Toby the "Watchdog"

Welcome to Clayton Watch! 

A place where you can find the pulse of the city, the truth, letters and opinions from residents, city events, campaign statements, links to city hall, and so much more. With hundreds of articles to view, try our “Search Queries” feature to the right and enter a keyword or phrase. If you are looking for a specific topic, our "Popular Posts" feature can help too. Also, check out our new section, Top Stories & Videos on the navigation bar above.

Celebrating a Greener, Brighter Future for Clayton!

As Seen on NBC Bay Area News!

Clayton’s sustainability efforts were recently highlighted on NBC Bay Area in a feature story titled “Clayton Goes Green.”

The segment showcases the City’s commitment to energy savings, modernization, and a greener future.

Watch the full NBC video here:

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/news/local/clayton-goes-green/3984376/

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone in Clayton's journey toward sustainability and innovation! The City of Clayton is proud to unveil the completion of our Comprehensive Infrastructure Renewal and General Fund Savings Program, a groundbreaking $2 million energy modernization initiative that’s setting us on the path to a net-zero energy future.

This exciting program includes:

• Solar structures harnessing clean, renewable energy

• LED lighting upgrades for greater efficiency

• HVAC system improvements to reduce energy consumption

• EV charging stations to support green transportation

• Smart irrigation controls to conserve water

Thanks to these efforts, Clayton will save an estimated $4.7 million in utility and operational costs over the lifetime of the project, all while reducing our environmental footprint.

A special thank you to our City Council and City Staff for their hard work, vision, and dedication in bringing this transformative project to life. Without their leadership, this milestone would not be possible.

A Lot Has Changed at City Hall — In a Good Way

If you missed the State of the City meeting, you may want to set aside some time to watch the recording. The presentation, led by Mayor Kim Trupiano, along with reports from each department head, including the Chief of Police and City Manager Kris Lofthus, provided a clear and impressive look at what’s been happening behind the scenes. Click here to watch this impressive presentation.

- The progress is real.

- The teamwork is genuine.

- And the direction is encouraging.

The leadership team currently in place has a level of organization, awareness, and problem-solving that is a night-and-day difference from the past. They not only outlined where the city stands today, but also where improvements are needed, and many of those improvements are already underway.

We encourage everyone to watch the recorded video of the meeting and see for yourself. We believe you’ll walk away with the same feeling many of us had that evening: A renewed sense of confidence and pride in the place we call home.

Clayton is on the right track — and it shows.

Clayton Watch Fighting to Amend Civil Grand Jury Report on City of Clayton

by David King, Diablo Gazette (October 2025)

Petition filed with the Superior Court of Californina,
Contra Costa County

Last June the Contra Costa County Civil Grand Jury released its scathing Report 2505, “Clayton: Small City, big Concerns,” characterizing Clayton City Council of gross dysfunction and operating at near financial ruin and offered a series of procedural recommendations. 

The council responded mostly with disagreement with almost all of its findings, citing the report was filled with errors, guided by misinformation, and rejected the recommendations. So, that was the end of it right? 

Not so fast. 

While the Council is ready to move on, Diablo Gazette received a copy of a 56-page petition submitted by the Political Action Committee, Clayton Watch, submitted to the Contra Costa County Superior Court of California, datestamped on Oct. 23, asking for the court to amend the record.

According to Gary Hood, a founding member of Clayton Watch, Clayton Watch feels the Grand Jury Report maligns Clayton and that damage needs to be mitigated with the facts. 

With the report as is, the concern is should Clayton have future recruiting needs to fill key government and law enforcement positions, the report can dissuade top candidates, as well as be weaponized in future political campaigns to misinform voters. 

The first challenge was to confirm that Clayton Watch even had standing to challenge the Grand Jury Report, which it claims it does for being a duly registered civic organization acting on matters of community concern, government transparency, and accountability. 

The petition was submitted after several written requests to simply review the report and correct misstatements with verified facts, but those requests were at first unanswered, then eventually rejected. 

There is no precedent for such action. Further complicating a formal review is that the Jurors who conducted the investigation are protected by anonymity, and have all been replaced with a new set of Jurors.

The petition cites several problems with the original report, notwithstanding its prejudicial title. Supported by exhibits, the petition identifies six additional specific factual and procedural deficiencies in the report. 

The report misstates the general fund revenues, expenditures and balances by relying on unaudited figures. The exhibit provides the audited figures which Hood says dispels the Jury’s findings.

The report criticizes the City for not taking action for revenue enhancement; the exhibit verifies actions that were taken. 

Citing extreme turnover in City manager positions, the petition points out that it is overstating that turnover by counting interim assignments. 

Regarding Brown Act violations, the petition accuses the Civil Grand Jury of not understanding the functions and procedures of special committees and that no Brown Act violations occurred. 

Speaking of procedures, the petition charges that it was the Grand Jury that failed its legal obligations by not providing the Council and any other affected agencies with a copy of the report prior to publication as required by Penal Code 933(f). 

Since the original Report cannot be changed, the petition asks that an amendment be filed with the provided factual remedies and suggestions presented. 

Copies of the petition were sent to the presiding Judge, Hon. Terri Mockler, Matt Malone, Chief Counsel and Public Information Officer, County Supervisor Ken Carlson, Clayton City councilmembers, President of the Grand Jurors Association and others.

Now waiting for the Superior Court’s response, Hood seems to be swimming in uncharted waters. 

Ironically, The Civil Grand Jury Association, a statewide organization that trains and educates Civil Grand Jurors, met in San Luis Obispo on October 26 and 27. The theme of the conference, “Civil Grand Jury, the Cornerstone of Transparency and Accountibility”.

Perhaps Clayton Watch’s efforts will be a training tool in the future. To read the entire petition and its exhibits, click here.

Click here to watch this impressive presentation.