The city of Davis Human Relations Commission is accepting nominations for the 2010 Thong Hy Huynh awards to showcase local human and civil rights activists’ successes.

The award was established to commemorate the life of Davis Senior High School student Thong Hy Huynh, who was stabbed to death in a racially motivated dispute on the Davis Senior High School campus in 1983.

The categories include the Humanitarian Award, the Young Humanitarian Award (for outstanding youth), Lifetime Achievement, Civil Rights Advocacy, Community Education and Awareness, Excellence in Community Involvement (for businesses or professional organizations) and Peace Officer of the Year.

“The intent of the different categories is to reach as broad a scope of individuals and groups as possible,” Kelly Stachowicz, Deputy City Manager, said.

In previous years, the majority of award recipients have been adults. However, Human Relations Commissioner Ann Privateer created a Young Humanitarian category two years ago to honor young advocates of civil and human rights in the Davis community.

“Since Huynh was a young person, I thought it was fitting to encourage young people to receive a humanitarian award. You shouldn’t have to wait all your life to be recognized,” Privateer said.

Privateer was working next door to Davis Senior High School at the Davis branch of the Yolo County Library when Huynh was killed.

According to a May 4, 2003 Davis Enterprise article “Reminders of the Past,” in spring of 1983, racial tensions escalated between a small group of white students and a small group of Vietnamese students at Davis High that ultimately resulted in the death of Huynh. Huynh, who immigrated to Davis from Vietnam around 1980, socialized primarily with a small group of four other Vietnamese immigrants at school. Another student named James Pierman moved to Davis from Southern California in 1982.

On May 4, 1983, a fight occurred when students yelling profanities in English triggered a response of cruel words in Vietnamese from the group of friends. During the confrontation, which lasted less than four minutes, Pierman snatched a knife from his car. Bob Messer, a teacher in a nearby classroom, found Huynh lying on the ground severely wounded. Huynh died in Police Chief Jerry Gonzalez’s arms.

Following the tragedy, the Davis City Council subsequently appointed the Human Relation Commission to deal with hate crimes.

“The Commission believes that ensuring young people are involved in and aware of human and civil rights issues is critical to the community. It would be really neat to have student nominees,” Stachowicz said.

Davis residents and members of Davis organizations are eligible nominees.

Last year’s recipients were Dorothy Foytik, Verena Borton, Rev. Kristin Stoneking, David Greenwald, the Episcopal Church of St. Martin and Davis Police Captain Darren Pytel.

Dorothy Foytik received the Lifetime Achievement award for her involvement in the Connections program, where she works with international women and families who move to Davis.

Verena Borton won the Humanitarian award for bringing awareness of different cultures, viewpoints and international and human rights issues to the community through a weekly film series.

Reverend Kristin Stoneking, director and campus minister at the CAL Aggie Christian Association, won the Civil Rights Advocacy award for her efforts in establishing the Multifaith Living Community.

“The Multifaith Living Community assists people in different faiths and people of no faith in understanding each other and breaking down misconceptions that can lead to discord or even hate crimes in the Davis community,” Stoneking said.

Stoneking said she felt honored to receive the award. She holds past recipients in high esteem and was therefore very humbled to be a part of the group.

David Greenwald received the Community Education and Awareness award for creating a blog that discusses local politics and offers an alternative to mainstream news sources.

The Episcopal Church of St. Martin won the Excellence in Community Involvement award for providing community meals for the homeless for many years.

Police Captain Darren Pytel received the Peace Officer of the Year award for his work with the Davis Joint Unified School District in offering ways to deal with truancy.

“There are so many heroes in Davis – sung and unsung – doing so many things to improve the lives of others. There is a wealth of generosity and kindness in the community,” Stachowicz said.

Obtain award nomination forms online at cityofdavis.org/cmo/press-releases/repository/2010-03-26.cfm, City Hall (23 Russell Blvd.), Hunt Boyer House (604 Second St.), the Yolo County Library in Davis or by calling at 757-5602.

Submit nomination forms by email (tnakatani@cityofdavis.org), fax 757-5603, or in person to the City Manager’s office at City Hall (23 Russell Blvd.) no later than 4 p.m. on April 16.

The City of Davis Human Relations Commission will review the nominations. The City Council will present the 2010 Huynh Awards at the May 18 City Council meeting. Award recipients’ names will be listed on a permanent plaque in the foyer of Community Chambers at City Hall.

THERESA MONGELLUZZO can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

There will be important decisions to make in Davis come June 8 when Davis residents vote on an item on the ballot called Measure R.

Measure R extends an already existing law Measure J until 2020. The ordinance has a critical role in determining how private contractors and real estate companies conduct business in Davis. Measure J originally passed in 2000 with a 53.6 percent majority of voters behind it.

The law requires that any development and construction projects that take place on the agricultural lands surrounding the city must first be approved by a majority of Davis citizens. Certain projects such as schools are exempted from the law.

Supporters believe that the measure protects Davis from urban sprawl and increased traffic congestion. The proponents of measure R also say that the current law gives the city an opportunity to pick development projects that would most benefit the community as a whole.

Opponents of the measure argue that the policy hinders development, innovation and affordable housing.

Joseph Whitcombe, who is a UCD graduate and heads the real estate firm Whitcombe & Co., is spearheading the campaign against Measure R.

“We have had [Measure J] for 10 years, and no one would say that there has been any major innovation during this period,” Whitcombe said.

He said that building in areas that are not subject to the ordinance presents major challenges to would-be investors. The land inside of town is so expensive that developers cannot finance large projects. Whitcombe added that a major setback to construction companies is the cost of staging building materials away from the area being developed, often a necessity at sites within the city because of the limited space available. Prior to the law Davis was known for highly innovative development projects, he said.

“The Village Homes development was internationally renowned,” Whitcombe said of the modern housing community located on Arlington and Russell Boulevard which was built between 1975 and 1980.

Supporters of the Measure R say that Whitcombe is motivated by financial gain.

“Joe Whitcombe is the son of John Whitcombe who is a major investor in the Covell Village and Nishi Farm Sites,” read a statement on yesonmeasurer.org. Both sites have been rejected as development areas by Davis voters under Measure J.

“I have always supported measure J,” said Councilmember Sue Greenwald. “It has been what stood between us and rampant sprawl. My constituents want to control growth. We are surrounded by cheap [agricultural] lands. When we allow development in these areas there are major windfall profits. Measure R will give the city more leverage in ensuring that it gets its fair share.”

Daniel Watts is a second-year law student at UCD who is running for City Council this year. He supports Measure R because he believes it conforms to the principals of democratic representation.

“I think that people who live in a city should decide its character,” Watts said.

He said developers still have a fair chance at pursuing there goals in Davis and that this is not an issue of competing rights between business interests and Davis citizens.

“As an individual voter, I would not personally vote no on every development,” Watts said.

The deadline to register for the election is May 24.

SAMUEL A. COHEN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

In the face of prospective funding diversion for the state-mandated Jail Medical Program, the Yolo County Health Department might have to cut several department programs.

Previously, county general funds have covered the Jail Medical Program’s $3.5 million annual cost. However, the health department might have to use $1.2 million in health realignment funds, which are supposed to cover general public health and indigent health programs, to fund the Jail Medical Program.

The Yolo County Health Department might have to pick up the $1.2 million cost to fund the Jail Medical Program, whereas in the past it has not had to pay anything, said Yolo County public health officer Dr. Joseph Iser.

Several programs are at risk of closing in the health department due to funding diversion, including the public health laboratory, public health nursing, health administration and outreach and public health education.

The Jail Medical Program is composed of three parts, two of which are not mandated by the state – pre-booking medical, mental health and substance abuse intervention programs. The third component, the actual medical care the incarcerated receive at the jail and juvenile justice systems, is state-mandated. There are non-mandated programs that may be cut due to decreased funding for mandated ones.

“This year, mandates exceed the amount of revenue that’s available because of the recession,” said Pat Leary, assistant county administrator.

The two programs impacting the Yolo County Health Department’s budget the most are the Yolo County Health Care for Indigents Program and the Jail Medical Program. Iser said indigent health becomes increasingly expensive each year. The program’s initial budget proposal for next year is approximately $4 million.

“Indigent healthcare is a basic safety net for very low-income people who are not served anywhere else,” Leary said.

This year, the health department could be working with a budget that is approximately half of its 2007-2008 budget. Also, almost 50 percent of the department’s employees were laid off in the past year.

The health department’s current budget is $19.2 million. Next year, the health budget will be $16 million in expenditures and $14.5 million in revenue.

There is a $1.5 million gap between available revenues and projected expenditures in the budget for the health department next year. This is largely the result of less funding over the last several years accompanied by the increased cost of everything, including power, utilities and personnel, Iser said.

Iser voluntarily took a 20 percent pay cut this March as an effort to reduce employee layoffs and prevent program cuts this year.

The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is at risk of closing as a result of decreased funding.

“I think the board of supervisors will not eliminate WIC and some other programs. The WIC program generates $1 million in state and federal funds with only about $300,000 in local funds,” Iser said. “It is cost-effective to keep. We are going to work with WIC at the state level to decrease the amount of local funds we need to fund our portion.”

Also, funding for the Maternal Child Adolescent Health program and the Adolescent Family Life program is at risk. Therefore, home visits are becoming less frequent for both of the programs.

The Public Health Laboratory, also at risk of closing, serves many functions. Employees test human stool samples for gastrointestinal illnesses. They also test domesticated and farm animals brains’ for rabies. Such animals include dogs, bats and some cows from UC Davis.

Some prospective alternatives to closing the lab include using some of UC Davis’ facilities and partnering or contracting with other agencies and counties to provide services, Leary said.

The Public Health Laboratory is exceptionally good, Leary said.

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors will vote on the recommended budget in June.

THERESA MONGELLUZZO can be reached at city@theaggie.org.

Government officials are making a final effort to encourage public participation in the 2010 census.

The constitutionally-mandated count has occurred every 10 years since 1790. The census yields a massive amount of demographical data that is used for the creation of legislative districts and the allocation of federal funding to local governments.

The 2010 census will also have a direct effect on UC Davis students. Much of the federal funding which goes to our school is determined based on census statistics. The census determines federal allocation of money for the Pell Grant budget, which many students depend on for financial aid.

The government distributes $400 billion each year to local and state governments. Each person counted in a census is worth around $10,000 to their city in federal funds, according to a UCOP press release. In Davis much of this money will go directly to the university.

“I call [the census] the mother of all campaigns,” said Rep. Mariko Yamada (D-Davis). “We want to count every breathing person in the U.S.”

Yamada said everyone must be counted regardless of whether they are a citizen or not. People without homes also must be counted.

Anyone can view a map of their community at 2010.census.gov, which displays a region’s census participation. According to the map, Aggies are behind the curve in returning their census forms. The UC Davis area shows a 41-50 percent participation rate. The city of Davis has a 67-72 percent participation rate, while the national average for participation is currently 63 percent.

“Undercounting could lead to erosion or loss of federally funded programs – approximately 3.6 billion in education program funding is at stake,” said UC Office of the President policy and programs analyst George Zamora in an e-mail interview.

Zamora added that students who live in campus housing areas will be receiving their census forms no later than May 21. Each resident is asked to fill out a separate form and return it by mail. Census workers will also conduct counts door to door for people who did not send in a form during April through July. It is much cheaper for the government, however, if people participate by mailing their census form.

“I have been a census aficionado for many years” said Yamada, who worked for the U.S. Census Bureau in 1980. “This activity, which is constitutionally required, is the foundation of representational democracy and returning the fair share of tax revenue back to communities.”

Mateo Hernandez, who attends UC Davis’ chemistry Ph.D. program, said he was not aware federal funding allocation is based on census numbers and wishes the form could be filled out online.

Rene Johnson, who also attends the Ph.D. program, agreed that the census was important.

“I haven’t filled it out yet, but right now it is magneted to my fridge,” Johnson said.

SAMUEL A. COHEN can be reached at city@theaggie.org.