January 21, 2002

MEETINGS, MEETINGS, MEETINGS. When folks say Sunol is a good place to meet, they aren't kidding. Tomorrow, for example, there are four, count them, four meetings scheduled with import to Sunolians. And that's not counting the Sunol Repertory Theatre rehearsal for "Caught in the Villain's Gaze."

By the way, rehearsals are going wonderfully, and this season's offering is going to be something to remember. Tickets go on sale to the public on Feb. 2 at the Sunol Coffee House and Café, and you can still become an SRT patron by contacting Producer Diane Tiessen at 925-862-2020. For more info on the play, check out the SRT site at www.sunol.net.

As for the other things going on Tuesday, the day starts with the ribbon cutting ceremony for Sunol Glen School's spanking new playground. Superintendent/Principal Diane Everett asked me to remind all those Sunolians with nostalgic feelings for the old green playground equipment that new safety laws required it be dismantled. The new one is really something - big, colorful, and very safe! Diane would like to thank Alameda County Supervisors Scott Haggerty and Gail Steele, as well as Sunol residents Sandi and Paul Bonderson for funding the playground. She also sends thanks to Sunol Glen parents and Community Club for their support on this project.

The playground will be dedicated at a future ceremony, date to be announced, to Dr. Eugene Bouchard, a dedicated Sunol Glen parent who passed away last year. When Dr. Bouchard died, his wife, Maureen Hart, generously requested that donations be made to the playground fund in his honor. Their daughter, Elizabeth, now a second grader, attended Sunol Glen as a Pleasanton interdistrict transfer student until the family moved out of the area.

Moving on to the afternoon, you can travel to Hayward or San Francisco to attend meetings concerning the Mission Valley Rock mining operation and its impacts on Water Temple Field. At 1:30 p.m. there will be a Public Hearing by Alameda County Planning Commission at Alameda County Public Works Building, 399 Elmhurst Street, Hayward. A final decision will be made on this date concerning the intent to adopt an Notice of Exemption from CEQA guidelines for Mission Valley Rock's continuing and expanded mining activities at their currently active site. The expansion and a five-year review of the surface mining permit for 43 acres there will also be addressed at this meeting. At 1 p.m., there will be a San Francisco PUC meeting at SF City Hall, Room 400, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco. The quarry expansion onto Water Temple Field will be discussed.

Tomorrow at 6 p.m., there will be a Sunol Glen School Board Meeting in the auditorium, with the closed session scheduled for 7:30. The survey the board will be sending out to the community regarding the possible addition of two more trustees is one of the items on the agenda, which is posted at the school and on the town bulletin board.

Another meeting to make note of is coming up on Wednesday, Jan. 30, when Save Our Sunol will gather in the cafeteria at 7:30. Featured speakers include Bruce Goddard and Ryan Matthews of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority who will provide information about sites being considered for a composting station. Two of the sites are in Sunol, and residents of Calaveras and Adrade Roads may be impacted by this project.

One Sunolian who is no stranger to a packed schedule of meetings is our State Senator, Liz Figueroa. Kilkare Woods resident Pat Stillman reports that Miz Liz joined her and husband Bart and their faithful pup, Pudder, on a stroll along Kilkare Road recently, including a stop to feed a vacationing neighbor's kitties. "She said she loves being here so much that she waits 'til the last possible minute to go back to Sacramento," Pat said. Who could blame her?