Successful Shoe Sale!

Last week I wrote about downtown San Mateo merchant Atlas Skateboard apparel selling hot new shoes , and my efforts to create a safe, fun environment for all involved.

I am happy to report that the sale of the new shoes went off without a hitch, while creating a fun, exciting vibe in our downtown! Below, you can see a photo of customers lined up around the block in front of Atlas.

Thanks again to Atlas, the San Mateo Police Department, City Staff, and all our neighbors for making this a great community event!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad. Apologies for typos!

Toyonaka Sister City Visitors

For over 40 years, San Mateo has been blessed to have the city of Toyonaka, Japan as it's Sister City. Designed to promote international goodwill and an exchange of cultures between residents of our two cities, the City of San Mateo sends a goodwill baseball team to Toyonaka every two years, while the City of Toyonaka annually sends over two students as part of a cultural exchange program.

On Monday, I will be hosting our international guests at a lunch in Downtown San Mateo. If you'd like to come welcome our Toyonaka exchange students to San Mateo, please let me know!





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Location:Welcoming Visitors From Toyonka - San Mateo's Sister City

Off The Grid - Downtown San Mateo

Come on down to Off the Grid gourmet food truck event tonight at Downtown San Mateo. Long lines already for the Filipino food!

Waiting in Line for Shoes?!?

Part of the job of being a Councilmember is to be accessible to all members of our community.

Last night on my way home from work I received a call from the owner of Atlas, a skateboard apparel store on 2nd Ave and Ellsworth in downtown San Mateo. A group of kids had started to line up in front of his store in anticipation of the release of some new shoes this coming Sunday. The release of this new shoe had the kids lining up overnight to secure one of 34 pairs of shoes Atlas would be selling.

While standing in line overnight for a pair of shoes is not something I would do, we are a culture that sleeps out for concert tickets, sporting events, and the mega deals of "Black Friday" after Thanksgiving. So my position on this issue was to allow these kids to express their excitement for this "shoe event" in a way that respects our community, maximizes their safety, and minimizes disruption to surrounding businesses.

Ryan the owner of Atlas, asked for my help in talking with the police and City staff to address the issue. After talking to our police chief, the kids in line, as well as the parents of the kids, I was able to help facilitate an agreement that maximizes the safety of the kids as they wait in line, ensures minimal disruptions to downtown businesses, and allows parents to make informed choices about this event.

Thank you to the staff of the police department, the city attorney's office, and other community leaders in addressing this issue.

I will continue to be engaged in a hands-on manner in events in our community.

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Council Puts BMR Measure Before Voters

David Lim has shared the following article from San Mateo Patch:
	Council Puts BMR Measure Before Voters November ballot now includes a measure city staffers hope will solve a legal conundrum over below... By Don Frances Read more »

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Music in the Park - Tomorrow Night in Downtown San Mateo

Be sure to catch the music of Julio Bravo tomorrow night at Central Park in Downtown San Mateo starting at 6 PM!  Don't forget that food from your favorite downtown restaurant, and a glass of wine from the Downtown San Mateo wine booth makes the music that much more fun! 

Celebrating their 17th anniversary, Julio Bravo's group of dynamic musicians have created a flavor all their own. Beyond the talent of each individual member, Julio Bravo y su Orquesta Salsabor, is a unique blend of vocal styles unlike other salsa bands in San Francisco. Peruvian born singer, composer, and bandleader, Julio Bravo creates an explosion of sound and energy that keeps their diverse audience coming back for more. Energetic, versatile, fun to watch, fun to dance to, showcasing an eclectic mix of the best danceable tunes, covers and originals.

 

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American Cancer Society - Relay for Life

This past Saturday, I was honored to participate in the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life", hosted by the San Mateo Police Department at San Mateo High School.  I attended the opening ceremonies, and took a turn on the San Mateo Police Department relay team!

The 24-hour event is designed to to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease.

Thanks to local San Mateo businesses, including Ultimate Self Defense Studios and Outback Steakhouse, for sponsoring the event!

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Run, walk or even crawl for good eats

June 22, 2011, 03:33 AM By Bill Silverfarb Daily Journal staff

Social networking is all the rage on the Internet but some folks have taken to ditching their computers to actually make new friends in face-to-face interactions all while sampling fine cuisine.


Last night, a group of about 50 people cruised downtown San Mateo to partake in some of the area’s best food and drink all while getting to know each other.


The event, called Dishcrawl, has livened up downtowns throughout the Bay Area in recent months including Mountain View, San Jose, Livermore and Palo Alto.


Founder Tracy Lee calls Dishcrawl a way to blend good food with good company.


For $26, Dishcrawl participants get to walk around a downtown and eat some of the best food at three to four different restaurants all while mingling and sharing drinks with mostly perfect strangers, although participants have to buy their own beverages.


There is also an element of secrecy to the event, since most participants have no idea what restaurants they will be visiting before arriving at a common meeting place.


Lee held a Dishcrawl in downtown San Mateo back in May that Councilman David Lim and his wife participated in.


Lim’s group visited Rave Burger, Fletch’s, Kingfish, Astaria and finally Beard Papa’s for dessert.


Lim was told by others to pace himself that night but he packed in the food and drinks and said he made a lot of new friends.


“I was excited to see such an exciting, vibrant and tasty experience come to downtown San Mateo,” Lim said.


Lee decided to do a Dishcrawl in San Mateo because the city needs some “new movement.”


“It is a chance to meet your neighbors but also meet the people behind the food,” Lee said.


Chefs will engage the group, put on cooking demonstrations and offer up their best dishes, she said.


“There’s a real synergy in all of this,” Lee said.




Last night, a group of new strangers met at the Versailles Condominiums at Crystal Springs Road and El Camino Real for a private chef cooking before strolling out into downtown to sample more food at the next secret location which happened to be a gourmet food truck called Hiyaaa!


Marlon Evangelista, who lives in San Bruno, attended last night’s Dishcrawl in San Mateo for a second time.


He has taken to bringing his camera to the event, like many others, to document the experience.


He especially enjoys sharing his opinions with others about the food being sampled.


“I also like the exploration aspect of it,” Evangelista said.


San Mateo Parks and Recreation Director Sheila Canzian also attended last night’s event.


“I never heard of it until a few days ago,” she said.


She and the rest of the group enjoyed some Angus burgers at Versailles and some other specialty appetizers along with some champagne before heading outdoors to sample from the gourmet food truck.


Hiyaaa! served Vietnamese-inspired hot fusion sandwiches with a Korean twist that were gobbled up quickly despite participants already being filled up at Versailles.


After that, the group headed down to B Street to sample the menu at Las Americas, a Peruvian-themed restaurant that serves empanadas, anticuchos, sopa al la Criolla and many other dishes.


The spot for dessert was kept a secret until the end of the night.


Lee has actually started to conduct Dishcrawls in Canada, with one scheduled in Montreal July 6.


To learn more about Dishcrawl check out: www.dishcrawl.com.


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OCA San Mateo Youth Gala!

Attending the San Mateo Organization of Chinese Americans youth division gala event!

Newsletter from San Mateo City Councilman David Lim - June 2011

Fighting to Stay Accountable for YOUR Tax Dollars, Balanced Budget, and Summer Fun 

Dear David,

It seemed like summer would never arrive, but as we head toward the July 4th weekend, warmer weather is finally starting to show up in San Mateo.   

During the Spring, as your City Councilmember I was busy on a number of issues.  I wanted to give you an update on what was accomplished, what still needs some work, and where we are headed into the summer and fall.   

In this issue, read about:

• Fighting to Stay Accountable for YOUR Tax Dollars  
• San Mateo's Balanced Budget   
• Summer Fun in San Mateo 

Remember to check my website for weekly, detailed updates on the latest happenings in San Mateo.  And of course, call me or email me any time with issues you'd like to discuss. 

Have a great summer!
David

Fighting to Stay Accountable For YOUR Tax Dollars   Did you know that the San Mateo City Council is required to approve by public hearing all City expenditures over $100,000?  All expenditures under $100,000 can be approved without Council approval by the City Manger or City Department Heads.  In these tight economic times I thought it was time to review the $100,000 threshold.  For example, in Fiscal Year 2009-10, there were over $9 million of city expenditures that were not directly approved by the City Council, but instead approved by City Staff.  And while we have the most professional, ethical City Staff anywhere, I felt that the public had the right to have their elected officials approve all expenditures of their tax dollars over $25,000. That's why on April 4, I urged my colleagues on the City Council to consider lowering the threshold for City Council approval of all expenditures to $25,000. I am sorry to say that my request did not receive a majority of Council support to pass.  But it has not deterred me from continuing to advocate for what I think is right. Thank you to the many of you who voiced support for this effort.  I intend to bring up the issue again during next year's goal setting sessions.   To view a copy of the report associated with the April 4 meeting on this issue, click HERE.

San Mateo's Balanced Budget  On June 20, the City Council adopted a balanced budget for the City of San Mateo, as required under our City Charter.  Our budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2011-12 includes an Operating Budget of $116.46 million, plus Capital Improvement Program of $6.80 million, for a total $123.26 million dollar budget. A gap between revenue and expenditures due to the continued downturn in our economy required closing a $7.9 million gap.   The saving necessary to close this gap were filled with savings in budget management, employee cost reductions, capital project transfers, and department expenditure reductions for the upcoming year. Thanks to all of our City Staff who worked long and hard throughout the winter and spring to bring this budget in on time and on budget. A special thanks to our City Employees who made deep and often painful concessions in wages, benefits, and pension contributions to help the City balance it's budget.  To view a report of the budget approved on June 20, click HERE.

  Summer Fun In San Mateo

With the weather warming up, our Parks and Recreation Department, the Downtown San Mateo Association and the San Mateo Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to bring some great events your way!

Music in the Park started June 23, and runs every Thursday night from 6-8 PM through August 11.  Join your friends, family, and neighbors for a variety of great music, great food, and great fun in Central Park in San Mateo!  For more information, click HERE.  

 

Off the Grid, a collection of gourmet food trucks comes to Downtown San Mateo starting Monday, July 18.  For those of you who only remember food trucks as greasy food served at construction sites, prepare to be surprised.  For those of you who have experienced the innovative, high-end, and downright tasty offerings from the food trucks of the 21st century, come hungry!  And be sure to save room for the delightful offerings served by our hundreds of other gourmet restaurants located throughout our Downtown!  For more information, click HERE.      

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San Mateo Mayor Jane Baker (1924-2011)

Six-time Mayor and 20-year San Mateo City Councilmember Jane Baker passed away on Friday, July 1, 2011.   Ms. Baker was the City's first female Mayor, and fought to protect the quality of life for our neighborhoods and residents. 

On behalf of the City of San Mateo, our thoughts and prayers go out to Ms. Baker's family and friends.

Below is an article printed by the San Mateo County Times in 2004, detailing Ms. Baker's many contributions to the City of San Mateo.

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Battling Jane Baker to be honored


She took a council seat in 1973 to save Sugarloaf Mountain, and
fought to preserve quality of life

By Erin Sherbert
San Mateo County Times
May 6, 2004

SAN MATEO -- The many plaques that cover the walls inside Jane
Baker's Laurelwood home tell a story of an accomplished leader whose
life paved the way for women in politics.

Though Baker, now 80, is best known for being San Mateo's first
female mayor, her success story goes far beyond that.

Baker's political career spans 20 years on the San Mateo City

Council, where she served six times as mayor before stepping down in
1993.

And she has much to brag about.

"I saved Sugarloaf Mountain as a start," Baker said from her home.
"I made sure we had trees left; and there were no new park lands
for 30 years before I got onto the council."

Marked as one of San Mateo's most influential leaders, Baker is being
honored at a luncheon Friday, hosted by the League of Women Voters.

More than 130 people have signed up to attend, including her friends
and former colleagues.

"Everyone loved Jane Baker," said Tom Mack, a San Mateo resident who
served on the council with Baker from 1987 to 1991. "She was fair and
objective and very diligent about maintaining the uniqueness of our
community."

Her effort to save Sugarloaf Mountain from being developed into
office space won her a seat on the City Council in 1973 -- a time
when local government was dominated by men.

Her environmentalist platform had become so appealing to voters that
Baker, with just $2,000 in the bank, beat the two incumbents.

"I was surprised," said Baker, adding that there were only 30 female
mayors in the Unites States at the time. "Word got around to vote for
the woman. People wanted a breath of fresh air on the council."

Being the only woman on the council, Baker said, it was difficult at
first to get anything on her agenda done.

She immediately became the minority opinion on the council,
voting "no" on most everything that came her way, including a
proposal to develop a cement plant near a neighborhood.

"She was really a neighborhood and homeowners' representative," said
Supervisor Jerry Hill, who served on the council with Baker in the
1990s. "She was very concerned about preserving the quality of life."

Aside from sitting on the council, Baker chaired the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission; she was active in the League of Women
Voters and American Association University of Women, and played a
major role in shaping the development of the BART extension to the
Peninsula.

But after 20 years on the council, Baker retired from politics in
1993.

Now, more than a decade later, Baker still likes to talk local
politics. But when it comes to getting involved, Baker tries to
steer clear of City Hall these days.

"I don't miss the problems," Baker said, referring to the city's
budget crisis. "I miss the people."


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Happy 4th of July Weekend!

As we head into the long weekend and celebrate the 235th birthday of our great nation, here are some safety tips from the San Mateo Police and Fire Departments.   

Happy 4th of July! 

**************************

JULY 4^th 2011- HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

The City of San Mateo wants your holiday to be safe as well as fun. So from the Fire Department, Police Department, and Department of Parks and Recreation, we would like to provide the following safety information to be aware of while planning your holiday celebration.

 

·        In the City of San Mateo, all fireworks, including safe and sane fireworks, are illegal. It is illegal to possess, store, offer for sale, expose for sale, sell at retail, use, or explode any fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks as defined in the California State Health and Safety Laws. The intent of the law is to prevent injury, maintain order in our neighborhoods, prevent fire or damage to structures and/or vegetation. This is a zero-tolerance issue.

 

·        Police Officers, Fire Officials and Park and Recreation Staff will have patrols specifically identified to enforce the fireworks safety laws and protect the City, including our parks. Appropriate action will be taken when dealing with violators, including confiscation of all fireworks.

·        Traditionally, the Fourth of July holiday is celebrated as an outdoors event and protection from the heat and sun is very important. Drink plenty of fluids, limit your time in direct sunlight, and apply adequate sun protection products.

 

·        When cooking outside, you should verify that your cooking equipment and propane tanks are in good working order. Check the tanks for gas leaks by using a soapy solution. We advise everyone to have a working fire extinguisher.

 

·        Make sure all ignition sources, such as cooking equipment, smoking material, etc., are under control and far enough away from combustibles, vegetation, etc. Small ignition sources can smolder for hours after being discarded, even though you might believe them to be extinguished. These smoldering items can ignite into an open flame.

 

·        The Parks and Recreation Department wants to remind everyone that the same laws apply to all City Parks. Some City Parks will additionally be patrolled by City of San Mateo Park Rangers. Parkside Aquatic Park will be closed from 6 PM throughout the evening until the following day. Seal Point Park will be closed immediately following the Foster City fireworks display. All City parks are closed after 10 PM.

The City of San Mateo wishes you all the safest and happiest of holidays.

 

The San Mateo City Organization would also like to recognize the sacrifices our armed forces and public safety members make both internationally and domestically on a daily basis to ensure and protect our safety and freedom!

 

THANK YOU!!

 

 

Please help us make your neighborhood safer and take a stand against crime. Please report all criminal behavior, join a neighborhood watch program, and help anyone that might fall victim to a crime. If a Neighborhood Watch doesn’t exist on your block, you can start one with help from SMPD. For additional information about the City of San Mateo Neighborhood Watch Program, call Sergeant Dave Norris at (650)522-7626 or visit our web www.cityofsanmateo.org

 

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