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

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.

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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.