SCHOOL BOARD CONSIDERATION IS ON MAY 13TH OF WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER/NEW ALAN HARVEY THEATER OR WAIT.  FUNDING IS IN QUESTION.

 There has been some discussion of deferring for at least one year the second phase of the construction program — demolishing the 10s building and constructing a Performing Arts Center/New Alan Harvey Theater on the 10s site. The reasons for considering a delay include concerns over the sufficiency of contingency funds ($1.96 million), an interest in redesign to reduce overall cost, and, mostly recently, preserving the 10s building for increased social distancing.

Committee recommends moving ahead with the second phase and demolishing the 10s building.

A Measure H1 Facilities Program Update is linked here for your review.

READ the full staff report linked below:

PUSD 5132020

READ the agenda for the May 13 School Board meeting HERE.

Finally, a televised Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (BAFPC)!

Most residents know little of this committee, but it is the source for all tax increases for the city.

BAFPC was recently directed by the City Council to develop funding proposals for major upgrades to city facilities. Three quick observations from the meeting on May 7, 2020:

– scenarios of $30, 45 and 70M bond initiatives are being studied

– apparently the community can live with “15 basis points” (0.15%) of bond indebtedness which translates to either the School District or City issuing $60M bond indebtedness every 5 years. The size of the city proposal could impinge on the District’s ability to issue bonds in 5 years. City staff will be reaching out to District officials to discuss this.

– Chair Bill Hosler offered a quick estimate – with  4,000 parcels in town, an equitable parcel tax of $1,000 per parcel for 10 years would raise $47M. I don’t recall if that was through issuance of bonds or just accumulated funds.

Hopefully, this Zoom meeting will be posted on the City website so residents can watch. Next BAFPC meeting is May 21 where a final recommendation to the City Council will likely be made.

Garrett Keating, Former Piedmont Councilmember

Editors’ Note: Above is a  comment on the post “First Time Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee Can Be Publicly Viewed from Home or Office.”

https://www.piedmontcivic.org/2020/05/06/first-time-piedmont-budget-advisory-and-financial-planning-committee-can-be-publicly-viewed-from-home-or-office/

No recording of the BAFPC Zoom meeting was found on the city website. 

Monday, May 11, 2020 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81126595213

Join Mayor Robert McBain and City Administrator Sara Lillevand for a virtual town hall meeting on Monday, May 11th at 6:30 p.m. The Mayor and City Administrator will be discussing the effects of COVID-19 on Piedmonters and will take your questions.

The virtual town all will be on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81126595213  and will also be broadcast on KCOM and streamed on the City’s web site. Community members can submit questions through the Zoom platform for via email to publiccomment@piedmont.ca.gov.

Bond Measure on November 2020 Ballot ?

Community participation in setting priorities ?

The Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (BAFPC) has recently been charged by the Piedmont City Council with coming up with ways to fund Piedmont public projects. 

According to public comments, funding is possibly a bond measure for the November 3, 2020 Piedmont ballot.  The Council will need to make a decision on placing a bond measure on the November ballot no later than August. 

To date, there have been no public meetings or surveys to determine the list of desired projects which Piedmonters would favor. 

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been spent by the City Council on consultants and staff work proposing and planning special recreation projects.  Recreation projects have focused on a new Municipal Pool and Aquatic Center, Linda Beach Park play areas, and Coaches Field.  Other city facilities are also on a priority list. 

Very recently, 20th century Fire and Police facilities and readiness have been added to the Council list of possible projects needing funding sources. Public input has not been solicited on these projects. 

Infrastructure improvements to roadways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters and  undergrounding of overhead wires are not listed on the City Council priority list for funding.

Where is the money going to come from?

BAFPC to advise the City Council on funding sources.

For the first time, at-home citizens will be able to view and participate in the BAFPC deliberations and recommendations. Typically, the meetings have been held away from cameras with no minutes produced of the meetings.  The BAFPC Chair generally writes the Committee recommendations that are forwarded to the City Council. 

The Committee advises on tax levies, bond measures, financial planning, and budgetary matters. See items listed on the May 7, 2020 meeting agenda below.

Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee Thursday, May 7, 2020 7:00 p.m. Via Teleconference

Members of the public can participate in the meeting by:

Computer or smart phone: Click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88058053315

Telephone: Dial (669) 900-9128 and enter webinar/meeting number 880-5805-3315

Full meeting agenda and participation details click below:

 2020-05-07 Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee.

Back-up documentation and staff reports for the agenda have not been publicly disseminated. 

 Relevant prior staff report:

42020Consideration of Actions Related to the Planning Process for Possible City Facility Renovation Projects

The League of Women Voters of Piedmont will host a virtual Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

The guest speaker, internationally renowned epidemiologist and Piedmont resident, Dr. George Rutherford will follow the business portion of the meeting at 4:00 pm. Dr. Rutherford has been in academic medicine and public health since 1995. His interests have largely focused on the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases of public health importance, now including COVID-19.

This online event is open to all. Participants may join for just the speaker portion of the meeting.  Join the Zoom meeting prior to 4 p.m. and listen in as the Board finishes its business portion of the meeting. 

If you do not already have the Zoom app, you will be prompted to download it.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/96364676996
Meeting ID: 963 6467 6996

For more information, visit the LWVPiedmont.org and click the LVWP 2020 Annual Meeting and Guest Speaker link.

Due to the COVID-19 orders, the Monday, 6:30 p.m., May 4 Special Council Meeting will be conducted via telephone and zoom. The public may participate in a limited manner as noted in the meeting announcement linked below.  The items on the May 4  agenda are labor negotiations concerning all Represented Labor Groups: Piedmont Firefighters Assn.; Piedmont Firefighters Assn., Fire Captains Unit; and Piedmont Police Officers Assn., plus potential litigation.

542020 council-current-agenda (1)

COVID -19  ORDERS RELAXED IN PIEDMONT

LANDSCAPING, CONSTRUCTION, PARKS, AND OFF LEASH AREAS

READ PIEDMONT’S NEW REQUIREMENTS > 2020-05-01 COVID-19 Shelter In Place Order Update

Go to https://piedmont.ca.gov/government/covid-19