| | Published November 20th, 2013
| State of the Town Address Mayor will speak at Moraga Country Club Nov. 21
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | Dave Trotter at the CAIFF opening night Photo Gint Federas
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"It's been a good year," says David Trotter, Moraga's mayor - a year that saw a budget surplus, allowing the town to increase its reserves to over 50 percent of its annual operating expense; the implementation of the town's first road maintenance campaign, which resulted from the passage of the Measure K sales tax; and a series of projects dear to the mayor's heart that have at least been put on the agenda, albeit with limited progress to date. Trotter will deliver the State of the Town address tomorrow, Nov. 21 at the Moraga Country Club. The event is open to the public and will include recognition of the close to 100 volunteers who have contributed to making things happen in Moraga.
Town staff has been working diligently for the past weeks to gather the facts and pictures that are featured in the State of the Town presentation. The mayor plays a major role in establishing the framework, just as he shaped the goals adopted by the Town Council the beginning of the year. "We had a limited set of goals," commented Trotter, "and we have reached them all, or at least started to address the complex issues that need to be addressed."
It was good news for the town and the mayor that revenue from the 1 percent sales tax, which was adopted a year ago and went into effect last April, came in higher than expected. The town closes its 2012-13 budget year with a surplus of $386,475, according to administrative services director Stephanie Hom. "The good results from the sales tax, strong revenues from the Planning Department and, on the whole, limited expenses are the factors that created this positive situation," said the mayor.
Trotter said his speech will also highlight the success of the recent paving program, with half of the town's neighborhood streets now completely resurfaced.
One of Trotter's most important goals, and one of the elements that defines him as an elected official, is the review of the hillside and ridgeline development rules in Moraga. The pro-open space mayor saw this goal pushed back by a majority of the Town Council last January, but the process of revision, likely to take another year, finally moved forward in October.
The mayor also indicated his intent to pinpoint the importance of the emerging dialogue with the school district regarding partnerships in the construction and management of sports fields and facilities. Readers may recall that Trotter has been trying to find a way to get a gymnasium built in Moraga for years. "The gym at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School is inadequate," he said. "We could look at the partnership in Orinda, between Wagner Ranch Elementary School and the city, as a model of legal framework for sharing the operating and maintenance costs of a sports facility."
Thursday's event at the Moraga Country Club begins with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by the State of the Town address at 6:30 p.m. Reserve your spot by calling or emailing town clerk Marty McInturf at 888-7022, mmcinturf@moraga.ca.us.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA