Recreation Commission discusses Linda Beach Playfield Restrictions, the progress of the Hampton Park Improvement Project, and progress on the Aquatics Center Design.

    On the evening of February 15, 2017, I attended the monthly meeting of the Piedmont Recreation Commission at the Piedmont City Council Chambers (120 Vista Avenue, Piedmont, CA, 94611), where they discussed the upkeep of the City’s recreational facilities. On this particular night, the commission covered such topics as the Linda Beach Playfield Restrictions, the progress of the Hampton Park Improvement Project, and a price estimate for the Aquatics Master Plan Conceptual Design.

    The meeting began with Tyler Waespi, the Aquatics Director at the Piedmont Pool, giving a presentation about the the programs and opportunities that the pool would be offering in the coming months. Waespi covered information regarding the seasons of Fall, Spring, and Summer, and what each season would offer. Swim lessons would be available on Monday thru Thursday during all three seasons for anyone interested with the exception of Spring Break. During which time the pool will be offering the Spring Break Aqua-Camp for any youth that are interested.

    Following the presentation on the Piedmont Pool, Recreation Director Sara Lillevand discussed the success of the restrictions on the Linda Beach playfield that were implemented during the Hampton Park construction to address noise complaints from the surrounding residents. Due to the success of the restrictions, Lillevand proposed making these restrictions permanent with a motion made by Commissioner Steve Roland and passed unanimously by the commissioners.

    Lillevand then updated the commission on the progress of the Hampton Park Improvement Project in light of recent weather related setbacks. The final steps in the completion of the field, the pouring of the concrete, may need to be postponed due to the weather in order to ensure that the concrete is able to set properly. The extreme wind also caused four of the trees towards the back of the park to fall, which must be removed by a cleanup team before construction can continue. At the time of the meeting, construction was a week behind but estimated to improve due to the weather forecast over the next few weeks.

    Finally, Lillevand concluded the meeting with an update on the Aquatics Master Plan Conceptual Design. Since no members of the audience were prepared to speak about the topic, the details of the plan were not repeated from last meeting.  An “operational cost analysis” will be acquired and presented to the Council at their second meeting in March or first meeting in April according to Lillevand.  The commission could then continue with the implementation of the plan.

    After the meeting came to a close, I approached Director Sara Lillevand to ask her a few questions about her time as Director of Recreation. For Ms. Lillevand, “working on projects such as Hampton Park allows [her] to have a direct positive impact on the community”, something that few other jobs can offer. When asked about her reaction to the meeting that just took place, she responded saying that she enjoyed the meeting like she does with the majority of her Recreation Commission meetings. Lillevand stated, “It is always exciting when a project is nearing completion,” and for a project such as the the Hampton Park Improvement Project where weather has caused some unpredictable issues, it is important to stay in the right state of mind and not let the issues go without acting on them. Overall, she is happy to be working with a group of people that are so involved with the betterment of the community, and cannot wait to see the finished Hampton Park project.

by Geoffrey Burge, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author. 

 VOLUNTEER for important positions!

Be a part of Piedmont’s decision processes!

Application Deadline: Monday, March 20th – 5PM

Dress Best for Less to Move to a New Home on Lakeshore Avenue

Dress Best for Less (DBFL) will be closing it’s doors on Piedmont Avenue in under two months and moving to a new location at 3411 Lakeshore Ave. (between Shakewell and Greetings).

Grand Opening at 3411 Lakeshore Avenue

Saturday, April 1
Mark your calendar!

Join the Mailing List to Stay Informed

Sign up for our mailing list to receive more information: DressBestforLess.org.

Keep Shopping!

In the meantime, shop the Piedmont Ave store and the Marking Room for great bargains as we clear out inventory in anticipation for our big move.

Want to help?

We are in need of volunteers including handy men and women to help with plumbing, painting and more to help us get our new store ready.  Please contact DBFL President Gayle Sells at 510-654-6193 for more information.

Where

Dress Best for Less
3861 Piedmont Ave and 799 Magnolia Ave
Oakland and Piedmont, CA 94611

Contact

Gayle Sells
510-654-6193
moc.liamg@lfbdpohs
dressbestforless.org

Below is a student report on the Piedmont Unified School District Board Meeting of February 8, 2017.

The Piedmont Unified School District School Board meeting on February 8, 2017, took place at City Hall and began at 7:00 PM. opening up with statements from each board member on recent community activity. Max Miller, the student representative to the Board from Millennium High School gave statements concerning the goings-on at both Piedmont and Millennium high schools. Miller focused on service learning and community service at both schools, the Millennium community dinner, which supports the Millennium trip to Camp Augusta, an upcoming night rally at Piedmont High, new musical Legally Blonde, and a college presentation from Ms. Bly.

The other board members updated the audience on recent events they had attended in the community. Notable events included upcoming Elementary School Enrollment Day, an information night regarding transitional and traditional kindergarten, and a community engagement meeting regarding Measure H1 to take place on April 1st, from 9:00-12:00 AM. All these reports were presented by Superintendent Randall Booker. In these opening remarks the Board also discussed the process for finding a new principle for Piedmont High, and Board President Sarah Pearson mentioned a recent coffee discussing the transition held by co-principals Eric Mapes and Irma Munoz.

Following opening remarks, the Board moved to a presentation by Blake Boehm from KNN Public Finance, LLC, regarding Measure H1 finances. Currently the Board is largely concerned with the implementation of Measure H1, a large bond passed June 2016. H1 addresses gaps in Piedmont’s education system, from insufficient facilities to opportunities to modernize Piedmont’s curriculum.

Boehm discussed bond implementation, specifically focusing on upcoming parcel tax hikes and how to guarantee that taxpayers are paying only the necessary amount to fund the bond. The bond will be instituted in three series, for a total of 66 million dollars to be spent starting in 2018. Bond sales to the community will take a maximum 6 years, and any debt incurred during this time will be paid for with property taxes. Boehm was optimistic that a continual trend of high fiscal value and community growth in Piedmont would ensure that the bond would continue to be valuable for years after its initial implementation, and saw no problems paying off any debt in upcoming years. As interests rates continue to increase, Boehm stated that savings could even surpass current predictions. At Boehm’s conclusion, the Board voted to see another presentation from Boehm at the next Board meeting.

Following presentations on Measure H1, the Board heard presentations in support of implementation of Extended Day Kindergarten (EDK) by Piedmont kindergarten teachers and the principle of Wildwood Elementary School Carol Kramer. EDK is a proposal to lengthen the normal day of a Piedmont kindergartener from half day schooling to a full day. Supporters of this change state that kindergarteners are better able to become immersed in the curriculum with a longer day, and would have more time for exploration and play. Presenters also stated current kindergarten models are outdated and need modernization. Furthermore, Measure H1 allocated funds specifically geared towards the district-wide implementation of EDK. These monies would pay for more facilities, better materials, and a higher salary for kindergarten teachers working a full day.

Opposition to EDK stated that a longer school day could increase stress at a very young age. The Board voted unanimously to move forward with EDK across the district. EDK would bring back some elements of joy and play to school, where these have clearly been lacking currently.

From my perspective, the Board correctly ruled in this case, and the benefits of implementing EDK will be seen not only in kindergarteners themselves, but across the board as they move up through Piedmont schools. While the opponents of EDK are justified in their concerns over increased student stress, EDK would actually help alleviate the stress of moving from half-day kindergarten to full-day first grade. The benefits would also extend to working parents, who could spend less on childcare. The Board will continue to hear opinions concerning the nuances of executing EDK in all three elementary schools for the remainder of the school year.

The School Board meets bimonthly, excluding special meetings, and hears issues pertaining to Piedmont schools. The Board attempts to promote better schooling for all Piedmont residents while ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used as efficiently as possible.

By Madison Wilson, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note:  Opinions expressed are those of the author.

The League of Women Voters, Piedmont is holding a FUNDRAISER ON SUNDAY, MARCH 12TH FROM 3-5:00 PM

The League of Women Voters annual fundraiser event is open to the public. Keynote speaker will be Berkeley Professor Steven Raphael discussing “Crime and Punishment in California: Recent Trends and Reforms”Dr. Raphael is an adjunct fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California and professor of public policy at UC, Berkeley. His research focuses on the economics of low-wage labor markets, housing, and the economics of crime and corrections.

He is the author of The New Scarlet Letter? Negotiating the U.S. Labor Market with a Criminal Record and Why Are So Many Americans in Prison? He is editor in chief of Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society and a research fellow at the University of Michigan National Poverty Center, the University of Chicago Crime Lab, and the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Germany. He holds a PhD in economics from the UC Berkeley.

Date: Sunday, March 12, 2016

Time: 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Refreshments from 3-3:30pm

Location: Piedmont Community Center, Highland Avenue

Tickets for the event are $25.00 per person in advance and $30.00 at the door. To purchase tickets in advance go to >

 

or send your check payable to LWVP in care of Ward Lindenmayer, 40 Highland Avenue, Piedmont, CA 94611.

_________________________________

Editors’ Note:  The Piedmont Civic Association (PCA) and the League of Women Voters, Piedmont are separate, non- affiliated organizations. 

Finance Director Kiran Bawa will leave the City staff as of March 6, 2017, having arrived in March 2016. 

Finance Director Kiran Bawa to leave Piedmont for Virginia –

City Administrator Paul Benoit announced that Finance Director Kiran Bawa will be leaving the City of Piedmont effective March 6, 2017. Ms. Bawa will leave Piedmont to move to Virginia to fulfill an unanticipated family obligation. During her time here, Ms. Bawa helped revise the City’s purchasing procedures, spearheaded the implementation of financial transparency software, and worked tirelessly to ensure that taxpayer dollars were well spent.

Ms. Bawa came to Piedmont in March 2016 from the City of Oakland, where she served as Budget Director. Prior to her work in Oakland, Ms. Bawa served as capital planning and grants manager for the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District.

“I am very sorry to see Kiran leave Piedmont,” said City Administrator Paul Benoit. “In her short time here, she quickly learned and understood how Piedmont’s finances work. She also helped to move Piedmont forward in significant ways. Her hard work and great interpersonal skills helped her become an invaluable member of Piedmont’s management team.”

“I was extremely delighted when the Council appointed me as Finance Director in 2016, Finance Director Kiran Bawa said. “The work environment was excellent and professionally satisfying. The Council, staff, and the community provided all manner of support as well as opportunities to make financial operations more efficient. While I do not wish to leave Piedmont, my upcoming move to the east coast to be with my future husband is the primary factor.”

The City Council and City Administrator will work in the upcoming weeks to develop a plan to replace Ms. Bawa as Finance Director.

Park Commission Meeting:  Stay Off My Turf!

On February 1st, 2017, I attended the Park Commission meeting from 5:30 to 6:25 p.m.  I was one of only three people in the audience section, and the only person there who was not a returning attendee.  The main focuses of this meeting were an update on Hampton Park, the Linda-Kingston Triangle, the installation of new playground equipment for the Recreation Center Tot Lot, and the Monthly Maintenance Report.

Celebration was in order after Staff Liaison, Nancy Kent, revealed that the no-netting, sand-based sod was successfully installed at Hampton Park earlier in the day.  This natural sod will serve as a great improvement to the muck that generations of young Little League prodigies were forced to endure.  Also, the new irrigation sprinklers were fully functioning, proving that the drainage was working properly.  The sod needs a month to take root, so the public is implored to stay off the turf!  The Commission felt hopeful that the field will be ready for public use by March, just in time for baseball.

I am thrilled to hear of this progress, because I personally grew up playing on the old Hampton grass, and can attest firsthand to its dire need for improvement.  Youth sports are a critical area of character development for many children, and I am glad that the city realizes the value in keeping these fields safe and up to date.

The Commission then went on to discuss how the city is still waiting for PG&E to “give [them] power” to the Linda-Kingston Triangle.  The recently completed beatification project needs the electricity to power its light fixtures. Nancy Kent shared that the Mayor of Piedmont had submitted the Triangle to an awards program, that recognizes innovation in public streets.  The Mayor believes that the Triangle should be recognized for making traffic safer, creating a better pedestrian route, providing a subtle gateway into the city, and functioning as its own mini-park.  The Mayor will hear back later this month if the Triangle is to be recognized.

A complaint was filed by a citizen that the Linda-Kingston Triangle has reduced parking in the adjacent streets.  However, this complaint has no valid basis because the Park Commission created the Triangle in a very careful manner that took zero parking spaces from the community.

Next the Commission discussed the installation of the new playground equipment for the Recreation Center Tot Lot.  The old playground equipment was deemed hazardous by certified inspectors back in July, 2016, forcing the Recreation Department to start from scratch.  The purchase of the new equipment was approved in November, and by mid-January the playground was completely installed.  Thanks to the efficiency of those working this project, the turnaround time was very quick, providing a safer and improved structure for the Recreation Center.

Lastly, the Monthly Maintenance Report discussed the damaging effects of the recent rain storms that have ravaged Piedmont.  The storms have been keeping all the city workers on full alert because as one member of the audience put it, “the trees are toppling like dominos”.  The most affected residential areas have been along St. James Drive and La Salle Avenue, while Dracena Park, Piedmont Park, and Beach Field have taken the hardest blows for the Parks Department.  Beach Field has suffered from a tree that fell onto the field itself (taking out a lamppost on its way down) and another that fell onto the roof of the Beach Field bathroom building, thankfully causing only minor damage.

Due to this increase of falling trees, all twenty park-pedestrian-pathways have recently been cleared and cleaned.  Also reported was the decaying of many London Plain Forest trees, which have been declining due to old age and drought.  Although the average lifespan of street-trees is now unfortunately less than twenty years, many of these London Plains have been in the Piedmont community for almost eighty years.

The meeting was described by Park Commissioner, Betsy Goodman, as “good, fast, everyone was happy”.  While Goodman acknowledged that some city government meetings could “drag on,” she was proud and pleased with how “very efficient” the meeting went overall.

The Park Commission meets the first Wednesday of every month at the Piedmont City Hall.  The purpose of this group is to help manage and make improvements to the public parks of the community.

Sam Rosenbaum, Piedmont High School Senior

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

If you have a great capital improvement idea, the committee would like to hear from you.

Deadline: Monday, March 6, 2017 –

The Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee will meet on Monday, February 13th at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held in the East Wing of 801 Magnolia Avenue (Piedmont Center for the Arts Building).  This location does not provide for broadcasting of the meeting. Those interested in City finances and a potential bond measure may speak at the meeting.

The agenda lists a review of the 2016 -2017 Mid-year Financial Report and the City’s bonding capacity. 

The City has been studying and planning improvements to recreation facilities including a new aquatics center with potential for-profit activities such as a food concession, etc.  In addition, the City has been considering various Civic Center projects. Fiscal projections have indicated a need for additional funding to finance the projects. Bond funding has been mentioned as a potential source of funding.

The City’s bond capacity informs many decisions.

Bond approval per the City Charter and State laws requires approval by 2/3rds of Piedmonters voting on any bond measure.