Brentwood Names HR Chief as Gas Drops 15 Cents and Becerra Eyes Power

Municipal workforce leadership in eastern Contra Costa County and household energy costs across California topped regional news on Monday. In East County, the City of Brentwood appointed Teresa Fairbanks as Director of Human Resources and Risk Manager, while AAA reported a 15-cent weekly drop in California gasoline prices to $5.75 per gallon and California Governor-elect Xavier Becerra discussed his "Power Hour" free mid-afternoon electricity proposal with legislative leaders.

Brentwood Appoints Teresa Fairbanks Director of Human Resources Effective November 16

The City of Brentwood—an eastern Contra Costa County municipality of more than 67,000 residents—announced on Monday, November 9, 2026, that Teresa Fairbanks has been selected as its permanent Director of Human Resources/Risk Manager, effective November 16, 2026. According to Acting City Manager Terrance Davis (reachable at (925) 516-5440), Fairbanks emerged as the top candidate following a nationwide recruitment conducted by executive search firm Peckham & McKenney that attracted more than 90 applicants.

Fairbanks brings nearly 20 years of public-sector human resources experience spanning employee and labor relations, recruitment, classification and compensation, risk management, benefits administration, and HR technology systems. Prior to serving as Brentwood's Human Resources Manager and most recently as Interim Director of Human Resources/Risk Manager, she held leadership positions with the City of Concord, the City of Richmond, and the Contra Costa County Office of Education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Mary's College of California and a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Golden Gate University.

Contra Costa Gas Averages $5.74 as Statewide Price Dips 15 Cents to $5.75

At the pump, California regular unleaded gasoline prices declined by approximately 15 cents per gallon over the past week, outpacing the 12-cent national decrease, according to AAA data reported Monday. As of Sunday, the statewide average stood at $5.75 per gallon—still roughly $1.05 per gallon higher than at the same time last year amid global energy market volatility linked to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Across the Bay Area, Contra Costa County and San Francisco both averaged $5.74 per gallon for regular unleaded, while Alameda County averaged $5.75 per gallon. Regional prices ranged from a low of $5.62 per gallon in Solano County to $5.83 per gallon in Sonoma County. Meanwhile, California diesel prices eased from a mid-October record high of $8.51 per gallon to approximately $8.17 per gallon.

Governor-Elect Xavier Becerra's 'Power Hour' Plan Faces Legislative and Cost Questions

On the electricity front, California Governor-elect Xavier Becerra—who takes office in January—met Thursday with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, where questions surfaced over his campaign proposal dubbed "Power Hour." First introduced by Becerra in August at a Sacramento POLITICO policy summit, the plan would offer working families two hours of free electricity each day during mid-afternoon peak solar production hours.

Neither Limón nor Rivas committed to the proposal on Thursday, with Rivas noting he needed more specifics and Becerra stating he cannot make firm spending commitments before reviewing California's budget picture. Severin Borenstein, faculty director of the UC Berkeley Haas Energy Institute, estimated that a typical household would save no more than $200 annually under the plan because utility bills are driven primarily by fixed grid maintenance, infrastructure, and wildfire prevention and liability expenses rather than mid-afternoon generation costs.