Letters to Contra Costa County and a Public Information Request

Important Update from the Clayton Watch Team

Dear Clayton Community,

It has come to our attention that several letters sent to Contra Costa County regarding the Civil Grand Jury Report have not been properly posted on the Clayton Watch website.

To view the correspondence, please visit:
https://www.claytonwatch.org/2025/06/contra-costa-county-civil-grand-jury.html

The Clayton Watch Team has submitted two formal letters, addressed to the judge, the jury foreperson, and the Board of Supervisors, respectfully requesting a reply. As of today, no response has been received.

We are currently considering whether to send a third and final letter and notify the media about this continued disregard for the public. These officials were elected to serve the community and are funded by taxpayer dollars. Ignoring public concerns is unacceptable.

We will keep you updated on any further developments.

Additionally, a Public Information Request (PIR) was filed with Contra Costa County.

To view that correspondence and the County’s response, visit:
https://www.claytonwatch.org/2025/07/public-information-request-7-8-25.html

Thank you for staying informed and engaged.

Sincerely,

The Clayton Watch Team

Clayton National Night Out

National Night Out! 

Come join us for our annual National Night Out Event! 

Tuesday, August 5th from 6pm – 8pm! 

Hosted by the Clayton Police Department and the City of Clayton. 

Come interact with our staff and see all the awesome services we provide! 

The event includes the following:

–  Police equipment and fleet vehicles will be on full display.

–  A tour of the Clayton Police Station will be available at 6:30PM and 7:30PM.

–  A table with giveaways of Clayton PD “Swag” gear!

–  A BBQ fully equipped with snacks and drinks to fuel the event!

–  Our friends at Contra Costa Fire Department will be at the event from 6:30PM to 7:15PM!

Road closures for the event will be at the intersection/turnout from Clayton Road onto 
Heritage Trail, and the Heritage Trail Bridge spanning Mitchell Canyon Creek by City Hall.

Parking for the event will be in the parking lot of the Clayton Public Library! 

See you then!

Clayton City Council - From the Desk of Kim Trupiano 8-1-25

City Council Correspondence: The excerpts below have been sourced from the Diablo Gazette to share with the Clayton Watch Community. You can access the article in the Diablo Gazette's website by following this link: https://www.diablogazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DiabloGazette-Aug-25-16pgs.pdf

While we may not always agree with the opinions shared, we believe in facilitating a platform for respectful debates. Thank you for contributing to the ongoing conversation in the comments section. Remember to keep your comments respectful and concise.

------------------------------------------------------------

Mayor Trupiano

Clayton’s Busy Summer Schedule

Concerts in the Grove

There are only a few more Concerts left in this summer series and we hope to have you come out and join us for some great music, dancing and fun for the entire family. The remaining schedule includes two long-time favorites: The Sun Kings (Beatles tribute band) on August 9th and Pride & Joy (Rhythm & Blues) closing out the season on August 23rd. Concerts are held from 6 to 8:30 pm at The Grove Park in downtown Clayton. For more information please visit: https:// claytonca.gov/our-city/annualevents/concerts-in-the-grove/. 

National Night Out

The Clayton Police Department will host a National Night Out event, on Tuesday, August 5, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at City Hall in the courtyard. The department will feature police equipment, including patrol vehicles and the new Polaris UTV. The event will include a BBQ and serving hot dogs, chips and drinks and handing out swag. All Clayton residents are invited to stop by, say hi, and grab a hot dog! 

Fourth of July

A big thank you to everyone who volunteered and participated in this year’s 4th of July parade. It was another successful event and well attended by so many families and neighbors. We thank our new parade chair, Sarah Brinkman, again for taking on this event this year for the City. We will be recognizing Sarah as our Unsung Hero for the Month of July at our August Council meeting. We look forward to an even bigger event next year when the country celebrates its 250th birthday. 

August Council Meeting

On August 19, the Council will be recognizing our 2025 Mayor for the Day, Charlie Meriam, from Mt. Diablo Elementary School. Charlie will kick off the meeting for us, lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance and share some of his ideas for a better Clayton. We will also be focusing on ideas for Revenue Enhancement and we invite the community to come out and share your ideas with us. Visit the City’s website for more details about this and upcoming meetings at https:// claytonca.gov/.

A Focus on Energy Savings 

The City’s two-year Climatec project is coming to a close at the end of August. The entirety of the project includes new HVAC units and Building Automation Systems, irrigation control and sensor systems and a solar array panel that will provide Net Zero Energy (NZE) to all city-owned buildings. Plus, a new two-vehicle EV charging station was installed at the library. 

We recently had a productive meeting with our representatives from PG&E, and we were excited to learn that the LED Conversion of the PG&E-owned streetlights is going to begin this September and will be a full conversion of their streetlights. This conversion represents tremendous savings to our utility bills and increased efficiency and safety for the community. 

As always, I enjoy hearing from you, so please reach out to me with your questions, comments, suggestions at kimt@claytonca.gov or at 925.673.7324. Have a wonderful rest of your summer and remember, we are stronger together.

End of an Era: Clayton Pioneer Newspaper to Cease Publication!

After more than two decades of serving the Clayton community, the Clayton Pioneer is officially closing its doors. This marks not only the end of a long-standing local newspaper but also the culmination of editorial missteps and growing political entanglements under its owner, Tamara Steiner.

Founded by Harry Green and later acquired by Tamara and Bob Steiner, the Pioneer thrived under early leadership. Tamara, a former journalist, brought passion and a strong editorial voice, making the paper a trusted source for local news, from high school sports to city council coverage.

However, over time, Tamara’s personal and political ambitions began to overshadow the paper’s core mission. The publication gradually shifted from objective reporting to a platform for her personal views, particularly through her involvement with the Clayton Business and Community Association (CBCA), of which her husband, Bob Steiner, was a past president. This connection blurred the lines between journalism and political influence, raising questions about the objectivity of the paper. 

By 2018, Tamara’s political engagement became more overt, as she began endorsing CBCA-backed candidates for city council, something she had previously avoided. Coverage of those she disagreed with grew increasingly combative, further merging journalism with political activism.

The most glaring issue came when the Pioneer published a false report during a local election, inaccurately claiming that a candidate had received the most votes. This misinformation not only caused confusion but also severely damaged the paper's credibility. The situation worsened when the Pioneer published an unfounded story suggesting Clayton was in financial decline, even comparing it to Antioch. This negative reporting contributed to the collapse of several real estate deals, further tarnishing the city's reputation and eroding public trust in the paper.

If things weren’t bad enough, four out of five Council members, along with senior city staff and members of the police department, refused to engage with her due to biased reporting and a lack of professionalism. This led to unnecessary divisions within local government and strained relationships crucial for effective governance.

Tamara’s involvement with the recent Civil Grand Jury report, alongside Councilmember Holly Tillman, further raised concerns within the community. The report was widely criticized for being biased, flawed, and factually inaccurate. This only fueled perceptions of political favoritism, reinforcing doubts about the Pioneer's objectivity and credibility.

While financial pressures and the shift to digital media played a role in the paper's decline, many believe its demise was primarily driven by the abandonment of objective reporting in favor of personal and political agendas.

Tamara Steiner’s recent health diagnosis is a deeply personal matter, and despite past criticisms, we wish her strength and healing during this challenging time.

The closure of the Pioneer serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of journalistic independence. For the Clayton community, it’s not just the loss of a newspaper, but a reminder that journalism must prioritize truth above personal or political interests.

As Clayton moves forward, we hope the next chapter of local news will be rooted in honesty, fairness, and responsibility.

The Clayton Watch Team

Special Meeting - Please Be There - Starts at 4:00 PM