The City Council talked to candidates for hours on March 29, 2021, before diligently considering who to appoint to each available position.  The public meeting allowed viewers via Zoom to see the Council struggle amongst the talented group of applicants.  Residents should be pleased by the conscientious selection process. The meeting lasted for four hours, and in the end with one motion a slate was approved unanimously by the Council.  Service on the bodies is for 3 year terms as volunteers.

Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee: Robert McBain and Vanessa L. Washington

Civil Service Commission: Laura Isaacs and Michael Reese*

Park Commission:  Amber Brumfiel* and Patty Dunlap*

Public Safety Committee:  Stella Ngai and Jeffrey Horner*

Recreation Commission:  Rebecca Posamentier and Lisa Gardner

CIP Review Committee: Sharon Shoshani

Police & Fire Pension Board & City Investment Subcommittee: Robert Dickinson

* Incumbent

Open Meeting: Monday, 6 pm March 29, 2021 

Interview Schedule 2021-03-29  <

  AGENDA >  City Council Agenda 2021-03-29 (Special)                * Incumbent

Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee (2 Vacancies)

6:15 p.m. Vanessa L. Washington

6:20 p.m. Jill Tanner (Also applied for Public Safety)

6:25 p.m. Robert Dickinson (Also applied for Housing Advisory, Planning)

Robert McBain (Also applied for Police & Fire Pension Board)

Michael Reese* (Also applied for Civil Service, Public Safety)

BAFP 2021_Redacted    Applications

Civil Service Commission (2 Vacancies)

6:30 p.m. Amy Kelly

6:35 p.m. Laura Isaacs

Michael Reese* (Also applied for Budget Advisory, Public Safety)

Civil Service 2021_Redacted   Applications

Park Commission (2 Vacancies)

6:40 p.m. Sharon Shoshani

6:45 p.m. Jenny Feinberg (Also applied for Recreation)

Amber Brumfiel*

Patty Dunlap*

Park 2021_Redacted Applications

6:50 p.m. BREAK

Public Safety Committee (2 Vacancies)

7:00 p.m. Jamie Totsubo

7:05 p.m. Michael Reese (Also applied for Budget Advisory, Civil Service)

7:10 p.m. Stella Ngai

7:15 p.m. Sara Kaplan

Jeffrey Horner*

Jill Tanner (Also applied for Budget Advisory)

Public Safety 2021_Redacted Applications

Recreation Commission (2 Vacancies)

7:20 p.m. Brooke Wall

7:25 p.m. Rebecca Posamentier

7:30 p.m. Mike McConathy

7:35 p.m. Lisa Gardner

7:40 p.m. Caroline Davis

7:45 p.m. Derek Cheung

Jenny Feinberg (Also applied for Park)

Recreation 2021_Redacted  Applications

CIP Review Committee (1 Vacancy) No Applicants

Police & Fire Pension Board & City Investment Subcommittee (1 Vacancy)

Robert McBain (Also applied for Budget Advisory)

Police & Fire Pension 2021_Redacted   Application

Interview Schedule 2021-03-29  <

– Alameda County is making important changes to the AC Alert System –

Many Piedmont residents have elected to receive notifications from AC Alert System.

Please be aware that beginning April 15^th, AC Alert will no longer use text messaging or voice calls to distribute non-emergency messages such as red flag warning, community event information or traffic alerts. All non-emergency notifications will be sent via email and the Everbridge app only. The change does not apply to alerts sent out in an emergency, such as orders to evacuate or shelter in place. Emergency alerts will continue to be sent via all available paths.

Public Safety Committee Agenda –  Thursday, March 25, 2021 5:30 p.m. Via Teleconference

Because of COVID-19 protocols Piedmonters have an opportunity to view updates on Piedmont Public Safety issues from home.  Previously, the meetings of this Committee were not video recorded.  Interested individuals needed to actually attend a meeting to learn what transpired.

Regular Agenda

1. Approval of Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes for 1/21/2021

2. Update on Police Department Strategic Plan

3. Update on Public Safety Cameras

4. Update on Juvenile Officer

5. Update on School Liaison Activities

6. Update on COVID 19 & Health Order

7. Update on Piedmont Fire Department Strategic Planning

Read instructions for meeting viewing and participation by clicking below

PSC Agenda 2021-03-25  

READ prior minutes Public Safety 2021-01-21 DRAFT

Piedmonters will get a rare at home view of the all important Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee considerations.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021 3:00 p.m.  by Teleconference and Zoom

Taxes, tax measures, the budget and large expenditures are funneled through the Committee.  Historically minutes and video recording have NOT been made of the Committee’s meetings.  Typically, a report has been drafted by the Chair and reviewed by the Committee after a number of meetings.  

The March 23rd agenda includes the Municipal Pool, PERS pension project costs, and the annual budget actuals.

Stay up to date:

• Call to Order Public Forum This is an opportunity for members of the audience to speak on an item not on the agenda. The 10 minute period will be divided evenly between those wishing to address the Committee.

Regular Agenda

• 1. Update on FY 20-21 General Fund Revenue and Expenditures: Projected Actual vs Budget

• 2. Presentation of Ten Year Projections of CalPERS Pension Costs

• 3. Update on Piedmont Community Pool Project and Bond Oversight Committee

Read Agenda and Participation >2021-03-23 Budget Advisory & Financial Planning Committee

 To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can participate in the meeting in several ways:  Computer or smart phone: Click https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89251231925  Telephone: Dial (669) 900-9128 and enter webinar/meeting number 892-5123-1925 To participate in the meeting by providing public comment, members of the public may use the ZOOM platform to make live, verbal public comments. To speak to the Committee click the “Raise Your Hand” button when the item on which you would like to comment is called. If you are connected to the meeting by phone, please dial *9. When it is your turn to speak, the City Clerk will call your name and unmute your line, at which point you will have three minutes to address the Committee. After the allotted time, you will then be re-muted.

Instructions of how to “Raise Your Hand” is available at https://support.zoom.us/hc/enus/articles/205566129%0D-Raise-Hand-In-Webinar

AAPI Youth Rising Rally – A peaceful gathering in support of the AAPI community on Sunday, March 28th from 2 to 4 pm

At this time participation has been limited due to overwhelming interest.

The League of Women Voters of Piedmont is sponsoring its second annual essay contest open to all high school juniors and seniors who are residents of Piedmont or are currently enrolled in Piedmont High School or Millennium High School.

Prize: $500 for first place essay; prize may be split among the top two entries.

Contest Rules Content: Your essay should answer the question,

“Given the fragility of democracy as evidenced by the insurrection of January 6, 2021, how can your generation work to ensure that democracy in the United States is strengthened for future generations?”

You may, but are not required to, rely on outside sources that are properly cited within the text and in a bibliography. We do not require a specific format for your citations or bibliography, but please ensure you include enough information to allow us to readily verify your sources. Citations do not count toward your total number of words.

Please keep in mind that this essay is not solely a research paper, but should draw on your personal experiences and insights. Your essay will be judged on originality, clarity of expression, vocabulary and style, proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. Students are encouraged to have a teacher, parent or mentor review the essay prior to submission keeping in mind that all work must be the student’s own.

The essay must be 250-500 words excluding citations. Entries must be typed, double-spaced and in pdf format. Please include the following information at the top of your essay or on a separate cover page: : Your essay should answer the question, “Given the fragility of democracy as evidenced by the insurrection of January 6, 2021, how can your generation work to ensure that democracy in the United States is strengthened for future generations?”  See details below.

Format: The essay must be 250-500 words excluding citations. Entries must be typed, double-spaced and in pdf format. Please include the following information at the top of your essay or on a separate cover page:

• title of essay

• your first and last name

• your city of residence

• name of your school

• your current grade (junior or senior)

Submission: Please submit completed essays via email to lwvpiedmont@gmail.com.

Deadline: April 17, 2021 at 11:59pm, Pacific Standard Time.

Winner will be notified by May 1st, 2021.

Read flyer below:

ESSAY CONTEST

Piedmont Anti-racism and Diversity Committee (PADC) condemns the latest incidents of anti-Asian hate in the San Francisco Bay Area and across the United States.

We call on the Piedmont Unified School District and the Piedmont community to acknowledge and support its Asian American and Pacific Islander students, teachers, staff and community members.

Language such as the “China virus” and “kung flu” is mean, harmful, inappropriate, and should not be tolerated at school or in our community. This kind of rhetoric has led to increased xenophobia, harassment and violence against Asian Americans. In addition to the recent attacks in Oakland and San Francisco, Stop AAPI Hate recorded more than 2,800 incidents of anti-Asian discrimination across the United States, including the bullying of children. 

PADC also applauds the recent show of solidarity among Asian, Black and Latinx communities. Please join us in a unified response to anti-Asian violence. PADC aims to work for an inclusive Piedmont community for all through activism and connection, grounded in the principles of anti-racism. Ways to get involved: Attend a meeting, join a working group, apply for a PADC grant.

Please see our website for links to recent relevant articles and resources, which were compiled by the Asian American Journalists Association’s San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. 

Piedmont Anti-racism and Diversity Committee

Piedmont Police Department Press Release –

On February 18, 2021, a jury found Christopher Ware guilty of second degree robbery with personal
use of a firearm, an additional second degree robbery, identity theft, possession of a firearm as a
convicted felon and several other firearms and ammunition offenses.

On July 10, 2020, the defendant followed the victim (a 76 year old woman) from an In-N-Out in East
Oakland to her home in Piedmont. When the victim parked in front of her house, the defendant
forced her driver’s door open and robbed her at gunpoint. The defendant fled the area in his white
Lexus RX300. The victim was able to provide a limited description of the suspect, his vehicle and
the handgun he used. Also, City of Piedmont license plate readers and public safety cameras
recorded the defendant’s vehicle driving behind the victim into Piedmont city limits minutes before
the robbery. This information was shared with other law enforcement agencies in the area.

On July 31, 2020, Oakland Police officers noticed the defendant on Douglas Avenue in Oakland.
Officers watched the defendant get into the driver’s seat of his white Lexus RX300 and detained him
before he could drive away. Officers found an unregistered and loaded black Smith &amp; Wesson .45
caliber handgun next to the driver’s seat. The handgun had multiple distinctive markings on it
consistent with what the Piedmont victim described.

This is another example of the successful collaboration between local law enforcement and the
District Attorney’s office combined with the use of technology to apprehend the suspect in these
crimes.

Anyone with additional information and/or inquiries related to this case are asked to please contact
Detective Jeff Spranza or John Lagios at (510) 420-3013.