❒ Residents ponder what 2014 will bring to city

By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

After reflecting on the closing year, several Benicians said they are looking forward to 2014 and what they may accomplish both personally and for the community.

Mike Caplin said that during 2013, he took some pride in “my work on the city’s Tourism Committee promoting Benicia at the Sunset Magazine Celebration weekend in June.”

One highlight of that work was when some travel and tourism executives of San Francisco SKAL International, a professional organization of tourism leaders, came to Benicia in late October.

Caplin said the executives were impressed “with our ‘hidden gem.’”

Looking forward to 2014, he said, “I am anxious to increase efforts promoting Benicia as a first- class tourist destination, and hopefully bring more bus tours to the city that will help both the Benicia State Parks Association and all of our wonderful merchants.

“Lastly, I would like to see more cooperative ventures between the BSPA (Benicia State Parks Association) and the Benicia Historical Museum, because in my opinion, there’s a practical and natural ‘union’ there.”

Nikki Basch-Davis said spending her third year on the board of Arts Benicia has been one of her own highlights of 2013.

“I joined originally thinking that in one year or so I can have some influence on strengthening the organization through marketing and promotion,” she said.

“I quickly realized how multifaceted and vast is the work to be done just to keep us afloat. The one year became three.”

Basch-Davis is a noted artist herself, which she said gives her a personal perspective as a member of the Arts Benicia board.

I realized that this work is part of my creative process just as much as standing in front of a canvas with my brushes,” she said.

James B. Wallace, a member of Benicia’s Open Government Commission, said both 2013 and 2014 will hold personal goals for him, too. However, his past accomplishments and future goals are family oriented.

“My granddaughter became old enough to start kindergarten this year,” he said. “I was asked to participate in some of her activities during the year.

“I didn’t do anything specific to accomplish this. I was only fortunate enough to be asked by my son and daughter-in-law,” he said.

Looking ahead to 2014, Wallace said, “I coached soccer for both my son and my daughter. I hope to be able to enroll my granddaughteer in soccer this year and be a coach for her soccer team.”

He called his observations “nothing grandiose.” But he added that these “are important to me.”

Janice Adams, superintendent of Benicia Unified School District, also thought of children as she wrapped up 2013 and looked forward to 2014.

“This has been a year of significant change in education in California, with the implementation of Common Core Standards and a new state funding model called Local Control Funding Formula,” Adams said.

“Both changes are requiring a great deal of time, energy and resources to implement, but staff is stepping up to meet the challenges,” she said.

“We have provided high-quality professional development which is translating into improved instruction in our classrooms.

“I am proud of the work of our staff and I am grateful to work with such outstanding teachers who work tirelessly on behalf of Benicia’s children.”

City Treasurer H.R. Autz said his biggest accomplishment of 2013 was “representing over 25,000 Benicia residents” at meetings of both the Finance Committee and the City Council.

“As city treasurer for the first year, that was important because, besides the members of the Finance Committee, no one from the general public attends,” he said.

He said he expects to attend more meetings himself in the new year and urge residents to participate more in city government.

“I plan to get input from more of our residents,” Autz said. He said he also would encourage residents to read about city operations in Benicia Herald news articles.

“I will try to have them view the Council meetings through the city’s website. And I will try to have more members of the community attend some of the financial committee meetings,” he said.

“This will keep me busy.”