April is National Poetry Month
The April 7, 2022 City Council Meeting began with a Proclamation designating April as National Poetry Month, which happens to be the largest literary celebration in the world! We were honored to be joined by San Mateo County Poet Laureate Aileen Cassinetto, who received the Proclamation from the Mayor and then shared a poem of hers titled, “Take Heart”. This is the official poem commissioned by San Mateo County Health’s Wellness Team to honor all first responders and the loved ones of those we lost to COVID-19.
Aileen cited the many programs, awards, and installations the City hosts each year, in particular the Annual Artists' Evening of Sharing. This event took place on March 19, virtually, where everyone got a front-row seat to Brisbane's illustrious artist community! If you didn't get a chance to watch the event yet, it's available to play back here on the City's YouTube channel. One of the artists, local author Tony Press, will be presenting one of his poems on Friday, April 8th at the San Mateo Public Main Library, 5-6:30pm in the Oak Room, located on the first floor of the library. Light refreshments will be served, with a book signing starting at 4:30pm.
Between 2019 - 2022, students 18 & below who live or attend school in San Mateo County have been encouraged to participate in poetry projects that raise awareness of the climate crisis by looking at how human ecology, ecosystems, climate justice, housing justice & human relationships are interconnected. Check out Speak Poetry's Youth and Eco-poetry page. You may recognize one of them, Brisbane resident Cassandra Bousquet, who recently graduated from the Youth Climate Ambassador program and held the United Against Climate Change Fair in the Community Park last November. We're pleased to see our young people's voices being uplifted through poetry!
Grow with Us in the City of Stars
Apply to be a Summer Intern with us! Applications close this Sunday, April 11th. Our internships are project-oriented and designed to give college students a good general overview of future employment opportunities and current issues in the public sector. You will have the opportunity for exposure to various areas of City Administration during your internship, as well as have opportunities to network with fellow interns and participate in professional development activities in San Mateo County and/or Santa Clara County.
Are you looking for a career change? We’re hiring for an Asst. Fire Marshal (NCFA) and Office Specialist (Police Records). Both recruitments are live now and close next Friday, April 15th.
Vote for the Brisbane Library in the People's Choice Awards!
SIEGEL & STRAIN Architects, the architects behind the New Brisbane Library, submitted the Library for the 2022 American Institute of Achitects, San Francisco (AIASF) Design Awards: People's Choice. Voting is now open and ends April 15th, so please vote now for the Brisbane Library! (Search "Brisbane Library" to go straight to the photo above). Thank you, and share this with your networks!
POSTPONED DUE TO HIGH WINDS: Full Closure of Southbound U.S. 101 (S. Airport Blvd to San Bruno Ave) – Sunday, April 10th: 1am - 6am
This closure is needed to install a new overhead sign bridge structure (a structure that spans the width of one side of the freeway, from the shoulder to the median). In order to ensure the safety of the public and construction crews as the new bridge structure is installed, all freeway lanes on southbound U.S. 101 must be closed. Northbound lanes will be unaffected during this closure. Three additional overnight closures will occur in the coming months to install three additional sign bridges. Additional information about these closures will be provided as available.
Recoating and Restriping of Marina's South Parking Lot Starting April 11th
The Marina parking areas south of Sierra Point Pkwy are going to be re-striped over the next couple of weeks. During closures, no vehicle or pedestrian traffic will be allowed. Any vehicle(s) remaining within the red outlined areas on the map below will be towed at the owner’s expense.
First Phase Closure: Monday April 11, 2022 from 7am - 4pm. Please note: the lower South lot, adjacent to the Harbormaster’s Office, will not be accessible during the day to remove a vehicle. Please plan accordingly. Thank you for your patience and cooperation!
Livestream: Coping with Stress through Self-Care on April 12th
Join StarVista’s Facebook livestream on Tuesday, April 12 at 12pm to learn ways in which you can help yourself and/or a loved one when life’s stressors are present. Hosted by Brook Pollard, ASW, the livestream will be accessible on StarVista’s Facebook page (@StarVistaSMC).
Compost Giveaway Now Available
The much-anticipated compost giveaway started early on Thursday, April 7th, when the above photo was taken. Please bring your own shovels & containers and enjoy the rich compost that South San Francisco Scavenger provided as a thank you for your work collecting food scraps & yard waste, and helping close the loop on the waste stream. The compost is on San Francisco Ave near Inyo, below the community garden. Brisbane residents only, while supplies last!
Wednesday Arts & Crafts with the Seniors
We've been rotating the various activities happening daily at the Sunrise Room on the signboards, and more have been coming out on Wednesdays for Arts & Crafts. But it may have to do more with the quality of crafts that are coming out each week and word is getting out that Teacher Iris is a great instructor and has wonderful craft ideas for the Seniors to complete! Check out the potted rabbits they worked on this past Wednesday:
Brisbane Activity Guide - Parks & Recreation
It's back, in solely digital form (you can print the pages you want, but only if needed)! The Parks and Recreation Department bring you the Spring/Summer Activity Guide so you can peruse all the program offerings available to the community. The most current one will be housed here on the Parks and Recreation Dept.'s landing page.
Lifeguard Certification Class from May 15th - 17th
The last time a Lifeguard Certification Class was held was February of 2020! This is always a popular certification, so be sure those whom you think would be interested get signed up now at brisbaneca.org/lifeguard.
Sustainable San Mateo County’s 23rd Annual Awards Celebration, May 11th
SSMC will honor four local sustainability champions: Each Green Corner, Kalimah Salahuddin, Seamless Bay Area, and Robert Whitehair, along with the 2022 Green Building Award winner, the Marshall Medical Offices on Kaiser Permanente’s Redwood City campus. The All-Electric Leadership Awards, sponsored by Peninsula Clean Energy, will also be announced during the Awards Celebration. SSMC’s Third Annual Virtual Auction will kick off on Wednesday, May 4, and conclude on May 15. Admission to the Awards Celebration is free, but pre-registration is required. Sponsorships are available; click for details.
Last Day to Apply for 'CA Microbusiness' & 'Microfood Business' Grants April 10th & 11th
- California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant (first-round application deadline: Monday, April 11th)
- Microfood Business Grant for food carts/trucks, cottage food operators, commissary/incubator kitchens and caterers (deadline: Sunday, April 10th)
Please note: if businesses are eligible for the California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant AND the Microfood Business Grant, they can apply and potentially receive both grants.
Rain Barrel Installation Workshop, April 16
Flows to Bay is holding a Rain Barrel Hands-On Installation Workshop at Laurel Elementary in San Mateo on Saturday, April 16th starting at 9am. The workshop will feature:
- Discussion of the San Mateo County rain barrel rebate program
- Hands-on instruction and installation of a rain barrel from a pro
- Giveaways!
Space is limited, so register today! All participants must wear a mask while on school grounds. Please come dressed and prepared for being outdoors.
High Efficiency Toilet Grants (Includes Free Installation) Still Available
Please reach out to Jessica Lee if you have any questions at (415) 508-2128. These High Efficiency Toilets use less water per flush, conserve water, and help you save on your water bill.
We Still Need to be Water-Wise, Brisbane!
Some neighboring water districts are moving into Stage 2 Drought restrictions; as of today, we're still in a Stage 1 Drought but this could change for us shortly as well. Whether you are a renter, homeowner, or business, the SFPUC, which is our water wholesaler, has tips and resources to help preserve this precious resource.
Brisbane Chamber of Commerce Scholarships: Applications Due April 15th
The Brisbane Chamber of Commerce offers college scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Applicants must be Brisbane residents, dependents of active Brisbane Chamber of Commerce members, or dependents of City of Brisbane employees with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Applications are due by April 15th by 5pm.
Brisbane Lions Club 2022/2023 Scholarship Program Now Open!
There is yet another scholarship opportunity, this time for Brisbane scholars only. The Brisbane Lions Club serves our community in many ways; one of the most important is in their support of the education. Through the efforts of the Club, scholarship awards are offered to Brisbane residents who are pursuing full-time higher education and vocational programs. Full-time status is either 12+ semester or 9+ quarter credits. You may receive a prorated partial scholarship if you are attending a full-time program for part of the 2022/2023 calendar year.
To receive a scholarship award, you must be considered a Brisbane resident and submit your application by April 25, 2022, by midnight, and sign up AND participate in a 30 minute Zoom interview with our Scholarship Committee members during May 2022. The sign-up interview schedule will be accessible on the website by April 1. Sign up for your interview by May 1, 2022.
HIP Housing Home Sharing Program
In need of housing or have a spare room to rent? Check out HIP Housing's Home Sharing Program! Because, "One room can change a life." Or two.
2022 Human Trafficking Awareness Free Virtual Film Screening Series: BOYS DOCUMENTARY, April 14th
Join the Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition for the last of three virtual film screening events about human trafficking on Thursday, April 14th, at 6:30pm. Attend for free from the comfort of your home! The film, Boys Documentary, will be followed by a 30-minute moderated panel discussion with experts who will share insights and information. Attendees can also submit questions.
This free virtual film screening series is hosted by the San Mateo County Human Trafficking Program, BraveMaker, Bay Area Anti-Trafficking Coalition, Dignity Health Sequoia Hospital & the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking. This final screening brings validity to the truth that males are victimized too, and have largely been overlooked in human trafficking awareness efforts.
Brisbane Farmers' Market: Thursdays in the Park, 3-7pm
Find fresh produce, hummus, tamales, handcrafted baos, fresh-popped kettlecorn, delicious Japanese food, artisan breads, giant cookies, and ice cream at Brisbane's weekly Farmers' Market. California's Crepes debuted recently at the market. If you missed them, they'll be back next Thursday!
The County's Office of Community Affairs In Town to Offer Free Masks and COVID-19 Tests
Staff from the County’s Office of Community Affairs were outside the Sunrise Room yesterday giving out free N95 masks and COVID-19 test kits! This is the second time they've been out to Brisbane, and plan to return next month. We'll provide a heads up the next time they come back.
Expanded City Hall Hours Started In April
With case counts low and hospitalizations even lower, we have expanded City Hall public walk-in hours to include Wednesday afternoons/evenings. City Hall's public walk-in hours are now: M: 9-4, W: 1-7, Th: 9-4. Staff remains accessible by phone and email; we highly encourage use of our Online Services to keep the community and staff healthy during this time. Masks are still required to be worn at City Hall until further notice. Disposable masks are available if you don't have one. Thank you for your cooperation!
Curative has re-launched their mobile testing clinic at the Park, and will be here on Thursdays, from 10am-4pm. Sign up for appt. here. Walk-ups are also being accepted. You can find more County-wide testing sites at smcgov.org/testing. As a reminder, U.S. households are able to place additional orders for free, at-home COVID-19 rapid tests (4 tests per order) at: special.usps.com/testkits.
According to the County Health Department's data dashboards, Brisbane has had 621 confirmed historical cases. Brisbane resident Amrit Lall has been keeping track of the cases released per week, and let us know that Brisbane recorded 5 new COVID-19 cases this past week. Note: if you're looking at the Cases by City dashboard, and click on the tab, "Cases in the last 30 days", you won't see Brisbane listed as we have had fewer than 10 cases in the last 30 days...a good thing! However, we must keep our guard, and our masks, up in order to truly get through this pandemic. The highly contagious Omicron variant and its subvariant, BA.2, can evade safety measures, with BA.2 this week contributing to a new wave in some places, especially in the Northeast.
A second Pfizer and Moderna booster dose is now available for people who received their first booster dose at least four months ago. Eligible Californians include people who received their first Pfizer or Moderna booster and are age 50 and up or individuals who are age 12 and up and moderately to severely immunocompromised. The CDC also recommends everyone who received a J&J booster receive a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least 4 months after their first booster. Talk to your provider about receiving your second booster. You can also visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255 to find a booster near you.
CA COVID-19 Rent Relief
The State’s Housing is Key program to assist renters and landlords with rent and utility payments came to a close March 31st, but the City’s Rental Assistance Program is still be available; the Brisbane City Council has made $100,000 in rental assistance available to those that need it. Contact the Community Resource Center of the YMCA at (650) 276-4101 or crc@ymcasf.org to get the application process started.
CA Mortgage Relief Program Portal Now Accepting Applications
Using federal Homeowner Assistance Funds to help homeowners get caught up on their housing payments, the California Mortgage Relief Program is FREE for eligible homeowners and funds received NEVER have to be repaid. Get started today at CaMortgageRelief.org.
Lions Easter Egg Hunt: April 17th
Habitat Restoration Day: April 23rd
Save the Date: MOB Shop! May 6th & 7th
Save the Date: Hydrant Painting & Restoration, May 14th & 15th
Save the Date: BDW's "OH the Places", May 15th
Public Art Advisory Committee Meeting - Tuesday, April 5, 2022 - 4:30pm
City Council Meeting - Thursday, April 7, 2022 - 7:30pm
Did You Know?
The City's Adopt-a-Drain program is making a comeback! Now, when you go to the Adopt-a-Drain webpage, you'll see a nifty map which shows you the drains that have yet to be adopted. Search for your home and if one nearby is available, fill out the registration form at the bottom of the page and a staff member will contact you with how to pick up your free, City-provided rake!
Quote of the week
This concludes our update; we'll be sending out the next Blast on Friday, April 15th, in the afternoon. If this email was forwarded to you or you saw it on social media and would like to subscribe, sign up here. As always, please keep connected with us via our website and social media pages. Thanks for reading and staying engaged with us!