– Piedmont High School students report on the Piedmont City Council meeting of May 4, 2015 – 

On the night of May 4, I attended a City Council meeting that lasted 2 hours.  The Council meets about twice a month.  The purpose of this meeting was to address various issues, discuss city planning, as well as hear updates on crime.

The major issues addressed included the upcoming Bike to Work Day, the new installation of LED lights in the street lamps, the problems occurring because of the Happy Together Preschool (HTP), a crime update from Police Chief Goede, and Piedmont’s Fund Reserve.The most controversial issues included the LED lights and the Happy Together Preschool.

PG&E* has begun planning its estimated 8 week project to replace the 578 standard street lamp lights with new, energy efficient lights, LED.  This project is estimated to cost $140,000, to be financed by PG&E.  Along with the benefit for newer lights, these LED lights will also cut down Piedmont’s CO2 emissions and save the City $22,000 dollars per year on electricity.  The issues regarded the intensity of the lights, which can be changed according to a PG&E employee, and the size of the rebate.  Both of these issues were brought to attention by Councilwoman Teddy King, who wanted to understand the situation.

I am in support of the LED lights because not only would they be funded by a source outside the city, it would also allow Piedmont to cut back on our CO2 emissions and allow us to play our part in the protection of our environment.

The other issue were the noise complaints and social blight that Fairview Avenue residents found with Happy Together Preschool (HTP.)  Currently, HTP is attempting to double the number of their students (15-30), increase its staff (5-7) and increase their hours of opertion by 3 hours.  Many Fairview residents, such as Halley Ivy and Roger Tinkuff see the preschool as a hazard because of the low fence where the young children climb on, and as a blight on the neighborhood because of the noise and parking spaces that HTP requires.

The residents were worried about whether increasing the student population will make it easier to maintain the school, or bring the school down because of too many people in a small building.  The suggested solution was that the expanded hours would allow the parents to pick up their kids in a staggered amount of time rather than all at once.  Additionally, adding more hours onto the day would create an environment where students could play throughout the day in small groups rather than one big group.

On the issues regarding HTP, I did not see enough information to make a solid decision on whether I support the modification or not.  Both sides presented solid evidence, although the residents seemed too emotional when talking.  However, given from what I have seen, HTP needs to get everything straight and under control (such as the playground, noise problems and the fence) before they get more students.

I spoke at the meeting to discuss the issue I have seen with the El Cerrito and Oakland Avenue intersection.  Having crossed this intersection many times, it is easy to say that there is a real difficulty in seeing down Oakland Avenue when trying to cross and that this creates a driving hazard that affects the whole community.  I described my incidents with trying to cross the intersection in my car and how dangerous the crossing is.  I purposed that the city reconsider the amount of parking on Oakland Avenue close to an intersection because with fewer cars blocking the view, the transition from one side of the street to the other would make a tremendous difference.

I interviewed Councilman Robert McBain, who was elected to his position as he wanted to continue his involvement in the community.  The difficulties he saw as the most important were the budget issues as well as creating adequate recreational facilities.  The Council has done a lot to improve the budget by discussing many issues with the administration and he plans to continue this work.

by David Dryburgh, Piedmont High School Student

The following is Zayanne Rifai’s report of the May 4 Council meeting and her interview of Police Chief Rikki Goede:

Going to the City Council meeting was a great experience. It was very organized, and it was from 7:30-9:30 p.m. on Monday, May 4th 2015. The concerns by the Piedmont community were expressed and taken under consideration by the Council. Some topics included: PG&E street light work in Piedmont, Happy Together Preschool conditional use permit, and the Piedmont crime report, as well as tips on how to not be the next victim of a crime.

The first topic, which drew attention, was the installation of streetlights by PG&E.* PG&E is going to replace street lights in Piedmont with the high efficiency bulbs and fixtures.  The high efficiency light bulbs are predicted to provide a saving of $22,000 per year. Cost estimates did not include the cost of existing non-standard custom fixtures. The specialized style of fixtures in some areas was a concern for the City Council. Those fixtures will not be a part of this agreement. The high efficiency light bulbs will have a less blue output and less of a glare.

One public concern was whether or not there will be working street lights while the project was happening. PG&E stated they will swap out the bulbs one by one, making sure that each light fixture works by the end of day.

Once the Council concerns were addressed, they were happy to approve the project, and actually felt great about being a more energy efficient community, while keeping the aesthetics and not jeopardizing anyone’s safety. This was mostly discussed between Paul Benoit, Margaret Fujioka, Piedmont’s mayor, and Jeffrey Wieler, Vice Mayor.

The next topic was Happy Together Preschool, who asked for a 5-10 year Conditional Use Permit extension, adding 3 hours to their daily operating schedule, and 3 extra parking spots. The concerns raised by the community were safety of children, noise and the already problematic parking situation. They pointed out the height of the fence which was a concern.  The kids were able to climb to the top of it and fall over or get out. A community member was able to produce pictures.

The frustrating amount of noise according to the community was intolerable and in fact it was very disturbing to the neighbors that are older who are confined to their homes, and or the ones that actually work out of home.

The option of 2-5 years was brought up, and the community proposed that stricter conditions be given and reevaluated at the 2 year mark. Then if those concerns were dealt with then to possibly grant the 5-10 year conditional permit extension. The younger community members felt like the timing of the first meeting was unfair as it was on the Monday following Spring Break. Some also felt that their complaints which were sent in, fell to deaf ears.

The Council did not make a final decision on the contract and will review it once more on May 18th. Tony Theophilos, Chair of the Planning Commission, agreed to attend the Council meeting on May 18th when the Council further consider the 2-5 year Conditional Use Permit option.

The final topic I want to bring up is the Police report, and the concerns the Police Chief had for the community. Piedmont Police Chief Rikki Goede explained the recent crimes occurring in Piedmont were in areas that spill into Piedmont from Oakland’s communities.

The type of crimes that were occurring and that could be minimized are car break-ins. She mentioned not leaving valuable things in cars. She mentioned that our backpacks or gym bags may not have anything valuable in them, but to a thief, who is hopeful, he/she  will break into your car and leave you with a smashed window.

She also mentioned that on quick runs to the store, or ATM’s, don’t assume that just because it will be a few minutes that your purse, wallet or electronics are safe. Thieves are quick. These are some of the tips she gave everyone in the room on how to avoid being a victim in this type of situation.

I would like to mention that I chose not to speak during the meeting because I am not a resident of Piedmont. I am a resident of Oakland so I felt like it was not my place to say anything on the topics that were talked about.

~~~~~~~~

After Chief Rikki Goede spoke, I followed her into the hallway where she agreed to speak with me about some of my concerns.

Why were you there? What difficulties and problems brought you there?

Piedmont Police Chief Rikki Goede was there to talk about recent crimes that have been occurring in Piedmont, and areas that spill into Piedmont like Oakland’s Montclair and Rockridge community. Also, she gave tips on how to avoid being a victim of the recent trends in crimes as in vehicle breaks in, mail theft, car theft and and she spoke about installing plate readers.

What next step will she take to get their particular concern addressed?

The next step would be installing additional plate readers, which would help police locate stolen vehicles, and crimes that occur using those vehicles. Also, she plans to keep updating recent crime activity to keep people aware of what is happening in the community.

I asked her if there was anything she’d like to add that I could quote her on and she said “Make sure you pay attention. Don’t be on your phone, texting or what ever. Be aware of your surroundings. Criminals don’t like people that can identify them so always look at people in their face.” – Rikki Goede

By Zayanne Rifai, Piedmont High School Student

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

*”The LED project’s net cost of approximately $140,000 will be funded through PG&E’s 0% on-bill financing (OBF) Program, which includes no out-of-pocket costs for the City and allows simple payback from energy savings during an estimated 6.5 year loan period. At the end of the loan period, the City is expected to save approximately $22,000 in energy costs per year and reduce the City’s carbon output by approximately 34.5 metric tons per year. “

May 13, 2015                                                        

The Piedmont School District’s attorney stated that by the Boricas decision the only uniform rate tax permitted was a flat rate on every parcel. This is the most regressive possible tax structure. The Piedmont School Support Tax is by far the most expensive in the state and is more than double to one hundred times higher than any other school tax. The high expense, flat rate and lack of a low income based senior exemption means the Piedmont tax is financially difficult for many young families, the less affluent, and those on a fixed income. The previous tiered tax structure was somewhat progressive, but every legal opinion states the tiered structure is illegal, as it taxes the same square foot differently for each tier, and is not a uniform rate by the Boricas decision.

On June 5, 2003 the Emery Unified School District (“USD” Emeryville) passed a School support tax based solely on square foot per building. Renewed in 2007 and 2009, the tax was up for renewal again in 2014. Emery USD relied on their highly regarded legal counsel of Fagan, Friedman, Fulfrost, LLP; yes, this is the same law firm used by Piedmont USD. To be as secure from litigation as possible, Emery USD also sought legal review from Attorney Harold Frieman of Lozano, Smith, an expert in school tax challenges and Boricas. He is familiar to many, as the City of Piedmont used Mr. Frieman’s services creating the PRFO Blair Park EIR.

Confident in the legal advice they received from two sources, the Emeryville Board placed the renewal of their building square footage tax on the November 7, 2014 ballot. Measure K passed with 86% approval and imposes “fifteen cents of building area per square foot” for 20 years. Significantly, no one including Boricas attorney David Brilliant has legally challenged any of the per square foot taxes of Emery USD. Mr. Brilliant filed a number of other lawsuits against School Districts after his successful Boricas litigation. All suits filed by Mr. Brilliant are on behalf of commercial property owners and concern non-uniform taxation; the Emeryville tax is a single uniform rate for all. The many Emeryville commercial businesses have large school tax bills and ample legal budgets, yet no lawsuit is filed.

No emergency existed that forced the Piedmont Unified School District to levy the most regressive tax in the state with a mere 24 hour notice when the existing tax had 18 months to run. At taxpayer expense, the District issued a letter stating 30% of teachers would be let go if the tax didn’t pass; this fear tactic was patently false considering the time remained on the existing tax. At the same time in Emeryville, a progressive per square foot tax happily existed unchallenged, a tax reviewed by the same law firm that the Piedmont District uses.

Perhaps our School Board was not given complete information, or another agenda was in place, or the legal landscape has firmed up concerning Borikas. Regardless, the regret expressed by some Board members about imposing the very regressive Piedmont tax can now be corrected with a per square foot of building tax.

Rick Schiller, taxpayer

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

                      Piedmont’s School Support Tax

Piedmont’s current school tax is perfectly legal, but is an unfair tax because (1) it increased the tax on smaller lots while reducing the tax on larger lots, and (2) because owners of two-parcel lots pay twice as much as others. This tax was hastily approved for the ballot by the School Board at a Special Meeting two years ago following a State Appeals Court ruling that school taxes must apply uniformly to all taxpayers.

I am proposing a more equitable replacement tax based on the Alameda Unified School District’s successful tax that, with minor changes, is also perfectly legal.

Alameda’s tax is a uniform rate per square foot of building that applies to all taxpayers without regard to size or use of parcel. It was approved more than three years ago by Alameda voters and remains intact to this day. Owners of residential and commercial properties pay in proportion to the size of buildings, which favors the smaller over the larger, the reverse of Piedmont’s regressive tax.

Given the economic vitality of this community, it is unconscionable that we raise more money for our schools from the owners of small lots than from the owners of large lots. There is time now to place a measure on the June 2016 ballot that will enable this “Alameda-like” tax to become effective in Piedmont for FY2016-17, but only if our School Board delays no longer an open public process with unbiased information.

William Blackwell

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

School Board Meeting of April 22, 2015

by Piedmont High School student Claire O’Connor –

On April 22, 2015, the School Board gathered (as they do bi-monthly) to talk about issues concerning the K-12 schools in the Piedmont Unified School District.

The major issues discussed at this particular meeting concerned several main topics: the Piedmont Educational Foundation Endowment Fund for 2015-2016, the new weight training and fitness class at Piedmont High School (PHS), the parcel tax adjustments necessary for upcoming years, the approval of sending out “RFP’s” or Request for Proposals for district facilities, Piedmont Bonds, an “internship” program to help train educators, and other problems brought forth by members of the audience.

Mary Ireland was in the audience, but spoke representing the Piedmont Educational Foundation Endowment Fund. This year, she announced, they will be giving $275,000 from the endowment to the schools in the district. Additionally, the endowment has almost accumulated 6 million dollars.

Assistant Superintendent, Randy Booker, announced that Piedmont now offers, and will continue to offer, a weight training & fitness class as a Physical Education class offering for upperclassmen at PHS. Piedmont High School’s Principal, Brent Daniels, stepped in to further elaborate on this class and noted that this class will teach students the skills necessary to maintain fitness throughout the rest of their lives while also learning how to avoid injury. He also said that this course was not an option for freshmen. Robbie Diaz also commented from the audience that this class had been extremely beneficial to him and has helped his health and other aspects of his life in a multitude of ways.

Assistant Superintendent, Randy Booker, announced that Piedmont now offers, and will continue to offer, a weight training & fitness class as a Physical Education class offering for upperclassmen at PHS. Piedmont High School’s Principal, Brent Daniels, stepped in to further elaborate on this class and noted that this class will teach students the skills necessary to maintain fitness throughout the rest of their lives while also learning how to avoid injury. He also said that this course was not an option for freshmen. Robbie Diaz also commented from the audience that this class had been extremely beneficial to him and has helped his health and other aspects of his life in a multitude of ways.

Tam Hege and Gautam Wadhwani gave a very thorough overview and pros & cons list of the proposed increased levy of the “Support” or parcel tax (Measure A) for the school system. Apparently, because the State is not funding Piedmont schools nearly enough, and will not for potentially up to 6 years from now, we need to increase the tax by approximately $49.00 per parcel. This would allow us to have a more comfortable reserve and would allow us to be more flexible in paying unforeseen costs.

Michael Brady, also an Assistant Superintendent, asked for approval of sending out RFP’s to architectural firms. He hopes to get estimated costs from interested firms within the next month. He also noted that this does not come out of the District’s General Fund. He also spoke later in the meeting that there were many investors interested in Piedmont bonds, and that our bonds have never had higher ratings, so therefore, we are in a really good place.

Superintendent Constance Hubbard shared her idea that Piedmont should get interns for our district. That way, we would have better access to fully qualified educators by having them trained & ready by our amazing teachers.

From the audience, Arthur Weil, a WW2 veteran wants to come to our schools and share his story and was not getting his calls returned by Principal Brent Daniels, so he thought this was a better way of getting his message across. Luke Smith wants the teachers at PHS to create a master schedule to help organize and coordinate with each other. Sofia Mills would like the school to be careful about how PHS uses water, and would like for the school to stop selling plastic water bottles. Apryl Hsu wanted to call attention to the lack of parking availability for PHS students who commute to school everyday. Abby Hansen asked for more trash, compost, and recycling bins around the PHS campus to help stop the ongoing littering problem. Mr. Blackwell, who   came to a previous meeting requested a reform in the support tax system, and claimed that a much more equitable form of taxing would be based on a home’s square footage.

I also interviewed Assistant Superintendent Randy Booker. He was at this meeting because he is required to be present. He brings up issues surrounding curriculum instruction; for example, the weight training curriculum, and teacher evaluation issues. Once he brings up his problems, the School Board can then choose to act collectively as the School Board.

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

– Piedmont High School student Sophia Mills reports on Piedmont Education Foundation grant, Piedmont Unified School District financial issues, Measure A Tax increase, and interviews three School Board members.-

On April 22 at 7:00 p.m., the School Board, responsible for the Piedmont Unified School District, met for one of their biweekly regular meetings.  On the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, this board of individuals meets in the Council Chambers of Piedmont’s City Hall in order to both assess the current state of the schools in Piedmont and to ensure that they are performing and running to the fullest of their ability.  At this particular meeting, the most important agenda items consisted of discussing the Piedmont Educational Foundation (PEF) Endowment Fund for 2015-16, approving a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Facilities Master Planning services, and deciding the amount of the School Support Tax, Measure A, to be levied in 2015-16.

With regard to the Endowment Fund for the upcoming academic year, there were two key announcements made at the meeting.  First, PEF member Mary Ireland announced that due to the growing and healthy nature of the nearly 6 million dollar Endowment, the PEF will provide a $275,000 grant to the schools in 2015-16.  Second, Ireland announced a proposal to merge the PEF with the Association of Piedmont Parent Clubs (APCP) so that they may share fundraising responsibilities in the future.

After the members of the School Board unanimously voted in favor of this merger, Ireland announced the plans the PEF and the APCP have for this upcoming year’s grant, which is $25,000 higher than the grant that was awarded last year.  Currently, the plans are for the additional money being granted this year to go toward computer science programs and for the rest of the money to go toward maintaining library facilities, counseling services, electives at the middle school level, and the seven-period day at the high school.

Following this discussion and a brief reading of the new Weight Training and Fitness course to be offered at the high school next year, Assistant Superintendent Michael Brady announced an RFP the PUSD plans to release regarding Facilities Master Planning services.  According to Brady, the District wants community input before deciding on how best to improve the infrastructure and long-term safety and accessibility of the schools in Piedmont.  Brady expects that they will receive responses from several architectural firms before the next School Board meeting, and after a question from Board member Amal Smith, it became clear that these proposals will be presented to the School Board, but will be reviewed by a separate facilities committee.  Additionally, Brady made sure to point out that the funds for this project will not be from the general community, but rather will come from the remainder of the money from a past bond program that dealt with modernization.

Although both of the main aforementioned issues also dealt with financial issues, the public hearing regarding Measure A was easily the most contentious issue brought up at the meeting.  Because it is written into Measure A that the additional percentage to levy the tax must be determined on a yearly basis, the discussion regarding the upcoming 2015-16 academic year began with a recommendation from a committee of community members dedicated to investigating the financial health of the District.  They recommended that the tax should be levied at the maximum level of an additional 2%, which is expected to yield an additional $191,747 in revenue and to leave a total of $9,724,121 collected during the upcoming year.  The committee suggested this levy because they want to save the extra money in the District’s reserves.  Somewhat shockingly, the School Board unanimously approved this increased levy after hearing just a short summary from the committee, citing voluntary sacrifice by community members as necessary to maintain our schools’ excellence.

Almost immediately after their vote, however, Mr. William Blackwell, a community member, took the podium to protest the tax.  He attacked Measure A and proposed a new tax be proposed based on the size of each citizen’s taxable parcel instead of on a uniform level.  This began an entire debate between Blackwell and Board Member Rick Raushenbush, who, as an attorney, reviewed the idea of a differential tax rate, which was evidently found unconstitutional after one such system in Alameda was challenged.  According to a conversation with both Doug Ireland and Raushenbush after the meeting, this was not the first time that Mr. Blackwell had voiced his outrage toward Measure A.  Thus, although it appeared rather surprising that the Board was allowed to forbid someone from voicing their opinion at a public meeting, it turned out that because Blackwell was raising an entirely new issue, he was allowed to be silenced during the meeting.

I find it strange that the Board approved the increase in taxes immediately, solely based on the idea that our funding from the state will be uncertain in the future, which seems as though it would be true whether or not taxes were increased. However, I appreciate the Board’s continued dedication to improving the quality of life for students of Piedmont schools.  After all, as Board Member Sarah Pearson told me after the meeting, it is the chance to improve and protect student well-being that encourages her–and others like her–to become involved with the School Board in the first place.

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

– Hari Titan, a Piedmont parent, is conducting an online survey. –

Announcing a survey on the School Board’s Search for Superintendent.

The purpose of this survey is to assess public satisfaction with the selection process for the new Superintendent for Piedmont Unified School District.

Your participation is needed for the results to be valid and helpful to the community and the School District as they embark on a replacement for Randy Booker’s old position.

This survey was designed by Hari Titan after consultation with many prominent members of the community as well as the School District.

This survey is conducted using Google Forms which ensures anonymous participation.

The survey can be accessed here:  http://goo.gl/iEX1SA

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

– Two Piedmont High School Students, Robbie Diaz and Apryl Hsu, comment on the April 22nd PUSD Board of Education Meeting. –

Robbie Diaz reports:

The Piedmont Unified School District Board of Education discussed several key topics on the night of April 22. The government body, which meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, only met once in April, no doubt due to the spring break observed by the school district.

The meeting started with an overview of Piedmont High School events by Student Representative Claire O’Connor. O’Connor mentioned past and upcoming events like spring break, the bird calling contest, prom, day on the green. and ASB election week. Most of these events were only mentioned by name, with most of the time spent covering the standings of the various sports teams.

After that, the Board gave time for anyone to bring up business not on the agenda. A long-term resident, Arthur Weil, started with an overview of his family’s history, telling the Board about his kids and grandkids who live in Piedmont. His issue that he brought to the Board was that he was supposed to be a speaker of some sort for the schools, but failed to have proper communication with the High School administration, preventing him from speaking. While the Board made no comment, High School Principal Brent Daniels briefly addressed the issue when he came up to speak later in the meeting, saying he would try to improve communication between the administration and guest speakers.

The rest of the speakers were High School senior students bringing forward ideas. Luke Smith suggested a master schedule for the high school, allowing teachers to coordinate large assignments and projects to be spread out. Sophia Mills advocated conservation in water usage, such as no longer watering the lawns and plants on campus. Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Michael Brady responded that since Governor Jerry Brown’s official announcement of California’s drought status, the city has been cutting back water usage across the board.

Apryl Hsu suggested making a system for student parking, as the city has recently taken away spots by turning them from parking zones to loading zones. Hsu’s primary argument would be that specified student parking would free up the residential streets around the campus that are bumper to bumper with student cars.

Finally, Abby Hansen suggested adding more trash, compost, and recycling bins on campus in order to address the large amount of trash left by students. Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Randall Booker said that he would meet with the custodial staff to find locations for new bins, reassuring the Board that the bins are cheap enough to leave no impact on the budget.

Board President Andrea Swenson announced the upcoming Parent Information Night for parents of kindergarteners, jokingly reminding parents to leave their kids at home. Also, Sunday, April 26, the Fire Department will hold an open house, displaying their new fire engine, as well as focus on fire prevention strategies during drought periods.

Mary Ireland, President of the Ed Foundation, addressed the Piedmont Educational Foundation available endowment funds. The Board approved a grant of $275,000 for the schools, to be used for supporting the k-12 program, 7 period class days, and a focus on computer science curriculums.

Brent Daniels, Piedmont High School Principal, read the course outline for the new course Weight Training and Fitness. The course will promote an interest in lifelong fitness, teaching students about the dos and don’ts of proper body care, as well as building skills in both weight training and free weights. Scheduling wise, the new course will replace one semester of the upper division PE. I spoke on the issue, supporting the class, as I took the upper division PE course and found the time in that class spent on body fitness to be the most rewarding. A course focusing on personal health, especially in a town dominated by rigorous scholastic pursuits. which is sedentary by nature, is no doubt invaluable to the community. The Board seemed to enjoy positive student feedback, and appreciated my comments.

The biggest and most debated issue on the agenda was the decision to levy an additional 2% on the Measure A Tax, created to support the schools. Tam Hege and Guatem Hatuwati presented the board with packets thoroughly covering the speculated yield the levy would create, along with suggesting saving 4% of the total tax revenue in the District reserve. Ed: 2%, comment below

Opposing not only the levy, but Measure A all together, was Mr. Bill Blackwell who, judging by his exchanges with the board, had been to numerous meetings to bring up the idea of a replacement tax for Measure A. While he referenced a new tax policy being adopted by Alameda County, the Board refused to acknowledge alternate tax plans, as they had been advised by legal professionals not to alter Measure A.

Blackwell would not back down, arguing that the tax was unfair to citizens of Piedmont who didn’t have children or grandchildren in the school system. Eventually, the Board had to stand firmly on the grounds that advocating for a new tax measure, in light of the significant fighting that went on for Measure A in the first place, would not be worth anyone’s time nor energy.

The Board then looked at an RFP for the high school campus. The RFP was approved on Board goal 6, “to invest and preserve school facilities”. The proposal looks to develop long term safety and accessibility around campus. The only concern, raised by Board member Doug Ireland, was how construction would affect the already chaotic morning drop-off, but the Board was confident that they could work with the city to find a solution down the line.

Finally, Superintendent Hubbard recommended the certification of the Declaration of Need for Fully Qualified Educators. The Declaration allows the district to employ a teacher that is training for a given subject, if no other suitable candidates can be found. I spoke on this issue as well, for clarification, before the Board motioned for its approval.

After the meeting was over, I met with Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Randall Booker for a quick interview. Booker deals with issues surrounding curriculum instruction, like the weight training class from earlier in the meeting. In the future, Booker faces not only addressing a new teacher evaluation system, but also taking Hubbard’s place as Superintendent of the District.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Report on the School Board Meeting- April 22nd, 2015 by Apryl Hsu

The Piedmont Unified School District Board of Education is comprised of nine members. At every meeting the Board President, Vice President, three Board members, Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, and Student Representative are present. The Board members discuss issues concerning the various schools in Piedmont. The Board meets the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7 p.m  at the City Hall Council Chambers.

The meeting held on April 22, 2015 had two major topics; one, was the introduction of a new weight training and fitness class, the other was a proposed levy of the current school support tax, known as Measure A. During the meeting, every Board member spoke multiple times, whether it be to ask a question or speak in favor of a particular issue. Aside from the many high school students at the meeting, there were also concerned citizens. Many of the high school students spoke in the beginning of the meeting to address their concerns about the school.

Three citizens spoke to the Board about [a proposed 2% increase in the parcel tax] Measure A. Two were in favor of the 2% increase, while Mr. Bill Blackwell, spoke against the increase and the Measure.

Measure A funds many of the schools programs and is essential in maintaining the quality of the Piedmont School District. The measure provides 9.5 million dollars for the schools and this is possible because Measure A created a uniform tax per parcel. Everyone from the community contributes the same amount of money to the school which is beneficial to the students and the teachers. Mr. Blackwell was a citizen that spoke against Measure A.

As a student at Piedmont High School, I support Measure A and believe that it should be put into full swing. It allows the high school to keep its teachers and continue funding into the music program, and many other classes special to Piedmont High School.

Mr. Daniels, Principal of Piedmont High School, was present at the School Board meeting to propose a new class for the high school. “In order for a class to become valid, the Board has to approve it” says Daniels. “It’s all part of the process”.  At the meeting, Mr. Daniels hoped to receive feedback from the Board and hopefully the proposal will go through to a second reading.

At the beginning of the meeting when members of the public could speak, I brought up the subject of parking at the high school. Due to the small amount of spots available and many student drivers, it is very hard to find parking for the school day. I suggested to the School Board that they should issue parking passes making mornings a lot easier for many students. I mentioned my personal experiences with parking in the morning and Mr. Booker took notes agreeing with my suggestion to issue parking passes. The School Board meeting adjourned two hours later, making it a short meeting.

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

Piedmont High School students report on the April 15, 2015 Recreation Commission Meeting

Marley Bratman reports:

On April 15th at 7:30 p.m, the Piedmont Recreation Commission kicked off their monthly meeting by honoring Terry London, a long time Commission member who is retiring. The Recreation Commission has the job of advising the City Council concerning the renovation or creation of recreation facilities as well as making decisions regarding Piedmont field use allocations. 

Shortly after the celebration for London, the Commission moved onto their first topic, the renovation of Hampton Field.  Mark Feldkamp, a member of the staff, discussed the changes Hampton Field will face in the month of June regarding the new and improved drainage, tennis courts, basketball courts, and turf fields. Currently, there are not enough drains to dry the fields quickly, the basketball and tennis courts are cracked, and Hampton Field is the only field in Piedmont with out an artificial turfed field.

Due to expenses on the Hampton Field renovation being high, Feldkamp proposed a two-stage process. The first stage would cost over $507,000, focusing on the hardscape areas while the second stage would cost around $700,000 to $800,000, focusing on the field, benches, and entry areas.

Piedmont High School student and private tennis instructor, Daniel Lin, included his input on the public forum concerning the central Piedmont tennis courts. Lin said that the lights do not illuminate the courts enough once it gets dark and the area around the courts is not large enough.  Recreation Director Sara Lillevand responded to Lin’s concerns saying that she and her staff members are completely aware of these problems and the Piedmont courts are up next to be resurfaced and fixed.

Next up on the public forum, Piedmont High student and track and field member, Gates Zheng, spoke about his issues regarding the nets put up around the turf at Witter Field. Zheng said he thinks the nets are not high enough and do not keep lacrosse and soccer balls from hitting people running along the track. I am a lacrosse player and I agree that these nets are not high enough because our team loses too many balls when we have practice and games. Higher nets around the turf would fix this problem for both track teams and lacrosse teams.

Once the public forum came to a close, Commissioner Betsy Andersen addressed a CIP update, which stands for capital improvement projects. Currently there are several projects related to the Piedmont Community Hall. There is a request for a renovation of the plaza where many large events are held in addition to installing terraces for indoor/outdoor space. There is also a request to renovate the amphitheater, which is located on the other side of the Community Hall.

The last topic the Recreation Commission covered was who to honor with the Betty C Howard Award, which honors outstanding contributions to Piedmont recreation. The Commission decided on Ray Deranger, an eight-year event employee, who always pleases everyone’s requests. The second person they decided should win the award was retiring Commissioner Terry London because of all the hard work he has dedicated to the Recreation Commission.

After the meeting was adjourned, I spoke with Chair Stephen Mills. Mills used to be a commisioner on the Piedmont Park Commission, but recently became a part of the Recreation Commission. Mills stated, “I love Piedmont and enjoy working with the community.” He is pleased that he can help fix the concerns and problems addressed by his fellow Piedmont citizens. Mills was fascinated by the Dracena Park project when he was apart of the Park Commission and is now looking forward to the Hampton Project being put forth.

April 6, 2015 City Council Meeting Report

by Piedmont High School Student, Anton Orban

On April 6th, I attended a routine City Council Meeting held within the Piedmont City Hall’s Council Chambers. These meetings commonly occur on the first and third Mondays of each month. The matters disclosed and discussed in this meeting were the consideration of an application for a ‘Conditional Use Permit’ for the Zion Lutheran Church as recommended by the City’s Planning Commission, the consideration for a street closure to permit the local Recreation Department to hold their first Annual Family Triathlon on May 16th, and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment Allocation Progress Informational Update.

Mayor Margaret Fujioka opened the meeting, following ceremonial City Council practices and the approval of Councilman Tim Rood to serve as the City’s Representative to the Alameda County Community Choice Aggregation Steering Committee and to proclaim April 6th K.C. Oakley Day within the City of Piedmont for the young local skier’s notable feats on and off the pitch.

Prior to the Mayor’s Presentation of Proclamation to K.C. Oakley, however, during Public Forum, citizens spoke of distressing matters. Dr. Julia Walsh, brought forth a plea for the city to “divest from fossil fuels” and no longer invest in fossil fuel corporations along with CALPERS, a pension fund which the city belongs to.

Upon being interviewed, Dr. Walsh revealed her credentials as a credible source to this matter as she is a Professor of Public Health at UC Berkeley. The twenty year Piedmont resident later assured the Council members that divestment posed no financial risk and expressed both to the Council and in my interview of her that she will gladly assist the City to transition away from supporting energy companies as she has done for several other local communities, including Sonoma.

Vice Mayor Jeff Wieler objected to the plea to divest on the basis that “Piedmont has never engaged in as large of an initiative.” However, Mayor Fujioka countered his objection, responding that the issue would be discussed in greater detail at another upcoming Council meeting.

I find that Dr. Walsh’s demand for divestment is warranted as energy companies in the United States profit off of the further degradation of the environment. Although I am not well versed in the City of Piedmont’s involvement with fossil fuel corporations, I find that corporate bodies should not be supported by communities such as our own, if their profiteering is detrimental to the environment of our community’s welfare.

Another important highlight of the meeting, included the Informational Report on Piedmont’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation progress. According to a report given by Paul Benoit, City Administrator, Piedmont ranked highest in compliance for the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) progress of Alameda County jurisdictions from 2007 to 2014, with an impressive 98% compliance when juxtaposed with surrounding communities. Benoit expressed to those attending, alongside Kate Black, Planning Director, that Piedmont is moving to increase its number of second unit housing to sixty as it would help us meet the regions’ quota of middle-low income housing units.

Councilmen Tim Rood and Robert McBain both complimented the progress, though McBain urged those attending the meeting that Piedmont is complying with the program because it is the morally correct thing to do. However, I felt skeptical of this good intention.

Though many Piedmont public officials may want to comply with this program out of the goodness of their hearts, Piedmont is an affluent community where people are more interested in their property value than in helping people of lesser economic standing to be included in our community. I believe that we are complying with the county’s new housing mandate in order to qualify for Federal grants, that we would be exempt from applying to if we had not obliged with RHNA.

The meeting was adjourned after announcements were made about Governor Brown’s statute for California residents to reduce 25% of their water use and the worsening drought in California. This deviation to the agenda was largely thanks to Tucker Johnson, a Piedmont High School student, who spoke of the community’s need for drought awareness and education. Fortunately for Tucker, Piedmont and those of the community anticipated his request  by already planning a Water Conservation Showcase to be held on April 22rd including  the Piedmont Fire Department. Councilman Tim Rood informed everyone of the educational event also informing potential attendees that food will be present at the event should the topic of water conservation famish listeners.

Another interesting announcement made before the Council meeting was adjourned, Mayor Fujioka stated that Piedmont will be the recipient of $871,000 administered by the Alameda County Transportation Commission to improve transportation in Piedmont, thanks to those who voted on Measures B and BB. If you thought Piedmont already had nice sidewalks and streets, think again, because Piedmont will soon get another facelift to facilitate traffic and transportation. Though no notice was given, it is imminent that construction notices will be given at future City Council meetings.

                                       Anton Orban

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed  in the two articles are those of the authors.

April 8, 2015 Park Commission Meeting

by Piedmont High School Student, Thomas Horn

In their monthly meeting, held Wednesday, April 8, the City of Piedmont’s Park Commission discussed a range of temporary and ongoing projects for improving outdoor spaces in Piedmont, including renovations in Crocker Park and construction of a landscaped median triangle at Linda and Kingston Avenues, as well as other items.

The commission invited Mark Feldkamp, Parks and Project Manager for the city, to discuss the removal of the garage at the northwest corner of Crocker Park. According to Feldkamp, the project is going smoothly, with a nearby homeowner agreeing to the use of her land for part of the demolition process, which greatly eases the city’s task. Additionally, the city has been able to preserve old redwood timber from the garage for reuse. However, Feldkamp noted that the corner of the park with the garage will likely require about $200,000 to landscape attractively.

On the construction of the Linda/Kingston Triangle, the commission invited Chester Nakahara, Director of Public Works, to discuss recent progress. Nakahara reported that the city had received numerous requests from nearby residents to restripe the intersection and install new stop signs in different locations before the beginning of construction. One of the frequently requested locations for a new stop sign was on the north corner of Linda and Rose Avenues, which is in Oakland.

Nakahara felt optimistic that a stop sign could be placed here after consultation with the Oakland traffic engineer. The Oakland traffic engineer would be able to use the traffic study conducted by the City of Piedmont to justify this proposal if necessary. The sign and striping budget of the City of Piedmont is very limited, but the commission agreed that this aspect of the project could be completed as soon as funds became available.

The commission returned to Feldkamp for information on the Spring Path project [located between Maxwelton Avenue and Moraga Avenue near the Piedmont Corporation Yard.] Local residents are complaining about difficulties for their children in walking to school, according to Feldkamp; and wish that the reconstruction of the path would proceed more quickly. However, Feldkamp believed that a work pace slightly slower than usual was acceptable, given that the work was conducted by child volunteers.

Feldkamp also addressed the landscaping plan for the new residential buildings under construction at 408 Linda Avenue [location of former PG&E Substation below the Oakland Avenue Bridge] stating that it was now “95 percent good” after a few changes. Commissioner Susan Herrick noted that the previous plan to place roses under oak trees was regrettable; Feldkamp laughed and said that this had been corrected.

Dave Frankel, supervisor of maintenance for the city, next updated the commission about the completion of street tree pruning for 2014-15, which involved the trimming of 494 trees. Commissioner Anian Tunney asked Frankel about the apparent removal of several trees along the west side of Highland Avenue. Frankel responded that eight elm trees were removed to assist in gutter repairs, and that all were suffering from existing diseases. They would be replaced by new trees, which the residents of the nearby homes agreed to water.

The commission expressed concern that the residents might not be able to water the trees appropriately, but Frankel insisted that this measure was necessary because of the labor-intensive nature of tree watering.

I agree with Frankel that it is beneficial for nearby homeowners to take responsibility for the street trees in front of their homes, because their care and concern for their home environment will likely result in the trees being better cared for than if they were one of the many concerns of city parks workers. Additionally, watering the trees could help local residents feel more civically engaged and more appreciative of the city’s efforts to maintain the beauty of the area’s street-scape.

Finally, Frankel updated the commission on the city’s water conservation efforts. As part of the mandate by Governor Jerry Brown to save water, Piedmont is required to reduce its water consumption by 25 percent. However, the city is entitled to use 2013 as a baseline for water-conservation measurements, and measuring from this year, the city has already cut water usage by 20 percent. Further cuts in water usage will be achieved by not planting annual flowers this year, and possibly by using non-potable water for irrigation.

Interviewed after the meeting, Frankel stated that he has been delivering monthly updates to the Park Commission for “twenty years” as part of his job, but that the drought is the “next hot topic” for him, which he will deal with by investigating irrigation systems and seeing where repair and conversion to non-potable water are possible. The April 14 meeting of the EBMUD board may also change the situation with respect to water conservation rules, so Frankel is monitoring the regulatory situation closely.

                              Thomas Horn

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