The Piedmont City Council continues the practice of working on the City Budget without benefit of recordings or broadcast. The public is welcome to come to the meeting and speak to the various issues related to the budget: capital expenditures, revenues, taxation, employee benefits, new projects, roadways, sidewalks, trees, recreation, public safety, Schoolmates, planning, sewers, or any other issue related to City budgetary matters.  

Special City Council Budget Meeting

Saturday, May 13, 2017

9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

East Wing, 801 Magnolia Avenue (across from Piedmont High School)

Agenda:

1. Overview of the Proposed FY 17-18 Budget by the City Administrator

2. Presentation by the CIP Review Committee of Project Proposals for FY 17-18

3. Review of Departmental Budgets for FY 17-18

a. Police

b. Public Works

c. Recreation

d. Fire

e. Administration

f. Other Funds Budgets

City announcement:

The Piedmont City Council will consider the proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 at three separate meetings. A Saturday work session will be held in the East Wing of 801 Magnolia Avenue on May 13, 2017 beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Public hearings regarding the proposed budget and the levy of the Municipal Services Tax and the Sewer Tax will be held during regularly scheduled City Council meetings on June 5 and June 19, 2017.

The public is invited to attend these meetings and speak to the City Council about spending priorities for the city in the coming year.  Click to visit the 2017-2018 Proposed Budget page, where all sections of the budget are available for download.

For questions on contents of the budget, please contact Interim Finance Director Jim O’Leary via email at joleary@ci.piedmont.ca.us or by phone at 420-3045 with any questions.

If you wish to write to the Council regarding the budget, please send an e-mail to the City Council at citycouncil@ci.piedmont.ca.us or send a letter via U.S. Mail to Piedmont City Council, c/o City Clerk’s Office, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, 94611.

Piedmont’s City Council will hold  an informal discussion with City staff, Saturday, May 16 at  9 a.m. on the City Administrator’s proposed 2015-16 City Budget.  The Budget Session will again be held in the Emergency Operation Center in the Police Department on Highland Avenue. The location provides a “round table” casual atmosphere leading to budget adoption, following two City Council public hearings on June 1 and June 15, 2015.

The Saturday workshop will not be recorded or broadcast for offsite viewing. Those interested in hearing and learning first hand discussions and presentations on where City money might be spent, should attend the meeting.  There will be opportunities for the public to speak and ask questions.  In the past, coffee and donuts have been made available to attendees.

At the Council’s annual sit-down with City staff, Saturday, May 10,  9 a.m., the Council will review the City Administrator’s proposed 2014-15 Budget.  It has been the practice for the Council to hold the Budget Session in the Emergency Operation Center in the Police Department on Highland Avenue. The location provides a “round table” casual atmosphere leading to budget adoption. Nevertheless, these proceedings will not be recorded or broadcast for offsite viewing.

Those interested in hearing and learning first hand discussions and presentations on where City money might be spent, should attend the meeting.  There will be opportunities for the public to speak and ask questions.  In the past, coffee and donuts have been made available to attendees.

This year some of the items likely to be considered by the Council are:

• Hampton Field and tennis court reconstruction
• Roadway pavement, sidewalk and gutter improvements
• Employee benefits and salaries
• Staffing levels
• Piedmont pool maintenance and improvements
• Pedestrian and Bike Plan implementation
• Facility repair and maintenance
• Additional license plate readers
• Use of sewer fund monies and alternatives
• Reserve Funds
• Capital improvements
• Retirement costs
• Blair Park regular maintenance and improvements

Prior to adoption of the FY 2014-15 Budget, there will be two City Council public hearings.

– Saturday, September 7 is the final Saturday –

Beginning Saturday, September 14, the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library at 80 Echo Avenue will no longer be open on weekends. Changing from a Tuesday through Saturday schedule to a Monday through Friday schedule will maximize use by the adjacent school. The same schedule change is occurring at three other branch libraries – Brookfield, Eastmont and Golden Gate. Interim Library Director Gerry Garzon promised to assess the public reaction to the new schedule in six to nine months.

Piedmont Avenue Branch Library hours beginning September 14:

Mondays  12:30 pm – 8 pm

Tuesdays through Thursdays  10 am – 5:30 pm

Fridays   noon – 5:30 pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Hours Until September 14:

Branch Phone (510) 597-5011

On March 2, 2004, 77.2% of Oakland voters voted in favor of Measure Q for the purpose of “maintaining and expanding neighborhood branch library services, days and hours…”  In 2009 branch library services were reduced from six to five days per week.  This month four libraries eliminate weekend access.  Oakland property owners will continue to pay the Measure Q library parcel tax through June 30, 2024.

Tired of paying for E-books?  The Oakland  Public Library offers those with a library card on-line download of books from their E-library.  The library purchases a limited number of the E-books.  A person might have to wait their turn to borrow an ebook and adhere to the seven day time limit on each use. The City of Piedmont annually pays the City of Oakland $350,471, which allows Piedmonters access to all services provided by the Oakland Public Library.  

To find out more about E-books go to……http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/online-resources/e-books-and-downloadable-audiobooks

To learn more about the many other services offered by the Oakland Public Library go to: http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/online-resources/e-books-and-downloadable-audiobooks

Piedmonters can return borrowed books by placing them in the library drop box outside of Wells Fargo Bank next to the mail boxes.

. . .  switched to a more expensive portable.

balloons lined the new access ramp

November 10 was the final day the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library operated in the library building on 41^st Street at Piedmont Avenue.

The branch library will reopen on Tuesday, November 27, at 80 Echo Avenue, behind the Piedmont Avenue Elementary School.  The City of Oakland leased the modular unit (with Measure Q funds) from the school for five years as the temporary home for the library.  In preparation for the library, the modular unit was painted white, and a new access ramp and stairway were constructed, also using Measure Q funds, the parcel tax that supports extended branch library hours.  (Read More about the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library move.)

ramp awaits handrail

handrail and stairs

 Construction of the new access ramp and stair improvements to the temporary Piedmont Avenue Library, on the grounds of the Piedmont Avenue Elementary School, is progressing.

The September opening was delayed, and the library is now scheduled to close its current location on 41st Street on Saturday, October 27, and transfer the books and other collections over the following weeks to the new site on the school playground.

Since the construction of necessary access was not completed in September, the official opening on the school playground will be November 27.

Saturday, October 27^th is also the date of the Piedmont Avenue Halloween Parade.  The Friends of the Piedmont Avenue Library plan to dress as books and lead the parade from the 41^st Street library building to the modular units on Echo Avenue that will serve as the temporary library.

Construction of an access ramp to the future temporary home of the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library has begun.

The ramp, leading from Echo Avenue,  will take patrons to the side of an old school trailer, the library’s new home.  The library move was planned to be completed by the end of September.  To meet that schedule, will require all renovations and improvements to be completed promptly.

Meanwhile, the Piedmont Avenue Branch Library is still open on 41^stStreet.  A “For Lease” sign was installed after the 30-day notice of intent to vacate.  The advertised rental rate returns the property to a market rate of $6,250 per month after three years of subsidized rent for the library, courtesy of the private owner.  > Click to read more…