Episode 23: Not Your Average Shopping Trip – Inside Public Procurement and Making Every Dollar Count
The Public Works Purchasing Division is a team that most residents may never meet, but whose work touches nearly every County service—from maintaining roads and flood control infrastructure to purchasing equipment, contracts, and materials that help departments serve the public. We're pulling back the curtain on what public purchasing really is, why transparency matters, and how taxpayer dollars are responsibly managed.
26 Aug 2026
Episode 22: Understanding the Community Warning System – How Emergency Alerts Reach You
What happens when an emergency strikes and people need to know how to protect themselves? In this episode, the Community Warning System team—Lorena Herrera, Leslie Monroy, and Richard Beeson—explains how Contra Costa County's Community Warning System delivers timely, lifesaving information to the public. They discuss what goes on behind the scenes before an alert is sent, who has the authority to issue emergency notifications, how agencies work together during incidents, and why being prepared before an emergency happens can make all the difference.
Guests: CWS Manager Lorena Herrera, Senior Emergency Planners Richard Beeson, Leslie Monroy, and Host Kristi Jourdan
24 Jun 2026
Episode 21: No Next of Kin: How the Public Administrator Steps In
What happens when someone dies with no known family, no will, and no one able to manage their affairs? In this episode, Chief Deputy Public Administrator Amy Elstermeyer talks about how her team steps in during some of life’s most difficult and sensitive moments to locate next of kin, safeguard assets, arrange final services, and why this work matters so deeply for families and communities across Contra Costa County.
Guests: Chief Deputy Public Administrator Amy Elstermeyer, Public Administrator Program Assistant Kylie Frost and Host Kristi Jourdan
Podcast Authority Score: 15 / 100
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