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January 28, 2011
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Eagle Scout projects bring big improvements to parks
Disputed gym charges hold up request for parking lot easement
DAVE SHUEY TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
MAYOR’S CORNER Proposed state budget would ax RDAs Sometimes being the mayor is no fun, because I have to report bad news and there is just no way around it. Or, as President Obama said, “If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.” Now, don’t get upset, it’s just a platitude and I am not casting aspersions on, or favoring, Republicans or Democrats. Remember, at the local level, we are not one party or the other– we are Claytonites. Unfortunately, right now we Claytonites need to circle our wagons because the state is once again looking to the cities to bail it out. The governor released his new budget proposal and this pig stinks, with or without lipstick. In the interest of fairness, I should say the Gov. Jerry Brown is doing what he thinks is in our best interests as a whole and we will all have to, in one way or the other, share in the pain before the gain. That being said, this new proposal figures to hit us hard. Foundationally, the budget indicates a shortfall for fiscal year 2010-’11 of $8.2 billion and for 2011-’12 it is $17.2 billion, for a teeny weeny, itsy bitsy speck of a structural deficit of $25.4 billion. Folks, that is not a typo. Contextually, if everyone in Clayton (11,431 in July 2009) decided to pitch in and help, they would have to contribute more than $2.2 million each.
See Mayor, page 9
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
BANDIT, THE DALMATION, SHOWS OFF HIS SKILLS ON THE NEW AGILITY JUMP at the Clayton Dog Park. The jump is part of major landscaping and water improvements built by Troop 492 Scouts Clark Blatter (left), Bryan Crase (center) and Garrett Blatter to earn the ranking of Eagle Scout. PAMELA WIESENDANGER Clayton Pioneer
How many people can say they earned 21 merit badges by age 18? Served six months as a group leader? Planned, developed and led a community service project? Six and counting in the Pioneer’s distribution area. These Boy Scouts have progressed through five levels of scouting and are attempting to earn the highest rank of Eagle Scout. Only 5 percent of all Boy Scouts earned Eagle Scout rank nationwide in 2010. Four Eagle Scout projects were finished in Clayton in December: one at Lydia Lane Park and three at the Clayton Dog Park. James Van Wyck, Troop 262, built a horseshoe pit at Lydia Lane Park. Clark Blatter, Garrett Blatter (cousin) and Bryan Crase, Troop 492, made water and landscaping
improvements at the dog park. The Scouts are at various stages of doing final write-ups of their projects and getting board approval to earn the Eagle Scout rank. James is a senior in high school and has his Eagle Scout Board of Review in one month. He chose the horseshoe pit at Lydia Lane Park from the city’s wish list of projects. He added his own special touch of a square sand pit around the stakes, with gravel between them. While completing the project, James says his most important lesson was leadership communicating with people to direct them and achieve a goal. He appreciates the experiences he had as a Boy Scout. “Boy Scouts is really a great thing for young men,” he notes.
See Eagle Scouts, page 11
Photo courtesy of the Van Wyck Family
FOR HIS EAGLE SCOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE project, James Van Wyck of Troop 492 built a horseshoe pit at Lydia Lane Park.
Plans to expand the parking lot at the Community Park ball fields stalled last week when what the city thought was a routine request for an easement was turned down by the school district. The easement is needed to connect the school district driveway to the parking lot. Without it, the project will require a second driveway on Marsh Creek Road and a “hammerhead” dead end to the parking lot. City officials were taken by surprise at the Mt. Diablo Unified School District’s denial, which is based on a dispute over custodial fees at the Clayton Community Gym. The two issues are unrelated, says city manager Gary Napper, and the city has been trying unsuccessfully to resolve the custodial fee issue for more than a year. A joint use agreement between the city and the school district gives Clayton full use of the gym during non-school hours. According to the agreement, the city is responsible for operating and custodial expenses only when it is using the gym. Until last year, the YMCA contracted with the city of Clayton to use the city’s time to run a recreation program. When the YMCA folded last year, Napper discovered that the district had been charging custodial and operating costs for all of the hours allocated to the city, even when the gym was not in use. Further, the city was being charged for cleaning areas never
See Easement, page 9
Clayton swears in new sergeant Friends, family remember John Jawad as a man of wit and charm TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
panel, it gets the juices flowing,” says Police Chief Dan Lawrence. “McEachin was the No. 1. He was clearly out in front.”
See Sergeant, page 6
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA PERMIT 190
Clayton police officer Rich McEachin was promoted to sergeant last month, beating out six other candidates. McEachin was the top pick, scoring at the top of each round of testing that included writing
skills, management ability and a personal evaluation. The selection committee was made up of three lieutenants from other police departments. “When you have to demonstrate your skills in front of a
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
CITY
CLERK
LACI JACKSON swears in new sergeant Rich McEachin.
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
John Jawad, owner of the Pioneer Inn Restaurant for almost 30 years, died on Jan. 17 in Las Vegas, Nev. after a long illness. He was 84. The Pioneer Inn put Clayton front and center on the Bay Area’s dining map for the three decades that Jawad owned it. John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and Count Basie were among Jawad’s diners and friends.
See Jawad, page 8
Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Community Calendar . . . . . . . . . . .15 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . . . .5 Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Fit with Levity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
JAWAD, OWNER OF CLAYTON’S ICONIC PIONEER INN on Main Street, died on Jan. 17 after a long illness. He was 84. Jawad is pictured here with Bob and Eldora Hoyer at his 80th birthday celebration in 2006.
Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Readers' Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Senior Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Teen Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Time to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10