ADVISORY: PG&E cancelled its planned Public Safety Power Shutoff for Piedmont. At this point, PG&E indicated that it has no additional PSPS events planned for Alameda County in the near term. Water pumping problems will no longer be potentially affecting Piedmont.

PG&E informs the City that all customers affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff in Piedmont have been restored. If your power is still out, please contact PG&E at (800) 743-5000.  10/30/19

______________________________Updated 10/30/19

 

Measure G, essentially a renewal of the existing parcel tax, is based on $2,763 annual tax per parcel that can be increased by 2% every year during its 8 year term  by the Piedmont Board of Education.

Measure H is a new, additional annual fixed rate school parcel tax of 25 cents for each habitable square foot of building space on each parcel.

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Piedmont voters can cast their absentee ballots free with the US Postal Service or drop their ballots in the ballot box on Highland Way next to the Wells Fargo Bank in central Piedmont OR follow the instructions on their Voter Information Guide for specific instructions on where to vote in person.

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Questions have arisen regarding the cost of the Special Election for the Piedmont School Parcel Tax.  The cost of running the election according to Superintendent of Schools Randall Booker is expected to be approximately $125,000. 

Questions have also arisen regarding why the School District is seeking renewal of the existing parcel tax at special expense when the current tax does not expire until June 2021.  It has been explained as an attempt to determine in a timely manner how much money the District will have to fund the education program. 

The deductibility of the school parcel taxes from Federal Income Taxes is unlikely if other taxes combined will exceed $10,000. Seek advice from tax preparers. 

Details of the School Board’s many reasons for asking Piedmonters to approve Measures G and H are in the Voter Information Guide provided to every Piedmont voter.

Don’t forget to vote – Tuesday, November 5, 2019!

READ Prior PCA article:  >HERE

Dear Editor,

I’m writing to express my strong support for Measures G&H. As a realtor and a grandmother of children attending the Piedmont schools, I understand the importance of our Piedmont schools on many levels.

Every day, I work with families who want to buy homes in Piedmont because they know that our community offers a great education for their children. The strength of our schools directly affects the value of Piedmont homes.

I am proud to live in a community that values education, and I’m thrilled that my grandchildren attend the Piedmont schools. I know that they are receiving an outstanding education that includes small class sizes and access to art classes, libraries, current technology, and eventually AP classes and a range of electives. This breadth of programming exists because Piedmont has consistently passed school parcel taxes for over 30 years, helping to address the lack of state funding for education. In addition to preserving our educational program, we also need to support the teachers who work hard every day to teach our students. Measures G&H will allow us to preserve our educational programs and properly compensate Piedmont teachers.

All of the money raised by our school parcel taxes stays here in Piedmont. Even if you don’t have children who attend the Piedmont schools, Measures G&H are a wise investment because they help protect and improve our property values. The Piedmont schools have been the centerpiece of our community for decades. I encourage Piedmont residents to join me in voting Yes on Measures G&H in order to keep our schools strong.

Sincerely,

Anian Pettit Tunney, Piedmont Resident

Broker Associate , The Grubb Co.

Editors Note: Opinions expressed are those of the author.

ADVISORY: Power remains off in portions of Piedmont due to PSPS.

PG&E has said that, assuming weather goes as forecast, restoration efforts will begin tomorrow morning, Monday 10/28. PG&E must visually inspect all of their lines before they are re-energized, so it could take up to 48 hours to complete the work.

Due to the winds, high fire danger remains a threat, so outdoor flames and fires in fireplaces are strongly discouraged. The winds are predicted to subside overnight, but freshen again Tuesday morning, so please remain vigilant and call 911 if you see any fire.

Parts of Piedmont To Be Affected Delayed

ADVISORY: PG&E will be operating two Community Resource Centers near Piedmont for residents to charge phones, cool off, and ask questions of PG&E employees.  There will be one in Oakland at Merritt College at 12500 Campus Drive.  The other will be in Berkeley at the UC Berkeley Clark Kerr Southwest Parking Lot 1 on Tanglewood Road.

These PG&E Community Resource Centers will be open from 8AM to 6PM or later.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has confirmed their intent to conduct a Public Safety
Power Shutoff (PSPS) which will include portions of Piedmont as early as Saturday,
October 26th delayed until  7:00 p.m. Other power outages are likely to occur as a result of this wind event.

(As of  3:20 p.m. 10/26/19)

All Piedmonters are advised to be prepared for power outages during this wind event and Red Flag Warning, which may or may not be proactive Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
Based upon information provided by PG&E it appears that many areas in Piedmont will be affected by the PSPS.

ADVISORY: PG&E has advised the City of Piedmont that there is a power outage in Piedmont and Montclair affecting approximately 2600 customers. We do not believe it is related to the Public Safety Power Shutoff, scheduled for later tonight.

READ CITY NOTICES BY CLICKING BELOW:

>2019-10-26 Public Safety Power Shutoff #1

>PCA 2019-10-26 Red Flag Fire Warning

You can check to read the latest updated shut off information for your address by clicking below:

Check shut off information for your address > HERE. <

AC Alert Emergency Notifications from City of Piedmont

Click the “SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS” box below :

Your safety is our top concern – that’s why Piedmont wants to make sure you know about emergencies and incidents as they happen.

The City of Piedmont will use “AC Alert” powered by Everbridge to make sure you know about issues that may affect your safety. This system allows the City to contact thousands of residents in seconds so you can find out about an emergency right away.

Receive important messages from city officials via email, phone, and much more!

How Does It Work?
The process begins when the City of Piedmont issues a message about a potential safety hazard or concern. Next, “AC Alert” sends a message through your primary contact path. If you don’t confirm receipt of the message, the system will try to reach your second contact path and continues trying to reach you until you confirm receipt.

The success of this service relies on YOU. Having your latest contact information is the only way to ensure that we can contact you in an emergency.

> Please sign up – it only takes about a minute to enroll!

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and participation in this important program!

The City of Piedmont Respects Your Privacy!!

The City of Piedmont will never share or distribute your personal information, unless required to do so by law. Additionally, we will never use your information for any purpose other than to send emergency notifications or information pertaining to Piedmont.

City of Piedmont 

ADVISORY: PG&E will make the decision as to whether it will implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff in Piedmont on Saturday Morning, 10/26. If they choose to implement a PSPS, power would most likely be shut down Saturday Evening. Piedmont will provide additional information when it becomes available.

City Event to Showcase Piedmont Climate Challenge with “Ice on Fire” Film Screening

           “Ice on Fire,” an inspiring and stunning new documentary on climate change, will be featured at a free, city-wide event Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, to showcase the Piedmont Climate Challenge.  The event, to be held at the Piedmont Community Hall from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m., is co-sponsored by the city of Piedmont, Piedmont Connect, and the Piedmont League of Women Voters.

The Piedmont Climate Challenge is a six-month, friendly competition launched in October to encourage Piedmont residents to take actions to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Challenge website,  

> www.piedmontclimatechallenge.org,

 illustrates dozens of ways to reduce GHG at home, from simple and easy changes such as walking more and switching to LED lightbulbs, to more complex measures such as installing solar panels or a heat pump.

Piedmont residents are demonstrating strong interest in reducing their carbon footprint. Since the launch of the Challenge at Harvest Festival, nearly 100 residents have already signed up and are earning points for their teams, neighborhoods and community groups by taking climate action at home.

The Nov. 7 event is designed for participants to drop in for any part of the program that suits their schedule:

6 to 7 p.m.:  Delicious food for purchase from The Helping Food Truck and free refreshments;  time to mingle and learn about the Challenge.

7 p.m. Brief introductions by Piedmont Mayor Bob McBain, Connect Chair Susan Miller-Davis, and City staff;

7:10 to 8 p.m.:  Screening of the first half of “Ice on Fire,” produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

8 to 8:30 p.m.: More time for refreshments, mingling. and learning about the Challenge.

To attend the event, please register at piedmontclimatechallenge.splashthat.com or simply stop by!

City staff, as well as friends and neighbors who are serving as Climate Challenge “Ambassadors” will be on hand to talk about the Challenge, demo the website, and help residents sign up.

Piedmont has set a long-term goal to reduce the city’s overall greenhouse gases (GHG) by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050.  Since 80% of the city’s GHG emissions come from households — primarily transportation and home energy use — residents are crucial in reaching the goal.  The city’s short-term goal for the six-month Climate Challenge is to reduce GHG emissions by 1 million lbs., which can be achieved if 200 Piedmont households each reduce their GHG by 5,000 lbs.

Piedmont Connect Ambassadors include Sally Baack, Jonathan Becker, Liz Behrens,  Marj Blackwell , Moira Chapman,  Kara Christenson,  Jeff Dorman,  Debi Fitzgerrell ,  Claudia Harrison, Garrett Keating,  Judy Kelly, Ronna Kelly, Hugh Louch,  Samantha Miller,  Susan Miller-Davis, Margaret Ovenden,  Jina Saikia,  Julia Walsh, and Tom Webster.

Click announcement to enlarge.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced that they may conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) which could include a majority of Piedmont as early as Saturday afternoon, October 26th.

The City urges all residents to be prepared in case their power goes out. This means that electricity to all residences, businesses, schools, mobile phone towers, and public facilities in the affected area may be turned off. This is the second in a series of Public Safety Power Shutoffs [PSPS]to be implemented this week and the second time in two weeks that Piedmont is slated to be affected by a PSPS.

Check the expected impact to your address > HERE.

PG&E proactively turns off lines in the interest of safety to help reduce the likelihood of an ignition when extreme fire danger conditions are forecasted. PSPS can accompany fire weather, so we encourage all residents to be prepared for wildfires and possible power outages.

To be ready for a Public Safety Power Shutoff event, please take the following steps.

1. Make sure PG&E has your current contact information. Update your contact information with PG&E online or call (866) 743-6589.

2. Check and update your emergency kit and supplies (include hard copies of critical information and life-saving prescriptions).

3. Identify a place you can go to cool off, if necessary.

4. Have a back-up charging system for cell phones and keep devices fully charged at all times.

5. Learn how to manually open your garage door.

6. Keep cash on hand (credit/debit stations, and ATMs may be without power).

7. Learn more about Public Safety Power Shutoffs in your area and work with your neighbors to make sure everyone is ready.

8. Stay informed during disasters and sign up for alerts.

See link below for additional information.

2019-10-24 Public Safety Power Shutoff Possible on 2019-10-26 – REVISED

PG&E will attempt to reach customers through calls, texts and emails using the contact information they have on file for your account. PG&E will also use their web site and social media channels, and we will keep local news and radio outlets informed and updated.

Residents and businesses who are enrolled in East Bay Community Energy will be affected by these Public Safety Power Shutoffs. The City of Piedmont has plans in place to ensure that emergency services are maintained during a Public Safety Power Shutoff, but affected residents will need to be self-reliant for a period of time.

For more information on how to be prepared for emergencies, please see the Public Safety Committee’s Get Ready, Piedmont brochure.

During a Public Safety Power Shutoff, please call 911 for emergencies only! We expect our emergency dispatchers to be busy answering phone calls, but they will not know when your power will be turned back on. The City of Piedmont has implemented plans to ensure that emergency services are maintained. As soon as we have information as to when power will be restored, we will post the information on the City website and our social media sites.

Contact: John O. Tulloch October 24, 2019 (510) 420-3040