Tag Archives: John Russo

The Princes of Alameda

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Robert Sullwold

For years, the Merry‑Go‑Round believed that the savviest political operator ever to occupy an office at City Hall was former City Manager John Russo. But in our estimation Mr. Russo now has got himself a rival for the crown: City … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, City Hall, Development, Firefighters, Housing | Tagged 2013-17 IAFF MOU, Affirmatively further fair housing, Andrew Thomas, Ann Marie Gallant, Beverly Johnson, Doug deHaan, Housing Element, John Knox White, John Russo, Lena Tam, Malia Vella, Marie Gilmore, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, RHNA, Rob Bonta, Tony Daysog, Trish Spencer | 22 Comments

Busted

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Robert Sullwold

For years, the Merry-Go-Round has been speculating about whether the City of Alameda would try to convince the federal government to “bust the cap” that restricted residential development at Alameda Point to 1,425 new housing units. Well, it turns out … Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall, Housing | Tagged Alameda Point Collaboratiive, Alameda Point Partners, Andrew Thomas, Debbie Potter, John Russo, RESHAP, Site A, West Midway | 14 Comments

Memo to the City Manager (Part I)

Posted on April 28, 2019 by Robert Sullwold

Years ago, there was a sports writer named Jimmy Cannon who penned a syndicated column called, “Nobody asked me, but . . .” Today, the Merry-Go-Round begins a series of posts about the major challenges we think new City Manager … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, City Hall, Firefighters | Tagged CalPERS, Community paramedicine program, Elena Adair, Fire marshal, Fire Prevention Bureau, Jennifer Ott, Jim Oddie, John Russo, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Minimum wage, Pensions, Property transfer tax, SAFER, Sales tax, Tony Daysog, Trish Spencer, User fees, Utility user's tax | 4 Comments

Cloudy vision for Site B

Posted on April 21, 2019 by Robert Sullwold

Monday night, our Council members will take a tour of the Enterprise District (or the portion thereof known as “Site B”) at Alameda Point. Afterwards, they’ll hold a meeting at the Ron Cowan WETA facility, aptly – but, under the … Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall, Development | Tagged Cushman & Wakefield, Enterprise District, Infrastructure, Jennifer Ott, Jim Oddie, John Russo, Malia Vella, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Nanette Mocanu, Site A, Site B | 4 Comments

Not enough to go around

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Robert Sullwold

So do you want the good news or the bad news first? That’s what we thought. The good news is that, thanks primarily to the sale of three apartment buildings, the General Fund will receive about $4.7 million more in … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, City Hall, Firefighters, Pensions | Tagged Budget, CalPERS, Dennis Popalardo, Frank Matarrese, General Fund, Jeff DelBono, Jim Oddie, John Russo, Kevin Kennedy, Liz Warmerdam, Malia Vella, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Nancy Bronstein, Susan Mayer, Trish Spencer | 15 Comments

They’re there in Oakland

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Robert Sullwold

For more than a while now, the Merry-Go-Round has been listening as the developers of Site A at Alameda Point and the Del Monte warehouse try to explain why their projects have not broken ground, more than two years after … Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall, Development, Housing | Tagged Alameda Point Partners, Carmel Partners, Del Monte warehouse, Greg Pasquali, Infrastructure, Joe Ernst, John Russo, Malia Vella, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, North Housing, PLA, Project Labor Agreement, Site A, Tim Lewis Communities | 3 Comments

And in other news . . .

Posted on October 27, 2017 by Robert Sullwold

The scandal involving Council members Jim Oddie and Malia Vella has been dominating the local news recently, with the result that other stories have gone unreported. Here are a few of them:

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall, Development, Firefighters, Housing | Tagged Alamedans United, Alex Nguyen, David Mitchell, Del Monte warehouse, Encinal Terminals, IAFF Local 689, Jeff DelBono, Jennifer Ott, Jim Oddie, John Knox White, John Russo, Malia Vella, Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, Mike Henneberry, Robert Mueller, Tim Lewis, Trish Spencer, UFCW Local 5 | 11 Comments

Our next fire chief

Posted on September 30, 2017 by Robert Sullwold

So here’s the Merry-Go-Round’s question to the self-proclaimed “progressives” on Council like Vice Mayor Malia Vella and Councilman Jim Oddie: If you’re truly as committed to the goal of diversity as you tell your supporters you are, what are you … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, Firefighters | Tagged Daryl Osby, David Kapler, Debra Pryor, Domenick Weaver, Doug Long, Erik Newman, IAFF Local 689, Jeff DelBono, Jim Oddie, Joanne Hayes-White, John Russo, Kerri Donis, Malia Vella, Michael D. Moore, Mike D'Orazi, Ralph M. Terrazas, Rebecca Ramirez, Samuel Golden, Teresa Deloach Reed | 5 Comments

A design for affordable housing

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Robert Sullwold

Here in Alameda, there are two ways to talk about the issue of affordable housing.

Posted in City Hall, Development, Housing | Tagged Affordable housing, Andrew Thomas, David Burton, Debbie Potter, Del Monte warehouse, Density Bonus Ordinance, Encinal Terminals, Frank Matarrese, Inclusionary housing, John Knox White, John Russo, Laura Thomas, Lorre Zuppan, Main Street Neighborhood, Measure A, Middle-income housing, Ron Curtis, Shipways, Tim Lewis Communities, Trish Spencer, Workforce housing | 14 Comments

The hidden costs of development

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Robert Sullwold

If you believe Willdan Financial Services – and why wouldn’t you? – 3,227 persons will be living, and another 5,016 working, every day at Alameda Point when the site is fully built out. In addition, again according to Willdan (in … Continue reading →

Posted in Alameda Point, City Hall, Development | Tagged 1435 Webster, 2100 Clement Ave., Alameda Landing, Alameda Marina, Boatworks, Debbie Potter, Del Monte warehouse, Development Impact Fee, Doug Long, Elena Adair, Encinal Terminals, John Russo, Lena Tam, Marie Gilmore, Marina Shores, Paul Rolleri, Shipways, Stewart Chen, Tim Lewis Communities, WIlldan | 9 Comments

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