# Your Voice Matters Here


## Posts

- [Traffic changes coming to Moraga Avenue, even without housing](https://piedmontpov.com/traffic-changes-coming-to-moraga-avenue-even-without-housing/): RE: Proposal for Professional Engineering Services for the Moraga Avenue Pedestrian SafetyProject Dear Daniel,Per your request, we have prepared this letter proposal for the developing the construction documentsassociated with the Moraga Avenue Pedestrian Safety Project. Project Background/UnderstandingThe City has obtained grant funding through Alameda County (ACTC) for pedestrian safety improvements at various intersections along Moraga Avenue. Total project cost is estimated to be $998,000 (design and construction). The grant funding from ACTC is $748,000 and the City’s match is $250,000. Moraga Avenue is one of the few arterial roadways within Piedmont, and it contains several roadway crosswalks that are identified […]
- [Time For Binks Gym To Have A Complete Facelift](https://piedmontpov.com/time-for-binks-gym-to-have-a-complete-facelift/): Each basketball season, PHS boys and girls basketball teams compete for limited time in Binks Gym. When Binks Gym hosts games, the other PHS basketball teams – along with girls volleyball – are redirected to Buzz or Morrison Gym which often result in practices late into the evening. Not only does this shuffle incovenience PHS teams, but the Piedmont Middle School and Piedmont Recreation Department are effected by having to contend for gym space also. There needs to be a consideration in future facilities planning to replace Binks Gym with a new two-story facility containing both a practice and regulation […]
- [City Council: Citizens Demand A Plan For An Off-Leash Dog Park!](https://piedmontpov.com/city-council-do-better-with-planning-an-off-leash-dog-park/): Piedmont is in the throes of figuring out how to preserve its off-leash dog areas for future generations.  The major concern seems to be how to preserve the vegetated slopes in these areas – think of the slopes above Bushy Dell Creek in Piedmont Park, the slopes of the redwood grove in Dracena Park and the slopes above Linda Avenue in that now defunct dog park.  Some may know that Piedmont derives its name from its similarity to the Piedmont region in Italy, a region known for its hills and natural beauty.  One wonders – what does this hilly Piedmont do for dog […]
- [Pool information lacking some important basics--when will the pool operate?](https://piedmontpov.com/pool-information-lacking-some-important-basics-when-will-the-pool-operate/): We are receiving a lot of announcements about the new pool including proposed prices for passes and drop in visits. However, no information has been provided about when the pool will open and close each day, either initially or as operations “ramp up.” How can people even consider purchasing a pass or plan a visit when they don’t know how early and late the pool will open? It would also be informative to know what the proposed temperature of the pool will be using the amazingly (expensive) all-electric system that has been installed. This is emblematic of the half-baked way […]
- [Water board whispering](https://piedmontpov.com/water-board-whispering/): The closure of the Linda Dog Park seems to have been predicted on two facts: The possibility of fines of up to $66,000 a day for a violation. Sediment was observed flowing into storm drains so presumably that would have been the basis of a violation. Is sediment from a quarter-acre lot that serious an offense?. See the link below for a recent settlement between the City of Millbrae and the Water Board on violations at the city’s water treatment plant, especially the table at the end of the document. For multiple exceedances of total suspended solids, the city was […]
- [Comparing Local LCAPs – PUSD is a LAUGHING STOCK](https://piedmontpov.com/comparing-local-lcaps-pusd-is-a-laughing-stock/): I’d like to bring attention to the comparison of PUSD’s LCAP Goal #1 versus neighboring districts’ LCAP Goal #1. Oakland USD:  All students graduate college, career, and community ready. Berkeley USD:  Provide high quality classroom curriculum and responsive instructional practices that are informed by data, promote college and career readiness and eliminate the achievement gap based on race and/or program. West Contra Costa USD: Achieving Students: Deepen the implementation of quality learning, teaching and leadership practices in our classrooms and schools. Piedmont USD:  Creating an Environment to Thrive: Cultivate a culture of caring, belonging, and trust that will provide students […]
- [Follow-up: The Kenyon Era of Privilege, Betrayal, and the Wrong Client](https://piedmontpov.com/follow-up-the-kenyon-era-of-privilege-betrayal-and-the-wrong-client/): Following up on the excellent February 2, 2026 post:  If Kenyon served administrators rather than residents, was she ever truly the city’s attorney? Or merely a corrupt lap dog for the bureaucracy, hiding incompetence behind attorney-client privilege?  Her intellectually bankrupt Charter contortion—sacrificing voter rights for staff convenience—constituted a betrayal of staggering proportions. How many disenfranchisements occurred on her watch? Good riddance to a tenure defined not by legal wisdom, but by unwavering loyalty to the wrong master.
- [City Attorney Kenyon's legacy](https://piedmontpov.com/city-attorney-kenyons-legacy/): Michelle Kenyon, Piedmont City AttorneyBurke, Williams and Sorensen, LLP Legal Interpretation of Section 9.02 of Piedmont City Charter INTRODUCTIONQuestions have been posed regarding whether a vote of the electorate is required under City Charter Section 9.02 to modify the permitted or conditional uses or increase densities within an established zone. Both the Charter and City Code language support the City’s longstanding interpretation that zone reclassification is the changing of property from one zone to another, not modifying the permitted or conditional uses, or densities, that are allowed within each zoning classification. As a result, while changing the zoning boundaries, including […]
- [Does Piedmont have a City, Council, or Staff Attorney?](https://piedmontpov.com/does-piedmont-have-a-city-council-or-staff-attorney/): Piedmont’s long-standing City Attorney, Michelle Kenyon, retired this month. Piedmonters didn’t get a good look at her work – most of the legal analysis she prepared was not available to the public under attorney-client privilege, and the more complex legal matters for the city were contracted out to specialists. She frequently did provide advice on the Brown Act and synthesize convoluted Council discussions into motions. Kenyon’s one legal interpretation made available to residents was a memo regarding the city’s charter requirement that a vote be taken when a zone (single-family residential, commercial etc) was to be changed. (Piedmont is a […]
- [Student Wants More AP Classes](https://piedmontpov.com/student-wants-more-ap-classes/): Hunter Fasteau: You are NOT my voice on the Piedmont Board of Education! As a student representative on the school board, your role is to express the desires of the Piedmont student body as a whole and offer the school board insight. At a school board meeting, you passionately expressed the stress you were under from AP classes along with the peer pressure from your friend group for not taking a certain AP class — BUT so are other AP kids but they WANT TO take AP classes and will work through the stress. Personally I choose to take AP […]
- [Parks Survey - dog owners take note](https://piedmontpov.com/parks-survey-dog-owners-take-note/): The City of Piedmont is conducting a sustainability assessment of city parks to define land uses and landscaping practices that will maintain these resources for future generations. To that end, city staff is conducting pop-up sessions in the parks this week as well as an online survey to learn what residents like most about the parks. See the link below for the schedule of park pop-ups and to take the survey. But don’t get too creative with your responses. Before taking the survey respondents are forewarned: “This is not a Parks Master Plan and this initiative will not determine new facilities or […]
- [Linda dog park closure - service and process](https://piedmontpov.com/linda-dog-park-closure-service-and-process/): The following is a time-line of communications between city staff, the Park Commission and The Water Board preceding the closure of the Linda dog park in April, 2025: January 4, 2023 Update on the Linda Dog park at the Park Commission meeting PW Director Gonzales: “Its not so much even money but there’s a certain amount of process we are going to have to go through to determine what the appropriate use of that space (Oakland bridge site) is going to be so that’s engagement with the surrounding neighbors and the community overall. There are a few things to consider […]
- [Blaming NIMBY rather than answering the question](https://piedmontpov.com/blaming-nimby-rather-than-answering-the-question/): Residents questioning the safety of the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan by posting “Is it Safe” signs around town were accused of using public safety as a “boogeyman” to conceal their dislike of “poor people” coming to Piedmont. That’s a cheap shot given how poorly the question of how the project could impact emergency evacuation is addressed in the MCSP. The Fehr-Peers traffic analysis doesn’t address how evacuation on Moraga Ave will be affected by the new development nor does the city’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Fire Chief says times have changed since 1991 (Oakland Fire) and that Moraga Avenue […]
- [Contributing to the delinquency of minors](https://piedmontpov.com/contributing-to-the-delinquency-of-minors/): Thank you to the Piedmont Police for shutting down the house party on the 2000 block of Oakland Avenue after the 09/27/2025 PHS homecoming dance. After years of having to listen to screaming teenage parties from this house, the parents of the 2 daughters received a citation for the delinquency of minors. From my understanding, both parents are attorneys so you would think they would know better. But I assume that having their daughters be the popular kids in their respective high school classes supercede any common sense. Let justice (and quiet) be served!  
- [NIMBYs using fire safety as a boogeyman](https://piedmontpov.com/nimbys-using-fire-safety-as-a-boogeyman/): Most people complaining about how adding less than 200 housing units is somehow going to make us all die in a fire are completely disingenuous. Just say you don’t want poor people in Piedmont. We all know you’re thinking it. And by the way, the “IS THIS SAFE?” Yard signs are overly busy and poorly designed.
- [PUSD - Holy Bloody Hell – WHAT IS GOING ON?](https://piedmontpov.com/pusd-holy-bloody-hell-what-is-going-on/): Holy bloody hell! The school board recently approved a 2025-2026 contract worth $605,250.00 between PUSD and Pine Health for 2 positions: Questions:
- [A reckless plan and a corrupt process](https://piedmontpov.com/a-reckless-plan-and-a-corrupt-process/): The push for a massive development in Moraga Canyon is not just misguided; it is being orchestrated by a City Administrator whose tactics prioritize expediency over public safety. The proposal for 197 units in a high-fire-risk zone, dependent on a narrow, two-lane evacuation route, is a recipe for disaster. This flawed process mirrors the Linda Park pickleball debacle, where the Administrator hand-picked questionable traffic and noise reports to justify a predetermined outcome. Now, the same playbook is being used for a far more dangerous project. Instead of engaging in good-faith dialogue, the Administrator employs strong-arm tactics, dismissing legitimate concerns from […]
- [Moraga Canyon disaster waiting to happen](https://piedmontpov.com/moraga-canyon-disaster-waiting-to-happen/): I am opposed to the sheer scale of 197 units being installed in our steep-sided high fire zone Moraga Canyon. Moraga is a 2 lane road and always will be no matter how you doctor up the diagrams. It is a very heavily travelled roadway (11,000+ cars daily) which begins and ends in Oakland and this project affects Oaklanders profoundly. It is a major evacuation route for both Piedmont and Oakland. We are extremely concerned about the safety aspects of disaster evacuation with hundreds of added cars thrown into the mix with the existing hundreds trying to escape on a […]
- [Moraga Canyon Specific Plan](https://piedmontpov.com/moraga-canyon-specific-plan/): Having worked for 50 years in the East Bay as an architect and planner I am sure that very few of you understand very much at all of the technical analysis in the Specific Plan; I know that I still do not. To get a more intuitive, even visceral understanding of what is being proposed I would like to suggest that you take a 30-minute stroll up and down Moraga Avenue. You don’t even have to go at rush hour, just mid-morning would be good enough. It is scary to experience the breeze of the cars zipping past; how narrow […]
- [A public vote is required for a low-rent subsidized housing project.](https://piedmontpov.com/a-public-vote-is-required-for-a-low-rent-subsidized-housing-project/): Article 34 of the State Constitution requires a public vote for a state or federally funded low income housing project. While city staff knows this they are spending probably a million dollars on the continuing dog and pony shows they’ve been putting on since 2023 for the MCSP. I think that there’s a better than average chance that the voters will turn down such a project. Why doesn’t someone point this out so at least the city would be forced to tell what kind of evasion strategy they’ve cooked up to avoid a public vote. Otherwise we are riling up […]
- [Piedmont's Crisis of Competence, Not Zip Codes](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-crisis-of-competence-not-zip-codes/): A recent op-ed, “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” despite its curious distractions, inadvertently underscores frustrations shared by many residents. There is clear agreement: the city administrator’s performance is lacking, and the council’s composition is a problem. The author is also correct that the manufactured rivalry between Upper and Lower Piedmont is a distraction from our shared governance failures. However, the analysis is flawed. The claim on property values is simply incorrect, with data showing a clear decline in Lower Piedmont. The criticism of lawyers on the council is valid, but requires precision. Three long-serving members, all lawyers, have consistently exhibited a lack […]
- [Recent past employee](https://piedmontpov.com/recent-past-employee/): I had to quit because of the mistreatment. My complaint was deemed unfounded. I left with no job in place, I couldn’t take it anymore. There no accou ntability for the actions of the types of people the city has hired to be in leadership positions. Their part-time positions are a scam to working class families. The amounts of people I spoke to from different departments around the city stay for each other and leave because of the pay scale vs actual job duties. It would be interesting to see the ethnicities of the complainant vs the respondents on file. […]
- [Many City employees](https://piedmontpov.com/many-city-employees/): The people and city Administration are either oblivious or don’t realize how so many of us are burnt out. Sure, quit— get another job, don’t take it personal. But, the sad part is many of us do love being here. There is so many pros to being a part of this city. However, this city needs a revamp. It’s still functioning on 1925 values and capacity. The city has obviously out-grown this. It needs more employees, the ones who are hired to do a job is doing the job of 2 or 3. And it’s just outdated. There is people […]
- [Our City's Costly Experiment in Hiring](https://piedmontpov.com/our-citys-costly-experiment-in-hiring/): The evidence of failure in city leadership is no longer anecdotal; it is concrete and costly. The swimming pool renovation debacle squandered millions of dollars on a project that remains unfinished. And the rapid erosion of civil discourse at council meetings points to a profound failure in management. These are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a deeper problem: a hiring process that has prioritized the wrong metrics. The question we must now confront is: Were the criteria for these vital hires focused more on identity than on capability? This failure extends beyond the city manager. Are the managers […]
- [The future of Piedmont's dog runs is on the table](https://piedmontpov.com/the-future-of-piedmonts-dog-runs-is-on-the-table/): Harry Truman once said, “You want a friend in Washington. Get a dog”. He meant that Washington was a backstabbing town where no one could be trusted. That statement takes on a whole different meaning in Piedmont. Go to any one of Piedmont’s dog parks on a regular basis and you will meet some of the friendliest people in town. One of the most memorable of the “dog people” was Eleanor, a senior who lived in the Wildwood neighborhood but came to Dracena daily so she could exercise herself and her dog. She was a southerner and a hoot to […]
- [Response To: Behind The Diversity Curtain](https://piedmontpov.com/response-to-behind-the-diversity-curtain/): In response to the “Behind the Diversity Curtain” POV Submission, I would like to share my perspective as a POC resident of Piedmont. As employees of the City of Piedmont, I recognize that you have the ability to explore new job opportunities that better align with your expectations. This leads me to question why the City should be required to hire individuals primarily based on race. While promoting diversity in the workplace is an admirable goal, it is essential that the City prioritizes qualifications and skills during the hiring process, ensuring that all candidates are assessed fairly based on their […]
- [Trump Derangement Syndrome](https://piedmontpov.com/trump-derangement-syndrome/): When individuals are hit with Trump Derangement Syndrome we are treated to opinion pieces by the contributor of the recently published piece titled “Upper Piedmont’s Playbook: Same as Trump’s, Same as Always” . As an Upper Piedmont resident, I am quite offended that this Lower Piedmont contributor (LPC) … who has an obvious chip on his/her shoulder … sorry, but not sorry, you can stick pronouns where the sun don’t shine … would target fellow neighbors who live in Upper Piedmont. As the LPC continues to play the Lower Piedmont victim … cue the violins and background sobs … I […]
- [Piedmont's Garbage Circus: Where Clowns Run the Show](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-garbage-circus-where-clowns-run-the-show/): As trash conquered our streets, City Hall’s “contingency plan” was simple: nothing. No preparation. Just surveys and begging calls to Republic Services while rats toured Piedmont Park. The ringmaster? Our beloved City Administrator—whose sole talents are intimidating residents, ignoring disasters, and bullying critics. Why hire a Sustainability Manager to applaud this farce? Or trust the team behind the pool-construction catastrophe? Reality check: When the only “solution” is pleading with the company you failed to plan against, then throwing a parade for “restoring” the mess you enabled – it’s not governance. It’s pathological incompetence. Spare us the confetti. Deliver competence. Or […]
- [Behind the diversity curtain](https://piedmontpov.com/behind-the-diversity-curtain/): The City of Piedmont has spent years trying to erase the racist foundation it was built on—but beneath the surface, the same injustice remains. Behind polished diversity statements and public gestures like the Dearing family land contribution, people of color working within the city are still being treated like they don’t belong. Employees are overworked, underpaid, and disrespected—many doing the jobs of three people without recognition or fair compensation. While the city attempts to fix its image, POC employees are handed the dirtiest work and pushed to the margins. It’s performative progress masking a painful truth: racism here has simply […]
- [Piedmont Crime](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmont-crime/): “Crime and the perception of crime is another big picture question. Crime rates are a fraction of what they were 35 years ago, both nationally and in the Bay Area.”    Piedmont Exedra Is that true?  The figure below shows violent and property crime data for Piedmont, Oakland and San Jose for the past 40 years ( California DOJ ). First, rates for Oakland and San Jose are scaled to appear on the same axis as Piedmont – for both cities and both types of crime, rates in those cities are 100-fold greater than Piedmont.  Rates for Oakland and San Jose […]
- [Upper Piedmont's Playbook: Same as Trump's, Same as Always](https://piedmontpov.com/upper-piedmonts-playbook-same-as-trumps-same-as-always/): Read a few pieces from fellow residents lately? Same story, different author. The pattern’s undeniable. Just like Trump handed favors to the wealthy, ” Upper Piedmont” – our local wealthy elites and deep-pocketed developers – runs this show. They’ve got the council’s ear, the power. The rest of us in “Lower Piedmont”? We’re shut out. Our voices? Drowned out. They impose their will. Period. The council? Pure rubber stamp. No real debate up there, just like watching those old Trump cabinet meetings nodding along. They enable Upper Piedmont’s agenda without blinking. It’s cronyism, plain and simple. The City Administrator? She’s […]
- [Incompetence Deepens Piedmont's Garbage Crisis](https://piedmontpov.com/incompetence-deepens-piedmonts-garbage-crisis/): We’re now days into this garbage crisis. Garbage bins line our streets like monuments to municipal failure. The City’s solution? “Leave them out.” That’s it. No timeline. No backup plan. Just rotting waste baking in the July sun—attracting pests, creating health hazards, and degrading our community. Where is the leadership? Specifically, where is our City Administrator? This isn’t a minor hiccup; it’s a public health and operational collapse. In a city with Piedmont’s resources and tax base, the absence of any contingency plan is inexcusable. Private contractors fail—that’s why competent governments have redundancies. Where are the emergency collection crews? The […]
- [This is not why we moved to Piedmont](https://piedmontpov.com/this-is-not-why-we-moved-to-piedmont/): Wow — I just found this blog, and it hits so close to home. We moved here for the schools and sense of community, but what’s really going on? Courts at Linda Beach redone at huge cost — now locked up for weeks, just sitting there. Our tax dollars literally behind a fence. Then there’s the pool, years late and burning through millions, while other towns got theirs done with none of this drama. And when people ask fair questions? The Council just shuts everyone down, votes unanimously to keep spending, and acts like we should be quiet and trust […]
- [Our City Administrator's Alarming Lack of Competence](https://piedmontpov.com/our-city-administrators-alarming-lack-of-competence/): Honestly, what’s going on with our City Administrator? The whole garbage pick-up mess is just another example. While Union City was setting up dumpsters, our leadership did “basically nothing”—just told us to “leave your cans out.” Seriously? No heads-up, no plan B. It feels like they’re more focused on writing questionable reports, self-congratulating, and posing for pictures with City Council than actually managing our city. Their lack of transparency and competence is truly alarming, and frankly, the rudeness when residents inquire is unacceptable. We’re tired of being an afterthought and left wondering if the right person is even in charge. […]
- [City Council's Shameless Lack of Accountability](https://piedmontpov.com/city-councils-shameless-lack-of-accountability/): The City Council and Administrator have turned the pool project into a $34.9 million comedy of errors—except taxpayers aren’t laughing. Delayed updates, blown deadlines, and a feel-good video masquerading as progress? This isn’t leadership; it’s institutionalized incompetence. Don Chandler’s council comments exposed the farce: smaller cities with tighter budgets routinely deliver projects on time and under budget. Meanwhile, Piedmont officials treat deadlines like New Year’s resolutions. Their slick video isn’t transparency; it’s performance art designed to distract from the real scandal—why each “update” reveals new delays rather than progress. The Administrator’s role should be ensuring projects stay on track, not […]
- [Who is pulling the strings in Piedmont?](https://piedmontpov.com/who-is-pulling-the-strings-in-piedmont/): Well, folks, it seems I’m not alone in my bewilderment when it comes to Piedmont’s city council. I’ve been chuckling along with all your comments, nodding vigorously as you articulate the exact, head-scratching quandaries that keep me up at night. The question on everyone’s lips, and one that feels increasingly like a riddle, is this: What in the name of all that’s sensible is going on down at City Hall? Are our esteemed city council members, bless their hearts, merely puppets on a string, dancing to the tune of a puppeteer City Administrator who pulls the strings of staff reports […]
- [Residents Use Your Driveways or Garages!  And Does Your 3 Person Household Really Need 7 Vehicles?](https://piedmontpov.com/residents-use-your-driveways-or-garages-and-does-your-3-person-household-really-need-7-vehicles/): Pet Peeve #1: Piedmont residents who do not utilize their driveways or garages. I would understand if a driveway was unusable due to a steep incline but laziness to pull into a driveway is not an excuse to park your vehicle on the street. If the City of Pasadena, can mandate a 2am-6am No Parking on the street, I think Piedmont should – – this will help bring down crime in Piedmont because the police will easily be able to pinpoint a criminal vehicle in the middle of the night. Pet Peeve #2: Use your garage to park your car! […]
- [Piedmont Pool Making Waves (of Delays)](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmont-pool-making-waves-of-delays/): We are all aware that the Piedmont pool project, a civic endeavor that some initially opposed in favor of essential services, has spiraled into a concerning display of mismanagement. Despite a $1.5 million extension granted to consultants, and a “Summer 2025” completion estimate that feels increasingly like a moving target, progress on site remains alarmingly slow. Issues like contaminated soil, underground tanks, and groundwater intrusion — problems that should have been identified early with basic core samples — have directly contributed to costly delays. Even the “winter rain” excuse for project setbacks rings hollow; other regions effectively mitigate such issues […]
- [Our "Visionary" Council (and Their Administrator): Where Public Input Goes to Die (Again!)](https://piedmontpov.com/our-visionary-council-and-their-administrator-where-public-input-goes-to-die-again/): Remember that Moraga Canyon development that was deemed unsafe back in 2010 and 2012? Well, apparently, “safety concerns” and “expert warnings” are just quaint little suggestions they’ve managed to conveniently lose again! It’s like they had a dartboard with “who to listen to” on it, and the dart consistently landed on “nobody who actually lives here.” Clearly, their crystal ball showed a future where traffic magically disappears and sight lines don’t matter, even after 15 years. Pure genius! And wouldn’t you know it, it’s the same old song and dance for other “minor” inconveniences, like various park projects or changes […]
- [Why is Piedmont's Government Failing the Families Funding It?](https://piedmontpov.com/why-is-piedmonts-government-failing-the-families-funding-it/): Glad to see I am not alone. Our City Hall has been operating like a stage magician’s act – Watch this beautiful bond measure with your right hand, while your left wallet mysteriously vanishes! We work diligently to pay Piedmont’s premium-class taxes, only to discover our leadership plays an elaborate game of “Upper Piedmont Says” with civic responsibility. Meanwhile, our property values continue to decline. Our city government shouldn’t feel like an exclusive country club where some members get VIP treatment while the rest of us are left holding the bill. Enough with the smoke and mirrors—we want honesty, accountability, […]
- [Piedmont's Decline: Why are our Property Values Plummeting?](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-decline-why-are-our-property-values-plummeting/): As a long-time resident who has proudly called Piedmont home since the late 1980s, I’ve witnessed many changes in our beautiful city. We’ve always prided ourselves on our strong community, our respectful civil discourse, and the excellent stewardship of our city. For some time now, the very fabric of Piedmont has seemed to fray, but since the arrival of our current city administrator, I’ve watched with growing dismay as that decline has undeniably accelerated. The level of civil discourse in our city has frankly bottomed out. There’s an antagonism now that is palpable, dividing neighbors and poisoning what was once […]
- [Is City Council drowning in incompetence?](https://piedmontpov.com/is-city-council-drowning-in-incompetence/): The Piedmont’s pool saga is turning into a tragicomedy where the City Council and Administrator have mastered the art of not swimming while burning cash like a bonfire of taxpayer dollars. 2019: Voters approved a pool 2025: It’s still a glorified puddle In December 2024, officials chirped, “Pool’s coming in Spring 2025!” Spoiler: It’s not. Instead, they’ve hosted multiple meetings since November to brainstorm how to charge you $20 for a splash. Their “Build a Pass” fee model? More like “Build a Moat” to keep peasants out. While the pool remains a concrete sarcophagus, our leaders are busy debating if […]
- [A Lifelong Piedmont Resident's Plea: How Did Our Beloved Town Come to This?](https://piedmontpov.com/a-lifelong-piedmont-residents-plea-how-did-our-beloved-town-come-to-this/): I remember when Piedmont took pride in doing things right. When a promise made was a promise kept. When our community projects reflected the excellence we expected from our schools, our parks, our local government. That Piedmont seems to be fading before our eyes. The pool debacle isn’t just about swimming – it’s about who we’ve become as a town. What happened to the Piedmont that planned carefully and executed flawlessly? The Piedmont where $19.5 million meant $19.5 million, not $34.9 million and counting? The Piedmont where “spring completion” didn’t mean “maybe by summer… or later”? As someone who raised […]
- [Pickleball Controversy and Linda Dog Park Closure: Alleged Brown Act Violations in Piedmont Governance](https://piedmontpov.com/pickleball-controversy-and-linda-dog-park-closure-alleged-brown-act-violations-in-piedmont-governance/): The Piedmont City Council’s abrupt closure of Linda Dog Park and its mishandling of the Linda Pickleball project suggest likely violations of California’s Brown Act, which prohibits secret decision-making by public bodies. The council’s uniformity in approving these decisions—with minimal public discussion on complex issues—implies prohibited “serial meetings” or undisclosed agreements, bypassing transparent debate. The City Administrator’s advancement of disputed narratives, such as unverified claims justifying the dog park closure, further signals collusion, sidelining the public’s right to witness genuine deliberation. This pattern extends to the Pickleball project, where the council rubber-stamped contentious policies without probing questions or dissent. The […]
- [Housing Element nonsense](https://piedmontpov.com/housing-element-nonsense/): Jonathan Lansner, real estate columnist in the EB Times yesterday reported that as housing became more plentiful while the state’s population declined, the opposite of what the developer/Yimby narrative said would happen, happened. Prices went up. More housing availability didn’t help at all. Maybe the wise people in Sacramento don’t actually know what they are talking about.
- [Linda Dog Park Closure](https://piedmontpov.com/linda-dog-park-closure/): It would be hard to imagine a scenario for the secret dog park closure that didn’t include a Brown Act violation. To set a future Public hearing for an Ordinance Amendment required agreement by the Piedmont City Council. So a majority of the Council were primed to parrot the Public Works Director’s deceitful lies about the Water Board demands, or the Park Commission’s agreement. The Public Works Director should be replaced.
- [Pool drop-in fee should be lower](https://piedmontpov.com/pool-drop-in-fee-should-be-lower/): City Council: The text below is taken from page 19 of the Agenda Report on the pool fees. It concludes that by setting the drop-in fee at $18/20, residents will “do the math” and sign up for the annual pass/summer pass. I think that conclusion is based on the faulty assumption that a resident will use the pool at 5x a month and reflects an “aquatic” mind-set that comes with setting the fee structure for the new aquatic center. There is no consideration in this fee calculation for less frequent, episodic users of the pool, particularly during summer. Those users […]
- [Piedmont's City Council & Administrator Keep Playing Hide-the-Ball with Public Trust](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-city-council-administrator-keep-playing-hide-the-ball-with-public-trust/): Let’s get real—since our current City Administrator rolled into town, dodging accountability has become Piedmont’s favorite pastime. Public Works Director Gonzales swears the Linda Dog Park came up nine times, but let’s be honest: those were just drive-by updates, not actual discussions. And at the April 2nd meeting? Crickets about the plan to shut it down. If he knew and didn’t say squat, that’s shady as heck. So why is the City Council looking the other way instead of demanding answers? Even the Park Commission’s own 2024 report said loud and clear they wanted to fix the dog park, not […]
- [Staff Deceives Park Commission and the Public](https://piedmontpov.com/staff-deceives-park-commission-and-the-public/): Last Monday evening, Public Works Director Gonzales claimed that the Linda Dog Park had been discussed at the Park Commission 9 times in the past two years and that is true. However, that had not been as a stand-alone agenda item with staff recommendations but simply as part of the routine Update on Park Projects item that occurs regularly on the agenda. Other than alerting the Commission that the park was closed and what short-term mitigations had been taken, there was no substantive discussion from staff about repairing the park or it closure at these 9 meetings. During the first […]
- ["Progress" Pride Flags above PUSD schools](https://piedmontpov.com/progress-pride-flags-above-pusd-schools/): The progress pride flags that hang above all the Piedmont schools referencing gender-fluidity should immediately be removed. Legislatures in 20 states this year proposed banning physicians and other health care professionals from providing puberty blockers, hormones and “gender affirming” surgery to children. Puberty blockers have been banned in the UK following the Cass report. It has been established that this is a condition that is not fully understood, nor is the most beneficial course of action for the health of a child with said condition agreed upon. What is clear is that students and teachers are not the keepers of […]
- [Piedmont's Dog Park Debacle: Hypocrisy, Secrecy, and the Betrayal of Community Trust](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-dog-park-debacle-hypocrisy-secrecy-and-the-betrayal-of-community-trust/): A decision to abruptly close a beloved dog park—used heavily by Oakland residents- has laid bare a culture of hypocrisy and backroom governance. The move, shrouded in secrecy and pushed through with contempt for public input, epitomizes the widening chasm between Piedmont’s self-congratulatory progressive image and its reality of elitism and exclusion. The park, a rare green space accessible to Oakland’s residents, was shuttered with almost no notice. Neighbors learned of the decision through terse mails days before locks appeared on gates. Public discussion? Minimal. Transparency? None. The city council, led by an inept and bullying city administrator, dismissed concerns […]
- [Association of Piedmont Teachers show fearmongering at its best](https://piedmontpov.com/association-of-piedmont-teachers-show-fearmongering-at-its-best/): When the rally call came from Dr. Elise Marks (President of the Association of Piedmont Teachers) to join a “Walk In” on April 4, 2025 to bring attention to the dismantling of the US Department of Education, I was quite disturbed by this action brought upon by the Trump Administration. I consider myself a staunch proponent of public education, particularly Title I schools, and a defender of the Department of Education.    With curiosity, I set upon researching the dismantling of the Department of Education and discovered the following opinion piece by Neeraja Deshpande (a policy analyst at Independent Women’s […]
- [A curious case for the dismantling of the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT)](https://piedmontpov.com/a-case-for-dismantling-the-association-of-piedmont-teachers-apt-for-strong-academic-teachers/): With over 42,000 students, Clovis Unified School District stands as the largest public school district in California operating without a teachers union since its inception in 1959. Remarkably, it continues this tradition today without a formal union structure. Consider this — “Can Piedmont Unified School District, with 2,500 students, deliver a quality education while exclusively retaining exceptional teachers without the support of a teachers union?” I firmly believe that it can – – and many California charter schools share this conviction. As a dedicated Piedmont parent, I view the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT) as a hindrance to the District. […]
- [Piedmont's Pool—A Splash of Incompetence, Courtesy of Your City Council](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-pool-a-splash-of-incompetence-courtesy-of-your-city-council/): Ah, Piedmont’s community pool project—a masterpiece of mismanagement and a shining example of how not to run a public works project. Thanks to our beloved City Council, what was supposed to be a refreshing oasis has turned into a money pit with a side of delays. Who knew building a pool could be so hard? Oh, right—everyone. Despite being 86% complete (a number that’s about as reliable as a paper umbrella), the project is months behind and millions over budget. But don’t worry! The Council has a new foolproof excuse: rain. Yes, rain—that thing that famously never happens in California. […]
- [Time for Change: Piedmont Deserves Leadership, Not Confrontation](https://piedmontpov.com/time-for-change-piedmont-deserves-leadership-not-confrontation/): The situation in Piedmont is becoming untenable, with the city administrator engaging in constant confrontation rather than fostering dialogue with residents. This approach is compounded by a City Council that seems to either enable or encourage such behavior. As property values decline, crime rises, and school enrollment and ratings fall, residents deserve leadership that prioritizes collaboration and problem-solving. The current environment of ineptitude, arrogance, and bullying behavior is unacceptable. Piedmont residents should not have to tolerate this, and there must be greater accountability for those in positions of power to ensure the community’s well-being is prioritized.
- [Laughable LCAP Goal #1 for Piedmont Unified School District?](https://piedmontpov.com/laughable-lcap-goal-1-for-piedmont-unified-school-district/): Look at any Piedmont real estate selling point and you see the phrases: “top rated schools”; “exceptional schools”; or “highly coveted K-12” – –  BUT are Piedmont students truly receiving an extraordinary education? Since graduating from Piedmont High School in the 1990s, the educational standards and expectations of PUSD students have significantly declined. As a Piedmont parent observing the evolving  PUSD education environment over the past decade, the marked changes that began in 2020 have been startling. Well-intentioned Piedmont stakeholders, including parents and school board members, seized the unstable circumstances of 2020 as an opportune time to advance their political […]
- [Pickleball Politics: Is Piedmont's City Council Putting Special Interests Over Residents?](https://piedmontpov.com/pickleball-politics-is-piedmonts-city-council-putting-special-interests-over-residents/): The recent lawsuit against the City of Piedmont over the Linda Beach pickleball courts underscores a troubling pattern of municipal negligence and disregard for residents’ well-being. By approving the conversion of tennis courts into permanent pickleball courts without conducting a proper California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, the City Council has not only flouted legal requirements but also exhibited a reckless indifference to the community’s concerns. The Linda Beach Playfield Master Plan, adopted in 2019, explicitly prohibits pickleball in the area due to anticipated noise issues. Ignoring this directive, the City proceeded with the project, leading to significant disturbances for […]
- [Set Fair Pool Fees](https://piedmontpov.com/set-fair-pool-fees/): Pool Advisory Committee: This report is a very detailed approach to analyzing the fee structure for the pool however it strikes me as biased towards raising revenue by “incentivizing” pool users to upgrade to annual passes without some historic context of pool users, their frequency of use of the pool and revenues. For starters, what has been the traditional number of annual and seasonal users of the pool over the past? My recollection is that ratio was roughly 125/550. And likewise, what are the percents of past facility revenue generated by annual and seasonal passes? The report only shows projections. […]
- [Applauding the banning of men from women’s sports](https://piedmontpov.com/applauding-the-banning-of-men-from-womens-sports/): I have always considered myself a progressive liberal until the day President Biden proposed allowing biological males who identify as female to compete in women’s sports.      Although PUSD is an inclusive community, Piedmont mothers were silently concerned for their daughters. Piedmont parents fight for Title IX so that our daughters have the same opportunities as our sons in sports. Female sports exist so that female athletes have a space of their own to exhibit their feats of athletic strength, speed and rigor amongst other female athletes. Not only should our Piedmont girl athletes be protected on the sports fields […]
- [Shame on the City of Piedmont (MLK Event)](https://piedmontpov.com/shame-on-the-city-of-piedmont-mlk-event/)
- [Housing Element:  There is NO STATE MANDATE to build in the City of Piedmont](https://piedmontpov.com/housing-element-there-is-no-state-mandate-to-build-in-the-city-of-piedmont/): Under California Government Code Section 65580-65589.8, each city and county in California must include a “Housing Element” within their General Plan.  This is a requirement for each city and county to plan for and the construction of enough housing to meet the needs of their region. The key word here is: PLAN. If my research is correct, the City of Piedmont is NOT REQUIRED to build any additional housing but ONLY PLAN for it. Nor is the City of Piedmont  required to expend local revenues for the construction of housing, housing subsidies, or land acquisition (see CA Govt Code § […]
- [On Dec 2, 2024, the Piedmont City Councilmembers approved an ADDITIONAL $2.8 million for the pool project!](https://piedmontpov.com/on-dec-2-20024-the-piedmont-city-councilmembers-approved-an-additional-2-8-million-for-the-pool-project/): During the December 2, 2024 Piedmont City Council meeting, the City Council approved an ADDITIONAL $2.8 million in funding towards the completion of the community pool. The question is – – when does the open checkbook slam shut? I do not care if the CC members appear to be frustrated and upset with having to approve the additional funds – – it’s ALL SHOW and deflection of blame! The blame is on the INCOMPETENCE of (now ex) Mayor Jennifer Cavenaugh, the CC, the City Administrator and the Pubic Works Director.  Each of the aforementioned have no true business financial skills […]
- [Piedmont's Leadership Crisis: Reckless Spending and a Decline in Accountability](https://piedmontpov.com/piedmonts-leadership-crisis-reckless-spending-and-a-decline-in-accountability/): Piedmont residents are witnessing an alarming decline in leadership, with both the City Council and City Administrator playing active roles in the city’s financial and civic deterioration. The relentless push for pickleball in Linda Park, championed by Mayor Cavenaugh and endorsed by the City Council and administration, epitomizes this mismanagement. The project, pursued “at all costs,” is fiscally reckless, likely illegal, and completely out of step with the priorities of many Piedmont residents. This issue is not isolated. Under the current leadership, property taxes rise year after year while property values stagnate or decline. Meanwhile, unchecked spending on dubious projects […]
- [Source for ballot title accuracy evaluations...](https://piedmontpov.com/source-for-ballot-title-accuracy-evaluations/): Here is a guide for voters to evaluate Alameda County ballot titles.These ratings are NOT an opinion on the measures, but a rating to promote furtheranalysis of very important initiatives. https://ballotwatchdog.com
- [Vote NO on Measure P](https://piedmontpov.com/vote-no-on-measure-p/): The Parcel Tax Should Be Entirely Progressive, Just Like It Used to Be The school parcel tax was previously based on home valuation. However, when a court case deemed this method illegal, the school board faced a choice: implement a flat tax or a tax proportional to square footage, which aligns more closely with the original progressive tax model. Unfortunately a wealthy Republican pushed for a purely flat tax and got his allies on the school board to agree. Years later, the 2019 school board decided to introduce a smaller progressive tax alongside the original flat tax, resulting in Measures […]
- [Housing Element](https://piedmontpov.com/housing-element/): Good article on today’s WSJ (10/23/2024) on how payments to contractors consulting on the housing element are helping Portola Valley go broke. Can anyone tell how much Piedmont has spent on the housing element including contractors . Publicity and staff time? Was it much more than necessary to meet the A BAG criteria ?
- [POV - Thank You](https://piedmontpov.com/pov-thank-you/): This blog is a great service to those in Piedmont whose voices are not heard nor respected by our elected representatives. We should make it grow . At this point it is probably best to be anonymous but it should not have to be that way.
- [Wildwood Principal](https://piedmontpov.com/wildwood-principal/): What is the story about the resignation of the Wildwood principal. There was a suggestion that she was forced out because of not enforcing DEIB programs. Who or what group was responsible for making her leave ? Why has it not been public knowledge?
- [Measure P:   Deceptive  Ballot  Language](https://piedmontpov.com/measure-p-deceptive-ballot-language/): From the Alameda County Grand Jury Association: Measure PPiedmont USD Parcel Tax To attract and retain highly qualified teachers and educational support staff and continue funding advanced academic programs, shall Piedmont Unified School District’s measure renewing the school parcel tax for 8 years be adopted at the rate of 50 cents per square foot of building improvements, providing 5 million dollars in annual school funding, with independent citizen oversight and all money locally controlled? Vote Required: 2/3 Criteria:1-Intent and structure of tax (i.e. a % or rate for a sales or transfer tax, or a $ per parcel for a […]
- [Why I'm Voting NO to Measure P - - A Disturbing Shift in Piedmont’s Educational Priorities](https://piedmontpov.com/why-im-voting-no-to-measure-p-a-disturbing-shift-in-piedmonts-educational-priorities/): In recent years, Piedmont Unified has undergone a troubling transformation, one that prioritizes the psychological well-being of students over their academic growth. While the mental health of our students is undeniably important, the current shift raises concerns about the balance—or lack thereof—between emotional support and educational rigor. As a Piedmont parent, I want all students to thrive in a nurturing environment. However, the increasing emphasis on psychological frameworks (SEL – Social Emotional Learning) seems to overshadow the core mission of education: to equip our children with the knowledge and skills necessary for their futures. Piedmont classrooms that once buzzed with […]
- [Thank You For This Platform](https://piedmontpov.com/thanky-you-for-this-platform/): I am writing to thank Piedmont POV for the establishment of this open platform for anonymous and unheard Piedmont voices. Not only is this a necessity, it is a fundamental step towards ensuring that Piedmont discourse is inclusive and representative of the myriad experiences and opinions that exist within our small town. In today’s world where information flows at lightning speed and opinions are shared with a mere click, the voices of many Piedmonters remain stifled. While social media can provide a platform for countless individuals to express their thoughts, there exist a significant number of Piedmonters whose perspectives are […]
- [October 7th - Never Forget](https://piedmontpov.com/october-7th-never-forget/): On October 7, 2023, modern day Israel faced an unprecedented crisis which will forever change Israel. On this day a horrific narrative will be ingrained in the hearts of people around the world. A Palestinian militant groups, led primarily by Hamas, launched a wide-scale operation named “Operation al-Aqsa Flood” against Israel from the Gaza Strip. This operation was a meticulously planned invasion that plunged the region into chaos. It began with a massive rocket barrage, where thousands of missiles rained down upon Israeli soil, causing significant destruction and loss of life. Soon armed militants infiltrated Israel employing various modes of […]
- [Are you YES  - or -  NO  for Measure P?](https://piedmontpov.com/are-you-yes-or-no-for-measure-p/)
- [Please vote YES on P!](https://piedmontpov.com/please-vote-yes-on-p/): Please support Measure P! Measure P replaces Measure H – – which voters approved in November 2019. Measure H levied an annual special parcel tax of $0.25 (twenty-five cents) per square foot of building improvements. Measure H tax is for eight (8) years: from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2028. Measure H brings in roughly $2.5 million per year for the Piedmont schools. Measure P seeks an annual parcel tax of $0.50 (fifty cents) per square foot of building improvements for eight (8) years: July 1, 2028 to June 30, 2036. Measure P funds will be used to help […]
- [Palestine & School Discussion](https://piedmontpov.com/palestine-school-discussion/): I understand that it’s going to be a topic with lots of emotion behind it, but it’s a really important issue that I think deserves to be discussed. Yes, the history of 100 years ago is important, but so is the history of today! I understand teachers have pressures on them that restrict them from talking about it so nothing against them, but as a community I think it’s really important that we actually understand the pressing issues happening as opposed to trying to pretend they don’t exist.
- [2023 City of Piedmont Salaries -- Coming Soon](https://piedmontpov.com/2023-city-of-piedmont-salaries-coming-soon/): The 2023 salaries of City of Piedmont will be coming soon. Currently Transparent California only displays 2022 salaries. https://transparentcalifornia.com
- [2023 PUSD Salaries](https://piedmontpov.com/other-district-issues-2/): The 2023 salaries of Piedmont Unified School District employees are available to view on Transparent California: https://transparentcalifornia.com/ As a parent and resident, I find it unfathomable that the Director of Facilities, Peter Palmer, earns significantly more than our teachers. I understand that Mr. Palmer has a large task to maintain PUSD facilities, but we have to keep in mind that he has a staff that report back to him — he is not out in the elements pushing a broom, fixing a fence — he is sitting behind a desk delegating tasks to his maintenance staff. Futhermore, Mr. Palmer failed […]
- [Reach Codes banning gas appliances go away](https://piedmontpov.com/reach-codes-banning-gas-appliances-go-away/): Yowzers! Thank you to the 3-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court for ruling that local ordinances preventing the use of gas appliances are overridden by federal law! Big middle finger to the City Council for adopting those Reach Codes. This group of elected officials at the city are a bunch of clowns. A small city attempting to override laws of the federal government regarding an impactful issue to a majority of Piedmont residents. Let’s get cracking and DRILL, BABY, DRILL!
- [Will Housing Displace Ace Hardware?](https://piedmontpov.com/will-housing-displace-ace-hardware/): The Oakland A’s play their last game at the Coliseum this week. The prelude to that happened 25 years ago when Oakland City Manager Robert Bobb and Mayor Jerry Brown feuded over downtown development. Bobb wanted to redevelop the area between 880 and the Fox Theater for a downtown baseball stadium while Brown wanted 10,000 new housing units in the downtown. Brown won, Bobb left and the rest is history. Given the current state of Oakland and the glut of housing, one wonders if Oakland made the right decision. A’s ownership hasn’t helped but smaller, inner-city stadiums have been successful. […]
- [Equitable Grading For Dummies](https://piedmontpov.com/equitable-grading-for-dummies/): As a neighbor to PHS students, I have only recently heard of the term “equitable grading”. Having children out of college and off in the real world, has afforded me time to connect and converse with newer neighbors in my area who have PHS students. In one of these conversations, a parent mentioned the disconnect and frustration her daughter was experiencing with something called an “equitable grading policy” that some PHS teachers have adopted in their classrooms. The parent explained that her high goal setting daughter, who puts in endless hours at home on her homework while balancing sports in […]
- [SB 9: City Council failed to protect us](https://piedmontpov.com/sb9-city-council-failed-to-protect-us/): On September 10, 2021, 241 charter cities signed a letter to Gavin Gruesome requesting a veto of SB 9 (Atkins).  Why was Piedmont not one of those cities on the list? I see a few nearby cities on the list: Antioch, Concord, Burlingame, Foster City, Larkspur, Moraga, Orinda. Again, why did Piedmont not sign this letter? This does not make sense why Piedmont did not follow the lead of Redondo Beach, Carson, Torrance, Whittier, and Del Mar in filing a lawsuit — invoking the home rule doctrine in the State Constitution in challenging SB 9. Complete failure of Piedmont to […]
- [Housing Element – Moraga Canyon Option – 60 of the Affordable Units will be  PROPERTY TAX EXEMPT!](https://piedmontpov.com/housing-element-moraga-canyon-option-60-of-the-affordable-units-will-be-property-tax-exempt/): I have been disinterested in what has been happening with the Housing Element until I watched the Moraga Canyon Specific Plan on video. Takeaways: * 60 affordable units will most likely be property tax exempt! * Only the 70 market rate units will be billed for property taxes * The City Budget will remain neutral or slightly positive My Question:  Per the video, how can the City Budget remain neutral or slightly positive with, say, 280+ new residents residing in the city?  My Thought:  Although you have property taxes coming in for the 70 market rate units, there will still […]
- [Pickleball Striping Contract + Lawsuits + Piedmont City Council = Drunken Sailors](https://piedmontpov.com/pickleball-striping-lawsuits-piedmont-city-council-drunken-sailors/): As of late August 2024, there are 2 pending lawsuits pertaining to the conversion of Linda Beach Courts from tennis courts to pickleball courts. Why in tarnations would the Piedmont CC approve a $206,800 contract to have the courts repaved when there are lawsuits pending? The Piedmont CC are drunken sailors on leave with a stolen credit card! There are no words to Jen Cavenaugh’s drive to push this repaving before she leaves office. Is she seeking a ribbon cutting photo opp on Linda Beach Courts before she leaves office? According to her bio, she has an MBA … she […]

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