Douglas M. deHaan
All responses remain in their orginial forms without any editing of content, language, grammar, and spelling.
Educational Background
Encinal High School
Laney College, AS
University of San Francisco, BA
Postgraduate Studies: University of California, Berkeley and
George Washington University
Alameda Civic Experience (Boards, Commissions, Community Groups):
COUNCIL, COMMISSIONS and BOARDS, (Over 18 years of Community Services)
City of Alameda Couniclmember, 2004 to present
Alameda Redevelopment and Reuse Authority, Member
Community Improvement Commission, Commissioner
Housing Authority of the City of Alameda, Commissioner
Economic Development, Commission, Chairperson 2001-04
Economic Development, Commission, Member 1996-2001
Base Retention Committee, Chairperson 1991-1993
Base Reuse Advisory Group, Base Reuse Chairperson
Alameda Education, Technology and Business Consortium, Co-Founder
Alameda Labor /Management Advisory Team, NAS Alameda, Chairperson
Alameda Point Community Reuse Plan, Member
Alameda Redevelopment and Reuse Authority, Alternate Member 1995-1997
Alameda Point Advisory Committee, Member
East Bay Conversion and Reinvestment Commission, Member
Alameda Naval Air Station, Remediation Advisory Board, Member
Fleet Industrial Supply Center Remediation Advisory Board, Member
California League of Cities Representative, Alternate Member
Water Emergency Transit Authority Community Representative, Alternate Member
COMMITTEES:
Economic Development Commission
Webster Street Strategic Plan
Alameda Citywide Retail Policy
Economic Development Strategic Plan
Bridgeside Center Redevelopment
Downtown Vision, Park Street
Business Districts Streetscape
Northern Waterfront Review
City of Alameda, One Stop Permit Center
Alameda Point Redevelopment
Hotel, SPA and Golf Complex
Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Sports Complex
Airport Reuse Feasibility
Selection of: Alameda Point Master Developer and
FISC/East Housing Master Developer
Brief professional history not including civic experience:
(36 years in public sector and 10 years in private sector)
Production and Planning Superintendent, Alameda Naval Aviation Depot
Personnel Transition Director, NAS Alameda
Budget Director, NAS Alameda Supply Department
Chief Operations Officer, Tower Aviation and Alameda Aerospace
Business Management Consultant
What particular qualities or experiences will you bring to the city council, and how will they benefit the city?
I have served the city in numerous leadership capacities over the past 18 years. The experience and leadership I have gained in the private and public sectors over the years is priceless. I have been fair, honest and dedicated to what I believe is in the best interest for present and future Alameda residents.
As your councilmember, I have utilized my professional background in operational and fiscal management to benefit the city. I have managed over 1,000 employees (at one time) and managed operating budgets that exceeded $500 Million. From day one, as your councilmember, I have stressed the importance of fiscally viable city operations such as: Alameda Power and Telecom, Chuck Corica Golf Complex, Public Safety, Public Works, etc. This is finally being reflected in the city’s present intense focus on fiscal sustainability. I am proud to say that I have been instrumental in ensuring that the city has a more open and inclusive city government process, we are now able to view web castings of all key meetings, we now have a minimization of closed session council meetings, appeal fees have been revised to reflect a lower flat rate of $100 for all appeals regarding board and commission decisions, and we have an improved notification procedure (to the public) for all council, commission and board meetings.
List the top 5 issues you see moving forward (short explanation ok) and a brief description of how you would like to deal with them?
Conversion of Alameda Point:
For the past eleven years, The City of Alameda has actively been in the process of the conversion of Alameda Point for public use. In the last 8 years we have been engaged with two different master developers. During this period the city has bonded $15 million in support of public services and the conversion planning process. The present cooperative agreement with the Navy and our inability to generate enough lease revenue is costing our General Fund $1 million to $2 million annually.
I believe the city must maintain the present city/master developer Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) timeline. This has been very difficult during the present turbulent national fiscal crisis. Our challenge is to convert Alameda Point, with zero fiscal impact (fiscal neutrality) to The City of Alameda, while fulfilling the community’s goals and expectations. The city must make sure that the community is fully engaged in the process and understands all aspects of this complex redevelopment project.
Alameda Power and Telecom and Golf Course Viability:
AP&T Telecom Business: The city is currently in the process of determining the disposition of AP&T’s telecom business. In February of 2006, AP&T lowered their telecom sales forecast for FY2009 from $15.2 million to $8.3 million (a decline of 45%). The telecom business had incurred over $80 million of debt, which included (to date) a $44 million inter-departmental transfer from AP&T’s electrical operation to the telecom operation. In March of 2006, as a closed session action item, I requested an operations review and market appraisal of the telecom business. This review provided AP&T and the city with the necessary information to determine the fiscal viability of the telecom system and develop future funding and operational strategies.
AP&T’s electrical business is thriving! The city must continue to use the electrical business as our showpiece for environmentally sound electrical services. AP&T’s outstanding environmental efforts have been in place over the years, and they have recently renewed their commitment. Congratulations to AP&T and Public Works and our Planning Department, as they have continued to take the lead in city’s environmental sustainability program.
Chuck Corica Golf Complex: With the recent downturn of economy, ongoing surcharges to support the City’s General Fund, and loss of golf play, all of these events have had a major impact on the City’s Chuck Corica Golf Complex operating revenue. In May of 2006, during budget hearings, I noted that golf play on our courses had dropped over 30% to 50% in the last 10 years, and that council needed to conduct an immediate operations review. Over the last year the city has taken significant steps to improve the complex’s fiscal viability, but we still face some key challenges. I will continue to support this city’s asset, and will ensure that it has an ongoing future in our community…because once it’s gone, it’s gone. I will not let it become another developer’s dream.
City of Alameda Operation Budget:
Alameda is now at an unprecedented junction in its history. Due to the country’s major economic downturn, Alameda is facing its own budget crisis with a decrease in revenue, while trying to maintain quality services: Fire, Police, Parks, Library, Schools and Public Works etc. Alameda is faced with a projected $5 million shortfall in the General Fund for the fiscal year. To further compound this problem it is projected that the property tax revenue will be most likely be flat for the next four years. Therefore, the council has placed on the ballot this November a measure to increase the Property Transfer Tax to help balance the city’s budgets. If this measure does not succeed, and the city is not able to generate additional revenue or reduce operation cost, some of the most essential city services (police and fire protection) might have to be cut. All California cities could be further impacted by the proposed State budget recommendations to divert our City Property and Transportation Taxes to the State level to cover their (State) $15 billion budget deficit.
The city must maximize ways to increase our sales tax revenue by increasing retail opportunities within our retail areas. That is, without unnecessarily impacting our existing retailers and traffic corridors. Within the next few months we will be losing the Toyota dealership to Oakland (annual $350,000 sales tax), replacement sales tax is paramount. The city needs to look at companies that can generate business-to-business sales tax.
Retail and Residential Redevelopment Opportunities: RETAIL: Alameda Towne Centre, Del Monte (Encinal Terminals), Alameda Landing, Northern Park Street Strategic Plan (North of Lincoln), Alameda Point (Retail). HOUSING: Harbor Bay, Collins Property (Clement and Oak), Grand Marina, Northern Housing (old Coast Guard Housing), Ballena Bay.
Present entitled, planned and proposed development projects provide the city with many opportunities. There are over 1,800 additional housing units (excluding the proposed Alameda Point’s 1,800 to 6,000 housing units) and up to 1.3 million square feet of new or existing retail spaces. There is also 1.2 million square feet of office/commercial, vacant and planned (excluding 3.5 million sq. ft. planned at Alameda Point) projects. You can see the magnitude of opportunities/challenges that are facing The City of Alameda. The city must seamlessly integrate these development projects into the existing infrastructure, transportation and traffic, while maintaining the communities core values. We have set in place many review processes to ensure that this is accomplished. However, we must be vigilant in seeing that these projects interface with each other. We only have ONE opportunity to do this RIGHT, not to repeat past development/redevelopment oversights. Our challenge in the next four years is to build quality that we can enjoy now, as well as proudly leave this legacy to future generations. Don’t forget, developers work for us. You can rest assured that I have never, or will I ever take funding (directly or indirectly) from any developer(s). Council members must remain impartial while providing the leadership and resources needed for Alameda to succeed. Of the 74,000+ residents in this city, I have yet to see more than a few hundred residents (usually the same groups) directly involved in the community process, which will formulate Alameda’s future. This is YOUR city. Therefore, the City Council’s outreach to our citizens’ input is most vital.
Transportation and Traffic:
Transportation/Traffic is one of the main factors to be considered in existing and further development of Alameda. Many transportation experts agree that most new estuary crossings (bridges/tubes) are cost prohibitive and we might have to continue to rely upon private vehicle use. Future estuary crossings, using alternate transportation forms could include a bus barge and/or water taxi. SunCal, the Alameda Point developer, proposes an elevated transportation system (Personal Rapid Transit) that utilizes the old Beltline Railway right-of-way down Atlantic Avenue, to Clement Avenue, and over the Fruitvale rail bridge to BART. All of the above suggestions would rely upon major Federal and local funding, gaining additional right-of-ways and may take at least ten to twenty years to become a reality. Our best sources are improved bus service, not only Transbay, but point-to-point services and the expansion of our existing ferry services. We must require developers and the city to look into the feasibility of having an internal bus system (shuttle) that services the community and the use of eco public transportation pass system. When the community is developed, we must ensure that there is a balance of jobs to homes with supporting retail/businesses and accompanying open spaces. Exploration of traffic mitigation plans should include combined infrastructure improvements, such as, links to public transit and shuttles, walk-to-work and bike-to-work options and adjacent housing. Emphasis should be pursued on retail nodes very similar to the old Alameda railroad stations i.e., Bay Station or Chestnut/Encinal Station retail districts. To assist in developing a comprehensive transportation plan the city is in the process of updating the Transportation Element of the General Plan (Transportation Master Plan). Additionally, the Oak to Ninth project and future proposed Oakland developments would only further impact our critical access corridors. The Oak to Ninth EIR showed a direct impact to Alameda’s Atlantic/Webster Street, and the proposed Atlantic/Stargell intersections. Alameda’s capacity to our tubes will be further eroded, thus directly impacting the development at Alameda Point and the West End.
Incumbents, why do you feel you should be re-elected, what are your top accomplishments of the past four years? Challengers, why do you feel one or both of the incumbents should be replaced?
As your Councilmember for the past four years, the council has had numerous accomplishments to be proud of such as the renovation of: Park and Webster Streets, Bridgeside, Towne Centre, Alameda Theater, Summer Homes (Harbor Bay Island Apartments) and further development of the Harbor Bay Business Park, and the construction of the new Main Library.
Our Planning Department’s Climate Protection Task Force was recently recognized for the completion of Alameda’s award-wining Local Action Plan for Climate Protection. This will set the future benchmark for Alameda’s Environmental Sustainability. A newly formed Blue Ribbon Fiscal Sustainability Task Group has as been established. The group is made up of local citizens who are professional experts in their field. This Task Group will review all aspects of the city’s budget in order to evaluate current and future budgets needs.
The Alameda Theater Complex has been very successful in the economic rejuvenation of the downtown Park Street district. This is exactly what our Economic Development Commission (EDC) and City Council envisioned. People seem to be unaware that I both served on and chaired the Economic Development Commission (EDC) for 8 years. The vast majority of the above listed redevelopment projects were conceived during this time. One of which was the Theater/Cineplex and Parking project(s). In1999, while serving on the EDC, we conducted a Downtown Visioning Plan for Park Street, which addressed the renovation of the historic Alameda Theater and supporting projects. The direct outgrowth of that visioning process was the historical Theater/Cineplex and parking structure proposal(s). As chairman of the EDC, I personally lead the EDC (over a two-year period) in developing our final recommendations. I strongly supported EDC’s recommendations that were forwarded to the Planning Board and City Council for action. Once the recommendations were forwarded, many of the conceptual elements of the Theater/Cineplex/Parking Complex were finalized in closed sessions before the public had a chance to review and/or comment on the EDC’s original recommendations of parking locations and Cineplex requirements. I was not a councilmember during this period of time. The initial cost for this project had been estimated to be $16 million, and ballooned to a final cost of $32 million, excluding $3 million for preliminary development costs. The council had to apply for a $7 million Housing and Urban Development loan and reallocate redevelopment funds to make it a viable project. As a councilmember, I personally took strong exception to the high cost and the design and size/mass of the overall project. This project could have easily still been successful at a substantially lower cost.
My challenge is to continue to meet quality of life needs for the residents of Alameda, without compromising needs for present or future generations (fiscal and environmental sustainability). Alameda continues to be engaged in large development/redevelopment opportunities. I ask for your vote once again to continue my work to serve you. I will provide the leadership required to offer every Alamedan an equal voice in maintaining Alameda’s quality of life as we continue to build upon our future.
