Publication Date: Friday, October 22, 2004
News Digest
News Digest
(October 22, 2004)
Flu vaccine fading fast
The national shortage of flu vaccine is rapidly reducing the ability for people to get flu shots. The Palo Alto Medical Foundation has cancelled a drop-in clinic for its patients Oct. 24 and will have one final drop-in clinic for its patients on Nov. 6.
The high number of patients calling in to schedule flu shots -- now reserved for high-risk patients -- means the foundation "probably won't have any dosages after Nov. 6," said Jill Antonides, director of public affairs for the medical foundation.
High-risk patients are those 65 or older, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses, health-care workers, and children and toddlers 6 months to 23 months old.
Commercial outlets to buy flu shots, including some supermarkets, closed down after Saturday.
-- Don Kazak
Kleinberg can't vote on contracts
A state law prevents Palo Alto Councilwoman Judy Kleinberg from voting on city contracts with hundreds of high-tech companies, thanks to the wide membership of her employer, according to an outside legal advisor hired by the city.
The law also requires Kleinberg to disclose her job on official city records regarding such contracts, and prevents her from attempting to influence her fellow council members' votes on them, according to attorney Eugene Hill, an outside advisor hired by the city.
However, the law and the councilwoman's job do not prevent the city from entering into contracts with her company's members since Kleinberg has such a remote financial interest, noted Hill.
In May, Kleinberg got a job as the executive director of the Bay Area Council of the American Electronics Association, a high-tech trade association. Its members include Stanford University, Agilent, Hewlett-Packard Co. and SGI. She disclosed the possible conflict immediately and the city attorney's office has been investigating its ramifications for months.
The law was already preventing the city from entering into conflicts with Hewlett-Packard, since Councilman Vic Ojakian works for the company.
The state law in question is California Government Code Section 1090. Earlier this year, the law became well known in Palo Alto after it was triggered when Councilwoman LaDoris Cordell was sworn in. Her job as a vice-provost for Stanford University, and the law, effectively prevented the city from entering into new contracts or modifying existing ones with the university.
The situation was remedied when the city lobbied the state to amend the government code to exempt the university. Cordell still cannot vote on Stanford issues under a different state law.
The new conflict now leaves only six Palo Alto council members to vote on Stanford contracts and five votes are required to pass most contracts. Councilwoman Dena Mossar's husband works for the university. Kleinberg can still vote on Stanford land-use decisions.
Kleinberg was out of town on Thursday and could not be reached for comment.
-- Bill D'Agostino
Verizon Wireless, facing lawsuit, argues city tax does not apply
A spokesperson for Verizon Wireless, responding to a recent lawsuit filed by the City of Palo Alto, claimed the company did not owe taxes the city was seeking.
On Oct. 1, the city filed a $2.4 million lawsuit against Verizon Wireless, saying it had not charged its customers a tax on cell phone calls for 10 years. The city levies a 5 percent tax on all phone calls made in Palo Alto, excluding out-of-state and long-distance calls.
A Verizon Wireless spokesperson said the company did not believe the city's law, as written, was relevant to wireless carriers.
"We believe it simply does not apply," said Bob Kelley, a spokesperson for Verizon Wireless. He also said that the company never charged the tax to its customers.
Other cell phone companies pay the tax, which was approved by voters in 1987. Verizon Wireless is the only telephone company that has not, according to city officials.
-- Bill D'Agostino
Bike station to be renovated during closure
Bikestation Palo Alto, which stores bicycles for commuters at Palo Alto's University Avenue train station, will temporarily close its doors starting on Oct. 27 during a renovation project at the depot building. The bikestation will also get upgraded during the closure, the City of Palo Alto announced this week.
The city got $83,000 in funding for the additional renovation from the State Department of Transportation Bicycle Transportation Account. The money will be used to redesign, remodel and renovate the existing Bikestation including new bicycle storage racks, security card-key access system and redesigned workspace.
The depot renovation, managed by Valley Transportation Authority, will replace the roof, seismically upgrade the building and restore historically significant architectural features. The restrooms will also be renovated and brought up to current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Construction will start on the building by the end of November and should be complete by August 2005, at which point the Bikestation will reopen.
Bicycle commuters have been busy making arrangements for parking during the shutdown. Fifty additional Caltrain lockers will be relocated in November to the depot, in addition to the 48 lockers that are currently there.
Bicyclists interested in putting their name on a waiting list for a bicycle locker can contact Jon Brown at (408) 271-3550 or by e-mail at jjbrown@amtrak.com.
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