Tag: santa clara county

Jess Brown is the new executive director of the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, the agricultural organization announced Monday.Brown lives in Santa Cruz and is the head of the Santa Cruz Farm Bureau. He will continue in that role while serving in his new post, the Farm Bureau said in a press release.Brown said he’s excited to help promote area agriculture for the nonprofit that promotes agriculture in Santa Clara County.“I look forward to being a part of the Santa Clara County Farm Bureau; I've admired the organization for many years,” Brown said. “I already know and respect a number of local growers and am excited about working with them to promote and protect the illustrious history of agriculture in Santa Clara County,” the new executive director said.“We feel fortunate to have someone with Brown's experience and familiarity with local agricultural issues as our executive director,” Farm Bureau President Erin Gil said.Previously, Brown worked on the development of a map that lists the locations and products of all farms in Santa Clara, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties that sell directly to the public, the press release states.Brown has served in leadership roles on boards of multiple local nonprofits, according to the press release. He is taking over from former executive director Elizabeth Gabrio, who started with the bureau in August 2014.

GILROY— Sleuths at the Santa Clara County Agricultural Commissioner’s office are investigating the mysterious deaths of at least 1,000 European brown snails in a Gilroy business park.

In the early years following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, California experienced a time of creativity, hard work and entrepreneurship.  With the Gold Rush long past, people looked for other ways to succeed—and some succeeded spectacularly!

South County residents are invited to a community meeting Aug. 26 in San Martin to discuss the Santa Clara County General Plan Circulation and Mobility Element proposal for the local unincorporated road system.

With the deadline to file for candidacy more than two weeks away, some intending to run for Santa Clara County elected offices in the June primary have already reported growing war chests for the upcoming campaign.

The “realities of modern healthcare” have forced South County’s largest healthcare facility to its knees, as the nonprofit organization that runs Saint Louise Regional Hospital this week announced its intent to sell their entire health system, according to the parent organization’s spokespeople.

In May, Supervisor Dave Cortese proposed raising minimum wage to $10 per hour in unincorporated areas of the county. Gov. Brown has since signed legislation to increase California’s minimum wage to $9 per hour on July 1, 2014 and to $10 per hour on Jan. 1, 2016.

Santa Clara County and its employees represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 521 announced Friday they have reached a tentative, two-year employment agreement that will require the union members to pick up more of the cost of their health and retirement benefits, and also gives them a raise, according to County staff.The key to the preceding negotiations for the new agreement was both the County and its largest union workforce are dedicated to one fundamental principle, according to County staff: “Quality public services come first.”“We value the contributions of County employees,” County Executive Jeffrey Smith said. “This contract includes a modest wage increase, and now employees will be sharing in the cost of health premiums and contributing toward the growing cost of retiree health benefits.”An SEIU Local 521 member who served on the union’s negotiating team said the tentative agreement is an “affirmation that we will continue to put community first.”“We believe we’ve reached a fair agreement that protects vital front-line public services, and we look forward to continuing to work with the County on the challenge of recruiting and retaining a cutting-edge workforce,” said the SEIU member, Karen Smit, a respiratory care practitioner. Highlights of the two-year agreement, according to County staff, include:- Workers will increase their contributions toward retiree health care costs $10 per pay period, or $260 annually in order to strengthen the plan’s sustainability. This contribution will bring in about $2.1 million annually. - New workers will have to work for a minimum of 15 years to qualify for retiree health benefits. Under the previous agreement, those hired would have had to work 10 years to be eligible for the benefit. - To prepare for federal health care reform, the County will collaborate with SEIU 521 to form “unit-based teams” across the County’s Health & Hospital System, ensuring front-line workers have direct input on the improvements that affect patient care. - Employees will share in the cost of health premiums.- To address recruitment and retention concerns, the two lowest steps of union members’ salary schedule will be removed. This will help the County “become competitive in developing a cutting-edge workforce.” - Union members will receive a 5 percent overall wage increase during the agreement - a 2 percent increase in the first year and 3 percent the second year. “We came into negotiations focused on preserving and enhancing quality public services,” said wRen Bradley, chapter president of SEIU Local 521 Santa Clara County. “We knew the only way we could keep Santa Clara County strong was to ensure County services did not suffer. We will continue to do everything we can to develop a cutting-edge workforce, especially as we implement the Affordable Care Act.”SEIU Local 521 represents about 11,000 County employees, according to the union’s website. The tentative agreement will be presented to the five-member County Board of Supervisors for approval Sept. 10.  

Average home sale prices are "showing no signs of a mid-summer slowdown" in Santa Clara County and continued to rise in July, according to a press release from the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors.

Santa Clara County is accepting applications for up to $252,000 in grant funds available through the 2013 Historical Heritage Grant Program, according to County staff.