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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04191994 - 1.189 1 .188 through 1 .191 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on April 19,1994, by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Smith, DeSaulnier, Torlakson and Bishop NOES: None ABSENT: Supervisor Powers ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: CORRESPONDENCE Item No. 1.188 CLAIM received March 29, 1994, Robert Dunn, attorney, 201 California Street, San Francisco 94111, submitted on behalf of SFPP, L.P., formerly known as Southern Pacific Pipe Lines Partnership, L.P., for refund of taxes paid for assessment year 1989. ***REFERRED TO TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR, ASSESSOR, AND COUNTY COUNSEL 1.189 ,LETTER dated March 25, 1994, from Ann L. Fries, 91 Acacia Drive, Orinda, proposing the development of recreational facilities and activities for teens. ***REFERRED TO DIRECTOR, GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 1.190 LETTER dated March 28, 1994, from M. Menesini, Mayor, City of Martinez, 525 Henrietta Street, Martinez 94553, requesting the Board of Supervisors to adopt a countywide moratorium to preclude the placement of a proposed telecommunications tower and accessory buildings in the Franklin Hills area pending the adoption of policies for structures such as these within the County. *** REFERRED TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR 1.191 LETTER dated April 5, 1994, from Cletus Gravette, President, Contra Costa/Alameda County Cattlemen's Association, 5554 Clayton Road, Concord 94521, urging the Board to amend the recently passed "Tree Preservation Ordinance" to exempt privately owned rangelands from its regulations. ***REFERRED TO INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND COUNTY COUNSEL 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of SUMISots op he e s on ATTESTED: (tel `1 PHIL BATc ELOR,clerk of the Board cc: Correspondents �--�of Supervisors and County Administrator County Administrator B� y ;�,�, ,�vv .Deputy Internal Operations Committee Treasurer-Tax Collector Assessor County Counsel Growth Management and Economic Development Agency Community Development RECEIVE® ' 91 .W6c0a A. y Ca4t a,`Pa. 94563 MAR 3 1 1994 (.f/-q 254-3608 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS March 25, 1994 CONTRA COSTA CO. Dear City Council -Sod What is the matter with politicians and communities who think .that laws and harshness will change teen-age violence? Teen-agers have no legitimate place to congregate. They have no safe bicycle trails while adult trails are opened and maintained. They have no skate board facilities and are met with prohibitive signs everywhere they turn. They have no roller skating or ice skating rinks. They have no " cheap" bowling alleys nor movie house discount cards catering to limited allowances of many of them. The buses do. There is no spot with broken down cars and experienced mechanics on hand to teach young men and women how to build and repair cars after school or in school. Why cannot the financial backers of politicians send their legislators polite notes and explain their donations in the future are going to be funneled directly into facilities and ideas for teen-agers after school with adequate overseers? Politicians ' laws do not work. Why not a volunteer organization, perhaps beginning with an interfaith effort, trying to .change our violent society from the grass roots by providing teens with sports and worthwhile projects they like to do and a place to do them? - Where are the basketball hoops, the open tennis courts? Where are the dance halls? There is more for teen-agers than football which seems to have no trouble raising huge sums for their perpetuation and yet only addresses a few. Years ago I wrote letters about after school programs for pre- highschoolers and low and behold they appeared. Not because of my letters perhaps, but because others also saw the need and filled it. The program in Orinda is very successful it seems to me and children are busy, happy and supervised. Well now surely is the turn of the teen-ager. Not only teen-agers, schools and parents have responsibilities. The community has as well as the pamphlet put out by "Parents Without Partners" so eloquently put it years ago. Let' s stop dressing up our communities on the outside and work for the good of all on the inside. where the need to stop violence and lawlessness is so evident. That random accidental shot may hit any one of us. Teen-agers need and want to be busy. doing things they enjoy and there are myriad of ideas if people start thinking and volunteering. Yes ice rinks, pool halls, skate board arenas may attract a crowd. But isn't it the very group we ought .to want to reach? Not every child has the financial backing or perhaps even the talent or desire for expensive music or ballet lessons to keep them off the streets. Why not a teen center in every city with ping pang table, pool table, card games, dart board, paper back books and a quiet corner to read them in, a coffee pot, a non-alcoholic bar, basketball hoops. All staffed at first by security men maybe, but as years go by and the teens find they are welcome, they may be able to police themselves. Trips to the snow, river rafting, foreign travel all might come out of this setting. But first we must let our young people know that we are aware they need outlets within their pocketbook range and desires. Not everyone is going to be that spectacular basket ball player, football player, doctor or lawyer. Some need more time to grow up and find their way. Instead of , anot'her Payless which Orinda doesn ' t need, another mallwhichno city around here needs, an above parking ground (whi.ch could .be used for basketball hoops) why not concentrate on getting the business CEOs, the investors, the philanthropists to see thebestinvestments with the greatest rewards for this country right now are in our teen-agers. Forget about backing politicians. They make laws at a distance that never work. Invest in Teens NOW. Think about it. Sincerely Mrs . Ann L. Fries