City of Concord Awards and Recognition



Reuse Project Recognized

The City, in collaboration with its prime consultant Arup, was recognized by the Northern California Chapter of the American Planning Association.  The Concord Reuse Area Plan was given the 2012 Merit Award for Green and Sustainable Planning. Concord’s project was selected from a field of 20 applications covering a diverse spectrum of Bay Area planning projects.

The Reuse Plan also earned a Visionary Leadership award from East Bay Housing Organizations. EBHO acknowledged the City's leadership in adopting a transit-oriented Area Plan that preserves open space and creates walkable communities and local jobs, with 25% of residential development to be affordable, representing a major commitment to sustainable and equitable growth.

Save Mt. Diablo awarded the City its Mountain Star Alliance Award for “incredibly visionary leadership” in preparation of the reuse plan.


Top 10 Best Music Scene

Concord’s Tuesday and Thursday music programs in Todos Santos Plaza earned the City a place in Livability.com’s Top 10 Cities with Best Music Scenes. The music series in Todos Santos Plaza was recognized because it attracts thousands of people to Todos Santos Plaza every summer to enjoy the same kind of musical variety found across the bay in San Francisco, but at no cost.


Tending the community forest

The City of Concord has been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation to honor Concord’s commitment to its community forest.  It is the 32nd consecutive year the City has received this national recognition. Concord is also the recipient of a Tree City USA Growth Award for the 15th consecutive year for demonstrating progress in its community forestry program. The Growth Award recognizes environmental improvement and higher levels of tree care in Tree City USA communities. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.


Fiscal Accountability

Concord received the Government Finance Officer Association (GFOA) Excellence in Financial Reporting award for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR).  This is the 20th consecutive year in which the City has achieved this award.


Recognition

  • Police Officers Michael Ito and Paul Miovas were recognized for quick action that saved a resident’s life. The officers were called to assist an unresponsive customer in Lowe’s Home Improvement store. The officers started CPR and continued until the Fire Department arrived. The man was taken to the hospital, where he recovered.
  • Police Officers Mike Hansen and Melanie Kaiser were recognized for saving the life of a resident in a house fire. The officers went into the smoke-filled home and found the bed-ridden man, placed him in his wheelchair, and exited the home just as the roof caught fire.
  • Parks and Recreation Program Manager Marla Parada was recognized at the Monument Community First 5 Center’s National Hispanic Heritage Celebration for her work in getting the First 5 Center started and for continued support for early childhood education during the seven years that she worked with residents of the Monument community at Keller House.
  • Concord’s Civic Center, Fleet, Parks, and Printing Services Divisions have all been recertified a Green Businesses by the Contra Costa County Green Business Program.
  • Camp Concord was recognized by the readers of Bay Area Parent Magazine as a “Family Favorite” for resident camping.
  • The City was recognized for its participation in the 27th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day. In September, 51 volunteers collected 32 bags of trash from the creek in Hillcrest Park. This 27th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day was part of the world-wide International Coastal Cleanup organized by Ocean Conservancy.
  • Sgt. Ivan Menchaca was one of the honorees recognized at the sixth annual “Men of Merit” celebration, which honors men making a difference in the community.  The celebration is presented by Contra Costa County’s DELTA Project. Sgt. Menchaca was also named the Kiwanis Officer of the Year.  He was recognized for his dedication, commitment and many diligent problem-solving efforts.
  • Presidential Service Awards and certificates of appreciation from local Congressional offices were presented to members of Volunteers in Police Services (VIPS), recognizing their significant contribution of 16,119 hours volunteered in 2011.
  • Margaret Romiti, Emergency and Volunteer Services Manager, received a California Emergency Services Association Coastal Chapter Award for her outstanding work.
  • Police Officers Kevin Mansourian, Dan Golinveaux and Tyler Tucker were recognized for their DUI enforcement efforts during the holiday season as part of the Avoid the 25 campaign sponsored by the California Office of Traffic Safety.
  • Officer Todd Stroud was selected by the department as Concord Police Officer of the Year.
  • Erica Ozorio, a dispatcher, was named the Police Department’s non-sworn Employee of the Year.
  • Jake Bess was recognized at the Police Department’s Reserve Officer of the Year.
  • Gina Scheer  was named the Police Department’s Volunteer of the Year.
  • Figo (with handler Officer Switzer) was recognized as the Police Department’s K9 of the Year.
  • Corporal Kerry Cerletti was recognized upon his retirement for 27 years of service to the Police Department. Corporal Cerletti was also selected as the Kinghts of Columbus “Blue Knight” for 2011.
 
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