First round endorsements include Benicia Mayor Steve Young, more endorsements to come…
Fairfield, CA – August 30th – The Solano Democratic Party held endorsement interviews for candidates in 9 out of 24 races it will be endorsing for the 2024 General Election.
This first round of endorsements include:
Solano County Race
Endorsed Candidate
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District – District 2
Audrey Jaques
Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District – District 6
Ana Petero
Vacaville Unified School District – District 4
Audra Orr
Vacaville Unified School District – District 7
Michael Kitzes
Board of Education, Solano County – District 2
Bonnie Hamilton
Mayor City of Benicia
Steve Young
City Council, City of Fairfield – District 6
Manveer Sandhu
City Council, City of Vacaville – District 3
Michael “Mike” Silva
City Council, City of Vacaville – District 5
Jason Roberts
“I am pleased that so many qualified candidates have stepped forward to represent their fellow citizens this fall,” said Don Lowrie, Solano Democratic Party Chair. “The individuals who earned the central committee’s endorsement will serve the entire community. I am confident they will fight for our freedoms and provide a bright and prosperous future for all of Solano County’s residents.”
The committee will be hosting another round of Candidate interviews on September 7th. This will be live streamed to the committee’s YouTube and Facebook social media channels found @solanodems – Facebook, YouTube.
Candidates wanting to be endorsed, must be a registered Democrat, and complete the Committee’s Endorsement Questionnaire. This can be found on the Committee’s website at solanodemocrats.com/endorsements.
Dems endorse Christina Gilpin-Hayes and Trevor Macenski for Council, Mayor Steve Young for re-election
The Progressive Democrats of Benicia (PDB) are proud to announce their endorsements for the upcoming Benicia City Council and Mayoral elections. Following a thorough and engaging interview process with all candidates, the club’s voting membership has made their decisions.
Endorsements
After interviewing Democratic candidates for Benicia City Council Christina Gilpin-Hayes, Trevor Macenski, and Franz Rosenthal, the PDB membership has voted to endorse:
Christina Gilpin-Hayes
Trevor Macenski (Incumbent)
The club also interviewed Mayor Steve Young, who is seeking re-election. Members voted overwhelmingly to endorse Mayor Young for re-election.
(From left to right: Endorsed candidates for City Council Christina Gilpin-Hayes and Trevor Macenski, and endorsed candidate for Mayor, Steve Young. Photos supplied by candidates.)
The Progressive Democrats of Benicia congratulate the endorsed candidates and thank everyone who participated. Visit their websites at ChristinaForBenicia.com, TrevorMac.com, and ReElectYoungForBenicia.com to learn more about their campaigns, sign up to volunteer, and donate.
The Endorsement Process
The presentation started with the candidates sharing brief introductions before joining a wide-ranging discussion covering critical issues facing Benicia, including industrial health and safety, Benicia’s future as a refinery town, housing challenges, City budget shortfalls, and potential ways to address those shortfalls. After the candidates answered a few prepared questions, members, supporters, and viewers were able to engage in a lively Q&A.
“We’re incredibly proud of not just the program the club put on, and not just the candidates who all rose to the occasion, but also our members and supporters,” said Kathy Kerridge, Chair of the Progressive Democrats of Benicia. “It’s their commitment to the democratic process that brought us all together for a packed Zoom meeting on a Monday night, to learn more about the candidates and real Benicia issues. More than sixty people showed up to take part, and the recording is now available on our website at progressivedemocratsofbenicia.org so even more undecided voters will have a chance to watch it.”
Thank You…and Don’t Forget to Vote!
The Progressive Democrats of Benicia wish to thank the candidates for the time they spent with us. As we look toward the future, the club encourages all Benicia residents to stay informed, get involved in local politics, and exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. In preparation, don’t forget to check your voter registration at the Secretary of State website (voterstatus.sos.gov). There, you can verify your mailing address for mailed ballots, confirm your party registration, and more.
More Exciting Endorsements Ahead
The Progressive Dems will next meet at 7pm on Wednesday, September 4, over Zoom, to interview Benicia School Board and Solano Community College Board candidates, and hear about the ballot measures Benicia will be voting on in November. This meeting is free and open to the public, regardless of party registration or city of residence, and a recording will be posted for this meeting as well.
Learn how to join the Sept. 4 endorsement meeting and find more information about the Progressive Democrats of Benicia at progressivedemocratsofbenicia.org. Dues are $30/year and you must be a registered Democrat to join as a full member. (Non-Democrats are welcome to attend public meetings.)
By Benicia Vice Mayor Terry Scott, received July 8, 2024
Note: A number of these points have been made on the record, noted during the 6/25 City Council discussion on this subject.
I am opposed to the proposed consolidation of the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC), Human Services Board (HSB), and the Parks, Recreation, and Cemetery Commissions into a single entity.
This plan, while well-intentioned in its aim to reduce monthly staff support, fails to recognize the unique and vital contributions each commission makes to our community.
The HSB’s mission as a granting organization is to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable among us. Its specialized focus on social services cannot be overstated, as it ensures that those in need and receive the targeted support they require.
The ACC, with its dual mission of creating and supporting public art initiatives and creating and supporting cultural events, enriches our community’s cultural landscape.
From Shakespeare in the Park to supporting local arts organizations like the Benicia Ballet and the Old Town Theatre, the ACC’s role is multifaceted and requires dedicated oversight.
The Voena choir rehearsing at First Baptist church in Benicia, Calif., in 2012.| Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle.
In addition, ACC also manages on-going grantor programs for Arts Benicia, VOENA, Benicia Performing Arts Foundation, Makers Space and Benicia Literary Arts .
Combining these groups, along with Parks, Rec and Cemeteries into one large committee dilutes their individual effectiveness and undermines their ability to serve the distinct needs of our community.
A newly comprised seven-member committee cannot possibly manage the diverse needs, budgets, and intricacies of the grantor process that these individual commissions oversee.
Furthermore, the suggestion does not directly address the needs of our aging population. As we have seen in the Parks Master plan and witnessed on our streets, Benicia is aging.
To meet the challenges this demographic shift presents, we need a dedicated City Commission on Aging, not a mere mention in a consolidated group’s mission.
If staff reduction is the goal, let us find ways to support and enhance the work of these commissions, which play an irreplaceable role in the fabric of our community.
But if we cannot continue to maintain independent stand alone commissions due to the need to reduce staff involvement, we must look at new opportunities for staff time reduction.
I offer the following thoughts on how to potentially accomplish the task by matching Benicia commissions to need based on similar visions.
“Terry Scott Supports the Arts.” | Uncredited image.
Combining the Arts and Culture Commission with Economic Development Board can create a more cohesive strategy for driving both cultural and economic growth. This approach aligns with the concept of creative placemaking where arts and culture are integrated into community development to enhance the quality or and economic prosperity.
For example, as ACC Chair Neema Hekmat has noted, the National Endowment for the Arts has highlighted how arts can be a powerful tool for community transformation and economic development.
Similarly, merging the Human Services Board with the Family Resource Center could streamline services and provide a more robust support system for disadvantaged groups. Our Family Resource Center serves as a hub for various support services that is a match with HSB’s mission of addressing the needs of vulnerable populations.
This integration can lead to more efficient use of resources and better outcomes for the community and possibly avoid redundant staffing needs.
Combining HSB with FRC, and then ACC with EDB, could help keep these functions separate but integrated into two existing commissions, which seems practical and focused on leveraging the strengths of each area. It ensures that arts and economic development can thrive together, while human services and family resources support can provide a comprehensive safety net.
How do you envision the implementation of these changes? Are there specific steps or strategies you think would be crucial for a smooth transition?
Merging the Arts and Culture Commission with the Economic Development Board could potentially offer several benefits:
Streamlined Processes: Combining the commissions could lead to more efficient operations by reducing redundancy and improving coordination between the financial impact of arts, culture, and city long term initiatives and economic development.
Enhanced Grant Opportunities: A unified commission might have a stronger position when applying for grants, as it could present a more comprehensive approach to community development that includes both economic and cultural growth.
Business Orientation: The merger could foster a closer relationship between the arts community and local businesses, potentially leading to more opportunities for economic partnerships and sponsorships. The ACC has shown its financial impact on Benicia.
Integration: Combining of two economic focused commission engines could support more effective marketing and calendar tools and all designed to create a destination for visitors
Similar to merging the ACC and EDB, there are many benefits to merging the Human Services Board with the Family Resource Center:
Integrated Services: A merger could lead to a more holistic approach to service delivery ensuring that individuals and families receive coordinated support tailored to their comprehensive needs.
Efficiency: By pooling resources and expertise, the combined entity could operate more efficiently, reducing duplication of efforts and streamlining administrative processes.
Enhanced Support: The merger could strengthen the support network for marginalized groupps by providing a single point of access to a wider range of services.
Community Outreach: A unified organization might have a greater capacity for outreach and advocacy, raising awareness of available services and potentially reaching a broader segment of the community need.
Big Vision: Could CAC, HSB and FRC be combined into one unit? It’s important to note that the unique staffing, overall needs and contributions of creating a safety net for our most needy and disadvantaged residents might be possible by combining the Human Services Board, Family Resource Center, and Benicia Housing Authority.
Vice Mayor Terry Scott served as the Chair of the Benicia Arts and Culture Commission before his election to office in 2022. Thanks to Scott and the commission’s Public Art Committee, traffic light boxes, benches, and more got colorful makeovers in service to street beautification and boosting Benicia’s identity as a cultural arts center. | Adrienne Rockwell / Benicia Magazine.
Message from Benicia’s Arts and Culture Commission Chair Neema Hekmat, received July 7, 2024:
I would like to invite Benicia residents to attend a special Arts & Culture meeting this Monday, July 8, where we will be ideating on a new structure to more efficiently and effectively support arts and culture in Benicia.
The Benicia Arts and Culture Commission, in partnership with Vallejo Shakespeare, presented William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at the Benicia Marina Pavilion in 2022. The performance was free and open to the public. | Benicia Magazine.
We want to put something on the table that addresses the budget needs without creating more issues. If anything, I am hoping that we can find a structure that negates existing challenges and barriers and allows us to serve the community more effectively than before. So this challenge may be an opportunity for a true WIN-WIN.
The commission can’t do this alone and we need everyone who cares about arts and culture to step up and be actively involved. City council may make a decision soon and we need your support to prevent a decision with major repercussions.
This is the time to be LOUD.
Participating in this session is one key forum where you can make a difference. Please forward this message to anyone you think would like to be involved. More info on the session is available at this link.
If you cannot attend this meeting but want to express your idea/opinion/thoughts, please submit a public comment in writing by emailing it to Helaine Bowles at hbowles@ci.benicia.ca.us.
If you want your comment to be considered during the session, please submit your comment by noon PST on July 8.
Artist Josie Grant’s ‘Jungle’ piano features a rainforest lush with plants and vibrantly populated by colorful animals. This and other pieces of public art were sponsored by Benicia’s Arts and Culture Commission, which faces a reduction in financial support from the City. | Photo by Will Stockton.
Fairfield, CA – August 30th – The Solano Democratic Party held endorsement interviews for candidates in 9 out of 24 races it will be endorsing for the 2024 General Election.
The Progressive Democrats of Benicia wish to thank the candidates for the time they spent with us. As we look toward the future, the club encourages all Benicia residents to stay informed, get involved in local politics, and exercise their right to vote in the upcoming elections. In preparation, don’t forget to check your voter registration at the Secretary of State website (voterstatus.sos.gov). There, you can verify your mailing address for mailed ballots, confirm your party registration, and more.
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