Council OKs Ramona-Ronada Project, Names Interim Fire Chief

In a relatively short and sweet meeting Tuesday night, the Piedmont City Council:

—Approved a bid, construction budget and $33,132 in Capital Improvement Fund monies for the Ramona-Ronada Triangle, a landscaped peninsula designed to improvement pedestrian safety at the intersection.

—Designated May 31, 2013, as Edward Tubbs Day in honor of the city's retiring fire chief and named Capt. Warren "Bud" McLaren as interim chief, effective June 1. City Administrator Geoffrey Grote said interviews with candidates for the permanent fire chief's position are being conducted later this week.

—Discussed a proposal by StopWaste.org to increase fees for the disposal of household hazardous waste, including paint, discarded motor oil, fluorescent light bulbs and other items. StopWaste.org is also considering expanding hours of operation for at its Oakland hazardous waste disposal site and adding e-waste to the items it accepts. Options could increase the amount Piedmont taxpayers pay toward these operations from $8 per year to $9 or $11 per year. You may read the staff report on the proposal on the City of Piedmont website.

—Corrected minutes from the May 11 city budget workshop to reflect that Tim Rood, a member of the city's Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee, inquired about plans by the Piedmont Recreational Facilities Organization to pay about $220,000 still owed to the city in connection with the now-discarded proposal to build soccer fields at Blair Park.