The City of Piedmont issued the following notice regarding weed abatement which will be done at Blair Park, noting this work is unrelated to the Moraga Canyon Sports Field Proposal.  No chemicals will be used to abate the weeds, only a mechanical “weed-eater.” > Click to read more…

Just one week after Piedmont sent a check for $350,471 to Oakland for library services (2009-10 billed in arrears), Oakland’s Mayor Jean Quan has announced a proposal to close 15 of its 19 libraries.

On Friday, April 29, Oakland Mayor, Jean Quan, called for either the closure of all City libraries except the Main Library and 3 branches or a library budget cut of $400,000, an amount almost identical to Piedmont’s payment.  

The closure proposal would affect Montclair, Piedmont Avenue, Temescal (including its tool library), as well as the Asian, Brookfield, Cezar Chavez, Dimond, Eastmont, Elmhurst, Golden Gate, Lakeview, Martin Luther King, Melrose,  and West Oakland branch libraries and the African American Museum and Library.  The funding for new books and DVDs would be severely limited.  Electronic services such as downloadable books and databases would be discontinued.  The hours for the Oakland History Room in the Main library would be reduced.

The City of Piedmont included no restrictions on Oakland’s use of its recent $350,471 contribution, e.g. requiring that the dollars result in an increase in the Oakland Library budget or that services be maintained.

No Piedmont payments for library services go into the Oakland Library budget according to the Oakland Associate Library Director Gerry Garzon.  Residents of Piedmont often identify the desire to support the Oakland Libraries as a rationale for making a library service payment to Oakland.  However, Piedmont’s “library service” payments are used as general funds, not for Oakland Libraries.  > Click to read more…

The Piedmont League of Women Voters Task Force on utility undergrounding presented its extensive investigation in a public forum entitled “Lessons Learned in Undergrounding”on April 26.  Task Force members Mary Heller, Rob Hendrickson, Kathleen Quenneville [Chair], Al Peters and Alex Gunst discussed their findings and recommendations.  The Task Force expertise includes construction litigation, public policy administration and legal issues, engineering, accounting, mediation, construction management, and past experience as a Piedmont Mayor.

The City Council Chamber was filled to capacity with  citizens interested in the presentation and discussion of a failed and costly private undergrounding district. The Task Force made the following suggestions for changes to Council and staff procedures and policies to prevent failure and cost overruns in future underground utilities and other civic projects.

The City Council’s Role > Click to read more…

From Michael Rancer, Chair of the 2011 Municipal Tax Review Committee:

In March, the Piedmont City Council appointed a Municipal Tax Review Committee, charged with responsibility for recommending the next parcel tax when the current one expires on June 30, 2013.  > Click to read more…

• Tentative Agreement Between PUSD and California School Employees’ Association (CSEA)
• Reduction of 4 Classified Staff Services Positions (through retirements)
• Levying Parcel Tax Measures B & E (with 5% increase for B)
  
• Inter-district Transfers for grandchildren of grandparents

and more – read the full report from June Monach > Click to read more…