Swalwell Endorses Elected Castro Valley MAC, Urges County Supes’ OK
Congressman Eric Swalwell has endorsed a proposal calling for an elected Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) for Castro Valley. In a statement to Castro Valley Matters, Swalwell, whose 15th Congressional District includes Castro Valley, said: In an unincorporated community like Castro Valley, an election can empower 63,000 residents and give a greater …
Castro Valley Matters asks Board of Supervisors for elected Municipal Advisory Council
On Tuesday, Castro Valley Matters formally asked the Alameda County Board of Supervisors to help create an elected Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC). In a letter submitted to the Board of Supervisors, CVM’s Board of Directors asked that the Board of Supervisors “either pass a resolution changing the Castro Valley MAC to an …
Outrage Grows Over Proposed Changes to Lake Chabot
Above Lake Chabot, at the site of the old Nike Missile Site, the East Bay regional Park District has proposed the “Chabot Campus Modernization Project.” The goal of this project is to upgrade the existing public safety, classroom, vehicle maintenance, and construction facilities that are currently on the site. The …
Olympic Valley incorporation effort halted
Proponents for a “Town of Olympic Valley” in the Squaw Valley area of Placer County withdrew their petition for municipal incorporation last week, citing “hostility” to their proposal. Teton Gravity Research, a company that produces ski, snowboard, and surf films and blogs about the ski industry, traced the start of the Olympic Valley incorporation …
The Tale of Castro Valley’s Closed Schools
At Wednesday night’s Board meeting of the Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), the Board discussed a possible general obligation bond for school facilities. In October 1960, the area now covered by the CVUSD contained about 9,900 students, and was served by 13 elementary schools, two junior high schools, and one high school. …
How We Built the Old Castro Valley Library
One of the more popular conversation topics around town is “what the heck is going on with the old library building?” The Castro Valley MAC was asking the same thing of the County at the September 21st MAC meeting. Caroline Judy, the acting head of the Alameda County GSA (the …
An Affordable Way to Get an Elected MAC in 2016
Time and again, we have been told that having an elected Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) would be an expensive and pointless endeavor. Last year, I wrote an article deflating the arguments floated at the time of an election for MAC costing up to $500,000 every two years. Although completely without …
County Report Views MAC as “Political Voice of the Community”
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) is the first and only MAC in Alameda County. Created in 1981, our MAC is the fourth oldest MAC in California, where an estimated 1.4 million residents in unincorporated Californian communities are served by a MAC or a “MAC Equivalent.” Before creating a MAC …
Finding Better Governance for Castro Valley and the Eden Area
Back in 2012, I thought all I wanted was an elected Municipal Advisory Council (MAC), Castro Valley’s version of a city council, for 63,000 people whose community remains unincorporated. State law says that MACs can be elected. Why couldn’t mine be elected? My naive question, first to Supervisor Nate Miley, then to …
Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council Candidate Statements
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) is an appointed body which advises the Board of Supervisors on municipal issues facing Castro Valley. On May 4, 2015, Supervisor Miley announced two appointees to the Castro Valley MAC, as well as three finalists for a third appointment. Castro Valley Matters reached …