Volunteers Make a Difference

By Yvette Brooks, Mayor, City of Capitola

As we move beyond the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been thinking a lot about all of the people who volunteer in our community. Volunteers in our community have been the glue to keeping our community afloat this past year and I am so thankful.

In this month’s column, I will highlight a few volunteers in our community who I have interacted with the past few months while I have been mayor.

• Capitola City Clerk Chloe Woodmansee volunteered her time organizing our City’s Second Harvest food drive. Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County
works hard to feed people who have immediate nutrition needs. Because of her efforts, Capitola was able to feed thousands of families and become one of the 2021 Hunger Fighter award recipients.
• Meals on Wheels volunteers generously spend their time organizing, preparing and delivering meals throughout our Community. I recently had the opportunity to observe during their Community Champions week long celebration to honor the brave seniors that have experienced extraordinary challenges over the past year. This event is part of a nationwide campaign to raise awareness for services that give voice to seniors experiencing isolation, food insecurity and poverty. It was truly a special day.
• Capitola/Aptos Rotary President Michelle Bassi and all members of the Capitola/Aptos Rotary club are hard at work every month and I truly appreciate their efforts and their support of our youth in our community. This group recently awarded several students scholarships and organized a beach clean-up.
• American Red Cross of the Central Coast volunteers were the heroes who stepped up and supported our displaced families during the fires this past summer. In March, the City of Capitola declared March 2021 American Red Cross Month. Every day, people in our community depend on the American Red Cross and its volunteers, donors, and community partners. Their lifesaving work is vital to strengthening our community’s resilience.
• COVID 19 Volunteers at the COVID vaccine clinics throughout our community who keep showing up to ensure that all community members who want a vaccine can receive one. These clinics are supported by countless volunteers to help keep them running smoothly . If you would like to join the fight against COVID-19 and be part of this historic national effort, you can visit https://scvolunteercenter.org/ to volunteer at a clinic.

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I also want to spend some time highlighting the volunteers in our community who have offered their time to serve on our City commissions as well. The City Council appoints citizens to serve on boards, commissions, and committees to assist and advise in formulating policy. These advisory bodies play an important role in helping the City set good policy. In addition, community members may be appointed to represent the City’s interests on other agency boards.

Commissions and Commissioners Architectural & Site Review Committee

The Architectural and Site Review Committee consists of professional members appointed by the City Council as well as City staff involved in the development review process.

The Architectural and Site Review Committee is responsible for reviewing development permit applications to ensure that new proposals are harmonious with Capitola’s unique community character. The Committee is an advisory body that provides design recommendations to the Planning Commission and/or City Council.

Art & Cultural Commission

The Capitola Art & Cultural Commission advises the City Council about allocation of public funds for the support and encouragement of existing and new programs in the arts; acquires works of art subject to City Council approval; initiates, sponsors and/or directs special programs that enhance the cultural climate of the City; and implements the Art & Cultural Master Plan.

Thank you to my Commissioner Susan McPeak, Owner at The Dales Group and founder of the ELTY Belt, who has volunteered her time and has brought tremendous insight to upcoming projects, such as the Depot Hill Stairs Public Art, Plein Air and Summer Events (Twilight Concerts, Sunday Art and Music at the Beach)

Commission on the Environment

Members of the Capitola Commission on the Environment have an interest in protection and enhancement of the City’s environment and assist the City Council in promoting sustainable development, greenhouse gas reduction measures, green building techniques, protection and enhancement of Soquel Creek, the ocean and Capitola Beach, and associated riparian and special habitat areas.

The Commission on the Environment meets quarterly. Meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of the month February, May, August, and November.

Thank you to Commissioner Michelle Beritzhoff-Law, M.S who has a B.S. in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara and an M.S. in Marine Science from the University of Otago in New Zealand and currently works for FISHWISE, as a Project Director.

Finance Advisory Committee

The Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) advises the City Council on financial matters. Three of the seven members are appointed by individual Council Members on the basis of their knowledge, experience, and qualifications in financial management and related areas. These appointees must be City residents,

The FAC will be spending their meetings from April to June focused on reviewing next year’s draft City Budget and making recommendations to the City Council.

Future agenda items include reviewing the City’s pension debt, which the City has no control over, and has increased an average of 20% annually for the last five fiscal years, and develop a strategy to address the rising costs. In addition, the FAC will be reviewing the Capitola Village parking program and making recommendations to the City Council.

Historical Museum Board

The Capitola Museum’s purpose is to bring a better understanding and appreciation by the Capitola community of its history, architecture, culture, technology, and its creative and natural environments. The museum plans to reopen in May on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Their current exhibition, “Capitola Then & Now,” will be up through the end of the year. The exhibit compares historic photographs with pictures of the same scenes today and shows the interesting ways Capitola has changed over the years.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is a City Council-appointed board whose members are charged with reviewing land use and development permits for consistency with the Capitola General Plan, and the Capitola Zoning Code. Planning Commission decisions may be appealed to the City Council.

Thank you to Commissioner Courtney Christiansen, Design + Project Manager at Fuse Architects Inc who has continued to offer her support and expertise to the Commission the past two years.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my fellow Council members, Vice Mayor Sam Storey, Jacques Bertrand, Kristen Petersen and Margaux Keiser who in addition to their elected positions, all sit on additional boards and commissions.

While it often goes unnoticed, the job of serving on the City Council, as well as so many other boards and commissions is nearly a full time job, and I am deeply appreciative of the time and effort my peers take to do the job well.

Getting involved is important to our community and there are many agencies still in need of your support. Again, thank you to all of the volunteers in our community.

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Your time is invaluable. I encourage everyone to get more involved and become a volunteer today. As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at brooksforcitycouncil@gmail.com