May 13, 2016
Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com
Making progress at Clayton Station
CHrIS WeNzeL
BEHIND
THE
BADGE
This past month we are continuing to work on the quality of life issues at the Clayton Station. Having the support of the local businesses especially, Safeway and the Clayton Station Property Manager, we are addressing certain individuals who have been disrespectful to property, the business owners and the shoppers who frequent the area. We are sympathetic to some of the individuals needs and are working together to provide a better situation for all concerned. I met with the property manager of the Clayton Station who stated she would look into ways to provide better visual access for patrolling officers through
the possible hiring of certified crime prevention designers to make improvements to the complex itself. There was little to report on the recent Art and Wine Festival other than it appeared that many people had a great time. The April 30 event was attended by 5,000-6,000 people and there were lots of smiles by all those present. Sunday, May 1, also went well but the event was less crowded. This was probably due to people watching the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs. A couple weeks ago there was a theft of a Rainbow Flag from the Presbyterian Church on Kirker Pass Road. This theft and the Hate Crime associated with that act are extremely rare for Clayton. The Clayton police officers did extremely well in the investigation of this crime which led to the eventual arrest of two suspects and felony charges of Arson and a Hate Crime. Both suspects are still in custody and are awaiting trial. Witnesses stepping forward and providing information to the police along with the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office and the Con-
tra Costa County Fire Protection District were instrumental in the filing of criminal charges and assisting in the investigation of this incident. Again, as the weather gets better we become busier and we become complacent. Stay vigilant and protect your property, especially your mail. Recently, there have been some fraudulent phone calls received where individuals identify themselves as a representative of the IRS and that you immediately owe money. Please don’t be a victim of this scam. The IRS does not operate in this manner and if you have any questions please look for the assistance of the IRS through their website. As we move forward towards summer drive carefully and pay attention to the pedestrian traffic as well as bicycle riders. Kudos to Officer Eddy: Recently, Russell Eddy, a Clayton Police Department level I Reserve Officer, was honored by the California Society Sons of the American Revolution. A Level I Reserve Officer is hard to come by, as they are required to attend as many hours
of training as a fully employed police officer. Res. Officer Eddy began working in Clayton on June 1, 2000. During that time he has dedicated himself to work approximately eight hours a day, two days a week, for almost 16 years. That equates to approximately 19.2 full-time weeks a year, which also equates to almost six years of full time work. Besides regular patrol duties, Res. Officer Eddy works the special events for the city. His dedication goes beyond the call of duty not only volunteering himself but also staying certified with all the mandated law enforcement courses that a paid sworn officer must receive to remain certified. His dedication to duty and willingness to volunteer is uncommon. He is a person who truly understands what it means to be involved and dedicated to helping others all while being a volunteer. I am lucky to have such a man here at the Clayton Police Department. Chris Wenzel is Chief of Police of Clayton. Send questions and comments to chris.wenzel@claytonpd.com or call (925) 673-7350
Feeder system to Northgate for Diablo View, Pine Hollow students challenged Comments on local blogs and websites showed a lot of confusion as to what the district’s action meant as well as bemoaning more westbound traffic in the mornings on Ygnacio Valley Rd. headed towards Northgate, which traditionally has higher high school and college entrance test scores than Clayton Valley Charter. Local realtors said property values would increase for homes in the Pine Hollow and Diablo View areas. MDUSD superintendent Dr. Nellie Meyer acknowledged to the Pioneer that the board action April 25 simply formalized a policy that has been in practice since the charter high school left the district. Meyer doesn’t anticipate the current capacity of Northgate (just under 1600) to increase very much this fall due to the new policy. Clayton Valley Charter supplied figures from the last two years showing that for the 2015-16 school year 169 Diablo View and 170 Pine Hollow students applied to CVCHS. For the coming fall term the figures are 184 and 167, respectively. MDUSD statistics show for 2015-16 school year there are 213 eighth graders at Diablo View and 236 at Pine
Hollow so the majority have indicated they are going to nearby Clayton Valley Charter. The CVCHS charter says that students from former MDUSD feeder schools to Clayton Valley High (Diablo View and Pine Hollow) have first priority for admittance to the high school, which has admitted about 500 freshman annually. The CVCHS governing board recently voted to increase the school’s capacity by up to 250 students, with the majority of that increase coming with the incoming class of 2020. Since the charter school began in 2012 the absence of Clayton Valley meant its feeder middle schools weren’t officially designated with a home high school until now. Meyer acknowledges that those affected families wanting to remain in the district had a choice of any MDUSD school but her data shows that most chose Northgate. Ayers, Highlands, Mt. Diablo and Silverwood elementary schools feed into Diablo View in Clayton or Pine Hollow in Concord. Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek has been the middle school feeder to Northgate and 343 eighth graders are in the Foothill class of 2016.
It is also pointed out that area families can choose private schools like Berean Christian, Carondelet and De La Salle as well as the new public charter Contra Costa School of Performing Arts, which has a waiting list for its inaugural 2016-17 year. All those high schools are close to Foothill’s attendance area. CVCHS executive director Dave Linzey says, “This issue is really about parent choice. Parents want the best for their students. [Those that come to CVCHS] choose our unique school community which offers the highest academic standards and enables our students to become self-motivated, competent and lifelong learners. “Each year, Clayton Valley sees an increased demand for entrance into our high-performing charter high school. This year, we had over 1000 applications and — even with accepting 200 additional students than our original plan — many hundreds of students remain on our waiting list. Although we wish we could accept every student, it’s a testament of the incredible progress our charter high school has made on our journey from good to great.”
save money and allow them to help the environment. Other reasons they find them important include occupant’s health, tax credit availability and the LyNNe FreNCH home’s resale value. REAL ANSWERS Your green home features should be prominent in the Q. My family and i plan marketing of your home. Be to sell our home. While we sure that your realtor agrees have lived here we have with you on this point. made many “green” upgrades. in researching Q. i am buying my first comparable homes i can place and a townhome find very little in the market- seems like it could work for ing pieces about “energy me. i am getting an fha efficient” features. are buy- loan. i can’t afford a single ers not interested in these family home but i’m scared features? that the complexes won’t a. On a recent survey more take an fha loan. than half of home shoppers a. If it is a true townhome report that green features, from or a PUD (planned unit develenergy efficient appliances to opment) you don’t need FHA solar panels, are an important approval. It qualifies for FHA part of their purchasing deci- financing like a single family sion, though a very small per- home. You are buying the unit centage of home listings market and the lot beneath it. these features sufficiently. A condominium is where Buyers view green features you don’t own the land. You as a priority because they help own an equal and undivided
portion of the entire parcel that encompasses the entire complex. Many buyers avoid buying townhomes or PUD’s unnecessarily because they are afraid they will not be able to get financing.
more financial sense to buy versus rent. According to the study, 72 percent of American adults still believe homeownership is part of their personal American dream. One reason that it benefits people to buy versus rent is the tax deduction they receive from their income tax. If one is earning money and paying taxes the deduction is all of your interest on your loan plus recurring costs such as property taxes. People also can benefit from the gain in equity that comes automatically when the market appreciates. I would suggest that you talk to a mortgage broker and see if you can qualify to purchase a home. If you can then you have an educated decision to make.
JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Mt. Diablo Unified School District recently made formal what has been the practice for eighth graders matriculating to high school since Clayton Valley became a charter school in the fall of 2012. The board voted two weeks ago to designate Northgate High School in Walnut Creek as home high school for students from Diablo View and Pine Hollow middle schools, which has been the practice over the past four years. Following an outcry from the Northgate area community and current Northgate families in Walnut Creek about this action MDUSD trustee Brian Lawrence said, “My colleague Linda Mayo was the only one to vote against last week’s action. She got it right. I got it wrong.” He requested board president Cheryl Hansen to place the matter on this Monday’s agenda for reconsideration, which she did. “Large segments of our community felt blindsided by this action. That is an indication that we failed to communicate what was being considered and what was then enacted,” Lawrence said.
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Do ‘green’ features enhance a home’s value to buyers? Q. My fiancé and i are on the fence whether to buy a place or continue to rent. We are 30 and 32 years old respectively. Can you give us some input on this subject? a. A recent survey found that around 25 percent of renters indicated that they do not plan to ever purchase a home while around 70 percent said it would be more than two years before they do so. Of the 70 percent nearly 80 percent of them said there are factors that could inspire them to purchase in the next 12 months. Factors cited included: Ability to save enough for a down payment; obtain a new job; interest rates stay low or get lower; decided that it makes
Send your question and look for your answer in a future column. Email Lynne@LynneFrench.com. French is the broker/owner of Windermere Lynne French & Associates. Contact her at 672-8787 or stop in at 6200 Center St., Clayton.
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