On Wednesday, June 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall, the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) administration will ask the Board of Education to approve a proposed 2010-11 budget with multi-year budget projections reflecting an $878,000 shortfall in FY 2013-14.

The budget includes a warning:  “Criteria and standards that are “Not Met,” and supplemental information and additional fiscal indicators that are “Yes,” may indicate areas of potential concern for fiscal solvency purposes and should be carefully reviewed.”  (At p. 5-7.)  These areas of concern include:

• The District provides post–employment benefits (other than pensions) which are lifetime benefits and funded on a “pay-as-you-go” basis.
• Projected reserves do not meet minimum requirements
• There are ongoing general fund expenditures in excess of 1% funded with one time resources. 
• The District has long-term (multi-year) commitments or debt.

The year 2011-12 budget is balanced, and there are sufficient reserves to meet obligations for 2012-13.   The $878,000 shortfall occurs in 2013-14.  Click to read more »

For the first time in a very long time a new public space is being  created in Piedmont. Piedmont residents are invited to join the conversation about the best use of the unique, centrally located, public space in the east wing of 801 Magnolia, the former Christian Science Building.  (Comment below.)

While the west wing of 801 Magnolia has been leased to the Piedmont Center for the Arts, another large space exists in the east wing of the property.  The Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Committee recently recommended that public input be solicited on the use of this rare, new public space.  Councilman Garret Keating wrote to PCA on June 8, raising the idea of a small library or reading room in the unleased east wing.  Keating asked, “Is there a Friends of Piedmont Library out there that could take this on?”  (Read full Keating comment.)

Residents recognize the lack of an attractive, comfortable public space in Piedmont.  At the same time, several senior programs are concerned their use of the Veterans Hall space will be terminated.   Creating “A Piedmont Place” in the east wing of 801 Magnolia could provide much needed small meeting space for local groups, offer a gathering place for residents, and accommodate varied interests of the Piedmont community.

The east wing space could open up the opportunity for residents to engage in literary forums, lectures, writing groups, book reviews and author readings, drop-in chess games, book groups, a book exchange, plus provide access to one or more online libraries.  Daily newspapers and donated magazines for perusing, “new favorite books” recommendations, and more could be available.  Residents could volunteer their talents, skills and time to provide some of the services that Piedmont, having no public library of its own, currently lacks. Click to read more »

The Piedmont City Council will hold a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2011-2012 budget and the levy of the Municipal Services Tax and Sewer Tax on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 7:30 pm in City Hall.  Citizens are invited to attend to speak to the Council or observe. Letters should be addressed to City Council, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, 94611  and e-mails should be sent to the City Clerk at jtulloch@ci.piedmont.ca.us.

See prior article on Budget Workshop for highlights of budget discussions.

A Report from the Chair of the 2011 Municipal Tax Review Committee,  Michael Rancer

At its June 8 meeting, the committee reviewed several alternative projections for city revenues and expenditures, looking out as far as the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The first goal was to reach agreement on the most likely revenue picture, with an emphasis on establishing reasonable expectations for growth in property tax income, since that is the city’s largest resource.  After looking at growth rates over the past 30 years (driven mainly by reassessments at time of sale plus the Proposition 13 limit of 2% valuation growth annually), the committee adopted an expected growth rate of 4% per year on average through the end of the current decade.  Though annual numbers will vary from this figure, they are expected to average about 4% over time.  This is a somewhat conservative estimate, but consistent with the less favorable trends of the last 5 years. Click to read more »

• Lease-Lease Back Agreement approved for Beach Elementary School
• New appointments to Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, PHS Principal, PHS Assistant Principal, and PMS Assistant Principal
• PowerPoint Presentation on Teacher Evaluation Process Recommendations

And more – read the full report from June Monach Click to read more »

Assumptions used for the PG&E substation project are questioned

June 9, 2011

Piedmont Planning Commission
c/o Kate Black, City Planner

Re: June 13 Commission meeting re: 408 Linda Ave. Development (“Proposal”)

PART I: SCOPING COMMENTS FOR DEIR:  [Draft Environmental Impact Report]
The DKS: Traffic Analysis Piedmont Townhomes entirely fails to examine street traffic traveling east bound down Linda Avenue right before the blind left hand curve in the road where traffic will be entering and exiting the new 408 driveway. Will a car be waiting in the lane for another car exiting?  This will be occurring right at the point where the school speed zone reverts to 25mph, a normal place for drivers to speed up. The critical traffic issue of cars traveling with no adequate sightline east bound immediately before the Proposal driveway must be analyzed. Click to read more »

Oakland citizens supporting library services and librarians have organized to protest the proposed closing of 15 libraries and the planned reduction of hours at the remaining 4 libraries. Their organization, Save Oakland Library is gathering signatures on a petition that states, “We, the undersigned, protest any proposal to close or reduce services at any Oakland library.”  Click to read more »

A letter from Robert Hendrickson on the City’s decision-making model for recent projects

(This letter expresses the personal opinions of the author. All statements made are the opinion of the writer and not necessarily those of the Piedmont Civic Association.)

The proposed pool fee schedule has been revised after receipt of public input at the Budget Workshop.  It will be considered on Monday, June 6 by the Piedmont City Council.  The new schedule is intended to provide a revenue model for the pool which relies less on taxpayer subsidies and more on annual and seasonal pass sales.

The level of taxpayer subsidy of the pool is now budgeted at 50% of all operating costs, or $380,000.  This amount does not reflect capital costs, which will be 100% taxpayer funded.  Pool facility improvements of $600,000 are on the list of projects considered annually for Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) funding.  (See item 4.)  CIP spending is funded by the Piedmont General Fund.

Although, according to the proposed budget, Piedmont residents will subsidize 50% of pool costs, they will not receive priority in the sale of annual or seasonal passes over non-residents or City employees.  See latest pool fee schedule.

On Monday, June 6, at 7:30 pm, the Piedmont City Council is expected to accept staff recommendations to change the City’s General Plan Housing Element. The proposed changes include increasing housing density in areas of Piedmont zoned for multi-family housing (Zone C) and commercial (Zone D).

The language submitted for approval will require the Council to review an annual report from the Piedmont Planning Department analyzing the number of units added to Piedmont’s housing stock and the number for low-income or very low-income occupants.  If the City Council does not find a sufficient number have been built, the Council commits to reduce requirements for Zones C (multi-family) and D (commercial) or ask the Piedmont voters to amend the City Charter to approve zoning changes to permit more housing units in Piedmont.

Barry Miller, Piedmont’s Housing Element consultant reports, “HCD suggested the City create additional incentives for multi-family development, such as prohibiting single family homes in the multi-family zoning district and raising the maximum lot coverage standard in the multi-family zone.” Click to read more »