– Post Office Restores 5:00 PM Weekday Pickup at Highland Way Mailboxes – 

February 17, 2015 press release –

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has restored the 5:00 PM weekday pickup at the mailboxes at the corner of Highland Avenue and Highland Way. This restoration of services culminates almost a year’s worth of work by the City of Piedmont to have this evening pickup restored.

With only a few weeks’ notice, on April 8, 2014, the USPS eliminated the 5:00 PM pickup from these mailboxes, leaving only a single pickup per day and eliminating a service widely used by Piedmonters. Upon hearing of the change, Mayor Margaret Fujioka and City staff began working with the USPS to restore the service and determine their reasoning for the change.

This work began with the service manager of the Piedmont post office, located on 40th Street in Oakland. When efforts at working locally failed, City Administrator Paul Benoit met with the Manager of Customer Service operations for the Oakland area. After this meeting produced no results, staff contacted Congresswoman Barbara Lee to intervene on Piedmonters’ behalf with the USPS.

After months of work, the Congresswoman arranged a meeting on December 1, 2014 between the Oakland Postmaster, the Mayor, the City Administrator, and staff to discuss the situation. The Mayor stressed the importance of the additional late pick-up to Piedmonters and urged the Oakland Postmaster to work with the City to restore the service as soon as possible.

Postmaster Daryl Trujillo indicated that the USPS would study usage at these boxes and see if they met the criteria for a later pickup. The City was informed last week that the late pickup would be restored.

“First and foremost, I want to thank the many Piedmonters who wrote and called the USPS to request the restoration of the late pickup. Their input was critical to our success,” said Mayor Margaret Fujioka. “I also want to thank Congresswoman Lee, her staff, and Postmaster Trujillo for their efforts to address this issue. I could not be more pleased with the results of this truly collaborative process.”

Piedmont City Clerk, John Tulloch 

The Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Committee will be meeting in the City Hall conference room on Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. The meeting will not be broadcast or recorded, but is open to the public. The CIP Review Committee is composed of seven members, 4 appointed by the City Council, chairs of both the Recreation and Park Commission, plus the current President of the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, a private organization benefiting Piedmont.

The Committee  makes recommendations to the City Council on Piedmont’s major improvement projects. Citizens may propose projects on a Citizen Proposal Form, available from City Hall. Many past projects have originated from the City staff and the Piedmont Beautification Foundation.

The February 19 CIP agenda includes:

Public Forum – When anyone may address the Committee on a matter not on the agenda.

1. Welcome and introductions

2. Election of Chair

3. Committee Roster, length of terms – The newly constituted Committee membership has not been made public.

4. Charge to the Committee, process, purpose, structure, objectives, etc.  This will be a staff report with information available at the meeting.

5. CIP project status report –  The project list can change from prior years depending on current preferences, funding, and completion of projects.

6. Review of proposed work schedule and CIP tour –  Last year, a tour was held at various sites resulting in a recommendation to the City Council that Hampton Field should be the priority for the use of Piedmont’s $500,000+ entitlement from the voter approved East Bay Regional Park District bond funds.

In the past, staff proposals have included various projects from curtains to medians.

7. Future meeting dates – Staff has proposed a list of meetings and bench marks.

Hand outs will be made available to those present at the Committee meeting.

For questions or additional information on the CIP Review Committee, contact Mark Feldkamp, Parks and Project Manager at  510/420-3064 or mfeldkamp@ci.piedmont.ca.us

– Park Commission Meeting Report by Lucy Faust, Piedmont High School student –

At 5:30 on the evening of Wednesday, February 4th, Commissioner Sue Herrick called the Park Commission meeting to order. The Park Commission meets of the first Wednesday of each month to help the City Council in the decision making process regarding public parks and city street landscaping.

At the February meeting, although many issues and projects were brought up, the Townhouse Development Project at 408 Linda and the Highland Garden Walk Project were the most pressing topics on the agenda.

To start, Kevin Leveque, the landscape architect on the Townhouse Development Project, discussed many of the improvements he had made to the plans since the last meeting. He discussed the water draining issues coming from Oakland Avenue that they were solving and brought in samples of tiles to add to the site that are consistent with the area to bring a unified look to the community. In addition, he talked about the lighting to the Oakland Avenue Bridge which will become LED lighting so that less maintenance from the City of Piedmont will be required. Using photometrics, he felt confident that the lighting would be sufficient. Up to that point, the Commission members were very satisfied with his improvements. Moving forward, there was a bit more discussion.

Commissioner Patty Siskind was concerned about the planned lights to be casting shadows for cars in a negative way so that it would raise a risk of traffic accidents and Commissioner Nancy Kent was concerned with the fourteen foot posts that would be lining the walkway and recommended low lighting or a mix of high and low lighting instead. Most of the Park Commission members had thoughts on the lights – so much so that a motion was set to make a subcommittee to monitor the project. By not making a decision at the meeting, according to Director of Public Works Chester Nakahara, it would slow the process of getting a building permit for the project. As a solution, City Planner Kate Black suggested approving the building plans on the condition that the lighting on Oakland Avenue intersection, the path and stair lights, and plants for the landscaping would be approved at a later date. The Park Commission voted to take her suggestion and they all voted for it. They concluded that at the next meeting, the decision agreed upon by the subcommittee would be brought to the Park Commission as a whole.

After this discussion, Nancy Kent brought up the Highland Garden Walk Project and recapped the neighborhood meeting that was held January 24th. Lucy Faust, a student at Piedmont High school spoke in support of the project because she believes in the importance of drought-resistant gardens and saving water whenever possible. After she spoke, the details to discuss the project continued. Nancy Kent, a Park Commission member who has long served Piedmont with the intent of helping to bring its parks to a higher quality, is working hard to see the project through. The project is using sustainable techniques, like sheet mulching, to bring change to the area without eroding the organic material currently in place which will keep the soil healthier for years to come.  After the Highland Garden Walk Project discussion concluded, all other items on the agenda were discussed which included five project updates and a monthly maintenance report.

At the meeting I spoke in support of the Highland Garden Walk project. I spoke about the fact that a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing town is important to me and so is functionality. The current landscaping of the Highland grass, though beautiful, doesn’t make sense because currently, it is maintained like a park, but is not in use like a park. I talked how I have never hung out there with my friends and although I drive past it many times a week, I have never seen people sitting down in the area and enjoying the grass. Drought resistant plants are the future in gardening and I see no reason why we are using city water to water grass no one is using.

Lucy Faust, Piedmont High School Student

Editors Note:  The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Piedmont Civic Association.

Piedmont’s new Information Technology Task Force  will propose initiatives and oversee the consultant.

On February 2nd, the Piedmont City Council appointed five knowledgeable citizens to the Information Technology Task Force to help develop a five year strategic plan, working with ClientFirst Technology Consulting, the City’s Information Technology Consultant.  Piedmont resident John Lambert is the representative for ClientFirst.

The City Council has approved an Agreement with ClientFirst Technology Consulting in the amount of $24,618 for the development of a five year Information Technology Strategic Plan. 

One simple technology, SeeClickFix, adopted by San Francisco and Oakland is a new smartphone application that allows citizens to photograph and instantly report minor problems –pot holes, graffiti, idling vehicles, trash — to a City Department.  It’s a quick and easy way to report non-emergency issues to the City wherever and whenever a citizen notices them.

See, Click, Fix reports examples from across the U.S.:

In Dallas, a thoughtful citizen reported a traffic light timing problem on SeeClickFix, and saw an immediate improvement in traffic flow after government officials watching the area took quick action.

In Philadelphia, an engaged citywide advocacy group used SeeClickFix to mobilize citizens to document instances of vehicle idling, leading to new initiatives to help clean the air.

Astute police officers in New Haven, receiving direct alerts on their BlackBerries from citizens reporting quality-of-life crime issues within their SeeClickFix “watch areas,” have spearheaded a number of major arrests.

The Piedmont City Council February 17 agenda includes further closed session consideration of the City’s on-going lawsuit against engineers involved in Piedmont’s $2+ million private undergounding expense.

Piedmont has continued to improve contracting procedures.

With the encouragement of Mayor Margaret Fujioka, laws and polices governing purchasing and contracting have been updated to correct many years of inconsistent actions. 02/17/15 – Approval of the 2nd Reading of Ord. 716 N.S. Changing the Thresholds for Informal and Formal Bidding Requirements into Conformance with Current Best Practices

Also, on the agenda is a Recreation Department outreach program including a community survey and Town Hall style meetings to learn about recreation needs, programs and ideas.  Piedmont’s new Recreation Director Sara Lillevand and the Recreation Commission have proposed a community outreach plan.  The information gathered is intended to assist in future program designs for all users new and established. The community will be encouraged to weigh in on all recreation issues including the pool, grassy playfields, programs for seniors, etc. 02/17/15 – Receipt of a Report Regarding the Recreation Department’s Community Outreach Project

Drainage problems on Highland Avenue between Park Way Avenue and Moraga Avenue have persisted for years.  Sand bags have been frequently seen in the area as attempts were made to control storm water.  The trees in the area have caused the sidewalks and gutters to be damaged.  Some diseased trees will be removed.  The project to correct the problem will cost $278,650.  02/17/15 –  Consideration of the Award of the Highland Avenue Park Way Drainage Improvement Project to JJR Construction, Inc. in the Amount of $217,969.25 and Authorize an Overall Construction Budget of $278,650 and Authorization for the City Administrator to Sign the Contract

After considerable discussion at the February 2 Council meeting, the Council decided to go forward with $51,000 + performance audit of the services and billing by Richmond Sanitary Services, Piedmont’s solid waste collector.  Some residents were concerned by news of neighboring cities charging a lesser rate for services. Explanations for Piedmont’s fees included Piedmont’s hilly terrain, extra pick up services for bulk and e waste, lack of commercial properties, and additional charges for those using backyard services. 02/17/15 – Consider an Agreement with R3 Consulting Group Inc. in the Amount of $51,300 for the Billing and Performance Audit for Richmond Sanitary Services and Review of the Franchise Amendments Requested by Richmond Sanitary Services

– There will be emergency road work on Moraga Avenue beginning on February 17th and continuing for approximately four weeks. – 

The City of Piedmont will be performing emergency work to replace sanitary sewer pipes on Moraga Avenue between the intersection of Monte Avenue and the eastern City limits. The work is planned to take place on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Due to the logistics of working in a busy street, traffic control measures, including restricting traffic to a single lane, will be necessary. Because of this, there will be traffic delays and disruptions on Moraga Avenue during this work.

Your awareness, cooperation, and patience is appreciated. If you have any questions related to this matter, or would like the City to be aware of any special circumstances, please call Dave Frankel, Maintenance Supervisor at (510) 207- 2114 or the Public Works Department at (510) 420-3050.

Information provided by the Piedmont City Clerk.

 

The following letter was received by PCA on February 9, 2015.

As trustees of PUSD, we appreciate the role of the local press as an independent reporter on our work and that of the district. Checks and balances are necessary. But today we are frustrated that a great deal of information about our superintendent search process, printed in the local press, has been inaccurate.

Over the last few months, the search process for a new superintendent has been characterized as “rushed”, “busted”, signaling “a new breach in public trust” complete with “conflict of interest”, “failure of disclosure” and having “fallen short of promoting community engagement”. This vitriol is damaging to the process and misleading to the community.

Immediately following Superintendent Hubbard’s retirement announcement, the board identified key school and community leaders—Paul Benoit, Carol Cramer, Ray Gadbois, Katie Korotzer—to join school board members Doug Ireland and Sarah Pearson on a sub-committee to select an executive search firm. We learned there is a unique recruiting “season”. It was in the community’s best interests to start ahead of the annual rush of other competing districts also seeking new leadership.

Feedback from our community about the characteristics and abilities important in a new superintendent emerged when national search firm, HYA & Associates, spent four days in over 40 separate meetings with 146 stakeholders. The number of respondents to the online survey was 482. More at www.http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/blog/2015/01/27/superintendent-search-by-the-numbers/. 

At the February 11 board meeting, our consultants will present the Leadership Profile Report based on the input from community meetings and the online survey. We will hear, for the first time, the names of qualified candidates at the February 24 special board meeting.

Because we take our charge to find the best superintendent for our school district extremely seriously, we can no longer stand silent while the local newspaper maligns the process. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.  This inference and innuendo of impropriety is damaging and reflects poorly on our community.

Andrea Swenson, President

Sarah Pearson, Vice President

Doug Ireland, Board Member

Rick Raushenbush, Board Member

Amal Smith, Board Member

Piedmont Board of Education

Editors’ Note:  The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Piedmont Civic Association.  None of the objectionable descriptions were sourced from this site.

The HYA Executive Search consultant has reported on the Leadership Profile for the new Superintendent developed from the online survey, individual interviews and focus groups.  The many ideas were summarized in the report as follows:

All members of the community are seeking a leader who builds a climate of mutual respect and trust and is open to ideas from staff, parents and community members to better the educational program for students. This individual should have experience as a teacher and administrator, worked successfully with school boards and with certificated and classified unions. The community’s interest is in a new superintendent who is comfortable with collaborative decision making processes, bringing disparate ideas together with a definitive well‐communicated plan, yet willing when necessary to make difficult decisions in the best interest of children without full consensus.

The School Board meeting of February 11 is packed with items for consideration.  After acting on the profile for the new superintendent, the Board will take up the following matters.

*Presentation by Blake Boehm, Director of KNN Public Finance, the Financial Advisors to the District, Regarding Options for the Refunding of 2006 Series A (CIB) and B (CAB) General Obligation Bonds as Current Interest Bonds for the Purpose of Realizing Savings to Taxpayers in Piedmont (Song Chin-Benib, Chief Business Official) This evening, the District’s public financial advisor Blake Boehm of KNN will provide the Board with information regarding the restructuring and refinancing (called “refunding”) of existing General Obligation (GO) bonds, which could relieve potential debt service to the District and save taxpayers as much as $4.3M in present value savings through 2032.  Report can be found on page 13 of the Board packet.

*Common Core State Standards – Middle and High School Mathematics Pathways (Randall Booker, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services) The Board will review the recommended proposal from the PUSD Math Task Force (MTF). Given a specific framework and charged with researching, reviewing, and recommending math pathways at the secondary level, the MTF is recommending a proposal that includes compression opportunities at PMS and PHS/MHS and a pathway to AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC for implementation in 2015-16.  Staff report can be found on page 24 of the Board packet.

*First Reading of Revised High School Course: Social Psychology (Assistant Superintendent Booker, Principal Brent Daniels) Piedmont High School proposes the redesign of the scope and sequence of Social Psychology to ensure that all Piedmont High School graduates experience curriculum to promote and foster their social and emotional learning and development. This redesign provides compliance with the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act and aligns with the Shaping our Future 2.0 vision. The Staff report can be found on page 38 of the Board packet.

 *Conduct Public Hearing for 2015-16 Contract Openers Between the District and the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT) (Superintendent Hubbard) Tonight will be the first public hearing. Contract openers between the District and APT are being “sunshined” for public inspection and comment over the next four weeks. The Board will hold a final public hearing and take action on the reopeners at the March 11, 2015 meeting, after which time negotiations will begin. The negotiation meetings are confidential. The staff report can be found on page 49 of the Board packet.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue.  The meeting is open to the public and can be viewed live on KCOM Channel 27 or via the Piedmont website.

To view Board agenda packets and background material online, go to: www.piedmont.k12.ca.us.  Go to “Board of Education” link, scroll down to “Agendas & Minutes.” Video streaming of Board Meetings can be accessed at the same web site. Go to “Board of Education” link, and scroll down to “Video Streaming”. Click on meeting of your choice.