From: Mike Burkholder
To: Wimberly, Margaret
Subject: Public Comment - G 1
Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 2:40:50 PM
CAUTION – EXTERNAL SENDER
Brentwood City Council:
I urge this city council to approve Lazy Dog Restaurant and do away with these conditions of approval placed by the planning commission. I understand the concerns about line of sight, the roof, the tower, windows… however, this project is what I would consider not only a “special circumstance” but a slam dunk for the community. I call it a special circumstance based on the location itself given the property history and triangle while being next to the freeway and boxed in by other commercial real restate/retails—that basically takes care of the line of sight concerns. As far as columns, windows and other requests, I get what the planning commission and staff are thinking, however, who else is truly going to consider building a $5 million + building and creating tax revenue in this location? Go for the win, get it done and hope Lazy Dog will reconsider.
Mike Burkholder
Brentwood resident
June Peters
City of Brentwood City Council Members:
Joel R. Bryant, Mayor
Susannah Meyer, Vice Mayor
Jovita Mendoza, Council Member
Pa’tanisha Pierson, Council Member
Tony, Oerlemans, Council Member
Subject: Petition to Investigate Operation and Unfair Retaliatory Treatment of Staff at the Brentwood Senior Activity Center.
Dear City Council,
We the undersigned members of the community and participants of the Brentwood Senior Activity Center are writing to bring your attention to the urgent need for an investigation into the operations of the Brentwood Senior Activity Center and the retaliatory treatment of the center staff who have been wrongfully terminated. We believe these issues are having a detrimental impact on the Senior Center program and its participants, and we seek your assistance in rectifying this situation.
The Brentwood Senior Activity Center (BSAC) has long been a vital resource for our community’s senior citizens, providing them with a safe and engaging environment to socialize, learn, and access essential services. Staff at the senior center have created a warm, welcoming environment that has made all of us seniors feel that the Brentwood Senior Activity Center is a second home away from home. The customer service they have provided and the recruitment of services rendered to us are valuable in many ways. Not only have staff served us seniors but they have also assisted our families, caregivers, friends, and neighboring senior community members. The center’s printed activities guide kept us seniors connected and well-informed about the center’s activities, classes, trips, workshops, and special events in Brentwood and the surrounding community.
For the past fifteen years, our former recreation supervisor, Olivia Alvarez worked very diligently to collaborate and develop programs and services to meet the needs of our seniors and their families. She worked alongside the Brentwood Senior Citizens Club to strengthen their operational infrastructure as a 501c3 and collaborated with multiple Contra Costa County departments/programs and nonprofits to obtain and provide much-needed resources to Far East Contra Costa County seniors and their families. With this approach, the senior center increased its participation from 200 participants to over 1,500 participants it provided services to and developed a reputation of being the best senior center in East Contra Costa County. The center attracted not only Brentwood residents but also residents from Oakley, Byron, Knightson, Discovery Bay, Antioch, Pittsburg, and even Tracy. The center gained a reputation for being a one-stop shop to meet senior needs. All of this was made possible through the staff's philosophy, work ethic, and passion for working with seniors. However, recent events have raised serious concerns about the center’s operations and the treatment of its staff members, resulting in negative consequences for both the program and its participants. The unfair termination of dedicated and experienced staff members has not only caused distress among the affected individuals but has also led to a significant loss of institutional knowledge and experience. This has resulted in a decline in the quality of services provided to our senior community, impacting their overall well-being and enjoyment of the center’s programs.
The negative impact of these issues is evident in various ways. Firstly, the lack of staff support has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and low morale, affecting their ability to effectively engage with the participants and provide the necessary care and attention they deserve. The new staff that has been hired to replace the previous staff team lacks the compassion, experience, and knowledge of resources that the previous staff had. This has resulted in a decline in the quality of programming and reduced access to essential services, which are crucial for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of our senior citizens. For example, employees from other program areas are being placed at the front desk of the senior activity center with no training other than basic registration. Staff can’t answer questions that seniors have regarding programs and resources. New staff are referring seniors to access the information online on the City of Brentwood’s website which is known to not be very user-friendly. This has resulted in a decline in the quality of programming, communication, and programming, and has reduced access to essential services.
Furthermore, the termination of experienced staff members has disrupted the sense of community and familiarity that participants have come to rely on. Many seniors have formed strong bonds with the staff, who have become trusted friends and confidants. The loss of these relationships has caused distress and a sense of abandonment among the participants, leading to decreased participation and a decline in the overall sense of belonging with the center. Seniors are concerned for the center and their future involvement leaving them without a sense of connection to the community. Since the removal of Olivia Alvarez from her position there has been a sense of fear between staff and participants communicating with one another regarding what happened to her position. The city has made very intimidating remarks to staff and participants letting it be known that they are not to contact Mrs. Alvarez and that Mrs. Alvarez was not allowed to contact them. It was as if there was a gag order in place not to discuss Mrs. Alvarez's employment at any level. This left everyone wondering about the cause of her dismissal and led people to question her integrity, ethical, and professional conduct. This had significant negative implications on her reputation and relationships in her community.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the City Council undertake a thorough investigation into the operation of the Brentwood Senior Activity Center and the unfair termination of staff members, Recreation Supervisor, Olivia Alvarez, and Recreation Leader Robbie Myers. In addition to the displacement of Teresa Baria, Jennifer, Laulusa, Abraham Rodriguez, and Ben Kahn. We urge you to address the lack of support for former staff who were part of a team where their Recreation Leader positions were more than just a job they had a spirit of dedication for seniors thus why they were hand-chosen for their position. They loved to serve the seniors and cared about what took place at the Brentwood Senior Activity Center. We ask that the City Council take appropriate action to rectify any injustices. We especially, request the following:
1) Meeting with council members to have an open dialogue to discuss issues taking place at the Senior Center and the city's future plans for the Brentwood Senior Activity Center.
2) Conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of the center’s operations, including staff qualifications to meet the needs of the Brentwood Senior Activity Center Recreation Leader positions.
Including its management structure, training, and experience in carrying out their assignments.
3) Analyze the goals set for the Brentwood Senior Activity Center and how they arrived at those program goals.
4) The City Council should be informed and have the ability to ensure transparency and fairness in the handling of staff-related matters, including terminations, by implementing clear protocols, and guidelines, to ensure fair treatment of full and part-time staff. 5) Implement measures to prevent future instances of unfair treatment and ensure a supportive and inclusive work environment for all staff members without any favoritism and double standards.
6) Reinstate any staff member who has been unfairly terminated and provide them with appropriate compensation for any damages incurred.
7) Provide training and adequate support and resources for remaining staff members to ensure the continued provision of high-quality services to the senior community.
8) Re-establish representation of Brentwood in vital meetings in the county and with collaborating partners to ensure resources continue to be accessed to service seniors in Brentwood.
9) Re-establish the Printed Brentwood Senior Activities Guide that stopped being developed.
We believe that by addressing these concerns, the City Council can help restore the integrity and effectiveness of the Brentwood Senior Activity Center, ensuring that it continues to serve as a valuable resource for our senior citizens and the wider community.
We kindly request that you keep us informed of any action taken in response to this petition. We will deliver the completed petition with signatures to the City Council by the September 26 City Council Meeting.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to the well-being of our senior community and senior caregivers who are part of this community that have been affected by all of these changes.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
June Peters