Could CV Get a Different Supervisor?

You may well have a different Alameda County Supervisor in the not-so-distant future. The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) heard a bit about possible redistricting at their virtual Monday night meeting.

Casey Farmer of the county’s Community Development Agency explained the basics: Alameda County currently has five superiors representing various districts. Castro Valley is in District 4 under Supervisor Nate Miley’s purview, and he selects the MAC members who advise him.

Miley also represents unincorporated areas of Ashland and Cherryland, while District 3 Supervisor Wilma Chan represents San Lorenzo and Ashland, so both have a hand in what’s going on in the unincorporated area.

Every 10 years when new US Census data is released, the county adjusts the district boundaries as communities grow and change. Right now, there are 1.5 million people in Alameda County and each district should ideally represent around 300,000 residents. The Board of Supervisors itself is responsible for the adoption of new districts and a two-thirds vote is required to approve the adjustments.

Huge adjustments are unlikely, but the public can help drive the process. You can even draw your own district map at http://redistricting2021.acgov.org/.

People can also offer public comment at the next regular Board of Supervisors Meeting on Tuesday, October 12 at noon. A series of meetings on draft maps are set throughout November, while the adoption of final districts is expected at the Board of Supervisors meeting set for December 14.

At Monday’s meeting, the MAC also heard an information item from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office—Office of Emergency Services (OES) regarding AC Alert—which is rapid notification software used to alert residents in the case of emergencies as well as some non-emergency situations such as road closures.

OES encourages every county resident to sign up for the app at acalert.org.  MAC Chair Ken Carbone said he sees the “value” in the notification system and offered a bit of constructive criticism- that it be made easier to subscribe to unincorporated area alerts specifically.

“Bring it a little bit more direct to the communities you are serving,” said Carbone.

 The next MAC meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 11, at 6:00 p.m. The council will discuss land use issues.