In addition to Piedmont School District athletic programs, the City of Piedmont’s Athletic Preservation Fund is designated as a potential recipient of funds.  

The Piedmont City Council will consider the allocation of $5,305 to support the newly organized  2014 Annual Piedmont Turkey Trot and approval of this years race at their November 3, 2014 meeting starting at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall.

There is an ongoing issue regarding the proceeds from the Annual Piedmont Turkey Trot and who should control the Piedmont Turkey Trot?

Until recently, Turkey Trot volunteers and runners were under the impression that money raised by the Annual Piedmont Turkey Trot held on Thanksgiving Day morning would benefit Piedmont High School athletic programs, including track and cross country.  

Turkey Trot organizer, resident Marilyn Weber has far exceeded revenue expectations by gaining community sponsors and increasing participation through area publicity. Approximately half of  the runners come from outside of Piedmont. The widely popular event had over 2,300 runners in 2013, raising more than $50,000.

According to available information, the Piedmont Unified School District historically provided seed money to allow purchase of the shirts and other materials necessary for the race.  Since shirt purchases and other actions need to occur well in advance of Thanksgiving Day, funds need to be readily available for organizers.  The School District evidently delayed providing the necessary seed money in 2013, hence the organizers moved ahead by soliciting donations. Later, the School District supplemented funding for the event.

Following the 2013 race, the School District asked to be reimbursed for their seed money and requested race proceeds plus accounting information related to the Turkey Trot. Reimbursement was made to the School District for the seed money plus a donation to the School District. Out of over $50,000 raised from the Turkey Trot approximately $30,000 was retained for future Turkey Trots, with the School district receiving approximately $20,000.

In December of 2013, Weber and other individuals decided to form a nonprofit corporation (Piedmont Turkey Trot C3628657) with the State of California and in the future incorporation as a nonprofit with the Federal Government.  The corporation filing indicates it is a nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation.  The stated purpose of this corporation is “to help children and adults learn the skills of running.”

Members of the Board of the Turkey Trot Corporation are listed as:  Edna Cooper, Pam Roure, Chris Smith, and Marilyn Weber.

The organization has stated on the 501(c)(3) form, it ‘s purpose as “fostering amateur sports competition.”  

On the standard application, the reason to use Piedmont services and streets is to hold “the Piedmont Turkey Trot.”

The organization’s application letter to the City states:

“The PTT Thanksgiving Day Race non-profit was formed to ensure the necessary structure was in place to continue a community event of this size that benefits youth sports in the community.  It is our intention to donate net proceeds from the 2014 Turkey Trot to the following beneficiaries; the PHS Cross Country Team, the PHS Track Team and the City of Piedmont’s Athletic Facilities Preservation Fund.” [emphasis added]

Turkey Trot publicity states:

“The Piedmont Turkey Trot is a nonprofit organization supporting local charities and organizations.”

School District athletic programs had previously been the sole beneficiary of Turkey Trot proceeds.

For approximately 13 years, the School District received funds from the Turkey Trot for athletic programs.  Volunteers, primarily parents, became concerned when the purpose of the Turkey Trot was changed to benefit “local charities and organizations” and there was a new organization incorporated without School District or volunteer knowledge and participation.

Approval of the application for the Turkey Trot is on the City Council agenda for November 3, 2014.  The staff report states:

“While the organizational structure of the race has changed, the stated purpose of the race and application of net proceeds will continue to benefit both school sports and the Community. For these reasons, it would, as a matter of policy, be appropriate for the City to continue its tradition of supporting the race in the same manner and level as in previous years.”

“For information purposes, the cost of this support is estimated as follows:

Fire Department:  $1,030.40
Police Department: $ 920.05
Public Works Department:  $3,355.36
For a total cost to the City of Piedmont: $5,305.81″

“Regarding the 2013 Turkey Trot, there have been extensive discussions between the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) and the race organizers as to the fate of net proceeds from that race. We are informed that both parties have been working diligently toward resolution of outstanding issues. While this is not relevant to the City’s authority to issue a Street/Sidewalk Use Permit, I am pleased to report that the race organizers and PUSD have both indicated that an understanding has been reached and consideration of the agreement will be added to the agenda of an already scheduled Special Meeting of the Board of Education on November 4, 2014. ”
By: John O. Tulloch, City Clerk

According to the Piedmont Unified School District’s Special Meeting agenda for November 4, 2014, there is no item on the agenda to discuss the Turkey Trot, unless it is covered under anticipated litigation during the Closed Session.

Published sponsors for the 2014 Turkey Trot are:  Transports  ~  Highland  Partners ~ Piedmont Grocery ~ McCutcheon Construction ~ MB Jessee Painting J. Miller Flowers ~ Mulberry’s Market ~ Piedmont Post ~Village Market ~ Clif Bar

The meeting will be broadcast on KCOM Channel 27 and live streamed from the City website.

Read the staff report including application and information on Turkey Trot organization. 

Read reports published in The Piedmonter.

Read second report published in the The Piedmonter.

See other articles previously published on this site by searching “Turkey Trot.”

–  The application deadline has been extended to October 31, 2014 –

The voter approved committee to oversee and advise on future school parcel tax rates requires three members to represent property owners in Piedmont.  It is unknown how many, if any, resident property owners have already applied, but the Piedmont Unified School District Board of Trustees has extended the application deadline to solicit applications for membership on the School Support Tax Sub-committee for Measure A, the school parcel tax based at $2,406 per parcel.

According to Superintendent Constance Hubbard:

The deadline for applications for the School Support Tax Advisory Subcommittee has been extended.  Applications are due by October 31, 2014.

Applications may be downloaded below or from the District website, and obtained by contacting the Superintendent’s office. Membership on this committee is open to property owners living in Piedmont who are not employed by the School District.

CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION FORM  Due by October 31.

CLICK HERE FOR SUBCOMMITTEE CHARTER

At the Wednesday, October 22, 2014, School Board Meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, the Board is expected to authorize issuance and sale of 2014 General Obligation Refunding Bonds in the aggregate of up to $11,000,000.

On October 8, the Board  considered information provided by the District’s bond consultant KNN (Kelling, Northcross and Nobriga) on the mechanism to refinance outstanding bonds in order to issue bonds with a lower interest rate. The financial action is expected to save Piedmont property owners approximately $800,000 over the next seven years.

The meeting is open to the public and will be broadcast on Cable Channel 27 KCOM and also live streamed on the City’s website. Recordings will be made of the proceedings and available to the public following the meeting.

Read the staff report here.

Read the agenda for approximate times of agenda items here . 

The Piedmont School Board will hold a Workshop to discuss a review of District Facilities on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, in the District Office, Piedmont Unified School District, 760 Magnolia Ave, Piedmont at 9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

The meeting open to the public will not be broadcast or recorded. Individuals interested in the discussion can obtain full information at the meeting.

The Board will conduct a workshop on School Facilities. Staff will review the history of the Seismic Safety Bond Program (SSBP), Modernization Program, Deferred Maintenance and Master Plan options. The Board is requested to provide direction to the staff as to desired next steps for review of District facilities needs planning.

Bond Capacity for capital improvements – the potential for additional bonds:

At the October 8, 2014 Board meeting, KNN (the School District Bond consultant) estimates that PUSD’s available bonding capacity will increase significantly. Estimates are:

$18.5 million in 2014-15; 

$26.3 million in 2015-16;

$34.8 million in 2016-17;

$43.4 million in 2017-18;

$52.4 million in 2018-19; and

$61 million in 2019-20.

 Capacity of facilities to accommodate increasing enrollment:

The capacity of facilities to accommodate changing enrollment is a significant issue for PUSD, where student population grew by 150 over the last four years.  This is unusual growth for Piedmont. Also, although only 40% of Piedmont residents have students in the schools, this percentage may increase at any time.

School Capital Facilities Fund:

The Capital Facilities Fund (CFF) includes funds that provide for the eventual replacement of Witter Field and similar projects that were neither included in bond-funded construction programs nor classified by the State as “deferred maintenance.” PUSD allocates approximately $50,000 per year in the CFF specifically for Witter Field. In addition, the District collects facility rental fees; donations from local lacrosse, soccer, and baseballs clubs; and contributions from the City of Piedmont for athletic facilities preservation, all of which are deposited in the CFF “Witter Field” account. PUSD is now close to achieving its goal of raising $700,000 by the end of 2015 for Witter Field turf and track replacement scheduled per the expiration of the warranty.

 

Read the full staff report.

Contact School Board Members.

Meeting agenda.

The following statement was made at the City and School  Liaison Committee meeting of Friday, October 17, 2014.

Thank you to the City Council and School District Liaison Committee members for this opportunity to speak on the topic of the Turkey Trot.

My name is Katie Korotzer. I currently serve as the president of the Associated Parents Clubs of Piedmont, which encompasses 6 parent clubs and 14 school support groups. I’m speaking to you as a representative of the parent volunteer community.  This parent volunteer community carries forth a very long legacy of service to others and financial stewardship of funds raised for our schools.

Since the publication of the FAQ about the Turkey Trot by the superintendent’s office in late September, the parent volunteer community has had many conversations and reactions to the situation we now face. 

As parents of students currently attending PUSD schools we feel that our voice should be considered when arriving at a solution.  We have had friendly conversations with the organizer of last year’s Turkey Trot and hope to continue those conversations in order to reach an agreement that would be acceptable to all stakeholders.

As parents, we recognize that there are pre-existing legal and financial matters that we are not party to and which must be resolved before any agreements can be finalized.

As you all are aware, every year from 2003 to 2013, the Turkey Trot has been organized by a group of people consisting of parents of student athletes along with Cross Country & Track coaches, as a fundraiser for the Piedmont High School Cross Country & Track Teams.  (Refer to Hard Copy documentation: photocopies of race permit applications by Cross Country team for City Street Closures each year for the decade between 2003 & 2013). 

The Cross Country and Track Teams are part of the 14 sports that are offered for boys and girls at PHS.  Most, if not all, of these 14 teams conduct their own annual fundraising drives ranging from simple car washes, to what has over the past decade become a very successful annual Turkey Trot.   Teams raise money to pay for things such as uniforms, equipment and transportation.  All of the 14 sports have parent and coaching representation within Boosters, a parent volunteer run 501c3 organization since 1978.   

One of the questions before us today is regarding “ownership” of the Turkey Trot. Who has the “right” to make decisions about this PHS Cross Country and Track Team fundraiser?

Should it be the group of cross country & track student athletes, current parents and coaches that for the past 10 years have filed for the City Permit, or should it be the newly formed Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation?

That may be a bigger question than can be answered in today’s meeting. 

Whatever the answer, the parent volunteer community believes that the Turkey Trot is a wonderful event, which brings in a huge group of runners from Piedmont and surrounding areas.  No one knows for sure if these runners are motivated to run because proceeds benefit the student athletes of the PHS Cross Country & Track teams.  But the fact remains that since its inception, the event has been sponsored by PHS Cross Country & Track teams. Without the involvement of these student athletes, their parents and their coaches, the event would not have been occurring and growing as it has for the past decade.

Parent volunteers are therefore in support of the Turkey Trot occurring in 2014, but with the following suggestions for this year’s Street Closure Permit Applicant – the newly formed Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation.  Parent volunteers have reason to believe that these suggestions will be taken by the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation and are looking forward to a friendly, cooperative dialogue within the next few days with the spokesperson of the corporation.

The suggestions for the Turkey Trot Corporation are:

• Parents of current student athletes be included as board members, and that this be an ongoing practice each year.
• An articulated plan be developed for succession of event management to avoid volunteer “burn out” and a sense of “event ownership by any one individual”.
• That the entity responsible for planning the Turkey Trot have on it’s board in advisory capacity: (1) a city representative and (2) a school based representative such as a school board member or district employee, and (3) a PHS cross country or track coach.
• That the organizing entity of the Turkey Trot engage in a yearly committee/board discussion, with minutes taken and available for public review, of how any excess net proceeds after Cross Country and Track team fundraising needs are met, would be used.
• And that prior to City approval of the 2014 Street Closure Permit, the organizing entity comes to an agreement with the City as to how funds are going to be distributed on an annual basis, preferably in keeping with the tradition as stated in Council Agenda Reports of the past three years (2011,2012, 2013): “All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to support the Piedmont High School Cross Country and Track teams”.

Additionally, there have been several suggestions from the parent volunteer community regarding a change to the traditional language of the next sentence in the Council Agenda Reports referred to above, which refers to excess funds and which currently reads: “as well as acquiring exercise equipment to benefit the whole school” to something such as one of the following suggestions which have come from the parent volunteer community and from the newly formed corporation:

• “Student athletes should decide how Excess Funds would be used”

• “Excess funds be distributed equally to all teams”
• “Excess funds go into a Witter Track & Field Replacement Fund”
• “Excess funds go to offset City of Piedmont costs to host the event”
• “Excess funds go to support running in Piedmont, perhaps through the Rec Dept.”
• “ Excess funds go to as-yet unidentified charities; perhaps local food banks because the event occurs on Thanksgiving”

As a parent volunteer group, there is no set consensus on the use of these “excess funds”; yet parent volunteer trust could conceivably be placed in a representative board as described above to discuss these possibilities and make this decision from year to year on behalf of the parent volunteer and student athlete community.

It is now the job of City and School representatives to move forward regarding issuance of the City Street Closure Permit.

These remarks will be shared with the spokesperson of the Turkey Trot corporation today, for inclusion in what parent volunteers believe will be productive and cooperative talks within the next few days, ideally leading to a healthy reconciliation of perceived differences between stakeholders.

Thank you.

Katie Korotzer, President of the Associated Parents Clubs of Piedmont

Editors’ Note:  The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Piedmont Civic Association.

– Facts about Piedmont’s annual Turkey Trot provided by the Piedmont Unified School District Superintendent, Constance Hubbard – 

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions 

The District wishes to alert parents and students to significant events with respect to Piedmont’s annual Turkey Trot.

Background:

Since 2003, the Turkey Trot has been run by the PHS Cross Country Team, PUSD coaches, and families. The Piedmont Unified School District financed the Trot (shirts, timers, etc.) with student funds held in the Piedmont High School Associated Student Body (PHS ASB) account. All proceeds were used to support Piedmont High School’s Cross Country & Track programs, and to acquire exercise equipment to benefit the whole school.

In December 2013, a few of the race organizers independently filed papers to incorporate as the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation to assume responsibility for this annual event. Although the organizers obtained funds to finance the 2013 Turkey Trot from the PHS ASB account as per usual, afterwards they claimed that the proceeds would be distributed at the discretion of the Turkey Trot Corporation.

At this point, the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation has neither reimbursed the District in full for the funds provided in 2013 nor turned over the profits of the November 2013 Turkey Trot. The intention of the organizers going forward is not clear, as the new web page states for the 2014 event states that “proceeds from the race benefit various local charities.”

Students and parents have asked the District to clarify the relationship between the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation and the Piedmont Unified School District. This information sheet is intended to address the most frequently asked questions about the history and status of the Turkey Trot. Nonetheless, several questions remain.

A Brief History of the Turkey Trot:

The Turkey Trot has existed in its current form for 12 years, and throughout that time has been a fundraiser sponsored and organized by the Piedmont High School Cross Country Team. It has grown from a few hundred to thousands of runners. With that growth, there has been significant growth in revenue and also organizational support.

Some former Cross Country parents worked closely with coaches to lead the effort and many community volunteers helped, but the event was primarily staffed by current Cross Country team members and their parents. In recent years, the Cross County team has not needed all the proceeds from the fundraiser, and revenue has been used to acquire exercise equipment for the benefit of the entire PHS student body.

There are organizational and up-front costs associated with running the annual Turkey Trot. These costs include, but are not limited to, the purchase of race day t-shirts, official timers, and insurance. The District has always paid these costs, either up front or from race proceeds. In recent years, proceeds from the previous year’s race were budgeted to fund the next year’s race. These funds were held in a special fund for Cross Country & Track held by the PHS Associated Student Body.

Changes in 2013:

The 2013 Turkey Trot was organized and run as it had been in past years. The District paid approximately $23,000 in upfront costs, including $14,879 in race day t-shirts. Students and parents volunteered their time to make the event a success, with the understanding that 100% of the proceeds would benefit Cross Country & Track and student athletics. The event was marketed to the community (with advertising in local and regional media) as a fundraiser to support PHS Cross Country & Track programs.

The City of Piedmont’s permit and the Turkey Trot insurance documents also state that all proceeds would benefit PHS Cross Country & Track programs and student athletics. However, to date the organizers have not delivered the proceeds of the 2013 Turkey Trot to the District for these student athletics programs.

Following the 2013 Turkey Trot, a few of the long-time organizers of the Turkey Trot independently created the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation. Although some coaches may have been aware of the creation of this entity, the Board of Education, School District administrators, PHS Boosters (the organization primarily responsible for raising funds to support student athletics) and, to the District’s knowledge, athletes and their parents, were not. The corporation (which was formed in December 2013) deposited all proceeds from the 2013 Turkey Trot into its own bank account.

Requests for an Accounting and for Proceeds from the 2013 Turkey Trot:

When the Board of Education, District administrators, and PHS Boosters were informed of the creation of the new Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation, and learned that the Turkey Trot proceeds had not been delivered to the District, they initiated a series of discussions and meetings with the identified founder to resolve outstanding issues concerning the 2013 Turkey Trot.

Specifically, the District asked how much was raised by the 2013 Turkey Trot, how much was spent in race preparations and operations (with a detailed accounting of expenses), and how much remained to be remitted to the District to support the PHS Cross Country & Track programs. The requested information was promised but not provided.

In February 2014, District staff met with the some of the founders of the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation and were told the gross proceeds from the 2013 event were approximately $54,000. The District asked at that meeting, and immediately thereafter in writing, for a copy of the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws (which specify how the Corporation intends to spend funds that it receives going forward), a complete accounting of the 2013 race proceeds and expenses, and that all proceeds from the 2013 Turkey Trot be paid to the District to deposit in the special fund for Cross Country & Track held by the PHS Associated Student Body.

Again, the requested information was promised but not provided.

The District continued to pursue this information and return of the 2013 Turkey Trot proceeds in numerous communications, both oral and written, with the identified founder of the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation. The District has attempted to resolve this matter informally out of respect and recognition of the organizers’ long service to the community, and the identified founder’s repeated promises that the information and proceeds would be forthcoming.

As a result of the District’s efforts, the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation has since partially released funds to the District. The Corporation delivered $19,879.23, stating that it is keeping $30,000 of the 2013 proceeds to fund the 2014 Turkey Trot. The founder refused to sign an agreement to return the full amount of the 2013 Trot proceeds to the District for use in supporting “the Cross-Country and Track teams as well as exercise equipment to benefit the whole school” as stated in the City of Piedmont’s permit approval for the 2013 Turkey Trot.

Aside from the partial reimbursement of the upfront costs invested by the District, no other funding has been provided by the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation to support the Cross Country & Track programs and student athletics. However, students and parents should be advised that the District remains fully committed to support all student athletic programs, and the Cross County & Track programs will continue to receive the financial and program resources they need for the 2014-15 season.

Unresolved Questions:

As the accounting and disbursement issues concerning the 2013 Turkey Trot remain unresolved, it is unclear what the relationship will be between the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation and PHS athletic programs going forward.

Relevant questions for parents, students and the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation include:
• Who should run future Turkey Trots in Piedmont? Although the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation seeks to do so, other stakeholders have not had an opportunity to present their thoughts.
• If future Turkey Trots are run by the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation, to whom does it intend to donate the proceeds?
• Does Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation intend to be transparent with the community regarding the proceeds and expenses of the Turkey Trot, and to whom it makes donations?

The Piedmont Unified School District remains open to facilitate a discussion among representatives of the Piedmont Turkey Trot Corporation, student athletes, parents, and PHS supporters to answer these questions to foster the long tradition of collaboration among community members, parents, and students in support of student athletics in the District.

If you have any questions, please direct them to the Office of the Superintendent at; chubbard@piedmont.k12.ca.us

September 24, 2014

Want to learn more about City/School mutual issues?

The City Council and School Liaison Committee meetings are a great way to find out about matters such as: the No Smoking Ordinance; City and School District Capital Facilities Projects; City and School Agreements; Turkey Trot; and Emergency Preparedness.  The Liaison Committee will meet on:

Friday, October 17, at 8:30 a.m. in the Piedmont Unified School District, Administration Office, 760 Magnolia Avenue.  

The meeting is open to the public.  There will be no broadcast or recording of the meeting.  Interested individuals should be present for full information.

The Committee’s agenda includes:

An opportunity for the public to speak on items not on the agenda. (Total Time allotted = 10 minutes. Speakers may be asked to limit their comments.)

Regular Agenda – The public may speak on any of the following items:

1. Discussion of Emergency Preparedness

2. Discussion of Turkey Trot

3. Discussion of District / City Agreements

4. Discussion of City / District Capital Facilities Projects

5. Discussion of No Smoking Ordinance

1. Discussion of Schedule of Future Meetings – Agenda Topics

Committee Roster:

On Tuesday, September 23, 2014, around 8 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, the Piedmont Unified School District School Board will review potential improvements for Piedmont High School’s Alan Harvey Theater.  The staff report states there will be:

“ Progress report on improvements supported by donor pledges
Staff will review the recommendations from the Steering Committee as to the priority projects in progress to maintain use of AHT.

 First of many opportunities for community input as to next steps
Community will have an opportunity (one of many) to provide feedback to the Board as to next steps. No Prop 39 bond measure may be brought for consideration in odd-numbered years. Therefore, 2016 is the first year a bond could be considered.”

Read the staff report pages 15 and 16.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some questions arose when voters recently* defeated the $13 to $15 million parcel tax measure for bonds to upgrade the Alan Harvey Theater:

1.  What is the total amount of existing Piedmont school bond obligations?

2.  Frequently, the School District mentions a State limitation on the amount school districts can borrow.  What is this limit for Piedmont and does it change annually as property values appreciate?

3.  Is the State limitation on Piedmont School District borrowing impacted by existing non-school (City, County, special districts) bond obligations?

4.  Why does an auditorium renovation cost $15 million when we were able to build an entire school (Havens) for $24 million?

5.  What will the total long and short term cost of borrowing $15 million dollars be?

6.  Some of the finest theaters in Europe use wooden seating for sound enhancement.  Since the current seating is in disrepair, has wooden seating been considered?  What other alternatives were considered?

7.  Were more modest alternatives thoroughly considered prior to the School Board decision to accept the proposed $13 – $15 million renovation plan?

8.   External community groups have expressed interest in use of the theater after it is renovated.  The School District will be faced with similar maintenance issues as with playfields and other school facilities.  Since the District, by State law, cannot charge users to maintain the facilities, what funding source will the District use to maintain the enhanced and larger theater plus new classrooms?

9.   Shouldn’t the seating capacity be increased rather than decreased?

10. Might there be an opportunity for the School District to obtain outside funding for the proposals?

11.  When designing the proposal, was thought given to increased community participation by architects, performers, and interested residents ?

12.  How could accessibility issues be addressed in a more cost-effective manner?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The School Board meeting is open to the public.  It will be broadcast on Channel 27 and live streamed from the Piedmont website.  Recordings and minutes will be available following the meeting.

* In June 2014 Measure H was defeated with 1683 (52.40%) voting “No” and 1529 (47.60%) voting “Yes”.

Are you interested in Piedmont School Parcel Taxes and learning A to Z how the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) expends funds?

An important opportunity is presented by the voter required PUSD School Support Tax Subcommittee of the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC).

The voter approved parcel tax started at $2,406 per parcel and can be increased 2% on a compounded basis each year by the School Board.  The parcel tax is currently $2,454 per year.  The Advisory Subcommittee is based on voter action requiring an annual report to the School Board on the need to levy the parcel tax and any increase for the following year. Three appointments to the subcommittee will be made on the recommendation of the President and Vice President of the Board to the full Board.

None of the meetings of the Budget Advisory Committee or Subcommittee have been publicly broadcast.  In the past, all meetings and deliberations on the parcel tax by the Subcommittee have been held in private and were not open to the public.

Piedmont Unified School District is seeking applicants for seats on its Advisory Subcommittee for the School Support Tax (Measure A) passed by the voters on March 5, 2013. Applicants must be Piedmont property owners subject to the School Support tax and cannot be current PUSD employees or consultants.  Contact the Piedmont Unified School District for an application. 

Applications must be received on or before Friday, October 17, 2014 at 5:00 p.m.

The following was approved at the Board of Education meeting of 4-10-13.

The Subcommittee will operate independently of the BAC and report directly to the Board of Education. The Subcommittee will establish its own meeting schedule and agendas. In addition to the budget information provided to the BAC, the Subcommittee may request additional information relating to the budget or School Support Tax from the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, who will be the primary point of contact for the Subcommittee.

Charge to the Subcommittee

The Subcommittee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Education to help review and project the financial needs of the PUSD with respect to the levy of the voter approved School Support Tax. The Subcommittee shall conduct an independent examination of the District’s budget and related documents prior to making formal recommendations in its annual report to the Board.

The scope of work for the Subcommittee shall be limited to advice on whether and to what extent to levy the School Support Tax, as set forth below. If the Board wishes to expand the Subcommittee’s charge to consider other items, the Board must do so by majority vote.

As part of the District’s annual budget development process and during the term of the School Support Tax, the Subcommittee shall submit an annual report to the Board of Education showing:

 A high level, comprehensive analysis of the District’s budget, including relevant metrics, historical trends, and comparisons with similar school districts, that provides an analytical basis for the Subcommittee’s recommendations.

 The amount of funds collected and expended from the proceeds of the School Support Tax in the current fiscal year and projected for the next fiscal year, as well as the status of any projects or programs required or authorized to be funded from the proceeds of the School Support Tax, as described in the Full Text of the March 5, 2013 Ballot for Measure A (Exhibit A).

 A recommended levy amount for the School Support Tax, up to the maximum allowable for the subsequent year’s tax. The Subcommittee shall recommend to the Board whether to (1) maintain the existing School Support Tax levy; (2) increase the existing levy up to a maximum of no more than two percent; or (3) decrease the existing levy. The Committee shall explain the basis for its recommendation, including the fiscal impacts of recommended and alternative funding levels on the District’s budget.

Board of Education Responsibility

 Establish the Charter for the Subcommittee no later than May 5, 2013, after two public hearings at Regular School Board meetings.

 Appoint to the Subcommittee, by November of each year, a total of 3 to 5 members representing a variety of stakeholder groups, and with appropriate finance knowledge and experience.

 Appoint at least one Board liaison to the Subcommittee, to serve on an annual basis.

 Revise and/or clarify interpretation of the Charter as necessary at regular meetings of the Board.

Operations of the Subcommittee

 The Subcommittee shall elect officers by majority vote. Offices shall be limited to a Chair and Secretary, who are elected annually at a meeting of the Subcommittee.

– The Chair is responsible for preparing agenda materials, administering meetings, and ensuring that the Subcommittee’s charge and expectations for the annual report are fulfilled by the Subcommittee each year.

– The Secretary is responsible for preparing minutes of the meetings and administering meetings when the Chair is absent.

 Meetings shall be held a minimum of two times per year, but otherwise as the Subcommittee decides

 Recommendations shall be made by majority vote provided, however, that a minority recommendation may be submitted.

 A quorum shall consist of a majority of the full Subcommittee.

 The Subcommittee should coordinate with District administration and staff to secure information and input in ways that are not unduly burdensome.

 The Subcommittee’s annual report to the Board will be submitted at least one month before the Board votes on the School Support Tax levies for the following budget year.

In general, the report would be due in January or February of each year.

Standards of Conduct of Committee and its Members

 Although each Subcommittee member may have differing perspectives on the financial budget information, analysis and recommendations made by the Subcommittee, individual members will conduct themselves in ways that reflect mutual respect for different perspectives, and work collaboratively to develop the Subcommittee’s annual report.

Committee Composition and Length of Service

 Membership: Three to five members, with Board option to expand as needed.

 Term of Service: Two years, except that two of the members first appointed to the Subcommittee should be prepared to serve for three years to allow for staggering of membership terms.

 Removal: Repeated absences, failure to prepare for and participate in meetings, routine failure to attend Budget Advisory Committee meetings, health matters, or professional or personal demands.

 Compensation/Reimbursement: None.

Membership Requirements

 Subcommittee members must be Piedmont property owners and subject to the School Support Tax.

 Current PUSD employees or consultants are not eligible to serve on the Subcommittee.

 Members of the Subcommittee should include representatives from various groups in the community, including parents, senior citizens, taxpayer advocates, and those without students in the schools.

 Subcommittee members shall also be active members of the BAC who have appreciable financial knowledge and experience.

Application Procedure

 Must submit application by facsimile, mail, email or in person to the Office of the Superintendent, 760 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont, CA 94611. Applications will be available at the District Office or from the District website: www.piedmont.k12.ca.us

Selection of the Committee

 The Board will work with the Superintendent’s office to recruit new Subcommittee members and set a reasonable timeframe for filling openings on the Subcommittee.

 The Superintendent or designee will review applications to verify eligibility to serve on the Subcommittee (i.e., homeowner and taxpayer).

 Board President and Vice President will review applications and as needed interview potential candidates for new and open positions on the Subcommittee.

 Nominees will be confirmed by the Board of Education at a Regular Board Meeting.

Additional information:

http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/district-info/parcel-tax-program/

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

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

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

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

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