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By Roz Rogoff

About this blog: In January 2002 I started writing my own online "newspaper" titled "The San Ramon Observer." I reported on City Council meetings and other happenings in San Ramon. I tried to be objective in my coverage of meetings and events, and...  (More)

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Bidding DSRSD Goodbye

Uploaded: Oct 9, 2015

Last Tuesday night I went to the Dublin San Ramon Services District to be interviewed for the open seat left by Dawn Benson's resignation. Benson resigned as a Director of the District to apply for a promotional opportunity with the District. She apparently wasn't hired because her name was on the list of applicants for the open seat. I was surprised by that, and asked why she wasn't reappointed, but she had to go through the same process as the rest of the applicants.

I recognized the name of one of the other applicants, Madelyne Misheloff, but not in relation to DSRSD. She's the mother of Ilene Misheloff, who was kidnapped 26 years ago, as a teenager walking home from school in Dublin. The Misheloff's take the same walk every year to keep the vigil for Ilene's return. The recent rescue of Jaycee Dugard after being missing for 18 years gave the Misheloff's some hope. I hope their story has a happy ending too.

The other applicant, Dr. Alan Kilpatrick, Ph.D., is unfamiliar to me. He was seated at the other end of the table where we were interviewed. I did not see Dawn Benson there. She filed an application but did not come out for the interview. I was disappointed because I like Dawn and thought she would probably be re-appointed.

I forgot to wear or bring my hearing aids, so I could not hear the candidate's answers to the Board's questions, or even the Board Member's questions at times. After an-hour of asking the Board Members to repeat their questions, I thought "What am I doing here? I don't need this anymore?" What was even worse was I felt I couldn't do it anymore, and I said so.

"I applied because I thought that flaky guy who ran a few years ago might be back, and I wanted to give you an alternative." I waved my hand over to the two candidates to my left, "You have two very qualified candidates here, so you should appoint one of them."

It made me sad to drop out in the middle of the interviews. It still does, but I did not have any chance of being appointed at that point. I just don't feel up to serving as a Director now. I would have been good five years ago, the last time I ran, or even three years ago, the last time I interviewed to fill a vacancy, but not now. I missed my chance.

Maddi Misheloff was selected with three votes out of four. Director Halket voted for Kilpatrick. Director Pat Howard joked he was going to vote for me but I'm glad he didn't. He voted for Misheloff and she is an excellent choice. She was sworn in after the interviews and took her seat on the dais. I wish her the best of luck on the District and finding her daughter.

I haven't driven through any store windows yet. I hope to keep from confusing the gas and the brake peddles, but I am not giving up driving. I drive less now and I try not to drive after dark. I'll be visiting my mother in Maine next year and plan to put a deposit on an apartment in her retirement home. I'm ready for it now.
Democracy.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Oct 10, 2015 at 5:08 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

Re: "Haven't driven through any store windows yet".

According to the Insurance Institute for highway Safety (IIHS), and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).

Today's older drivers are not only less likely to be involved in crashes than prior generations, they are less likely to be killed or severely injured if they do crash, a new study shows that's likely because vehicles are safer and seniors are generally healthier. It's a marked shift that began to take hold in the mid-1990s and indicates that the growing ranks of aging drivers aren't making U.S. roads deadlier.

The latest analysis bolsters the evidence that drivers 70 and older enjoyed bigger declines in fatal crash rates per licensed driver and per vehicle miles traveled than drivers age 35-54, referred to in the study as middle aged drivers since 1997.

"That should help ease fears that aging baby boomers are a safety threat, even crashes among older drivers have been on a down swing", says Anne McCartt, the institute senior vice president for research and co-author of the study.


Posted by Michael Austin, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Oct 10, 2015 at 5:21 pm

Michael Austin is a registered user.

Licensed drivers and numbers of accidents by age:

Age 19 years and younger 10,326 accidents.
Age 20-24 years 17,465 accidents.
Age 25-34 years 36,694 accidents.
Age 35-44 years 38,424 accidents.
Age 45-54 years 41,821 accidents.
Age 55-64 years 33,271 accidents.
Age 65-74 years 19,135 accidents.


Posted by Roz Rogoff, a resident of San Ramon,
on Oct 10, 2015 at 6:12 pm

Roz Rogoff is a registered user.

Thanks for the stats, Michael. I'm surprised most of the drivers are between the ages of 25 and 55. I would have thought younger drivers and older drivers would have more accidents. Maybe that's because more middle aged people are on the road for longer periods of time. The most common cause of accidents is falling asleep at the wheel.

Twenty years ago I used to drive from San Ramon to Lockheed in Palmdale. That was about a 6 hour drive. It wasn't a bad drive, but some parts were so boring it was hard to stay awake.

Roz


Posted by BobB, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Oct 11, 2015 at 9:21 am

Those statistics by themselves are meaningless. Properly analyzed, the full stastics show that 35 to 55 age group have the lowest rate of accidents, injuries, or deaths. The very old and the very young have the highest rates.


Posted by Cholo Pendl Mololo, a resident of Livermore,
on Oct 12, 2015 at 11:32 am

Roz, Thank You for considering running again. Wise decision to drop out and take care of yourself! The Misheloff story is tragic. Good Luck Mrs. Misheloff!

VIVA!

I'm retired and I haven't thought about moving from CA for quite some time. However, a few friends are arriving from London soon and will stay with me for 3 weeks. They want me to join their co-op in London but I'm not so sure? I like my American buds, maybe I'll convince them to re-locate to Livermore. They're quite loud and they love to go fishing. We all enjoy getting out to visit a few buds at the Lawrence labs. I'm especially interested in visiting a friend who works with fusion. Lately we've been researching non-reflexive glass for art work. It' way cheap now as long as you don't buy it from folks that frame art. Their prices are insanely high! I'll stick with a few chemist buds to guide me on the matter of non-reflexive glass.

Roz, I don't have perfect hearing and one of my arms hangs...not good for too much. I can accomplish more with a plastic brace. It's necessary for me to tape small brushes to my brace to whip paint around to make art. I don't give up on anything easily. One of my dogs chewed up a very fine brush recently. BAD BOY NO DONUT! I'm still angry that he watched and then took advantage and snatched my sable brush!!!

If you do go back east, GOOD LUCK! Be safe.


Posted by Ed, a resident of Pleasanton Meadows,
on Oct 13, 2015 at 6:57 am

I have a feeling BobB is correct if we figure in how many people are in each age group and then do a percentage.
For example, I've always heard that younger drivers are much more at risk than any other group. That's why kids who just got their license at 16 can't have anyone else in the car under 25 for the first year of their license. They are a small percentage of total drivers but have been shown to cause a large share of accidents.
Hopefully, with the rise of "smart cars" that can sense an impending impact and apply the brakes this will decrease accident rates for all groups.


Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Oct 15, 2015 at 9:17 am

Roz...What are your thoughts re: earthquakes?

Web Link


Posted by Roz Rogoff, a resident of San Ramon,
on Oct 16, 2015 at 2:36 pm

Roz Rogoff is a registered user.

Cholo,

I didn't feel the earthquake swarms this time. I felt them when we had them awhile back, but I didn't feel anything this time. I've been trying to get my house earthquake safe by putting hold-on straps on big pieces of furniture like my china cabinet and refrigerator. So far that hasn't been completed, but I will hire someone else to finish it up.

A long time ago the state offered a free foundation check for earthquake safety. I had that done on my house and the guy doing the check said it was the safest he had ever seen. I was very surprised, but either these houses here were built with earthquake-proof foundations or a previous owner upgraded it.

Roz


Posted by Sue Stephenson, a resident of another community,
on Oct 21, 2015 at 2:38 pm

Roz, You've been a fair journalist in your coverage of Dublin San Ramon Services District. Thank you


Posted by Sue Stephenson, a resident of another community,
on Oct 21, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Roz, You've been a fair journalist in your coverage of Dublin San Ramon Services District. Thank you


Posted by Sue Stephenson, a resident of another community,
on Oct 21, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Roz, Your coverage of Dublin San Ramon Services District has always been fair. Thank you. I'll miss you if you move to Maine.


Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Oct 23, 2015 at 8:52 pm

San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

Thank you, Sue. I'll be visiting my mother next year and speak to the Marketing Director about buying an apartment. There's a waiting list, so I wouldn't be moving right away, and I could always change my mind too.

I won't run or apply for any vacancies on the DSRSD Board again, but if you hold the essay contest again, I would like to be a judge.

Roz


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