Newsletter – Page 14 – Northern California Recycling Association

2022 Board of Directors Election – Candidate Statements

Seven NCRA members – including 4 incumbents, have nominated themselves to serve on the 2023-2024 Board of Directors. There are five two-year positions to fill.

Voting opens Tuesday, November 22 and ends Tuesday, December 6 at midnight. Results will be announced to the board, then the candidates and then via the December newsletter.

Early November 22, custom voting links will be emailed to current members. If you do not receive our SimplyVoting email that day, but believe you should – your membership is current as of November 21, 2022, please contact the office

The candidates are Julia Au, Alina Bekkerman, David Hott, John Moore, Lori Marra, Jessica Jane Robinson and Randy Russell.

NCRA BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES, 2023-2024

Alina Bekkerman, Incumbent, Member since 2017 I have been a member of the NCRA board since 2017, and as the newest Board Secretary, I supported the development of the newly…

David Hott, Incumbent, Member since 2019 With an educational background in Collaborative Health and Human Services from the University of California Monterey Bay, I bring extensive work experience in food…

Jessica Jane Robinson, Incumbent, Member since 2012 I’ve been an NCRA member since 2012, serving as Vice President (4yrs), Treasurer (4yrs). Now serving as President, I would like to honor…

John Moore, Member since 1992 I solicit your vote to return me to the NCRA Board. I served on the Board from 2007-2019. By then I needed a rest. I…

Julia Au, Incumbent, Member since 2019 I would be honored to continue to serve on the NCRA Board. For the past two years I have had the pleasure of serving…

Lori Marra, Member since 2006 I previously served on the 2019 NCRA Board and on the Elections Committee for years. I would like to serve on the Board again to…

Randy Russell, Member since 2012 After a decade as a NCRA member, I feel that it’s time for me to step up my involvement, deepen my commitment, and run for…

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El Cerrito’s Big Night For Recycling

El Cerrito Recycling Celebrates 50 Years!
By Arthur R. Boone, Center for Recycling Research, 8/10/22

One of California’s cities most attentive to developing multiple services to make recycling in all its facets easier for residents is El Cerrito, a small city in the southwest corner of Contra Costa County. Nestled beneath a 30- foot steep embankment, the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center, a 3-acre facility in use since 1972 has a wider array of destination points than any other known drop-off center in California.

On Friday, August 5, the present and past leaders were there with 150 onlookers to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start up of the center. As seen in the photo above, the center has bins or shelves for more the 30 materials including secure spaces to exchange household goods and leave things for Urban Ore, several clothing recyclers, plus a small pass-along shed for books.

Gabrial Quinto, current Mayor of El Cerrito, was especially friendly to me, while 4 or 5 former mayors repeatedly sounded the note that it was the people of El Cerrito, not their leaders that made this facility happen. They saw the Santa Monica dropoff as their early model (not Berkeley as is often thought). A nice trail of documents that can go to the National Recycling Archives now stored at Urban Ore in Berkeley was hinted at. Those of us with archive-gathering as a favorite avocation were charmed.

The biggest disappointment in the event was the small attention paid to NCRA Member Joel Witherell who was, long before recycling became a pastime, the face that those of us saw in El Cerrito being the linchpin and leader of the program. The Parks and Recreation Director from 1973-1993. Joel was a recycler masquerading as a bureaucrat while most of us working with public officials for our livelihood or survival remember endless rebuffs to our good ideas and hard work for a future. Joel died in 2014 after enjoying his retirement but it seems others have kept the torch held high.

I remember Joel for the summer NCRA picnics at his home out east of San Pablo, his continuing encouragement to small, barely making-it, programs, (like my own [Oakland 1983-89] etc. He was a champ.

Retired Mayor Gregg Cook has a 63-page manuscript of El Cerrito’s recycling program: El Cerrito Recycling History 1972-2012

There was also a mini-reunion of old admirers of Joel who came out for this event; thinking especially of Kathy Evans, Becky Dowdakin, Chris Lehon and others.

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Election 2022 – Nominate Yourself To Serve On The NCRA Board!

NCRA is a Recycling and Zero Waste trailblazer and has been since its inception in 1978. You can help develop the cutting edge by applying to serve on our 11-person Board of Directors!

Five positions will be open this January. One member is stepping down. It’s a two-year working post. Attendance at three out of any six consecutive meetings is required – but we prefer you attend as many as possible. You are also expected to take an active role in at least one standing committee plus one Recycling Update committee.

We meet on the third Thursday of the month, currently via Zoom. (Previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings moved around the Bay Area – sometimes in conjunction with tours. Phone participation was possible at many locations.)

Directors discuss issues, hold debates and influence regional and national recycling strategy. Such as:

- Tour facilities and talk business with operators
- Engage regional and national industry leaders
- Work on behalf of colleagues who need a boost
- Tackle issues that can’t be ignored
- Hold events and webinars on important topics
- Track and comment on legislation

Benefits include helping NCRA protect and rejuvenate the environment while promoting a waste free economy, as well as free entrance to all NCRA events. Great opportunity to network with movers and shakers. Looks good on your resume as well at interviews.

Nominees must be a member in good standing. We are seeking candidates that are familiar with NCRA and have actively participated in a committee and/or attended at least one board meeting in the last 12 months.

To nominate yourself or someone else with their permission, please submit a campaign statement of 225 words or less via our Contact Page, between September 1 and October 1. Submittals longer than 225 words will be ignored.

In your statement, please introduce yourself, note how long you have been a NCRA member and what committees you are on and then tell members why they should consider voting for you. Be sure to read the previous Statements beforehand.

The Election begins Tuesday, November 15 and ends Tuesday, November 29 at 11:59pm. Results will be announced – first to the candidates, and then via the December newsletter.

If your NCRA membership has expired or will soon, please Log-in to renew ASAP! This ensures you will be able to run and vote as well as continue to receive the NCRA News and event discounts. Your membership helps support NCRA’s advocacy and education efforts throughout the year.