Joe

Lights out between 8:00 and 9:00 pm for Earth Day

EARTH HOUR (localGuy2008) To bring awareness to the catastrophes of global warming, everyone is asked to turn off non-essential lights on Saturday, March 29, from 8 to 9 p.m. Think about what you can do for an hour with the lights off. Take a nap, go for a stroll, gaze at the stars! Whatever you decide, just know that by turning the lights off, you will be contributing to a rapidly growing global campaign. Started last year by the World Wildlife Fund of Australia, the objective was for everyone in Sydney to turn off the lights for one hour. On March 31, 2007, an estimated 2.2 million people and more than 2,000 businesses in Sydney participated. Such prominent places the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge went dark. As a result, Sydney's energy usage dropped 10 percent. This year's campaign is worldwide! For more information, visit www.earthhour.org

- Written by Fiona

The Cost of Playing the Game

Young athletes coping with higher costs (by Mike Rosenberg, The Examiner) San Mateo County (Map, News) - Many Peninsula youth sports players will soon be forced to spend more time in the stands than on the field due to skyrocketing high-school facility fees. The San Mateo Union High School District recently raised rates for sports leagues to use its facilities. Prices will soon be as much as $22.50 per hour; currently, San Mateo charges children $8 a day to use the district's facilities. City officials from Burlingame, San Mateo, San Bruno and Millbrae four cities with schools in the district said the cheaper city-operated fields are already overcrowded and will not have space to accommodate leagues that will be unable to afford to play at high schools. Our fields are already jam-packed, so I don't know where we'd put anybody who didn't want to use high school fields,? said George Musante, director of athletics for the city of San Mateo. Millbrae, San Bruno and Burlingame park officials also said their fields are overbooked and said they will meet with local leagues to discuss how to squeeze in the expected rise in demand for field access. City officials, however, admitted there were no clear answers yet on how to do that. Everybody gets less playing time,? Burlingame Parks and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz said. Burlingame, he said, may need to find space for more than 2,400 players who may not be able to afford to play at Burlingame High School. San Bruno will likely have to reduce playing time for leagues as well, said Danielle Brewer, recreation services manager for the city of San Bruno. Millbrae AYSO Commissioner Mike Palu said he would need to find space for 600 players and was one of three coaches from different leagues who pleaded with the Millbrae City Council on Tuesday for help in finding a place to play. Palu said his soccer league could have to reduce its services. His organization may not be able to afford to play at Mills High School but there is no available space at any other field in Millbrae, he said. We're all concerned,? said Michael Shanus, whose son plays in the Burlingame Youth Baseball Association. I know that the school district is in a precarious financial situation but by the same token so are many of the [sports leagues].? Burlingame officials said they hope to add more than 2,000 hours of playtime by installing synthetic turf at Bayside Park. Millbrae officials said they are optimistic that the city's three unplayable fields can be fixed through a pending agreement with its school district. High School District Chief Business Official Liz McManus will meet to negotiate rates with each league and said the fee hikes were to offset state budget cuts. Sports fields by the numbers 8: San Mateo Union High School District sites 4: Cities with schools in the district March 13: Date increased field rates were approved July 1: Date increased field rates will take effect League options $17.50-$22.50 per hour: Likely rate to use high school fields $4 or $8 per day: Fee to play on San Mateo fields $10 or $20 per year: Fee to play on Burlingame fields $8 per league: Fee to play on Millbrae fields $6.50 per league: Fee to play on San Bruno fields ### Fiona wishes the old 16-acre drive-in site could have been used more efficiently over the years that it has remained so empty and desolate! It's hard to believe that the drive-in was closed in 1998 and slated for development, which as yet has not happened.

- Written by Fiona

A Dog Wash Fundraiser for K9s

BURLINGAME POLICE FUNDRAISER The Burlingame Police Department is taking part in a fundraiser this Saturday, March 29th, at both the Redwood City Pet Food Express and the San Carlos location from 10am-4pm. The event is a dog wash in which some of the proceeds will be used to fund bullet and stab resistant vests for our current K9's as well as our next Police dog. Go to https://www.burlingame.org/Index.aspx?page=149 to read about Burlingame's K9 Unit.

- Written by Fiona

Neighborhood Networking Meeting on April lst

Neighborhoods lay down the law (by Mike Rosenberg, The Examiner) BURLINGAME (Map, News) - When a wave of burglaries hit several residences in the southern part of the city late last year, the neighborhood unified and helped police catch a suspect. Now, the city is launching a new endeavor to prevent those neighborhood crimes. After the break-ins, police visited south Burlingame neighborhoods, gave crime prevention tips and encouraged residents to report suspicious people, Burlingame police Sgt. Jim Ford said. Tips from residents led police to Shawn Curtis McKnight Jr., 20, and many of the stolen goods were reportedly found in his Rollins Road home. McKnight was arrested in connection with nine of the 12 home burglaries, Ford said. On the opposite end of the city, a group of residents in the Poppy Drive neighborhood is way ahead of police. Led by Councilmember Terry Nagel, they have formed a neighborhood network that, among other actions, sends e-mail and other alerts when there have been crimes or suspicious activity. We've had some burglaries in the neighborhood, and, through our network, by the next day usually there's something online saying, Don't leave your doors unlocked; be careful,'? Poppy Drive resident Ray Marshall said. City Hall, police and fire representatives are sponsoring a citywide neighborhood network program April 1 in hopes others will start their own groups. As part of the program, police can visit neighborhoods with crime prevention tips, and firefighters can provide free Community Emergency Response Team and other disaster preparedness training. People can ask their neighbors to watch their homes while they're on vacation, too. The key is just knowing your neighbors,? Ford said. Nagel said that last weekend someone shone a flashlight in her neighbor's window at 4:30 a.m., which scared the woman, who lives alone. Within a few hours, everyone in the neighborhood had received e-mails to beware of suspicious people, she said. That's what neighbors are for,? Nagel said. The project should have staying power because residents will organize themselves, instead of police forming neighborhood watch programs, City Manager Jim Nantell said. When you organize neighborhood block captains, they start to get bored after a while,? Nantell said. The network also is more holistic and incorporates a variety of tools in one program, Nantell said. The April 1 course for residents interested in setting up their own networks will be held in the library's Lane Room at 7 p.m. Community watch Features of Burlingame's Neighborhood Network, starting April 1 Crime prevention Disaster preparedness Community Emergency Response Team training Funnel comments to City Hall Block parties Neighborhood contact directory House watching for vacationers

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame Exploring New Ideas

Burlingame exploring town square plan (by Mike Rosenberg, The Examiner)

BURLINGAME (Map, News) - The Kanz family on Tuesday did what most people do in downtown Burlingame they walked around Burlingame Avenue, a popular destination despite being devoid of an open space for pedestrians. Greg Kanz, his wife and two kids both in strollers left downtown and crossed California Drive and the Caltrain tracks to Washington Park on Tuesday afternoon. We needed a place to go where we could walk around in the area,? said Greg Kanz, his wife nodding. The Kanzes and the droves of other dog-walkers, stroller-pushers and window shoppers on Burlingame Avenue may not have to leave downtown for a lush new town square open space to enjoy in a few years, possibly complete with an excavated creek. As a special task force of residents, city officials and independent consultants explore a plan to map out the future of downtown Burlingame, the two long-rumored ideas are gaining momentum. We're trying to create a more pedestrian-friendly atmosphere in downtown and create more of a feeling that it's a pleasant place just to walk through in general,? said Community Development Director Bill Meeker. One possible town square location would be on the triangular block between California Drive, Howard Avenue and Highlands Avenue, Meeker said. The plaza could also be placed near the intersection of California Drive, Lorton Avenue and Bellevue Avenue. A new underground parking garage could be built underneath the open space, he said. Excavating Burlingame Creek, which runs underground through the area, would allow for a minimum 9-foot deep and 20-foot wide body of water. The creek may run through an eventual town square or between a pair of walkways, or the park could include an unnatural body of water. The plans are still in the brainstorming phase. Approving public open spaces in that area has been difficult recently for Burlingame as it faces a tight budget. An $800,000 centennial plaza next to the Caltrain station and a $700,000 bandstand in Washington Park were both nixed by the City Council within the last year. Funding for the town square and creek excavation would be the city's largest concern, Meeker said. A lot of people are interested in the idea and think it should be explored. On the other side there are people who think it's totally unrealistic,? said Charles Voltz, co-chair of the Citizens for a Better Burlingame group.

### There is a timely article today in the San Francisco Chronicle written by John King titled "Pockets of Peace" about public space in San Francisco with a map showing where the public spaces are. (click here) Particularly interesting is the 1985 plan which requires developers to include public space.

- Written by Fiona

"All the World's a (Street) Stage" in Burlingame

A different kind of drama - Faced with cuts, school districts raise rents on performing arts spaces (by Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer)

The play may no longer be the thing for some budding thespians due to the higher rates local school districts are charging to use their theaters. Faced with state budget cuts and other financial troubles, districts are raising the rates in order to fully recoup the costs associated with renting facilities to organizations like Il Piccolo (Players), a performing arts group based in Burlingame. Those hikes could force some to bow out of acting as program costs subsequently increase, said Cathy Foxhoven, Il Piccolo's art director and a contractor for Burlingame's after-school program. Her group is bracing for higher rates to use the auditorium and theater at Burlingame High School. Already, the cost of using the Burlingame Intermediate School auditorium has climbed from roughly $1,200 to $1,800 per production this year, Foxhoven said. San Mateo Union High School District officials said rental rates will rise on July 1 to $181 for two hours and about $726 for eight hours. Presently, the rates are $200 for four hours and range from $400 to $600 for eight hours. Recent cutbacks and slashed school funding are fueling the decision to increase rents, school officials said. "A year and a half ago we cut $3 million out of our budget," said Liz McManus, the high school district's associate superintendent for business. "There is not any more room to cut." Burlingame School District officials said they are in a similar situation. "Every school district is scrambling to search for revenue," said school board president Michael Barber. "Any space we have, we are always looking for ways to leverage so that we can get more revenue." But the new rates could make it prohibitively expensive for some children to participate, for example, in the Burlingame Parks and Recreation Department after-school enrichment program's production of "Robin Hood," which will be performed at Burlingame High School, Foxhoven said. It costs each participant $181 to be in the production, but the new rates could boost that figure to $500. The rental rates are not yet set in stone, said high school district Board Member Dave Pine. "It is clear that cities and individual groups are going to have to sit down with the high school district," he said. "The district is just doing what it has to do to recoup costs." Burlingame officials plan to discuss the issue with the high school district, said Randy Schwartz, the city's director of parks and recreation. He pointed out that the city does not charge the district for its use of Burlingame facilities. Meanwhile, Foxhoven has started to contact churches about using their facilities. "We are not going to quit what we are doing with our productions," she said. "Even if we have to do it on the street, we will make something work." Burlingame parent Leslie Ragsdale said she will have to reduce the number of programs her children participate in if the costs go up. She wondered how other families would weather the increases. "I think a lot of families wouldn't be able to do the programs," Ragsdale said.

### The Il Piccolo Players has NEVER in the past used a school facility for their small productions which, even at the District's present rate, would be cost prohibitive for a group that does not charge an entrance fee to their productions. A generous business opens up their space for rehearsals and a generous caffe is their "theatre". Of course their productions are limited in size because of this. There is a beautiful stage at the Burlingame Womans Club which is cost prohibitive for most groups and an unuseable half stage at the Recreation Center ($7,000+ would fix that one). All the world's a stage ... and perhaps street theatre is the way to go in Burlingame!

- Written by Fiona