The December 20 City Council meeting has been canceled.  The Council will next meet on Monday, January 3.  City offices will be closed on December 24 and 31 and will close at 12 noon on December 23.

Piedmont’s Police Chief John Hunt offers his perspective on how to view and respond to suspicious incident reports.  For citizens reporting a suspicious person or suspicious activity,  it is imperative to be accurate and concise in the description of behavior given to the dispatcher.  Hunt explains the process which the department follows once the report is received.   > Click to read more…

Summary of the December 8th School Board discussion and decision on Witter Field Use provided by June Monach, School Board Member:

The Board unanimously approved a proposal developed by the District’s administration to expand Sunday use of the Witter Fields. The proposal was developed in response to increasing demand for play fields for youth sports and neighborhood complaints around unauthorized organized use of the facilities. > Click to read more…

Summary of December 8th School Board Meeting item on the District Budget provided by June Monach, School Board Member:

Assistant Superintendent Michael Brady presented the 2010-11 First Interim Financial Report to the Board. Based upon the District’s recommendations and a clear understanding of the assumptions being made, the Board approved a positive certification of the report, which means the District will be able to meet its financial obligations for this fiscal year and the next two years *with implementation of at least $1.4 Million in expenditure reductions and/or revenue enhancements to be outlined and defined by the Second Interim Report – Editor’s Note. (Source: final recommendation at p. 7 of First Interim Report) > Click to read more…

Summary of December 8 School Board discussion and announcement on openings provided by June Monach, School Board Member

There are three openings on the Citizens Advisory Committee responsible for advising the Board of Education on School Parcel taxes. The vacancies are a result of resignations submitted in September. The Board suggested that replacement members be added, bringing the total membership back to at least 9 members. The Board has asked staff to begin the application process after the annual report is released in January or February. The application process will be changed to include an interview of potential candidates.

The second hearing on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Moraga Canyon sports field project attracted significant community input.  Among submissions from the public were form letters supporting the project, as well as individual letters from residents of Piedmont and Oakland for and against, and from the Oakland Community and Economic Development Agency Deputy Director Eric Angstadt urging the Council not to certify the EIR.  Materials: Read all 51 letters here.  View the Kieran Turan “before and after“ animated illustration of the proposed project, which simulates the views while driving along Moraga with the berm wall and parking lots. View site drawing.  See hearing video. > Click to read more…

Residents associated with Friends of Moraga Canyon have been developing an alternative concept for Blair Park.  The Alternative Plan was initially presented to the City Clerk on December 1, 2010 as a Comment to the Moraga Canyon EIR.  A more recent version of the Alternative Plan was submitted to PCA for publication and is reprinted below.  It incorporates several revisions not contained in the original Comment to the Council.

An EIR Comment by William Blackwell to the Council Proposing an Alternative Blair Park Plan, with Scale Drawing:

PROPOSED BLAIR PARK PROJECT ALTERNATIVE

1. Delete the smaller  proposed sports fields and downsize the larger.
2. Widen portions of Moraga Avenue where needed to permit on-street curb parking in lieu of on-site parking lots and access roads. See drawing.
3. Delete as unneeded the pedestrian bridge and elevator linking the sports field to Coaches Field.
4. Improve the balance of the site as an active year-round park and recreation area.

This is a less intense option that partially meets the project objective. > Click to read more…

A letter from Kathleen Quenneville, a Piedmont resident, on good governance and gifts:

I am writing to ask that the Council not certify the Environmental Impact Report for Moraga Canyon at its December 6 meeting. Regrettably, what should be an adult conversation has been turned into a circus by the proponents. > Click to read more…

Update: A summary of Board discussion on this item at the December 8th meeting prepared by Board Member June Monarch may be found here.

The Piedmont Unified School District has posted its First Interim Report for 2010-11.  It confirms that its budget shortfall will be $4 million over the next 2 years, rather than the $5 million initially projected.

There are no reserve monies available to resolve the $4 million shortage.  Reserves will stand at $3 million at the end of 2010-11.  Reserves of approximately $2 million (3%) are required by the State.  Expenditure of excess reserves above the $2 million required minimum will occur in 2011-12 and this > Click to read more…

Update: The Board of Education voted to limit the Citizens’ Advisory Committee’s charge on December 8th.  See Recap of Meeting

On December 8th the Board of Education will vote on whether to revise the Citizens’ Advisory Committee’s current Charge.  Board Member Ray Gadbois, together with former member of the CAC Eileen Ruby, have argued for limits on the Committee’s ability to make recommendations to the Board and its fact-finding research. Details in previous article: “A Call to Limit Citizens’ Advisory Committee Input“. > Click to read more…