On May 7, the Piedmont City Council unanimously voted to rescind its approval of the Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) project to develop Blair Park into a youth sports fields complex.  Residents speaking at the hearing from a variety of Piedmont neighborhoods raised questions regarding the previous approval process, need for play fields, the future of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and the delay in public disclosure of billing disputes with the PRFO. > Click to read more…

Interested in how technology can make a difference in education?

Join students, parents, technologists, teachers, administrators, school board and community members and engage in a dialogue about the District’s use of technology to support effective learning and instruction. Find out how technology is being used in K-12, brainstorm with the group about the future of Piedmont’s use of technology, and discuss how technology can make a difference. > Click to read more…

Join the discussion at May “Readmont” event –

Everyone is invited to attend a discussion of  the Readmont book, When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka, on Wednesday May 16, 7 p.m. in the Piedmont High School Library, on Magnolia Avenue.

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Will “broader community” advise PUSD on a future school parcel tax measure? 

On May 9, 2012, the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent, Connie Hubbard, will ask the Board for authority to seek advice from a new small team of community leaders who have historical expertise in school parcel tax elections.  The team “collectively [would be] representative of the broader community”.  > Click to read more…

The Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) has obtained a new report on its unfunded liability for retiree medical benefits.  The report estimates the total required annual cost to fund this benefit will be $500,000 per year for the PUSD, which covers 280 employees. > Click to read more…

Commute to work by bike, walking, carpool or public transit!

Thursday, May 10, 6-9 a.m. is Piedmont Bike to Work Day.  Piedmonters will have the chance to bike or walk with Councilmembers Keating, Fujioka and Mayor Chiang from points in Piedmont to an Energizer Station at Ace Hardware, 1221 Grand Avenue in Piedmont sponsored by Piedmont CONNECT, and then to downtown Oakland. > Click to read more…

Piedmont CONNECT will host a General Meeting of all Piedmont Connect working groups on Wednesday, May 16, 7-8:30 p.m. at  323 Highland Avenue, Piedmont, CA 94611, Havens Elementary School, Science Room – 344, 2nd floor overlooking Mulberry’s parking lot. Enter through the Vista Avenue doors across from Piedmont City Hall.  All are welcome to attend. > Click to read more…

New 2-tier retirement plans and employee contributions to benefit costs; City’s benefit costs inch upwards –

Proposed new employee contracts for various Piedmont non-safety city workers will hold salaries steady and create a 2-tier retirement plan, but run counter to 2011 Municipal Tax Return Committee (MRTC) recommendations to cap the city’s escalating benefit costs.  No specific cost impacts from this contract are provided by the staff report, nor an analysis in respect to the MTRC recommendation.

The 2011 MTRC recommended “significant immediate action with regard to employee pension and other benefits to freeze these costs and to ultimately make changes that reduce the costs as a percent of salaries.”   (Emphasis added.)   It was recommended that the city negotiate its employee contracts with “the goal of capping employee benefit costs at the current level of $5.18 million per year . . .“

The proposed new contracts provide the city will share 50% of increased pension contribution costs if they rise above a certain level.  The City will bear 100% of increased health insurance and other benefit costs.  Medical costs are anticipated to rise 7% per year in the future, dental 2.6%, and vision 1%.  See Staff Report on Employment Contracts with 4 Employee Groups > Click to read more…

Bills submitted by City to PRFO result in end of partnership –

After being presented with an unexpectedly high bill from the City for reimbursement, Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization (PRFO) requested that the City share in future Blair Park costs.  Since “the City Council and City Administrator had taken the position that all project costs, would, of necessity, be borne by PRFO”, this has led to a joint request from PRFO and City Administrator to rescind the project.  The request will be considered on May 7 by the City Council at their regular meeting starting at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers. The meeting will be televised via KCOM and the internet.

The staff report noted that an additional $246,000 in staff time has been devoted to Blair Park matters, but is not claimed as reimbursable.  The estimate is based on good faith estimates, rather than time sheets.  See Staff Report on a resolution rescinding the 12/05/11 approval of Blair Park

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No Broadcast, No Recordings, No Minutes –

The City Council formed the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (BAFPC) in response to 2011 Municipal Tax Review Committee recommendations.  The BAFPC will be providing advice to the Council on five-year financial projections and expenditures of more than $250,000.  The Committee is composed of Mary Geong, Steven Hollis, Bill Hosler (Chair), Tom Lehrkind, and Tim Rood.  The Members are taking their > Click to read more…