Cindy Darling, Walnut Creek Mayor Pro Tem

Housing and homelessness impact us all. Here is a chance to better understand the issues.

📣 Join us for our 2023 Community Forum on Monday, November 13th, from 6-8 PM! 🗣️

https://tinyurl.com/28jncz5f

Get ready to gain valuable insights from a panel of experts, including city leadership and affordable and market-rate developers, as they discuss the true impacts of affordable housing in our community.

Discover who in our community needs affordable housing and the services that drive these efforts. 🏡

This hybrid event is free and open to the public!

📍 In-person location:
1666 North Main Street, Third Floor, Walnut Creek

Visit https://tinyurl.com/28jncz5f to reserve your spot and be part of this important conversation. 🌳

Two steps forward, one step back. This was one of those weeks in the life of a local elected official. We got to celebrate Pride Month with a great story hour at the Bedford Gallery which was a chance to celebrate our shared humanity and help the kids with the idea that despite our differences, love is always stronger than hate. We talked to talented architects who are ready to help us build the new pool and community center at Heather Farm. We are going to build a place for everyone from the 5 year olds who finally learn how to put their face in the water all the way to the Masters swimmers who glide through the water effortlessly. We issued proclamations celebrating Juneteenth and recognizing our African American residents and all they bring to the city. We are working on a city budget that helps keep all of us safe through a data driven crime prevention program, extra officers on the beat, innovative mental health response programs, and so much more. And then there we were at the council meeting Tuesday night…four callers in public comment who have gone down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole and come out the other side full of some truly horrifying anti semitic hate. I value the First Amendment and everyone has a right to speak their mind in a public meeting, as long as they follow the rules. But it was so sad to realize these callers hadn’t been able to grasp the simple idea that the kids who gathered to celebrate at drag queen story hour had learned. Love is stronger than hate.

Walnut Creek Downtown did a great job organizing Uncorked last night. And the boys were particularly pleased to find great beer on the menu along with all the great wine.

It was a spectacular day up on Shell Ridge. Flowers in bloom. No pesky rain. And recognition of our beloved oaks as an old growth forest.

Welcome to Walnut Creek, Boba Studio! I was happy to join your great neighbors Dumpling Hours, Treasurer Fiona Ma, and WCPD Chief Knox in welcoming you to our community.

A great start to the East Bay Women’s Conference. High hopes and fresh faces.

Meeting with our Youth Commissioners is always a highlight! Thank you all for your enthusiasm and for the sound advice on breakfast cereals!

Thank you to Council member Darling for stopping by yesterday and having such a great discussion with us! We loved hearing more about your background and work on the city council. Looking forward to talking with you again soon!!

Here is a great update from my fellow council member Kevin Wilk about our council priorities for this two year budget cycle. Thanks to all our commissioners and members of the public who shared their thoughts to help us in this process.

A nice fire, some tasty crab, and staying home is all right by me.

Thank you to the Cleanup Crew for the quick tidy on the Rudgear freeway ramps this morning! Walnut Creek is all spruced up and ready for holiday visitors. Want to help? Go to https://www.thecleanupcrew.org/ and join us in an oddly satisfying effort.

The Sunday Walnut Creek Farmers' Market will be open this morning in spite of the sprinkles and as an added bonus I will be in the City Council booth so swing on by to say hi and see what’s going on in our city.

Your will be Open tomorrow. Why is your market open in the rain? Many farmers’ markets are open rain ☔️ or shine ☀️ Why would we be open when surely we are in for a soaking? Doing so keeps our vital local food system moving. These days we are all feeling the effects of supply chain difficulties resulting from the the Covid stoppage. Fortunately farmers’ markets were deemed essential when many other businesses slowed or stopped production. Staying open kept farmers farming and locally produced nutritious food plentiful. Even one missed market day, like a rain day, results in big losses for small farms. Dedicated to bring you fresh picked produce, anything not sold must be donated or turned into compost. So grab you umbrella ☔️ and break out those cute rainboots and join us, free puddles for splashing in available.

Next time you are on a Target run, check out our city’s latest mural. It was designed to reflect the life experiences of youth at Trinity Center who are aging out of foster care and learning to make their way in the world. Some of them came to share their stories and their resilience is awe inspiring. We are lucky to have Trinity Center in our city.

A thoughtful editorial today about the Walnut Creek City Council. The East Bay Times summed up our commitment to sound fiscal policy “The city has been exceptionally well-managed financially. Council members are mindful of keeping spending in check, the need for saving money to upgrade aging facilities and paying down retirement-debt obligations. They’re ahead of most cities in the state in covering their public employee pension liabilities.” I’m proud to serve on a council that takes financial health seriously.

Editorial: For Walnut Creek council, Francois and Silva far superior With city well-run, both deserve reelection in race against challengers who lack knowledge of important issues.

Thank you Jennifer Chen for spending time in Walnut Creek. I appreciate hearing about your experience in our schools and how you want to use that experience to maintain the high quality of our schools and help all our students succeed. You have my support!

I was proud this summer to put Measure O on the ballot this November for a safer, stronger Walnut Creek. Our family benefitted in so many ways from growing up in such a great community and I want to pay it forward. Want to help? A yard sign is a great way to get the word out. If you'd like one, you can sign up at www.yes4walnutcreek.org/take-action

If you want one of these beauties, our campaign team will be out delivering yard signs this week. Sign up at www.yes4walnutcreek.org/take-action

Our Woodlands neighborhood is sponsoring a candidate forum Sept 27th at 7 PM. If you are wondering who is running for what, this is your one stop shop to hear from candidates for Walnut Creek City Council, Board of Supervisor, MDUSD and Clerk-Recorder. And there will be information on Measure O!

When: Sep 27, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0udemgqDIpGdLSlw6Hg3PAQDk4Tr9lOtD_

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Featuring
Discussion about the proposed Walnut Creek Sales Tax - Measure O

Candidates for WC City Council
Matt Francois
Cindy Silva
Laura Patch

BOARD OF SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES
Ken Carlson
Deborah Allen

MDUSD CANDIDATES
Cherise Khaund
Herbert Lee

CLERK-RECORDER
Kristin Connelly
Vicki Gordon

This is a great opportunity to make a difference in our community.

The City of Walnut Creek has several openings for members of the Police Chief’s Community Advisory Board. The Board was created in 2020 as a resource for the Walnut Creek Chief of Police in the formation of strategies, developing community policing concepts, increasing public awareness, furthering engagement and transparency efforts and identifying best practices.

The openings are available to Walnut Creek residents; please fill out the application form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf91-XoTW3X5rzjYxO5bKxSSpuNk_ZaxNIn6gMUk0T89ybhew/viewform?usp=sf_link

Applications will be accepted through September 30.

The Walnut Creek Chamber hosted a great coffee with the candidates this morning and we got to hear from Matt Francois and Cindy Silva running for Walnut Creek and Ken Carlson for Supervisor as well as other candidates. I so appreciate life being in person and not in little Zoom boxes.

A little helper stopped by to see if I needed assistance getting my post about Yes on Measure O out. Either that or someone’s hungry.

I'm excited to share that I'm volunteering on the Yes on Measure O campaign! Measure O invests in Walnut Creek, making our city safer, healthier, more sustainable, and well-prepared for natural disasters—while establishing strong safeguards to ensure our funds are spent responsibly.

I am proud to join all of my fellow City Council members in supporting Measure O. We are proud to have the support of so many community volunteers, community groups, first responders and the Chamber of Commerce.

Will you join me in fighting for Walnut Creek's quality of life? Vote Yes on Measure O! Click to learn more or sign up to join the team at www.yes4walnutcreek.org

Yes on Measure O for Walnut Creek Measure O invests in Walnut Creek, making our city safer, healthier, more sustainable, and well-prepared for natural disasters—while establishing strong safeguards to ensure our funds are spent responsibly.

It’s Sunday Farmer’s Market day in the Creek! Stop by the Council booth on your way to the tomatoes and corn to say hi.

If you know any young people interested in a career in environmental science and sustainability, here is a chance to learn more about those career choices.

Announcing the next Climate Careers Chat - Thursday, Aug 25!

Are you interested in sustainability, local cities, or the environment? Join us on August 25th, 6:30 PST online to meet Michael Cass and Cindy Darling and hear about their sustainable career paths. Learn more and sign up: tinyurl.com/ClimateCareersAugust

This free event is a collaboration between Sustainable Leaders in Action, Sustainable Contra Costa's youth-led branch, and the Contra Costa County Library.

One of my absolute favorite parts of city council is working with our Youth Commission. Tonight they brought us a proposal they’d worked on for more than a year to have a youth representative on three city commissions. I was proud to support the proposal and look forward to bringing young voices into the discussion of our city’s future.

Thanks to all who’ve worked to turn 988 into reality.

Home We can all help prevent su***de. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988 is now live and taking calls. This resource only works if people know it is there for them so please share this number and talk about it with the people in your life. You never know when this information could save someone’s life.

In the water world, Jonas was a quirky, passionate advocate for our rivers. He taught me so much about how to listen to others interests and work deals, even if he sometimes delighted in stubbornly digging in.

Jonas Minton, California environmentalist and water-policy expert, dies at 73

I am proud of our Youth Commissioners who are helping to register new voters at Moraga Commons this morning. With great people like this, our future is bright here in Walnut Creek.

Have questions, thoughts, comments about our city? Or do you just need fresh spring veggies? I’ll be at the downtown farmer’s market this Sunday from nine to noon. Stop by and say hi!

Last night I did a ride along with Walnut Creek Police Department to see what happens in our city after my usual bed time. The results? Downtown nightlife was hopping but felt safe with several officers patrolling. A couple service calls to deal with noise and alarms. And one more serious call where officers were able to head off the potential for criminal activity. I was glad to see an emphasis on equitable community policing and service. It’s important to have a city that feels safe for everyone who lives, works, and plays here.

Another great elected women’s lunch. Thanks to Debbie Toth for organizing us and making us be quiet…a rather tall order with this crowd!

Our local task force that works on solving issues around homelessness is holding a virtual forum this Wednesday. Everyone is invited!

Community Forum on Homelessness in Walnut Creek Community Forum on Homelessness in Walnut Creek

While it was a sad day when the Boundary Oak fell, stop by the Bedford Gallery to see what local artists have created from its wood to mark its passing.

Community Service Day is around the corner on Oct 9th and we still have some volunteer spots open. I hope you can join us!

Community Service Day | City of Walnut Creek Walnut Creek City Hall 1666 North Main Street Walnut Creek, CA, 94596 Google Map to City Hall (925) 943-5899 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday Public counters Hours: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday Public counters CLOSED Fridays at City Hall Privacy Policy Accessibility

Happy Farmer’s Market Day! Stop by and say hi!

Happy Farmer’s Market Day! I’m at the City Council booth today from 10 to 12. Stop by and say hi!

It is so wonderful to be able to get out and about!

Walnut Creek – get ready for some fun this August!! 🎉

The City of Walnut Creek and 11 of its community organizations are collaborating to bring you Arts Around August, a month-long celebration of performing, visual and culinary arts in Downtown Walnut Creek. 😍

Okay, so what does that mean?! There will be events or activities every day during the month of August!! 🥳🤩

Experiences for all ages include Summer Concerts at Broadway Plaza , Movies on the Roof, First Wednesday Street Faire, Downtown Stages (presented by local performing artists), Family Chalk Art Days, Moveable Feasts (an upscale culinary stroll including tastes from the best of Walnut Creek’s restaurants, with a little sample of public art sprinkled in), Paint the DownTOWN (a plein air art festival), Public Art Walking Tours, History Tours, Weekly Art & History Scavenger Hunts, Family Theatre Sundays (Fantasy Forum performances for the whole family), Opera performances (at the park and Hoffman Theatre), and Painted Pianos (8 pianos placed throughout downtown for all to enjoy). 🎨💃🏽 🎶 🌮

Stay tuned for more details: https://www.walnutcreekdowntown.com/ArtsaroundAugust

Let’s keep working to make our community welcoming and comfortable for all who live, work, and play here. This is an opportunity to join the conversation.

The City of Walnut Creek is launching a Diversity, Equity, and Belonging community task force focused on helping us improve the ways in which we embrace the full range of the intersectional diversity in our community, while increasing equity and belonging. We are looking for residents passionate about this work to apply!

The general criteria for all Task Force applicants is as follows:

• Must be a resident of Walnut Creek, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas.
• Must have a demonstrated commitment to racial equity/justice.
• Must be able to engage in constructive dialogue on difficult, complex subject matter while maintaining respect.
• Must be able/willing to participate in online Task Force meetings initially via Zoom.
• High school juniors/seniors may apply for youth slots, in addition to youth/young adults in college or out of school age 25 and under.

To apply www.bit.ly/DEBTF

We would love to hear your thoughts on downtown! What’s been working, what is a bit less perfect and where you’d like to see us go from here.

Downtown NEXT Thank you for your participation in our Downtown NEXT survey! The purpose of this survey is to get your ideas on what you think we should do post COVID to help our Downtown continue to be THE place to go. For purposes of this survey, Downtown Walnut Creek is defined as Civic Drive to Newell Ave, and...

This is a great opportunity for my fellow Walnut Creekers to help us craft our Sustainability Action Plan.

Walnut Creek Sustainability Action Plan Community Workshop Please register for the upcoming virtual community workshop for the City of Walnut Creek's Sustainability Action Plan Update.