The Piedmont Recreation Department (PRD) has announced that it will not hold the annual Haunted House at 358 Hillside Avenue in 2018. This will be just the third time in 30 years that Piedmonters will not be spooked and scared by PRD staff in the Recreation Department building during the last week in October.

Staffing changes in the Schoolmates program have reduced the available time staff has to build and create the Haunted House. Previously, Schoolmates staff spent a significant portion of October, when not caring for students, developing and building the frights that were enjoyed by visitors to the Haunted House.

“Though the haunted house is a Piedmont tradition, our priority is delivering quality care before and after school at Schoolmates,” said Recreation Director Sara Lillevand. “We believe that quality would suffer at Schoolmates sites if we were to shift resources to the Haunted House during this time of transition.”

Over the next six months, Recreation Department staff will examine different approaches to creating, building and staffing the Haunted House and determine whether a feasible model exists to continue this fun but complex three-day event in future years.

Piedmonters have been scrutinizing their PG&E bills since early summer, expecting to be automatically switched to East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) the new local electricity supplier in Alameda County.

On October 1, 2018, Piedmont’s City Clerk reminded Piedmonters the switch is coming:

East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is the new local electricity supplier in Alameda County that gives municipal, commercial, and residential accounts the opportunity to use cleaner, greener energy. EBCE is a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program, which is a community-governed program authorized by California law in 2002, that pools the electric load of participating accounts for the purpose of purchasing and developing cleaner power at lower rates.

All residences and businesses in Piedmont will be automatically enrolled in EBCE, but’s it’s easy to change your service plan or remain with PG&E. Please see http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/piedmonts-p…

EBCE holds monthly Board of Directors meetings and Community Advisory Committee meetings as well as occasional discussions and guest lectures regarding renewable energy. All meetings are open to the public.

Next EBCE meetings:

• Community Advisory Committee Meeting – 10/15/18

  Date: October 15, 2018
  Time:  7:00 pm
  Location:  City of Union City Council Chambers, 34009 Alvarado-Niles Road
  Union City, CA 94587

• Board of Directors Meeting – 10/17/18

  Date: October 18, 2018
  Time:  6:00 pm
  Location:  City of Hayward Council Chambers, 777 B St., Hayward CA 94544

• *Special* Executive Committee Meeting – 10/12/18

  Date: October 12, 2018
  Time:  12:00 pm
  Location:  TBD- Oakland

  EBCE is hiring! Current positions include:

• Customer Care Manager  Application deadline October 19, 2018
• Director of Local Development, Electrification, and Innovation  Open until filled
• Energy Analyst  Open until filled
• Legal Analyst/Paralegal  Open until filled

For more information, contact Piedmont City Clerk John Tulloch at 510/420-3040. 

 I’ve had the pleasure working side-by-side with Julie Caskey for the past few years in connection with the Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee (PADC). To say that Julie brings bountiful energy and doggedness to everything she does is an understatement. As a Board Member, these traits will serve Julie well.

As key organizers of “Let’s Talk,” the community-wide, civil discourse workshops offered last February and, again, this past August, I got to see Julie in action. From initial planning meetings to content development, sponsor outreach, and communication activities, Julie demonstrated critical, strategic and collaborative thinking and effectiveness in all things. For example, Julie was able to get every single parent-led school club to donate even a very short amount of time. This remarkable feat takes equal parts tenacity and strong relations, which Julie has created in our community during all of her hours of volunteer week.

Finally, I also know that Julie will continue to work on important issues including building a more inclusive community that supports all students.

Jill Lindenbaum, Piedmont Resident

Monday, October 1 Council meeting will begin with a Closed Session for conferences with Legal Counsel regarding litigation.  The existing litigation is Jordan Thobe vs City of Piedmont et al.  In addition, there are two anticipated litigation cases – Initiation of litigation pursuant to Government Code §54956.9(d)(4): (Two Cases)

The regular agenda includes the Consent Calendar starting at 7:30 p.m :

10/01/18 – Approval of the Biennial Update of the City’s Conflict of Interest Code (City Council Policy #24)  

This item includes statements required by the Piedmont Planning Commissioners, Police and Fire Pension Board members , but without explanation does not include the Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee members.

10/01/18 -Authorization for the City Administrator to Sign Three Documents Related to the East Bay Sewer Collection Systems Agencies 

Regular Agenda:

10/01/18 – Consideration of a Resolution in Support of East Bay Regional Parks District Measure FF 

10/01/18 -Consideration of a Report on Traffic and Safety Conditions on Oakland Avenue 

10/01/18 – Consideration of the Award of the 2018 Street Traffic Striping Project to Chrisp & Company in the Amount of $276,414.95, Determining the Project to be Exempt from CEQA, and Setting an Overall Project Budget of $336,386.40

Editor:

We strongly endorse Amal Smith for re-election to the School Board.

Amal has an admirable track record of volunteerism and leadership in our town from Beach Parent Organization (BPO), PEF, support groups and for the last four years as a member of the School Board, experience and leadership that is supplemented by her 28 year career in higher education.

Amal’s dedication to the Piedmont community and our schools is unwavering. Amal is not just committed to an education for all students but also to providing them with the social and emotional tools they need to succeed as young adults through high school and beyond.

Through my own volunteerism on parent club and other community boards I have worked with Amal and am continually impressed by her ability to relate to parents at all stages of their child(ren)’s education, to listen, to process copious information and to provide valuable insights, thought provoking questions and/or relevant next steps or solutions.

Amal is a strong leader and communicator whose candid responses, forethought and constructive reflection all help to better educate parents and meet the needs of our schools and our students.

Piedmont is lucky to have such an exceptional candidate willing to run for re-election. We hope you will join us in supporting Amal Smith for re-election to the School Board.

Charlotte and Mike Ero, Piedmont Residents

Streets Briefly Closed and Several homes Evacuated Thursday Morning

A fake pipe bomb in the backpack of Pablo Jesus Guardado, 36, Oakland, was “rendered safe” by the Alameda County Bomb Squad.  Also found in the backpack was an unloaded gun and two switchblade knives according to Piedmont Capt. Chris Monahan.

“Police investigating a report of a suspicious person in the area of Wildwood and Winsor avenues about 8:30 a.m. detained Guardado in the 1100 block of Warfield Avenue. …  Streets in the area were shut down and some homes evacuated while the bomb squad did its work.

< Owner of the backpack

Authorities said that “out of an abundance of caution,” Wildwood Elementary School, 301 Wildwood Ave., a few blocks away, was placed on a shelter-in-place status.”  East Bay Times

Piedmont Police Press Release:

On September 27, 2018, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Piedmont Police responded to a report of a suspicious person in the area of Wildwood Avenue at Winsor Avenue in Piedmont. Officers located the individual, detained him and located an unloaded firearm, two switchblade knives and what appeared to be an explosive device. The individual was taken into custody without further incident.

Officers cordoned off the area and immediately began evacuating nearby residences. Wildwood Elementary School was directed to shelter-in-place.

The Piedmont Police Department requested the assistance of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad. Bomb Squad technicians responded to the scene, examined the device and were able to render it safe. Although the device was made to appear to look as an explosive device it was found to not contain any explosive material. Residents and Wildwood School staff were notified of the resolution of the event and that it was safe to return to their homes and routine school activity.

Participating Piedmonters were notified about the issue.  To sign-up for future notifications follow the instructions below:

AC Alert Emergency Notifications

Your safety is our top concern – that’s why Piedmont wants to make sure you know about emergencies and incidents as they happen.

The City of Piedmont will use “AC Alert” powered by Everbridge to make sure you know about issues that may affect your safety. This system allows the City to contact thousands of residents in seconds so you can find out about an emergency right away.

Receive important messages from city officials via email, phone, and much more!

How Does It Work?
The process begins when the City of Piedmont issues a message about a potential safety hazard or concern. Next, “AC Alert” sends a message through your primary contact path. If you don’t confirm receipt of the message, the system will try to reach your second contact path and continues trying to reach you until you confirm receipt.

The success of this service relies on YOU. Having your latest contact information is the only way to ensure that we can contact you in an emergency. Please sign up – it only takes about a minute to enroll!

Thank you in advance for you cooperation and participation in this important program!

The City of Piedmont Respects Your Privacy!!

The City of Piedmont will never share or distribute your personal information, unless required to do so by law. Additionally, we will never use your information for any purpose other than to send emergency notifications or information pertaining to Piedmont.

 

Dear Editor:

I am writing to endorse Julie Caskey for Piedmont’s School Board for three main reasons.

1. First, she has dedicated 30 years of her life to improving the lives and advancing the interests of women and children. This is not a new hobby taken up in her leisure–this is an area of passion.

2. Second, she has “skin in the game” as a mother of four children, ranging in age from elementary, to middle, to high school. She is connected to and actively engaged in school and community issues.

3. Lastly, she communicates and adheres to a set of values that I share. The most important of these is inclusiveness, which I believe is a critical gap in the way the School Board and the Piedmont School system approach their decision making and priorities.

Please join me in supporting Julie for the Piedmont School Board.

Sincerely,

Amelia Wu, Piedmont Resident

 

The League of Women Voters of Piedmont is hosting an election forum in advance of the November 6, 2018 General Election.

The forum will feature candidates for City Council and School Board as well as pros & cons for Piedmont measures BB & CC to amend Piedmont’s City Charter.

Piedmont Election Forum

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Piedmont City Council Chambers

The League of Women Voters of Piedmont will host an election forum for the June 5, 2018 California Primary. Candidates for School Board (4) and City Council (4) will be on hand to present their positions and take questions from the audience.

A presentation of pros & cons for local measures BB & CC will be presented by supporters and opponents of the City Charter changes. This event is open to the public. Those unable to attend are invited to view a simulcast of the event on KCOM-TV, channel 27 and also from the City website under videos.