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The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Piedmont and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Green Projects,
Ann Martin Center,
Volunteer experience,
City Center garage,
Recreation facilities,
Post article,
Municipal Services Tax,
Housing
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. Please tell us how you would advance green projects in Piedmont. Could you talk about what green projects you have been involved with? How large a scope do you imagine for Piedmont in becoming a green city? What specific actions/programs would you propose?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
During my service on the Piedmont City Council for the past four years Piedmont has initiated numerous impressive environmental programs and policies. These include, streamlining homeowners solar energy permit applications, greatly improving and expanding Piedmont's recycling programs to include food scraps, unlimited green waste, more types of plastics, electronic waste and construction debris. Additionally, a grant has been obtained to study ways to lower carbon emissions and energy audits are being conducted to lower the amount of energy used by the City of Piedmont.
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2. How do you propose to deal with the conflict between the Ann Martin Center and the neighborhood that is affected by traffic and parking congestion?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
The City Council has conducted a traffic study and instituted a temporary residential parking plan in an attempt to resolve the neighborhood concerns, while being fair to the different businesses in the immediate area. The issues on Fairview involve more than just the Ann Martin Center. In addition to the Ann Martin Center, the Fairview, Wildwood and Grand Avenue area has a hardware store, gas station, commercial establishments and a synagogue, each of which brings cars and traffic to the area. We need to carefully study and analyze the problem and potential solutions, and try different remedies to determine what works, and is the fairest to all of the parties impacted.
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3. Could you please tell us your previous volunteer experience with the City of Piedmont and how you think it will help you as a Council member?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
1. 4 years on the Piedmont City Council.
2. 6 years on the Piedmont Recreation Commission.
3. 20 years of volunteering with the Piedmont schools and youth of Piedmont coaching Piedmont Recreation Department teams, Piedmont Baseball foundation teams, Piedmont Soccer Club teams, fund raising, P.A.S.S., Piedmont High School Boosters, Wildwood Dad's Club, Campfire, Cub Scouts and Piedmont Community Church.
4. Council liaison to the Parks, Planning and Recreation Commissions and Piedmont Capital Improvements Committee.
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4. Do you support the building of a parking garage as proposed for the new city Master Plan, and if so, why?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
Parking in the center of Piedmont will be a major component of any development in connection with the Piedmont Civic Center Master Plan. A parking structure under the tennis courts would be a very good solution to many of the parking concerns. Whether a parking structure or any other development is constructed in the civic center area depends on many factors, including being able to afford the cost of any such construction. I believe that any construction in the area will have to be a public/private partnership and include significant private funds.
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5. How would you enhance sports and recreation programs through the development of facilities and parks? What would you propose as feasible during this time of budgetary restrictions?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
Given the shortage of open space available in Piedmont, building new facilities and parks will be very challenging. One of the very exciting features of the Mark Becker plan for Havens Elementary is the creation of a new play field which could be used by all of Piedmont's youth. I would support participation by the City of Piedmont to assist in the construction of such a new play field.
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6. Please comment on the Piedmont Post article, “Is Piedmont for Sale?” – both its substance and tone.
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
The article appears to be 100% factually correct. The title of the article is just to get readers to read the article, the important aspects of the article are its contents which raise troubling issues. I am concerned that the levels of spending in this Piedmont City Council race will have a negative impact on future elections, and getting qualified candidates to run for volunteer positions in Piedmont. If a candidate has to spend $30-40,000 of their own money, hire professional political consultants and take time off from work to run a campaign, many people will not in fact run.
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7. As the city faces serious revenue reductions, do you propose reductions in non-essential services or levying some or all of the available Municipal Services Tax? Please be as specific as possible.
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
The revenue reductions this fiscal year were anticipated by the Piedmont City Council and administrative staff. The Piedmont 2007-2008 budget was developed with those reductions in mind. No city services should be impacted. Additionally, in the past few years when city revenues have been strong, careful budgeting has permitted us to save funds for years when the revenues will not be as strong. If revenue reductions continue, the city has sufficient reserves and savings to continue to fund all necessary services at the levels which Piedmonters deserve and expect.
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8. Do you have any proposals to increase moderate or low-cost housing in Piedmont, particularly for public safety and school district employees? Do you think this is an appropriate issue for the city to address?
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Answer from Dean Barbieri:
Piedmont's current housing element of the general plan currently addresses these issues appropriately.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates’ statements are presented as submitted. The questions were submitted by audience members at the LWV Candidates’ Forum on March 11, 2008 but were not posed to the candidates for lack of time.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
