Today, I encountered several extremely over-sized campaign signs promoting the latest excursion into the pockets of Piedmont’s taxpayers, Measure H1 on the November 8 election ballot.  I was overwhelmed by the size (about six feet tall) and their garish appearance.

I thought there was a limit to the size of such signs; but no such luck.  The City Clerk informs me that political signs on private property are not subject to such limits that apply to commercial signs.  They just must be removed within 10 days following the election. 

My question: Will such outlandish signage become commonplace for the future in Piedmont?  If it does, those responsible for this trash will be held to never-ending criticism by the citizens of Piedmont!

Appalled Piedmont Resident – George Childs

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.  PCA does not support or oppose ballot measures.

Student Election Opinion: Re-elect Andrea Swenson

When scrolling through the Piedmont Civic Association’s site, I almost always see election endorsements and opinions written by Piedmont parents. It makes sense– most high schoolers my age either can’t or don’t vote, so there aren’t many of our opinions out there. However, I think it’s ludicrous that input from students regarding elections that are so closely tied to them, like School Board elections, is kind of unheard of. That’s why I want to take some time away from my daily homework and college apps to tell all of you why I, a Piedmont High School senior, endorse Andrea Swenson for the School Board.

When I first met Andrea Swenson, I was struck by her knowledge and professional attitude, even under pressure. The first Board meeting I went to, the Board was discussing the budget for this year, which had a surprising number of state funding cuts and extra burdens on the District. In fact, the PUSD is going to have to pay up to almost two million dollars more for teacher pensions in a few years because of it. Even in the face of this major setback, Swenson was both calm and optimistic. I wasn’t surprised– she was ready for anything the state could throw at her because she had been the President of the Board the past four years. I learned later that she also has a background in finance– which is not something I usually enjoy in a person, but in the next coming years, her know-how will prove key to maintaining the strength of Piedmont’s programs even though the budget is facing some difficulties.

What I appreciate the most about Swenson is that she genuinely cares about student life and input. When I proposed a homework and stress reducing plan for Piedmont High School, she showed genuine interest in my ideas and gave me suggestions on who else I could to talk to in order to make it happen. She was just as courteous and kind to the proposals of other community members, but I felt really touched that she took students so seriously. I feel good knowing that I have a Board President that will listen to my peers and me.

In all, I feel confident endorsing and campaigning for Andrea Swenson because I have seen her excel as a public servant. I know I’m leaving the District in June, but I have a younger brother that has just started at Piedmont High School that I have to think about. I hope that he has the same level of professionalism, knowledge, and care that I have had, and I hope that Swenson is the one that guarantees that.

Amelia Henry, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author. PCA does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

What happened at the Recreation Commission meeting?

Student Reports on the Piedmont Recreation Commission Meeting of Oct. 19, 2016

   I went to the Recreation Commission meeting on Wednesday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Piedmont City Hall. The Commission meets every third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. The Commissioners meet to discuss recreation projects and improvements that are being done around the city, as well as work with the Recreation Department on sports and other programs.

    The major subject addressed in the meeting was the topic of a new play structure that is going to be placed next to the Rec Department and the Community Pool. This structure will have two slides, a tire swing, a small climbing wall and two decks respectively of 3 and 4 feet high.  Kit Stephens, the man who presented the model, is a Piedmont resident and works for a company that makes play structures. The estimated cost of this structure is about $63,000, which will be able to be moved and bolted into a new location once the pool goes under reconstruction. The benches surrounding the area will stay the same and they tried hard to paint the structure natural colors so that it would blend into the environment.

     I asked the Commissioners and Stephens whether the building of this structure would be environmentally friendly. I brought up the fact that they used recycled and some natural materials while renovating Havens School and I wondered if they would do the same in this situation. The answer I received was that, due to regulations, it is difficult to reuse things like swings and metals because they do not meet current standards. They are using recycled materials to make the roofs over the platforms as well as make the structure movable to lengthen its possible lifespan.

     All the Commissioners approved the recommendation of the play structure. I felt that they could have tried a little harder to repurpose the old play structure in other objects or in the new one, but unfortunately too often the environment is placed on a back burner due to financial and logistical reasons.

    Another issue addressed was recreation basketball. The Recreation Director Sara Lillevand brought up the issue that out of the 2nd grade class there were 72 boys playing basketball and only 5 girls. This disparity was unusually high even though boys generally have a higher participation level. Student Will McDonald suggested that in order to raise awareness and boost enthusiasm the Rec Department could host a viewing of the WNBA finals to encourage girls to play basketball and get the community involved.

    They also addressed the progress of Hampton Field. The back section is completed and they are finalizing the field portion and the infield. Student Michael Hebert asked if they are going to refurbish the tennis courts which the Director confirmed has already been done. Student Andrew Meredith asked if the field will be able to host games for older ages (above 5th grade). Due to the field size, they will not be able to have older teams play.

    Commissioner Glyn Burge asked many questions throughout the meeting, clarifying information, and also somewhat critical to discussion. At the same time, the Director spoke throughout most of the meeting, more so than the Commission Chair. The Director had all the updates about events, progress, and finances. It was impressive that she was so organized and interested in her job that seemed like a hefty amount of work.

    Jen Cavanaugh, City Council candidate, was at the meeting as well, and we got to hear some of her views. She said that she was there to advocate for the elderly who pay taxes for the Recreation Department, yet often feel that most of the money goes towards programs for younger people like children and toddlers. She also wanted to voice opinions on whether the new Hampton Field would be hosting softball, because when her daughter played she never got the chance to play on Hampton Field. The Commissioners answered this by saying that the field schedules are split up by the coaches and teams and then divided so it is not discriminating against gender, and it is coincidental.

Yuka Matsuno, Piedmont High School Senior

______________________

Student report:

The Recreation Commission met on Wednesday, October 19 starting at 7:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. The purpose of this particular meeting was to consider the recommendation of a new children’s playground and to discuss updates on various recreational improvement projects throughout the city. The Commission meets once a month allowing for enough time to pass to give updates on recreational projects.

During the meeting there were 6 major issues being discussed. The first issue on the agenda was the consideration of the “Tot Lot” play structure at the Recreation department. For this topic the owner of Miracle Playsystems, Kit Stephens was in attendance. Mr. Stephens presented a slideshow for the Commission and answered many questions coming from the Commission members. He talked about the need for the play structure, the old one had been previously torn out due to being outdated. He stated that the new structure is much safer and can accommodate more children playing at once. Also he said that the structure is removable so if the upcoming pool plan goes through the structure can be relocated very easily. From the audience Piedmont High’s own Yuka Matsuno spoke asking the Commission and Mr. Stephens about the environmental effects of the project and if the environment was being taken into account. Mr. Stephens went into detail about all of the recycled materials used in the making of the play structure. The structure was recommended for approval by all of the members of the Commission.

The next item on the agenda was an update about the Hampton Park improvement project. The project is aimed at fixing the drainage of the sports field, resurfacing the tennis and basketball courts, and making the area into more of a park area. Everything is on track and going as planned with the proposed opening date to be February 18 right in time for the upcoming baseball season.

Jen Cavenaugh asked a good question about the usage for the new playing field asking if it is for baseball and softball or just baseball like it has been in the past. Commission Chair Betsy Anderson addressed this by saying that it is planned to be utilized by both baseball and softball.

Personally, I love the new plan for Hampton Park. I grew up playing sports there and the drainage was always an issue as well as bad weather. I think it is wonderful what the Rec Department has done/is doing in terms of making the space more park-like and fixing problems that definitely needed to be fixed.

The third item was an update on the Recreation Department/Veteran’s Hall plan. In this plan the Commission talked about the two buildings having a lot of open space and how they would like the space to be used. Although no official plans have been drawn up there are many proposals being considered and voted upon. Also they are looking to do more safety inspections and retrofitting periodically.

The fourth item addressed was an update on the ongoing search for a new Aquatics Coordinator. The Commission stated that all of the interviews have been concluded and by the next meeting the position will be filled.

The next topic was an update on the Aquatics Master Plan Conceptual Design. The Master Plan conceptual design is (hopefully) coming to the City Council in November at one of the two City Council meetings that month. Also the Plan has been shared and talked over with the neighbors of the area, showing them the plans and taking into account what they had to say. Overall the plans are going well and one member of the Commission asked what the timeline looked like and Commissioner Glyn Burge replied, “probably won’t be on the Rec Commission when it’s finished,” which leads me to believe the process will take a long time to complete.

The final topic addressed was the upcoming Piedmont Recreation Department Haunted House on October 26-28. The Haunted House is going to be very similar to the last few years offering more and more scary options with the first, least scary option on the 26th. Not much will change from previous years.

After the meeting was adjourned, I had the pleasure of interviewing Commissioner Glyn Burge. I asked him why he was a part of the Commission and he replied, “I was asked by other members and decided it would be nice to be a part of the actual decision making process.” When asked about how he would get his concerns addressed, he told me that the people on the Commission don’t have all that much power or pull, however discussing and recommending items to the City Council allows his views and opinions to be heard.

Andrew Meredith, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors.

Council learned of Piedmont robbery increase, approved plan to reduce cost of Piedmont waste disposal contract, supported methods of fundraising for Hampton Field, encouraged collaborative energy savings ….

Student Report of October 17th, City Council Meeting

    On Monday October 17, the Piedmont City Council met at City Hall to discuss an array of issues. The purpose of this meeting was to cover four topics: the possibility of renewable energy in Piedmont, the third quarter crime report, the renovation of Hampton Field and finally the possibility of a contract negotiation with the current waste collector for Piedmont.

    The most discussed issue was regarding joining Alameda County’s Community Choice Aggregation program. Bruce Jensen gave a presentation on the topic complete with graphs, hypotheticals and facts. This program would allow local governments to develop renewable power on public facilities, residences and businesses. The proposed plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and provide cheaper energy than PG&E. This in turn would save the city and it’s residents money. If residents decided they were not interested, they could opt out of the plan and continue using PG&E as their power supplier.

    Following the clean energy presentation, Chief of Police Rikki Goede presented the third quarter crime report. She started by mentioning the increase of robberies in recent months; the numbers were up from 42 burglaries by the third quarter of 2015 compared to 52 burglaries by the third quarter of 2016. With this, she stressed the importance of locking windows and doors and looking out for and reporting any suspicious activity. On a brighter note, she commended the work of her officers in enforcing traffic laws on busy streets and writing 433 traffic citations. Following her presentation, Councilwoman Teddy King thanked the Police Department for their vigilant effort in protecting the community.

    The next topic covered was the renovation of Hampton Field. Members of the Piedmont Recreation Facilities Organization (PRFO) spoke about fundraising for the project. The proposed budget for the renovation is $1,978,760 with the PRFO helping tremendously to raise additional funds. They are offering donation gifts ranging from personalized bricks all the way to naming rights of the baseball field. I am excited to see this project come to fruition after so much hard work and generosity from our community.

    Lastly, discussion on what company should be used for waste collection was brought up. The contract with the current provider, Republic Services, is coming to an end. Council members and other city officials have been considering changing waste collection companies as a contract extension from Republic Services would cause rates to increase anywhere from thirty to forty percent. Furthermore, the company would have to cut the backyard service they provide as workers have been getting injured lifting heavy trash cans up and down stairs. All members of the council were open to looking into alternatives and plan to begin the search for a new waste collector.

The City Council members meet twice per month, on the first and third Mondays.

Nick Perkocha, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

I am writing to urge you to re-elect Sarah Pearson to the Piedmont School Board. 

In her first term on the board, Sarah has been a strong advocate for high quality, differentiated education for all types of learners, and she has helped to advance important initiatives to promote the social and emotional well-being of all students.

One of Sarah’s greatest strengths is her ability to engage with the community and really listen to opinions of diverse stakeholders on any issue. At just about any community event, you’re likely to find Sarah enthusiastically engaged. If you don’t already know Sarah, I urge you to introduce yourself. She’ll welcome your questions and concerns about the many complex issues facing the district. I’m sure you’ll find her to be warm, approachable and well-informed, and you’ll be glad to have her continue to represent you on the Piedmont School Board.

Kathleen O’Brien, Piedmont Resident

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author. 

Report of October 3rd City Council Meeting –

Piedmont City Council is the legislative body of Piedmont, and meets weekly to address issues and concerns in the community. On October third, several people spoke up on items not on the agenda, both on issues involving safety. Later, the Council discussed funding and budgets.

    Jen Cavenaugh raised the issue of increased traffic congestion on Grand Avenue. The congestion began after the Grand Avenue Road Diet, which gave more lanes to bikers in order to maximize safety. The congestion is so bad it spreads into residential areas not meant for traffic, which contradictingly reduces safety for children at play. One of the council members stated that traffic engineers found out that the congestion was actually caused by traffic light timing. Cavenaugh stated she will investigate further.

   Dimitri Magganas suggested that the City Council should enforce inspection of water supplies for fire sprinklers in commercial buildings. The Council agreed that the issue should be looked into.

    After discussing funding and income, the Council agreed that it is appropriate to have a surplus of budget money. This is to avoid mindlessly throwing extra money at unnecessary projects, and also to have a supply of backup money.

After the Council adjourned, I interviewed Jen Cavenaugh. The controversial subject of traffic congestion is what brought her to the City Council. She wanted the Council to look into her issue further, but since they declined, decided to pursue the congestion on her own. Even if the problem is just the light timing, I think it is still great that the public has a way to pitch in. Unlike federal and even state governments, local government seems to be very peaceful in their main interest: fixing problems in the community.

Zainab Sayeed, Piedmont High School Senior

Second Report of October 3rd City Council Meeting – 

On October 3rd 2016, I attended the City Council meeting at City Hall, The City Council is a group of elected Piedmont residents who join together on the first and third Monday of every month to make important decisions that affect the Piedmont community.

During this meeting many major issues were addressed, but it started with an open microphone to any Piedmont resident who wished to speak out about any problems they have witnessed.  Dimitri Magganas was the first person to come to the microphone and speak. He started by sharing the reason he had come. He had noticed that the valve that controlled the water for an entire neighborhood was accessible by the street and that the valve had been shut off therefore turning off the water for the entire neighborhood. He expressed his concerns about how this was a possibility in the future and suggested that there be someone who regularly checks the valve.

The second speaker who came to the microphone was Jen Cavenaugh. Jen Cavenaugh  is running for City Council and came to express her concern about the repercussions of the Grand Avenue restriping. This redo changed the two lane street into a one lane street thus increasing the safety of cyclists. Because of this change, traffic has been piling up into Piedmont residential areas and Jen Cavenaugh  has heard many complaints and concerns from local Piedmont residents. The Council responded saying that a traffic report was underway and that the lights were being tested to see if a change could decrease traffic.

After the initial open microphone, the City Council moved on to the official schedule for the meeting, This started with the Street Use Permit for the Annual Turkey Trot Race. This Permit was a request to close the City streets on Thanksgiving morning to allow for the fundraiser known as the Turkey Trot. After a very brief discussion about the permit it was approved by the Council.

The next issue that was discussed during the meeting was the Conditional Use Permit for Belardi/Ostroy for a marketing office at 1345 Grand Avenue #101 & #102.  When asked about the general response to the permit it was said that their were no obvious red flags. It was also noted that a worker requested to do some renovations inside the building. In the end, the motion to pass the permit was approved.

The next topic discussed in the meeting was the consideration of a fund balance policy pursuant to Governmental Accounting Standards board statement. The policy was briefly outlined detailing what changes would be made and the motion to pass the policy was approved.

The last subject that was talked about during the meeting was the consideration of the FY 2015-16 year End Transfers of Net income in the General Fund. Funds were transferred to the Facilities Maintenance Fund, Equipment Replacement Fund, and other post employment benefits. Allocations were proposed and justified, the Equipment Replacement Fund was mentioned, and it was said that having three funds could help progress. This discussion was based around how much of the budget should be allocated to each subject and after particular amounts were suggested the motion to pass this was approved.

The issue that I most connected with was the one involving the Grand Avenue redo. I completely understand the thought process behind the redo as it happened to increase the safety of cyclists, but in my opinion this major change has had major negative effects on the community as a whole. Residential areas are being clogged with traffic, streets are not as safe for playing children and the commute time for Piedmont residents going through that area has increased.

At the end of the meeting I choose to interview Jen Cavenaugh because I was genuinely interested in what she had to offer in the meeting and wanted to learn more. Jen Cavenaugh is currently running for City Council. She came to the meeting because many people were expressing concern about the traffic caused by the Grand Avenue redo. Due to the change from two lanes to one, traffic is backing up into Piedmont residential areas. She came because she wanted to share these concerns for public safety. She has seen regular traffic and this has had large effects on Piedmont communities. She has witnessed increased numbers of illegal U-turns, as well as traffic blocked all they way up to residential areas thus making them less safe for playing children. She said she was not 100% sure about what the Council had decided on, she was uncertain that the traffic lights are the problem. She claimed that she is going to “wait and see how it works out, and follow up is concerns still arise”

Ashley Erkelens, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the authors. 

Measure H1 Campaign Co-Chairs Claire Arno and Chad Olcott invite you to

Editors Note: PCA does not support or oppose ballot measures.