Piedmonters were jolted this morning at 6:49 a.m. by a 4.0 earthquake on the Hayward fault, centered less than a mile from Piedmont. It occurred at a depth 3.3 miles according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was followed by an 2.3 aftershock at 7 a.m.

Helicopters circled over Piedmont and the Hayward fault for 30 minutes. No damage to transportation corridors was observed.

The quake was centered near the junction of the 24 and 13 freeways. Seven aftershocks followed.

BART halted service until 7:24 am for track inspection, also finding no damage.

Berkeley residents reported “pots and pans flying” and pictures sliding on walls.

Read more.

Piedmonters will be encouraged to sign up for A C Alert beginning in September 2015.

While the rest of the current contract with Code Red, Piedmont’s emergency notification system, runs through April 2016, the City will have free use of A C Alert through May 2016. Lisa Douglas, Police Department Support Services Manager, recommends a six month trial to compare the two systems side by side. The current cost of the Code Red program is $5,000 per year. It is anticipated that when Piedmont is asked to pay for A C Alert in future years, the cost will be considerably less than Code Red, since the platform will be in use across a number of communities.

The Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report 2012 – 2013 mandated the County to obtain a mass emergency notification system. A C Alert is the result of this mandate.

At present, cities in Alameda County use a variety of different mass notification systems, which do not interconnect. For example, Berkeley uses BENS, Berkeley Emergency Notification System.

Read the Alameda County Grand Jury Final Report 2012 – 2013.

The Police and Fire Pension Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 at 4 p.m. in the Council Chambers was cancelled on July 16. A new date for the meeting has not been announced.

Average speed on Oakland Avenue is 35 MPH despite Police issuing twice as many speeding tickets in 2014 as in 2011 and 2012 combined.

– Public Safety Committee Continues Work on Disaster Preparedness Checklist –

May 28th Public Safety Committee Report by Piedmont High School Student Remy Afong, the only public person attending the meeting –

On Thursday, May 28, the Public Safety Committee met at 5:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers for a regularly scheduled meeting. Established three years ago by a City Council charge, the committee meets every two months to discuss ways to increase public participation in crime reduction strategies and disaster preparedness. It also serves to provide a forum for community members to share concerns regarding public safety issues.

Before addressing items on the agenda, Chairman Lyman Shaffer asked if there was anyone who would like to speak about an item not listed on the agenda. As the only audience member, I was allotted the full 10 minutes of public forum to myself, though I only spoke for one or two. To increase pedestrian safety, I suggested installing a lighted crosswalk at the intersection of Highland Avenue and Sierra Avenue, and at other intersections near schools. I described how on numerous occasions, I have had to run across the street to avoid being hit by a car; each time the car failed to show any signs of slowing down.

School District President Andrea Swenson, a member of the committee, said that she has had similar experiences and agreed that many intersections in Piedmont are unsafe.

After the meeting, Shaffer suggested that I restate my proposal at a City Council meeting.

The most hotly discussed issue at the meeting was the Disaster Preparedness Checklist, an item yet to be released to the community. Shaffer briefed the committee on the origins of the document. It is the project of a task group led by committee member Garrett Keating that

stems from the Tiburon/Belvedere Disaster Preparedness Program. Committee members took a moment to review the 4-page document before discussing improvements.

Shaffer praised the checklist as a nice basic resource to have in everyone’s homes and noted the importance of perfecting the document because it cannot be re-edited after mass distribution. He suggested placing all emergency numbers on the front page, a proposal that was well-received by the rest of the committee. Swenson added that school phone numbers should be removed to prevent them from being overwhelmed with frantic phone calls.

Committee member Ryan Gilbert commented that overall, the document has too much text and suggested narrowing the focus to imperative statements.

Chief of Police Rikki Goede added that the document should be in a more succinct, action plan style. She did not think that the “Map Your Neighborhood” portion, which includes a checklist of necessary resources and instructions on how to organize a neighborhood disaster team, had a place on the document. Rather, there should be a link to a website with neighborhood preparedness information instead.

Committee member Sue Lin, however, strongly advocated for Map Your Neighborhood. She argued that if it is just listed as an additional resource and not elaborated upon, people would not be encouraged to think on a broader spectrum outside their individual lives.

Keating agreed that having an entire page dedicated to Map Your Neighborhood would boost resident participation. His subcommittee will continue to revise the document and the whole committee will discuss the item again at the next meeting.

Personally, I agree with Gilbert and Goede that the Disaster Preparedness Checklist should be as concise as possible to avoid people becoming overwhelmed and disregarding the document altogether. Though I support the idea of Map Your Neighborhood, I think that it

should be separate. This document will be most useful if it is designed in an easy-to-read format that focuses on individual household preparedness.

Editors’ Note:  Opinions expressed are those of the author. The meetings of the Public Safety Committee are not broadcast but are open to the public. 

On Thursday, May 28, the Public Safety Committee (PSC) will meet at 5:30  p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue. They will discuss suggested revisions proposed by Garrett Keating’s subcommittee to the Tiburon/Belvedere Disaster Preparedness Guide under consideration as a model for Piedmont.

The meeting will not be broadcast, video recorded, or live streamed; however, the public is welcome to attend and address issues of interest.

The PSC was formed as a permanent body to develop recommendations for improving public safety in the City of Piedmont.

May 18, 2015 – Piedmont City Council meeting reported by Piedmont High School student Liam Schindler –

    On Monday, May 18th at 7:30 p.m, I had the fascinating experience of attending the Piedmont City Council meeting at City Hall to observe the inner workings of our government.  Present were Mayor Margaret Fujioka, Vice Mayor Jeff Wieler, and Councilmembers Teddy Gray King, Robert McBain, and Tim Rood.  The Council meets biweekly to discuss and decide on issues that have risen in the community and to hear community members give their opinions on certain issues, or present issues of their own.

   An issue presented during the Public Forum concerned traffic safety issues at certain intersections.

There also was  a request for the City to write a letter encouraging CALPers divestment from stocks in fossil fuels by a group of citizens concerned with global warming and the future, and a reaffirmation of the City’s decision to have the lobby of City Hall redone.

The only issue that resulted in any debate was the fossil fuel issue, and it resulted in a long, heated debate.  The community members expressed their concern with global warming, its effect on the world, and how it will hurt their children or grandchildren.  They then asked that the City encourage CALPers to divest from such stocks so as not to contribute to this problem that faces the world.  Vice Mayor Jeff Wieler responded first, somewhat outraged at the idea of these citizens “telling [him] what [his] morals should be”.  He then declared that the City of Piedmont does not take stances on moral issues such as this.  However, Council Members King and Rood argued using extensive scientific data showing the adverse effects of global warming on the world.

Mayor Fujioka suggested that perhaps a more general proposal was in order regarding the City’s stance on such issues but at a later date and put forth a movement that the City take no action on this proposition.  The movement passed with three ayes from from Fujioka, Wieler, and McBain, and two noes from Rood and King.

I found this issue to be very tricky, since I do recognize the danger of global warming and believe that Piedmont should do its part to at least not support such an issue. However, I also understand that taking a moral stance like this would be unprecedented for the City Council. They should not change how they function just by accepting this proposal but rather through a lot of discussion and debate.  I support Mayor Fujioka’s idea to postpone the proposal until the City Council has made a decision about how they will handle proposals of that type.

    I spoke during the Public Forum regarding the danger of an intersection near my house.  The intersection of Moraga Avenue and Mesa Avenue has a crosswalk, but minimal visibility for drivers to see pedestrians before they are already in the street.  Regarding that, combined with the already reckless driving that is typical on Moraga Avenue, I suggested that a stoplight be put in.  None of the Council members commented on my proposal, so I do not believe they will take it into any further consideration.  However, I understand their disinterest since I forgot to make some points that I intended to.  It was intimidating to speak at a podium in a government building, to a council seated dauntingly in a semicircle around you, and I could understand anyone forgetting to make points or making other mistakes.

Editors’ Note:  The opinions expressed are those of the author.

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.

You are invited to join a tour with city staff, committee and community members to view proposals for city expenditure of tax dollars on capital improvement projects.  A lunch open to the public will follow the tour.

The Capital Improvement Project Review Committee (CIPRC) and staff have organized a tour of proposed projects on Saturday, April 25, 2015 starting at 9:00 a.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA. Each site visit will take approximately 15 minutes. Broadcast and recordings of the meeting will not be produced.  To hear discussion and recommendations to the City Council requires interested individuals to be present.  Minutes of the CIPRC meetings are not kept.

The proposed sites will be viewed in the following order:

a. Piedmont Community Pool

b. Piedmont Community Hall & Plaza

c. Linda/Kingston Triangle

d. Pedestrian Crossing to Blair Park (Coaches Field)

e. Oakland Avenue Lighted Crosswalks (El Cerrito Avenue / Jerome Avenue)

f. Pedestrian Crossing for Wildwood School (Wildwood Avenue at Prospect Ave)

g. Dracena Park Entry (Park Way & Dracena Ave)

h. Corporation Yard 

Following the tour, the public is included in the City Hall working lunch.

Read the agenda.

Fire prevention and disaster preparedness!

The Public Safety Committee and the Fire Department are holding an open house at the Fire Station, Vista Avenue, on Sunday, April 26, 2015  from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.  Go and learn how to be ready for the next earthquake.  Fire prevention information will be available for all who attend. 

Updated 4/23/15

City Council reviews need for $100,000 redecoration of the City Hall entry hallway and vestibule plus other agenda items as noted below.

A $100,000 budget estimate for redecorating the entry hall of City Hall includes a permanent new tribute to the Piedmont Beautification Foundation (PBF) for advocating projects it wants the City to fund. In addition to creating a dedicated space to illustrate projects and note PBF donors, the project includes new flooring, wainscoting with chair rail, lighting, two bulletin boards, the City Seal, and organized receptacles for meeting agendas.  The redecoration and PBF tribute is reportedly the idea of Mayor Margaret Fujioka and City Administrator Paul Benoit.

PBF has promised to provide $20,000 for the new display area, reducing the City’s cost to an estimated $80,000 from the City’s Facilities Maintenance Fund.  PBF often provides seed money of 5% to 10% of approved project installation cost.

Bids have been obtained from three contractors/firms: McCutcheon Construction, Mueller/Nichols and Wooden Window.  Staff indicates that Mueller/Nichols provided the “most competitive bid.” If the Council approves the project concept, staff would be directed to bring back a contract with Mueller/Nichols for Council approval in May.

The staff report does not include the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) budget or how the $80,000 City expenditure would be measured against maintenance for other City facilities.

See the design concept and read the details.

April 20, 2015 Council agenda: Click items below to read the staff report.

 Approval of the First Amendment to the Employment Agreement between the City of Piedmont and Paul Benoit  Increases Benoit salary 3% to $206,000 plus benefit improvements.

Receipt of 2014 Report from the Public Safety Committee

Informational Update on the 2015 Pavement Project  Some previously referred streets remain off of the pavement list.

Receipt of a Report from the Public Works Department Regarding Water Conservation Measures Being Undertaken to Comply with the Governor’s Order Regarding the Drought

 Progress Report on LED Street Light Conversion Project

Consideration of a Resolution Opting the City of Piedmont into the California Statewide Communities Development Authority’s Open Property Assessed Clean Energy (OpenPACE) Program

Approval of the Concept Plan and Overall Budget for the City Hall Entry Hallway Update and Renovation  $80,000 City expenditure

Approval of the 2015 Engineering and Traffic Speed Zone Survey as Required by the California Vehicle Code  Report recommends an increase in speed limit to 30 MPH on Oakland Avenue.

Acceptance of the Linda, Kingston, and Rose Avenues Traffic Study and Approval of Stop Sign Installation at the Intersection

The Council meeting will occur in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 120 Vista Avenue on Monday, April 20, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and will be live streamed on the Piedmont website and broadcast on KCOM Channel 27.