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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
March 6, 2009
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Hoyer Hall honors city’s ‘first family’ TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
This month the Library Meeting Room will be renamed Hoyer Hall in recognition of Bob and Eldora Hoyer. Often referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Clayton, the Hoyers, now in their late eighties, have been at the forefront of civic affairs since moving here in 1960. They were intimately involved in all phases of the city’s incorporation in 1964 and Bob Hoyer was Clayton’s first mayor. Eldora was a cofounder of the Clayton Historical Society and the Clayton Woman’s Club. “They’ve been the caretakers of Clayton for all these years,” says Councilman Dave Shuey. “Even after Bob was off the council, they would come to meetings just to keep track of what was going on.” “They have always been there for the city,” says Mayor Julie Pierce. “Anyone who has ever been successful on the council has been mentored by the Hoyers.”
JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER
Kudos to our city’s maintenance crew We’ve had some really wet weather lately, and I want to give a big thank you to our city maintenance crew. Since they began an annual fall storm drain maintenance program several years ago, we haven’t had street flooding despite some very heavy rains that caused serious problems in neighboring cities. It takes a significant amount of time for them to clear all of the storm drain basins in the city, and we can each give them a hand by keeping leaves and other trash cleared from them. Thanks guys – great job! Kudos also for their proactive graffiti removal. We try to have it removed within 72 hours to discourage its proliferation and to keep our city looking good. If you notice graffiti somewhere in town, let us know so it can be cleaned up. If you see someone defacing property, please call the police and report it. We have an anti-graffiti ordinance and a diversion and cleanup program for offenders who are caught. Residents should also note that graffiti on private property must be removed/painted over within three days.
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
ELDORA AND BOB HOYER, AND A SMALL GROUP OF LIKE-MINDED CLAYTONIANS, shared a fierce determination to control the path of progress in Clayton and a vision that would include a vibrant downtown while maintaining the town’s rural nature.
Desperate times for schools struggling to survive State cuts continue to decimate at the local level ANDRÉ GENSBURGER Clayton Pioneer
See Mayor, page 9
Police report increase in property crimes Clayton, along with other area cities, has seen a dramatic jump in property crimes in the past few weeks. Car burglaries and stolen vehicles lead the list. “It’s no surprise,” says Police Chief Dan Lawrence. “When the economy gets bad, property crimes go up. Other cities are experiencing the same thing.” Since the beginning of the year, there have been more than 20 car burglaries, reports Lawrence. According to witnesses, the “MO is the same two white males drive up next to the targeted vehicle, break the side window and grab whatever is visible on the seats. “These guys can quickly turn a side window to gravel,” Lawrence says. “And people are
See Crimes, page 4
See Hoyer, page 6
While Clayton has generally enjoyed a higher standard of living, the national recession and the failing of the state budget has prompted massive cuts – directly affecting local schools. The Mt. Diablo Unified School District was already in the process of eliminating $6.6 million from the existing budget when the state settled its budget and forced the district to cut an additional $7 million. “There is simply no money,” trustee Paul Strange wrote on the MDUSD Blog site. “When we are done, we will have cut $30 million in two years.” “These are tough times,” said Bob Dodson, principal of Mt. Diablo Elementary School in Clayton. “We may lose our VP, Anne Eggleston. That is a huge loss.” At the Feb. 23 board meeting, the agenda included a lengthy list of potential cuts to meet $7 million. Included were fourth- and fifth-grade music, high school sports (with the hope that coaches’ salaries could be raised by parent groups), custodial supervisors, custodians and teachers, as well as possible school closures that would save the district
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
about $460,000 each. “After all the cutting already done, instead of investing in our future, (the state is) disinvesting. I am ashamed at what our state has done,” teacher union president Mike Noce told the board. “Once we feel like we’ve hit the bottom, it keeps getting lower,” Dodson said. “What’s next?” “I personally feel terrible for the vice principals who are being teeter tottered with their job security,” said Mary Del Monte, vice president of fundraising for the MDES Parent Faculty Club.
pulling us out of this.” “We’ve already lost our kindergarten class size,” Dodson said. “It was 20-1. Now it is 32 students per teacher for part of the day.” Parent Jeff Hornsby wonders if schools are the proper place to make massive cuts. “I guess it’s time to be efficient now,” said Hornsby, who has a first-grader at MDES and a young son a day from being born.
locally. “Last year, we earned about $75,000,” he pointed out. “Schools have to be creative right now. All those little efforts add up.” Whitmarsh agreed. “Some of the revenue ideas that have been sent my way include leasing out district property, increasing fees for school use permits, holding a Save Education telethon,” she said. “We’re at bare bones right now,” Dodson said. “We’ve gone from one of the best education systems to the
THE CUTS KEEP COMING According to Strange, the school board has few options. “We have to cut. We must have a balanced budget by March 15.” “Everyone is devastated by the cuts,” said Janine Wishnow, who has a first-grader at MDES and two who will be starting kindergarten in the fall. “My biggest concern is keeping class size down,” she added. “I don’t see many politicians
MT. DIABLO ELEMENTARY
BOB DODSON is among those concerned about the state’s continued
50th (in the country,)” Noce said. “I’m deeply concerned.”
See Schools, page 4
FUNDRAISING ON A LOCAL LEVEL
Trustee Sherry Whitmarsh said MDUSD needs to develop alternative revenue streams apart from the state of California. “The state continues to devalue education, which will only hurt our children,” she said. Dodson is pleased with the family support that MDES has received. In addition to the brick sale that concluded March 1, the school is holding an auction night on April 3 where anything can be auctioned off, including artwork and hikes with the staff and principal. “We’re also doing a live auction,” he added, “and an e-auction where parents can buy things online.” While he knows that things like this do not compensate for the loss of staff or services, it is a way to bring in some revenue
Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . .16 Deal with It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . .5
André Gensburger/Clayton Pioneer
PRINCIPAL
budget cuts. Here he is shown with second-grader Nick Harrison, fourth-grader Caitlin O’Leary and second-grader Grace Bradley.
Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .20 From the Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .4
Movie Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Needs and Deeds . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 On the Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Theatre Review . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15