Kids Vs. Adults on Use of Soccer Field-

At its meeting on Wednesday, September 19, the Piedmont Recreation Commission will again hear testimony on the persistent issues regarding use of Beach Playfield. The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm in the City Council Chambers. > Click to read more…

Pro and Con Campaigns Heating Up –

There will be a contested November election in Piedmont.  The City Council has placed a measure to renew the City parcel tax on the ballot, and opponents have organized to actively oppose the measure, based on concerns regarding the Council’s fiscal responsibility. > Click to read more…

Argument by Parcel Tax Opponents Misrepresented –

Title: PIEDMONT POST QUESTIONABLE REPORTING
Letter submitted to the Piedmont Post and Piedmont Civic Association:

Dear Editor:

Journalism 101 teaches that reporter’s opinions belong in the Op Ed section of a newspaper and that news articles should be factual.

Case in point:  the August 29th issue lead article (“Parcel Tax Arguments and rebuttals argue its necessity”) by Paisley Strellis contains this statement:  “In reading them one significant difference of opinions becomes clear:  those in favor of the tax believe it is essential to Piedmont maintaining its current level of services.  Those opposed to the tax believe it is not essential.”  Ms. Strellis interjected her personal opinion into what was supposed to be a news article.

Her claim is an opinion and not objective reporting.  I read the Parcel Tax ballot argument (buried on page 34 of a 36-page newspaper) and found nothing in the opposition’s arguments that support the statement that they “believe it (maintaining current level of services) is not essential.”  The No on Y proponents’ key position is this:  “The Council has so far ignored the most serious recommendations presented.  Ill-advised spending continues on its upward trend …. We are not opposed in principle to parcel taxes.  If the Council takes needed actions to control costs, we will support one for essential purposes in the future.”  Please show me and rest of your readers how those statements can be judged to be saying that the No on Y proponents do not believe it essential to maintain a current level of services.

The last paragraph of Ms. Strellis’ article states”  “While those opposed to the tax claim that the city has done little to curtail expenses, several members of the City Council asserted at their July 2 meeting that the city has made significant progress in reigning in finances.”  The factual silence after that was deafening!

There have been two letters to The Post (mine was one) requesting that the City Council inform the public of their “Plan B” in the event that Measure Y does not pass. An informed citizenry needs facts in order to make an intelligent voting decision.  The silence on any Plan B (certainly the City Council has discussed something along that line — hasn’t it?) is also deafening.

The voters and citizens of Piedmont deserve more transparency in city government.  When may we expect it?

Thank you,

Jim McCrea

Article Discusses Cost Sharing between City and Employees –

The following article appears in the September 2012 Piedmont League of Women Voters newsletter, the “Voter,”  by Ann Chandler. > Click to read more…

Bicycle Plan and Wireless Communications on Agenda – 

The City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint meeting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18, to discuss two important topics: a city bicycle plan and wireless communications. The meeting will be held in the Police Department Emergency Operations Center, 403 Highland Ave., which does not have broadcast capabilities.  > Click to read more…

School District Adheres to California “Sunshine Law” –

The following information was provided by the Piedmont Unified School District on its adherence to the Brown Act requirements after Governor Jerry Brown temporarily suspended the law for cities and counties: > Click to read more…

Applicants Must Represent a Recycling Operation-

Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling (Recycling Board) anticipates a vacancy on its Board in September.  The Recycling Program Operations seat is currently occupied by David Krueger. Although Recycling Board members cannot be appointed for more than two (2-year) terms, they can carry over in their positions until a replacement is found. In July, Daniel O’Donnell of the Tri-City Ecology Center (a citizens group located in Fremont) was appointed to the Environmental Organization seat on the Recycling Board.  It had been vacant since December, 2011.

Applicants for the Recycling Program Operations seat must be a resident of Alameda County and “a representative of an organization engaged primarily in operating recycling programs within Alameda County,” according to the announcement.  The deadline for applicants is September 21, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. (Stopwaste announcement )

The Recycling Board consists of 6 representatives from particular constituencies (specified by its enabling statute Measure D) and 5 members of the Board of Directors of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority.  The Alameda County Board of Supervisors selects the 6 constituent representatives, while the Board of Directors of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority selects 5 of its board members. The recent Grand Jury report found the fact that no Recycling Board seats are elected directly by the voters resulted in a lack of accountability (page 112).

The Recycling Board levies an $8.23/ton landfill disposal surcharge (tipping fee), which provides about $8 million in funding for StopWaste programs (half directly and half through restricted grants to local jurisdictions).  The Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board and the Alameda County Waste Management Authority operate jointly as one public agency under the name StopWaste.Org.

Piedmont Councilmember Garrett Keating is on the Board of the Alameda County Waste Management Authority.

Festival, Carnival, Jazz and More-

The 14th Annual Piedmont Harvest Festival will be held on Sunday, September 30 in Piedmont Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  > Click to read more…

FallFest Run/Walk – Saturday, Sept. 29 at 8:30 a.m.-

The Piedmont Unified School District Wellness Center and the Piedmont Educational Foundation have announced the Second Annual FallFest 5K Run/Walk.  Volunteers are needed to help as race course monitors, at water stations, and at registration. > Click to read more…