By Sam Richards

Staff writer

 

 

Thursday, January 2 (9:00 a.m.): Cindy Darling said two “Coffee With a Cop” events in Rossmoor this past year were designed to be educational, especially regarding safety and financial crimes against seniors. But the learning went two ways, she said.

“We also learned what Rossmoor residents want; we encourage people to alert us to problems,” said Darling, who after being elected to a second Walnut Creek City Council term in November, is beginning her first tour as the city’s mayor under the traditional council rotation system. “If we don’t know about something, we can’t help.”

Walnut Creek police, and other city officials, learned Rossmoorians are concerned about (among other things) traffic safety and enforcement, and Darling said Walnut Creek police have increased their efforts in Rossmoor this year.

In addition to Darling winning her second term, Kevin Wilk was elected to his third term, and Craig DeVinney to his first. Leaving the council was Loella Haskew, who did not seek a fourth term.

Darling said she sees Rossmoor as part of a larger whole, part of an inclusive Walnut Creek. “It’s a part of a city that serves its residents of all ages,” she said, while noting its distinct makeup of residents who are, by and large, civically informed and with the proclivity – and time – to be volunteers, serving in capacities ranging from planning commissioner to school board trustee to usher at Lesher Center for the Arts events.

“Volunteers from all parts of the city make the city work better,” she said. “Rossmoor’s volunteers are very important to us” because they work in concert with city staff and elected officials to make Walnut Creek work, she said.

Councilwoman Cindy Silva will become the council’s liaison to Rossmoor in February, taking over for Wilk, who had that responsibility in 2024. Among her duties in that realm will be reporting to the GRF Board at each of their public meetings.

The work of the City Council, she said, is a “team sport” that requires all its members to work together, respect one another’s’ different viewpoints and know who they’re working for. “We’re elected to do the people’s business,” she said. City staff, she added, do a great job in enabling council members to do their most effective work.

Soon, probably in February, the council will look at making changes to the City Council’s chief priorities list (last updated two years ago) and soon may begin an overhaul of the city’s general plan, which last saw major changes 12 years ago. There hasn’t much public talk lately of allowing a storefront cannabis retailer in Walnut Creek, she acknowledged – an issue important to a segment of Rossmoor residents. Perhaps the local delivery businesses (and other cities’ outlets) have helped meet that demand, she said … or the topic could reemerge in the coming months.

Darling said the mayor “sets the tone” when communicating with the world at large, and that that, as mayor, she relishes opportunities like honoring Olympic gold medal wrestler and Walnut Creek native Amit Elor (she’s still waiting to similarly congratulate WNBA player and Walnut Creek native Sabrina Ionescu) and championing the city’s virtues whenever possible. She is looking for help getting that word out, too, via city employees providing good service to residents, good relationships with other cities, and through channels like the Nutshell city newsletter. There are a lot of positive things to talk about, she said – how to best do it is the challenge.

“We’ve got to be able to tell everyone all the good things going on,” she said.

 

 

 

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