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| Jeff Wan |
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------------------------------------------------------------At our meeting on Tuesday, we discussed several significant items:
- We approved a resolution allowing an additional ADU on properties, increasing the total number allowed from four, to five, contingent on meeting other criteria like lot size and lot coverage. This was done based on feedback received from CA Housing and Community Development (HCD). While the City approved its Housing Element Update (HEU) timely as required by law back in January of 2023, HCD did not approve it even though it met all statutory requirements including planning for zoning for housing at all income levels. Further, the City actually enacted the new zoning in January of 2024.
Based on communication from HCD, the City has received feedback that if this new resolution allowing an additional ADU, then HCD would approve the City's HEU. As such, the Council voted 5-0 in favor of this action. After HCD approved the HEU I will have more to say about the overall process.
- We appointed Brian Mayhew to the Financial Sustainability Committee. He is a long time Clayton resident and has over 30 years of municipal finance experience including most recently retiring as CFO at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission after serving for more than 20 years.
- We made several appointments to the Trails and Landscape Committee (TLC). The TLC is an 11 member body of which 10 of the 11 members' terms are currently expired. The TLC requires six members for a quorum. We appointed 8 of the 9 individuals who applied, the 9th person is currently serving and their term is not yet expired.
- We appointed Sheila Driscoll as the City's representative to the Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging. Ms. Driscoll has served in a volunteer capacity in many organizations in the community and will be a great addition to the Advisory Council.
- We agreed to modify the City's franchise agreement with Republic Services. When originally drafted, the agreement called for certain increased in rates based on CPI changes. It was later discovered that the timing of CPI change information was not in alignment with the dates drafted in the agreement. The only modifications to the agreement were to bring these dates in line for ease of administration.
- We updated the job classification of the Assistant City Manager/Administrative Services Director to just be Administrative Services Director and made updates to the City's Salary schedule to reflect the change. This action was requested by staff to better align the organizational structure to the needs of the City.
- We had a discussion with no action taken regarding closing the City's long term budget deficit. I will comment on this item in a separate thread.
- We approved a resolution allowing an additional ADU on properties, increasing the total number allowed from four, to five, contingent on meeting other criteria like lot size and lot coverage. This was done based on feedback received from CA Housing and Community Development (HCD). While the City approved its Housing Element Update (HEU) timely as required by law back in January of 2023, HCD did not approve it even though it met all statutory requirements including planning for zoning for housing at all income levels. Further, the City actually enacted the new zoning in January of 2024.
Based on communication from HCD, the City has received feedback that if this new resolution allowing an additional ADU, then HCD would approve the City's HEU. As such, the Council voted 5-0 in favor of this action. After HCD approved the HEU I will have more to say about the overall process.
- We appointed Brian Mayhew to the Financial Sustainability Committee. He is a long time Clayton resident and has over 30 years of municipal finance experience including most recently retiring as CFO at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission after serving for more than 20 years.
- We made several appointments to the Trails and Landscape Committee (TLC). The TLC is an 11 member body of which 10 of the 11 members' terms are currently expired. The TLC requires six members for a quorum. We appointed 8 of the 9 individuals who applied, the 9th person is currently serving and their term is not yet expired.
- We appointed Sheila Driscoll as the City's representative to the Contra Costa County Advisory Council on Aging. Ms. Driscoll has served in a volunteer capacity in many organizations in the community and will be a great addition to the Advisory Council.
- We agreed to modify the City's franchise agreement with Republic Services. When originally drafted, the agreement called for certain increased in rates based on CPI changes. It was later discovered that the timing of CPI change information was not in alignment with the dates drafted in the agreement. The only modifications to the agreement were to bring these dates in line for ease of administration.
- We updated the job classification of the Assistant City Manager/Administrative Services Director to just be Administrative Services Director and made updates to the City's Salary schedule to reflect the change. This action was requested by staff to better align the organizational structure to the needs of the City.
- We had a discussion with no action taken regarding closing the City's long term budget deficit. I will comment on this item in a separate thread.
Once again by a unanimous vote the City, bends over to Sacramento so they can get their precious Housing Element Approved. I feel very sorry when your neighbor gets greedy, does not care about the character of your neighborhood, street or cul-de-sac, and says the heck with what makes Clayton unique I am in it for the money. Just remember next election who approved this and the other High-Density changes that will eventually lead to the 20-40 unit developments within Clayton that already have been proposed.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeff. We appreciate the timely updates.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see the city running like a business. Your info is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteFive ADU's in your backyard! What are they smoking up there in Sacramento?
ReplyDeleteIt’s so ridiculous that it would never happen. It’s a game with Sacramento. People shouldn’t worry any of this will happen because in reality it can’t. All of this is so politicians in Sac can say they are doing something.
DeleteAnd why are we bowing down to it?
DeleteJeff Wan's comment regarding turnover in his blog is "Frequent turnover impacts the City's ability to deliver consistent services." The city's response to the grand jury report's recommendation to study turnover was that it would not be implementing research of the turnover. They note that turnover is as expected. I suppose this means the city residents should expect to see an inability for the city to deliver consistent services.
ReplyDeleteWell if you look at the folks providing our landscaping services - case in point the despicable dying shrubs un-manicured bushes and planting (that covers the signage) and place overgrown with weeds at at the entry sign - the results are consistently bad and I would welcome some turnover. Maybe even a replacement by an outside firm that could be bonded and held accountable.
DeleteEvery city has turnover. It’s nothing unusual. Now that we have the right management in place the frontline worker will have direction and leadership.
DeleteWasting money on investigations about turnover would change nothing. Today’s environment of low quality hires makes it hard for any business, corporation and city to find the right people. Bret Prebula was bad hire. He was a poor city manager. The current city manager is a quality hire. It’s that simple. Turnover has stopped for the most part. We are well past one year with the current manager. He is hiring good staff, not his crony friends like Prebula did. The investigation was another Holly Tillman idea designed to waste time, money and somehow blame it all on the current council majority. We can stop talking about turnover now and instead focus on letting the staff get the job done.
DeleteAgreed! Bret and his friends were a train wreck!
DeleteNo money spent on investigating the reason for turnover...bur now a look to increase revenues to pay for the ability to attract and retain employees.
DeleteThe people up in Sacramento are sick. Please leave Clayton alone.
ReplyDelete