Loo k Ins id e
www.claytonpioneer.com
IT’S YOUR PAPER April 8, 2016
925.672.0500
Landscape District renewal on June ballot TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
Clayton’s Landscape Maintenance District, which funds maintenance and improvements to the city’s roadway landscaping, trails and open spaces, will sunset in 2017.
Not willing to wait until the district has expired and risk getting caught with no way to pay for landscaping, the City Council will bring the issue to the voters this June as ballot Measure H. The measure needs a two-thirds majority to pass.
“When we set up the district, we designed it so we could ‘pause’ and reevaluate in 10 years,” says Planning Commissioner Dan Richardson, who was instrumental in shaping the district in 2007. “It’s been good,” he says. “It works. We survived the
recession, and we’re surviving the drought.” In fact, Richardson says it’s been “better than good.” “We’ve not only stayed on budget, but we’ve been able to invest almost $1 million in capital improvements over the 10 years.”
When the current Landscape Maintenance District was created in 2007, voters passed it with an overwhelming 83 percent majority – far greater than the required twothirds approval. Mayor Howard Geller fully expects the renewal to once again pass
muster with Clayton residents. “The aesthetics and attractiveness of our picturesque city is important to the quality of our lives,” says Geller. “Walking maintained trails and roadways provides
See Landscape, page 8
Clayton woman honored for prison work PEGGY SPEAR Clayton Pioneer
HowaRd GelleR
MAYOR’S CORNER
Summer concerts back, median work good to go
Summertime events are being planned and scheduled. This year’s Saturday Concerts in The Grove. starts the season on May 7 and boasts the best lineup of bands ever. Our Classic Car Shows and mid-week concerts are now on Wednesday nights with seven car shows and four concerts scheduled. CBCA’s popular Art and Wine festival is scheduled for April 30-May 1. Details of these events and othPhoto courtesy of assemblywoman Susan Bonilla ers can be found at C LAYTON RESIDENT COLLETTE CARROLL (LEFT) ON THE ARM OF ASSEMBLYWOMAN SUSAN BONILLA (d-Concord) was named the asci.clayton.ca.us. The City Council approved sembly district 14 woman of the Year for her volunteer work with the California Reentry Institute. Carroll works with inmates nearing parole, preparing them for the transition to life on the outside. concept designs to enhance the appearance of seven subdivision entry medians. Our maintenance department now begins the arduous task of preparing detailed competitive-bid packages to include options for power and light features. Unless the drought’s water restrictions are lifted, expect hardscape renovations only at this point within ness. Last Friday, nearly a TAMARA STEINER the limited approved budget of thousand friends and family $300,000. Future funds under Clayton Pioneer packed St. Bonaventure’s this pay-as-you-go improvement Lester “Skip” Ipsen, com- Catholic Church to share munity leader and founder of more laughs than tears in See Mayor, page 9 Skipolini’s Pizza died at home remembering a man who hadon March 18 after a long ill- n’t yet learned to make good pizza when he opened the first Skipolini’s Pizza Garden in 1974. In fact, said Ed Moresi, owner of Ed’s Mudville Grill and Moresi’s Chophouse, there was no pizza at all on opening day because the dough machine had not yet been delivered. Moresi was Skipolini’s first employee, bussing tables Steve Pierce alongside Skip’s sons Kent and A PROUD AND JOYFUL “SKIP” IPSEN TOOK THE MIC at the grand Eric. opening of the Ipsen Family Bocce Park in 2014. The park, “We opened at 4 p.m. with a philanthropic effort by Ipsen and son Kent Ipsen, stands sandwiches, salad, sangria, beer in testament to a life devoted to family, work and his comand wine, but no pizza,” More- munity. Ipsen died on March 18. si said. “About 6 o’clock, a few friends walked through the charge of making dough.” soup,” Kent said. “He was furiTHE GLAZED, CERAMIC FOUNTAIN in Robb and Karen door carrying boxes of Straw One very busy night, Skip ous, ranting to my mother who Hallybone’s backyard garden becomes an draHat Pizza.” phoned the boys for more simply said ‘You’ve got a 12matic feature surrounded by cheerful gerbera Skipolini’s has always been dough. It was a good night for year-old and a 13-year-old that daisies. The yew backdrop provides privacy and a family operation, says Kent television and the task got you aren’t paying…and these texture as the carefully placed whimsical elements Ipsen. squeezed in between commerare your prep cooks?’” personalize this garden vignette. “Our prep kitchen was our cials with several missteps It got better from there. backyard pool house, not venalong the way. For more on the Clayton gardens tour, tilated and completely illegal. “When Dad got home to See Ipsen, page 7 turn to page 3 My brother and I were in pick up the dough, it was
Community and family mourn founder of Skipolini’s and father of the CBCA
Collette Carroll doesn’t see herself as “anything special.” But tell that to the 43 recent graduates of the California Reentry Institute – a nonprofit that prepares and supports men through the transition from prison – and you can see that she is changing lives for the better. Because of Carroll’s work with CRI, Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla (D-Concord) honored Carroll as the 2016 Assembly District 14’s Woman of the Year, an announcement made at San Quentin during the CRI graduation in February. “Of course I was surprised,” Carroll said. “But the best thing was having it announced there. Everyone went nuts.” Through her Empowered Reentry Program based out of
See Prison, page 18
Rain or shine, Clayton Cleans Up on April 23
Much-needed rains guarantee an abundance of weeds to pull at this year’s Clayton Cleans Up on April 23. Rain or shine, volunteers can check in at 9 a.m. at Clayton City Hall to claim a bright orange shirt and matching garbage bag to fill with trash and weeds from Clayton’s parks and trails. While sprucing up Clayton for spring, the Clean Up
Volunteers will take home a T-shirt designed by local artist, Sharon Petersen.
See Cleanup, page 3
What’s Inside
Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Community Calendar . . . . .15 Directory of Advertisers . . . .7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 School News . . . . . . . . . . .16
Postal Customer ECRWSS
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA 94517 PERMIT 190