May 23 2016

Public Safety Committee: Thursday, May 26

The next meeting of the Piedmont Public Safety Committee is on Thursday, May 26 in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 5:30 pm.

On the agenda:

  • Approval of 3/31/16 minutes
  • Introduction of New PSC members Lori Elefant and Lynne Wright
  • Confirm PSC Meeting schedule
  • Update on AC Alert/(Everbridge) Emergency Notification System Transition
  • Update on Ace Hardware initiative
  • Review of Fire Extinguisher Training event
  • Update on presentation of PSC Annual Report to City Council
  • School Liaison update
  • Discussion of Distribution of  Get Ready, Piedmont Guides and Checklists
  • Discussion of Promotion of Neighborhood meetings
  • Discussion of October Fire Department Open House/Earthquake awareness event
  • Discussion of 1st quarter Crime Report

All members of the public can speak to items on the agenda or bring up a new issue or idea under Public Forum.  The meeting will not be broadcast on KCOM or the city’s website.

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DRAFT – Abreviated 
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES
for Thursday March 31, 2016

Chairman Shaffer called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Committee Members: Scott Fitzgerrell, Ryan Gilbert, Garrett Keating, Sue Lin, Andrea Swenson, Lyman Shaffer, Police Chief Rikki Goede, Fire Chief Bud McLaren.

Absent: Michael Gardner
There were no speakers for the public forum.

 

Chairman Shaffer introduced Mary Beth Russell of Dudley Avenue who brought forth an idea to partner with Ace Hardware to allow residents to purchase disaster supplies for their homes. Ms. Russell, indicated that she, along with Mr. Shaffer, and Chief McLaren went to Ace Hardware to seek assistance with putting together a disaster kit that residents could purchase, indicating that Ace was generous enough to offer a 20% discount on the supplies needed for a grab- and-go bag. Mr. Shaffer indicated that he worked with with the Piedmont Post to create a piece that would contain a list of the supplies needed for a grab and go kit. The committee thanked Ms. Russell for the suggestion and her work on implementing it.

Chief of Police Rikki Goede announced that crime had decreased by 7%, representing an annual decrease for the third year in a row. She stated burglaries had decreased by 36% but reminded the Council that larceny crimes were the biggest issue. She highlighted the benefits of using Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPRs) and a watchfull citizenry. She discussed actions that residents and companies can take to deter property crimes. She also indicated that the City was working with contractors to help reduce thefts from construction sites. Chief Goede commended the work of the Department’s officers, detectives and dispatchers.

Chief Goede updated the committee on the transition of emergency notifications from CodeRed to the countywide AC Alert System. She indicated that the cost for the first year of the new system was being covered by grant funding and that there is likely grant funding secured for the second year. She advised all residents to sign up for the new system, and explained some of the benefits of the new system. She described the efforts to get residents to sign up for the AC Alert system, including coordination with the Piedmont Unified School District, a flyer in garbage bills, and a public service announcement on KCOM.

Chief McLaren advised the Committee that the City Council approved the updated Emergency Operations Plan in February. He described the substance of the plan and the annexes that remained to be completed. He discussed the nature of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), how information will come from the parts of the City to the EOC and how the City’s need will be transmitted to the county and the state.

Chairman Shaffer reviewed the type and number of Neighborhood Public Safety meetings held so far in 2016 as well as meetings scheduled for later in the year. He described the outreach made to the community to generate interest in having a meeting in their neighborhood, including to neighborhoods that have met in the past.

The Committee discussed the outreach regarding the Map Your Neighborhood program and that additional outreach is needed.

Chairman Shaffer advised the committee that the updated “Get Ready, Piedmont!” guide had been printed and was being distributed to residents. He thanked Committee Member Scott Fitzgerrell for his work in designing the guide. He stated that 500 copies were printed and that they were available in the Fire Department. The Committee discussed possible funding for additional printings of the guide and advised the Committee that the Piedmont Citizens Task Force Against crime had donated $5,000 to fund the printing of the guides.

The Committee discussed a request by a local realtor to distribute the checklists to her approximately 200 customers in Piedmont. The Committee agreed that if the realtors are willing to pay for the printing of the checklists, it would be an excellent method of distribution into Piedmont homes.

Chairman Shaffer discussed the submission of the Committee’s annual report to the City Council with the Committee. He indicated that this year’s report would follow the same format as last year in describing the Committee’s work over the past year. The Committee requested that the report mention the large amount of work done to prepare the “Get Ready, Piedmont!” guide and checklist be specifically included in the report. By consensus, the Committee thanked Chairman Shaffer for preparing the report and approved of its submittal to the Council.

Chief McLaren indicated that following the Committee’s discussion at its last meeting, there would not be a Fire Department Open House. In its place, the Fire Department will host fire extinguisher training for residents on Saturday, May 14th. The training will be open to all residents and will involve using simulated fire extinguishers and training on the type and size of extinguishers that are appropriate for homes.

Committee Member Garrett Keating indicated that he had reached out to Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson regarding the biannual earthquake fair that is held by the County. Unfortunately, he found out that the fair was not being held this year. The Committee indicated its interest in hosting the countywide fair in 2017 but needed more information on the scope and resource requirements .

The Committee discussed an event in the fall of 2016 to be held in October on a date close to the annual Great Shake Out. The Committee advocated starting small. It was suggested that it could be a way of bringing together the work that the Committee has been doing over the year. Outreach to organized neighborhoods, including suggesting that they conduct their annual drill on the same date of the event, will be discussed at a future meeting.

The Fire Department will work to have information and vendors available to residents at the event. The Committee stressed its desire to have the event be a one stop event where residents could learn about disaster preparedness as well as purchase supplies to prepare themselves.

Chairman Shaffer adjourned the meeting at 6:49 p.m.

 

May 22 2016

Committee to Examine City Budget Projections for 2016-17

The Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. in the EOC Room – Police Department, 403 Highland Ave, Piedmont.  

The City Council met on May 21, 2016 in a Budget Workshop to consider department needs and projected revenue. The Committee responsible for advising the Council on the Budget will meet on May 25 to consider and make recommendations in a report to the Council.

Agenda –

Consideration of the Committee’s Report to the Council Regarding the Financial Projections Contained in the Proposed FY 16-17 Budget

The meeting, open to the public, will not be broadcast or recorded.  Minutes of prior meetings are not available. 

For further information contact Paul Benoit, City Administrator.

May 22 2016

Waste Disposal Services with Republic Services: Monday, May 23

OPEN MEETING

The Piedmont City Council will meet in the City Hall Conference Room to consider an item impacting all Piedmonters – garbage, recycling, electronic waste, and pick up services.

The meeting will not be broadcast or recorded, however the meeting is open to the public and anyone interested in the issue is welcome to attend and participate.

Special City Council Work Session on Agreement with Republic Services disposal services

Monday, May 23, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.

City Hall Conference Room, 120 Vista Avenue

Work Session with Consultant Regarding Possible Extension of the City’s Franchise and Collection Services Agreement with Republic Services, Inc.
0490-0700, 0700-0370

Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s office during normal business hours. Such documents are also available on the City of Piedmont web site subject to staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (510) 420-3040. Notification at least two business days preceding the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. [28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II]

In accordance with G.C. Sec. 54954.2(a) this notice and agenda were posted on the City Hall bulletin board and also in the Piedmont Police Department on May 18, 2016.

May 21 2016

EBMUD Suspends Drought Restrictions and Water Surcharge Beginning July 1

Water Use Restrictions Easing July 1 –

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) announced that it will no longer assess the 25 percent Stage 4 drought surcharge on customer bills beginning July 1, 2016. However, customers will pay a 7 percent rate increase approved by the board last year to fund ongoing services and investments in aging infrastructure. The average customer’s water bill will drop by $4.42 per month.

The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) established an Excessive Water Use Ordinance on April 28, 2015, effective May 29, 2015.  The penalties began as of July 1, 2015 with fines for single family homes consuming more than 1,000 gallons a day.  The Excessive Water Use Penalty, an ordinance that levied fines on customers who used more than 80 units of water per billing cycle, was suspended effective May 3, 2016. The ordinance will remain on the books if needed during future droughts.

Precipitation in EBMUD’s Mokelumne watershed, the main source of drinking water for 1.4 million customers, is more than 100 percent of normal in 2016. With the reservoirs refilling and water supply projections sufficient to meet demand, EBMUD declared an end to the drought emergency. However, customers must continue to observe the following:

Outdoor Watering Restrictions are in place until June 30, 2016. Some of these restrictions will be folded into EBMUD permanent rules. EBMUD asks customers to continue using water responsibly.

  • Water outdoor no more than two days per week.

  • No watering of ornamental turf on public street medians allowed.

  • No washing of driveways and sidewalks; except as needed for health and safety.

  • Use only hoses with shutoff nozzles to wash vehicles.

  • Turn off fountains or decorative water features unless the water is recirculated.

  • Use of hydrant water outside the EBMUD service area is prohibited.

  • Use a broom or air blower, not water, to clean hard surfaces such as driveways and sidewalks, except as needed for health and safety purposes.

May 21 2016

Aquatics Center Plans Moving Ahead: Meeting Tues, May 24

Public Meeting

City of Piedmont Aquatics Master Plan Steering Committee will meet Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Hall, 711 Highland Ave (Main Park), Piedmont.  

 Agenda

1. Presentation by Consultant of Possible Designs for Aquatics Center Renovation

2. Small Groups Discussions on Presented Designs

3. Reports from Groups to the Consultant

This meeting will not be broadcast or recorded. Interested individuals are welcome to participate in the proceedings.

May 21 2016

OPINION: Searching for Math Programs for Gifted K12 Students?

Examples of supplemental math programs –

The father of a family who recently moved to Piedmont from another State contacted me to help him find Math programs to supplement PUSD [Piedmont Unified School District] education. He was aware of the Khan Academy, but would like to put his 9 year old in a group of like-minded students led by a professional teacher.

I gathered the following information through Elwyn Berlekamp, a Piedmont long time resident and retired Math UC Berkeley Professor.

There are several possibilities for such students. 1) and 2) are focussed on extra-curricular math rather than attempting to directly reinforce whatever happens in the regular school curricula.

  1. Berkeley Math Circle. One evening meeting every week on Berkeley campus. Has several dozen regular students, mostly 5th thru 10th graders, organized in three separate tracks with transferring in between as appropriate. The book “Circle in a box” is recommended reading for parents and students interested in math circles.
  2. Firecracker Math, a more personalized Piedmont-centric program. Classes are held at the Kehilla Community Synagogue. The founder is Eva Levine who earned an MS in applied mathematics from the Moscow Petrochemical University.
  3. Proof School. That’s a private junior high school now located at 555 Post Street in San Francisco (not cheap). They may be moving to another location in downtown SF (hopefully nearer to BART) sometime next year. They teach a full curriculum including all subjects, with a very strong emphasis on math. Their headmaster is Sam Vandervelde, who was the author of the book on how to organize a math circle; it’s been a big force in the formation of over 100 math circles nationwide in the past decade since the first circle started in Berkeley.
  4. Julia Robinson Mathematics Festivals and Celebration of Mind events. These attract both 6th graders and younger kids. But they are isolated one-day or half-day events. There are a handful of them scattered throughout the Bay Area throughout the year.

1) and 3) may already be winding down for the summer. Most years there is a 2 to 3 week intensive summer program at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) mostly focussed on high school Olympiad students.

I hope this information is helpful to our community.

Bernard Pech, Piedmont Resident

Editors’ Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.
May 21 2016

Piedmont High School Presents the 51st Annual Bird Calling Contest 

What started as a lark by a high school teacher in 1963 will soon celebrate its 51st anniversary as one of Piedmont’s most beloved traditions.

The Piedmont High School Bird Calling contest, first organized by science teacher Leonard J. Waxdeck, will celebrate its 51st rendition this spring. Equal parts ornithology, drama, and humor, the contest makes for a delightful evening of light-hearted family entertainment.

This year’s contest will take place on Tuesday, May 24, at 7 pm in the Alan Harvey Theater, located on the Piedmont High School campus, 800 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont, Calif.  The contest has sold out.
For more information about the 51st Annual Piedmont High School Bird Calling Contest, contact Piedmont High School at 510.594.2626 or visit http://piedmont.k12.ca.us/phs/campus-life/bird-calling.php.
May 20 2016

News on Piedmont Parcel Tax Measure F and State Senate Race

June 7 –  Piedmont Parcel Tax Election – Measure F and local matters.

Editor of East Bay Times (former Oakland Tribune) says “NO” to Piedmont Parcel Tax Measure F.

Click below to read the recommendation from the East Bay Times:

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/my-town/ci_29873551/editorial-no-piedmont-oakley-parcel-taxes-yes-fremont

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League of Women Voters Forum reported by the Mercury News:

Click below to read the report:

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_29880540/piedmont-muni-services-tax-before-voters

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View the entire Piedmont League of Women Voters Forum:  State Senate Candidates, Measure AA and Piedmont Measure F > here.

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Editors’ Note: The Piedmont Civic Association does not support or oppose candidates for public office or ballot measures.  Pro or con opinions and articles on ballot items can be submitted via email for publication by clicking below:

editors@piedmontcivic.org

Personal attacks are not published. 
May 20 2016

Piedmont Historic Walk: Free on First Come Basis

Historic Piedmont Then and Now Walk Focuses on Early 1900’s

The next in a series of popular Piedmont Then and Now walks will take place on Thursday, June 2, and repeated on Saturday, June 4. The walk covering roughly 2 miles begins at 10 a.m. and ends at noon.

Historic Piedmont Then and Now walks are sponsored by the Piedmont League of Women Voters and the Piedmont Historical Society.

This walk will step back in time to the early 1900’s, a time of major growth for the emerging city of Piedmont. It will focus on the achievements of Frank Havens, the real estate maven responsible for developing much of early Piedmont. Havens is credited with creating Piedmont Park, a Victorian pleasure park complete with a clubhouse, gardens and art gallery, as well as building his own grand estate in Wildwood Gardens.

The walk will focus on local residents’ far‐sighted decision to incorporate Piedmont as a city and pursue ambitious construction projects including the combined city hall and fire station, two grade schools, the Oakland Avenue Bridge, a Sunday school and a commercial center – all in just six short years.

The walks are free and open to all but are limited to 30 people. To sign up, email marjb@sbcglobal.net by Friday, May 27. Details of where to meet and the walk route will be provided to those who sign up.

May 18 2016

Where Do My Taxes Go? City 2016-17 Budget

Attend the Saturday, May 21, Council Budget Work Session and learn how your taxes are spent.

The public is invited to attend the Work Shop and speak to the City Council about spending priorities for the city in the coming year. 

Saturday, May 21st – 9:00 a.m.

The Budget Work Shop will be held in the Emergency Operations Center in the Police Department at 408 Highland.

The Piedmont City Council will consider the proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2016-2017 at three separate meetings.

Those attending will hear briefings from departments heads – Police Chief, Fire Chief, Recreation Director, etc. These presentations will be preceded by City Administrator Paul Benoit introduction. Council members will have an opportunity to make inquiries about the budget in the relaxed setting.

Public participants may also make inquiries at the Work Session and can observe the inner workings of the budget process.  

There will be no broadcasts of the Work Session.  

Spending priorities, revenue projections, and planned expenditures are rarely changed after the Budget Work Session.

Click to visit the 2016-2017 Proposed Budget page, where all sections of the budget are available for download.

Two required Public Hearings regarding the proposed budget and the levy of the Municipal Services Tax and the Sewer Tax will be held during the regularly scheduled City Council meetings on:

June 6 and June 20, 2016.  

For questions on contents of the budget, please contact Interim Finance Director Jim O’Leary via email at joleary@ci.piedmont.ca.us or by phone at 420-3045 with any questions.

If you wish to write to the City Council regarding the Budget, please address your letter to City Council, 120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, 94611 or send an email to the City Clerk at cityclerk@ci.piedmont.ca.us , who will forward your comments to the Council.

2016-2017 Proposed Budget   <

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