Kensington Community CouncilFEBRUARY 2003 VOL. 60 Nº 1

Nonprofit. Org.U.S. POSTAGE

P A I DPermit Nº1058Berkeley, Calif.

Officer Shelly Crain has announcedthat on Thursday, February 20 at 5:30p.m., the Kensington Police Depart-ment will offer a class on how to avoidIdentity Theft.

According to Crain,“Identify theft israpidly becoming apparent not only inCalifornia, but in our community aswell. Nationally, identity theft claims upto 500,000 people per year, and resultsin countless hours of phone calls, letterwriting, and frustration.”

Attendees will be provided with essen-tial phone numbers,pamphlets,and infor-mation on Identity Theft from the USPostal service and The Mechanics Bank.

There is no charge for this class forKensington residents. Please contactOfficer Shelly Crain at 526-4141 byMonday, February 17 for location andto sign up for this course.

OUTLOOK59 Arlington AvenueKensington

California 94707-1037

KENSINGTON

Planning Ordinance UpdateOn Saturday, January 11, over 90 con-

cerned residents attended a meeting atthe Kensington Community Center tohear Supervisor John Gioia and mem-bers of the community steering com-mittee give an update about theproposed zoning ordinance for Kens-ington. Steering committee membersare Gail Feldman, Gloria Morrison, LynnWolter and James Carman.Also on handto answer questions was Patrick Rocheof the Contra Costa County Communi-ty Development Department.

The ordinance, which is nearing itsfinal draft, stems from concern aboutthe impact of new construction onneighbors, views, and community char-acter. The intent of the ordinance is toset guidelines for construction that willaddress height, size, setback, and floorarea ratios.

Existing Ordinance Most of Kensington is currently

zoned R-6 single family residential inthe Contra Costa County General Plan.That means that any lot less than 6,000square feet, or less than the required 60ft. minimum lot width is considered a“small lot.”The average lot size in Kens-ington is 5,700 square ft. meaning thata majority of Kensington lots fall withinthis category.

The qualitative standard of review isto “review the proposed dwelling’scompatibility with and impact on thesurrounding neighborhood, in terms ofits location, size, height and design.”There are no quantitative standards ofreview.There is no review required forlarge lots, those over 6,000 s.f. For smalllots subject to review,a notice is sent toall property owners within 300 feet ofthe proposed development and there isa 10-day public review period.

Proposed Ordinance Under the terms of the proposed

ordinance, not lots would be exempt.The stated qualitative standard ofreview will be to “evaluate siting, size,bulk, building envelope, height, set-backs, relative scale, off-street parkingspaces, window placement, artificiallighting, and location of mechanicaldevices, such as motors, fans andvents…on the basis of their impacts onproperties within 300 ft…with regardto view protection, obstructions, priva-cy, quiet, parking, protection of maturetrees, and compatibility with regard tobulk and scale, access to sunlight, andisolation from offensive emissions.”

A quantitative standard of reviewwill designate the maximum aggregatebuilding coverage and maximum grossfloor area allowed based on a ratio ofhouse size to lot size.The public reviewperiod will be extended to 34 days.

Concerns RaisedA group of citizens circulated a peti-

tion among attendees addressed to theBoard of Supervisors requesting that anadvisory vote be scheduled so that “allKensington residents will have an oppor-tunity to express their opinion on theadvisability of this proposed ordinance.”This group seeks to insure that Kensing-ton homeowners will comprehend theimpact a zoning ordinance would haveon future remodeling projects uponhome values and the community.

Amendment Study RequiredUpon reaching a final consensus

regarding the spirit and wording of theordinance, Gioia and the steering com-mittee hope to send the plan to theContra Costa County Board of Supervi-sors as a recommendation that willopen the door to making an amend-ment to the county’s General Plan.Thestudy is expected to take from 9months to one year to complete.

But first, state law requires a GeneralPlan amendment study to assess theenvironmental impacts of the ordi-nance and analyze how it will integratewith the county’s General Plan.When aproposed General Plan amendmentaffects only a small area of the countyversus the whole county, the “appli-cant”—in this case, Kensington— paysfor the study. Cost estimates range froma low of $25,000 to as much as$100,000,depending upon the need foran Environmental Impact Report. Howto pay for the study is at issue.

One-time Tax vs. DonationsAccording to the Contra Costa Coun-

ty Counsel, there are two ways Kens-ington can raise the remainder of thefunds: from a special one-time taxlevied against property owners or fromdonations and fundraising.A special taxwould require a vote.

Taking the funding of the GeneralPlan amendment study to a vote author-izing a one-time contribution from eachproperty owner would require timeand money, and would require a two-thirds voter approval. According toGioia, it would cost approximately $2per registered voter to put a special taxon the ballot of a general or primaryelection. Kensington has 3,651 regis-tered voters. The cost of a stand-aloneelection could cost twice as much. Inaddition, all paperwork would have tobe submitted to the elections office120 days prior to the election.

Gioia and members of the steeringcommittee have approached the Kens-ington Improvement Club, the Kensing-ton Community Services District andthe Kensington Fire Department tomake a financial contribution to thecost of the study. Gioia has committed$7,000 in county funds towards payingfor the study.

The Ordinance is the result of com-munity workshops and input.The Kens-ington Community Advisory Council(KMAC) sent a questionnaire to 2,315residences regarding the issue in theFall 1999 mailing of the KensingtonImprovement Club (KIC). Based uponthe response from those who respond-ed—20 per cent of households—asteering committee was formed toundertake the writing of what istermed the Kensington CombiningOrdinance.

For More InformationResidents are encouraged to go to

Gioia’s website at http://www.co.con-tra-costa.ca.us/depart/dis1/kensing-ton.htm to view the latest draft of theOrdinance and copies of handouts thatwere available at the meeting.

Gioia can be contacted at his El Cer-rito office at 374-3231.

Members of the Kensington Com-munity Council (KCC) held theirannual meeting on Monday, January 6.Representatives to the meetingincluded Esther Hill, Friends of theKensington Library; Gail Feldman,Kensington Property Owners Associa-tion; and Gloria Morrison of the Kens-ington Improvement Club. Groups orindividuals interested in joiningshould call KCC administrator HelenHorowitz, 525-0292.

Immediately following the AnnualMeeting, KCC elected officers for the2003 year, including Don Specter, presi-dent;Ted Blanckenburg, vice-president;Clif Taylor and Danielle Power, secre-tary; and Gale Berkowitz, treasurer.Members voted to hold meetings on an

KCC Holds Annual Meeting

Monthly Meetings Recap

Kensington Community Center59 Arlington Ave.

PUBLIC MEETINGSKensington Community CouncilMonday, March 3, 7:30 p.m.(Call 525-0292 to confirm.)

Kensington Fire Protection DistrictWednesday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.(Call 527-8395 to confirm.)

Kensington Police Protection and Community Service DistrictThursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.(Call 526-4141 to confirm.)

Kensington Municipal Advisory CouncilTuesday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.(Call 526-5546 to confirm.)

Kensington Fire Protection DistrictThe Board of Directors of the Kens-

ington Fire Protection District (KFD)held their first meeting of the new yearon January 8. Present at the meetingwere Don Dommer, president; LeslieMichael, vice president; Bert Wilson,secretary; and directors Janice Koseland Nina Ramsey. Also in attendancewere members of the Maybeck Proper-ty Owners Association, who wanted togive their views on Phase 4 of the 5-phase master plan to improve waterflow from fire hydrants. Phase 4 callsfor improvements to Purdue Ave. andwould impact the owners’s privateroad.

Goals for 2003Dommer presented KFD’s goals for

2003. They include completion ofphase 4, renewal of the contract withthe El Cerrito Fire Department, manag-ing ongoing building improvementsand keeping a watch over statefinances. The department is in theprocess of purchasing a new Type III 4-wheel-drive fire engine with wild landinterface and “pump and roll” capabili-ty. The new engine will be equippedwith a 1,000 gallon per minute pump-ing capacity. The Richmond Fire

Department has expressed interest inthe old reserve fire truck.

KCSDPatricia McLaughlin, president of the

Kensington Police Protection and Com-munity Services District (KCSD),presided over the January 9 meeting.Also present were Bruce Morrow, vicepresident; and directors Joan Gallegos,Paul Haxo, and Ciara Wood.

Bay View Refuse Rate IncreaseJim Arnstein, representing consulting

firm Hilton Farnkopf & Hobson, recom-mended authorizing a rate increase of16.8% to the 2003 Bay View Refusecontract.This would include a one-yearspecial household hazardous waste sur-charge to cover costs for past and cur-rent household hazardous waste costsnot previously provided for in refuserates. The increase is necessarybecause, according to the agreementthat KCSD has with Bay View Refuse,the company is compensated for itsexpenses and provided with an agreed-upon level of profit. The board voted toadopt the proposed rates for 2003.

General Manager Garfield reportedthat the plan for disposing of hazardouswaste is nearing completion and willbe presented at an upcoming meeting.

every-other-month basis.The next meet-ing will be held on March 3 at 7:30 p.m.

Date Set for Spring PartySunday,March 23 from 3:30 to 7 p.m.

has been selected as the date for the15th annual Spring Celebration fund-raiser at the Kensington CommunityCenter. There will be a silent auction ofworks by local artists and authors.Child-care will be available for children

KCC is a non-profit corporation whichsponsors educational programs for com-munity enrichment. KCC publishes theOutlook and sponsors classes for adultsand children,the Kensington After SchoolEnrichment Program and Summer DayCamp.The organization also administerseducational facilities in Kensington Parkin conjunction with the KCSD.

To donate items for the silent auc-tion, call Danielle Power at 524-6737.For more information about the event,call Vida Dorroh at 527-3169 or CiaraWood at 525-7806.

Avoid I.D.Theft

2 KENSINGTON OUTLOOK

Concerning the ProposedKensington Zoning OrdinanceDear Editor,

Kensington homeowners and resi-dents should be aware of the following:

The proposed zoning ordinancerestricts construction and affects everyhouse in Kensington.While the goal ofthe ordinance is laudatory, the effect,however, will be to prevent many fami-lies in Kensington from adding anyadditions and, even where improve-ments may be permitted, the process ofpermitting will increase the cost andcause substantial additional delays.Thisordinance preserves the status quo andmakes changes to our homes difficult,costly, and time-consuming.

The proposed zoning ordinance isunfairly restrictive because it has unrea-sonably low Floor Area Ratios andBuilding Coverage Ratios. These ratioswill determine the maximum size ofour homes. Floor Area Ratio is totalFloor Area (as defined in the ordinance)divided by lot size.Under this proposedzoning ordinance, Floor Area is unrea-sonably inflated because of its inclu-sion of detached buildings, interiorcourtyards, garages, and carports withroof covering. The Building CoverageRatio is building coverage divided bylot size. These ratios were taken fromother communities that are not compa-

rable to Kensington. Approximately 60percent of lots in Kensington are small,sub-standard lots.Applying ratios devel-oped for other communities with largerlots to Kensington’s tiny lots is unrea-sonable, inappropriate and unfair. Kens-ington is unique and appropriate ratiosmust be developed for Kensington. Todate this has not been done.A study ofa small sample of houses by the Kens-ington Municipal Advisory Council(KMAC) was totally inadequate.A studymust be undertaken for a large sampleof Kensington houses in order that fairand realistic ratios be developed. Thisproposed zoning ordinance must notmove forward until this study has beenconducted and the ratios adjusted.

Proponents of the proposed zoningordinance contend that there is com-munity consensus for the new ordi-nance.This is not substantiated by thefacts. Proponents cite a survey byKMAC in the fall of 1999. This surveywith questions on zoning was submit-ted to 2,315 residents in Kensington.According to the February 2000 issueof the Outlook, only about 20 percentof the surveys were returned. Of the 20percent, 17 percent of Kensington resi-dents indicated some type of change inthe present zoning regulations wouldbe advisable. 17 percent of Kensingtonresidents does not constitute communi-

Policy: The opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of the contributors. They do not necessarily repre-sent the opinion of the Outlook, its editor, or the publisher, the Kensington Community Council. Residents are invit-ed to submit letters on matters of interest to the community. Letters must be signed and include the author’s addressand telephone number. Publication is subject to space limitations. Letters of 250 or fewer words are preferred.

Letters to the Editor Unitarian Universalist

Church ProgramsEvery Sunday morning at the Unitar-

ian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1Lawson Road, Kensington, lay leaderslead a meditation service at 8:30 a.m.At9:30 a.m., community members leadPersonal Theology Seminars, discussinga different topic of relevant interesteach week. The worship service fol-lows at 10:45 a.m. Visitors are alwayswelcome and childcare is provided.February Worship Services

On February 2, Jim Burneo will leada discussion about “The Politics ofCompassion.” The Revs. Barbara andBill Hamilton-Holway and Intern Min-ister Sofia Betancourt will preach“Enter, Rejoice and Come In” on Feb-ruary 9.They will return on February16 to talk about “The Discipline ofLove.” Finally, on February 23, Revs.Hamilton-Holway, Intern MinisterBetancourt and Acting Director ofReligious Education Sally White willlead “Stand By This Faith.”Personal Theology Seminars

On February 2,Alex Pappas, teacherof world religions and psychology forthe College of Alameda and extensivetraveler to sacred places will lead “Per-sonal Gifts of Wisdom and Treasuresfrom Various Religious Traditions.”Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff of Temple BethShalom, San Leandro, will discuss “Isthe Hebrew Bible Verifiable by Archeol-ogy?” on February 9. On February 16,

continued on page 6 continued on page 7

FEBRUARY 2003 3

KENSINGTON OUTLOOKEditor: Linda Lettieri — 528-012959 Arlington Ave, Kensington, CA 94707

outlook@sbcglobal.netAdvertising

Ad. Mgr.: Alma Key — 526-3241Call for rates, space availability and size restric-tions. Deadline for Ad and News Copy: on orbefore the 10th of the month preceding publicationas noted below. Published 10 times a year as acommunity service by a non-profit corporation:

1. Feb. 6. July/Aug.2. March 7. September3. April 8. October4. May 9. November5. June 10. Dec./Jan.

©2003 Kensington Community Council59 Arlington Ave, Kensington, CA 94707-1037

EDITORIAL: 510-528-0129CLASSIFIED ADS: 510-528-0129DISPLAY ADS: 510-526-3241

NEXT OUTLOOK DEADLINEMarch Issue: February 10

“Kip” Meader Dies Ronald Norman Meader,

known to all as “Kip,” diedpeacefully at his Kensing-ton home of 38 years onThanksgiving Day, Novem-ber 28, 2002. Meader is sur-vived by Paula, his wife of40 years, his daughter,Melissa Ronderos, her hus-band Luis and a grandson,Tyler, of Miami, Florida. Hewas 73 years old.

Meader was born in1929,in St.Louis,MO.He graduated fromthe University of Missouri and complet-ed his MBA at University of Miami-Ohio.During the Korean War,he served on theUSS Toledo. He discovered the San Fran-cisco Bay Area when he returned to thestates from the war and decided to stay.

Meader retired from the NavyReserve as a Commander in 1981. Heworked as a Financial Analyst for theUniversity of California for 28 years.

At the June 2002 meeting of theKensington Police Protection and Com-munity Services District (KCSD), boardmembers passed Resolution 02-07which honored Meader for his activevolunteerism in the community. Hewas active in the Kensington PropertyOwners Association (KPOA), the Kens-ington Amateur Radio Operators(KARO), Friends of the KensingtonLibrary (FKL), the Emergency Prepared-ness Committee and tutored local highschool students.

The resolution states, “Whereas, KipMeader became an integral part in theplacement of community owned ama-teur radios in strategic locationsthroughout the community; and where-as Mr. Meader worked tirelessly in

ensuring the installationand on-going maintenanceof the radio network; andworked at the recruitmentand training of radio opera-tors; and met with local andcounty officials to ascertainproper protocol and policy,thus dramatically increasingthe opportunities the com-munity will have withreaching outside sources inthe case of catastrophicincident, and whereas, the

directors wish to convey their gratitudeto Kip Meader for his many years of vol-unteer service to the community ofKensington; and now, therefore be itresolved, that the Board of Directors ofthe Kensington Police Protection andCommunity Services District wishes tosincerely thank Kip Meader for themany years of community servicewhich will serve to benefit the citizensof Kensington for years to come.”

Kip Meader’s strong and kind pres-ence will be greatly missed.

IN MEMORIAM

Business SceneTodd Hodson, local real estate

agent and owner of Marvin GardensReal Estate, Kensington, was names“Realtor of the Year” by the BerkeleyAssociation of Realtors.The announce-ment was made at the association’sannual December banquet at the Clare-mont Hotel. Todd serves as the Chair-man of the Multiple Listing Service andTechnology Committee for the Berke-ley Association and also serves on theEast Bay Regional Data Service board ofdirectors. Todd is also president-electof the Berkeley Association for 2003.

ArlingtonCommunity

Church NewsThe Arlington Community Church

(ACC) at 52 Arlington Ave., in Kensing-ton,welcomes all to its events and serv-ices of worship. Sunday morningworship is held at 10 a.m. with a classfor children held at the same time.Nursery care is available.

Pastor Shirlee Bromley will speakand lead the worship services in Feb-ruary, except for February 16. On thatSunday, there will be a guest speaker.On February 2, the communion medi-tation will be “What About your OwnAuthority?” On February 9, Bromleywill speak on “Renewal;” on the 23rdthe topic will be “Friends.”

In addition to morning worship,there is a quiet service of medita-tion and healing held in the chapeleach Sunday evening at 6 p.m. Thechapel is accessed via Rincon Rd.and all are welcome.Youth Activities

Teenagers are invited to an eveningof fun and fellowship each Sundayevening from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Studentsare invited to bring a friend. Call thechurch at 526-9146 for more informa-tion about retreats and the upcomingsnow trip.Special Musical Activities

The ACC Handbell Choir meets onWednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. TheACC choir rehearses at 7:30 p.m. TheChimers Bell Choir continues to meetSunday mornings at 11:15 a.m. aftermorning worship. Rehearsals for theGood Friday Concert presentation ofDuruflé’s “Requiem” will begin on Jan-uary 22 at 8:45 p.m.

SUPPORT KENSINGTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL

continued on page 7

4 KENSINGTON OUTLOOK

The Friends of the KensingtonLibrary (FKL) met in January with dis-cussions of the plans for continuingprograms and planning for the expand-ed hours. Being open on Mondayevenings has allowed these nights to beused for adult programs, a nice additionto the long tradition of children’s pro-grams on Tuesdays. Barbara Fergason,our Librarian, said what a pleasure itwas to do such activities, although shesaid that the attendance was low, prob-ably due to the fact that people are notlooking for or expecting any specialprograms for adults. FKL will use theMonday Night Adult Program slot forpresenting special events in the comingyear, with several in the formativestages and too early to announce, butworth keeping an eye out for...both inthis column and on the varied placesthat flyers appear for upcoming events,as the in Library Kiosk, where manythings of interest to patrons are posted.A January program,which we hope youcaught if it fell into your area of inter-ests,was that on the thirteenth given byKen Sanderson. It related to his years ofwork at UC Bancroft Library editingtheir large collection of the letters andmanuscripts of Mark Twain.Adult Versus

And with apparent “poetic license”FKL will hold the second program foradults, a Poetry Reading (or “poetryslam” they call it nowadays?) not on aMonday but on Thursday, February 13,at 7 p.m. at the Kensington CommunityCenter (Youth Hut).We return with thiswinning event that each year MaggieMorley creates through her links withlocal writers. She brings in both estab-lished and aspiring poets from our area,Kensingtonians included, who eachgive short readings, often with anecdot-al background material. Following theprescheduled readers, the sessionopens up to those who might like to trysome of their work on the receptiveaudience. It provides a great opportuni-ty to hear and meet some very interest-ing people.Also, for the uninitiated, it isa fine setting to test your writing on aresponsive, supportive audience.There

are always some great surprises, itseems, and a chance to experiencesome of the creative output that is ahallmark of our area. Maggie can bephoned if you have any questions, onscheduling or the general format. Hernumber is 524-0253.Seuss Alert

FKL Seusstress, Gretchen Gilfillan,will organize another of the KensingtonLibrary’s famous Dr. Seuss Green Eggsand Ham Birthday Parties on March 4,atKensington Library at 7 p.m.This affairincludes the aforementioned foods, inall their colorful glory as well as a storypresentation and a truly fun-filledevent.The event is well attended and asa result of the small area available in ourlibrary, requires that tickets be givenout before the event so that the amountof seating and eating is consistent withthe number of children attending.So besure to check with the staff at thelibrary before the party day to pick upthe free tickets that will be required tomake the party a success for all.National, State, County and…

Briefly, the severe shortfall in taxesacross the country is going to impactour library. Despite our recent improve-ment in funding and ability to increasehours and staffing, the State budgetcuts, passed on to counties as lessenedassistance, leaves peripheral functions,as libraries, the mostly heavily hit bycuts (first call on funds is education andhealth, followed closely by fire andpolice).At this point,what were seen assevere cuts have been added to by asecond round of revisions to reduceour Contra Costa Library. The result isthat the Public Library Fund has beenreduced from the original State alloca-tion to our County Library System from$1,300,000 to $395,500. In other terms,if the cuts were to be applied to onlyone aspect of our system it would rep-resent a reduction of over 37,000 newbooks, or in just closing two of ourcounty libraries completely. Of coursethese reductions will be made in differ-ent areas, to minimize the overallimpact on services and operations, butwe can expect a decrease in hours and

available new books it seems certain.Several FKL members attended a ses-sion with Tom Torlakson in January todiscuss our concerns and he spoke ofthe legislation and possible bond or taxfunding that he was working on withother concerned members of the legis-lature, but he acknowledged that it isgoing to take time and be hard to workout the problems present withdecreased state revenues. FKL is glad tosee that Tom, for a long time a teacher,is aware of our specific problems andactive in seeking solutions. He notedthe strong support that Kensington hasgiven all Library issues and the goodwork of our FKL group.

The FKL Board passes on his apprecia-tion and recognition to you, as you arethe voters and contributors who havedone so much for our library. In the com-ing year FKL is hoping that contributionsof funds and books remain high andmaybe even grow a bit.With the moneyFKL raises it is at least able to give extrasupport to supplying our library withneeded books,equipment and programs.Possibly, if hours are cut, it might be pos-sible for FKL to fund salaries to increasehours as we did some 8-9 years agowhen FKL treasury was a bit better filledthan the Counties. If donations allow,thismay be considered later in the year,depending on the impact of reducedCounty Library budget. As always, wewant your salable books, so keep drop-ping them off during Library hours. Ifyou can’t get them to the library when itis open, or need assistance in gettingbooks to FKL, please call Adrian Jennings at 524-2508.

ABCs of the FKLBy John Gossard

From the Children’s LibrarianFace Painting Workshop

On Thursday February13 from 3-4p.m. Leslie Arnold of “On-Your-Face”will conduct a special face paintingworkshop for all ages. This event issponsored by Friends of the Kensing-ton Library. Don’t forget to mark yourschedule for the Dr. Seuss BirthdayParty on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m.Regularly Scheduled Family StoryTimes:

Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. (exceptwhen there are special programs)

Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m.

FEBRUARY 2003 5

Adult Classesat the Library

Barbara Furgason, Senior BranchLibrarian at the Kensington Library, hasannounced the February schedule ofMonday evening classes for adults. OnMonday, February 3, the class will be“An Introduction to the Internet:Whereyou can find some good websites onemail.” On February 10, the topic willbe “Introduction to Selected Databasesand Novelists—How to find a greatbook to read!” Due to President’s Day,there will be no class on February 17.The last class will be on February 24and will be “An Introduction to theLibrary Catalog.”

Classes will begin at 6:55 p.m. andend at 7:30 p.m.Practice time and classmaterials are available at 6:30 p.m. andafter class until 7:55 p.m. Seats are lim-ited; to reserve a seat, call 524-3043.On-lookers are welcome.

Kensington Community Education

New Class!SCRAPBOOK WORKSHOP

“Where are your family photos?”Join us for a four-week workshop.

We will sort, organize and ultimatelymount those precious photos inyour scrapbook!

Instructor: Lyn PfeifferTuesdays, 4 weeksFebruary 25 to March 1811 a.m. to 1 p.m.$40 per resident/$45 per non-resident

BUILDING E

ACRYLIC PAINTINGStan Cohen leads this informal but

professional workshop for estab-lished and serious beginning artists.Mornings are devoted to developingpainting, with assistance available.Afternoons are reserved for class cri-tique. Enrollment is limited.

Instructor approval required.Instructor: Stan CohenWednesdays, 9:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.$32 per monthNon-residents add 10 percent

COMMUNITY CENTER

PORTRAIT AND STILL LIFE OIL PAINTING CLASS

Beginning and advanced studentswill paint from live models using theReiley Method, a process of paintingwhich is broken down into steps.Students will learn how to do a“wash-in”under-painting and how tomix the “controlled palette,” startingwith a gray scale from black towhite, with all other colors mixedand arranged in corresponding valuescale. Students will learn to see colorand shape in terms of the value pat-tern of the subject. Materials andpaint application techniques will bediscussed. Work of current and past

great painters will be studied. Stu-dents will be encouraged to developtheir own style and may use an openpalette if they prefer. For more infor-mation, call Barbara Ward at 528-2983.To sign up, call the KCC office.

Instructor: Barbara WardPortrait:Thursdays, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.Still Life: Sundays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.Ongoing8 weeks: $200 per resident

$220 per non-residentBUILDING E

EXERCISE TO MUSICNon-impact aerobics; ongoing.

Instructor: Michele DorntgeMonday,Tuesday, Friday: 9-10 a.m.Fees per resident (10 weeks):$40/1 x week, $80/2 x week$120/3 x week, $4.50 drop-inNon-residents add 10 percent

COMMUNITY CENTER

DOG OBEDIENCE TRAININGHandlers must be at least 14 years

of age. Dogs must be a least fivemonths old, have had all their shots,and be accustomed to a leach.

Instructor:Nancy Cuccia (233-4500)Wednesdays

Beginners: 7-8 p.m.Next session starts February 196 weeks: $36 per resident

$40 per non-residentConformation: 8-8:45 p.m. $4/classIntermediate/Advanced: 9–9:45 p.m.

$4/classCOMMUNITY CENTER

TENNISAlex Brown, USPTA tennis pro,

offers classes to a minimum of fourstudents.

To register, call Brown at 524-5495Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-10 a.m.5 classes: $40 per resident

$45 per non-residentTENNIS COURTS (West Court)

KASEPKENSINGTON AFTER SCHOOL

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

REGISTRATION!Tuesday, March 4

7:00 p.m. Kindergarten7:15 p.m. Grades 1-4

Community Center59 Arlington Ave.

KASEPKENSINGTON AFTER SCHOOL

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

Building E, 59 Arlington Ave.Kensington, CA 94707-1037

OFFICE HOURS10 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday–FridayOFFICE CLOSED: Feb. 17–Feb. 21Helen Horowitz, Director525-0292, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Elma Conley, On-Site Supervisor 525-0292,during class hoursSandy Thacker,Curriculum Coordinator 482-1258

WINTER SESSIONThe winter session will end onMarch 21.

SPRING SESSIONRegistration for the spring sessionwill be held in the CommunityCenter, 59 Arlington Ave. on Tues-day, March 4 at 7 p.m. for 1stthrough 6th graders.Registration packets are sched-uled to go home with KensingtonSchool students on Thursday, Feb-ruary 13 and to be available in theKensington Library and the KCCoffice on Friday, February 14.Classes will begin on Monday,March 22.

KCCKENSINGTON COMMUNITY

COUNCIL

Helen Horowitz,AdministratorKensington Community CouncilBuilding E, 59 Arlington Ave.Kensington, CA 94707-1037525-0292

OFFICE HOURS10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon.-Fri.OFFICE CLOSED: Feb. 17–Feb. 21

KCC OFFICE LOCATIONBuilding E is located across thegrassy field from the CommunityCenter Annex that houses TheNeighborhood School.

NOTICESTo Register for ClassCall the office unless otherwisespecified. Some classes haveenrollment limits. Those register-ing will be notified if they cannotbe enrolled.Tennis Court ReservationsReservations are taken for week-ends and holidays only. The earli-est reservation is for 9 a.m. Feesare $2 per hour for Kensingtonresidents, $5 for others.Community CenterCall Helen Horowitz for rental andreservation information.

ADULT CLASSES

YOUTH CLASSESGYMNASTICS

11:45 a.m.-1:05 p.m.Morning Kindergartners

2:30 p.m.-3:20 p.m. Advanced Beginners, Grades 1-3

2:50 p.m.-3:40 p.m.Advanced Beginners, Grades 4-6

Students should wear looseclothing such as leotards, sweat-pants, or shorts. Long hair must betied in a ponytail.To enroll, call JudyBaker at 233-1833.

Instructors: Judy Baker and Jean JayTuesdays, 10 weeksJanuary 7-March 18

Kindergartners:$120/resident; $135/non-resident

Other students:$100/resident; $110/non-residentAdministration fee: $25

COMMUNITY CENTER

TENNISIn this class for students in Grades

6,7,and 8,Alex Brown teaches the fun-

damentals of tennis, including strokes,tactics, and sportsmanship. Classesconsist of instruction, drills, and play,and continue through the school year.Students must register by the monthfor one or two days a week

Instructor:Alex Brown (524-5495)Tuesdays and/or Thursdays3:40-5:20 p.m.Fees (payable monthly):$10 per class/resident$11 per class/non-resident

TENNIS COURTS

The Kensington Symphony Orchestra(KSO) will present the third concert ofits Silver Anniversary Season on February22 at 8 p.m. The all-orchestral programfeatures music of Beethoven, Bruch, andMendelssohn. Music Director and Con-ductor Lloyd Elliott is celebrating his13th year at the helm of the KSO.

The program opens with the rarelyperformed “Consecration of the HouseOverture”in C major,Op.124,by Ludwigvan Beethoven.The Overture dates backto 1811 when Beethoven wrote “TheRuins of Athens” for a theater opening inBudapest. The composer revised thiswork in1822 and renamed it “Consecra-tion of the House” for a theater openingin Vienna.

The program continues with “SwedishDances,” Op. 63, by Max Bruch. Com-prised of 15 short pieces,the “dances”arebased on Scandinavian and Hebraic folk

melodies. The concert concludes withSymphony No. 4, by Felix Mendelssohn.Known as the Italian Symphony, thiswork, completed in 1833, evokes thecomposer’s visit to Italy in 1830.Buoyantfor the most part, Symphony No. 4 endswith the dynamic rhythms of an Italiancarnival dance.

Founded in 1977,the Kensington Sym-phony Orchestra includes local freelancemusicians and accomplished amateurs.Lloyd Elliott,who studied orchestral con-ducting under Pierre Monteux and ThorJohnson, received his undergraduatetraining in voice,theory,and compositionat the University of the Pacific. His grad-uate studies in composition were withHoward Hansen at the Eastman School ofMusic. Mr. Elliott directed the MercedSymphony for nine seasons and hasserved as Instructor of Music at San Fran-cisco State University, University of the

Pacific, and Dominican College. He cur-rently holds that post at Contra CostaCollege and Santa Rosa College.

The concert will be held at the North-minster Presbyterian Church, 454 Ash-bury Ave., El Cerrito, across from ElCerrito High School. Tickets are availableat the door for a suggested donation of$10; $8,seniors; and children free. Forinformation, call 524-4335.

Kensington Symphony Orchestra To Perform

Retired Teachers to MeetThe California Retired Teachers Asso-

ciation,West Contra Costa Division No.58, will meet at noon on Thursday, Feb-ruary 6 at the Masonic Hall of Rich-mond,5050 El Portal Drive,El Sobrante.The program will feature a slide showof paintings by Chiuri Obata presentedby his granddaughter, Kimi Hill. Call234-3046 by Monday, February 3 forluncheon reservations. Cost is $10.

Barbara Ward: Still Life

Tennis instructor Alex Brown and his students.

6 KENSINGTON OUTLOOK

ty consensus. Further, KMAC is not an objective third party but an advocate ofthe proposed zoning ordinance.As suchits survey and its interpretation of theresults must be viewed with skepticism.

During 2001, Supervisor John Gioiarepeatedly advised the KensingtonCommunity that small neighborhoodmeetings were needed to discuss theproposed zoning ordinance and thatthere would be a community-wide advi-sory vote after full community discus-sion. The Contra Costa CountyCounsel’s office then spent more than ayear (Fall 2001 to Fall 2002) reviewingand modifying the proposed ordinance.Supervisor Gioia now wants to submitthe proposed ordinance to the ContraCosta County Board of Supervisors forapproval without small neighborhoodmeetings, with limited community dis-cussion and analysis of impact, andwithout an advisory vote.An ordinancerestricting construction of all Kensing-ton homes is very significant.This is justas important as the Kensington roadsassessments in 1996 and the recentpurchase of Kensington Park, both ofwhich had an advisory vote.The Kens-ington community is entitled to an advi-sory vote on this controversial andfar-reaching ordinance.

In addition, Supervisor Gioia nowadvises that the Kensington communitymust reimburse the County for itsexpenses in dealing with the proposedzoning ordinance including costs toamend the County’s General Plan.While initially estimated at $25,000 to$30,000, this cost may be substantiallyhigher.One suggested funding source isa special tax on Kensington homeown-ers.Why should Kensington homeown-ers be stuck with this costly expense?

The proposed zoning ordinance wasdrafted by a select few who want toimpose a highly restrictive ordinanceon our community. Individuals who dis-agreed with the direction of the pro-posed ordinance were excluded fromthe drafting process. The result is ahighly restrictive, unfair, and punitiveordinance which, when all the facts areknown, will not be acceptable to manyKensington homeowners.

If you are interested in objecting tothis proposed zoning ordinance, please

send your name, address and telephonenumber to me at 35 Ardmore Road,Kensington, CA 94707-1308; or e-mailme at hertzer@juno.com.Thank you.

J. David Hertzer,Ardmore Road

More Zoning OrdinanceDear Editor,

The proposed Kensington Combin-ing District Ordinance deserves, at thevery least, an advisory vote of the peo-ple of Kensington, who are alone gov-erned by it.

Although a clear majority of Kensing-ton’s residents undoubtedly favor rea-sonable zoning, the current, privatelydrafted and funded proposal, is subjectto a broad interpretation amounting tooverkill. This should not become lawby a simple vote of the Contra CostaBoard of Supervisors. The current ver-sion of the ordinance goes beyondwhat is generally thought to be a “view”ordinance. The nature of “view” is bydefinition qualitative so the draftersresolved that light and view must alsobe addressed by limiting residents’ abil-ity to increase the square footage oftheir homes.

In the existing draft, for example,both garages and covered balconies(among other things) are includedwhen counting the square footage of“floor area” (something that real estateagents would love to do but don’t). Aswith any number of laws, the devil is inthe details. Let’s make sure the final for-mat of this ordinance is acceptable tothe median voter.

Our hard-working and dedicatedSupervisor, John Gioia, requested $20-25,000 from Kensington CommunityGroups to fund the legal review andEnvironmental Impact Report (EIR).The CC Board would then vote tomake it effective. I prefer the stricterDemocracy test of a community vote.If the ordinance were to be funded byKensington as a one-time parcel taxduring the course of a normal ballot,the total cost would be about $17 —more or less what many residentsspend for a nice bottle of Chardonnay.The issue with a money vote is that itrequires 2/3 to pass.

There is a third way. The KensingtonGroups could approve funding butmake it contingent upon an advisory

vote (which could pass by a simplemajority). Remember that Kensington’sonly directly elected officials are theBoards of the KFPD and the KCSD. It isKMAC, a board appointed by the CCBoard of Supervisors,which is principal-ly responsible for this proposal. No sin-gle CC Supervisor representsKensington exclusively. This is not tobelittle the dedication and effort putforth on behalf of Kensington by theKMAC volunteers.

Please contact John Gioia office at(510) 374-3231 and ask that weapprove our Kensington CombiningDistrict Ordinance through a ballotmeasure. John has stated he wants tohear from us.

John McKennaArdmore Road

KEF Thanks DonorsDear Editor,

Ms. Janet Hittle’s December letternoted that she received the KensingtonEducation Foundation’s (KEF) fund rais-ing appeal asking for a contribution tosupport our programs at KensingtonSchool. She noted that Harding Schoolis her neighborhood school and won-dered if KEF was aware that not allKensington residents live within theHilltop School boundary.

KEF is well aware of the WCCUSDboundaries and has, from time to time,participated in the community meet-ings when the boundaries wereredrawn. However the WCCUSD hasretained final approval over all mattersregarding its attendance zones and wesuggest Ms. Hittle contact the Superin-tendent and members of the WCCUSDSchool Board to discuss her concerns.

As to our community fund raisingefforts, we are pleased to report thatnearly 10% of our donors live in Ms.Hit-tle’s neighborhood and, in fact, this gen-erous donor population has supportedus since we launched our communityfund raising drive ten years ago.

May I take this opportunity to pub-licly thank ALL donors to KEF for theirgenerous response to our request.Com-munity support makes the differencebetween a good school and a greatschool.

Charles E.ToombsPresident, KEF

Letters to the Editor continued from page 2

FEBRUARY 2003 7

SUPPORT KCCEl CerritoDemocratic ClubThe public is invited to attend the

Tuesday, February 25 meeting of theEl Cerrito Democratic Club, at theNorthminster Presbyterian Church on545 Ashbury Avenue in El Cerrito.Themeeting will be held at 8 p.m., fol-lowing the 7:30 p.m. general businessmeeting of the club. Jim Gonzales, anattorney and peace activist, will dis-cuss the erosion of American civil lib-erties during the past year. ContactJoe Franaszek at 524-4659 for moreinformation.

KensingtonRepublican

Women MeetThe Kensington Area Republican

Women (KARW) will meet on February26 at the Mira Vista Country Club, 7900Cutting Blvd., El Cerrito at 12 noon.Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m.

The speaker will be Gordon Blake,member of Contra Costa County Cen-tral Committee. Blake will discuss theConstitution of the United States.

Tickets are $12 per person and reser-vations should be made with CatherineWeeks at 524-5689.

AAUW February MeetingOn Saturday, February 15, the Ameri-

can Association of University Women(AAUW) will meet at 10 a.m. at the ElCerrito Masonic Center, 6922 StocktonAve. The featured speaker will beNaomi Caspe, who will present a pro-gram titled “Ancient Wisdom for theModern Woman.” She will discuss howto be healthy in all aspects of life. Forfurther information, call 526-1127

Garden Clubsto Meet

El Cerrito Garden ClubThe El Cerrito Garden Club will

meet at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Febru-ary 13, at the El Cerrito CommunityCenter, 7007 Moeser Lane. Followingthe business meeting and the servingof refreshments, Aerin Moore, fromMagic Garden Nursery of Richmond,will present a program on “EarlySpring Perennial and Shrub Color.”Guests are welcome and may pay $3 atthe door. For more information, pleasecall 234-0135.

Berkeley Garden Club“Trees in a Nutshell”will be the topic

presented by John Traverso on Tuesday,February 18 at the Berkeley GardenClub. Traverso is a Certified and Con-sulting Arborist, a member of the Inter-national Society of Arboriculture andpresident of the California ArboristAssociation. The club meets at theEpworth United Methodist Church,1953 Hopkins St., Berkeley. Guests arewelcome to attend the business meet-ing at 1p.m. and the free program at2p.m. Call 524-4374 for more details.

The mini-concert series will resumein February. Four 7:30 p.m. Friday nightconcerts are scheduled for the spring:February 21,March 21, April 25 and May23.The series price will be $40 and willinclude a harp concert, the Burdick Trio,D Squared and two talented vocalists.Tickets may be purchased through thechurch office. For more information,call the church office at 526-9146.

Arlington Church continued from page 3

Beth Glick-Rieman, ordained minister,therapist, author of Peace Train to Bei-jing and Beyond, and past professor ofEducation, United Theological Semi-nary, Dayton Ohio will lead “Living inHope in a Violent World: A Faith Jour-ney.” And finally on February 23, SofiaBetancourt will discuss “Re-VisioningDiversity:A Path to Wholeness.”

For more information or for direc-tions, call the church at 525-0302.

Unitarian Church continued from page 2

Kensington 55+The Kensington Senior Activity Cen-

ter meets on Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.at Arlington Community Church, 52Arlington Avenue,Kensington.The WestContra Costa Adult School and commu-nity volunteers provide the Center’sprogram of life-long learning. Everyoneover 55 is welcome to visit, join theseniors in activities and friendly con-versation and be a volunteer if youchoose.Contact Virginia Walker, at 547-1969 for information.

LWV KensingtonStudy Group

The League of Women Voters Rich-mond Area, Kensington Study Groupwill meet February 10 at the home ofLucille Parker, 51 Highland Blvd. at 12noon for a light lunch followed at 1p.m. by a discussion of the proposedKensington zoning ordinance. Newcomers are welcome. Call Lucille at527-1538 to confirm.

Charter MiddleSchool

Applications DueThe deadline for applications to the

Manzanita Middle School, a free publicschool in Richmond, is February 14.The school is seeking 6th, 7th and 8thgrade students for the 2003-2004school year. Manzanita is a familycooperative, non-sectarian charterschool with small class and schoolsize. It is close to the RichmondLibrary and Art Center.

For more information visit theweb site at www.manzy.org, or call232-3300.

8 KENSINGTON OUTLOOK

THE KENSINGTON OUTLOOK CLASSIFIEDS

The following incidentswere among those report-

ed by the Kensington Police Departmentduring November and December 2002.

NOVEMBER. Residents on Ocean View reportedthat someone threw eggs at their cars.. A resident reported hearing voices out-side her residence on Columbia Ave.. Two abandoned vehicles were towedfrom a location near Colgate and Columbia.. Someone applied paint to the exteriorand sprayed the contents of a fire extin-guisher into the interior of a car parkedon Stratford Ave.. The contents of a fire extinguisherwere sprayed into the interior of a car onCoventry Rd and two cars on BerkeleyPark Blvd.All cars were unlocked.. A minor non-injury accident wasreported in front of the stores onArlington Ave.. A Cambridge Ave. resident complainedof a gentleman making unwanted advances.. A man was bothering people at theArlington Pharmacy. He was told to leave.. Someone was making annoying phonecalls to a Norwood Ave. resident.. A tree fell down blocking the roadwayon Los Altos Rd.. An Avon Rd. resident complained ofchest pains after the pilot light on his nat-ural gas heater went out.. There was an attempted theft from anunlocked vehicle on Rugby Ave.. Power lines went down on Yale Ave.. A 62 year-old male riding a bicycle wasphotographing houses on Ocean ViewAve. claiming involvement with the cen-sus. Police were not able to locate him.. In related incidents, two Canon Dr. res-idents contacted officers to report a caseof battery and rape.. A resident called to report spottingsomeone dumping trash at HilltopSchool. Officers determined that mem-bers of the school’s Dad’s Club weredumping construction debris with theschool’s permission.. A motorcycle was stolen from Stan-ford Ave.. Neighbors called to complain aboutparking on Highland.. An Amherst Ave. resident called toreport a problem with raccoons eatingcat food.. An unlicensed contractor caught in theContractors State License Board sting hadhis vehicle impounded when he wasfound to be an unlicensed driver also.. Someone found an old kitchen knifeon their Arlington Ave. property andturned it into the police.. A traffic accident with minor injurywas reported on Princeton Ave.The driv-er refused an ambulance.. An Anson Way resident reportedannoying phone calls.. A Colusa Ave. resident reported identi-ty theft when he received a call from VISAto verify charges made in the San Josearea.The charges made at Kinko’s, Chilesand Starbucks totaled $195 and were notmade by the resident.. The librarian notified police that thelibrary was closing and children were leftoutside waiting for parents.. Identity theft was reported by a resi-dent on Beloit Ave. Someone charged$1,500 to the card in New York City.. A loud party was reported on Wind-sor Ave.. Officers stopped a motorist for trafficviolations on Arlington Ave. who turnedout to have an outstanding warrant.. A Cowper Ave. resident reportedthat someone might have siphoned gasfrom a car.. Kensington Hilltop School employeesreported two subjects wandering schoolgrounds who matched the description ofthe suspects involved in thefts at PortolaMiddle School and Madera School in ElCerrito.They left before officers arrived.. An Arlmont resident was arrested foran outstanding DUI.. Someone threw orange paint on acar parked at the intersection of Sunsetand Arlington.. An older resident needed help whenthe electricity went out in her HighgateRd. home.. Librarians at the Kensington Librarycalled to report noisy children. Officers

counseled the youths on library protocol.. An Ardmore Rd. resident reportedspotting a someone in a strange car tak-ing pictures of houses.. Suspicious lights in the sky promptedan Ocean View Ave. resident to contactpolice.. Neighbors complained when tree cut-ters started work before 8 a.m. at a homeon Edwin Dr.. A Highland Blvd. resident reported awater purifier valued at $4,000 missing.. An officer stopped a juvenile for rid-ing a bike after dark without a light.Thejuvenile possessed marijuana and drugparaphernalia.. A resident on Colgate reported a news-paper soaked in gasoline in his driveway.. Someone took the American flag fromShai’s Deli on Arlington Ave.

DECEMBER. A delivery truck driver reported thatsomeone had tried to steal gasoline at hisprevious stop in Berkeley.The truck wasleaking gas and still had a hose stickingout of the gas tank.. Residents complained about solicitorson Arlington Ave. and Cowper Ave.. A driver was arrested following an inci-dent of road rage.The driver was tailgat-ing what turned out to be an unmarkedpolice car. He was yelling and drivingerratically. A marked police vehicle hap-pened to be travelling behind.. A Kingston Rd. resident reportedidentity theft.. Librarians reported noise coming frombehind the library. Officers found a groupof 6th graders banging their scooters intothe wall.. Someone reported loud drum noisescoming from Highgate Ave.. An officer approached a Lexus parkedthree feet from the curb on Purdue.Thedriver turned out to be on probation forauto theft, two others in the car werearrested for outstanding warrants.. Tools valued at $300 were taken froma Ford pick-up truck parked on Purdue.. Items valued at $27,000 were reportedpossibly missing from a St.Albans residence.. A loud party was reported on Lake Dr.. Flooding was reported in a home onFranciscan Way.. An anonymous resident reported asubject going door to door asking formoney on Kenyon Ave.. A Toyota pick-up truck valued at$3,200 was stolen on Sunset Dr.. A Toyota pick-up was stolen on High-gate and later found on Arlington Ave.. Police found a Toyota pick-up truckthat had been stolen from San Leandro onSunset Dr.. An Arlington Ave. resident reportedthat a tire had been slashed.. A Coventry Rd.resident threw a brick ata construction worker and hit him in thehead.The worker went to the hospital.Theresident was arrested and released.. A resident called police to warn that apotentially abusive ex-boyfriend may bearriving from Scotland.. The anti-theft disabling device on aSaturn vehicle helped an officer interruptan auto theft on Arlington Road.The carwas stopped in the middle of the road.. A resident called police when apizza delivery person forced his wayinto her home.. A Coventry Rd. resident reported hear-ing the sound of breaking glass.. A suspicious man wearing a blue coatand shaggy hair was reported on Nor-wood Ave.. Roofing material was found in theback yard of a Norwood Ave. residence.. Officers helped a resident open astuck garage door.. The basement and garage of a resi-dence on Coventry Rd. were floodedwith two feet of water.. A wire went down on Highgate Ct.. A Beloit Ave. resident reported identitytheft. Citibank informed the resident thatsomeone was trying to establish creditwith Gateway Computer using the resi-dent’s identity.. A loud generator was reported onCoventry Rd.. A Saturn stolen from Berkeley wasfound on Edwin Dr.. Someone scratched a vehicle parkedon York Ave.

The Kensington Police Blotter

CLASSIFIED ADSMonthly Rates $6 per line

($12 minimum)There are 45 space per line. Count each letter,punctuation mark, and space between words.Enclose payment (payable to KCC) and mail to:Kensington Outlook Classified Ad Department,59 Arlington Avenue, Kensington, CA 94707-1037. We reserve the right to reject any ad. Toreceive a copy of the Outlook in which your adappears, please enclose a stamped (80¢), self-addressed envelope. Completed classified adsmust be pre-paid and received in our office byFebruary 10 for the March 2003 issue.

No telephone calls please!Your cancelled check is your receipt.

PROFESSIONAL EDITOR/WRITER. Memoirs, fiction,newsletters, brochures, proof, dissertations, essays, arti-cles. Words Into Print. 236-0919.

IN-HOME CARE/LT. HSKP/MEALS Mature woman, localrefs. M-F, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $20/hr. 510-382-1630.

MASSAGE-RELAX, refresh, rejuvenate, heal. JoanProvencher, CMT, 525-2750.

ALL THINGS MACINTOSH. Troubleshooter for hire! Inter-net making you crazy: Solve mysterious freezes. Improveperformance. References. Roslyn, 510/526-1209.

CLEANING/HOUSEKEEPER Homes, offices, commercial,moving assistance. Good References. Monica 510-528-2428.

HOUSE AND OFFICE CLEANING. Responsible, honest,efficient. Excellent work. Good references. I’ve worked inthe area 6 years. Please call 524-7787.

GREAT HOUSE CLEANING with great local references.Call Rosie at 234-9471.

MY WONDERFUL CLEANING LADY is available. Kens-ington, Berkeley, References 510-536-6817.

TUTORING: Math, Chemistry, Physics, SAT I & II tests.College-level courses included. Sessions held at yourhome. Evenings & weekends OK. Reasonable Rates.Questions welcome. Call 510-524-1833.

KENSINGTON TEACHER TUTORS reading and math forgrades K-6. 510-234-4883.

PAULA’S PET CARE. Vacation/daily pet care. Bonded,insured, reliable. Experienced 558-9191.

FOR DOG’S SAKE, dog walking & pet sitting. Individualdog walks or visits while you are on vacation. Licensed,insured, references. 368-5410.

HOME REPAIR EXPERT. Fences, decks, carpentry, tilework, doors and locks, glass and windows, small electri-cal/plumbing jobs, odd jobs. Local references. Rick,464-5934.

MASTER CARPENTER. 30 years’ experience in homeremodeling and renovation: stairs, doors, windows, cab-inets, bookcases, trim, drywall, decks, fencing. Framingthrough finish. Large or small jobs. Local residentGeorge Spilsbury, 525-4051.

HANDYMAN: winterize, repair, build, elec., plumb.,roofing, gutter clean, de-pest, etc. Lee, 525-1945.

TILE MARBLE STONE SETTING, restoration related trades& remod. Paint plumb cabinetry 30 yrs local exp portfo-lio refs Roger 526-0872.

MORTENSEN ELECTRICAL. License #423101. Specializ-ing in residential wiring. Honest, bonded and insured.Call John, 527-6711.

THE PAINT COMPANY. Highest quality work inside andout. Estimates and consultation are free. Many satisfiedlocal references. Fully insured. License #515120. Call ustoday at 527-2673.

BRIDGE PAINTING paints houses! Top quality, int/ext, A-1 prep. for lasting finish, Sr. discount, fully ins, Lic.639300, free est, see display ad inside. 232-3340.

AURORA PAINTING & DECORATING. Interior, exterior,waterproof coatings, wood restoration, color consulta-tion. License #721226. Kensington references. 655-9267 for free estimate.

. A laborer knocked on the door of aKenyon Ave.residence and asked for money.The resident said the bill had been paid.. A hit and run accident was reportedon Yale Ave. Someone drove off the roadand damaged the shrubbery.. A vehicle was impounded at a DUIcheckpoint.. Decorative wreaths valued at $100were taken from a home on Coventry Rd.. A vehicle blocking a driveway on OakView Ave. was being towed when theowner arrived.After paying the tow truckoperator, the vehicle was released.

TOPCOAT PAINTERS. Old world craftsmanship. Customcolor mixing, wood finishes, plaster repair. Free decorat-ing service. Interior and exterior. Residential and com-mercial. Kensington references. License #684698.525-3444.

PERSON FRIDAY. Home/Office Task/Detail Oriented.Stable, Reliable P /T Ref’s & Transp. 234-8400 after 2p.m.

OFFICE SERVICES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. Book-keep-ing, invoices, word processing, Excel. Legal/corp., pro-posal prep, edit/proof. Kens. Resident w/20 yrs exp.Judy Gorman, 526-2668.

TWO STRONG WOMEN HAUL-AWAY SERVICE. Pick up,clean out, deliver, recycle almost anything, anytime. Callfor Valentine’s Day Special. Leslie, 235-0122.

HELPING MISS DAISEY HOME SERVICES Customizedcare by skilled organizer. Lt. Hskp, laundry,shopping/taxi service. Top refs. Leslie 235-0122.

CAREGIVER/HSKP/COOK/LNDRY/DRIVE. MatureWoman/Refs. $15/hr. Less if livein. 510-504-4516.

HOME MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. Kitchen, bath,decks, fences, electrical, plumbing, and painting. Dave,420-6947.

ABE’S TREE AND YARD CARE. Trimming, pruning,removals. Weeding, hedge maintenance, clean-up.Large or small jobs. Insured. Local resident. 724-6956.

CLARK KELLEY’S CALIFORNIA GARDENS. All phases oflandscape construction, plant design, irrigation and gar-den installation. Flagstone and brick patios. Local refer-ences. License #534467. 869-2788.

MR. MIGHTY MAN HAULING. Clean out/up home,basement, garage. Dump runs. 757-6431. 548-0499.

SUNSET WINDOW AND GUTTER CLEANING. Free esti-mates. Jim, 524-9605.

ARLINGTON PAINTING & REFURBISHING Quality inte-rior & exterior Estimates, References lic#622357 CallMichael 510-237-4360.

TILE MARBLE STONE SETTING, restoration related tradesand remod paint plumb cabinetry 30 yrs. Local exp.Portfolio refs Roger L. 526-0872.

TAX PREPARATION-California Registered Tax Preparer.Seven years experience. Reasonable rates. Bonded. JoanProvencher 525-2750.

PRINTMAKING WORKSHOPS in quiet North Berkeleystudio. Experiment with the beautiful art of mono-print-ing. No experience needed. 6-week sessions, on-going.Mon, Thurs, Saturdays 9-3. Mon, Thurs evenings, 6:30 –9:30. Six day sessions $150. Evening sessions $80. Formore infor. Call Laura Raboff (510) 526-6580.

VACATION BEACH HOUSE, Big Island of Hawaii, N.Kona Coast. Lovely 3 bdrms, 2 ba, ocean, mountainviews, owned by Kens. Residents. 527-2009.

SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATIONS in peaceful guestsuite. B&B ambience, kitchen, laundry, DSL. No pets,smokers. 1 week +. Terry 528-9970.

INCLINE VILLAGE TAHOE CONDO. 3 bdrms + loft.Amenities. 10 min walk to beach, Hyatt Casino, Dia-mond Peak. Local owners. 510-812-8611.

BARTER FOR ROOM. Mature female scholar seeks roomfor study near transp. Garden/pay utilities in exchange.Flex. Hrs. 510-549-0699.

FREE KENSINGTON AREA CLASSIFIED ADS and eventslistings. www.aboutKensington.com. List your services oryour organization’s events. Free to Kensington business-es and residents. Call Aaron Gobler at 558-1534.

FOR RENT. $1950. 2bdrm,1 bath, bay views, cathedralceiling, formal din rm, w/w, fireplace, w/d, dishw, gar-den,garage,pets kid ok. nr Hilltop Sch, walk to village.925-253-9352

BERKELEY/ELMWOOD 2BD DUPLEX. Charming 2nd flrapt, newly renovated. Quiet, near BART/UC. $1850843-7063

PLEASE NOTE: Anyone who offers services as a buildingcontractor offering materials and services over $500must be licensed and must display a license nº in the ad.

CLASSIFIED AD FORMS are available in the Colusa Cir-cle business district at Kensington Cleaners, and onArlington Avenue at Young’s Market, The MechanicsBank, Kensington Library and the KCC office.

Grizzly Peak Flyfishers

Grizzly Peak Flyfishers will hold their20th Annual Dinner and auction fund-raiser on February 8 at the KensingtonCommunity Center located at 59Arlington Avenue. Auction items,including rods, reels, meals and more,are available for preview at 6 p.m. Din-ner will be served at 7:15 p.m., fol-lowed at 8 p.m. by the live auction andannual awards presentation.

The cost is $30 per person. Beginnerand “wannabe”fly-fishers and their fam-ilies are welcome.

For more details, call 524-0428.

. An Amherst resident reported receiv-ing harassing phone calls since April.. An auto accident was reported onOcean View.. Someone stole tools valued at $200from an unlocked Chevy Silveradoparked on Beloit Ave.A 30 year-old malewas seen leaving the area in a Honda.. Someone turned in a firearm.

Troop 100 Newsby Hal Wolter

The Kensington Troop 100 Boy Scoutsare pleased to report that with the helpof Kensington residents, over 1500pounds of food were collected anddonated to the Bay Area Rescue Missionduring the “Scouting for Food”drive heldin November 2002. The scouts wouldalso like to thank the community fortheir generosity in supporting the troopby purchasing holiday wreaths. Themoney raised will help cover the cost ofscout outings and enable the scouts tosupport charitable organizations.

On Tuesday, March 4,Troop 100 willbe having an open house at the Kens-ington Community Center at 7 p.m.Young men between the ages of 11 and18 who are interested in scouting arewelcome and encouraged to come.