There will be no meeting in January 2009. Monthly meetings will start again Saturday, February 21, 2009. Additional info...

On May 8, 2008 the Board of Supervisors established the Department of Conservation and Development (DCD, combining the previously existing Building Inspection and Community Development departments, with the major goal of “strengthening the bond between the community and its county government.” The newly created department is already carrying out ways to respond to constituent needs more quickly and with greater ease of access.

The DCD now gives residents and businesses one point of access to the whole range of community and neighborhood planning and building development services. The DCD includes not only current land use project planning and building permitting and inspection services but also Code Enforcement monitoring, redevelopment and economic development activities, affordable housing programs, the First-time Homebuyer Program, the Neighborhood Preservation
Program, the Community Block Grant Program (CDBG), various Transportation and Transit Planning activities, Solid Waste and Recycling programs, Habitat Conservation efforts, watershed and Delta resources programs, park and open space planning activities, Geographic Information System mapping services, Demographic and Census Data information services, and management of current climate control efforts undertaken by the Board of Supervisors.

The DCD allows a new method of more efficiently providing land use planning and building services to county residents and businesses along with the ability to streamline organizational structures and procedures at a reduced operating cost.

Contra Costa County Supervisor, Mary Nejedly Piepho, District III, announces the official opening of the new East County Employment and Human Services Interim Facility.

“One of my top priorities has been to provide the people of Far East County with more convenient access to county services. Today’s opening of the interim facility in Brentwood adds Employment and Human Services to the growing list of county services accessible to my constituents. The Building Inspection Department is already located in Brentwood and the Planning Department comes out regularly for 'by appointment' meetings within 2-5 business days of the request.”

The new East County Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) Interim Facility houses 21 full-time permanent staff, 2 full-time supervisors and 2 division managers. Services offered at this office include: Medi-Cal intake, CalWORKs (cash aid) intake, and intake for the food stamp program. The new satellite office will make our services more accessible and convenient for area residents of Knightsen, Bethel Island, Discovery Bay, Oakley, Byron and Brentwood.

The long term plan is to open a permanent facility that will house even more county services under one roof. The departments that are currently slated to be part of the future East County Government Center include: District III Supervisors office, County Building Department, Sheriff’s office, Probation Department, Head Start and Employment and Human Services Staff.

For more information call (925) 240-7260.

Beginning fiscal year 2008-2009 mail-in payments with installment coupons should be sent to the following address:

Contra Costa County Tax Collector
P.O. Box 7002
San Francisco, CA 94120-7002

Mail-in payments without coupons should be sent to:

Contra Costa County Tax Collector
P.O. Box 631
Martinez, CA 94553

Envelopes must be POSTMARKED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE BEFORE THE DELINQUENT DATE to avoid late penalties.

Regular 2008-2009 secured tax bills will be mailed on or before November 1, 2008 to all property owners, at the addresses shown on the tax roll. If you own property in the county and do not receive a tax bill by November 10, contact the Tax Collector's office at (925) 957-5280. Failure to receive a tax bill does not relieve the taxpayer of the responsibility to make timely payments.

The FIRST INSTALLMENT of 2008-2009 taxes is due and payable on November 1, 2008, and will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. on December 10, 2008; thereafter a 10% penalty will be added. The SECOND INSTALLMENT is due on February 1, 2009 and will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. on April 10, 2009; thereafter a 10% penalty and $20 administrative charge will be added. If the delinquent dates fall on Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the time of delinquency is 5:00 p.m. on the next business day.

BOTH INSTALLMENTS MAY BE PAID when the first installment is due. Both tax bill stubs must be sent together if paying the entire bill at one time.

Check payments with the installment coupons may be made by mail sent to P.O. Box 7002, San Francisco, CA 94120-7002. Mailed payments must be POSTMARKED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE BEFORE THE DELINQUENT DATE to avoid late penalties. Credit card and e-check payments may be made by calling the toll-free number (877) 957-5280 or by going to our website at www.cctax.us. A small convenience fee will be charged for these types of payments. Payments may also be made in person at the County Tax Collector's office at 625 Court Street, City of Martinez, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.

The SECOND INSTALLMENT is due on February 1, 2009 and will become delinquent if not paid by 5 p.m. on April 10, 2009; thereafter a 10% penalty and $20 administrative charge will be added.

Check payments with the installment coupons may be made by mail sent to P.O. Box 7002, San Francisco, CA 94120-7002. Mailed payments must be POSTMARKED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE BEFORE THE DELINQUENT DATE to avoid late penalties. Credit card and e-check payments may be made by calling the toll-free number (877) 957-5280 or by going to our website at www.cctax.us. A small convenience fee will be charged for these types of payments. Payments may also be made in person at the County Tax Collector's office at 625 Court Street, City of Martinez, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excepted.