Monday, November 13, 2006
Over the weekend County elections staff counted an additional 1,100 Albany absentee ballots and posted updated vote totals.

Councilperson Joanne Wile's margin went up by a hundred votes. She is now up by 211 votes over Caryl O'Keefe. Marge Atkinson is the overall leader.

Mark your calendars for the swearing in ceremony on December 11th at 7:00 PM. Please plan on joining Marge and Joanne to celebrate their victory and changing of the guard at City Hall.

Contra Costa Times

Council more cohesive now
Atkinson, Wile join Lieber in opposing large-scale development of the Albany watefront
By Justin Hill
STAFF WRITER

The "Save Our Shoreline Team" sweep of the Albany City Council election this week has produced a majority view on a council previously divided over the future of the city's waterfront.

The election results, however, don't come with any definitive answers for the future of the shoreline. Opinions of what will happen to the waterfront ranged from nothing to the possibility that the owner of Golden Gate Fields will be willing to abandon plans to rezone the land.

It appears that Marge Atkinson and Joanne Wile will join Councilman Robert Lieber, who shares a similar shoreline vision, to form a majority on the City Council of members opposed to large-scale development at the waterfront.

"This council is not inclined to approve any malls on the waterfront or gambling or racinos," Lieber said.

In addition to the election of Atkinson and Wile, voters on Tuesday passed Measure C, the issuance of bonds and an increase in property taxes for construction at the Albany civic center, with nearly 76 percent of the vote. It needed two-thirds to pass. Measure D, an advisory measure on an ordinance that would permit the establishment of a single medical marijuana dispensary in the city, also passed, receiving almost 53 percent.

Atkinson led all the council candidates with more than 31 percent of the vote. Wile had about 25 percent, edging retired U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics economist Caryl O'Keefe by 109 votes. Real estate agent Francesco Papalia was last with about 19 percent of the vote.

Absentee and provisional ballots were still being counted, however.

Robert Cheasty, who is chairman emeritus for Citizens for the Albany Shoreline and president of Citizens for East Shore Parks, said now there is a chance Magna Entertainment Corp., which owns Golden Gate Fields, will give up its plan to seek a "radical rezoning" of the waterfront because of the election.

"This town will not allow the radical rezoning they want," he said, as evidenced by the election results.

Howard McNenny, president of the Albany Waterfront Coalition, said the parking lot at Golden Gate Fields, which was the site of proposed development, will continue to be an eyesore.

"I think we had an opportunity to work with the landowner to do something that would be beneficial for the city," he said. "That opportunity has passed for the time being."

Sally Outis, chairwoman of Concerned Albany Neighbors, which supports development, thinks it is possible an initiative focused on conditions that would make it difficult -- if not impossible -- for the racetrack to continue to exist on the waterfront will be brought forward. The council could vote to put it on the ballot.

"They have three votes, and that's all it would take," Outis said.

During the campaign, Atkinson and Wile drew the ire of the racetrack, which sent out four pieces of campaign literature. The pieces listed "facts about Golden Gate Fields and the Albany waterfront," said Atkinson and Wile want the track to close, and explained what would happen if it did.

The candidates responded with campaign literature accusing the racetrack of lies. They said they have never stated they want the racetrack to close and that Golden Gate Fields is misrepresenting the impact a potential closure would have on residents' taxes.

"It sounds like we'll have some fence-mending to do," Atkinson said Wednesday. She said she is willing to work with the racetrack: "I don't think you have a choice."

Peter Tunney, general manager of the racetrack, said Golden Gate Fields has been part of the community in Albany for more than 60 years and has worked with many different councils.

"And we look forward to working with the new one," he said.

Lieber, however, said the city doesn't need to compromise with the racetrack. It is welcome to submit any development plans, which will be evaluated by the city with due process, he said. Meanwhile, the council will complete the city-initiated waterfront planning process, Lieber said.

Brian Parker, the treasurer of Citizens for the Albany Shoreline and campaign manager for the shoreline team, said the new majority will allow the council to give staff some direction for the city planning process.