MAC Receives Updates from Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) received updates this week from Alameda County Fire Department as well as the Sheriff’s Office.

Deputy Fire Chief Eric Moore spoke about the reconstruction of two fire houses in Castro Valley– the first phase of the project involves Stations 7 and 25, both of which will include an element of public art.

Station 7 is at 6855 Villareal Drive in Palomares Hills. The new station is being built adjacent to the existing station.

Fire Station 25 is at 20336 San Miguel- at this location the existing fire house (built in 1966) will be razed and a new one will be built in its footprint. The proposed replacement Station 25 will be a 10,000-square-foot and two-stories with housing on the top floor and fitness, locker room, and office space on the first floor.

The ACFD estimations that construction will span between November 2025 and October 2026 for Station 7 and January 2026 and January 2027 for Station 25

The fire station refurbishment/ rebuilding is funded through Measure X.

Measure X is a 2020 $90 million, 30-year general obligation bond for repairing and replacing out-of-date fire stations and equipment. Assessed at 1.6 cents per $100,000 of assessed home value, it costs the average Alameda County homeowner about $142 a year.

Chief Moore has periodically been updating the MAC since the bond passed- this week, he introduced Rachel Osajima, the Director of the Alameda County Art Commission, to speak about the public art element of the project.

The County has allocated $293,000 in art funds for Station 7 and $383,200 in art funds for Station 25, which includes paying the artists, fabrication, installation, and construction expenses.

MAC Chair Chuck Moore questioned spending so much money on artwork, saying that the public might not vote in favor of bonds in the future if they do like the way they see money being spent.

“It seems to me to be a big number,” said Moore of the price. “We are watching our pennies here in this day and age. We are being very respectful with the taxpayers’ dollar.”

Public Speaker Kathy O’Day (who also sits on the county arts commission) said that public art is valuable and enriches the community.

“Art fosters a sense of belonging and pride in the community,” said O’Day.

Osajima said there are several opportunities for the public to get involved in the artist selection process. Committees will be assembled for each fire station project, there will also be a community survey for the art and opportunities to offer feedback once the selected artists make their proposals.

“We are really looking for community members to be engaged in every level of the project,” said Osajima.

If you are interested in serving on the artis selection committees, visit arts.acgov.org/public-art-updates.

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Landon Croisant took the podium to clarify the Sheriff’s Office’s stance on aiding U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said there was a lot of misinformation being spread on the topic and reiterated that the department is focused on local law enforcement—if you commit a crime, you will be arrested, but the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t coordinate with ICE to detain immigrants.

The Sheriff’s Office released a prepared statement:

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office has become aware of unfounded information being disseminated through various electronic formats and via word of mouth that suggests that targeted enforcement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is underway in several of the local communities we serve. We want to assure you that this information is false.

This information has caused panic and anxiety in our communities, and we strongly encourageeveryone to refrain from sharing unverified information. Sheriff Sanchez would like to take a moment to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to transparency, public safety, and building stronger relationships through community engagement. This commitment is at the core of our operations.

POLICY: The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) shall have a Zero-Contact Policy with immigration officials, except when a criminal warrant has been signed by a judge. The immigration status of a person, and the lack of immigration documentation, alone, shall have no bearing on the manner in which Agency members execute their duties. This policy shall ensure the ACSO is consistent with the County of Alameda’s Welcoming County Resolution (2016).

Deputy Heidi Burbank then gave a short presentation on crime statistics so far in 2025, saying that so far this year the Eden Township Substation has recorded no homicides, 14 robberies, and 38 car thefts, among other offences

The MAC took the opportunity to address the Sheriff’s Office on another matter- safety in the schools.

MAC members said they were disappointed with how the school district has handled safety issues recently and lamented the loss of dedicated School Resource Officers on campus as issues like fighting, bullying, vaping, and drug use pop up on middle and high school campuses.

MAC Member Xochiyotl Martinez said that the high school has a dedicated “fight corner” where students know cameras can see them.

“I hope you guys can find a way to be more present and hold some of these bad actors accountable,” Martinez told the Sherif’s representatives.

MAC Member Tojo Thomas agreed.

 “Taking School Resource Officers out of our schools has been a big mistake,” said Thomas. “The Castro Valley School District is a good district, but not all of our students are good students.”

MAC Chair Chuck Moore asked the Sheriff’s Office to return with an update in about four months- he also brought back to the previous arts discussion, saying county funds could be better spent on more officers than artwork.

“That’s crucial to me,” said Moore.