Home 2016 Election Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho Announces Retirement, Will Not Seek Fourth Term

Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho Announces Retirement, Will Not Seek Fourth Term

by ECT

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho announced Monday she will not seek a fourth term and will be retiring at the completion of her third-term which is set to expire in December 2016.

Piepho stated she was ready to greet new challenges and welcome new opportunities in her future. She also is excited to be able to spend more time with her family.

She thanked county employees for their efforts while also referencing her father, State Senator John A. Nejedly.

“My father, the late State Senator John A. Nejedly, always said to me to make sure you leave the world better than the way you found it. As I look back on my service to this County, I believe I’ve done that. I hope the citizens of Contra Costa will agree that Contra Costa County is in a much better, more secure place now than it was 12 years ago,” said Piepho.

Piepho was first elected in 2004 with 58.5% of the vote over then sitting Supervisor Millie Greenberg. She successfully was re-elected in 2008 defeating Assemblymember Guy Houston while in 2012 ran un-opposed.

She closed her letter stating her 2016 goals.

In a written statement, Piepho stated the following:

After significant and thoughtful deliberation, I have made a very difficult personal decision and decided not to pursue re-election in 2016. At this point in my life I am ready to greet new challenges, welcome new opportunities and spend more time with my family doing things that we enjoy.

I have served on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors for nearly three terms and these years have been the most fulfilling of my career.   Saving lives and saving taxpayer dollars are the most rewarding achievements of my career and I have done both.

I am honored to have earned the trust and confidence from the citizens and business leaders of this County who have supported me to make tough decisions on their behalf and together build a better Contra Costa County.

When I took office in January, 2005 I had a lot of optimism, energy and many fresh ideas. After a lot of hard work and sacrifice, I’m proud to say my personal goals have been met; transportation, finance, public safety and the environment (a short list is detailed at the end of this message).

We have a diverse County with a lot of needs and I’ve done my best to work collaboratively with my colleagues and stakeholders to balance those needs. Not only for District III but for the greater needs of all Contra Costa citizens and taxpayers.

A lot has been accomplished in a relatively short period of time, especially with consideration of the financial and social impacts from the Great Recession.

My goals could not have been achieved without my dedicated office staff, our County Administrator David Twa and all County personnel. Much of what I’ve accomplished is directly attributed to these many hands involved in the heavy lifting.

My father, the late State Senator John A. Nejedly, always said to me to make sure you leave the world better than the way you found it. As I look back on my service to this County, I believe I’ve done that. I hope the citizens of Contra Costa will agree that Contra Costa County is in a much better, more secure place now than it was 12 years ago.

A County Supervisors’ job is one that is never done. It is never completed. And while I have listed many accomplishments below, there is always more work to do. I look forward to a busy and productive 2016 on the Board of Supervisors and continuing to work hard serving the citizens of this great County, region and State.

For the next year I will work on the 2016 goals outlined below, and more. Stay tuned and many thanks to everyone who has joined me for this wonderful experience.

Here are a few highlights of my accomplishments:

  • Refocused our County finances to fund public safety as a top priority. The Sheriffs’ Department and District Attorney’s office are cornerstones to this accomplishment.
  • Addressing and funding our Other Post Employment Benefit (OPEB) liability, which was $2.6 billion when I joined the Board and is now under $800 million.
  • Mary Piepho Sand Creek BrentwoodCreated the Vasco Road Safety Corridor and saving lives with lane dividing delineators, safety realignment and roadway widening. This effort continues to be a work in progress.
  • Stopped depending on County reserves to balance our budget and have rebuilt our reserves with new policies to protect them.
  • 2015/2016 brought our fifth structurally balanced budget in a row and increased reserves of $220 million. This positions us well to achieve long term fiscal sustainability for the benefit of taxpayers.
  • Grown from a declining AA rating to a glowing AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor’s. We worked hard to achieve this and there is no higher rating available.
  • Highway 4 widening is nearly complete, 8 lanes to the Antioch/Nejedly Bridge in 2016.
  • EBart stations are being built to Pittsburg and Antioch with studies for a Brentwood station.
  • Highway 4 Bypass project nearly complete creating improved vehicle access and safety and economic development for Far East County allowing families to spend more time together.
  • Designed and implemented policies that open up economic opportunities and future potential for our farmers and agricultural lands with value-added marketing and wine and olive processing. We now have nationally recognized award winning wines and olive oils from Contra Costa County.
  • My Delta advocacy has been very personal to me. My father, the late State Senator John A. Nejedly, is well known for his leadership fighting against then Gov. Jerry Brown and his Peripheral Canal in 1980-1982 and I have found myself fighting against the 21st century version known as the “Twin Tunnels” and the same/new Gov. Jerry Brown.
  • PiephoLead the creation of the Delta County Coalition (DCC) to protect Delta Counties against state and federal politics that protect south Delta water exporters over in-Delta interests. I knew from my dad’s fight against the Peripheral Canal that the Delta Counties needed to stand strong together in order to be effective. And we have.
  • Fought for Delta solutions that protect and enhance our Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta from further degradation, environmental harm and advocated for affordable and reasonable solutions that actually create water for all Californians.
  • Sought and achieved in the 2009 Delta Reform Act a stronger Delta Protection Commission, creation of the Delta Conservancy and a seat on the newly formed Delta Stewardship Council for a Delta County Supervisor.
  • Created the “No Tow Zone” for Delta waterway safety. While this was considered controversial by a few, it has made an enormous impact on saving lives and raising awareness in a very dangerous and congested area of the Delta.
  • Lead the successful efforts for greater funding and treatment to fight invasive aquatic weeds in the Delta (egeria dense, water hyacinth, etc.).
  • Acquired property in Brentwood for an East County Government Center to deliver County services locally for East Contra Costa County citizens.
  • Leading policy and economic development efforts for the Byron Airport to grow jobs and economic development in East County.
  • Leading the effort to study Route 239/TriLink connecting Brentwood and Tracy with a proposed expressway, particularly a Vasco Road to J4 connector.
  • Fought for improved Veteran support services Countywide; supported funding for improvement to the Brentwood VFW Hall and lead the effort to transfer the Danville Veterans Hall to the Town of Danville.
  • Lead the ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.
  • Implemented Laura’s Law, a California state law that allows for court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment for those with serious mental illness.
  • Lead efforts to create an opportunity for a more viable and sustainable East Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

Goals for 2016:

  • Continue my advocacy for the Delta to preserve and protect Delta resources and fight against CalWaterFix
  • Design and fund the East County Government Center in Brentwood
  • Phase II of Vasco Road Safety Project, funding and construction
  • Continue to work with local farmers in amending land uses within agriculturally zoned lands for greater flexibility and economic opportunity
  • Market and promote Northern Waterfront Initiative (NWI) as a location to build green energy projects and other economic opportunities
  • Short-term treatment and long-term management for invasive species and aquatic weeds in the Delta
  • State Route 239/TriLink defined alignment and plan for development

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6 comments

Jim Simmons 42 Dec 21, 2015 - 5:50 pm

I am shocked, this will be a great loss to the county. Hard shoes to fill and she has long been a fighter for the delta. I heard a while back Wade Harper was going to run against Mary, lets hope he doesn’t run, he has run my beloved Antioch into the ground.

Anon Too Dec 21, 2015 - 5:50 pm

While I disagree with Ms. Piepho on many, many things, I thank her for her service to the citizens of East County.

Julio Dec 21, 2015 - 8:37 pm

I will miss Mary though I never voted for her. You could always talk with her. I will never vote for Doug Hardcastle.

Because Dec 21, 2015 - 11:16 pm

Now it’s time for any elected official that plans to run for this seat to resign their existing position. It’s only right. Serve your complete term or resign. Stick to your word! Save us the cost of another election.

Douglas Dec 22, 2015 - 12:50 am

Julio, no worries buddy. Hardcastle doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

“Piepho said she is backing Diane Burgis, an East Bay Regional Park District trustee, to succeed her on the Board of Supervisors in the fall election.”

Hope She Keeps Her Word Dec 22, 2015 - 8:04 pm

Maybe we can now move forward with improving the quality of life in Contra Costa for the residents.

Comments are closed.