– Consultant’s report eliminates areas of resident concern, but it’s not too late for citizen input. –

The Police and Fire Pension Board (PFPB) will meet in the Council Chamber, 120 Vista Avenue, on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 at 4 p.m. The board will hear a report on the number of current beneficiaries and the benefits paid in the 4th quarter of 2013/14.  Jack Horgan and/or Brad Kane of Osterweis Capital Management will report on the pension fund investments and other post-employment benefits investments.

PFPB members are Chairman Bill Hosler, Mayor Margaret Fujioka, Councilmember Robert McBain, Tom Kinkaid representing the Police Department, and Brian Gidney representing  the Fire Department.  According to the City website, staff are Erick Cheung and Paul Benoit.

The PFPB meets quarterly to oversee the City’s public safety pension plan and will continue to meet as long as there are retirees or dependents who are covered by the old plan.

The meeting is open to the public, but will not be broadcast.  Prior to meetings, materials indicating assets and beneficiary numbers have usually not been publicly distributed.  Those present at the meeting and requesters after the meeting will be provided any distributed information.  

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When voters approved Piedmont employees transfer to Cal PERS (California Public Employees Retirement System), Piedmont’s existing pension system remained only for previously retired employees.  The fund currently holds assets exceeding in the millions projected costs of the remaining beneficiaries.  On the other hand, the City’s contribution to PERS requires the City and its employees to annually pay increased amounts to PERS to cover pension costs. 

The PERS costs along with health and welfare benefits for retirees are an ongoing large expense to the City.  The cost of retiree health insurance, separate from PERS, is regularly brought up at Council meetings as a significant underfunded  City liability.  Mention has been made of using any residual funds from the Police and Fire Pension Fund to pay retiree health benefits to reduce the City’s liability.  In the future this may be a possibility, but it is dependent on the longevity of those currently receiving benefits from the Police and Fire Pension Fund assets and any applicable laws governing pension funds.

The entire Pension Board charge can be found here.

On Monday, July 14, the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Review Committee will gather at 9:00 a.m. in the Council Conference Room, City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue. The purpose of the meetings is to tour sites proposed for improvement using $575,000 of WW bond funds and the City’s Capital Improvement Projects Fund.  The CIP Review Committee has been tasked with making recommendations to the City Council.

The tour and meeting is open to the public.

– CIP Review Committee Agenda –

1. Tour of Sites to be Considered for Possible CIP Funding

a. Piedmont Park; Community Hall Plaza, Amphitheater, and Terraces

b. Veterans Hall

c. Piedmont Community Pool

d. Dracena Park (Entry Way at Park Way & Dracena Avenue)

e. Coaches Field / Blair Park

f. Linda Beach Playfield (Howard Avenue Entrance)

g. Linda/Kingston Triangle

h. Crocker Park

i. Hampton Field

The sites will be visited in the order listed above. Each site visit will take approximately 15 minutes.

2. Working Lunch at Piedmont Park Tea House (Open to the public)

 There will be no public broadcast of the tour or the later CIP Review Committee discussion held over lunch at Piedmont’s Main Park Tea House. To learn about the issues, individuals should plan to attend the meeting and tour. Transportation from site to site has not been announced.

To date, none of the CIP meetings have been publicly broadcast.

The Brown Act precludes the committee members from holding discussions amongst themselves prior to reconvening in a meeting at the Tea House when consideration of the various sites will take place.   This will allow all committee members and the public to hear the deliberations.  During the tour, inquiries made to staff for a better understanding of issues and plans are permissible.

Given the complicated hoops to be jumped through to receive WW funds, the Council is likely to pursue one project rather than several. Two primary projects recently discussed by the City Council are:

– Renovation of Hampton Field’s grass playfield and tennis courts –

The City has invested in Beach Playfield, Coaches’ Field, Havens Playground, Witter Field, Hampton Field and Dracena Park.  All of which provide space for youthful activities.  Hampton Field, however, has not held up well over the years.  During wet weather, drainage is very poor significantly restricting playfield usage and causing debris to flow to a street surface.  The ever problematic tennis courts at Hampton have for decades been vulnerable to cracking with drifting sand creating hazards for players.  The City has an approved environmental document on record for Hampton Field and has recently acted to obtain construction documents to make the necessary improvements.

– Council approved enhancements and clean up of Blair Park –

Blair Park built on fill land was for generations used as a dumping ground for leaves and chipped trees. Invasive plants have damage trees and left much of the park area unusable.  The City recently took an emergency action to remove some unhealthy trees and branches that presented hazards to vehicles and park users.  Many remaining trees need attention to maintain their overall viability.  A sidewalk inside and along the roadway has been suggested as a way to enhance the park and encourage use while maintaining its open space character.  The City Council has approved a plan for Blair Park.  The park is a major gateway to Piedmont passed daily by thousands of individuals.

There are many desired projects, however some would not meet the criteria and timing required for WW bond funding.

Updated 7/14/14

– Council to renew on July 7 the contract with Berkeley  –

“There are limited animal shelter service options for the City of Piedmont. While Oakland, Alameda, and Alameda County all provide animal shelter services, each are extremely busy and often have capacity and/or staffing issues that limit their ability to effectively serve the City of Piedmont. This, combined with the proven and long term business relationship currently enjoyed with the Berkeley Animal Shelter, make it in the best interest of the City of Piedmont to renew and continue animal shelter services with the City of Berkeley through FY 2016-17.”  City Administrator Paul Benoit

The City of Berkeley has offered a three-year contract renewal to begin on July 1, 2014 and expire June 30, 2017 for $44,366 each year with a total contract cost of $133,098. This is the first fee increase in three years.  All contract cost will be shared equally between the City of Piedmont and the City of Emeryville, which currently contracts with Piedmont for Animal Control Services.

The matter will be considered at the July 7 Council meeting open to the public and will also be broadcast for home viewing.

The contract was approved by the City Attorney.

At 7:30 p.m. July 7, 2014, the Council will designate Mayor Margaret Fujioka as Voting Delegate and Vice Mayor Jeff Wieler as Alternate for the League of California Cities 2014 Annual Conference.

The League of California Cities 2014 Annual Conference is scheduled for September 3-5 in Los Angeles. An important part of the conference is the Annual Business Meeting. During this meeting, the League membership considers and takes action on resolutions that establish League policy. Policies can include positions on everything from land use to retiree benefits.  Information on items to be considered is not available at this time.

It has been a long tradition for Piedmont to send a voting representative to the Conference where study sessions and various speakers discuss current civic issues.

The appropriation amount covering the cost of participation at the Conference was not provided.

The July 7 City Council meeting is open to the public and will also be broadcast.

– Event will temporarily close southbound Grand Avenue in Oakland and Piedmont. –

– Two dozen citizens attend presentation of partial Draft General Plan 2015 – 2023 Housing Element – 

At the June 26 Planning Commission meeting, the City’s planning consultant, Barry Miller,  presented interesting demographic information about the population and housing stock of Piedmont. The fastest growing age group is over 55 years, giving the City the oldest average age in the county and the largest proportion of senior citizens. The consultant questioned how well Piedmont is responding to the needs of these residents. Planning Director Kate Black noted that the emphasis on the development of second units could serve the older residents as a way to age in place; either or by moving into their second unit and renting out the rest of their home for income or as housing for an onsite caretaker.

Piedmont, as a city, has the oldest overall housing stock in Alameda County and California with the highest proportion of homes built before 1940.

Piedmont is required to submit an updated Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) by January 31, 2015. Prior to submission, the consultant hopes to have a review letter from HCD on the working draft of the updated Housing Element this Fall. The City’s submittal need not be certified by HCD as in compliance by January, 2015. Piedmont’s current Housing Element was approved three years ago, four years after the submission deadline.

When complete, the 2014 General Plan Housing Element will include five components:

• Evaluation of Past Performance: The City’s progress in implementing the policies and programs in the prior Housing Element. (see consultant’s presentation)
• Housing Needs Assessment: Piedmont demographic and housing stock information in order to profile Piedmont’s housing needs. (see consultant’s presentation)
• Housing Sites Inventory and Analysis: Sites available for development (including new construction or second units within homes) demonstrating the City’s ability to meet its housing needs. (see consultant’s presentation of the inventory)
• Constraints Analysis: Existing and potential constraints to the development of housing and how those will be addressed. (see consultant’s presentation)
• Policies and Programs: Policies and programs to address the housing needs of the City.

The completed Draft Housing Element will be presented to the Planning Commission on Monday, July 14 at 5 p.m.

In August, the draft will be presented to the City Council; simultaneously, it will be submitted to California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in hopes of receiving comments by October. The Housing Element will be revised based on the HCD comments in time for the  Piedmont Planning Commission hearing in December and the City Council hearing in January. The revised Housing Element will be submitted to HCD by January 31, 2015.

At its June 28 meeting, the Public Safety Committee (PSC) reviewed the Police Department’s Piedmont crime report for the months of January, February and March, 2014. In his June 2 memo, City Administrator Paul Benoit highlighted a 39% decrease in reportable crimes, from 99 to 60,  compared with the first quarter of 2013.

Robberies declined from four to one and burglaries decreased from 46 to 19. Benoit’s memo noted, “Thieves generally drive or walk around an area looking for easy targets.” For home security Benoit emphasized quality locks, motion activated night-lighting and avoidance of thick  landscaping that would conceal burglars. He recommended minimizing exposure of phones and electronic devices in any public setting.  (See the full list of University of California Police Department crime avoidance tips  published by PCA.)

Piedmont’s Automatic License Plate photo system “contributed significantly to five arrests” this year. In addition, this technology aided the recovery of three stolen vehicles in 2013 and four in 2014. Sergeant Catherine Carr, filling in for Chief Goede, acknowledged some performance issues with the Automatic License Plate recorders such as communication.

The Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) program was originally adopted in AB3229 (Brulte) in 1996 with funding from the state general fund. On June 2, Benoit recommended using Piedmont’s COPS funds to purchase 25 Taser Axon body cameras together with three years of Evidence.com digital evidence storage. The cost was $34,287.31.

The PSC was specifically tasked by City Council to review the Piedmont Police Department Policy for the recently purchased body cameras. The cameras are worn by police officers to record video and audio of officer  interactions with the public. According to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), officer-worn cameras provide accurate documentation of encounters between police and the public, improving behavior and reducing lawsuits against police officers.

Under Piedmont’s policy, officers are to make an effort to record all enforcement and investigative contacts, such as arrests, citations and criminal investigations. The policy also recommends that officers make A/V (audio and video) recordings of pedestrian contacts, interviews and other events.

The public will not be informed if their interaction with the officer is being recorded, unless they ask. The public can submit public records requests to obtain copies of recordings and media personnel can view the recordings with the permission of the Chief of Police.

The body camera policy will be discussed further at the next PSC meeting.

A Regular Piedmont Board of Education meeting will be held at a different time and location this week.

The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 1, 2014, and be held in the School District Office at 460 Magnolia Avenue, downstairs from Millennium High School.

The meeting will not be broadcast ;however, it is open to the public. 

New Board officers will be elected by the Board and liaison appointments will be made to various agencies and committees. In the Board packet, the slate  suggests Vice President Andrea Swenson will become President of the Board and Board Trustee Sarah Pearson will become Vice President.

In the consent section of the agenda, readers will view funding allocations to pay for special need costs associated with Special Education students.

Piedmont’s long tradition of a fun Fourth of July parade with music, floats, and antique cars laden with public officials will start at 11 a.m. Friday, July 4.

Neighborhoods and numerous organizations will enter floats or walk the route. The parade starts at Park Way Avenue going down Highland Avenue to the Excedra (Blue Vase) in Main Park.

Starting this year, candy thrown by parade participants is prohibited. Children scrambling for loose pieces of candy presented many hazards near marchers and vehicles.  There will be some parade assistants who will walk near reviewers and pass out the ever-desired candy.

The entertainment program in Main Park will begin shortly after the parade ends at approximately 12 noon.  Music, presentations and picnics will be part of the celebration.  Food will be sold by various organizations. The park program is open to all.

Block parties later in the day will be sprinkled throughout the City, as neighbors hold pot lucks and continue the celebration into the night.

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Those placing chairs along the parade route are asked to be mindful of not creating barriers for those with mobility impairments.

The Piedmont Public Safety Committee would like citizens, as they celebrate with their neighbors, to consider how to be better prepared for a major emergency.

********* Fireworks in Piedmont are illegal. ********

Happy Fourth of July!