Citizen letter to the City Council, as it continues to consider adopting a Risk Management Policy – 

Dear Piedmont City Council,

re: April 1, 2013 Risk Management Policy Agenda Item

City Policy of enforcing agreements: This aspect is not included in this policy report. As of June 2012, PRFO  [Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization] owed the City $220,000 with $31,400 in additional legal costs directly incurred as a result of their project through November 2012. What is the City Policy in regards to enforcing arbitration clauses in signed agreements? > Click to read more…

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

Unused or outdated prescription drugs can be dropped off at the Piedmont Police Department on Saturday, April 27 between 10 am and 2 pm. Properly disposing of medications can be a challenge, as most drug stores will not accept them, and other methods of disposal pose potential health and safety hazards. The service offered by the Police Department is conveniently located in the center of Piedmont. > Click to read more…

Proposals Invited for 801 Magnolia East Wing

Sewers, Pensions, Public Employee Pension Reform Act, Piedmont Police and Fire Pension Plan,  and Actuarial Valuation of Retiree Medical promise an important Piedmont financial planning meeting.

On Tuesday, April 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Conference Room, the Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee will consider items critical to Piedmont’s financial stability.  The public can attend and participate in the meeting.  There will be no audio or written record kept of meeting discussion or presentations. Additionally, no broadcast via the internet or cable TV will be available. Staff reports have not been distributed.  Verbal presentations are expected at the meeting. > Click to read more…

Teacher Contract Openers, Measure A Tax Review Subcommittee, Modernization Plans, Next Year School Calendar – all on agenda – 

The Piedmont Unified School District Board will consider the following items, among others, at its April 10 meeting in City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, starting at 7:00 pm.
> Click to read more…

Public Safety Committee to discuss benefits and appropriateness of License Plate Readers in Piedmont – 

On Thursday, April 4, at 5:30 p.m., the Committee will meet in the Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue, to consider:

•  Update on Neighborhood Watch Meetings
•  Discussion of License Plate Readers for Piedmont
•  Discussion of Home and/or Private Surveillance Camera Systems
•  Discussion of Harvest Festival Event Planning
•  Discussion of Piedmont Safety Committee Charge

Staff reports are  not available as of this date, nor is information on whether the meeting will be broadcast via KCOM or streamed live on the internet.  The public can participate in the meeting at City Hall.

After a presentation by Piedmont Police Chief  Riki Goede at a recent City Council meeting on the efficacy of placing License Plate Readers (LPR) at various streets leading into Piedmont, the City Council referred the matter to the Public Safety Committee for consideration and requested more information from staff on funding sources, using a sole source provider, the 3M company, and examples of effectiveness from other cities or communities similar to Piedmont.

Piedmont residents have expressed differing opinions about the LPR program. Some questioned the cost effectiveness of the $1 million-plus program, while others urged immediate installation of LPRs due to a number of recent home invasion robberies under gunpoint.

Read more about LPRs

Network of License Plate Readers Proposed for Piedmont

Future City Projects May Get a Closer Look – 

The City Council will discuss adoption of a  Risk Management Policy for major Piedmont capital projects at its meeting on Monday, April 1.  The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue.

The City’s Public Works Director will present a revised version of his draft risk management policy, which he presented to the Council in January.   Since then, a Task Force on Civic Governance formed by the Piedmont League of Women Voters has developed  an alternative risk management policy for the City, which it submitted  to the Council for consideration. Both the April 1 Risk Management > Click to read more…

License Plate Readers project added to agenda at last minute –  

The Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee met on March 27 in the Police Department Emergency Operations Center.  The agenda as considered by the Committee was not circulated in a manner compliant with the Brown Act, California’s sunshine law.

The Committee considered the following items:

1. Review of FY 2012-13 mid year report

2. Discussion of financial impacts of possible license plate reader project.  This item was belatedly placed on the agenda at the request of Councilmember Jeff Weiler, who is not a member of the Committee. > Click to read more…

Litigation with Harris and Gray returns to trial court – 

Legal procedures continue as the City of Piedmont attempts to recover funds spent on the Piedmont Hills Undergrounding Assessment District (PHUAD) established for undergrounding of utilities.  The City is charging two engineering firms with liability for the over $2.4 million spent to complete the project after rock was discovered in the area. > Click to read more…

What are they? Why should we care? How can we reduce our health risks?

The League of Women Voters of Piedmont, Piedmont Connect, and the Beach Parents’ Organization’s Green Committee will host a free community event featuring Tracey Woodruff, PhD,MPH, of the University of California at San Francisco. The program will be held on Wednesday, April 24, 7- 8:30 p.m. at the Beach School Auditorium, 100 Lake Ave, Piedmont.  Everyday household furnishings, containers, and personal care products, including furniture, can contain ingredients such as lead, flame retardants and plasticizers that pose health risks. > Click to read more…