Clayton is on the move!

Kim Trupiano Mayor, Clayton (kimT@claytonca.gov)

Mayor Trupiano

Staffing 

By the time you read this, Clayton’s City Hall will be fully staffed with an unrivaled team of experienced employees that are committed to the community, to each other and to being results oriented. 

Thank you to our City Manager, Kris Lofthus, who has been hard 

at work building this outstanding team, by rightsizing the staff’s roles and responsibilities, vetting through hundreds of applicants and finding the best employees to support our City. 

We now have a new Police Chief, Jeremy Crone, a new Administrative Services Director, Dennis Bozanich, a new City Clerk/Assistant to the City Manager, Leticia Miguel, a new Administrative Clerk, Sklyer Aitken, a new Community Development Technician, Jason McKinely and a Community Services Leader, Janessa Torres and joining us on September 2nd, we will welcome our first Public Works Director/City Engineer and a new Senior Planner. These exceptional employees are ready to serve the needs of the residents of Clayton. 

Finances 

Over the last two years, many of us on City Council, along with City staff, have done the hard work of scrubbing the financial data, scrutinizing expense and revenue data, engaging the services of UBS to manage our investment account, implementing an accurate and updated Master Fee Schedule, making quality appointments to the Financial Sustainability Committee, attending monthly (sometimes bi-weekly) Budget & Audit committee meetings, tasked with reviewing budget projections, contract analysis, updating the City’s investment policy and bringing those recommendations back to the Council at large. 

In August, we held Part One of a multi-part series on revenue generating ideas and will be taking a deeper dive to determine the City’s needs and estimate what level of services we as a community can afford and supports, as it relates to major things like roads and paving, sidewalk repair and ADA improvements, special district funding, landscaping and maintenance and future staffing needs. 

City Projects 

At the end of this year, the City is embarking on Phase I of a three-part library refresh project with Contra Costa County Library and the Clayton Community Library Foundation. Phase I will include all new paint and carpeting, for both the library and Hoyer Hall, as well as some new furniture. We know this is the most cherished building in the community and our collective goal is to make even more inviting to the public. 

As one project begins, another is coming to a close this month and that project is in partnership with Climatec. The Climatec project was launched in 2023 and once completed will include all new irrigation controls, new HVAC systems, new interior and exterior LED lighting, a solar array panel that will provide energy to City Hall and the library, as well as a new two-vehicle EV charging station in the library parking lot. We hope to announce a “flip the switch” date and ribbon cutting soon. 

Housing Element 

After many years and even more meetings with our consultant and the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD), I am excited to share that both the Planning Commission and the City Council have approved the final version of the City’s Sixth Housing Element and we are awaiting final certification from HCD in the next 60 days. Thank you again to our City Manager for all of his work in getting us over the finish line. 

On the Horizon 

We will shortly be launching the 311 app, which will provide the community with an easy method for reporting issues they see needing attention throughout the City including but not limited to sidewalk repair, potholes, irrigation problems, graffiti and more. 

We are also reviewing new rental facility software for our city-owned buildings and parks, in order to make reservations and payments easy and seamless for the community. 

Save the Date 

Hispanic Heritage Day Event on September 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, at The Grove, to include food, music, dancing and lots of fun! 

Holidays in The Grove, in partnership with the CBCA, Saturday, December 6, at 5:00 pm at The Grove Park, downtown. 

Thank you to all who attended, volunteered, sponsored, performed and participated in our 18th Annual Concerts in the Grove. It was an outstanding season and we could not have been successful without everyone who made it happen. Here’s to season 19 in 2026! 

I will be hosting a State of the City Town Hall meeting November 5 at 6:00 p.m. in Hoyer Hall, with updates from myself, our City Manager, Kris Lofthus, and each of our department heads. It will also provide you, the community, with an opportunity to ask us questions, and field your concerns so we can understand what’s important to you now and for our City’s future. 

If you would like to reach me, you may contact me at kimt@claytonca.gov or at 925.673.7324. Remember, we are stronger together!

City Council Meeting Summary - Jeff Wan 8-19-25

Jeff Wan

City Council Correspondence: The excerpts below have been sourced from the website of council member Jeff Wan to share with the Clayton Watch Community. You can access council member Wan's website by following this link: https://www.jeffwanforclaytoncitycouncil.net

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.

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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.

Guest Editorial — A Façade of Perfection? By Holly Tillman

Clayton Watch republishes excerpts of community correspondence, published articles, and public comments to encourage transparency, accountability, and civic engagement. By sharing these pieces, we aim to give residents direct access to viewpoints that have shaped discussion in our city.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Clayton Watch. We believe the community deserves to see not only what is said at City Hall, but also what leaders and residents alike are putting forward in public forums. In sharing this commentary, we invite our readers to participate in the conversation and to do so with respectful and concise contributions.

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The following editorial was authored by Clayton Councilmember Holly Tillman and published in the now-defunct Clayton Pioneer on August 14, 2025.

CLAYTON, CA (Aug. 14, 2025) — I often wonder what our town would be like if people worked together instead of against each other.

From the outside looking in, Clayton is a picturesque setting. We are a bedroom community with parks and trails, and events are held throughout the year that bring the community together. But when you peel back the curtain to see the inner workings you understand there is a lot of work to do.

Recently our City Council participated in a governance training session facilitated by a third party to help us be better leaders. There were two outcomes that concerned me about that session. We never touched on the main reason we needed the governance training to begin with, and some council members believe we are doing everything right and don’t need to improve upon anything. This comes across as an unserious city council.

While it is no secret that our council is divided, residents expect us to work together to do what’s best for the entire city. This is why we were elected. Clayton isn’t divided into districts, yet council members treat their responsibilities and the will of certain constituents as if we were. I feel these actions have led to increased hostility at council meetings over the past 9 years and dirty politics in general by a group who thrives on being in control and being perceived as a “trusted authority/voice” in Clayton. Much like our national government, bad actors have infiltrated the city council with a pipeline of sycophants and loyalists lying in wait in the wings.

The reality is we have had high staff turnover which led to a loss of institutional knowledge and project delays, and we need to raise revenue or cut expenses.

Did you know that our trails have not been maintained in years? Or that we have special districts for our streetlights, stormwater, trails and landscaping that are all running at a deficit? Did you know that we have over 4000 hours of deferred maintenance that needs to be done and we don’t have the resources for it unless we draw from our reserves? Our council has known this for years, and two previous city managers were badgered for saying the quiet part out loud and not falling in line with “the Clayton way.”

Pretending we are perfect and do not need to make changes or improvements is a slap in the face to every Clayton resident. It’s about time we get to work.

Holly Tillman
Clayton City Councilmember

Public Comment Submitted by Resident

Shared Correspondence from the Community

The following statement originates from public comment submitted by a member of the public for the Tuesday, August 19th, City Council meeting.

Clayton Watch shares excerpts of correspondence received from community members and social platforms to encourage transparency and civic engagement. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Clayton Watch.

Readers are invited to join the discussion by contributing comments that are respectful and concise.

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Public Comment Request – City Council Meeting, August 19, 2025

To: The Honorable Mayor, City Council, and City Staff

Cc: City Clerk, City of Clayton

Date: August 15, 2025

Subject: Public Comment Request – City Council Meeting, August 19, 2025
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Dear Mayor Trupiano, Members of the City Council, and City Staff,

Please accept the following statement for inclusion in the Public Comment section of the upcoming City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

Facts Matter, Holly. It’s Time to Resign

· She claims the City’s trails haven’t been maintained in years. She has been the Council representative on the Trails & Landscape Committee the entire time. What has she done? Nothing.

· She points to 4,000 hours of deferred maintenance. What solutions has she proposed or advanced? None.

· She highlights special districts running deficits for years. What action has she taken to address them? Zero.

· She pushed for “Good Governance” training at a cost of $7,000 to the City, only to later complain it didn’t address core issues. What did she do to redirect the discussion during the session? Nothing.

· She’s responsible for getting Clayton certified as a Fire Wise Community. Two years later—still nothing to show for it.

Additionally, the LMD has had a surplus of over $400,000 for two years, and ten out of eleven people on the TLC are serving on expired terms.

What “hostility” on the Council is she referring to? It’s her own hostility toward the rest of the Council.
What “dirty politics” is she talking about? There’s no corruption—only her misrepresentation.

She also leaves out key facts, such as our excellent staff, the far smaller-than-anticipated deficit, and the revenue-generating strategies currently being explored. Holly is all talk and no action. It’s easy to complain, but much harder to roll up your sleeves and do the work. She refuses to do the work.

Holly simply does not fit in with the other four Council members, who are working together to move the City forward.

Let’s not forget, she spent over $25,000 to get elected, and her #HollyOnly campaign was an embarrassment to her and to the City of Clayton. On top of that, she only managed to come in second place to the newly elected Council member who spent under $2,000.

The truth is simple: Holly does not represent the broader Clayton community. She represents a small, radical, progressive minority. Her time on Council has been marked by a lack of results, accountability, and leadership.

For the good of Clayton, Holly, please resign immediately.

Respectfully submitted,

James T. Phillips
Keller Ridge Resident

Clayton Finances – Real Progress, Real Leadership

To: The Mayor, City Council, and City Staff

From: Clayton Watch

Subject: Clayton Finances – Real Progress, Real Leadership

Clayton’s finances have always been fundamentally sound. What’s different this past year is the presence of leadership that understands the numbers, manages them with discipline, and makes decisions grounded in facts.

June and July should have been an opportunity to celebrate that progress. Instead, the moment was overshadowed by an outside report, fueled by negative stories from the now-defunct town paper, a self-serving City Council member, and others engaging in political gamesmanship. While those efforts captured headlines, they did nothing to change the reality: Clayton now has a clear grasp of its finances, is managing them responsibly, and is planning for long-term stability.

Balanced Budget, Better Process

Just a year ago, residents were warned of a projected $629,000 deficit for the current fiscal year. That projection didn’t hold; the actual shortfall was less than $80,000. Under the focused leadership of City Manager Kris Loftus, with the support of engaged staff and an energized Budget & Audit Committee, the City adopted a balanced, bottom-up budget on time and without theatrics.

In June 2025, Clayton also passed its first-ever two-year budget, a milestone that shows real fiscal discipline and planning.

Stability Through Leadership

Clayton’s financial position is now stronger than it has been in years:

• The General Fund surplus is approximately $7 million, providing a healthy cushion.

• Capital improvement funds are directed toward high-priority needs based on data and public input, not political pageantry.

• The Budget & Audit Committee now meets regularly to scrutinize spending, review investments, and safeguard reserves.

Execution Over Excuses

The City is delivering results:

• Housing Element – Adopted locally in January 2023, delayed by State review and staffing changes, and now on track for approval in late September 2025.

• Climatec Infrastructure Program – Includes LED lighting conversions, new HVAC systems, smart irrigation, a solar array, and EV charging stations.

City staff are engaging the community while staying on top of core responsibilities. The old refrain of “too overworked to deliver” has been replaced with results.

Revenue, Fees, and Long-Term Sustainability

The City has implemented multiple policy-driven revenue measures, including:

• Updated Investment Policy – Partnered with a third-party manager for stronger investment performance.

• Master Fee Schedule Update – Adjusted fees to reflect actual service costs, including a new large-event fee for significant City resource use.

• Business License Compliance – Partnered with HDL to improve renewals and identify unlicensed businesses.

• Waste Management Contract – Renegotiated with Republic Services to meet recycling mandates and improve cost efficiency.

• Professional Investment Oversight – Partnered with UBS for improved portfolio growth.

A Revenue Enhancement Session is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2025, to explore additional strategies for long-term financial sustainability. The discussion will cover potential new revenue sources as well as the steps required to put them into action.

Reducing Expenses and Increasing Efficiency

The City has also taken decisive steps to decrease expenses without compromising service quality:

• Staffing Consolidation – Streamlining positions to improve efficiency.

• Service Contract Reviews – Renegotiating agreements to reduce ongoing expenses.

• Lowering Energy Costs and Water Consumption – Implementing conservation strategies and efficiency upgrades.

• Temporary Contract Employees – Using short-term contract workers where appropriate, avoiding long-term staffing costs.

What’s Different Now

Past years saw political distractions and leadership turnover, particularly under prior council members Carl Wolfe, Peter Cloven, and Holly Tillman, and during the extended tenure of career politician Julie Pierce. City priorities often skewed toward ceremonies, proclamations, and parades instead of core services.

Poor leadership from past city managers worsened the situation:

• Reina Schwartz (2020) frequently worked remotely from Sacramento, was rarely present, and left the City with declining services.

• Bret Prebula ignored hiring protocols, skipped background checks, failed to post openings, and withheld financial and project information, forcing residents to file Public Records Act requests for basic answers.

Today, that approach is gone, replaced with competent, engaged leadership that focuses on execution, accountability, and planning.

The Bottom Line

Clayton has turned the corner. Real management has replaced past mismanagement, and the City is operating with discipline, transparency, and momentum.

In closing, we extend our sincere appreciation to City Manager Kris Loftus and the entire City staff for their dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to serving our community. We also wish to thank Mayor Kim Trupiano, Vice Mayor Jeff Wan, and Council Members Jim Diaz and Rich Enea for their steady leadership and for keeping the City’s priorities at the forefront.

Clayton Watch will continue to monitor the numbers, the projects, and the promises, ensuring that progress isn’t just announced, but delivered.

Best regards,

Clayton Watch Team