meet the mgia board meet the mgia board

For more information call(510) 569-2484 or e-mail us

[email protected]

Meet the MGIA Board Meet the MGIA Board Before the elections are held in April, I thought that I would try something new and write a bit about the MGIA Board Members as I know them now. Audrey Albers is a delightful and dedi-cated member of our Board. She start-ed in 1962 and has led the community in many ways. I think that all of us owe her a debt of gratitude for the work she has done over the years. Her mission has been to “protect our residential areas and zoning requirements”. If it wasn’t for Audrey, Mul-ford Gardens may have looked like the approach to the San Mateo Bridge. The “Southern Crossing” was a plan to get rid of Mulford Gardens and put an-other bridge (entrance) at the face of the Marina. Audrey and MGIA fought that, and Oakland Scav-enger (now Waste Management) over several is-sues. In those days “we (the board) used to meet in people’s homes” to discuss zoning and such. MGIA didn’t win all the battles, but you can thank Audrey for the ones we won.If Bo Johansen ever snuck up on your three year old he or she would think that Santa Claus was paying a visit. Besides his perfect foot long white beard he’s got the easy going personality thing down. It wasn’t always like that I understand. Bo had been the pres-ident for three years after the longtime president, Larry Norry stepped down. Bo’s President’s Mes-sage then, make my rants now, look like a fi rst grade

reader. And that reader. And that was after our editor toned them down to keep the City Hall from sending in their storm troopers. Bo still has the credibil-ity in the ‘Gardens’ as the “go to guy” for all that is Mulford. Bo handles the DMV school connections, he is the guy you talk to when you want to rent the Clubhouse, and the guy you negotiate with when our trees are falling into your back yard. He has been a friend and an incredible help to me to fi gure out how to get the Square MGIA peg into the round Mulford Gardens hole. Earl Vascancellos is right up there with the other

For more information call is right up there with the other

For more information callfamous and wise Vice Presidents like Biden and For more information callfamous and wise Vice Presidents like Biden and For more information call

Gore. Besides having ten green thumbs Earl gets all (510) 569-2484 or e-mail usGore. Besides having ten green thumbs Earl gets all (510) 569-2484 or e-mail [email protected]

Gore. Besides having ten green thumbs Earl gets all [email protected] us on the board to consider all facets of a [email protected] us on the board to consider all facets of a [email protected]

ticular issue. Many times I’ll have some half way thought out thing in mind to do and Earl’s wisdom will make me stop and ponder the subject. His in-sight always proves to be best. This man knows San Leandro history better than most anyone. As a scabby knee’d kid in the 40’s Earl used to work at an old movie

theater in town that doesn’t exist anymore. He tells the story about changing the movie titles on the

Audrey Albers

Bo Johansen

Earl Vascancellos

Gardeneer - March 2012

marquee and as a kid because of his size he could get through a small trap door necessary to get up to the signboard canopy. For that he was rewarded 50 cents for changing titles twice a week. Rae Vascancellos is our Treasurer. She is the sweet-est lady you will ever have met. She writes many of the poetic and insightful stories in our newslet-ter. She too knows San Leandro’s history like the back of her hand. She and Earl were married in 1955, raised their two children, and after all of that she went on to Cal and got her degree in 1981. She started her own business in 1990 as a fi nancial guru for non-profi t developers. Her parents were mem-bers of MGIA when the streets were mostly dirt and some people actually used horses to get around the Gardens. We all look forward to reading more of her stories in the Gardeneer.Chuck Porrill’s face can also be found in the ency-clopedia when you look up the term Salty Dog. His stories about his career in the Navy (and there are many) always make me laugh. Chuck had the job of MGIA president just before me and kept the meetings punctual and to the point. His energy is unmatched on the board. Chuck for the last 25 years has been doing most of the jobs no one else wants to because they require so much eff ort. Barrels and barrels of pine needles are raked up and the grounds are made to look like a picture postcard af-

ter Chuck gets through with them. He and Earl and Bo are model train enthusiasts. Chuck has an entire room dedicated to his multi-scale train track set-ups. The only thing more awesome than his model train collection is...Janet Porrill’s doll collec-tion. Chuck does trains

and Janet has just about every doll you can imag-

ine. Janet is our Financial Secretary. She collects member dues (Have you paid your dues yet?) The other amazing thing is that she’s been doing it for the last 25 years!! Thank you Janet. Oh yeah, she also makes dynamite desserts.Michelle Segelke is a great organizer. She was the MGIA Secretary while Chuck was the president. She and her husband Carl moved to the Gardens in ‘96 because of the coun-try-like feel of Mulford. They are like most of us “Marina lovers” and are very frustrated and disap-pointed with the choices City Hall has made. She always volunteers for our events like holding ‘Save the Marina’ protest signs on busy downtown streets on hot summer afternoons in the hope to raise awareness. Her hopes are to keep our neighbor-hood a great place to live and to make it even bet-ter. Jean Morris is the Gardeneer Editor and someone I’ve come to think of as our conscious or moral compass. She started with MGIA in the early 2000’s. Besides having raised seven children in San Leandro (in Mulford since 1984) is also active with the Girl Scouts. She loves to read, and garden and is a seamstress extraordinaire. I rely on her keep-ing all of us on the high road when sometimes it’s a much easier decision to “look the other way” or not cross our T’s when we should. I’m glad she’s with us. Allison Modifer, my friend, my wife, and boss. These folks in MGIA think I move on my own but truth be told Allison kicks my a#% into high gear when necessary. She came up with the MGIA Hal-loween night idea last year and pretty much put the whole thing together. We are a team. She fell in love with the neighborhood when we moved to the Gar-dens in May of 2009. Feral cats, Raccoons, Skunks, and Opossums, all have a loving place in her heart as well.

Chuck Porrill

Janet Porrill

Michelle Segelke

Allison Modifer


She is a graphic designer for Safeway so she’s also incredibly valuable in coming up with eye catching items for this newsletter and the two websites we sponsor. Oh yeah, she’s also our “webmaster” for www.savethemarina.com and www.mulfordgar-dens.org. Thanks hon.Steve Modifer. That’s me. I moved to the Bay Area in 1973 from Phoenix, Arizona. San Leandro has been my home for many of those years since. I have a San Leandran son and daughter, and a step son from Allison. I love to Kayak (when my shoul-der isn’t fl aring up) and I love the Marina. If you have read any of the articles I’ve written over the last year, you will know that I am not a friend of our current City Hall inhabitants. Having graduated from Cal Berke-ley in ‘81 as a Social Science major, I lean to the progres-sive left. I believe in strong unions, single payer health care, and the message(s) from the OWS movement. If any of you should want to meet our members come to the General meeting at 7:30, last Tuesday of every month. Elections will be held April 24th for the 2012 year. Come to meet the new board then. Let them know you care about Mulford Gardens. - Steve Modifer, President MGIA

Steve Modifer

The wheels are turning; the skids are greased; and the city staff and CalCoast of Gardena, California, are going “full speed ahead” to eliminate the marina and boat harbor as we know it. It’s important to take a critical look at what we will get, and what we will lose. Instead of viewing and listening to the grandiose plans pre-sented to us at the Council meeting on Monday, April 2, 7pm. The Council will hear more staff reports and put another nail in the coffi n.We would have 250,000 sq. ft. of three story offi ce

buildings and a parking garage along the shoreline. This would dramatically obstruct views to the water and all the many activities there. How many more vacant offi ces do we need in the area?There would be a walkway and benches along the outer shoreline. But there would be no street or parking where you could sit in your car, out of the weather for a few minutes and watch the water, the birds, the boats, the airplanes, and the sunsets.We would have a couple of high-end restaurants which would be built on peers jetting over the water. Will this have the approval of the B. C. D. C. (Bay Conservation and Development Commission) ?We would have a 200 room hotel, and 15,000 sq. ft. con-ference center, outdoor pool and spa. It’s walkway would extend along the inner harbor which could be primarily for the benefi t of the hotel guests. It would be far diff er-ent from the serene atmosphere that we now enjoy.There would also be 188 two and three-story private resi-dences and townhouses. Seventy of those would be con-structed within the golf course. Where is the tax benefi ts to the city for those properties on city own land?It is projected that up to 3000 offi ce workers will be em-ployed. The only two streets leading into the marina are seriously inadequate to handle that commute traffi c. Who will pay for the street improvements and realignment?Boats?? Oh, you mean the canoes and kayaks in the small ponds by the newly created expensive islands? We have been told, no money for dredging but the several sug-gestions for workable solutions have been ignored. The incalculable value to the city of a busy marina must be considered. The large boats moored in the basin have a drawing power far beyond boat owners. They bring visi-tors and revenue from a large surrounding area. There are many opportunities to enhance the area and make it a destination to be enjoyed by everyone.The entire Marina area is zoned for commercial recre-ation. Where are the areas for recreational activities and businesses?There must be a complete EiR (Environmental Impact Report) for this massive change in the environment, the traffi c, and the usage. It is time to take positive action, and voice your concerns to save our “Crown Jewel”. Oth-erwise we will be saying... “How could we have let this happen?. “

Thoughtfully submitted, Audrey Alberts

What’s Happening at the Marina?


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highest in the county at 10%! Only Councilman Bill Stephens voted ÒNOÓ. Steve Cassidy, candidate for Mayor in November, spoke against this tax proposal.

The San Leandro School Board voted to put a $50 million bond issue on the ballot to repair Burrell Field and other athletic facilities. The City makes no secret that it wants Burrell Field for more development at Marina shopping center. (Some of us still call it ÒPacific High School).Ó If I (Audrey) recall correctly, the last two bond measures were supposed to repair Burrell Field.

The Oakland Zoo has been renovated and improved. There are new animals, including a baby eland! It is a great place to visit for kids and adults and much easier to get to than the San Francisco Zoo. It is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. Phone 510-632-9523.

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center broke ground for the six-story hospital at Merced and Marina early this month. It will have 264

acute care rooms, 40 emergency rooms, 10 operating rooms and many state-of-the art facilities. It will be a 24-hour emergency facility. However, no acute-care pediatric facilities will be included, which was the reason for the protest by the nurses at the groundbreaking ceremony. It is anticipated to be ready for occupancy by 2014. Medical support buildings will be built later. There will be parking lots for 2100 vehicles.

We were sorry to read of the death of Ron Musgrove, founder of Applied Fusion. He was a critic of San LeandroÕs over-spending. His rational arguments will be missed. Our condolences are extended to his family at this difficult time.

There is a new game in town!! Los Pericos Market, located in the former Ideal Market space on Marina and Doolittle recently opened for business boasting and a clean and well lit store specializing in Mexican food products. We wish them much success and welcome them to the neighborhood!

--------�-------------�-----------------�-------------�--------------------�------------�-------------------�------------�---------------�-----Clip and mail in with your $3.00 annual membership dues. (Please make check payable to M.G.I.A.)

Mail to: Mrs. Janet Porrill, Treasurer, 1966 Arctic St., San Leandro CA. 94577. (510-352-6258)Name________________________________________ Phone_________________________ email:

Address_______________________________________________ Homeowner_____________ Renter________________

Your membership dues are tax deductible. Donations to the M.G.I.A. Scholarship Fund are also appreciated.

MGIA Board 2011 - 2012Steve Modifer PresidentEarl Vasconcellos Vice PresidentRae Vasconcellos TreasurerBo Johansen SecretaryJanet Porrill Financial Secretary Jean Morris Gardeneer EditorAllison Modifer Web DesignAudrey Albers Board MemberMichelle Segelke Board MemberChuck Porril Board Member

M.G.I.A. General Meeting: Tuesday, March 27th Last Tuesday of each Month Door Prize Drawing!

Advertising information: Call Janet Porrill 510-352-6258

LOCAL CHURCHES IN SAN LEANDROOur Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church 2500 Bermuda Ave., 510-483-731

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 13901 Bancroft Ave., 510-357-9192

Life Change Baptist Church13067 Aurora Drive., 925-755-8710

Faith United Methodist Church788 Lewelling Blvd., 510-357-5484

PUBLIC MEETINGS

San Leandro City Council:San Leandro City Council:San Leandro City Council:1ST & 3RD Mondays/each month Mondays/each monthCity Council Chambers, City Hall, 835 E. 14th St.

Mayor - Stephen CassidyMichael Gregory, Dist. 1 Ursula Reed, Dist. 2Diana Souza, Dist. 3 Joyce Starosciak, Dist. 4Pauline Russo Cutter, Dist. 5 Jim Prola, Dist. 6

Board of Zoning (BZA) 1st & 3rd Thursdays / each month City Council Chambers, City Hall

San Leandro School Board:1st & 3rd Tuesday 7:00PM1st & 3rd Tuesday 7:00PMCity Council Chambers, City Hall

Citywide Garage Sale/Recycling Event Saturday, May 19th, Register at: www.recyclesanleandro.org

MGIA Club House Rentals Bo Johansen 510-206-4249

Are you looking for a quaint, clean place for your Bridge/Card Club, Garden Club, Exercise, Mens/Womens group or Bunko game nights? Our Club House is available for daily rentals as well as weekend/evenings. Call Bo Johansen for information on rentals: 510-206-4249.

Share your news, ideas, recipes, comments, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, parties, awards, special events and we will make every effort to print it. Email to: [email protected] or mail to MGIA, P O. Box 4235, San Leandro CA 94579 or call Jean Morris (510-495-4480) with your news!

M.G.I.A. 2012 SCHOLARSHIPOpen to Mulford Gardens High school graduates. All applications for Scholarship consideration must be submitted by April 26th, 2012.All applicants must fill out an M.G.I.A. Scholarship Application; be a cur-rent M.G.I.A. member, have a sponsored letter from their High School Counselor and a letter of intent from an accredited institution they plan to attend. Anyone wishing an application or informationplease call 510-206-4249 or e-mail to [email protected]

To the Family of Lynn Worsham, 1900 Artic Street

Our condolences to his wife and son and their extended family - Our thoughts are with you.



LOCAL SERVICES

SAN LEANDRO’S FINEST FOOD COURT11 RESTAURANTS TO SERVE YOU

CENTER OF DOOLITTLE AND FAIRWAY DR.

FOR LEASING INFORMATION CALL (415) 956-7700

Margaret L. Yap D.D.SMargaret L. Yap D.D.SGeneral & Cosmetic DentistryGeneral & Cosmetic Dentistry

13770 Doolittle Drive(at Fairway Dr.)

San Leandro, CA 94577510-352-3918

De Lu Insurance AgencyDe Lu Insurance AgencyCall for FastFREE Quote

Motorcycle • Watercraft • Auto • Homeowners InsuranceIssue Immediate SR-22 CA. Lic.# 0E48153

• Low Down Payments• Low Monthly Payments• Commercial Auto and Buildings• Workmen’s Comp• Contractors Bond• Business Owners Policy

(510) 614-0288Fax 510 895-8937

13972 Dolittle Dr. San Leandro CAConvenient off street parking

Mulford Garden’s Improvement Association

PARK RENTALwith Club House and Grounds

- Call Bo Johansen 510-206-4249

A.C. Goldt Realty & Property Management

Amanda C. GoldtAmanda C. GoldtBroker/OwnerBroker/Owner

(510) 357-5714 x 201(510) 357-5714 x 201(510) 357-6449 (FAX)(510) 357-6449 (FAX)(510) 459-3438 (Cell)(510) 459-3438 (Cell)w w w . a c g o l d t r e a l t y . c o m433 Estudillo #101 • San Leandro, CA 94577

Life Change Baptist Church13067 Aurora Drive

San Leandro, CA 94577Phone: (925) 755-8710

Rev. Dr. Johanes SudarmaRev. Dr. Johanes SudarmaSenior Pastor

Indonesian Service 10:00 AMChinese Service 10:00 AMEnglish Service 1:30 PMSpanish Service 5:00 PMSunday School all ages 12:30 PMPrayer Meeting Friday 7:30 PM

Sabrina Almazan

w w w . A l o h a P e t S e r v i c e s . c o mS a b r i n a @ A l o h a P e t S e r v i c e s . c o m

1271 Washington Ave., #205 San Leandro, CA 94577

Aloha Pet Services

Tel/Fax: 510-632-2600 Cell: 510-909-2163

VAN GARDENING(510) 895-1340

Yard Service & MaintenanceClean Up - New Lawn

Plants - Sprinkler Systems

Call Anytime for Free Estimates

Mulford Garden’s Improvement Association

PARK RENTALwith Club House and Grounds

- Call Bo Johansen 510-206-4249

LOCAL SERVICES

510 537-4314

meet the mgia board meet the mgia board

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