Nagel and Cohen for Burlingame
Editorial, SF Examiner 10/25/07

Burlingame has long been known as the Peninsula city where residents take local issues extremely seriously and demand to be heard. Under its present makeup, the City Council has greatly improved at being more open and responsive than previous administrations. That is in itself a significant accomplishment and it earns incumbents Terry Nagel and Russ Cohen our endorsement for re-election.

As befits Burlingame’s traditional political intensity, challengers Jerry Deal, Gene Condon and Peter Camaroto are well-qualified via extensive local service. Although none made a strong enough case to justify unseating current council members, each challenger pointed out that the council may now be going too far toward meeting repetitiously before deciding on issues.

In a town as passionate as Burlingame, perhaps the best strategy for arriving at wide agreement might well be to allow all viewpoints to be talked out at length. But this criticism that the council is dragging out decision making too long could have some validity, and we recommend that current council members pay attention.

Nagel, Cohen for Burlingame Council
San Mateo County Times,10/15/07

All five candidates running for two seats on the Burlingame City Council agree that the city is at a crossroads. They disagree on how it should move forward from here, and at what speed.

Incumbents Terry Nagel and Russ Cohen were originally elected because they dealt with issues that council at the time wasn’t dealing with effectively. Nagel organized citizens to force PG&E to address frequent power blackouts. Cohen brought his historical perspective to bear on preserving the city’s heritage. Both wanted to improve communication with the average citizen. At this they have been effective.

Both have also been taken to task for studying things to death and for their love of charettes and working groups. But those processes usually bring out the best ideas and ensure the highest level of buy-in by stakeholders. The encounter-group approach to the Safeway project may seem silly, but at the end, there will be a concept that the city can live with — and the process seems good enough for Safeway.

All that said, opposing candidates Jerry Deal, Gene Condon and Peter Camaroto do have a point. Nagel in particular can say what she wants about how the Tom the Tree debate is producing a template for dealing with tree issues in the future, but her performance sure looked like needless waffling to the average observer. The incumbents have been dedicated to sounding the community out on important decisions, and we think that philosophy will result in the best for Burlingame, but that approach has to be balanced with decisiveness. The city needs to find new sources of revenue to accomplish its goals — sooner rather than later.

At the end of the day, we think Nagel and Cohen are steering the right course and will take the messages sent during this race by their opponents to heart. We urge voters to return them to the Burlingame City Council.

These signs were made for walking
By Mike Rosenberg, SF Examiner, 10/15/07

After three of his four challengers for the Burlingame City Council election were involved in sign-stealing allegations last week, Russ Cohen has developed a new anti-sign theft strategy: mobile lawn signs.

Cohen’s friend and campaign supporter, Gary Doss, will begin walking around the city wearing four of Cohen’s lawn signs like a sandwich board today.

“People keep stealing signs, and you certainly can’t steal a sign if it’s on you,” said Cohen, an incumbent vying with four opponents for two spots on Nov. 6.

Doss, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and owns a Pez museum, has been walking three miles every day at 7 a.m. down major streets such as California Drive and Broadway for the last year.

When he heads out for his morning walk today, he will be wearing two “Cohen for Council” signs stacked vertically over his chest and another two over his back with straps over his shoulders.

“When I first had them on, people were giving me an awful lot of thumbs up,” said Doss, 53, who put the outfit together with duct tape and glue. “I’m looking forward to people honking and waving.”

The promotion comes on the heels of sign-stealing scandals involving opponents Gene Condon, Jerry Deal and Peter Comaroto. Police refer to the battle as “Sign Wars.”

Radio traffic reporter Joe McConnell was caught red-handed stealing one of Condon’s campaign signs last week. McConnell is married to Geraldine O’Connor, who is the co-chair of Deal’s election committee. Condon maintains 30 of his $5 signs were stolen from the area.

Comaroto also filed a report with Burlingame police last week, alleging that 40 of his 300 signs, at $7 apiece, were stolen.

Cohen said his signs have been swiped just like everyone else’s. Instead of filing police reports like some of his opponents, he is keeping his sense of humor through it.

“It kind of gets the word out and we’re having a little fun with it at the same time,” said Cohen, who, fittingly enough, is in the advertising business.

Cohen, who said he cannot spend “$30,000 to $40,000” on his campaign “like other candidates,” sees the promotion as an old-school grass-roots move.

“It doesn’t get any more grassroots than a guy walking around with your lawn sign around his neck,” Cohen said.

Burlingame Safeway plans edge onward
Mike Rosenberg, SF Examiner-9/27/07

What lies ahead for the much-anticipated Burlingame Safeway property will be a decision among building a larger grocery store; a larger store plus more retail; or a ground-floor store with additional shops and housing, now that the first phase of the project has been approved.

The City Council and Planning Commission on Tuesday approved criteria for the project, which dates back six years. City officials passed Phase I of three phases needed by the Safeway Working Group before construction can begin or the plan is denied altogether.

The plan that started as a “blank slate” now has criteria to work with, Safeway co facilitator Candace Hathaway said.

Council members expressed different opinions on what the existing grocery store at 1450 Howard Ave. should evolve into, however.

Vice Mayor Rosalie O’Mahony has been on the council since the first Safeway proposal was denied back in 2003. She said her top priority would be a top-notch grocery store that provides ample parking and not housing.

“I would look very carefully at additional uses of retail or residential,” O’Mahony said.

Still, there’s always a housing demand in Burlingame, other council members said. Councilmember Cathy Baylock said she is still open to all three options and that she actually prefers a boutique hotel, something that a study last year indicated would be needed and financially feasible.

The specially designed Safeway Working Group was formed in February and comprises seven stakeholders, including Safeway representatives, nearby residents, and downtown business and property owners.

The project has taken on a special significance to the city because it acts as an entrance to the southern part of Burlingame and is highly visible, Councilmember Ann Keighran said. The site is also 150,000 square feet.

The decision of the three options from which the city will choose during Phase II of the project probably won’t be made for another year, Hathaway said. The final phase before construction would include a typical proposal from Safeway.

She and council members did, however, express that the project should be much better this time around because of the working group that’s taking into account everyone’s perspectives ahead of time. Without that planning, the council would “have literally hundreds of concerned citizens approaching the council podium expressing how they feel” after the project is proposed, Councilmember Russ Cohen said.

The group was formed after the Planning Commission rejected plans to redesign and nearly triple the 24,000-square-foot store four years ago because of the store’s design, which included the back of the store facing downtown, Keighran said.

Safeway criteria approved Tuesday

» Traffic: Car flow on surrounding streets will not increase without acceptable mitigation.

» Parking: Parking needs to be adequate for shoppers so it does not spill over into surrounding neighborhoods.

» Use: The grocery store will be the primary use with the possibility of more retail and housing options.

» Economic impact: Overall project will add to “economic vitality” downtown.

» Visual impact: Design will reflect the “character of Burlingame” and surrounding neighborhood and will connect project to business district.

» Shopping experience: Will specifically reflect shopping needs of Burlingame residents.

» Integration with downtown: Project will connect with multiple shopping areas near Burlingame and Howard avenues.

» Environmentally responsible: Project will minimize waste, reduce pollution sources and promote energy efficiency.

RUSS COHEN GARNERS UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF ENDORSEMENTS FROM COMMUNITY COUNCILS, ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS
Sierra Club, Building, Labor Endorsements Underscore Cohen’s Collaborative Approach to Getting Things Done

Press release-9/30/07

BURLINGAME, CA –September 27, 2007—Councilman Russ Cohen kicked off his re-election campaign with an unprecedented number of endorsements from a who’s who list of community councils and leaders that demonstrates Cohen’s collaborative approach and breadth of support in addressing Burlingame’s issues. The endorsements announced today include the Sierra Club, San Mateo Central Labor Council, Building Trades Council of San Mateo, the San Mateo Democratic Club, State Senator Leland Yee and current Burlingame council member and former mayor Cathy Baylock.

“Russ is both independent and inclusive,” said Baylock. “A primary reason Russ has been so effective in his two years on the council is his ability to bring divergent views to the table and work through new ideas to achieve solutions. He sees a problem, engages stakeholders and aligns the resources to get the job done.”

Baylock noted that Cohen’s efforts in the past two years brought action and results in several key issues including: stopping a full interchange at Peninsula Avenue, which would have put over 100 families out of their homes; passing campaign finance reform; obtaining more than $20 million from Caltrain to improve the Burlingame station; and creating a bicycle path to connect to the Broadway bicycle bridge for a complete route to Bay front parks and fields.

“I’ve been productive because I don’t believe in politicizing issues,” Cohen said.
“I’m excited by what collaboration and cooperation can achieve. I think the council has created tremendous momentum in several areas which I want to see through in the next term.” He cited the fact that Safeway is on track with all potential stakeholders involved in the decision-making. “With so many false-starts in the past, it’s important to maintain a consistent cast of players in this process to ensure that it gets done.”

Improving and maintaining aging infrastructure is also important to Cohen who is working with Senator Leland Yee on legislation that will bring state funding to Burlingame’s flood control initiatives. “As a state senator, I look to local leaders like Russ Cohen to help me understand the issues in the communities that I represent,”Yee said. “Russ Cohen was instrumental in developing legislation that I have authored that
will help all California cities fund flood control improvements. Burlingame residents can trust that Russ Cohen is an effective and credible voice for Burlingame.

Cohen is also committed to the challenge of improving the business environment in Burlingame. “Maintaining the ideal mix of small and large businesses is a constant challenge for most cities,” he said. “Bringing some new ideas to the Chamber of Commerce, along with our planned business development ambassador are some ways to ensure our business districts flourish and serve the needs of the citizens of Burlingame as well as our visitors.”

Finally, Cohen will continue his efforts to ensure that historical buildings and landmarks are preserved, while facilitating needed development. “From our experience with the Garden Center building, we have found that we can preserve the historically significant aspects, while repurposing the facility for modern use.”

“I have worked with Russ in his efforts to rehabilitate Burlingame
Lions Club Hall, said Bill Nack, Executive Officer, Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County. “He demonstrated his ability to connect with our tradespeople and appreciated the skills and talent they brought to the project. Russ truly understands the value of using highly skilled craftsmen and women on a construction project.”

Cohen noted that Burlingame’s Centennial Celebration has spotlighted Burlingame’s history and created a renewed sense of pride and neighborhood for new and old residents alike. “So many more people have a greater understanding of what a unique place this is,” he said. “It’s great to hear others echo my passion for wanting to take care of it.”

Candidacy kicks off in sandwich shop
excerpt from John Horgan’s column. SM Tiimes, 9/27/07

When Russ Cohen, a member of the Burlingame City Council, kicked off his re-election campaign, he did so at Sam’s Italian Sandwich Co., located in a former Greyhound Bus depot at the corner of California Drive and Howard Avenue.

It’s where he began his first official try at public office. And it was a success. Apparently, Cohen figured he shouldn’t mess with a good thing, a mortadella moment if you will. Sam’s specializes in serious deli-style subs.

In a sense, Cohen is running again on a salami and cheese platform.

Council duo co-chairing Burlingame candidate race
By Rebekah Gordon 8/21/07

Forget endorsing. Apparently, it’s all about co-chairing this election season.

Case in point is the Web site for Burlingame City Council candidate Jerry Deal which has this fine print on the home page: “Committee to Elect Jerry Deal – Co-Chairs Vice Mayor Rosalie O’Mahony, Council Member Ann Keighran.”

Deal, the chair of the Planning Commission, is a newcomer to the council race circuit. That means he’s challenging one of two incumbents, whose terms are up this November, for their seats. That would also seem to mean that O’Mahony and Keighran wish to see either Mayor Terry Nagel or Councilman Russ Cohen replaced by their pal.

“I’ll put it this way,” Cohen said. “I’m pretty satisfied with having diverse perspectives on the council but it seems that two of our council members aren’t happy with having other perspectives on the council. Perhaps that’s why they’re chairing a challenger’s campaign, so they can have at least three people that are alike.”

“I think different perspectives are a healthy thing,” he added.

Deal said that Keighran and O’Mahony were actually “honorary” co-chairs, merely lending their name recognition to enhance the visibility of his campaign and acting as advisors. Deal said his wife, JoAnn Johnson-Deal, and Geraldine O’Connor, the former spokeswoman for state Assemblyman Gene Mullin, D-South San Francisco, are managing the day-to-day work.

Deal said he’s known his honorary co-chairs for years and counts them as “good friends.” O’Mahony, he said, asked him to be on the Planning Commission 13 years ago. Deal served on the Planning Commission with Keighran for several years.

“Their names are very important, and it shows the citizens of Burlingame that these two people think it’s very important that I get elected. It’s showing strong support,” said Deal, who owns a residential design firm called JD and Associates. “They both told me that we need leadership and people who can make sound decisions on the council. They don’t just think - they know I can do that.”

Keighran said that Deal “has qualities of a council person that I admire.”

So does that mean she doesn’t admire the qualities of either Nagel or Cohen and wants to see them replaced?

“What I’m saying is that there are people that you like. Some have philosophies that are similar to yours that you gravitate towards,” Keighran said. “All of the council members are very good at certain things and lack qualities in other things, but there are people that you work with better than others. I think Jerry Deal has some of those qualities that might lack on the current council.”

Nagel’s sure she’s not lacking in anything.

“I will be running as an independent candidate,” she said. “I fully encourage people to explore not only the folks who are endorsing them but to look into the folks that are financing them. Check into their record.”

Nagel said she recalled that, during ethics training, City Manager Jim Nantell discouraged council members from endorsing one another’s campaigns “because we all have to work together” in the end.

“But a lot of times people don’t pay attention to that,” Nagel said. “So what are you going to do?”

Council postpones resident-funded sidewalk program
By Heather Murtagh 8/21/07

Burlingame sidewalks will go without updates during the next year after the City Council voted not to charge citizens this year and wait to see if pending ballot measures would provide a way to fund the repair program.
The city stopped paying for the repairs in 2004 when it faced budget problems. During two previous meetings residents expressed a desire to have the city to pay for the repairs again, but city officials said there just is not enough money. Answering citizen complaints against paying for sidewalk repairs, the council voted to delay the resident-funded program to study other ways to raise the money.

“It’s very clear we need to pay for the sidewalks,” said Councilman Russ Cohen. “The question is, how we’re going to pay for it.”

If you would like to read the rest of the article, go to: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=79466&eddate=08/21/2007

Timber! Fabled tree to come down
By Erik Oeverndiek 8/21/07

The Burlingame City Council voted 3-2 Monday night to take down a giant eucalyptus tree on Easton Drive.

A tree’s claw-like root encroaching Easton Drive in Burlingame won’t be slowing traffic much longer after the City Council voted to remove the eucalyptus for safety reasons last night.
After years of conversations, meetings and studies, removal of the majestic giant — many now call Tom — was approved by the City Council in a 3-2 vote. The conversation shined light on the still split opinions with councilwomen Rosalie O’Mahony and Ann Keighran in favor of removal for safety; councilmembers Russ Cohen and Cathy Baylock in favor of saving the tree; and Mayor Terry Nagel as the deciding vote.

Nagel expressed her commitment to both preserving the trees and the urban canopy, and the safety of residents. She explained her challenge was deciding, “at what point do the right of humans outweigh the rights of trees.”

Nagel supported her original vote in December to remove the tree since she felt the suitable alternatives were either cost prohibitive or did not follow state safety regulations.

No date was set for the removal.

The council was given a number of choices: Keep the tree with no changes; keep the tree and make minimal street improvements; keep the tree and realign Easton; and replace the tree.

Cohen asked that if the tree was to be removed that the city attempt root grinding before removal.

“It might kill the tree, but might not kill the tree. If we’re going to kill the tree anyway, why don’t we do this first?” he said.

If you’d like to read the rest of the article, go to:http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=79465&eddate=08/21/2007

Burlingame OKs posting council meetings online
By Mark Abramson 8/17/07

Burlingame City Council members decided Monday night to go hi-tech with their meetings.

Council members reached a consensus in favor of letting the city’s finance director, Jesus Nava, select the best company for broadcasting its meetings over the Internet with streaming video. Vice Mayor Rosalie O’Mahony and Council Member Cathy Baylock were absent from the meeting.

The city has already gotten a price quote for such a system from San Francisco-based Granicus for $33,385 for the first year, including $1,075 in monthly fees for managing the service. After the first year, the city would only pay the monthly fee.

Granicus has more than 250 clients nationwide, all of which are government entities. The cities of San Carlos and Menlo Park use Granicus to post city council meetings on the Web. The technology allows city councils to broadcast meetings live over the Web or online the next day, Granicus officials told the Burlingame City Council.

“I am not aware that there is any disadvantage” to putting the meetings on the Web, City Clerk Doris Mortensen said.

Using Granicus or a similar system would allow anyone to watch any meeting at any time, Mortensen said.

“I think that is money well spent,” Mayor Terry Nagel said. “I think it will save our staff time and it will save the public time.”

Council Member Russ Cohen said he is in favor of the streaming video, but would like the city to find out how many people watch the meetings now on television.

Council members also reached a consensus on upgrading the council chamber’s antiquated audio system.

Nava noted that people have complained about not being able to hear the meetings, which are televised on the city’s public access channel.

“The public at home may not be able to hear me,” Cohen joked.

The audio upgrades, with an expected price tag of $44,000, will be funded entirely by public access funds the city has received from cable companies. The funds are generated by the franchise fees that cable companies pay the city.

Council members also agreed to allocate another $46,000 to make chambers more accessible to those with disabilities. The changes would include adding a telescoping podium to make it easier for people in wheelchairs to speak at meetings, creating an area designated for wheelchairs and replacing the heavy entry doors to the chambers.

Burlingame considers options for vacant land
City may put performing arts center on seven-acre property
By Mark Abramson, 3/11/07

A convention center, a performing arts building or possibly retail shops are some of the ideas being batted around Burlingame City Hall for developing a piece of prime bayfront real estate.

City Council Member Russ Cohen has asked city officials to study possible uses for the vacant land, which is owned by the California State Lands Commission. The property on Airport Boulevard, near the Embassy Suites hotel, is about seven acres.

“I would like to see some sort of project that has a component that attracts the public,” Cohen said. “My interest is to make Burlingame an even better destination location.”

The area does not need another hotel, but something like an aquarium or mixed-use development with businesses and restaurants, he said. An open space for people to enjoy by the water could be part of the plans, he added.

“I would like to see something on that land that supports a hotel,” Cohen said. “This could be a catalyst for more good things to come.”

Cohen asked state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Mateo, if his office could find out more information about the land.

“It is still an issue we are looking into, but it is something we are interested in helping Burlingame with,” said Adam Keigwin, a spokesman for Yee.

Keigwin said Yee’s office expects to learn more about the property in the coming week.

Despite Yee’s involvement, city officials said they are concerned about the state’s past attempts to advertise the site to hoteliers. It has been marketed that way for years, but it does not appear there have been any takers, City Manager Jim Nantell said.

“It is not providing any (public) benefit right now,” he said.

But it is questionable whether a convention center could work on the site.

A study in the 1990s indicated that a convention site in that area would have to be heavily subsidized by the city, and it is doubtful that finding has changed, Nantell said. One benefit of building a convention center on the site is that it could draw more travelers to the hotels, which would generate additional occupancy taxes for the city, he said.

City leaders debate campaign spending cap
By Heather Murtagh 1/3/07

Campaign contributions could decrease in Burlingame as the City Council positively discussed regulating donations on the rise in recent campaigns.

In 1997, the average City Council candidate spent $13,924. Fast forward to 2005 and the same average candidate spent $27,292.

Councilmembers differed on how to limit donations, especially when differentiating between in-kind donations, such as a business printing mailers, to actually writing a check.

“If I had to run for the first time in the last election, I would have been frightened by the prospect of trying to raise the amount of money to be considered a serious candidate,” said Mayor Terry Nagel. “I think it discourages candidates.”

Councilwoman Ann Keighran pointed out, however, that the number of people running for council positions steadily rose, as has the amount of money raised. This suggests the large donation drives aren’t discouraging others from running.

“When there are more people running, there is more at stake. More people will lose. It’s more difficult to set your self apart from the other candidates,” she said.

Despite the difference in opinions, there was a consensus to consider implementing a $300 to $500 donation limit for individuals and $600 to $1,000 donation limit for businesses and organizations. Also, the council wanted City Attorney Larry Anderson to draft a resolution limiting to $15,000 how much candidates can have personal loans to their own campaign repaid with donations after the election.

“The goal is to raise the quality of debate versus who can speak the loudest. This will equal the playing field and give people an equal chance,” said Councilman Russ Cohen.

For more of the article log onto: >http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=68970&eddate=01/03/2007

Downtown core to be Botox free
By Heather Murtagh 12/05/06

Botox is a health procedure; at least in the core area of Burlingame.

SkinSpirit, a skin care clinic and spa, wanted to open at 235 Park Road. It ran into a problem when the Planning Commission decided in October that Botox injections should be considered a health service — which includes any service requiring a physician. Health services, however, are not allowed under the current zoning. The City Council upheld the classification with a 4-1 vote, encouraging SkinSpirit to consider Howard Avenue, where health services are allowed.

“It comes in a syringe. It’s injected into the skin. You need a physician or licensed official on site. With all that said, it’s a health service,” said Councilman Russ Cohen.

For more of the article log onto: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=67745&eddate=12/05/2006

Manufacturing history in Burlingame
By Heather Murtagh 11/25/06

The Burlingame history museum will be housed in the old train station at a cost of about $1 million.The new Burlingame history museum won’t just house memorabilia; it will be a place to manufacture history.

Plans to move the 30 years of Burlingame research in the Burlingame train station has a $1 million price tag. The ambitious project aims to revitalize the train station in a phased process. The Historical Society now knows the scope of work needed and has the vision in place. Now, it just needs someone to help raise the funds to make it happen.

“Museums are often looking to the past. We will certainly do that. What we also want to do is recognize that history is today. Imagine, if you could, walking in whether you’re a senior citizen, whether you are a child, whether you are a young adult, to sit down in front of a fireplace and record your memories for Burlingame and Hillsborough for future generations. It’s all about what’s happening today,” said Historical Society President Russ Cohen, who is also on the City Council.

The idea — dubbed “manufacturing history” by Cohen — would create a living video diary of the town that can be easily stored and searched for years to come. The videos will take the work from the group’s Web site one step further. Internet users can already post memories of the town online. The forum houses chats of old middle school crushes, Coyote Point activities from years ago and even haunted myths.

“That’s the kind of thing we’re looking to do with this museum; create a 21st century museum in a 19th century building,” he said.

Mitch Postel, San Mateo County Historical Association executive director, found the idea to be novel and interesting. Although he wasn’t sure how it could be implemented, Postel said such material could be helpful in producing a documentary about Burlingame in the future.

Currently the Historical Society uses the upstairs portion of the carriage house in Washington Park for storage, meetings and research. The small three-room space is filled with shoe boxes, suitcases and file cabinets with pictures and articles stored and catalogued. The walls are cluttered with children’s artwork, old storefront signs and random artifacts. Last year, the group announced its plans to move into the Burlingame train station, which has been vacant since June 2004. The Historical Society will be able to use the building — originally built in 1894 — rent free in exchange for maintaining the building.

After reviewing the original blueprints and gathering information from Caltrain and the railroad museum, the society discovered a fireplace within the station. The group hopes to uncover it during the structural repairs planned for the building, creating an interior focal point. Cohen plans to offer changing exhibits, to hopefully inspire visitors to return.

Many larger historical museums rotate exhibits, said Postel. Smaller museums, like Burlingame, often don’t have the manpower to facilitate such changes.

The museum is slated to open during Burlingame’s centennial year, sometime between 2007 and 2008. It will not, however, contain all the details it will one day house. In the meantime, the society created a foundation to raise the $1 million it anticipates the project to cost. The group is searching for someone to lead the project.

For more information about the Burlingame Historical Society call 344-9960 or visit www.burlingamehistorical.org. Donations can be mailed to The Burlingame Historical Society, P.O. Box 144, Burlingame, CA 94011-0144.

Improvements may be on the horizon for city’s bike lanes
Tara Ramroop, 9/14/06

An effort to make the city a bike-friendly, pedestrian-oriented community must be balanced with the funds available to reach that goal, officials said Wednesday.
Residents, city staff and members of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee are scheduled tonight to discuss a handful of projects in hopes of securing grant funding for long-awaited improvements.

Traffic engineer Augustine Chou said the committee is set to talk about projects identified in the 2004 Bicycle Transportation Plan, which are mostly pedestrian crossings and a number of bike routes all over the city designed more for commuters than leisure cyclists. The group will likely meet every month to discuss a different project, and the public is encouraged to drum up their own ideas for projects.

The city currently doesn’t have many commuter-oriented bike paths, but instead has designated bike routes on residential streets citywide, Chou said.
Possible projects include a bike lane on Carolan Avenue between Oak Grove and Broadway; another at the Cadillac Way and Rollins Road intersection to link up with the planned Caltrain-sponsored Broadway bicycle and pedestrian over-crossing; a bike lane on California Drive heading north from Broadway; and one that would connect the Burlingame and Broadway business districts.

“I think anything that enhances municipal transit options is a healthy thing for the community, especially for those of us who live and work in town,” Broadway merchant Ross Bruce said.

Councilman Russ Cohen, who as a traffic, safety and parking commissioner helped create the 2004 plan, said committee members should keep funding in mind as they narrow down their bicycle improvements wish list.

“A project might sound very sexy, but the funding might not be available for that kind of project,” Cohen said. “The committee has to be smart about picking projects we’ll be able to fund with grants.”

The 2004 plan found that Cadillac Way improvements would cost approximately $10,000 and a 7,000-foot bike lane on Carolan would cost some $56,000. City staff has not come up with new cost estimates yet, as the committee has to solidify which projects are feasible.

Transportation Development Act funding would likely be the primary funding source for the projects. The city has already used $150,000 in such funding to pay for a lighted crosswalk at Morrell Avenue, pedestrian countdown signals downtown and bike route signs citywide.

The committee meeting takes place at 6 p.m. this evening in Conference Room A at City Hall, 501 Primrose Road.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary
SM TIMES 9/29/06

No one wants their taxes to increase. However, in Burlingame, we have had issues with flooding and standing water for decades, because our infrastructure has deteriorated. There is a solution, and the “big fix” will only cost the average taxpayer approximately 36 cents per day. That seems a small price to pay for a great deal of benefit.

Measure H, which is on the ballot in November, is designed to repair and replace our failing storm drainage system, and at the same time address some of the safety issues that surround many of our public buildings.

Just as you would need to replace your inefficient, can’t-get-the-parts-for it-anymore, just-about-to-blow, leaky clunker of a furnace before you install the backyard swimming pool, Burlingame needs to prioritize the community’s needs versus wants in order to protect itself from future disasters.

Let’s face it, fixing the storm drains isn’t glamorous. It’s necessary. Even those in Burlingame who have never experienced flooding should support “the big fix.”

Imagine if Burlingame chose to ignore these repairs. Our town would gain the reputation as a city that neglected its duties, allowing the town to flood — resulting in damage to property, as well as increasing health and safety concerns and decreasing property values.

For example, what if you found yourself in a situation such as a medical emergency, but due to flooding on El Camino Real, Laguna, Grove or Rollins, emergency vehicles could not reach you? But for an average of $11 per month, you can receive the help you need and rest easier.

I will be supporting Measure H because I know that pennies a day will improve the quality of life in Burlingame for at least another generation. I hope you will, too. Please vote YES on Measure H and send your donations to The Committee to Fix Our Flooding, P.O. Box 1692, Burlingame, CA 94011-1692. For more info, log on to:www.protectburlingame.org.

Burlingame to fund interchange study
By Heather Murtagh 9/19/06

After initially balking at the extent of a traffic study that could dramatically change the Peninsula Avenue interchange, the city of Burlingame will fund a portion of it to understand how it and San Mateo would be affected if on- and off-ramps were added.

Peninsula Avenue separates the two cities and any changes to it or the nearby Poplar Avenue off-ramp would affect both cities. The San Mateo City Council approved allocating a portion of the $63,940 needed for the study at its Aug. 14 meeting. Last night, Burlingame approved shelling out $25,000 of the $63,940 bill in a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Russ Cohen as the lone dissenting vote.

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Is Burlingame a ’snobby’ city?
Debate sparks over city’s move to look into sheriff’s worker program
By Aaron Kinney, 9/12/07

Should the city use crews of nonviolent offenders to clean its streets and paint its garbage cans?
It’s a question that generated a spirited debate among Burlingame City Council members last week. It also provoked a sharp exchange between Councilman Russ Cohen and Councilwoman Ann Keighran on the subject of whether the city is “snobby” and “elitist.”
For now, participation in the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Work Program is on hold as with the Redwood City Department of Public Works, said the city has not had any significant problems with the program or its workers. Mann said the city spends about $105,000 each year to supervise the program, but the return on the investment is greater than that amount in terms of work performed.
Ross Bruce, president of the Broadway Merchants Association, said he would keep an open mind about the program.
“On the face of it, it seems like a win-win position for the violator and the community,” Bruce said.
Bobbi Benson, chairman of Friends of Mills Canyon, has already volunteered to bring along the workers on her group’s next trip to clear out litter from Mills Canyon. Benson applauded Keighran’s efforts to find out more about the initiative, saying it was the councilwoman’s “responsibility” to do so.
It was Keighran’s skepticism about the program that led Cohen to remark that opposition to the program could contribute to a perception that Burlingame is “snobby.” Keighran disputed that suggestion, prompting a brief exchange that was broken up by Mayor Cathy Baylock.
Cohen said he doesn’t believe Burlingame is “hoity-toity,” but he has heard people say as much. Cohen said the worker program could help “break the myth.”
“I don’t know what we have to be elite about,” said Jeannie Gilmore, a board member of Citizens for a Better Burlingame. “We’re certainly a lovely community, but (we’re) also a hard-working and caring community.”
As part of the research it is conducting into the program, the department of public works will seek out the opinion of downtown merchants, said Syed Murtuza, assistant director of the department. The report will come back to the council in October or November, Murtuza said.

Downtown Burlingame study takes big first step
By Heather Murtagh 8/22/06

Determining the right mix of housing, parking, retail for downtown Burlingame while attempting to solve the long-lingering issue of how to redevelop Safeway is the tall order of a large downtown specific area study that could get under way as soon as next year.

The Burlingame City Council selected the consultant who will take the first step toward finding a company to conduct the study. A small group with two city council members, two citizens and two city planners will be formed to guide the process.

Elizabeth Cullinan from Neal Martin Associates will work with the city and the small committee to determine the scope of the study. A request will hopefully be returned to the council by October, said City Planner Meg Monroe. A company to conduct the study would be chosen by January or February, she said.

Members of the community can start putting out their ideas for updating sites like Safeway, parking and the possibility of mixed use development at the downtown design charrette on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The charrette is a collaborative design workshop where dozens of architects and other design professionals will volunteer to create design concepts for revitalizing the area around Howard Avenue, said Vice Mayor Terry Nagel. A key focus of the study will be the side streets and pedestrian ways that connect Howard Avenue to the Burlingame Avenue shopping area one block north. The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The morning hours will focus on brainstorming. There will be time to design after lunch. Visions will be presented from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Councilman Russ Cohen designed the winning logo for the upcoming charrette. The logo represents the event and was selected to reflect the Howard Avenue area being studied. It also includes the name, “Destination: SOBA,” which highlights Howard Avenue’s South of Burlingame Avenue location.

Cohen entered the contest under a fake name — Bingo Steinhart. His identity was given away by the return address on his submitted artwork. The red and yellow design features photographed letters from Howard Avenue store signs. The S, for example, is from Safeway. The O is from the UPS Store. The B is from The Unique Bride and the A is from Walgreens.

City snuffs out smoking in parks
By Heather Murtagh, 2/7/06

Athletes can now enjoy a guaranteed breath of fresh air before heading to the plate, kicking the winning goal or dunking a ball at a Burlingame park, which will now be smoke-free areas.

The Burlingame City Council voted Monday to prohibit smoking around athletic facilities and limiting the activity during city events, such as Music in the Park. Councilman Russ Cohen threw out the idea of a complete ban of smoking in parks to eliminate confusion, but the rest of the council decided it was too much.

The idea of the ban came from the Parks and Recreation Commission who found smoking in a place of activity ironic and a bit misplaced.

“The Parks and Recreation Commission [was] looking at the discrepancy between the health benefits of the activities and smoking,” said Park and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz.

The code will add the rule to park signs and give a little support to people who wanted to ask someone to put out a cigarette. State law prohibits smoking in any playground. The council chose to make the Golf Center and Murray Field smoke free when the facilities are developed. The code will not set fees or consequences for smoking in smoke-free areas.

Smoking is now prohibited within 20 feet of any sports facilities, including the fields, courts, dugouts and bleachers. During city-run events, areas will be designated as smoking and announced at the beginning of the program.

Each member of the City Council voiced support of the health benefits smoke-free areas provide. Cohen suggested making a park rule instead of a code, so police would not have to get involved.

Other members, however, felt the weight given to a rule was important even if the law will not be closely enforced.

“I’m in support of this for two reasons: because of the health but also because there is teeth. When there aren’t teeth, people don’t follow the rule as stringently,” said Councilwoman Ann Keighran.

At the same meeting, the council approved a policy on how to handle tree view disagreements.

The policy set guidelines of how to handle situations in which there is a complaint of a downhill neighbor’s tree blocking a Bay view.

The policy asks the person with a complaint to first address it in writing and invite conversation with the tree owner. If, after talking, a solution isn’t reached the parties can opt to go to mediation. Participating in mediation is voluntary for both parties and paid for by the person complaining.

Guest perspective: When is it appropriate to share city services?
By Russ Cohen 1/28/06

With tongue planted firmly in cheek I will ask the question, how many city employees does it take to screw in a light bulb? According to some, it should take a lot less than it takes today. With 21 cities along the Peninsula it would seem logical to take one city’s expertise and share it with another, especially if it saves time and money and creates better service levels for its residents, right? I wish it were that simple.

Being an elected official, I am in a position to observe that one of the biggest challenges in the shared services debate is perhaps, how elected officials approach the issue. After all, we are elected to develop policy for our respective cities. With any intergovernmental agreement, we are expected to ask lots of questions on behalf of our constituents and we will not move forward unless the answers to those questions are crystal clear. With any issue, merging city departments or sharing city services amongst them, there must be a clear and overwhelming advantage to the city we represent.

To put the concept of sharing services into context, let’s use a hypothetical analogy. Imagine if your entire neighborhood agreed to share one lawnmower. You might ask, who gets to maintain the mower? How much do we all have to chip in to maintain it? Who decides who gets to use it and when? What if the mower is being used too much by one neighbor and not much at all by another? What if the mower is never available to the guy who suggested sharing the mower in the first place? Is this arrangement really more convenient than if I had my own lawnmower? If we end the agreement, who gets to keep the lawnmower?

So you see, the overriding question in sharing a lawnmower or sharing services between cities is, “Who’s in control?” On the surface it may sound selfish, but it is an important pivotal question that is not easily answered. If cities could answer this question, an important leap forward could be made in an effort to share more services. Joint powers authorities are an attempt to answer this question. Some have been successful while others have not.

To overcome the obstacles it is important to first have benchmarks in place to measure the success of the streamlining.

Our state government might be one place to look for answers. The state of New York for example, has a financial incentive program that encourages local municipalities to share services. Performance standards need to be met to take advantage of the state’s incentives. It seems that if shared services are the new wave, some cities might need a little extra push into the water.

The state may never be in a position to help with financial incentives to encourage merging or sharing of services. In the meantime, rather than rushing into merging one city’s strong department with another city’s weaker one, let’s instead look for the opportunities and efficiencies and share where we can. Burlingame, the city I represent, has identified areas that were once duplicated and are now more efficient. The sharing of adult sports league coordination with Millbrae and San Mateo is one example. Let’s contract out services where we can. Hillsborough pays a fee for library services to Burlingame because Hillsborough does not have its own public library. Burlingame provides maintenance for Hillsborough’s light vehicles and provides maintenance for at least six other city’s fire apparatus.

Clearly efficiencies can be found. But each partnership needs to be judged on its own merits. Generalizing and saying that all shared services are a good idea is too simplistic a view.

The good news is that cities are slowly identifying mutually beneficial efficiencies. Cities are slowly working on the mechanics of how they will perform successfully in the long term and cities are slowly becoming more comfortable with the entire concept of sharing services.

Russ Cohen Receives Coveted “Star of Excellence” Award….Initiates Fundraising for BHS Museum iburlingame.com-1,2005

Negotiation with Cities, Railroad companies, non-profit groups and citizens is a delicate art to say the least. There is amongst Burlingamers a master craftsman in the art of negotiation - Russ Cohen, President of the Burlingame Historical Society. Ross has driven the BHS from a small storage shed in Washington Park and occasional showings of archive materials - to having a shot at living in the Burlingame Station.

Hats off to Russ and the Burlingame Historical Society, now let’s get behind building the best city based Museum this side of the Smithsonian.

SM Daily Journal 1/10/06 Letters. Looking for council suggestions

Editor,

Every year the Burlingame City Council gathers to discuss what issues they would like to prioritize for the coming year. This year, the meeting will be held on Saturday, Jan. 28. However, my participation at this year’s goal-setting session will be a bit different from that of previous years. I will be participating as an elected official rather than a member of the public.

As a Burlingame council member I will not only share my ideas about what needs to get accomplished, but more importantly, I want to bring your ideas to the table.

Please give some thought to what you want to see happen in the next 12 months. Goals can take many forms. Is it something physical that you feel needs changing or maybe it’s a procedural change that you have been thinking about? In a brainstorming session there are no bad ideas. Now is the time for all Burlingamers to express what issues need addressing. Think of it as a giant suggestion box. Your thoughts are invaluable to me.

Please send your ideas, suggestions and comments to me at russ@russcohen.com and I will compile and share them with my fellow council members and city staff at our annual goal setting session at the Burlingame Recreation Center on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 9 a.m. until noon. Please send them by Wednesday, Jan. 25 and feel free to join us in the discussion. There will be a public comment period during the meeting.

Russ Cohen
Burlingame

The letter writer is a member of the Burlingame City Council.

New councilman wants community involvement
By Heather Murtagh 11/30/05

Curiosity and a need for change first brought newly elected Burlingame Councilman Russ Cohen to community involvement.

As a creative director for an advertising firm based in Los Angeles, Cohen was doing work in San Francisco when he was introduced to Burlingame about 13 years ago. A coworker invited him to dinner before heading back to the airport, and Cohen then decided a place like Burlingame would be the best fit if Northern California was in his future.

He said the area was perfect, with tree-lined streets and restaurants within walking distance. When the San Francisco office asked him to stay, he knew he would be living in Burlingame.

Today Cohen, 46, is a pretty involved guy working with the Burlingame Voice, the Historical Society and the Traffic, Parking and Safety Commission. On Dec. 5, he will take on a two-year City Council seat left open after Mike Coffey resigned July 1.

However, his true interest in the city began because of a marquee saying on the Encore Theater.

“It was used as a church and the priest used to put funny sayings on the marquee. One day it said, ‘Goodbye Burlingame.’ I stopped and the priest showed me inside. I’d never been inside because I wasn’t a member of the church. It was beautiful,” he said.

The church was set to be demolished, but Cohen found out the demolition permits were not yet in place. He went to work that day confident he had time to return and photograph the building before its demise. When he returned home that night the building was already half gone.

It opened Cohen’s eyes to the problems in the local government process or that there might not be a process at all. If there wasn’t a process, he wondered what else could use improvement. Since then, Cohen spent much time in front of the City Council expressing his concerns, at times with luck others without.

This experience, Cohen said, will make him more empathetic to the experience other citizens get while using their three minutes to address the council. If he could accomplish anything during his term, Cohen would like to see more involvement and discussion between the citizens and the City Council.

“If we can take the council and make it proactive rather than reactive, I’d be happy,” he said.

Since citizens addressing the council are not always answered at that time, Cohen would like to see town hall meetings held a few times a year or whenever warranted. This would give citizens an opportunity to share their concerns and ideas to the council in an informal setting where a conversation could take place.

It’s really about the quality of life, the small things like noise complaints and trash, that make a town, said Cohen.

Cohen hopes these little things will encourage more people to become active volunteers in the community. They may even use the City Council as a means to connect people to such opportunities.

“To me public input is strong here. Civic engagement is usually highest when people aren’t satisfied. I hope people don’t disengaged and become complacent [when things go well],” he said.